The Tufts Daily - Monday, April 12, 2021

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Monday, April 12, 2021 VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 41 JACKIE MCCARTHY / THE TUFTS DAILY

Tufts admits record-low 11% of undergraduate applicants

TCU Senate budgets over $2 million to student organizations for next fiscal year 2022

by Sam Klugherz

by Chloe Courtney Bohl

News Editor

Tufts University offered admission on March 30 to a record-low 11% of applicants to the undergraduate Class of 2025. It is the most ethnically and racially diverse undergraduate class ever admitted to the university.

The record-low acceptance rate follows a 35% increase in the number of applicants, which rose in part due to Tufts’ SAT/ ACT test-optional policy and the robust array of virtual engagement programming offered to prospective students.

Dean of Admissions JT Duck explained that admission to all of Tufts’ undergraduate schools for the first-year class became more competitive in comparison to previous years.

“With significant growth in the applicant pools for all undergraduate programs, gaining admission to Tufts was more competitive this year regardless of whether students applied to the School of Engineering, School of Arts & Sciences, or School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts,” Duck wrote in an email to the Daily.

Duck added that the Regular Decision applicant pool was similar in composition to the Early Decision applicant pool, with Early Decision I and II admissions decisions released to applicants in December and February, respectively.

“The academic strength, community engagement, and demographics of the Early Decision and Regular Decision pools this year were similar, and both pools were historically diverse and historically large,” Duck said.

Overall, admitted students represent 50 U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Almost 12% of those admitted are international students, with 100 different citizenships represented in the admitted class, according to Duck.

Students of color make up 56% of the admitted class.

Black students represent 11.3%, Hispanic and Latinx students represent 13.5%, and Asian American students represent 20.1% of the admitted U.S. students. An additional

10.5% of admitted students are multiracial.

Duck added that 100 admitted students identify with a Native or Indigenous heritage, and 20 admitted students are enrolled citizens of their tribes, representing 17 tribal nations.

“Our commitment to recruiting a broadly diverse applicant pool and enrolled class each year that pulls from the most talented, accomplished, and interesting prospective college students of all backgrounds, from all parts of the country and world, will drive our admissions process for years to come,” he said.

More than 10% of the admitted class are first-generation students, and more than 10% worked with college access organizations, including over 200 admitted students affiliated with QuestBridge.

Curry Brinson, a diversity and recruitment co-chair for Tufts Tour Guides, praised the virtual admissions programming, which allowed Tufts Admissions to broaden its student outreach.

“It’s really nice that there’s a virtual format offered that shows you what campus is like.

You meet actual students, they make themselves available to you, they give you their emails and admissions tips,” Brinson, a junior, said. “And you can do it all from the comfort of your own home without having to worry about any sort of financial restraint.”

Brinson explained that the diversity and strength of the accepted class is a testament to the success of the virtual programming.

“Clearly … the accessibility factor has already welcomed in an awesome batch of new students,” he said.

Duck confirmed that Tufts Admissions plans to continue with virtual outreach initiatives even after in-person efforts resume.

“We will continue to offer virtual admissions programming for prospective students, even after we are able to travel and to host visitors on campus again,” Duck said.

Admissions will also continue for at least two years with the test-optional policy, which see ADMISSIONS, page 2

Assistant News Editor

The Tufts Community Union Senate allocated over $2 million to more than 200 TCU-recognized student organizations and heard four supplementary funding requests in a virtual meeting on Sunday night.

TCU Senate heard four supplementary funding requests at the beginning of the meeting.

The Sports Business Association

requested $276 to purchase a professional website builder plan from Wix. Seven members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

Tufts Buddhist Mindfulness Sangha requested $350 to bring in Elizabeth Tobias, an expressive arts therapist, for a virtual speaker event. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and

one abstaining. The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

Palmier Culinary Magazine requested $1,345 to print 500 copies of its spring edition. Seven members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and two abstaining.

The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

The Korean Dance Association, a new student organization, see SENATE, page 2

ANN MARIE BURKE / THE TUFTS DAILY

TCU Senate allocated over $2 million to more than 200 TCU-recognized student organizations in a virtual meeting on Sunday.

FEATURES

Student organizations build community for female-identifying students in STEM

by Abby Stern Staff Writer

Many student organizations have pushed to further acknowledge systemic racism and engage in anti-racist efforts after the Black Lives Matter movement sparked widespread outcry for racial justice last summer. One such community that forms these powerful anchors is the women in STEM community. By forming bonds based on shared, unique experience, female-identifying students who study a science, technology, engineering or math subject at Tufts can find ways to navigate college life together.

Exemplifying these bonds and communities are four students who assist and support

other female-identifying STEM majors on campus. Kathryn Lazar, president of Tufts’ chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, Grace Melcher, co-president of Women in Computer Science, Sohenee Banerjee, social chair of Girls in STEM and Alexandra Scott, vice president of Girls in STEM, have all benefited from the support of other women in their fields and aim to continue cultivating these supportive communities on Tufts’ campus.

Lazar, a junior majoring in chemical engineering, was attracted to the subject because she wanted to combine her interests in chemistry and hands-on work. Now, she’s incredibly thankful to have chosen her field because her studies will provide her with many opportunities when she joins the workforce.

SPORTS / back

FEATURES / page 3

EDITORIAL / page 7

Senior student-athletes look back at their first years at Tufts

Athletes of Color urges athletic department to expand anti-racist trainings

Standardized tests have never been standard

“The thing I love about engineering and STEM is … you can literally work for any company,” Lazar said.

