The Tufts Daily - Thursday, November 21, 2019

A conversation with 'Waves' director Trey Edward Shults see WEEKENDER / PAGE 5

TUFTS BASKETBALL

Jumbos' historic season ends in heartbreak

Tufts must investigate, remedy faculty wage gap see EDITORIAL / PAGE 9

SEE SPORTS / PAGE 11

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VOLUME LXXVIII, ISSUE 52

Thursday, November 21, 2019

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Tufts cancels Hong Kong program next spring

by Sean Ong

Executive Social Media Editor

Tufts has cancelled its Tufts-in-Hong Kong study abroad program for spring 2020, according to Mala Ghosh, senior director of study abroad and global education for the School of Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering.

Ghosh announced the cancellation in an email on Monday to all Tufts students enrolled in the spring-only program, following recent unrest in Hong Kong that has seen standoffs between protesters and the police at university campuses.

“Unfortunately, the recent escalating violence, the ongoing sporadic geographic spread of unrest including now academic campuses, its impact on local services and transportation, closure of academic institutions, and expected continuation of volatility in Hong Kong prompted us to cancel the program next semester. The safety of our students is paramount,” the email read.

Protests in Hong Kong began in late March in opposition to a bill that would have allowed the extradition of criminals and criminal suspects from Hong Kong to other territories,

including mainland China. While the bill has since been withdrawn, the protests persist and have taken a broader anti-government stance.

Violent clashes between the police and protesters have become more common.

There were 21 students enrolled in Tuftsin-Hong Kong when the university decided to cancel the program on Monday; 35 students had initially enrolled, according to Ghosh.

Ghosh confirmed that there are no Tufts students enrolled in external study abroad programs in Hong Kong this semester.

The cancellation of Tufts-in-Hong Kong comes after Ghosh sent an email on Nov. 13 asking students to reconsider their plans for the spring, including enrolling in other study abroad options or registering for classes at Tufts, as administrators reassessed the status of the program.

In September, Ghosh had said that the university planned to proceed with the Hong Kong program, while still allowing students who were concerned to withdraw from the program at any point or apply for backup programs through Tufts or external study abroad providers.

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see HONG KONG, page 4

University Hall at the University of Hong Kong, where the 2020 Tufts-in-Hong Kong program would have taken place, is pictured.

Trustees create advisory committee to give students, faculty input on endowment

Access Coalition hopes to increase accessibility at Tufts

by Alexander Thompson

Disclaimer: Tys Sweeney is the executive opinion editor at the Tufts Daily and the vice president of Access Coalition at Tufts. He was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.

A new student organization has arrived on campus to address the lack of support for students with disabilities. The Access Coalition at Tufts (ACT) hopes to provide both physical and emotional support to students with disabilities while also engaging students on campus with the issue.

Katy Gehling, president of ACT, was inspired to start the club because of her own struggles getting around on campus.

“With my disability, it’s difficult to walk for too long. Last semester, I had to walk for longer than I really could, and it increased a whole bunch of symptoms and made it really difficult for me to finish out the semester. In a way, I am fairly lucky because I have family in the area

News Editor

In a major shift, the Board of Trustees approved the creation of an investment advisory committee that will allow any member of the Tufts community to call for a review of the university’s investment decisions at their meeting on Nov. 2.

The Responsible Investment Advisory Group will perform ad hoc reviews of the university’s investment into activities with “negative social impact” at the request of members of the Tufts community and make recommendations to the Investment Subcommittee, which steers the university’s $2.4 billion in invested assets.

The Board announced the new entity publicly in a policy titled “Addressing Investor Responsibility at Tufts” posted online on Nov. 12.

The move comes in response to criticisms of the university’s investment strategy from student groups, notably envi-

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by Stephanie Rifkin Contributing Writer

ronmental advocates who chalk fossil fuel divestment slogans on the sidewalk outside Ballou Hall every week.

Last April, the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate unanimously passed a resolution proposed by a number of activists urging the university to divest. Executive Vice President Mike Howard, in a letter to TCU Senate responding to that resolution, restated the university’s policy against divestment by citing the Divestment Working Group’s 2014 recommendation against such measures.

However, in that letter sent in early October, Howard wrote that University President Anthony Monaco had asked him to work with the Board to create a process for systematically reviewing investment proposals.

“The Board recognizes that from time to time, the goal of maximizing financial resources may entail the support of activsee TRUSTEES, page 2

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who can help me get to places, but a lot of students at Tufts don’t have that,” Gehling, a senior, told the Daily.

“After reading a little more about the issue and how it’s really broader than I initially thought, I thought we could be part of the solution and really organize ways to help our fellow students get around,” she said.

ACT is looking to start three new programs to address accessibility on campus. Gehling highlighted two.

“Two of them are a driving program using golf carts to get people kind of door to door, and a walking program where volunteers can walk with students who are injured or have disabilities. Sometimes it’s nice to know that somebody is there in case you fall, you need help opening a door or you need help carrying your bag,” Gehling said.

Gehling said that the organization plans on using private fundraisers to pay for the carts.

Kate Murphy, a member of ACT who first became involved through her activ-

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Responsible Investment Advisory Group to provide nonbinding recommendations to Board TRUSTEES

continued from page 1 ities which are believed to have a social impact, and that under certain circumstances it may be appropriate to take these potential social impacts into account when making investment decisions,” the new policy reads.

Steven Galbraith (A’85), a trustee emeritus and New York City investor who chairs the Investment Subcommittee, acknowledged the concerns that have been raised about Tufts investments.

“We recognize that members of the community at times have strong opinions about the way in which the University’s endowment is invested and its potential social impact, and we wanted to create a systematic way for those concerns to be raised, heard and deliberated,” Galbraith wrote in a statement provided to the Daily.

Charming Dube, a non-voting student trustee representative who attended the open session of the Administration and Finance Committee which oversees the Investment Subcommittee, said that none of the trustees opposed the idea and several voiced their interest in the Advisory Group.

“I’d say they were curious,” Dube, a senior, said. “But obviously as trustees, especially on the financial committee, they have to think about it in terms of the balance sheet.”

Tufts Climate Action (TCA), which has led much of the divestment activism on campus this year, has already begun drafting a formal fossil fuel divestment proposal for the Advisory Group which they intend to submit as soon as possible, according to a statement from the group’s leadership provided by senior Hanna Carr.

The student activists say that while they hoped that the Board would pursue complete and immediate divestment, they

regard the Advisory Group as “the first step” towards transparency and accountability.

They also praised the fact that the Advisory Group creates a formal process for any cause to be addressed, not just fossil fuel divestment.

The group was, however, disappointed that student groups must find a sponsor instead of directly making proposals to the Advisory Group, but the activists say they already have the backing of the TCU Senate.

That is not the only complication that a proposal can face, however.

For proposals to be considered, they must address the extent of the social harm of a particular investment, show that there is a “breadth of concern” in the Tufts community about that issue and explain how the investment contradicts the university’s mission. The proposal must then offer a method of remedying the social harm at issue and explain how that action would resolve the harm while also considering the effect on the university’s investment returns.

Writing the proposal is only the first step. Next, a student must present their proposal to one of the approved bodies that can sponsor a proposal. These include the TCU Senate, the Faculty Senate, the Alumni Council and any of the graduate student councils.

Once one of the sponsors votes for the Advisory Group to be convened, the university administration must also sign off, including the office of the executive vice president.

If the committee is convened, it will review the proposal, request pertinent information from the University Investment Office and write a non-binding recommendation to the Investment Subcommittee which will make the final decision.

