THE TUFTS DAILY
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TUFTSDAILY.COM
Thursday, September 25, 2014
VOLUME LXVIII, NUMBER 12
Where You Read It First Est. 1980
Students, faculty continue dialogue on Ferguson by Nina Goldman Daily Editorial Board
In the wake of racial conflict in the city of Ferguson, Mo., Tufts’ Center for the Study of Race and Democracy last night hosted a discussion, titled "Ferguson as Metaphor: Racial Equality in the 21st Century," examining ongoing movements to reduce racial disparities. About 30 students and faculty packed a small room on the top floor of the center’s building to share opinions on the aftermath of the shooting of an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown, by a white Ferguson police officer on Aug. 9. Associate Professor of Urban Education Sabina Vaught began by comparing the movement that followed Brown’s death with that which followed the 1991 beating of Rodney King. “When I was an undergraduate, there was this moment of rage, and there are these moments throughout time,” she said. “We keep arriving at these moments, and we keep asking the same questions.” Professor of History Peniel Joseph, who led the discussion, invited Tufts senior Zuri Anderson to speak on her experience as a Ferguson resident. She said the racialized shooting was representative of existing tensions in her community, which was 75 percent white when she was born but is now 67 percent
black. Of her white friends from childhood, “every single one of them” has moved away. “This wasn’t an isolated incident,” she said. “I have incidents in my family. My brother has been arrested by Ferguson cops for nothing.” Anderson was at home when the shooting took place, and she felt that the media overexaggerated the extent of looting and rioting. That was nothing, she said, compared to the consistent violence exerted on the people of Ferguson. “One QuikTrip burning down, and hundreds of years of oppression,” she said. Considering the Ferguson police force’s intense response to the unrest, Jonathan Diaz, a firstyear student in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, said he is concerned about the militarization of police without a formal auditing system. He comes from Hartford, Conn., which he said now has a tank at its police deparment’s disposal. “What’s the last time we had a riot in Hartford?” he asked. “What are they planning against?” The discussion broadened into an analysis of the pressing need to face racial inequities. “We have huge racial segregation right here on this campus,” Joseph said. “In America, we are so segregated, but we’re see FERGUSON, page 2
Caroline Geiling / The Tufts Daily
ResLife’s four new Area Residence Directors are full-time and replace the previous RD positions.
ResLife creates new Area Residence Director position by Kathleen Schmidt Daily Editorial Board
The Office of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) has restructured its former system of 10 part-time Residence Hall Directors (RDs) in favor of a new system that replaces the RDs with four full-time Area Residence Directors (ARDs) starting this year. The new ARD position was intended to ensure a more exclusive focus on the needs of students by giving more support to those who live oncampus, according to Director of ResLife Yolanda King. The selection process for
MBTA late-night service showing success by Denali Tietjen Daily Editorial Board
The MBTA is halfway through its pilot program for late-night service, which began on March 28, extending service on all subway lines and the 15 most popular bus routes by 90 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights. This spring, the MBTA will decide whether to permanently extend weekend hours. Budget implications and ridership statistics will hold particular influence in the final decision, MBTA Deputy Press Secretary Kelly Smith said. The program costs about $20 million annually, about eight percent of which is funded through sponsors, she added. "The more people who ride, the more likely it is to stay,” Smith said. “That’s why we’re
see MBTA , page 2
Pi.1415926535 via wikimedia commons
Halfway through, MBTA late-night service seeing usage.
Inside this issue
the new ARDs began last spring with a national search, and interviews went through the summer, King explained. Dean of Student Affairs Mary Pat McMahon said that interviews were conducted by staff from across the Group of Six and other key partners in student life and student affairs. Students were also included in the search and interviewing process, according to Khang Nguyen, a returning Resident Assistant (RA) in West Hall. “They had interviews with a bunch of people, and they even invited RAs to interview their boss basically ... so it was
cool that they included us in the process,” he said. McMahon said that the original ten RDs were graduate students who were often already very busy with their own work, so their responsibility to assist students and staff was just an additional commitment. “The one problem I have heard was scheduling," she said. "Getting grad students in a myriad of programs from around Boston together to meet and then having a consistent time that you could say, ‘Okay I need this person to follow up with so and so see RESLIFE, page 2
Mark Ranalli selected to head Gordon Institute by Daniel Gottfried Daily Editorial Board
Business leader and entrepreneur Mark Ranalli joined the Tufts Gordon Institute (TGI) as its new executive director, associate dean and professor of the practice earlier this month, replacing Robert Hannemann, former director of TGI and professor, who stepped down earlier this year after seven years. As director of TGI, Ranalli said he will lead the institute by working on its curriculum and marketing. “I run that program with a great team and faculty that has been here for many years,” he said. "We are working on setting vision and advancing the program.” Ranalli explained that he is dedicated to TGI’s mission of helping to transform engineers into leaders. “As businesses grow, responsibilities grow," Ranalli said. "You
are often promoting and maturing people along the way. I have a lot of attachment to the mission.” As associate dean, Ranalli added that he will be looking to build a more inclusive strategy of entrepreneurship across Tufts. “There are a lot of pockets of activity [at Tufts] — some student led, some done through the different schools and some done right here through TGI,” he said. “But putting an umbrella around it and creating a more holistic opportunity for both education and entrepreneurship, as well [as an alternative] path for student entrepreneurs that are not as interested in the classwork and are more interested in the brass tacks getting it done — looking for mentors, looking for resources,and looking for advice — all of that we are looking to build across one platform here." see RANALLI, page 2
Today’s sections
With traditions fading, Tufts at risk of losing quirky appeal
TV series ‘Gotham’ brings new twist to batman legacy
see WEEKENDER, page 5
see ARTS, page 7
News 1 Features 3 Weekender 5 Editorial | Op-Ed 8
Op-Ed 9 Comics 10 Classifieds 11 Sports Back
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The Tufts Daily
Thursday, September 25, 2014
News
Late-night service has financial, social implications for college students MBTA
continued from page 1
Ari Schneider / The Tufts Daily
Mark Ranalli was recently selected as the new executive director of the Tufts Gordon Instiute.
