The Tufts Daily - Thursday, September 26, 2024

Thursday, September 26, 2024

LACROSSE RHABDO SCANDAL INVESTIGATION PENDING FOLLOWING HOSPITAL DISCHARGE

All members of the Tufts men’s lacrosse team who were admitted to the hospital with the rare muscle condition rhabdomyolysis after a 45-minute team workout last week have been discharged, the university announced Wednesday.

“We want to express how grateful we are that the team members have returned to good health. We commend the team’s resilience, admire how they cared for one another during a difficult time, and thank their families for their unwavering support,” University President Sunil Kumar, School of Arts and Sciences Dean ad interim Barbara Brizuela and School of Engineering Dean Kyongbum Lee wrote in an email to the university.

The voluntary, supervised workout on Sept. 16 was led by a Tufts alumnus and a recent graduate of the BUD/S, or Basic

Underwater Demolition/SEAL, a Navy SEAL training program. Out of the approximately 50 team members who participated in the exercise, 12 were diagnosed with rhabdo after it finished, Patrick Collins, Tufts’ executive director of media relations, wrote in the university’s original Sept. 20 statement. Of those athletes, nine players were hospitalized, with three remaining as of Monday. Rhabdo can lead to permanent disability or even death. It occurs when muscle tissue breaks down and releases a protein called myoglobin into the blood, which can severely damage kidneys. The disease can be caused by a number of factors, including physical overexertion over a short period of time. Symptoms include muscle weakness and soreness, discolored urine, nausea and fever. Rhabdo is

The Tuf T s Daily Tufts Dining implements new changes, including ‘late lunch’ period and pledge to increase food diversity

Lucas Frota Assistant News Editor

Tufts Dining has introduced a slew of changes for the school year, including a new “late lunch” period from 2 p.m.–5 p.m., a pledge to increase food diversity and updates to the meal plans available to students at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. The policies are a result of collaboration with the Tufts Community Union Senate and were officially implemented at the start of the semester.

“Munch time” aims to increase access to food at Tufts

The new late lunch period allows students to use four meal swipes throughout the day, an increase from the previous limit of three. The policy is a response to students’ frustrations after Tufts Dining chose not to reinstate its double swipe policy last year, which allowed students to use up to two meal swipes during each meal period.

Patti Klos, director of Tufts Dining, said that the addition of a fourth lunch period is meant to improve students’ access to food on campus.

“Lunch is six hours long. It’s from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., and then dinner starts at 5 [p.m.] and ends whenever we close,” Klos said. “I felt like a better way to give students more access would be to break up the lunch hour into two periods.”

Klos explained that the terminology to denote the second lunch period is not yet set in stone. While students utilizing the period can select the “Late Lunch” option on the Transact Mobile Ordering app used for dining when placing their order, there is discussion over whether or not calling the period “munch time” is preferable.

“Others thought, well, let’s call it ‘munch time,’ because people are hungry in the afternoon. I know all of the other connotations it has, just like I’m aware of the abbrevi-

ation students like to use for [The Joyce] Cummings Center, but we didn’t want that to deter us, because words can be used in multiple ways that convey broader meaning.”

The double meal swipe policy was terminated in September 2023, when Tufts reverted back to its pre-COVID-19 policy that

allowed a maximum of one meal swipe per meal period.

Klos said that the double swipe policy was a temporary adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic and was meant to help students obtain enough food without needing to frequent dining centers as often.

often treated via an IV drip to correct the body’s urine production and prevent kidney failure.

In their email to the university, Kumar, Brizuela and Lee gave further details on the external investigation into the workout, announcing that Tufts has retained the services of D. Rod Walters II and Randy Aliment to lead the investigation.

“We will give Dr. Walters and Mr. Aliment all the time and information they need to carry out a thorough investigation, and we anticipate it will take some time,” the administrators wrote. “We will share the findings with the community once the investigation has concluded.”

Walters was a collegiate athletic trainer before becoming a consultant on sports injury in 2007, and now runs a sports medicine consulting firm based in Columbia, S.C. He has worked with both the NFL and MLB, and conducted major investigations

see LACROSSE, page 2

TCU President Joel Omolade, a senior, expressed hope that the double swipe policy will eventually be reimplemented.

“Ideally, going back to those double meal swipes would be really great and help support a lot of students. And hopefully maybe one day that policy goes back,” Omolade said. “But as of right now, I think [the new meal period] shows a great middle ground and a great opportunity to really utilize and make sure that students are getting a bang for their buck.”

Klos said she hopes that more students will frequent Tufts Dining locations as a result of the new policy.

“Our hope is that we will see an uptick in the time period from [3 p.m.–5 p.m.] in particular. … We’ll be looking at that data over the semester.”

Students have found locations such as Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run

Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center, where students can now use an extra meal swipe, is pictured on Sept. 5.

Nicholas Prather Deputy News Editor

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Tufts Lacrosse team plays Colby College on April 10, 2021.

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Medford receives $250,000 grant to expand, maintain Bluebikes network

Aaron Gruen Executive Investigative Editor

The City of Medford has received a $250,000 grant to expand and maintain Bluebikes stations within the city. The city announced it had received funding from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in an Aug. 14 press release.

According to Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn, the city’s traffic and transportation department applied for the grant, and the city was notified last month that they would receive funding.

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the Daily’s staff of more than 100 covers news, features, arts and sports on Tufts’ four campuses and in its host communities. The Tufts Daily office is located on the colonized land of the Massachusett people and within the territories of the Nipmuc and Wôpanâak (Wampanoag) tribes.

“Our Traffic Transportation Director [applied] for a MassDOT Shared Streets and Spaces Grant through their program, and in August, we found out that we were awarded $250,000 from that state grant to expand and maintain our Bluebike network,” LungoKoehn told the Daily. “That’s going to add an additional three stations.”

While grants like the one Medford received are usually limited to capital fees or one-time improvement and construction funds, this year MassDOT allowed cities to apply for operations fees, which support ongoing maintenance costs. Medford’s Director of Traffic and Transportation, Todd Blake, explained that the city’s growing Bluebikes network requires more funding for regular upkeep.

“Because we’re expanding so fast, the operating fees go up [with] every station we add,” Blake said. “Each month that goes by, each year that goes by, our operating fees are more and more.”

Unlike Boston, Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline — the first four cities to use Bluebikes — Medford has to pay maintenance fees to operate the service and its website. This presents a challenge to cities hoping to add Bluebikes service.

“Typically, smaller cities [and] towns don’t have enough of those operating funds, so any little bit helps,” Blake said.

He noted that other cities, as well as the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Boston Region Metropolitan

Planning Organization, helped Medford apply to receive funding that could be used for both upkeep and new station constructions.

“The cities and towns that are a part of Bluebike, as well as the MAPC and CTPS, all advocated for MassDOT to consider allowing us to apply for some operational fees as well as capital fees, because we’re all in similar boats,” Blake said. “The system really works better if all of us are doing successfully, all the cities and towns in the region, … so I can’t say enough about Somerville, Cambridge, Everett, Malden [and] Arlington.”

Lungo-Koehn commended Blake for his work securing the grant. “Todd Blake has been working hard on this for years, and we can see the fruits of his labor — especially over the last couple years — as we seem to be implementing two, three or four [stations] every six months,” she said.

The city has recently implemented three new Bluebikes stations, located at Carr Park, Medford High School and Governors Avenue at Lawrence Road. The city’s 15th station, located at Winthrop Circle, is slated to open in October.

Now, the city is set to begin the process of determining where the next Bluebikes stations will be installed.

“Considering the fact that we just got this grant a couple of weeks ago, we haven’t identified specifically where the next three [stations] will go,” LungoKoehn said. Blake explained that multiple factors go into deciding where new stations should be constructed.

“There’s several different criteria, the biggest being spacing them appropriately throughout the city,” Blake said. “We started at the southern end of the city, because that was where the existing Bluebike network in Somerville existed. … It made sense to expand from the existing network because if you choose somewhere too far, it becomes an island and it’s not necessarily usable for folks.”

For now, according to Blake, the city is trying to maintain roughly half-mile spacing between bike stops in residential and business districts. “It’s a way for us to expand within our resources and try to hit each neighborhood appropriately,” he said.

Lungo-Koehn and Blake noted that Tufts has also helped expand the Bluebikes network by donating land on campus

to use for stations. According to Tufts’ Associate Director of Transportation, Jason Novsam, the university is exploring opportunities to add Bluebikes stations.

