The Tufts Daily - September 15, 2017

TUFTS FOOTBALL

‘It’ proves worth the wise penny see ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 5

Jumbos to keep moving forward after seasons of success

Somerville flea market creates family in more ways than one see FEATURES / PAGE 3

SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE

THE

VOLUME LXXIV, ISSUE 6

INDEPENDENT

STUDENT

N E W S PA P E R

OF

TUFTS

UNIVERSITY

E S T. 1 9 8 0

T HE T UFTS DAILY tuftsdaily.com

Friday, September 15, 2017

MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.

Student Life Review Committee releases its long-awaited report

by Elie Levine News Editor

The Student Life Review Committee released its exhaustive final report today, following months of study on the Greek life system and undergraduate student life.

The Committee report finds that Tufts has not adequately planned the undergraduate co-curricular experience, creating a social activity “‘vacuum’” on campus that Greek life came to fill. As a result, the report states, fraternities and sororities have dominated student social life.

According to Dean of Student Affairs Mary Pat McMahon, the report and its recommendations will usher in a new vision for social life.

Staffed by faculty, students, staff, alumni and representatives from Medford and Somerville, the committee’s findings are supplemented by months of research and review done by various administrative and student-led bodies and aggregated by the consulting firm Keeling and Associates, McMahon said.

In University President Anthony Monaco’s initial charge to the Committee, issued in January, he encouraged it to examine student life fully and ultimately produce an assessment that would “inform the development of specific, actionable recommendations for how we can better support holistic, inclusive engagement in undergraduate student life at Tufts.”

Content of the Report The full report details how Tufts will work to create a “vibrant co-curricular experience” for undergraduate students. It recommends that programs and services be collaborative, and that student-centered efforts should galvanize and strengthen the campus community. According to McMahon, moving forward, the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs plans to develop and communicate these concepts to bring the Tufts community closer to a more inclusive social atmosphere.

The release of the report follows a June 1 update from Monaco which detailed seven key areas of focus: student safety and well-being, diversity and inclusion, campus-wide community, the first-year experience, the residential experience, Greek life and enhancing social space.

The report argues that the abolition of Greek life is unfeasible at this moment.

According to the report, students noticed a rise in “‘underground,’” unregulated off-campus parties and more drinking among firstyear students following the suspension of Greek life last year.

“It was clear that some members of the Committee would prefer to abolish Greek life immediately, were it not for the on-theground problems that might result from doing so,” the report says.

One of the report’s long-term recommendations is to establish a deadline, perhaps three or four years, to re-evaluate the Greek life system and assess whether enough changes have been made to the system. Thus, abolition

Please recycle this newspaper

PM Showers 78 / 64

/thetuftsdaily

of Greek life has not been ruled out as a longterm option.

The report recommends that administrators hold fraternities and sororities accountable for policy violations and encourage inclusion. In particular, the report says that Greek life groups should demonstrate a commitment to Tufts’ community values that is equal to or greater than their commitment to their national counterparts’ values.

The Committee found that, in the past, Greek life has held a disproportionate and unsafe amount of power in the campus social scene.

“The Committee accepting that Greek life had a monopoly on student life and is violating certain policies is validating and important to publicize,” Paris Sanders, a senior, said.

Sanders said the administration should focus first on non-Greek student organizations, as these organizations have less access to the off-campus resources and additional funding that some Greek organizations enjoy.

She noted that the administration had not been supportive of these other organizations in the past.

“There needs to be access to space, access to resources and access to autonomy [for these student groups],” Sanders said.

McMahon said that space was a fundamental theme that was integrated through the other six areas of focus and informed the committee’s conversations continuously. She said students seek spaces for housing, learning and socializing. The report identifies that currently, fraternities control a large amount of centrally located, dedicated space.

“It all goes back to space,” McMahon said.

“More intentionally developed student-dedicated space is a short-term and a long-term goal.”

Megan Mooney, a senior, expressed disappointment that Tufts has not abolished fraternities entirely. She spoke about the importance of themed housing as an alternative to Greek housing.

“There’s such a long list of groups that want to have program housing, which is less exclusive, they do more events [and] it’s not a financial burden to ever be a part of one of them, but Tufts won’t put resources into them,” Mooney said. “What really made me more energized was a vision of Tufts with way more community organizations like that.”

Benya Kraus, Tufts Community Union (TCU) President and a member of the Committee, expressed excitement about the social changes and open conversations this report has sparked, especially with regards to making space available.

“While I know many may be unsettled about the decision to have Greek life remain, I think this report opens up a broader conversation on how the university has failed to invest equitably in diverse social spaces, especially those for and organized by marginalized communities,” Kraus, a senior, told the Daily in an electronic message. “To have the intersection of social power and social space centered in For breaking news, our content archive and exclusive content, visit tuftsdaily.com @tuftsdaily

tuftsdaily

tuftsdaily

RAY BERNOFF / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Mauri Trimmer (left) and other student activists protest outside AOII during sorority recruitment events on March 30. the [Committee] report is therefore a step in “I want to make sure that there’s somethe right direction.” thing between your niche student group, and According to Kraus, the Committee has Spring Fling and Fall Gala. We do these big given rise to an array of new initiatives to trans- community events really well, but on a typical form how space is reserved and utilized on weekend night, where do we offer things for campus. According to Kraus and McMahon, people?” she said. more rooms will be made available for stuKraus said the Committee’s recommendent groups to book online. McMahon said dations have also given rise to JumboLife, a the cost of renting the multi-purpose space new student organization that aims to revat 51 Winthrop St. will decrease significantly, olutionize campus social life through largeand the space formerly occupied by Brown scale parties and other events. According to and Brew Coffee House will become a stu- McMahon, JumboLife is backed strongly by dent-dedicated venue for groups to rent out, the administration. similar to the Sophia Gordon Multi-Purpose Changes to Residential Life Room. The Crane Room and the Alumnae The Office of Residential Life and Learning Lounge will also become more available for (ResLife) is also trying to make Tufts a more the use of student groups than they have been socially accessible place. For the first time, in the past, according to McMahon.

ResLife is housing all first-years together, Additionally, according to Kraus, the uni- whereas some first-years previously lived in versity will seriously examine the benefits of halls with upperclassmen. The Orientation themed housing and cooperative living projects. Leader program has been eliminated; First “All this, in combination with student activ- Year Assistants (FYAs) led orientation with ism and demands for furthering the diversi- groups of students on the same floor. ty of social spaces and expanding access to Community Development Assistants (CDAs) space for the most marginalized on campus, have been added to all upperclassman dormiwill be what really turns this … report into tories, including previously unstaffed dorms tangible change,” Kraus added. such as Latin Way and Sophia Gordon Hall.

