The Harvard Crimson - Volume CXLVI, No. 107

The Harvard Crimson The University Daily, Est. 1873 | Volume CXLVI, No. 107 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | monday, october 21, 2019

editorial PAGE 8

news PAGe 4

sports PAGE 9

The University needs to take action to reduce sexual harrassment

UN Commissioner discusses global crises at IOP

Football spoils the Holy Cross Homecoming game in a 31-21 win.

Athlete Grad Students Call for Better Health Insurance Recruit Rules Tighten By james s. bikales and michelle g. kurilla Crimson Staff Writers

When former Harvard School of Public Health student Sarah M. Coppola developed a chronic medical condition in her third year, she started arranging medical visits with specialists. Before she could resolve the issues, however, she seriously injured her ankle.

The ensuing medical care drained her remaining specialist visits on her Harvard health insurance plan, forcing her to make a difficult choice.

“I found myself rationing my specialist appointments, and kind of deciding, like, what’s more important,” she said. “[I found myself ] having a conversation with my provider at [University] Health Services, of like, well, ‘this isn’t gonna kill me, it’s just majorly affecting my life, but like, this other thing could actually kill me.’” ­

By devin b. srivastva Crimson Staff Writer

In the wake of admissions scandals both nationwide and at the University, Harvard has implemented new policies — including requiring coaches to provide proof of recruits’ athletic abilities — to prevent fraudulent athletic admissions, according to Athletics Director Robert L. Scalise.

In March, federal authorities uncovered a nationwide scheme through “Operation Varsity Blues” in which parents bribed coaches at elite universities including Yale and Stanford to designate their children as athletics recruits, vastly improving their chances of admission. Though Harvard was not implicated in that scandal, the University suffered its own controversy in April when the Boston Globe reported that former head fencing coach Peter Brand had sold his home to the family of prospective students.

The University has implemented two new policies this fall in response to the scandals, according to Scalise. Harvard coaches must now provide ­

Under Harvard’s Student Health Insurance Plan — which covers more than 10,000 graduate students, 2,600 undergraduates, and 600 dependents, through Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts’s provider network — specialist consultations are capped at a level some students say forces them to make hard choices about their physical and mental healthcare.

Massachusetts law requires that any student enrolled fulltime at an institution of higher learning participates in a student health insurance plan or in a health insurance plan of comparable coverage. For graduate students pursuing a Ph.D. in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, their premiums are covered.

Still, more than 15 graduate students pursuing Ph.D.s raised concerns about SHIP’s coverage and costs. Several of

See insurance Page 3

Margot E. Shang—Crimson Designer

OSAPR To Pilot New Bystander Training

SEE PAGE 6

By Shera S. Avi-Yonah and Delano R. Franklin Crimson Staff Writers

See athletic Page 4

UC Allows Leaders to Vote

By Kevin R. Chen Crimson Staff Writer

H arvard’s Undergraduate Council confirmed that its president and vice president can vote and sponsor legislation at its general meeting Sunday.

The Sunday meeting put an end to a months-long period of uncertainty, during which the president and vice president had to start each meeting with asking council members for permission to vote in that particular meeting.

The proposal to allow the president and vice president to vote and sponsor legislation passed 34-4-2.

Representatives first questioned whether the president and vice president had the power to vote and sponsor legislation in April due to an ambiguity in the council’s constitution.

The constitution refers to the president and vice president as “executive officers” rather than “representatives,” which some argued suggests they cannot vote.

The constitution also lacks language explicitly preventing the president and vice president from voting, according to Michael Y. Cheng ’22, who chaired the council’s Rules Committee last year.

At its final meeting last semester, the council voted to establish a new committee with the power to interpret the constitution. That committee decided to strip the president and vice president of their voting rights and ability to sponsor legislation.

Enough representatives changed their votes after the meeting, however, to annul the committee’s establishment, leaving the president’s and vice ­

See UC Page 4 Inside this issue

Harvard Today 2

Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana said Friday he will work with the Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response to pilot new forms of bystander training after survey results showed rates of sexual misconduct among undergraduates have remained stagnant over the past several years.

The results come from the 2019 iteration of the American Association of Universities’ sexual misconduct survey — the largest-ever of its kind. The 2019 survey showed that roughly 33 percent of surveyed undergraduate women and 11 percent of undergraduate men at Har­

Students from various schools, including RSID and MIT, worked on different projects, such as an AI-based app that would send users self-care reminders. jocelyn Wang—Crimson photographer

vard reported that they had experienced some form of nonconsensual sexual contact. In a previous version of the survey conducted in 2015, 31 percent of senior undergraduate women reported the same.

The 2019 survey found that more than 80 percent of harassment incidents at the College occurred between students.

When asked about undergraduate perpetrators, Khurana highlighted the bystander training Harvard plans to offer.

“We will be piloting — working with OSAPR — bystander training in different ways to see what the most effective type of bystander training [is that] we can do in our community,”

See khurana Page 6

Head of the Charles Regatta Attracts Thousands of Spectators By stephanie h. ashkar and taylor c. Peterman Crimson Staff Writers

Rowing enthusiasts and casual spectators of all ages streamed through Harvard’s campus to watch more than 70 races at the 55th Head of the Charles Regatta on Saturday and Sunday.

More than 11,000 rowers participated in the Head of the Charles — the world’s largest two-day rowing competition.

Tens of thousands of onlookers, many clad in sunglasses and college sweatshirts, came to root for their competing friends and family members.

Roxanne Ferreiro, a volunteer at the regatta, said she thinks the Saturday races were an overall success.

“It is the perfect day for the Head of the Charles. All the boats seem to be on target, doing well,” she said. “Everybody on the course, spectators, also seem to be in a festive mood.

The weather is perfect. It continues to be a great tradition.”

The Head of the Charles — which began in 1965 — draws thousands of people, including both teenage competitors and elderly spectators, to Cambridge each year.

Competitors arrived from around the world, with some hailing from Australia and others from Japan. Attendees included professionals and amateurs alike, though Williams College rower Will C. Foote, said he thinks the event has a universal appeal.

“Having an understanding of the sport, the teams that are there, the technique that goes into it, you know, definitely ­

News 3

Editorial 6

plays into it,” he said. “But I feel like anyone can sort of appreciate it. It’s sort of a pretty poetic sport.”

While the Head of the Charles is one of many annual regattas around the world, some attendees said the location sets it apart from other competitions.

“I think it’s the beauty of the river. And seeing people,” Kate Andres, a volunteer at the regatta, said.

Other attendees said the enthusiastic crowds set the Head of the Charles apart.

“I love seeing people who rowed growing up and come back here,” Bob J. O’Malley,

See regatta Page 4

Under favorable weather conditions, more than 11,000 athletes competed in the two-day competition. amy shi—Crimson photographer

Photo Essay PAGE 4

In Photos: Head of the Charles Regatta 2019 The 55th Head of the Charles Regatta occurred on Oct. 19-20, capturing the attentions of many spectators.

Brendan j. chapuis—Crimson photographer

Sports 7

Today’s Forecast

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

OCTOBER 21, 2019

PAGE 2

HARVARD TODAY

For Lunch Popcorn Chicken Shrimp Pad Thai Tofu Fajitas

For Dinner Roast Turkey Breast Salmon with Green Curry Butternut and Sage Gnocchi

TODAY’S EVENTS What Is Happening with Brexit?

Littauer 280, 4:30-6 p.m.

