EDITORS’ PICKS
Entrepreneurship course explores philanthropy in real life see FEATURES/ PAGE 3
The Daily Arts section selects this decade’s best
Swim, dive completes near-sweep vs. Brandeis see SPORTS / BACK PAGE
SEE ARTS / PAGE 7
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VOLUME LXXVIII, ISSUE 58
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
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Textbook Exchange expands to 4th university
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Philip Miller, the founder and executive director of the Tufts Textbook Exchange, poses for a portrait in Tisch Library on Feb. 1, 2018. by Bella Maharaj
Assistant News Editor
The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate Textbook Exchange is expanding to its fourth university outside of Tufts this month, one of a number in which it operates across the country and abroad. The Textbook Exchange will launch at Northeastern University on Thursday, Dec. 5. The Textbook Exchange expanded to Wesleyan University in fall 2018, and the Ohio State University and the University of Oxford in spring 2019, according to TCU Senator Phillip Miller. Miller, a senior, recalled that he initially founded the program, which acts as a third party facilitator for students to buy and sell textbooks, in 2017 with the aim of creating an easier and cheaper alternative for students to buy textbooks. Miller explained that students list a price for their textbook on the program’s software, where buyers can then directly purchase and pick up those textbooks at a set location. Sellers receive 100% of the cost of the book. Miller explained that the program has grown among universities as a result of its publicity. “There were a couple of Daily articles written about us, and their student governments were interested in starting textbook exchang-
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es, and they just Googled textbook exchanges, and I guess we came up, and they all reached out to us,” Miller said in an email to the Daily. Miller currently deals with the Textbook Exchange’s external relations with other universities. He commented on the program’s success at other universities. “We have access to all the data from these universities and have been quite pleased with the numbers,” Miller said. “Wesleyan is growing at about the rate that the Tufts textbook exchange did, with over 1,000 books having been listed one year into the program. It seems to take about a semester for the word to get out, and then the growth is pretty quick.” The Textbook Exchange is transferred to other universities through the use of original software developed by Tufts students. Members of the Textbook Exchange provide the student government of the partnering university with the software and explain how to run the program, according to Miller. Tufts students can also act as advisors if there are issues regarding marketing or implementation, Miller added. The Textbook Exchange has been reorganized as a nonprofit organization called the Textbook Exchange Network (TEN) that is unaffiliated with Tufts, according to Emerson Wenzel, the executive director of the program. For breaking news, our content archive and exclusive content, visit tuftsdaily.com @tuftsdaily
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Wenzel, a senior, added that it will act as a neutral organization that provides resources to other schools. It currently is staffed by Tufts students, but the group hopes to expand representation to members of other universities as well. A key feature that TEN has been working on has been more advanced software to facilitate easier expansion to more universities. Kevin Bae, director of technology, explained that he and a team of 11 Tufts students have been working on a new software platform for the Textbook Exchange to operate through. “In the past we weren’t really taking into account that we were going to be expanding the exchange model to different universities,” Bae, a senior, said. “We realized it was really really hard to get [other universities] integrated, so we decided to start from scratch and go from the ground up and use industry-standard and scalable technologies that allow us to actually bring in a new school as quickly as possible with minimal work.” The new technology will allow TEN to maintain a large database of information more easily and integrate new universities more quickly, according to Bae. “Let’s say there are 100 universities that want to come in and use our system,” Bae
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said. “With the old system, it would be a lot of work just to integrate all those universities. But now with 100 universities, we could do that within a day.” The new software has been in the testing phase for some time, but it will be released this coming Thursday with Northeastern’s opening of its textbook exchange. The Textbook Exchange at Tufts alone has saved students over $107,000, according to Miller. An important aspect of facilitating the Textbook Exchange is navigating the non-compete clauses that exist between university bookstores — typically Barnes & Noble — and university administration, according to Miller. At every university that the Textbook Exchange expands to, the student government of that school must be authorized by the bookstore and the administration, acknowledging that running the program will not violate any contracts. “Because it’s been okayed at a couple universities already, I think it makes a strong case to be okayed at other universities,” Miller said. Miller added that a number of other universities and organizations have reached out to TEN to take part in the program.
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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Wednesday, December 4, 2019
THE TUFTS DAILY Jessica Blough Editor in Chief
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Baker ends vape ban with new law restricting vape, tobacco sales
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A Tufts student smokes a cigarette on the Tisch Library patio on Feb. 16, 2017. by Robert Kaplan News Editor
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker considerably regulated the sale of e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco products by signing into law “An Act Modernizing Tobacco Control” on Nov. 27. This signals the end of his temporary ban on the sale of all e-cigarette and electronic vaping devices, which will now lift on Dec. 11. According to a press release from the governor’s office, the new law immediately requires that the sale of all flavored vaping products is limited to “licensed smoking bars where they may only be smoked on-site.” Also effective immediately, the sale of non-flavored vaping products with more than 35 milligrams per milliliter of nicotine will be restricted to adult-only, 21 years-and-older stores; non-flavored vaping products with less than 35 milligrams per milliliter of nicotine may continue to be sold by retailers where they are licensed to be sold, such as convenience stores and elsewhere, according to the release. Effective June 1, 2020, the law will restrict flavored tobacco products, such as menthol cigarettes and flavored chewing tobacco, to licensed smoking bars for consumption at the bar, similar to flavored vaping products. The law also imposes an additional 75% excise tax on retailers’ purchase of nicotine vaping products, according to the release. The release included the praise of several prominent state lawmakers and administrators, including Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. Healey praised the legislation for addressing the legal shortcomings exploited by vaping companies to boost sales. “Vaping companies have taken a page right out of the Big Tobacco playbook — marketing to kids, breaking age verification laws, and minimizing the health risks of these addictive products,” Healey said in the release.