Kraus is also excited about the Dean of These changes to ResLife, according to Student Affairs Office’s appointment of McMahon, are part of the effort to implement Alice Shaughnessy, who recently complet- the recommendations of the Committee. They ed a Master of Education from the Harvard are meant to enrich the residential experience Graduate School of Education and who of the past, which failed to provide adequate worked with the Committee last year. Her community spaces, equalize the amounts of role will be to implement the Committee’s space given to themed houses and provide recommendations and ensure that organiza- sufficient housing options for students in gentions are held accountable to them. According eral, according to the report. to McMahon, Shaughnessy is working on a “The Committee strongly supports the website designed for feedback from the com- University’s current plan to create residential munity. environments that house first-year students McMahon said finding a niche in a student together and help support their ability to estabgroup is central to the student experience at lish relationships and find community,” the Tufts, but by focusing on smaller events that report says. contribute to the student experience, like late The report adds that the Committee night dining, the administration can continue supports long-term ResLife reforms as well, to foster a vibrant social community. see COMMITTEE, page 2

Contact Us P.O. Box 53018, Medford, MA 02155 daily@tuftsdaily.com

NEWS............................................1 FEATURES.................................3 ARTS & LIVING.......................5

COMICS.......................................6 SPORTS............................ BACK

2

THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Friday, September 15, 2017

THE TUFTS DAILY Gil Jacobson Editor-in-Chief

EDITORIAL Eddie Samuels Joe Walsh Managing Editors Zachary Hertz Catherine Perloff Ariel Barbieri-Aghib Emily Burke Aneurin Canham-Clyne Daniel Caron Melissa Kain Anar Kansara Robert Katz Arin Kerstein Liam Knox Sophie Lehrenbaum Elie Levine Natasha Mayor Jesse Najarro Daniel Nelson Seohyun Shim Emma Steiner Hannah Uebele Juliana Furgala Minna Trinh Nina Joung Costa Angelakis Emma Damokosh Elie Levine Jessie Newman Sean Ong Emma Rosenthal Grace Yuh Michael Shames Fina Short Hermes Suen Cassidy Olsen John Gallagher Alison Epstein Justin Krakoff Libby Langsner Setenay Mufti Eran Sabaner Antonio Bertolino Tommy Gillespie Jack Ronan Arman Smigielski Maria Fong Shannon Geary Lydia Ra Rebecca Tang Miranda Chavez Hannah Kahn Anita Ramaswamy Madeleine Schwartz Maddie Payne Yuan Jun Chee Liam Finnegan Phillip Goldberg Savannah Mastrangelo Brad Schussel Sam Weidner Sam Weitzman Caleb Symons Liam Knox Angelie Xiong Ray Bernoff Lilia Kang Ben Kim Rachael Meyer Vintus Okwonko Zachary Sebek Alexis Serino Seohyun Shim Sitong Zhang Ana Sophia Acosta Olivia Ireland Rifat Ralfi Salhon Ezgi Yazici

Associate Editor Executive News Editor News Editors

Assistant News Editors Executive Features Editor Features Editors

Assistant Features Editors Executive Arts Editor Arts Editors

Assistant Arts Editors Executive Opinion Editor Cartoonists

Editorialists

Executive Sports Editor Sports Editors

Assistant Sports Editor Investigative Editor Executive Photo Editor Staff Photographers

Executive Video Editor Staff Videographers

PRODUCTION Evan Sayles

Production Director Ellah Nzikoba Alice Yoon Betty Cao Connor Dale Julie Doten Kenia French Maygen Kerner Madison Lewis Clair Li Nasrin Lin Olivia Markowitz Aidan Menchaca Isabella Montoya Julie Murray Steven Schwab Seohyun Shim Emily Thompson Sebastian Torrente Astrid Weng Ezgi Yazici Astrid Weng Peter Lam Allie Merolla Rifat Ralfi Salhon Belinda Xian Mary Carroll Liora Silkes Norrie Beach Caroline Bollinger Alison Epstein Madhulika Gupta Anna Hirshman Tess Jacobson Melissa Kain Sophie Lehrenbaum David Levitsky Katie Martensen Ali Mintz Jack Ronan Arielle Sigel Netai Schwartz Alexis Serino Anahita Sethi Nihaal Shah Seohyun Shim Hannah Wells Jiayu Xu Vanessa Zighelboim Deepanshu Utkarsh Rachael Meyer Alexis Serino Asli Akova Anna Hirshman Mitch Navetta Seohyun Shim Ercan Sen Sitong Echo Zhang

Executive Layout Editors Layout Editors

Executive Graphics Editor Graphics Editors

Executive Copy Editors Copy Editors

Former US Ambassador to Israel speaks on foreign policy, Middle East issues

by Emily Burke News Editor

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro spoke to a crowded ASEAN Auditorium at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy yesterday.

Shapiro served as ambassador under the Obama administration from July 2011 to January 2017 and, among other positions, served as the senior director for the Middle East and North Africa at the National Security Council.

In a conversation moderated by Provost and Senior Vice President David Harris, Shapiro addressed a wide range of issues related to his personal career experience, answering questions about his decision to transition from a more academic focus on Middle East policy to a more active diplomatic role and about his experience as an intermediary in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Shapiro also discussed the broader issues of U.S. diplomacy in the Middle East. He talked about how he has seen Israel change over his lifetime and its transition from a vulnerable new state to a more self-confident power in the region. Shapiro expressed support for a two-state solution and his belief that it is still possible despite increasing complications.

Shapiro also met with three student groups before the main session.

The event was part of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life Distinguished Speaker Series and was cosponsored by the Fletcher School, the School of Arts and Sciences Political Science Department and International Relations Program, and the Institute for Global Leadership. Dean of Tisch College Alan Solomont gave introductory remarks.

In a smaller interview before the main event, Shapiro answered questions about the future of diplomacy and U.S. policy objectives in the Middle East, echoing many of the themes discussed at the larger lecture.

“When President Trump was elected, there was an expectation in Israel that there was [going to] be a sea change of U.S. policy, meaning that the United States would no longer be trying to achieve a two-state solution or try to seek limitations on Israeli settlements in the West Bank,” Shapiro said. “What became clear after he actually became president in January was that the policy was much more one of continuity of previous administrations on those issues.”

Although Shapiro said that he is not a strong supporter of the Trump administration, he favors most of its foreign policy approach toward Israel.

“It certainly [includes] strong support for Israel’s security, [and] it includes strong support for helping achieve a negotiated peace between Israelis and Palestinians,” Shapiro said.

Social Media Editors

Assistant Social Media Editors

BUSINESS

Rayane Haddar

Executive Business Director Hannah Wells Receivables Manager

ERIK BRITT / THE TUFTS DAILY

Daniel Shapiro, appointed by the Obama administration as the Ambassador to Israel, speaks at Cabot ASEAN Auditorium about foreign policy on Sept. 14.

However, Shapiro emphasized his belief that the administration should be strongly advocating for a two-state solution to clear up ambiguity about U.S. policy priorities. According to Shapiro, a twostate solution is what the United States is working towards, even if Trump does not always use this term.

“There is no real other outcome that could achieve the goals of peace and self-determination for Palestinians and security for Israel, and openings between [the] Israeli-Arab world that they do talk about other than a two-state solution,” Shapiro said.

Addressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s promise to continue expanding settlements in the West Bank, Shapiro said that he and the Obama administration had always viewed such statements as counterproductive to the peace process.

