The Harvard Crimson - Volume CXLVI, No. 115

The Harvard Crimson The University Daily, Est. 1873 | Volume CXLVI, No. 115 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

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We are concerned Harvard’s return lagged behind the S&P 500

The women’s rugby team fell to Dartmouth this past weekend

Around the Ivies: How will Princeton and Dartmouth perform?

NCAA Allows Profit from Images

U.S. Rep. Stefanik Blasts Sanctions

By devin b. srivastava Crimson Staff Writer

In response to mounting pressure from a number of states to compensate student athletes, the NCAA’s top governing body voted unanimously Tuesday to allow student athletes to profit from their names, images, and likenesses.

The new policy marks a major shift from long-standing rules that prevented student athletes from any type of compensation while many NCAA member institutions earned millions of dollars from their athletics programs. The policy will impact teams from all three divisions of the NCAA, and each division must immediately begin working to ensure the schools are in complete compliance by no later than January 2021.

Harvard is a member of the NCAA’s Division I and has 42 varsity teams, the most of any Division I program in the country. Roughly 20 percent of the College’s undergraduate

By samuel w. zwickel

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Crimson Staff Writer

United States Representative Elise M. Stefanik ’06 (R-N.Y.) denounced Harvard’s social group sanctions as discriminatory and argued in favor of legislation protecting college students’ freedom of association during a committee hearing Wednesday.

“This right is undermined when students in single-sex organizations that are operating consistent with Title IX can be discriminated against purely because they join these organizations,” Stefanik said. “It has been deeply discouraging to see my college alma mater Harvard — which I love — institute harmful policies regarding single-sex organizations, unfairly punishing students who choose to participate in these groups.”

Stefanik’s comments came during a markup session for the College Affordability Act, a Democrat-driven reauthorization of the Higher Education ­

After Tuesday’s vote by the NCAA Board of Governors, student athletes will now be eligible to make money using their name as long as it is in line with their university’s guidelines. jonathan g. yuan—Crimson photographer

Political Analysts Talk 2020 at IOP By isabel l. isselbacher Crimson Staff Writer

S everal political analysts shared their perspectives on the 2020 presidential election and various candidates at the Institute of Politics Thursday in a panel discussion in the JFK Jr. Forum.

The discussion featured political experts Frank Bruni, Amy Walter, and David Axelrod – a New York Times op-ed columnist, national editor of The Cook Political, and former senior advisor to President Obama from 2009 to 2011, respectively.

It was moderated by Maya Sen ’00, a professor of public policy at Harvard Kennedy School.

Though the evening kicked off with a question about the upcoming Kentucky and Missouri gubernatorial elections, the discussion quickly turned to the 2020 presidential election field. The panelists noted the emergent theme of nationalization in the race, the way in which local and state elections have become inextricable from federal politics.

Walter said the “nationalization of races” poses a problem for Demoratic candidates ­

Frank Bruni (the New York Times) spoke with University of Chicago’s IOP Director David Axelrod, The Cook Political Report National Editor Amy Walter and Professor Maya Sen. thomas maissonnueve—Crimson photographer

Ten Elected to National Academy of Medicine By benjamin l. fu and meera s. nair contributing writers ­`Ten Harvard affiliates were elected to the National Academy of Medicine — a nonprofit organization that provides advice on issues related to medicine and health policy — last Monday.

The affiliates, who account for a tenth of the Academy’s newly elected members, were recognized for their demonstration of “outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service,” according to the Academy’s press release.

The faculty members — who are affiliated with the Harvard Medical School, the Harvard School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT — are Anthony P. Adamis, Elizabeth C. Engle, Tejal K. Gandhi, Daphne A. Haas-Kogan ’86, Scott L. Rauch, Peter L. Slavin ’79, Benjamin D. Som-

Inside this issue

Harvard Today 2

mers, Beth Stevens, Mehmet Toner, and Catherine J. Wu ’88.

Though National Academy of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau was not immediately available for comment, he spoke to the significance of being elected to the Academy in the press release.

“These newly elected members represent the most exceptional scholars and leaders whose remarkable work has advanced science, medicine, and health in the U.S. and around the globe,” he said.

Upon hearing of her election, Haas-Kogan, a professor of radiation oncology at the Medical School, said she was initially shocked but later felt grateful for the recognition.

“I have to confess I feel very undeserving and really feel that I owe it to all the people who have been on all my various teams throughout my

See MEDICINE Page 5

News 3

Editorial 4

running for office in red states where Republican candidates align themselves with the Trump presidency, while the Democrats must run as outsiders.

“And so that’s the question: Can a Democrat still win on local issues at a time when the nationalization of our politics is so intense?” Walter asked.

Walter added that Democrats appear deeply anxious about choosing a candidate that can pose a threat to Trump’s electoral chances in the general election. “On top of all of it is the deep worry among Democrats that they’re going to lose to Donald Trump,” she said.

While Walter said that Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)

— who is leading the polls — is a deft candidate, she said Warren has not yet captured the support of groups that currently serve as key constituencies in the Democratic party and seem to be supporting former vice president Joe Biden.

Axelrod also said he admired Warren’s campaign but had doubts as to whether her positioning herself as

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Theoretical physicist and writer Dr. S. James Gates Jr. spoke Wednesday evening about his newly released book titled “Proving Einstein Right” and the inspiration for its publication. joshua a. ng —Contributing photographer

Sports 7

Today’s Forecast

rainy High: 69 Low: 56

Act aimed at lowering the cost of postsecondary schooling.

