The Tufts Daily - Monday, January 31, 2022

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Monday, January 31, 2022

Medford police department to implement body cameras

by Fernando Cervantes Jr. Assistant News Editor

The City of Medford released a statement on Jan. 10 announcing they will begin using body cameras across the police department, beginning tentatively in fall 2022.

According to the statement, the city and police department signed a five-year deal with Motorola Solutions, a data communications company, for the cameras to equip Medford’s 100-person police department. The contract is reported to have cost $330,000.

This project has been in the works for about five years. In 2017, the City of Medford and the police union started communicating on the usage of these cameras, coming to an agreement on the matter in the same year.

According to Steve Smirti, a COVID-19 public information officer with the Office of Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn, this implementation has been a part of the mayor’s plans for a long time.

“The Mayor has been working with Medford Police Chief

Jack Buckley to help build lasting partnerships with the community since taking office in 2020,” Smirti wrote in an email to the Daily.

Smirti also talked about the importance that this new program holds towards building a bond between both police officers and the public in Medford.

“To achieve a strong bond between community and policing, the Mayor and Chief Buckley have worked to have a force that is more representative of the community, that is more accountable to the people and is more accessible in engagement with stakeholders,” Smirti wrote.

The Daily also reached out to Buckley but received no response to these requests by press time.

According to Smiriti, body cameras are slated to be delivered to the Medford Police Department this spring and should be fully implemented by fall 2022.

According to the statement from the City of Medford, Mayor Lungo-Koehn was optimistic about the impact of

ALEXANDER THOMPSON / THE TUFTS DAILY

A Somerville Police Department patrol car is pictured outside SPD headquarters on Jan. 31, 2020. having this technology at the Medford Police Department.

“These body-worn cameras are an important tool for building public trust, strengthening community relationships and fairly conducting public safety operations,” Lungo-Koehn said.

“I am thrilled that the city is able to bring this technology to

the department and add to the City’s commitment to transparency and accountability.”

According to Reuters, the Obama administration funded body camera programs in 2014 in the wake of the Ferguson, MO killing of Michael Brown.

As of 2016, around 47% of law enforcement agencies in the

United States have purchased cameras.

Massachusetts, along with many other states, does not mandate the use of body cameras by police departments.

TUPD officers do not wear body cameras, according to see CAMERAS, page 2

Amid return of students to campus, university navigates uncertain oncampus health conditions

TCU Senate confirms Class of 2024 Prom will take place in April

by Anton Shenk

by Tess Harmon

News Editor

As thousands of Tufts students returned to campus for the spring semester, just weeks after COVID19 case counts broke records nationwide, the university tried to provide clarity regarding COVID19 conditions on campus. Amid the uncertainty, changing course modalities and hundreds of students starting their semesters in isolation or quarantine, community members have attempted to anticipate and adapt to challenging on-campus conditions.

After unprecedentedly high COVID-19 transmission in January, Tufts administration officials announced the first three days of courses would take place virtually just a week and a half ahead of classes commencing.

“It was the correct decision to spread student arrivals over several days to allow onboarding over time and also allow general community prevalence to decrease,” University Infection Control Health Director Michael Jordan wrote in an email to the Daily.

Medical Director of Health Service Marie Caggiano echoed the effectiveness of the semester beginning with virtual courses.

“The decision to hold classes virtually for the first three days of the semester was intended to limit COVID exposure and illnesses among students, faculty, and staff, with the goal of avoiding more serious disruptions to campus life and operations,” Caggiano wrote in an email to the Daily. “The decision, which has been effective, also has helped us to protect the medically vulnerable individuals within the Tufts community and in our host communities of Somerville, Medford, and Boston.”

With a week and a half to adjust course content to the virtual start of classes, some faculty across departments and with varying class sizes said they felt prepared to start their semesters.

David Coleman, who taught Gospel Choir virtually last academic year, felt it was easy to plan for the modality change.

“The idea of only having to teach the first week of classes vir-

tually did not phase me,” Coleman wrote in an email to the Daily.

“Tufts provided me with the support to create 20 weeks of virtual content for my Canvas based course, and if need arises, I could easily switch to it again.”

John McCann, who teaches Wind Ensemble, also supported the university’s decision to start the semester virtually while remaining wary of COVID-19 conditions on campus.

