The Tufts Daily - Friday, December 10, 2021

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VOLUME LXXXII, ISSUE 45

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Friday, December 10, 2021

Student conduct violations increase significantly during COVID-19 pandemic

by Rebecca Barker and Megan Szostak News Editor and Arts Editor

The Dean of Student Affairs Office released its annual report detailing community standards violations of the 2020–2021 academic year last week, including 2,058 alleged violations of the Fall 2020 Campus Guide. Tufts’ current report lists 2,056 violations due to an error and will be updated shortly, according to Lindsay Ferguson, Tufts’ assistant director of community standards. The document, which summarizes complaints against students and student organizations across all of Tufts’ undergraduate campuses, disclosed 3,994 allegations of overall misconduct during the 2020–21 academic year.

The number of misconduct allegations was a sharp increase over previous years, in part due to many reported violations of Tufts’ COVID-19 policies. In total, 51.5% of reported campus conduct violations were attributed to alleged pandemic-related noncompliances.

Instances of COVID-19-related misconduct were categorized in the report as being violations of the Fall 2020 Campus Guide, a rulebook which provided students with conduct guidelines

related to COVID-19 policies.

Reported violations were broken down into 15 categories. These complaints included 778 alleged failures to comply with testing protocols and 513 alleged violations of face covering requirements, as well as 234 complaints of alleged large gatherings.

Since some of the 1,482 alleged infractions were reported more than once, ultimately 349 unique incidents were reviewed by the university, according to administrators in the Office of Community Standards.

“There were some students and student organizations about whom our office received more than one report,” Ferguson wrote in an email to the Daily.

There were about 1,075 alleged violations of the Fall 2020 Campus Guide that resulted in one of four disciplinary sanctions: a warning, a reprimand, disciplinary probation or suspension. Student organizations which were found responsible for a COVID-19 violation received one of two disciplinary sanctions: a revocation of recognition or disciplinary probation.

Fourteen students were sanctioned to disciplinary suspension for conduct violations, including those not related to COVID-19.

No students were expelled for any violation of campus policies.

“Sanctions are determined based on multiple factors including: the policy or policies violation for which the student is found responsible, any aggravating or mitigating circumstances, and the student or student organization’s prior disciplinary history,” Ferguson wrote.

To determine sanctions for those found to have violated the Fall 2020 Campus Guidelines, Ferguson explained that students meet with either a staff member from the Office of Community Standards, Office of Residential Life or the Committee on Student Conduct. Sanctions were then given at the discretion of the offices based on evidence pertaining to the case.

University officials said that they believe the evidence gathered against reprimanded students was enough to justify the disciplinary actions doled out.

“Tufts’ standard of proof to determine responsibility is preponderance of evidence, meaning what more likely than not occurred,” Ferguson wrote.

Of the 2,058 alleged COVID19-related violations, 30% of incident respondents were

Granoff implements new policy in response to students neglecting to use PPE in practice rooms

by Kathryn Hood

Contributing Writer

The Tufts University Department of Music sent an email on Nov. 5 notifying students that the Granoff Music Center would be altering its policies regarding personal protective equipment. Now, students warned three times for not using proper PPE in the Granoff practice rooms will have their access to the practice rooms revoked until the end of the semester.

Sent on behalf of Richard Jankowsky, associate professor and chair of the department of music, the email explained that the policy change is a response to many violations of masking protocols in the Granoff practice rooms.

“These COVID-19 mitigation rules are in place for everybody’s safety, and they are the only reason that the Granoff Center’s practice rooms are open at all

BY ASLI KOCAK

see COVID VIOLATIONS, page 2

TCU Senate holds internal elections, hears supplementary funding requests

right now, to anybody,” the email said. “We need to tell you in the strongest possible terms that this is not acceptable.”

The music department requires that students use PPE in Granoff’s practice rooms at all times, even when alone.

Jeffrey Rawitsch, manager of the Granoff Music Center, explained that Granoff has reminders to use PPE posted in practice rooms and has also communicated these reminders to students via email. The music department created the policy of revoking access to practice rooms after three warnings when it observed that its reminders were not working.

“For the longest time we went about it as, ‘We’re going to keep reminding and reminding and reminding,'” Rawitsch said. “But at a certain point, we decided that just having the reminders was not enough. We knew that there were some stu-

dents who we had reminded. It was not the first time that they were hearing from us. So that’s why we decided we needed to do something a little bit more formalized.”

Some musicians and singers use special PPE in order to sing or use instruments without increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19. Madeline Cortesi, who plays the flute and piccolo, has two parts to her PPE. The first part is a protruding mask, and the second resembles a bag over the body of the instrument to protect air from escaping through the keys.

“There’s a little learning curve and it takes some time to figure out how to adjust, how you have to hold your instrument, how your sound’s going to sound different and all that, but overall, it’s been fine,” Cortesi, a firstyear, said.

SPORTS / back

FEATURES / page 3

ARTS / page 4

Jumbos trounce Bobcats in squash

LGBT Center, Interfaith Student Coalition open conversation about queerness and faith

What were the best albums of 2021? Our Arts editors weigh in.

see GRANOFF, page 2

by Zoe Kava News Editor

The Tufts Community Union Senate heard supplementary funding requests, held internal elections and reflected on its work this fall during its last meeting of the semester on Sunday, Dec. 5.

After a brief roll call, TCU President Amma Agyei introduced Mark Lannigan, chair of the TCU Elections Commission, to conduct an election for administration and policy committee chair. Class of 2024 Senator Liani Astacio was elected to the position over nominee Wanci Nana.

