2011-11-14

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THE TUFTS DAILY

Veterans Day events honor Tufts’ members of the armed forces Philippe Maman and Mahpari Sotoudeh

by

Contributing Writer and Daily Editorial Board

Tufts commemorated Veterans Day last week through several events honoring the members of the United States Armed Forces who are part of the university community.

Tufts Alliance Linking Leaders in Education and the Services (ALLIES) hosted Wednesday night a panel discussion in Eaton Hall featuring speakers who had served in the military and are currently studying at Tufts.

The Advocates for Tufts’ Reserve Officers’Training Corps (ROTC) and the Tufts ROTC Joint Operations on Friday sponsored a Veterans Day ceremony on the Memorial Steps, followed by a reception in Ballou Hall’s Coolidge Room.

Friday’s event included a flag passing ceremony, followed by an address from Matthew Milley (LA ’11), an ROTC cadet and master of ceremonies of the event.

University President Anthony Monaco in his address at the ceremony’s reception said that he could not think of any other program at Tufts that better represents the commitment to community and public service.

Keynote Speaker and 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps Elliot Ackerman (LA ’03,

TUFTSDAILY.COM

Monday, November 14, 2011

VOLUME LXII, NUMBER 44

Virginia Bledsoe/Tufts Daily

A flag passing ceremony was part of the Veterans Day celebration held on the Memorial Steps on Friday.

F ’03) stressed the importance of honoring veterans as well as the responsibility of veterans to dedicate their Tufts education to their country.

“This Veterans Day ceremony is one of the reasons why I am so proud to be a Tufts alumnus,” he said.

“To whom much is given, much is asked,” he added. “A Tufts education was and still is a gift and our students should use it to give back to our country ... To be able to give back using your Tufts education is an amazing and lucky thing.”

Ackerman highlighted the

strong bonds between members of the armed services.

“Love, not courage, is the emotion that allows us to transcend fear, and that is exactly why our veterans were so good at their jobs,” Ackerman noted. “We pause to honor the living bond between veterans here at Tufts and across the country.”

University Chaplain David O’Leary expanded on the important place veterans and members of the armed services occupy in the Tufts community.

“Duty, honor in country and see ROTC, page 2

Caution plays role in faculty hiring two years after recession’s end

by Saumya Vaishampayan

Daily Editorial Board

While the recession that prompted a close examination of the university budget ended over two years ago, it has had a delayed and lingering impact on the university’s hiring practices.

The university sees itself in a more stable situation than in 2008 and 2009 and has handled the brunt of the recession “very well” in terms of maintaining a balanced budget and university priorities, according to Executive Vice President Patricia Campbell.

The university, however, continues to proceed cautiously when it comes to managing its finances, and nowhere is this caution more evident than in the hiring practices at both the Schools of Arts and Sciences and Engineering.

Since the hiring process generally spans the course of an academic year, there is often a lag in the effect of the economic climate on hiring practices at the university.

Tufts in summer 2009 approved requests for new faculty in the School of Arts and Sciences that were submitted at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year. After the university approved these requests, Tufts conducted searches and made offers for these positions during the 2009-2010 academic year, according to Dean

Miller puppies return to the Hill to relieve student stress

by Stephanie Strauss

Contributing Writer

Students seeking to alleviate their stress flocked on Thursday to Miller Hall to play with therapy dogs visiting the Hill.

Miller Resident Advisers (RA) Chelsey Ott and Kamden Segawa, who are both sophomores, organized the event, collaborating with volunteers from Dogs Building Opportunities for Nurturing and Emotional Support (Dog B.O.N.E.S.).

The Massachusetts nonprofit uses trained therapy dogs to provide social support for a variety of populations, from nursing home residents to children in hospitals to stressed college students, according to B.O.N.E.S. volunteer Joyce Cooksey, who works in a team with her cocker spaniel.

The B.O.N.E.S. dogs are popular among students throughout the Boston area, according to Cooksey, who said the dogs will be visiting Boston University, Boston College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology later this month.

Therapy dogs visited campus for the first time last year, and Ott and Segawa chose to host the event this year after witnessing overwhelming support for the animals last year.

Miller RA Nimish Shah, who helped organize the event last year, said that the goal of the program is to alleviate

see HIRING, page 2

Chi Omega raises $2,000 for Make-AWish Foundation by

Lizz Grainger

Daily Staff Writer

A golden retriever named Barkley entertained students with his ability to give “high fives” with his paws, respond to the word “down” written on a piece of paper and assume a “sleep” position on command.

Several students took pictures and videos of the dogs with their cell phones, exclaiming how much they see PUPPIES, page 2

see CHI OMEGA, page 2

Dilys Ong/Tufts Daily

Inside this issue

of Academic Affairs for Arts and Sciences Andrew McClellan.

Faculty recruited during that hiring cycle began teaching in the fall of 2010, McClellan said.

The process at the School of Engineering is similar but more streamlined because there is no dean of academic affairs in the school’s leadership structure, according to School of Engineering Dean Linda Abriola.

Executive Vice President Patricia Campbell emphasized that while some fields halted hiring when the recession hit, there was never a full hiring freeze at Tufts.

“It was trying to be intelligent and careful in a time when we couldn’t afford to do everything,” she said.

“We did forgo hiring in a number of areas across the university.

What we’ve done, gradually, is to let people begin to hire and backfill, but continue to look carefully and think if it can be foregone.”

The 2009-2010 hiring cycle saw the addition of seven tenure-track faculty who began teaching at Tufts in fall 2010, McClellan said.

“But even seven at that moment in time was a lot,” McClellan said.

“Many institutions had a hiring freeze at the faculty level as well as the staff level. We did not. We remained committed to increasing faculty during the hard eco-

Chi Omega last Friday raised over $2,000 to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation during its first-ever Singled Out event.

The sold-out event held in the Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall mimicked the 1990s MTV game show “Singled Out.” Attendees were able to choose between purchasing a participant ticket or an audience ticket. Those who bought participant tickets were contestants in the event.

Chi Omega sisters selected seven designated “pickers” before the event began, each of which participated in one of the seven rounds of the evening. Those with participant tickets were able to select which of the seven rounds in which they wanted to participate. During their round, each of the pickers were placed behind a curtain and were unable to see the stage or audience. Participants lined up on the stage in front of the curtain, hidden from the view of the picker.

The picker asked the participants general questions to narrow down the pool. The eliminating questions were posed until the pool was thinned to three.

Seven therapy dogs visited the Hill last week to help students de-stress during midterms. students’ stress during the hectic academic weeks of midterms and finals.

Shah, a senior, put on three events last year and said each was a success, attracting over 200 students and rotating four to six dogs every hour.

This year too, hundreds of students bustled in to the Miller Hall first-floor common room, vying for their turn to interact with the dogs.

Where You Read It First Est. 1980

Today’s sections

STEM professors and administrators discuss some students’ initial difficulties at Tufts.

The Danish Pastry House offers a unique cafe atmosphere for students.

see FEATURES, page 3

see ARTS, page 5

News Features Arts & Living Editorial | Letters

1 3 5 8

Op-Ed Comics Classifieds Sports

9 10 12 Back

The Tufts Daily

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News

Monday, November 14, 2011

Tufts continues to hire new faculty carefully despite end of recession HIRING

continued from page 1

nomic time.”

This year, the School of Arts and Sciences added 19 tenure-track faculty, according to McClellan.

The School of Arts and Sciences is following a strategic plan that a group of faculty and administrators outlined in 2005, McClellan said.

“One of the key recommendations that came out of the plan was to increase the faculty by the number of 60 over a decade,” McClellan said. “Today, we’ve got about halfway to that goal.”

The number of tenure-track faculty since 2005 has increased from 260 to 290, a net increase of 30, he said.

In the School of Engineering, the number of faculty has stayed con-

stant or slightly increased for the last three years, according to Abriola.

Four tenure-track faculty this year joined the School of Engineering and three faculty joined in the fall of 2010, she said.

“Last year, we had a number of open positions that we didn’t fill,” Abriola said. “It was kind of a disappointing recruitment period for us.”

The Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering currently lack department chairs, according to Abriola.

It was challenging to recruit department chairs because candidates didn’t have the opportunity to meet University President Anthony Monaco during the university’s leadership transition, she said.

The School of Engineering is this year conducting faculty searches in four departments, as well as for the McDonnell Family Professorship in Engineering Education position.

“We’re hopeful that we will be more successful this year,” Abriola said.

The School of Engineering is currently facing spatial limitations rather than recession-related budget constraints. Since every new faculty member requires laboratory and office space, Abriola said, she must first create a space plan before hiring more faculty.

“I’ve been trying to be creative in trying to find place. I wouldn’t say that it has been a real major resource constraint,” she said, adding that the school has been leasing lab space on Boston Avenue.

Virginia Bledsoe/Tufts Daily

Despite making it through the economic recession relatively unscathed, the university is still proceeding cautiously in its hiring practices of new faculty.

Service members recognized at Veterans Day celebrations ROTC

continued from page 1

freedom are the qualities our veterans fought to preserve, and we must especially remember all the members of the Tufts community who gave their lives for our country,” he said.

Dean of Academic Affairs for Arts and Sciences James Glaser, who also spoke at the event, said that Tufts’ ROTC program advances Tufts’ educational mission and is good for the campus.

“Students who participate in the ROTC bring back their experiences to our campus and we at Tufts want to continue to support these students,” Glaser, who has spent time training with ROTC students in Kentucky to gain insight into how the program shapes future leaders, said.

ALLIES, an undergraduate organization under the Institute for Global Leadership devoted to strengthening civilian-military relations and promoting understanding between the two sectors, on Wednesday held a panel discussion designed to foster a dialogue between service members and civilians, according to the group’s secretary Philip Ballentine, a sophomore.

“I think that despite Tufts’ international relations focus, a lot of people don’t really know anything about the military,” he said.

“Or they know a lot of technical stuff about the military, but they don’t know what the military is like and they don’t know the practical reality,” he said.

U.S. Army Capt. Morgan Lerette, a student at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, emphasized that his life experiences had been parallel to those of many

PUPPIES

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Scott Tingley/Tufts Daily

Panelists at Wednesday’s event in honor of Veterans Day discussed their experiences in the armed forces.

Tufts students until he made the decision to join the military, at which point he veered off the common path.

