The Harvard Crimson, Volume CXLVI No. 16

The Harvard Crimson THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873 | VOLUME CXLVI, NO. 16 | CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019

EDITORIAL PAGE 6

NEWS PAGE 4

SPORTS PAGE 7

Bacow should support Temporary Protected Status.

Creative writing workshops see unprecedented interest.

Harvard Women’s Water Polo keeps its perfect streak.

Harvard, SFFA Spar in Post-Trial Hearing

By CAMILLE G. CALDERA and SAHAR M. MOHAMMADZADEH CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS ­Lawyers representing Harvard and anti-affirmative action group Students for Fair Admissions had their last chance to convince Federal District Judge Allison D. Burroughs to rule in their favor in a case alleging that the College’s admissions process discriminates against Asian-American applicants Wednesday.

The two sides squared off in a post-trial hearing Wednesday, each summarizing points they had made over the course of a three-week trial that began in the United States District Court for Massachusetts in mid-October.

SFFA originally sued Harvard in 2014, and the case will likely be appealed by whichever side Burroughs does not rule for, according to legal experts. The suit — which could end up in front of the U.S. Supreme Court — may shape the fate of affirmative action at private colleges

and universities nationwide.

Wednesday’s arguments focused on the dispute over whether admissions data from recent years show an anti-Asian-American bias in Harvard’s admissions decisions.

SFFA alleges that Harvard admissions officers consistently gave lower “personal ratings” — numerical scores assigned to College hopefuls that evaluate them on qualities like humor and grit — to Asian-American applicants than applicants of other races.

Both Harvard and SFFA hired experts to conduct their own analyses of the data. David E. Card, the University’s expert and an economics professor at University of California, Berkeley, argued that there was no statistically significant difference between admissions outcomes for Asian Americans and other applicants. SFFA’s expert, Duke economics professor Peter S. Arcidiacono, contended that the data actually reveals a persistent bias against Asian-American Harvard hopefuls.

Students Attend ‘Listening Sessions’ on Sullivan

By SHERA S. AVI-YONAH and AIDAN F. RYAN CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

Harvard and several University employees filed motions last month denying culpability or requesting dismissal in a wrongful death lawsuit alleging they were negligent in their care of a Harvard undergraduate.

The suit concerns the death of Luke Z. Tang ’18, who died by suicide on campus in September 2015. Wendell W. Tang, his father, filed the lawsuit in the Middlesex County Superior Court on Sept. 11, 2018, accusing the University and its employees of “negligence and carelessness” that directly resulted in Tang’s death. The lawsuit argues the defendants are responsible for damages amounting to at least $20 million. ­

A SNOWY TREK

In a Jan. 18 filing, Harvard University Health Services mental health counselor Melanie G. Northrop, a defendant in the suit, denied the charges against her that allege she was negligent and that she is responsible for paying damages.

The original complaint outlined 12 instances in which Northrop allegedly showed negligence, including claims that she failed to follow suicide prevention protocols.

The complaint states that shortly after Luke Tang’s first suicide attempt in a College residential building in April 2015, the College sent him to McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass. for impatient care. Administrators outlined a “contract” laying out terms for Luke Tang’s return to the College, including a requirement that he receive regular counseling and care, accord-

create a centralized system for conducting course lotteries across departments.

“In an ideal world, students would not have to worry about capped classes, but in the real world, for various reasons, they do,” Howell said.“We can’t get rid of capping, but do it in a way that is more rational and better coordinated.”

Ultimately, the committee will “take it slow” in formulating its final recommendations on shopping

T utors in six undergraduate houses hosted discussion sessions in response to the announcement that Winthrop Faculty Dean Ronald S. Sullivan, Jr., would represent Harvey Weinstein in his Manhattan sexual abuse case.

Since the news of Sullivan’s decision to represent Weinstein first broke, Lowell, Currier, Eliot, Dunster, Mather, and Leverett tutors have held listening sessions for students to air their concerns about Sullivan.At the request of those tutors, some Faculty Deans, house staff, and representatives from the Office for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response have also attended the events.

OSAPR also posted a message to its website encouraging concerned students to contact their staff, or to utilize confidential University resources like the Title IX Office, Counseling and Mental Health Services, and the Harvard Chaplains.

The New York Post first reported Sullivan’s decision to join Weinstein’s legal team on Jan. 23. Weinstein faces allegations of sexual assault from two women in the Manhattan case that stem from accusations that he raped one woman and forcibly performed oral sex on another.

Two days after the Post’s report, Sullivan sent an email to Winthrop residents addressing students’ concerns over his decision to represent the Hollywood producer. He wrote that defense lawyers have a duty to represent “unpopular” defendants.

On Jan. 27, Sullivan criticized Harvard’s handling of sexual harassment claims leveled against Economics Professor Roland G. Fryer, Jr., in a RealClearInvestigations article that referred to him as Fryer’s lawyer. Sullivan called Harvard’s investigations into Title IX complaints against Fryer “deeply flawed and deeply unfair.”

The Office for Dispute Resolution, which conducts formal Title IX investigations, has opened three inquiries into Fryer based on complaints brought by former female employees who say he harassed them while they worked at the Education Innovation Laboratory, the research group he founded in 2008. One of the investigations is ongoing.

A week after Sullivan publicly alleged ODR’s investigations into Fryer were unfair, he sent another missive — this time laying out “processes” that he and Stephanie R. Robinson, his wife and fellow Winthrop faculty dean, decided to implement going forward. Included in those processes was the announcement of Resident Dean Linda D.M. Chavers as the “point person” for sexual assault issues in the house.

Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Claudine Gay said Sullivan’s response to student concerns about his decision to represent Weinstein has been “insufficient” in an interview Monday.

About 50 students held a protest outside Massachusetts Hall the same day to call on administrators to remove Sullivan from his faculty dean post. Almost 200 students had signed a petition to remove him as of

SEE FAS COUNCIL PAGE 3

SEE SULLIVAN PAGE 4

­

Edward Blum said he is content with the SFFA lawyers’ statements during the additional admissions trials held on Feb. 13. MARIAH ELLEN D. DIMALALUAN—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

“The most important, undisputed fact is that Asian Americans receive statistically significantly lower personal ratings from Harvard, lower than whites,” Adam K. Mortara, the lead attorney for SFFA, argued

Mental Health Counselor Denies Culpability in Lawsuit

By SHERA S. AVI-YONAH and DELANO R. FRANKLIN

ing to the complaint.

After Luke Tang failed to schedule a follow-up appointment with his therapist after a May 8 appointment, administrators discussed concerns about whether he had a summer treatment plan, the complaint alleges. Luke Tang left campus for the summer and returned in August. A month later, he died by suicide in Lowell House after going months without counseling.