IN THE REAL WORLD

If all the news stories from across the Pond about the latest Brexit votes are confusing you but you don’t want to seem uninformed, head to the Harvard Kennedy School’s explainer talk this afternoon in Littauer 280.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Endorses Bernie Sanders U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has officially endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2020 presidential race. Ocasio-Cortez spoke at a campaign rally in her district of Queens on Saturday. Her endorsement and Bernie’s return to the campaign trail come shortly after Sanders’ heart attack.

Harvard Square Ghost Walk Harvard Coop 7-8:30pm Expert tour guides dressed in period costumes will take you for a stroll through Harvard Square, along the way telling creepy tales of “mediums, mourning lovers, and deceased Harvard students.” Meet in front of the Harvard Coop at 7 for the start of the tour.

Midnight in Paris Screening Brattle Theater 7-10pm Walk over to the Brattle Theater for a screening of “Midnight in Paris,” a documentary featuring the soon-tobe graduates of a Flint, Mich. high school before their senior prom. The director will be there for a Q&A after the screening.

Violence Escalates in Santiago; State of Emergency Declared

The Boston area saw pleasant weather, giving residents an opportunity to enjoy the fall foliage.

KATHRYN S. KUHAR—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

DAILY BRIEFING In the wake of admissions scandals both nationwide and at the University, Harvard has implemented new policies — including requiring coaches to provide proof of recruits’ athletic abilities — to prevent fraudulent athletic admissions, according to Athletics Director Robert L. Scalise. Harvard coaches must now provide materials that admissions officers can later use to verify an applicant’s athletic ability. In other news, Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana said he will work with the Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response to pilot new forms of bystander training.

A state of emergency has been declared in Santiago, Chile following escalating student protests. In the wake of civil unrest due to the rising cost of living, an increase in metro fares instigated protests. The Chilean capital is now in an official state of emergency, granting the government additional powers to restrict certain freedoms.

Protests Against Poverty and Corruption Continues in Lebanon

Lebanon’s largest protest in the last 14 years continues, shutting down the country for the fifth day on Monday. Protestors are revolting against government officials who they say are not passing needed reforms. Since Thursday, protests have settled into peaceful gatherings.

AROUND THE IVIES DARTMOUTH Five residential social spaces on Dartmouth’s campus will again be open to all students, regardless of House affiliation, according to the Dartmouth. Earlier this semester, the college announced a new policy that restricted access of social spaces for safety concerns. This policy reversal comes after a student petition that included more than 3,000 signatures prompted the creation of a working group. The working group included voices on both the student and faculty sides and ultimately came to the decision to reopen the social spaces.

COLUMBIA

Columbia’s marching band is now officially recognized as a student organization and will once again be able to perform at sports games, the Columbia Spectator reported. They performed at Columbia’s homecoming game this past Saturday.

This comes less than a month after they were banned from playing at all athletic events as a result of failing to meet the deadlines required to become a recognized student group. The band began fundraising after the announcement of their ban and raised more than $25,000 in five days.

They will now receive funding from Athletics for uniforms, travel, and equipment.

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Researchers at Penn Medicine have discovered a potential method to delay spinal disc degeneration, the Daily Pennsylvanian reported. Seeing that the weak healing process in the outer region cells of spinal discs can cause disc degeneration, the team found that using certain drugs could temporarily delay this natural injury response by calming these outer region cels. The outer regions of these spinal discs have traditionally not received enough attention from researchers, according to McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory post-doctoral fellow Edward Bonnevie.

THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873

The Harvard Crimson Kristine E. Guillaume President Angela N. Fu Managing Editor Charlie B. Zhu Business Manager

STAFF FOR THIS ISSUE

Associate Managing Editor Jamie D. Halper ’20

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Sports Chairs Joseph W. Minatel ’21 Henry Zhu ’20

Copyright 2019, The Harvard Crimson (USPS 236-560). No articles, editorials, cartoons or any part thereof appearing in The Crimson may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the President. The Associated Press holds the right to reprint any materials published in The Crimson. The Crimson is a non-profit, independent corporation, founded in 1873 and incorporated in 1967. Second-class postage paid in Boston, Massachusetts. Published Monday through Friday except holidays and during vacations, three times weekly during reading and exam periods by The Harvard Crimson Inc., 14 Plympton St., Cambridge, Mass. 02138 Weather icons made by Freepik, Yannick, Situ Herrera, OCHA, SimpleIcon, Catalin Fertu from flaticon.com is licensed by CC BY 3.0.

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CORRECTIONS The Harvard Crimson is committed to accuracy in its reporting. Factual errors are corrected promptly on this page. Readers with information about errors are asked to e-mail the managing editor at managingeditor@thecrimson.com.

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON | october 21, 2019

Lessig Grad Students Call for Insurance Overhaul Speaks at Law School insurance From Page 1

them said they have paid thousands of dollars out of pocket in co-pays and appointment costs despite the premium coverage.

Harvard University Health Services Spokesperson Michael Perry wrote in an emailed statement that while HUHS does not comment on individual cases, the plan’s administrators strive to balance benefits and costs for all members.

“SHIP is designed to ensure benefits apply to all members equally and that the costs to students are at a level that is appropriate across all of the students who utilize the plan,” Perry wrote. “The plan has to be designed with all students in mind.”

A UNIQUE PLAN

Coppola’s issues with SHIP stemmed both from her need to visit specialists outside HUHS and her compounding medical issues. Her chronic medical condition required that she see an outside specialist regularly, while wait times at HUHS forced her to also seek outside medical attention for her ankle.

Though physical health visits in-house at HUHS are unlimited, outside specialist consultations are capped at six.

When Coppola’s orthopedist appointment required going outside HUHS, she neared her specialist cap and had to cancel all but one remaining chronic care appointment.

“I had some pretty concerning test results for major body organs that I was never able to follow up on because, had I gone, I would have ended up paying 100 percent out of pocket,” Coppola said.

Physical health visits, however, are not the only kind that face caps. Harvard’s plan caps mental health visits at 40 per year, regardless of whether they are at HUHS or elsewhere.

Marisa J. Borreggine, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said that because of the cap on mental health visits, she has chosen to not see a provider at all.

“If I can’t go as often as I would like, then it becomes more of a burden in waiting, like week to week, ‘when am I going to see this person again?’” Borreggine said.

She said she would not be able to develop a “rapport” with her provider without at least weekly visits.

Several mental health law and health insurance experts said that with regard to its specialist and mental health caps, Harvard is unique.

Susan L. Ettner — a Health Policy and Management professor at UCLA’s School of Public Health — wrote in an email that the limit raises questions in light of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, a federal law that requires health insurers to provide equivalent physical and mental health benefits.

“The caps you are describing are often called ‘quantitative treatment limits’ (QTLs) and they are covered under MHPAEA for health plans subject to parity compliance,” Ettner wrote.

Three experts on health insurance law — M. Susan Ridgely, a Senior Health Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation; JoAnn Volk of the Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms; and Jennifer E. Mathis ’88, Deputy Legal Director of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law — agreed that the 40-visit cap raised questions about the plan’s compliance with the MHPAEA, but ultimately concluded that the plan’s specific administration was not subject to the act.

Harvard’s plan is a self-funded student health plan, meaning that coverage is paid for directly from the University’s coffers, rather than contracted out to a third-party insurance company. Though self-funded employer plans are generally subject to MHPAEA compliance, self-funded student plans are not. Likewise, student plans are normally required to comply with the act, but because Harvard’s plan is self-funded, it is considered an exception, according to Volk.

Perry, the Harvard spokesperson, wrote in an email that the plan is fully compliant with all required federal and state regulations.