TCU Treasurer and Class of 2022 Senator Elizabeth Hom then introduced 13 supplementary funding requests.

The Tufts Middle Eastern Research Group made a new

budget request of $2,999. The Allocations Board proposed $1,966 and the request passed by acclamation with five Allocations Board members voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Tufts Hillel requested $1,150 to pay for gas, parking, hotel accommodations and food for the Shir Appeal Winter Tour.

Shir Appeal is a Tufts mixed gender Jewish a cappella group.

The Allocations Board proposed $950 and the request passed by acclamation, with five Allocations Board members voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

The Tufts Tap Ensemble requested $620 to pay their semester flooring fee. The request passed by acclamation, see SENATE, page 2 NEWS

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FEATURES

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ARTS & POP CULTURE

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FUN & GAMES

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OPINION

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SPORTS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Friday, December 10, 2021

THE TUFTS DAILY Madeleine Aitken Editor in Chief

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14 students suspended during 2020–21 academic year COVID VIOLATIONS

continued from page 1 found not to be responsible for the complaints. This percentage does not include cases that were resolved through n on - d i s c i p li n a r y a ctio n or through the Pandemic Amnesty Process, nor those that are still pending.

Over 99% of cases were resolved without the use of expulsion, suspension or other separation from the university.

Most COVID-19 conduct violations were resolved through

disciplinary probation, warnings or reprimands.

“As noted in the report, the vast majority of these complaints were addressed with education and reminders about why compliance with the university’s health guidelines is so important,” Patrick Collins, the executive director of media relations at Tufts, wrote in an email to the Daily.

The number of complaints alleging general behavior violations, one of the categories of misconduct recorded in the report, increased significantly

during the 2020–21 academic year compared to previous years, in large part due to COVID-19-related violations.

General behavior violations include misconduct related to the university’s alcohol and drug policy, fire and life safety hazards and noise complaints.

This upward trend in complaints alleging general behavior violations, included in which are Fall 2020 Campus Guide violations, has been happening for several years, with complaints totaling 484 in 2016–17, 818

in 2017–18, 1,327 in 2018–19, 1,477 in 2019–20 and 3,567 in 2020–21.

According to Collins, this increase in complaints was “not surprising” to the administration.

“Members of our community last year were understandably concerned about compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols out of concern for their own and others’ health and the ability of the university to continue in-person operations,” he wrote.

Students warned three times for violating PPE protocols will have access to practice rooms revoked GRANOFF

continued from page 1 Singing and playing wind instruments greatly increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission if the musician is not using PPE. Rawitsch confirmed that using PPE is absolutely essential for COVID-19 mitigation.

“There is a potential for greater aerosolization of viral particles because of the process that the body goes through to generate sound in those ways,” Rawitsch said. “We’ve been supplying our students with that PPE, free of charge.”

Music rooms serve an important role to many music students.

Ava Delaney, a first-year in the opera ensemble, uses the practice rooms three to five times per week. “[The practice rooms are] a great resource, especially because since I sing opera, it’s very loud and I don’t want to disturb my roommate or the other people in my dorm,” Delaney said.

Cortesi shared a similar sentiment about the usefulness of the practice rooms.

“It’s important on an individual level to musicians because it’s important to feel like you are progressing,” Cortesi said. “I’m just glad I have the opportunity to have access to the practice room and the music department with the rest of my courses this year.”

The new policy is not meant to be interpreted as harsh, Rawitsch said, but rather as a measure to ensure the safety of students.

“The purpose of the policy is not to be punitive and bar people from using the building,” Rawitsch said.

“We spent enough time not making music in the music department during COVID. We’re thrilled that we’re able to even do it at all based on the ever-evolving university policies from the infectious disease control director.”

Some students see the policy as a necessary change, although there have been some negative opinions toward it.

“A lot of people felt that it was very extreme to revoke usage of the practice rooms, and I do kind

MICHELLE LI / THE TUFTS DAILY

A sign explaining masking policies is pictured posted on the entrance of Granoff. of agree,” Delaney said. “But at the same time … if you really feel that strongly about the PPE, no one is forcing you to come to the practice rooms … maybe it’s annoying in practice, but it’s designed to keep the community safe.”

According to Rawitsch, the policy has been very effective.

“We need to do it for the health and safety of everybody who uses the building, and I will say compliance with masking has … been very good since then,” Rawitsch said.

Agyei reflects on resolutions, Senate activity in semesterly state of the union address SENATE

continued from page 1 with five Allocations Board members voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

TCU Senate requested $3,800 to pay for raffle items and selfcare kits. The request passed with 25 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Tufts Gaming Hub requested $139 to pay for card packs and tournament registration.

The request passed by acclamation with five Allocations Board members voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

The Palmier requested $1,672 for printing and recipe testing for its magazine production. The request passed with 25 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Tufts University Social Collective requested $62,000 to pay for Spring Fling lost ticket sales revenue, spring daytime programs, spring late night and weekend programming, senior events and fitness programs. The request passed with 25 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

The Returning Students Organization requested $258 to pay for graduating senior gifts.

The request passed by acclamation with five Allocations Board members voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Tufts JumboRaas requested $4,875 to pay for new costumes for their shows. The request passed with 24 senators voting in favor, none opposed and one abstaining.

Tufts Dance Collective made a new budget request of $2,858 to help pay for costumes, wristbands, food and water, a photographer and a videographer. The request passed with 12 senators voting in favor, eight opposed and three abstaining.