An Advisory Group would be composed of three trustees appointed by the Board, Tufts’ chief financial officer, the vice president of finance or their delegates, as well as two students and two faculty members appointed by the provost, according to the policy.

Despite the policy’s complexities, its existence signals a marked change in the administration’s handling of student demands surrounding the university’s investments. The last time students made a major push for divestment in 2014 and 2015, activists emerged from a 55-hour occupation of Monaco’s office with nationwide attention, but little in terms of substantive change.

This time, advocates seem to be getting a helping hand from within Ballou itself in the form of Howard, one of the university’s highest ranking officials.

Howard came to Tufts from Smith College over the summer, where he had been actively involved in that college’s fossil fuel divestment review, the TCA activists say. In mid-October, Smith’s president announced that the western Massachusetts women’s college will divest its endowment from fossil fuels over the next 15 years, according to reporting by the Sophian.

The TCA activists said that when they met with Howard on Nov. 4, they were expecting to argue their case for a new review. Instead, activists were “surprised”

by Howard, who informed them that the Board was already ironing out the particulars of the Advisory Group.

“Mike Howard has been very responsive to our calls for action this semester, which we greatly appreciate, having faced opposition from the administration in previous years,” the activists wrote.

They have another meeting scheduled with Howard this Friday to work on their proposal.

Access coalition looks to bring golf carts for injured, disabled students ACCESS

continued from page 1 ism in Sunrise Movement Tufts and her attempts to make the climate strike more accessible, told the Daily in an interview she was excited about the programs Gehling described. Murphy, a sophomore, noted that the increase in accessibility could lead to a more diverse student body.

“I think we don’t really think of [equitable access] as much of an issue because a lot of people who do have disabilities maybe don’t enroll in this college because they realize it’s going to be a huge accessibility issue,” she said.

Murphy said she hoped the organization would eventually move to include mental health issues in its goals to increase accessibility.

As ACT is a new student organization, university administration will have to review its plan to use golf carts.

A joint statement from Vice President for Operations Barbara Stein, Senior Campus Planner Heidi Sokol, Senior Facilities Director Cory Pouliot and Associate Dean of Student Accessibility and Academic Resources Kirsten Behling acknowledged the necessity of helping students with disabilities around accessibility barriers, but questioned the viability of the golf cart plan.

“Tufts Public Safety and Risk Management would need to review any such proposal to assess it for safety and risk,” the statement said.

Such risk factors include steep slopes, rain and snow, registration of the vehicles so they can cross public streets, storage of the vehicles, charging stations and logistical issues in assigning carts.

The statement emphasized that there are already resources on campus to help students navigate accessibility issues.

“Older buildings that have not yet been renovated pose a challenge for those with mobility limitations,” the statement said.

The statement emphasized that Student Accessibility Services already means to increase accessibility for students.

“Students can work with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) around access needs. SAS will work to help students by relocating their classes into accessible buildings, moving their dorm rooms if needed, and help identify accessible parking spaces if appropriate,” the statement said.

Gehling recognized the work SAS does to make Tufts more accessible for students, citing her request to proactively grant key card access to students with mobility issues.

“If you haven’t been in a building before, you don’t necessarily know that there’s a pathway that requires card access. You shouldn’t have to have a class in a building in order to get into it, if other students can get into it without having a class there. Equal access means a student with an injury or disability can get anywhere that a student without one can,” Gehling said.

Nevertheless, there is more room for improvement for student accessibility.

Through ACT, students with accessibility issues can suggest improvements that would make Tufts more accessible for them, as well as other students.

“Part of the reason that we want to talk to more people who have mobility issues is that we can have a better understanding of what the issues are because it is so individualized. We would love to hear anybody’s story or anyone’s suggestions about what else we could be doing or the university could be doing to make this place more accessible to everybody,” Gehling said.

In addition to directly helping students with disabilities and injuries get around campus, Gehling hopes to engage students across campus on the issue of disability.

“Our third program is an educational wing to the group where we could have panels or bring in speakers just to raise awareness about this issue,” she said.

ACT is still looking for new members to join the organization, including students to fill leadership positions on its executive board.

“We are looking for a liaison between our group and the administration, a fleet director to be in charge of one of our programs, a volunteer director and a few other positions,” Gehling said.

Rachel Freedman contributed reporting to this article.

News

Thursday, November 21, 2019 | News | THE TUFTS DAILY

3

Tufts professor discusses opioid harm reduction at Project SHARE, Hillel event

by Elli Sol Strich Staff Writer

Margie Skeer, associate professor of public health and community medicine at the Tufts School of Public Health, led an event titled “Confronting the Opioid Crisis” last night, discussing harm reduction and research surrounding opioid substance use disorder.

The event, held at the Granoff Family Hillel Center, included a presentation and question and answer period. The discussion highlighted intersections between policies and individual action as well as between social and medical issues as a means of destigmatizing and providing knowledge about the opioid crisis.

The event was co-hosted by Hillel’s Moral Voices in an effort to realize their 2019–20 theme of “substance abuse and the health care system” and Project SHARE, which focuses on health care access, resources and education in the community. According to Christian Senecal, a member of Project SHARE, the

partnership with Hillel allowed for more people to become engaged directly.

Skeer, a psychology major as an undergraduate, credited a college internship at a drug rehabilitation center for opening her eyes into the field. She stated that the experience was impactful in her realization that although she was the same age as many of the people who were trying to recover from heroin use disorder, “their lives were so drastically different from mine.”

According to Skeer, the opioid crisis is not defined by the use of opioids but by deaths occurring as a result of overdose.

According to Skeer, slogans such as “say no to drugs” and the word “addiction” wrongly convey the physical needs and compulsive drug-seeking behaviors of opioid substance use disorder as a disease.

She presented a table which depicted social determinants, both risk factors and protective factors, in multiple domains such as individual, family, peer, school and community.

Skeer’s current research, Substance Use Prevention Promoted by Eating Family

Dinners Regularly (SUPPER), explores family discussions with children about substance abuse as a protective factor.

Delving into more social determinants, she featured a short excerpt from the documentary, “The House I Live In” (2012).

The scenes depicted the racial and ethnic disparities within incarceration in direct relation to the discrimination of the war on drugs.

Skeer then recommended harm reduction measures, such as supervised injection facilities and syringe exchange programs, to help address the crisis and decrease the instances of death resulting from opioids.

According to Skeer, arguments that such facilities condone drug use fail to grasp the understanding of harm reduction and the reality of people who use drugs. The facilities provide sterile syringes, works and cookers, HIV testing, case management, drug treatment referrals, healthcare and hepatitis C treatment, as well as other services.

Above all, according to Skeer, they provide human interaction in a non-judge-

mental and non-stigmatizing way for people who have opioid use disorders.

“It’s very, very hard to walk around the world when you have track marks, when you are high, when you might be bleeding — people sort of see it as a throwaway population.

To be in a space where you are treated as a human being can be very rare,” Skeer said.

According to Skeer, individual changes such as not using the words “addict” and “junkie” colloquially and instead using language such as “person with an opioid use disorder” are ways for students to actively contribute to destigmatization.

“If everyone did that, we would actually see a difference in policy,” Skeer said.

Frederick Birnbaum, executive vice president of Tufts Hillel and a member of Project SHARE, conveyed his excitement over the conversation surrounding the opioid crisis happening but emphasized the importance of continuing the conversation.

“I really think education is essential and important,” Birnbaum, a senior, said.

“But if it doesn’t lead to action, then we are falling short.”