“Tufts continues to seek opportunities to expand and grow transportation options via Bluebikes and other regional partnerships,” Novsam wrote in a statement to the Daily. “Our intent is to further expand public transit, bicycle, and pedestrian access through these types of programs in the years to come.”

Blake noted the speed with which Medford has built up its Bluebikes network.

“We started Bluebikes in Medford two years ago … and we started with three stations. We’re up to 14, and we have a 15th going in, probably by mid-October, hopefully sooner. So we will have grown it by five times in a two year period.”

Lungo-Koehn praised the Bluebikes program’s eco-friendliness and affordability.

"[The network] reduces people’s reliance on cars, it expands our green transit options, it’s more pedestrian friendly and it allows people that don’t have a car or even can’t afford a bike the ability to ride from station to station and do their daily activities for as little as $10 a month,” she said.

University announces lead investigators in lacrosse case

LACROSSE continued from page 1

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on similar sports controversies at the University of Maryland and Garden City Community College in Kansas.

In the University of Maryland case, Walters received national attention for investigating the death of a former offensive lineman for the Maryland Terrapins football team who died two weeks after being hospitalized with heatstroke during an out-

door team workout. Walters’ report determined that trainers failed to identify signs of heat illness and did not take sufficient measures to lower the athlete’s elevated core temperature. After the investigation concluded, the team’s head coach was fired.

Aliment is a partner in the Seattle office of law firm Lewis Brisbois, focusing on commercial litigation and the higher education and sports industries. He has conducted internal

investigations for universities in anticipation of legal exposure and overseen assessments of collegiate athlete wellbeing.

In their statement, Kumar, Brizuela and Lee acknowledged the frustration of the Tufts community about the lack of details surrounding the workout that led to the players’ hospitalization.

“We know you have lots of questions. Frankly, we do as well,” the administrators

wrote. “However, we are following investigative best practices by refraining from making public statements to avoid unintentionally influencing the direction of the independent investigation.”

The Tufts men’s lacrosse team has historically enjoyed a high degree of success, winning its fourth Division III national championship last spring by defeating the Rochester Institute of Technology 18–14.

MATTHEW SAGE / THE TUFTS DAILY

A Bluebikes station near Tufts' campus is pictured on Sept. 11.

Shumeane Benford officially begins role as Somerville’s new police chief

Anna Fattaey News Editor

Originally published Sept. 24.

Shumeane Benford began his role as Somerville’s new police chief on Sept. 16. Somerville City Mayor Katjana Ballantyne announced her selection of Benford as the next police chief on Aug. 15, ending a four yearlong search following former chief David Fallon’s retirement in 2020. Charles Femino has served as the city’s interim police chief throughout the city’s search for a replacement.

The search appeared to be nearing an end in November 2023, when three finalists were brought before the mayor for approval. Instead, Ballantyne opted to restart the search, extending it by almost a year. In an email to the Daily, a city spokesperson shared Ballantyne’s rationale behind the decision.

“Restarting the search process was a challenging decision, but it was ultimately the right one,” the spokesperson wrote. “It was essential to ensure that we found a leader who truly embodies the values and priorities of our community.”

The spokesperson also shared Ballantyne’s thoughts on Benford’s qualifications.

“Incoming Chief Benford was selected because of his proven track record as a transformative leader who is deeply committed to the values of equity, transparency, and community engagement,” the spokesperson wrote.

Benford has 30 years of law enforcement experience, having just served as both Boston Housing Authority Police Chief and Boston Chief of Emergency Management.

“The incoming Chief has a unique combination of law enforcement, emergency management, and teaching experience, plus a demonstrated ability to drive both operational and community-focused reforms,” the city spokesperson wrote. “The City was also impressed by his success in leading initiatives prioritizing transparency, social equity, and staff morale, all of which are crucial to our vision for public safety in Somerville.”

The search for the new police chief was aided by the Police

Chief Search Committee, a group of Somerville constituents, elected officials, members of the police department and experts on the matter.

Somerville City Councilor-atLarge Jake Wilson, a member of the committee, shared excitement that Benford’s policies reflect many of the desires he hears from his constituents.

“He certainly expressed support for a lot of the things that I hear about a lot from the community that they want to see from our police department. Things I support — like unarmed civilian response,” Wilson said.

Myles Herbert, a Somerville resident and member of Somerville’s Civilian Oversight Task Force, was critical of the

co-response model, one type of unarmed civilian response that pairs police with mental health professionals to respond to emergency calls.

“It’s less of an alternative to policing and more of just adding a social worker to a situation that they aren’t going to have any power or jurisdiction [in],” Herbert said.

Ballantyne shared her excitement about Benford’s incoming policies.

“Incoming Chief Benford brings a wealth of experience in implementing innovative policies that focus on community engagement, transparency, and equitable policing. His experience in advancing interdisciplinary approaches to public safety

and emergency management will also be valuable as we work to integrate community health, safety, and social services into our public safety framework,” the city spokesperson wrote.

Wilson mentioned how Benford might approach unresolved issues within the police department, such as department morale.

“[He] talked about professional development within the department, which is very important for morale,” Wilson said. “We currently have a morale crisis in the Somerville Police Department, and that’s one way we can help address it. By making sure that folks working in the department feel like there’s a route forward for them professionally.”

Tufts adds ‘munch period,’ SMFA meal plan changes

DINING continued from page 1

to be more congested throughout the first few weeks of the semester, putting a strain on dining workers. Harshit Pal, a sophomore and the student manager of Hodge, addressed these concerns. “I would say [we have] slightly more traffic just because it’s becoming more and more congested,” Pal said. “We’ve dealt with congested times in the past. This is nothing new to us. … It’s a little rough right now.”

However, Pal said he believes that the congestion is mainly because dining locations are understaffed, rather than

a direct effect of the new late lunch period.

“The reason why we are so congested [is that] we don’t have enough students right now. We need more workers and that’s [legitimately] the bottom line of it,”

Pal said. “That’s why we don’t have Late Night [at Commons] open right now, [because for] Late Night we [need more] student workers.”

Tufts Dining pledges to increase food diversity, introduces new meal plan options at SMFA

In addition to “munch time,”

Tufts Dining has also introduced several other changes in collaboration with the TCU Senate, including

a pledge to increase the diversity of foods at Tufts by 10%. The pledge is the result of advocacy from the TCU Senate’s Food Diversity Subcommittee, spearheaded by TCU Senators Tolulope Adewumi, a senior, and Kunal Botla, a sophomore. Omolade, who is also a part of the subcommittee, highlighted the importance of culinary inclusivity at Tufts.

“We were able to do a lot of great work with communicating with administration about a lot of our needs when it comes to making sure that the food that we’re eating is diverse and also culturally appropriate,” Omolade said. “Sometimes

Tufts likes to try different foods or different cultures, which is really great. … But in the same vein, you also want to make sure that the food you’re making is appropriate, because food is home for a lot of individuals on our campus.”

Tufts Dining also added new meal plan options for students on the SMFA campus, which are meant to better accommodate the needs of dual-degree students who have classwork on both campuses. SMFA students who are sophomores or above living on the Medford/Somerville campus now have access to a “hybrid plan,” which includes 100 meal

Herbert also spoke about staffing concerns within the department which have been previously analyzed via multiple studies — including one ordered by the mayor — which recommended cutting the department’s staff. Herbert expressed doubts about how Benford might solve this issue.

“I’m assuming that he is going to be, as any manager would, pushing for more resources, despite the staffing study that says the Somerville police department is inefficiently using their headcount,” Herbert said.

Ballantyne stated that she does not currently anticipate any immediate increases to the department’s budget upon Benford’s arrival.

swipes that are usable at Fresh at Carmichael Dining Center and Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center, as well as $325 in SMFA “meal money” that can be used at all Tufts dining locations.

Klos explained that these policies reflect the challenges of providing diverse dining options across different campuses.“When you’re on the SMFA campus, you can use a meal equivalent, but the café is not the same size as Dewick for example,” Klos said. “Because of that, it can’t offer the same variety of food and things like that. So we do what we can to offer enough variety.”

OLIVIA WHITE / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Somerville Police Department is pictured on Sept. 7.

FEATURES

‘I just felt really betrayed’: Student forced out by financial aid cut

Ellora Onion-De Executive Features Editor

On Oct. 6, Emma Do will be flying over 8,000 miles home to Vietnam after having to say a premature goodbye to their beloved Tufts community.