The Public Health Council (PHC) will meet on Dec. 11, the same date as the emergency ban’s expiration, to discuss and propose the regulations necessary to enact the law’s provisions. A Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) spokesperson declined to comment on what specific regulations the PHC will consider, only telling the Daily in an email that new regulations will be considered at the Dec. 11 meeting. However, the press release from the governor’s office indicated that the PHC will meet to consider what the DPH commissioner’s authority to regulate a specific product found to pose a “substantial risk to public health” would be. The PHC will also discuss the DPH commissioner’s authority regarding guidance on adherence and enforcement of the new law for retailers, manufacturers, and local boards of health and other restrictions. In addition to the governor’s emergency ban on the sale of e-cigarettes, the legislation was also predated by a first-in-thestate regulation in Somerville that restricted the sale of all e-cigarettes and flavored cigarettes to 21-years-and-older, adult-only stores in December 2018, as well as the raising of the legal tobacco purchasing age from 18 to 21 in Massachusetts earlier that year. Baker initially announced the ban on Sept. 24, declaring a public health emergency after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) linked e-cigarette use with hundreds of hospitalizations due to a mysterious lung disease. The ban met several challenges in court, eventually requiring the regulation to be refiled through the DPH and lifted no later than Dec. 24, in addition to the Nov. 22 public hearing that was eventually held on the matter, which the Daily reported on previously. However, the Daily also reported that the CDC has since associated the disease with vitamin E acetate, an additive and thickening agent in vaporizer liquid
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On Nov. 22 at 9:02 p.m., Tufts University Police Department ( TUPD) officers responded at the Tufts administration building on Holland Street to a report of someone experiencing a possible medical condition, likely a heart attack. In addition to TUPD, the Somerville Fire
Department and Cataldo Ambulance responded to the incident. The individual was not affiliated with Tufts and was transported to Mount Auburn Hospital for further medical treatment. On Nov. 23 at 3:30 p.m., TUPD received a report from the residents of a CoHo house on Bellevue Street saying that they smelled gas. The Medford Fire Department (MFD) was alerted in order
that resembles THC oil. According to the CDC, the compound is safe when found in dietary supplements or lotions, but it “may interfere with normal lung functioning” when inhaled. The Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), the Massachusetts cannabis regulatory body established in 2017, swiftly issued a quarantine order banning the sale and distribution of all marijuana vaporizer devices except those for medical use of the marijuana flower itself on Nov. 12, following the CDC’s announcements of its findings regarding vitamin E acetate a few days earlier. According to a CCC spokesperson, the CCC is not immediately prepared to follow the state’s new legislation with updated regulations of its own. “The quarantine order remains in effect,” the spokesperson said in an email to the Daily. “The Commission continues to work alongside licensed Independent Testing Laboratories, Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, and Marijuana Establishments to understand whether regulated marijuana vaping products in Massachusetts contain the additive.” The spokesperson went on to explain that while the state has developed methods to test for vitamin E acetate which await formal approval, the CCC has already started analyzing samples. “The Commission has begun testing sample cartridges it has collected from licensees and will continue to provide periodic updates in order to inform the public, including patients and consumers, whether regulated vaping products are free from the additive or other potential contaminants,” the spokesperson told the Daily in an email. Two thousand two hundred and ninety cases of the lung disease associated with e-cigarettes were reported in the United States as of Nov. 20, according to the CDC. Forty-seven of those resulted in death, three of which occurred in Massachusetts.
to determine the source of the odor, and National Grid was contacted as well. National Grid and MFD determined that the leak was coming from the basement and repaired it. Over Thanksgiving break, TUPD responded to a number of people experiencing flu-like symptoms. Some individuals sought treatment on their own, and some sought treatment in local hospitals.