TCU Senate reduces Turkey Shuttle fare to $3

by Alexander Janoff Staff Writer

The Turkey Shuttle, a Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate-funded transportation option from the Mayer Campus Center to South Station and Boston Logan Airport, is once again running this year. This year, the price of a ticket for the Turkey Shuttle is $3, a departure from the previous ticket price of $5.

The shuttle will run on the afternoon of Nov. 26 and the morning of Nov. 27.

According to TCU Senate Treasurer Sharif Hamidi, the reason for this change in price is to remain competitive with other modes of transportation in the area.

“The combination of both FlixBus setting up on Tufts campus and driving people to New York, in addition to the fact that $3 is now significantly closer to the price of a T ticket, the hope is that [the price change] will act as an incentive to have more students take the Turkey Shuttle instead of Ubering or taking the T,” Hamidi, a junior, said.

According to a previous Daily article, FlixBus is a long-distance busing company that runs bus routes in 28 countries and 12 U.S. states. As of this year, FlixBus added a direct bus route from Tufts’ Mayer Campus Center to New York City.

According to Hamidi, TCU Senate runs a shuttle service before Thanksgiving break because it is the one time during the school year that many students leave campus at around the same time.

“It would be impractical to run shuttles for the two and a half weeks that encompass reading period plus final exams,” Hamidi said. “That’s why it’s done during the Thanksgiving recess.”

As well as citing the introduction of the FlixBus service directly from Tufts to New York City, TCU Senate Services Committee Chair Tim Leong said that some students didn’t take the Turkey Shuttle because the T was cheaper and the convenience of riding the Turkey Shuttle wasn’t quite worth the cost.

“One thing I heard a lot from last year is people saying that they weren’t really interested in the Turkey Shuttle because they felt that it was just as easy to take the T for less money,” Leong, a sophomore, said.

Jonah Hoyt, who is flying home to Chicago, Ill. on Tuesday, is one student who is not interested in taking the Turkey Shuttle. Instead, he is planning on Ubering to the airport. Hoyt mentioned logistical reasons for Ubering instead of taking the Turkey Shuttle, despite Uber’s higher price tag.

“I don’t know Logan well, and I want to be dropped off where my gate is since I don’t know the layout of the airport,” Hoyt, a first-year, said.

Despite this, Leong maintains that the Turkey Shuttle is an excellent option for students trying to get home for Thanksgiving break, especially at the reduced ticket price. According to Leong, the Turkey Shuttle is faster than the T while having a significantly reduced risk of delays.

TCU Senate funds the Turkey Shuttle from funds in the Senate Treasury.

According to Hamidi, the funds in the Treasury come from every student’s Student Activities Fee, a part of a student’s regular tuition and fees.

“The Senate budget includes $2,500 to pay for this year’s Turkey Shuttle,” Hamidi said.

Hamidi said that the intent of the Turkey Shuttle is not to turn a profit but to provide a service to Tufts students who need to find a cheap and easy way to get off campus for Thanksgiving break.

“The goal is to help as many students as possible, which is why we’re OK with making the price [of a ticket] lower for students if it means more of them can make use of them,” Hamidi said.

According to Leong, each Turkey Shuttle bus will run a route from the Campus Center to South Station before dropping students off at a central location at Logan. Students can buy tickets for the Turkey Shuttle at tuftstickets.com.

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After Tufts-in-Hong Kong cancellation, enrolled students Thinking outside make other plans for next semester HONG KONG hours before juniors in the School of Arts Education office has been helpful given continued from page 1 and Sciences could register for classes. the circumstances. the box

Kenia French Antidotes to Climate Apathy

C

limate change is an existential crisis that needs creative and innovative solutions. In other words, in order to accomplish anything, we’re going to need to think outside of the box. But what does that even mean?

One example of an environmental organization that has found a way to think differently is the Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ). CHEJ is essentially an umbrella organization for resources in grassroots activism and community organizing, specifically surrounding environmental health and justice. Its story is actually insane: Lois Gibbs was a stay-at-home mom in the 1970s, living in a neighborhood called Love Canal near Niagara Falls in New York. When she noticed all of the kids in the neighborhood were getting sick, she did some digging and learned that the neighborhood had actually been constructed on top of a toxic landfill.

What’s worse is that no one in local government or otherwise would help, claiming the landfill wasn’t their responsibility. So Lois took matters into her own hands — she started an activism campaign that gained national attention, demanding her children be allowed to live in a community that wasn’t poisoning them. That campaign eventually became the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), better known as the Superfund program, which today is responsible for designating and cleaning the nation’s most toxic hazardous waste sites.

Now, CHEJ works intimately with keeping the Superfund program in check. I learned at CHEJ that laws like CERCLA can provide an excellent framework for getting things done.

However, bureaucracy means that progress is slow: Sites listed as Superfund sites probably won’t get cleaned up unless someone is constantly nagging the government to do so.

CHEJ frames its entire approach around this philosophy that grassroots activism and government programs can sometimes work in tandem. CHEJ knows that because the Superfund program was born out of community organizing, it ultimately must be enforced through community organizing. Today, CHEJ helps communities across the country get cleaned up through the Superfund program.

Lois Gibbs is a realist: she knows that in order to get a community cleaned up under the Superfund program, the community must be willing to put in the work to organize. She’ll help a community learn how to organize more effectively, but she won’t do that work for it because she knows it’s futile.

However, when a community does want to put in the work, CHEJ is beyond creative with its strategies and approaches to activism. They offer a small grants program, a leadership training academy and science and technical assistance, among other things. While their approach can be complex and varied depending on the case, they actually have success in accomplishing concrete goals for people.

My takeaway from my time working with CHEJ is that sometimes, the most successful activism works in tandem with government programs. Sometimes, especially when we are on a deadline, we have to take advantage of structures that are already in place in order to achieve our goals.

Kenia French is a junior studying international relations and environmental studies.

Kenia can be reached at kenia.french@ tufts.edu.

Ghosh added that only a handful of Tuftsin-Hong Kong students applied for an alternate study abroad program.

The protests that happened in Hong Kong last spring were not disruptive to the program, according to a statement from Vera Sui Ping Yip, resident director of Tuftsin-Hong Kong, read by Ghosh.

“The protests in the past were orderly protests in locations that were designated ahead of time. The organizers applied to the police with the schedule, the route and estimated participants. The [protests] last March and April were more peaceful, smaller-scale and had no impact on the daily life of [Tufts] students while they were here,” Yip said.

The cancellation of a Tufts study abroad program is not without precedent: Tufts-in-Ghana was halted in spring 2000 and suspended for four semesters after numerous instances of rape and sexual assault against Tufts students.

Ghosh said that this is the first time Tufts has cancelled a study abroad program due to protests.

Tufts joins other institutions in cancelling upcoming programs in Hong Kong, including the University of California system and the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Several others have also cut short their ongoing Hong Kong programs over the past two weeks, including Syracuse University, Georgetown University and the University of Edinburgh.

Ghosh said that Tufts had not made any tuition payments to its program partner, the University of Hong Kong (HKU). “[HKU] has been incredibly supportive,” Ghosh said.

Since the program was cancelled, Tufts’ Global Education office, headed by Ghosh, has been guiding students in figuring out their plans for next spring, including connecting students with external programs or the Office of Residential Life and Learning for their on-campus housing needs.

Jamie Gareh initially enrolled in Tufts-inHong Kong but decided to switch to his backup — an external program in South Africa — after hearing from Ghosh on Nov. 13 about a potential cancellation.