Northrop’s filing denies the allegations that she was negligent. She also argues that she had no knowledge of Luke Tang’s plans to attempt suicide and could not have foreseen his death.

Northrop’s filing includes 14 arguments — listed as “affirmative defenses” — arguing

SEE LAWSUIT PAGE 3

Students walk to class through Tercentenary Theater after yesterday’s snowfall. KATHRYN S. KUHAR—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

at the beginning of the hearing.

The University had not adequately explained why the discrepancy between Asian Americans applicants and other applicants that Arcidiacono’s analysis found exists, accord-

ing to Mortara. He also argued the University needs to identify a variable that accounts for this difference.

“The law is, defendants

SEE ADMISSIONS PAGE 3

Admins Act on Calls for Ethnic Studies

By JONAH S. BERGER and MOLLY C. MCCAFFERTY CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Claudine Gay said Monday she is working to recruit three professors who study ethnicity, after the loss of two tenure-track professors specializing in Asian-American studies angered ethnic studies advocates.

The announcement came in the wake of letters to administrators and a protest earlier this month. Activists cited programs at other universities and decades of organizing around the issue in arguing that the creation of a formalized ethnic studies department is long overdue. Gay and University President Lawrence S. Bacow have since praised advocates’ efforts and promised to look into the issue further.

Activists specifically criticized the impending departures of two professors, Associate Professor of Education Natasha K. Warikoo and Assistant Professor of History Genevieve A. Clutario, in three separate letters to Bacow.

The University decided not to put Warikoo up for tenure in November 2018, and Clutario recently accepted a position at Wellesley College.

Bacow wrote in an email Wednesday that though the decision to establish an ethnic studies program would ultimately fall under the “purview of the faculty,” he has supported Gay’s efforts on this front.

“I have been in conversations with Claudine Gay, the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, around this topic and we have been focused

on ensuring that any new program would have the faculty and resources essential to deliver it,” he wrote. “Dean Gay has already recruited a number of faculty in this area, but we know we [sic] there is more work to do and we will continue to make progress in the months ahead.”

Gay said Monday that FAS prioritized hiring Sociology and Social Studies faculty last semester, and three “young, early-career scholars” who study ethnicity have been offered positions in the two fields.

At least two of the three recruits, whom Gay did not name, have accepted the offers and will join the faculty this fall.

Gay said in an October interview that she planned to focus on recruiting faculty who specialize in ethnic studies before potentially making plans to develop a formalized program.

She also said she planned to meet with ethnic studies advocates in the spring.

Gay has already met with members of the Task Force on Asian and Pacific American Studies. She added that her goal for this semester is to persuade the third recruit to accept FAS’s offer and then begin thinking about “hiring priorities” for next year.

“What I was saying in that meeting — and it’s actually not unlike what I’ve expressed in other venues at other times — is that I’m very aware of student interest and, frankly, needs in this area, and I believe that it’s all valid,” Gay said.

Gay also praised the students advocating for an ethnic studies program as

SEE FACULTY PAGE 3

Faculty Council Considers Interim Shopping Week Adjustments

By MOLLY C. MCCAFFERTY CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

The Faculty Council considered potential “in-between” resolutions to the ongoing debate over “shopping week,” the weeklong period at the start of each semester during which students preview classes before enrolling, at its biweekly meeting Wednesday afternoon.

The Council — the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ highest governing body — also discussed updates to the General Education program’s quantitative INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Harvard Today 2

reasoning requirement at the meeting, according to Council member David L. Howell.

Philosophy Professor Bernhard Nickel, who chairs a faculty committee tasked with proposing potential changes to shopping week, presented the course enrollment update — in the form of a 16-page interim report — to the Council along with Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh.

They proposed that FAS try to “find a balance” between keeping shopping week in its current form and eliminating it

News 3

Editorial 6

Houses Discuss Sullivan Concerns

completely.

Though faculty have debated the merits of shopping week for many years, the most recent discussion reignited in March 2018 when Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana introduced the topic at a faculty meeting informally.

Since then, multiple professors have spoken in favor of eliminating shopping week in favor of an early registration system.

Many undergraduates and some professors, however, have praised shopping week for the

Sports 7

flexibility it offers students.

The committee began its work last September after the Faculty rejected a proposal to end shopping week entirely.In the following months, it held three formal listening sessions and launched a website to gather student input.

One measure the committee suggested at the Wednesday meeting that may help anticipate enrollment numbers more accurately is having fewer classes with enrollment caps, according to Howell.

Another suggestion was to

TODAY’S FORECAST

SUNNY High: 39 Low: 28

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sea otters

THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

PAGE 2

HARVARD TODAY

For Lunch Butter Chicken Tater Tots Deconstructed Sloppy Joes Portobello Goat Cheese Sandwich

For Dinner Fried Calamari RI Style Chicken Francais Farfalle Pasta with Cannellini & Basil Pesto

TODAY’S EVENTS Conversation with Mayor Bill de Blasio Harvard Kennedy School, 6-7:15 p.m.

IN THE REAL WORLD

The IOP is hosting a discussion with Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York City. The event will be moderated by Symone Sanders, who served as Bernie Sanders’s national press secretary during his 2016 campaign. Make sure to check it out if your plans involve eventually moving to the Big Apple.

Opportunity, a Mars rover that has been active for 15 years, has stopped responding to NASA attempts to contact it. Opportunity has been unresponsive since last June, and of over 800 unanswered recover commands, the last attempt went out Tuesday. Opportunity’s legacy will live on in what it helped scientists learn about Mars and in the upcoming Mars 2020 rover.

Chocoholica Adams LCR, 9-11 p.m.

Potential for Another Government Shutdown

Tonight, Adams House’s Lower Common Room is the place to be. Come by for Valentine’s-Day-themed night complete with chocolate and roses.

Mission Over for Opportunity Rover

Yesterday’s snowfall blanketed Harvard bikes with fresh snow. QUINN G. PERINI—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

DAILY BRIEFING

The Princess Bride Brattle Theatre, 10 p.m.

Need a wholesome way to end your Valentine’s Day? Head to Brattle Theatre for a screening of this romantic classic. Whether you go with a bestie, a boo, or by yourself, this movie is something we can all get behind.

Lawyers for Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions returned to the courthouse yesterday to deliver closing arguments in the high-profile admissions trial that could shape the fate of affirmative action for years to come. Arguments centered on allegations that Harvard had discriminated against Asian-Americans in its College admissions process. In other news, tutors in multiple undergraduate houses held “listening sessions” for students to share their concerns about Winthrop House Faculty Dean Ronald Sullivan’s recent decision to represent Harvey Weinstein.

If a border security deal is not agreed upon in the next two days, the government may go into another partial shutdown. Trump has said he’ll take a “serious look” at a tentative border security deal being discussed right now. Chris Stewart, a GOP congressman, has said that the weeks-long shutdown earlier this year did not make the deal any better for Republicans.