“We consistently during the Obama administration, and so did every other administration before us, made clear that we viewed the expansion of West Bank settlements as unhelpful to the achievement of a two-state solution,” Shapiro said. “It’s unhelpful both because it changes the map over time … but also because of the political impact and the way it suggests to Palestinians that decisions are being made before they are at the negotiating table.”

Shapiro emphasized achieving a twostate solution is critical to the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

“It’s clearly a U.S. interest to have Israel, which is a strong ally and security partner, continue to be that, but what enables it to be that is that it is strong and secure and also that it is a Jewish and democratic state,” Shapiro said. “It is hard to imagine any circumstance where it can continue to be all those things without a two-state solution.”

He continued by saying it is important that the United States and Israel are allies, with common threats such as the possibility of an Iranian nuclear program.

Shapiro also expressed satisfaction with the results of the Iran nuclear deal and Iran’s compliance with the conditions despite Trump’s negative assessment of the agreement.

“In my judgment, the Iran deal continues to do what it needs to and what it was advertised as, which is it prevents Iran from achieving a nuclear weapon and keeps it more than a year from the ability to achieve that capability, and can sustain that for over a decade and monitor it,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro also spoke about the potential for new alliances between Israel and the Arab states against common threats, such as ISIS, if meaningful progress is made in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Shapiro said that if Israel recognizes that a strong, stable Palestine would be a useful partner in the region, there might be a normalization of Israeli-Arab relations.

Finally, Shapiro addressed the role of social media in modern diplomacy. Shapiro views social media as an extremely useful tool for diplomats and governments as long as it is used properly.

“I tried, and I know other embassies and other ambassadors have tried, to make it a key means of communication with parts of populations that we previously, as diplomats, didn’t have as easy access to,” Shapiro said.

According to Shapiro, exercising sufficient discipline and thoughtfulness when making statements through Twitter is essential, something which he said is not always done by the Trump administration.

“When governments and officials say things that are not fully thought out or fully consistent with policy, it creates confusion with friends, with adversaries, and it can even create very dangerous situations,” Shapiro said.

Committee report aims to redesign campus social, residential spaces

COMMITTEE

Executive Online Editor Executive Social Media Editors

tuftsdaily.com

continued from page 1 including further evaluation of themed houses, an assessment of the number of available beds on campus and an investment in more communal residential spaces.

Accountability Kevin Kraft, the director of community standards, stressed that the report provides a unique opportunity for existing organizations to examine seriously how their actions impact Tufts’ culture and hold themselves and one another accountable.

“I think [the report] is a call for student organizations to take a fresh look at themselves,” Kraft said. “And I think this applies to all student organizations.”

Kraft emphasized that, while student organizations must answer to the administration in the cases of hazing, violence, sexual mis-

conduct and other serious violations of university policy, groups can and do use the internal accountability structures which exist in student-centered legislative bodies and within the Greek life system.

Changes within Greek Life Tufts has joined a Hazing Prevention Consortium under StopHazing, led by the researcher Elizabeth Allan and based out of the University of Maine. According to Kraft, this means Tufts will work with other schools to apply Allan’s research on campus as part of a three-year effort to address community engagement around inclusivity.

Kraft and McMahon agreed that this development could position Tufts as a leader among U.S. campuses in promoting inclusivity in Greek life.

Sally Williams, the president of Tufts’ InterGreek Council (IGC) and a member of the Committee, said that the IGC has overseen

many efforts to improve transparency and make Greek life more inclusive.

She said that new members must now attend weekly trainings on topics including sexual misconduct, social justice and mental health. According to Rebecca Ennis, the president of the Panhellenic Council, all members of Greek life are also required to participate in a violence-prevention training program.

According to Williams, every Greek organization has implemented a Diversity Chair.

She added that all Greek organizations must publish their dues and financial aid amounts online in an effort to increase transparency.

Ennis expressed that she was excited about the direction of Greek life.

“I’ve been really proud of the Greek community and its ability to … grow as individuals, grow as a Greek community, but also grow as a part of the Tufts community,” she said.

Friday, September 15, 2017

Features

3 tuftsdaily.com

Somerville Flea market offers shopping, live music, visual displays

by Grace Yuh

Features Editor

Located on a stretch of road along Holland Street in Davis Square, it’s hard to miss the Somerville Flea. A live band performing near the back of the market adds to the chatter of vendors and shoppers. Varieties of furniture, each collection eclectic in its own right, are proudly on display.

A staple of the Davis Square scene, the flea market runs every Sunday from June to October and is home to a number of vendors that embody the communal spirit of Somerville.

According to Abby Seaman, market partner and co-manager, the market was created in 2012 when founder and managing partner Greg Ghazil visited a flea market in New York City and was inspired to start one in Somerville.

Seaman herself joined the market the following year when she applied to be a vendor and fell in love with the creative energy behind it.

“My favorite thing is seeing other people’s creativity, seeing what they do with things,” she said. “Even something as simple as how they set things up.”

Although she still participates in selling vintage items for the market, since joining, Seaman has also taken on an organizing role.

“There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that happens,” Seaman said. “You have to go through all of the vendor applications and other administrative things like invoicing.”

The process of becoming a vendor at the flea is selective. According to Seaman, in addition to a standard online application, prospective vendors are asked to submit a description and several photos. Ghazil and Seaman then go through and review each vendor. Seaman explained how the market is specifically curated to be a vintage and artisan market as well as to engage with local enterprises.

“We try to be mindful of supporting the local community, so we focus on local artisans and small companies,” Seaman said. “We’re trying to help Davis Square by bringing people here. It’s like a give and take — you could go out to brunch [in the square] and then come and listen to some music here.”

The market is also invested in improving the locale through environmental means.

“A lot of people take those things that were old and not loved anymore and are almost recycling it here,” Seaman said. “Somerville also does the no-plastic-bags policy and we’re trying to promote that.”

During the past six years, Seaman has watched the market evolve and has

ANGELIE XIONG / THE TUFTS DAILY

Customers stand outside of a vintage furniture store at Somerville Flea market on Sept. 10. The Flea offers goods from old jewelry to plant arts. noticed certain values of the community. For example, she has also noticed the development of an understanding between the vendors and shoppers who come through.

“Flea markets are usually known for haggling,” she said. “The average Somerville customer is pretty intelligent and they haggle over vintage things, but if it’s an artist, they don’t necessarily do it. They get it.

There isn’t always that distinction in other markets. They’re mindful of the work that went into making art and know that there’s value there.”

This sentiment is shared by several vendors in the market as well. Vendor Carla Gilbert was introduced to the market by a friend in its first year, and she has been with it ever since.

Although based in Providence, R.I., she and her husband make the trip to Somerville every Sunday to showcase their variety of handmade goods, furniture and clothing.

“I sell a little bit of everything, it’s kind of crazy,” she said, gesturing to the tables around her tent. “If you need it, I probably have it here.”