“We’re just like you, we have these same experiences up until we decide to make that commitment or join up due to other reasons,” he said. “We started the same way and then we kind of diverged a little ...

We had reasons for doing what we decided to do and really came to believe in them,” he said.

U.S. Air Force Capt. David Park, a student at The Fletcher School, explained that the education he received in the military

was critical in shaping the person he has become.

“The military will train you — you will be surprised by how they will take you with all this conceptual knowledge, and pile on more knowledge — you’ll start learning,” Park said.

“I think that’s a pretty unique aspect in the military — they really know about people and how we function as human beings,” he added. “They’ll use that positively ... You learn a lot not just about the Air Force and the military and also about life and who you are.”

11/11 proves luck for seven couples at Chi Omega’s charity event CHI OMEGA

continued from page 1

The three remaining participants were asked individual questions, which helped the picker select the final winner.

The picker and his or her date were introduced and presented with a couple’s night out funded by Chi Omega.

Winners included sophomore Austin Wood and senior Lauren Klinker, who received a date together to a comedy club in Harvard Square.

“I didn’t expect to win at all; I guess I was just lucky,” Wood, a sophomore, said.

Students could also purchase raffle tickets for $1. Prizes included an iPod Shuffle, a Kindle, a digital camera, a onenight stay at the Hyatt Place Medford and more.

The event raised more money than the sorority’s past fall philanthropic events, according to House Manager Lindsay Katz.

“This event definitely did better than our previous fall event, Swishes for Wishes, which was a basketball tournament,” Katz, a junior, said.

Make-A-Wish-Foundation

B.O.N.E.S. dogs lighten up stressed students’ days

Lane Florsheim/Tufts Daily

Seven lucky couples at Chi Omega’s Singled Out philanthropy event won dates funded by the sorority. formed an alliance with the national Chi Omega organization in 2002. The foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Chi Omega donates event proceeds to the foundation from Singled Out and other fundraisers, including the annual Dishes-for-Wishes and a breakfast-for-dinner event

at Sound Bites Cafe, according to Chi Omega sister Priyanka Bhargava, a sophomore.

The date of the event, Nov. 11, was carefully selected, she said.

“We were super excited to have it on 11/11/11 because it’s the most lucky day ever,” Bhargava said. “On 11/11/11 we wanted people to help make a wish for someone else.”

missed their own dogs at home. Others were disappointed that the “puppies” were not actually puppies but rather full-grown dogs.

B.O.N.E.S. dogs must go through training sessions in order to become therapy dogs, and they are therefore usually older, according to Shah.

I was expecting puppies, but these dogs are still great,” Colleen Golja, a freshman, said.

The dogs’ age did not seem to distract from most students’ enjoyment of the event, and some participants affirmed that the event was an effective means of alleviating stress during this stressful academic period.

“It’s a nice, relaxing way to de-stress but it also doesn’t take up a huge amount of time,” Rebecca Allen, a sophomore, said.

“And besides, everybody loves dogs.”

Cooksey said that the most rewarding part of being a Dog B.O.N.E.S. volunteer is seeing the happiness that her pet provides to others.

Cooksey’s dog certainly did bring a smile to the faces of the students who got to cuddle with him, as freshman Jonathan Paradise can attest.

“This event absolutely made my day,” he said.

Visiting the Hill this Week MONDAY “Jeff Chiba Stearns — Growing Up Bi-racial” Details: Jeff Chiba Stearns, a Japanese and Canadian biracial documentary and animation filmmaker, will deliver a lecture on mixed-race identity.

When and Where: 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.; Metcalf Hall Lounge Sponsors: Asian American Center

“Structures That Matter: Being (or Not Being) Gendered or Raced” Details: Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Women’s and Gender Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sally Haslanger will give a presentation on the structures of race and gender.

When and Where: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Lincoln Filene Center, Rabb Room Sponsors: Women Studies Program TUESDAY “Asperger’s According to an Aspie” Details: Noah Britton, a professor of psychology and co-founder of comedy troupe Asperger’s Are Us, will discuss his theory and research in the field, including his own experience with

Asperger’s syndrome.

When and Where: 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Paige Hall, Terrace Room Sponsor: Department of Education “Fatal Faultlines: Pakistan, Islam and the West” Details: Journalist, columnist and author Irfan Hussain will speak about his book, titled the same name as the event.

When and Where: 3:20 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.; Mugar Hall, Room 200 Sponsors: Center for South Asian and Indian Ocean Studies FRIDAY “Generics & Generalization” Details: Assistant Professor SarahJane Leslie of the Princeton University philosophy department will discuss her research relating to how the human mind processes natural language, as well as the intersection between the philosophy of language and mind, linguistics and cognitive psychology.

When and Where: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Miner Hall, Room 112 Sponsor: Philosophy Department, Program in Cognitive and Brain Sciences —compiled by Bianca Blakesley

Features

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tuftsdaily.com

Students consider putting down the calculator STEM professors, administrators make efforts to retain struggling engineers by

Margaret Young

Daily Editorial Board

This past Thursday, a procession of pale, tired students in varying states of panic and despair trudged through the lobby of Cohen Auditorium following the end of their latest Biology 13 exam. The looks on their faces aren’t hard to find on college students in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields everywhere. A college education in science or math is a lot of work, and the strain is showing in the numbers as students flock away from STEM majors into the humanities.

According to a New York Times article published last month, nearly 40 percents of students who plan to major in a STEM field at the time of matriculation switch their major or fail to obtain any degree whatsoever.

STEM student numbers at Tufts, at least in engineering, are defying this trend, according to Dean of the School of Engineering Linda Abriola. In fact, Abriola said, the net attrition rate from the engineering school is 0 percent, meaning that the amount of students who enter and leave the school evens.

This doesn’t mean, however, that defects from science and engineering majors are hard to find, or that they regret their decision to put down their solutions manual and pick up a novel.

Junior Seth Hurwitz, who switched out of the School of Engineering to pursue a major in English, said his initial decision to apply to the School of Engineering at Tufts was somewhat spontaneous to begin with.

“When I was in high school … ‘green tech’ was a buzz [phrase], and I was very intrigued by that, even though I didn’t have a background in engineering,” he said. “So I took an engineering-type class that was pretty easy in high school, and applied to the Tufts engineering school figuring that I would like building things that are better for the earth.”

However, as the first semester of his freshman year progressed, Hurwitz realized that engineering did not appeal to him as much as he had anticipated.

Finding it difficult to get engaged in his

Daily file photo

Many STEM students struggle with their courses when they first arrive at Tufts. his introductory engineering courses, he struggled to succeed. “The learning curve was really simple as long as you did the work, I was just so turned off by the subject,” he said. “For me, when it should have been progressing at a steady rate of difficulty, it just got more and more difficult.”

“I always knew that my favorite subject was English and that I loved writing papers more than math and all of that stuff. By the end of the semester, I realized that I didn’t like it at all, so I started taking philosophy and English classes and enjoyed all of them.”

Associate Professor of Mathematics Kim Ruane said that many students find success elusive in courses featuring material that they don’t find interesting. This can present a problem for engineering and math students who are required to take calculus courses in order to progress to the classes in which their true interests lie, according to Ruane.

“Once you survive [calculus], the courses are easier, but that might be

because they [students] are more interested in it. Some math majors even find the calculus sequence tedious,” Ruane said.

Professor of Physics Peggy Cebe added that students might tend to do better in upper level courses because their interest motivates them to put in the necessary work.

“I have found that most students can excel in the higher level courses because they all tend to do the assigned work. Students who have difficulty are generally those who do not attend class and do not hand in the homework,” Cebe said in an email to the Daily.

Ruane said that students might also become discouraged by introductorylevel courses if they didn’t receive a strong foundation in high school or are not accustomed to the method of teaching math at Tufts.

“The quality of [calculus] that students get in high school is different than when they get here,” Ruane said. see STEM, page 4

Residence halls, advising programs cushion the jump onto the Hill Khosrowjerdi

Contributing Writer

Social and academic adjustment is an arduous process for students across all different types of institutions of higher learning. No matter the size or location of the college they choose to attend, freshmen and transfer students experience the feelings of anticipation, anxiety and homesickness of stepping into a new world.

Across campuses, university administrators make a variety of efforts to reach out to students to help make this transition easier. Last month 80 administrators at Boston University (BU), including the school’s provost and dean of students, placed over 4,000 phone calls over the course of two weeks to freshmen and transfer students to have an informal conversation with them about their college transition. Students who did not answer their phones received voicemail messages encouraging them to call back.

According to BU Executive Director of Media Relations Colin Riley, the program was started last year when the university’s president and dean of students began to think of new ways to reach out to students and make them feel like they are at home.

Riley told the Daily that while the

My bucket list

I

Reaching out to freshmen and transfers

by Sara

Hannah Furgang | The Tim Tam Slam

Kyra Sturgill/Tufts Daily

Campuses take varying approaches to providing structural support for their freshmen and transfer students. phone calls prompted some suspicion — “One of the students thought his mother put the Dean of Students up to it” — the program was well-received.

BU freshman Brooke Mele was in class when she received her call.

“I think it’s a great program. It’s great to have some extra support when

adjusting to a new school,” Mele said.

BU freshman Anna Gaziano was waiting for the T when she received her call. Though she did not have any specific concerns, Gaziano was pleased with the effort.

see FOLLOWING UP, page 4

compiled a bucket list of sorts of things I need to do before the end of freshman year. I set the deadline for the end of freshman year and not the end of college, because this is the year in which I can do the most stuff. I’m not doubled up on lab sciences yet, so I still have something resembling a life, and there are three years of school left with which to cushion my GPA. Basically, freshman year is the year to do whatchu want.

Riddled among the things I want to do are the obligatory painting of the cannon and seeing the sunrise from the library roof. Already checked off are eating at least seven separate food items at Dewick containing butternut squash and greeting TUPD in a towel because someone kicked my ID under the door of my neighbors, who just happened to be away that particular weekend (big shout-out to Steven Thompson. You’re gonna make it big one day).

But it wasn’t until after last weekend that I could feel like a true Jumbo. Because last weekend I went up to the Loj. Yep, you guessed it. I’m one of those Wilderchildren. I don’t get a particular thrill from peeing in the woods and I haven’t witnessed a brainstorm that wasn’t underwater, but I will be advising each and every prefrosh I meet to sign up for Tufts Wilderness Orientation. There’s something about spending a whole night in the wild woods of Maine (thanks a bunch, Irene) that can really bring a group of 10 former strangers together. My Wilderfamily has been almost religious about meeting once a week for dinner, but last weekend we decided to take our familial love to a whole new level by #occupyingtheloj.