“I love teaching in person but I want to balance that with efforts to stay uninfected,” McCann wrote in an email to the Daily. “I don’t mind that the school moved quickly to move to virtual as they reacted to information in real time.”

Many members of the faculty also hope the first three days of the semester will be the only virtual days of the semester.

Clay Bennett, who lectures to 100 students enrolled in Organic Chemistry II, said that although he could teach his course virtually, much would be lost compared to in-person instruction. see MODALITY, page 2

Assistant News Editor

The Tufts Community Union Senate confirmed that the Class of 2024 Prom will take place in April and heard supplementary funding requests in a virtual meeting on Sunday night.

TCU President Amma Agyei opened the meeting by suggesting that the Senate host a leadership dinner, where representatives from every student organization on campus come together to share information and ideas at a sit-down meal.

Agyei, a senior, hopes the dinner will promote communication across different groups and foster connections between the Senate and campus organizations. The body discussed whether the dinner should be casual or formal, given the possibility that a formal dinner could be a barrier to entry for students without formal clothes. They decided that formal attire should be optional at the event and

ARTS / page 4

FEATURES / page 3

OPINION / page 7

Samia wows audience with authentic performance

Alum pursues new drug therapies and diversity in STEM at MIT

We’re to blame for the California wildfires

agreed to discuss it in greater detail at a future meeting.

Next, TCU Treasurer Elizabeth Hom introduced two supplementary funding requests.

The Tufts Economics Society requested $150 to pay an engineer to update their website and migrate it to the Tufts. edu domain. The club hopes to save money by canceling their Wix subscription. Nine members of the Allocations Board voted to approve the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed the entire Senate body by acclamation.

Tufts PULSE requested $4,624 to send 13 dancers to a competition in February. The competition, which was initially supposed to be held in person, was recently moved online. PULSE requested $500 to rent out Cohen Auditorium for two days so that they can film their performance, $1,087 to refund the plane tickets they see PROM, page 2 NEWS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Monday, January 31, 2022

THE TUFTS DAILY Alexander Janoff Editor in Chief

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TUPD not yet implementing body cameras CAMERAS

continued from page 1 Yolanda Laurice Smith, head of Tufts public safety.

“We do not use body cameras and we have not begun that conversation yet,” Smith wrote in an email to the Daily.

When asked if TUPD would consider using these body cam-

eras in the near future, Smith talked about future plans in the department.

“We have not added any new resources and tools to our operation, as we are in the middle of an arming study,” Smith wrote. “Once that is done and a policing model is decided, we will focus on and ponder

the resources needed to best fit that model.”

Somerville is also in the process of implementing body cameras. The City of Somerville and the police union came to an agreement on the issue in March 2021.

According to a press release from the City of Somerville in March 2021,

the implementation of these cameras was a big step toward accountability and community policing.

“The agreement represents a collaborative breakthrough for policing transparency in Somerville and establishes Somerville as an early regional adopter of this important technology,” the statement read.

Professors handle changing COVID-19 guidelines MODALITY

continued from page 1 “I am very hopeful we will not need to go remote again … after doing this for almost two years now, I feel that remote instruction is inferior to in-person instruction,” Bennett wrote in an email to the Daily. “This is true both in terms of reaching the students and learning outcomes.”

Though even as courses return to in-person instruction, the university acknowledges creative accommodations will continue to be needed for students unable to attend class. Dean of Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion Heather Nathans said that these accommodations will need to be tailored course-to-course.

“We appreciate the creative solutions professors are devising to accommodate students who may have to isolate or quarantine,” Nathans wrote in an email to the Daily. “For example, some classes will provide hybrid … access throughout the term, while others will use it on an as-needed basis. Some will use notetakers and notes as well as other materials will be posted after each class.

Some faculty are making extensive online office hours available each week to allow students who have to be absent to have more one-on-one guidance once their health improves and they’re ready to return to schoolwork.”

However, less clarity exists for when faculty are unable to teach their courses. According to Tufts’ COVID-19 dashboard, 12 faculty,

staff and affiliates have tested positive in the past week, as of Jan. 28. Clay Bennett, Coleman and McCann didn’t offer specifics as to how their departments might navigate faculty sick with COVID-19.

“I can’t speak to classes during COVID, however, before the pandemic if a Professor was unable to teach a class someone else would step in,” Bennett wrote.