Ears for Peers requested $396 to pay for food for a club dinner. The request passed by acclamation with five Allocations Board members voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

WMFO requested $3,609 for music equipment including an amplifier and a stage piano. The request passed with 21 senators voting in favor, none opposed and one abstaining.

MICHELLE LI / THE TUFTS DAILY

Pearson Chemistry Lab is pictured on Sept. 23.

Hom then introduced the preliminary budget for the Class of 2024 Prom, which is expected to take place in March 2022. TCU Senate requested $137,000 to pay for the venue, food, entertainment, transportation, room decor, photography, memorabilia and promotion for the event.

The request passed with 20 senators voting in favor, none opposed and three abstaining.

Agyei finished the meeting by delivering her state of the union address, which the TCU president gives at the end of each semester. She recapped some of the Senate’s initiatives from the semester, such as a resolu-

tion calling on Tufts to put an end to legacy admissions and an abstract for Tufts to cancel its budget cuts to the Portuguese program.

Agyei expressed her pride in the TCU Senate’s work this semester and her hopes for the spring.

“I think things have changed this year … this is one of the most diverse Senate bodies we’ve ever had,” she said.“I’m really excited to see where these different projects go, I’m excited to see what the new Senate is going to look like, I’m excited to see just everything coming to fruition.”

tuftsdaily.com

Features

3 Friday, December 10, 2021

Community members explore the intersection of queerness and faith

by Mark Choi

Assistant Features Editor

The Tufts LGBT Center and the COFFEE Interfaith Student Coalition hosted a Queerness and Faith event and dinner in the Sophia Gordon Multipurpose Room on Nov. 10. The discussion group was open to queer people and allies coming from all faith backgrounds, bringing together about 40 participants to grapple with the intersection of queerness and faith. University chaplains also attended the event to support any students who wished to debrief during or after the conversation.

The Rev. Daniel Bell, the Protestant chaplain, and one of the participants, reflected on the event. In the past, Bell helped organize and host similar events, such as the Queer in Spirit discussion group.

“I was impressed by how freely and transparently people shared from their own experiences of being queer in different faith communities,” Bell wrote.

The event marked the culmination of months of planning by juniors Jane Romp and Lee Romaker, who hoped to create an inclusive space for all those who were interested in exploring or learning more about the topic together. Romp and Romaker co-hosted the event.

Even as the LGBTQ community is increasingly accepted by organized religions across the United States today, many queer individuals continue to feel excluded and marginalized in their faith communities.

Romaker grew up Catholic. Having attended Catholic school for about 10 years, religion was an important part of their upbringing.

“I loved Christianity and what it stood for. Their teachings of charity, love and radical kindness for others were all very important to me as a young person, especially in elementary school,” Romaker said. “And then in middle school, my religious classes became a lot less about morality and more political. They were often about the dangers of abortion, and gayness as a sin.”

Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Romaker felt increasingly alone as they were taught non-affirming views on queerness in Catholic school.

“I remember thinking in a very 13-yearold way that I was the only queer person

Sonia Richter Spoonfuls

Out and about in Somerville

I

found myself in the company of an old friend this past Sunday. After he transferred from my high school during his first year, I’d really only seen him grow up via Instagram, and now, here we were: two fully formed handsome humans armed with the recollections of 15-year-olds. This felt like it should’ve been stranger than it actually was. Once we stopped trying to map out every year since then, all that was left was now and next.

We decided to leave the car behind and walk to Davis for some tea. It’s always especially fun to walk someone through an unfamiliar area. The route had become so second nature to me that I’d forgotten the way fresh eyes dart

MARK CHOI / THE TUFTS DAILY

Participants of the Queerness and Faith event are pictured in Sophia Gordon Multipurpose Room on Nov. 10. who was also Catholic in the entire world,” Romaker said.

As Romaker became acclimated to Tufts, though, they realized that they were not alone in the journey of reconciling their faith and their queerness. Romaker also converted to Judaism during their time at Tufts as they continue to explore a wide range of religious, philosophical and spiritual ideas.

Bell is one of those who also felt as though he was alone in his journey of reconciling faith and queerness.

“I was raised in an evangelical Christian church where there was no discussion of, and certainly no acceptance of, queer identities,” Bell said. “My traditional religious outlook meant that only cisgender and heterosexual relationships were possible.

Anything else was considered a perversion of God’s will for human beings. When I began to accept that I was gay as a young adult, I faced a crisis of faith.”

For Bell, the communities that he has built and been part of, especially at Tufts, have helped him explore the intersection of queerness and faith together. In doing so, Bell has uplifted and inspired many community members at Tufts who struggled to reconcile their faith and queer identities.

“Ultimately, coming out of the closet felt for me like coming out of the tomb into the light of new life. As an Episcopal priest and Protestant chaplain now, I want others to know that they too can bring their whole selves into relationship with God; nothing

and no one need be hidden from the all-embracing love of God,” he said.

Echoing Romaker and Bell’s comments, Romp expressed her gratitude for the chaplaincy’s continued support and inspiration for queer students and communities on campus.

“We have been very lucky to have a very queer-accepting Chaplaincy here at Tufts with queer chaplains,” Romp said. “I remember how during one of the Protestant services, we all read together the quote, ‘Blessed are the queer, disciples of truth, living, breathing, sacred reflections of divine love.’”

In her personal journey of faith and queerness, Romp reflected that she is privileged to have had a supportive faith community and mentors to guide and inspire her throughout.

“I grew up Presbyterian, and I think the first gay wedding at my church was when I was around 10. And so early on, I knew that being queer was not stigmatized, and that it was not a taboo,” she said.