Ranalli to bring experience to new position at Gordon Institute RANALLI
continued from page 1
Ranalli will also teach undergraduates as part of the Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies program, which is part of TGI. “I have an opportunity to provide some insight, mentoring and contacts,” he explained. “I enjoy that process. I am thrilled to see innovation happening at such a young age. I am really happy to provide them with whatever I can to help them move along smoothly.” Associate Director of TGI Nancy Buczko, who was a member of the hiring committee for Ranalli, said she has been impressed with Ranalli during his time at TGI so far. “It has only been a couple of weeks, but the characteristics that come to mind about working with him would be that he is outgoing, personable and has a lot of energy
that he is bringing to the role,” she said. “He has taken the approach of gathering information, asking questions and wanting to understand at the deepest level.” Ranalli is the type of candidate that TGI hoped to find, according to Buczko. “He has many experiences in industry and in the corporate world ... and several iterations of being a successful entrepreneur,” she said. “Someone who lives and breathes the world of startups and has been a successful entrepreneur is critical to being able to relate and deliver the best educational program. He himself knows how to grow a business and grow an organization.” Ranalli has previously served in a number of roles, including managing director of RR Donnelley's Digital Solutions Group, president and CEO of Helium Inc.,
co-founder and board member of OurStage and more. After over 20 years of building businesses, Ranalli explained that he decided he was ready for a new stage in his life. “I found myself at the point where I was kind of at the decision point between, ‘Do I go back and start one more business, do I retire or do I start the next chapter of my life?’” he said. “And the timing was perfect. Tufts was looking for someone to come in and fill this role, and I was looking to change what I was doing.” Ranalli said he has enjoyed his time at Tufts so far. “I am having a blast," he said. “It is two weeks in, and I love the people — as I expected. I saw that during the interviewing process. It is a very engaged community, and that isn’t easy to come by. That does’t exist all over the world.”
Area Residence Director position replaces RDs RESLIFE
continued from page 1
... could be nearly impossible sometimes." McMahon added that the goal for the creation of the ARDs was to replace the previous 10 people who worked at the job parttime with four full-time staff who have consistent, established hours and spaces. Nguyen, a junior, agreed that the position was too time-consuming for graduate students. “I think that what was difficult in past years was that the RDs were hired as graduate students, so they were basically us — students — but like with even more stuff to handle, and they had responsibilities of maintaining and managing a dorm, so that was hard for them," he said. "So I think that ResLife wanted to hire full-time ARDs so they could devote a lot more time to this one job.” The new ARDs are Tanya Mascary for Area 1, Christopher Muchata for Area 2, Ana Ibanez for Area 3 and John McGlynn (LA ’06) for Area 4. Area 1 includes Houston Hall, Hill Hall, Miller Hall and West Hall, while Area 2 includes Wren Hall, Carpenter House, Carmichael Hall, Wilson House, Metcalf Hall and Richardson House. Area 3 encompasses Haskell Hall, Tilton Hall, Bush Hall and Hodgdon Hall, and Area 4 includes Lewis Hall and South Hall.
McGlynn explained that the ARDs help create an environment which caters as much as possible to students' academic endeavors. "We want to make sure that they have as many resources at their disposal as possible, so by switching to full-time employees, there’s a little bit more of an emphasis on making sure that they have everything they need to flourish," he said. McMahon’s added that the ARDs will also help to better connect students on campus. “If [ARDs] have the pulse of what’s happening building-tobuilding and are supervising a group of staff in those different buildings, then they can identify and help connect resources already available at Tufts to students who are interested in a timely way," she said. "That’s the [new] opportunity." Kelsy Hoffman, another RA in West Hall, said the ARDs will provide a better scope of how a wider area of campus residential life is functioning, rather than a few floors of a specific hall, that will give individual RAs greater perspective for their jobs. “Students don’t just stick to their dorms — we always go to other dorms," Hoffman, a junior, said. "Being part of a larger area is what we are inherently at Tufts, so having a larger area that the ARD is now a part of is kind of
mirroring what we naturally do.” So far, Hoffman and Nguyen have had positive experiences with Mascary, who supervises West Hall. “She has a bigger group of kids to look over, but we’re still meeting with her on a bi-weekly basis just to check in and see how it’s going, so communication is good,” Nguyen said. Hoffman explained that despite the number of people in each dorm, she knows that her ARD is there to assist her throughout the process. "It’s a really solid support system to help us just figure out our own jobs," she said. McGlynn said that he is trying to emulate the relationship he had with his RD when he was an RA by focusing on openness in communication and making himself available as a resource for RAs and students alike. “I would say my relationship with the RAs is interesting because you want to be a resource there for them and you want to have that open door policy, which I think is really important," he said. "There’s also a bit of that authority figure piece to the position as well, so there is kind of a fine line. My policy on that is just to be as transparent as possible so that they know exactly where I’m coming from so there should never be any surprises."
encouraging college students to use it. It’s a use it or lose it service.” The decision to introduce the late-night service originated from citizen interest in more hours of public transportation, according to Smith. “One of the things that this administration really prides itself on is listening to citizens,” she said. “Late-night service is one of those things that came up again and again. It was a civic dialogue and civic engagement. We were really excited people were taking part in the conversation, and by people I mean everyone from college students to hospital workers to restaurant owners and club owners and bar owners and their employees and also high-tech companies.” For college students, the extended service has widespread benefits, including more social opportunities outside school campuses, as well as more transportation options that arey more affordable than cabs. “College students are on limited budgets, and they only have so much money to spend," Smith said. "It’s a safety thing as well; it’s preventing people from maybe getting behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking.”
