The Harvard Crimson - Volume CXLIX, No. 9

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The Harvard Crimson THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873

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VOLUME CXLIX, NO. 9 |

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

EDITORIAL PAGE 4

SPORTS PAGE 6

SPORTS PAGE 6

In thinking about affirmative action, we must be aware of the big picture

Women’s swim falls to Ivy League rivals

Men’s swim takes fifth consecutive Ivy Dual League title

Grab-and-Go Sparks Concern By CHRISTIE K. CHOI and CARRIE HSU CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

Harvard students raised concerns about the waste produced by grab-and-go meals in the past two weeks, citing the accumulating trash produced by plastic to-go containers. Dining halls switched to grab-and-go dining for the first two weeks of the semester to avoid high-density indoor gatherings. Grab-and-go meals rely on the use of plastic containers and disposable cutlery, which have been criticized by students. Several students have found grab-and-go meals to pose an inconvenience. Quincy House resident Danielle M. Kelly ’23 said she wishes the dining halls would return to normal operations and discontinue the disposable dishware. “I hate it. I’m miserable,” she said. “It’s so bulky, with disasters like me spilling hot, scalding tea over the whole floor because I’m holding things like an idiot.” Grab-and-go meals have also increased the amount of trash students generate. Administrators in some Houses sent out emails to residents stating that the accumulation of grab-andgo containers in small bins of common spaces has burdened cleaning staff. The emails di-

rected students to drop off their trash at certain disposal sites. Jeremy J. Rasmussen Jr. ’24 said he considers it “kind of ridiculous” for administrators to task students with managing the extra waste. “I’ve had to take the trash out about five times this week already,” he said. Students also acknowledged the sustainability issues brought about by the disposable containers. A garbage bin in Adams House holds waste produced by grab-and-go dining. A garbage bin in Adams House holds waste produced by grab-and-go dining. By Pei Chao Zhuo Owen O. Ebose ’25, a representative of the College’s Resource Efficiency Program, said that the University could rededicate the money it spends on grab-and-go dining containers to improve students’ dining experience. He raised concerns about the environmental impacts of using so much plastic daily. “Plastic is really harmful for the environment, not only because of the toxins released by the plastic itself, but also because of the oil used to produce plastic, which of course contributes to emissions,” Ebose added. Daniel Shen ’24 said he had brought his own reusable con-

IOP Hosts Forum Virtually By MILES J. HERSZENHORN CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

Utensils and bags for grab-and-go dining are found on a table in Annenburg Dining Hall. JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

tainer in the beginning of the semester, but a worker at the dining hall asked him to instead use the disposable containers to avoid “possible contamination.” “I think they could do better with considering reusable containers,” Shen said. Sofia Andrade ’23-’24 acknowledged the safety concerns behind the College’s choice to avoid indoor dining for the start of the semester. “I understand their neces-

sity right now during the pandemic,” she said. “There will be a lot more spread in indoor spaces where people have their masks off.” But Andrade, a Crimson Arts chair, said the disposable bags offered in each dining hall may also lead to increased food waste. “I think the school seems to have been encouraging people to take these big brown bags filled with food,” she said. “In

the same way that trays make you waste more — like take more food than you’re going to eat — these bags, I think, do the same thing.” The Harvard chapter of Green2Go — a student initiative that works to mitigate plastic waste on college campuses across the United States — has taken steps to discuss options for reusable containers with

SEE GRAB-AND-GO PAGE 3

Prof. Ross Speaks on Activism at HCWC Seminar Awarded Order of Knights By DARLEY A.C. BOIT CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

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By WAI YAN FONG CRIMSON STAFF WRITER ­

Hanif Kara, professor of Architectural Technology at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, was bestowed the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire award for his work in architecture, engineering, and education last month. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of knights established in 1917 by King George V. The OBE honor is awarded biannually to those who have made significant contributions in the areas of public service, charity, and arts and sciences. An honorary fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Kara is the co-founder of AKT-II, a structural engineering company that has received more than 350 design awards, including the RIBA Stirling Prize for the Peckham Library and for the Bloomberg European Headquarters in London. Despite his accomplishments, Kara said the honor came as a surprise. “I never expected this in my career,” he said. “Most people don’t expect it.” Kara said he was delighted to receive recognition for his passions. “One pleasure is always to do great buildings and you do a few of those in your life,” he said. “But when it’s recognized by other people, that you teach and contribute to architecture and contribute to engineering — and it’s at a national level — it’s quite joyful.” Kara also recognized some of the challenges of working in the field of engineering and architecture. “It’s not easy to work the long hours and to do the stuff we do,”