Ever since, Romp has challenged the notion that Christianity and queerness are irreconcilable, a view still held by many Christians across the United States.

“My core belief as a Christian, though, is to love everyone and to know that everyone is loved by God, regardless of how they identify or love, and in that way, I do not feel a conflict between my faith and queer identity,” Romp said.

around new ground. We reached the little tea shop across from Dakzen, MEM Tea Imports, before realizing it was certainly not a sit-down cafe. Still, with tea on the mind, I ended up getting a sample size of Moroccan green mint and ginger peach tea for about three dollars each. We exited our first stop excited about our newly acquired leaves.

Next, we hopped over to Revival Cafe + Kitchen, where the outdoor window was open for online orders. I ordered a cinnamon and honey latte to wrap my hands around. It was a sweet, comforting choice, and I relaxed into the gentle buzz of the double espresso. I can’t really speak to my friend’s black coffee, but I’m sure it tasted like black coffee.

After a conversation about ramen styles and fleeting warmth, we agreed to track down a bowl of soup for a quirky 4 p.m. dinner. Tsurumen was unfortunately closed, so I happily led my companion to Yoshi’s. It’s not necessarily a “hidden gem,” but somehow, the Powder House institution just always seems to be there in times of need. I ordered

some accessible sushi rolls, like spicy tuna and cucumber avocado, and was as happy as I ever am at Yoshi’s, which is very happy. My friend turned out to have done quite a bit of growing up, and coming on hour three, it was all starting to seem like a very successful date.

With this in mind, I agreed to a spur-ofthe-moment invitation to a concert at The Rockwell in Davis, and we headed for some beers at Elm Street Taproom to bide some time before the show. The sun was set by then, but a certain fall warmth lingering in the air made the circle back surprisingly pleasant.

The bar was warmly lit and inviting, with pints lined up in a sort of glass bookshelf with a rolling ladder. I characteristically ordered the Madonna double IPA from Zero Gravity Brewery, followed by the Jigsaw Jazz Imperial from Fort Hill;I preferred the former. It was hazy and juicy, and light enough for the hops to come through. And, I got to pay for the beers with JumboCash, so thanks, Mom. Our final destination arrived. The Rockwell is a small underground venue with no service and an embanked stage that places you right

Through this year’s Queerness and Faith event, Romaker also hoped to reclaim and redefine the term “queerness” with intentionality.

“Historically, and even for a lot of people still today, the term ‘queer’ can feel like a slur. We intentionally chose the term “queerness” for our event to be proud of and reclaim that term, rather than shying away from a term that has been controversial,” Romaker said. “It was also meant as a broad and all-encompassing term to include all gender and sexual identities .”

Ultimately, both Romaker and Romp hope that this year’s Queerness and Faith event would help the Tufts community to continue the important conversation on campus.

“What has motivated me has been to help create a healing space for people to know that, especially for those who feel alone in their struggles, that they are not alone in this journey,” Romp explained.

Inviting the Tufts community to join in the conversation, Romaker highlighted the salience of the intersection between queerness and faith from a philosophical perspective.

“For a lot of people, religion is the ultimate question, the ultimate conflict. … At the same time, people’s gender and sexual identities are also foundational to who they are,” Romaker said. “And that is why the intersection of queerness and faith is a very important and inevitable intersection that has to be talked about together.”

On top of that, Romp shared one of the powerful quotations that the Queerness and Faith discussion group talked about together that highlights the theme of the event.

“I want to share [writer Xorje Olivares’] quotation which reads, ‘To be queer is to be holy. It is a sacrament unlike any other,’” Romp said.

Moving forward, Bell added that the University chaplaincy will always support students in their journey of reconciling their faith and queerness both personally and institutionally.

“COFFEE, the Interfaith Student Council, and my colleagues and I in the University Chaplaincy, could certainly have a follow-up dinner or another event to continue building relationships and deepening conversations,” Bell wrote. there with the artist. The concert was headlined by Olivia Sisay, a Boston-based queer Asian American singer-songwriter with an immense talent for prompting simultaneous tears and fancy footwork. We celebrated her newly released album “Atlantic Salt” (2021), which is a heart-wrenching collection of delicate lyrics and dreamy guitar tones. It was truly an incredible set with the most supportive crowd, and the venue allowed for a degree of intimacy that Olivia can make you experience even via tangled headphones. If you get the chance, definitely flick through her Spotify page and new album.

And with that is the end to both a spectacular night of food, drink, music and good company and the Spoonfuls column itself. Thank you again for reading and eating along with me. And keep finding those hidden gems — they need you now more than ever.

Sonia Richter is a senior studying English.

Sonia can be reached at sophia.richter@ tufts.edu.

Arts & POP ARTS Pop CULTURE Culture

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tuftsdaily.com

Friday, December 10, 2021

Our editors chose the top 10 albums of 2021

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The album covers for “Jubilee” (Japanese Breakfast), “Red (Taylor’s Version)” (Taylor Swift), “Happier Than Ever” (Billie Eilish), “An Evening With Silk Sonic” (Silk Sonic) and “Solar Power” (Lorde) are pictured.

by Jack Clohisy, Maeve Hagerty and Geoff Tobia Jr. Arts Editors

JACK’S LIST 10. “Still Over It” (Summer Walker) Following up the immense success of Summer Walker’s debut album “Over It” (2019) was difficult enough. To return with an even greater collection of songs is impressive, and Walker accomplished just that.