Program Director of the Office of Sustainability Tina Woolston also cited student safety as a benefit to the MBTA late-night service. “I think it’s great that the MBTA has extended their hours,” Woolston told the Daily in an email. “Now students will be able to take public transit to businesses farther away and still get home safely.” The extended hours have not led to an increase in disturbances on the subway, which was an initial concern amongst transportation officials, Smith said. “We’re about halfway through the pilot program, and the number of incidents that have occurred have been low,” she said. “It has not been an extra strain on transit police. We have the same number of officials as we do from 10 p.m. to midnight.” The program has proven successful thus far, Smith said, citing statistics that show approximately a half million riders took advantage of the late-night service extended hours in the first five months of the program. "The average is somewhere between 14 and 17 thousand riders a weekend, which is impressive,” Smith said. Woolston said that she did not know whether Tufts is considering extending the Joey hours to match those of the MBTA.
Tufts hosts discussion on aftermath of Ferguson
FERGUSON
continued from page 1
also in denial about that segregation.” Vaught cited such militarization of police forces as a symptom of “global patterns of white domination” that are ever-present. “The thing that our pedagogy doesn’t teach us is that race is central to everything,” Joseph added. “There’s no such thing as a race card — it’s everywhere.” He explained that the road to change is not easy. “Historically the state has tried to do enormously oppressive things,” he said. “People have transformed that state, but it’s always a tug of war.” Part of the evening centered on discussing how to bring up issues of race in academic settings. Diaz said he sees problems with things his classmates and professors say, but he is unsure how to bring them up. “I don’t know how to address those things, being the only ... person of color in the classroom,” he said. Joseph noted that it is actually easier to create dialogue at places like Tufts. “Higher education is such a select group,” he said. “Here people are presumably open for dialogue.” Joseph contrasted this with public school districts in Missouri, many of
which shut out discussion of Brown’s death and the ensuing protests. A Lesley University student, however, said she also feels unable to talk about the issue at her school, explaining that many of her white classmates react defensively. “How do we bring it up on a campus where we don’t have a center for race and democracy and we don’t have these conversations?” she said. “Some people feel very alone.” Co m m u n i t y He a l t h Program Director Jennifer Allen said she saw no way of avoiding discomfort when discussing race. “The truth of the matter is, it’s always going to be difficult,” she said. “There are awful things we have to talk about.” Tufts sophomore Jonathan Moore argued that scholarship on race issues can actually impede activism. “Sometimes we feel as though this discussion becomes legitimate when you bring it into the classroom,” he said. Anderson concluded that, while much of the American public has short-term memory issues and has moved on from Ferguson, the discussion must continue and activists must remain persistent. “It’s a movement for marathon runners, not the 100yard dash,” Joseph added.
Features
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tuftsdaily.com
Over-enrollment at Tufts: fact or fiction? by Maya Blackstone Daily Editorial Board
Over the last several years, Tufts' popularity has risen notably and it is now considered a “hot school” by various college rankings. Consequently, more students are choosing to apply. Whether or not the admissions office is admitting more students than in the past, or whether or not more students are choosing to enroll here, however, has been debated among current students. Junior Tzeidel Brown Eichenberg, a clinical psychology major, expressed concern over what she sees as an an increase in over-enrollment — a phenomenon that results when a greater number of students than expected accept offers of admission — in the past few years. Like others, Eichenberg has been convinced largely through personal experience. “Basically, last semester I could not get into a single class that was a part of my major, except for one that count[ed] as an elective," she said. "Out of the eight classes that are required for my major, I will be stuck taking four of them as a senior. It just seems strange to me that in three years there was only enough space for me to take three required courses ... I'm not sure if this is because of over-enrollment, but I definitely think that it's an issue the [psychology] department needs to address as the clinical concentration becomes more popular." However, regardless of student speculation, the administration, faculty and admissions office say that these rumors are unfounded — they believe that an over-enrollment problem does not exist. Dean of Admissions & Enrollment Management, Lee Coffin, spoke to the issue of over-enrollment and used statistics to clear up the misconception. According to Coffin, despite students'
False connotations and why ecofeminism?
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courtesy nicholas pfosi
This year’s freshman class size was essentially on target, despite over-enrollment concerns. concerns over the issue, Tufts is actually not accepting more students than they can accommodate. “Our enrollment is 'over' by only 13 students," he told the Daily in an email. "The new student target (freshmen and transfers) was 1,360 and Tufts enrolled 1,373 this fall ... That's the key number for purposes of determining whether Tufts is 'overenrolled.' If the freshman deposits are higher than expected, as was the case this year, we pull back on the transfer number so that the overall enrollment remains balanced and everyone is housed." Sophomore Adam Kaminski, who works in the admissions office, explained the idea of over-enrollment and what it means for the school. “So there's this thing called yield, which is ... the percentage of accepted students who decide to enroll in a particular university," Kaminski said. "The admissions department cannot directly manipulate the yield, unless,
Tufts, Tailored
Black & White I saw a lot of jumbos in black and white this week. It's a great look and works in a wide variety of situations. I really like Nate's leather sneakers. Gabe's Adidas track pants are sporty but clean. I definitely recommend investing in some black jeans if you don't already own a pair. Also, a solid cotton t-shirt is cheap and easy. Enjoy the warm weather while it lasts!