Do, who uses she and they pronouns, planned on majoring in environmental studies and Spanish. She was born in the United States and carries both Vietnamese and American passports, and was therefore able to qualify for American aid.

When Do was accepted to the Class of 2027, they were not initially granted any financial aid. They appealed that decision, however, and sent the financial aid office more documents and a letter explaining that her parents also had to support her four grandparents, who live in their house, as well as her sister’s American college education. Do’s appeal was successful and they ended up receiving $26,600 in aid from Tufts for their freshman year.

This aid package allowed Do to attend Tufts, the cost of which (including all fees such as housing, meals and books) is now $92,167 per academic year. But on July 9 of this past summer — seven weeks before the start of classes — Do received word from Tufts that she would not be receiving any need-based financial aid for the 2024–25 academic year. They filed an appeal, and another wait began.

Do was not the only student to face delays in financial aid decisions this fall. In a year when the Free Application for Federal Student Aid stumbled in an effort to make major changes, students and financial aid administrators were left scrambling. Those impacted included not only students waiting to hear what their firsttime FAFSA aid would be, but also those like Do, a returning student waiting to hear results of a financial aid appeal.

For Do, the delayed news was worse than they ever could have imagined.

“To go from $26,000 to no aid at all was … a big shock,” Do said. Her appeal, which she submitted on July 18, included not only resubmitting all of their family’s financial documents, but also writing a new letter.

Do described the gist of the letter, explaining that their family’s financial situation had not changed significantly and, if anything, it had only worsened due to an increase in her sister’s tuition.

As a member of Spirit of the Creative, Do was set to perform with the dance group in a production of “Footloose The Musical” on Sept. 1. Their move-in was therefore scheduled for Aug. 26.

Do waited anxiously to hear back from the financial aid office and eventually sent a follow-up on Aug. 15, inquiring about the status of their appeal. Still hearing nothing, but knowing that they were successful the previous year, Do ultimately decided to return to Tufts as planned on Aug. 26.

The next day, on Aug. 27, after fully moving in, Do received an email saying the financial aid office was rejecting her appeal.

In their response, Do requested an appointment with a financial aid counselor, noting again that their family’s financial situation had not drastically changed and added that without financial support, they may have to consider transferring.

“I had an aid package, and now I have none. It’s not like I have a decreased aid package. … So it’s a big change and my family would have to go from paying $60K a year to like $93K a year,” Do said. “That was too much for my family.”

Do was able to meet with a financial aid counselor during a virtual open hours session. During the meeting, Do said that the financial aid representative told her it seemed clear that her family’s financial situation had not drastically changed but that

Do would still be ineligible for aid this year.

When Do asked why, then, they couldn’t receive aid this year, they claimed that the counselor told them that they were never supposed to receive aid last year — that the financial aid office had made a mistake in granting them aid.

Do was shocked and confused by this news. “They never told me it was a mistake. … It wasn’t even in the decision letter this year. I had to pry it out of them in office hours that I set up,” she said.

The Daily reached out to Meaghan Hardy Smith, the director of financial aid at Tufts, to confirm whether Do’s aid had been granted in error last year. “Due to confidentiality requirements, we are unable to comment on individual students’ financial aid situations,” Hardy Smith wrote in a statement.

“I just felt really betrayed. I love the community so much, but I don’t feel like I’m wanted … by the school itself,” Do said. “I had to figure out what to do — logistics of everything. Everything felt rushed.” they added. “And I think that’s what made it so shocking.”

Hardy Smith attributed delays with financial aid packages to issues with the federal government’s new financial aid process. “Problems with the federal government’s rollout of a new platform and process for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid caused significant confusion and uncertainty for families and numerous delays in the financial aid award and appeals processes for colleges and universities throughout the country,” she wrote.

On July 30 of this past summer, the Department of Education announced that a critical processing mechanism for student FAFSA records would not be available to schools for the 2024–25 year. In an online statement, Beth Maglione, the interim president & CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators said that “the Department’s poor planning has led to a stunning failure.”

This mechanism, called batch processing, allows schools to turn in large numbers (between hundreds and thousands) of corrections for student FAFSA records which must be submitted in order for financial aid offers to be granted.

Maglione elaborated on the fallout of this. ”Some college students might not have financial aid dollars in their hands in time to start classes in the next few weeks. And for schools, the impact of today’s announcement means more than a few extra hours of work. It’s the difference between pushing a button versus making thousands of keystrokes in terms of administrative burden,” she wrote.

“Tufts was not immune to these challenges,” Hardy Smith said in her statement. “The FAFSA rollout and its many problems not only delayed our issuance of awards this year but also pushed back the start of our appeals process and lengthened the time needed to assess each appeal.”

After two months of extensive back-and-forth with the financial aid office throughout the summer, Do and her family had to come to

a tough decision. “We ultimately decided that I would take a gap year from Tufts,” they said. “And while I’m doing so, I’m going to apply to transfer to other schools.”

Do realized that after requesting their leave of absence from Tufts, they would be asked to move out of their dorm. But they encountered a major obstacle — Do had lost both their Vietnamese and American passports during the move-in process and had no way to immediately leave the country. Her new passports were not set to arrive for weeks.

With that in mind, in an email sent to their advising dean on Sept. 2, Do requested that she be able to remain in their dorm. Do’s advising dean copied the Office of Residential Life & Learning on the email, and, on Sept. 3, a representative responded, saying that Do had to move out of their dorm by 12 p.m. on Sept. 6.

After her rushed move-out process, Do was able to store her stuff with a senior friend from SOC who has an off-campus house. “Without my friends in SOC, I would actually have nowhere to go,” Do said.

Hardy Smith noted that in the future, the financial aid office should be better suited to deal with difficulties stemming from FAFSA.

“Students and their families should rest assured that we are monitoring the situation and working diligently to ensure that, as we move forward, awards and appeals are processed as soon as possible,” she wrote. “To assist with this goal, we have added a new position to enhance our ability to address FAFSA matters and better support students and families.”

Although these recent changes are targeted at improving the future of the financial aid process, this is no comfort to students like Do, who has been forced to leave the school they loved and the Tufts community that embraced them.

“For me,” she said, “Tufts has been everything.”

DAVID KIM / THE TUFTS DAILY

Dowling Hall is pictured on Jan. 25, 2022.

MINA TERZIOGLU / THE TUFTS DAILY

The International Center is pictured on Sept 22, 2021.

Layla Kennington

Bridging the Herd

The SMFA SGA’s plans for the year

Whether seeking a Bachelors of Fine Arts or combined degree, Tufts students are acutely aware of the nearly 6-mile trek between the university’s Medford/ Somerville and Boston campuses. Now, six years after the Fenway-located School of the Museum of Fine Arts formally became a part of Tufts University, the art school’s Student Government Association is looking to bridge both the physical and emotional distance between the two school’s student bodies.

The SGA, spearheaded by current president Aria Ma, has evolved from a mostly defunct student board to an efficient organization focused on creating new initiatives. According to Ma, this transformation was driven by a desire to cultivate a community that supports fine arts students.

“The SGA wasn’t really created until right before [the pandemic], and right when COVID hit, it didn’t really have time to develop … so there wasn’t that much of a presence,” Ma said. “I didn’t even know SGA existed … during [my first] two years. … So when I saw the flier to apply for candidacy, I just really wanted the opportunity to become more visible on campus.”

Ma attributes her candidacy to some of the struggles she experienced as a combined-degree student. This sentiment is reflected by others serving on the board, including Madeline Flynne, the acting SGA treasurer.

“Combined degree has been pretty difficult to navigate. We don’t really have a designated guidance counselor or anyone to help us. … As a [first-year] and sophomore, I was just super overwhelmed the entire time and it felt like I had no one that could help me,” Flynne said. “I expected more support for this type of program.”

To address those feelings, the SGA created a mentorship program last year to pair upperclassmen with new students. Students are assigned a mentor based on their degree and medium/major. While the program included 12 pairs of students in its first year, the SGA is hoping to build the initiative. The board ensured that the mentorship program was implemented into the schedule during new student orientation this fall.

Vice President of the SGA Aline Chalfin spoke to the necessity of the newfound mentorship program. “You feel the divide [between] SMFA and Tufts when you’re on [either] campus,” Chalfin said. “So us, the student body and [the] people [who are] a part of SGA, want to make an experience … so you’re not just a Tufts student or an SMFA student. We want students to feel like they’re supported.”