“It was the end of October … I just signed up very quickly on the last day before the deadline for this program in South Africa,” Gareh, a junior, said. “But I kept it in the back of my mind, as a … [backup]. Up until Wednesday [Nov. 13], I hadn’t really thought about doing that program.”

Gareh did not initially have any worries about studying in Hong Kong.

“I had a few concerns. But I’ve [got] family who lives there, I spoke to them and they [said], ‘You’ll be fine, as long as you don’t go to specific places where protests are happening. Life still goes on as normal.’ Everything sounded like it’ll be okay,” he said. “I didn’t expect [to use my backup] … I was more hopeful about it.”

Likewise, Tufts-in-Hong Kong prospective student Claire Devaney, who did not apply for alternative study abroad programs, did not expect the program to be cancelled.

“My friend was studying abroad in Hong Kong … I was talking to her beforehand and the beginning [of the protests] was fine, so I wasn’t really worried about the effect on exchange programs or travel,” Devaney, a junior, said.

Devaney felt that students were given very little notice that the program would be cancelled, leaving her scrambling to firm up her plans for the spring. She noted that Ghosh’s Nov. 13 email, which raised the possibility of cancellation, was sent less than 48

“We had a meeting a month ago … they were monitoring [the situation in Hong Kong], but it would probably be okay, and then on Wednesday [Nov. 13] was the first we heard any news about [the program being] potentially cancelled,” she said.

Having her plans disrupted has been frustrating for Devaney, who was looking forward to going abroad. She wished that Global Education communicated more and supported her more in navigating the impact of the program’s cancellation.

Matthew Oh, too, did not have a backup plan to study abroad. Oh, a junior, took the step to voluntarily withdraw from Tufts-in-Hong Kong after reading the email on Nov. 13.

“I was [already] thinking about dropping out of the program because of all the news that was coming in,” he said. “I ultimately decided not to go because I didn’t think I’d have a good time there. I was afraid of the program being cancelled in the middle of the semester, and I’d lose a semester of classes.”

While Oh was eventually fine with staying at Medford for another semester, he originally had his eyes set on a semester in Hong Kong and did not consider other study abroad options.

“I was really set on going to Hong Kong.

I just didn’t take it seriously enough that I might have to drop out or the program might be cancelled, so it was too late to start thinking about other programs that I would go to,” he said.

Oh said that settling his spring plans has been a “scramble” but the Global

“They were very responsive … very prompt in their responses and they answered everything I needed,” he said. “Obviously the situation [in Hong Kong] is not under their control. I do feel bad for them too.”

On Tufts’ study abroad programs more generally, Ghosh said that many factors are considered when deciding whether to cancel a program, both before it commences or while it is ongoing.

Some of these factors include State Department travel advisories, advice from Tufts’ international medical and travel security services provider International SOS and curtailment of access to basic services like transportation and food.

In addition to safety, Ghosh said the university also considers whether the program can fulfill its mission to provide an immersive academic and cultural experience.

“If [the students] are safe, if it’s not a safety concern, but rather a … mobility issue where they can’t get around town or the city or travel freely, [we assess] is it worth them going abroad … versus not going abroad at all?” she said.

Ghosh added that all Tufts students are advised not to participate in political protests while studying abroad.

“We do not believe our students going abroad should attend any political protests or demonstrations in international locations, where they are not familiar with the culture, the location, the city and the different political factions,” she said.

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Shults talks writing, directing ‘Waves’

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A promotional poster for ‘Waves’ (2019) is pictured.

by Christopher Panella

Executive Social Media Editor

Premiering at the Telluride Film Festival this past August, “Waves” (2019) is a detailed study of a black family in South Florida — father Ronald (Sterling K. Brown), stepmother Catharine (Renée Elise Goldsberry), daughter Emily (Taylor Russell) and son Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). Directed and written by Trey Edward Shults, the film navigates various aspects of these characters; at its heart are Emily and Tyler, who struggle with being young and learning about relationships. And while “Waves” might present itself as a slower and more thoughtful swim in the ocean, a tragedy mid-film pulls the story under the

surface and forces these characters to put themselves back together again.

In a phone interview, Shults discussed making “Waves” and why the story of Tyler and Emily was so important for him to tell.

“It’s really about trying to understand how a tragedy happens and then, for a family, trying to rebuild as much as possible given how terrible this is,” Shults said. That tragedy is felt through two perspectives: first Tyler and then Emily, before “sort of exploding out in key moments for them, and there’s this sort of ripple effect felt throughout everyone in the film.” Shults noted that telling the story in this way was a privilege, allowing him and the audience to connect to these characters at a deeper level than their circumstances.

The story is personal; it has various auto-biographical elements that Shults uses to understand the film’s characters.

“Aspects of it were brewing for a long time,” he commented. “Very personal things between myself, my girlfriend, my family.”

But Shults also made sure the script wasn’t just his ideas — he worked with Harrison Jr. on the character of Tyler. Shults and Harrison Jr. had previously worked together on “It Comes at Night” (2017). “I think for myself it was getting to the other side of things in life, and having perspective on those things, perspective being really huge to put these things together and do a coherent story and then also collaboration,” Shults said.

Some of the most appealing aspects of “Waves” are its cinematography and setting — the film takes place across various locations in South Florida, like the city of Hollywood. Shults and cinematographer Drew Daniels rely on bursting colors and gorgeous landscapes to make the film feel fresh. “We lived there for a number of years and I just love that area in Broward County,” Shults said, “and I just love the energy down there, it just feels special and it feels right.” He felt like the area was personal and the right backdrop for this family and this story. The music adds to the feel, too; the soundtrack features Frank Ocean, with some Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, SZA and Amy Winehouse. The soundtrack is both seemingly what Tyler and Emily might listen to on a drive on Hollywood Beach and a way to elevate the feel of the film.

“Waves” also thrives on other strong choices with the camera, which moves and swirls like its own characters — in the opening scene, Tyler and his girlfriend Alexis Lopez (Alexa Demie) drive while blasting music, the camera spinning in between them like a passenger in the car. “Pretty much everything in the filmmaking is meant to immerse you in a subjective experience,” Shults said. And he noted that these choices were directly influenced by the story’s narrow focus on Tyler and Emily. “We approached anything with the cinematography and the camera movement with, ‘What is honest to Tyler?’ or ‘What is honest to Emily in this moment?’ and their relationship and where their loves are.”

The central tragedy takes a long time to boil in “Waves” — the viewer first sees Tyler as a successful high school athlete, but a failing performance due to a damaged shoulder combined with his girlfriend’s

pregnancy prompt his destruction. It’s upsetting to watch Tyler’s family react to his fall from grace, but the film takes time afterwards to rebuild everything through the eyes of Emily, focusing on her blossoming relationship with her boyfriend Luke (Lucas Hedges). “Waves” takes its time to heal after the trauma.

Watching Tyler’s spiral is incredibly tough. There are scenes — like a particular moment where Tyler’s anger bursts and he destroys his entire bedroom — that contrast well with nice moments of laughter at breakfast after church or Tyler and Alexis kissing in the ocean. “Going to some of these places was hard because we wanted to make it feel honest and true and really go there,” Shults said. He was clear that while shooting some of “Waves” was incredibly fun, there were some emotionally exhausting moments.

And that dichotomy is best sold by the incredible acting present throughout the film, from Brown’s dominating father figure to Hedges’ somewhat goofy and awkward love interest. “I had just seen ‘Manchester by the Sea’ (2016) and loved it and loved him in it,” Shults said, “and we met, and it just clicked.” Shults described getting Brown in “Waves” as “just a dream” and noted that all of the cast blew him away when reading for the roles. “All I tried to do was work with good human beings who were greatly talented and loved what we were trying to do and wanted to collaborate and build each other up.”

