The Harvard Crimson - Volume CXLVI, No. 64

The Harvard Crimson The University Daily, Est. 1873 | Volume CXLVI No. 64 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | wednesday, may 1, 2019

editorial PAGE 4

SPORTS PAGE 5

sports PAGE 5

Harvard University Health Services should improve students’ health literacy.

Women’s water polo finishes fourth at CWPA Championships.

Men’s lacrosse finishes season with a loss to Yale.

Univ.

PBHA To Implement New Public Service Model Creates Digital Policy

By SHERA S. Avi-yonah and delano r. franklin Crimson Staff Writers

A s the College searches for a new assistant dean for public service, the Phillips Brooks House will pursue “a different model” of programming, College Dean for Administration Sheila C. Thimba said in an interview Tuesday.

Thimba said Phillips Brooks House will centralize and streamline public service opportunities at the College, apply to become an academic center, and develop programming focused on social entrepreneurship.

She added that the College will also form a search committee — which she will chair alongside Institute of Politics Director Mark D. Gearan ’78 — to select the new dean.

Thimba — who has led Phillips Brooks House in an interim capacity since former public service dean Gene A. Corbin’s departure last May — said the changes to public service initiatives came out of a review she oversaw to assess the College’s current offerings. A 2017 $12 million dollar gift from Priscilla Chan ’07 and Mark Zuckerberg ‘06 spurred the review.

“We’re also hearing from students who are saying it’s really hard to navigate this landscape, there’s a lot going on,” Thimba said. “Priscilla Chan remembered that from her experience, and she basically included in her gift some money for us to do some internal assessment to figure out how we ­

By Alexandra a. chaidez and aidan f. ryan Crimson Staff Writers

Harvard is implementing a digital accessibility policy intended to make its websites and webbased applications more accessible to those with disabilities, the University announced Thursday.

The new policy will apply to any public-facing websites or applications within the University’s domain. The policy will go into effect for existing websites and any new digital content created or revised on or after Dec. 1, 2019.

The policy is meant to improve digital accessibility through means including captioning videos and formatting websites for screen reader compatibility, according to the policy’s associated FAQs. This new policy comes on the heels of an ongoing lawsuit against Harvard alleging the school failed to close caption and provided inaccurate captions for its public online content — including YouTube, iTunes U, Harvard@Home, and the Extension School’s sites.

See DIGITAL Page 3

Phillips Brooks House stands in the northwest corner of Harvard Yard and houses several College public service programs. Administrators are currently searching for a new faculty director to head the organization. delano r. franklin—Crimson photographer

can brand better and how we can better map the terrain for students.”

The review prompted the decision to create two positions — one assistant dean and one faculty director — to oversee public service.

Thimba said Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana recommended that the Phillips Brooks House also apply for recognition as an “academic center,”

meaning a faculty member would lead it.

“Think about the Safra Center or the Rockefeller Center — they organize the activities in such a way that they can be branded, right, they can have the kind of leadership and support that the work needs,” she said.

“Somebody who’s a senior faculty member with appropriate status and who can convene

conversations around service at a broader level, who can engage other faculty in this work, who can get donors interested in supporting us, who can give strategic direction to the staff,” she added.

Thimba added that she hopes the updated Phillips Brooks House will incentivize more undergraduates to engage in public service work. In particular, she said the updated pro-

grams will be aimed at attracting students who study the natural sciences to the northwest corner of Harvard Yard.

“We do have students who come out of the sciences and engineering, but not that many,” she said. “And so there are students who have not quite found a home here.”

She also said she thinks

See THIMBA Page 3

Former Ireland Pres. Talks Climate Change Prof. Emeritus Martin Kilson Passes at 88

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and Professor John Holdren, who teaches environmental policy at the Kennedy School, discuss climate change at the IOP Tuesday. amy y. li—Crimson photographer

By AMY Y. Li Contributing writer

Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson discussed the intersections of the science of climate change, feminism, and

climate justice at a Harvard Institute of Politics event Tuesday evening.

Professor of Environmental Science and Policy John P. Holdren moderated the conversation, beginning with a brief syn-

opsis of current scientific perspectives on climate change, arguing that there is a spectrum of options for mitigating its effects. Holdren asked Robinson — who started a foundation to educate people around the world

about climate justice — to explain how she came to understand the “multiple justice dimensions” of climate change.

“I was a very slow learner, if you like,” Robinson said. “I say with all humility that I came late to climate change.”

Recalling her time serving as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights between 1997 and 2002, Robinson said she does not recall “making any significant speech on climate change.” She said her perspective changed, however, after she started doing social and economic justice work in Africa, where she saw and heard firsthand climate change’s impacts on human rights.

“I kept hearing this phrase, it was the same everywhere I went, really: ‘Things are so much worse now,’” Robinson said.

Robinson also discussed how a changing climate will have “intergenerational” impacts.

She acknowledged how recent global youth climate strikes and the Extinction Rebellion movement’s demonstrations in

See climate Page 3

Night Market Closes in Harvard Square By eLLEN M. BURNSTEIN and SYDNIE M. COBB Crimson Staff Writers

Night Market, a Harvard Square eatery offering a variety of street food-inspired Asian dishes, closed its doors on April 19.