The mentorship program is only the tip of the iceberg of SGA’s efforts. Beyond the program, the board is looking to formulate a comprehensive network that addresses each of the various needs expressed by SMFA students.

To do so, SGA members have worked diligently alongside administrators and faculty advisors. As part of the group’s recent projects, a working partnership with Tufts Dining and Tufts Transportation has taken shape.

“Working with administration, they have been incredibly interested in what our thoughts are and [they] want our suggestions, advice [and] commentary on improving things,” Ma said. “The reason SGA exists is because there is a disconnect between the student experience and what administration thinks we need, and that’s why the SGA is so important: so we can bridge that communication.”

Last year, the SMFA cafe at 230 Fenway sported a wider variety of food options and provided after-hour snacks during finals week. The SGA advocated for the creation of a new program that now supplies SMFA students with MBTA passes, and is currently working to improve shuttle schedules.

Stephen Green, the associate director for SMFA stu -

dent life, lauded the efforts of those serving on the SGA. “It’s a really rewarding thing as an administrator to be able to [work] with the SGA, because they’re really dedicated and they really believe in making the SMFA a really great place for all students,” Green said. “And this particular group that I’ve been working with for the past two years have made a lot of really positive and lasting impacts on the community. … They’re able to set these goals and set this vision, and have something to show for it.”

One of these successful goals was the rollout of an SMFA budget more than twice as high as that of previous years. The increased funding has allowed for more programming and events for fine arts students.

This year, the SGA handed out free art supplies to new students during orientation. The board plans to funnel resources into SMFA-specific clubs and host food events and has built out offerings and mentorship programs with the Career Center and Derby Entrepreneurship Center. The board also has an Exhibition Chair who scouts locations and events at which students can display their art.

“It’s really hard to have students advocate for themselves,” Cheflin said. “Who else is going to listen to us, if not the students themselves? We’re really trying to be the voice and the ears of the student body.”

Ma credits SGA team members for the changes implemented in recent years. Looking towards the future, the SGA hopes to continue listening to and addressing student concerns while growing the program as time goes on.

“The SMFA is truly an amazing place to feel creativity and be around people unequivocally supporting you in bringing your artistic ideas to reality,” Ma said. “The SMFA community is part of the wider Tufts community, … [and] I’m really excited to see how this year pans out for development of programs and pushing quality of life for students forward.”

Layla Kennington is a senior studying international relations and Arabic. She can be reached at layla.kennington@tufts.edu.

Leo Deener Minutia Matters

Symbolic connections

My friend Owen cannot stop talking about “Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid” (2019), a book about logician Kurt Godel, artist M.C. Escher and composer Johann Sebastian Bach. But really, Owen says the book is about the construction of significant context — like a written piece of music built from seemingly meaningless notation marks on paper. This has everything to do with math and coding, Owen argues. “Sure,” I thought and returned to pretending to do homework. But he wouldn’t let up. Hours later, I came around. Owen was talking about symbolic representation as a vehicle for encoding meaning. That’s engineering and math. But it’s also linguistics. We both are interested in the potential and limits of symbolic representation. How, inevitably, when meaning is transcribed into symbols and transferred to another person, some of that meaning is lost.

You can see why we’re friends. Both linguistics and Owen’s kind of engineering are obsessed with coding and mathematical modeling because they (we) are obsessed with meaning and its symbols. In other words, we want to know how the transfer of information works: in speech, in writing or in higher math.

Owen and I share a common impulse to define and understand meaning as it manifests in the minutiae of matter or language. We have simply taken completely different paths.

I’m a total liberal artist who’s taken every linguistics class Tufts has to offer and Owen has immersed himself completely in the world of mathematical modeling and its unintelligible universe.

Most Tufts engineers agree that the laws of logic can uncover the chemical and physical truths of the world, but other than Owen and the other linguistics minors, many don’t see how language does that too. Linguistics is everywhere, and my goal for this column is to

reveal how linguistics works its way into every aspect of our daily life. That is why the minutiae of it matters, and why there is so much conflict, controversy and confusion about the words we use.

As young people on a college campus, it makes sense that everything we say, write or publish is subject to intense linguistic scrutiny as we cannot effect real change in the world at this point in our lives. “It doesn’t surprise me that the battleground ended up being language,” said writer Zadie Smith on her recent Ezra Klein Show appearance.

We create our own “battleground” of language as the “mapping,” as Owen would say, of certain words or phrases. Symbols, and their meanings, shift over time. Or, the “mapping” between words and their perceived meaning stays the same but the context deems that meaning taboo and that meaning’s symbol therefore inappropriate to use.

This “battleground” of language is fascinating. It combines social issues, politics, the pursuit of meaning, syntax trees, grammar fights and institutions’ hesitance to change the name or linguistic sign for a program instead of changing its nature.

Another friend of mine, Jack, illuminated this concept as he explained his mechanical engineering professor’s displeasure that he could no longer use the word “defective” to describe a broken object. This professor is fighting back against the tension between changing societal contexts and the language we use. Our society’s context has changed, while his may not have.

A quirky obsession about the intersection of linguistics and STEM combined with the political background of how we use language every day perfectly exemplifies Tufts students. I’m excited to write this column as a means of igniting conversation and illuminating the daily life of campus culture through these observations of language’s manifestation on our hill.

Leo Deener is a senior studying in international relations. He can be reached at leo.deener@ tufts.edu.

ARTS & POP CULTURE

Summer Salt puts the paradise in Paradise Rock Club

Boston’s Paradise Rock Club hosted “trop-pop” band Summer Salt for their “Driving Back to Hawaii” tour on Sept. 20. Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their debut EP “Driving to Hawaii,” the band played the album in its entirety for the first time ever for a live audience.

With fluorescent blue lights and painted cardboard waves surrounding the stage, Summer Salt was ready to take its Boston fans on an island vacation. The Hawaiianshirt clad original duo of lead singer/guitarist Matthew Terry and drummer Eugene Chung stepped out onto the stage, followed by touring members Anthony Barnett and Winston Triolo. The band then launched into performances of their 2016 single “Going Native” and “Ribbons” (2024), the latter being the opening track off their latest album “Electrolytes.”

After introducing themselves, they delivered a vibrant performance of “Revvin’ My CJ7” (2017), which, judging by the volume and energy of the crowd, was one of the most popular songs of the night. After a few other songs from Summer Salt’s previous releases, they prepared themselves to play all six tracks on “Driving to Hawaii” back-to-back in the same order as they are on the EP.

Swinging into it with “Time Away from Home” and “Sweet to Me,” the latter being another indie-pop hit that had the audience singing along, Summer Salt transformed the club into a tropical paradise. Soft reggae-inspired rhythms alongside the tonal harmonies from the three guitars on stage conjured

images of palm trees swaying in a warm breeze and sunny days on the beach. Truly, it was the perfect way to spend one of the last official days of summer.

“Rockaway,” the third song on the EP, begins with the sound effect of a canned beverage being opened. Terry and fellow touring member Anthony Barnett instructed the audience to make the sound with their own voices. On Terry’s count of three, a resonant “ker-chhhh” erupted from the audience as Terry opened his own can of Polar Seltzer next to his vocal mic to create the iconic effect.

“Driving to Hawaii,” the title track of the EP, followed. This dreamy waltz had fans swaying to the beat. The songs that followed, “Give My Heart a Little Break” and “Tidal Waves,” cultivated similar chill vibes. Chung’s steady surf-rock beat keeps time, like the waves rolling in and out of the tide. He keeps the songs grounded while the bright chords and jazzy fingerpicking of the guitars transport the listeners into an atmosphere of both relaxation and celebration.

Terry’s light, melodic singing style, especially when complimented by the smooth backing vocals from the rest of the band, contributed to the rich storytelling that Summer Salt has been doing flawlessly for the last decade. He sails through the notes with ease, and despite demonstrating remarkable vocal talent, keeps his voice sweet and mellow. Rather than showing off his vocal prowess, Terry blends his voice seamlessly with the rest of the band to cultivate the sweet vibe essential to Summer Salt’s vision.

After closing out this 2024 rendition of “Driving to Hawaii,” Summer Salt still had lots more up their flowy

shirt sleeve. “Trouble in Paradise” (2021) followed, but there was no trouble to be found in Paradise (Rock Club). The swanky indie-rock performance of the piece provokes the question: Why aren’t they playing at a bigger venue? The music feels too well done, too expertly crafted, to be shared so intimately in this space.