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Features
3 Wednesday, December 4, 2019
TEC brings philanthropy, social enterprise into classroom
Kenia French Antidotes to Climate Apathy
To move forward, take action
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Julia Garfinkel and Abbie Nelson, sophomores in the TEC course on philanthropy and social enterprise, pose for a portrait in Tisch Library on Nov. 20. munity, which is Somerville, Medford, “We were hoping to contact them by Colin Kennedy Staff Writer Chinatown, Fenway, Mission Hill and so that we could learn more about nonprofit organizations in those areas,” the custodial staff, their hours, locaFor students seeking to effect change Nelson said. tions, and languages, so that we could from inside the classroom, a course in Nelson also described the service make thank you cards to give to them,” the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center (TEC) aspect of the course, for which their class Garfinkel wrote. “We also wanted to provides tangible opportunities to do so. created a service project to impact the learn more about what they would In “Philanthropy, Social Enterprise, & Tufts community. appreciate from us.” Community” (ELS-0194) students get to “Our class was given the task to Garfinkel said the class encountered try their hand at philanthropy by award- find something that we’re all passion- difficulties getting in contact with the ing grants of $25,000 to local nonprof- ate about,” Nelson said. “So we were custodial staff through C&W Services. its in the cities of Medford, Somerville, talking about people that might not get The Daily was not able to reach C&W Cambridge and Boston as well as to head the praise or the attention they deserve, Services for comment. their own service project. and what came to our minds were the As a result, Nelson said that they have Abigail Nelson, a current student in custodial workers at Tufts.” focused their project on raising awarethe course, discussed how the class gives Nelson discussed how the work of the ness for custodial workers. students an opportunity to lead a ser- custodial staff at Tufts often goes unno“So, we’re kind of just taking it into our vice-oriented nonprofit. ticed and unappreciated. own hands by creating our own posters “I think it’s been super interesting,” “We noticed that while living in dorms and talking to people on our own,” said Nelson, a sophomore, said. “As a college and working in the library, for example, Nelson. “We still want to get that word student, you’re never put into the shoes people just don’t clean up after them- out there and make sure that the students of being in charge of a service project. selves,” Nelson said. “And as a classroom know that even if [they’re] not technically You usually want to be a volunteer or sign we felt compassionate that people need Tufts workers, we still need to treat them up for a club that volunteers.” to realize who is actually cleaning up with respect.” Nelson discussed how she was initially after them.” Meghana Nemali, a senior in the class interested in the class because of its focus To tackle this issue, the class created who is studying international relations, on grant-giving and nonprofit management. an awareness campaign to improve stu- discussed the focus of their project as “I was just really curious [about] the dents’ appreciation and acknowledgment well as the limited timeline they have. ins and outs of how nonprofits receive of the custodial staff. “I think there is a large momentum grants,” Nelson said. “How grants are In an email to the Daily, Nelson shared behind the Tufts student body, for examgiven, what people look for in certain their mission: “As a class, we aim to ple around dining hall workers,” she said. nonprofits. That’s why I chose to take bring visibility and express our gratitude “The awareness about that issue grew the class, and it’s really been beneficial towards the custodial staff and promote/ a lot, and we wanted to create a similar so far.” implement more conscientious behavior type of general awareness of the struggle Julia Garfinkel, a student minoring in among Tufts students.” the custodial workers face because we ELS and also taking the class, said they Garfinkel described the ways in which realized we wouldn’t be able to tackle all have a grant to give to local nonprofits. they plan to increase awareness and of the systemic issues with our limited “This class is about learning about appreciation for custodial staff. timeline.” nonprofits and philanthropy,” Garfinkel, “We designed different posters to hang Ultimately, Garfinkel said that this a sophomore, said. “We got a grant of up in all the dorms, near trash cans, bathclass is different from others because d $25,000 to give to nonprofits. Different rooms, common areas, to remind people they are expected to get out and do real. nonprofits apply to us, and we choose to clean up,” Garfinkel said. life projects instead of only learning t which ones to give to.” Garfinkel also told the Daily in an about them. t Nelson expanded on which nonprofits email that they tried to get in touch with “In classes, most of the time really and communities they want to impact. C&W services, the company Tufts conyou’re learning about how you would D “We aspire to support organizations tracts for custodial work, to learn more do something in the future or how other for better response to trauma experiabout the custodial staff and to ask if people do it,” she said. “But here we’re s enced by underserved youth populations, there would be a good time to get them learning and at the same time directly e and we hope to affect the Tufts com- all together for an appreciative gesture. impacting people.”
or me, the hardest part about the climate emergency is figuring out how to move forward. It’s not easy to immerse yourself in climate research because it’s sad, heavy and thoroughly depressing in many ways. The activist group Extinction Rebellion (XR) equates processing the climate emergency to learning that a loved one has been diagnosed with a terminally ill disease. You want to do everything in your power to help them, but there’s an extremely painful grieving process you must go through first. Hearing that comparison hit home for me. I was having trouble engaging with anything related to the climate because everything just felt so painful. Not only did I need to remind myself that there are still parts of the environment left to save, but also I needed to grieve what had already been lost. I don’t think that my climate-grieving process is anywhere near over. I still need to take a day any time I read about extinct species or the ice caps melting or the Amazon burning. However, what I do think is different now is that I’ve accepted the situation, and I’m not trying to hide from the news anymore. And now that I’ve accepted the situation, it’s a lot easier to see the importance of not giving up hope that we can turn things around. But above all that, what’s been important for me is figuring out how to turn my angst into action. And you can too! Luckily, there are many groups out there doing that exact thing — for example, the next Global Climate Strike is this Friday, Dec. 6 in Boston! There’s also the Sunrise Movement, which is an advocacy group pushing to get the Green New Deal passed, as well as to ban fossil fuels. My personal favorite is the aforementioned XR, a global movement that started in the United Kingdom with the goal of putting pressure on governments to tell the truth about the climate and ecological emergency. XR also demands net zero emissions by 2025, a just transition advocating for indigenous rights and environmental justice, and for a national citizens’ assembly to be elected to oversee this change. X R u s e s c re a t i ve, n o n - v i o l e n t action in order to demand change and make a statement. For example, XRMass, the Massachusetts chapter of the organization, held a beach funeral over the summer to mourn future sea level rise. Personally, I think that’s one of the most iconic things I’ve ever heard. In order for me to begin taking action on the climate and ecological emergency, I needed to both mourn the current situation and remind myself that it’s not too late for so much of the world. It’s an ongoing process, but the more I’ve gotten involved with climate activism, the more I’m confident that there are so many people out there who feel the same way. It won’t be easy, but we can do this thing: We just need everyone to get on the same page. Kenia French is a junior studying international relations and environmental studies. Kenia can be reached at kenia.french@ tufts.edu.
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ARTS&LIVING
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
The best albums of the decade
Mason Goldberg What’s the Mood?