The first thing I’ll say about the Loj is if you haven’t been there yet, get on that.

It’s in Woodstock, N.H., only a two-hour drive from campus — which is roughly equivalent to the amount it takes to do absolutely nothing because you don’t feel like doing work.

I arrived at the Loj too late to join any of the hikes that had left that day, but it wasn’t an issue. I went on a beautiful walk with the other fine ladies who drove up with me. We meditated on the banks of a river, probably trespassed on somebody’s property and soaked up all of that free New Hampshire air. It’s really rather therapeutic.

Then there’s the Loj itself. It just radiates every kind of warmth there is, literally and figuratively. It has these awesome drying racks that operate on a pulley system — they are a feat of engineering so great that simply seeing them makes the whole trip worthwhile. There are puzzles and books and board games and “dirty” Jenga.

There’s a wood-burning stove. There’s a Tufts yearbook from 1971 that will blow your mind. And there are beds for you and 46 of the best people you’d ever want to spend a weekend with.

I was at the Loj on a particularly packed night because the Tufts Mountain Club managed to bring in musicians for a 50-person contra dance. Before the revelry began, we all worked together to cook dinner. I love the ease of Dewick, but every now and then a girl’s gotta get her hands dirty, especially if it’s through kneading a pumpkin-sized glob of sugar, oatmeal, flour and butter. That warm apple crisp was almost as good as the stuff I licked off my fingers while making it.

A night spent eating, do-si-doing, playing Bananagrams and roasting marshmallows is a success indeed. So do yourself a favor and book a trip up to the Loj. You’ll thank me when you finally see those drying racks.

Hannah Furgang is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. She can be reached at Hannah.Furgang@tufts.edu.

The Tufts Daily

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Features

Freshmen, transfers analyze Tufts’ support system FOLLOWING UP

continued from page 3

“I thought [the call] was really nice considering how big our freshman class is. I can see how it would be useful to others if they were having trouble adjusting,” she said.

Though members of the Tufts administration do not personally call every new student from their offices in Ballou Hall, Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman said that the university takes a more holistic approach to ensuring that students can easily access the resources they need to succeed.

“Our outreach is more routine, and a ... part of everyday life at Tufts,” Reitman said.

“We’re smaller, and so some of the systems that we have in place are more automatically connecting parts of the university.”

According to Reitman, Tufts tries to ensure that student concerns are addressed through two systems: the residence hall system and the first-year student advising programs.

Even if students have minimal direct contact with administrators, he said, the goal is to provide them with residence assistants and advisers who can act as their advocates.

Advising programs such as Explorations or Perspectives, which are run through the

Experimental College, are designed to provide students with what Reitman called “curriculum-based, but valuesoriented, sessions” in which students not only discuss the class curriculum, but also learn about leadership, teamwork and how to challenge themselves.

For each class of roughly 15 students, two upperclassman teachers and one adviser address a wide range of concerns, from issues with time management to questions about registration.

In addition to these two systems, faculty members at Tufts are required to submit mid-semester reports on new students’ academic progress to the university’s associate deans. These reports function as a type of “check-in,” according to Reitman.

“The faculty reporting to the associate deans in undergraduate education about people who are struggling is a safety net, and then the deans or advisers reach out to the students that are reported by the faculty as needing help in some areas” Reitman said.

Anh Phong Tran, who transferred to Tufts this year as a sophomore, said his transition to life at Tufts has gone smoothly.

His adviser answered any questions he had, and when he needed help, he was not afraid

to ask the administration.

“I would call Student Services, and they would help me out,” he said.

Not all Tufts students feel that their concerns are being addressed by the current systems, though. Junior transfer student Andari Gusman has had difficulties, stemming mainly from questions she had about transferring credits from her old school.

“I’m not sure who to contact. I go to my adviser, but he doesn’t always know how to answer all the questions I have,” she said, adding that her transition would have been easier if there were more programs designed specifically for transfer students rather than having a combined orientation for freshmen and transfers.

Reitman agreed that the traditional orientation is perhaps not the best model, and he said he is planning a new year-long program that would enable students to revisit and address questions about topics covered during Orientation week.

“I do think [the residence hall and advising program combination] is a pretty good system but I’m not thinking that orientation as we do it is a model that couldn’t be drastically improved by replacing it with a more ongoing system,” said Reitman.

Monday, November 14, 2011

BEST program encourages engineers to succeed STEM

continued from page 3

“In high school, they’re just taught how to do well on the [Advanced Placement] exam and not to think. Here, we are trying to teach you think in a certain way.”

Sophomore LaTisha Curtiss said that struggling through her freshman-year math courses was exactly what prompted her to switch her major from math to sociology.

“I always had an affinity for math. In high school I did practically no work and did really well,” she explained.

“When I finally got [to Tufts], the first day of Math 17, I was like ‘woah, it’s the first day and you’re hitting me with stuff I have never heard before.”

Abriola said that in order combat this type of academic culture shock, Tufts takes measures to invest in helping students to adjust to a new set of expectations.

“At Tufts, in general, engineering requires carrying a lot of math and science courses, and if you haven’t had those, you’re hit pretty hard when you come in,” Abriola said.

“We want you to succeed and we’re not trying to weed people out, which doesn’t mean that students don’t have to work hard. You have to go through a lot of hard work,

but when you get through, you know you want to do it, but we need to keep students engaged,” she said.

To this end, Abriola, along with the Tufts Center for STEM Diversity, has started a program to help students whose high schools provided insufficient foundation in these programs.

In certain cases, according to Travis Brown, the program manager for the Center for STEM Diversity, students can be admitted to the School of Engineering on condition that they participate in the Bridge to Engineering Success at Tufts (BEST) program during the summer before their freshman year. The BEST program allows students to take Tufts courses for credit, as well as participate in workshops to ease the academic and social transition to Tufts.

The program has been effective: According to Brown, all of the students who participated in BEST have thus far remained in the School of Engineering.

For students like Hurwitz though, a year of STEM classes at Tufts was enough to spur an about-face. Now, Hurwitz is finding in humanities what he didn’t experience as an engineering student.

“I’m stimulated by it,” he said, “and I learn things about it on my own.”

Arts & Living

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tuftsdaily.com

Restaurant Profile

Boston Ave. cafe serves up slice of Denmark by

Alexandra Schilling Contributing Writer

Walking into Danish Pastry House — DPH, to those in the know — on Boston Avenue, one might think it’s just a typical local cafe. It’s cozy, yet spacious, with an attractive display of desserts lining one wall and an assortment of hot and cold drinks available for order.

“Cafe culture is really important in the community,” said Kathleen Flahive (LA ’04), co-owner of DPH. “We wanted it to be a place where everyone feels comfortable.”

Flahive noted the time and effort needed to convert the space from two separate stores into the inviting room it is today and added that it took five years for the shop to break even.

In addition, Flahive only just started receiving a regular paycheck.

“Ulla [ Winkler, Flahive’s co-owner] and I are people of passion,” said Flahive.

“We didn’t go into this business to make money.”

Flahive and Winkler’s dedication is clear throughout the history of the bakery.

Flahive, originally from New Hampshire, spent time in Denmark before attending Tufts. She was won over by their pastries — “Way better than France, not that I’m biased,” she said — and partnered with Winkler to open up the store. Winkler’s vision for a European bakery

Ashley Seenauth/Tufts Daily

Danish Pastry House offers unique European-influenced baked goods. drove the business, and the two traveled to Denmark to do research and hire bakers, “Which was really terrible, let me tell you — tasting all that food!” said Flahive with a laugh.

Now, the duo makes all of their products at their Watertown location, using only high-quality ingredients.

“Most bakers use mixes,” Flahive said. “We make everything from scratch ourselves. That obsession with quality separates us

from other places. We also do incredible variety.”

And this is where the “just a cafe” illusion is shattered. DPH also offers handmade, fresh paninis, crepes, daily breakfast and Sunday brunch.

The cafe provides cakes for any occasion — including weddings — and supplies breads, cakes, pies and other products to some of the best hotels in Boston, such as the Taj and the W, according to Flahive.

“Everybody loves muf-

TV Review

Mediocre script mars dazzling visuals in ‘Hell on Wheels’ Alexander Hanno

Boasting successes like “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad” and “The Walking Dead,” AMC undoubtedly knows by

Daily Staff Writer

Hell on Wheels Starring Anson Mount, Colm Meaney, Dominique McElligott Airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on AMC what audiences want. With this past Sunday’s debut of “Hell on Wheels,” it remains to be seen whether or not this new addition will add to AMC’s growing repertoire of exceptional shows.

“Hell on Wheels” follows a former Confederate soldier by the name of Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) as he heads west after the Civil War, seeking revenge for the murder of his wife. His journey brings him to the so-called Hell on Wheels — the anarchic, moving town that serves as a home for those building the transcontinental railroad. Taking work here as a cover for his goal of vengeance, Bohannon faces the dangers of the lawless town, including impending attacks from Native Americans and overt tensions between black and white workers. Bohannon’s only ally is an emancipated slave by the name of Elam Ferguson (Common).

“Hell on Wheels” breaks from its main arc to tell the story of Lily Bell

(Dominique McElligott), the wife of a surveyor who died under siege by a tribe on the planes. As a result, Lily now holds the vital plans for the railroad’s path of construction. Pulling the strings behind all of this action, Thomas “Doc” Durant (Colm Meaney), a devious investor, seeks riches out of the Union Pacific Railroad’s westward construction.

If this summary makes it seem like there is a lot going on in the first episode of “Hell on Wheels,” it’s because there is. Both a blessing and a curse, such a loaded and fast-paced episode presents plenty of plot progression — a thankful deviation from the likes of recent “Walking Dead” episodes.

Each scene is as important as the last, introducing some new plot point, character or event to note. This alone keeps viewers highly interested.

Unfortunately, this jam-packed structure also detracts from the show’s quality. Because the main characters are all segregated, the program has to cut from one five-minute scene to another in an attempt to cover everyone’s story. The effect is a choppy hour of television that never allows the viewer to feel comfortable with the personality on screen before he is thrown into a completely new scene.

