Housing assignments to change for first-years and sophomores this fall
Michael Onysko Deputy News Editor
Tufts Residential Life notified first-years of impending changes to housing assignments for several dorm buildings for the next academic year. Hill Hall will be converted from freshman to sophomore housing while Wren Hall, containing 10-person suites, will house the incoming Class of 2029.
Hill Hall will not be converted to suite-style dorms. Additionally, while Haskell Hall will remain second-year housing, the dorm will accommodate only singles, doubles and triples, eliminating the 10-person group suite selections previously offered.
Perry Doherty, associate director of residential operations, wrote that the changes
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Medford, Somerville school leaders reaffirm immigration enforcement policies
Superintendents in both the Medford and Somerville school districts sent messages to students and families in late January reaffirming existing policies on immigration enforcement after President Donald Trump rescinded a federal policy that prevented immigration raids in schools.
Suzanne Galusi, Medford Public Schools’ interim superintendent, wrote in a Jan. 24 newsletter that the district does not request students’ immigration status and staff do not dismiss students to people unauthorized by parents or caregivers.
“[Our] staff members and district leaders have always and will continue to foster a sense of belonging within our school community that celebrates each students’ individuality, diverse background, and many talents,” Galusi wrote.
In a Jan. 23 email, Rubén Carmona, superintendent of Somerville Public Schools, similarly affirmed that Somerville Public Schools does not request families’ immigration status or disclose student information to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Carmona also wrote that the district “will not coordinate” with ICE or “allow ICE agents access to SPS facilities without a criminal judicial warrant signed by a judge.”
“At Somerville Public Schools, we are deeply committed to supporting all of our immigrant students and families,” Carmona wrote in a statement to the Daily. “This commitment is rooted in our longstanding belief that every child has the right to access high-quality education in an inclusive and safe environment, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or immigration status.”
According to Paul Ruseau, Medford school committee
secretary, although immigration officials have not conducted any raids or requested information from Medford schools, some families within the district seem to have been affected.
There have been children who are no longer in our district because their parents have been removed,” Ruseau said.
The committee approved a policy addressing immigration enforcement in a meeting on Jan. 27. Though many of the items listed were already existing practices, the resolution intended to make the procedures easily accessible to families.
“That resolution that we put forth was to reaffirm a lot of the policies and procedures that are already in place in the Medford district,” school committee member Aaron Olapade said. “But we wanted … the public to be aware of them and have them be in one immediate place.”
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New Boston Avenue dorm approved by Community Development Board, construction to begin this spring
The Medford Community Development Board approved Tufts’ proposed new dorm at 401 Boston Ave. on Feb. 5, allowing construction to begin this spring.
The dorm will be a two-building complex with 299 units, and will house almost 700 upperclassmen when it is scheduled to open in 2027. The board expressed their reluctance to make the decision, recognizing the project’s strong public opposition, but focused the decision on whether existing legal restrictions were enough to deny the proposal.
Emily Hedeman, community development board chair, recognized the need for more student housing, but sternly addressed Tufts administration after the project was passed with five affirming votes and one abstention.
“I hope to never see a project like this in front of us ever
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STELLA JEONG / THE TUFTS DAILY
Wren Hall is pictured on Sunday.
SAMANTHA ENG / THE TUFTS DAILY
Boston Ave. is pictured.
Julian Glickman Assistant News Editor
Marlee Stout Senior Staff Writer
Aisha
Hill Hall to house sophomores, Wren Hall to house first-years
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“will allow Residential Life to offer the same number of firstyear and sophomore beds as we have in the past,” in a statement to the Daily.
Despite students no longer being able to form 10-person groups, the suite-style layout of Wren Hall and Haskell Hall will remain the same, director of residential life, Christina Alch, wrote in a statement to the Daily.
“While there are doors and stairwells that separate sections of the hallway, Wren and Haskell do not have private common areas and bathrooms,” Alch wrote. “These spaces are accessible to anyone who lives in the building.”
According to Doherty, there is no planned construction on the buildings before the fall semester and current room occupancy will remain the same.
The change anticipates the opening of Blakeley Hall — remodeled after previously housing graduate students in The Fletcher School — to second-year undergraduates this fall, Doherty wrote. She added that beds are routinely reshuffled across campus to accommodate fluctuating class sizes.
With planned completion in August, Blakeley Hall’s renovations will create 120 new beds in single and double rooms for the future sophomore class.
“The floor plan has been fully reconfigured. The new layout is a “double-loaded corridor,” which is more typical of undergraduate housing. The building will be fully accessible, including a new elevator, accessible bathrooms, and accessible bedrooms,” the Capital Projects Division wrote in a statement to the Daily.
Hill Hall’s conversion from first-year to sophomore
housing leaves open the possibility of future sophomores living in Hill Hall for two years in a row.
“I’ve had a very interesting experience living in Hill Hall in my freshman year. We’ve faced a lot of obstacles while we’ve lived there,” Aanya Lodha, a current first-year undergraduate and resident of Hill Hall, said. According to Lodha, a recent burst pipe sent water flooding into the building’s second floor, requiring residents to temporarily evacuate the building.
Following the announcement of the new Boston Avenue housing development, Lodha said she received an email from the university notifying Hill Hall residents of expected construction noises.
“These are things quite unique to the Hill Hall experience,” Lodha said. “If I were
to be assigned this housing for my sophomore year, I’d be pretty disappointed.”
The location of Hill Hall, built in 1968, presents another reason students view this residence hall as less desirable to live in.
“I wouldn’t say Hill is a bad dorm, but I would be a little disappointed if I lived in Hill and I have to live in Hill again during my sophomore year,” Nishesh Nath, another first-year student and resident of Hill Hall, said. “It’s just far away from everything on campus. There’s obviously better options.”
“I think Hill Hall has a pretty bad reputation among [first-years]. … We have to be living in what was previously known as pretty bad [first-year] housing,” Lodha said. “Everyone’s pretty scared and disappointed about it.”
The policy includes assurances that the district will not share information with immigration officials without a court order. It also lists steps for administrators to follow if ICE agents arrive at a school or confront a school-sponsored vehicle and procedures detailing how the district will respond if a student’s parents get taken into custody.
Information about immigration crackdowns circulating in the media is having an effect on students, Olapade said, especially those who are immigrants themselves or come from immigrant families.
“[Students] are coming into school unsure about what the day holds for them anymore. Usually it’s just about going to school, learning, trying to retain the content and go home,” Olapade said. “But now, because of the stories we’re seeing on the news and through media of various forms, we’re seeing that that’s not the case for some students or some students’ parents or families.”
On Jan. 31, Galusi wrote to families in a newsletter about “false social media activity” that the district leaders believed was intended to scare families in the community. False messages about a police operation
appeared to be written by the “Massachusetts Department of Immigrant Protection,” a non-existent organization.
Ruseau said he recognized an increase in absences in recent weeks, though the reason is not immediately clear.
“You don’t know if they’re just not coming in because they’re sick — it’s the time of year for that,” Ruseau said. “Or are they not coming in because they’re
afraid of the many rumors that are spreading? Or [is], in fact, one parent gone and the other parent is taking the kids somewhere else? We don’t have any way to know that.”
School committee member Erika Reinfeld said she has not personally received complaints or heard opposition to the committee’s policy from her constituents.
“We got a lot of support at the meeting for putting this policy
on paper and I know people are aware and supportive of publicly affirming these commitments,” Reinfeld said. “There is a lot of uncertainty. I think these orders coming out of Washington are designed to stoke fear and uncertainty, and I think we are seeing that. But here in Massachusetts and Medford, we are committed to doing the right thing for our students to keep them safe as best we can.”
LIA FAYNBERG / THE TUFTS DAILY
West Somerville Neighborhood School is pictured on Saturday.
STELLA JEONG / THE TUFTS DAILY
Hill Hall is pictured on Sunday.
Medford residents react to construction of new dorm
again, with this horrible community engagement. Be a better neighbor,” she said.
Ari Gofman Fishman, a board member, called on Tufts to improve communication with the public.
“You are members of a community. … Being a good partner may not pay immediate dividends in dollars and cents, but it absolutely pays dividends in the short, medium and long term,” Fishman said. “We are a community and I urge you to take the community’s concerns much more seriously than I have seen you do in this particular process.”