9. “Montero” (Lil Nas X) With his debut album release, Lil Nas X asserts that he is no one-hit-wonder. The growing pop-rap titan showed off his strength as a lyricist and performer with his eclectic, self-titled “Montero.”

8. “Happier Than Ever” (Billie Eilish) Eilish returns to the music landscape with her second album “Happier Than Ever.” The title track is Eilish’s best song to date and highlights the maturity and growth of the 19-year-old artist.

7. “Star-Crossed” (Kacey Musgraves) Musgraves turns to sadness and redemption as her inspiration for her divorce-influenced album. Musgraves turns pain into progress within the gut-wrenching tracks “Simple Times” and “Camera Roll.”

6. “Sour” (Olivia Rodrigo) There’s no world in which Olivia Rodrigo’s “Sour” could not be included on this list.

With breakup anthems such as “Drivers License” and “Traitor,” Rodrigo proves she’s going to hang around on the music scene.

5. “Red (Taylor’s Version)” (Taylor Swift) There are not many artists who can rerelease a nine-yearold album and have it land on a best albums list, but Taylor Swift can. Strengthened by the 10-minute version of “All Too Well,” Swift highlights her musical prowess.

4. “Planet Her” (Doja Cat) With a lead single like “Kiss Me More” with SZA, there was

no doubt a great album would ensue. Doja Cat pulls out all the stops for her best album to date.

3. “Sling” (Clairo) Aided by Jack Antonoff, Clairo released her sophomore LP dripping with intrigue. As she moves away from the bedroom-pop that her audience is familiar with, Clairo redefines her artistry.

These softer, more intimate tracks tackle subjects of introspection. Highlights from the album include “Amoeba” and “Harbor.”

2. “Solar Power” (Lorde) The stripped down, 2000s-reminiscent album that is “Solar Power” is incredible. Lorde crafted a well-thought-out piece centering on the plights she observes in wellness culture, climate change and fame. Because of this, Lorde has been able to create art in what she finds important.

1. “Blue Banisters” (Lana Del Rey) Lana Del Rey may be no stranger to controversy, but

she’s even more familiar with crafting stunning albums.

Her second release of the year after “Chemtrails Over The Country Club” (2021), Del Rey waited until October to put out one of her greatest works to date. A culmination of tracks spanning over a decade in her career, this work goes to demonstrate the artistic strength Del Rey has at piecing together a body of work. With tracks such as “Dealer,” “Thunder” and “Living Legend” aboard, this album set a course for success upon release.

MAEVE’S LIST Honorable Mentions: “StarCrossed” by Kacey Musgraves, “Sueños de Dalí” by Paloma Mami, “Sour” by Olivia Rodrigo, “Call Me If You Get Lost” by Tyler, the Creator and “Home Video” by Lucy Dacus.

10. “Cavalcade” (Black Midi) The British band Black Midi invokes dissonance and raging

tranquility interspersed with heavy, explosive guitar riffs.

It’s definitely one of the most interesting albums of 2021, but one which embraces the balance between chaos and calm.

9. “Las Leyendas Nunca Mueren” (Anuel AA) Anuel AA doesn’t do anything revolutionary on his newest album, but it is still one to note.

“Exit” and “Súbelo” are solid tracks that serve as a reminder of Anuel’s talent and matchless cadence, but his impressively large ego dampens the rest of the album just a little too much.

8. “If I Could Make It Go Quiet” (Girl in Red) Girl in Red’s debut album proved that she can write more than just bedroom pop about queer romance. It’s a tender album with stronger tracks in “You Stupid B*tch” and “Did You Come?” that couple beautifully with the softer tones of “Apartment 402” and “Midnight Love.” see ALBUM, page 5

A r t s & P o p Cu l t u r e

Friday, December 10, 2021 | Arts & Pop Culture | THE TUFTS DAILY

The best albums of 2021: Different top 10 lists from our Arts editors ALBUM

continued from page 4 7. “TWOPOINTFIVE” (Aminé) Aminé’s recent album, despite its brevity, was probably one of the most fun albums of 2021. “Neo” and “Charmander” are quickly gaining popularity for their upbeat charisma, but “Dididumduhduh” is one of the true gems from the track list. Aminé doesn’t really offer anything new, but “TWOPOINTFIVE” is still a danceable, quirky album that fans will love.

6. “Sling” (Clairo) Though it can’t quite compare to “Immunity” (2019), “Sling” is still a wonderful collection of music that explores a more mature side to Clairo. Tracks like “Reaper” and “Management” really tie the album together and remind us why we fell in love with Clairo to begin with.

5. “Daddy’s Home” (St. Vincent) St. Vincent is back with “Daddy’s Home,” and we couldn’t have been happier. It combines all of the alternative singer’s spirit with her usual profundity, and it was certainly an album to remember, especially with tracks like “Pay Your Way in Pain” and “…At the Holiday Party.”

4. “Planet Her” (Doja Cat) It’s almost painful that this album couldn’t be placed higher on this list.

“Planet Her” was impressive to say the least. Doja Cat proved that she has more to say and to offer. “Get Into It (Yuh)” and “Woman” are playful and depict Doja Cat’s signature style beautifully.

However, tracks like “Ain’t Sh*t” and “Options (feat. JID)” really cemented this album as one of the best of the year.

3. “30” (Adele) Likely one of the most touching albums of 2021, “30” was almost certainly everything fans hoped it would be. While sticking to her usual ballad style with tracks like “Easy On Me” and “To Be Loved,” Adele also gave us hints of something fresh. “Cry Your Heart Out” is notably upbeat while “Strangers By Nature” and “Love Is A Game” explored classic ‘50s pop motifs. Adele opened up on “30” like never before, and the album benefits greatly from her vulnerability.