“I usually just wear white, black or grey cuz everything goes together … The simpler the clothing is the more it highlights the person.” “These are Common Projects… Uniqlo black pants, Calvin Klein black t-shirt and Oliver Peoples.” — Nate Hajian, senior
Miranda Willson | Ecofeminism for All
“Right now I’m going to a class … I’m trying to pare down what I wear to more black and white.” — Gabe Rojkind, senior —by Jack Kamin
of course, it accepts a higher or lower number of students in anticipation of a projected yield. But yields fluctuate and cannot always be projected with great precision. For this reason, college classes are different sizes." Despite a lack of evidence supporting over-enrollment, students continue to see problems with overcrowding in academic spaces. Alexa Drenick, a junior environmental engineering major and computer science minor, also encountered difficulties getting into classes. “I registered in the special wait list section [since only computer science majors can register for the normal section of some classes] for [ Web Programming], and was position two on the wait list, so I was confident about getting in," Drenick said. "I went to the first day of class and the professor said that he would not let anyone in, even if people dropped. This means that the only people in the class are computer science majors; no nonmajor got in. I emailed the professor saying that I probably would not be able to complete my [computer] science minor if I didn't get into his class. He suggested I do a [post-baccalaureate] year in computer science, which I found ridiculous." Apart from classes, which may just be seeing increases in interest, students have also observed overcrowding in other spaces around campus. “The bike rack situation on campus is seriously lacking," Drenick said. "They are seriously overcrowded. I bike to Anderson in the morning, and by like 10:30, the racks are already full. I did see that they just installed another rack out front, though, which is awesome since people lock their bikes to poles and railings all over the place." Sophomore Amanda Danielson agreed that overcrowding is becoming a real problem in all aspects of campus life, including dining halls. "I have had to sit on the floor at some point during [a quarter] of all my college classes because there weren't enough seats for all of the enrolled students," she said. “It can also be a challenge to find seats in the dining hall at peak hours. On really popular nights, I've had to wait in line for over 15 minutes and I’ve had to sit on the stage." Concerns over on-campus housing availability have also been discussed; however, according to a Mar. 11, 2013 article in the Daily, this factor is determined largely by the amount of rising seniors who choose to live on campus — not necessarily an influx of freshmen. Despite students' frustration over crowded academic spaces, Professor of Biomedical Engineering Mark CroninGolomb stated that class size is variable and difficult to control. “It is impossible to predict the yield from year to year," Cronin-Golomb said. "The schools and departments adjust class sizes, number of sections and classroom assignments as best they can."
’m so sick of female celebrities refusing to call themselves feminists, especially when they then say they believe in “balance” and “equal rights.” These influential women — ranging from Taylor Swift to Sandra Day O’Connor — reject the term without understanding that feminism simply means “the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social and economic equality to men” — nothing “radical” or “man-hating.” But I understand why people shy away from the label — not because of what it means, but because of what others think it means. My favorite high school history teacher said that, in history, what’s true rarely matters; what matters is what people believe is true. This disheartening sentiment can also be applied to words and specifically, to labels of identification. While it’s annoying that Taylor Swift doesn’t know what feminism means, perhaps a root of the problem — other than the media’s demeaning portrayal of feminists — comes from our society’s refusal to accept the complexity of people’s identities. In high school, I never said I was a feminist. I believed taking on such a label would make guys think I wasn’t interested in them, and my awkward, horny self did not want to create any (additional) romantic and / or sexual barriers. But in a broader sense, I feared that calling myself a feminist would reduce me to that one label. Now that I’m more confident in my beliefs and can surround myself with accepting people at Tufts, I proudly claim the title. But many of my peers here who agree with the textbook definition of feminism still think that the word, in reality, means something more “radical” than that — and God forbid that anyone think you’re radical. I get it. You don’t want to say you’re a feminist because that means, to many people, that you hate men and you don’t shave your armpits — whatever — even if you know that that’s not what it actually means. I do not blame you for thinking this; after all, you are not responsible for the creation of this connotation. But you are responsible for its perpetuation. Men and women need to get over their phobia of this word — and of other misunderstood labels — and recognize that anyone can and should be a feminist. You do not need to be a lesbian, bra-burning hippie, nor a white, middle-class, oppressed housewife to be a feminist. Feminism is a valuable ideology that applies to people across genders, sexualities, races, nations and political outlooks. By rejecting it based on false connotations believed by a fraction of our society, we miss the fact that it stands for an end to oppression of women and men—because patriarchy hurts men by forcing them to conform to gender roles, too. And, as is the case with any label, its connotations will not change until we point out that they are wrong. We deserve to live in a society where women are not scared to identify as feminists because men might not be attracted to them, and men are not scared to identify as feminists because other men might call them “sissies”. Most importantly, when someone identifies as a feminist — or an environmentalist, libertarian, pro-life, whatever — we must never ignore, forget or erase the other aspects of that person’s identity. I chose the word “ecofeminism” for my column because it combines two of many aspects of my identity -- feminist and environmentalist. By making a much-needed connection between many oppressive forces (patriarchy, environmental injustice, capitalism), ecofeminism illustrates the complexity and nuances of identities. I am an environmentalist, a critic of capitalism, an International Relations major, a straight girl in a relationship and a huge Kanye West fan. None of these facts should conflict with or supersede one another. Miranda Willson is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. She can be reached at miranda.willson@tufts.edu
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The Tufts Daily
Thursday, September 25, 2014
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25th Anniversary Conference of the Tufts Center for South Asian and Indian Ocean Studies With Support from the Office of the Vice Pro
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September 26: Fletcher ASEAN Auditorium Day 1 Schedule Welcome remarks: 4:00pm David Harris, Provost of Tufts Universit y 4:10pm Jim Glaser, Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences , Tufts University
Keynote Lecture: 4:30pm
Is There Anything Special about South Asian Studies? Thomas W. Lamont University Professor, and Prof Amartya Sen essor of Economics and Philosophy, Harvard University
Anniversary Address by Founding Director:
A Sea Change in South Asian Historiograp5:3hy0pm? Reflections on the Last Twenty-Five Years
Su gata Bose Gardiner Professor of Oceanic
History and irs, Harvard University; Member of the 16th Lok Affa Sabha 6:30-7:30 pm Reception and anniversary messages