Night Market’s departure marks the latest store to leave the Square, following a string of closings including Crema Cafe, Chipotle, and LF among others in recent months. Several stores have been forced to vacate after their buildings were sold to new owners, while others have struggled with attracting cusInside this issue

Harvard Today 2

tomers in an age of online shopping.

Denise Jillson, the executive director of the Harvard Square Business Association, said that Night Market had trouble drawing patrons in recent months, and cited broader trends in the restaurant industry. “[The closing] probably has a lot to do with not having enough customers. That’s just the beginning and end of many stories in the world of restaurants these days. It’s a very competitive market,” Jillson said.

Night Market was located

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News 3

Editorial 4

Night Market, a street food restaurant on Winthrop Street, closed earlier this month. alsion chen—Crimson photographer

Sports 5

Today’s Forecast

By rebecca s. araten and sonia f. epstein Crimson Staff Writers

G overnment Professor Emeritus Martin L. Kilson, Jr., the first African American to receive full tenure at Harvard, died in hospice on April 24 of congestive heart failure at the age of 88.

Kilson was a prominent scholar of African politics, and a key figure behind the development of African American studies as an academic discipline and a department at Harvard. He used a comparative approach to study the political perspectives of different ethnic groups in the United States, and co-edited a 1976 essay collection with Robert I. Rotberg that was the first published work to use the term “The African Diaspora.”

“His legacy consists of thinking openly and honestly about African matters, African American matters, and telling the truth like it is,” said Rotberg, who has known Kilson since the 1960s when they both worked at Harvard.”

Kilson earned his doctorate in political science from Harvard in 1959 after graduating from Lincoln University in 1953 as valedictorian. Lincoln University announced on April 16 that it would award Kilson with an honorary degree at its 2019 commencement ceremony.

After receiving his doctorate, Kilson conducted research in West Africa on a fellowship, and in 1962 he became the first African American faculty member to teach at Harvard College.

He received full tenure in 1969.

Kilson published his first book, “Political Change in a West African State: Study of the Modernization Process in Sierra Leone,” in 1966 to significant scholarly attention. His second book on African politics, “New States in the Modern World” was published in 1975.

“His publications are important even today, especial­

CLOUDY High: 53 Low: 45

ly his writings on Sierra Leone and Ghana,” Rotberg said.

Described as a “gentle, yet persuasive” teacher by The Crimson in 1964, Kilson actively engaged with his students, hosting them for home-cooked meals multiple times a month.

Among his many mentees was public intellectual and Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy Cornel R. West.

“He exposed me to an international dialogue about justice, about power, about structures and institutions,” West said in a 2017 video created by Brainwaves Video Anthology. “That relationship, which began when I was 17 years old in 1970, remains strong to this day, 47 years later. He is still my teacher, and I have been so blessed to have him in my life.”

Kilson also served as one of the faculty sponsors of the Harvard-Radcliffe Association of African and Afro-American Students. In that role, he urged his mentees to avoid “tribalism or complete absorption.” “[T]here is simply a plethora of contexts and circumstances in which each black student at Harvard can end the black isolation that chokes off the full range of benefits that are available at white colleges,” he wrote in a 1978 Crimson editorial. “[E] ach student must act within his or her immediate context, and wait not upon the weight of the herd to propel change.”

Kilson promoted individualism — best illustrated by his eclectic style and distinctive cowboy hat — as well as multiculturalism and a “humanistic boldness” drawn from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “The things we remember as young children is a house full of all kinds of people from all over the world and all walks of life,” said Hannah L. Kilson, Kilson’s daughter. Hannah Kilson pointed out that her mother, Marion Dusser de Barenne Kilson, is white, and she and her sibling’s

See kilson Page 3

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weld study break

THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

may 1, 2019

Page 2

Harvard today

For Lunch Turkey and Provolone Panini Margarita Pizza on Multigrain Crust Spicy Vegetable and Potato Curry

For Dinner Butter Chicken Red’s Best Fresh Catch Palak Paneer

Today’s Events LDOC 2019 - Paradise 3-6 p.m.

Perfect for those of us who aren’t content with just taking a nap to celebrate the last day of classes, the College Events Board is going all out to help us end the semester on a high note. From free snacks and performances to a full-on spa and crafts on the Science Center Plaza, there really is no better way to say goodbye to the spring semester.

The Diary of Anne Frank Performance 7:30-9:45 p.m.

Students from across campus will be performing in “The Diary of Anne Frank” tonight in the Loeb Drama Center. With free tickets and an immersive lobby experience, this is sure to be a thought-provoking, powerful, and educational way to spend your evening while supporting the arts on campus.

in The Real World Indian Army Says it Found Yeti Footprints in Himalayas

The Indian Army recently discovered 32 inch by 15 inch footprints of what it says may be a yeti near a basecamp on Mount Makalu. Maybe those bedtime stories about Bigfoot you were told as a child aren’t so far-fetched after all.

President Trump, Democrats Agree to a $2 Trillion Infrastructure Package

Student performers dance during the Eleganza Show on Saturday night at The Bright-Laundry Hockey Center. SOLOMINA M. DARKO — Crimson photographer

Over the next 25 years, a huge amount of money will be spent on building more highways and bridges as well as improving broadband and air travel. Another meeting will be held in three weeks to discuss funding possibilities.