Meanwhile, McCann hopes he won’t have to navigate that challenge in the first place.

“I’ve been healthy and hope that continues,” McCann wrote.

For faculty, students and staff, the university feels confident in the safety of in-person classes, including large lecture courses.

“We have seen no evidence of in-person classroom transmission,” Jordan told the Daily.

For students unable to attend class, Dean of Academic Advising for the School of Engineering Jennifer Stephan outlined in an email how students should navigate short and long-term illness.

“We have asked faculty to include clear policies about illness and provide them on their syllabus, including sample language, so as a first step students should consult their syllabi for guidance,” Stephan wrote. “We also provide instructions about what a student can do if they are ill … and students who are ill outside of quarantine and isolation may submit a short-term illness notification.

If a student’s illness is severe, they should contact their advising dean for support and advocacy for flexibility.”

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A classroom in Miner Hall, which houses the philosophy department as well as offices for the Center for Cognitive Sciences, is pictured.

Class of 2024 Prom confirmed in Senate meeting PROM

continued from page 1 bought to Houston, $1,102 for new costumes, $1,900 for hotel lodging to watch the competition and $35 for prop expenses. ALBO recommended that TCU fund $2,615 of their request, declining to fund the hotel lodging. The request passed ALBO with nine ALBO members voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

The request passed the entire Senate body by acclamation.

TCU Diversity Officer Jaden Pena then discussed a new opening on TCU Senate for

a senator who will represent and liaise with the Indigenous Peoples’ Center. Pena, who is a junior, plans to start the search process within the next two weeks.

Pena also mentioned that Dr. Ellise LaMotte, interim director of the Center for STEM Diversity, had proposed that the CSD have a corresponding senator position on TCU Senate. According to Pena, the Senate’s executive board does not support the request, since it would set a precedent for other academic programs requesting representation on TCU Senate.

Trustee representative Carolina Olea Lezama then updated the body on last week’s trustee meeting, where University President Anthony Monaco gave updates on the university’s mental health task force and the trustees made recommendations on how to help the Career Center better support different identities.

During the senate’s the open forum, TCU Historian and Class of 2024 Senator Mariana Janer-Agrelot discussed an article she is writing for The Observer advocating for the continuation of exception-

al pass/fail this semester. She hopes Tufts will heed the argument she makes in her article.

Services Committee Chair and Class of 2024 Senator Arielle Galinsky confirmed that the Class of 2024 Prom will happen on April 8 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.

She announced that the contract with the venue will be signed this week, and that the prom planning committee will meet soon. Janer-Agrelot suggested that a clothing drive for formal wear would be useful to help students source affordable clothing for the event.

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Features

3 Monday, January 31, 2022

Alum delves into biological engineering, encourages diversity in STEM at MIT

by Sam Dieringer

Assistant Features Editor

Since graduating from Tufts in 2018, alum Megan Tse hasn’t stopped exploring and creating. As a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tse continues research into innovations within biological engineering that she began as an undergrad. When asked why she continues to pursue biological engineering, Tse commented on how she enjoys working towards creating new technologies that can help people.

“I’m very excited about the ability to work and contribute towards something that can help people,” Tse said. “I can do research and contribute to the science that’s building tools … and also developing technologies that can help improve human health or discover new, biological things that can improve human health.”

At Tufts, Tse conducted research surrounding tissue engineering and regenerative medicine with Professor David Kaplan, chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

However, Tse explained that her graduate work has shifted toward drug discovery.

“My focus here is actually in drug discovery. And I think a lot of this, again … kind of relates … to work towards improving human health and thinking more about, like, biological discovery, so I could assist that,” Tse said.

As a student in Professor Paul Blainey’s lab at the Broad Institute, Tse works on antibody combinations discovery, where she uses a tool to examine different antibiotic combinations to possibly uncover new drug treatments. This tool was developed by a group of graduate students in the Blainey Lab a few years ago.

“So what we’re doing here is basically using this droplet microfluidic platform to basically assemble a lot of different small little assays and what this tool allows you to do is look at a bunch of combinations in a parallel manner,” Tse said.

She explained that this tool could possibly further develop the field of drug discovery.

“So the thought here is if we could perhaps look at combinations, that maybe we could

help expand that drug discovery space, and hopefully find new treatments and a different chemical space,” Tse said.