Apple’s Spring Launch Approaches

Apple is likely to release new features for the year in late March. Predictions include a subscription news service, software updates, and a new iPad. The article remains uncertain about if updated AirPods will be released as well.

AROUND THE IVIES DARTMOUTH Several Dartmouth professors and students received targeted emails containing racial slurs and sexually vulgar language, according to the Dartmouth. The emails attacked multiple different racial identities. At least two recipients of the emails, both of Asian descent, also had their room doors vandalized with racial slurs in the past year. The emails originated from fake email addresses, some of which were falsely attributed to Dartmouth students. Dartmouth has contacted Hanover police and is involved in an ongoing investigation to identify the perpetrator of the emails.

COLUMBIA Columbia is experiencing a shortage of classroom spaces on campus, an issue that has been exacerbated over the past decade as the student body continues to grow in size, according to the Columbia Spectator. As a result of the lack of available space, the University has moved courses off-campus and placed them in rooms that do not have adequate teaching equipment. It has also decided to extend class times outside of the usual academic schedule to accommodate for the space limitations.

YALE Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Tamar Gendler urged FAS Senate not to publish a report on faculty satisfaction, according to the Yale Daily News. The Research and Scholarly Excellence Report found widespread dissatisfaction among faculty with regards to pay, departmental ranks, and more. Gendler asked the full report to be withheld from the public for fear that the administration would “look bad.” The report found that less than 35 percent of tenured faculty believe their departments rank within the top five in their respective fields among universities.

THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873

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

Associate Managing Editors Caroline S. Engelmayer ’20 Jamie D. Halper ’20 Associate Business Manager Amy E. Zhou ’20 Editorial Chairs Jessenia N. Class ’20 Robert Miranda ’20

STAFF FOR THIS ISSUE Arts Chairs Kaylee S. Kim ’20 Caroline A. Tsai ’20

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

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

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

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.

Night Editor Sonia Kim ’20

Design Editor Matthew J. Tyler ’22

Assistant Night Editors Katelyn X. Li ’21 Cindy H. Zhang ’21

Photo Editors Mariah Ellen E. Dimalaluan ’20

Story Editors Caroline S. Engelmayer ’20 Angela N. Fu ’20 Jamie D. Halper ’20 Lucy Wang ’20 Luke W. Xu ’20

Editorial Editor Isaac O. Longobardi ’21 Sports Editor Spencer R. Morris ’20

CORRECTIONS Due to incorrect information included in the complaint, the Feb. 13 article “Univ.

Faces Title IX Filing” incorrectly stated that Harrington is a Title IX officer. In fact, she is an Office for Dispute Resolution investigator.

PAGE 3

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Historical Society Talks Activism

By DECLAN J. KNIERIEM CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

The Cambridge Historical Society held its annual meeting Wednesday, kicking off their 2019 session by introducing their theme for the year: “How Does Cambridge Engage.”

Dozens of Cambridge residents attended the event held at Cambridge Public Library, with society members comprising a majority of the audience. The event featured guest speaker Karilyn Crockett, an MIT lecturer on public policy who spoke on the historical importance of community activism.

Diana L. Lempel ’05, who is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Urban Planning at Harvard, moderated the event.

The conversation addressed

Cambridge residents’ history of activism, focusing on their opposition to the construction of the Inner Belt highway project in the 1950s. The proposed infrastructure project would have cut through Cambridge and Somerville as part of the rapid expansion of the American highway system at that time.

Though construction on the project was able to begin, it was never completed, due in part to Cambridge residents’ fervent opposition.

Crockett discussed the vital contributions of Cambridge “collaborators” in jumpstarting the movement to protest the highway’s construction.

She described the activism as unusual — the project would have brought substantial federal funding and jobs to the Cam-

bridge area, but would have required demolishing several neighborhoods along the way.

“For a city and residents to say no to that was thought as unimaginable,” she said.

Crockett also argued that there was a need for continued activism by the new generation of Cambridge residents.

“There’s something very powerful not only about progressive politics but about the ability to resist,” she said.

Outgoing Cambridge Historical Society President Tod R. Beaty called the conversation “dynamic” and “thought-provoking” in his remarks to the audience.

“I really love that that’s the direction the society is tipping,” he said.

At the conclusion of Crockett’s conversation, the society’s

general membership unanimously voted to approve a new board of Governing Council officers, as well as five councillor nominees — Belinda Clerisme, Marni Clippinger, Howard Lurie, Katherine Rafferty, and Michael Tushman, who is a professor at Harvard Business School.

Beaty addressed the crowd before the vote, thanking councillors and members alike for their effort and support during his tenure.

“It’s been challenging, it’s been exciting, and it’s been satisfying,” he said.

The Historical Society has played a role in preserving Harvard buildings on campus and is financially independent of the City of Cambridge. declan.knieriem@thecrimson.com

OIE Relocates Office to Mass. Ave. FAS Council Debate Shopping Week FAS COUNCIL FROM PAGE 1

The Office of International Education relocated to a new building in Harvard Square. ANYA X. ZHANG—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

By ASPEN H. BUCK and EDWARD W. CARR CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

The Office of International Education, which facilitates term time, summer, and academic year study abroad for Harvard students, moved from its historic building at 77 Dunster St. to 1414 Mass. Ave. last month, according to Director of OIE Camila L. Nardozzi.

Nardozzi said the move, which was completed Jan. 25, was in large part motivated by the inaccessible nature of the Dunster Street location.

“The administrators’ goal is to have student-facing offices in fully accessible buildings, and 77 Dunster is not a fully accessible building,” she said.

OIE staff were skeptical at first about the move because they thought the new location at 1414 Mass. Ave might be difficult for students and other Harvard affiliates to find, according to Nardozzi.

“People equate it with Bank of America. Because of that we were concerned students wouldn’t be able to find us,” Nardozzi said.

“However, we’ve still had a ton of appointments, a ton of drop ins, so I think people are still finding us.”

Nardozzi added that OIE staff were “really happy about the results” of the new space.

“I’m happy there’ll be some other folks moving in. It’s nice to be in a space with other folks.

They have different traffic than ­

we do. Just having more students around is nice,” Nardozzi said.

77 Dunster St., the former site of the OIE, will still house the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, which had previously shared the same building with the OIE. Director of URAF Gregory A. Llacer wrote in an email that URAF “definitely benefited” from the new space because it “had outgrown the upstairs and badly needed more offices.”

“Both floors allows us to have all our counseling and programming staff on the first floor, so we can serve and accommodate all students, including those with mobility challenges,” Llacer said.

Llacer said URAF has also made the space more comfortable.

“We also now have an actual reception and reading area, better and more comfortable waiting space, and a room for our undergraduate research ambassadors to hold peer advising sessions, which we didn’t have before,” Llacer said.