Stefanik currently serves on the House Committee on Education and Labor, where the legislation is being proposed.

The College’s contentious sanctions — which took effect with the Class of 2021 — bar members of single-gender Greek groups and final clubs from leading extracurricular organizations, holding athletic captaincies, and receiving College endorsements for prestigious fellowships like the Rhodes.

On Tuesday, Virginia A. Foxx (R-N.C.) — the Committee on Education and Labor’s ranking member — introduced an amendment to the College Affordability Act that aims to ensure “non-retaliation against students of single-sex social organizations.”

Language in a working draft of the bill prohibits institutions that receive federal

See stefanik Page 5

Prof.

Launches Course on Poetry By elizabeth h. gellert and kavya m. shah contributing writers

Harvard American Literature Professor Elisa New recently launched an online English course for high school students in 29 schools nationwide as part of her larger Poetry in America initiative.

The course, offered through a partnership between Poetry in America, the Extension School, and the National Education Equity Lab, is titled “Poetry in America: The City from Whitman to Hip Hop.” The course focuses on American poets from 1850 through today, and how their writing can serve as a lens through which to view American cities.

Students learn by watching video lectures and participate via quizzes and writing assignments.

New declined to comment for this story.

High school students and teachers involved with the pilot had largely enthusiastic responses to the course.

English teacher Danielle Belson of Opelousas High School in Opelousas, Louisiana noted that her students are excited by the online environment of the class.

“They are very excited about the experience of being able to video [call],” Belson said.

Belson also said he students have developed their ability to synthesize poetry from different time periods.

“The assimilation that these students are experiencing is beyond what I, or anybody, anticipated,” Belson said. “Their development and their critical thinking — I’m amazed by it.”

When asked if she thinks that students will remember the course as a significant high school experience, she said, “Yes they will, yes they will.”

At the same time, Belson voiced concerns about the accessibility of the teaching staff.

When asked if there was anything that students wanted from the course, she said, “just more communication with the professors.”

Gregory S. Spencer, the ­

See poetry Page 3

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

OCTOber 31, 2019

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Harvard Today

For Lunch Grilled Pizza Sandwich Teriyaki Chicken with Scallions Soba Stir Fry with Tempeh

For Dinner Emerald Beef Stir Fry Spanish-Style Roasted Chicken Beijing Style Crispy Tofu

Today’s Events Trick or Treat: Crimson Circus Old Harvard Yard, 6-8 p.m.

in The Real World

Miss trick or treating and just want some candy? Join CEB and trick or treat around the Smith Campus Center starting at 6 p.m. for a night of fun costumes, fall themed foods, and giveaways. The best costume will get a

Twitter to Ban Political Advertising

Over concern about micro-targeted ads through social media and the spread of misleading political information, Twitter will ban all political advertisements on its platform globally. While some feel that this is a step in the right direction for factual information, others feel that this infringes on expression and see it as unwelcome censorship.

Harvard-Japan Career Fair SOCH Penthouse, 4-7:30 p.m.

Always wanted to work abroad?

Today offers the perfect opportunity to learn about work and internship opportunities in Japan! No language skills are required or assumed! Head to the SOCH for this career fair, and make sure to register online beforehand.

Spooky Halloween Organ Recital Memorial Church, 11 p.m.-12 a.m.

Put on your Halloween costume and join the Harvard Organ Society at Memorial Church for a spooktacular organ recital. This is the perfect way to get in the Halloween mood, and as a bonus, refreshments will be served!

Elon Musk Donates $1 Million Toward Planting Trees

Kiley Allen ‘22 takes the ball up the field during a match against Princeton. Harvard is set to play Dartmouth this Saturday. quinn g. perini—Crimson photographer

Daily Briefing United States Representative Elise M. Stefanik ’06 (R-N.Y.) denounced Harvard’s social group sanctions as discriminatory and argued in favor of legislation protecting college students’ freedom of association during a committee hearing Wednesday. Stefanik’s comments came during a markup session for the College Affordability Act, a Democrat-driven reauthorization of the Higher Education Act aimed at lowering the cost of postsecondary schooling. In other news, the NCAAruled Tuesday to allow student athletes to profit from their names, images, and likenesses.

The billionaire of Tesla fame recently pledged a million dollars toward planting a million trees as part of a fundraising effort from Youtuber Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson. Apparently, the campaign is aiming to plant 20 million trees spread over all continents (minus Antarctica). In typical eccentric fashion, Musk replied in a tweet: “Ok, sounds legit, will donate 1M trees”, and changed his name and profile pic on Twitter to “Treelon” and an image of a forest, respectively.

Around the Ivies YALE Yale University opened a new 240,000 squarefoot science building after four years of construction, according to Yale Daily News.

Yale consistently ranks highly in the humanities and social sciences but ranks lower in STEM research. The building represents Yale’s efforts to “reinforce the sciences at Yale.” The building will house a new Quantitative Biology Institute, a greenhouse, and laboratories to study aquatics and insects. Innovative new technologies will include high power microscopes and vibration-free laboratories.