“Deja Vu,” a single from “Electrolytes” (2024), elicits even more pleasant vibes and vivid imagery. “Sunday morning, rainbows falling/ We ain’t got nothing else to do/ Jumped off the waterfalls/ And closed our eyes and hoped for deja vu,” the band sings as they immerse the audience in a scene of adventure and carefree summer bliss.

“Speaking Sonar” and “Life Ain’t the Same” from “Happy Camper” (2018) followed. Terry, who had performed the entire show without shoes, finally addressed his lack of footwear: “With socks [you can] just spin all day; you don’t need any work or any athletic ability. Next time we come to Boston, we’re all gonna be wearing socks.” He spun around the stage excitedly. The band then concluded the set with the refreshing bedroom-pop tune “Candy Wrappers” (2017), arguably Summer Salt’s most well-known song.

During their encore, Summer Salt performed passionate renditions of “Fire Flower” (2019) and “Gimme Little Sign” (2024), prolonging the sunshine inside the venue for a little while longer before the audience had to face the cold and rainy Boston night. Summer may technically be over, but Summer Salt gave a brilliant performance that will keep fans’ hearts warm well into the autumn months.

BSO’s Concert for the City invites Mayor Wu to stage

The crowd was a bit raucous at this Saturday afternoon’s Concert for the City at Symphony Hall. The many cliches about the transformative power of art from those who introduced the acts and the interjections in the middle of songs veered towards being annoying. But let’s not dwell on these things. They are not particularly important. Much more important is that several hundred members of our city got to share in the experience of a truly lovely afternoon of music.

The program was eclectic. It included, among other acts, the Boston Children’s Chorus, a mariachi band, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and our very own Mayor Michelle Wu playing “Rhapsody in Blue” on the piano with the Boston Pops backing her up.

The lowlights of the afternoon were the kids’ first two songs: Tracy Chapman’s “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” and Kirby Shaw’s “We Will Stand.” These songs struck an eerily earnest tone — a tone that made the listener feel as if she had accidentally flipped the radio to the Christian Rock channel. Fortunately, by their third song, they left this glitch behind. Their performance of Brandon A. Boyd’s overtly religious “Sign Me Up” accomplished what much religious music aspires to—it genuinely gestured at the transcendental.

The afternoon had two highlights. The first was the BSO’s four numbers. All were excellent, but one stood head and shoulders above the rest. This was their rendition of Missy Mazzoli’s 2014 composition ”Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres),” which begins in dissonance. This leaves the listener uncomfortable — wanting for resolution. It then takes the listener a few steps toward that resolution followed by a few steps away from it — it lets off the dissonance a bit before ramping it back up.

The rest of the song dances sometimes towards a resolution

and sometimes away from it, but it never quite gets there. That is, not until the very end when it slowly fades into nothingness. It is not until we reach this nothingness that the piece gives the listener the relief she craves. This has a brilliantly poignant effect when executed well, as it was by the BSO.

The other highlight was Wu’s performance of “Rhapsody in Blue” — an exceptional piece of music, which is famously difficult to play on the piano. Wu is no Leonard Bernstein, as she would likely readily admit, so her performance was not perfect. But it was nevertheless quite impressive and managed to capture the magic of Gershwin’s piece.

Part of what makes “Rhapsody in Blue” magical, when it is performed well, is that it expresses much of what is so essential to our American national identity; Gershwin himself called “Rhapsody in Blue” a “musical kaleidoscope of America.” It contains a series of bluesy themes, which convey a chaotic pressing forward: the American ‘get up and go;’ or the ambition to dive head first into the most challenging of problems. And it contains a Tchaikovskyian love theme, which conveys hope and the American faith that with hard work, we can leave our country better off than we found it.

Wu excellently captured the fervor of the bluesy themes, and the Boston Pops beautifully captured the pathos of the love theme. In doing this, they articulated, in musical form, the American creed that it is only hope, not fear, nor nostalgia, that spurs us to meet even the most difficult of challenges with zeal — to build a transcontinental railroad, to put a man on the moon, to develop a coronavirus vaccine faster than anyone thought possible.

If we want to face up to the political emergencies of our time, we must remember this creed. Wu and the Boston Pops did something to help us remember it on Saturday. For that, we ought to be grateful.

Teddy Schoneman Staff Writer

Shannon Murphy Arts Editor

SHANNON MURPHY / THE TUFTS DAILY

Summer Salt is pictured performing at the Paradise Rock Club.

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Boston Symphony Hall is pictured.

‘Laughs

in

Spanish’ explores the ties that bind us at

Speakeasy Stage

reconnect with Jenny, all while preparing for the high-stakes gallery opening.

When the lights go up on Speakeasy Stage Company’s “Laughs in Spanish,” the story begins in medias res. Mari (Rebekah Rae Robles), the young Latina director of a Miami art gallery, has just discovered that her paintings have been stolen, just hours before the gallery is set to open for the prestigious Art Basel festival. In the chaos, Mari’s intern Caro (Luz Lopez) arrives with her boyfriend Juan (Daniel Rios, Jr.), a local police officer investigating the theft. However, the art heist quickly fades into the background as two more faces arrive at Mari’s gallery, transforming a comical opening scene into a big-hearted, telenovela-style story that explores the complexities of familial and romantic relationships.

The two new arrivals are Estella (Paola Ferrer), Mari’s absentee, movie star mother who spent most of her daughter’s childhood in Hollywood, and Jenny (Brogan Nelson), an old friend from Mari’s past who is now working as Estella’s assistant. The play’s action revolves around Mari, who struggles to reunite with her mother and

“Laughs in Spanish” puts the relationships between its characters front and center, and the five-person cast’s interactions are the heart of the play. In one comical scene, Juan and Caro simultaneously share two big secrets with one another, and the ensuing chaos is a joy to watch. Rios, Jr., especially, brings an air of confidence and charm to his role that lights up the theater.

Jenny and Mari have one of the most powerful relationships in the play. Once they’re finally left alone onstage, they begin to reconnect. When Jenny admits she’s been crushing on Mari since high school, Mari admits the feelings are mutual.

The conversation culminates in an intimate moment between the women, before Jenny freezes, telling Mari to “kiss her in Spanish.” While Robles takes a little time to gain her footing as Mari, Nelson’s Jenny immediately makes a powerful impression onstage. In one scene, Nelson shows off her adept comedic timing and facial expressions as she listens in on a conversation between Mari and Estella, stealing focus away from the dialogue without saying a single word.

However, the focal point of the story is the complex mother-daughter relationship between Mari and Estella. Estella can’t quite explain why she’s arrived in Mari’s gallery. Meanwhile, Mari calls her mother a “bruja” whose dream to be a star took her away from her family. Estella tries to reconnect with her daughter, while Mari pushes back, saying she doesn’t need her mother meddling in her life. Despite their characters’ constant bickering throughout the show, Robles and Ferrer have an undeniable connection. Both actresses shine in these moments of tension, but Ferrer steals the show as Mari’s fame-loving mother. When Ferrer’s Estella takes center stage for a powerful monologue to close out the show, audience members — and Mari — finally begin to understand the sacrifices she made for her daughter.

Playwright Alexis Scheer succeeded in creating fully realized characters, but she failed to coalesce the show’s many themes and plotlines into a single tangible story. Beginning with an art heist, the play’s initial conflict almost immediately takes a backseat to a litany of subplots that jockey for viewers’ attention — some -

Odessa Gaines Adventures of an A-Lister

How it all started

When I first mentioned to my fellow film peers that I do not catch enough new releases because of the outrageous prices of movie tickets these days (not to mention the sheer number of movies that come out every week), they quickly bullied me into joining the AMC Stubs A-List. Honestly, I didn’t want to join the A-List at first. I already pay for too many monthly subscriptions (including one to go to this school). Who even has time to hop the Green Line, navigate the greater Boston area, spend two or more hours in the dimly lit theater and make the trip back between classes, work and socializing?