T
Executive Social Media Editor, Assistant Arts Editor, Assistant Arts Editor
Three arts editors came together to decide on their top 10 best albums of the decade — no easy task when the 2010s have spanned music from artists like LMFAO to Billie Eilish. Christopher Panella’s list Honorable mentions: “Plastic Beach” (2010) by Gorillaz, “Trouble in Paradise” (2014) by La Roux, “Emotion” (2015) by Carly Rae Jepsen. 10. “DAMN” (2017) by Kendrick Lamar 9. “Random Access Memories” (2013) by Daft Punk 8. “ANTI” (2016) by Rihanna 7. “Pop 2” (2017) by Charli XCX 6. “Blackstar” (2016) by David Bowie 5. “Born This Way” (2011) by Lady Gaga 4. “Broke with Expensive Taste” (2014) by Azealia Banks 3. “Lemonade” (2016) by Beyoncé 2. “Ultraviolence” (2014) by Lana Del Rey 1. “Melodrama” (2017) by Lorde Some of the best albums of the decade are the ones that capture chaos, from Lorde’s “Melodrama,” with its stinging honesty and shivering romance, to “Born This Way,” which paints Lady Gaga as both an introspective pop star and a cultural icon unafraid to embrace weirdness. Lorde makes something artistic out of the organic; “Melodrama” feels like both a night out with one too many drinks and the morning after, with Lorde helping the listener throw up in the bathroom before drinking some Pedialyte. Meanwhile, Gaga hands the listener some makeup and takes them to the club to dance the night away in pure celebration.
Winter
he theme of this final column should be no surprise. Over the past three months, I’ve very much enjoyed creating a new playlist every week, and many of them have had to do with the time of year. Now that it’s December, and I no longer have upcoming seasons to write about, I thought it would be perfectly fitting to do a winter playlist. Given the seemingly endless catalogues of Christmas songs and folksy tunes, there really is no shortage of winter-themed music, so I’ve done my best to pluck my favorites that encapsulate the snow-filled holiday spirit.
“Winter Song” by the Head and the Heart “If We Were Vampires” by Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit “White Winter Hymnal” by Fleet Foxes “Little Saint Nick” by The Beach Boys “This December” by Ricky Montgomery “Aphasia” by Pinegrove “California Dreamin’” by The Mamas & the Papas “Blues Run the Game” by Jackson C. Frank “uuu” by Field Medic “Sleigh Ride” by The Ronettes “This Will Be Our Year” by The Zombies “Does It Ever Cross Your Mind?” by The Paper Kites
RYAN EGGERS / THE TUFTS DAILY
Top albums from the last decade as selected by Daily Arts & Living editors are pictured.
by Christopher Panella, Tuna Margalit and Geoff Tobia Jr.
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Often, the 2010s best releases capture a particular moment: David Bowie’s “Blackstar” is a beady-eyed ode to a life lived and a star growing dim; it’s a swan song and a testament to Bowie’s etherealism. Even now, listening to “Blackstar” feels like Bowie’s phantom playing with the lights or softly touching your cheek. “Random Access Memories” plays with decades and genre, eventually focusing itself on the future of music with its closing song “Contact.” Both Beyoncé and Rihanna made their best albums yet; “Lemonade” tackles the complexities of motherhood, romance, sex, faithfulness, forgiveness and being a black woman, while “ANTI” provides a space for Rihanna to experiment with vulnerability and confidence. “ANTI” ranges from a cool cocktail hour to a cocky hookup. It’s that versatility that makes it special. Lana Del Rey also made her best album, with “Ultraviolence” allowing her to explore a desert rock coolness that is not only genre-defining but also complex in character. In just the 2010s alone, Del Rey released the most solid discography of any artist — albums that take deep swims underneath Del Rey, whom critics wrongly assume to be a persona. Similarly, “Broke with Expensive Taste” might come from one of the most controversial figures in music, but Azealia Banks is able to present herself as a standout rapper. Kendrick Lamar’s “DAMN” is pure storytelling, with an episodic nature that showcases Lamar at the top of his game. While it’s certainly easy to argue that Lamar has always been in the top echelon of rap, there’s something so conscious and real about “DAMN” that makes it a standout. “Pop 2” is undeniably a chaotic explosion
of pop excellence — if there’s any pop star that has captured the changes of the 2010s, it’s Charli XCX. And while it’s painful not to include artists who helped change pop music, it’s important to note that Charli just does pop music the best, or at the very least, the most experimental. Certainly it’s impossible to state how good music can be when the artist takes their time presenting something nuanced and powerful. For some of the artists, their work is masterful and decade-defining, not necessarily because that’s what was intended, but because of the labor put into the creation. Geoff Tobia Jr.’s list Honorable mentions: “Random Access Memories” (2013) by Daft Punk, “99.9%” (2016) by Kaytranada, “Minecraft: Volume Alpha” (2011) by C418. 10. “Have You In My Wilderness” (2015) by Julia Holter 9. “The Money Store” (2012) by Death Grips 8. “Emotion” (2015) by Carly Rae Jepsen 7. “To Be Kind” (2014) by Swans 6. “Currents” (2015) by Tame Impala 5. “AM” (2013) by Arctic Monkeys 4. “MASSEDUCTION” (2017) by St. Vincent 3. “22, a Million” (2016) by Bon Iver 2. “Blonde” (2016) by Frank Ocean 1. “To Pimp a Butterfly” (2015) by Kendrick Lamar Many things went into consideration when choosing the best albums of the decade, one of the most important aspects being originality. Song after song, “The Money Store” by experimental hip hop trio Death Grips always presents new concepts, whether it be through rapper MC Ride’s unique vocal/lyrical delivery, or the mind-melting drums and synths see ALBUMS, page 8
Some of these songs have it right in the name — “Winter Song” (2011) needs no explanation, but I felt the need to include it anyway. “Sleigh Ride” (1963) is one of the most recognizable Christmas songs, but I also love The Ronettes, so I had to include them as well. “California Dreamin’” (1965) is the quintessential song for anyone who isn’t so into the snow and misses the warmth of the West Coast. And of course, did I really write a column if I didn’t include The Beach Boys? There are some other, less obvious picks on here too. Take, for example, “Does It Ever Cross Your Mind?” (2018) by The Paper Kites, a song that is intensely tranquil and exudes the vibes of a calm snowy morning. Another great wintery song is “This Will Be Our Year” (1968) by The Zombies, which instills hope for a happy new year, and listening to it would be an uplifting way to start your 2020. And while I realize it is really more of a New Year’s song, I’ve got to condense a bunch of holidays into one in this playlist. This being my last column, I also thought I’d answer a question I’m frequently asked: How do I decide which songs to put on each playlist? To be perfectly honest, it’s not a very well-refined process. I typically scroll through my saved songs, and when I feel like something fits, I throw it in the column. The point is, take all of what I’ve said with a grain of salt and realize that these are all my personal opinions, and if you don’t agree with any of these picks, I take no offense. However, I hope that readers of this column have at least been exposed to new music, have learned more about music they already liked or have learned what music they don’t like. Regardless of where you might fall, thanks for reading this column, and thank you to the Tufts Daily, and especially Executive Arts Editor Steph Hoechst, for letting me spew my musical opinions. Have a great winter break. Here’s the link if you want to listen: https://spoti.fi/2P95M1Z.