The board was asked to determine if the buildings qualified for use of the Dover Amendment, a Massachusetts statute that grants non-profit educational organizations the right to seek relief from certain zoning restrictions, and
whether reasonable restrictions could be applied.
Tufts’ partnership with Capstone Development Partners, a privately-held development company, and inclusion of a retail space on the building’s ground floor raised questions about whether the project qualifies for Dover protections.
Despite members’ reservations, opinions were mixed on whether a legal justification existed to strike down the plan. On Jan. 15, the board denied the proposal before acknowledging that they would need to cite a reason for denying the proposal and unanimously voting to reconsider the decision moments later.
On Wednesday, board members generally agreed that Dover protections should apply but expressed disappointment over how the buildings would impact the public.
“Separate from my feelings about the design of the project, it is clear that this is a Dover Amendment use, and that has been confirmed by legal counsel to my satisfaction,” Fishman said.
“The public is making their feelings very well known, and I do appreciate that. And while we may not be able to act fully per your hopes, we still need to do what’s right by our board,” Hedeman said.
Residents have criticized a lack of community engagement in the development process and the buildings’ proposed bulk and height. Many members of the public appeared on Zoom with virtual backgrounds that read “BUILD A BRIDGE / NOT A WALL.”
Adrienne Rae Landau, a Medford resident with a direct view of the now-approved site, said she believes the decision was influenced by the city’s fear of a legal dispute with Tufts. She also
SCIENCE
expressed frustration over what she feels is an unbalanced power dynamic at play.
“Those with greater power insist they can do what they want simply because they have more power and are entitled to use it regardless of the negative impact on others,” she said.
Landau and her fellow neighbors remain united but are “also in the process of considering our options for next steps.”
“We gathered, we planned, we used our voices. … We really united around the same basic issues: Build a building, house your students,” she said. “But if you build it that tall, it’s going to hurt people in the neighborhood.”
Patrick Collins, executive director of media relations at Tufts, expressed the university’s contentment with the plan’s approval.
“We’re pleased that the Community Development Board
has approved the project, which will enable the university to house more students on campus, free up housing for working families, and deliver a host of benefits to the community,” he wrote in an email to the Daily. “We appreciate the backing of many of our neighbors, government officials, and others in the community who have supported the project.”
Tufts made several concessions throughout the process, including agreeing to build new tree-linings on Boston Avenue, donating to an affordable housing trust and a neighborhood improvement fund and implementing a shuttle between campus and Medford Square.
Board members determined they will require Tufts to submit frequent reports as a check on their concessions. The board will review the reports and can refer them to the Medford Building Department for enforcement.
The ‘quad-demic’ is in town: RSV, COVID-19, influenza and norovirus
Shanzeh Haider Staff Writer
There’s a new term to describe the rise of respiratory illnesses this season: “quad-demic.” The “quad” in quad-demic refers to four diseases that are part of the outbreak: respiratory syncytial virus, COVID-19, influenza and norovirus. The suffix “-demic,” stemming from the word “epidemic,” signifies a large occurrence of a disease or illness in a community or specified area. Knowing pertinent information, keeping up with available data and learning how to prevent these illnesses are three key steps in managing and ending this quad-demic.
RSV is a common virus that causes symptoms associated with colds, including sore throat, runny nose and cough. It spreads through contaminated surfaces, respiratory droplets in the air and direct contact with infected individuals. It is quite contagious, especially given the low RSV vaccination rates across the United States. Fortunately, RSV infection rates seem to be declining, according to a report put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday.
COVID-19 and influenza also show low vaccination rates this year. Both respiratory illnesses spread through respiratory droplets in the air and direct contact with infected individuals.
The final piece of the quad-demic, norovirus, often called the “stomach bug” or “stomach flu,” is a winter virus that commonly causes symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. It is extremely contagious —
spread through contaminated food, water, surfaces and infected individuals — and its symptoms are most often seen 12–48 hours after exposure. Furthermore, research has proven that infected individuals are able to spread norovirus for two weeks or more after symptoms subside.
The highly contagious nature of norovirus has led to a large number of outbreaks, contributing to the quad-demic. According to the CDC’s NoroSTAT database, from Aug. 1, 2024 to Jan. 15, there were 1,078 norovirus outbreaks across the United States in the 14 participating states, Massachusetts included. This is a huge jump from the 557 outbreaks reported during the same period last year. What’s more, just from Jan. 2–9, 97 norovirus outbreaks were reported by the 14 states.
So, what is driving this concerning surge in norovirus cases? According to experts, this increase in cases is explained by a new strain of norovirus called the GII.17[P17]. In the past decade, the majority of norovirus outbreaks in the United States were traced to the strain GII.4; however this year only 7% of cases have been linked to GII.4. More data and research on this strain will be required to fully understand what in this strain is causing increased rates of infection.
Looking at Massachusetts data on these viruses is crucial in order to understand how this quad-demic could impact the Tufts community. The CDC puts out weekly updates and a report in their Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel on Fridays, which presents data both from state and national levels. This includes data on three of the four respiratory
illnesses in the quad-demic: RSV, influenza and COVID-19.
The CDC’s dashboard currently classifies the overall respiratory illness activity in the state of Massachusetts as “high” out of the predetermined levels of minimal, low, moderate, high and very high. With such high infection levels, are emergency departments getting overwhelmed? Looking at emergency department visit data, COVID-19 and RSV emergency department visits are classified as “low” and decreasing. However, influenza emergency room visits have been classified as “very high” by the CDC and are on the rise. Furthermore, wastewater viral activity levels have been crucial in showing levels of infections and risk of developing infections. In
Massachusetts, influenza wastewater viral activity levels have been classified as “very high” and COVID-19 activity levels as “high,” while RSV is now classified as “moderate.”
Apart from knowing the data, prevention is key in managing the spread of illnesses, including those in the quad-demic. Touching contaminated door handles, dining halls serving spoons and bathroom surfaces have all been linked to the spread of disease and infection. A great piece of advice is to keep up with hand hygiene, such as using hand sanitizer, which has been shown to be helpful in eliminating microbes from hands and helping prevent the spread of disease.
It is worth noting that though hand sanitizer helps prevent RSV and COVID-19,
along with other illnesses, it is not effective against norovirus, which makes the management and prevention of the illness quite difficult. While still less effective than hand washing, hand sanitizer can be a good secondary option. With that being said, hand washing is one of the most effective ways of stopping the spread of infection and building healthier communities. General health measures like maintaining a balanced diet, exercising and getting adequate sleep are all crucial in preventing and managing respiratory illnesses. If you are experiencing symptoms of a quad-demic illness, it would be beneficial to take a trip to Tufts University Health Services as soon as possible.
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GRAPHIC BY JAYLIN CHO
Redevelopment plans raise questions about The Burren’s future
Davis Square is a hotspot for Tufts students. In particular, students flock to The Burren, an Irish pub with red-paned windows and iconic outdoor picnic tables, that has drawn diners to live music seven nights a week for nearly 30 years. The Burren even gained national attention in 2019 for its charm: Thrillist listed it as one of the top 21 Irish Pubs in America.
However, The Burren, at least as it currently exists, faces an uncertain future. Boston-based commercial real estate company, Copper Mill, launched a plan to bring a 500-unit high-rise apartment building to the center of Davis Square last year. Their proposal requires temporarily shutting down the popular pub.
Notes from the Davis Square Neighborhood Council maintain that Copper Mill would try to bring old tenants back into a “modern purpose-built space.” If the plan goes forward, the old Burren building will likely cease to exist. The project, in early stages now, has prompted community discussions about the future of Davis Square.
The yet to be formally recognized Davis Square Neighborhood Council is driving these conversations. For about a year they have met once a month, and they have also hosted multiple meetings between the developers and community members. On their website, the Council emphasizes increasing zoning for more housing and the creation of more housing on Elm Street as two of their priorities.
Tufts third-year master’s student Zev Pogrebin, who got involved with the Council last
year as it was beginning and is now a member, shared what he observed from the Council about the new project.
“There’s kind of two main factions. There’s the people in favor of the building going through and there’s the people in opposition, … but no one’s in opposition in the sense that they think there’s no need for housing,” Pogrebin said.