This lack of fluidity comes through most stirringly with Bohannon’s character. Although past AMC programs have often dedicated their pilots to the characterization of the protagonist, “Hell on Wheels” strays from this formula by focusing as heavsee HELL, page 6

fins and scones, but people come for miles for the kringle,” Flahive said. “We really hope to improve awareness.

Most people don’t understand that we have all this other business — wedding cakes, wholesale, farmers’ markets throughout Boston, catering.”

Currently, DPH has 50 employees and is baking seven days a week. You won’t see Flahive donning an apron, though. see DANISH, page 6

Movie Review

‘Oranges and Sunshine’ botches British history by

Alexander Hanno Daily Staff Writer

Some films leave you smiling.

Others leave you shaking your head in utter disappointment. Then, there

Oranges and Sunshine Starring Hugo Weaving, Emily Watson, David Wenham Directed by Jim Loach are those forgettable films that earn a simple shrug and a “so what?” Though “Oranges and Sunshine” tries desperately to avoid this outcome, it fully succumbs to the latter category.

Emily Watson stars as Margaret Humphreys, an English social worker living a quiet life with her husband and children in Nottingham. When she is enlisted to find the mother of a woman who, as a child, was shipped from England to Australia, Margaret comes to learn of a government scheme to mass deport children to British colonies, which lasted up until the 1970s. Armed with this knowledge, Margaret takes on the task of reuniting traumatized men and women with their lost families.

The story follows Margaret as she travels back and forth between England and Australia, working to find the parents of the now-adult children affected by Britain’s ploy. Most of these see ORANGES, page 6

Chris Poldoian | Extra Butter

Hollywood crushes

L

ike many of you, I felt as though my childhood finally ended on Friday.

No, I didn’t lose my virginity, learn how to ride a bike or drink my first Jägerbomb. The last vestige of my youth took the form of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” (2011). Forking over 15 bucks for that eighth DVD was like shoving a basilisk fang right into the final Horcrux of my childhood. Bummer. Now all I have to look forward to is adulthood — 401Ks, jury duty and colonoscopies.

Rewatching the movie naturally rekindled my amorous feelings for Emma Watson. Ever since “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (2004), I’ve been in love. Maybe it’s her hazel eyes, or, more likely, her mastery of the levitating spell — “It’s Levi-OH-sa, not Levi-oh-SA.” Regardless, my 14-year-old self was smitten. None of the girls at my middle school — sorry, Mary Holbrook, not even you — could compare to her.

We all have Hollywood crushes, especially when we’re younger. Girls, too — one of my cousins planned on marrying Johnny Depp. Nowadays, it seems that most teenaged girls are obsessed with the men of the “Twilight” series. I don’t know about you, ladies, but my money is on Team Edward.

He beats the crap out of Jacob in every category. Not only can the guy actually string multi-syllabic words together, but he also has way better hair. Case closed.

And then there’s the whole man-crush scenario. Actors like Ryan Gosling and Paul Rudd fit this category. I may like ladies, but I would give my left baby toe for a night of G-rated platonic revelry with either of these guys.

My first Hollywood crush was the voluptuous Jessica Rabbit from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988). Dressed in a formfitting red sequined dress, Jessica Rabbit was the ultimate pre-pubescent sex-symbol. Yes, she was a cartoon, but love doesn’t discriminate — particularly when you’re five years old. The only thing that confused me was her marriage to the film’s eponymous character. Anthropomorphized though he may be, Roger seemed like an odd husband, not because he spoke with a lisp, but because he was a freaking rabbit!

Bestiality is wrong, even when it involves cartoon characters.

The documentary “My Date with Drew” (2004) deals specifically with the idea of Hollywood crushes. The film chronicles one man (Brian Herzlinger) as he attempts to fulfill his childhood dream of taking Drew Barrymore on a date. Watching 28-year-old Herzlinger speak to the camera about his fond memories of Barrymore’s cherubic role in “E.T.: the Extra Terrestrial” (1982) straddles the line between adorably sweet and creepily obsessive. But I imagine that’s how we all sound. As viewers, we are voyeurs, watching strangers perform for our fetishistic indulgences. Can any of us really think we know these actresses because of their work? I think not.

As a sophomore, I visited my friend who goes to school at Brown University. As we were walking through the quad, I noticed an attractive, pony-tailed student walking in our direction. Oh my god, I thought. My throat tightened, and heart’s palpitations began to sound like dubstep. My entire pubescence amounted to this one chance interaction. Don’t blow it, I told myself.

She glanced at me and gave me a friendly smile. I tried to smile back, but probably just peed myself instead. I realized then that I could never be with her; I’d only see her as Emma Watson the blindingly stunning movie star, not as an actual person.

Bummer, I know. But there’s hope! I read in Entertainment Weekly that Zooey Deschanel just filed for divorce. Between her and Kim Kardashian, I might actually stand a chance.

Chris Poldoian is a senior majoring in Spanish and economics. He can be reached at Chrisopher.Poldoian@tufts.edu.

The Tufts Daily

6

Arts & Living

Monday, November 14, 2011

‘Oranges and Sunshine’ is surprisingly forgettable ORANGES

continued from page 5

victims were forced into physical labor upon arrival to their designated colony, rather than being given the pleasant “oranges and sunshine” they were promised.

As Margaret delves further and further into the scandal, receiving publicity, government attention and numerous threats, the pressures of the job slowly wear on her, and the problems of the people she is trying to help become her own.

In all fairness, there is nothing grossly wrong with “Oranges and Sunshine.” It is based on an amazing true story — one that is far too under-publicized, yet well worth learning about. It boasts talented performances from the likes of Hugo Weaving and David Wenham, who respectively play Jack and Len, two of the men Margaret is trying to help. It even features a triumphant emotional climax sure to move any viewers.

Yet, despite these positive aspects, “Oranges and Sunshine” never surpasses mediocrity.

Much of this blame can be placed on the film’s protagonist, Margaret, who denies audiences the opportunity to connect. Because the movie has an exposition that lasts all of five minutes before it leaps into the thick of the plot, the audience isn’t given a chance to know their hero, and Margaret remains far too undeveloped. This trend continues for most of the film.

Only near the film’s climax does she gain any depth, as

Icon Film

Emily Watson fails to breathe life into the underdeveloped protagonist of ‘Oranges and Sunshine.’ her flaws are finally expressed and she begins her downward spiral. This development proves to be too little, too late, however, as the audience is no longer capable of caring what happens to Margaret.

In short, Margaret is a flat character. One would think that Watson, undoubtedly a talented actress, might have

brought some life to the character. Unfortunately, her performance was lackluster.

Visually, the film doesn’t arouse much emotion either.

Filmed mainly in Australia and England, a plethora of vivid images were imaginably at the filmmaker’s disposal.

Yet, despite its bright title, “Oranges and Sunshine” fea-

tures a dull color palette and fails to employ any original filmmaking techniques. Aside from a few clips of London’s skyline and one spectacular scenic image near the climax, there are few shots worth remembering.

A well-crafted script could have done wonders for this film, especially since its main

cast is comprised of spectacular actors. Again, though, “Oranges and Sunshine” misses the mark; its dialogue can only be described as forgettable. It often feels more like a documentary of a day in the life of a social worker instead of a feature film.

Be c a u s e Hu m p h re y s’ story takes place over such a stretched-out period of time and across two continents, the film has a lot of ground to cover. Though it manages to succeed in telling her story, it does so choppily, arbitrarily jumping between Australia and England with little sense of time or place.

This jerky lack of finesse results in a severe sense of disunity between the audience and the world on the screen, which further distances viewers from the protagonist.

While there are a few highlights in the film — specifically the moral of the story and its scenic climax — overall, “Oranges and Sunshine” is unremarkable. Scenes mesh together and are forgotten before they even finish.

It is a real shame that “Oranges and Sunshine” failed to be something great. Whether or not this is due to director Jim Loach’s greenness — this is his first feature film — is up for debate.

Regardless, though “Oranges and Sunshine” has an honestly compelling story to tell, its clunky execution morphs Britain’s child deportation scheme into a minor footnote in history.

AMC’s ‘Hell on Wheels,’ with brilliant setting and decent acting, holds promise HELL

continued from page 5

ily on minor characters. Coupled with the monotonous, somewhat caricatured personality of our hero — a dark, angry gunslinger of few words bent on revenge — “Hell on Wheels” erects a glass wall between its audience and protagonist. Because viewers are not allowed to get to know Bohannon, they struggle to connect with him.

That said, the acting on the show is still decent. Mount fails to stir up emotive reactions; however, Common and Meaney both spark some interest.

Though slightly cliched in their respective roles, their portrayals of a resentful ex-slave and a malicious entrepreneur are spot-on and so enthusiastic that they can’t help but be enjoyed.

Sadly, the premiere is plagued by mediocre writing. Though there is talent present, an overly forward script did not leave much for the audience to speculate on. While the dialogue gets the characters’ points across, it is often dull and forced.

Visually, however, the show is brilliant. It has an amazing setting that sprawls across the open plains; Native Americans ride across the screen and an ominous train spits its smoke over the crazed settlement. The wardrobe

is impeccable as well — each character honestly appears to have stumbled out of the 1860s. Simply put, “Hell on Wheels” is a treat for the eyes.

The setting and tone of “Hell on Wheels” are perfectly matched, giving the show an amazingly gritty feel.

With gruesome action sequences and scenes of trench workers toiling in the filth and heat, the show’s tone is clearly established — it is dark, rough and drenched in hardship.

However, the greatest strength of “Hell on Wheels” lies in its potential. It’s been years since television hosted a truly great western program, and “Hell on Wheels” seems to have the drive to take that spot.

It is original, tackling unusual issues such as the effects of Sherman’s March to the Sea and the initial racial animosity post-Civil War. Set in the Great Plains along the railroad — rather than in some desert ghost town, as so many western pieces are — the show offers something fresh for its viewers.

The premiere of “Hell on Wheels” doesn’t amaze, but it presents the audience with great visuals and plenty to look forward to. If it plays on its strengths and works on its bland dialogue, “Hell on Wheels” may very well join the ranks of some of AMC’s best programs.

Chris Large/AMC

‘Hell on Wheels’ follows soldier Cullen Bohannon in his search for vengeance.