Llacer added that URAF is still looking for ways to further take advantage of its expanded space.

“As we grow into the space we will look for more opportunities to engage students in the building as we do in our residential house during the summer,” Llacer said. aspen.buck@thecrimson.com edward.carr@thecrimson.com

week, Howell said.

He estimated that the full faculty may not hear and vote upon a formal proposal on the subject for more than a year.

Claybaugh and Dean of Faculty Affairs Nina Zipser, who also holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from Harvard, presented an update to the Council on the new quantitative reasoning requirement in General Education.

When the faculty approved new General Education requirements in 2016, the details of what would constitute the new quantitative reasoning requirement were “never really set,” according to Howell.

Under proposed changes from a committee tasked with

revamping the quantitative requirement, courses that count would apply data analysis to a variety of disciplines.

The courses, which would vary in skill level, would be mandatory for all Harvard students without an option to test out.

“The requirement ensures that students reach a level of quantitative facility involving mathematical, statistical and computational methods that will enable them to think critically about data as it is employed in fields of inquiry across the FAS and SEAS,” Howell said.

The next Council meeting is slated for Feb. 27. molly.mccafferty@thecrimson.com

FACULTY FROM PAGE 1

Admins Work on Ethnic Studies t houghtful” and “extraordinary.” She acknowledged that the departure of Clutario and Warikoo constituted a “big loss,” and that the new recruited faculty are not meant to replace them.

Alice S. Cheng ’20, a member of TAPAS who met with Dean ­

The changing makeup of our campus and our world demand that we step up on this front.

Jeannie Park ’83 Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance President

Gay, wrote in an email that, though it was “exciting” to hear about the new hires, she believes it is “equally important” that Harvard create a structured ethnic studies program to support faculty who specialize in the field.

“It is critical to see ethnic studies faculty hired into some kind of structure where they

can build a scholarly community with one another,” wrote Cheng, a former Crimson editor.

“We’ve seen from many instances of ethnic studies faculty leaving that the lack of understanding and acknowledgement of ethnic studies as a legitimate academic discipline in various departments can leave faculty feeling unsupported and lead to their departures.”

Jeannie Park ’83, president of the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance, argued that unless the University establishes a formalized ethnic studies department, professors will come and go in a revolving door.

“Harvard needs a structure that supports and retains faculty so that we aren’t just filling holes but building a worldclass program,” she wrote in an email.

“The changing make-up of our campus and our world demand that we step up on this front.” jonah.berger@thecrimson.com molly.mccafferty@thecrimson.com

LAWSUIT FROM PAGE 1

Harvard Moves to Dismiss Wrongful Death Suit she was “justified in her actions” and “acted in good faith at all relevant times.”Her list of arguments also includes claims that the plaintiff lacks standing and that the statute of limitations relevant to the case has passed.

Northrop’s response also disputes parts of the narrative laid out in Wendell Tang’s com-

plaint.

Her filing contests that she did not have an alleged “special relationship” with Luke Tang and that her actions did not cause his death, both of which the original complaint has alleged.

In a document filed Jan. 16, Harvard and several other employees named in the lawsuit in-

formed the court that they had served Wendell Tang with a motion to dismiss the suit.

The employees included Crimson Yard Resident Dean at the time Catherine R. Shapiro and Lowell House Resident Dean Caitlin M. CaseyHUHS psychiatrist David W. Abramson filed a separate motion to dismiss Jan. 18.

University spokesperson Rachael Dane declined to comment on the case.

Both Wendell Tang and Northrop requested a jury trial. If the case progresses to that stage, a trial is slated to begin in 2021.

ADMISSIONS FROM PAGE 1

Univ., SFFA Present Closing Arguments cannot win discrimination cases by saying it must be some other variable without telling us what that variable is,” Mortara said.

Seth P. Waxman, a top attorney for Harvard, argued there are “many factors” that affect personal rating, including personal essays, recommendations, and alumni interviews. He further argued that there is no way to prove that lower personal ratings reflect racial bias because admissions officers take into account so many factors when assigning them, not all of which he said are reflected in Arcidiacono’s statistical model.

“SFFA has failed to prove that the cause of this disparity was racial bias when one after another admissions officer testified that they didn’t consider race,” Waxman said, referring to the testimony of admissions personnel who took the stand last fall.

Burroughs, too, focused on how to interpret the data, referring to it as Harvard’s “personal rating problem.”

“What am I to do with the statistical analysis?” she asked the lawyers. Burroughs also asked attorneys to present arguments about what each side has to prove in order to win. A few minutes into Mortara’s arguments, Burroughs interrupted him to ask if, in order to find Harvard guilty of discrimination, she must find that admissions officers intentionally disadvantaged Asian Americans.

“Absolutely not, your honor,” he responded.

Mortara argued that the legal precedent of Teamsters v.

United States — a 1977 case that holds that statistics are sufficient to prove racial discrimination — means “statistics alone” can prove that Harvard’s admissions policies are biased without evidence of intentional discrimination.

Waxman, though, countered by arguing Arlington Heights v. Metropolitan Housing Corp.

— another 1977 case that holds that both statistical and anecdotal evidence showing intentional racial animus must be present for a judge to find discrimination — more adequately parallels the Harvard admissions suit.

The lawyers also clashed over what would constitute evidence of intentional discrimination. Mortara cited as one example a 2013 report from the University’s Office of Institutional Research that found

the admissions protocol produced “negative effects” for Asian-American applicants, arguing that Harvard did not change its admissions process after top administrators read OIR’s findings. Waxman, however argued the report was “incomplete” and not designed to evaluate the fairness of the College’s admissions process.

Arguments did not only center on the College’s admissions protocols, as Burroughs also asked about details of SFFA’s case. In particular, the judge asked Mortara about what she termed SFFA’s “no victim problem” — the fact that the group did not include any students who they allege should have been admitted to Harvard but were not because of their race.

“Why haven’t you shown me any students who should have gotten in?” she asked Mortara.

He argued that the judge had previously told SFFA that “individual students” were not required to prove the plaintiff’s claims.

William F. Lee ’72, a lawyer representing Harvard and senior fellow of the Harvard Corporation — the University’s highest governing body — argued that, because SFFA had not presented plaintiffs who were not admitted, the group had not adequately supported its claim that “hundreds were wronged.”

“They have not identified one,” Lee said. “They have failed to produce a single rejected applicant who claims discrimination.”

Lawyers for the University and SFFA were not the only ones to speak at Wednesday’s hearing. Genevieve B. Torres of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Jennifer A. Holmes of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund each delivered fifteen minute statements on behalf of the Harvard students and student groups that filed amicus briefs in favor of the University’s position.