This conference brings together scholars, stud ents and friends of the CSAIOS to survey the vast terra scholarly achievement associated with its wor in of k over the past twenty-five years, and to discern and probe the advancing horizon of themes, theories, archives and pedagogies that define its ongoing program. September 27: Cabot 7th Floor Day 2 Schedule 9:00-10:15am Panel I: Interventions in South Asian Studies Seema Alavi, Delhi University Farina Mir, University of Michigan Brian Hatcher, Tufts University 10:30-11:45am Panel II: Persisting Concerns in South Asian Stud ies Neilesh Bose, St. John’s University Kris Manjapra, Tufts University Sarah Pinto, Tufts University 1:00-2:15pm Panel III: South Asia without Borders Semanti Ghosh, Anandabazar Patrika S. Akbar Hyder, University of Texas, Austin Sana Aiyar, MIT 2:15-3:00pm Lightning Round: Undergraduate Research at the Center 3:00-3:45pm Lightning Round: Graduate Research at the Cen ter 4:00-5:00pm Panel IV: Contemporary Challenges facing Sou th Asia Ayesha Jalal Director of the Center for South Asian and Indian Ocean Studies, Tufts University Sugata Bose, Harvard University Kris Manjapra, Tufts University
Weekender tuftsdaily.com
Arts & Living
Tufts no longer a by Veronica Little
Like it or not, Tufts University seems to be closely associated with a quality that has become quite the buzzword in recent years: quirk. Though some students resist and even resent this association, more still cling to it as the deciding factor in their college decision and a key component of the atmosphere that Tufts has afforded them as students. Many, however, are left wondering what the “quirky” label means and how it manifests itself in the day-today functions and traditions on campus. In the past, it appears that many students, faculty and staff members would point to traditions like the Naked Quad Run (NQR), casual nudity at the Loj — Tufts Mountain Club's (TMC) cabin in New Hampshire — and even “trick -turning” as evidence of Tufts personality. However, in recent years, these traditions have been systematically eradicated from the campus zeitgeist. Though the university is still known for YouTube supplement videos and late-night cannon painting, it is hard to set aside recent changes to Tufts’ campus culture. Indeed, many first year students may be confused when reading this piece, since NQR was officially banned in 2011 and trick-turning saw its final days last spring. They will never experience these quintessential Tufts experiences. Due to this gap in experience, it is important now to explain these former Tufts traditions and the impact they have had on many students. The NQR was a Tufts tradition which began in the 1970s and was passed down through many generations of Jumbos. The idea behind the run was simple: Right before finals, students of all years would gather in uphill dorms like Houston and Hill and, in unison, burst out into the freezing cold to do laps around the Res Quad sporting their finest birthday Daily Editorial Board
suits. As would be expected, this event was strongly associated with drinking alcohol and, because of that, many students would do the Naked Quad Run drunk. Alumnus Benjamin Helm (E ’14), who was a freshman the year that NQR was banned, was a part of the last group lucky enough to participate in the tradition. “I had heard about [NQR] as a prefrosh and was super excited to do it. The night itself was crazy; they set up a huge fence and hay bales around the Res quad and tons of people would come to watch — students and townies and probably professors too, I have no idea,” Helm said. In fact, between 2002 and NQR’s final year, 2011, the administration and Tufts police force sanctioned the event. In an opinion piece titled “NQR reconsidered” written to the Tufts Daily on Mar. 14, 2011, thenpresident Lawrence S. Bacow cited worries from Deans and the Tufts Police that NQR was unsafe. Many students were in danger of alcohol poisoning, sprained ankles and broken bones due to the extremely low temperatures and slippery sidewalks of the late-autumn night. In order to establish some semblance of safety during the event, Bacow said the administration had worked with Facilities and the Tufts Police to provide some supervision and safety barriers. But, according to Bacow, these attempts had proved futile. He ultimately banned the event in the spring of 2011, a decision he defended in the aforementioned article. In his opinion piece, Bacow wrote, “Even if I did not act now, NQR would end some day. The only question is whether a student has to die first. We cannot allow this to happen, and the Naked Quad Run will not continue.” One need only google "Tufts NQR" to find a slew of news articles about Tufts’ banning the event — including blurbs in the Huffington Post, The Boston Globe and The Washington Post. Unsurprisingly, the cancellation of the event sent waves throughout the Tufts community and even across the country.
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quirky paradise?
When asked to shed light on the campus atmosphere surrounding the cancellation of NQR, Helm said, “I think they announced they were going to ban it in the spring of my freshman year and people were pretty upset. That night a bunch of people, myself included, did an impromptu NQR which was awesome.” This kind of attachment to campus traditions has manifested itself once again following the elimination of trickturning. Trick-turning, for those firstyears who were once blissfully unaware, was a clever way to bypass the meal time restrictions between DewickMacPhie and Carmichael dining halls and the Hodgdon On-The-Run options. In the days of trick-turning, students with Premium (commonly called Unlimited) Meal Plans could swipe into Dewick or Carmichael and then, in the same meal period, swipe into Hodgdon without incurring any additional charge. Many students could only begin to imagine the joy that trick-turning brought. What’s more, trick-turning was not just a fun tradition to be a part of — many students viewed trick-turning as a pragmatic choice to find food on a campus with few late-night dining options. The frustration at the loss has been exacerbated this year by the renovations in the Commons Deli & Grill in the campus center. In an interview with the Tufts Daily last April, Patti Klos, the Director of Dining and Business Services, suggested that “trickturning” was not intended as a permanent element of the Tufts Dining experience. With the countless upgrades and renovations that Tufts has been making, things like trick-turning seem to be relegated to the archives of memory and legend for future Tufts students. All of this is not to suggest that traditions like NQR and trick-turning were not dangerous or expensive to maintain. Of course, the thought of inebriated students running
over frozen sidewalks paints a dangerous picture. Of course, trick-turning is an expensive glitch in an already expensive dining system. Of course. But maybe, on a campus that has recently had trouble living up to its “quirky” label, it seems like the cost of losing these traditions is impossible to calculate. The constant alterations to many Tufts institutions (think of Tufts Dance Collective, Fall Ball and Winter Bash) due to overhead and liability for the University come as constant threats to Tufts’ campus culture. These inheritable events that Tufts once proudly boasted — exciting moments that brought students from all disciplines, class years and groups together — have been lost to renovations and modernization. So, Tufts students are once again left with an important question: Who are we as a student body and how do we engage with our campus? It’s hard to say. Thankfully, many students have found pockets of the undergraduate community to which they belong, carving out a niche for themselves despite Tufts' cultural erosion. But, does that really make it okay? “It’s just one more thing that all Tufts alumni won't have in common anymore,” said Helm. Campus traditions are an important way to build community. And while safety should be a paramount concern, so too should the experiences, desires and opportunities of Tufts students. Students continue to watch on as campus traditions are altered and replaced, changed and cancelled. And while the concerns of the administration are valid, it is easy to wonder whether their actions are beneficial to the Tufts community at large. “It’s always unfortunate ending traditions that make a school unique and tie the people that went there together,” Helm said. “I know they say that it's fun to start new traditions, but starting a tradition yourself never seems to have as much meaning as having one passed down to you.”
