The Tufts Daily - Thursday, April 6, 2023

T HE T UFTS D AILY

Mouse infestation in sMFa dorm prompts months of complaints, exterminator visits

by Ella Kamm Deputy News Editor

Just before midnight on Feb. 27, several students gathered in a room on the third floor of 1047 Beacon St. to decide whether to kill a live mouse stuck in a glue trap. After months of submitting work orders and calling for assistance that night, it was clear to residents that no one would be coming to help. Together, the residents came to a conclusion: Killing the mouse was the right thing to do. After placing the mouse in a trash bag, one resident offered to step on it.

This was not the building’s first mouse sighting; interviews with students and a resident assistant, as well as documents, emails, videos and photos obtained by the Daily, show that 1047 Beacon St., a first-year dorm for the School of the Museum of Fine Arts that houses up to 34 students, has been infested with rodents since October.

Residents also allege that the university has been slow to respond, offering inadequate extermination services and sending residents with complaints through a sea of red tape, all while the infestation persists.

In a statement to the Daily, Patrick Collins, Tufts’ executive director of media relations, said that the Office of

Residential Life and Learning takes concerns about mice “very seriously.”

“ORLL has been in consistent communication with building ownership, facilities staff, and students,” Collins wrote. “It has been sharing a weekly communication with students with updates and has taken a number of steps, including offering students free food storage containers to limit open food in the building as well as temporary housing options on the Medford campus if they do not

feel comfortable on Beacon Street.”

Alyson Costa, one of the first residents to see a mouse, has been alerting the administration to the issue since early October when she submitted a work order to deal with mice in her room. However, she said the process of getting the administration’s attention has been confusing and time consuming.

Costa did not initially receive a response from the university, and no traps were

set in her room after the initial work order.

“My work order was supposed to have been flagged [by an RA],” she said. “At that point, there’s absolutely no reason that the school should not have known about this.”

An RA for the Beacon Street dorm, who spoke to the Daily on the condition of anonymity, said that they submitted a work order around the same time and that sticky traps were placed in the RA’s room shortly after. No mice were caught in

the traps, but they saw another mouse in their room in early November.

At the same time, other residents spotted mice in their bedrooms and common areas.

Cassandra Kellner, another resident of 1047 Beacon St., had her first mouse sighting after Thanksgiving Break.

“I was sitting in my room … and I saw a mouse run across my floor,” Kellner said.

The RA was hopeful that the university would address the problem while the building was largely empty over winter break.

“I’m thinking, ‘We submitted work orders, hopefully they’ll bring an exterminator in over winter break when no one else is here,’” they said.

But by January, the mice problem still endured. The RAs addressed the issue at a building-wide meeting at the beginning of the spring semester, where they instructed residents to avoid leaving food out in their rooms and to be careful about disposing of trash properly.

Throughout February, residents began spotting mice more frequently and finding mouse droppings on desks and clothes.

see MICE , page 2

CNN’s abby phillip talks Trump indictment, journalism

by Megan Reimer News Editor

Abby Phillip, CNN’s senior political correspondent and weekend anchor, was the featured guest speaker at the 15th Edward R. Murrow Forum on Issues in Journalism on April 3. Sponsored by Tisch College’s Solomont Speaker Series, the event was the first in-person Murrow Forum in four years.

Joining Phillip in conversation was Tufts trustee Neil Shapiro (LA’80), the president and CEO of WNET in New York City, the largest public media enterprise in the United States.

Phillip has previously worked at Politico, the Washington Post and

ABC News, covering the White House under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. She was included in Time’s 100 Next list and received the National Urban League’s Women of Power award in 2021. Phillip graduated from Harvard University in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in government and currently lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and daughter.

Shapiro opened the event by asking Phillip to share her thoughts on former President Trump’s criminal indictment and its implications for the media industry.

“It is definitely unprecedented and historic in its nature — for this country — but when you take it

in the broader context of this particular former president, I think that is more significant, that no other president has ever gotten to the point at which there was even sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against them,” Phillip said.

Phillip thinks Trump’s indictment is a “wake-up call” for the country.

“In some people’s minds, this type of thing has become acceptable,” she said. “As a country, we have to decide whether or not [criminal prosecution] is something that we want to live with going into the future.”

Phillip joined CNN in 2017 to cover the events of the Trump

administration as a White House correspondent. Trump wagged his finger at Phillip during a Q&A session and called her question “stupid” in 2018.

“We need to resist the urge to buy into [Trump’s] outrage machine and instead provide more facts and context,” Phillip said. “As someone who covered Trump, the repetition of the lies was sometimes mind boggling. He just would repeat them exactly the same way over and over again.”

Phillip started her career in the White House when she was just 21 years old, working for Politico as a White House correspondent during the Obama administration.

“I kept thinking to myself, ‘What am I doing here?’” Phillip said. “The Obama White House was very traditional [and] topdown, … but it was a great place to get my start because I really learned the institution of covering the White House, which is well preserved and protected by the correspondents.”

As White House correspondent, Phillip said she experienced both the exciting and mundane parts of following presidents through their day-to-day lives. Phillip’s schedule could consist of anything from sitting in a van watching President Obama play golf to boarding

see PHILLIP , page 2

CHARLENE TSAI / THE TUFTS DAILY

1047 Beacon St., a first-year residence for SMFA students, is pictured.

Students frustrated with university’s handling of mouse problem

MICE continued from page 1

“Two weeks [after winter break], the mice came back. … We would hear them pretty much every 30 minutes, if not more frequently,” Kellner said.

On Feb. 24, after seeing another mouse in her room, Costa said she began making calls to various administrators.

“I’m done with this,” she recalled thinking. “I did it the right way, I submitted a work order, the RAs know, I’m going to call whoever I can.”

Since 1047 Beacon St. is located in Brookline, Costa said she began by calling Tufts’ Boston Facilities Services phone line. The Boston line, Costa said, gave her another number to call. Costa said she called the second line twice and left a voicemail that went unanswered.

Next, Costa said she called Student Services, who directed her to speak with her RAs; when Costa asked to speak with someone higher up, she said that Student Services advised her to contact the ORLL. Costa said ORLL put her on hold when she informed them that she was calling about mice in 1047 Beacon St. before telling her they could not comment on the situation. Costa said ORLL told her to get back in touch with Student Services.

“I was really bothered,” Costa said. “I had called everybody, and they were sending me in circles [with] all these phone calls.”

Later that day, Costa received an email from residential oper-

ations stating that an exterminator had set traps in common spaces and bedrooms which would be checked every one to two days and that maintenance would be checking the building and closing any holes they found.

Three days later, on Feb. 27, an exterminator sent by building management came to the building. Costa said the exterminator told her that her room was secure except for a hole in her door, but that he could not fix it as that was the landlord’s responsibility.

“I asked him, ‘When do you think that this mice problem is going to clear up?’” Costa said. “And he said, honestly, that he did not think what he was going to do was going to fix this problem. So the exterminator who’s doing the work tells me that he does not think it’s going to fix the problem.”

On March 7, ORLL notified residents that an exterminator would be sent to the building again, but as of April 1, building residents were still spotting mice.

The RA explained that students were confused about whom to call for help, attributing this to the fact that the building is not owned by Tufts, but by an external LLC.

“I think there’s a big disconnect between [Tufts’] department of facilities collaborating with the external facilities that our [building manager uses],” the RA said. “I think Tufts facilities just didn’t really acknowledge our work orders.”

Carol Fiore, the building manager of 1047 Beacon St., declined to comment.

As mice began to get caught in nonlethal traps, residents claimed they were not given clear instructions on what to do next.

“[On March 8], a mouse got caught in one of my traps and it was literally screaming,” the RA said.

According to the RA, they called Tufts’ Medford campus facilities line, but after waiting on hold, they were told that facilities couldn’t remove the mouse because Tufts does not own the building.

The RA said that when their supervisor emailed the building manager, the manager sent someone to handle the mouse. The night when the residents decided to kill the trapped mouse unfolded in a similar manner. The RA said they called Tufts facilities and the Tufts University Police Department nonemergency line, but no one would come to dispose of the mouse.

“As an RA … I took it into my own hands. I shoved the mouse on the sticky trap — which is so inhumane, anyway — into the trash bag, and then one of my residents was willing to step on it,” the RA said. “[The resident] was like, ‘It’s the most humane way because you’re ending its life quickly.’”

According to Collins, “Pest issues are typically dealt with during daytime or business hours, when pest control experts can be called to the

location. Students who find pests in traps are asked to message residential life personnel, who work directly with building management to address these concerns.”

The RA described the night as “chaotic” and expressed frustration with the school’s response.

“I understand [that for] maintenance and facilities, [this] isn’t within their usual vicinity of what they’re supposed to deal with,” the RA said. “But to have a student deal with a rodent or a pest issue that’s already been terrorizing us? A lot of my residents don’t even feel comfortable sleeping in their rooms, especially [the room where the mouse was killed].”

There are still mice in the building, Costa said, noting that the amount of mouse feces has been increasing. To raise awareness and put pressure on the administration, Costa has been putting posters up around the SMFA and Medford campuses.

Costa told the Daily that ORLL offered to move her from 1047 Beacon St. into a new room on the Medford campus. Costa said she wants to remain in the area, as all of her classes are on the SMFA Fenway campus. She believes all of the residents in the building should be given a solution.