“The plaintiffs tried to erase countless student stories by placing undue evidence on its flawed statistical analysis,” Torres said, arguing that race-conscious admissions provides “critical context” for all applications in addition to improving campus diversity and educational opportunities.

Burroughs is expected to issue her decision in the coming months. camille.caldera@thecrimson.com sahar.mohammadzadeh@thecrimson.com

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON | FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Creative Writing Sees Dramatic Expansion

By SAHANA G. SRINIVASAN CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

For the second year in a row, a record number of students applied to and enrolled in the English department’s creative writing workshops.

The application process for workshops, which usually each consist of 12 or fewer students, includes a writing sample, and approximately 60 percent of the 477 students who applied to at least one workshop secured a spot, according to Director of the Creative Writing Program Darcy Frey.

This spring, the program includes 24 workshops — another all-time high — in both fiction and non-fiction disciplines. The changes coincide with the program’s expansion into Lamont Library.

“We’re not only trying to increase the number of workshops to serve more students, but we’re also trying to diversify the kind of workshops we’re offering,” Frey said.

Last fall, the program added new workshops in science writing and a class on “Journalism in the Age of Trump.” The program added a class on television writing this semester. Four new faculty also joined the program this school year.

The creative writing program has doubled in size in the last seven years, according to English Department Chair Nicholas J. Watson. He said he believes the growth is partially attributed to the creative writing workshops being “hands-on

work.”

“Making is just a thing that seems to connect with students,” Watson said. “I think it’s partly because we’ve expanded the idea of creative writing to some extent, so quite a lot of the workshops taught are non-fiction — we’ve got journalism, science writing.”

The uptick in applications, student enrollees, and number

Making is just a thing that seems to connect with students.

Nicholas J. Watson English Department Chair

of classes come just as the creative writing program physically expanded into a space on the fourth floor of Lamont Library, which underwent construction last fall and reopened for the new semester.

“It’s already been really transformed,” Frey said, of the new space.“They’ve created a whole new suite of faculty offices and a seminar room that will be available both for creative writing workshops and also any English Department classes.”

The creative writing space sits directly above Lamont Library’s poetry room, a proximity that Watson said she hopes will cement a stronger bond between the library’s program and creative writing.“We’re hoping to have closer contact with the poetry readings and other read-

The newly renovated Writing Center is now open for the spring semester. MIA B. FROTHINGHAM—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

ings that are organized there and elsewhere by the library system,” Watson said.

“That’s a big plus, and it’s a great sign of how far the creative writing here has come.”

Daria “Dasha” E. Bough ’21, who enrolled in English CLR: “Introduction to Screenwriting,” said she was drawn to the course in part by the work of the course’s instructor Musa Syeed, one of the department’s four recent hires.

“I want to shoot a film this

summer in Russia so I wanted some experience with how to type up a script, and I’d seen some of the works of the professor, Musa Syeed, and he seemed like the type of person I wanted to work with,” Bough said.

“I was really intimidated to apply because I hadn’t applied to a creative writing class before but I’m excited to be in it; it’s been great.”

Andrew “Andy” J. Koenig, a first year graduate student in the English Department who

The T closes. We don’t.

Breaking news, 24/7.

is taking English CWC: “Writing Critically: Creative Writing Workshop,” said he applied to the program because he wanted to “switch things up.”

“In my department, you can take a creative writing course and it can count towards your degree, so I wanted to switch things up a little bit and not just take a bunch of literature seminars because that can be really exhausting,” Koenig said. sahana.srinivasan@thecrimson.com

SULLIVAN FROM PAGE 1

Houses Listen to Sullivan Concerns Wednesday night.

Over the past two weeks since Sullivan’s announcement that he would represent Weinstein, tutors in the houses have held sessions for residents, starting with Lowell on Jan. 31. Most recently, Mather and Leverett held a joint session Wednesday evening.

Lowell residents praised Faculty Deans Diana L. Eck and Dorothy A. Austin for organizing a discussion so quickly.

Sarah E. June ’14 — a resident tutor in Lowell House — said the general feeling at the session was that it is “contradictory” for Sullivan to both represent Weinstein and serve as faculty dean, at least “as it is understood in Lowell House.”

“I believe the faculty deans as that description is described, mentions that faculty deans set the tone of the house, and they very much do so,” June said. “[Eck and Austin] really were adamant and there was no pushback that we have a listening session and try to understand what students are thinking.”

Lowell resident Remedy H. Ryan ’21 said she understood defense lawyers’ duties, but thought Sullivan’s decision was incompatible with his role as a

I believe the faculty deans as that description is described, mentions that faculty deans set the tone of the house, and they very much do so.

Sarah E. June ‘14 Lowell House Resident Tutor

faculty dean.

“I think it’s important that everyone has a defense attorney,” she said. “That was something that I grappled with, but a lot of people could have defended Weinstein.”

Eliot tutor Marianne F. Potvin wrote in an email that Consent Advocacy and Relationship Education tutors — a group that works with OSAPR to serve as a resource within the houses — discussed over an internal email list the possibility of holding sessions to give students space to talk about Sullivan and Weinstein.

“My personal impression was that there was consensus among CARE tutors that the topic was important, and that students had had many reactions and questions that had yet to be adequately addressed,” she wrote.

Potvin said that Eliot students discussed concerns about Winthrop undergraduates, the potential reaction of freshmen being assigned to Winthrop on Housing Day, and “the apparent absence of reaction from Colege administrators” at the session, which the house held on Feb. 6.

Allison J. Piper ’20, who

I felt very supported.

I’m grateful that my house gives me a space to express my frustrations and articulate my concerns.

Allison J. Piper ‘20

The Crimson thecrimson.com

attended the Dunster session Tuesday night, wrote in an email she is “grateful” the house provided space for students to share their concerns.

“I’m rather surprised that many students aren’t considering this Dean Sullivan thing a big deal. I went to the Dunster listening session partly to find support and talk about my reaction to this and partly to find other students who are similarly outraged,” Piper wrote.

“As I left, I felt very supported. I’m grateful that my house gives me a space to express my frustrations and articulate my concerns. shera.avi-yonah@thecrimson.com aidan.ryan@thecrimson.com

PAGE 5

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Proud to cover Harvard for 146 years and counting.

Keep the old sheet flying.

The Crimson thecrimson.com

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | FEBRUARY 14, 2019

PAGE 6

EDITORIAL THE CRIMSON EDITORIAL BOARD

COLUMN

Bacow, Stand with TPS

The Deeper Message of Harvard’s Dining Hall Food

T

his past Tuesday, Harvard workers and students went to Washington D.C. to join a rally marching to protect Temporary Protected Status, a program that grants temporary refuge in the United States to residents of countries ravaged by conflict or natural disasters. In the rain, they gathered to fight for the basic right to stay in the United States, where many of them have spent years building new lives.