“They’re always going to have some kind of department that requires some kind of engineering.”

Melcher, a junior who is double majoring in computer science and engineering psychology, also chose her majors because they aligned with her passions.

“I’m a big puzzle-solver,” Melcher said. “ I really like crosswords, and for me, computer science feels like that same thing.

You’re taking pieces and putting them together until you can get what you want to work.”

Banerjee chose to major in biology so she could pursue her see STEM, page 3 NEWS

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FUN & GAMES

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Monday, April 12, 2021

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Tufts hosting virtual Jumbo Month for admitted students ADMISSIONS

continued from page 1 played a role in making Tufts more accessible to prospective students and achieving the large increase in the number of applicants.

“Tufts will continue its SAT/ ACT test-optional pilot for two more years, at which point we will make a decision about our testing policy moving forward,” Duck said.

To welcome the accepted class, Tufts Admissions is hosting a virtual Jumbo Month in lieu of in-person Jumbo Days, according to Associate Director of Admissions Beky Stiles, who leads Jumbo Month events.

“Our campus partners and current students have been tremendous supports in our planning of over 80 virtual events to celebrate the many spaces and experiences of being a student on the Hill,” Stiles wrote in an email to the Daily.

Some highlights of Jumbo Month include themed panels hosted by current students,

professors’ opening up their classrooms to the admitted Class of 2025, and conversations held by all of the Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion identity-based resource centers.

Admissions also launched a new social platform called the Tufts Admitted Student Network, allowing current students to openly and honestly share their Tufts experiences with admitted students. Three hundred current

students have already joined the platform, according to Stiles.

“And, of course, we are hosting a series of socials to connect admitted students to one another and to current Jumbos,” Stiles said.

AVA IANNUCCILLO / THE TUFTS DAILY

Tufts University offered admission to a record-low 11% of applicants for the undergraduate Class of 2025.

TCU to hold elections April 13–14 SENATE

continued from page 1 requested $276 in funding for the rest of the academic year. Nine members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

TCU Senate then allocated over $2 million to fund more than 200 TCU-recognized student organizations for the 2022 fiscal year. Rather than voting on each of the organizations’ budgets individually, the Senate divides them into 10 groups, called councils, in addition to a final category for umbrella organizations. Each council represents a specific type of student organization.

TCU Treasurer Sharif Hamidi, who led the senators in voting on each council’s budget, explained that the budgets were finalized under the assumption that many

of the restrictions placed on campus life due to the COVID19 pandemic will be lifted in the fall.

Council 1, which is made up of cultural organizations like the German Club and the Arab Student Association, received $144,726. The budget for Council 1 passed in the Senate with 31 senators in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Council 2, which is composed of programming organizations including TEDxTufts, Applejam and the First-Generation Collective, received $38,437. The budget for Council 2 passed with 27 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

The Engineering Council, which includes the Robotics Club and the National Society of Black Engineers, received $95,470. The budget for the Engineering Council passed with 28 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Council 3, which is made up of media organizations includ-

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ing print publications, WMFO and TUTV, received $114,919.

The budget for Council 3 passed with 30 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Council 4, which consists of religious organizations like Chabad Serving Tufts and the Hindu Student Council, received $95,656. The budget for Council 4 passed with 29 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Council 5, which is made up of performance groups including CheapSox and Burlesque, received $165,827. The budget for Council 5 passed with 28 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Council 6, which is made up of miscellaneous organizations including competition teams and service-oriented clubs, received $189,246. The budget for Council 6 passed with 27 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Council 7, which is made up of pre-professional and academic organizations like the Pre-Medical Society and the History Society, received $53,384. The budget for Council 7 passed with 28 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Council 8, which is made up of political and advocacy organizations including Tufts Cooperation and Innovation in Citizenship and Tufts Climate Action, received $39,967. The budget for Council 8 passed with 25 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Council 9, which includes TCU Senate, TCU Judiciary and the Elections Commission, received $53,357. The School of the Museum of Fine Arts student government also received funding through Council 9 to apportion to SMFAspecific clubs. The budget for Council 9 passed with 28 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

Separately from the 10 councils, TCU Senate voted on the budgets of three umbrella organizations — the Leonard Carmichael Society, the Tufts University Social Collective and club sports — as well as student leadership stipends.

The Leonard Carmichael Society received $47,561, the Tufts University Social Collective received $1,002,439, club sports received $200,000 and student leadership stipends were allocated $15,000.

The budgets for these categories passed with 25 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

TCU Senate will hold its final meeting of the semester next Sunday, April 18. As usual, the meeting will be virtual and open to the public. Elections for next year’s TCU Senate are scheduled for April 13–14 on Qualtrics, followed by the Senate presidential election on April 22–23.

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Features

3 Monday, April 12, 2021

Female-identifying students reflect on experiences in STEM STEM

continued from page 1 longtime goal of attending medical school after college to combine her love of science with her love of helping people.

“Biology always really was something that I was drawn to just because I love people and … knowing how our bodies work,” Banerjee, a junior, said.

Scott is double majoring in applied mathematics and computer science, but was undecided about what she wanted to study before coming to Tufts. However, after taking more math courses, she fell in love with the subject and knew that she wanted to pursue the major. She then took her first computer science classes as a sophomore and decided to combine her two interests.

“I definitely love the problem-solving aspects of both math and computer science,” Scott, a junior, said. “I love the objectivity of it.”

As they pursued their studies, Lazar, Melcher, Banerjee and Scott found community by joining student groups for women in STEM on campus.