“I know the Massachusetts health code for rental apartments,” Costa told an ORLL administrator. “I have a right to live in a rodent-free apartment, you have a responsibility to fix this. I’m not moving, you’re going to fix the problem.”

Air Force One and witnessing his reactions to breaking news.

Her experiences during the Obama administration were the “most normal experience I could have gotten,” she said. “Then the Trump experience was like the exact opposite of that. It was incredibly abnormal in every possible way.”

Phillip commented that, since many of Trump’s White House

employees had not been fully trained in the transition, “It was reporters like us who were telling them how it was supposed to work.”

During the Q&A portion of the event, one audience member asked Phillip if she thought the recent changes to CNN’s leadership were in any way destabilizing for the network.

“There has been a change in ownership and leadership at CNN, and a lot of things are changing,” Phillip said. “I think that’s pret-

ty evident when you watch the network. … What I will say is that what I do hasn’t changed, and I think a lot of people feel that way.”

Asked about the importance of writing, Phillip spoke directly to young journalists, emphasizing “thick skin” as a key to thriving in the media industry.

“You have to build up your tolerance for criticism,” Phillip said.

“And it’s not the indifference to criticism, it’s how you take it, you internalize it, you make changes.”

Asked how she pieces together stories from the new and complex media ecosystem, including social media, Phillip defended the role of legacy media.

“Newspapers are not dead,” Phillip said. “There’s always going to be a role for The New York Times. There’s always going to be a role for CNN. It might be a little bit less of a big role, but there’s always going to be a place for those outlets.”

Abby Phillip speaks at the Murrow Forum at Tufts on April 3.

uN representative of Myanmar discusses recent military coup, international response during Fletcher event

by Aaron Gruen Executive News Editor

Originally published April 5

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, the permanent representative of Myanmar to the United Nations, spoke at Tufts on March 31 about Myanmar’s ongoing crisis. During the event, called the “International Responsibility in Responding to Myanmar’s Crisis,” Tun discussed his country’s recent military coup — and the ensuing international response — with David Muehlke, Fletcher’s state department fellow.

The event was organized by student leaders from the Fletcher ASEAN Society and by Tufts’ Myanmar Students Union. It was co-sponsored by the Center for South Asian and Indian Ocean Studies, the Fletcher Dean’s office.

Following the National League for Democracy’s victory in Myanmar in November 2020, the country’s military rejected the results of the election and staged a coup d’etât in February 2021, arresting the members of

LOCAL

the elected civilian government and its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Tun, who remains loyal to Myanmar’s elected government, was the country’s U.N. ambassador at the time of the coup. Since the U.N. has not acknowledged the military government as legitimate, Tun remains in his role at the U.N. He was recently shortlisted for a Nobel Peace Prize.

“What we see is very clear: that the coup itself is [a] gross violation of the rule of law and amounting to high treason,” Tun said at the opening of the event. “The people have rejected the military coup in every possible way. They never accepted the subversion of their democratic rights and freedoms.”

Tun said more than 3,000 people have been killed by the military junta and that the military has engaged in “indiscriminate aerial bombing” against its own citizens.

“These crimes are not mere human rights abuses: They are deliberate, systematic, widespread and coordinated attacks against the civilian population,” he said.

Tun ended his introduction by urging international institutions to hold the military junta accountable for their actions.

“There is a lack of decisive action from relevant established international mechanisms such as the U.N. [Security Council] and the [International Criminal Court] to save lives of innocent people,” Tun said. “People on the ground are dying. People on the ground are really suffering. … We want the international community to hear the voices of the people of Myanmar.”

Asked by Muehlke, the Fletcher state department fellow, what his experience is like working at the U.N., Tun said that he can get frustrated by inaction on the part of other members.

“The [U.N.] members hear the voices of the people loud and clear, but the action that we receive does not really … live up to the expectation of the people,” Tun said. “We have a resolution [in] the General Assembly, but the elements that are contained in the General Assembly Resolution

[are] not that much [and] not legally binding.”

Muehlke also asked Tun if he expects any key events to happen in Myanmar within the next year. Tun pointed to potential action being taken by the U.N. Security Council and the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in May.

Muehlke then asked how Myanmar can have a democratic future, specifically pointing out the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims as a point of concern.

“We need to find a solution including the repatriation of the Rohingya in a voluntary, safe and dignified manner,” Tun said. “Our young generation, they are leading us. They are the ones who will build a country of the future.”

Tun then took questions from the audience. Asked about sanctions as an effective tool, Tun said that they are effective despite concerns about the impact on civilians.

“Some people say [sanctions] might affect only the general public,” Tun said. “Look at the crisis of

the general public. We have nothing else to lose. … That is why we keep urging the international community to impose sanctions against the military.”

Another student asked Tun how the United States can convince China to stop supporting the military junta.

“The voices of the people of Myanmar are very clear,” Tun said. “Only a federal democracy will make the country be stable, so that is the message that we always convey to the countries in the region.”

Tun also discussed the prospect of the military junta holding sham elections and urged countries to put pressure on those who support the junta’s plans.

“The sham election, if they go through [with it], definitely [will] create more violence in Myanmar,” Tun said. “The Secretary of State, Mr. Blinken, already [talked] about rejecting any kind of election organized by the military. … It is very clear it will never be a free and fair and independent election.”

Medford, s omerville city councilors talk local politics

by Shannon Murphy Contributing Writer

Originally published April 3

City councilors and Tufts alums

Judy Pineda Neufeld of Somerville and Kit Collins of Medford returned to Tufts to speak about their careers and paths to local government in the event “The Importance of Local Politics: Perspectives from Local City Councilors” held in Olin Center for Language and Cultural Studies on Monday, March 27. Nimah Mazaheri, chair of the political science department, moderated the event.

Topics discussed included how the councilors became involved in local politics and pressing issues currently impacting Medford and Somerville, such as housing, transportation and climate change.

Both councilors asserted that their work as student activists at Tufts led to their careers in local government. Pineda Neufeld’s passion for advocacy began when she started a feminist student organization during her time at Tufts.

“I started my own student organization, and we did a lot of organizing around the March for Women’s Lives in Washington, D.C. [in] ’04,” Pineda Neufeld said. “We had 200 students from Tufts, which was the highest student delegation from any Boston area college going down to the march in D.C., and I was really proud of that. And it really sparked a love for organizing and for politics and to see how you can make a difference by organizing a group of people to make a difference.”

According to Collins, it was her involvement in the climate divestment movement and

peace and justice studies at Tufts that laid the foundation for her activism in local and community politics.

“I found myself returning to a lot of the questions that I was trying to answer as a student at Tufts,” Collins said. “What do I do? What can we use? What are the tools that … I have as an individual?’”

Mazaheri then turned the topic of conversation to housing, a prevalent issue facing the greater Boston area. Both communities are currently working on initiatives to make housing more stable and affordable to Medford and Somerville residents.

“Medford does not have an affordable housing trust, which is something that a lot of communities [including Somerville] have,” Collins explained. “We just took our first vote on [implementing an affordable housing trust] last month. I’m so excited to get that on the books and we will finally start putting assets and resources into that trust.”

Collins also mentioned current work in Medford on a condominium conversion ordinance, which would protect tenants that are displaced by the conversion of rentals to condominium developments. Pineda Neufeld described projects, including opportunities for homeownership for low-income residents, that will make housing in Somerville more affordable, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“[When people] lose their job, or their restaurant closes because of the pandemic … one missed paycheck, two missed paychecks, is devastating for a family,” Pineda Neufeld said. “How do we support our community to make sure that their housing is stable and [that they] can stay in Somerville? So, really thinking about what buckets of money are available — state, federal and city-wide — to be able to keep people in their homes.”

The recent Green Line Extension, which brought the MBTA’s green line system into Medford and Somerville, also exacerbated the housing crisis by inflating the prices of housing. In Somerville, 85% of neighborhoods are walkable to an MBTA stop. Many Medford and Somerville neighborhoods were also affected by the Bus Network Redesign project, which will change the frequency of stops and location of MBTA bus routes.

Collins explained how city councilors must balance the demands of constituents with the limitations of local government.

“On the local level, you find these areas where there’s a lot of space for ‘what we can do creatively with the power that we do have,’ and then you run into some areas where it’s like, ‘we don’t have the power to change this,’” Collins said. “So, we either have to get creative or we have to be as good advocates

as we can when our only power is to advocate.”

Climate change is also continuing to affect the policy initiatives of governments on the local level, as well as the state and federal levels. Pineda Neufeld stated that Somerville plans to boldly tackle the issue by implementing policies such as increasing access to electric vehicles.

“I really think it’s about putting the political power and pressure behind the plans we have in place and figuring out ways that we can build some momentum, give them a shot in the arm to get them done sooner,” Pineda Neufeld said.

Hailing from outside of Massachusetts was not a barrier to winning local elections here according to Pineda Neufeld and Collins who grew up in Los Angeles and upstate New York, respectively.

“I don’t think longevity equals success necessarily to communities,” Pineda Neufeld said. “It’s like getting involved, getting to know the issues, getting to know your constituents. That’s what matters.”

The councilors also offered advice to those considering involvement in local politics.

Collins emphasized the idea that every person can make a change in their community: “If you want to do it and have the space in your life to do it, you should do it.”