Mason Goldberg is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Mason can be reached at Mason.Goldberg@tufts.edu.
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THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Living | Wednesday, December 4, 2019
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Arts editors round up picks for top albums of the 2010s ALBUMS
continued from page 7 on tracks like “System Blower” or “I’ve Seen Footage.” “To Be Kind” by Swans balances on the fence separating horror and beauty, like the mind-numbingly repetitive guitar riffs on songs like “Oxygen” and hypnotic bass lines on “Screen Shot.” Along with the originality from albums this year came impressive songwriting feats. Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Emotion” was truly a force to be reckoned with in the pop scene. “Run Away with Me” and “Your Type” are prime examples of how easy it is to dance or cry to this album. Perhaps even more powerful, St. Vincent paired impressive instrumentation (see “Masseduction” and “Savior”) and social commentary that hits like a train (see “Pills” and “Young Lover”) on “MASSEDUCTION.” The 2010s also brought some of the most beautiful arrangements of sounds. Whether songs are picked apart or listen to at a surface level, it’s easy to hear the beauty of Julia Holter’s “Have You in My Wilderness,” a baroque pop album with goosebumps-inducing instrumental and lyrical composition. Another artist that’s certainly proven himself is Bon Iver, and his 2016 work, “22, A Million” displays this best, though Folktronica is a very unique genre. It’s important to consider albums that fit the decade the best and albums that will stand the test of time. “AM” by Arctic Monkeys thrives this way, with poetic
and hard-hitting songs like “Do I Wanna Know?” and “Arabella” that never get old, and never will. The untouchable synth-pop tracks on “Currents” by Tame Impala, like “The Less I Know the Better” or “Let It Happen,” also show how much shelf life that a versatile album will have. Frank Ocean’s ability to make stunningly beautiful music is fascinating. Through consistent metaphors and well-constructed instrumentals, the experience when listening to “Blonde” is unforgettable. The best album of the decade is “To Pimp a Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar. The fusion between jazz and hip hop, along with the raw political commentary, not only shows the musical genius of Kendrick Lamar but also shows how intelligent and appreciative he is of musical culture. No album this decade consistently delivered awe-inspiring and power quite like “To Pimp a Butterfly” did. Tuna Margalit’s list Honorable mentions: “Melophobia” (2013) by Cage the Elephant, “ANTI” (2016) by Rihanna, “The Life of Pablo” (2016) by Kanye West. 10. “Daytona” (2018) by Pusha T 9. “Kids See Ghosts” (2018) by Kids See Ghosts 8. “Rodeo” (2015) by Travis Scott 7. “21” (2011) by Adele 6. “AM” (2013) by Arctic Monkeys 5. “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” (2012) by Kendrick Lamar 4. “Yeezus” (2013) by Kanye West 3. “Currents” (2015) by Tame Impala 2. “Blonde” (2016) by Frank Ocean
1. “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” (2010) by Kanye West The best album of the decade (and one of the best of all time) is “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” by none other than Kanye West. The grandeur is immediately apparent with opening track “Dark Fantasy.” Name another album that’s high point is a nine-minute song like “Runaway,” where the first six minutes are rapping and singing and the last three minutes are comprised of the artist wailing-yelling random phrases through a vocoder. “Blonde” is at once intimate but also insecure. Few lyrics have sounded as beautiful as the opening from “Ivy” — “I thought that I was dreaming when you said you love me.” This is an album in which each listener will find something different to latch onto. Kevin Parker, the man behind Tame Impala, found a sound on “Currents” and ran with it. Hypnotizing all the way through, the album features no shortage of wonderful, psychedelic sounds. Parker’s consistent use of a falsetto voice is always a highlight, but on this album it works to the greatest effect. In this decade, there have only been two hip-hop artists who have managed to be consistently at the top of their genre and still release albums where each one tells a different story or explores a different emotion. Kanye West is one of them, and “Yeezus” is him at his most abrasive and most experimental. Kendrick Lamar is the other, and “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City”
was his breakthrough album. Recalling his teenage experiences growing up in Compton, Calif., Kendrick Lamar establishes himself as an all-time storyteller to go along with his uniquely impressive ability to convey emotions with his voice. Featuring one of the best guitar riffs ever in “R U Mine?” and making a beautiful song about something as specific as someone asking Alex Turner — the lead singer — why he only calls her when stoned, the Arctic Monkeys show that they have perfected the mixture of rock musicality and thoughtful lyricism on “AM.” There’s a reason “21” is one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century. The greatest voice of her generation, Adele became a household name after dropping “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You” — two of the best songs of the decade. The first studio album from the rising hip-hop star, “Rodeo” showed that Travis Scott could make an excellent album from start to finish, while working in a stunning variety of spacey sounds, head-banging beats and infectious flows. “Kids See Ghosts” finds Kanye West producing and rapping along with longtime collaborator Kid Cudi, as both artists describe a sort of emotional rebirth coming with this album. Every single track off “Daytona” has a jaw-clenching ferocity that could only come out of the combination of a rapping Pusha T and a producing Kanye West.