Tse noted that bacteria drug resistance is a large problem in the area of infectious diseases and has become more prevalent in the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There’s also actually this ongoing thing in general, where a lot of the antibiotics that we’re using, a lot of bacteria that are pathogenic, are becoming really multi-drug resistant to these antibiotics,” Tse said.

She described how the rate of bacteria drug resistance outpaces the rate of antibiotic development.

“There’s not enough antibiotics, new antibiotics that are coming in to really fill that need, considering the rate of resistance that a lot of bacteria are developing as these antibiotics that currently exist in the clinic,” Tse said.

Although Tse’s work is not directly related to COVID-19, she said the pandemic has reinforced the importance of infectious disease biology, as the impact of COVID-19 is bringing further awareness to other global health challenges.

“And I think another thing too, that’s been interesting is that because of this greater attention to infectious diseases … a lot of people have actually been looking and thinking a lot more actually about, not just COVID, but trying to think more about bacterial pathogens and how that is something that has been an ongoing problem,” Tse said.

During her time at Tufts, Tse was involved in the Society of Women Engineers and an overall advocate for women’s involvement in STEM. When asked about her thoughts on MIT’s handling of gender diversity, she commented that while her department was quite diverse, other departments were not.

“Since coming here, I’ve noticed … more of the diversity problem is not necessarily with women specifically in the field of biological engineering, [but] I think in other engineering departments here at MIT, there’s a big problem, potentially,” Tse said.

Tse described the steps she has taken to address diversity through communication with department leadership from her former involvement with the

Tufts alum Megan Tse is pictured in the Science and Engineering Complex in 2018. biological engineering graduate student board to helping create diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) working groups.

“Up until I think, this most recent academic year, I have been involved in the biological engineering graduate student board and basically had helped develop a lot of initiatives,” Tse said. “And one of the things that has come out of this, between me and a few other people, is [that] actually we started forming these DEI working groups.”

Tse reflected on how she wants to bring the same network and support that she appreciated at Tufts to MIT. “I really appreciate … the network and the people that I’ve been able to develop that did perhaps look like me, that were like me, while I was at Tufts,” Tse said.

“That’s something that I’ve been trying to bring here to MIT. … I want to be able to … help bring that to other people who are perhaps more underrepresented.”

In general, Tse described how she’s just as excited to get more

women involved in STEM as she was at Tufts. She explained that one place that she does this is through a tutoring program for high school students in Cambridge.

“I’m still very excited about trying to get more women in STEM. I still participate in various programs. One thing that I really enjoy doing is … Tutoring Plus in Cambridge,” Tse said. “It’s been really nice being able to work with my mentee, and, in particular, she is a female high school student.”

Tse described how the tutoring program has been a rewarding experience for her.

“It’s been really good being able to interact with her and tell her about some of the things I’ve been working on, while also being able to help her through high school,” Tse said. “It’s been really great to see her interests and how that’s been developing in general.”

When looking ahead to future career aspirations, Tse said she doesn’t know where exactly she wants to go next. At one point, Tse had ambitions of becoming a

BEN KIM / THE TUFTS DAILY

professor, but she explained that she’s lost motivation for that profession through the years.

“If you’re ever interested in grad school or academia in general, I will note that I think it’s hard to be in the path to become a professor,” Tse said.

Tse explained that she hopes the profession will take a different direction in the upcoming years and that a new wave of energy will enter the world of academia.

“I think that there are people who are really excited, still, about making changes within academia,” Tse said. “I just don’t know if I’m the one to do that at this point.”

Regardless, Tse is excited about all of the possibilities of what her future in STEM will hold and is adamant that she plans to continue to get young people involved in STEM. “I am really excited though to still continue to be able to mentor people and to have the chance to talk with people who are in a different place than me, that are younger than me, that … are interested in and excited about being in STEM,” Tse said.

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Arts & POP ARTS Pop CULTURE Culture

tuftsdaily.com

Monday, January 31, 2022

Samia performs with whimsy at Paradise Rock Club in Boston

COURTESY LOLA OWETT

Samia performed at the Paradise Rock Club on Jan. 25.

by Lola Owett

Contributing writer

It is a rare sight to see a young artist brought to tears on stage and say, “this is one of the greatest nights of my life,” and to truly believe her. Samia sold out the Paradise Rock Club in Boston on Jan. 25. The musical lovechild of Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift (with a hint of Mazzy Star), Samia’s unusual and charming performance proves her promise as a new talent.