COLUMBIA

A student advocacy group that aims to lessen the impact of gentrification in West Harlem held a town hall to discuss holding Columbia accountable for its Manhattanville expansion, the Columbia Daily Spectator reported. Columbia’s $6.3 billion expansion acquired 6.8 billion square feet of land in West Harlem to provide space for research opportunities for Columbia affiliates. Students and faculty have expressed concerns about Columbia’s role in displacing residents and erasing Harlem’s history and culture.

CORNELL

Cornell’s Interfraternity Council voted to cancel all registered events for this upcoming weekend following the death of a freshman student, Antonio Tsialas ’23, last weekend, the Cornell Sun reported. The student was last seen last Thursday night at a fraternity party, and his body was later recovered near Ithaca Falls in Fall Creek Gorge.

The executive board of the Interfraternity Council “overwhelmingly” voted in favor of this motion as a way to honor the student.

THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873

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

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Associate Managing Editor Jamie D. Halper ’20

Arts Chairs Kaylee S. Kim ’20 Caroline A. Tsai ’20

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FM Chairs Norah M. Murphy ’20 Abigail L. Simon ’20

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Editorial Chairs Jessenia N. Class ’20 Robert Miranda ’20

Blog Chairs Lorenzo F. Manuali ’21 Trula J. Rael ’21

Technology Chairs Nenya A. Edjah ’20 Theodore T. Liu ’20

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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Story Editors Angela N. Fu ’20 Jamie D. Halper ’20 Amy L. Jia ’21 Truelian Lee ’21 Michael E. Xie ’20

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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 31, 2019

Physicist Talks Relativity Book By kelsey j. griffin and austin w. li contributing writers

Brown University Physics professor Sylvester J. Gates, Jr. described how scientists found evidence for Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity in a talk at Harvard Wednesday evening.

The conversation — which was moderated by Harvard physics graduate student Delilah E. A. Gates — promoted the book “Proving Einstein Right,” co-authored by Sylvester Gates and novelist Cathie Pelletier.

The book details the stories of seven astronomers who found evidence to support Einstein’s theory of relativity in the early 20th century.

Wednesday’s discussion marked the latest in the Harvard Science Book Talks series, a collaboration between the Harvard Division of Science, Cabot Science Library, and the Harvard Bookstore.

The initiative aims to familiarize the public with recently published scientific literature.

Delilah Gates — Sylvester Gates’s daughter — opened the event by highlighting her father’s ability to simplify complex ideas into simple parts.

“I think a lot of his success is due to several qualities he has, including his creativity, his ability to break down complex subjects, and his ability to tell narratives,” she said.

Sylvester Gates said he was motivated to write his book to introduce his students and the public to the process of scientific discovery.

“This book is partly for my students,” he said. “I have been wanting for a long time to write a book where — for young people who are getting into STEM disciplines — they will be able to read about the real stories of the people who came before them.”

“The other reason why I wrote the book is because I wanted the public to have an inside view on what the life of a scientist is like,” he added.

During his talk, Gates said he aimed to humanize historical scientific researchers in

his book. He explained how Charles Davidson — one of the astronomers described in the book — refused to believe in the moon landing and gawked at the mini-skirts of the 1960s.

This is your birthright to do this.

This is what humans do. If you let them realize their dreams, and if their dreams are about science, they do great science.

S. James Gates Physics Prof. and Author of “Proving Einstein Right”

“These are the kinds of human details that you hear about these apparent giants,” Gates said.

When asked what he hoped his students would learn from his book, Gates recounted his own feelings as a college student of wanting to measure up to the great physicists of the past. He said that future scientists should know that they have the capabilities to succeed in the field.

“I would have liked to have had a senior person that I trust come back and tell me that you can do this too, that this is your birthright to do this. This is what humans do,” Gates said.

“If you let them realize their dreams, and if their dreams are about science, they do great science.”

Physics professor Melissa Franklin, who helped organize the lecture series, said she hopes the book talks will connect the public to science and scientific writing.

“More than any time, I feel that it’s wonderful that people are writing books about science, and we should celebrate that and get as many people in here as possible to read the books or at least learn about the books,” Franklin said.

“Science is extremely important.”

ncaa From Page 1

NCAA to Allow Profit from Images population play a varsity sport and are consequently subject to the NCAA’s proposed changes.

The NCAA stated in a press release that it is committed to preserving the “collegiate model” for athletics and will “maintain the priorities of education and the collegiate experience to provide opportunities for student athletes success.”

“The board’s action today creates a path to enhance opportunities for student athletes while ensuring they compete against students and not professionals,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a press release.

Athletics Director Robert L. Scalise wrote in an emailed statement Wednesday that the Ivy League has discussed the ­

question of student-athlete pay and will work to follow the NCAA’s new guidelines.

“In regard to the recent NCAA decision, this is a matter that we have been discussing with our Ivy League colleagues, and we will continue to work with them over the next year as new rules are implemented,” Scalise wrote.

Though student athletes will now be able to profit off their images, the NCAA still maintains that payment for anything related to athletic performance is impermissible.

Harvard athletics will continue to prioritize education when considering the question of student-athlete pay, according to Scalise.

“Here at Harvard, we be-

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lieve strongly in offering athletics programming that is part of the educational experience, and is co-curricular rather than extracurricular,” he wrote. “Education has always been our priority, and that will continue.”

Last spring, Scalise said in an interview that student-athletes should not be paid at Harvard.

Madison Earle ’20, president of the Student Athlete Advisory Council, wrote in a text that the NCAA’s decision could potentially disadvantage Ivy League programs’ ability to compete against other schools.