MY SHELTER PETS ARE MY BEST FRIENDS
OLIVIA MUNN WITH CHANCE AND FRANKIE: ADOPTED 2014 AND 2016.
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10 Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Opinion
Allie Birger Girl Online
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OP-ED
One year since Tier Town: Assault and accountability The wrong side of in Tufts student-activism
I
a very strange argument
n 2003, then-Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg created a website called FaceMash, which allowed users to judge a student’s attractiveness using a hot-or-not system. Though Harvard shut down the website after two days due to privacy violations, Zuckerberg’s success with this original idea led to the creation of what we now know as Facebook. There was an insistence of being transparent on the site: no fake accounts in order to preserve a space to create or maintain authentic relationships. It’s fair to say that Zuckerberg’s original intentions for the network have not played out over the years, the 2016 election interference being a prominent example. It leads to wondering about what we can and should expect from people online and what is acceptable. In my opinion, Facebook is the most controversial social media platform when it comes to differentiating between protected speech and free speech, especially in a political context. Twitter no longer accepts political advertising of any kind, and YouTube has people working around the clock to take down hateful content. However, despite Facebook’s claim to prohibit hate speech on the site, it still allows for hate-mongering groups, often political in nature, to spread their message and refuses to shut those pages down because of ‘free speech.’ The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that hate speech is protected under the First Amendment. This was unacceptable before the rise of the internet, and that hasn’t changed, especially on a platform that people all around the world use. It makes no sense that Zuckerberg would refuse to take any responsibility for the atrocities spewed on his platform. What these users are spreading is unfortunately their authentic reality, but instead of taking the content down and giving these users the opportunity to learn something that will benefit them in the long run, Facebook allows their hate to fester. Our world is ever-changing, and ultimately, we’ll nweed to keep up with the times. But as real life begins to spill increasingly into the online realm, we need to think more about the space that our virtual identities occupy and the way that they affect others. What example does an open toleration for hate speech on social media platforms set for the coming generations that will experience childhood and adolescence with social media — not as something that developed in their lifetime but just as part of life? Does it set the precedent for today’s kids to grow up to become intolerant and divided at a time when we need unity more than anything else? As our world is becoming more interconnected, it will undoubtedly become more difficult to come to a complete consensus on any one topic, but I think the most important thing we can do to temper this is to be kind to one another. Like I’ve mentioned, an online presence never encapsulates the whole story. No matter the difference in opinion or life circumstance, the one thing everyone wants is to feel accepted. If we change the culture online to a positive one, that’s a step toward progress. How do we do that? Well, that’s on us to figure out. Thank you, Tufts.