Lazar originally got involved in Society of Women Engineers, a group that coordinates events and programs that support female engineers in their academics and career pursuits, in high school, where she started a chapter of the organization at the end of her senior year. When she arrived at Tufts, she knew she wanted to continue with the organization. She started as conference planner and worked her way up through the ranks to become vice president of the Tufts chapter and is now the president of the chapter.

“It’s a great way to connect with other people in engineering,” Lazar said. “We host a lot of events that I look forward to.”

One such event was the National WE19 Conference in Anaheim, which Lazar helped to plan during her sophomore year.

This event opened up internship options for Lazar, as well as professional development opportunities.

Melcher feels the same as Lazar does about the positive opportunities that have arisen from being a part of an organization centered around women in STEM. Though studying computer science is often difficult, Melcher is encouraged by her fellow club members, who reassure her when she feels overwhelmed.

“For me, Women in Computer Science was a community that really opened up to me … being supportive … and being encouraging,” Melcher said. “I think it’s nice to have a supportive group.”

Girls in STEM, a group dedicated to mentoring middle school-aged girls in STEM subjects in the surrounding Medford and Somerville areas, allows STEM majors to work together to build confidence and a sense of empowerment among female students. Girls in STEM mentors introduce STEM topics by running

COURTESY LAZAR, BANERJEE AND SCOTT

Kathryn Lazar (left), Sohenee Banerjee (middle) and Alexandra Scott (right) are pictured. fun activities and then working with the mentees on a final project that they later present at Tufts.

Scott hopes that the mentors from Tufts can act as role models for the younger students.

“Our goal is to empower younger generations of women to feel confident in their abilities, both in STEM and just in general,” Scott said. “Being a woman in STEM is very difficult. There’s a lot of challenges, and having powerful female role models is really important, especially for young girls.”

Banerjee joined Girls in STEM as a sophomore and loves the impact she is able to have through this organization. “[Girls in STEM] really is just a place where we can give back and be the mentor and the friend that we wish we had when we were growing up during that time,” Banerjee said.

As social chair of Girls in STEM, Banerjee is responsible for cultivating bonds between the mentors and helping them support each other. Banerjee said she is honored to be the social chair because she thinks it is important to have activities that foster community among female STEM majors.

Though being a woman in challenging and often male-dominated STEM fields can be difficult, Lazar, Melcher, Scott and Banerjee have found that Tufts is generally a supportive environment that has encouraged their love of STEM. The prevalence of female students in STEM subjects, as well as female professors, increases the students’ sense of community and belonging.

“I’ve heard horror stories from friends who went to different colleges to do engineering, and I know it’s not uncommon to be the only woman in the room,” Lazar said. “I think I’ve kind of been shielded from that at Tufts.”

Scott praised the resources made available to students, including speakers brought in by groups like Tufts Society of Women Engineers or Tufts Women in Computer Science. However, she emphasized that many female students in STEM still feel as though they don’t belong in the field.

“I think for me, it’s just been a matter of saying to myself, ‘No,

you deserve to be here, clearly you accomplish all these things,’” Scott said. “‘You’re good enough.’”

Lazar echoed these sentiments, saying that even though Tufts provides a more collaborative environment compared to other engineering schools, it can still be intimidating.

“We’re surrounded by really amazing, incredible people who are doing all these awesome things, and it’s hard to not kind of look at yourself, and think [about] where you fall along that,” Lazar said.

Banerjee also agrees that Tufts has provided an excellent environment to study STEM as a woman.

“Coming to Tufts, and being a [biology] major was a really conscious decision because I wanted to be in a place where I had a community where it wasn’t competitive, it was more collaborative,” Banerjee said. “[Tufts] really [fosters] an environment of collaboration and supportive networks, and everyone wants each other to succeed.”

However, like Scott and Lazar, there have still been times when Banerjee felt discouraged in her studies. She recalled a specific experience when a male classmate told her she wouldn’t manage to get an A in a computer science course.

“It just made me feel kind of small,” she said.

Banerjee spoke to the importance of community in overcoming these difficulties and feeling confident in her abilities.

“The most important thing is making sure you find groups of people who are also going through similar things who can support each other,” Banerjee said. “When you have that, all the obstacles you experienced become strengths because you just work through them together, and you know that you’re not alone in those experiences.”

Melcher said she relies heavily on the community built within the computer science department, and acknowledges that it would be impossible to make it through all the difficult classes without being able to ask for help and rely on these support systems.

“I’ve made so many friends in the department,” Melcher said.

“[The] department allows for a lot of partner work in some of the classes, and that has been awesome to have a community for.”

Some other support systems include tutoring sessions through the STAAR Center, study groups and group chats for a particular course, all things that the four women rely on and have used in the past. Most students are very willing to admit when they need help, and will work together to solve problems. Lazar even has a standing Sunday study group with members of her classes.

“I don’t think you could get through being an engineer without finding a core group of people who you can bond with,” Lazar said. “I don’t think it’s possible to be an engineer without working with others … It’s never about what you can do as an individual; it’s about how well you work as a team.”

Banerjee agrees with Lazar in her belief that collaboration is key to creating a positive environment in STEM for women at Tufts.

“I genuinely think that Tufts, compared to a lot of other schools … [has] such a focus on just collaboration, and community values,” Banerjee said. “I think that really seeps into the lives of women, men, everyone, and I think they really do a great job with making sure people have an equal voice.”

Melcher also emphasized the importance of having friends she could rely on through difficult courses.

“I think without the support of my friends, I would easily have dropped this major a million times,” Melcher said. “It’s intimidating, and it’s hard and stressful.