“I personally think that the Ivy League will remain consistent and uphold its values regarding amateurism for many years to come,” she wrote.

“This could be of detriment to

Ivy League athletes, as other leagues in the NCAA will start to receive benefits and sponsorships, which could negatively impact the caliber of performance of the Ivy League within the NCAA. “However, it is very difficult to predict what will happen in the next 5-10 years,” she wrote.

Former Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis, who teaches Freshman Seminar 49Y: “Amateur Athletics,” wrote in an email that the new policy is “definitely a step in the right direction by the NCAA.” “The strict interpretation of amateurism has never been fair to students, especially lower income students,” Lewis wrote. devin.srivastava@thecrimson.com

poetry From Page 1

Axelrod, Political Prof. Creates High Analysts Talk 2020 School Poetry Class to whether her positioning herself as a “fighter” will be received well by Democrat voters who are tired of how combative Washington has become.

He also said there is a “pervasive” sense of exhaustion among American voters. “[Warren] is a pugilist,” Axelrod said. “And the question is, at the end of the day, is the most effective message the message that says ‘I’m going to fight every day?’ Because we’re fighting every day.”

Bruni also said he did not think it would be a wise strategy for the Democratic nominee, whomever is chosen, to “fight” Donald Trump directly in the General Election.

“I feel very strongly that whoever gets the nomination should talk about Trump as little as possible, because people know what he’s doing, what he’s done, who he is – and what I think they want to hear is what you’re trying to fix” Bruni said.

K. Oskar Shultz ’22, an attendee at the forum, said that

Axelrod’s point about national exhaustion particularly resonated with him.

“People are just tired of Trump,” Shultz said. “That’s, like, what what I feel like as well – just getting up every morning and seeing a crazy Trump tweet . . . it’s just, like, exhausting.”

The panel concluded with a discussion about the impact Trump impeachment proceedings might have on the Democratic primary.

Axelrod said the impeachment might pose a difficulty for the Democratic candidates who currently serve as senators — including Warren, Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) — if the proceedings occur around the Iowa Caucuses Feb. 3.

“Rather than being in Iowa and campaigning, they’re going to have to be at their desks in Washington,” he said.

principal of the International Technology Academy, a satellite of Pontiac High School in Pontiac, Michigan, also spoke positively about the course.

Spencer said he believes that University President Lawrence S. Bacow’s visit to the academy in September 2018 was instrumental in creating the partner-

ship that exists with Harvard today — a partnership that continues with this course.

The assimilation that these students are experiencing is beyond what I, or anybody, anticipated.

Their development and their critical thinking – I’m amazed by it.

Spencer said that when the Extension School contacted Spencer about recruiting students for the “Poetry in America” course, his response was, “sounds great, just from the title.”

Spencer said that he believes the Poetry in America course, and others like it, can be valuable to students.

He said he hopes the pilot program represents a start, not an end, to Extension School courses at high schools.

“I’d love to see it continue forever, and I’d love to see it expand,” Spencer said.

Danielle Belson Teacher, Opelousas High School

isabel.isselbacher@thecrimson.com

The T closes. We don’t.

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I’d love to see it continue forever.

Gregory S. Spencer Principal, International Technology Academy

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | october 31, 2019

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Editorial The Crimson Editorial board

column

FY 2019: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

A Part of the Institution

T

o many, Harvard’s 6.5 percent return on its investments this year might seem like more of the same.

Another year, another drop in the bucket for the wealthiest university in the world. But there’s a lot more to unpack when it comes to Harvard’s fiscal health.

We are concerned that Harvard’s return lagged behind the S&P 500, as well as a standard 60-40 stock-to-bond ratio investment portfolio. But it should be noted that within the Ivy League only Brown was able to beat this second benchmark, which would have yielded nearly 10 percent returns this year.

As economic growth begins to slow in the U.S. and around the world, it’s not totally shocking to see lower returns to the endowment.

Additionally, Harvard logged a significant growth in operating surplus, which increased from $196 million to $298 million.

This increase speaks well of the University’s financial management under Harvard Management Corporation CEO N.P. “Narv” Narvekar.

Both of these outcomes may be due to increased caution in the runup to a potential recession. Fear of such a crash is building; two weeks ago an article in Bloomberg predicted a 27 percent chance of a crash in the next 12 months, a noted increase from its analogous prediction one year ago, but still less likely than before the 2008 crisis.

Either way, Harvard has signaled that it is in the midst of preparing for difficult

times.

A year ago, we praised University President Lawrence S. Bacow’s efforts to rein in budget inefficiencies and encouraging scenario planning, despite the health of the economy at the time.

One of the reasons Bacow and Harvard pushed for fiscal caution is the federal endowment tax, to which the University is subject for the first time this year. Harvard continues to lobby against the 1.4 percent tax, submitting its formal opposition to the Treasury Department this past month alongside more than 30 other universities. The tax would cost Harvard roughly $48.9 million, though the Treasury has not finalized its guidelines.

A ragtag crew of student opinion editors, we’re no HMC — nor do we aspire to be — but a 32 percent better return seems pretty compelling to us.

We continue to support Harvard in its opposition to the endowment tax, and believe that tight fiscal management is an essential defensive strategy as these lobbying efforts continue. But whatever approach Harvard takes to lessening the burden of the new tax, it should not under any circumstances cut financial aid, which it has cautioned may be necessary in a recent report. The Universi-

ty’s capacity to accept low-income students should not be up for debate, even in a budget crunch.