Tufts alum Flahive dishes about Danish Pastry House’s dishes DANISH

continued from page 5

“The bakers tend to kick me out of the kitchen,” she said.

“When I bake, there’s flour everywhere and I’m covered in chocolate.”

The real bakers, however, are clearly kept occupied. The aforementioned popular kringle, a croissant-like concoction laced with almond paste and sprinkled with sliced almonds, is perhaps DPH’s most famous offering, along with its Brioche Braid.

Others include the Spandauer Danish, a pastry with custard,

and Flahive’s favorites: the French waffle, butter cream with raspberry preserves sandwiched by flaky pastry and dipped in chocolate, and the Floderbolle, a homemade meringue dipped in dark chocolate on an almond cookie base.

Hungry yet? Try the toffee cookie — crunchy on the edges and soft in the middle with salty-sweet goodness throughout — or maybe the popular seven-layer bar, a crumbly concoction of graham cracker, chocolate and peanut butter chips and coconut. Whatever your sweet tooth is craving,

you’re bound to find it here — and if you don’t, you can always ask.

Flahive is very much in tune with the community, which she chalks up to her Tufts education.

“Tufts taught me to be a critical thinker and to communicate,” she said. “I still meet with my adviser today.”

She and Winkler also hope to hear input from current students.

“We would love any feedback, questions, suggestions,” she said emphatically.

Already, DPH is implement-

ing some changes toward better customer service, including an additional cash register for faster lines and a new system to streamline and expedite the ordering process.

Many Tufts students already frequent DPH and offer rave reviews.

“I go there every Friday on my way to work,” said Avantha Arachchi, a junior. “It’s my favorite place to get food. They have my iced tea lemonade and lox bagel ready for me. They’re super nice, and once you start going often you get a rapport with them.”

David Gittess, a senior, agreed, saying, “I really like the large windows that always keep it bright. They should think about getting free Wi-Fi.” Sinclair Stafford, a senior, went straight to the heart of the matter: “They have great pastries!”

So the next time you’re having a craving for a breakfast sandwich, omelet, crepe, panini, soup, eclair, red velvet cupcake, key lime cheesecake or S’more tart, head over to DPH and eat your fill. And make sure to say hi to Flahive while you’re there.

Monday, November 14, 2011

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THE TUFTS DAILY

Editorial

Editorial Niki Krieg Adam Kulewicz Managing Editors Amelie Hecht Executive News Editor Elizabeth McKay News Editors Kathryn Olson Laina Piera Corinne Segal Saumya Vaishampayan Bianca Blakesley Assistant News Editors Gabrielle Hernandez Brionna Jimerson Marie Schow Minyoung Song Mahpari Sotoudeh Martha Shanahan Executive Features Editor Jon Cheng Features Editors Maya Kohli Amelia Quinn Falcon Reese Derek Schlom Victoria Rathsmill Assistant Features Editors Margaret Young Rebecca Santiago Executive Arts Editor Zach Drucker Arts Editors Anna Majeski Charissa Ng Joseph Stile Matthew Welch Ashley Wood Melissa MacEwen Assistant Arts Editors David Kellogg Bhushan Deshpande Seth Teleky Anna Christian Devon Colmer Westley Engel Louie Zong Craig Frucht Jonathan Green Michael Restiano Jyot Singh

Monday, November 14, 2011

Free Bieber indeed

Carter W. Rogers Editor-in-Chief

Editorial | Letters

The sight of pre-haircut Justin Bieber locked behind bars is a shocking one, and it’s the Photoshopped image FreeBieber.org has decided to use to publicize the fight against a new, potentially draconian copyright bill. In recent months the Commercial Felony Streaming Act, or bill S.978, has been making its way through Congress. The bill proposes to elevate the penalty for streaming pirated content to a felony.

Currently, it’s a felony to copy, reproduce or download a copyrighted work.

Steaming of copyrighted content is not currently a felony. So, while it’s a felony to copy and download movies, it’s not a felony to stream content on YouTube or MegaVideo.com.

Bill S.978 would up the ante and turn the current misdemeanor into a felony punishable by a maximum fiveyear prison sentence for any offense

that “consists of 10 or more public performances by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of 1 or more copyrighted works” if the total value of the performances exceeds $2,500 or if the cost of licensing the works exceeds $5,000.

It should be noted that it only targets those doing the streaming, not those watching or listening to the stream.

The reasoning behind the Free Bieber campaign is that Bieber made a name for himself posting videos of him singing covers of copyrighted songs. If he did that after the bill was passed, he could be jailed, the site’s creators argue.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), a sponsor of the bill, tried to assuage concerns about the reach of the bill, saying that the bill is focused only on targeting individuals and websites that profit from illegally streaming

content, and someone like a young Bieber would never be targeted.

The bill’s stated goal is a noble one that we support. It’s hard to argue in favor of people who profit while circumventing the rights of a piece of content’s original creators.

Bieber himself joined in on the argument, saying Klobuchar should be “locked up — put away in cuffs.”

That’s rather harsh. However, for this bill to make sense, it needs to be much more focused in its targeting of serial for-profit illegal streaming offenders.

Bill S.978 does not serve to redefine what constitutes copyright infringement, but considering the severity of punishment this bill technically allows to be implemented, it needs to come with clear stipulations about what copyright infractions would constitute a prison sentence.

louie Zong

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Off the Hill | Penn State

The fall of giants by the

Daily Collegian Editorial Board Daily Collegian

Executive Business Director Christine Busaba Advertising Director Saanya Gulati Receivables Manager P.O. Box 53018, Medford, MA 02155 617 627 3090 FAX 617 627 3910 daily@tuftsdaily.com

In less than one week, the Penn State we knew unraveled.

We watched in shock as the beloved head football coach announced that he was retiring.

Much later Wednesday night, the Penn State Board of Trustees announced that both the iconic head football coach Joe Paterno and the university’s president, Graham Spanier, would be removed from their positions effective immediately.

This follows days of Penn Staters hanging their heads after hearing sex abuse and perjury allegations against leaders at the university.

Now, more than ever, students need to remember that we are Penn State.

When the leadership of our Alma Mater is shaky, students need to remember that we make this school what it is.

Students need to be the leaders.

The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community. EDITORIAL POLICY Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily. The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board.

We need to be setting the bar, holding ourselves to the high moral and ethical standards that the university and its officials should have been for the past decade.

We are appalled.

This was not the way the most legendary coach in college sports was supposed to go.

Wednesday night was an embarrassment for Penn State.

This is about more than Paterno and Spanier. The way students reacted set our university two steps back.

Penn State does not need to be put in a worse light than its leaders already have. The spotlight was on Penn State last night and we only drew more negative national attention to the Penn State name. The national media did not come for the students, but they stayed because we put on a show.

The emotions brought on by the night varied from somber and respect-

ful to angry and unlawful.

This is not what Joe would have wanted.

In a statement released after he was fired, Paterno said, “I appreciate the outpouring of support, but want to emphasize that everyone should remain calm and please respect the university, its property and all that we value.”

If this is about supporting Joe, honor his wishes.

If this is about anger and disappointment in the university, find a constructive outlet.

With a new coach, the football team enters a rebuilding phase. More importantly, Penn State as a university is rebuilding.

We have a new frontier to conquer.

Let today start the process.

The student body is going to be a huge part of the rebuilding process. We need to step up to the challenge ahead of us all.

Be Penn State.

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All letters must be word processed and include the writer’s name and telephone number. There is a 450-word limit and letters must be verified.

The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length.

ADVERTISING POLICY All advertising copy is subject to the approval of the Editorin-Chief, Executive Board and Executive Business Director. A publication schedule and rate card are available upon request.

Monday, November 14, 2011

The Tufts Daily

Empathy + assimilation = fail!

by Samuel

Murray

In her Nov. 8 op-ed “Confronting integration with education, empathy,” Sarah Tralins, yet another student who has claimed to empathize with the minority populace, has said, “I am a student who has actively advocated for racial equality and assimilation at Tufts.” Her flawed, somewhat ignorant ignorance of racial inequalities is perhaps her greatest downfall in her attempts to advocate on the behalf of individuals she does not understand. Closer reading and analysis of my Nov. 1 op-ed entitled “What happens when assimilation and integration fails?” would have revealed my message that minorities at Tufts are tired of being told to assimilate. By minorities, I am referring to non-white Tufts students on campus: This includes countless Asian and Asian-American students, students of African descent, students of Hispanic descent, Native American students and all other ethnically identifying groups. Instead of being told to assimilate, we would like to be accepted and embraced for who we are as human beings, despite our cultural and socioeconomic differences.

To touch briefly on another topic Tralins mentioned, as a biracial individual of both African-American and a Caucasian heritage, my “desire for whiteness” has been caused by my longing for social acceptance and my own privilege while at Tufts. I do not desire whiteness because I am culturally confused or envious, but because, as a person of mixed race who identifies as a minority, I am systematically denied opportunities and acceptance that I so rightly deserve. To continue on the topic of privilege, the term “white privilege” is not derogatory, nor is it meant to be offensive.

In my experiences at Tufts, many majority (white) students exercise their white privilege subconsciously everyday. This term refers to more than just a socioeconomic advantage, but a feeling of superiority and, as Tralins says, “immunity” that comes with their white skin, and, in some but not all instances, economic stability. Based on my experiences with a plethora of individuals at Tufts, many deny their white privilege claiming that they can relate to minorities because they are from certain neighborhoods or grew up impoverished.

Just because you can relate to some minority hardships (which is not to say that all minority individuals grow up impoverished or in underdeveloped neighborhoods), being white in this world is a privilege that is parallel to no other.

I challenge these individuals who claim their white skin and associated benefits are not a privilege to ask themselves, have you ever been oppressed based on the color of your skin? Have you ever had people refuse to speak to you or acknowledge your presence for no apparent reason?

Have you ever been discriminated against because of your race? Most likely you will not encounter too many white individuals at Tufts who have.

In my own attempts to gain majority support for the elimination of social inequality, I will shed more light on my own experiences at Tufts, although I cannot claim that my experiences are typical of all minority experiences. Too often have I heard defamatory racial slurs used by majority individuals without repercussions or reprimands. When I approach said individuals they respond by saying they “don’t mean it that way.” When I walk around this campus and speak to majority individuals, too often am I given cold stares or sometimes, people look down at their feet as to not acknowledge my presence. Why is that? Oh, I know, it’s because Tufts is just not a friendly place.