Daily Briefing Harvard is implementing a digital accessibility policy intended to make its websites and web-based applications more accessible to those with disabilities, the University announced Thursday. This new policy comes on the heels of an ongoing lawsuit against Harvard alleging the school failed to close caption and provided inaccurate captions for its public online content. In other news, as the College searches for a new assistant dean for public service, the Phillips Brooks House will pursue “a different model” of programming, College Dean for Administration Sheila C. Thimba said in an interview Tuesday.

Around the Ivies princeton

Radical protesters who self-identified as Christians staged a protest in front of Marx Hall, telling passersby they “must obey Jesus or face hellfire” Monday afternoon, according to the Daily Princetonian. The demonstrators took turns holding a sign targeting people including “The Pope,” “Muslims,” “homos,” and “whores,” among others. One of the four protesters was Aden Rusfeldt, the pastor of Key of David Christian Center, a self-described non-denominational Christian Church located in Philadelphia.

PENN

The Penn Museum will move its 12.5-ton Egyptian Sphinx — the largest in the Western Hemisphere — from its Egypt Gallery to its main entrance hall, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian. This change marks the first time the sphinx, which was first brought to the museum in 1913, has been relocated since entering the Egypt Gallery in 1926. The move is part of the museum’s three-phase building transformation project meant to revamp the museum’s appearance and attract visitors from the greater Philadelphia area.

columbia

The Food Pantry at Columbia, officially recognized in December 2016, will now receive $5,000 in annual funds through a new partnership between Columbia Dining and a national nonprofit Swipe Out Hunger, according to the Columbia Daily Spectator. The pantry, which receives food at discounted prices from many sources like the Food Bank For New York City, provides nonperishable foods to both student and non-student affiliates. Students are hopeful that this new source of funding will help to address food insecurity at Columbia.

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

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

Design Chairs Elena M. Ramos ’20 Akhil S. Waghmare ’20

Associate Business Manager Amy E. Zhou ’20

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

Multimedia Chairs Kathryn S. Kuhar ’20 Kai R. McNamee ’21

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

Night Editor Sonia Kim ’20

Design Editor Margot E. Shang ’21

Assistant Night Editors Ahab Chopra ’21 Amanda Y. Su ’22

Photo Editor Kathryn S. Kuhar ’20

Story Editors Angela N. Fu ’20 Jamie D. Halper ’20 Andrew J. Zucker ’20

Editorial Editor Ari E. Benkler ’21 Sports Editor Leon K. Yang ’21

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.

Corrections A previous version of the April 30 article “FBI Investigating Racist Emails to HBS Students” stated that Kel Jackson said AASU was pleased with the administration’s response to the threatening emails. To clarify, Jackson was referring to the administration’s email to all students following the threatening emails.

PAGE 3

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | MAY 1, 2019

DIGITAL FROM PAGE 1

MARKET FROM PAGE 1

Harvard Starts New Digital Night Market Closes Its Accessibility Program Doors in Harvard Square ­ he National Association of T the Deaf and four of the organization’s members originally filed the suit in February 2015 in Massachusetts District Court.

The initial complaint argues that Harvard’s allegedly inaccessible content violates the 1973 United States Rehabilitation Act — a disability civil rights law prohibiting discrimination in institutions that receive federal financial assistance. It also says Harvard violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a statute that prohibits disability discrimination in places of public accommodation. The lawsuit continues to move through federal court after a judge denied Harvard’s motions to dismiss and issue summary judgment.

A similar ongoing lawsuit was filed against MIT in 2015.

University spokesperson

Nate Herpich declined to comment on the ongoing litigation but said the school is committed to increasing accessibility in its online content, as evidenced by the new policy.

“Expanding access to knowledge and making online content accessible is of vital importance to Harvard, and the University remains committed to advancing these efforts,” Herpich wrote in an emailed statement.

“Harvard has been working for months to develop this Digital Accessibility Policy, and we are pleased to be able to announce it today.”

In April 2015 — two months after the NAD filed their lawsuit against Harvard — Harvard and MIT’s edX program, an online learning program founded in 2012, entered into a settlement agreement with the Department of Justice that re-

quired the program to be digitally accessible and addressed alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The settlement was not connected to the NAD filing.

The new initiative also creates a University-wide Accessibility Steering Committee to recommend websites that are high priority for accessibility improvements.

The policy designates several Digital Accessibility Liaisons to coordinate implementing accessible content across Harvard websites and applications, as well as a team within the Harvard University Information Technology system to provide training and information about the new policies to faculty and staff. alexandra.chaidez@thecrimson.com aidan.ryan@thecrimson.com

in an underground space that opened onto Winthrop Street just off of JFK Street, one of the Square’s more heavily-trafficked routes.

Jillson noted that Night Market’s location was likely a factor in its decision to close.

“When you’re in a location like they are, which is a little bit outside of the heart of the Square, and there’s not a lot of signage... it makes it even more challenging,” she said.

Jillson added that Night Market’s managers had worked hard to draw customers even as they faced financial challenges.