“Find an issue you care about, there are campaigns every single year,” Pineda Neufeld said. “Whether they’re local, statewide or federal. Get involved, there’s so much to learn and so many people to meet and so many skills to gain from that experience.

COURTESY JENNA SCHAD

Somerville City Councilor Judy Pineda-Neufeld (left) and Medford City Councilor Kit Collins (right) speak about local politics on March 27.

FeaT ures

a chronicle of coeducation at Tufts

by Alice Fang Contributing Writer

Originally published April 3

Like many schools across the country, Tufts today is a coeducational institution. However, this hasn’t always been the case. Tufts’ progression from an allmale institution to its current state has been quite complex. Following the broader historical discourse on gender equality, rather than a linear development, Tufts’ inclusion of women students saw multiple waves.

1852–1892

Russell Miller’s book “Light on the Hill: A History of Tufts College 1852–1952” outlined the historical reception to coeducation on Tufts’ campus. Miller wrote that The Tufts Collegian, the first undergraduate publication, partook in this discussion by presenting both sides of the literature to its audience in 1874.

Published in 1873, “Sex in Education; or, a Fair Chance for the Girls” by Harvard physician Edward H. Clark argued women were too frail to enter a space of intense intellectual activity.

Virginia Drachman, a professor in the history department at Tufts, commented on the gravity of Clark’s argument.

“It hit white, middle-class families in a way that … many other publications that have been more within the medical community did not,” Drachman said.

In response to Clark’s book, Julia Ward Howe published “Sex and Education, a Reply to Dr. E. H. Clark’s Sex in Education.” The book argued against Clark with works written by mostly women scholars.

By the 1870s, some higher education institutions had begun to integrate female students into their schools.

At Tufts, when the question of coeducation surfaced among the Tufts Trustees and board members, the decision was repeatedly postponed. University President Elmer Capen remarked that “the friends of co-education, therefore, ought not to complain that doors of the College are closed against women until they are prepared to tender the requisite sum for this purpose.”

“Some male students were also worried that if women came onto campus that there would be strict social rules imposed,” Drachman said.

Coinciding with the first wave of feminism, the subject of coeducation resurfaced in the discussion of the Tufts Executive Committee. On April 24, 1892, the Committee unanimously approved the enrollment of women. On July 15 of the same year, Tufts College officially established itself as a coeducational institution, opening its doors to men and women. Nine women entered the college that fall.

1892–1910

Tufts’ transition into a coeducational institution was initially smooth. According to a report by Capen in 1896, “there [had] been no friction arising from [women’s] presence in the classrooms, and they [had] not increased materially the difficulties of administration … their work [had] been as well done as the work of the men.”

Upon their arrival, however, a new issue arose — the need for residential space. During the first three years of coeducation, the non-local female students resided in faculty houses and off-campus residences due to insufficient funding.

Thanks to a donation made by Albert Metcalf in 1893, Metcalf Hall, a modest yellow building located at 56 Professors Row, was constructed to house 24 female students with a matron living on the first floor. Drachman commented on the importance of the matron, acting as a mother figure, and more importantly, a source of supervision.

“It’s a big deal for parents to feel comfortable to send their young single daughters away from home, to live on a campus where there are men who are young and single,” Drachman said. “Not only are they concerned about Edward H. Clark’s argument about too much intellectual study might break down their health, but they are also concerned about their daughters being protected.”

However, this protection also led to heavy restriction. For example, in Metcalf, male visitors were required to visit during designated hours only, and the visits took place in the dorm common room. The restraints imposed on female students’ social life gave Metcalf the title “Bird Cage.”

As for academics, female students generally excelled — five memberships to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society were all awarded to women. This new presence of women and mixed-gender classrooms prompted a wave of discomfort among some male liberal arts students.

Despite male contempt, Tufts’ transition to a coed school prevailed as the number of male enrollments remained stagnant.

Succeeding Capen, University

President Frederick Hamilton attributed the decline in growth of Tufts’ College of Letters (now School of Arts and Sciences) to coeducation.

“The reputation in New England was that Tufts was becoming practically a school for women because there were so many women there and that men were hesitant to go there … and many men still preferred separate all-men colleges like Williams [College],” Drachman said.

An opponent of the impacts of coeducation at Tufts, University President Frederick Hamilton

insisted on the separation of the sexes. The Committee of Segregation, appointed to submit a feasible plan to resolve this matter, eventually suggested the founding of Jackson College for Women, funded by a generous donation from Cornelia Jackson, an advocate for women’s higher education. Operated under the same board of Tufts College trustees, Jackson College was officially instituted in 1910.

1910–1980

“I would argue that on the one hand, it was backtracking. And on the other hand, it really benefited women,” Drachman commented on the emergence of Jackson College. “When women create their own institutions, and they usually create them because they’ve been excluded from others historically, it grows out of discrimination. But it provides an opportunity for women to come together to create leadership positions to run things the way they want to run them.”

The voices of women students were centered at Jackson College. In addition to assuming leadership roles and proposing a separate student handbook, deanships were created to attend to the needs of Jackson’s students, a part of the national trend of creating deanships for women students.

The separation of colleges initially sparked a sense of relief and freedom from both male and female students.

The Tufts Weekly on April 21, 1910 recorded that male students marched around a bonfire, while, according to alum correspondence on April 13, the female students celebrated by “illuminating the hall with Japanese lanterns and spent the greater part of the night on the roof rejoicing.”

Drachman spoke about Jackson students’ feeling of belonging in its early years.

“They were alums of Jackson.

… There were a lot of Jackson alums who were very proud of having been a Jackson student.

… People were very loyal to Jackson,” Drachman said.

Suzanne Cashman (J’69) recounted her experience as a Jackson student.

Cashman recalled her residential life: “Our dorms, as in the girls’ dorms, were down the hill and on one part of campus away from the guys.” On top of the physical separation, there were visiting policies — “It was restricted how often we could go into the boys’ dorms. … The doors of those boys’ rooms had to be open.” — which the students would tactfully get around. “The trick the guys did was they threw a towel over the top of the door and then close the door to the extent that they could with a towel over the top of it,” Cashman said.

In addition to the curfew and a sign-out system to keep track of the female students, students took turns staffing the telephones, one on each floor, according to Cashman. Students would either inform their floormates about their calls or take a message for their absent peers.

Cashman also underlined the dress code of female students.

“We had to wear skirts for the first three years that I was in school, when we were on the hill,” Cashman said. “We could wear pants outside of the iron gate [on Professors Row]. … It was a very ‘in loco parentis’ kind of approach to us.”

However, there was a huge change in the school restrictions during Cashman’s undergraduate years.

“By the time I graduated … girls could wear pants, you could be in boys’ dorms during the week, and you didn’t have to sign out as often — that had loosened up,” Cashman said.

Unlike Jackson College’s previous salient role at Tufts, the divide between Tufts and Jackson College blurred over time.

“Tufts is where I really wanted to go, and I know it was Jackson College specifically, but I’ve always felt that I was at Tufts,” Cashman said. “I never felt like I was at a separate school. I felt it was very coeducational.”

In 1980, Tufts reestablished a fully coeducational model, absorbing Jackson College.

Marsha Alperin (LA’81) recalled

feeling less tied to Jackson College as previous generations.

“I went to Tufts thinking it was just Tufts. I never for one second thought I was a Jackson, or there was a Jackson even. … I can’t think of anything that stands out that would make me think I was in a different school than my male counterparts except that my diploma says Jackson,” Alperin said.

1980–Present

Although Tufts officially became coeducational in 1980, female students’ undergraduate degrees still bore the name “Jackson.” This persisting presence of Jackson’s name on female students’ diplomas sparked controversy. In 2000, the Daily saw a feud between a student and a professor regarding the inclusion of Jackson College on diplomas.

Larissa Johnson wrote in a piece titled “A Sexist Degree Debacle” that the different degrees — Jackson College for women, the College of Arts and Sciences for men — received by women were a manifestation of gender inequality.

“It is a clear violation of both federal and state law to award a degree that contains language whose inclusion is solely based on the gender of the recipient. Never would this practice have continued for so long if the criteria was race, ethnicity, or religion,” Johnson wrote.

Johnson’s article received a heated response from Jeffrey Taliaferro, the then-assistant professor in political science. “[Johnson’s] rant, posing as a noble call to arms, may divert our attention from addressing real issues of discrimination and equity,” Taliaferro wrote.

The debate soon came to an end two years later. A Daily article published on April 1, 2002, broadcasted that “the ‘Jackson College’ name will not appear on the diplomas of female graduates this May.” While female students in 1962 petitioned to add “Jackson College” to their diplomas, its abolishment in 2002 marked the official end of Jackson College in Tufts’ history.

NATALIE BROWNSELL / THE TUFTS DAILY Metcalf Hall, a dorm that once housed Jackson College students, is pictured on April 18, 2022.

The wren Creeper: Campus myth or threatening truth?

by Trey Lawrence Contributing Writer

Originally published April 5

After an exhausting day, many stu

dents find themselves in their dorm, common room or suite looking to relax within the private luxury of their living space. However, you may find that college dorm buildings are not as secure as one may expect. Last semester, rumors of the “Wren Creeper,” a mysterious figure who sneaks into the rooms of unsuspecting students living in Wren Hall at night, made waves around campus, sparking concerns over campus security.