But it’s also incredibly rewarding.

And I feel like I’ve created such a good community in that difficulty and that struggle, and I think it’s definitely worth it.”

Professors and teaching assistants are another important source of support. “[Professors] really go out of their way to just support you and be there for you emotionally [and] mentally,” Banerjee said. “I never felt a need to elevate myself to a certain level just to impress someone or have a

certain level of respect gained.

I felt like I was valid. And every time I raised my hand, I felt like I had a certain level of respect that was given to me, just because I was a human being.”

Having female professors has been particularly empowering for Scott.

“Just being able to see all these professors who are teaching and also doing some really incredible research that’s having impact on the world is very empowering and inspiring,” Scott said.

However, above all, having a peer network and peer role models to look up to has been most impactful.

“A lot of my classmates serve as kind of role models for me,” Lazar said. “I think Tufts is full of such incredible, talented people.

And for me, it’s more powerful to see people my age doing cool things because it reminds me that I still can too.”

Lazar, Melcher, Banerjee and Scott take pride in being women in STEM and feel empowered by this aspect of their identity.

“I think there’s something so empowering about being a woman in STEM,” Banerjee said.

“I personally am really honored to be a woman and be identifying as a female because I also have that built in support system that I’m not sure that many people have otherwise.”

Scott said that her identity as a woman in a STEM field helped her to find community.

“For me, being able to distinguish [that] I am a woman in STEM … it’s easier to find resources and have conversations with other people who have similar experiences to you,” Scott said.

Melcher feels the same way. “In [Women in Computer Science], I love that we celebrate [that] we’re women in a hard STEM major and that it doesn’t faze us,” she said.

“It’s always been kind of a big part of my identity as … I’m not just an engineer, I’m a female engineer,” Lazar said. “I think with that, there comes an implied sense of pride. I choose to identify specifically that way, because it just means more to me than just saying I’m an engineer.”

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Features | Monday, April 12, 2021

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Athletes of Color builds community, pushes for Prospective change within Tufts athletics

Jenny Lu Tuff Talks

students

D

ear J: I really want to do the Tufts Civic Semester program and take a gap year, but I’m worried about being one year behind and finding it hard to make friends.

J: I think you should do it!

I’ve heard great things about gap semester programs; everyone I know who has participated in one has loved it. Socially, you will make friends at Tufts no matter what year you are in. You will also stay friends with the people that you meet during your program and will already be one step ahead of most new students upon arriving at Tufts.

Although I didn’t do a bridge year (or semester) program through Tufts, I did take a gap year before coming here, and I was worried about the same things. But my gap year was very rewarding and worthwhile, and moving onto campus made me realize that there is no being “one year behind.”

We are all on our own schedules in life, and it won’t matter to anyone whether you graduated at 22 or 23 or any other age. Follow your heart!

Dear J: Tufts is one of the schools to which I was accepted.

I enjoyed the campus tour but I’m unsure about what decision to make. I hear a lot of rumors about every school. And as forTufts, I’ve heard especially about the quirky culture and whatnot.

Is it true? Will I fit in?

J: I promise you that once you move onto the campus of whichever school you choose, none of the rumors you heard or research you conducted will really matter. To your question about the quirky culture, I would say that Tufts students can definitely be “quirky.” Like many other elite colleges, there can be rich and white spaces that I have personally felt uncomfortable in. I can’t attest to whether or not you’d fit in, but I think that there are activities, clubs and friends here for anyone. The people here are kind and you can definitely find your group of people. Good luck!

Submit your question here: Cutt.ly/tufftalks Jenny Lu is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Jenny can be reached at jen.lu@tufts.edu.

by Casey Cummings Contributing Writer

Many student organizations have pushed to further acknowledge systemic racism and engage in anti-racist efforts following the Black Lives Matter movement’s garnering increased media attention last summer. One such organization at Tufts pushing for anti-racist practices is Athletes of Color. The club’s co-president, junior Chi-Chi Ikpeazu, explained its mission.

“Our main objectives are to create an affinity space for varsity athletes of color on Tufts’ campus, whether that be through meetings where we have really in-depth conversations about race or through fun events,” Ikpeazu said.

Ariel Zedric, the alumni relations coordinator of Athletes of Color, acknowledged that having an affinity space for varsity athletes of color is especially important because many teams lack racial diversity.

“First and foremost, we’re trying to be … a safe space for athletes of color, where they will come and talk about their experiences, and relate to each other and feel not so alone or as isolated as they can feel on predominately white teams,” Zedric said. “I think athletics especially is a really homogeneously white part of an already predominantly white institution, so I think that it’s really important to band together and to have a space inside athletics for [people of color].”

Zedric mentioned that the club recently implemented a system that establishes an Athletics of Color representative on each varsity athletic team. The representative is meant to act as a liaison between Athletes of Color and each varsity team. They relay anti-racist resources and serve as a support and a knowledgeable point of contact for athletes on their team. Junior Xavier Brooks, the club’s secretary, explained the importance of having team representatives.

“As an athlete of color, you have to show up every day as an athlete of color,” Brooks said.

“Every day that you show up on campus, we want to make sure you have support, and we want your support system to be people who you’re going to see every single day. So, having a team [representative] on every

team gives a person a close contact, a familiar face that they can go to.”

The club has moved to create a welcoming community among Tufts’ varsity athletes of color, as well as push for change in the athletics department’s administration.

“We also have this administrative gear that pushes our athletics department to be better regarding their anti-racist efforts and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Just making sure that there are actions behind the words that they say,” Ikpeazu said.