We recognize the urgency of these protests, and we admire the efforts of those involved in the Harvard TPS Coalition as part of the larger fight to protect people living in the U.S. under the TPS program. Workers and students alike have rallied repeatedly on campus, pushing for increased legal support in light of the very real danger posed to their livelihoods in the U.S. given the current political climate.

Over the course of the current administration, the TPS program and those who benefit from it have faced growing uncertainty. Though a court order has stalled the Trump administration’s terminations of TPS for individuals from El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Nicaragua, Nepal, and Sudan, their status still remains uncertain for the foreseeable future.

In light of these dangers and in justice to the people who have built new lives in the U.S., we echo our support for the continuation of TPS. Furthermore, we believe Harvard should work assiduously to support its employees who are TPS recipients by using its political clout to lobby Congress. The individuals affect-

ed are not only valued members of the Harvard community: They are human beings, deserving of the right to feel safe in the place where they have rebuilt their lives.

If University President Lawrence S. Bacow decides to take a more public political stance, on the issue, it will not be without precedent. Former University President Drew G. Faust, in a letter to top legislators co-written with Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber, offered public support for TPS shortly before her term ended. This statement, amongst others, came after a number of protests and a petition presented to her by TPS workers earlier that year.

The individuals affected are not only valued members of the Harvard community: They are human beings, deserving of the right to feel safe in the place where they have rebuilt their lives.

After Faust’s departure, the University must strive to maintain public support of immigrants, both under TPS and otherwise. In September, Bacow met with members of the undocumented community on campus, including TPS workers, but has not yet recently made a similar statement showing his support. Following his expression of sympathy for immi-

gration issues and advocacy groups and references to his own immigration story, Bacow should show material support for the immigrants by committing Harvard’s political sway to protecting these valued members of our community.

We appreciate that Bacow has identified support for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era immigration program designed to protect undocumented immigrants who arrived as children, as one of his main lobbying priorities. We call on Bacow to also make a specific, explicit statement advocating on behalf of those who might face terminations to TPS in the same way that Faust did during her tenure.

Bacow has the chance to reaffirm his commitment to justice for all members of the Harvard community, no matter their origins. We urge him to take it.

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. orem ipsum 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.

Submit an Op-Ed Today!

The Crimson

op-eds@thecrimson.com OP-ED

Dean Sullivan Deserves Applause, Not Punishment

By FAITH A. JACKSON

D

uring my undergraduate career, Winthrop House was my single-most important source of community. The nature of the randomly assigned Houses guaranteed a much appreciated diversity amongst my peers in the House. It was only fitting that the House staff mirrored this diversity, serving as resources for a variety of students. Ronald S. Sullivan, Jr. and Stephanie Robinson, our faculty deans, both exemplified and bolstered this diversity of backgrounds, interests, and, most of all, thought.

The recent announcement of Sullivan’s joining Harvey Weinstein’s legal team is very consistent with the thought, leadership, and open discourse I know the faculty deans to have fostered in Winthrop House.

Regardless of my personal views on Weinstein and the accusations against him, I think Sullivan has the potential to improve and increase discourse in a way that benefits many of those who have critiqued his decision and, regardless, is entitled to and should be applauded for going against the grain at an institution known for being intellectually stimulating but not necessarily morally inclusive.

Overall, throughout my time at and after Harvard, I have learned key lessons that I consider now as I choose to respect, defend, and even appreciate Sullivan’s decision. First, Sullivan and Robinson’s welcoming attitude of varied perspectives is rare, crucial, and has been displayed on prior occasions. This attitude should be commended. I recall one instance during my sophomore year at Harvard when then-Governor Nikki R. Haley was honored by the Harvard Foundation for leading the removal of the Confederate flag from her state’s Capitol building.

Following outrage from students discontented by her race relations track record, including interns at the Harvard Foundation, there was an organized discussion held in Winthrop. With the Harvard Republican Club president playing a pivotal role in the meeting, alongside Harvard Foundation interns and Winthrop House Race Relations Tutors, the event had no shortage of diverse opinions. This was an event Sullivan and Robinson were

directly responsible for approving and encouraging, and indirectly for establishing Winthrop’s culture of dialogue and open-mindedness. Indeed, my views were changed by that event and hearing opinions different from mine, and my counterparts from the other side of the issue expressed similar sentiments.

Sullivan’s commitment to encouraging dialogue is illuminated in instances like these as even more commendable considering a key fact about Harvard’s campus — that students on campus have perpetually felt uncomfortable by the polarization and lack of dialogue. Just last month, yet another conservative on campus published an article with sentiments

We should leave Harvard with the ability to change hearts and minds, societies and standards of behavior because when we speak, people know we’re not only smart, but we’re open-minded.

I can attest to being prevalent even when I started at Harvard almost a decade ago.

The visceral response to Sullivan’s professional decision is also indicative of the lack of dialogue on this campus. I would argue that even a person who vehemently disagrees with the views of this selfdubbed “lone conservative” or the accused Weinstein’s right to counsel should welcome the opportunity to associate with those defending them — an opportunity to learn from and potentially educate someone on the other side, whether morally or contractually. This open discourse is needed to change campus culture. Thus, Sullivan’s decision extends Harvard students a critical opportunity to learn of the importance of engaging with other viewpoints.

Outside of Harvard, this lack of dialogue is hurting the power of Harvard, its students, and its graduates to influence and improve the world around us.

I experienced this first-hand myself after enlisting in the U.S. Army National

Guard immediately following my graduation from Harvard College. I went from a major institution saturated with liberal thought to one saturated with conservative thought. I have found that whether I posed a differing view when discussing whether transgender service members should be allowed or if I grimaced at the utterance of a racialized, gendered, or homophobic epithet during some activity with my fellow soldiers, my opinion was generally well-received, until it was remembered that I am a product of an institution that is not just liberally biased, but is monolithic enough to rescind offers to even just speak on campus from conservative thinkers like James “Jim” W. Gilchrist, Jr. Only after I endured remarks about being a “snowflake” and retorted with an acknowledgement of the opposing perspective, explaining that I have worked to go beyond the Harvard mold to explore opinions different from my own (which contributed to my very decision to enlist) did they recognize the validity of my views. Regardless of whether my views were moderated by theirs to reach a middle ground or remained unchanged, I learned to foremost acknowledge the other perspective.

This learning should be intrinsic to the Harvard education: We should leave Harvard with the ability to change hearts and minds, societies and standards of behavior because when we speak, people know we’re not only smart, but we’re open-minded.

Harvard has a moral responsibility to facilitate discourse that educates our students, provides us with a badge of open-mindedness akin to that we get for intelligence upon graduation, and ensures that people like Sullivan are appreciated as trailblazers in open discourse at best, or as a welcome opportunity to directly engage with the other side at worst. Harvard’s role as a thought leader in our society comes with a mandate for diversity of thought, and this is precisely why Sullivan and Robinson are exemplar faculty deans worthy of applause, not admonishment.