Underscoring these debates is an undeniable fact: Massachusetts faces a housing shortage. According to a 2021 report from the Commonwealth, Massachusetts should produce 200,000 more housing units by 2030 to fulfill housing needs.
Another priority for Somerville’s housing creation is affordability. The City of Somerville listed under their SomerVision2030 plan that a main goal is to expand affordable homeownership units for households of all sizes from diverse social and economic groups. In accordance with this, Somerville
requires 20% of units to be affordable in new developments.
However, Justin Hollander, professor of urban and environmental policy and planning, explained that we have to think more creatively in order to create affordable housing stock and address the shortage. Simply adding more units won’t necessarily reduce prices.
“People subscribe to a very basic principle in economics that tells us that if you increase the supply and the demand doesn’t change, then the price will go down. That’s kind of the framing of a lot of these discussions,” Hollander said.
But in reality, he explained, the situation is more complicated.
“The supply and demand principles that I introduced ... are [not] wrong. It’s that demand goes up when Davis Square [is] super desirable, more people want to move there,” he said.
In addition to questions around affordability, community
members have raised concerns about the Copper Mill project relating to the proposed height of the building and neighborhood preservation.
“What are the businesses going to look like when the building reopens? Will it be Starbucks and McDonald’s, or will it be the same businesses that we’re expecting?” Pogrebin asked.
Tufts seniors Griffin Congdon and Wesley Jansen expanded on the topic of neighborhood preservation. While they had both only heard about the proposed development through an Instagram reel and were unfamiliar with the details of the plan, they emphasized that The Burren has added to their Tufts experiences and expressed sadness at the restaurant’s potential reconfiguration. They both go to The Burren almost every week.
“I would assume, even if [The Burren] comes back, it wouldn’t be the same, because it would be in a modern building. … There’s definitely something special about the old cave feeling there,” Congdon said.
At the same time, Congdon shared that he is pro-housing. Pogrebin also had strong opinions about the future of The Burren.
“I obviously really hope that The Burren would continue to exist, because it’s an amazing place, and it’s definitely a big cultural staple for Tufts. … There is something really charming and great about it,” Pogrebin said.
Hollander also said that the proposed Copper Mill project has come up in his course Real Estate Development and Planning.
“I’d say most of the students were not aware of [the project]. And there were some tears, actually, when people found out that The Burren
Career Center funds Jumbos’ unpaid internships
Rachel Liu Senior Staff Writer
Who pays for unpaid internships? Students certainly do, in the form of their labor. So does the Tufts Career Center — through its summer internship grant program. The $4,500 grant covers full-time internships at nonprofit, public and certain private-sector organizations.
Compensation “allows for more students to access … transformational and career-building experiences,” Sheryl Rosenberg, the Career Center’s associate director, wrote in an email to the Daily. Paid interns received more job offers on average, according to surveys of college graduates by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. However, a persistent lack of resources in social impact and nonprofit sectors limits students’
ability to take internships, particularly if students are from first-generation or low-income backgrounds.
Each summer, the Career Center funds 40–50 otherwise unpaid opportunities for students. The majority of stipends are donor-supported, Rosenberg wrote. All undergraduates, including international students, are eligible to apply for the general stipend. Some stipend categories give preference to students receiving financial aid or from underrepresented backgrounds. Others focus on a particular area of study, like environmental science, entrepreneurship or the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.
“Each year internships range from biomedical research at local hospitals and research centers, to museums in Washington, D.C., animal sanctuaries in Hawaii, and international NGOs,” Rosenberg wrote.
Lily Segal, a senior majoring in environmental studies and economics, received a grant two summers ago to intern at Environment America. Not only did she gain direct professional experience — even testifying at the Massachusetts State House as a clean water advocate — but she credits that internship with landing her next summer position.
“My supervisor wrote a lovely letter of recommendation and reached out to my future supervisor … advocating for me,” Segal said.
While Segal’s internship solidified her interest in an environmental advocacy career, that isn’t the case with every work experience. This grant also enables students to explore options while early in their journeys.
“Any opportunity to work in a field that you’re passionate about is valuable because that’s the only way you can
is closing. But yeah, people are very emotional and it’s been an ongoing topic in our class,” Hollander said.
The Burren declined an interview request made through social media by the Daily.
Pogrebin remained hopeful that a great future Burren could emerge from the project, even if he didn’t know exactly what it would look like. He highlighted the importance of the dialogue between the community and developers and explained that the developers seem responsive so far to community input. Pogrebin also pushed back at the idea that additional housing units have to come at the expense of neighborhood character.
“It’s people that create character. It’s the businesses that go into the space. … If we get 500 new units that’s 500 potentially new families coming into Davis Square that provides so much more of an opportunity for vibrancy,” Pogrebin said.
In order for the project to go through, the City of Somerville must change zoning ordinances, as the current Elm Street location is not zoned for residential buildings. The developers are aiming to begin construction in the next 12 months. In the meantime, both Hollander and Pogrebin stressed that if students care, they should get involved in community discussions.
“I really hope that Tufts students can get involved with this process,” Pogrebin said.
Hollander emphasized the importance of getting involved early in the planning process.
“If you hear about some apparently benign planning meeting, … that actually is where you really want to go, because you can change the conversation,” he said.
really know if you’re on the right track,” Erin Guy, a senior and prior grant recipient, said. Guy interned in 2023 at Camp Baker, a day camp and summer treatment program. At the time, she wanted to become a children’s psychologist — this internship provided clinical experience and mentorship from
Ph.D. candidates. Since then, she’s decided to pursue pre-law studies but remains guided by the experience of working with children with ADHD and behavioral disorders.
“I wanted to be more involved in advocating for
COURTESY ERIN GUY, LILY SEGAL AND ARIA MA Clockwise from top left, previous grant recipients Erin Guy, Lily Segal and Aria Ma are pictured.
Arielle Flaherty Features Editor
STELLA JEONG / THE TUFTS DAILY
The Burren, a popular Irish pub in Davis Square, is pictured on Feb. 4.
Students discuss internship experiences
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kids,” Guy said. “I want to [implement] policy that can help them so that the work isn’t as heavy for the psychologists.”
The entrepreneurial internship grant also helped Aria Ma, a fourth-year combined degree student studying biopsychology and studio art, look outside traditional career paths this past summer.
“It was getting this internship that provided me support to know that I could pivot from medicine,” Ma said. “Pivoting showed me this summer that I have so many transferable skills.”
Ma worked as an operations intern at Three Trees Farm, a gourmet mushroom farming business near her hometown. Her responsibilities included improving crop yields, market research and product design.
“I learned how to actually [make] my graphic design
skills applicable to the real world,” Ma said.
The entrepreneurial grant applies not only to interns at startups but also to those at any company with a mindset of innovation.
“A lot of companies are looking for entrepreneurial skills, and that doesn’t necessarily mean [making] your own business, but having initiative, leadership [and] strategic thinking,” Ma said.
The application requires candidates to have secured a summer position before the deadline of March 16, but the Career Center offers support with the internship search. Rosenberg noted that Handshake is the “#1 place” students find internships, and Career Center advisers are available to review students’ resumes and assist them with questions.
Past grant recipients emphasized the benefit of
reaching out to professors and various sources about opportunities. Guy learned about her internship through her psychology lab, Ma met the Three Trees founders at a farmers’ market and Segal found hers at Tufts’ spring career fair.
Segal acknowledged the oftentimes complex logistics of juggling different timelines. The Career Center releases funding decisions in early April.
“I had to commit to the Environment America internship before the summer, and then there was a month-long period where I didn’t know if I was going to get funded for it,” Segal said.
The grant funding corresponds to the Massachusetts minimum wage for 300 fulltime hours, Rosenberg wrote. Massachusetts law states that interns must be paid, but exceptions exist for academic credit and certain “trainees,”
leaving enforcement unclear in many cases.
“I probably would not have been able to do that kind of internship without the internship grant, because it requires a lot of time,” Guy said.
These students generally shared that factors such as already having housing or a part-time job assisted with their living situation over the summer.
“It’s very nice the school offers this to as many people as it can,” Guy said. “[It] definitely changed my life, so hopefully plenty of other people can take advantage.”
Students may only receive the Career Center grant once, but Rosenberg also suggested searching for alternative sources through Foundation Directory Online, Fastweb, National Science Foundation and Tufts’ database. For example, Segal obtained funding the summer after through the
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s internship program.