Then, I realized that I not only love watching movies, but I love going to the movies after not being able to do so for a while. So, I started a trial test — just for the month of August I downloaded the AMC app, paid the $25 A-List bill and saw around 10 movies at various AMCs in Massachusetts. The experience: not too bad. With the A-List you get up to three free movies a week. (If I didn’t fail math, that’s 12 free movies every month.) And, the true win with free tickets is that your A-List pass applies to any movie format: IMAX, Laser, even Dolby Cinema. Then, after you skip the concessions line with your pass, you can scan it to get points back for every concession purchase you make. Or, use your birthday rewards for free popcorn and drinks.

times literally, with a confusing set that splits the stage up into two halves. Director Mariela López-Ponce makes the best of her cast as well, but she too makes some frustrating choices — the stage feels crowded at times, even with just five actors. What’s more, some of the story’s key elements are left up to the audience’s imagination: A gallery with no art? A party with no guests?

However, Scheer’s script thrives in other ways, with bilingual dialogue that feels authentic — all the characters except Jenny speak Spanish — and humorous moments that see Estella and her mother codeswitch into American accents as they attempt to activate the art gallery’s Alexa. The script also delivers intimate moments of romance between the two couples and a tense mother-daughter reunion between Mari and Estella. With such a talented cast, many of its shortcomings quickly fade into the background.

Ultimately, Scheer’s play is a story of relationships, of tending to them and mending them together, of spending meaningful moments with your loved ones. “Laughs in Spanish” is running now through Oct. 12 at the Calderwood Pavilion in Boston.

But popcorn and slushies aside, the best part of joining the A-List has been seeing movies on the big screen. I often opt to wait for movies to hit streaming before watching, especially those that are not blockbusters or big cultural events. However, this means I tend to miss out on the good, low-budget movies whose only faults are being poorly promoted. Even worse, it means I miss out on the complete joy ride of watching movies in a theater with other people.

Truthfully, not every movie I’ve seen with the A-List pass was amazing, but none of them were experiences I regret. As a filmmaker and film lover, going to the theaters has been a place to relax and indulge in good fun, while also finding inspiration in the most random lines and joy in the smallest details. With my A-List pass I’ve been trying new movie snack hacks, figuring out which AMC is the most comfortable and even determining which popcorn bucket is most worth buying. And there are more adventures that are just waiting behind Nicole Kidman. So, is the A-List pass worth it for a busy student on a budget, or is it simply another unnecessary monthly bill? My verdict: Let’s see where this adventure takes me.

Odessa Gaines is a senior studying psychology. Odessa can be reached at kayla. gaines@tufts.edu.

Nate Hall and Odessa Gaines

Associate Editor and Arts Editor

COURTESY NILE SCOTT STUDIOS

From left to right, Luz Lopez, Daniel Rios Jr., Brogan Nelson, Rebekah Rae Robles and Paola Ferrer are pictured.

FUN & GAMES

Interested in submitting a puzzle or writing ? Reach out to production@tuftsdaily.

PISCES

Late Night At The Daily

Difficulty Level: Laughing in Spanish. SUDOKU

PRINT’S

Max, to Chloe: “If I holla at you, are you gonna holla back?” CROSSWORD SUDOKU

Evan Wang Opinion Editor

As the American presidential election heats up and both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris begin to announce their policies, one major point is conspicuously absent: America’s role on the global stage. Trump is likely to favor his America First strategy, which would see America give up its position as the defender of democracy on the world stage and retreat into its own isolated pocket. Harris’ position is neither well-articulated nor complete. She claimed at the Democratic National Convention that “as president, [she] will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals.” However, there isn’t much evidence that Harris and the Democratic Party are even remotely ready to uphold those words. In the Democratic Party’s Platform, only one out of the nine chapters focuses on foreign policy, most of which merely repeats President Joe Biden’s existing strategies. This lack of focus by both parties leaves America dangerously unprepared to navigate a rapidly deteriorating international situation.

VIEWPOINT

The specter of isolationism

Now in the year 2024, the world has been set ablaze by various conflicts that have caused the global order to crumble around us. In Europe, Russia continues its ruinous war against Ukraine, with every day that passes bearing news of another bombed hospital or school. In the Middle East, the war in Gaza rages on, shedding both innocent Palestinian and Israeli lives. The ghost of the Islamic State group, which was vanquished only five years ago, has resurfaced. ISIS and its affiliates in Africa and Central Asia are now threatening governments and civilians alike. This year alone, the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate, has carried out two attacks in Russia and Iran, which have killed hundreds. They also unsuccessfully planned attacks on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna and a Jewish Center in New York. In Africa, Sudan’s civil war persists without much international attention and has already sent millions to neighboring countries. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, tensions between the central Congolese government and Rwanda threaten to spill over into another deadly war. In Asia, Myanmar’s military junta continues a bloody war against

its own people in a last-ditch attempt to hold on to power.

It is not just the active conflicts that have poisoned the liberal world order; democracy is in full retreat and the forces of tyranny are taking notice. In Europe, far-right parties such as National Rally and Alternative for Germany are making gains at an unprecedented rate and are on the cusp of entering mainstream politics. In Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro recently dismissed a democratic election and seized control of the country, furthering its collapse and adding to the millions of refugees that have headed toward the southern U.S. border. The governments of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have all been overthrown in the last two years. Many nations including El Salvador, Georgia, Tunisia, Thailand and India are also shifting away from democratic consensus and pivoting towards the path of autocracy, and America remains inactive in most of these areas.

America used to be a global leader in upholding order and freedom. While our track record is not perfect, America has made substantial efforts to defend individual and collective rights using its economic and political

capabilities. However, since the emergence of Trump and the rise of the “Make America Great Again” movement, America has become increasingly isolationist and forgotten the rest of the world. We cannot allow this to continue.

America needs to become more active on the international stage and counter any threat that may emerge. The withdrawal of America from global affairs will only lead to more cases like Afghanistan, where our withdrawal led to a collapsed government, increased terrorism and the degradation of basic human rights. This is the result of American complacency. Not only does America’s involvement abroad benefit foreign nations, it also advances U.S. interests. Support for fragile democracies abroad would safeguard American safety by weakening threats posed by political extremism, mass uncontrolled migration and the rise of autocratic regimes. It would also deal the death blow to terrorism and, finally, bring an end to the long-floundering war on terror.

Not only would increasing cooperation with the rest of the world bring political safety, but it would also bring tremendous economic benefits. Currently,

global economic bodies like the World Trade Organization are paralyzed by a lack of enforcement and political impasse. Breaking through these challenges would reinvigorate trade and bring more value to the American economy. With American goods still competitive and in high demand globally, increased government involvement in the globalized economy should not only create more high-tech jobs but also renew the manufacturing and service sectors.

American voters are currently plagued by the decisions of this election. Domestically, there seem to be problems around every corner. However, we cannot lose sight of America’s international standing and direction. Should either candidate win the election, voters should not be content with quick fixes to the domestic order. We need to push for a more cooperative, U.S.-led coalition that includes both our allies and other nations that have fallen out of the liberal world order. American isolationism will do nothing for America or the rest of the world. America must face the coming storm of global issues challenging humanity head-on and reclaim its role as the arsenal of democracy in the 21st century.

Tufts

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Vice President Kamala Harris is pictured at a campaign rally in Arizona on Aug. 9.

Mariia Kudina Ukraine at War

Russia attacks hospitals in Ukraine

When I was leaving Boston this May to spend the summer break back home in Ukraine, I was certain that there would be opportunities for me to visit various Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv and Odesa. However, the Russian offensive severely intensified, making these trips far too dangerous. Even staying in Kyiv, which is typically considered a relatively safe city compared to other places in Ukraine due to its air defense systems, I experienced a few dire attacks.

One of the most horrifying days of the summer was July 8, when Russia attacked Ohmatdyt, the largest children’s hospitals in Ukraine, as well as an industrial facility which is only a 15-minute walk from my parents’ home in Kryvyi Rih. From early in the morning, it was clear that a new wave of attacks was approaching; The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russia’s aerodromes had just launched multiple ballistic and cruise missiles into the air. A couple of hours after my boyfriend and I read the message about the military rockets, we heard a chain of window-shaking explosions. These explosions were followed by a power outage — the rockets had damaged power plants that supplied our energy. Two years into the war’s proliferation, we were accustomed to the lack of electricity, so we acted accordingly with the plan we worked out for outages. We met with a friend and drove around the city searching for cell reception, attempting to connect with our families to see if they were in danger. Reading the news about Ohmatdyt and other attack sites while simultaneously looking at clouds of smoke rising above Kyiv made me feel completely numb.