Even more masterful and in control of her sound live than on her studio recordings, the coolness and clarity of Samia’s vocals matched the chilly January evening. Samia grew up in New York City, where she set the roots for her Indie rock career. She recently released an EP titled “Scout,” but her success reigns with her 2020 album “The Baby.”

Samia’s music is melancholy but edgy, and her performance only heightens her work.

In studio recordings, Samia appears passive and gentle, but her eclectic performance style

illuminates the hilarity of her character and artistic vision.

She self-deprecates in her lyrics and in her commentary on stage. After she performed her fun, buoyant song “Limbo Bitch,” which stands out from her more soulful and depressing music, she created comic tension before addressing the audience. “That song is about how you can limbo, bitch,” she added with dry humor to point out the simpler nature of that song, which makes it even more meaningful for her audience.

“I could’ve been a dancer,” Samia stated with sarcasm after she twirled around like a whimsical little girl in ballet class during her band member’s guitar solo. The intense emotions of her songs flow through her body and “jazz hands” that she told the audience she always does with her bandmates on stage when they get nervous.

The splendor of Samia’s performance laid in her vulnerability and authenticity. She did not take herself too seriously and

remained honest with herself and her audience.

Samia wore animal print and a skirt a little bit longer than the biker shorts she had on underneath. The ethos of the concert and Samia’s stage presence were reminiscent of both a ‘90s dive bar performance and a children’s dance party on a playground. Samia’s irreverence to herself and the glamour of her music cultivated a sense of safety, humility and excitement for her fans.

But Samia is not traditionally “cool” — nor does she want to be. She is still the shy, somewhat weird girl she was in Brooklyn before she gained fame. She is in touch with her inner child, and her lyrics soothe our inner children.

Samia slowed down the upbeat show with her performance of “Welcome to Eden,” a song full of insightful biblical allusion, masterful lyricism and chilling vocals. The audience seemed to take a break and lean on one another as they soaked in the intensity of the song. The room

shivered a bit when she sang, “And so I’m talking about drugs and their adverse effects/ Like people do when they’ve lost a friend/ But I think it was me and not the drugs in the end/ ‘Cause God knows I have lost myself a veritable few of them.”

Her music is heart-wrenching, relatable, sorrowful and danceable. The playful ballet Samia randomly breaks into on stage only elevates the emotional intensity of the musical experience.

The opener, Annie DiRusso, brought even more wonder to the stage. In fact, DiRusso’s performance was dangerously close to being the best of the evening. Samia’s choice of opener delivers— and arguably reaches — equal levels of excellence as the main act. DiRusso’s cover of the song “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tommy James & the Shondells was electric. At the end of the concert, Samia brought DiRusso back onto the stage to perform a duet of the song “Barracuda” by Heart.

Samia resorted back to her play-

ful dance moves which DiRusso funnily tried to copy, appearing awkward yet endearing, and so admirable of Samia. The love between Samia and her group of performers was evident and contagious.

Before the encore with DiRusso, Samia performed her popular song “Is There Something in the Movies?” The song is sad and soulful. Her live rendition brought herself to tears and most definitely a few audience members. A folkie at heart, Samia grounded herself and the audience with her Phoebe Bridgers-esque lyrics in the song. Afterwards, she sat down on the ground, physically affected by the song.

Samia sang, “I only write songs about things that I’m scared of/ So here, now you’re deathless in art.” She immortalized her vulnerability in her lyricism and performance, creating a whimsical experience for her audience. Left numb and torn open, her audience became deathless in their consumption of Samia’s art.

TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER

A r t s & P o p C u lt u r e

Monday, January 31, 2022 | Arts & Pop Culture | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Oscars predictions 2022: Who will the Academy nominate?

COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS.

An Oscar is pictured.

by Emmy Wenstrup Arts Editor

It’s the end of Oscars season, meaning it’s time to predict which pretentious movies from 2021 that few people watched will win the coveted awards. The official nominations are scheduled to be announced on Feb. 8, but here’s a list of what to look for in the big

five categories: picture, director, screenplay, actor and actress.