In their effort to work with the athletics department, members of Athletes of Color have compiled a list of 13 action items.

Among other efforts, these items aim to push the department to amplify the club’s work, implement more regular anti-racist and diversity, equity and inclusion trainings and maintain transparency in the department’s hiring practices regarding staff who are people of color.

While Athletes of Color hopes to see change within the athletics department, Brooks reiterated his gratitude for the university’s support.

“I really have to give a lot of credit to Tufts … They have recently created the Diversity,

Equity, and Inclusion committee, which is actually a coach’s committee,” Brooks said. “That committee has been put together really for the purpose of making sure athletes on campus are supported in whatever they’re doing.

That’s been really awesome to see from Tufts.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has also posed challenges for Athletes of Color this year. The club’s events have taken place over Zoom, and Zedric, Ikpeazu and Brooks admitted that conducting virtual meetings has presented challenges. Mainly, according to the three executive board members, it has been difficult to create meaningful connections.

“We’ve just lost this social manner of interacting with one another, which is kind of sad,” Ikpeazu said.

Conducting events virtually also poses a challenge for recruiting and building membership as Athletes of Color looks to do, according to Brooks. Yet, despite these challenges, Athletes of Color makes an effort to host fun and engaging meetings for its members and other student-athletes. One creative event was an “Among Us” tournament the club hosted in the fall.

Looking toward the future, Athletes of Color wants to establish a stronger network of alumni. The club has established a LinkedIn group, and it hopes to organize a career panel with Athletes of Color alumni.

“We were thinking about breaking people out into industries like finance or pre-med just to get some of the inside scoop, form connections, networking, locations, internships — anything really,” Zedric said.

Athletes of Color continues to pursue initiatives to create a stronger community of athletes of color on campus and push for administrative change within the athletics department.

Ikpeazu expressed her hopes for the club’s future. ”I want every athlete of color to, before they enter Tufts, know what [Athletes of Color] is because that community aspect and not feeling alone is just so important,” she said. “I want our fellow student-athletes, and student-athletes in general, to know that our department is consciously implementing ways to be anti-racist … and that we’re doing our part in terms of educating ourselves.

That doesn’t just involve racism, but also other forms of discrimination. I want that to be a hallmark of Tufts athletics.”

COURTESY ATHLETES OF COLOR

Members of Athletes of Color are pictured.

ARTS & POP CULTURE

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Monday, April 12, 2021

Andrew Rea brings food philosophy, fantastical recipes to Tufts

by Jessica Blough Investigative Editor

“What the hell is up with your guys’ mascot?” Andrew Rea asked a Zoom crowd of Tufts students who lined up to ask him about his whimsical cooking projects and trademark video production. “Jumbo, I literally read up on him while I was waiting. And I was like, ‘Holy s–t.

That is a wild mascot story.’”

Rea had just burst onto the Zoom screen accompanied by a dramatic light show, a fog machine and an exaggerated introduction to himself (by himself ). For an internet star spending a pandemic Friday night Zooming with college kids, he was remarkably enthusiastic.

“This is probably the 12th or 13th or 14th college show that I’ve done, and every single time I’ve f–ked up hilariously,” he admitted, laughing at himself.

In an event organized by Tufts University Social Collective, Rea chatted with Tufts graduate Noah Brown (LA’20) while simultaneously grating, chopping, boiling, stirring and (finally) eating his one-pot mac and cheese. Since 2016, Rea has amassed more than 8.7 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, where he posts regular episodes of “Binging with Babish” (a cooking show), “Basics with Babish” (another cooking show) and “Being with Babish” (a lifestyle show that also includes some cooking). In “Binging with Babish,” he’s built a brand cooking fantastical meals from films and television.

Ever wonder if it’s possible to make the secret ingredient soup from “Kung Fu Panda” (2008)?

Rea made it, complete with hand-stretched noodles, and it was the most difficult food he’s ever cooked. What about a krabby patty, or the breakfast dessert pasta from “Elf” (2003)?

He made those, too.

But at some point, Rea was just another college student with a crappy kitchen.

Derin Savasan Hot Take

‘Community’ is a masterclass in character writing

A

fter being pressured to watch it for years, I finally caved in and started “Community” (2009–15). I must say: I now get why people like it so much. I mean, how could you not? You have these seven characters who couldn’t be more different from one another, trying to push their way through community college

VIA TUSC

A promotional poster for TUSC’s “Binging with Babish” event is pictured.

“Every time I tried to make something halfway complicated in college, it sucked, because the kitchen sucked and my equipment sucked and you’ve just got to, you know, sometimes you’ve just got to have some mac and cheese.”

It’s odd to see Rea in live action, his face visible over the Zoom broadcast. In his YouTube videos, Rea cuts his head out of the shot, showing only a bit of his trademark beard. He’s said that keeping his face out of his cooking shots helps center the show on food rather than personality. At the same time, Rea’s show is so successful because of the character he’s developed: He’s a witty, aggressively relatable teacher who often makes mistakes in his recipes, loves to create and is a huge TV nerd (Rea picked up his moniker, Oliver Babish, from an episode of “The West Wing” (1999–2006).

Including his mistakes — an overly deflated pastry that needs to be remade, a dropped dish, a spill — sets Rea’s channel apart from others like it.

“I can’t point to … a cooking show on Food Network or anything where somebody leaves in their screw-ups,” Rea said.

“Every dish comes out perfectly the first time in the perfect kitchen with their perfect husband and their perfect dog.”