Daniel Cui, a sophomore and resident assistant at Wren, shared his initial reaction when he first heard about the Wren Creeper in late October.

“I just thought someone [was] starting some sort of prank, or they [were] just trying to get people in the holiday spirit for Halloween, you know? And then, I found out from someone who lives in the building that this individual actually visited their friend in their suite,” Cui said.

Another Wren RA, sophomore Adelaide Whist, had a similar introduction to the Wren Creeper.

“It started as a rumor … and people were already getting scared about that,” Whist said. “At one point, people were saying it was a practical joke that someone had been playing on their suitemates. And then when I talked to my [Residential Life Coordinator], … she [revealed] that there were in fact police reports being filed.”

Candice Belluscio, the Residential Life Coordinator of Wren Hall, told the Daily that the Office of Residential Life and Learning first received a report about unauthorized access concerns in October 2022.

There is no consensus on a description of what the Wren Creeper looks like, though some patterns to the alleged observations emerged through stories shared with the Wren Hall resident assistants.

“From the information that we’ve gathered, it is probably a student. [A] description that was somewhat consistent was: Caucasian male, about 5’ 8” with brown hair and [seen in] a blue Tufts hoodie,” Cui said.

Additionally, Cui commented on the increasing frequency of Wren Creeper sightings toward the end of the fall 2022 semester, including one in his own suite.

“I heard from a close friend of mine that their friend was also hit in their suite. So now there [were] two confirmed people who [had] reported being visited by the Wren [Creeper],” Cui said. “Then in November, it got personal because then the Wren [Creeper] visited my resident in [our] suite on top of like, three days or two days prior, visiting my other friend’s suite. And this was like, back to back. And then it just seemed like this activity was just kind of rampant.”

Gigi Copeland, a sophomore who currently resides in Wren, shared her experience with the Wren Creeper.

“I’ve never personally encountered this person, however my suitemate Sam has,” Copeland said. “[Some] guy came into our common room at like 4 a.m. while Sam was sitting out here, and then [Sam] noticed so he turned his phone flashlight on and when he did that, the guy saw and then got scared

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European university calendars are super different

When I applied to study at the Tufts in London Program at University College London, I was made aware that I would have to be in school for two terms. The first would take place January through March and would contain 10 weeks of classes. Then, I would be on break from March 25 to April 25, whereupon I would then return to school for the “exam” term.

This was unbelievably thrilling for me. The thought that I would have an entire month off to spend traveling sounded absolutely incredible, even if it meant that I would then have to come back to London and quickly return to school mode in order to take my exams.

and ran down the stairs. He had to fill out a whole police report about it, but nothing has come of that.”

With repeated intrusions into residents’ living spaces, security issues in Wren Hall came to light.

In response, the Tufts University Police Department amped up security at Wren, with officers patrolling inside and outside the building.

Instead of increased TUPD patrols, Copeland said that a preferable solution would be to install some form of lock on the suite doors. While each individual room inside the suites have key card locks, the shared living spaces of the suites are separated by unlocked doors.

“They started just having police patrol the building, mostly at night. And so instead of getting locks on our suite doors, which seems like a pretty reasonable solution, especially [considering] that they have those in Latin Way and in Hillsides, which are basically also suitestyle housing,” Copeland said. “Instead, they just have police walk through our common rooms unannounced. … It can be like 8 p.m., or it can be like 2 in the morning. And that’s just another uncomfortable thing.”

Whist had a similar reaction to the increased police presence at Wren, viewing it as a short-term strategy.

“It did work. But at the same time, a lot of us were like, this feels like a bandaid solution. … You should just put locks on the suites so that outside people can’t enter them,” Whist said. “So this doesn’t even have to be a problem.”

While increased police presence may be effective in deterring potential intruders from trespassing in students’ suites, not every student is comfortable with TUPD officers in their residence hall. To some students, unexpected patrols in private living spaces lead to feelings of unease. Belluscio explained that the administration has been contemplating multiple security approaches in light of the Wren Creeper allegations.

“If anyone wants to report anything to TUPD, they will always respond and investigate. TUPD and campus partners are looking at different models of intervention that could include campus security officers replacing TUPD officers in the residence hall for walkthroughs. We will keep the Wren Hall community engaged with this conversation,” Belluscio wrote in an email to the Daily.

Both Copeland and Whist have suggested the addition of locks to Wren suites to prevent unwanted entries in the first place, but, according to Whist,

this has proved to be more challenging than expected.

“[Residential Life] can’t get it approved by the fire marshal for whatever reason,” Whist said. “But I know that … people have been requesting this for a while now.” Belluscio was not able to confirm whether Residential Life is looking into additional locks or working with the fire department in time for publication.

While reports of the Wren Creeper have subsided this semester, jokes and rumors regarding the figure still remain relevant. Memes on social media platforms or casual banter between students often use humor to make light of the situation.

“I am a part of our generation [after all], and we make memes to make things feel a little bit better and make things a little bit less scary,” Whist said. “I think that the problem with Sidechat and stuff like that is when people start trying to assert authority on it … when they don’t know what’s going on, because then that just ends up really freaking people out.”

Whist noted that the Wren Creeper allegations have prompted her to be intentional about maintaining open dialogues with the Wren residents she is responsible for.

“It’s made me take … rumors and stuff a lot more seriously just because of that experience,” Whist said. “It’s given me pause to really consider and listen to the concerns of my residents, which I think in terms of my role is positive. I’m happy that I’m more aware than I was before. It’s just unfortunate that that was the way. … I think that it speaks to a larger communication issue across departments within Tufts.”

Although the Wren Creeper allegations are yet to be resolved, the lore and rumors surrounding this mysterious figure have shifted perceptions of safety on campus.

However, what I did not know is that, in actuality, a lot of professors make their exams due either before the break, or, if you are studying humanities or social sciences (like me), most of your exams will just be papers that you can turn in online anyway. In fact, professors will often give you your essay questions as early as March 1, just so you can get a head start.

What this meant: If I played my cards right, I could finish every single one of my final papers by the end of March and then have two and a half months with a prepaid lease in Europe and time to do whatever I wanted.

What I Wish I Knew: This is not necessarily a good thing.

Two and a half months is a long time with no structure, something I don’t do very well with. I really like to keep busy and feel productive, and I get the most profound antsin-my-pants if I’m sitting inside for too long.

On top of this, universities outside of London don’t necessarily follow this same schedule, so not many of my friends studying in various programs across Europe are around to travel with me during this time. Most of my friends from UCL don’t prioritize travel as much as I do, or their families are coming to visit some of the weeks that I’m available.

Still, I’ve managed to fill up a good chunk of these next couple months with some truly awesome trips, so I most certainly am not trying to complain. I just wish I had known more about the European academic system before arriving here and realizing my entire academic experience abroad would be done by April 1.

As we get to that point in the year when many of you sophomore readers are filling out your abroad applications (Yay! Go you guys!), I definitely recommend making sure you understand your school’s academic calendar, because, if you’re anything like me, it’s always better to be prepared.

Abby Stern is a junior studying women’s, gender and sexuality studies. Abby can be reached at abigail.stern@tufts.edu.

der

amid threats of political invisibility, ‘drag Me To Tufts’ puts queer art in the spotlight

by Jaidyn Appel Contributing Writer

On Friday, Tufts played host to some of the biggest names in queer pop culture as the Tufts University Social Collective partnered with the LGBT Center to put on “Drag Me To Tufts: A Trans Day of Visibility Extravaganza.”

Hundreds filled Cohen Auditorium to witness debut performances from four Tufts-based drag performers representing the newly formed Jumbo Drag Collective, as well as headliners Kerri Colby and Raja Gemini, two wildly successful “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (2009–) contestants.

The show opened with a performance from emcee Dr. LaWhore Vagistan, who then introduced the members of JDC. Each member paraded their drag persona on stage prior to taking a seat at one of the tables along the stage’s wings, where they would cheer on the JDC’s four performers: Hyacinth, Kulfi Jaan, Lavender Scare and Nephesh the Slug King.

Lining the wings and front rows of the audience with small, cabaret-style tables was a conscious departure from Cohen’s typical “theatrical separation of stage and audience” in the event planning process, as JDC co-facilitator Lee Romaker explained in an interview with the Daily.

“It was really important for us to have not just the performers alone on a big stage all by themselves,” Romaker, a senior, said. “It was important for us to have other people in drag on stage and around them, rooting for them, cheering for them, making it feel more intimate, more like a drag show.”

An emphasis on making the event a bona fide drag show, by and for transgender people, was

shared by joel gutierrez, the LGBT Center’s associate director who played a large part in planning the night.

“We take very seriously incorporating our values into our programming,” gutierrez explained. “Making sure that it’s reflecting the students that we serve, making sure that our programs center trans and nonbinary students, center students of color and feel accessible to everyone, [is important to us].”

Though organizers expressed interest in designing the drag performance aspects of the night to be as high quality as possible, they certainly didn’t overlook the special meaning given to “Drag Me To Tufts” by virtue of the date on which it was held.

Transgender Day of Visibility is celebrated every year on March 31, and is distinct from Nov. 20’s Transgender Day of Remembrance.

“Trans Day of Visibility is, in a way, the opposite [of Transgender Day of Remembrance], to celebrate life and to celebrate who we are,” gutierrez said.