Finally, as Narvekar reaches the halfway point in his five-year plan for revamping the HMC, we would suggest — alongside many of our peers and others in our broader community — that now is as good a time as ever for the University to think about how it can shift its investments out of fossil fuels.

In May, we called on Harvard to divest from fossil fuels. We argued then that symbols matter, and we continue to stand proudly behind that position. But it strikes us that 2019 seems to pose a perfect example of how fossil fuel divestment may not only be symbolically significant but fiscally prudent.

Recent reports indicate that some green energy-based exchange-traded funds significantly outpaced fossil fuel investments, which saw only 1 percent growth in 2019, by 32 percent.

A ragtag crew of student opinion editors, we’re no HMC — nor do we aspire to be — but a 32 percent better return seems pretty compelling to us.

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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The Crimson op-eds@thecrimson.com Op-ed

Black Players White Fans

By PATRICK C. BARHAM QUESADA

O

ver the last decade and a half, the city of Boston has reigned over the professional sports world high and large. Their teams have reached and won championship games in virtually every year. The New England Patriots, in particular, have been the most successful team in the National Football League recently, winning three of the last five championships and bringing Patriots’ fans a lot of hometown pride.

But while watching a Patriots game this weekend, I looked into the stands and noticed that despite the fact that almost 70 percent of the leagues’ players were black, the audience in the bleachers was significantly different demographically. Although the NFL does not release any figures on fan demographics, I challenge anyone to look at the stands during a game and not notice what I did: black players and white fans.

This does not look great.

Though I can not speculate on the exact demographics of the audience, looking at teams’ back offices sheds a brighter light on this problem. Only two teams’ owners are people of color. The New York Times published an article earlier this year titled “The N.F.L.’s Minority Head Coaching Ranks Are Thinning,” which cites that though the NFL started last season with more black coaches than ever before in its history, a majority of those fired through the course of the year were also black. The article’s title speaks for itself: In the NFL, there exists a culture of black players and white coaches. The divergence between the demographics of those playing and those in more stable long-term management and coaching positions is extremely problematic. While players may earn sizeable salaries for a few years, their short tenures and social pressures result in up to 78 percent of players having financial distress or filing for bankruptcy.

This issue is even more pronounced when you consider the manner in which players and their contracts are managed, especially when transferring between teams. Players begin their career by being drafted and are essentially assigned to a team, and go on for the rest of their playing career being passed around and traded by teams, always with a dollar sign attached. Through this trading and buying of players, it is almost as if athletes are commodified and their basic humanity is reduced to a price tag.

The way we treat the athletes we cheer for must be informed by the social, racial and power dynamics that shape their careers.

This reduction can be best seen in the way in which the fans talk about the players. Rather than rooting for teams, fans now often root for individual players and express concern when players are injured or put out of commission — not for the players themselves, but for the impact that the players’ injuries will have on their fantasy rosters.

Injuries no longer are bringing out the sympathy of the fans, but mean tweets and personal attacks from fans who fault the very player for their injury, or from opposing teams’ fans who cheer on the injury. These injuries are not only extremely painful for the players, but can often mean the end of a player’s season or career.

Some might disagree with my characterization of the way in which players are traded and in the way that player’s contracts are described – they might argue that the players enter into the league freely and willingly. But even how freely this occurs can be questioned.

For many of the players, the time and

effort they have put into their sport has meant sacrificing time they could have put into their academics or career prospects. When players commit to playing for a college, they are promised an education in return, but some schools have demonstrably failed this.

Furthermore, when you are 26 and your life for the last 15 years revolved around football, you do not have much of a decision about what to do — it is all but the only option. When you get hurt, this can mean the end of not only your athletic career but also your only source of future livelihood.

Athletes, particularly those playing professionally, are human. We should treat them as such. Fans should respect them more and treat them in a more humane fashion, caring more for the people than the game. Teams should not buy and sell humans. They should especially not put their teams’ interest above their players’ by letting injured athletes play.

Overall, we need to stop objectifying athletes and become more caring, compassionate fans.

The way we treat the athletes we cheer for must be informed by the social, racial and power dynamics that shape their careers. The apparent racial divide between players, fans, coaches, and owners is a clear problem that must be accepted and addressed. It might not be possible to entirely overcome these divides, but an inability to totally address them should not prevent us from confronting them.

In the end, we must ensure that athletes are not a product and that fans are not the consumers, especially when those in the stands or in the back office and those on the field look as different demographically as they do. As it is now, it’s a bad look.

—Patrick C. Barham Quesada ’21, a Crimson Editorial editor, is a Government concentrator in Pforzheimer House.

Jessenia N. Class and Robert Miranda OPINING FROM THE CHAIR

O

utwardly, Harvard students present as innovators. To others, we’re elite college progressives who challenge the current system, demanding it to align with us and our values. We’re socially conscious learners, the “snowflakes” bending the storm to weather to our will.

We write. We protest. We rally. We advocate. We scrape change out of this place and cast the remnants of an antiquated system from under our fingernails.

To some extent, there’s some truth to this perception. The people, education, and experiences on this campus force us to think beyond ourselves and imagine a future we actively design. But social politics on our campus tell a different story.