Yes, that was sarcasm! I must say, as I have said before in my previous article, I have struggled and still struggle with gaining social acceptance at Tufts, and this is true for many minority students.

To respond to the claims of the author who says, “At Tufts, privilege is just being here,” I suppose this is true for you and others like you. But I, and many others, viewed Tufts as an opportunity; instead it has been one big disappointment after another. What privileges have I gained from feeling oppressed, discriminated against or feeling that others refuse to acknowledge my presence, in addition to other illnesses? Furthermore, the author also says that she does not feel that all minority individuals must partake in three options I originally suggested: Assimilate, leave or struggle. She instead suggests that minorities and majority students should

engage in dialogue to resolve these issues.

Well, if you and other majority persons feel this way, come to the cultural houses, attend ethnic symposiums, engage in conversation with others you do not know and lastly, do not empathize but act. I urge you to use your white privilege to make concrete change. When I speak out against racial inequality, I am labeled as a misfit, but when my majority friends do it, they are viewed as sympathizers who want to cause change. Why is that?

The author also goes on to say, “I know that in all of my activity on campus, not once have I been able to ask minority students questions and get direct answers; I have always felt as part of the ‘others’ and never a member of the group. I have been told that I just ‘wouldn’t understand’ or ‘can’t identify.’” Well, you can speak directly with me at any point in time. If there is anything I can do to facilitate integration, I will do my part. Lastly, I ask that you do not feel empathy for me. I have come to terms with the institutionalized oppression at this university and will to the best of my ability to challenge inequality wherever I may see, in addition to exposing it. Additionally, if you are as willing to advocate for integration as you say you are, I expect to see your face at future black solidarity events or perhaps even at the cultural houses, such as the Start House, La Casa, the Women’s Center, etc., or at Association of Latin American Students meetings, to which you have just been cordially invited. My only advice to the author is to understand that while you may empathize with us in our endeavors to eliminate minority inequality, you must be willing to be an “outsider,” and realize that integration is possible and that you can do more.

So to the author who claims to empathize, move forward and fight for progression, James Baldwin says it best: “If the word integration means anything, this is what it means: that we, with love, shall force our brothers to see themselves as they are, to cease fleeing from reality and begin to change it.”

Samuel Murray is a sophomore who is majoring in sociology and religion.

Evaluate this: in print or online? by

Brian Pilchik

Sitting in the office of the Department of Drama and Dance, I couldn’t help but smile as I stuffed course evaluation form after course evaluation form into old, crumbling manila envelopes. This Thanksgiving season, I couldn’t be more grateful that our university continues to stand up for the time-honored tradition of hard-copy course evaluations. After all, I enjoy stuffing envelopes. And what better use of department time and resources than coordinating the complex process of organizing, distributing and collecting thousands of pieces of scribbled-upon paper. If there is one Tufts tradition our new president should strive to protect from the modern age of technology, it is paper course evaluations.

Yes, I know: Administrators and office workers spend many hours and suffer many paper cuts counting, stuffing and scanning these precious documents.

Every year, around this time, faculty and students begin to whisper their heretical thoughts about changing the status quo. But the horrifying notion that our process could be moved online is simply taking things too far.

Can you imagine Jumbos sitting in the comfort of the dorms, filling out evaluations on SIS or Trunk, with about as much effort as it takes them to check their email? Typed answers would be instantly legible; there would be no fun in deciphering them. Computer-recorded responses would instantly calculate scores and averages; Scantron would go out of business. Hundreds of hours of paid labor would be suddenly unnecessary; what would student employees like

Bourgeoisbee via FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

me do all day at work?

Most importantly, think of the trees.

With thousands of undergraduate and graduate students filling out evaluations for each course they take, do you know how much the logging industry benefits from our paper evaluations? For the class of 2015 alone, we’re talking about 1,345 students, perhaps four courses per student on average. That’s 5,380 pieces of paper per semester, over 43 thousand pages dedicated to their class alone over the course of their time at the university.

If we dropped the paper, what would we do with all of our inventory? How would this affect the paper-products industry?

The job market? There are serious consequences to consider.

Besides, there are technical concerns.

Yes, it’s true that we already have successful systems in place for gathering anonymous survey data. Yes, it’s true that those systems have previously included the ability to determine which students had or had not completed the requirement (e.g. the My Student Body alcohol program, Senate eBallot elections, raffles for completing the Dining Services sur-

9

Op-Ed

vey). But suppose we implemented a similar system for course evaluations. All of a sudden, the administration would have the ability to tell which students had not filled out their evaluations! They would be able to send reminder emails, offer prizes or even make completion mandatory. No longer would students be able to sit quietly before a blank sheet of paper, failing to fill in the circles or write essays. No longer could students drop their incomplete evaluations into an envelope and hurry off to do something more enjoyable. Life as we know it would be forever changed.

The best day of class, the one during which professors must take 15 minutes out of lecture to make room for in-class course evaluations, would be no more. We would not be able to look forward to this welcome break from academics, nor walk into classes late, complaining that the last professor held us over to complete evaluations. Our very freedom as individuals would be threatened.

Technology is frightening. Its potential to make our precious paper obsolete, calculate more quickly and easily than any human being or increase participation levels in evaluations simply represents too much change, too quickly. This university is not ready to take that kind of risk. It doesn’t matter how many other schools do their evaluations online, or how much time and money it could save.

Now is not the time to try something new; our system of course evaluations does not merit reevaluation.

Brian Pilchik is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major.

Prashanth Parameswaran | The Asianist

Harmony with Vietnam

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ast month, I had the distinct pleasure of hearing the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) perform at Boston Symphony Hall in its first ever visit to the United States.

They did not disappoint. The orchestra, led by its animated Japanese music director and principal conductor Tetsuji Honna, put on a spirited performance with a unique blend of Vietnamese folk music and classic compositions from the West. The very best of Vietnam was on display, from the vibrant colors of the ao dai national costume to the graceful hand movements of award-winning violinist Le Hoai Nam and then melodies of legendary Vietnamese composer Dam Linh.

The historic performance was also a product of cultural exchange diplomacy between the United States and Vietnam.

VNSO’s “First Harmony Tour to the USA 2011” reciprocated the New York Philharmonic’s first ever visit to Hanoi in 2009, where it performed at the Hanoi Opera House, home of the VNSO. Tran Nhu Son, the Deputy Consul General of Vietnam in San Francisco, was quoted in the concert program: “This is a very significant and great opportunity to strengthen cultural exchanges between Vietnam and the United States, making the people of the two countries more understanding of each other’s contemporary music life”.

And Mr. Honna himself told me that performing in the United States had been a long-cherished wish for the VNSO and struck an emotional chord for many of the Vietnamese musicians.

The exchange also embodies the overall trajectory of U.S.-Vietnam relations. Just 16 years after the normalization of ties, Washington and Hanoi have managed to overcome the bitter past of the Vietnam War and forge one of the most important partnerships between the United States and Southeast Asia today, exemplifying the very peace and tolerance between peoples the VNSO emphasized as its performance theme. Cooperation has taken off in politics, trade, culture and even the military realm with an agreement signed on research collaboration and exchange in military medicine earlier this year. Key differences persist — particularly on human rights — but they are increasingly becoming the exception rather than the norm in the relationship.

If Vietnam continues to be one of the fastest growing emerging economies and concerns about a rising China persist, both countries may be able to strengthen their “strategic partnership” even further in the coming years. Indeed, when former U.S. President Bill Clinton, who presided over U.S.-Vietnam normalization, mistakenly told an audience at Tufts University earlier this month that Vietnam was America’s “most important ally in Southeast Asia” (a term usually reserved for formal U.S. alliances such as those with Japan or Thailand), it could have been as much a Freudian slip as it was a minor gaffe. Discussions between U.S. and Vietnamese officials these days, including those going on this week at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Honolulu with Mr. Clinton’s wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, tend to focus boldly on how to “take the relationship to the next level.”

That might seem ambitious at first glance.

But so might the idea of a strategic partnership between Washington and Hanoi 16 years ago. Or the notion of the VNSO playing in Boston Symphony Hall decades ago when it was weathering through financial and psychological national struggles after the Vietnam War. And yet they happened.

Much like an orchestra, various instruments eventually cohered to produce a harmonious outcome with the aid of an able conductor.

Prashanth Parameswaran is a student at The Fletcher School studying international relations. He can be reached at Prashanth.

Parameswaran@tufts.edu.

Op-ed Policy The Op-Ed section of The Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length. Op-Ed cartoons are also welcomed for the Campus Canvas feature. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. All material should be submitted to oped@tuftsdaily.com no later than noon on the day prior to the desired day of publication; authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions. Submissions may not be published elsewhere prior to their appearance in the Daily, including but not limited to other on- and off-campus newspapers, magazines, blogs and online news websites, as well as Facebook. Republishing of the same piece in a different source is permissible as long as the Daily is credited with originally running the article.

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Comics

Monday, November 14, 2011

Doonesbury

Crossword

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Garry Trudeau

Non Sequitur

Tuesday’s Solution

Married to the Sea

www.marriedtothesea.com

SUDOKU Level: Buying a liter of Big Mac sauce

Thursday’s

Late Night at the Daily Thursday’s Solution

Niki: “This isn’t my dinner ... it’s my post-blood-drive course.”

Please recycle this Daily.

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Wiley

Monday, November 14, 2011

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Middlebury wins another World Cup QUIDDITCH

continued from page 16

balls, which are more effective than tackling — from start to finish.

Tufts was up 80-30 when Bowling Green caught the Snitch — Rainey Johnson, by far the most notorious of all Snitches. The 80-60 final was a huge confidence-booster for a Tufflepuffs team that had lost its past five matches going in.

“I was really excited to get this win,” said sophomore keeper Nick Hill, who went coastto-coast for goals a handful of times. “We’ve been losing quite a few games this season, and it’s a real rush to finally win one, and win one so well. They were a physical team, but our beaters did a fantastic job. They kept beating them and beating them, and that made the [physicality] of them a non-issue.”

The Tufflepuffs then retreated to their tents, ate a snack and took naps before their final game of Day 1, a night match under the lights against International Quidditch Association (IQA) No. 8-ranked Pittsburgh. From the first whistle, Pittsburgh came out with an attitude — after all, a Cinderella Tufts team defeated them in the 2010 World Cup semifinals.