Gilbert is no stranger to selling at markets, having showed at several in Rhode Island,

but Somerville lends a familiarity and a sense of community that she identifies with. As a former resident of Medford and graduate of Suffolk University, she knew that she would find a place at the market.

“When my friend said that the market was in Somerville, I knew it would be my people [and] they would get me,” she said. “I was really interested [in coming] because I knew people would appreciate art and handmade things.”

According to Gilbert, the market has transitioned to a less transient customer base. To her, this means the continued expansion is something that she likens to family.

“We’ve had customers who have started with us and maybe they were just dating, not even living together,” she said. “Then the next summer, they were buying things for their apartment because they were moving in together. Then the next year they bought stuff for their wedding, the next year stuff for their house and this year they’re coming through with their kids.”

Gilbert has made connections with other vendors in the market as well, and she uses the word ‘frendor’ to describe the friendships among vendors.

“There are vendors who come to the birthday parties of our children.

We’re all friends, we know when husbands are sick, and it’s great because if someone needs a hand, there’s always someone to help,” she said.

Kevin Guicho, a fellow vendor, shared Gilbert’s sense of associating the market with its people and the surrounding neighborhood. According to Guicho, he started selling at the market nearly five years ago using his mother’s collection of ANGELIE XIONG / THE TUFTS DAILY A store owner sits with her decorative artworks while talking to customers at Somerville Flea Market, Sept. 10. thrift-store finds.

“My favorite thing is getting to interact with the people every week,” he said. “It’s a good place. I see a lot of the same faces. Most people come with good vibes and good attitudes.

Even if they’re not looking to buy anything, they just come to get out and be a part of the community.”

Due to the outside setting, weather can pose a difficulty for vendors. Gilbert and Guicho both attested to the level of commitment required from participating vendors to continue to bring the market to its customers.

Gilbert recalled a particularly memorable experience that took place during Hurricane Sandy.

“One of my customers, who is still with me, had to pick up a piece of furniture,” she said. “The T was shutting down, but I wanted her to have it. So the minute she came down the ramp, we were ready to shut [the stall] down. There was so much water, but because we come in from Providence, we couldn’t [get] away. So we just stayed here and sold like crazy people.”

Seaman spoke about how expansion beyond Somerville is also within the market’s goals. The market has presented several additional events including a night market hosted by the Somerville Arts Council and Somerville Flea, according to a July 7 Somerville Patch article.

“We’re always really interested in expanding in Somerville,” Seaman said. “We’re not married to the idea of only ever being here on Sundays, we’re interested in keeping the mix fresh.”

Spencer Chossy, a regular at the market, also expressed excitement for the flea market’s future. He first ventured there because he personally knew vendors and stayed to make connections with the diverse community that the market draws out.

“My favorite thing about the market is talking to people and meeting new faces,” he said. “This area is so diverse.

There are so many different cultural backgrounds, ideas and people of all ages. It’s a very earthy community-type feel when you come here, and I think it shows a lot of local art, how diverse Somerville is and how people can come together over the warm weather and enjoy the community.”

4

THE TUFTS DAILY | ADVERTISEMENT | Friday, September 15, 2017

tuftsdaily.com

2017/5778

Rosh Hashanah September 20–22 Yom Kippur September 29–30

1/4

H I GH HO LIDAYS ROSH HASHANAH

YOM KIPPUR

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

FRIDAY, SEP TE MB E R 29, 2017

• Reform Service 6:30 pm | 51 Winthrop Street

• Pre-Fast Dinner 4:30 pm | Hillel Center $15 Online registration required.

• Conservative Egalitarian Service 6:30 pm | Hillel Center

1/8

• Reform Service 6:15 pm | 51 Winthrop Street

• Dinner 7:30 pm | Hillel Center $15 Online registration required.

• Conservative Egalitarian Service 6:15 pm | Hillel Center

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017

SAT URDAY, SE PTE MB E R 30, 2017

• Conservative Egalitarian Service 9:00 am | Hillel Center

• Reform Services 10:00 am | 51 Winthrop Street

• Reform Service 10:00 am | 51 Winthrop Street

6:15 pm | Yizkor and Neilah 51 Winthrop Street • Conservative Egalitarian Services 9:00 am | Hillel Center

• Lunch 12:30–2:30 pm | Hillel Center $7 Online registration required.

6:00 pm | Yizkor Interfaith Center (58 Winthrop Street)

• Tashlich–Shaping the Year to Come 3:30 pm | Meet at Hillel Center and walk together to the Mystic River

6:15 pm | Neilah Interfaith Center (58 Winthrop Street) • A Jewish Journey: A Walking Discussion with Rabbi Jeffrey Summit 3:00 pm | Meet at Hillel Center Wear comfortable shoes.

• Conservative Egalitarian Service 7:30 pm | Hillel Center • Dinner 8:15 pm | Hillel Center $15 Online registration required.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2017 • Conservative Egalitarian Service 9:00 am | Hillel Center • Lunch Following Services Approximately 1:30 pm Hillel Center | FREE

• Break-the-Fast Dinner 7:09 pm | Hillel Center $15 Online registration required.

1/2

SUKKOT BEGINS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 • Services and Activities Please visit www.TuftsHillel.org for a complete listing of services and activities.

WA NT A N A LTER NATIVE EXP E RI E NCE ?

September 20–30, 2017 Looking for an alternative to services as a way of connecting during the High Holy Days? Students will be creating a third space for yoga, music, writing and meditation. Drop-in for as little or as much as you’d like, and make the holidays a meaningful (and mindful!) start to your year. For more information or to be on our email list, email Rabbi Jordan at jordan.braunig@tufts.edu.

236490 2017 Tufts Hillel_High Holidays DailyAd_FULL.indd 1

See tuftshillel.org for more info and to register!

8/17/17 2:10 PM

Friday, September 15, 2017

ARTS&LIVING

5 tuftsdaily.com

‘It’ adaptation strives for universal appeal with jumps and laughs

by Cassidy Olsen

Executive Arts Editor

What’s the scariest thing you can think of? Horror has built an entire industry trying to answer that question, and while most Hollywood films in the genre act on a single possibility, Andy Muschietti’s “It” (2017) guesses over, and over and over again. The second adaptation of Stephen King’s iconic 1986 novel (following the 1990 miniseries starring Tim Curry), “It” is an amalgam of boyhood comedy, ‘80s nostalgia, childhood trauma and terrifying, grotesque images, each component as visceral and intense as the next. The film has been heralded as true to its source material, and although it contains something to scare just about everyone, its tonal inconsistencies and one-size-fits-all approach to horror show signs of commercial friendliness overtaking exceptional storytelling.

In order to accommodate King’s leviathan of a novel, “It” is the first part of a planned duology, with production on the second installment expected to begin this spring. This allows part one to tell the story of the “Losers’ Club,” the film’s seven young protagonists, as they battle the evil forces of Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgard) and the terror he brings to their town of Derry, Maine. This framing will disappoint fans expecting to see the entire novel

start to finish (with the Losers as both children and adults), but it truly allows for the movie to follow the pace of the novel and explore the individual fears of each of the characters.