Celebrations abounded on stage, as students bore witness to their peers’ pride, glitter and butt tattoo-filled drag debuts. However perhaps no moment was more celebrated than Vagistan’s introduction of Kerri Colby, a transgender woman of color herself. In an interview with the Daily, Colby explained the special meaning Transgender Day of Visibility holds for her.

“Trans Day of Visibility is actually huge for me, because that’s … [the] three year anniversary of my transition,” Colby said. “I started my hormone journey and transitioning publicly on Trans Day of Visibility in 2020.”

Colby, who placed ninth on the 14th season of “Drag Race” in 2022, was joined by Raja Gemini, who won the show’s third season in 2011. Each queen delivered two dynamic numbers: Colby began by cartwheeling and drop-splitting her way into audience members’ hearts — and pockets — as Flo Milli’s “Conceited” (2022) thumped over the speakers, while Raja strutted the walk that made her famous down the auditorium’s aisles, lip-syncing along to RuPaul’s “Supermodel (You Better Work)” (1992).

World-class entertainment was not hard to come by, though it was certainly not all that the event’s organizers hoped to bestow upon the crowd. In past months, an increasing number of bills aiming to limit the spaces in which drag can be performed, or ban drag altogether, have been introduced across state legislatures. Colby is highly attuned to the discrimination these bills encourage in drag and queer communities more broadly.

“If you do any research into what the premise of a lot of these drag bans are in these more conservative states,” Colby explained, “It is a way to scapegoat into discriminating against someone’s identity because these laws and bans that are being imposed and brought up in court really are very broad.”

Having grown up in a conservative family herself, Colby, who hails from Texas — a state currently considering four separate laws targeting drag shows — knows firsthand the hardships countless transgender people are at risk of facing, should any proposed drag bans take effect.

“This is just going to create so many unsafe spaces for people that are just trying to live their life

and go to the grocery store and run their errands,” Colby said. “And lo and behold, somebody might be like, ‘Oh, you look like a drag queen to me, you’re going to jail.’”

Romaker and gutierrez divulged similar concerns, explaining how, more than the lip-syncs and fur-coat-to-gown-to-bodysuit reveals, the true takeaway of this Transgender Day of Visibility event should be awareness and resources about ways to best express allyship.

“I think a lot of us don’t know how to address things that feel so out of our control,” gutierrez said. “And a lot of that just looks like educating ourselves and sending money and supporting groups that exist within your area and the people that you love.”

Romaker also emphasized how important it was that viewers

walk away with information on actionable steps they can take, explaining how JDC put together a “resource document within the program for where people can donate, volunteer, learn about trans legislation.”

“Drag Me To Tufts” perfectly encapsulated all that drag is, as well as so much of what it should be. As our country hangs over a timely precipice, as transgender people and drag artists face myriad threats of invalidation, insecurity and invisibility, it can often seem that half the battle is simply showing up. Tufts and the JDC certainly showed up — as performers and audience members. And the other half? “Drag Me To Tufts” did that part too.

They could have simply had four student performers who lip-synced and danced as they proudly opened for world-renowned drag artists. They accomplished that, but they also ended their opening act with a powerful protest march, carrying signs painted with slogans like “stop trans genocide” and “cis ‘allies’ say something.” Not only did they invite two of the biggest names in drag to perform, but they also made sure those queens were transgender people of color who spoke on a panel following the show in order to drive home the importance of intersectional visibility in the queer community.

Tufts students would never pass up the opportunity to attend a glitzy, star-studded (free) drag show, which is why it is all the more impressive that the event’s planners made explicit strides to theme the evening around the stories of nonbinary people and people of color, and meaningful action that allies can take. TUSC, JDC, the LGBT Center and the entire community should consider “Drag Me To Tufts” a marked success — shantay, it definitely stays.

COURTESY JOEL GUTIERREZ

Jumbo Drag Collective is pictured.

COURTESY JOEL GUTIERREZ Kerri Colby is pictured.

plunge Gallery presents ‘Curated s elf’

by Jo Haggard Contributing Writer

Cj Daly, a sophomore at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and the creator of Plunge Gallery, spent last semester planning and executing their new exhibit “Curated Self.” This student art exhibit opened on Saturday at the Brookline Arts Center.

Daly recently spoke with the Daily about the experience of pulling together the exhibit.

“There’s a lot of times you go into professional gallery spaces and it’s really intimidating, especially if you’re just trying to get into art, and you’re just trying to enjoy it,” Daly said. “So I wanted to create a space that was more welcoming, more inviting, and you didn’t have to feel fearful of not knowing what’s going on, … breaking down what art is and how it is created to make it more accessible to people. That is how I came up with the name Plunge, because I was plunging into art.”

Daly had a show last year in the Terrence Gallery, located on the second floor of the SMFA. Though they appreciated that opportunity, Daly wanted their gallery’s next exhibit to be in a space more accessible to the public.

“I wanted more of a space and not just shoving kids’ art up in the hallway,” Daly said. “I want to give kids an opportunity to have their art actually be seen.”

After coming to this decision, Daly began reaching out to places that had open calls. The Brookline Arts Center gave Daly the opportunity to curate the show in its space, and thus “Curated Self” was born.

In forming the body of “Curated Self,” Daly had a clear vision in mind.

“It’s artists presenting self portraits and then along with their self portraits, they’re presenting a written work, either their diary, or their sketchbook or a poem,” Daly said. “Whenever you make art, you have an audience in mind, you are thinking about the viewer. … You know that people are going to see you in a certain light, and you’re presenting yourself how you want to be seen. But then, with say a diary, it’s so

Saba S. and Jack Clohisy Queeries

‘Don’t Say Gay’

On March 28, 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which prohibits teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ topics and subjects with similar themes that may not be ‘age appropriate’. On July 1, 2022, this law took effect.

Now, a year following the uproar that came with “Don’t Say Gay,” DeSantis’ administration is working to expand this law to all grade levels, and is again targeting conversations surrounding gender identity and sexual orientation. The law currently impacts kindergarten to third grade students, but with the new expansion, it will reach up to 12th grade. This means that until they are 18 years old, students in Florida will not be allowed to talk about and learn about LGBTQ+ topics.

much more vulnerable because in your head [you think] no one is ever going to see this. And so it’s asking artists to be really vulnerable with the audience.”

Plunge Gallery presented “Curated Self” on Saturday in an opening reception starting at 6 p.m. This reception featured performances from three student musicians which amplified the exciting atmosphere of the event. While listening to live music, spectators had the opportunity to walk through the front room of the Brookline Arts Center, where most of the student art was displayed.

The front room held sculptures, ceramics, patchwork quilts, tapestries, wood carvings and other mixed media pieces. Robbie “Double B” Moser-Saito displayed a piece titled “BOY ORGAN VI: YOU WERE ANGELS,” made of ceramic, water, pump and soil. The explanation of Moser-Saito’s work states, “much of my visual work is an effort to capture the feeling of my racing stream of consciousness, not unmarked by the psychosociocultural conventions that shape me.” Many of the pieces had journals and other written work displayed next to them that viewers could flip through. Miguel Caba presented a bound book which was comprised of a collection of Google Earth screenshots from the eight-hour route that led between their two relatives’ houses in the Philippines.

Video pieces were also displayed in the same room as the live music: a video diary by Hami Trinh, and a piece that explored Asian American identity titled “Nobody Told us how to Fix a Leaky Ceiling” by Julia Yoo. In a work of performance art, Isabelle Cordero sat at a table doing a drawing trading performance wherein an individual sat on the other side of the table and they drew each other. They would have the opportunity to keep Cordero’s drawing or hang it up. Isabelle would then give them a note saying “come sit with me” along with instructions to give this note to someone that you see all the time but don’t really talk to. The piece reinforced Daly’s original themes of unification and vulnerability through art.

“Curated Self” is a unique and compelling exhibit, diverging into important topics while giving student artists opportunity. It will be available to view through June 4 at the Brookline Arts Center.

Not only does this law hurt LGBTQ+ youth that it may potentially impact, but it aids in marginalizing the presence of queer individuals in society. Using language such as ‘age appropriate’ stigmatizes the LGBTQ+ community and pushes us back in time, discarding all the progress that has been made and fights that have been fought.

Additionally, the law has increased fear among families, students and teachers who are anxious about violating the law and facing its severe penalties. Students can be cast out by their peers, and may come home to nonaccepting households. Additionally, teachers who should be there to support their students can face large fines and possibly lose their teaching certificates.

Pride events at schools have been canceled, pride flags have been taken down and LGBTQ+ history has been erased from social studies classes.

The immediate repercussions of this law have been student-led protests which demand that DeSantis’ government value equality and freedom among its youth.

When we look at the way representation has reshaped how we view media, removing queer representation from literature suppresses and eliminates narratives that threaten cisheteronormativity. Because of this, queer students will not be able to see themselves represented or discussed in academic spaces which could have offered them solace from their homophobic parents, their homophobic community or the homophobic society at large.

It’s always two steps forward, one step backward. For every advance queer liberation makes toward equity, there is some driving force there to oppose and undermine current efforts. However, if history has shown us anything, queer students will find representation in the media they’re consuming whether Florida likes it or not. The process of “queering” characters has been pivotal to finding representation for queer people that wouldn’t exist otherwise. Students shouldn’t have to imagine representation when we have so much queer content to share today. Just because you don’t say gay, it doesn’t mean queer people are going anywhere anytime soon.