The Babish universe came out of a time when Rea was producing promotional videos for restaurants for free while battling clinical depression and generalized anxiety disorder.

He had an episode of “Parks and Recreation” (2009–15) on while editing, and, on a whim, decided to film himself recreating a burger cook-off from the episode. He said he never knew it would become the multi-series, multi-season empire that it is, but people liked watching this nerdy, bearded guy make elaborate meals and bad jokes.

“It was just like a desperate effort to try and find some creative fulfillment when I felt really down and really low and really creatively stifled, and it turned into my dream career,” he said. “So it lends credence to

the idea that you should follow your passions.”

When almost everyone had their social events canceled a year ago and turned to the internet for comfort, Rea continued filming in his home studio. When the internet’s favorite work family, the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen, deservingly collapsed after producers and testers exposed the company for racial discrimination, Sohla El-Waylly, one of the greatest, wittiest creators at Bon Appétit, launched a series on Rea’s YouTube channel.

Rea’s cooking videos, for which he records voice-overs in post-production, are never scripted. He never went to culinary school, didn’t eat seafood until he was 22 and has that weird genetic trait that makes cilantro taste like soap. (He also has a cilantro tattoo on his underarm.)

He speaks with confidence and aggressive charisma, and can easily explain a béchamel or rant about the epidemic of anticoagulants in shredded cheese. His YouTube page is full of recipes.

But he also sometimes buys an awkwardly sized block of cheese (like he did on Friday night) and has to resort to mincing it in a live event rather than evenly grating it. Rea said that these mistakes bring him back to what cooking really is about.

“It is not this perfect Instagram experience. It is a dirty and confusing and hot — it’s very hot in here — experience,” he said, wiping his brow.

On Tuesday, Rea will release his next episode of “Binging with Babish” — he’s making the fettuccine alfredo that Michael Scott devours in “The Office” (2005–13). Except Rea never does anything halfway, so he bought an 86-pound parmesan wheel for $1,000 to make his fettuccine alfredo. And, like Michael Scott, he ran a 5K after eating it.

“It’s been proven to me now that I’m in my mid-30s and I’m an old man,” Rea said, pointing to an ankle brace from alfredo-related injuries. “But anything for my craft.”

as a group. It’s basically an invitation for mayhem.

Now, I believe there are many reasons as to why this show is great. But if I had to pick one, it would have to be its phenomenal character writing. Let me explain.

One of the biggest problems with TV shows nowadays is how most characters across TV shows look, feel and talk the same. Take medical dramas, for instance.

They almost always feature an introverted, uptight specialist, a best friend anesthetist and a charismatic, unconventional doctor who’s usually the protagonist. Sure, these character tropes create more digestible content, but they also make the plot predictable — which is the worst thing a show can be.

This is where “Community” shines, because its characters

act like a satire on these predictable character tropes of sitcoms.

Consider Jeff Winger ( Joel McHale), who’s a cool, fasttalking, selfish, good-looking lawyer — not so different from Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) of “Suits” (2011–19). But unlike Mike, Jeff subverts your expectation of this trope by being kicked out of his law firm for faking his academic credentials and going from a highly regarded lawyer to a community college student.

This twist on the classic lawyer/ cool guy trope makes his character so much more interesting and unpredictable.

Let’s look at another example: Annie Edison (Alison Brie).

When we first meet her, she seems like the classic, hardworking schoolgirl we’ve seen countless times — somewhat

comparable to Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (2013–) or Lisa Simpson (Yeardley Smith) of “The Simpsons” (1989–). But as we get to know her, we learn that she has suffered from a pill addiction, and we occasionally witness her being childish and crazy. It’s this subverted character trope that keeps us invested in her story and her relationship with Jeff.

What about Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown)? She’s the traditional Christian mother figure, but she has underlying anger issues and has divorced her husband — neither of which fits in with her religious, motherly trope. You also have characters like Troy Barnes (Donald Glover), who appears to be a dumb jock at first but turns out

to be an emotional pop culture junkie later on. Even the friend group’s Spanish professor, Señor Ben Chang (Ken Jeong), subverts the teacher trope by acting immaturely and bullying his students.

But what is it about the subversion of these tropes that makes the show so good?

Well, when you have a satire of traditional TV paged right into your characters, it automatically adds another level of humor to anything you do with them. And when you take that and apply it as well as “Community” did, this decision becomes nothing short of genius.

Derin Savasan is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Derin can be reached at derin.savasan@tufts.edu.

6

THE TUFTS DAILY | FUN & GAMES | Monday, April 12, 2021

F& G

tuftsdaily.com LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Megan: “[My bird] is more potty-trained than children are.”

FUN & GAMES

SUDOKU

INDIVIDUALS

Difficulty Level: In-person exams for virtual classes

By Julia Petrocelli

Friday’s Solutions

SEARCHING FOR HEADLINES...

CROSSWORD

Opinion

tuftsdaily.com

7 Monday, April 12, 2021

EDITORIAL

Tufts should never return to requiring standardized tests Every year, a new class arrives at Tufts, bringing fresh change to our community on the Hill. It is too early to know what contributions the Class of 2025 will make when they arrive on campus, but they have already made history in one way — the Class of 2025 was not required to submit standardized test scores as part of the application process.

The College Board debuted the SAT, a creation of Princeton eugenicist Carl Brigham, in 1926, as the creation of the Princeton eugenicist Carl Brigham. Over the course of nearly a century, the exam — along with its counterpart, the ACT — became a staple in the college admissions process, persisting even in the face of cheating scandals and questions over whether such exams perpetuate social inequalities.