Harvard’s plan has been reviewed and certified as compliant by the Department of Health and Human Services, according to Perry. He also noted that a medical hardship fund is available for members who exceed the six-visit cap, though the funding is capped at $5,000 per member each academic year.

Though compliance is not

required, Ridgely suggested there is an ethical question of whether a university ought to provide mental health coverage at parity, especially in light of how common mental health problems are on campuses.

“There may be a difference between what the university is legally required to do — and what the best evidence suggests that they should do,” Ridgely wrote in an email.

Christine M. Mitchell, who also graduated from the School of Public Health in the spring, never enrolled in SHIP because she has Marfan syndrome, which requires at least 27 specialist visits per year, she said.

Because she knew she would exceed the specialist visit cap, and that the cost of her specialist visits would be higher than the Medical Hardship Fund allows, she instead enrolled in the Mass Health Connector, even though her premiums would have been paid under Harvard’s plan. She paid $765 per month throughout her time in the doctoral program.

“The insurance plan is particularly bad for students who have chronic illnesses,” Mitchell said.

Perry noted that only a small number of students — less than one percent — run up on the specialist and mental health visit caps each year.

“It is important to note that there is no way to determine whether any or all of those members would have intended to exceed the six visits if they had been provided a higher limit,” he wrote.

‘IN AN IDEAL WORLD’

Coppola said she thought the plan could be great for someone who does not have health care concerns that the University considers to be special.

“There are aspects of the plan that are really good for the average 20-something. It’s these fringe cases where it can cause this entire disaster,” she said.

“In an ideal world, it would work like normal insurance,” she wrote in a separate email.

“No limit on specialist visits with a co-pay.”

The majority of graduate students interviewed said they would also like to see dental insurance included in the health plan. Currently, the dental health insurance plan is optional, requiring students to opt-in.

Sarah E. Loomis, a fourthyear Anthropology Ph.D. student, ran into problems with

There may be a difference between what the university is legally required to do — and what the best evidence suggests that they should do

M. Susan Ridgely Senior Health Policy Researcher, Rand Corportation

the dental plan when she traveled to Mexico for research.

“I pay the extra for the dental insurance,” Loomis said.

“But I still ended up paying about $100 each for a whole bunch of cavities one summer after I was in Mexico and didn’t have access to clean water so didn’t brush my teeth as much as I should have.”

Siobhan M. Kelly, a thirdyear Ph.D. student in Religion, said the current health insurance plan also does not provide adequate coverage for gender-affirming services for transgender students, including the out-of-pocket cost for electrolysis and chest binders.

SHIP currently only covers electrolysis when it is deemed medically necessary as part of gender genital affirmation surgery. The plan does not cover electrolysis under other circumstances.

Kelly, however, said electrolysis is an important part of their own process of becoming more physically aligned with their gender identity. The procedure has cost them thousands of dollars out of pocket.

Kelly said accessibility to gender-affirming services is critical, and that Harvard could improve access whether through full-coverage, partial-coverage, or even through a reimbursement plan.

“It’s been an incredibly important part of my own personal experience,” Kelly said.

Many students are now turning to ongoing union negotiations as a potential avenue for change.

One sticking point in negotiations has been coverage for dependents. When fifth-year Religion Ph.D. student Carleigh A. Beriont enrolled in SHIP,

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the cost of adding her daughter onto the plan posed a significant financial burden.

“I would say that Harvard kind of puts us in the position of having to choose between becoming scholars and finishing our Ph.D.s, and being parents,” Beriont said. “Because you know, right now, I pay over 90 percent of my stipend that I make every year in childcare costs and health insurance for my daughter.”

Harvard Graduate Students Union-United Auto Workers has been negotiating with the University for more than a year.

Earlier this month, they began a strike authorization vote.

Echoing Beriont’s concerns, HGSU has proposed lowering the cost of adding a partner or other dependent to the plan.

HGSU has also called for removing caps on specialist and mental health visits, and expanded dental coverage.

University spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain wrote in an emailed statement that the University has proposed creating a fund to address concerns about covering the cost of adding dependents to the plan.

“The University has proposed it will create a fund in the amount of $250,000, that would be administered by HGSU-UAW, to assist student workers in defraying premium and co-pay costs for Union members and for covered spouses and/or dependents,” he wrote.

Parastoo N. Massoumi, a second-year Ph.D. student in Education, said that while most of her experiences with HUHS have been positive and that she is grateful to have health insurance, there is room to improve — improvement she said could be accomplished through a union contract.

“This is a part of a larger conversation of just many inequities that are facing Harvard graduate students and undergraduate students here,” Massoumi said. “While I’ve had positive experiences with [Counseling and Mental Health Services] or the Health Services, I know many, many graduate students that have not — many students who need better health care coverage, better dental coverage for themselves, their families, their spouses.”

james.bikales@thecrimson.com michelle.kurilla@thecrimson.com

By margaret M. hylton and austin W. Li Contributing Writers

Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig and political consultant Stuart Stevens considered the major issues with the current Electoral College system at a luncheon hosted by Lessig and the Harvard Law and Policy Review Saturday.

As a Republican political consultant, Stevens worked on several presidential campaigns, including former President George W. Bush’s campaign in 2000 and Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R-Utah) campaign in 2012. A constitutional law and ethics expert, Lessig ran and lost the bid for the Democratic nomination in the 2016 presidential race.

Stevens opened the conversation by arguing against the Electoral College and saying it only valued the votes of swing states and white voters.

Stevens — a Republican — said he believes the Electoral College is allowing the Republican Party to operate as a “whites only” party. He said the Republican Party ignores growing minority voting blocs and strictly targets white voters, which he fears will hurt the party in future elections.

“Abolishing the Electoral College is vital to the survival of the Republican Party,” Stevens said at the luncheon.

Lessig also reiterated Stevens’s concern about the Electoral College’s tendency to value swing states and considered possible alternatives and solutions to the current system.

Lessig advocated for dividing electoral votes into fractions, a process known as fractional proportional allocation of votes.

He said the process would require states to choose a candidate from the Democratic and Republican parties and divide the Electoral College votes proportionally between them ­

Abolishing the Electoral College is vital to the survival of the Republican Party.

Stuart Stevens Political Consultant

based on the fraction of popular vote they received.

Lessig said this system would solve the problem of overvaluing swing state voters, who are often “older, whiter” and less representative of changing demographics in the country.

Lessig has advocated for reform of the American electoral system in the past. In 2014, Lessig founded a political action committee to fund candidates who supported campaign finance reform. He also launched a presidential campaign in 2015 on the platform of widespread campaign finance reform.

In the luncheon, Lessig also noted fractional proportional allocation would affect both parties’ electoral strategies. He said Democrats would lose having equal consideration over every vote, and Republicans would not win swing states by gaining only the votes of the Electoral College and not the popular vote.

In an interview after the event, Stevens said the Republican Party will only change its electoral strategy once it starts losing elections.

“I’m for what works,” Stevens said. “And in the real world, I think it’s gonna take the Republican party losing elections — popular and electoral — to face that they can’t win unless they change.” Princeton University professor of neuroscience Sam S.H. Wang attended the luncheon and said he believed problems in the Electoral College could be fixed in simpler ways than were proposed by Lessig and Stevens.

“It just gets more and more technical, and it seems like a lot of the same goals of requiring some kind of national consensus could be achieved by a simpler move which is to simply give a large number of electors to whoever wins the popular vote, say fifty or one hundred,” Wang said. “I think that would solve the same problems.

THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

October 21, 2019

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UC From Page 1

Athletic From Page 1

UC Leaders Allowed to Vote Again Athlete Recruit Rules Tighten president’s powers in the council uncertain.

Mather House representative Conner P. Williams ’21, who currently chairs the council’s Rules Committee, sponsored the legislation Sunday to formally recognize the president and vice president as “full members” of the council with the ability to vote and sponsor legislation.

Williams said that according to the UC’s archives, the president and vice president have maintained voting rights on the council since its inception.

Many representatives said they supported the legislation because they believe the president and vice president should have membership rights so they can execute the platform they ran on.

“I think it’s important that the president and vice president are able to introduce legislation and are able to have a voice on the council,” said Lowell House representative Rachel L. Reynolds ’22, who is also a Crimson blog editor.

Dunster House representative Janani Krishnan-Jha ’20 noted the presidential election has historically had the highest turnout of all elections for UC representatives.

“If people want the policies that the president and vice president were suggesting in their platform, that’s why they elected them, and that’s why those policies should be implemented,” Krishnan-Jha said.

Current President Sruthi Palaniappan ’20 and Vice President Julia M. Huesa ’20 said they agree they need the ability to vote and sponsor legislation to do their job effectively.

“The ability for the President and VP to sponsor legislation and vote is paramount not only to the execution of platform points that they were elected to push forth, but also to the effective representation of student interests on the UC and at Harvard more broadly,” Palaniappan and Huesa wrote in a statement.

Some representatives said they opposed the legislation be-

cause it would perpetuate what they see as an imbalance of power on the council.

“My main issue is with the president and vice president voting,” Adams House representative A. Blake Barclay ’22 said.

“It does give whatever Houses the president and vice president are in an extra vote.”

Each House has three representatives on the council, but the president and vice president do not count toward this limit, according to the body’s constitution.

UC Secretary Cade S. Palmer ’20, who also voted against the proposal, said he is concerned that council members would be overly eager to vote for legislation sponsored by the president and vice president.

“There’s something different in nature about being the president than being a representative,” said Palmer, who is also a former Crimson sports chair.

The UC also passed a proposal 34-5-2 that would place all internal rules-related legis-

lation after other docketed legislation in meeting agendas.

Adams House representative Alexa C. Jordan ’22 and Leverett House representative Jenny Y. Gan ’22 sponsored the legislation because they said that in previous years, the council spent too much time at the beginning of meetings debating rules-related proposals instead of legislation that directly affects their constituents.

The Council also unanimously voted to renew its Grant for an Open Harvard College, which funds events that address one of the council’s “compelling interests” which include social life, financial accessibility, harassment prevention, and mental health.

This year, the interest of “race relations” will be changed to “cultural and racial initiatives” in order to promote diversity in a broader sense, according to Dunster House representative Noah Harris ’22, who also chairs the Finance Committee. kevin.chen@thecrimson.com

regatta From Page 1

Regatta Attracts From Around the Globe owner of a Boston rowing studio.

“Their eyes light up and they’re just so excited about being back here. The sport — rowing — it has a part in their soul and you can tell. Especially if their kids are rowing and they used to row.”

Some students who attended the event said they think the Head of Charles brings a lively atmosphere to campus. ­

“It’s pretty exciting. There are a lot of people on campus,” Audrey Y. Chin ’23 said. “I’m excited to meet some people from all over the world. It’s just a really nice energy.”

While cheering on the rowers, many spectators indulged in tacos, sweet potato fries, and even fall-themed pumpkin spice lattes sold at stands along the river.

In addition to the vendors,

local non-profits also staffed booths at the regatta to raise money.

The Amigos School held a bake sale, while staffers from the Cambridge Community Foundation talked to attendees and handed out flyers.

Several members of Divest Harvard, an on-campus group that has called for the University to divest its endowment from fossil fuels, briefly held ban-

ners calling for divestment over the John W. Weeks Footbridge during a race on Sunday.

University spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain did not comment on Sunday’s demonstration and referred to previous statements from University President Lawrence S. Bacow.

Bacow has repeatedly rejected the idea of divestment, arguing that it would be impractical and ineffective.

materials that admissions officers can later use to verify an applicant’s athletic ability. The Office of General Counsel is also starting regular conflict of interest training for Athletics coaching staff.

Harvard coaches have historically provided forms rating prospective student athletes to Harvard’s admissions office, according to Scalise. On these forms, coaches rank a prospective student’s athletic ability.

They also often provide a character description based on information learned about prospective students during recruiting trips.

Now, the Athletics Department is asking coaches to put “something that we can verify” on the form for the admissions office to review, Scalise said.

Examples of possible materials coaches could include are newspaper articles and websites with national rankings.

During the nationwide admissions scandal, many of the students designated as athletics recruits had little to no experience in the sports for which they were listed as recruits. Scalise clarified that Harvard’s admissions procedures already help prevent similar scams, as each prospective student receives an interview. Both the admissions office and athletics coaches work to verify students’ athletic accomplishments.

“When our admissions office gets a hold of our list, the list of people, they’re doing their own internet searches,” Scalise said. “So they help us as well to verify.” Scalise said Harvard is working to prevent similar situations to those exposed during the admissions scandal.

“You learn from your mistakes, but you also learn from other people’s mistakes,” he said.

Though Harvard was not implicated in Varsity Blues, it has had issues of potentially compromised admissions of athletic recruits. In July, Harvard dismissed Brand after an independent inquiry found that his real estate transactions with the family of current and former athletes violated Harvard’s conflict of interest policy. Brand sold his home in Needham, Mass. to iTalk Global Communications, Inc. co-founder Jie Zhao in 2016 for approximately $300,000 above its market valuation.

Zhao’s younger son was admitted to the College shortly thereafter to fence for Harvard. Zhao’s older son, who was already on Harvard’s fencing team, graduated in 2018.

In response, Harvard announced that it would train its athletics coaching staff in its conflict of interest policies. The University’s General Counsel has already begun these trainings this fall, according to Scalise. The General Counsel will train every new coach in their first year and every other year following the initial training, according to spokesperson Aaron M. Goldman.

Scalise said he hopes coaches have an intuition about what crosses the line and what does not when it comes to conflict of interest. He added that the fencing scandal demonstrated that the University had to offer more trainings on the topic.

“We need to make sure that devin.srivastva@thecrimson.com

UN Comissioner Discusses Global Crises at IOP

By Lucy lu Contributing Writer

United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights and former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet spoke about her work to uphold fundamental human rights around the world at the Institute of Politics JFK Jr. Forum Friday.

Mathias Risse, a Harvard Kennedy School professor and director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, moderated the event.

He began the discussion by stressing the importance of Bachelet’s role in working to solve human rights crises, citing increasing xenophobia in Europe, refugees, and the state of religious freedom under authoritarian regimes as examples.

During her speech, Bachelet contextualized her work by focusing on how it relates to mod­

ern day trends, like the movement toward nationalism.

“It is precisely at this moment of growing complexity and interconnectedness that some leaders are turning away from cooperative solutions,” Bachelet said. “Nationalism is on the rise in our society, accompanied by outspoken racism, discrimination.”

She also discussed how digitalization impacts human rights violations, calling digital tools “extremely helpful to the human rights world” while also noting “a dark side to the digital landscape.” Bachelet cited examples of data streams used to track and interrupt human trafficking as well as government surveillance tools to target and track political dissidents or marginalized groups like the BGLTQ community.