—Faith A. Jackson ’17 is a first-year student at Harvard Law School.

Jonathan Yuan FOOD FOR THOUGHT

T

hough Harvard is one of the top schools in the nation, its dining services leave a lot to be desired. During my first semester here, I’ve heard more freshmen complaining about campus dining than about bad WiFi, all-nighters, and harsh professors combined. This is an entirely reasonable concern to have, since food plays a prominent role in student life here on campus and home-cooking for many is thousands of miles away.

But personally, I don’t think that Harvard dining is all that bad.

The major concerns with Harvard’s dining services seem to center on issues of quality and scarcity. In Harvard’s dining halls, breakfast is kept on a weekly schedule, with various forms of potatoes and breakfast meats swapped out daily, while lunch and dinner have rotating entrees, starches, and vegetables.

Many students’ main area of concern is the quality of the food we are served. The meals are distributed in lukewarm trays that are wrapped in plastic until they’re brought out and, many times, the food doesn’t have much flavor. It definitely isn’t five-star worthy. But, logically, this makes sense, since the dining halls have to serve upwards of about 6,000 students.

Nevertheless, having such limited options per meal that aren’t the best quality makes it much more likely that people won’t enjoy even one part what is being served. Harvard’s dining halls contain fewer choices than many other universities in the area, such as Boston University or Northeastern University, which have stations for pizza or stir fry, providing a constant option for students if they don’t like the food on a certain day.

At Harvard, there is always an array of raw vegetables at the salad bar, and the grill is always open, but there seems to be a lack of focus on having options that remain the same for students to enjoy every day.

Yet, in my opinion, it’s exactly this trait of having only a few options per meal that makes Harvard’s dining experience meaningful. This choice serves as a reminder to students of the greater values in education that Harvard wishes to put forth.

One of Harvard’s main focuses in student experience is diversity and inclusion, which I think the food system really emphasizes. Harvard University Dining Services incorporates in their menu an array of dishes from places not only across the U.S. but the entire world, offering a new kind of food to test at every meal. You can go from

The fact that HUDS devotes itself to these purposes while also serving a large student body is remarkable and respectable, especially considering the array of recipes and time needed to prepare these dishes from around the globe. pad thai and Japanese oven-braised pork at lunch to fried buttermilk chicken and eggplant parmesan at dinner. These dishes might not be people’s first choices, but they introduce a new opportunity for students to appreciate the various nationalities and ethnicities represented in the student body.

I’m fortunate enough to come from Boston, where I’ve had the opportunity to try cuisines from around the world. However, in the dining halls, even I can experience dishes like south Indian Mulligatawny soup or central European pierogies.

This kind of dining allows students not only to feel represented by the food they’re familiar with at home but also gives those who may not have tried these foods the opportunity to experience new cuisines.

The fact that HUDS devotes itself to these purposes while also serving a large student body is remarkable and respectable, especially considering the array of recipes and time needed to prepare these dishes from around the globe.

I do see the flaws in the way that Harvard din-

This kind of dining allows students not only to feel represented by the food they’re familiar with at home but also gives those who may not have tried these foods the opportunity to experience new cuisines. ing works. I (often) get sick of some of the fairly tasteless dishes and just want that good old slice of pizza. I also feel a little gross when I find on my plate a sloshy spaghetti or an admirable attempt at culturally accurate dumplings (which, to be fair, I am rather used to as a Chinese-American). But, ultimately, I see the less-than-ideal dining experience as a justifiable price to pay for promoting the importance of diversity and offering new experiences.

So, the next time you consider complaining about measly mac and cheese or a waffle-gonewonky, I hope you feel somewhat sated by taking advantage of the opportunities to explore and appreciate different areas of the world — all from the comfort of your home away from home.

—Jonathan Yuan ’22 lives in Thayer Hall. His column appears on alternate Thursdays

PAGE 7

IN OTHER NEWS

SPORTS

THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

MEN’S HOCKEY

The No. 18 Crimson (13-7-3, 9-5-2 ECAC) is set to enter the home stretch of its season now that the annual Beanpot festivities have concluded. Harvard, who placed third in the tournament, has six remaining games — ­ all within its conference — before the ECAC playoffs. These contests will be crucial for the squad in clinching a first-round bye in the conference tournament, cementing its top-20 status, and maintaining its high Pairwise ranking.

WOMEN’S WATER POLO

No. 16 Harvard Remains Perfect After Nine Games

By DAVID MANIKAS CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

T wo months into its season, the Harvard women’s water polo team has found itself amending the history books. Off a perfect 9-0 start, the No.16 Crimson has jumped out to the program’s best start to a season since its founding in 1997.

Starting its season in New Rochelle, N.Y., Harvard faced off against Iona and Villanova. The Crimson got out to a commanding lead against the Gaels before undergoing a scoring rally as each side tacked on goals for their respective teams.

However, the Gaels were no match for the late-game heroics from first-year attacker Borden Wahl and senior attacker Kristen Hong, as the game ended with Harvard tallying 10 goals to Iona’s seven.

Against the Wildcats, Harvard doubled its output from the contest against the Gaels, scoring 20 goals with contributions from Hong, senior defender Haley Bowe, juniors Sofia Carrera-Justiz and Lana Gorlinski, and first-year Inde Halligan.

For their impressive performances, Halligan and Hong, last year’s team leader in goals and steals, were honored by the CWPA as Division-I players of the week. Halligan was also awarded the Rookie of the Week award for her performance.

The first weekend of competition included some of Harvard’s freshman talent on display. The team, composed of a balanced mix of members in each year, includes five firstyear members. Inde Halligan contributed early on, netting one in her first period of collegiate play.

The Sydney, Australia, native continued the scoring in the second game, contributing to the 20 goal-total that dwarfed the Wildcats’ 12.

Wahl, a Greenwich, Conn., native, scored in her first game as well, adding a goal in the final period against the Gaels. Finally, Zoe Banks’ debut in goal for the Crimson was a success, as she tallied seven saves and as­

sisted on a goal versus Iona.

“A lot of the reason why we’re seeing success is because of the freshman class that just came in,” said Hong when discussing the factors contributing to the team’s success early in the season. “They’re really smart. Coach Minnis has recruited girls with higher and higher water polo IQ’s.”

The following weekend, the program made history in its stint at the Bruno Classic hosted by Brown University. After taking care of No. 16 Wagner and Siena on the first day of competition, Harvard faced off against LaSalle the following day. Not only did the Crimson win by its largest margin of the season, but it also recorded its first shutout in program history.

To go along with the 17 netted goals on the day, the team’s defense prevented LaSalle from having a chance of its own at the back of the net. Banks sent back five shots and continued her impressive season in net.