14-year-old Bill, played by Jaeden Lieberher of “Midnight Special” (2016) and “St. Vincent” (2014), grapples with the loss of his young brother Georgie, the first victim who dies onscreen at the hands of Pennywise. Bill’s immense loneliness from losing Georgie and his ghost-like life with his grieving parents motivate him to investigate the town’s disappearing children with the gang of Losers, comprised entirely of adolescents struggling with bullying and trauma.

Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor) is violently bullied for his weight and new-kid status, Mike (Chosen Jacobs) was orphaned after his parents died in a racially-motivated arson fire, and Bev (Sophia Lillis) is sexually abused by her father while being teased for being a “slut” and living in poverty. As if these weren’t horrifying enough, the friends are plagued by attacks from Pennywise in the form of their worst fears, which the film visually constructs through connections to their traumatic experiences, although perhaps not clearly enough.

The casting of Sophia Lillis, a dead-ringer for Molly Ringwald in films like “Sixteen Candles” (1984) and “The

Breakfast Club” (1985), is one of the film’s many references to both classic horror and ‘80s pop culture, in addition to the existing references in the source material to King’s other novels. During the most visually stunning and formally impressive sequence of the film, Bev is strangled by strands of her own hair in her bathroom sink, before a fountain of blood erupts from the drain, soaking her and the entire room in a red tinge reminiscent of King’s “Carrie” (1974) and the 1976 film starring Sissy Spacek. The power of this scene is in many ways undermined by the cheerful clean-up sequence that follows involving Bev and the rest of the gang. Although — in classic coming-of-age story style — the film makes a conscious point of showing the Losers learning to fight back against the fear that Pennywise and their society inflict on them, the breakneck back-andforth between bone-chilling horror and lighthearted comedy leads the movie to an uneven place.

At times, the laughs come naturally from great one-liners delivered by foulmouthed Richie (Finn Wolfhard) and hypochondriac Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer), but fans of atmospheric horror will be disappointed by the sudden tonal jumps.

“It” is much closer to an R-rated “Stranger Things” (2016–) than “Carrie” (1976).

BROOKE PALMER / WARNER BROS. / EVERETT

The jump scares are also indicative of the production’s interest in commercial friendliness over consistent, clear horror. Although it’s impossible to separate Hollywood films and financing, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with crafting a commercially friendly horror film, the jump scares and dramatic use of CGI throughout “It” have surely maximized returns at the box office while diminishing quality. That being said, Pennywise is a true creep, and Skarsgard’s physicality in the character will haunt many dreams.

If the originally slated director Cary Fukanaga, of films like “Sin Nombre” (2009) and “Jane Eyre” (2011), had final control over the production, perhaps “It” would have had a stronger, more interpretative vision.

But Muschietti made a movie for audiences, for fans of jump scares and Metallica and crude jokes and serious drama alike. “It” throws everything at the wall, and whatever entertains, sticks.

‘Narcos’ reaches for new ideas, but falls back on old formula

by John J. Gallagher Arts Editor

Netflix’s crime drama “Narcos” (2015–) returned to the streaming service on Sept.

1 for a third season. Set in the 1990s, this season follows the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Colombian government’s efforts to bring the Cali Cartel to justice, and the godfathers of the cartel’s attempts to retire from the drug business as billionaires.

The Cali Cartel, of course, became the largest cocaine trafficking operation in the world after the death of Pablo Escobar, the infamous drug lord and villain of the last two seasons. “Narcos” makes a point of spelling out to viewers early on the difference in styles between the leaders of the two cartels; where Escobar coveted the adoration of the common people and often slayed his enemies in brutal public displays of violence, the godfathers of the Cali Cartel prefer to do their killing discreetly and remain mostly anonymous to the wider population, instead associating with the Colombian elite. But these marked differences between villains don’t translate

into a change of pace or tone for this season of “Narcos,” which still features plenty of violence and many moments of high tension as characters struggle to avoid grisly deaths.

Guiding the viewer through the violence and messy geopolitics of Colombian drug trafficking is Pedro Pascal’s returning character, DEA agent Javier Peña. As was rumored long before season three’s premiere, Peña is this season’s lead character and narrator. In this position, Pascal replaces Boyd Holbrook, whose character, DEA agent Steve Murphy, has been written out of the show. Though he lacks his predecessor’s distinctive folksy drawl, Pascal’s narration is every bit as effective and feels like a natural part of the show, rather than a lazy way of communicating context to the viewer.

Pascal’s character is one of a small handful of returning major characters, and so season three of “Narcos” introduces the viewer to a host of new faces. The most important of these is Jorge Salcedo (Matias Varela), the Cali Cartel’s head of security and a former engineer who has developed a system of surveillance and informants so effective that

Do it this weekend: Sept. 15-17

by Libby Langsner Arts Editor

While it may not be syllabus week any more, there’s still time to take advantage of your light workload and check out what’s going on in Boston. With all the films, markets, shows and events going on around campus and in town, there are a great reasons to procrastinate, too. Don’t worry — your secret’s safe with me.

Friday ICA After 5: Merengue at the Museum Enjoy the warm weather while it lasts with free dance lessons and new fall exhibitions included with Friday admission to the Institute of Contemporary Art. When and where: 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 15; State Street Corporation Lobby, ICA Boston Visiting Artist: Aki Sasamoto Take the shuttle over to the SMFA cam-

pus where New York-based Japanese artist Aki Sasamoto is giving a talk on her performance and installation work.

When and where: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 15; Anderson Auditorium, SMFA campus

By The Pound Students Free Friday The historic Garment District vintage shop in Cambridge is hosting one of its famous traditions: on Friday, students and those under 18 years old get one bag of clothes weighing up to 15 pounds for free from the By the Pound department — just in time for sweater weather.

When and where: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Sept. 15; The Garment District Saturday South End Open Studios This weekend, art galleries in the Boston South End’s “SoWa” district will host an event that gives visitors the chance to

he and his men can protect their charges without carrying guns.

Despite working for violent criminals, Salcedo takes pains to avoid harming anyone as he carries out his duties — seeking to end his relationship with the cartel, which is a source of life-threatening complications.

The moral sacrifices that he makes to protect his family from his employers are some of the most interesting character developments that take place this season, but the viewer still never doubts Jorge’s fundamental decency.

However some further exploration of why Jorge chooses to work for the cartel in the first place would have lent the character a degree of nuance that is missing from his constant portrayal as the “good man in a bad situation.”

Another new character this season is Maria Salazar (Andrea Londo). Salazar is mother to a young son and the wife of a drug lord who is executed by the Cali Cartel early in the season. After her husband is killed, Maria is forced to seek the protection of one of the Cali godfathers by trading sex for the safety of herself and her son.

The depiction of women in “Narcos” has garnered criticism, and Maria specifically has been labeled an example of the “crying woman” trope — a characterization which prompted Londo to push back in an Instagram post. Regardless of the appropriateness of her tears, Maria represents a tremendous wasted opportunity for this season. “Narcos” has been a hyper masculine show since its inception, and Maria’s character could have been more fully developed to add to the show’s very short list of developed female characters and to give viewers some insight into the struggles of those close to drug traffickers but who are not criminals themselves.