COURTESY AMALIA MCLAUGHLIN

Attendees of the opening reception of “Curated Self” are pictured.

Saba S. is a columnist at the Daily. Jack Clohisy is a senior studying computer science. Jack can be reached at jack. clohisy@tufts.edu.

Last Week’s Solution

LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY

SUDOKU - PUZZLE BY ANUSHKA SINGH MISSED CONNECTIONS

You: Pretty Jewish girl with curly hair who I saw in the laundry room 3 times one evening Me: A guy who thought I good pick up line would be are you stalking me When: 2020 Spring. Where: Tilton laundry room

You: the parent picking up a copy of our April Fools edition Me: a very happy little boy. Where: outside the CC. When: last week

You: former copy exec Me: current layout exec, majorly beefing with you. When: this whole semester Where: everywhere

You: the older guy (maybe a parent?) flipping through a copy of the Observer at Tisch Me: trying to telepathically make you flip through the copy of the Daily right next to you When: last week

Difficulty Level: Getting rid of a mouse infestation

CROSSWORD - PUZZLE BY LUCAS CHUA

EDITORIAL

Tufts should step up to fill the gun violence research gap

by The Editorial Board

Last week, in the wake of the massacre at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn., we wrote about the sorrow and collective trauma shared by our generation of students who have been left waiting in fear of being the next victim of a school shooting.

It is clear that only legislative change can prevent gun violence; but even though groups such as Everytown for Gun Safety and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence call for an assault weapons ban, similar to policy changes in other advanced democracies after mass shootings, the likelihood of enacting this ban feels like a pipe dream in our current political environment.

Two factors complicate this policy solution. From a legal perspective, an assault weapons ban would likely be struck down in court as a violation of the Second Amendment. Many legal scholars who view the constitution as a living document argue that the Second Amendment does not protect the right to own an assault rifle due to its increased capacity compared to the weapons available when the amendment was drafted. However, the current U.S. Supreme Court, with its textualist and originalist leanings, does not seem to agree — particularly after Justice Clarence Thomas’ ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.

Additionally, though public opinion is generally supportive of banning the sale of military-grade assault weapons, Republican opposition in the House, including from House Majority Leader Steve Scalise who was shot at a 2017 congressional baseball practice, may prove insurmountable. In fact, even some Democrats have come to realize such a ban does not have the votes to pass. Thus, policy solutions remain stalled until a compromise can be reached: a dim prospect within a political system which has time and again upheld gun rights.

But gun violence is not confined to mass shootings, nor is it only committed with assault rifles. Instead, it is a widespread dan-

by Justin Hong Staff Writer

We implore Tufts to bring both hope and agency to its students and the broader community by using its status as a civic-minded research institution to encourage a deeper understanding of the multidimensional causes of gun violence.

-THE EDITORIAL BOARD

ger, encompassing suicides, domestic violence, police-involved shootings and unintentional gun injuries and death. Therefore, if we’re to realistically confront the epidemic of gun violence, we must consider policy solutions beyond an assault weapons ban.

Gun violence is inseparable from the current mental health crisis. While allusions to the mental health crisis have repeatedly been touted by Republicans in the aftermath of mass shootings, it is crucial to understand the bidirectional relationship between mental illness and gun violence.

According to the American Psychological Association, mental illness is a risk factor in gun violence. A 2015 study from the National Institutes of Health found that though there is a weak link between mental illness leading to mass violence, there is a clear relationship between mental illness and suicide via firearm. Additionally, according to data maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of gun violence deaths in 2020 were either unintentional or suicides, rather than mass shootings or homicide. These data signal another important dimension of gun violence: public health. Gun violence has tragically become a consistent leading cause of premature death in the United States — one that merits increased attention.

Finally, we must consider the psychological effects of gun violence on communities. As our editorial noted, our generation, so accustomed to school shootings, has developed a collective trauma and anxiety around gun violence. According to the American Psychological Association, mass shootings are detrimental to teenage mental health, and a demonstrated association between gun violence and increased levels of anxiety and suicide mark this as unmistakable.

Yet the psychological implications of gun violence are more pronounced outside of schools. Community gun violence leaves communities wrestling with trauma and grief — and too frequently, this causes more violence. This is particularly true in low-income communities of color.

Despite the multidimensional nature of gun violence, the issue has not received sufficient attention in academic research. Much of this can be attributed to the lack of federal funding for gun violence research.

In 1996, U.S. lawmakers stopped allocating federal funding toward gun violence research. The passage of the Dickey Amendment effectively prohibited the CDC from using federal injury prevention funds to research gun violence and gun control. After over two decades without federal financing of this key research,

VIEWPOINT

Congress reached a deal in 2019 to provide the CDC and NIH each with $12.5 million per year for gun violence research. Despite this hopeful renewal of resources dedicated to the cause, federally funded research on gun violence is still playing catch-up after its long hiatus.

As a civic-minded, research-driven university, Tufts should take a step toward addressing gun violence by advancing interdisciplinary research on the topic. We thus encourage Tufts to establish a Center for the Study of Gun Violence within the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life.

The center would investigate the public opinion concerning gun violence and gun ownership. In addition, the center should work to democratize information regarding the legal barriers posed by the Second Amendment which serve as roadblocks to public policy efforts to address gun violence. From a public health standpoint, the center should seek to address the root causes of gun violence — investigating the relationship between gun violence and firearm access, socialization, mental illness or predispositions of other origins.

Together with the Equity in Health, Wealth and Civic Engagement Priority Research Cluster, the center could also leverage data on experiences with and public opinion on gun violence with their annual nationally representative survey of Americans.

Tufts prides itself on being a civically engaged institution that prepares and encourages students to bring change to our communities. Gun control and reforms on gun safety laws are evidently far overdue in this country, and despite barriers to these changes in the political and legal landscape, we hope Tufts can facilitate understanding and change. We implore Tufts to bring both hope and agency to its students and the broader community by using its status as a civic-minded research institution to encourage a deeper understanding of the multidimensional causes of gun violence.

Asian American studies deserves better

American and helped me understand my place in American history.

The Tufts Asian Student Coalition called on the university to hire more faculty specializing in Asian American studies to fill an urgent gap in the race, colonialism and diaspora department. With Professor Courtney Sato going on leave, there will be no courses or full-time faculty in the Asian American studies concentration next fall, according to the coalition’s March 30 letter to the administration. I find this regrettable. I am not privy to the university’s finances, and expanding the department may not be financially tenable, but Tufts ought to reconsider this decision and try to meet student activists’ demands.

I am incredibly grateful for the education I’ve received thus far at Tufts. I was fortunate enough to take Intro to Asian American Studies last semester with Professor Sato and I am glad I cleared my schedule to do so. I still remember the first day of class when Professor Sato implored us to think about, in the words of scholar Gary Okihiro, when and where we enter the historical narrative. This class had a profound impact on me as a Taiwanese

I’ve thought about that idea frequently since then. It’s apparent, even in my family, that some of us don’t know our own history because we never had the chance to learn about it in the classroom. Over winter break, my family and I were having dinner when my sister started talking about the Abercrombie & Fitch documentary, specifically, the shirt that had two caricatures of Asians at a laundromat with the caption “Two Wongs can Make it White.” My mother and I, who had not yet watched the documentary, gasped at how something so blatantly racist could have ever been made, but my sister and my brother were less shocked. My sister genuinely thought the wordplay was clever while my brother failed to understand the historical significance of the reference to laundry service and its connection to Asian Americans.

We laughed it off at the time, but when I think about it, it’s because I took Professor Sato’s class that I didn’t act the way my brother or sister did. Without the formal opportunity to take an Asian American studies class here at Tufts I wouldn’t know my own history — when and where I enter

American history. In an age of rising hate against Asian Americans, classes like these are critical so everyone can see the mistakes of the past, understand why they’re wrong and make sure they are not repeated.

An understanding of Asian American history would reveal how ideas like the model minority myth were created through immigration laws that incentivized well educated people — among others — to migrate here from Asia or how Asian Americans are perceived as perpetual foreigners who remain loyal to their nation of origin long after moving to the U.S. These patterns have been a throughline in our history; so much so that rhetoric used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to round up Japanese Americans during World War II — ostensibly to prevent foreign espionage — mirrors almost exactly the sentiments expressed by Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Tex., earlier this year when he questioned a Chinese American congresswoman’s loyalty and suggested she have her security clearance revoked. This pernicious, often unconscious bias can be found in the poking and prodding of every ‘where are you really from?’ or ‘you’re so exotic!’ lobbed at me and my Asian American compatriots.

Whether it be at our kitchen tables or the halls of Congress, these tropes will be repeated until we learn where they came from and why they are wrong. We must all put in the work to eliminate systemic racism from this country. By not making Asian American and other ethnic studies courses readily available, Tufts makes it harder for students to do just this. I grew up in a primarily white town, went to a primarily white high school and still attend a primarily white institution in a primarily white part of the country. I never had the opportunity to take an Asian American studies class in high school and only barely had the opportunity to do so here.