Best Picture “Belfast,” “CODA,” “Drive My Car,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” “The Lost Daughter,” “The Power of The Dog,” “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and “West Side Story.” The three-hour Japanese Cannes darling “Drive My Car” has been gaining traction as it accumulates “best film” accolades from various critics groups that have almost certainly guaranteed it a spot in the Best Picture ten. Adam McKay’s star-studded climate change allegory “Don’t Look Up” (2021) is also a potential nominee but has proven to be controversial among audiences and critics alike. “Being The Ricardos” (2021) stands a chance at a nomination but has received fairly average reviews compared to other likely nominees. “The Lost Daughter” would likely be the first to go among the films listed, though it highlights a brilliant directorial debut from Maggie Gyllenhaal and standout performance from Olivia Colman.

There’s talk of a “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) nomination here, but that’s a reach at best.

Best Director Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”), Jane Campion (“The Power of The Dog”), Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”), Paul Thomas Anderson (“Licorice Pizza”) and Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”). It seems likely that this award will go to either Spielberg or Campion, but Branagh stands a chance if “Belfast” outperforms in other categories. Villeneuve will be recognized for the massive scale of sci-fi epic “Dune,” and Anderson’s film “Licorice Pizza” has done well with critics. All five directors seem fairly secure in their nominations, but it’s possible Ryusuke Hamaguchi (“Drive My Car”) or Joel Coen (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”) could sneak in there.

Best Original Screenplay “Belfast,” “Licorice Pizza,” “C’mon C’mon,” “Don’t Look Up” and “Being The Ricardos.” Mike Mills’ intimate and endearing “C’mon C’mon” deserves all the nominations in the world and has received a few already this awards season. Given its previous nominations in the Original Screenplay category this awards season, the hope is that it will carry this section at the Oscars as well. The Academy is also sure to nominate their darling Aaron

Sorkin for his mediocre Lucille Ball biopic “Being The Ricardos.”

Best Adapted Screenplay “The Power of The Dog,” “The Lost Daughter,” “West Side Story,” “Drive My Car” and “CODA.” “The Lost Daughter” stands its best chance in this category as the filmic adaptation of the Elena Ferrante novel of the same name. “Dune” also stands a chance at a nomination here for the sheer complexity of the books on which it was based, but the film has much more significant achievements than its screenplay, like its cinematography and production quality.

The same goes for “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” though it was a bit too literal to be deserving of a nomination here.

Best Actor Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of The Dog”), Andrew Garfield (“Tick, Tick… Boom!”), Will Smith (“King Richard”), Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”) and Peter Dinklage (“Cyrano”). The trifecta of Cumberbatch, Garfield and Smith are the three most solid nominations and the trophy will likely go to one of them.

The other two slots would most likely be filled by any combination of Washington, Dinklage, Leonardo DiCaprio (“Don’t Look

Up”), Joaquin Phoenix (“C’mon C’mon”) or Nicolas Cage (“Pig”).

Best Actress Nicole Kidman (“Being The Ricardos”), Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”), Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”), Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”) and Penélope Cruz (Parallel Mothers). Given the generally good press around her film, Lady Gaga might score a nomination for “House of Gucci,” and, if so, would likely take the spot of Cruz or Stewart. Despite being the most honored actress of the year, recognized by over 25 critics groups for her turn as Princess Diana, Kristen Stewart missed a crucial Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination that has historically been a good predictor for the Oscars.

Though the Oscars don’t take place until March and nominations have yet to be announced, we can be nearly certain that this year — like years — will be embroiled with controversy around everything from the privilege inherent in the awards to the lack of diversity of its nominees. But with the wealth of strong possible nominees to choose from, it will certainly be a competitive awards ceremony this coming March.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Fun & Games | Monday, January 31, 2022

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Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Prepare to launch a personal initiative.

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VIEWPOINT

California wildfires are getting worse, and it’s our fault

by Reya Kumar Opinion Editor

Although January wildfires are a rare occurrence in California, the Big Sur region has recently faced another devastating fire.

After over a week of closures along the iconic Highway 1 and forced evacuations of residents, the Colorado wildfire is finally nearing containment. Though the 700 acres it burned seems — at face value — like a large area, it pales in comparison to other fires in recent years that have burned hundreds of thousands of acres, and even over a million in the case of the August Complex in 2020, the largest fire in California’s history. 2020 and 2021 have been the worst years in history for wildfires. In fact, 14 of the 20 largest wildfires have occurred in the last 10 years, and nine in the last two.