2. “Montero” (Lil Nas X) Another monumental album, “Montero” highlights Lil Nas X’s story-telling ability and flair for the dramatic. It’s a truly sensational album — moving from touching tracks like “Sun Goes Down” to smash hits like “Industry Baby,” “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Thats What I Want.”

This album solidified Lil Nas X as more than a controversial figure: an incredibly talented musician.

1. “An Evening With Silk Sonic” (Silk Sonic) With all the charm, charisma and musical genius of Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars, their collaborative ‘70s-inspired album is truly masterful. With songs like “Leave The Door Open” and “Smokin Out The Window” quickly going viral for their unique groove, the album was more than a smash success. It encompassed ‘70s nostalgia but went a step further, adding a bit of flavor entirely unique to Silk Sonic.

GEOFF’S LIST Honorable Mentions: “Smiling With No Teeth” by Genesis Owusu, “Mercurial World”

by Magdalena Bay, “Call Me If You Get Lost”

by Tyler, the Creator and “Half God” by Wiki.

10. “Donda” (Kanye West) Clean, focused and jam-packed with guest features, “Donda” serves as one of Kanye’s most monumental moments throughout his entire career.

9. “Gami Gang” (Origami Angel) One of emo rock/pop punk’s most exciting bands brings another collection of bangers. Don’t judge a book by its cover; this genre-blending record is full of fun emotions and atmospheres.

8. “USee4Yourself” (IDK) IDK’s potential is fully fledged on “USee4Yourself”. From the introspective and vulnerable, to the bold and energy-radiating, this record shows IDK’s unique talent as a rapper and producer.

7. “Jubilee” (Japanese Breakfast) The bright and beautiful soundscapes on this record are enough to suck anyone in. A swirl of catchy pop-rock tunes and gorgeous chamber pop arrangements,

“Jubilee” stands out as one of the best composed albums of the year.

6. “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” (Injury Reserve) This record causes indescribable emotions in its attempt to musically represent them. Pain, longing and mental instability are lyrical pivots for one of the most thrilling and experimental records so far in this century.

5. “Sinner Get Ready” (Lingua Ignota) No record is able to balance horror and beauty like “Sinner Get Ready” does.

The Providence-based singer and composer’s emotional journey over the past two years is translated into a record of anguish and self-searching over elegant compositions.

4. “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert” (Little Simz) One of the best rappers alive dropped another gem this year. This mix of exquisite beats sets the scene for Little Simz to rap in a more elegant and vulnerable way, while preserving the swagger that’s so strongly become a part of her identity.

3. “An Evening With Silk Sonic” (Silk Sonic) Featuring two of R&B’s best singers/ songwriters, narrated by Bootsy Collins, no one was surprised nor disappointed by this admirable and groovy album.

Future R&B artists will strive to be as good as Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak.

2. “For the first time” (Black Country, New Road) The UK seven-piece’s debut record is one of poetic perfection. An outlier in modern music, this record is driven purely by unprecedented lyrical vehemence and genius compositions. “For the first time” is one of the most mesmerizing albums in years.

1. “Nurture” (Porter Robinson) The 29-year-old producer is admired by millions of people, and “Nurture” just goes to show how much beauty and solace his listeners find in Porter Robinson’s music.

Heart-melting lyrics combined with his bright vocal and instrumental reworks will make any listener feel at peace. The amount of talent required to make an album this inspiring is something only Porter Robinson could possess.

5

Paul Osmond For the Culture

Why do artists adopt alter egos?

I

just read an article in GQ in which Lil Uzi Vert talked about his newest alter ego, “AstroCat.” I know Uzi has adopted several egos in the past, and I thought it would be interesting to do a quick enumeration of some of my favorite celebrity alternate personalities.

Last week I wrote about Kanye West albums, but I didn’t mention his first alternate ego — the Dropout Bear — who West adopted in “The College Dropout” (2004), “Late Registration” (2005) and “Graduation” (2007). He has also released albums under the egos Yeezus, Ye and Pablo.

Tyler, the Creator took inspiration from Kanye in the release of countless albums donning different egos from Goblin to Flower Boy to Igor. Eminem has his wild alter ego Slim Shady, and I still cannot tell you who the real one is. One of my favorite artist alter egos is Sun Ra, an American composer and musician whose artistic practice was based around a fictional character from another planet. Although perhaps not entirely a self-adopted character, I would argue that Will Smith’s rise as The Fresh Prince could be considered an alter ego.

One artist whose alter egos continuously fluctuate is Playboi Carti.

Curiously, he usually does not personally name his alternate personalities; in fact, it is his fanbase who primarily categorizes him according to his work. His pending “Narcissist” project and tour may suggest a new identity, but we have also seen “vampire Carti” from “Whole Lotta Red” (2020)and the “Cash Carti” from “Die Lit” (2018).

Back to Lil Uzi Vert, who actually incorporated three different personalities in his most recent solo album “Eternal Atake” (2020). And his collaboration album with Future, “Pluto x Baby Pluto” (2020), featured another alternate personality for both rappers with Future becoming “Pluto” and Lil Uzi Vert becoming “Baby Pluto.”

And the use of pseudonyms is not limited to music – if you didn’t know, Mark Twain’s name was not Mark Twain (it was Samuel Langhorne Clemens).