“I highly encourage people who are in situations where they can’t take unpaid internships to look at other resources: community foundations, local grants from organizations, not just a school,” Ma said.
Besides holding daily dropin career labs, the Career Center will host a career fair tomorrow and an informational session on Feb. 21 for the internship grant. It will also offer a workshop titled “No Internship? No Problem!” on Feb. 27.
“Because there is funding available, it’s a really awesome opportunity to do something … that’s interesting to you and excites you,” Segal said. “At a school like Tufts, there can be a lot of pressure to immediately try to enter a field … where you’ll make a lot of money … but if it’s not necessarily what you want to do, and it’s just what you feel like you should do, then try something else.”
Tufts’ Tisch Scholars program fosters community engagement and leadership
Civic engagement. It’s a phrase used quite often around this campus, and as an academic institution, Tufts promotes various avenues through which students can pursue it. From pre-orientation groups to student organizations to academic programs, the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life is the center of civic engagement at Tufts. One of their more rigorous programs, marrying academics with local involvement, is the Tisch Scholars.
“[Tisch Scholars] combines academic coursework, community-based placements and critical reflection with the goal ultimately being to help Scholars deepen their thinking about community issues and ways to address them,” Calvin Zhao, the Tisch College senior programs administrator, said.
According to Zhao, getting students civically engaged with groups outside of Tufts’ ivoried walls is a foundational value of the Tisch Scholars.
“Through the Scholars program, [we] are building a deeper, more thoughtful form of engagement for our students with our local community,” he said.
Favor Enoghama, a junior and second-year Tisch Scholar, reflected on her experience with the program thus far.
“It’s honestly been one of the best parts of my Tufts experience. Anyone that allows me to talk about Tisch Scholars, I’m in their ears,” Enoghama said.
Enoghama appreciates the uniqueness that the Tisch Scholars program offers over a typical major class or external internship.
“Unlike your regular class, … Tisch Scholars is truly a different space,” she said. “It’s a [space to] build community, talk about
issues that matter and just overall, how to become change agents in your community in whatever field that you’re trying to go into.”
Sophomore Tyler Alphonse, a first-year Tisch Scholar, shared this sentiment, saying that community was built not only among Scholars in his cohort, but also between him and those in his community placement.
The Scholars participate in these community placements throughout the entirety of the program. Students can stay in the same placement for multiple years, or change the organization they work with every year.
“We have a range of Scholars’ projects, from Scholars who are working with community organizations that focus on issue areas like housing, education, community health, immigration [rights], voting, arts and more,” Zhao said.
Enoghama did her firstyear placement with African Community Economic Development of New England, specifically in their Youth In Charge department, where she was their leadership
organizer. In this role, she worked on education and outreach with African youth — many who came from immigrant backgrounds — with a focus on social justice movements. She would present to them and lead discussion groups about relevant happenings in places like Palestine, the Republic of the Congo and Sudan.
Enoghama also led Nigerian beading workshops in which she discussed how art can influence social justice and change.
“I knew I was making an impact in the lives of the youth, whether it was educating them more on what’s happening around them … [or] building a connection with them,” she said. “And saying, … ‘Even though you come from these underrepresented backgrounds, you matter and you can make a difference.’ It was really about empowering them.”
While Enoghama changed her placement for her second year, Alphonse plans to stay with the organization he was placed with for at least another year.
“My community placement is The Welcome Project, which is a nonprofit group that specializes in helping the Somerville immigrant community feel empowered politically and breaking down the language barrier that comes with it,” Alphonse said.
Alphonse expressed that through his placement with the Tisch Scholars program, he has been able to help better both himself and his community.
“I find myself to be most fulfilled when I’m at my placement, because I get to see how the kids get to understand, not only how their voice is impactful to their community, but also how there are still challenges that need to be addressed,” he said. “Having them learn how to interpret in different languages and being able to pass that information along to members of their community has been very impactful.”
Both Alphonse and Enoghama have found the Tisch Scholars program to be a rewarding experience overall. Alphonse noted that he could not pin down any
particular negative aspects of being a Scholar.
However, Enoghama noticed a particular area of the program that could use some improvement.
“[The Scholars should include] more diverse perspectives in our class discussions. … But I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a negative, more just an opportunity for growth,” she said.
Similarly, Zhao saw potential for the Tisch Scholars program to diversify the academic backgrounds of its students.
“We would love to support students from all disciplines and majors to participate,” Zhao said. “We do want to build additional long-term partnerships with organizations that support community-based work within STEM.”
With applications open for next year’s cohort of Tisch Scholars, Zhao noted that anyone interested in engaging with their local community, in an area that interests them, should consider applying.
“First-years and sophomores should apply … if you’re interested in being in a space and community with others who are also passionate about this work and have genuine care for one another,” he said.
Enoghama and Alphonse both expressed that if someone is considering applying, or on the fence, that they should “just do it.”
“It’s a program that’s very … accommodating in [the] sense that it’s all about community. It’s all about: How can we grow? How can we understand root causes of issues, and how can we move forward and address [them]?” Enoghama said.
The application to join the Tisch Scholars is open to firstyears and sophomores, and is due on Feb. 17. There will be an information session tomorrow at 2 p.m. in Barnum 100 for those interested in learning more about the program.
Dylan Fee Executive Features Editor
COURTESY TYLER ALPHONSE
Tyler Alphonse (far right) is pictured with his Tisch Scholars community placement, The Welcome Project.
ARTS & POP CULTURE
Satire meets musical theater in ‘Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song’
Jeremy Stern Contributing Writer
“Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song” is not your typical musical. One could call it a comedy, a musical performance, a spoof or a satire and all would apply to this charming piece. Set with a piano, a glitter curtain and countless costumes, the night begins with an opening number titled “‘Forbidden Broadway’ Comes to Boston.” Tailored for the run at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston, it lets the audience in on the secret of what is about to unfold. The premise is simple: Take famous musical theater songs and roles but change the lyrics to spoof current and beloved Broadway shows.
“Forbidden Broadway,” which began in 1982, returned to Boston this past weekend for a stint of three performances, following its most recent run off-Broadway in summer 2024. Tony Award winner Gerard Alessandrini creates the series of spoofs, frequently updating the group’s works to reflect the current nature of musical theater. Its strength: The show feels ever so timely, with references to the 2024 season of musicals. Its cons: The show forfeits spoofing some of the most recognizable performances of our generation in lieu of newer ones. Still, “Forbidden Broadway” is sure to please any theater fan with a night of laughs and reminiscent memories of beloved musicals.
Filled with niche references to modern musicals including “The Great Gatsby,” “Cats,” “Annie” and “Cabaret,” just to name a
cast, led by Chris Collins-Pisano, Nicole Vanessa Ortiz, Jenny Lee Stern and John Wascavage. The quartet of multitalented actors juggle the daunting task of portraying the most famous roles and performers in musical theater history while providing powerhouse vocals and balancing a hefty amount of costume changes and altered lyrics. Multiple times throughout the show, the actors leave the stage as one character only to reenter moments later in a completely new costume (with outstanding costume design from Dustin Cross), with a completely different vocal accent and singing a song from a completely different era (with masterful music direction by Fred Barton), all without skipping a beat or losing the audience.
belting
“Defying Elphaba,” a riff on the iconic “Defying Gravity.” Alessandrini’s newest addition makes comedic jabs at middle-aged Erivo playing a college student, as well as the movie’s use of CGI and special effects. To cleverly mimic Elphaba’s flying, Ortiz leaps onto an ironically small cube and wails out the iconic battle cry, while another actor flails around her cape. Laughter and applause filled the theater, the audience both in shock and thoroughly entertained after the spot-on and hilarious spoof of the film.
After 43 years of “Forbidden Broadway,” you would think the parody would feel outdated. Yet, that is far from the truth.