What has been termed “fire season” in California has been getting longer in recent years.

Unseasonably warm spring seasons have caused earlier and faster snowmelt, with dry summer conditions where fires are most likely to spread setting in earlier.

Wildfire season typically begins in July and runs through the first fall rainfall, peaking in September and October. However, recent decreases in fall precipitation have caused the fire season to

extend into the winter as well. In fact, many people now consider California’s fire season to be yearlong.

What makes the Colorado wildfire particularly worrying is the fact that California has experienced heavy rainfall in the latter months of 2021, which brought many regions out of a state of extreme drought. However, 99% of the state is still experiencing moderate drought conditions, and the Colorado wildfire has made it clear that a period of rainfall will not ease the propensity to wildfires caused by the state’s chronic drought.

Though the death counts caused by wildfires are relatively low, the structural and environmental toll gets higher every year. Countless people have been forced to flee as their homes and workplaces are reduced to dust, such as the residents of Paradise, CA, which was decimated by the Camp Fire in 2018 — the deadliest and most costly California fire.

Another important threat caused by these rampant fires is to California’s giant sequoias.

Giant sequoias grow on the western side of the Sierra Nevada in California and can live for thousands of years. Due to their naturally fire-resistant bark, they tend to persist through difficult conditions. However, the increased

intensity of the recent mega fires in California has been killing unprecedented numbers of these rare giants, threatening their future. The Castle fire in 2020 killed 10–14% of all naturally growing giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada. Even these trees, renowned for their longevity and resilience, are now under threat from the deadly fires in California.

Former President Trump and others have claimed that forest mismanagement by California’s government has been the cause of massive blazes in recent years.

However, the state only owns 3% of California’s forest, with 58% owned by the federal government and the rest owned by private owners.

Instead, evidence shows that climate change has been the driving factor. One study found that human-caused climate change doubled the amount of land damaged by wildfires in the western United States between 1985 and 2015. A 2021 heat wave set recordhigh temperatures across the region. The changed weather patterns have included an increase in dry, windy and hot days, all of which combine to create perfect conditions for wildfires.

California’s increasingly devastating wildfires are yet another result of the anthropogenic climate change that threatens

BY ALIZA KIBEL humanity. Small individual gestures such as reducing plastic use and meat consumption make only a small dent in the mountainous problem, where 71% of emissions come from only 100 companies. The change we must make is bigger.

Our individual impact can be increased not only by reducing individual emissions but by adding our voice to collective calls for change. Biden’s big climate measures are stuck in the Build

Back Better Act due to partisan gridlock and disagreements over the magnitude of the situation.

In order to push forward the kind of change that is necessary, we must be persistent and impress upon our government how important it is to pass these measures that will drastically reduce emissions in the U.S. Only by coming together can we reduce the deleterious effects of climate change in California, the U.S. and around the world.

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8 Monday, January 31, 2022

SPORTS

tuftsdaily.com

Men’s basketball beats Bowdoin, struggles against Wesleyan

by Keila McCabe Sports Editor

The Ballad of Tennis Australia

​​T

he 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will provide the ultimate venue to protest the human rights abuses of the Chinese government.

It’s a unique event that places international cooperation and friendly competition at the forefront of all our minds and could be a real chance for networks, athletes and politicos to show some backbone in the global struggle for human rights. The upcoming games will also be the ultimate spotlight on efforts to continue sports in the midst of an ever twisting pandemic, with the omicron variant breaking

playing pretty well and how it ended up wasn’t in our favor. I think we still played a good game and even though we lost, I think we’re still proud of being able to hang with them and knowing we could’ve easily won that game if a few things went our way.”

In their bout with Bowdoin, Thoerner, Rogers and junior guard Tyler Aronson led the team to a confident win, improving their overall

record to 8–9 and conference to 3–2.

Thoerner and Aronson scored 25 and 20 points respectively. Rogers earned a double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds, despite Bowdoin’s defensive focus on him.

Thoerner described Bowdoin’s game play and Tufts’ response.

“During the game, they were really focusing on [Rogers] because they didn’t have as much size,” Thoerner said. “They were really double team-

ing him and putting a lot of pressure on him. Guys like [Aronson] made some big shots, and other guys had to step up because they were really focusing in on [Rogers].”