Once a source of trickturning joy, Hodgdon has tightened its belt, squelching another Tufts tradition.
Courtesy Nicholas Pfosi
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The Tufts Daily
weekender
Thursday, September 25, 2014
What’s Up This Weekend Looking to make your weekend artsy? Check out these events! Erik Lindgren 60th Birthday Chamber-a-Go-Go Concert: Erik Lindgren (LA 76') will play his concert retrospective performance in Distler before commencing his residency at Tufts from Sept. 22-27. Lindgren is a prominent musician in the Boston community, with credits including being a founding member of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, as well as recording 11 albums. Michael Burlingame's "To A Random" (1986), a film for which Lindgren recorded the soundtrack, will play at 7 p.m. before the concert. (Saturday at 7 p.m. in Distler Performance Hall, Granoff Music
Center. Admission is free, no tickets required). Sunday at Tufts Community Concert Series -- David Coleman and Confirmation: Join Tufts Gospel Choir director David Coleman and his ensemble, Confirmation, as they play part of this Sunday series. David will lead his ensemble in “Hymns 2.0,” featuring his own original compositions and arrangements. (Sunday at 3 p.m. in Distler Performance Hall, Granoff Music Center. Admission is free, no tickets required). What the Fluff? Festival: Somerville’s own festival to celebrate the unique concoction that is Marshmallow Fluff will commence this weekend with activities, food, music and other fun events.
Archibald Query, Somerville’s famous inventor of Marshmallow Fluff, is honored by this unique event. Artists, musicians and performers will put their own spin on artistic expressions of Fluff. There will also be a plethora of Flufffilled goodies, cocktails, beer-flavors and, of course, plenty of Marshmallow Fluff itself. This year’s What the Fluff? Festival is steampunk-themed, so blow off some steam and gobble up some Fluff. (Saturday at 3 p.m. in Union Square Plaza, Somerville. The event is free). Chi Omega Presents Animal House on the Lawn: Join the sisters of Chi Omega for a free movie screening of the college classic “Animal House”
(1978), on their sorority house lawn this Friday. Students are encouraged to bring blankets, pillows and their favorite college sweatshirt to the event. Candy and popcorn will be provided for snacking. (Friday at 7 p.m. on 106 Professor’s Row’s front lawn. Admission is free but a suggested donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation is greatly appreciated).
—by Nika Korchok
'This Is Where I Leave You' yields amusing slapstick, not much else by Yan Zhao
Contributing Writer
“You’re all grounded!” Hillary Altman ( Jane Fonda) announces in "This Is Where I Leave You," released Sept. 19, in the wake of her husband's death. But
This Is Where I Leave You Directed by Shawn Levy Starring Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver when Hillary addresses her middle-aged, incredulous children, little does she know that everyone in the room, save maybe the tottering kid, Cole (Cade Lappin), has his or her own set of life-disrupting problems to bring to the table. It seems like the perfect start to a comedy about a dysfunctional family and their spouses, except that it’s supposed to be both thoughtful and funny, not just one. Director Shawn Levy's newest ensemble comedy, “This Is Where I Leave You,” is a slice-of-life drama about a mother and her four children who, after spending years apart, are reunited while sitting shiva — the eight-day mourning process in Judaism — for their late father. The Altman clan embarks on a soul-searching
quest, and is forced to confront its problems together, bringing extended relatives and friends into the mix. Protagonist Judd Altman (Jason Bateman) rekindles his relationship with old flame and high school crush Penny Moore (Rose Bryne), while Judd's brother, Philip (Adam Driver), works on his rocky relationship with extherapist and soon-to-be-fiancé Tracy Sullivan (Connie Britton). And Wendy (Tina Fey) encounters her high school boyfriend, Horry (Timothy Olyphant). The film attempts to magnify domestic problems faced by everyday people, compressing them into a 103 minute movie. The results aren’t so stellar, especially when compared with the novel written by Jonathan Tropper, published in 2009, on which the film was based. At least the movie brings out deeper parts of the story in quick succession. On the surface, the film is an unconventional drama-comedy that blurs the line between dark content and humor, touching on subjects such as divorce, pregnancy, miscarriage, death and extramarital affairs. The movie’s comedic offerings lie in the wacky ways it portrays these issues. The star-studded cast, combined with the exaggerated details of Tropper's script and Levy's skill as a director, manage to dish out an enjoyable slapstick performance — with tidbits see LEAVE, page 7
Artsy Jumbo
Neha Sandeep links biology and art in color Any student that has happened to wander into the Tufts art studio within the last four years has probably stumbled across the artwork of Neha Sandeep, perhaps even recognizing her work's trademark vibrant colors. Sandeep, a senior, began studio art classes when she was 13 years old. Though she has been trained in drawing and other art forms, Sandeep said she prefers painting for the freedom it provides and for its distinct tactile quality. “I just really love the feel of paints,” she said. “It’s a very sensory experience to put paints on a canvas or squeeze them out of a tube.” Painting, Sandeep added, also allows her to explore and utilize her sense of color. One of her most recent paintings — a portrait of a small, brown Buddha figurine — incorporates layers of blues, greens and reds to enhance the figure. “I wasn’t satisfied with the brown,” she said. “I had to throw color in there and mess around.” As a biology major in the premedical program, finding time to balance her homework and her painting can be difficult, Sandeep said. Still, she values her time in the studio as a way to escape stress. In the future, Sandeep hopes to combine her knowledge of biology and art by working on more anatomical, live modelbased pieces. “I hope I keep doing it forever," she said. “I never want to give up that side of my interests.” —by Abigail Feldman
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Jason Bateman and Rose Byrne share a rare moment of sincerity in "This Is Where I Leave You."