So, why do these artists adopt alter egos? Although I don’t necessarily have a different name, I certainly have a different personality for my artistic practice, and I suspect these artists perform similar behaviors. With Lil Uzi Vert, he self-described his alter egos as different individuals, which on “Eternal Atake” (2020) had drastically different vocal performances and vibes. In fact, there were sharp differences between each personality on the album. Not only were these personalities indicative of the music being created but also Uzi’s mood while creating them.

These artists transform themselves to engage more thoroughly with their art and with the public. Unlike method acting, which is performed within the confines of a set (for the most part), these individuals fully transformed themselves. I know many who discredit musicians and rappers as not artists but performers; however, I believe that taking such immeasurable steps to perform their identity as part of their creative vision means they can only be considered artists.

Paul Osmond is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Paul can be reached at paul.osmond@tufts.edu.

6

THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Pop Culture | Friday, December 10, 2021

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by Makram Bekdache

True glory: Remembering Virgil Abloh

Staff Writer

“Being displayed in museums and staying in the streets: that is true glory,” Sophie Fontanel wrote on Giorgio Armani. I would argue this quote suits Virgil Abloh as much, if not more — a man who grew to become one of the most popular designers on Earth.

Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton, founder of OffWhite and a unique force in the fashion industry, passed away last week at the young age of 41, victim to a cancer he had been privately fighting. While Abloh was a master of social media, gaining success as he publicized his brand on various platforms, he was able to protect his private life, highlighting the resilience with which he soldiered on while facing such a ruthless disease.

Just as impressive was his versatility in his work. Indeed, the Illinois native never restricted himself to the medium of clothing. Far from it.

When Abloh and Kanye West visited Paris Fashion Week in 2009, they famously posed outside the Comme des Garçons show in extravagant outfits. Back then, they were newcomers: foreigners in a world of high fashion that was, and still is, lacking in diversity. But fresh with his architectural and hip-hop references, Virgil Abloh plunged into the archives of streetwear and started building it up for the runway. Pyrex Vision, his first brand, screen printed relatively cheap Ralph Lauren shirts with bold graphics and resold them for eye-watering prices. After selling through his stock, Abloh shuttered the brand, deeming it an artistic experiment that had run its course.

It wasn’t long before Abloh established an even greater impact on the world of fashion. Founded in 2013, Off-White became a behemoth. Its quotation marks, iconic fonts and graphics are recognizable anywhere, constantly bootlegged for all kinds of different merchandise. Virgil Abloh built a luxury streetwear brand, placing graphic sweatshirts alongside the conventional leather handbags on runways. He became one of the most in-demand designers.

The fashion world finally noticed, and he became the first Black man to lead iconic French brand Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection. His appoint-

BY CAMILLA SAMUEL ment made waves in the fashion sphere and set an important precedent. Virgil Abloh’s premature passing leaves Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing as the only Black designer at the helm of a major European luxury fashion house: We can hope that his and Virgil’s success will encourage more diversity in future hirings.

Later into his career, Abloh moved toward purely artistic endeavors, curating an exhibition that traveled through the world’s biggest modern art museums. I had the privilege of seeing Abloh’s “Figure of Speech” exhibition at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art a few months back, and it struck me as remarkable. Virgil chose to display prototype shoes alongside

conventional installations, designating them both as art pieces in their own right. Abloh even presented products he created for Nike and furniture giant IKEA, giving trivial objects such as rugs and shoes artistic value through a process that was entirely his own.

Abloh hijacked architectural and modernist design concepts and injected them onto these products. For example, a rug he designed for IKEA, printed with a giant receipt on the rug itself in a tasteful “mise en abyme.”

Virgil was criticized due to the lack of apparent originality in his work, but seeing potential in such simple ideas and brilliantly making them into a commercially viable product is a genuine

artistic achievement. Indeed, his IKEA rug features the actual retail price of the rug as part of its print, which acts into an implicit, albeit potent, criticism of consumerism when the carpet sells for six times that price on specialized marketplaces.

Following in the footsteps of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who is often credited with having opened the door of contemporary art museums to ‘street art,’ Abloh has further pried open that same door. He built up streetwear and street culture into a new artistic genre, a duality that Abloh injected into its philosophy. He purposefully created scarcity and desirability, whereby buying an Off-White piece made

you purchase a part of Abloh’s art. The fashion items you wearand the sculptures you look at in museums are one and the same, with catwalks becoming as effective a forum for exhibitions as conventional art centers.

Abloh blended the strictly defined borders between the design and marketing of his products, making retail elements such as the iconic Off-White tag an inherent part of his creations.

Customers that wear Off-White are in many ways living billboards for the brand. However, Abloh’s symbolism prevents these items from just being boring monograms or tacky logos, instead turning them into statements of their own.

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Men’s and women’s squash triumph over Bates

by Steven Landry Staff Writer

Coming into December undefeated in NESCAC play, both the men’s and women’s squash teams collected their third conference win against Bates College last Friday. At their home Tufts Squash Center, the Jumbos won both matches 7–2, defeating a Bates team that had dominated the series in previous years.

Coming into the match, the men’s team had not beaten Bates in more than 20 years and the women had only one win in more than 10 meetings against the Bobcats. Flipping the script, Tufts tallied nine 3–0 sweeps throughout the men’s and women’s matches in what could initiate a changing of the guard in the NESCAC. In a complete performance, the Tufts men were victorious in the first three positions and the fifth position, and they rounded out the match with triumphs in the seventh, eighth and ninth positions. Sophomore Harry Charlton led the team in the No. 1 spot, posting a 3–0 victory.