In all, season three of “Narcos” is a sharply written, impeccably acted action drama with a well-realized (and frankly underappreciated) period aesthetic.

Through Jorge and Maria, the show admirably tried to develop some new ideas but fell short of fully realizing the potential of both characters. Fortunately, the “Narcos” formula of political intrigue and action is still in full effect and carries this season past its shortcomings.

engage with the artists behind the works in the galleries. This free event will feature over 200 artists at acclaimed art spaces like the Boston Center for the Arts at 551 Tremont Street and the sidewalk area of 560 Harrison Avenue and others.

When and where: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Sept. 16 and 17; South End Open Studios Blood Orange Singer and songwriter Dev Hynes will be performing at the Paradise Rock Club, including songs from his newest album, “Freetown Sound” (2016).

When and where: 8 p.m. on Sept. 16; Paradise Rock Club

our own Tufts students.

When and where: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sept. 17; Massasoit Elks Lodge Boston Women’s Market An additional market this Sunday features local womyn business owners selling all kinds of wares — from chocolates to clothes — so you can treat yourself and support the community!

When and where: 12 p.m. on Sept. 17; Loring-Greenough House Tufts Sunday Concert Series – Bach in the Library at Midnight Round out your weekend with some baroque music performed by Frances Conover Fitch on the harpsicord, featuring Johann Sebastian Bach’s early masterpieces as well as pieces from composers Bach studied in his youth.

When and where: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. on Sept. 17; Distler Performance Hall, Granoff Music Center

Sunday Black Market hosted by Boston Hassle & Ignore Rock’n’Roll Heroes This one-day flea market features handmade artwork, prints, clothing, ceramics, jewelry, records and zines — some even by

6

THE TUFTS DAILY | Comics | Friday, September 15, 2017

Comics

tuftsdaily.com LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Caroline: “When you’re in labor, there’s no safe word.”

Comics

SUDOKU

GARFIELD

BY JIM DAVIS

NON SEQUITUR

BY WILEY MILLER

Difficulty Level: Rioting in Houston Hall’s riot-proof hallways.

LINDA C. BLACK ASTROLOGY

Wednesday’s Solution

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Today is a 7.

Look back for insight on the road ahead. Pay attention to your dreams through tomorrow. You can see what’s missing. Make valuable plans.

FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Alan of “Tower Heist” 5 Partridge family tree?

9 Eliot’s Bede 13 He shared the AP Driver of the Century award with Andretti 14 Consumed 16 Con __: tempo marking 17 Museum figure 18 Chat at the supermarket checkout?

20 Bigelow offering 22 “Utopia” author 23 Request on “ER” 24 Marsh bird with uncontrollable urges?

28 Oldest Japanese beer brand 29 Discounted by 30 Cut out 31 Trivial amount 33 __ science 37 Paella veggie 38 Way into Wayne Manor?

41 “Eureka!”

42 Legendary first name in skating 44 Northwest Passage explorer 45 Cinco times dos 46 Noodle bar order 49 Fulfill 51 Work of a major opera house villain?

55 Animal house 56 Pertaining to 57 SHO-owned cinematic channel 58 Attract ... or, as three words, sequence change with a hint about 18-, 24-, 38- and 51Across 62 Not at all tough 65 Skye, for one 66 Card worth a fortune?

67 Stir up 68 Slender swimmers 69 Sweet tubers 70 Winter coat

By Mark McClain

DOWN 1 Laughlin in Tex., e.g.

2 He often batted after Babe 3 Like “The Hunger Games” society 4 Tackle 5 Wood fastener 6 Ringing organ?

7 Physics class topic 8 Cringe 9 Youngest of the “Little Women” 10 Article of faith 11 Arcade giant 12 Exxon follower?

15 Guts 19 Giant in little candy 21 GI’s address 24 Typical Hitchcock role 25 Celestial bear 26 Take from a job 27 Johannesburg’s land: Abbr.

28 Finishes (up) the gravy 32 Former SSR 34 Go ballistic 35 Taking something badly?

36 Unclear

9/15/17

Wednesday’s Solution Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

©2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

38 Mismatch 39 __ Coast 40 Repeated word in the Beatles’ “She Loves You” 43 National Ice Cream mo.

45 Aids for romantic evenings 47 Hedger’s last words 48 42-Across’ homeland

9/15/17

50 Vietnamese holiday 51 __ Bauer 52 Part of a song 53 Collectively 54 Anne of comedy 59 Director Craven 60 Danube Delta country: Abbr.

61 Drying-out hurdle 63 __-mo replay 64 Taxus shrub

Friday, September 15, 2017 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY

Sports

7

Field hockey begins revenge tour with split results Strong

by Caleb Symons

came back and had a lot of courage and determination, which said a lot about the team’s character.”

The Jumbos believed they scored the winning goal five minutes into the extra session via a tipped shot in front of the net. However, the referees conferred and ruled that Lewis’ initial shot had been dangerously high.

“From my point of view, I thought it looked good,” Mattera said. “Obviously, [it was] a huge momentum shift for us. We talk about taking care of the game ourselves, [and] I think we need to play better hockey. You can’t blame the refs.”

Just two minutes later, sophomore forward Tori Roche won it for Babson, sliding a shot past Tufts’ goalie, junior Emily Polinski.

Although the Jumbos outshot the Beavers, 19–9, and held a 10–2 advantage in corners, they failed to convert their chances. Babson (5-0), on the other hand, registered just eight shots on goal, but scored on three of them. “[Barry] played great,” Mattera said.

“We had some really good shots that she ended up getting a touch on.”

Three days prior, Tufts comfortably dispatched visiting Colby College, 3–0, under a lazy blue sky at Ounjian Field. It marked the 14th consecutive season in which the Jumbos have defeated the Mules.

Despite several early opportunities, Tufts didn’t open the scoring until 17 minutes in, when Travers converted a set play. The Princeton, N.J. native tipped junior midfielder Claire Trilling’s shot past Colby’s goaltender, junior Riley Whitmyer. “[Whitmyer] is one of the best [goalies] in the league, so we had talked about getting tips and touches in front because direct shots are really hard to score on her,” Travers said.

Assistant Sports Editor

The last time the Tufts field hockey team took the field — for last November’s 1–0 loss to Messiah College in the NCAA Div. III national championship game — the weather favored a snowball fight to a sporting event. Players on the sidelines bundled up in oversized parkas and wool hats to combat the 20-degree-Fahrenheit wind chill in Geneva, N.Y. Both the snowfall and scoreless game grew increasingly intense before crescendoing in a heartbreaking shootout.

The scene was much different this week, in the conditions and on the scoreboard, as the Jumbos kicked off their 2017 season with two key games.

Temperatures drifted into the mid-80s on Tuesday as No. 2 Tufts hosted No. 6 Babson, also a Final Four contestant last year. The visiting Beavers jumped out to an early 2–0 lead, as sophomore forwards Carla DiBiase and Kate Driscoll scored in the ninth and 32nd minutes, respectively.