I urge the administration to heed student activists’ calls to expand the ethnic studies course offerings. While this may be impossible at the moment due to the university’s limited financial resources, the administration should negotiate with students in good faith to come to an agreement to expand the race, colonialism and diaspora department when the financial resources are available. Tufts prides itself as a school that molds its students into “active citizens of the world,” but it’s high time we students call into question the validity of that statement and hold the administration accountable to it.

Biden shouldn’t hesitate to increase immigration

by Keshav Srikant Staff Writer

As President Joe Biden campaigned to defeat former President Donald Trump, he was unequivocal in his support for immigrants and immigration. Biden called America a “nation of immigrants” and promised to reform the temporary visa system to make it easier for highly skilled immigrants to stay in the United States. Over two years into his term, this has not happened. Despite attempts in his proposed budget, Biden has not yet increased funding for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that processes green cards and visas for immigrants, leading to a mounting backlog and longer wait times. He also hasn’t prioritized legislation to raise the national green card

caps that restrict skilled immigration, nor has he pressured Congress to increase the H-1B visa cap for high-tech workers or reformed the program as he promised in his campaign.

This is disappointing because immigration is crucial to American innovation and progress. Immigrant inventors are more productive than American ones, with one study by the National Bureau of Economic Research finding immigrants — just 16% of inventors — are responsible for 36% of the nation’s innovation. Close to two-thirds of U.S. startups worth over $1 billion, known as unicorns, were started by immigrants or children of immigrants, according to a National Foundation for American Policy brief. Furthermore, immigrants and their children founded 43% of

companies in the 2017 Fortune 500 index, including wellknown companies like Alphabet

and Tesla. Without immigrants, these companies and the jobs and value they represent wouldn’t exist. One analysis conducted by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Census Bureau found that immigrants create far more jobs than they take. Another analysis from the Brookings Institute found that the interconnectedness of the immigrant workforce supports millions of American jobs. Additionally, immigrants have been key to scientific innovation and discovery. They have won a disproportionate number of Nobel Prizes in chemistry, physics and medicine. The leading producers of the COVID-19 vaccine — Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna — were each founded by immigrants. The list goes on.

Many of the reasons often cited to oppose immigration are, at best, shaky. On no issue does every economist agree, and immigration is no exception. However, a 2014 economic review by University of California, Davis economics professor Giovanni Peri concluded that immigrants do not significantly reduce wages in the short run and may even boost them in the long run — a finding that has been corroborated by other economic studies. Meanwhile, the infamous 2017 study by Harvard economist George Borjas, which was cited by conservatives to justify their immigration policies, was deeply flawed in the way it handled its data. These new findings may be one reason why the labor movement has reversed its anti-immigration positions. Many Americans also think increasing immigration leads to increasing crime, but studies have found that immigration may actually reduce

crime rates — or at least does not increase them.

While the net benefits of immigration are clear, it’s easy to see why Biden might be hesitant about making or calling for some of the immigration reforms he supported in his campaign. Immigration is a deeply polarizing issue for a country that Biden promised to unite, and he may take a political hit if he attempts to pass these reforms. However, this should not deter him. For one thing, it’s not clear what the political impact of increased immigration would be; Biden’s more progressive immigration policies like his 100-day deportation moratorium and raising the refugee cap to 125,000 didn’t correlate to a significant hit in his approval rating. Rather, his approval rating has been much more closely tied to factors like the economy, inflation and gas prices. In fact, given the strength of this correlation, the benefit Biden will get from more skilled immigrants improving the economy may outweigh the negatives of political attacks in response to the move. It is also worth noting this is an ideal time for more immigration, as it could help fix the labor shortage, especially in critical places like nursing homes, meaning Biden can cite meaningful and practical reasons for changing immigration laws.

Nothing in politics is a guarantee, but the political fallout of enacting reforms to increase immigration is uncertain enough that Biden should not hesitate if he thinks it is good policy, and as he demonstrated on the campaign trail, he clearly does. It is time for Biden to drop the malarkey and live up to his word, for immigrants and for America.

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President Biden is pictured in 2021.

Bite- size s cience: The contentious and groundbreaking endeavor of genome editing

by Khushi Jain Contributing Writer

Originally published April 5

Imagine if we could curate the ‘perfect’ human being — from changing their eye color to developing resistance against deadly illnesses. Is this a groundbreaking pursuit or an unethical idea?

When He Jiankui, a Chinese scientist, announced in 2018 that he had changed the genetic makeup of three babies to make them resistant to HIV, he was placed in prison for three years. Nevertheless, the influence of his actions on the scientific field is strong and persistent.

CRISPR genome editing was first introduced in 2012 by

Jennifer Doudna of University of California, Berkeley and Emmanuelle Charpentier of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin. They invented CRISPR-Cas9, a technology that can cut a DNA sequence at a specific site and either delete or insert other DNA sequences. In the future, this invention has the potential to allow scientists to alter not only a person’s physical traits but also their predisposition to diseases. For example, scientists are now looking to use genome editing to treat sickle cell anemia, caused by a gene mutation that disrupts hemoglobin production. Muscular dystrophy, cancer, diabetes and heredi -

tary blindness are other examples of diseases that could be treated using genome editing, scientists hope.

Genome editing has the potential to go beyond solely treating genetic disorders. There is potential for developing technology to protect people against chemical warfare by modifying liver enzymes to make human systems better able to rid the body of toxins, Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, the organizer of an international summit on human genome editing, told the Guardian. Or perhaps, it could be used to help humans see in the infrared or ultraviolet range — a useful tool for troops fighting at night, Lovell-Badge said.

Despite the advantages of genome editing, there are also ethical drawbacks to be carefully considered before the scientific field begins promoting its widespread use.

For instance, genome editing for one person could cost nearly $1 million. Many people who suffer from various illnesses, like anemia, cannot afford expensive medicines. By implementing genome editing, are we creating even greater barriers to health care access?

The long-term implications of genome editing remain unknown, raising questions about complications that could arise like off-target DNA damage. The nuances of genome editing demonstrate

the need for careful scientific study and consideration before implementing such large-scale scientific advances as potential treatments despite how appealing it may seem upfront.

Bite- size s cience: Fda approves over-the-counter Narcan, an antidote for opioid overdose

by Emilia Nathan Staff Writer

Originally published April 4

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan for over-the-counter sale on March 29. Narcan, which is also known by its generic name, naloxone, is a fast-acting nasal spray medication produced by Emergent BioSolutions that reverses opioid overdoses. The decision comes two weeks after the Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee and Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee unanimously voted in favor of allowing the nasal spray to be sold over the counter.

Intranasal spray is the most common way to administer Naloxone, which has been in circulation since 1971. In 2021, more than 106,000 individuals in the U.S. died of drug-related overdoses, and 80,411 of those overdose deaths were tied to opioid use according to data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Emergent BioSolutions anticipates that Narcan will reach stores by the end of the summer, although the company did not release how much the nasal spray is expected to cost.

Prescription Narcan costs about $150 for a kit with two doses.

Nearly all states and the District of Columbia have already taken steps to increase the availability of Narcan with effective measures like stand -

ing prescriptions that allow pharmacists to distribute the life-saving antidote without initially consulting a provider. Many states also provide access to Narcan through local health departments and community centers. These efforts demonstrate the importance of easy access to Narcan, which is impeded by limited supply at many of these centers and stigma around opioid use. Allowing Narcan to be sold over the counter could open up a variety of new venues for distribution “including vending machines, convenience stores, supermarkets and bigbox stores” Jody Green, a representative at the FDA’s nonprescription drug department, told CNBC.

SPORTS

However, there are a variety of concerns regarding the distribution of the 4 milligram nasal spray. One of the panel’s chief concerns was the set of instructions for administration on the drug’s label, raising the important question of how easy the spray is to administer. Officials from Emergent BioSolutions proposed a new label with clear instructions on how to properly administer Narcan in addition to appropriate steps to take after administering the medication. Public commentary raised additional issues involving the drug’s potentially high pricing and coverage by insurance companies.

Jessica Husley, executive director of the Addiction Policy Forum, told The New York Times that providing Narcan over

March Madness: a tournament to remember

by Owen Short Contributing Writer

After an unusual regular season, 2023 brought a myriad of storylines to the NCAA Tournament. With no true favorite, it felt like any team could be on the podium come April 3. And that held true for all of March.

In just the round of 64, we saw a Furman University game winner to upset No. 4 University of Virginia; the first Ivy League March Madness win since 2016 by the Princeton University Tigers; and the Naismith Player of the Year, Zach Edey, fall to No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson University. These trends continued into the second round, where Princeton continued its Cinderella story with a win against University of Missouri, Tom Izzo’s Michigan State University beat No. 2 Marquette University to

get to yet another Sweet Sixteen and top seed University of Kansas collapsed to an uber-talented University of Arkansas team. But the madness didn’t stop there.

Once we got to our last eight teams, no No. 1 seeds remained, Kansas State University’s Markquis Nowell dished out 19 assists and No. 9 Florida Atlantic University was just inches away from the Final Four.

Down to four teams, No. 5 San Diego State University faced off against No. 9 Florida Atlantic, and No. 4 University of Connecticut was set to play No. 5 University of Miami. After Florida Atlantic built a 14-point lead in the second half, SDSU was able to claw back and earn itself a chance to play for the national championship.

On the other side of the bracket, UConn won handily, ending an exciting run by Jim Larrañaga and his UMiami team.