“They did as much as they possibly could do. They tried very hard to increase their visibility and try exciting menus,” she said.

“Sometimes it’s just not enough.”

Former Night Market em-

KILSON FROM PAGE 1

CLIMATE FROM PAGE 1

Professor Martin Kilson Dies at 88

Former President of Ireland Talks at IOP

spouses come from a variety of backgrounds.

Born in 1931, Kilson grew up in the small mill town of Ambler, Pa. The town was considerably desegregated for its time; Kilson went to an integrated school and played on baseball teams with white children.

None of his family members were college-educated: his mother had wanted to be a school teacher but could not continue her education because she had to care for her parents who contracted influenza.

“My father took a lot of pride in his academic achievements, given that his mother wasn’t able to pursue her own,” Hannah Kilson said.

But Kilson’s distinction as Harvard’s first African American professor “wasn’t something he boasted about or thought created extra value in him as a person,” according to Hannah Kilson. She and her siblings were not even aware of this achievement until they were young adults.

Kilson was also involved in a number of national organizations outside of academia. A

London earlier this month made apparent the urgency and magnitude of climate change’s disproportionate impact on future generations.

Robinson also pointed to the ways in which climate change impacts women, especially in developing nations.

Women are typically responsible for preparing food and collecting water and firewood, which all can be made more difficult with increased drought and flooding severity.

“Even in disasters, we now know that women have long skirts, they grab their children, they can’t run, they can’t climb trees, and they die in much bigger numbers than men,” Robinson said, reflecting on her work in the field.

At her first UN Climate Change conference in 2009, Robinson said she found a dearth of perspectives of people with lived experiences of the negative effects of climate change.

“It struck me as being incredible when I went to my first climate conference...how male and technical this world was,” Robinson said. “Nothing about human rights. Nothing about gen-

life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Kilson was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1969 and served as a member of the Council of the National Endowment for the Humanities from 1971 to 1977.

After retiring from teaching in 1999, Kilson continued to co-author several books and dozens of papers.

In 2010 he delivered Harvard’s annual W. E. B. DuBois lecture and his 2014 book, “Transformation of the African American Intelligentsia, 18002012” won the 2015 American Book Award.

After he retired, an undergraduate research award was created in his honor, which continues to be awarded to students interested in African or African American studies Kilson is survived by his wife, his three children — Jennifer K. Page, Peter D. de B. Kilson, and Hannah Kilson — and his six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. rebecca.araten@thecrimson.com sonia.epstein@thecrimson.com

ployees did not respond to requests for comment, and the

“[The closing] probably has a lot to do with not having enough customers.

That’s just the beginning and end of many stories in the world of restaurants these days. It’s a very competitive market.”

Denise Jillson Executive Director of the Harvard Square Business Association

space already appears to have

been vacated.

Avital Romoff ’20 said she was disappointed that she never had the opportunity to dine on Night Market’s street-inspired Asian fare.

“I was pretty upset because I had actually never gone to Night Market,” Romoff said.

“A few of my friends told me it was one of the few places in the Square they really recommended. The day we were supposed to go I found out it had closed down.”

In a note on Night Market’s website, the Duck and Chicken Restaurant Group — which owned Night Market — encouraged its patrons to visit the Parsnip Restaurant, its other dining establishment located in the Square. ellen.burnstein@thecrimson.com sydnie.cobb@thecrimson.com

THIMBA FROM PAGE 1

der. Nothing about what I understood to be the problem.”

Robinson identified recent progress as stemming from efforts of African, Asian, and Latin American women, who have made the issue a “top priority.”

She said in Europe and the United States, climate change and climate justice pale as issues compared to sexual harassment, wage equality, and education.

Kaveri K. Iychettira, a postdoctoral fellow at the Kennedy School’s Belfer Center, asked Robinson how academics ought to help further the cause of environmentalism. Robinson said all people must make climate change prevention part of their daily lives.

“You’ve got to take the issue of climate change very personally, in your life and in your work. It has to somehow penetrate,” says Robinson, citing her personal decision to become a pescatarian.

She also suggested that people should “get angry with those who have more responsibility,” including government officials and big businesses.

“Use your voice, your vote, your marching, your teaching,” she said.

Thimba Outlines New Public Service Model Phillips Brooks House could work with the Harvard Innovation Lab on fostering startups aimed at social change.

The new assistant dean will hold the title “Assistant Dean for Civic Engagement and Service” and will manage the Center for Public Interest Careers and the Public Service Network.

The “faculty director” will directly oversee the Phillips Brooks House Association and the Mindich Program in Engaged Scholarship.

The College launched the dean search last month, nearly a year after Corbin stepped

down after his 15 years working at Harvard.

Thimba said the search will continue through the summer, when many students and faculty interested in public service remain on campus.

Gearan declined to comment on the timeline for the search. But he wrote in an email he is “confident we will attract a pool of talented individuals who see the critical nature of this work for Harvard, higher education and for our nation.” shera.avi-yonah@thecrimson.com delano.franklin@thecrimson.com

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON | MAY 1, 2019

PAGE 4

EDITORIAL THE CRIMSON EDITORIAL BOARD

COLUMN

Healthcare Literacy in the Wake of HUHS Changes

Transparency, Fairness, and the Admissions Game

H

arvard University Health Services will no longer see patients between the hours of 10 p.m. and

8 a.m.