Arguably the most rewarding plot of the film is Emily’s support for Luke as he heals his own past family trauma. Luke discovers that his father, who he has been estranged from, is dying, and Emily persuades Luke to go see him. “In her pushing him to do this, I think it pushes her to a new place with her grief internally,” Shults noted. It’s this moment where much of “Waves” comes together — Emily helps herself find peace while helping Luke and then brings peace to her own family, particularly her father, Ronald.

That’s where Shults is able to make “Waves” feel like a cleansing experience, which the film presents in its final shot of Emily riding her bike in silence, the sun shining bright and the air seemingly warm and inviting. It invites the viewer to see the world through her eyes and understand more about this particular family’s process in dealing with a traumatic experience — the coping is the story, not necessarily the event itself.

“Waves” is showing everywhere now.

Tool impresses Boston fans with a wondrous, mind-bending set

by Geoff Tobia Jr.

Assistant Arts Editor

Thirteen years after their last album, “10,000 Days” (2006), was released, Tool made shockwaves across the music scene with the release of a new album: “Fear Inoculum” (2019). A Los Angeles-based rock band, Tool has been hailed as one of the best bands across many genres, including alternative metal, prog metal, math rock and experimental rock. Its discography is considered by many to be one of the most flawless discographies of any band, and its latest addition has excited both old and new fanbases. Along its tour in support of “Fear Inoculum,” Tool stopped at the TD Garden in Boston on Nov. 14 to perform a live set.

Opening act Killing Joke kicked off the energy as fans began to pour in from bars

and extremely long lines for Tool merch.

Physically, Killing Joke’s lead singer Jaz Coleman radiated serious Ozzy Osbourneesque energy, as he was clad in an allblack suit, and wore white makeup on his face. Coleman would lift his hands and look around, as if he were trying to conjure up spirits. His vocal delivery proved to be much more deep and growly than Ozzy’s, which fit the band’s hard-hitting instrumentals well.

Killing Joke was welcomed well by fans, and was given a substantial applause as the band exited the stage.

The first Tool member to take the stage was drummer Danny Carey, who was dressed in a Boston Celtics jersey (Larry Bird, for those curious), which was greeted very well. Then, cheers for the first song began immediately, as the opening synth to the title track “Fear Inoculum” rang through-

out TD Garden. The rest of the band members made their way onstage, and finished off the song, with the help of singing and screaming fans.

As an introduction, the only words that lead singer Maynard James Keenan had for Boston were “DUNKIN F***IN DONUTS!” After a mix of laughter and cheer filled the Garden, the band began to play “Ænima,” the title track off of their 1996 album of the same name. One of the main features of the set was a projected set background that featured Tool music videos and other miscellaneous Toolesque artwork, including a Mandelbrot set.

A gray string curtain surrounded the band, which also allowed for a secondary projection of swirling purple lines, lightning bolts and other visual effects to surround the stage.

Following “Ænima,” the stage went dark, and Keenan began to sing words

that the entire crowd sung along to: “Who are you to wave your finger? You must’ve been out of your head.” One of Tool’s most popular songs, “The Pot” (2006) drew one of the greatest reactions of excitement from the audience. It would be difficult to find a concert with a greater amount of devil horns thrown up by fans than during this song.

The curtains opened up when it came time for “Pneuma” off of “Fear Inoculum” (2019). The song had a perfect set design, and the play style was executed incredibly.

The buildup for “Pneuma” was perfect, and as the first guitar bridge played, the background changed from blue swirling clouds to a red-hot wall of magma. One of the most intense moments in the setlist was during

see TOOL, page 6

6

THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Living | Thursday, November 21, 2019

Colette Smith and Madison Lehan Love It or Haute It

tuftsdaily.com

LA-based Tool performs at TD Garden

Dr. Martens

D

r. Martens boots are some of the most iconic and recognizable types of footwear out there, but they even had an interesting history before they were being worn by everyone from rockstars to hipsters. Dr. Martens were originally advertised as “Airwair” because they featured air-cushioned soles, and they were primarily two-euro work shoes that were sold to the British working class. The shoes were soon picked up by other buyers: the youths of London, specifically those in the skinhead subculture. Next, Pete Townshend of The Who wore a pair and, soon enough, the Dr. Martens brand was on its way to being the icon it is today. While we all may be able to agree that the history of Dr. Martens is interesting and that they are very recognizable, today we discuss whether the hype that has surrounded these shoes for decades is worth it.

Coco: In general, I think that if something has been able to last through decades of fashion trend changes and shifts, it is worthy of whatever hype it has, and Dr. Martens are no exception to that. These boots match with everything. I have seen them work with jeans and a sweater, sundresses, and once even a wedding dress. They simply seem to be able to do it all and that alone should be enough for them to be considered worthy. But if you need more, just think about how powerful you feel when wearing Dr. Martens.

They transport you back to London in the ‘60s, and you are just a rebellious teenager roaming the streets, waiting to go to the next concert where you will stomp your boots to the beats with your other equally youthful and rebellious friends. So in conclusion, Dr. Martens match everything and can turn you into a London youth in the ‘60s. Therefore, they are in fact worth the hype they have been receiving for decades.

Beans: While I respect Coco’s take this week, I think these days Dr. Martens have strayed too far from their edgy origins. Although I want nothing more than to be transported back to London in the ‘60s as a working class male, Dr. Martens can no longer accomplish this. They are way too mainstream now. If you were to take a walk around Tufts, you would notice that everyone and their mother were wearing a pair of these once iconic classics. Scroll through your Instagram feed and every TikTok famous VSCO girl is posing in a pair in front of an all-pink brick wall in LA. Simply throwing on a pair of overpriced boots doesn’t make it look like you listen to punk music anymore. I encourage those interested in buying a pair to invest first in a tasteful leather vest, some extreme hold hair gel, and maybe even get a lip piercing (or three). Then, and only then, is it appropriate to finish off this true punk rock look with a pair of Dr. Martens.

Colette Smith is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Colette can be reached at colette.smith@tufts.edu. Madison Lehan is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Madison can be reached at madison.lehan@tufts.edu.

COURTESY OF BRANDON KARAVITCH VIA GEOFFREY TOBIA

Lead singer Maynard James Keenan (left) and bassist Justin Chancellor (right) of Tool are pictured on Nov. 14 at TD Garden.

TOOL

continued from page 5 the final heavy chorus, where the usual bassline was paired with an intense, chugging guitar riff to up the intensity.

You could feel the souls of diehard Tool fans escape their bodies in a brief moment of ecstasy as the intro for “Schism” (2001) played. Then, the song’s famous bassline began to play, which was met with deafening uproar. Watching bassist Justin Chancellor work his fingers to play the complex bassline was truly a sight to see. To accompany the song, the music video for “Schism” played, which features human-like aliens in a gray cave-like setting. Albeit a little distracting, it added another visual component of the show that further entertained fans.

The intro riff to “Jambi” (2006) followed, which was met with a plethora of screams and whistles. When Keenan

wasn’t singing, he was squatting, rocking back and forth, anxiously waiting to get back up to the mic. The background featured a square spiral that mimicked the pattern of the golden ratio. During “Intolerance,” off of their debut album “Undertow” (1993), many fans were too busy head-banging to catch that the bassist was trying to get a clap going. “Forty Six & 2” (1996) then followed, in which the curtains reappeared, and swirling orange spotlights came over Chancellor and lead guitarist Adam Jones. At the conclusion of this song, the front row all bowed down religiously to the band as they exited the stage for a 12-minute intermission.