In his introduction, Risse recognized Bachelet’s work as the inaugural executive direc-

tor of UN Women, a UN group founded in 2011 to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. He also spoke about her efforts to reach gender parity in the Chilean cabinet and equal pay legislation she championed.

Bachelet noted there is still a lot of work to be done in the gender equality sphere despite her accomplishment.

“Women continue to be poorer than men,” she said.

“They have fewer opportunities, less access to basic services such as education, and a lot less freedom to make their own choices.”

After Bachelet and Risse finished their remarks, audience members asked Bachelet about what her office has done to address the migrant crisis or uphold Venezuelan migrants’ rights.

Bachelet said her office focuses on advocating on behalf

of marginalized people to national governments but does not “impose” on them. She added that she believes there needs to be more evaluation of the root causes in the case of the Venezuela crisis.

“Humanity has always migrated,” she said. “No one wants to leave their home, the place they were born, where they were raised, or where their great-grandparents are buried. It is because of an extreme need.”

Attendee Emmet A. Halm ’23 said he enjoyed the event, though he acknowledged the limits of the work Bachelet’s office does.

“I thought some of the criticism of the UN’s actions in general toward Venezuela and Myanmar were pretty valid,” he said. “But I think she made a good point in that her job is separate from the politics of the UN.”

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON  |  SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

In Photos: Harvard Spectates Head of the Charles Over the weekend, spectators flocked to the banks of the Charles river for the 55th Head of the Charles Regatta. The Regatta featured over 60 races, including participants from rowing clubs and schools from around the country. The regatta regularly attracts over 11,000 athletes and tens of thousands of spectators, according to its website.

THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

october 21, 2019

Page 6

Hundreds Code at Hack Harvard By simon j. Levien and virginia l. ma Contributing Writers

Hundreds of students from universities representing five continents spent 36 sleepless hours coding over the weekend during the fifth annual HackHarvard, a student-run hackathon held at the Student Organizations Center at Hilles.

HackHarvard — a student group that hosts weekly “HackNights” — planned the hackathon, an event geared for participants to collaborate on developing new software.

Student organizer Catherine Yeo ’22 said this year’s theme — “connecting the dots” — focused on the intersection between technology and society, which inspired the projects coders created.

“We want to see how students build projects that not only are just great pieces of technology, but they’re also thinking about how to apply this technology to all walks of life,” Yeo said.

Computer science profes­

sor James H. Waldo delivered a keynote address and advised audience members on how to approach software development.

“Software is like pancakes,” said Waldo. “You always have to throw the first one out.”

The hackathon welcomed participants from a variety of different experience levels and disciplines, ranging from firsttime hackers to seasoned coders.

First-time hacker and Dartmouth student Katherine F. Lasonde said she was attracted by the hackathon’s prestige and breadth of opportunities.

“I’m most excited to learn something new,” Lasonde said.

“There’s a lot of cool talks and opportunities to try out avenues of technology I normally wouldn’t be exposed to in a classroom setting or even in a normal weekly club project setting.”

Three separate judges reviewed and scored each project.

The projects with the highest average scores made it to final deliberations from which top

three finalists were selected. Individual sponsors — like Facebook, Google Cloud, and financial technology startup Envel — also gave out awards based on specific challenges announced at the opening ceremony.

The top award went to Phillinda.Space, an app where users can fill out forms in their native language and translate them back into English. The team was composed of Boston University students Austin M. Negron and Rishab Nayak and Northeastern University students Sebastian Münchow and Daniël Trujillo.

Negron said Phillinda.Space was inspired by his grandmother, who does not speak English as her first language and has difficulty signing forms in English.

“Whether it’s filling out medical papers or applying for jobs or even just understanding tax documents, there’s an issue,” he said. “My grandma is going through this — there has to be millions of other Americans going through this that don’t have a grandson to help.”

Negron said he plans to give the Nintendo Switch, one of the many HackHarvard prizes, to his little brother.

Remy, an augmented reality bunny companion for those struggling with mental health, came in second place, and Connexion.AI, a machine learning platform that translates American Sign Language into spoken languages and vice versa, finished third.

Diane E. Williams, who served as a judge and project mentor, praised the unpredictable and exciting nature of hackathons.

“I’m just astonished by the ideas students have, the problems they want to solve, and what they accomplish in such a short period of time,” she said.

“I love the delightful surprise at how students interpret the theme.”

Williams also said she tries to keep in mind students’ experience levels when judging.

“I don’t compare apples to kumquats,” Williams said. “I’m just amazed by what beginners are able to do.”

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khurana From Page 1

OSAPR Launches New Training Khurana said.

Khurana said he thinks the University needs to examine the conditions that allow for sexual harassment and assault to occur on campus.

“I think we have to interrogate the conditions that create that view that you are entitled to disrespect someone, to challenge an expectation of consent, to create conditions of intimidation and coercion that prevent people from exercising agency over themselves,” he said.

Both the College and the University have made sweeping changes to Title IX enforcement over the past four years.

Administrators split the Title IX Office in two and implemented mandatory training for faculty, students, and staff. This semester, Harvard unveiled an anonymous reporting system in response to affiliates’ feedback.

Asked why he thinks the changes made since 2015 did not impact the prevalence of sexual misconduct, Khurana said he does not know.

“I’m reflecting on that. I don’t have an answer,” he said.

“While [the changes] may not affect, you know, the specific one area — sexual harassment or sexual assault — they may affect other areas, improve situations in certain ways, or at least allow us to identify gaps that we might not have known.”

Only 49 percent of undergraduate women surveyed — compared to 74.7 percent of undergraduate men — said they believe Harvard administrators

will treat complaints of sexual misconduct seriously. Khurana said he thinks College affiliates should put their trust in the cur-

I think we have to interrogate the conditions that creat that view that you are entitled to disrepect someone, to challenge an expectation of consent, to create conditions of intimidation and coercsion that prevent people from exercising agency Rakesh Khurana Dean of the College

rent system.

“I think this is an area where people have to trust the system and so we have work to do to build that trust,” Khurana said.

“I think it takes understanding that you have agency in how the process is managed, that it stays in control of the individual who’s suffered the experience, and they will be supported throughout whatever decision they decide to make.” shera.avi-yonah@thecrimson.com delano.franklin@thecrimson.com

Page 7

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | October 21, 2019

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON | October 21, 2019

Page 8

Editorial The Crimson Editorial board

column

Our Harvard Can and Needs To Do Better

A

fter four years of extensive administration efforts to address sexual assault, the results from the student survey on sexual assault and misconduct, a product of the Association of American Universities, are in — and the statistics haven’t changed. Almost a third of Harvard undergraduate women reported having experienced nonconsensual sexual contact — the upper bound of the reported national range.

As students of the University, we are saddened and horrified that in the past four years there has been no statistically significant movement in the fight against sexual violence on our campus.

Harvard — its administration and broader community — must prioritize the issue the AAU survey brings to light.

The responsibility to propel cultural change falls all members of our community. We implore the University to reevaluate both its administrative policies as well as the culture it perpetuates so that it not only seeks change, but achieves it.

To some extent, these statistics reflect a broader rape culture endemic to American society, but we cannot allow that to excuse our actions and the community we are all responsible for building.

Here are two tangible ways the University and its affiliates might address these issues: Firstly, the University should modify current programming and trainings aimed at combating sexual misconduct on campus to incorporate statistics from this sexual misconduct survey and personal narratives from affected students.

Many of our peers have written brave-

ly about their experiences with sexual misconduct on campus, and have detailed the ways in which trauma stemming from these experiences has deeply impacted them.