Heading into the last few weekends of conference play, Thoerner said focus is extremely important. “[Everyone needs] to keep the focus and [make] sure they’re locked in and they don’t give up anything,” Thoerner said. “We’re

still in a position where we could be at the top of the league, or we could blow some games and be at the bottom. It’s really important, these next four or five games, especially at home. We have to have that home court advantage and be able to capitalize on that.”

The team’s next games are on the road against Trinity and Connecticut College this weekend, Feb. 4 and 5.

daily case records and many professional athletes still somehow not understanding their responsibility to get vaccinated despite many efforts from professional sports leagues, the media and governments to enforce COVID19 protocols.

With athletes from around the world participating, the 2022 Australian Open was a prime opportunity for players and administrators to address public concerns about COVID-19 and other global issues that will likely emerge during the Olympics.

Yet when the Australian Open stopped the protests inquiring about tennis star Peng Shuai, who disappeared for three months after alleging on social media that a retired Chinese vice premier sexually assaulted her in 2018, and after the world’s top-ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic failed to get vaccinated, leading to his deporta-

tion from the country, Tennis Australia showed it wasn’t ready for prime time.

The Australian Open authorities called the police on protesters wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Where is Peng Shuai?,” highlighting concerns over the Women’s Tennis Association’s player’s safety and security after her disappearance and only limited appearances in state media since.

Tennis Australia, the governing body responsible for organizing the Australian Open and other tournaments in the land down under, decided that a ban on all political messaging at the tournament was the best course of action, citing safety as their main concern.

Safety is not preserved by stamping out critics of a government that can and will kidnap a professional athlete, revise her words and silence her

for standing up for their most basic human rights. The image of Tennis Australia is also hurt by underlying attempts to preserve the fragile trade relationship for China’s Guojiao 1573 liquor, a major sponsor of the Australian Open.

Tennis Australia’s response to Djokovic’s vaccination status was equally uninspiring as they originally gave Djokovic the green light to play because he contracted COVID-19 in December and was exempt from the tournament’s vaccination requirement, making him the only unvaccinated player.

The Australian Open’s position was subsequently nuked by Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, who concluded that Djokovic was too much of a threat to public health and his government’s reputation to be allowed entry. A federal court backed him up.

Throughout the ordeal, Tennis Australia escaped major criticism due to the drama surrounding Djokovic, Hawke and the court appeals process. Violating their own policies by granting Djokovic permission to play in the first place is an insult to the responsibility sports organizations have to public health and safety. Australians in particular have suffered two years of lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. Yet to preserve tennis’ greatest champion’s chance to compete, they have accepted an exemption which they very well could have denied.

Human rights or a pandemic, it takes all of us. Tennis Australia may be mostly behind the scenes, but they’re going to need to show more spine in future instances of conflict.

Oliver Fox is a first-year studying history. Oliver can be reached at oliver.fox@tufts.edu.

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Oliver Fox Sports and Society

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Tufts men’s basketball team plays against Nichols on Dec. 11, 2021.

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Men’s basketball split against NESCAC competition this week, dropping a game to Wesleyan (65–64) and earning a win at Bowdoin (74–53). The Jumbos faced the then-leader of the NESCAC, the Wesleyan Cardinals, and put up a good fight, falling just one point short of the victory. The Cardinals improved their conference record to 5–1 and overall record to 17–3. In Tuesday’s battle, the two teams were evenly matched throughout the contest with frequent lead changes and energetic game play from both sides. Using the momentum from a high-level game earlier in the week, Tufts secured a commanding win at Bowdoin on Friday night.

Against the Cardinals, junior guard Dylan Thoerner led the squad with 13 points. Senior center Luke Rogers secured 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocks for the night. Late into the contest, first-year center Trumann Gettings came off the bench and played some key productive minutes to keep the Jumbos within striking distance, contributing 11 points and five rebounds. With about seven seconds to win the game in the final possession, the Jumbos lost the ball at half court, securing Wesleyan a one point victory. Thoerner said while they did not secure the win, it was still a good game.

“It was just two good teams going at each other and it could’ve gone either way,” Thoerner said. “It was such a close game the entire time, the biggest lead was like only eight or nine points. Both teams were

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