But in 2020, the rapid onset of the COVID-19 pandemic shook that system. According to the College Board, just 1.4 million students in the high school class of 2021 have taken the SAT

at some point — far fewer than the 2.2 million SAT test-takers in the class of 2020.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the already stressful exam process was made more burdensome as students encountered fewer test dates and traveled longer distances to the few sites that administered the exam. These conditions prompted many colleges to suspend their standardized testing requirement, including Tufts, which adopted a test-optional policy for three years, beginning with the admissions season for the Class of 2025.

When that three-year window elapses, the university will have a critical decision to make: Tufts can either bring back its standardized testing requirement, making future generations go through the same process that current Tufts students endured, or it can repeat the process used to admit the Class of 2025, which saw the most diverse applicant pool in the university’s history.

The problems with standardized testing go beyond the stress of sitting down for the exam.

Using these tests to determine college admissions perpetuates inequalities along lines of race and class, inequalities that Tufts should be working to abolish, not reinforce. A study using the data of students who applied to the University of California system showed that race, family income and parental education are all significant predictors of a student’s SAT or ACT score, projecting a student’s test score more accurately than a student’s high school GPA can. In this form, standardized testing only adds to the barriers for first-generation college students, low-income students and underrepresented racial and ethnic groups to enroll at Tufts. Tufts must tear down the barriers that sustain inequality, and standardized tests should be the first on the chopping block.

One defense of these tests is that they are standardized and therefore can be a more reliable

predictor of college success than metrics like high school GPA, which vary by school. However, the relationship between a student’s high school GPA and their chance of college graduation is stronger than the relationship between a student’s ACT score and their chance of graduation, according to a 2020 study by researchers at the University of Chicago. This should challenge the notion that standardized testing is a necessary evil; other metrics exist that are both more predictive of college success and less associated with a student’s race or class.

The changes to standardized testing policies due to COVID-19 present an opportunity for Tufts to reject a system more effective at perpetuating inequality than evoking true academic discovery and potential. To stay true to our institution’s values and pursue the goal of attracting the brightest students — regardless of their socioeconomic status — Tufts should continue to be test-optional even after the three-year

window expires. In addition, Tufts should be transparent and release the acceptance rate statistics for students who opted both in and out of submitting scores to assure prospective applicants that they will not be penalized for not submitting scores. Finally, Tufts must research the potential benefits of foregoing standardized test scores in the admissions process altogether, using the coming years to evaluate how admitting students who opt out of submitting scores influences the university.

We have previously called for the Tufts community to aspire towards a “new normal” after the pandemic subsides that is both more inclusive and equitable than the world we were living in before. Using this three-year experiment with test-optional admissions as a springboard for permanent change would allow us to embrace that mission, leaving behind a flawed admissions requirement that perpetuates inequalities we should be working to destroy.

VIEWPOINTS

Deriving a sense of community from Tufts’ geography during a year of isolation

ASLI KOCAK / THE TUFTS DAILY

by Ari Arvanitis

Contributing Writer

One of my early memories is my declaration that I would go to college up north. I knew one day I’d shove too many clothes in my suitcase and leave Miami behind. I’d trade sunshine for snow, exchange modern, air-conditioned buildings for historic, heated ones and replace all my bathing suits with sweaters. I was eager for a college experience that would fulfill so many movies’

promises of a brick dorm laced with archival character and a lively roommate to help decorate our space. Upon the release of housing assignments, Tufts met me halfway: I could have the historic dorm, but not the roommate. I live in a single, an unexpected gift.

I felt I had received the good end of the housing bargain; I had not accounted for the fine print.

I was allocated a room in Carmichael Hall atop the summit of Tufts’ Hill. Carmichael’s defining feature is the cerulean blue

cupola that emerges from the fifth floor and overlooks a sweeping, panoramic view of the campus and surrounding cities. My corner room features two grand windows that invite in gray morning light that illuminates every surface.

However enchanting, it is hard to forget the aforementioned “fine print”: It is routine for students to bemoan the less than ideal trek uphill. Tufts students love to complain about distance and incline, especially when it comes to going to and from Carmichael.

It follows that the decision to ever leave this towering, antique building at the far end of the Carmichael Quad requires deep thought. This decision carries particular weight because it likely means you’re enrolling yourself in an impromptu cardio session on the way back up the Hill. The fact that the two halves of campus possess their own postal codes underscores the distance that lies between them. This past fall, when my friends and I in Carmichael Hall heard that something exciting was happening on the roof of Tisch Library, we were already 10 minutes late.

Given this distance and incline, it would be easy to despise the walk up and down the Hill. I could sigh to myself each time I’m invited to lunch at Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center or pout when my gym reservation nears. Instead, I view the journey up and down the Hill as a signifier of my status as a Tufts student and a testament to the value of seeing my friends in person. So, I never truly detest it.

Tufts’ hill offers students a stake in a shared experience. Students of all class years are familiar with the shortness of breath associated with the trek to class in Olin or a meal in Carmichael Dining Center. There are few students without an opinion when the classic uphill-versus-downhill debate arises. Each time I hike up the Hill, I feel more conscious of my place in Tufts’ student body. Despite restrictions that have postponed traditions and limited the student body’s camaraderie, experiencing Tufts’ hill serves as a subtle source of connection for some who feel

like “students at Tufts” but not “Tufts students.”

The Hill has a unique way of bonding us, yet it also plants a physical challenge between us.