We believe combining the presentation of these narratives with these disturbing statistics will serve to both humanize and raise the stakes of the issue.

Secondly, all Houses should standardize party safety trainings and require that hosts undergo training for alcohol safety, sexual violence, and bystander prevention.

As we have previously opined, there are marked disparities in culture between Houses, and while we laud individual Houses and House leaders who have worked hard to produce tight-knit, safe, and open communities, the College needs to consider how to bring those advances to the rest of the College.

Issues of gender-based and sexual misconduct and violence are no exception.

Beyond the specifics of these issues, it bears mentioning that these statistics may not tell the whole story.

For many, completing the survey this past April may have been traumatic and as a result, some individuals may not have taken it to completion.

It may not therefore be fully representative of the community as a whole and all those who have experienced inappropriate and violent behavior.

Furthermore, the survey highlights the fact that many undergraduates still do not feel comfortable coming to the University with concerns related to sexual misconduct, despite being aware of the resources they may turn to.

While the recently released anonymous online Title IX reporting form Harvard may begin to address the problem, the University should evaluate why reporting mechanisms already in place have not been working.

The decades during which figures like Economics professor Roland G. Fryer, Jr. and former Government professor Jorge I. Dominguez were able to engage in “unwelcome sexual conduct” on campus speaks to the depth of the difficulties in reporting such actions.

We call on Harvard to consider the aspects of its processes that allow power dynamics, undermining language, and a fear of retaliation to discourage people from reporting sexual misconduct on

We implore the University to reevaluate both its administrative policies as well as the culture it perpetuates so that it not only seeks change, but achieves it. campus, and to work rigorously to rectify these shortcomings.

Surveys only yield information; statistics are not solutions. Harvard — its administration and broader community — must prioritize the issue the AAU survey brings to light.

That begins with University policy, but it also requires the effort, self-reflection, and courage of all Harvard affiliates.

We will continue to advocate such change until we realize what we all know to be true: Our Harvard can do better.

This staff editorial solely represents the majority view of The Crimson Editorial Board. It is the product of discussions at regular Editorial Board meetings. In order to ensure the impartiality of our journalism, Crimson editors who choose to opine and vote at these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on similar topics.

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Why is Academic Writing So Confusing?

I

t’s a story many students will find familiar. You sit in the library, doing your assigned readings, and notice yourself stumbling over the same few sentences. You re-read them but you’re still perplexed; the author uses advanced terms without explaining what they mean, and structures his sentences in the least straightforward way imaginable. You read them again. Once you finally feel that you understand the message, you’re crushed by the discovery that the next paragraph is even more confusing than the last.

If this sounds like you, don’t worry — you are not the problem. If the purpose of academic writing is to clearly communicate one’s ideas and research to the reader, then writing that is difficult to understand is bad writing. Period.

Many academic papers skip the process of defining basic terms and concepts; perhaps the authors assume that their work will only be read by other scholars in their field. But on the other end of the academic spectrum are “popular” works, which try to make some area of study understandable (and interesting) to the public.

The movie “Hidden Figures,” for example, is a work of popular history, because it tells the story of the African American women who helped America’s space program in an engaging and easyto-grasp way.

If the goal of our university system is to foster a well-educated public, not just to create a class of intellectual elites, then scholars who produce academic papers should be grateful to their peers who create “popular” works of academia. Unfortunately, this is seldom the case.

In many areas of scholarship, it’s commonplace to find a divide between “academics” and “popularizers,” where the former is often dismissive or condemnatory of the latter. For example, I was recently warned that a particular source in the history of science had received criticism for being “too much of a

popular history.”

This makes no sense. If we take a random popular history book off the shelf, then there are many valid critiques that could potentially apply to it. Maybe the book oversimplifies the facts, or it creates a false narrative in order to make history seem more interesting. However, it would be invalid to say the book is bad merely for being a work of “popular history.” We should praise authors who want to make history, science, and philosophy accessible to the public. We can suggest that they refine their methods, but we should be supportive of their goal. Instead, many academics seem to dismiss the popularization of their fields as a useless, risky pursuit.

To some academics, the idea of making a subject “understandable” is synonymous with making it deceptively oversimplified. I wholeheartedly disagree.

I think there are two potential reasons for this. The first is academic elitism. If you’re one of the world’s only scholars on the Flemish goose, then you’d naturally feel some pride in possessing a set of knowledge that very few people have. So, you might disapprove of a popular science book on the Flemish goose, as this would spread that knowledge to many people who weren’t originally part of your small club of academic goose-lovers. But, let’s be generous and assume that elitism isn’t the main cause for the academic-popularizer divide. Then, the only remaining reason for a scholar to oppose popular works is if they sincerely believe that academic fields can only be popularized through the use of major rhetorical or analytical flaws.

To some academics, the idea of making a subject “understandable” is synonymous with making it deceptively oversimplified. I wholeheartedly disagree.

“Don’t let the pen banish you from yourself. Don’t let the ink coagulate in your pens. Don’t let the sensor snuff out the spark, nor the gags muffle your voice.

Put your shit on the paper.” — Gloria Anzaldúa Laura S. Veira-Ramirez A WILD TONGUE

“I

t almost paralyzes you. This fear of writing.”

My therapist made this observation at the end of this past summer as I explained why I was scared to return to school and really confront the thesis I had been avoiding for months.

While I’ve already written a bit about how scary writing can feel, the stakes feel much higher now that I have to turn in a full project in just over four months. This thesis feels like more than just a project to wrap up my college career. I see it as a

As I struggle to reconcile my position as an outsider within, I hope I can do my communities justice with the opportunities I have access to at this institution. test-run to get an idea of whether or not I would be able to handle graduate school.

I’ve developed a more serious relationship with writing since I left STEM a little over two years ago. My view of writing shifted in my head as it became a part of my career — feeling more real as I felt more power in what I could put down on paper. However, with that empowerment through writing comes more pressure to produce engaged scholarship, and more pressure to produce coherent arguments that I can defend.

Advisors have pointed out the insecurity that comes across in my writing when it appears I am not even convinced myself by what I’m saying.

I’ve been encouraged to take pride in my work when I’m advised to keep on writing or get positive feedback on my articles. But I still have a hard time making it stick. It still takes an active effort to remind myself I should feel proud of my work.

I think about the way the fear paralyzes me every time I write something I know will be public.

I think about it every time I write a new piece. I

This thesis feels like more than just a project to wrap up my college career.

I see it as a test-run to get an idea of whether or not I would be able to handle graduate school.

@thecrimson

By DANIEl L. LEONARD

The Fear of Writing

Converting an academic subject into something that the public can understand is not easy, but it’s certainly possible. Communicating complex truths without being misleading requires skill and subtlety; rather than create some easy answer, you’ll need to be honest with your listener about the things that confuse even the foremost intellectuals in your field.

Some academics might think that this is too much for the public to handle, but I believe that the average person is a lot smarter than scholars give them credit for. Above all, scholars need to understand that humans have the natural tendency to view simpler arguments as more convincing. In 2015, U.S. Senator Jim M. Inhofe (R-OK) brought a snowball into Congress, essentially suggesting that global warming was a hoax because it was cold outside. This (familiar) argument is extremely simple, which, for many people, makes it especially convincing.

Those of us who wish to defend climate science are left with two options: Counter a simple lie with a 97-page research paper full of terms like the “albedo effect,” or counter a simple lie with an easy-to-understand version of the truth.