Creator, writer and director Alessandrini took timely hits and themes from modern Broadway and turned them into this most recent version, “Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song,” a spoof of the Sondheim show “Merrily We Roll Along.” As the title suggests, Alessandrini borrows some of Sondheim’s most famous songs to honor his tremendous impact on musical theater in the newest show since his passing. Sondheim himself even appears in the show’s single plot moment when Doc Brown and Marty McFly (from “Back to the Future”) bring Sondheim to the future and effectively erase his presence from theater history. Still, in this 110-minute
is evident that “Forbidden Broadway” was created with theater superfans in mind. For those not caught up on current musical theater, the niche references may be more difficult to appreciate. Nonetheless, anyone who admires catchy show tunes and comedic storytelling will certainly love “Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song,” which keeps you eagerly anticipating to see which character or song will be spoofed next on stage. Full of mostly spot-on and comedic spoofs, it is sure to make you crack a laugh and leave show tunes floating through your head, just with some joyful, cruel but truthful, unfiltered and plain hilarious lyrics.
COURTESY CAROL ROSEGG
Top: Actors portraying a parody of ‘Back to the Future,’ in ‘Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song’ are pictured. Bottom: The cast of ‘Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song’ performs a parody of ‘Cabaret.’
The best of Grammy-winning songwriter Amy Allen
Ryan Fairfield Arts Editor
At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, songwriter Amy Allen became the first woman to win the award for “Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical.”
While she had her breakout as one of the most recognized songwriters just this year, primarily for her work on Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” album where she helped write hits like “Please Please Please” and “Espresso,” this marked Allen’s second Grammy win and added to her total of eight nominations — Allen previously won as a co-writer for Harry Styles on his album “Harry’s House.” Even if one may not have been familiar with her name prior to this year, many have likely heard at least one song she has written. Now seems like a great time to take a look back at Allen’s career and some of her best work.
“Back To You” (2018), Selena Gomez
Despite much controversy surrounding the show’s content, Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why” always delivered a strong soundtrack. “Back To You,” sung by Selena Gomez, served as one of the singles for the soundtrack for the second season. With over a billion streams on Spotify, “Back To You” is an energetic love song that features Gomez singing about a love that may be risky and painful at times, but one that she will always go back to. With strong production that swells leading up to the chorus, the punch line of the song, “If I could do it all again, I know I’d go back to you,” hits every time.
Other recommendations for Gomez’s songs with Allen: “Vulnerable” and “My Mind & Me.”
“When You’re Ready” (2018), Shawn Mendes
The last track on Shawn Mendes’ third, self-titled album, “When You’re Ready” is like a drunk love confessional — as indicated by the opening lyric, “Maybe I had too many drinks, but that’s just what I needed.” The song feels romantic and intimate, with Mendes confessing that he will wait “ten years” to be with the one he loves if that’s what it takes. The song is the perfect closer for an album filled with love songs like “Perfectly Wrong” and “Fallin’ All in You,” with Mendes concluding “Tell me when you’re ready / I’m waitin’, I’m waitin’.”
Other recommendations for Mendes’ songs with Allen: “Isn’t That Enough” and “In Between.”
“Matilda” (2022), Harry Styles
The Roald Dahl book focuses on a girl, Matilda, who is mistreated by those around her, such as her parents and principal at school. In this song, Styles seemingly gives advice and aims to comfort those who may be in similar situations or have had similar experiences, using Matilda as a metaphor. Arguably Styles’ most emotional track, lyrics like “You can throw a party full of everyone you know / And not invite your family ‘cause they never showed you love” and “Matilda, you talk of the pain like it’s all alright / But I know that you feel like a piece of you’s dead insidеe” are heartbreaking and painful, yet Styles maintains a sense of comfort and validation through repeating, “You don’t have to be sorry.”
Another recommendation for Styles’ songs with Allen: “Adore You.”
“The Wedding Song” (2023), Reneé Rapp
The best way to describe Reneé Rapp’s “The Wedding Song” is beautifully painful. Rapp explained that she wrote the song about a person she saw herself marrying; the relationship did not work out and this version is her trying to remember what she originally
wrote. Throughout the beginning of the song, lyrics like, “You are my one, you set my world on fire” and “I’m gonna love you ‘til my heart retires,” make you think it is a love song, until the punchline, “I think it went something like that,” hits and you realize the truth.
“pretty isn’t pretty” (2023), Olivia Rodrigo
Perhaps one of the most relatable and emotional tracks on Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS” album, the poignant lyricism of “pretty isn’t pretty” delves into the struggles of adhering to beauty standards and societal norms in a world where that standard is constantly changing. As she sings, “It’s on the poster on the wall, it’s in the shitty magazines / It’s in my phone, it’s in my head, it’s in the boys I bring to bed,” Rodrigo emphasizes how difficult it is to be constantly bombarded by media that tells you to look a certain way. What stands out about the lyrics of the song is how simple yet impactful they are and one of the best examples of that is “You fix theе things you hated, and you’d still feel so insecure.”
Another recommendation for Rodrigo’s songs with Allen: “scared of my guitar.”
Merry Jiao
Read, Write and Be Merry
‘Yellowface’ by R.F. Kuang
Idon’t think this book even needs an introduction. It’s quite possibly the most popular book I’ve seen around. From Chelsea to Cologne to Chicago, “Yellowface” always has a spot on the display shelf. In Oxford, it literally had its own little shrine, and deservedly so.
To summarize, this book is a commentary on cultural appropriation, diversity and internet cancel culture surrounding the book publishing industry. It’s written from the perspective of Juniper “June” Hayward, a white woman struggling to make ends meet as an author and living under the shadow of her, shall we say, ‘acquaintance,’ literary star Athena Liu. The story takes off when Athena dies and June decides to publish Athena’s final work under the name “Juniper Song,” leading people to believe she’s Asian.
You can probably presume some of what comes next. And yet, there was so much packed into this 300-page book that was unpredictable and delightful. From the portrayals of denial to the personal justifications of doom-scrolling to the inner monologue of anxiety, R. F. Kuang does such an amazing job of creating a realistic main character. You don’t want to relate to her. She’s supposed to be the bad guy in the story. And yet, inexplicably, so many of her thought processes mirror many of our own — from jealousy at another person’s success to anxiety over wanting to simply be accepted. To some extent, you see yourself in her: someone who is not particularly good but also not particularly bad, who occasionally feels misunderstood by the world but is undeniably human.
Of course, there’s also the sillier side of this novel, but I’ll leave that for you to enjoy on your own. As a sneak preview, there are ghosts, there’s snarky commentary on internet — particularly Twitter — culture and there’s a sneaky mention of the most overhyped but also culturally significant Chinese dramas to ever grace my screen, “The Untamed.” If you know, you know.
My favorite thing about this novel, though, is that it really peeled back the layers of how the publishing industry works. When you think about it, everything just boils down to emails and drafted public relations statements. My favorite line is from the official statement that June posts after nearly being canceled for plagiarizing Athena’s work, which says, “My agent and editor have conducted their own independent investigations and have found no wrongdoing.” Mind you, this so-called independent investigation is completely nonexistent. It’s as if Kuang is giving us a subtle reminder that every time you see any sort of PR statement claiming to be transparent, take it with a grain of salt. Or maybe an entire box of salt. Anyway, if I haven’t made it clear enough, this book is an absolute mustread. There’s the accidental death to get you hooked straightaway, silly internet slang, dialogue to keep you amused and a sense of impending doom to push the story along. The hype is absolutely deserved, and I highly recommend you take the time to read this book.
VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Amy Allen is pictured in 2024.
HOROSCOPE
SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 23
OCTOBER 24-NOVEMBER 22
Don’t change for anybody. You’re perfect.
SAGITTARIUS
Try something new for a first date. Rock climbing! Swimming with sharks! Axe throwing!
Late Night At The Daily
Aisha: “I don’t like talking to people. I’d rather just Slack them.”
Dear Defne
Peach: “What do I do if I accidentally gave a 30-year-old guy my phone number because I was too nice to say no? Now I have to avoid this one place that I just became a member of because I don’t want to see him after he texted me.”
Dearest Peach,
Don’t ever let a man keep you away from somewhere you’d like to be. Take whatever steps you need to feel safe and comfortable in that new environment and don’t feel guilty about it. Whether that means bringing a friend with you, finding strength in numbers, talking to some kind of organizer or completely ignoring this man next time you show up, take action. You deserve access to this space just as much as he does.
Block his number with no explanation or perhaps let the messages come through but feign ignorance about whatever they say next time you run into him. Let him be the one that feels uncomfortable around you.
WRL: “What should I do as a sophomore who has no romantic prospects?”