Within the ivy-covered walls of our ivory tower, we cling to generations of self-imposed hierarchies and rules, governing our roles and our leadership, generating the social stratification that drives many of our actions. This initial desire to change becomes difficult to see from the inside.

Certain social circles are selective, closed; one must adapt to a culture and be vetted for the veneration that comes with inclusion.

Some student organizations exist within hierarchies, often with seemingly hundreds of pages of rules — written or unwritten — that its members immediately adopt, take themselves, and fold into their personalities. We dive so quickly and so deeply into various facets of this institution that we become them. To ask these institutions, then, to change? How do we alter an institution and a system we find ourselves so deeply knotted in?

It’s interesting how this comes about. When we first arrive on campus, many of us hang on to the character whom we formed throughout our first 18 years of life. In our first few months in Harvard Yard, we stay connected with our high schools, our communities, our old friends — regardless of whether they are in Boston, Los Angeles, or Singapore.

But something changes near the end of our first semester, as we begin to cast off our old selves and fully begin to adopt Harvard for ourselves.

We understand (or at least begin to) the campus, its people, how things work to get things done. We know which groups to join, which to avoid, which to look up to, and which to critique. Hierarchies begin to solidify in our minds.

As a result, we begin to adopt the structures and strictures that the groups we comped our first semester impose on us. While it is critical to find a community here and make Harvard your own, there’s a limit to where you as an individual should shift yourself and your views to fit that of an institution.

Within the ivy-covered walls of our ivory tower, we cling to generations of self-imposed hierarchies and rules, governing our roles and our leadership, generating the social stratification that drives many of our actions.

These shifts aren’t necessarily bad, depending on the group and how we feel about it. But these changes within ourselves, and our new willingness to support different causes, values, or organizations provide an interesting look at how we adapt so quickly to our surroundings.

Some of us come to this campus not knowing anyone or anything about its institutions, but by the end of our first year, we’re fully on board with the unwritten rules that make Harvard run.

We adopt the precedents that prior generations of Harvard students have cobbled together over time, and we hold fast to them, as if we’d made them ourselves.

Rules and norms exist for a reason, often to fill a necessary void or gap within the way Harvard runs.

And perhaps there’s an argument to be made about the strength of social networks or the cultural capital that one leverages when they adopt an institution and befriend its traditions and systems.

There’s a history of others who followed the same path, saluting you as you walk it yourself, showing you that there’s value in upholding the institution as is. But there is a disconnect between the way our campus outwardly presents as a socially-conscious, activist-oriented place, and the ways in which we all respect and do our part to cohere to the traditions of students past, actively or not.

At times, when we intertwine ourselves so deeply with these institutions and their hierarchies, its effects ripple beyond constraining our intentions to enact change.

It affects our social lives, our friendships, and even the way we interact with certain spaces on campus — and this can quickly become toxic if we don’t recognize ourselves and others outside of the circles we keep.

In order to reconcile our past and present selves, there is a need to divorce the individual from the institution. As individuals, as students, and as change-makers, we need to reflect on what our true goals are as members of our communities or institutions, irrespective of any larger group missions.

We need to weigh what is important to us, and create the change that we want to see, and the future we want to be ours.

—Jessenia N. Class ’20, a Crimson Editorial Chair, is a Cognitive Neuroscience and Evolutionary Psychology concentrator in Quincy House. Robert Miranda ’20, a Crimson Editorial Chair, is an English concentrator in Pforzheimer House. Their column appears on alternate Thursdays.

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON | october 31, 2019

U.S. Rep. Stefanik Blasts Harvard Sanctions funding under the Higher Education Act from “taking any adverse action” against affiliates of single-gender social clubs on the basis of those organizations’ single-sex membership policies.

In her remarks Wednesday, Stefanik — a former Crimson editorial editor — lauded the roles that she believes single-gender clubs play to “foster leadership, promote academic achievement, and encourage civic and campus involvement through philanthropic activities.”

“This bipartisan proposal will protect students’ rights to freely associate and uphold access to the unique and supportive environments that can be fostered through these organizations,” Stefanik said.

Harvard spokesperson Rachael Dane wrote in a statement that the College’s position is “a measured and lawful policy” that does not discriminate against any student.

“Harvard College seeks to build a community in which every student can thrive, and it does so on a foundation of shared values, including belonging, inclusion, and non-discrimination. In accordance

with these values, and for more than a century, Harvard has not had a Greek-life system on campus,” Dane wrote.

“Harvard should not have to change its commitment to non-discrimination and educational philosophy for outside organizations that are not aligned with our long-standing mission.”

Still in an early stage of the legislative process, the College Affordability Act is moving forward. Stefanik’s spokesperson — Madison Anderson — wrote in an email that the bill was expected to pass a committee vote on Wednesday, though the committee ultimately did not finish marking up the bill that night as planned.

If the bill succeeds, Harvard may have little freedom to enforce its policies.

Recent attempts at reauthorizing the Higher Education Act have failed to draw bipartisan support. The PROSPER Act — a proposed overhaul that passed the House committee in December 2017 — threatened certain financial aid programs across the nation and contained a similar provision threatening the sanctions, provoking concern from former University

President Drew G. Faust. But the Republican-drafted legislation, effectively dead after the November 2018 midterm elections, never moved to the full House or Senate for a formal vote.