Five of the pediatric hospital’s buildings were damaged in the attack, including the toxicological building, which was damaged beyond restoration. At least one child died; he spent his final hours in critical condition in the emergency room. Moscow, as per usual, claimed that Russia did not attack the hospital, yet the video of a Russian cruise missile hitting the building, combined with fragments of said missile, serve as evidence of the opposite.

Okhmatdyt was not the only hospital attacked in Kyiv on July 8. Seven people were killed in a maternity ward on the left bank of the city. In the city of Kryvyi Rih, a missile destroyed the industrial building right in front of my dad’s former workplace — a hospital where he had been a physician for years. Since my dad and mom are both doctors, we know local families who work for the industrial plant and its facilities. On July 8, I heard that some of our acquaintances

Alexander Degterev Contributing Writer

Amid civil strife, what can be done to help Sudanese civilians?

Throughout the early half of the decade, the world has felt like a powder keg which is one spark away from a catastrophic explosion. In many parts of the world, said keg has already exploded, and while many of these conflicts seemingly only ‘went hot’ in the past few years, they have really been simmering in the background long before the 2020s. This is the case with the current civil war in Sudan, which only began gaining widespread attention in mid-April in 2023 and is steadily approaching its two-year mark. Since Sudan’s foundation in 1956, the state has sadly been marred by civil conflicts brought on by post-colonial division and religious tensions. These conflicts have repeatedly devolved into genocidal retributions against civilian populations. The roughly one and a half years that the current conflict has drawn on have also been marked by horrific human rights abuses, in the form of rampant sexual abuse, exacerbated situations of famine and genocidal actions. Nearly eight million people have now been internally displaced, with a further two million fleeing abroad, primarily to countries in central and northeastern Africa.

Unfortunately, the civilian fallout from the conflict has been woefully underreported to the general public, with major media organizations like The New York Times far more committed to covering other ongoing conflicts; the media monolith has released 10 and 13 times more articles on the Gaza and Ukraine conflicts, respectively. This lack of reporting about the conflict in Sudan is due to a number of factors, including a number of characteristics that make it less appealing to readers. Yet while I do think it is always important for people to be informed about such crises, media coverage only goes so far. The effect of the news cycle on the actions of bureaucrats and politicians is dubious at best when it comes to humanitarian aid, as highlighted by a 2023 study. The discussion about how to stop the conflict in general, which would be the biggest boon to the plight of Sudan’s nearly 50 million inhabitants, is also an incredibly convoluted one. Slews of foreign actors are funneling weapons and resources to either side; governments allow those weapons to travel through their territories and the two opposing sides have settled in for a protracted push-and-pull

of frontlines underlined by constant and indiscriminate artillery and drone attacks. This is an important yet difficult dilemma and as such it is important to examine what can be done to relieve as much pressure as possible off the civilian population until there is a lasting cease-fire.

Mulling over what should be done by internal state actors is, in my opinion, a pointless mind game thinking about a situation which we, in reality, have little insight into. Thus, I think it is more helpful to talk about what can be done by foreign state actors to relieve the pressure on the civilian population. The Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan Group, a coalition of countries who have come together to form a more proactive front against the conflict, held a summit this August to achieve this goal. However, the summit amounted to only a fraction of the potential aid that these nations could provide due to the sporadically open humanitarian corridors in Sudan only being able to sustain a small portion of the aid needed and undergoing constant interference. On top of that, General al-Burhan, commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, did not even attend the summit in person due to “very negative polit-

ical forces kneecapping him,” so bringing both sides to the (physical) table should be a priority.

Several members of the ALPS Group, most notably the United Arab Emirates, are also complicit in this arms trade and must be properly held accountable for their responsibility. Overall, the ALPS Group needs to come together to form a non-negotiable and heavy-handed agreement to keep humanitarian corridors open. The group needs to figure out a way to exert serious pressure on both sides of the conflict, force them to the table and stop allowing tens of millions of people to starve and die from either negligence or violent repression.

The nations of the African Union, which have recently upped their initiative towards the conflict, need to either fully join hands and throw their weight behind the ALPS Group or continue to work together to uphold and strengthen their own initiative to pressure the opposing sides to both agree to definitive humanitarian terms. Ultimately, while the most beneficial outcome would obviously be a lasting cease-fire, there is a lot that can be done by foreign powers to at least put more effort into helping as many civilians as possible while the conflict rages on.

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Sudanese refugees are pictured in a camp in Chad in 2023. were killed, many while in the process of running to a nearby shelter. Among the casualties was a man whose two children my mom treats for colds and other illnesses.

the last few weeks, even cities far from the frontlines of the war, such as Lviv, have suffered the blows of Russia’s offense. Russia’s imperialistic ambitions place everyone in

the war is raging on, perhaps with more brutality than ever.

Mariia Kudina is a junior studying studio art. Mariia can be reached

Strong showing for women’s cross-country at Cardinal Invitational

Tara Wirtschoreck Staff Writer

At the Cardinal Invitational this weekend, the Jumbos placed third out of 10 teams. The Jumbos scored 69 points, putting them behind Amherst College’s Mammoths, who scored 46 points, and Vassar College’s Brewers, who scored 68 points. The Wesleyan University Cardinals came in fourth place with 77 points. Beyond the good team score, the Jumbos had many impressive individual performances in the 6K race. The Jumbos had two finishers in the top 10, with junior Elizabeth Donahue finishing in eighth place with a time of 22 minutes, 2.1 seconds, and first-year Zoe Margolies finishing in 10th place in 22:07.8. Junior Jaclyn Turner, sophomore Sophia Carpenter and junior Lexi Dean rounded out Tufts’s top five runners, finishing in 14th, 16th and 21st, respectively. After Dean, Tufts had two more top-50 finishes. Sophomore Katya Henisz placed 34th with a time of 22:56.5 and senior Carly Rinko ran a 23:18.3 and came in 46th place.

Because a cross-country team’s final score is composed of their top five athletes’ scores, the runners must finish close together in order to compete well. A tight spread among the top five runners can help keep the team’s score low. Because many of the Tufts runners often finish close together, the Jumbos can truly compete as a team in a sport that often

feels very dependent on individual performance.

“Our spread, in terms of how we finish these races, is pretty close, which is not something that you see too often,” Turner said. “The pack mentality is something we are still really trying to develop, and once we get that down, I feel like we’ll be a really competitive team in the future.”

The Jumbos’ teamwork will make them much more competitive on the course.

“We have such a good, competitive group of girls, and we’re all developing our ability to work together in races, so that’s been really fun,” Turner said.

Margolies explained that working with her teammates is especially important for her, as she’s learning more about competing at the collegiate level.

“I have a lot of great role models and upperclassmen to look at and help me throughout the race,” Margolies said.

“I think as a team we stuck together in the beginning and, in terms of pacing but also as support, [my teammates] really helped me through the race.”

In general, having teammates nearby during races helps her stay motivated, encouraged and on-pace, Margolies explained. It also shows the importance of team depth.

“The fact that I can run with people, and they’re there to help me throughout the race and help run a smarter race is really important,” Margolies said.

Turner explained that in upcoming practices and races,

the Jumbos hope to develop their race strategy around working together as a group. This will give them an extra competitive edge that they need in order to compete against tougher teams. As they continue to improve this strategy, Tufts will keep getting better as the season goes on.

“This pack mentality I keep talking about, I feel like we’re developing it in a really strong way and I think it’s going to show in the upcoming meets,” Turner said.

The Jumbos hope to improve this group mentality through challenging practices. Completing tough workouts as a team gives athletes confidence that they can keep up with teammates during races.

“When you’re working out with this group of girls, you

have physical evidence that you can keep up with them and that you have a spot on this team,” Turner said. “So when you go into the races, you’re more confident, and you can then show the work that you’ve done.”

This year, the women’s cross-country team has a new coach in Jamie Norton. Turner explained that Norton has improved the program through his coaching, helping bring the team together.

"[Norton] came in expecting a really high level of standards from us because he saw that we could fulfill those standards, and he’s giving us the direction that we really need this year.” Turner said.

Turner explained that Norton’s plan was helpful in the team’s strategy for this race.

“I think what went well is that we were given a plan to

execute by our coach,” Turner said. “I think we all do really good jobs of executing that in our own way, to the best of our ability.”

Each cross-country course presents unique challenges, but much of the strategy involved in the 6K race remains the same no matter the course.