To overcome this barrier, I’ve traversed the Hill all year under various conditions. On a cold day, the wind blows on the Hill, frosting my fragile Floridian self. I cover my fingers with gloves only for my ears to be cold. I lower my beanie only for my ankles to freeze. I call it the plight of a sincere southerner. On a warmer, dewy day, I miss the wind rushing over my face, and I regret wearing jeans instead of shorts. Despite the weather, I’m thrilled to embark on an expedition down (and inevitably back up) the Hill, knowing that I’ll have the opportunity to chat and laugh with friends as we picnic on President’s Lawn or study in the Mayer Campus Center.

I could have never foreseen the pandemic and all of its social consequences. It has pushed us to spend time apart, putting more than just the Hill between us. My advice to the Class of 2025 is this: Do not let the incline and distance stop you from spending time with friends. Responsibly take advantage of every in-person moment, even if it means traipsing the Hill.

Relish the sense of belonging the Hill bestows upon you. As the maxim goes, I must practice what I preach. Let me grab my room key and a mask and get going. I’ll be down there in 10.

Ari Arvanitis is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Ari can be reached at ariana.arvanitis@tufts.edu.

8 Monday, April 12, 2021

Sports

tuftsdaily.com

Seniors reflect on the transition to wearing brown and blue

by Ananda Kao Sports Editor

As the incoming Class of 2025 is welcomed into the Jumbo family, senior student-athletes took a minute to reflect on their first years in Medford as well as their transition to Tufts both on and off the field.

From the recruiting process and choosing Tufts to the countless hours in the weight room and competing for national championships, these student-athletes have been through it all and now offer valuable advice to student-athletes just beginning their journey in brown and blue.

Many students are first drawn to Tufts due to its close proximity to Boston as well as its being the largest school in the NESCAC. Additionally, student-athletes attribute their decision to the ability to get a liberal arts education while also playing at a competitive level.

“When I was in the area at one point I came and I walked around with Coach [Matt] Malone and just fell in love with the place,” senior center and co-captain of the men’s basketball team Max Oppenheim said. “I really liked how close we are to Boston, and you know the academic aspect of it all. I was really intrigued by the possibility of being able to pursue academic opportunities that I wanted while being able to be a competitive athlete at the same time.”

Student athletes also credit the people at Tufts, both on their teams as well as in the greater community, with helping them feel welcome on campus.

EVAN SLACK / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Midfielder Hannah Isenhart battles for possession of the ball in a game against Conn. College on Oct 19, 2019.

Hannah Isenhart, a senior midfielder on the women’s soccer team, reflected on her first-year experience.

“I really enjoyed playing a fall sport because I came in and already had such an amazing community,” Isenhart said.

“In terms of the season, personally, it went really well, and as a team it also went really well. It was the first time we made it to NCAA’s in seven years so that was exciting, and we’ve gone back every year since and progressed further and further. But it just was so nice coming in and having a community right from the start.”

Isenhart noted that there are a few key differences between high school and collegiate athletics that stand out to her — both on and off the field or court. At the collegiate level, there is an emphasis on strength and conditioning for every team, something that is rarely part of a high school sports team’s training.

“One of [the key differences] would be speed of play and strength,” Isenhart said. “You come in and these girls you’re playing against are bigger, stronger, faster. It’s not too hard to get adjusted, but it took a quick instant to play faster and be more physical, especially the NESCAC is super physical. Going along with that, I had never lifted before and so that was an adjustment to add lift and strength into my training, but I’m very glad that that’s something that we focus on as it is super beneficial.”

In addition to these differences and adjustments into their respective sports and teams, student-athletes also have to account for adjustments beyond athletics. Although many are used to the busyness that comes with playing sports in high school, being a student-athlete at the collegiate level requires first-years to take on more responsibility and quickly learn to manage their packed schedules.

Luckily for student-athletes coming to Tufts, they have the advantage of having many upperclassmen on whom to lean for advice, guidance and help with this transition.

“Some of my best friends [my first year] were the seniors on our team. They couldn’t have been better role models for us in terms of how to conduct yourself,” Oppenheim said. “You come in as a [first-year] and you really have no

clue what you’re doing. As far as having somebody to base my behavior off of, they couldn’t have been better.”

The seniors also provided valuable examples for what is expected in terms of competing on the field or court. Tufts prides itself in its highly competitive and successful athletics, and first-years are taught this from the moment they join a team.

“From a pure basketball point of view, [my first] season could not have been more disappointing, honestly,” Oppenheim said. “We didn’t make the tournament and for me, as a [first-year], I really didn’t know what was going on.

I just kind of took it for granted like, ‘Well, we’ll be this good next year, it’ll be fine.’ But then you get in the locker room after the game, after the season has ended and has been this huge disappointment, and you see just the pure pain and disappointment on the faces of some of our seniors and it’s like, ‘Oh wait, no, this is not supposed to happen; this opportunity doesn’t come by every day.’ So, it was obviously disappointing, but I think it was a growing process for the younger kids to see how that all worked.”

Looking back on their college careers, student-athletes at Tufts take away many lessons and experiences.

“One thing that I’m super thankful for is learning how to work in a team and how the different pieces of individuals, like their strengths and weaknesses, come together to work towards this common goal of winning games, winning NESCAC, winning a national championship, whatever it might be,” Isenhart said. “So, I think that really helped me grow, both personally and as a player. Just get as close as you can with your team and use the relationships you make on your team to help you for the rest of your college experience because it’s a really unique position to have such a strong community.

Being on a team has totally shaped how I am as an individual and moving forward, I look for environments that are team-based.”