Over the summer, Stefanik joined Ruben M. Gallego ’02 (D-Ariz.) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers in introducing the College Freedom of Association Act, a bill seeking to amend the Higher Education Act with a rule upholding freedom of association protections for members of single-gender organizations. This and the PROSPER Act are the consequence of a concerted lobbying effort funded in part by single-sex clubs in Cambridge.

Current legislation is not the only effort threatening to derail the College’s social group sanctions.

Parallel state and federal lawsuits allege Harvard’s policies violate students’ freedom of association and constitute sexbased discrimination. A judge ruled in August that the federal challenge will move forward; the discovery phase of the litigation is expected to begin soon.

Ten Faculty Join National Academy of Medicine career,” she said.

Sommers, a professor of health policy and economics at the School of Public Health, said he does not foresee that his election to the Academy will change his work’s focus on improving access to quality healthcare.

“That remains my priority,” he said. “But it does give a sense of recognition that the work that I and my colleagues have been doing has value.”“It is further motivation to keep doing this sort of research,” he added.

Toner, a professor of surgery at the Medical School, said he feels his election to the Academy gives him a “bigger platform” to address medicine’s most pressing issues. “This is

samuel.zwickel@thecrimson.com

not just a simple accolade that you collect, but it also comes with responsibilities,” he said.

Wu, chief of the Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said the election of nine of her fellow Harvard faculty members to the Academy is both unsurprising and a testament to the pioneering work of the Harvard community.

“It just speaks to the breadth of work that we as a community undertake,” Wu said. “We are truly in a vibrant community of scholars and scientists and physicians who have a deep passion and vision for how we want to make things better for our pa-

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tients.”

Adamis, an ophthalmology lecturer at the Medical School, was elected to the Academy for his co-discovery of a growth factor that contributes to eye disease.

His team’s previous work involving this growth factor also won them the 2014 Champalimaud Vision Award, a prestigious award in the field of vision science. Adamis said his career achievements largely stem from work that originated at Harvard.

“It was all the opportunities I had there as a faculty member, to have protected time to do research for what I wanted to do,” he said.

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October 31, 2019

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON | October 31, 2019

Sports

In Other News

WOMEN’s SOCCER

Men’s WATER POLO

Women’s soccer defeated Princeton 2-1 on Saturday, improving to 11-3 on the season ahead of its weekend showdown with Dartmouth

Men’s water polo remains unbeaten on the season after a perfect weekend in Santa Clara. They return home to face St. Francis (N.Y.) on Saturday.

football

Around the Ivies: Will Princeton and Dartmouth Roll?

By JOSEPH W. MINATEL Crimson Staff Writer

Yesterday, the NCAA delivered bombshell news that it would begin to allow players to profit off of their likenesses. Sports journalists across the country have tried to synthesize what this actually means. We even sent out our own column in order to ride the wave, written by my fellow sports chair, Henry Zhu ‘20, and myself. We definitely did not want to miss out on this news, had to make sure we could grab a piece of the pie.

We tried to answer a simple yet complex question: what does this mean for Harvard athletes?

I, however, have an even better question: what does this mean for the college journalists who cover these athletes?

If these student-athletes can make some money off of their likenesses, why can’t I? Student journalists all put in time, and we work hard here at 14 Plympton Street. The building is bustling at all hours, and it is hard to see all of the intense manpower that goes unnoticed. And what do we get for all this work?

Student experiences? Resume additions? Lifelong community? Yeah, sure, but I sure noticed that cash money wasn’t on that list whatsoever. Therefore, I announce that my Crimson email and my Twitter DMs listed at the bottom of this page are officially open to advertisers. Come one, come all.

I’ll be able to market any product in these articles; it’s amazing that half of this stuff makes it in here anyways. I’ll slip it in just like you can easily slip into Levi’s new flex-fitting jeans!

(See?) Sure, you can go after Justin Herbert to market Nike.

But you also have me. My reader base includes my parents, my brothers if they have nothing to do in study hall, and maybe even more in the future. Keep an open mind.

What does this have to do with this week’s Ivy League ­

football slate, you may ask? No clue. Let’s get to the picks.

PRINCETON VS. CORNELL Undefeated Princeton saw its toughest test of the season this past week, winning by only one possession for the first time this season. The Tigers have shown their mortal colors in league play: they have trailed at the half in two of their three Ancient Eight matchups and they allowed points to Brown. Clearly, this Goliath is not invincible.

Fortunately for Princeton, this week’s matchup comes against Cornell. Two weeks ago, I picked the Big Red to top a previously winless Colgate in an upstate New York showdown. The Raiders got its first win in its previous 10 contests.

Cornell then played Brown, where I posited that the Colgate game was just a fluke. The Big Red couldn’t possibly drop a game to the lowly Bears. Well, the impossible happened. Cornell only won on a game-winning field goal that clanked off the left post, sealing the game by mere inches. Beating Brown on a game-winning field goal is about as low as a team can go, since losing is basically against the laws of nature. Princeton shouldn’t have much trouble.

Princeton by 24.

COLUMBIA VS. YALE Neither of these two teams have played particularly well as of late. Last week, the pair of defenses combined for an even 100 points allowed. While Yale actually won its contest, Columbia understandably allowed its 59 points to the redhot Dartmouth. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, gave up a head-scratching 41 points to Penn, who has not yet secured its first conference victory. Yale has now given up more than 40 points in two of its last three contests.