Thursday, September 25, 2014
The Tufts Daily
'Gotham' brings fresh, crime-drama twist to Batman legacy by Dana Guth
Daily Editorial Board
"Gotham" (2014 - present) catapults into fall TV’s comic-scape with all the expected classics: cloaked imps whiz-
Gotham Starring Ben McKenzie, Robin Lord Taylor, Jada Pinkett Smith, John Doman
Airs Monday at 8 p.m. on FOX zing through market alleyways, sweeping pans of a shadow-soaked city, a full, brooding score of police sirens and suspense-mode strings. Immediately recognizable are the impossibly gloomy and permanently wet streets that the Batman trope has carved into the collective memory of the silver screen. The only thing missing is the masked vigilante himself. However, instead of an appearance by the Batman, we see Jeff Gordon [Benjamin McKenzie a.k.a. Ryan from The O.C. (2003-2007)] as the leather-clad, steely-eyed muscle man. He’s shown here as a detective in pre-Batman Gotham. So, until little Bruce Wayne grows up, Gordon is the one kicking around criminals. Purist fans of the iconic franchise keen on seeing a fresh installment materialize on the small screen will likely be disappointed without their beloved winged hero. But FOX has scraped together all the other best parts of fiction’s favorite corrupt city, making a strong case for anyone to stick around with or without him. The first step to getting the most out of this new "Gotham" is appreciating it for what it is. Instead of being the comic-bookturned-television series that it was marketed to be, the show is a gimmick-riddled crime drama. Just like Batman himself, the show’s true character is hidden beneath a thinly veiled false identity. Protagonist Jeff Gordon is a cop who chases criminals, deals with mob bosses and struggles to balance his job with his relationship — all the usual, real-world ingredients. Since
the Batman franchise has always chosen a gritty brand of fists and guns over powers and mutations, the show’s premise risks isolating anyone seeking a more superhuman jolt from reality. Fortunately for Bat-fans and comic neophytes alike, "Gotham" peppers its grainy goon-chasing with a satisfying dose of fantasy. Classic villains introduced in the first episode alone include a ruthlessly sultry, threat-seething criminal boss named Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith), icy ringleader Carmine Falcone (John Doman) and the campy foreshadowing of mini-villain Poison Ivy (Clare Foley) among others. Judging from the pilot, Gotham City’s prerequisites for citizenship still oscillate between extreme sadism and utter helplessness. As such, the most gripping of these troublemakers is Oswald “Penguin” Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor), whose twitchy ticks and disturbing, emotional stutters threaten violent breakdowns in each tense movement. This twisted dark side to "Gotham" bubbles beneath the surface during the pilot’s entire first half, which focuses a bit aggressively on exposition and unnecessary world building. The show’s producers are eagerly yanking at a pool of influences that have been multiplying for decades since Batman’s conception, and viewers can feel their heavy hands trying to cram in as many references as possible. At its worst, this thickly laid-on, syrupy plea to both comic lovers and financial backers is a transparent attempt at marketable fan fiction. But about halfway through the episode, they drop the act, the audience buys in and the mania manifests itself. "Gotham" stands to be one of the most brutal shows on FOX’s otherwise family friendly lineup, and, at its best, this sleazy darkness riles up anticipation with every cut. This is not to say that the absence of the series’ true leading role is not felt. The players that do remain in "Gotham" frequently remind each other of their need
Top Ten
Ten not-necessarily-super-awful things that have happened recently
Too often the Top Ten in the Daily Arts section has been a box riddled with the sardonic musings of cynical editors. Today, in the face of violent world conflicts, shady politicians and Ebola, Arts brings you our top ten not-necessarilysuper-awful things that have happened recently. Though some of these items may not be "current events" per se, a reminder that good things are happening — or on their way — is always relevant! We hope that this short list can offer you a small respite from the ever encroaching darkness of complete oblivion. 10. People’s Climate March in NYC: This past weekend, more than 400,000 people took to the streets of New York City in order to raise awareness about global climate change. And though it is a bit disappointing that in this day and age we need to march to raise awareness about a scientific fact, the solidarity and boldness of those brave souls is truly something to marvel at. 9. Dewick has pesto: Ok, so not really a piece of news but, wow, it's just so yummy and delicious. On a sandwich, on a salad, on a piece of toast or just in a bowl with a spoon, Dewick’s pesto situation is pretty great. 8. Hedy Epstein protesting in Ferguson: Hedy Epstein, a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor and activist, was recently arrested in Ferguson protesting the recent killing of Michael Brown. This little old hero is putting her life on the line for justice — so dope. 7. Homecoming this weekend: Forecast is 75 degrees and sunny — we can all finally pretend that we love sports and
things! Yay sports teams. 6. Adjunct professors vote to unionize at Tufts: Joining the wave of awesome part-time faculty across the country, Tufts adjunct professors have come together and will negotiate pay, benefits and other awesome stuff super soon! 5. Fall is kinda here: So, the Fall Equinox happened Tuesday. And though we obviously have no idea what that means, we can tell you that cool fall seasonal things are gonna happen soon. So get out your Ugg boots and order those pumpkin spice lattes. 4. India sends an orbiter to Mars: India’s Mars Orbiter spacecraft just made its way into Mars' orbit. This is a huge victory for humans everywhere! This may be our first step to our first steps on Mars. (See what we did there?) 3. The Soundtrack to “Shrek 2” (2004) is still really good: Do you remember that song "Accidentally In Love" by the Counting Crows? Listen to it! It's unbelievable. 2. WE WON A FOOTBALL GAME: GUYS SERIOUSLY THIS IS I NCREDIBLE WOW WE DID IT HOW INCREDIBLE PROPS TO FOOTBALL. 1. Emma Watson's speech about feminism at the U.N.: Emma Watson totally killed it at the U.N. last Saturday with a speech for her new initiative “HeForShe.” Not only did she dispel some misguided ideas about feminism, she called for men and boys to join the cause! Ten points for humanity! —by Veronica Little
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weekender Nikki Blank | A SWUG's Life
SWUG 101
I
Adapted from Genevieve719 via Flickr Creative Commons
Playing a young Detective James Gordon, Ben McKenzie struggles to carry and construct a narrative in Gotham without the famous masked vigilante. for a “guardian,” and they cling steadfastly to this idea because the city’s essential substance still rests on the Dark Knight. Since each character was originally sketched out in reference to the masked hero, his shadow inevitably looms over the forced plot lines weaved by all his supporting roles. Even still, in a fall season soggy with desperate crime show repeats and comic book afterthoughts, "Gotham" is a welcome new kid on the block. The series will have to fight to find its place in the bottomless pit of DC and Marvel adaptations hitting the screen, especially with a basis that lends itself so readily to the hackneyed “good cop, bad cop” dynamic. But with its classically gothic cinematography, glossy cast and “Blade Runner” (1982) style grit, this pilot has already earned "Gotham" some street cred.