When the break was over, Carey took the stage again, this time in a Los Angeles Lakers jersey. This, of course, was met with a mix of laughs and boos. Carey went up to a gong on one of the stage’s platforms and played

a quick solo, switching between drumsticks and gong mallet. This led into “Chocolate Chip Trip,” (2019) which was an impressive mix between drum solo and drum pad solo.

The rest of the band re-entered to play “Invincible,” (2019) which shook the Garden once again into head-banging and cheering. Another classic song, “Stinkfist,” (1996) served as the final song, and then Tool’s set came to a conclusion.

To sum up the collective feeling of fans leaving a Tool concert, I give you this anecdote. Walking down Causeway Street, among the heavy commotion, I saw a man leaning over and calling for his buddy, and drunkenly fell over doing so. One fan passing by the other way screamed “Yeah, TOOL!” in reaction to the amusing blunder. In short, no Tool fan left the stadium feeling anything less than satisfaction and awe.

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Jess: “This is what Kristina means when she says we need new blood.”

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8

CROSSWORD

tuftsdaily.com

Opinion EDITORIAL

Tufts must act to achieve gender pay parity A Nov. 12, 2019, article in the Daily reported that the net wage gap between male and female professors has expanded. These findings emerged from a 2018–19 study by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), which reveals that full-time female professors at Tufts get paid, on average, $5,400 less than their male counterparts, and that a gender wage gap exists for assistant, associate and full professor positions. However, this data does not tell the whole story. Tufts Executive Director of Media Relations Patrick Collins told the Daily in an email that the survey presented data in aggregate, meaning that it lumped together salaries of professors in a variety of disciplines who have varying levels of seniority, education, experience and performance in their respective fields. The AAUP report may not provide a nuanced and comprehensive enough representation of pay disparities because it does not account for the aforementioned factors, coupled with several others, that affect salaries.

The last in-depth study of faculty salaries at Tufts was conducted 11 years ago in the 2008–09 academic year. Professor of economics Jeff Zabel conducted the study, employing a regression analysis that controlled for variables including rank, years at the university, department, lateral hire and chair position. In his study, he found a variance of about 1–2% in salaries between genders. Tufts had not achieved complete parity a decade ago, and we do not know where Tufts stands right now. We need to know if this gap still remains, and if it has widened or narrowed. As an institution dedicated to upholding values of diversity and inclusion, Tufts should actively attempt to discern and address any issues of gender inequality.

If, as Tufts asserts, the aggregate data from the AAUP oversimplifies wage comparisons, it is critical that the university gather the data that truly reflects the status of the wage gap. Tufts should conduct a more sophisticated analysis of the gender wage comparison for professors, similar to Zabel’s study. A more comprehensive analysis tells a more detailed story, and with that, Tufts will be able to identify and remedy any inequities.

This more comprehensive analysis could also account for how other factors like race may affect salaries and could more closely examine how the intersections of numerous identities influence pay. Wage inequalities based on race persist as a national issue. The United States Census Bureau 2018 report found that black and Hispanic households had lower median incomes than their white and Asian counterparts, and the Institute for Women’s Policy Research reports that pay disparities are even more significant for women of color. In including these additional variables, Tufts would be better equipped to ensure that pay evaluations are fair and eliminate the influences of gender and race in salaries, a problem that persists on a national scale.

It is important that the university does not just issue a one-time study; this data should be gathered regularly. In the aforementioned Daily article, Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Sheldon Krimsky mentioned a past program professors could use to compare their salary against that of the average of their cohort group. If there was a standard deviation difference in salaries, a claim could be made and the university would sometimes issue just compensation. Because no such reports have been made since the Tufts AAUP

chapter became inactive, faculty no longer have a means to assess whether they are being paid equitably. To promote transparency and honor the hard work of Tufts faculty, the university should collect data and conduct analysis.

To combat these inequities, Tufts must approach the issue from multiple angles.

Female underrepresentation in leadership positions contributes to and perpetuates gender wage disparities. In 2018, the Eos Foundation ranked Tufts 87th out of 93 Massachusettsbased schools in its Women’s Power Gap in Higher Education report, deeming Tufts an institution whose gender disparities in leadership “need urgent attention.” In response to the findings of the report, the TCU Senate passed a resolution last semester titled “A Resolution Calling on Tufts University to Achieve Gender Parity in University Leadership.” Since then, Tufts has made efforts to increase the number of women in leadership. This past year, several women have assumed senior leadership positions, including provost, vice provost for research and dean of the Fletcher School.

The Eos Foundation currently ranks Tufts 60th out of 87 Massachusetts-based schools, a slight improvement from last year’s ranking.

However, Tufts still lags behind some of its peer schools in the NESCAC in gender parity, including Amherst College, ranked 31st, and Williams College, ranked 42nd.

Collins has acknowledged that Tufts still “has room for improvement” — it is important that the university has taken this first step to recognize the need for change. However, recognition should translate into sustained action. Tufts must maintain and strengthen existing efforts so that full gender parity can be achieved across the board.

9 Thursday, November 21, 2019

Noah Mills and Caitlin Colino Spaceship Earth

I

Whose views: part 2

BY JULIA BARONI

n a continuation of our previous column, two more politicians’ political platforms in relation to the Green New Deal will be discussed. Two weeks ago, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren were compared, and now Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg’s platforms will be thrown into the mix. We know this campus leans pretty liberal, but it’s useful to know more moderate platforms when talking with others. So without further ado, let’s get started.

Although Buttigieg seems to have more moderate stances compared to his fellow candidates, he stands out in that he’s actually part of the generation that will be most affected by the climate crisis. His website calls it “the greatest challenge of our time.” His actual plan is divided into three parts: 1) build a clean economy, 2) invest in resilience and 3) and demonstrate global leadership. The main goal of the first section is to invest in clean energy and reach a carbon neutral society by 2050. He wants to follow the vision of the Green New Deal but apply his own more market-focused plans. By 2025, he wants to double the amount of clean electricity produced in the United States. However, considering only approximately 17% of current energy production is green, this aspect of the plan won’t have much impact. Furthermore, as time goes on, it would appear that energy consumption will only increase, so more ambitious plans are needed. His plan ultimately commits around $1.5 trillion and estimates that it will create 3 million jobs, making it much weaker economically than plans like Bernie’s. Overall, it seems difficult to fully call this a “Green New Deal” as it seems to fail to create the radical change needed to combat climate change.

This is clear when compared to other climate plans, even when compared to another fairly moderate candidate like Joe Biden.

Biden’s climate plan invests $1.7 trillion and claims to adopt the Green New Deal as its central framework. It matches in many ways the plan proposed by Buttigieg, although it is slightly more intentional in its commitment to climate justice. His stance on labor rights compared to other candidates is much weaker, however. While Biden’s plan states that he will “defend workers’ rights to form unions and collectively bargain,” in an environment that is rather hostile against unions, a president is needed that will actively fight for unions and the rights of workers in the new green sector.

For a candidate who used to support “clean coal” during the Obama years, Biden has certainly come a long way. However even his plan should be considered moderate. In order to fully tackle the crisis of climate change, a radical new approach must be taken. Although he supports the ideals and the framework of the Green New Deal, without sufficient investment, the framework will not be enough.

In conclusion, as you approach conversations about the 2020 elections with your Boomer parents and family over Thanksgiving dinner, we hope these analyses have provided some helpful discussion points. And while you’re at it, maybe check that you’re registered to vote. To reiterate, no matter who we elect, we must mobilize locally and nationally: ORGANIZE. VOTE. STRIKE.