To me, the choice is clear. In order to get people to listen, we need scholars who are skilled at translating complex ideas into accessible language.

Harvard students are especially fortunate, as the quality of our education is unparalleled. For this reason, we should try to share what we learn with as many people as possible, whether we do it through making videos, articles, or even intelligent Twitter threads.

Once we free ourselves from the notion that academic knowledge can only be communicated through esoteric research papers, then we realize that every day offers us the opportunity to help educate (and learn from) those around us.

—Daniel L. Leonard ’21, a Crimson Editorial editor, is a joint History of Science and Philosophy concentrator in Winthrop House.

am thinking about it as I write this one. I worry people won’t like it. I worry I’ll accidentally say something wrong or that I’ll realize I’m actually not that good. After all, I’m the same insecure immigrant child who thought she wasn’t smart when her friends with college-educated parents used words she couldn’t understand. Most importantly, I fear I won’t do my communities justice.

I fear this Harvard name has distanced me from my people as I recognize the past — and current — harm academics from elite institutions have committed in studying our communities.

I worry my work won’t be accessible, reproducing the same college-educated language I wasn’t able to understand before coming here.

But then I am reminded of my position within this institution. I am reminded that my work won’t be taken seriously and that I will have to fight for it to be heard. I am reminded of the hateful comments I’ve received on my pieces in the past, which I expect to continue scrolling past.

I remember why I am writing. I remember why

I think about the way the fear paralyzes me every time I write something I know will be public. I think about it every time I write a new piece. I am thinking about it as I write this one. it’s so important to have people like me doing research and becoming professors for future students to see themselves represented in ways I haven’t seen myself represented enough.

The quote in my byline above comes from Gloria Anzaldúa’s letter to third-world women writers. She reminds me that we have a harder time feeling confident in our writing while white men write carefreely and neglect to acknowledge our work, passing us up as academics and experts in our own fields. By reading her work, my fear of writing makes more sense to me. It assures me that writers’ blocks are normal and that it does not mean we should give up or that we’re not good enough.

As I struggle to reconcile my position as an outsider within, I hope I can do my communities justice with the opportunities I have access to at this institution. Anzaldúa’s work reminds me that we should be the ones in charge of our narratives and our scholarship. We are not imposters in our writing. We can and should be more than just the subjects of our academic fields.

—Laura S. Veira-Ramirez ’20, a Crimson Editorial editor, is a joint concentrator in History and Literature and Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Leverett House. Her column appears on alternate Mondays.

Page 9

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | october 21, 2019

Sports

this weekend’s

Scores

women’s Volleyball vs. penn W, 3-1 ___________________________________________________________

woMen’s soccer vs. brown

l, 4-2 ___________________________________________________________

men’s soccer Vs. brown L, 3-0 ___________________________________________________________

women’s rugby vs. brown w, 42-14 ___________________________________________________________

Football vs. holy cross w, 31-21 ___________________________________________________________

men’s water polo vs. bucknell w, 9-8 ___________________________________________________________

field hockey vs. cornell w, 2-0 ___________________________________________________________

Football

Football Spoils Holy Cross Homecoming in 31-21 Win

By JOseph W. Minatel Crimson Staff Writer

The 2019 Harvard Crimson football team has not been one for hot starts. Every game, giving up a quick score has seemed like a rite of passage. The team, however, has capitalized directly following the sluggish starts. Even within the context of the season as a whole, an early stumbling has given way to a four-game winning streak.

“We still do this thing where we seem to give up a touchdown in the first series, and then we seem to play pretty much lights out for the rest of the game,” said senior defensive lineman Brogan McPortland. “It worked today, but we’re going to try to cut that out.”

While the trend was continued in Worcester, the Crimson (4-1, 2-0 Ivy) wasted no time in taking control of the game after an initial stumble to race ahead to an early lead that it would never relinquish. Boosted by defensive takeaways and 24 consecutive points in the first 20 minutes of the contest, Harvard swiftly retook the driver’s seat and spoiled a well-attended Holy Cross (3-4, 1-0 Patriot League) homecoming game, 31-21.

“It’s huge, the ability to get takeaways by our defense, because the opponent’s not getting anything,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. “It created short fields, created scoring opportunities, and it flat out was the difference in the game. Neither team was able to mount long drives, so when you had an opportunity, you better cash it in, and we were fortunate to get that early in the game.”

On just the third play of the game, Holy Cross lined up to attempt a conversion on third and one. Quickly darting between defenders just behind his offensive line, senior running back Domenic Cozier hit daylight just after crossing over the line of scrimmage. For the next 66 yards, he would go untouched into the end zone for the first score of the game, just 76 seconds into the contest.

“We’ve had three of our five games this year [where] the opponent has scored on the first or third play in the game,” Murphy said. “We’ve come back to win two of those and our coaches have done a great job making adjustments.”

Harvard, hoping to match the Crusaders on its first possession, did little to swing the momentum back in its favor before even running a play. A delay of game set the Crimson offense back five yards prior to

ever snapping the football.

Setup by a Holy Cross pass interference, Harvard capped off a nine play, 75 yard drive as junior quarterback Jake Smith found senior receiver Jack Cook streaking down the sideline.

The passer fit the ball into an over-the-shoulder window for an 18 yard touchdown to tie the game at seven points apiece.

Despite an unsportsmanlike penalty on Smith following the touchdown setting the kickoff back to the Crimson’s own 20, a fumble recovery on the kickoff sent Harvard’s offense right back onto the field. Poking the ball away was sophomore defensive back James Herring, whose special teams playmaking ability was highlighted last week by two blocked punts.

“Our defense came up huge on forcing some takeaways in the first half, and that really was the biggest focal point of the game,” Murphy said. “To have short fields and be able to punch those in and jump on these guys was really tell of the game.”

Harvard was propelled by impressive playmaking ability from its defense. The Crimson forced four fumbles, recovered three, got to the quarterback for five sacks, and added on an interception, all without captain defensive back Wes Ogsbury.

“I thought our defense played very well today,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy said.

“You know, we had some guys that were nicked up, we played a lot of different guys on the defensive line and we still managed to get pressure, and we still managed, to most of the time, be able to dominate the run or at least contain the run.”

This impressive defensive line performance was spearheaded by McPortland. The senior exploded for three sacks, gashing the Holy Cross offensive line. The veteran, playing in only his second game of the season, brought his season total to an impressive seven sacks.

“It feels good to be back,” McPortland said. “This my second game back, so I’m just excited to be back with the boys playing football again.”

For the Crusaders, McPortland’s performance was no surprise.

“You know there were times we had two guys on [McPortland] and he’s still able to get to the quarterback,” Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney said.” He’s a very good football player, and I think that’s something that we had anticipated and had an idea of, and he just had his way with us at times.”

Chesney was not the only person in attendance to recog-

nize McPortland’s impressive play. The senior was honored as the Johnny Turco Memorial Trophy winner following the contest.

“I didn’t even know they did a trophy, it’s cool that they give a trophy to the other team and I’m just happy to receive it,” McPortland said. “It’s gonna get dedicated to the D-line as a whole. That’s not just me, that’s a whole group effort.”

The defensive line certainly earned its stripes against the Crusaders’ offensive front. After the early 66 yard burst, the defense allowed only 16 rushing yards to compliment its five sacks.

“We’ve had to make that our identity this year, we just try to nut the run and then we know they’re going to have to drop back and that’s where we really strive, we’ve got a lot of guys can get after the quarterback,” McPortland said. “We thought they were probably the best O-line we’ve faced so far, but that’s our bread and butter so we love that, we love competing trying to get at the quarterback.”