The Tufflepuffs knew going into the Pittsburgh game that the only chance they had against an athletic Pitt squad was to control the Bludgers and avoid being tackled. But neither of these things happened, as Pitt thoroughly dominated Tufts to the point where Tufflepuffs sophomore Duncan Leaf’s Snitch catch to end the game at 13030 was inconsequential, save for allowing Tufts to avoid a shutout.

“Oh, we were so motivated. Last year was pretty painful,” said Pittsburgh senior keeper

Jeff Moulton, a massive man who spent the game flicking Tufts chasers off of him like flies and deflecting cries from the announcers to take off his shirt and reveal the other man standing on his shoulders, because his height was suspicious. “A lot of us are seniors this year, so this is our last shot.”

The losses to Maryland and Pittsburgh are part of an alarming trend for the Tufflepuffs — facing teams with bigger athletes and losing. The week before the Cup, Tufts played three games against IQA No. 5 Emerson — another physically imposing squad — and lost all three.

According to junior Howie Levine, one of the team’s captains, international muggle Quidditch is becoming more competitive, more physical but sometimes less fun.

“The game’s always evolving, and size is becoming more of a factor,” Levine said. “It’s almost losing a little bit of what made it so fun in the first place.”

The change in the Quidditch landscape was evident from early Saturday, when in the span of a few hours both of last year’s World Cup finalists, Tufts and IQA No. 1 Middlebury — who entered the tournament undefeated all-time — lost.

The winner of the World Cup was Middlebury. Though some of the liberalarts schools that pioneered the game may be losing their charm on Quidditch’s biggest stage, Middlebury manages to keep casting its spells over the Quidditch world.

Editor’s Note: A portion of this story was adapted from Ben Kochman’s weekend reports live from the Quidditch World Cup on Jumbo Slice, The Tufts Daily blog.

Monday, November 14, 2011

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Sports ZACH DRUCKER | THE LOSER

Men’s Soccer

Golden Gus

¡Viva el Betis!

Freshman midfielder Gus Santos capped off a stellar first season for the men’s soccer team by winning the NESCAC Rookie of the Year award.

He was the first Jumbo to win the award in at least 11 seasons.

Santos, who was also the lone Tufts representative on the All-NESCAC First Team, led conference rookies with 20 points — good for fourth in the NESCAC overall. The freshman midfielder led the Jumbos with seven goals, including two overtime golden goals, and six assists. Santos’ best performance came on Oct. 19 against visiting Suffolk, when he scored twice and added an assist to lead the Jumbos to a commanding 6-1 win.

A dynamic dribbler on the left wing, Santos made his presence known before the season even started. In a preseason scrimmage against Wesleyan, Santos sprinted down the left side, dangled past a few Cardinals defensemen and buried a shot to score the only goal of the match.

It was a sign of things to come for Santos, who made a living on the left side of the pitch all season.

Santos was the first All-NESCAC player for the Jumbos since 2008 when then-senior defenseman Peter DeGregorio (LA ‘09) secured secondteam All-Conference honors.

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Scott Tingley/Tufts Daily

—by Matt Berger

Freshman midfielder Gus Santos led all NESCAC freshmen with 20 points this fall.

Club Lacrosse

(Lack of) practice makes perfect

Team relies on experience and knowledge to dominate NECLL by

Matt Berger

Daily Editorial Board

All too often in sports, coaches and commentators expel the tired cliche that practice makes perfect. Legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi amended this phrase, telling his players that only perfect practice makes perfect.

For the past two seasons, however, the Tufts men’s club lacrosse team has shown that this adage is not always true. The Jumbos have won two consecutive North East Collegiate Lacrosse League (NECLL) championships while having only one annual practice each spring.

According to senior midfielder Chris Mutzel, Tufts’ consistency stems from two different factors: the team’s overall lacrosse IQ and its ability to find quality players.

“Even though we can’t throw and catch because we’re a little rusty from not practicing, we have a knack for breaking down our opponent’s defense,” he said. “We also are very lucky to have a strong varsity program whose roster simply cannot hold all the talent that comes in. Most of the guys on our team are kids who came to play varsity at Tufts and are no longer with the team.”

Senior midfielder Luke Metcalf also attributed the squad’s success to its precollege lacrosse experience.

“I think our success boils down to the fact that a large portion of our team consists of kids who were cut from the varsity squad and want to continue laxing,” he said. “While there is no 48-hour rule … we do take winning very seriously.

Everyone gets equal playing time, but we all play hard and no one likes losing, so we just don’t do it.”

The team just finished up its fall season, which normally involves less-formal scrimmages against NECLL opponents such as UMass Amherst and Merrimack

College. For a team that never takes itself too seriously, games in the fall are especially laidback. However, they are a good opportunity for the Jumbos to recruit new players for their spring season and see how the team stacks up against the rest of the league.

“Fall especially is a time where we are just out there to have fun,” Mutzel said.

“We like to have new guys come out and see what we are about. A couple of relaxed games or tournaments give us the chance to see what kind of team we will have come spring season.”

In its biggest game of the fall, the Jumbos fell behind 5-0 to rival Harvard, only to go on a devastating 9-1 scoring run to stymie the Crimson.

“In our last tournament, we started out flat against Harvard, which has a large roster along with a coach and managers,” senior attackman Andy Thorne said. “We went down 5-0 in the first quarter but woke up and went on a run to win 9-6 in typical Tufts club lax fashion.”

Last spring, Tufts made its second consecutive trip to the NECLL finals where it faced UMass. After taking a slim 7-5 lead through three quarters of play, Tufts outscored the Minutemen 4-0 in the fourth quarter to secure a repeat league championship. Then-sophomore midfielder Nico Cortese led Tufts with two goals and an assist, while then-junior attackman Nate Bixentine added three goals.

Goalkeeper Emmett Mercer, a sophomore at the time, also posted l3 saves, good for a .722 save percentage.

This season, Tufts should field another strong squad with the return of many talented players from last year’s championship-winning team. One key returner is senior Adam Mandell, who had five goals and five assists in the team’s final four games last season. Mandell was twice named to the South Carolina high school

All-State team and is also the Jumbos’ most versatile player.

“I would say Adam Mandell is one of our best players,” sophomore attackman Jordan Brandes said. “He can pretty much play any position and is pretty filthy no matter where we put him.”

Another key contributor is senior attackman Ashton Imlay, who also serves as the team’s treasurer. In the team’s final four games last season, Imlay scored six goals and added three asissts, good for ninth in the league. Finally, there is Metcalf, whose consistently explosive play on the field has made up for his often inconsistent attendance.

“You never know when Metcalf is going to show up. It is always a spectacle when he does,” Mutzel said. “A couple of strong moves in the championship two years ago won him the nickname ‘Air Metcalf.’”

Unlike most other club lacrosse teams, Tufts has no coaches and, as a Tier II club sport, receives no funding from the university and is not at all affiliated with the school. Although affiliation would enable the team to play home games, players feel that they would receive few benefits from doing so.

“Tufts would get oversight of our finances, which we pay out of pocket, and would give us next to nothing, other than forms to fill out,” Metcalf said. “I like that we have freedom to operate as we please, but nothing would make me happier than getting to play one home game my senior year.”

Under the leadership of Thorne and Brandes, who serve as the team’s president and vice president, respectively, Tufts club lacrosse has clearly established itself as a league powerhouse despite its laid-back attitude on the field. Still, the team will continue to get victories which, according to Metcalf, is their top priority.

“We’re really more of a winning club than a lacrosse club,” he said.

Volleyball

Jumbos bounced by Pride in NCAA second round The volleyball team won its first-round match in dramatic fashion this past weekend at the NCAA Tournament, but was unable to advance past the second round on Saturday.

Entering as the No. 4 seed, the Jumbos edged Roger Williams on Friday night in a five-set thriller, but the next day, No.1-seeded Springfield put an end to Tufts’ stellar 26-6 season with a 3-1 win.

Springfield came into the second-round match with a 32-2 record, with one of those

losses coming at the hands of Tufts on Oct. 22.

On Saturday night, the teams looked evenly matched, but the Pride scored points when it counted and won their three sets by five points or less. Tufts took the second set but lost by a final of 20-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-23.

The previous day, the Jumbos overcame a 2-1 set deficit to beat Roger Williams. The Hawks appeared to take control after a 25-12 third-set victory, but with their season on the line, the Jumbos stormed back to win the next

frame 25-18 before taking the decisive fifth set 15-12.

Freshmen Isabel Kuhel, Hayley Hopper and Kelly Brennan each had double-digit kills in the win.

The Jumbos reached the second round of NCAAs for the first time since 2008, and were knocked out by Springfield for the second consecutive season.

—by Aaron Leibowitz

ast semester, I took some time away from the Hill and spent five months abroad in Seville, Spain.

Immediately, I found the people of Seville to be partitioned into two factions: supporters of Sevilla FC and “los béticos,” supporters or Real Betis Balompié. The rivalry between the two Sevillian soccer clubs resembles the mutual antagonism between the Yankees and the Mets or the Lakers and the Clippers, since one team is perennially top-notch and the other team is laughably bad.

In this instance, Sevilla FC is always one of the main contenders in La Liga, the premier Spanish soccer division, and Betis flounders about in the lower tier Segunda División. Basically, Betis is equivalent to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens or any team in the NBA D-League. Yet, the enticing thing about Spanish soccer is that the top three teams from the Segunda División are promoted to La Liga at the end of each season.

Now, let me backtrack. Before studying in Spain, I had never been a soccer fan. I felt the sport was boring, I didn’t have any promising local teams to support (because I’m from America) and I never was any good at playing soccer.

(I was called “Wheels” as a kid. That’s how third-graders express irony.) Yet, the Spaniards live, eat and breathe fútbol. Young and old men alike play on asphalt pitches, teenagers are all part of youth leagues and little kids chase soccer balls down narrow, cobblestone streets. In order to immerse myself in the Spanish culture, I had to pick sides: Betis or Sevilla?

All the signs pointed in the winning direction. I lived in the heart of the city, a 15-minute bicycle ride from Sevilla FC’s Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.

Plus, the coordinator of my program was a fervent Sevilla fan and the first soccer game I watched in Spain was a Sevilla match at a local bar.