Making history a single time wasn’t enough for the Crimson. Following the Bruno Classic, Harvard was tied for its best start in program history, as the 5-0 team last reached such a record in head coach Ted Minnis’ first season in 2011.

Looking to remain undefeated, the Crimson set its sights on the next weekend of competition at the Bison Invite, hosted

by Bucknell University. Making the long road trip to Lewisburg, Penn., Harvard was set to face off against Gannon and Salem Universities on Saturday before preparing for another double-header on the following day.

In its first matchup on Saturday, the Crimson cruised to an 18-5 win, taking down Gannon with the help of a seven-goal run after taking a two-goal lead in the first quarter.

The second game wasn’t much different, as the Crimson found itself with a three-goal lead at the end of the first period against Salem and eventually an 11-5 finish, taking down Salem to win its seventh straight game out of the gate.

Banks shone once again, recording 21 combined saves on

START OF GOLD The Crimson is enjoying its most successful start to a campaign in the history of the program. The squad will enter early March’s Harvard Invite, its first taste of conference play, looking to defend its home pool and its flawless record. KATHRYN S. KUHAR — CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

Saturday to go along with three steals and three assists. Hong, in her own right, contributed seven goals on the day.

The second day of the Bison Invite saw Harvard in two rematch games from the Bruno Classic, squaring off against Siena in an early 8 AM start and Wagner shortly after the conclusion of the first game.

Against the Saints, the Crimson found themselves down early, but not for long. An offensive run to respond to Siena’s goal left Harvard with a threepoint lead at the end of the first quarter. The game concluded with the Crimson doubling the Saints’ total, 16-8. Harvard had six different members score in

the contest.

The rematch against Wagner followed a much closer narrative. Wagner, now ranked No. 18, sought to avenge its loss to the Crimson a week prior.

The contest saw a defensive struggle between both sides in the first quarter before the teams began exchanging goals in the second.

By the third quarter, the two squads were tied at nine, with both looking to capitalize on an opportunity. Once again, Harvard’s first-years were crucial in the game’s outcome. Wahl’s late goal in the contest ultimately decided the game, adding to her four other scores on the day.

Banks’ late-game steal sealed

the deal, and just like that, the Crimson found itself undefeated through nine games. Banks’ excellent play throughout the weekend earned her Defensive Player of the Week honors from the Collegiate Water Polo Association.

Regardless of the historic start, coach Minnis is looking ahead to continue the success throughout the rest of the season.

“This team has a good mix of older and younger girls and we still have a lot of work to do to achieve our goals,” Minnis said.

Ahead for the Crimson is a change in venue, as the team trains for the Harvard Invite beginning on March 1st. Hav-

ing such a long break between their most recent match and their next weekend of competition, the team has an opportunity to rest in order to keep its perfect season in tact. However, coming back with the right mindset after such a break is crucial.

“It’s like preseason all over again. It’s about working our butts off, getting into better shape, and having some sort of inter-team competition in order to stay sharp,” Hong said.

“Time is going to make us even more excited to play, and I think that’s what’s really great about this break.” david.manikas@thecrimson.com

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Harvard Returns Home to Host Princeton and Penn

By MAHTAB SHIHAB CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

For the past four years, the Harvard women’s basketball team has finished third in the Ivy League behind Princeton and Penn. This upcoming weekend, the Crimson will return to Lavietes Pavilion for a chance to usurp their Ancient Eight foes when they face the ­

Tigers on Friday and the Quakers on Saturday.

Harvard (11-8, 4-2 Ivy League) is coming off its second consecutive road split, where it fell to Columbia before outlasting Cornell.

The Crimson is currently second in the conference standings, with the chance to take over the first spot from Penn with a home sweep this week-

end.

Earning that coveted first spot will be no easy feat for the Crimson, however. Penn (153, 5-0) is currently undefeated in conference play and have a scoring margin of over 14 points a game. Princeton (11-9, 3-2 Ivy) currently sits one spot below Harvard and has always proven to be a difficult matchup.

After a tough five-game road stint, playing at home will be a welcome sight for the Crimson. Junior guard Katie Benzan acknowledges the advantage that playing at home gives her group.

“We love playing at home,” said Benzan. “It will definitely boost our confidence and our drive to succeed.”

The home crowd should

HOME STAND The Crimson is approaching a crucial point in its season: a pair of home contests against Ivy League powers Princeton and Penn, which give Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith’s group a chance to avenge last year’s conference semifinal defeat. TIMOTHY R. O’MEARA—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

help the Harvard play to its two critical strengths: scoring and rebounding. The Crimson have four different double-digit scorers with Katie Benzan and senior guard Madeline Raster leading the team with 14.3 and 13.7 apiece. The team has also managed to score over 70 points a game against conference opponents.

While their offense is potent with an array of outside shooters, the Tigers and Quakers both boast respectable defenses capable of stifling the Harvard attack.

Princeton has allowed 64 points a game while Penn has let up a mere 50. Co-captain Madeline Raster noted the importance of being able to score against Penn’s zone.

“Penn usually plays a tough zone, so we need to play our offense with poise, take advantage of the gaps in their defense, and hit our shots,” Raster said. “We just have to play at our pace and not let the other team’s momentum dictate how we play our game.”

The key to a Crimson victory will be its ability to control the tempo of the game. The team’s best asset is its capacity to score both inside and out. If it can get the offense going early, Harvard can make the Quakers uncomfortable in their vaunted zone defense.

Likewise, Harvard has to control tempo against the Tigers and prevent their scoring attack from getting too comfortable.

Princeton scores over 70 points a game and has the ability to go toe to toe with the Crimson offense.

“Princeton has some 3-point shooters and a talented guard-forward, which means we have to know the scout and not allow those players to be comfortable against our defense,” Raster said.

To control the pace effectively on both the offensive and defensive end, Harvard will have to continue to excel at one of its strong suits: rebounding.

The Crimson is out-rebounding opponents by over 5.3 boards per game and has one of the best offensive rebounders in the country in Jadyn Bush.

If Bush continues her rate of offensive rebounding, she could potentially finish top-five in the entire nation in this category. Being able to have second chance opportunities off offensive rebounds will be crucial against a team like Penn, whose defense has stymied opponents to convert shots at a 32.6% clip.

If Harvard can play to its strengths and control the tempo of the game, the team will be in a position to outlast its Ivy League competitors. This weekend’s games can have a significant impact on the conference standings and give the Crimson early momentum against its potential playoff adversaries.

“Both of these games this weekend is important,” Benzan said. “The championship is on the line. We have to come out hungry to sweep this weekend.”

Look for Harvard to try to avenge its semifinal playoff loss from last year and get one step closer to Ancient Eight glory. mahtab.shihab@thecrimson.com

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | FEBRUARY 14, 2019