Instead, patients will be directed to an urgent care line to speak to a tele-nurse, who can offer counsel and instructions if further steps are required. HUHS has piloted the tele-nurse system for a semester — a pilot that HUHS Director Paul J. Barriera said has convinced administrators of its viability as an in-person urgent care replacement.

Furthermore, HUHS officials cited the fact that Urgent Care sees very few patients at night and many of these patients are sent to the emergency room anyway as reasons behind the decision.

Nevertheless, this change should not be written off as insignificant, especially for students who may not have as much experience navigating the healthcare system.

HUHS should use this opportunity to reflect on how little many students may know about health insurance, personal health management, and the benefits they do and do not have access to.

As many people on campus come from different backgrounds and have different levels of health literacy and access, we hope HUHS presents this change in services clearly and publicly.

Many students may have grown accustomed to solely relying on HUHS for

their medical services.

In the case that students find themselves needing to visit a non-Harvard medical provider during the night, it would serve them well to be knowledgeable on what to expect in terms of costs and patient rights.

Accordingly, HUHS should step up and outline what students can expect in these settings, as well as what services different insurances might entitle them to.

HUHS should use this opportunity to reflect on how little many students may know about health insurance, personal health management, and the benefits they do and do not have access to.

While tele-nurses may be able to provide information in the moment, students should feel like they are empowered with this knowledge in advance of any potential emergencies.

It’s also important to consider this service change in light of ongoing concerns about student substance use.

For example, college may present students with their first experiences con-

suming alcohol.

HUHS should take this opportunity to provide students with more information about what they should expect in the event that they end up at a non-Harvard medical facility for alcohol poisoning or other substance-related issues.

The emergency room may seem like a scary place to undergraduates, especially those with financial concerns, but we encourage students to not shy away from seeking necessary physical and mental health services.

The University should make sure that all students feel comfortable and safe seeking medical services.

This change in HUHS policy serves as a good opportunity for the University and HUHS to think about healthcare literacy on our campus.

While that may not (necessarily) entail reading Foucault or solving the world’s greatest math puzzle, this sort of education is an essential part of being a well-informed and empowered citizen.

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.

KATHRYN S, KUHAR—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

OP-ED

Faculty Deans: What On Earth Do They Do?

By DIANA L. ECK

D

orothy and I are stepping down as Faculty Deans this June. So, on reflection, what does a faculty dean do? It is my hope that in briefly articulating this, I might shed light on a role that is mysterious to some of you, and perhaps entice some of you to think about this for yourselves.

First and perhaps obviously, you still do your own work. A faculty dean does not relinquish research, writing, and teaching and become the sultan of a small kingdom. No, our work is part of the deal. At least one and often both partners in the faculty dean role is an academic, with research and writing projects. I teach classes in Religion, General Education, and South Asian Studies.

In Dorothy’s case – she was not only a teacher, but a preacher who married the joyful and consoled the bereaved. As for research, faculty deans lead major research projects, like Eliot House Faculty Dean Douglas A. Melton’s stem cell research. In my case, it’s the Pluralism Project that studies the changing religious and cultural landscape of the United States.

However, faculty deans do agree to live their lives and do their work in a new context – that of a diverse, exciting, and sometimes demanding community. Being a faculty dean is not an honorary position. It is actually a job that takes time and often involves making discerning judgments about how you spend your time. It is a position of leadership in a House community troubled by most of the issues of difference, diversity, and disparity that perplex our society today.

That is a challenge, but also a very rewarding one.

Second, you are engaged with students. If your work is part of the deal, the well-being of students is the other part – and the primary part. That’s why you would want to do this. You would get to enjoy conversation with students – not primarily about your own work, but about theirs. In Lowell dining hall, I have found that my curiosity about students’ work is immeasurably rewarded.

It is like going to a surprise dinner party: You don’t know who will be there and you join in conversations that are invariably interesting and sometimes critically important. Getting to know students, you will find that you are happy to go to their plays, concerts, and recitals. You might watch their basketball games and show up at dances where you don’t know

the moves or the music. Of course, you can’t possibly do it all, but you do need to engage in some part of it, especially the parts that you love.

Third, you have a team. You don’t go it alone. At the helm, there is the close and confidential team of a senior staff – the resident dean, House administrator, two or three experienced tutors. How are things going? What are the rough spots for students? What’s ahead? Together, you do the critical work of assembling a team of resident tutors from diverse fields of study.

The tutors also choose to live their lives, as you do, in the context of community. There are monthly tutor meetings.

What’s happening with students? What’s coming up in the House? Meetings might be particularly intense as College wide issues erupt: final clubs, a student arrest,

It’s not about you, but about students. Above all, it is based on a deep belief in Harvard’s residential House system where the tree of learning and the tree of life grow together. the sexual assault report. How does our House community respond to issues that tear at race relations or to the fact that more than a quarter of our students are hurting because they have personally experienced sexual misconduct? What is the tutor’s role in conflicts? How do tutors moderate tough issues rather than escalate them? What effect does it have on House culture when a tutor — for any reason whatsoever — attacks a student?