“Every meet is different because there’s a different course for each meet and you’re racing different teams, but the race strategy stays the same throughout,” Turner said.

Women’s cross-country will compete next at the Paul Short Run at Lehigh University on Oct. 5 after a week off.

“I’m just looking forward to more races,” Margolies said. “Our team looks really strong, so I think as a team, we’re going to do really well.”

Volleyball posts back-to-back home wins over Hamilton and Amherst

After dropping three matches in the Boston Invite on the weekend of Sept. 13, Tufts volleyball eagerly notched victories in their first in-conference matches against Hamilton College and Amherst College.

On the night of Sept. 20, the Jumbos took to Cousens Gymnasium to take on the Hamilton Continentals. With sophomore Claire Castor leading the way with 20 kills, along with 27 assists and 21 digs from sophomore Rianna Liu, the team charged to a 3–0 victory.

“After last week, we did a total 180 in terms of our mindset,” graduate student Christine Audette, who boasted an ace and two blocks,

wrote in an email to the Daily. “We put in the work during practice this week and specifically focused on the skills that needed improvements. The team knew coming into this weekend that as long as we controlled what we could control on our side and worked as hard as we could, we’d achieve success.”

Looking to keep their momentum into the next match against the Amherst Mammoths the following day, the Jumbos were confident and ready.

While the afternoon was particularly gloomy, the energy in Cousens was quite the opposite. Throughout the match, team cheers bounced off of the walls, with whistles and buzzers sounding as a small — yet committed — group of fans watched in awe. While the end result was a 3–0

sweep, the team struggled to find their groove in the first set.

After an ace by Liu tied up the score 21–21, the team called their final timeout of the first set and head coach Cora Thompson gave some words of encouragement.

“Although there is always competitive emotion involved in a match, we remind them to stay focused on the controllables and doing their jobs to the best of their ability,” Thompson wrote in an email to the Daily. “We encourage them to continue to communicate, which keeps those important connections alive and well.”

The team took this to heart and were able to close out the first set against Amherst 25–22.

“Our coaches reassured and motivated us by telling us to stay calm in the midst of chaos and reminding us that we hold the power to control the game by using our serve and pass,” Audette wrote. “The team was making unforced errors in the beginning of the first set against Amherst. After listening to our coaches, our servers and passers were locked in so that we were able to be disciplined and engage our offense.”

After being up 11–8 by the first timeout of the second set, Tufts

coasted to an eventual 25–16 win, ready to close out Amherst in the last set. The Jumbos won this battle, only allowing 14 points in the third set en route to a sweep of the Mammoths.

Audette and sophomore Emma Heckman led the team with 10 kills each, followed by Castor with nine. Heckman and junior Julia Griffiths also put up five blocks, each one pumping the team up exponentially. All in all, the team put in the work and got the result they were looking for.

“Amherst has a dangerous offense if they are in system and I was proud of how well our team served them which made the biggest difference,” Thompson wrote.

“Our servers kept the pressure on their passers … their offensive plans broke down and they were easier to defend.”

The team, a tight community, felt this win to be rewarding. “I am so proud of the team as a whole,” Audette said. “I’m mostly proud of the fight and grit that we showed in pursuing every point. Despite the points or runs the other team had, we always found a way to shift the energy and momentum to the Jumbos’ side of the court. Ultimately, we kept our cool and

maintained the mindset that we could only control our game which helped us win in the end.”

Looking ahead, the Jumbos are embarking on a particularly difficult schedule. While Williams College and Middlebury College will prove to be competitive challenges for Tufts in the coming weeks, the team’s priority is their next opponent, Bates College, who they play in Lewiston, Maine on Friday, Sept. 27. The Jumbos haven’t dropped a set to the Bobcats since 2017.

Even with a young team, Audette is certain of a successful season. “We have an excellent handle on doing well in the conference this year,” she said. “Our team has an innate desire to learn and grow with each game, practice and point. We strive to become 1% better every day and are always thinking of the person to our left and right throughout every rep and every point. I think this habit is unique in comparison to other teams; our unity is our strength and individually we are thinking of the team and our common goals. Ultimately, our growth mindset and selflessness are what will help us go far this season.”

Women's cross-country starts a Sept. 7 race at Bowdoin.

Josh Solomon Contributing Writer

The Jumbos celebrate a point against Amherst.

Women’s soccer earns draw in road matchup with Hamilton

Tufts women’s soccer traveled to New York last weekend to compete against Hamilton College at Love Field in their fourth NESCAC game of the season. Going into the game with a record of 3–1, and 2–1 in division play, the Jumbos were looking for another win.

“Hamilton is a big competitor for us because we actually haven’t beaten them in five years,” sophomore goalkeeper Gigi Edwards said. She noted how the game was especially important for the seniors and fifth-years.

Play began with the Jumbos putting heavy pressure on the Continentals’ defense. Despite the Continentals clearing many of the Jumbos’ early opportunities, the Jumbos were able to take an early lead only three minutes into the match when sophomore midfielder Emily Nicholas powered a shot past the Continentals’ goalkeeper from outside the penalty box for her first goal of the season. Junior forward Elsi Aires got the assist.

However, the Continentals did not lose momentum. After shots on goal from both teams, Continentals forward Isabel Harvey was able to take advantage of a counterattack in the 13th minute, breaking through the Tufts defense and just managing to put the ball past an encroaching Edwards.

The Jumbos didn’t let up in their attacks and were even-

tually rewarded when, in the Continentals’ penalty box, a misdirected header fell at the feet of Nicholas, who was able to slot it past the goalkeeper for her second goal of the match. The Jumbos’ defense was able to hold Hamilton off for the rest of the first half, ending the 45-minute period at 2–1.

Even with the lead, the Jumbos were still looking to make positive changes. After a tiring first half, they hoped to provide some relief for their defensive line. “I think in the first half, especially towards the end, they were defending us very well … and we needed to do a better job at maintaining possession because I think we played defense for a big portion of the game,” Edwards said. “At halftime, we were looking to possess the ball more, which gives our defenders a break and a chance to recover.”

The second half began similarly to the first. Both teams had opportunities, but none played out until in the 59th minute when a hard tackle from the Jumbos defense led to a Continentals penalty kick. Continentals forward Olivia Zubarik stepped up and, sending the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal, tied the game up.

With a 2–2 score, the Jumbos upped the pressure as the match neared its end. “In the last 15 minutes, we kind of turned on a second gear, and were like, ‘We want to win this.’ In those last 15 minutes we had more chances, and so I think our mentality in the last little portion of the game was a lot better,” Edwards

said. Despite their last efforts, the match ended in a tie.

While the Jumbos had 11 shots on goal compared to only six from the Continentals, Edwards expressed that the Jumbos were not pleased with the scoreline. “It wasn’t the outcome we really expected or that we wanted,” Edwards said. “I think we just didn’t do a super good job adapting to their style of play and being able to come up with new solutions,” she said.

Besides shots on goal, the Jumbos also had other positive takeaways from their match. “I think there were certain points throughout the game that we were able to switch the ball very well, and when we did so, we had a lot

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

of space. If we can continue to find those chances of playing through and switching the field when we have the opportunity to do so, I think that creates a lot of opportunities for us,” Edwards said.

Now standing at a 3–1–1 record, the Jumbos are still feeling good about their season. “I’m very confident in our ability … to bounce back after we don’t play the game that we expect,” Edwards said as she was reminded of their 2–1 loss against NESCAC competitor Williams College.

“For example, [at] Williams two weeks ago, we did not get the outcome we wanted, and we were able to bounce back in practice and working hard on film to play a really good two games against

Colby [College] and [Connecticut College]. Looking forward, we’ve already been talking about how it wasn’t what we wanted to do, and how we need to get better at building out of the back and … getting creative in terms of how we move the ball.”

The Jumbos have road games at Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday and then at Wesleyan University on Saturday. Both are important matches for the team. “[The MIT and Wesleyan games] will kind of be tellers as to what kind of team we have this season. I’m fully confident that we’re going to work really hard and hopefully go into those games with the right mindset and compete,”

COURTESY TUFTS ATHLETICS

Women's soccer celebrates a goal against Colby.

Journalist and author Daniel Barbarisi (LA’01) addresses the staff at DailyCon.

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW SAGE (TOP) AND RACHEL LIU (BOTTOM)

Associate Editor Nate Hall gives a presentation on crossword making during DailyCon, Sept. 22.

Eliza Warren Contributing Writer