Yet, two important events made me gravitate towards Betis. The first was when I stumbled upon a large celebration on the aptly named, Calle Betis, a long street famous for its bars and nightlife. The majority of the passionate intoxicants I ran into were decked out in green and white, chanting in slurred unison at the top of their lungs.

I saw my friend, Pablo, engaged in the jubilee and asked him about the cause for such merriment. He told me that Betis had beaten FC Barcelona in an unbelievable upset. And so, the seeds of Betis were sown in my heart.

Betis and I were star-crossed lovers: I wanted to go see and experience an actual Spanish soccer match, so I began a hunt for tickets. I found the 30-plus-euro Sevilla tickets a little pricey, whereas the 15-euro tickets I could scalp at a Betis game were just right. In the sweltering 95-degree heat, my friend and I — shirtless, donning a newly purchased Betis flag as a cape — attempted to babble along to cheers and eventually rooting Betis on to a 3-1 victory over S.D. Huesca. That victory clinched a berth in La Liga for Betis. My team had finally won something of value.

Anyway, that’s how I came to root for a team so terrible that their motto is “¡Viva el Betis manque pierda!” (“Long live Betis, even when they lose!”) Fastforward to this semester and, at the start of the latest season, Betis climbed to the top of La Liga with an astounding 4-0 start. I became intrigued and began to follow Betis more intensely.

Since then, they are 0-6-1. Yet, as long as my Betis flag hangs on my dorm room wall, I will believe in the green and white.

Zach Drucker is a senior majoring in international relations and Spanish. He can be reached at Zachary.Drucker@tufts.edu.

Sports

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INSIDE Club Lacrosse 15 Men’s Soccer 15 Volleyball 15

tuftsdaily.com

Football

Game, season end in heartbreak for the Jumbos Strong efforts by Lindquist, defense not enough in 19-17 loss to Middlebury by

Zach McGowan

Daily Staff Writer

The football team was in command of Saturday’s season finale against Middlebury for all but two seconds. Unfortunately for FOOTBALL (0-8 NESCAC, 0-8 Overall) at Ellis Oval/Zimman Field, Saturday Middlebury Tufts

0 7

0 3

0 19 — 19 0 7 — 17

the Jumbos, those two seconds were the last of the game.

Sophomore running back Remi Ashkar — who was named the NESCAC’s Offensive Player of the Week — scored on a 1-yard run with two seconds remaining, sending Tufts to a heartbreaking 19-17 defeat that concluded its frustrating season at 0-8. But the defensive performance against one of the conference’s most prolific offenses leaves hope for the future.

Middlebury entered averaging over 400 total offensive yards per game and an impressive 29.7 points per game, ranking first in the NESCAC in both of those categories. The Jumbos’ defense would be tested all game, and the unit took to the challenge, holding the Panthers scoreless through three quarters of play.

The defensive performance by the Jumbos can be best described by the phrase “bend but don’t break,” and Middlebury’s first drive was a clear example. Sophomore quarterback McCallum Foote, who led the NESCAC in passing yards by a wide margin entering the game, converted on three critical third-down situations to keep the drive alive. However, when the Panthers reached the 4-yard line, the Jumbos defense shut down Middlebury on three straight plays to force a turnover on downs.

PHILIPPE MAMAN/Tufts Daily

Senior quarterback Johnny Lindquist averaged a season-high eight yards per passing attempt in his final game for the Jumbos. “[It was] a big credit to the offense,” senior tri-captain J.T. Rinciari said. “The game plan coach [Jay] Civetti had was incredible. They kept Middlebury’s offense, their talented quarterback and wide receivers off the field because our offense ate up the clock. We had big plays, big interceptions, big stops.”

Unfortunately, the defense finally broke on the game’s final drive, one that ultimately sent Tufts packing without a win this season.

Middlebury took over with 4:32 remaining and proceeded to march 79 yards down the field, aided by a 4th-and-10 conversion from the Tufts 40. With two seconds remaining on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Ashkar punched it in for the victory.

Up until that point, the Jumbos were rolling. They wasted no time putting points on the board on the first drive of the game, capped off by a 13-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Johnny Lindquist to junior tight end Nick Kenyon.

Shortly thereafter, senior kicker Adam Auerbach punctuated an 89-yard drive that ate up almost 13 minutes of clock with a 24-yard field goal that gave him Tufts’ all-time record.

On the drive, sophomore running back Ryan Pollock accumulated 37 of his team-high 104 rushing yards — his first time over the century mark this season.

Later in the second quarter, the Panthers caught a break on a botched snap in Jumbos territory and drove to the 1-yard line.

Middlebury, however, was unable to convert, as a critical goal-line stand sent Tufts into halftime fired up and riding a 10-0 lead.

“For a team averaging 30 points per game, to keep them scoreless going into the half was huge. It was good defensive football,” Rinciari said. “It was a confidence booster for our defense going into the half.”

Middlebury came out of the break reinvigorated, driving the ball down to the Tufts 29-yard line on only eight plays. It looked as

though the Panthers would pull back into the game, but junior linebacker Kyle Weller thwarted their momentum by intercepting a dangerous Foote throw over the middle of the field.

Despite a beautiful 27-yard pass to junior wideout Dylan Haas, who finished the game with a team-high 91 receiving yards, Tufts punted back to the Panthers. The Jumbos’ defense, however, stood tall once again, forcing another turnover on downs inside the red zone.

The Panthers finally got on the board on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Ashkar. After dominating three quarters of play, the Jumbos found themselves only up by three points.

Lindquist would respond convincingly, however. On a 3rd-and-long situation, Lindquist was forced out of the pocket and rolled out to the right. It appeared to be a broken play that would result in a sack, but Lindquist floated the ball downfield and hit a wide open Haas for a 35-yard touchdown.

Lindquist was extremely efficient in his final start at Tufts, completing 14 of 19 pass attempts for 152 yards and two touchdowns, by far his best outing of the fall.

“He really showed his leadership skills,” senior defensive tackle Ian Levinsky said. “He really rallied the troops so to say when he did this, and it was a great day for him.”

Senior linebacker Zack Skarzynski left the game early due to injury, but not before posting five tackles, cementing him as the NESCAC tackles leader with 97 tackles.

Although it was a disappointing loss for the Jumbos on Senior Day, their play was enough to make coaches, parents and fans proud.

Nonetheless, the scene at Zimman Field after the game was bittersweet.

“It was extremely emotional, four years playing in college all culminating [in this moment], and all the time spent together as a team,” Levinsky said. “Being a part of a football team is the epicenter of your college career; it was really sad for all of us.”

Quidditch

Poof! Tufflepuffs disappear early from Quidditch World Cup Tufts struggles against University of Maryland, Silicon Valley Screwts by

Ben Kochman

Daily Editorial Board

The Tufflepuffs, Tufts’ Quidditch team, became the darlings of the muggle Quidditch world last fall with an epic run through the World Cup to force a matchup with Middlebury, the sport’s founders, in the final.

Quidditch — a fast-growing sport adapted from the game from J.K Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series — has grown exponentially in popularity since last year. The World Cup field this year has doubled to nearly 100, the average player of Quidditch has become far more athletic, and Tufts has slid back into the pack after a 1-3 showing in pool play, a performance not good enough to earn the Tufflepuffs a spot in the single-elimination bracket.

Tufts was eliminated from the Cup on Sunday morning, when the Tufflepuffs lost by an unofficial score of 150-50 to the University of Maryland in the final match of pool play.

The game started in misfortune, as one of Tufts’ top players, sophomore chaser Rajah Reid, was carted off the field after injuring his leg in the opening moments of the match.

A Quidditch game only ends when the human Snitch — a man dressed in yellow Spandex with a tennis ball and sock tucked into his pants — is caught, so though the Tufflepuffs were down early,

they prolonged the Maryland game as much as possible, tasking their beaters and seeker with defending the snitch with the hope of a comeback. But ultimately, with Maryland up big, the Tufflepuffs decided to “suicide Snitch” with sophomore seeker Roy Loewenstein, who caught the Snitch to end the game and with it Tufts’ tournament hopes.

“There’s a point in every game when you know that you’re not going to be able to catch up before they catch the snitch,” junior beater co-captain Carly Boxer said. “Their seeker was very fast, and made a few near grabs, and at that point we knew that he had to catch it to at least end the match on our terms.”

The Maryland loss pushed Tufts out of the top three in their pool and thus out of the playoffs — a position the Tufflepuffs may not have been in had they won their first match of the tournament Saturday morning against the Silicon Valley Screwts. The Screwts traveled to New York from California, where most of the players work for Disney.

After a slow start from both teams, Reid scored twice to put Tufts up 30-20. The Tufflepuffs had momentum on their side, but — as is so often the case with such a fickle game as Quidditch — the tide turned when Silicon Valley seeker Sam Fischgrund emerged from off the field with the sockand-ball Snitch, ending the game

Courtesy Jim Levine

Facing bigger and stiffer competition, the Tufflepuffs were unable to advance past the pool-play stage of this year’s Quidditch World Cup. with the Screwts in front 50-30 and giving the Disney folks a fairytale ending.

“The other seeker [Tufts junior David Meyers] and I went off the field, and the Snitch was coming back to the field from our end, and so as he was coming back looking for us on the field, I came out from behind him and just grabbed it,” Fischgrund said. “It’s always nice to be able to surprise the Snitch, but usually they don’t give you the opportunity … He happened to choose a path where I could see him and he couldn’t see us.”

Fischgrund’s Snitch catch was a frustrating way for Tufts, a far more experienced squad than Silicon Valley, to lose. Usually Snitches make their way back to the field before being caught, but according to the Tufflepuffs, this Snitch was carelessly chatting with friends, leaving himself vulnerable for a Screwt seeker attack from behind.

“I heard ‘Snitch grab’ and I was like please, please let it be David,” Reid said after the match. “And I saw their seeker and I said, ‘No way.’ Matches aren’t supposed to end until the Snitch goes back on

the field. And so what happened is the Snitch stopped and talked to some people, and their seeker just came up behind him and caught the Snitch. It’s just a really bad way to lose. It really stings, because I feel like we were definitely better than that team.”

Tufts won its second match on Saturday against Bowling Green.

The Tufflepuffs came out with a vengeance, outsmarting a bigger Bowling Green team by controlling the Bludgers — essentially dodgesee QUIDDITCH, page 12