While the tournament up to this point was incredibly compelling, the championship game didn’t follow suit, as most expected. SDSU was able to gain a quick lead in the first three or four minutes of the game, but otherwise, it was all UConn. Adama Sanogo and Donovan Clingan proved to be too much inside for SDSU, forcing 14 straight missed shots and allowing UConn to accumulate a 16-point lead toward the end of the first half. This, along with great guard play from Jordan Hawkins and Tristen Newton, gave Dan Hurley’s team a huge advantage over SDSU, never giving SDSU the lead back after closing the deficit five minutes into the game. By the end, UConn safely won 76–59. Deservingly, Sanogo was awarded Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Winning every game by double digits, the

2022–23 Huskies place fourth in the highest overall point differential since the tournament expansion in 1985. It’s safe to say that they are one of the most dominant teams of the last two decades. It seemed like the only obstacle this team faced was failing to win the Big East Tournament, probably due to their rough six-game stretch midseason. Otherwise, it was smooth sailing for UConn all thanks to Hurley, who put together an insanely talented and deep team that was destined to win in March. And if it wasn’t clear before, UConn has cemented itself as a college basketball blue-blood.

The new Big East looks like it could be running basketball for the next decade, with exciting hires like Ed Cooley to Georgetown University and Rick Pitino to St. John’s University.

the counter must not interfere with its free distribution to high-risk populations and those who already use drugs. Indeed, migrating Narcan to the shelves is unlikely to result in an immediate remedy to the existing stigma associated with its use. Hulsey and other specialists advocated for the importance of normalizing the medication as it becomes more widely available and accessible.

The medication’s transition to over-the-counter access will erase the need for a provider’s authorization, but it does not guarantee access until the cost barrier is addressed. In this case, FDA approval will only be a step forward in addressing the opioid crisis for those who can afford the medication.

Recruiting in the conference will only get better with all the strong coaching. UConn, Marquette and Creighton University will most likely sit in the top 10 of next year’s preseason poll. Are we back to the dominant Big East of the ’80s?

Unfortunately, we now have to wait seven months to see any of this. Luckily, the offseason has never been this exciting before. With the transfer portal containing hundreds of players and name, image and likeness deals being available, this is basically NBA free agency. Although many still fight the idea of paying players, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen such a competitive tournament and a lot of that is because the players can decide where they want to play every single year; this is the new college basketball and I’m here for it.

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The three-dimensional structure of spCas9 from the Protein Data Bank database is shown.

THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2023

No. 5 Tufts slips to Middlebury 16–9 away over the weekend

by Katie Spiropoulos Staff Writer

In a tough battle on Saturday, Tufts women’s lacrosse fell 16–9 to No. 1 Middlebury. While both teams fought hard through each period, the Panthers ran the score up early and continued to lead for the rest of the game. Attacker Jane Earley threw three goals back for Middlebury in the first period alone, leaving the score at 6–2 at the end of the quarter, even with back-to-back responses by junior midfielders Madeline Delaney and Emma Joyce.

Both defenses combated this surge of attack and left only three goals scored in the second period: two from the Panthers and a second Jumbo score from Joyce.

Again Tufts nailed back-toback goals in the third quarter, this time from sophomore midfielders Ella Lesperance and Caroline Conaghan. However, following this the Panthers locked the field down and ran the score up to 12–5 as the teams rolled into the final period.

“We knew this was a big game. Middlebury has always been one of our biggest competitions [and] we had been prepping for weeks,” Conaghan said.

While the Jumbos hit back early on to slash the Panthers’ advantage to just five, and scored four goals of their own, unfortunately they could not come any closer to a lead.

2023 power rankings

Before the baseball season hits full stride, it’s time for some power rankings. Since no one cares about whether the Athletics or Nationals are dead last, I’ll stick to the upper tier of clubs. Here are my top 10 teams in the league for 2023.

10. Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays can really pitch. Shane McClanahan emerged as one of the league’s elite starters in 2022, Tyler Glasnow will be back and they signed Zach Eflin in free agency. Their bullpen was also among the league’s best last year. Young star Wander Franco and the underrated Yandy Díaz are bright spots on offense, but realistically, the Rays will win by stifling opposing offenses.

Although Tufts did not emerge with the win, senior goalie Courtney Kaufman secured 13 saves in the game. This made Kaufman the defensive leader, as Middlebury goalie Annie Enrietto only marked five saves for the game.

Conaghan, who picked up two goals in the Middlebury game, shared how the team felt walking into this game.

“I think we felt pretty pumped up. … We were honestly really excited for the game,” Conaghan said.

She also spoke about how the team’s energy morphed once they hit the field.

9. St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have two of the best players in baseball in Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, who finished first and third in National League MVP voting, respectively. They also added former Cubs catcher Willson Contreras to succeed Yadier Molina behind the plate. They have the added advantage of playing in the weak NL Central.

8. Toronto Blue Jays

It was an early exit in the wild card round for Toronto last year, and they’ll be looking for revenge in 2023. Although Teoscar Hernández left for Seattle, the Jays found a solid replacement in Kevin Kiermaier.

As for pitching, they signed Chris Bassitt in free agency, and Hyun Jin Ryu will be healthy, which will make their rotation even stronger.

7. Philadelphia Phillies

After a surprise run to the World Series last year, the Phillies will have much higher expectations this year after bringing

“The general vibe of the game was pretty chaotic. We didn’t start as fast as we wanted to and weren’t capitalizing on offensive plays, which then led Middlebury to run up the score in the first period and they never really let off after,” Conaghan said.

She continued to explain how Tufts’ strategies evolved as the game continued and tensions died down.

“I think we tried to calm down the offense a little bit … initially to let their defense and their zone dictate our offense,” Conaghan said. “After a couple of timeouts and the first period, we got a

in shortstop Trea Turner and starting pitcher Taijuan Walker. Walker joins Zach Wheeler and Aaron Nola in an elite starting rotation. Still, they’ll have a tough hill to climb in a division with the Braves and Mets, especially with Bryce Harper sidelined for at least two months.

6. New York Yankees

When healthy, the Yankees have the best rotation in baseball, between Gerrit Cole, new acquisition Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas. Re-signing Aaron Judge improves an otherwise outdated lineup, but this team doesn’t have to score 10 runs a game to win thanks to their pitching staff.

5. San Diego Padres

After a run to the National League Championship Series last year, the Padres added to their already stacked lineup by signing shortstop Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year deal. He’ll join stars Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatís Jr. in one of the best lineups in baseball, as the

little bit more comfortable with the ball [and] started running through our plays a bit more.”

Conaghan said while the Jumbos tightened up to play it a little safer defensively, she felt that more risks could have been taken to run up the score.

“A big way our offense capitalized … was through 8-meters and I had, I think four or five 8-meters and I capitalized on two of them,” Conaghan said. “I think I definitely could have improved on my shooting percentage on those 8-meters. On offense in general, [we] did have a lot of turnovers that led to goals

Padres look for their first division title since 2006.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers watched Trea Turner, Tyler Anderson, Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger all walk in free agency. And yet, they’re still here. The Dodgers won’t be the team to beat, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t really good. This team won 111 games last year and are led by veterans Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

3. New York Mets

Even though the Mets lost Jacob deGrom and didn’t manage to sign Carlos Correa to their reported 12-year deal, this team is still elite, especially after adding future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga to bolster the rotation and re-signing outfielder Brandon Nimmo. Will this be the year that they finally dethrone the Braves in the NL East?

2. Atlanta Braves

Despite losing team leader Dansby Swanson in free agency, this is still one of the best

against, so I think calming down the offense was something [we] can work on.”

On a similar note, Conaghan also pointed out some key lessons learned from Middlebury that Tufts can carry with them as they move into the next leg of the season.

“Our biggest lesson in this game would be valuing possession,” Conaghan said. “Focusing on the fundamentals, passing and catching and finishing on our shots [and] as long as we lock those down, our offense will then become less chaotic and that will help us to succeed in the rest of the season.”

As the team wraps nonconference play before diving into the NESCAC season, Conaghan hopes to return to the Tufts lacrosse she knows and loves.

“I’m looking forward to our attack starting to click more and capitalizing on everything we’ve been working on and kind of having our team play a full game of Tufts lacrosse that we know we can play but [we] haven’t reached that yet,” Conaghan said.

After the Middlebury matchup, the team stood 6–2 overall and 3–1 in conference play. They improved to 7–2 overall on Wednesday with a 17–11 win against Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Next, Tufts takes on Connecticut College at home on Saturday at 12 p.m. as they prepare for the final weeks of the season.

teams in baseball. They have Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider all locked up through at least 2026, and made a key addition this offseason with catcher Sean Murphy. Although their 2022 postseason ended early, the Braves will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

1. Houston Astros

The defending champs are atop the preseason power rankings. Even though Justin Verlander left for Queens, the Astros still have one of the league’s best pitching staffs, headlined by Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier and a lights-out bullpen. And if Yordan Álvarez, Jeremy Peña, Alex Bregman, José Altuve and Kyle Tucker didn’t make their lineup scary enough, Houston picked up first baseman José Abreu back in November.

Henry Blickenstaff is a sophomore studying history. Henry can be reached at henry.blickenstaff@tufts.edu.

COURTESY TUFTS ATHLETICS

The women’s lacrosse team is pictured on March 28.

Henry Blickenstaff extra Innings