Dearest WRL, I would advise you to take a peek at the last edition of Dear Defne, which bears striking resemblance to your inquiry. You aren’t alone in this. While the previous question came from a junior, you may find some wisdom that resonates with you.
Don’t let the chatter from everyone else pressure you into a fling just for the sake of it all. If you’re content with how your life is moving right now, stay on that path and don’t worry about keeping your eyes peeled for someone to join you on your adventures.
However, I imagine you’re writing because you want to change things. Life can be so delightful with a partner to navigate everything alongside. Make sure you’re going on meaningful adventures, taking time to head off campus, exploring your passions and taking care of yourself before trying to make space for someone else. Give people something to connect with you about. Wear outfits that feel like you and draw in a compliment from someone in class.
Don’t wait for life to happen to you. Accept all the invitations you receive and go out of your way to invite other people out. Ask your class crush for their number in case you ever need notes and then maybe inquire about grabbing coffee after a lecture. Show up at club meetings instead of ignoring those weekly e-list updates.
Be kind to yourself and others. People want to be around other people that glow. Find the things that bring light into your eyes and try your best to bring it out in others. Hold the door open, carry extra snacks to share with your friends, compliment others when it strikes you and doors will start opening.
AQUARIUS
18 CAPRICORN
There’s nothing that says you have to be in a relationship as a sophomore.
With love and gratitude, Defne
Dump them! They suck. You’re better off single.
in love with learning this Valentine’s Day. Let curiosity and creativity make you more in love with life.
PISCES
FEBRUARY 19-MARCH 20
Step out of your comfort zone. Talk to a stranger. Talk to a professor! Talk to your crush.
CROSSWORD
History’ by Maxwell Shoustal
Talia Wilcox Staff Writer
If you’ve ever been on a Campus Mini Mart ice cream run, you may have noticed Ben & Jerry’s pints are more expensive than other brands. You may ask yourself, “Is my splurge worth the cost as a student on a limited budget?”
Yet it’s important to note that your money may go toward more than just ice cream. The creators behind your favorite logos and flavors hold values and make choices to invest profits in a way that impacts the world in which we live. Those few extra dollars might go into supporting a cause that you truly care about. Despite Ben & Jerry’s slightly higher price tag, their model for investment beyond the product itself should be the gold standard for companies. Not all companies have missions that support social causes, but the realization that consumers like to purchase from brands that support causes they care about has driven some companies to use progressive politics as a marketing tactic. As marketing strategies have shifted to include political stances, it is increasingly important that consumers parse out what is authentic versus what advertisers include to drive sales. The Target Corporation provides an example of performative progressive values. For 10 years, Target featured merchandise with symbols supporting the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In
OPINION
VIEWPOINT
Changing the world one pint at a time
2024, Target removed its Pride collection because conservative activists boycotted the brand and threatened some employees. In addition, Target recently rolled back their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program after President Donald Trump took office. Alternatively, Converse, which also has a longstanding Pride collection, continues to offer pride-themed merchandise with the webpage header, “An annual celebration that supports positive social change and amplifies youth voices from the LGBTQIA+ community.” Likewise, Patagonia uses product sales proceeds to promote environmental sustainability.
Ben & Jerry’s is a socially conscious company. Two childhood friends, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, created the company in 1978 and have achieved success with a corporate model powered by the belief that “ice cream can change the world.” Today, Ben & Jerry’s mission statement reads, “Ben & Jerry’s is founded on and dedicated to a sustainable corporate concept of linked prosperity.” Ben & Jerry’s website touts the connection between creating ice cream as a corporation and bettering the world in which we live. Their transparency is refreshing. As a civic studies major, I frequently read articles about theories of change and the democratic process. By directing dollars toward socially minded corporations, we can be change-makers.
Supporting progressive companies is another valid mechanism through which we can all invest in societal change. Although most corporations list a mission, vision or values statement on their website, Ben & Jerry’s also shares relevant information for consumers to learn more about social issues; their website menu has a tab for “Activism,” where they share “How we do business,” “Issues we care about” and “Our progressive values.” In addition, the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation has supported grassroots activism nationally since 1985. Where companies like Target and Ben & Jerry’s differ is that, although the ice cream corporation has faced serious backlash on social media platforms for their progressive values, they don’t back down from providing consumers and the public with social messages. While Target has cut progressive programs to curry favor with the incoming administration, Ben & Jerry’s continues to support communities and the progressive values that shape them.
Some may say companies exist to bring consumers the highest quality goods for the lowest price. However, a company is made up of people with values, and the company culture they create is more than just products and prices. Just as a business boycott sends a message, so too does giving money toward a company by purchasing their products.
Not all advocacy efforts go through the same channels.
While some students engage in social activism by marching with signs, others express their views through passive activism, like reposting something on social media. Still, others engage in activism by mindfully choosing where to spend money — economic activism.
Letter to the editor
sanctuary city is “another term for a Welcoming City.”
Originally published Feb. 12.
In the Daily’s Thursday article, “Medford passes Welcoming City Ordinance,” Medford City Councilor Justin Tseng praises the city’s euphemistically-named Welcoming City Ordinance.
In the councilor’s own words, “This is essentially sanctuary city legislation.” His colleague, Councilor Matt Leming, apparently agrees. Leming writes in a blog post on his website: “Last week, we passed an ordinance to make Medford into a sanctuary city.” In another post, he correctly states that a
Having attended and commented at two regular council meetings in which the ordinance, which was partly engineered by the American Civil Liberties Union and Medford People Power, was rubber-stamped, I can attest that, as Tseng described, there was not “much disagreement” about codifying the City’s policy of non-cooperation with federal authorities in enforcing immigration laws. However, I believe this has nothing to do with an overwhelming consensus that Medford should be a sanctuary city, but rather residents being uninformed
that the ordinance, because of its intentionally misleading name, was in fact a sanctuary city ordinance. An example of the confusion intentionally caused by the name is reflected by the answer — or lack thereof — to a question posed by a concerned resident. He asked at the Dec. 17 regular meeting, point-blank to the council: “Is this a sanctuary city policy or not?” The response from council President Zac Bears was evasive: “This is a Welcoming City ordinance.” When the resident stated this was not responsive to his question, Bears reiterated that this was “a Welcoming City” ordinance
and refused, again, to answer the question. The rest of his colleagues were silent. As once put by Nancy Pelosi, former speaker of the United States House of Representatives, “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” The Medford City Council apparently follows this mantra. It was employed during the campaign to approve of the tax overrides and it was used again here to encourage residents — most of whom are unversed in complicated legal jargon — to think this law was something it was not. One would think in a city where thousands of people voted for President Donald
Changing the everyday choices we make, especially how we spend our dollars, can make a tremendous impact collectively. So as you consider your expenditures, choose wisely; on your next run to the Campus Mini Mart, pick up a carton of Ben & Jerry’s.
Trump, there would have been more than a few people turning out to speak against their municipality becoming a sanctuary city. Why was this not the case? Why did other individuals, concerned about the arguable illegality of the ordinance — with the exception of this writer — not turn out to voice their concerns either?
This is yet another example of the lack of transparency that has become the hallmark of the current Medford City Council.
Nick Giurleo (LA’19) is an attoney, journalist and lifelong Medford resident. He can be reached for comment at nicgiur1001@gmail.com.
The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free of charge 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.
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OP-EDS: Op-Eds provide an open forum for campus editorial commentary and are 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. ADVERTISEMENTS: All advertising copy is subject to the approval of the editor in chief, executive board and business director.
Nick Giurleo
GRAPHIC BY GRETTA GOORNO
Dylan Tanouye Deputy Opinion Editor
Originally published Feb. 12.
As an avid sports fan, I understand the emotional intensity that comes with watching a game, no matter how low the stakes. Whether I’m cheering on my younger brother as he plays a match of youth soccer or watching my favorite professional sports teams, I often feel as emotionally invested as I would be if I were a player on the field. Games that don’t end with a victory for my team often produce an emotional reaction that compels me to find any excuse for the loss. Oftentimes, a significant amount of blame falls on the game officials, whether they are referred to as referees, umpires or judges.
While referees are often seen by sports fans as malicious entities who rig games against your favorite sports team, this could not be further from the reality. Most referees are part-time employees or volunteers who are merely trying to support the games that they love as much as we fans do. If we want to promote fairness in sports, the onus falls on us to stop blaming people for making unintentional mistakes and instead direct our ire to the billion-dollar sports
VIEWPOINT
Don’t blame the referee, blame the league
leagues who have the real power to create change.