When litigation and intimidation enter into the community of relationships that are constitutive of a residential Houses?

Fourth, you have colleagues. As a faculty dean you would have a spectrum of collegial relations with other members of the faculty, not just those in your own department or school. You might invite some of them to become members of the Senior Common Room. They discuss things that are often not aired in their departments, but are important to students and to the College — sexual assault, race issues, the Harvard admissions suit. This circle of SCR members is part of the team too, as is the circle of other faculty deans.

Your colleagues are not all academics, but a range of people who work in and for the House: the superintendent, custodial workers, cooks, dining hall staff,

Aditi T. Sundaram ODDITY

J

udging from the common use of the word, “transparency” of processes is something we all admire.

When it is easier to understand why a process produced the outcome it did, we are happier for it.

“Fairness” of processes is something else we desire. Processes ought not to be biased in favor of some outcomes or of some people over others.

But may these two objectives be in direct conflict? College admissions, a subject of perennial discussion at this time of the year, offer an illustration as to why the answer is sometimes in the affirmative.

On the one hand, consider a transparent admissions policy. This would be one that is objective or “meritocratic,” i.e. based on a composite score of one or more standardized examinations.

A massive example is China’s gaokao, a twoday long series of tests taken by approximately 10 million Chinese students each year. The gaokao is the sole determinant for admission to almost every Chinese college, and high school students sometimes spend their entire final year of school in preparation for it; every Chinese teenager is well aware of the test and of the requisite score for a given institution. The Joint Entrance Examination to India’s most prestigious educational institutions, the Indian Institute of Technology, offers another example. Such processes are both objective and transparent; it is clear why one gets in or does not. But are they fair? Opponents of such processes have argued that when outcomes hinge on the performance in a single test, those better able to prepare for the test (via private tutors, special classes, or simply attending better schools) are, ceteris paribus, advantaged. The socioeconomically better-off populations will be better able to exploit these conditions to gain admissions.

Fairness includes the equality of opportunity to do well, and this is largely absent in such processes.However, this is not always the case — perhaps a transparent system can be more “fair” when exercised at a considerably smaller scale.

New York City’s Specialized High Schools Admissions Test is the sole metric by which eighth graders are evaluated for admission to eight of the city’s top public high schools. The specialized schools are dominated by an Asian population, and have been criticized for their lack of racial diversity. However, over half of their students, including the vast majority of Asian students, qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch, a standard measure of the concentration of low-income students in the American school system. (In fact, the spe-

If the current admissions system were to be more transparent, and individual students were aware of what criteria to focus on, we may see a system that is more appealing to everyone, and ultimately, even more fair.

and security staff. These are the people who make the House work on a daily basis, people you get to know as part of the family and whom you thank publicly for their work when the community gathers for special events. You are a critical bridge builder, not only across departments, schools, and generations, but also across different walks of life.

Fifth you are a steward of everything that belongs to the House. You become, in effect, the curator of House legend and history, art works and portraits, silver candlesticks and inscribed platters. If you are interested in history, this is not an odious job, but a fascinating one, especially today. At Lowell, many of our portraits were given to the House by the Lowell family after which the House was named. This includes many generations of Lowells whose lives and contributions we documented in a booklet entitled “Hanging Around Lowell House.”

Not everything has to be preserved, but you would work with students to make the House feel welcoming to new generations from a wide diversity of backgrounds. How can you empower students to be appreciative of a history that is not theirs and agents of a future that is?

Sixth, you will discover your own implicit understanding of ritual. Every community acts itself out in ways that create a sense of identity: special dinners, festive celebrations, and weekly events.

At Lowell, it’s Thursday tea, the ringing of the Lowell bells, high tables for seniors, dancing on the Weeks Footbridge at 6 a.m. on May Day with strawberries and champagne.

Houses do it in their distinctive ways and we learn from one another at our monthly faculty deans meetings. The Drag Ball? Diwali? Dog-Sledding? Conversations with Kirkland? A wine seminar? A Life Seminar? Processions at Commencement, with bagpipes or ragtime bands or drummers?

This isn’t a list of “shoulds” and duties. If it suits your temperament, none of it is a task. It’s a lifestyle, engaged with people at many levels and in many contexts. It’s not about you, but about students.

Above all, it is based on a deep belief in Harvard’s residential House system where the tree of learning and the tree of life grow together.

cialized high schools are more economically diverse than academically comparable New York City schools that use a multifaceted admissions process.)

On the other hand, the American college admissions process actively tries — in principle — to create a fairer system. This is done by considering a more “holistic” process that takes into account not only a student’s performance on objective measures, but also background information and hurdles they have had to encounter.

The problem here is that the system is no longer transparent. Students with perfect SAT scores, incredible GPAs, and extraordinary extracurriculars are sometimes denied admission at the expense of those with lower visible achievements.

The opacity creates two different sets of problems. First, it engenders and exacerbates anxiety in high school students who have the distinct feeling they are taking part in game to which they don’t know the rules.

When there is a single test to study towards, one at least knows what one is attempting to achieve, but here, merely excellent curricular and extracurricular performances are not enough.

And this creates deep resentments, leading to lawsuits of the form filed by Abigail N. Fisher or Edward Blum.