“I thought we came out really flat,” Tufts coach Tina Mattera said. “We seemed flustered and frazzled, and [we] didn’t know how to handle the pressure they were putting on the ball. It was a pretty disappointing first half.”

Tufts responded with inspired play in the second half, though, peppering Babson’s goalie, sophomore Deirdre Barry, with 11 shots. The breakthrough came for the Jumbos after 58 minutes, when senior forward Mary Travers slotted home her second goal of the season. Just three minutes later, senior midfielder Celia Lewis scored off a set play to send the game to overtime.

“I was really proud of how we came out in the second half,” Mattera said.

“We could have folded, and instead, we

That was all the scoring the Jumbos needed, as Polinski made four saves and was supported by lockdown defense from senior defender Amanda Weeks, junior defender Issy Del Priore and senior co-captain Ellexa Thomas — who shifted to defense after playing midfield last year.

“Experience goes a long way,” Mattera said.

“Issy and Ellexa understand the game, and they know where they’re supposed to be.”

Polinski, in her third year as the Tufts starter, comes off a 2016 season in which she pitched 11 shutouts and allowed just 13 goals.

“I can [always] hear Emily yelling and organizing,” Travers said. “That energy and presence on the field is so helpful. It’s awesome to have somebody you’re confident in as your last line of defense.”

Ten minutes after Travers found the back of the net, junior forward Gigi Tutoni tacked on a second for Tufts. The goal capped a long period of sustained pressure by the Jumbos, during which Whitmyer made several of her eight saves.

Sophomore forward Rachel Hamilton added an insurance goal in the 51st minute to round out the scoring.

Tufts (1–1) hosts two NESCAC opponents this weekend: Conn. College on Sept. 16 and Trinity on Sept. 17.

“I’m excited about the depth we have,” Mattera said. “We need to have a little more attitude and edge. We brought that in the second half [against Babson], but it was too late.”

While their extremities may still be recovering from last year’s championship game, the Jumbos have their eyes set squarely on 2017.

“I’m never going to forget last season, but the best thing we can do is to take [this season] one game at a time,” Travers said.

“We had our offseason to reflect on that loss, and now it’s time to focus.”

upperclassmen bolster experience for both teams CROSS COUNTRY

continued from back “The [first-year] class this year has been amazing,” Bowman said. “They are committed and serious about training and invested in the team. They are all great additions and quite a few of them are already making an impact and pushing us upperclassmen hard.”

There’s a mounting excitement for the meet on Saturday up at Bates. The Bates Invitational is only four teams per gender, and coach Schmidt noted that it’s a good way to get back into the mentality of racing the six or eight kilometers, respectively, for the women and the men. “[The goal is] to push each and to work off of each other in a race,” Schmidt said. “We’re not too invested in the times or the places people put up yet because it’s still early.”

Don’t mistake the lack of urgency for a lack of competitive drive, though. If anything, it certainly indicates that the team is ready to dig in and commit for the long haul.

The men are out for revenge — “not thrilled,” according to coach Schmidt, by their collective showing last year. Nichols and O’Connor are undoubtedly two of the greatest to ever run at Tufts, but the collective may prove to be greater than the sum of its parts.

“We believe we have underperformed at that meet every year given how much talent we have on our team,” Bowman said. “[The goal is to] have everyone run the race to their full potential. Hopefully … we will improve upon our eighth-place finish last year.”

Fast times, literally and figuratively, are on the way for Tufts cross country.

Minor: Major: Education Philosophy No-brainer:

STUDENT VALUE CHECKING No Monthly Fee. Get a $25 BONUS when you open and use a Student Value Checking account.

1

2

START HERE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN

SANTANDERBANK.COM/STUDENT

Other fees may apply, including a Paper Statement fee if you elect to receive paper statements. Refer to your fee schedule for details.

WHO QUALIFIES: Student Value Checking is available to students 16 through 25 years of age. Once you reach 26, we will convert your Student Value Checking to another checking product. Students who currently have a personal checking account or who have had a personal checking account with Santander Bank in the last year are not eligible for this offer. Offer is only available to residents of NH, MA, RI, CT, DE, NY, NJ, or PA. Offer subject to change at any time. Santander team members are not eligible.

HOW TO RECEIVE THE BONUS: Get $25 when you open a new Student Value Checking account between July 1, 2017 and September 30, 2017, with minimum opening deposit of $10. Make 8 debit card transactions that post to your account within 60 days of account opening.

TIMING AND OTHER CONDITIONS OF THE BONUS: Your Student Value Checking account must be open and in good standing to be bonus eligible. Bonus payments will be made to your account within 120 days of account opening. Cannot be combined with other offers. One bonus per customer. The bonus is considered interest and will be reported to the IRS on Form 1099-INT. If multiple accounts are opened with the same signer, only one account will be eligible for the bonus.

Santander Bank, N.A. is a Member FDIC. ©2017 Santander Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Santander, Santander Bank, the Flame Logo, Santander Select, Bravo and Simply Right are trademarks of Banco Santander, S.A. or its subsidiaries in the United States or other countries. Mastercard is a registered trademark of Mastercard International, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

24508 7/3/17 1

2

24508_17 Q3 Checking Student Newspaper_Tufts_10x7.7_r3_FINAL.indd 1

6/27/17 3:12 PM

8 tuftsdaily.com

Sports

Friday, September 15, 2017

Football eager to build on recent successes

by Sam Weitzman Sports Editor

After completing the school’s best season in nearly two decades, the Tufts football program faced an offseason of considerable change. To begin, the team underwent significant turnover with a large number of graduating players. Of the 19 seniors who graduated in May, 11 — including eight members of the offense — started in the season finale, a 48–35 shootout victory over the Middlebury Panthers.

Ensuring that their replacements are ready come September has been an all-consuming task for coach Jay Civetti in his seventh year at the helm. In his view, the team is certainly capable of registering another winning season.

“It’s building, not rebuilding,” Civetti said. “Certainly there’s new roles to be had. But at the same time, I think if you’ve done the right things, worked hard and paid attention to the little things in the recruiting process, then hopefully you can continue [to succeed].”

Another major change is the schedule: the NESCAC regular season is now one game longer. The new format replaces the sole preseason contest with a ninth regular season game, allowing football in the NESCAC to move to a full round-robin schedule.

Civetti explained that the expedited arrival of the regular season has affected the Jumbos’ approach to preseason preparation.

“It’s changed the schedule a little bit …

It’s accelerated bits and pieces of [preseason],” he said. “We’ve had to be a little more creative about when we have had situational scrimmage-type things.”

Faced with the dual difficulties of using more first-time starters and having less time to prepare them, Civetti and his staff focused on ensuring that players are skilled and safe.

“The biggest thing we’ve been focused on is making sure that guys are coming to the game prepared to protect themselves, whether it be tackling, blocking, running, [or] catching,” he said. “We’ve spent much more time on fundamentals just so that from a health standpoint, those kids are prepared to play.”