The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community.

The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board.

EDITORIALS Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily.

OP-EDS The Op-Ed section of The Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length and submitted to opinion@tuftsdaily.com. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. Authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions.

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Noah Mills is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Noah can be reached at noah.mills@tufts.edu. Caitlin Colino is a sophomore studying environmental engineering. Caitlin can be reached at caitlin. colino@tufts.edu.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

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THE TUFTS DAILY | ADVERTISEMENT | Thursday, November 21, 2019

Wendell Phillips: Nineteenth-century American lawyer, orator, fervent abolitionist, and advocate for women’s and Native People’s rights.

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Each year, one graduating senior is chosen to be the class speaker during Commencement Weekend at the Baccalaureate Service. Established in 1896 and named for Wendell Phillips, the speech is intended to deliver a message of civic engagement for our time.

Faculty, staff, and students may nominate seniors to apply to be the Wendell Phillips Speaker, and seniors many self-nominate. Nominees will be invited to apply by January with a resume of leadership and service activities and a recorded speech.

Applications are reviewed by the Committee on Student Life (CSL), who will invite finalists to audition at an open forum in March before selecting the winner. This award also carries a cash prize.

Nominate today and learn more: http://chaplaincy.tufts.edu/wendellphillips For more information, please contact University Chaplain ad interim, Dr. Jennifer Howe Peace at chaplaincy@tufts.edu or 617.627.3427.

Nomination Deadline: Friday, November 22, 2019 by 5 p.m.

Sports

Thursday, November 21, 2019 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY

Volleyball falls short of Bowdoin 3–2, finishes stellar season 28–2

11

Aiden Herrod The Zone Read

Vibe sandwich

H

ave you ever heard of a compliment sandwich? It’s a way to give constructive feedback while reinforcing some of the positive elements of whatever you may be assessing. I want to take a similar approach to assess the NFL this week, with something I call the “vibe sandwich” (it’s a working title). There’s some good and some bad to work through this week, so my aim is to tackle it in the most constructive way I see fit.

JULIA MCDOWELL FOR TUFTS UNIVERSITY

Senior middle/opposite hitter Heather Holz hits the ball during a match against Springfield College on Oct. 18.

by Jason Schwartz Staff Writer

On Saturday afternoon, the volleyball team (28–2) lost to the Bowdoin Polar Bears (21–7) in the NCAA Regional second round in Cousens Gym. The heartbreaking match went into five sets (14–25, 25–16, 25–27, 25–15, 15–13), with the Jumbos falling 3–2.

This match was a rematch of the NESCAC Championship that the Jumbos won in five sets last weekend. As NESCAC champions and fresh off a win against Eastern Nazarene a day earlier, the Jumbos came onto the court confident and ready to play.

The Jumbos played an exhilarating first set. Senior setter/opposite hitter Rachel Furash, who was named to the 2019 Academic All-District Volleyball Team on Thursday, once again displayed her prowess as a server from the very beginning of the match. Out of the first six serves of the game, four were aces, with Furash leading Tufts out to an early 6–0 lead. However, the Polar Bears were able to scavenge some points and tighten the Jumbos’ lead through a couple of smart cross shots. The Jumbos, nevertheless, prevented the Polar Bears from gaining any momentum and finished on top in the first set, 25–14.

Bowdoin finally broke through to begin the second set, tacking on seven consecutive points. However, the Jumbos rallied back. After senior middle/opposite hitter Christina Nwankpa added a kill and Furash aced another serve, the Jumbos were within a point of the Polar Bears, 13–12. This point in the set would be the last time the Jumbos were within a point of the Polar Bears in the second. Bowdoin capitalized on a couple of Jumbo errors to take an 18–12 lead and the Polar Bears went on to win the second set 25–16.

The Polar Bears marched ahead early in the third set to go up 11–4. On a series of serves put up by sophomore outside/ opposite hitter Cate Desler as server, the tide changed. The Jumbos scored six consecutive points to reach one under, 11–10.

Both teams duked it out point-for-point for the rest of the match. Ultimately, a kill from Desler resulted in a 27–25 Jumbo set victory.

The two teams battled neck-and-neck to open up the fourth set. Once the score reached 5–5, Tufts began to lose a little traction. The Polar Bears slowly extended their lead for the entirety of the set. Ultimately,

Bowdoin picked up a 25–15 win in the fourth set to tie the match 2–2.

The Jumbos jumped ahead of the Polar Bears at the beginning of the fifth set, garnering the first five points of the set. The polar bear kept tugging on poor Jumbo’s tail as Allyson Hawkins turned in an ace and Caroline Flaharty tied the game eighta-piece for Bowdoin. Another ace from Hawkins put the Polar Bears ahead 9–8.

Behind 13–11, the Jumbos forced two Polar Bear errors that tied the game at 13 all.

The Polar Bears got kills from Hawkins and Ashley Williams to clinch the 15–13 win in the fifth set. Both players from both teams played their hearts out and put together a fantastic and nail-biting game of volleyball.

In a post-game press conference, junior middle/opposite hitter and co-captain Jennifer Ryan, who accumulated an impressive 11 kills and three blocks during the game, praised her team’s tenacity and chemistry throughout the season.

“It takes all 17 to do what we do,” Bell said. “It takes our seniors, who are incredible leaders and incredible players. We all needed to be in it — that is what we told our [first-years]. You’re either all in or nothing.

Most of all, we wanted to have fun and live in the moment and play TUVB and be there for one another and support one another.”

The soul-crushing loss marked the end of the careers of the graduating seniors, who will be graduating in May 2020. Nwankpa describes her four-year experience in the Tufts volleyball program.

“I’m very proud of this program; there [are] no words to describe,” Nwankpa said.

“It’s been a crazy ride. Every year we have had a great determination and great grit. We have grown so much as individuals and as a team.”

Coach Cora Thompson also had a couple of profound remarks about the graduating seniors.

“The leadership that the seniors showed on day one was so important,” Thompson said. “They had a laser-like focus and knew what it took to win. They also took care of each other and the rest of the team. They will never be replaced.”

Before losing to Bowdoin, Tufts won a decisive 3–0 victory over Eastern Nazarene in the first round of the NCAA championships in Cousens Gym. The win improved the Jumbos’ overall record to 28–1. For Eastern Nazarene, their season came to an end with a 17–7 record.

The two teams went neck-and-neck to open up the first set. After the score reached 5–4, the Jumbos scored four points with sophomore setter/opposite hitter Ariel Zedric at service. The Jumbos kept picking at the score and eventually won the first set 25–14.

The Jumbos gained a comfortable 5–2 lead early in the second set. Zedric assumed service position again, and the Jumbos scored five points off her serve to take a 10–2 lead. The Jumbos were able to grow that lead to 10 when they got behind the serve of first-year outside/ opposite hitter Jennelle Yarwood and tallied five more to take a 19–9 lead. Tufts took a two-set lead in the match with a 25–17 win in set two.

The Jumbos scored the first 11 points of the third set. That lead would be too much for the Lions to overcome and the Jumbos closed out the match win with a 25–9 win in the third set.

In a post-game press conference, Thompson, Desler and senior outside/opposite hitter and co-captain Maddie Stewart complimented the team’s ability to match Eastern Nazarene’s aggressive style of play.

“Their outsides are very aggressive and made us work defensively,” Thompson said.

“We made sure we controlled the tempo on offensive and made sure we kept our offensive in system. I’m really proud of our team for staying aggressive the whole game.”