The second problem it creates is bias, and even corruption, in the system, perhaps the most extreme manifestation of which has been the Operation Varsity Blues scandal that dominated the headlines a week ago. When human subjectivity is introduced into the selection process, personal biases, human error, and abuses of power are impossible to avoid.

It would appear that we are at somewhat of an impasse. Under the current system, which claims to have the explicit purpose of maximizing fairness, we see a complete lack of transparency. And, with the opacity comes undue stress and prejudice. However, an objective, transparent system seems to lead to a world in which all students are equal, but some students are more equal than others. Reconciling these two ideas is not easy, but it is certainly not impossible. If the current admissions system were to be more transparent, and individual students were aware of what criteria to focus on, we may see a system that is more appealing to everyone, and ultimately, even more fair.

—Diana L. Eck is the Faculty Dean of Lowell House and a Professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies.

—Aditi T. Sundaram ‘19 is a joint concentrator in Mathematics and Philosophy in Eliot House. Her column appears on alternate Wednesdays.

PAGE 5

SPORTS

BASEBALL

ABOUT THE TEAM

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | MAY 1, 2019

2018-19 Overall Record 23-11 ______________________________________

On Base Percentage .370 ______________________________________

UPCOMING GAMES ______________________________________

Conference Record 12-6 ______________________________________

Home Runs 41 ______________________________________

Runs 232 ______________________________________

Doubles 63 ______________________________________

@ Boston College Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Batting Average .296 ______________________________________

Triples 13 ______________________________________

Slugging Percentage .473 ______________________________________

RBI 211 ______________________________________

@ Brown Saturday at 11:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m.

MEN’S LACROSSE

Men’s Lacrosse Finishes Season with Loss to Yale

By WILL CONNAUGHTON CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

A lthough conceding defeat to rival Yale, Harvard men’s lacrosse ended its season with a final send-off to an impactul groups of seniors who have helped build the program over the past four years. The Crimson will look to learn from this season’s struggles and bring energy and effort into next year’s campaign.

With the final game of the season, Havard (5-8, 1-5 Ivy League) took on No. 4/5 Yale (11-2, 5-1). The Crimson came into the game on the heels of its toughest stretch of the season, both in terms of record and strength of opponent. It did not emerge unscathed and looked for a win in the season finale against its New Haven rivals.

In April, Harvard faced No. 12/10 Cornell, No. 7/6 Penn, and a strong Princeton team, losing all three games. After this three-game slide, the Crimson had the pleasure of trying to end its losing streak by facing one of the most formidable teams in the country in the Bulldogs, a team which one year ago had triumphed on the biggest stage by emerging victorious at the National Championship.

In contrast, Yale came into the contest riding an impressive four game winning streak, having gone an even more impressive 9-1 in its last 10 games.

Needless to say, this was always going to be a tough matchup for the scuffling Harvard team.

The Bulldogs scored its first goal within three minutes and scored the first four goals of the game. In spite of this adversity so early into the game, the Crimson responded, putting up a great fight for the rest of the first quarter. ­

SEASON END After a loss in its season finale, the men’s lacrosse team finished the season 5-8, including a 1-5 record in conference play, its sole Ivy win coming against Dartmouth. Over the season, the team scored 12.00 goals per game to its opponents’ 12.67. BRENDAN J. CHAPUIS — CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

When the whistle blew after the first quarter, Harvard was still in the game, only facing a two goal deficit, down 6-4.

However, the second and third quarter saw the Crimson get outscored 14-3, effectively ending the game and leaving Harvard with another loss.

There were a couple of standouts for the Crimson, some bright moments in defeat. Sophomore attacker Myles Hamm was extremely active against Yale, scoring a hat trick and dishing out two assists.

This play has been the norm of late for the second year. Hamm

has come on strong during the second half of the season, finishing with 24 goals and 10 assists and ultimately finishing third on the team in total points.

Freshman Austin Madronic continued his tear, netting three goals and an assist on the

way to second on the team in total points.

With a goal in the final frame, Junior Captain Kyle Anderson extended his goal streak to 13 games and his points streak to 25.

Finally, sophomore goalie Kyle Mullin did his best against

a strong Yale attack, stopping 15 shots, his seventh time reaching that mark this season.

These three will all be returning next year and hope to build off this season.

“Our team has a lot of really hard working younger guys,” commented senior captain Jonathan Butler on the state of the program going forward. “They will definitely do great things in the coming years.”

This game represented the last time six seniors would take the field wearing the Harvard lacrosse jersey. The class of 2019 includes attacker Lauren Bidstrup, Butler, defenseman Spencer Daniel, midfielder James Sullivan, and midfielder Eric Wang. Head Coach Chris Wojcik ‘96 praised the group, giving them a proper send-off for all their hard work and dedication to the team over the past four years of lacrosse.

“Obviously we are all disappointed with how our season turned out, especially given all the hard work we put in. The program overall has been an awesome experience. It has given me my best friends and has taught me a lot,” commented Butler on the end to the season.

“Our senior class is sad to have our careers end, but we feel good about the impact we’ve had on the program overall.”