by Anonymous Content warning: This article discusses sexual violence. I was raped by a fellow protester one year ago during Tufts Housing League’s Tier Town protest. Although several bystanders witnessed it, including protest marshals, they left me alone when I most needed them. In the months that followed, my rapist and her enablers constructed a narrative that it was my fault for “sending mixed signals.” She insisted that I date her, isolated me from my friends and wouldn’t let me talk to anyone else about it. She made violence seem almost normal. I was lucky that a few of my comrades intervened to remove me from that abusive relationship and help me set boundaries. I am thankful for their support. I cannot say the same for the rest of the student-activist community. When I painted the cannon, wrote posts and op-eds, and read my narrative at It Happens Here, student-activists listened and praised my work. They acted as if they believed me. But as soon as I named my rapist and urged action, they turned their backs on me. They should have supported me, but instead, they enabled her. One student-activist described my rapist’s reaction to running into me as traumatizing and claimed that I had caused her “repercussive social trauma.” They gave me a detailed explanation of my rapist’s excuses, twisted social justice values to blame me and argued that she and others should not face consequences for their actions because they are marginalized. Their version of community meant believing their “chosen family,” abandoning me in favor of my rapist. Another implied that I was perpetuating the caricature of the predatory trans woman, an especially disturbing accusation since it was her choice to abuse and assault several trans and non-binary students. They said I was “hurting the movement,” but it is rapists, and their enablers, who hurt the movement. They minimized what happened, called it “interpersonal beef ” rather than recognize that their inaction and enabling allows sexual violence to happen. It speaks to the cowardice of this culture that none of the many bystanders intervened when they witnessed her rape me. Because student-activists choose rapists over survivors, I and many others had to turn to the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO). Despite reassurances from OEO
that they’re doing everything they can, I never feel safe on campus. Activists discourage survivors from seeking accountability through courts or police, arguing that these institutions of retributive justice are often racist and against our values. Student-activists oppose turning to police or Tufts, labeling them as part of the carceral state. I believe in the abolition of prisons and police. I also believe in the necessity of Title IX, which allows us to seek justice within the university instead of through carceral systems. If we want to achieve any sort of justice without turning to courts or police, we have to first build communities where rape and abuse are not accepted. Instead, Tufts student-activists enabled abusers and denied survivors justice. Tufts student-activists only care about survivors whose perpetrators are outside the activist community. It is easy for activists to blame Tufts’ rape culture on men in privileged spaces, characterizing Greek life as “a culture that propagates violence, that enforces rape culture” and sexual violence as “the type of behavior that is often synonymous with fraternities.” But we must not forget that sexual violence happens in our spaces as well. The belief that sexual violence is only inflicted by men against women, which I frequently encounter among activists, is a dangerous assumption. It silences non-female survivors, like me, and allows non-male perpetrators to avoid accountability. Anyone can be a perpetrator, regardless of identity. My rape might not have happened had student-activists trained their marshals in bystander intervention. The harm done could have been reduced. This can end. But every day, we choose otherwise. The Tufts activist community is responsible for the harm it inflicts on survivors, for both the initial acts of violence and how it fails us afterward. Survivors came forward with our stories and calls to action in private discussions, to no avail. I wish there was another way. I am not eager to relive the worst night of my life in print. But your inaction has made it necessary. We must hold the student-activist community accountable for enabling sexual violence. I am glad to see that some student-activists have taken steps toward addressing this through Green Dot trainings, Action for Sexual Assault Prevention (ASAP) workshops and drafting codes of conduct. But one-time actions are not enough. Meetings attended by a mere fraction of activists are not enough, and discussing sexual violence
as a hypothetical or a social issue instead of a reality is theatrics. When it comes to intra-community sexual violence, student-activists’ commitments to center marginalized voices and oppose injustice are only performative. Although many student-activists understand that neutrality means “[choosing] the side of the oppressor,” they attempt neutrality in situations of sexual violence, causing further harm. Even though my rapist admitted responsibility, and many other survivors came forward with their stories of sexual violence and showed how the community was complicit, student-activists continue to enable rapists. Student-activists ask how I’m doing, if I’m okay, if I’m practicing self-care. I am. I’ve gone to great lengths to create spaces where I feel less unsafe. But self-care can only do so much in the face of a hostile community. On this campus, avoiding retraumatization is impossible. The pain is still fresh. I can’t shake the feeling of her hands on my body. The cold Boston winter feels the same as that night. I see the tent city every time I walk by the Cannon. I go about my day terrified I might run into her or one of her enablers. Even though she graduated, she still lives just across the street from campus. I never feel safe here. I especially don’t feel safe in my own queer and activist communities. I spent a long time afraid of my own sexuality, now forever associated with her violence. I know I am not alone, and that scares me. I know of at least three others who she has assaulted or abused, and I know of many other survivors raped by other activists, many of whom were leaders in campus groups. I know that she and others will continue to commit sexual violence. Sexual violence will continue to destroy our communities unless we all work to change the culture. We must actively support survivors and pressure others to do the same. That means believing survivors when we disclose to you. That means recognizing that perpetrators can be anyone, including your friends. That means working to change the culture that permits sexual violence. That means holding ourselves to the same standards we want for Greek life and athletics. That means Green Dot trainings and ASAP workshops. That means centering survivors and taking action to restore safety. We must all act to end sexual violence. Although no one-size-fits-all solution exists, that is no excuse for avoiding action. Show me what change looks like in your community.
TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER
Allie Birger is a sophomore studying sociology. Allie can be reached at allyson. birger@tufts.edu.