Desler echoed her coach’s statement.

“Our defense did a great job keeping our feet moving and staying along the back line to get the deep shots Nazarene shot at us,” Desler said. “The centers did a great job [spreading] the offense around. Everyone got a chance to hit and we kept the blockers on the other team guessing.”

Stewart, who was awarded the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Northeast Region Player of the Year on Thursday — and one of six Jumbos to receive an AVCA regional award — shared her team’s ability to work as a unit.

“In practice, we come in every day with a purpose to get better and keep improving our side of the game,” Stewart said. “We have this mentality to constantly improve as a unit. It shows on the court because we go on the court looking to improve our ball control, routes, blocking, our defense.

When that’s our mindset, it works out for ourselves really well.”

Good vibes: NFC playoff parity Get the popcorn. The 49ers, Packers, Saints, Cowboys, Seahawks, Vikings, Eagles, Rams … the list goes on. The NFC playoff seedings are going to be one of the best league-wide storylines to watch in the coming weeks, and it should lead to some truly intense games.

The 49ers have dates with the Packers and Saints coming up, and one of these three teams is guaranteed to miss out on a first round bye. The Cowboys have won some convincing games but also have a loss to the Jets, and with the Eagles creeping up on them, this should lead to some drama-filled football in the big D. The Vikings are out to prove Kirk Cousins isn’t an $84 million mistake.

The storylines are endless, and a single win could change the course of a season, or even a franchise.

Bad vibes: Myles Garrett’s terrible, horrible, no good very bad decision making Wow. Last Thursday night’s game left me in awe. Talk to my suitemates, I refused to shut up about it. Garrett committed a heinous and violent act when he removed Mason Rudolph’s helmet and bludgeoned him over the head with it, an act that is unprecedented and intolerable in the NFL. Remember, this is the same NFL that let violent linebacker Vontaze Burfict play for so long. Garrett’s actions summed up the Browns season — one overshadowed by a lack of discipline and wasted talent.

To the Browns, I simply say this: pick up the pieces for this awful season and get it together. Have some discipline in your locker room. This team has too many talents and a city too desperate for a competitive team to go to waste.

Good vibes: Colin Kaepernick, back in the media spotlight Colin Kaepernick was famously blackballed by the league back in 2016 when he protested police violence against people of color by kneeling for the national anthem. He popped up on the NFL radar once more last week, setting up a workout to showcase his readiness to play in the NFL. The entire thing was a media circus, with the workout getting moved last-minute.

Aiden is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Aiden can be reached at aiden.herrod@tufts.edu.

12 Thursday, November 21, 2019

Sports

tuftsdaily.com

Field hockey falls short to Johns Hopkins in overtime in NCAA quarterfinals

BEN KIM / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Junior midfielder Beth Krikorian keeps the ball away from a defender in the Homecoming game against Bates on Ounjian Field on Sept. 15, 2018.

by Sruthi Kocherlakota Staff Writer

After falling to Middlebury in the NESCAC Championship game earlier this month, the field hockey team began to prepare for its run in the NCAA Div. III championship bracket. Last year, the Jumbos reached the championship game, but fell short to Middlebury 2–0.

On Sunday, the Jumbos entered the quarterfinal game against Johns Hopkins on the Blue Jays’ home turf. Johns Hopkins had just come off a win against Messiah, and were looking to defeat Tufts in order to secure their spot in the final four. The last time that Johns Hopkins and Tufts met was during the NCAA Final Four game last season where the Jumbos won 3–1. The Jumbos and the Blue Jays played to a 1–1 draw after regulation, but a goal by Johns Hopkins in overtime marked the end of Tufts’ NCAA run.

During the first half of the game, both teams combined had only attempted six shots. Neither side dominated the first half, and the score reflected this. The Blue Jays did have four attempted penalty corners, but were ultimately unsuccessful in scoring a goal on any of them.

Heading into the third quarter, the score was tied 0–0. The Blue Jays broke the stalemate early in the third quarter during a corner play, marking Johns Hopkins’ only goal during regulation. The goal was scored by midfielder Katie McErlean near the stroke

mark, where she waited for a teammate to send her the ball from the top of the circle.

Eager to tie the score, the Jumbos put on high offensive pressure, and in doing so gained a corner eight minutes into the fourth quarter. On this play, senior midfielder Marguerite Salamone inserted the ball to the top of the circle and sophomore midfielder/defender Sophie Schoeni slipped the ball to junior midfielder Beth Krikorian.

Krikorian fired a shot from the top of the circle, passing several of the Blue Jay defenders before finding its way inside the cage. This equalizer sent the two teams into overtime.

Forty-nine seconds into the overtime period, the Blue Jays received a corner.

Midfielder Abby Birk inserted the ball to forward Maddie Brown-Scherer who took a shot on goal. The ball slipped past the Jumbos defense and forward Izzy Thompson tipped the ball into the goal.

The overtime goal gave Johns Hopkins its ticket to the Final Four and ended the Jumbos’ 2019 season.

The team’s leading goal scorer this season, sophomore forward Gillian Roeca, reflected on the game this weekend against Johns Hopkins.

“I think that due to the conditions of having to play on field turf and also have a really rough time with the refs not really calling anything in our favor that we did all we could,” Roeca said. “It was not the result that we wanted. I think we deserved to win and could have gotten it.”

The day before, on Saturday, Tufts defeated Denison with a resounding 3–0 win in the first round of the tournament, hosted

by Johns Hopkins. Denison was coming off a win against Rochester earlier in the week, securing its spot in the second round.

The Jumbos had a slow start, as there was a considerable amount of back-andforth with the ball between the two teams.

However, a late corner called for the Jumbos gave them a potential scoring opportunity with under a minute left in the first quarter.

The shot was set up when Krikorian took a shot from the top of the circle and the ball faced traffic in the circle, but ultimately found Salamone who redirected the ball into the bottom left corner of the cage.

Heading into the second quarter, there was not much offensive action from either team early on, but began to reveal the intensity of the game due to the green and yellow cards received by both teams during the game. Just under two minutes into the third quarter, first-year midfielder Reegan McCluskey attempted a shot on goal but was blocked. However, Krikorian gained possession of the loose ball and netted the ball into the cage, propelling the Jumbos to a 2–0 advantage over the Denison Big Red. Heading into the fourth quarter, Denison looked to tie up the score and began the quarter with noticeable intensity. The Big Red gained two corners within seconds of each other early in the last quarter, but were unable to capitalize on these scoring

opportunities. The Jumbos ended the quarter with a final goal scored by Salamone during a corner play on a rebound shot.

With an impressive shut-out win, coach Tina Mattera reflected on the game.

“I think we played really well together as a team [against Denison] and we executed our plan,” Mattera said. “I think that the girls worked really hard and were fired up for the game.”

The Jumbos’ win against the Big Red left Denison with an overall 17–4 record for the season.

Despite the loss in the NCAA quarterfinals game ending the Jumbos’ season, Mattera commended the team on a great season.

“I was really pleased, we lost a lot of players going into this year and we had some big holes to fill,” Mattera said. “I think the girls stepped up really nicely and filled in those holes. We had some great leadership and a lot of returning starters which helped us as well. Honestly, I was really happy overall with how we battled this year.”

Looking forward to next season, Mattera shared what she wants the team to work on.

“We definitely need to work on goal scoring and limiting the goals scored on us,” Mattera said. “I would love to get our scoring average up and focus on finishing games.”

The field hockey team ends its season with an overall record of 15–5.