There were three more sweeps with first-year Oliver Eielson, senior Konrad LaDow and junior Vivaan Jaikishan all blanking their opponents. Jaikishan finished the match with vigor, outlasting his opponent in a 16–14 tiebreak in the final frame.

Playing in the No. 2 spot, junior Kunal Valia came back from 2–1 down to outlast Bates’ Alec Spiro in five sets, with the match ending

Michael Wallace-Bruce Over-the-Top Football

Digging more holes, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking

T

he Premier League is about a third of the way finished, and about six managers have been fired, with the last one being Manchester United’s club legend, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. His team was underperforming, and the argument for his sacking is convincing — Solskjaer won only three out of his last ten games in all competitions. Moreover, Manchester United lost abysmally to its rivals Liverpool and

14–12, 6–11, 8–11, 11–8 and 11–7.

This performance earned Valia NESCAC player of the week, joining Charlton as the only Jumbos to receive the award this season.

The Bobcats managed to take two tightly contested matches in the fourth and sixth positions, the sixth being a five-set battle senior Dillon O’Shea narrowly dropped 2–3.

After falling just short in two five-set thrillers in the first and second spots, the Tufts women won at the next seven spots, revealing depth and talent throughout the roster. Sophomore Sanjana Vissapragada, first-year Aleezah Burhan, first-year Nieve Monderer and senior co-captain Diya Sanghi swept their opponents in the third through sixth positions, with sophomore Ami Sao also beating her opponent 3–0 in the nine spot. Firstyear Ellie Ackerman won a four set match in the seventh spot, and senior co-captain Megan Chen won a five setter in the eighth position.

Despite only having three seniors on the team, the Tufts underclassmen have been able to find success early on. While this year is the first time they have all competed on the same squad, many of the younger Jumbos had encountered each other along the high school squash circuit.

“A lot of us have known each other just from junior squash … a lot of the freshmen I’ve known since I was a little kid,” Monderer said.

Seeing some familiar faces may have helped this group become more tightly knit, and although their collegiate squash experience may be limited, their focus and belief is unwavering.

“Since getting here, we’ve gotten so much closer,” Monderer said. “When we’re in practice, it’s making sure we’re putting our best foot forward everyday, and not waiting until the match to give our full energy.”

These two victories over Bates may signify an evolution of the Tufts squash program, eclipsing past expectations and becoming a program capable of competing with the nation’s top teams. The Jumbos were measured again Thursday night as they faced Williams’ Ephs; the women won 7–2, while the men’s scores had yet to be released at press time.

Williams’ men are ranked No. 16 and the women stand at No. 13 in the most recent College Squash Association’s poll. Neither Ephs

squad has a victory this year, but their combined 0–6 record may be misleading. Williams has run the gauntlet of Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University. All three of these teams are ranked in the top ten in both men’s and women’s polls.

Yesterday’s men’s match began at 5 p.m. at the Tufts Squash Center. It was the last competition of 2021, with the next scheduled match taking place Jan. 10 at the University of Virginia.

Manchester City. Both games also echoed a discouraging view of the future as both Liverpool and City outplayed and tactically asserted their dominance over Solskjaer’s team. Although it is difficult to defend a manager with such a record, the sacking is frustrating since Manchester United appeared to have finally gained a stable leadership and an attacking playing style.

Manchester United embodies success. With 20 league titles and a plethora of other competitive cup tournament victories, the club is the most decorated team in England. In addition to winning, most United fans have grown to expect a particular soccer brand. Some call it counter-attacking; others call it attacking football. Regardless, fans expect some form of dominance and raw desire from the team since that was the normality under Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign.

Following Ferguson’s departure in 2013, the club has been attempting to recapture the old glory days as a triumphant yet entertaining team. Yet, the former three coaches appointed before Solskjaer lacked at least one of these attributes. Jose Mourinho achieved those standards during the 2016–17 season in terms of success. However, his team lacked a distinguishable attacking identity as the emphasis was placed on winning at all costs. On the other end of the spectrum, Louis van Gaal was the closest United has been to an attacking style of play.

While some disliked his emphasis on possession, his side was very organized, and the team imposed its style of possession soccer over opponents. However, van Gaal’s side failed to materialize any attacking threat as the possession phase seldom turned into a goal-scoring opportunity.

After trials with different coaches, Solskjaer was appointed, bringing some stability and an attacking mindset to the club.

During his three-year tenure, the club finished in Champions League qualification spots in back-to-back seasons. The team also appeared in the semi-finals of the Europa League, League Cup, and Football Association Challenge Cup (FA Cup), which some fans and pundits saw as a failure and a further reason to sack the manager. However, they all neglected to note that United comprised a young core. The goal of United was to develop for the future, and the negative response to the final defeats was out of order.

The decision to sack Solskjaer reveals modern football’s aversion to longevity, especially Manchester United. Due to its global reach and history, fans, pundits and the soccer world expect the club to perform at

a standard incompatible with the team’s current level. There is no fast fix to becoming a successful team.

Success within soccer involves undergoing tribulations in the developing years before becoming a winning team. In the case of United, the club fails to work through adversity within its development, and it chooses to sack coaches who are building an extensive groundwork for the future.

Although Manchester United has appointed Ralf Rangnick to lead the team until the end of the season, the club is still searching for Solskjaer’s longterm successor. Whoever the club chooses, I hope the manager stays for a while as the club needs longevity and stability to become successful.

COURTESY JONATHAN BIRD

The Tufts squash teams have played victorious seasons, surpassing expectations for the program.

Michael Wallace-Bruce is a junior studying internation relations.

Michael can be reached at michael.wallace_bruce@tufts.edu.

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