One area where the team’s youth is evident is at running back. While he named

junior Dominic Borelli as the team’s starting running back, Civetti revealed that multiple players — including sophomores Jay Tyler and Andrew Sanders and firstyear Mike Pedrini — will also have opportunities to carry the ball.

Those competing for carries are not only battling with one another. Inevitably, they must also grapple with comparisons to their predecessor, Chance Brady (LA ‘17). A two-time NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year and the most successful running back in Tufts history, Brady set over half a dozen school records, including the single-season and career marks for both rushing yards and touchdowns.

Now, the offensive burden shifts to junior quarterback Ryan McDonald. In 2016, the six-foot, three-inch signal caller from Annandale, N.J. surpassed Alex Snyder (A ‘17) and became the Jumbos’ starting quarterback. McDonald did much of his damage with his feet last season, as his 647 rushing yards ranked third in the conference (trailing only Brady and Trinity’s junior running back Max Chipouras) and his five rushing touchdowns were the most among NESCAC rookies.

McDonald detailed how playing with Snyder had taught him valuable lessons about the skills demanded of a starting quarterback.

“I actually learned a lot from [Snyder] about how to prepare,” McDonald said.

“He was a guy who didn’t mess around with preparation. He was all business, all the time, so I think that taught me [that] when you fully take over the starting role, you need to be all over everything. [You need to] know all the assignments as well as anything you can do to help the other guys.”

According to Civetti, McDonald will be asked to throw more than he did last year.

“You’ll see Ryan in a little bit more dynamic role than last year,” he said. “[Ryan] has really worked hard at that this summer. I really think his pocket presence has been good.”

When McDonald drops back to pass, his targets will include wide receivers senior Mike Miller and junior Jack Dolan. Miller provides the Tufts offense a deep threat, with his two touchdowns last season coming on completions of 77 and 67 yards.

ANGELIE XIONG / THE TUFTS DAILY

Jumbos in a preseason practice in the afternoon on Sept. 6. The team has been training for the first game of the season this upcoming Saturday hosted at Tufts and is eager to build on their previous success.

Meanwhile, Dolan offers McDonald a short-yardage option: in 2016, the wideout snagged 15 passes, the second most on the team, on 7.27 yards per reception.

In contrast with the offense’s high level of personnel turnover, the defense retains many of the key contributors from 2016.

Three members of last year’s All-NESCAC First Team defense return to Medford this fall: senior quad-captain defensive lineman Doug Harrison, junior cornerback Tim Preston and sophomore middle linebacker Greg Holt.

Senior quad-captain defensive back Brett Phillips spoke glowingly of the team’s core of returning starters.

“It’s an exciting thing, any time you can line up on the defensive side of the ball with guys like Greg Holt, Doug Harrison [and] Tim Preston, all guys coming off of all-conference selections,” he said. “That gives us a certain confidence.”

According to senior quad-captain linebacker Steve DiCienzo, the continuity in personnel facilitates coordination amidst the chaos of any given play.

“We’ve played together before, [so] we’ll be comfortable,” he said. “We have a certain amount of chemistry, and I think it helps because we know where certain

guys are going to be [and] how certain guys are going to react on some plays. I think just playing off our teammates — playing with guys we’ve played around two or three years — [is] only going to make us better.”

Phillips also praised the work of defensive coordinator Kevin Farr.

“Coach Farr always throws together a great scheme,” he said. “Having four years of playing for Coach Farr and playing around the same guys certainly helps. [It’s nice] just having that experience out there.”

According to Civetti, he and Farr resisted the temptation of overcomplicating their scheme. Returning such a large portion of the defense has allowed the team to focus on preventing disorganization.

Civetti emphasized that focus on the smaller details has raised expectations even higher than they were last season.

Ultimately, DiCienzo underscored that familiarity would not breed complacency.

“Defensively, just because we’ve returned a lot [of players] doesn’t mean we don’t have to improve,” he said. “We’re always looking for ways to get better.”

On Sep. 16, Tufts starts its season against the visiting Hamilton Continentals. The opening kickoff at the Ellis Oval is at 1 p.m.

MEN'S & WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

Jumbos find strength in numbers this fall

by Jeremy Goldstein Staff Writer

It was a largely momentous cross country season for the Jumbos in 2016. The women’s team, anchored by now-senior Brittany Bowman, finished an impressive eighth out of 32 in the tricky six-kilometer race at the national championships. The men were represented at nationals by Tim Nichols (LA ’17) and Luke O’Connor (LA ’17), who finished third and 20th, respectively. It was a season full of individual silverware as well with Nichols taking home USTFCCCA Men’s Cross Country Scholar Athlete of the Year and Bowman claiming USTFCCCA Women’s Cross Country New England Athlete of the Year. “[Nichols and O’Connor] were definitely the best one-two punch in the region,” senior co-captain John Greenberg said. “Tim and Luke were excellent role models on and off the course.”

Greenberg is one of two captains of the men’s team tasked with filling the shoes of the departing graduates, partnering with fellow senior Sam Little in a season rife with optimism.

“I think they’ve been great captains,” assistant coach Michael Schmidt said. “They’ve led the group right away, really cohesively.”

On the women’s team, Bowman, of course, has set the bar very high for her peers. That doesn’t mean others can’t step up around her, as demonstrated by the impressive overall team performance at nationals. With only three of the seven runners who competed at nationals still remaining on the team, there are certainly spaces to fill. “[Senior] Margot Rashba has already shown big improvements from last year and could have an exciting season,” Bowman told the Daily in an electronic message. “[Lydia Heely] and Nicole [Kerrigan], both sophomores, are also looking very strong.

Both of them were injured at some point last year but put in a lot of hard work this summer, and I think they can both have great seasons.”

For the men, the absence of Nichols and O’Connor cannot immediately be replaced like-for-like. Nonetheless, the men’s team will seem to echo the strength in numbers solution the women’s team has taken too.

“There’s a really good junior cohort led

by Christian Swenson, Dylan Jones, Colin Raposo, Rory Buckman and Andrew Doherty Munro,” Greenberg said. “It will be a very fun and unique running experience.”

A couple members of the junior class emerged as standout performers during last season.

“We had a couple breakout sophomores last season,” Schmidt said. “[Junior] Brian Reaney really comes to mind. He had a great cross-country fall. That junior group is really big, so I think when you have a really big group, there can be more possibilities of guys really working together and pushing each other because there are so many of them. And I think that’s definitely a group that’s ready to break out.”

While breaking out may be the focus for upperclassmen, the first-years face the similarly daunting task of breaking in.

“We approach working with [first-years] in that their primary priority is just to get used to Tufts and what the program is about and how to balance being a student and everything else,” Schmidt said. “If they

run really well and they’re PRing [personal record-making] and they’re making championship meets, that’s really great and an awesome achievement for them.”

The women’s team welcomes 13 first-years this season, while the men’s team has 10. see CROSS COUNTRY, page 7

EVAN SAYLES / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Senior Sara Stokesbury sprints to the finish line at the Conn. College Cross Country Invitational at Harkness Memorial State Park on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016.