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Sports
12 Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Arjun Balaraman Off the Crossbar
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Swim, dive cruises past Brandeis University
Ferguson, Wenger and replacing legends
W
hat a whirlwind three months it has been for Quique Sanchez Flores. After being reappointed as Watford boss in September, the Spaniard was fired just 81 days into his second spell, following Liverpool’s 2–1 loss to Southampton last weekend. It was a cruel decision by the club, which is now looking for its third manager not even halfway through the season, and yet, this is the new reality for Premier League teams. The managerial merry-go-round is in full force with, shockingly, just five clubs today who have managers in charge of their sides for more than three seasons — Pep Guardiola, Chris Wilder, Jurgen Klopp, Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche. It’s hard to imagine ever seeing another 20-plus-year stint at a club by a manager, as Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger did for Manchester United and Arsenal respectively. But as we see the struggles of these clubs following the departure of a legend, perhaps managers should be given a longer leash. After Ferguson’s shock retirement in 2013, United has been in disarray. Under the Scot, the Red Devils were rampant, winning 13 Premier League titles in 20 attempts. But following his departure, United has failed to add to that total. Even under renowned, successful managers like Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho, United has struggled to replicate the heydays of Ferguson. It’s easy to forget that back in 1990 — four seasons into his tenure as boss — United was prepared to fire Ferguson. Despite making progress, Ferguson hadn’t won a trophy during his first few seasons, and patience was wearing thin at the United camp. But better sense prevailed, and Ferguson rewarded the club with his 38 trophies over the next 23 years. After sifting through several managers, United seems to have finally found its man in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the club publicly stating the long-term goal. But will they stick with him if short term results are not good? For Arsenal, Unai Emery was hired in 2018 to serve as the replacement for the legendary Arsene Wenger, who had been in charge of the club for 22 years. Wenger once led “The Invincibles” to the only undefeated season in Premier League history and was known for the attractive brand of soccer his Arsenal teams played. But by the end of his time at the Emirates, Wenger was unloved and unwanted, with his last seasons at the club marred by “Wenger Out” banners all around the stadium. In the year since his departure, though, it’s difficult to find where Arsenal has improved. Emery was fired last week after a dismal start to the year, with the Gunners lacking any sort of identity or ambition. If United’s struggles are anything to go by, Arsenal’s search for a new manager will be one of the most important decisions in the Gunners’ history, and one that is likely to prove quite difficult. Replacing a legendary leader like Ferguson or Wenger is never easy, but clubs can help themselves by at least granting their successors more time to get things right. Arjun Balaraman is a junior studying quantitative economics. Arjun can be reached at arjun.balaraman@tufts.edu.
COURTESY TUFTS ATHLETICS
Senior Roger Gu is pictured. by Sruthi Kocherlakota Staff Writer
After wins against Wesleyan and Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the season-opening meet, the Tufts women’s and men’s swim and dive team traveled to Brandeis University for their second meet of the season. Both teams dominated during the meet, with the women’s team winning 252‒ 4 4 and the men’s team winning 222‒ 7 4. The women’s team had substantial wins across all 16 events. The Jumbos fared well during the 200-yard medley relay, with sophomore Jeanette Khowong, junior Lily Kurtz, junior Sasha Fong and sophomore Hannah Spencer placing first. They finished in 1:51:32, and despite slower performances compared to the quad meet earlier in the season, each relay team placed higher than Brandeis. The women’s swim team also had a commanding lead in all other events and showcased their incredible determination, finishing first across all of the stroke disciplines. Notably, firstyear Chloe Deveney had a pair of freestyle wins at the meet, with a 1:57.38 time in the 200-yard freestyle and a 5:13.16 time in the 500-yard freestyle. First-year students Hannah Lesser and Camille Ross snagged wins in the 50-yard freestyle (25.38) and the 100yard butterfly (59.29) respectively. The team also won the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:40.10. First-year student Sydney Ho won both diving events, with a final score of 189.53 for the 1-meter dive and 266.63 in the 3-meter dive. Coach Adam Hoyt commented on the team’s performance at the meet. “I thought that the team performed well,” Hoyt said. “We had a lot of season-best swims … and diving perfor-
mances at the meet It’s nice to see us progressing in the direction of improvement. We had a really challenging week of training leading up to the meet. Not a whole lot of rest for the meet. It was great to see our teams step up and perform well even though I know they were fatigued.” For the men’s competition, the Jumbos maintained a versatility similar to the women’s team, placing first in nearly every event, excluding the 200yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke and 50-yard butterfly. Senior Roger Gu anchored the 200-yard medley relay, opened by sophomore Nate Tingen and followed by senior Matthew Manfre and senior co-captain Costa Camerano. This relay team finished with a 1:35.91 time, beating Brandeis for this event by a little under two seconds. Tingen also logged two individual victories in the 100-yard backstroke with a 52.49 time and the 200 individual medley with a 1:58.79 time. With the 200-yard medley relay already under his belt, Manfre was able to put up the winning time in the 50-yard breaststroke, finishing in 28.02 seconds. Teammate and junior Kuan Lee touched the wall just after Manfre, finishing in 28.08 seconds. The men’s team also scored well during the diving portion of the competition. First-year Zach Lawrence nailed victories in both diving events for the Jumbos, further emphasizing the first-year presence on both teams. Hoyt shared what his team plans on doing for their upcoming meet against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT ). “I think just continuing to build upon past meets and the information we are getting through those meets and through practices,” Hoyt said. “MIT is a great facility, There’s a fast pool,
there is great competition there. It will definitely be a challenging contest and environment.” Hoyt also spoke about the competition the Engineers will bring for the Jumbos. “I think it will be some of the best competition we have seen all season,” Hoyt said. “We are going to be the best prepared we have been all season to race fast.So, this meet being the final meet of the semester, we are really looking to put together some performances. This will then give us information about what we need to do between the end of our semester and through winter break and into our second semester meets to continue to improve.” Gu added two more victories for the team, winning the 100-yard freestyle with a 45.86 time and swimming as the anchor leg for the 400-yard freestyle relay, which won with a time of 3:13.37. Other members of this relay included first-year Peter LaBarge, first-year Dylan Brown and junior Noah Zhang. Senior John LaLime placed first in the 500-yard freestyle, coming in with a 4:51.04 time. LaLime commented on the team’s performance of the meet. “We performed really well, the swimming was really good, but more importantly our demeanor on deck was really good,” LaLime said. “We maintained a level of high energy which was really important for us. All of us being on the same page for the goals for the year and the meet, how we are going to support each other. I think that all played a big role.” With an impressive victory against Brandeis, Tufts will face the MIT this weekend during the MIT invitational for their final fall semester competition. This will take place from Dec. 6–8 away at MIT.