This week, the Lions will be heading up to New Haven for

SOMETHING SPECIAL Harvard’s special teams has put together phenomenal performances this season, blocking seven kicks in six games and consistently pinning opponents deep into their own territory. TIMOTHY R. O’MEARA—Crimson photographer

what could be a close matchup with the Bulldogs. This trip is possibly very familiar for some of New York’s finest, as reports surfaced this week that Big Apple Mayor and former presidential hopeful Bill DeBlasio used a police detail to chauffeur his son to and from school at Yale.

I would possibly pick Columbia if I knew that the team had an NYPD escort. These reports could not be confirmed or denied.

Yale by 3.

BROWN VS. PENN Brown is in an interesting situation once again this week: for the second straight week, both teams in the Bears’ contest will be winless in conference play.

This is a situation that is sure to never occur again during this season, as these two squads are the last two winless teams in the Ivy League. For the rest of the season, however, I bet that Brown will play in a game in which one of the teams does not have an Ancient Eight victory.

Penn by 14.

DARTMOUTH VS. HARVARD In a tough stretch of the season, Harvard follows up playing the ranked, undefeated Princeton with a matchup against the ranked, undefeated Dartmouth. While the Tigers has not lost since 2017, the Big Green may be the new best team in the conference. Dartmouth hasn’t seemed to have any difficulty the past few weeks, and the Big Green Defensive MachineTM has been aided recently by a high-powered offense that has topped 40 points in three

straight weeks.

Harvard, however, has not yet lost at home this season, and played Princeton closer than any team this season. This game is far from over, and Dartmouth would be foolish to look ahead to next week’s matchup with Princeton in Yankee Stadium. Although I’m sure it’s exciting even a week away for New Yorkers, as the baseball venue has been mostly empty for some time now. Go Nats and Max Scherzer on Wednesday night. joseph.minatel@thecrimson.com

Women’s Rugby

Harvard Falls to Rival Dartmouth in Championships

By LUCY CONNOR Crimson Staff Writer

This past weekend, the Harvard women’s rugby team (5-1) fell to Dartmouth (2-2) in the Ivy League Championship, 41-22.

The Crimson beat the Big Green early on this season in Septem­

ber, 50-32, but the team was unable to channel that same energy in order to see a similar result this past Saturday.

“We always go into Dartmouth games knowing that they are going to be a really challenging opponent,” senior captain Robyn Beese said. “In

preparation for the game, we emphasized the mental game because we knew we had the ability to beat them, but only if we were completely switched on and fully present for the entire 80 minutes of play.”

The first half consisted of steady and intense back-and-

forth scoring. Dartmouth got on the board first with an early penalty kick, but Harvard responded with Cassidy Bargell’s try in the 27th minute. At the end of the first half, Dartmouth had the lead, 10-7.

“We played really well in the first half. Every set was su-

THE ‘OLE COLLEGE TRY Harvard was unable to top its rival Dartmouth, but will have another crack next month when they face off in the NIRA semifinals on November 9. QUINN G. PERINI—Crimson photographer

per strong and Dartmouth was unable to break our line,” Beese said. “They only scored on lucky breaks or capitalizing on our personal mistakes, such as dropped balls.”

In the beginning of the second half, the two teams continued to score and respond. After ten minutes of back-and-forth play, and tries from Harvard players, sophomore Sofia Fella and first-year Achele Agada, the game was tied at 17-17.

However, a few costly errors swung the momentum in favor of the Big Green, and Dartmouth took the lead 29-17. Harvard was unable to respond effectively and regain its previous intensity.

“The second half was really challenging mentally because it’s really difficult to keep a high level of pressure consistently,” said Beese. “Sometimes when we drop the ball, our heads can go down, and it can be difficult to recover from. The momentum shift in the second half was hard to counteract.”

Harvard senior Sarah Lipson’s try with six minutes left was not enough to bring the Crimson back into the game, and Dartmouth left the field victorious with the Ivy League trophy in hand.

However, this is not the last time these two teams will see each other this season. Harvard will have an opportunity for vengeance when the team sees Dartmouth in two weekends in the NIRA semifinals.

The Crimson will focus on fixing mental errors and basic mistakes in the next couple of weeks in order to be successful.

“It is good to know that we are in control of a lot of the mis-

takes we made. We have a good handle on the adjustments we are going to make,” said senior captain Emily Prentice. “We just need to work on our execution. We’re focused on mitigating the small errors and turnovers, and capitalizing on the opportunities we have.”

Dartmouth won the Ivy League Championship three years in a row, from 2015-2017, but Harvard ended the Big Green’s streak with the Crimson victory last year. Though the Crimson won Ivies, Dartmouth defeated Harvard in the NIRA tournament.

The Harvard-Dartmouth women’s rugby matchup has evolved into an intense, unpredictable rivalry that always presents a fierce and engaging game.

“We make each other better and we push each other. Having Dartmouth in the Ivy League with us is just not only helping our team advance, but it also helps advance Ivy League rugby in general,” said Prentice.

“It’s exciting because at any given point it could go either way. It is a really special opportunity to play them multiple times a year.

The rivalry is not one of hatred or contempt, but rather of respect. These two teams continue to challenge one another, improving both teams and the game of rugby as a whole.

The next matchup on Saturday, November 9, is sure to be one of intensity and ferocity, as the Crimson will seek to avoid a second consecutive defeat to its biggest rival with a trip to the NIRA Championship the next weekend on the line. lucy.connor@thecrimson.com

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October 31, 2019

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