While the Crimson certainly did not have the season they wanted, the seniors are leaving the team having made a large impact. Their leadership and effort will be a lesson to the next couple of classes of Harvard lacrosse.

Nevertheless, the team has its eye toward next year and the promises of an entire offseason to work and get better through. will.connaughton@thecrimson.com

WOMEN’S WATER POLO

Water Polo Finishes Fourth at CWPA Championships

By DAVID MANIKAS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In this past weekend’s CWPA Championships, Harvard found itself in the semifinals facing top-seeded Michigan.

Unable to upset the favorites, the Crimson entered the thirdplace match against Bucknell, concluding its 2019 campaign in fourth place in the CWPA. Recording its fifth 20-win season in program history, the Crimson has its sights set on the 2020 season, where a majority of the players will be returning to fight for the NCAA tournament bid. ­

HARVARD 9 BUCKNELL 11

Earning a spot in the third place game, the Crimson was set to face off against Bucknell, a squad who was set to face off against Harvard for the fourth time this season.

The fourth matchup of the season was another contest of back-and-forth action.

The Crimson and the Bison exchanged goals throughout the first half, going into the break separated by a single goal with Bucknell taking a 4-3 lead.

A two-goal spurt by Harvard to open the second half of play gave the Crimson the lead and third place in sight. How-

ever, continued scoring by both sides brought the two teams even through three, tied at seven apiece.

Back and forth scoring continued into the final frame, but the Bison managed to pull away with back-to-back goals from sisters Paige and Ally Furano, putting the Crimson down by two. The game concluded with hat tricks from sophomore Olivia Price and first-year Grace Thawley and a 10-save game from senior keeper Samantha Acker.

HARVARD 7 MICHIGAN 14

Top-seeded Michigan earned a

day off after their perfect regular-season run, having extra rest ahead of their first game of the weekend against Harvard.

Last year’s conference champions, the Wolverines were looking to repeat their previous year’s success with a perfect CWPA championship record.

The game started out with early scoring from Michigan, as the Wolverines managed to get ahead of the Crimson at the end of the first quarter, leading five goals to two. The second quarter saw a similar result, as Michigan’s extra rest proved to be vital for their high energy in the first half.

Harvard returned from the halftime break with a sense of urgency, putting on an impressive third quarter of play as it did against Brown. Outscoring the Wolverines 4-1 in the quarter, the Crimson cut the Michigan lead to just four goals, trailing 11-7.

Michigan’s defensive pressure made it difficult for Harvard to continue its offensive run in the fourth, however. The Crimson was held scoreless in the final eight minutes of play as Michigan scored three goals of its own to extend the lead to seven and solidify a CWPA finals spot, where they took down Princeton to receive a bid to the NCAA tournament.

HARVARD 11 BROWN 9

HIGH TIDES After finishing fourth at the CWPA championships this past weekend, the women’s water polo team concluded its successful season with an impressive 21-8 record, only the fifth time in team history it has eclipsed the touted 20-win mark. TIMOTHY R. O’MEARA — CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

The Crimson’s first matchup of the CWPA championships was against the host, Ivy League rival Brown. Playing another close game against the Bears, Harvard found itself trailing by two goals at the end of the first half.

However, the Crimson’s offensive prowess that was dominant throughout the rest of the season was on display in the third period, as Harvard scored five goals to take an 8-6 lead. Contributions from senior attacker Kristen Hong, junior attacker Grace Thawley, sophomore Olivia Price, and junior Mathilde Ribordy gave the Crimson new life in the game.

Harvard was able to maintain their lead in the final period of play, holding Brown off 11-9.

Hong led the Crimson with four goals, with Thawley contributing two.

Moving on to the semi-finals of the CWPA championship, the Crimson looked to face off against Michigan in a rematch of the final game of the regular season.

“Michigan is who we want to be playing,” said Hong before the start of the tournament, looking forward to the oppor-

tunity to avenge the Crimson’s loss against the Wolverines.

Impressive performances throughout the regular season by Thawley and Hong earned the two nominations to the All-CWPA team, with Hong receiving first-team honors and Thawley receiving second-team recognition. The two combined for 106 goals on the season, helping the Crimson tremendously to their 21-8 season record.

The first-team honor is Hong’s first, and Thawley looks to continue her success for the Crimson in years to come Ribordy joined Thawley in second-team tournament recognition for her outstanding tournament play this weekend.

The squad also celebrated their season following the weekend with their annual banquet, where several members of the team were honored with awards. Senior Haley Bowe was awarded the Peter Hursh ‘74 Memorial Award for her spirit and tenacity as a member of the program.

“Haley Bowe, to come back after taking one year off and finishing her three years of eligibility: the leadership she brings to the pool everyday, her work ethic, and her amazing attitude has been great,” said head coach Ted Minnis reflecting on Bowe’s importance to the identity of the team.

Thawley received rookie of the year honors for her excellent first season, junior Angie Varona received the Coach’s Award, and Ribordy received Most Improved Recognition.

Looking ahead, the team will be returning 12 of its 15 current members with the departures of Hong, Haley Bowe, and Samantha Acker. The freshman class that was so-heavily relied on in certain points of the season will look to build on its firstyear experience and push for a deeper run into the coveted postseason.

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | May 1, 2019