Following a four minute drive of only 16 yards, senior kicker Jake McIntyre put a 36 yard field goal right down the middle to swing the lead in Harvard’s favor.

Despite the slowing of the game’s tempo, Harvard kept the momentum in its favor behind the line of scrimmage. Following a sweep blown up four yards in the backfield by senior defensive back Cole Thompson, scrambling Crusader quarterback Connor Degenhardt was stripped on just the second play of the drive, setting up yet another short field for Harvard.

This time around, the Crimson wasted no clock in capitalizing on the turnover. A 22 yard pass from Smith found junior tight end Ryan Reagan in the back of the end zone, putting Harvard up 17-7. Following its model of consistency, another unsportsmanlike conduct followed the score, setting the kickoff back 15 yards once again. Senior receiver Cody Chrest was the culprit this time around.

Despite the improved field position, a quick three-andout ended in a quick Holy Cross punt. By the conclusion of the first quarter, the Crusaders had only controlled possession for three and a half of the first fifteen minutes of play.

Unfortunately for Holy Cross, the second quarter started much like the first. First, the Crimson floundered just as they did to start the game. Two neg-

SACK ATTACK Junior defensive lineman Nassir Darnell nearly sacks Crusader quarterback Connor Degenhardt.

The play caller was sacked six times on the afternoon. Timothy r. O’meara—Crimson photographer

FORCED FUMBLE Linebacker Jordan Hill strips Crusaders quarterback Connor Degenhardt in the first quarter.

Harvard recovered three fumbles in the first half. Timothy r. O’Meara—Crimson photographer

ative plays set Harvard up for a third and 20, yet junior punter Sean McKeough pinned the Crusaders on their own five yard line.

Again, however, the tide quickly turned back to Harvard.

The Crusaders’ third lost fumble in their own territory came at its own three yard line, setting up the shortest field yet for Harvard.

Yet another score on the first play of the drive came from junior running back Devin Darrington, who darted, juked, and spun around three missed tacklers in the backfield before waltzing into the endzone to add to the Crimson’s now 17 unanswered and give Harvard a two possession lead.

Holy Cross did little to quell the swinging the Crimson tide.

A holding on the ensuing kickoff, despite a fair catch touchback, was followed by a false start to start the drive on the Crusader’s own 10 yard line. A negative rush, a dropped pass, and another fumble ended the drive before it even got the chance to get off the ground.

Luckily for Holy Cross, its fourth fumble squirted out of bounds and allowed the team to mercifully punt.

Possibly uncompelled by the Crusader’s minimal efforts to shift the momentum, a ferocious block that sealed Smith’s 30 yard scramble to start Harvard’s next drive was called back for a questionable blindside block penalty. The Crimson would punt to Holy Cross, setting up another seesaw that would result in a total of seven consecutive punts, a trend broken up only by halftime.

This back-and-forth continued throughout the entire contest, with a combined third down conversion rate below 25 percent and a total of 19 punts between the two teams.

The break offered more excitement than the the last 11 minutes of the first half thanks to the Crusaders’ fire-wielding baton twirler.

This slowing of offensive playmaking heading into the break was a new development for Harvard, yet came as no change for Holy Cross. The Crusaders finished the half with only 66 total yards, the same amount gained on their rushing touchdown on the third play of the game. This play also served as the Crusaders’ only first down of the first half.

Despite a three-and-out from Harvard, a booming 76 yard bomb from sophomore punter Jon Sot pinned Holy Cross on its own 10 yard line flipped the field and gave the Crimson better field position following the

Crusaders’ respective punt.

“A 76 yard punt,” Chesney said. “Damn. It got over our kid’s head. Our kid was at 55, not thinking [Sot] could kick 70 something in the air, and he did.”

Following a 10 yard loss due to the third errant Harvard shotgun snap to touch the ground, the Crimson pinned yet another punt inside the Crusaders’ 20 for the third time in the contest.

“I was a little disappointed in the special teams field position as well,” Chesney said. “But you know that little bit of wind, and the two different punters pose a little bit of a problem.”

For the second week in a row, the punt game proved immensely important for Harvard. Coming off of an impressive week against Cornell averaging 56.3 yards per punt, Sot’s 76 yard boot topped his previous career high by a single yard.

“You feel like you’re in an alternate universe, the way that our punters are punting the ball,” Murphy said. “We knew they were good. Obviously Jon was the first team All-Ivy kid as a freshman, but the combination of both those guys in different situational punts has been a weapon beyond even what we expected.”

Jon’s counterpart McKeough finished the game having downed five of his six punts inside the Holy Cross 20 yard line.

“We knew they were talented,” Murphy said. “All of a sudden they’re really embracing their role as being able to impact the game.”

Not one to break trends, Harvard started the third quarter with an interception across the middle of the field on its first play of the second half, gifting Holy Cross its first play run in Crimson territory on the day.

On the second play of yet another Crusader drive devoid of a first down, a 17 yard scamper from Cozier made the score 2414 just 33 seconds into the second half.

Outside of this early score, the back-and-forth punting was finally broken in a bizarre manner. A short punt taking a huge Harvard bounce was inexplicably jumped on by Crimson senior linebacker Joey Goodwin, despite the punt never having been touched. Instead of taking the advantageous field position, the mistake allowed Holy Cross to take over from Harvard territory. Luckily for the Crimson, sophomore Crusader kicker Derek Ng pulled a 49 yard field goal wide left.

Harvard wasted no time in capitalizing on the miss. For the third time this game, the Crim-

son would find the endzone on the first play of the drive, this time from 68 yards out on a deep catch and run from Chrest to give Harvard a 31-14 lead.

After Harvard’s next drive, a punt from McKeough pinned Holy Cross on its own six yard line, the fourth time the Crimson and the third time McKeough forced the Crusaders to start a drive inside its own 20.

The ensuing punt setup helpful Harvard field position at midfield, a position that helped McKeough pin Holy Cross inside its own red zone once again.

Despite finally gaining another first down, consistent pressure on the quarterback forced the Crusaders to punt yet again.

Having been bottled up for an underwhelming average of 2.9 yards per carry in the first three quarterbacks, Darrington showed off his speed and elusiveness to start a Harvard drive with two consecutive carries for 43 yards to eclipse 90 rushing yards for the fourth straight game. He would finish with 28 carries for 125 yards and a touchdown.

As a team, Harvard carried the ball a whopping 51 times for 161 yards. While only throwing the ball 19 times, Smith showed off playmaking abilities when necessary, finishing with three touchdowns.

Harvard was able to start in the red zone deep into the game thanks to another turnover deep in Holy Cross territory on a diving interception by junior linebacker Jack McGowan at the 16 yard line.

On the first play of the drive, Smith threw a poor ball into traffic, but a sure Crusader interception was soiled by a second defender colliding into the defensive back and inadvertently breaking up his own team’s turnover. An incomplete Crimson pass on fourth down a few plays later saved Holy Cross from the costly mistake.

With just over three minutes to play, the Crusaders finally started to show more life in their offense. Back-to-back screen passes for 48 total yards setup a 30 yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Tenio Ayeni and cut the deficit to 10 points with just 1:42 left in the fourth.

The score proved much too little, too late, as an unsuccessful onside kick gave Harvard possession once again. Just before the clock expired, McKeough booted the ball down to the Holy Cross six yard line for his fifth inside the 20 on the contest, sealing the 31-21 victory for the Crimson. joseph.minatel@thecrimson.com

THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

October 21, 2019

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