Loretta J. Ross, a professor in Women and Gender Studies at Smith College, spoke about her work in activism at the 2022 Peggy Schmertzler Leadership Seminar hosted by the Harvard College Women’s Center on Wednesday. The Schmertzler Leadership Seminar spotlights one leader every year to speak on their personal experience in fighting for equity. This year’s event was moderated by Sowon “Alice” Chang ’22 and Sawyer L. Taylor-Arnold ’23 — both Harvard College Women’s Center interns — and Kyra I. March ’22, a senior representative for the Association of Black Harvard Women. Ross said she began her activism shortly after enrolling at Howard University. Within her first month at the college, she participated in an anti-po-

lice violence demonstration in Washington D.C. where she was tear gassed. Ross also said this encounter, coupled with her academic experiences at Howard, inspired her fight for equity. “The two books that they put in my hands, my first year in 1970, were ‘The Black Woman’ by Toni Cade and ‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X.’ Putting those together was when I began to develop my Black feminist consciousness,” she said. Ross said as a survivor of incest and rape, she is determined to change the reality of oppression. “I know that I have truly, not only survived what happened to me, but used it as fuel for making a difference in the world,” Ross said. “I believe that activism is the art of making your life matter. And that’s what I’ve tried to do. I use my activism to ensure that my life matters.”

Harvard Today 2

Ross said that she sees herself as a “tough love talker” when it comes to her activism, and though fighting oppression can be dangerous, it presents opportunities for growth. “As a movement, we need to become much more analytical, recognizing that the purpose of the human rights movement is to end oppression, not to provide a personal therapy space for you,” Ross said. “You will find your best self in that struggle. You will find that instead of fighting for the right of owning more, you’ll be fighting for the right of becoming more,” she added. Ross said she has also recently become involved in combating harsh “call-out” culture, which she first encountered on Facebook. Instead, she tries to encourage “calling-in,” a term coined by one of her colleagues that focuses on inviting others into open conversations.

The Harvard College Women’s Center and the Association of Black Harvard Women invited Loretta J. Ross, a professor at Smith College, to speak at the Peggy Schmertzier Leadership Serminar. PHOTO COURTSEY LORETTA J. ROSS

SEE SEMINAR PAGE 3

SEE FORUM PAGE 3

Harvard Presents ‘Town Gown’ Report at Meeting By ELIAS J. SCHISGALL CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

SEE HONOR PAGE 3 INSIDE THIS ISSUE

The Harvard Institute of Politics’ spring 2022 resident fellows discussed major challenges facing democracy, as well as potential solutions, at their introductory JFK Jr. Forum Wednesday evening. IOP Director Mark D. Gearan ’78 moderated the virtual forum, which was featured fellows Brendan Buck, a former top Republican congressional aide; Christine Chen, executive director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote; Kim M. Janey, former acting mayor of Boston; Josephine “Jody” Olsen, former Peace Corps director; Maya Rupert, former campaign manager for Julián Castro’s presidential run; and Gerald F. Seib, executive Washington editor at the Wall Street Journal. The panelists highlighted some contemporary issues in American politics. Buck said he is optimistic the Republicans will win a majority in the House of Representatives this fall. “There’s a lot of talk right now about a red wave,” he said. “And I think that I was relatively slow to accept that that is a possibility, but I certainly think it is at this point.” Rupert discussed a “myth” plaguing the political world — namely, that it is impossible for people to work in politics while maintaining their personal values and health. “That keeps a lot of people who are passionate about something away from pursuing a career in electoral politics,” she said. “You have to work around the clock, which is sending a very clear message to folks with disabilities that they’re going to have to make a choice between health or this kind of work.” “This is based in reality, people are seeing something and they’re having something reified,” she added. “But they’re myths, not because they’re not real, but because they don’t have to be right,” she added. The speakers also highlighted specific challenges they contended with in their respective roles. Chen spoke about her work to “demystify” misinformation surrounding Asian ­

MARGARET A. YIN—CRIMSON DESIGNER

News 3

Editorial 4

Sports 6

TODAY’S FORECAST

Harvard representatives presented the 25th annual Town Gown report, detailing the University’s sustainability, diversity, and infrastructure goals in Cambridge, to city officials during a virtual Planning Board meeting Tuesday evening. The report, submitted by Harvard University Planning and Design and Harvard Public Affairs and Communications, catalogues the University’s facilities and its employee and student populations in Cambridge. It also details Harvard’s sustainability and equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives, as well as its investments and partnerships with city organizations. The name Town Gown re-

RAINY High: 44 Low: 33

fers to the non-academic parts of the city — the town — in relation to the academic institutions that inhabit it — the gown. Lesley University, MIT, and the Hult International Business School also submit yearly Town Gown reports to Cambridge. “We reflect on the nearly 400-year partnership that Harvard has with the City of Cambridge, but also consider our larger responsibility to create a campus that continuously strives toward a better future for our local community, as well as our global community,” Harvard’s report reads. Thomas J. Lucey, Harvard’s director of government and community relations, touted the University’s six-figure investment in Cambridge RISE, a guaranteed income pilot

SEE REPORT PAGE 3

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