While watching games, sports fans may not consider the difficulties of refereeing. Even at the youth level, referees are pushed to quit due to heckling from angry parents. This directly impacts the players themselves. In Utah, 570 youth soccer matches had to be cancelled in one season due to a lack of necessary referees. More than 70% of referees cite abusive behavior as the primary factor for quitting, meaning fans need to promote sportsmanship in order to ensure that youth sports can survive.
On the professional level, social media has only made the officials’ job more difficult. Many fans criticize the calls made by referees online, sometimes going as far as to send them death threats. However, the reality is that professional sports have never been better officiated. According to the NFL, their referees are accurate on 98.9% of calls. MLB umpires are more accurate than they were 10 years ago with a nearly 94% accuracy in calling balls and strikes. If this is the case, then why do fans continue to distrust game officials?
One factor might be negativity bias. Even if referees make the correct calls most of the time, fans will be more
likely to dwell on the ones they miss, especially if they come at crucial moments in games. As fans, it’s important to remember that referees are human and cannot be reasonably expected to call a flawless game. However, if we want officiating numbers to reach that flawless mark, we should not be heckling well-meaning referees. This will only cause them to quit, which directly goes against the goal both parties are trying to achieve. Instead, we should put more pressure on sports leagues to give referees the support they need to make more accurate calls.
In today’s sports world, replay technology has allowed us to see multiple camera angles of every play, giving referees a chance to correct any mistakes they may make in the moment. However, this technology isn’t always available to officials. In the NFL, several penalties are non-reviewable, meaning referees cannot use replay technology to review their calls. In the MLB, umpires are still responsible for manually calling balls and strikes from behind the plate even though every ballpark has the technological capability to automate this system. At the very least, players and coaches should be able to challenge calls to ensure the most crucial at-bats are
VIEWPOINT
properly reviewed, which has already been implemented in the minor leagues. While this may slow games down slightly, it is in the best interest of all parties to ensure officials are allowed to use the technological resources that could help them correct mistakes.
No matter how often you watch or play sports, it’s important to respect the referees who dedicate their time and energy to allow sports games to take place. If every sports fan spent time pressuring leagues to implement policy changes that value fairness over entertainment instead of criticizing the referees, the entire sports world would be a less toxic place. The referees have no incentive to ruin their trust with the public just to help the Kansas City Chiefs win football games, as many fans theorize, and I encourage every reader to keep this mentality in mind no matter what sport you enjoy.
What Elton John and Drake can learn from Frank Ocean
Gretta Goorno Executive Opinion Editor
Originally published Feb. 11.
Frank Ocean may have some of the most cultish, fervent supporters in the entire music industry. Born as Christopher Edwin Breaux, the 37-year-old singer’s fan-base — and influence — far exceed the quantity of his music. Though he hasn’t released an official studio album since 2016, every year there seems to be rumors that Ocean has a new life-altering masterpiece on the way. His fans read into every bit of his life, analyzing his Instagram feed, his mom’s birthday message and even recently a masked figure on Tyler the Creator’s music video for a desperate sign of new music. I, for one, have a bootleg vinyl of his unreleased songs — and I’m not even a mega fan. This kind of obsessive behavior is normalized throughout Ocean’s fanbase. Safe to say, fans would give up an arm and a leg to hear another second of Ocean’s sweet melodies.
Yet, he should disregard us. Ocean should retire, never release another album — hell, never release another song. In doing so, he would cement his legacy and go against recent trends of quantity over quality.
Fans are greedy nowadays, and singers are more than
happy to satisfy their relentless cravings. Artists like Drake release commercial albums almost every year, willing to sell their mediocre melodies for some quick cash. Others like Elton John taint their legacy, releasing albums even as their voices dwindle into obscurity. Of course, there is no shame in continuing to make music as a passion project. However, music shouldn’t be thrown about haphazardly. Sometimes it’s okay to take your time. With seven
Grammy nominations, two Grammy wins and two albums — “Blonde” and “Channel Orange” — that have been placed on best-of-all-time lists, Ocean has more than cemented his legacy in the music game. He has inspired the sound of countless artists across genres, with singers like Lorde and Khalid citing him as inspiration. He has created a platform for black men to be open about their sexuality. Ocean has even personally helped me process my emotions through his heart-felt lyrics and beautiful melodies.
Recently, Ocean has expanded his horizons. He has created a high-end jewelry brand in Homer, and even has plans to make his directorial debut. By pursuing his current passions, Ocean will make waves in different industries, depriving fans of his beautiful music.
I would absolutely love another Frank Ocean album — so I obviously don’t want him to retire. Yet, I think Ocean serves as a reminder to live on your own terms. There is something to be said about appreciating what we have. If there is less music to listen to, we begin to appreciate the genius of each and every song. Since Ocean has such a small discography, each lyric and melody holds a special significance. His exclusivity is part of what makes
him so powerful. In an effort to find more of his music, you have to watch “Endless,” a 45-minute video. In order to listen to a song off of “Nostalgia, Ultra” — Ocean’s mixtape — you often have to dig to find the title released under a moniker; even then, you can only listen to it until it ultimately gets banned by the Apple Music gods. I have sadly watched many of my favorite artists release new mediocre music, making me question their talent in the process. While legacy should not be a barrier for releasing new music, impact — and the power of saying less — should be.
While we await a new release from Ocean, we should explore new genres and new artists. Ocean’s lyrics from his song “Sweet Life” can serve as a warning on the downfalls of sauntering in one’s comfort: “You’ve had a landscaper and a house keeper since you were born / The starshine always kept you warm / So why see the world, when you got the beach? / Don’t know why see the world, when you got the beach / The sweet life.” While always getting your way with new music is nice, Ocean challenges this beautiful beach of sweet new melodies. In doing so, he challenges us to both enjoy our beach — his discography — and explore the world of new music.
VIA FLICKR
An NFL fan chastises referees by suggesting they’re ‘blind’ for their calls.
Jumbos swim and dive teams make waves at Boston University Winter Open
Jack Chapleski Staff Writer
The Tufts men’s and women’s swim and dive teams took to the water on Friday and Saturday at Boston University.
In a slightly different format, the teams competed without a total team score, but rather to serve as an opportunity for individual athletes to display some fast times and possibly even personal bests in their events.
In the unofficial start to their championship season, both the women and the men faced off against Division I swimmers from Northeastern, Cornell and a plethora of other schools.
The highlight of Friday’s events was first-year Angelina Sagaow, who won the 200 individual medley race out of 18 competitors with a personal best time of 2:06.26. Her first-year teammates Clara Behling and Sophia Knight also finished inside the top 10 in the event.
When asked about what guided her to victory in an event against Division I athletes, Sagaow responded, “staying calm and remembering I’m swimming for the team [that] allowed me to execute my swims,” in an email to the Daily. Her mental strength and determination made for an outstanding performance, especially from a first-year.
Among the swimmers who hit personal bests were first-year Allie Brown with a 5:05.99 in the 500 freestyle and sophomore Alexia Palko-Lacerda with a 24.87 in the 50 freestyle.
Four divers competed over the weekend, and on Friday they took spots six to nine in the rankings for the day. In sixth place was first-year Lucy Karp,
followed by sophomore Arya Gupta, senior Nika Renshaw and first-year Riley Metz.
The men’s teams also finished the first day with some impressive times. Firstyear Ryan Manson recorded a personal best in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:41.93. Sophomore Joshua Harrison also had a personal best alongside his teammate, first-year Sam Harris, in the 50 freestyle. Harrison’s time was 21.53 and Harris’ was 21.60. Senior Alex Gu was the highest-ranking Jumbo in the 50 freestyle with a time of 21.39 in the event.
Later in the day, Harrison improved on his personal best in a time trial 50 freestyle, recording a 21.30-second finish.
“Adrenaline is a big part of how I raced,” Harrison wrote in an email to the Daily, and that adrenaline pushed him to plenty of personal records over the weekend.
There was plenty left in the tank for these athletes, and after a night’s rest they returned to the pool for another chance to slice the water.
The women’s first-year class turned up throughout the day, putting down personal bests left and right. Sweeney Su started off her Saturday with a personal best time of 1:53.48 in the 200 freestyle, finishing fifth overall in the event. Alya Hocaoglu also had a personal best during the 200 medley relay, achieving a personal record in the 50 backstroke portion of the event, posting a 28.45. Su set a personal record of 1:53.48 in the 200 freestyle, and Alli Brown had one of her own in the 1650 freestyle with a time of 17:48.06.
The men’s squad came to play as well, stacking on more personal bests on Saturday.
Harris set another personal best in the freestyle stroke, this time in the 200, while Harrison had an additional personal record of his own later that day in the 100 freestyle. Sophomore Evan Wang set his personal record in the 200 breaststroke, finishing fourth overall in the event.
“I think it was a great opportunity to showcase the hard work we’ve been putting into the season,” Sagaow wrote. She reflected further on her first season as a Jumbo, and how consistent improvement has been a key marker for her throughout the year.
“I was very hyped to swim,” Harrison wrote.
Many of the Tufts swimmers at BU over the weekend were underclassmen. Some of the top performers at the meet may be selected to join the NESCAC championships roster, adding to the incentive to swim fast in some of the final opportunities in the water of the academic year.
Giving high praises to both teams, Harrison wrote: “The next step is focusing in on our conference championship meets,” referring to the upcoming NESCAC championships. Harrison noted that both teams look incredibly strong, aspiring to one day fill the shoes of the seniors competing in their final season as Jumbo swimmers.
The NESCAC championships will be held today and tomorrow for the women, and on Feb. 20 and 21 for the men. Harrison and Sagaow seem to share a sentiment that the Jumbos have a real shot at success at the upcoming meet.
The Jumbos will keep pushing for speed and new records in the coming weeks, with hours of training finally showing up on the big stage.
Max Sharf QB Q&A
The legend of Johnny Unitas
At a certain point in every legendary athlete’s career, something shifts in their perception. At this point, a very small number of living people can say that they have seen Jesse Owens at the Olympics, Babe Ruth at bat or Dolph Schayes on the court. These athletes have become folklore. Their epics are discounted in the modern era. Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game seems just as much of a tall tale as Paul Bunyan’s legendary tall tales, yet these legendary feats are legitimate.
Football has its own urban legends. The most famous is the greatest Baltimore Colt Johnny Unitas. Although widely heralded as a pioneer of the modern passing attack, Unitas’ greatest season is not recognized for the utter brilliance that it was. But how good was it really? I believe it is one of the greatest seasons of all time, one whose raw statistics still hold up more than 60 years later.
In 1959, Unitas threw 32 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions with 2,899 yards through the air. Almost all of these stats would hold up today. The yardage may seem a little low, but Unitas actually threw all of his passes in a 12-game season. If he threw his average of about 240 yards per game during the 2024–25 season, he would rank seventh, above Jordan Love, Pro-Bowler Justin Herbert and 2025 league MVP Josh Allen, in total passing yards. His 32 passing touchdowns would place him fifth in the league, which still ranks above the aforementioned players.
The one smear on Unitas’s historic season was his 14 interceptions. However, unlike today’s game, the rules in 1959 were much tougher on quarterbacks. Unitas’ 1959 season was played 17 years before the Mel Blount rule was enacted, limiting physical contact by defensive backs to within five yards. Quarterbacks back then were also treated like any position player by the referees. There were no roughing the passer calls, meaning quarterbacks knew that they were almost certainly going to get hit even after they had thrown the ball. In this context, it makes sense why, besides Unitas, no quarterback in 1959 had thrown more than 20 touchdowns.
To have one of the greatest seasons of all time, it needs to be compared to the best all-time performance. So, let’s compare Unitas to Peyton Manning’s record breaking 2013 campaign. In 2013, Manning threw 55 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while throwing 5,477 yards. Clearly, he had far more touchdowns and yards than Unitas, all while throwing four fewer interceptions in four more games. Although the comparison is impossible to truly make due to rule changes and talent inflation, there are some shocking similarities between Unitas and Manning. For fun, let’s take Tom Brady and Joe Montana’s last MVP seasons and compare them as well.
(A = League Average, TD = Touchdowns, INT = Interceptions, YDS = Yards)
So Unitas’ season wasn’t as good as Manning’s 2013 campaign, but it was certainly better than Brady’s and Montana’s last MVP seasons. Although Unitas’ season wasn’t the best ever, it was still a dominant season, one that beats the peak seasons of other legendary quarterbacks’ MVP seasons.
Tufts men’s swim's Josh Harrison is pictured on Jan. 25.
BU wins Beanpot in star-studded matchup
Although the NHL has expanded across the country, hockey remains a regional sport in the United States, with its popularity concentrated in several pockets. Massachusetts is one of those pockets, having produced more NHL players than any state except Minnesota, and the Beanpot tournament is perhaps the greatest showcase of the state’s love for hockey.
Since 1952, the Beanpot has pitted the Boston area’s four most prominent college hockey teams — Boston College, Boston University, Harvard and Northeastern — against each other in a two-round tournament. In the semifinals on Feb. 3, No. 8 BU handily beat Harvard 7–1 while No. 1 BC routed Northeastern, 8–2, setting up a title game between two of the most storied programs in college hockey at TD Garden.
Before these two juggernauts faced off for the title, Harvard and Northeastern dueled in the consolation game. Though Northeastern certainly looked to be the better team, and ultimately outshot Harvard 26–19, they couldn’t stay out of the box, taking eight penalties. Harvard took advantage, scoring all four of their goals on the power play.
Husky captain Jack Williams scored twice, but it wasn’t enough, as the Crimson hung on to win 4–3.
Both finalists feature stacked lineups, with many of the best American prospects taking the ice in the title game. BU lost Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson, key contributors last year, to the NHL, but first-year defenseman Cole Hutson (Lane’s younger brother) and first-year forward Cole Eiserman, a firstround draft pick in 2024, have been quick to fill their shoes. Both made big impacts at the recent World Junior Championships,
helping Team USA win their second consecutive gold medal. Meanwhile, Celebrini and the elder Hutson visited the team in the locker room before the game to read the starting lineup.
Not to be outdone, BC has perhaps the best group of forwards in the country, headlined by sophomores Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault and first-year James Hagens. Both Leonard and Perreault were first-rounders in 2023, and Hagens figures to be a top-five pick in the upcoming draft. All three are averaging more than a point per game this year, and they formed the first forward line for Team USA at the World Juniors, where Leonard was named tournament MVP.
Even before the game began, TD Garden was buzzing thanks to the raucous student sections. The so-called “Green Line Rivalry” is arguably the best rivalry in college hockey, owing to both the proximity of the schools and their mutual success. The spirit
of that rivalry was alive and well on Monday night, as both student sections packed the upper levels of the building, loudly and mercilessly taunting the opposing team and even the opposing fan base throughout the game.
The final felt like two separate games in one. BC dominated the first period, outshooting BU 16–9, and just six minutes into the game, Perreault scored off of a beautiful pass from Leonard. While BU showed some signs of life in the first, they were few.
The Eagles pressed relentlessly in the Terriers’ zone for the remainder of the period, but despite their offensive assault, they were unable to light the lamp more than once, leaving the door open.
Unable to answer in the first period, BU hit the ground running in the second in what looked like a completely different game. The game then flew at a blistering pace with both teams ripping shots left and right. BU outshot BC 21–16 in the second
and took the lead with two goals, the latter by Hutson. Eiserman scored on a breakaway late in the third to give BU some breathing room, and an empty-netter from sophomore defenseman Gavin McCarthy sealed the deal.
Though both teams put on offensive master classes, the true X factor was firstyear goalie Mikhail Yegorov, who put up a show-stopping .971 save percentage for BU across the two games — the third-highest in tournament history. Hutson, who had three goals and two assists in the tournament, was named Beanpot MVP.
Unique to Boston, the Beanpot is an event that showcases the city’s great passion for hockey. The energy of the students in attendance fuels the atmosphere, despite teams playing for nothing beyond school pride and a small silver pot of beans — and what screams Boston more than that?
In Photos: Men’s Basketball goes ham
Ethan Dunn Staff Writer
ETHAN DUNN / THE TUFTS DAILY
BU celebrates their Beanpot title on Monday night.