Tropper's writing dissapoints on the silverscreen LEAVE
continued from page 6
involving fake breasts, a zany rabbi, potty training and much more. But frankly, the movie overcompensates. Levy crowds everything from Tropper's 352 page novel into the movie, all at once, leaving viewers struggling to understand sudden ups and downs. Viewers might also find the cast too varied and confusing. The amount of screen time each character receives seems disproportionate to their significance in the story and the values Levy tries to convey. The movie feels too hurried, too abstract in some regards and fails to transfer the full experience of the novel to the silver screen. A line by character Hilary Altman describes the film well: “It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be uncomfortable. And we’re going to get on each other’s nerves.” At times the movie is unbearable, especially when emotional transitions happen too quickly. For example, viewers are left hanging when, in a tranquil scene, Judd shares a childhood recollection with Wendy on the family roof, only to have the moment rudely cut short. Overall, the film is good enough as a sitcom-turned-mediocre-Hollywoodtype story. It’s not the actors’ faults; none of them were allowed enough screen time and transition periods to really shine. Viewers will be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of story climaxes encountered, simply too much to be digested in the mere 103 minutes allotted to "This is Where I Leave You."
n the style of Mick Jagger’s "Sympathy for the Devil" (1968): “Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a woman of wealth and taste. I’ve been around for a long, long three years." Hi, I’m Nikki, and I am a self-declared SWUG. SWUG stands for Senior Washed-Up Girl, and is not to be confused with a shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusk or slug. Being a SWUG at Tufts means a lot of things. It means that you are a senior. That you’ve spent the last three years of your life enjoying all that scenic Medford / Somerville has to offer. That you can legally buy and consume alcohol, but you cannot legally hookup with a 17-yearold freshman (nor would you want to). SWUG means never having to say you’re sorry … for drinking wine out of a coffee mug in a Thursday night class, for dropping a class the night before a paper is due or for eating dinner at The Pub so you can reserve a table and seat all night. Being a SWUG means picking and choosing your battles (with alcohol), and that your body just can’t handle four nights a week every week anymore. Your bed seems like a better place to enjoy a Friday night than a sweaty frat basement, unless that frat basement promises unlimited free alcohol in the form of a mixer and a theme that allows for baggy, comfortable clothing. Being a SWUG means that you actually enjoy a $12 bottle of wine over a $4 bottle of wine, and that you’re willing to splurge on a handle of Absolut over Rubinoff. Being a SWUG means that Helen’s is your most recent call on a Sunday morning, and you may or may not have slept through their seven calls that they are “here for delivery” and “will never deliver to this apartment again.” Being a SWUG means you know every restaurant that takes JumboCash and how to split up your food budget between different credit cards. Being a SWUG means that Moe’s Trolley likes your Facebook photos, and that you’ve had a Moe’s burger while sober. Being a SWUG means that either you (or your friends) have already received job offers or that you have no idea what you are doing with your life and you won’t know until May. Being a SWUG means that you’re now stuck in Mathematics of Social Choice, and you never realized that dividing a pie between friends was actually a mathematical pursuit (and that you will now crave pie every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m.). Being a SWUG means that you have about eight more months on your parent’s dime and you better start learning how to exploit Tufts for free school supplies, food and apparel. Dewick has become your source of free fruit, cereal and cartons of soy milk (if a freshman is willing to swipe you). Being a SWUG means knowing every event on campus that offers free food, and when Hillel requires a meal swipe. Being a SWUG means you don’t give a f--k, and wearing a bathrobe or onesie around campus is acceptable attire. Being a SWUG means freshmen won’t know who you are, and you don’t care because you don’t know them. Being a SWUG means you’re constantly nostalgic, scared, excited and over it — all at once. Being a SWUG means that you have the knowledge, experience and wisdom of three years at this fine institution. And that’s why I’m here: to answer all of your burning questions about life, liberty and the pursuit of fratiness. In need of some advice? Send your burning questions about anything mentioned above, or anything at all, to aswugslife@gmail.com, or else I’ll just make up my own questions and answer them myself. Nikki Blank is a senior majoring in English. She can be reached at Nicole.Blank@tufts. edu.
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The Tufts Daily
THE TUFTS DAILY
Editorial
ARDs focus exclusively on student needs
Alexander J. Schroeder Editor-in-Chief
Editorial
Justin Rheingold Lily Sieradzki Managing Editors
Patrick McGrath Executive News Editor Daniel Bottino News Editors Jenna Buckle Abigail Feldman Shana Friedman Daniel Gottfried Nina Goldman Dana Guth Stephanie Haven Alexa Horwitz Audrey Michael Kathleen Schmidt Jei-Jei-Tan Denali Tietjen Melissa Wang Sarah Zheng Jessica Mow Executive Features Editor Maya Blackstone Features Editors Hannah Fingerhut Charlotte Gilliland Kendall Todd Jake Taber Shannon Vavra Sophie Dasinger Assistant Features Editors Mengqi Sun Annie Gill Drew Robertson Executive Arts Editor Dana Guth Arts Editors Nika Korchok Veronica Little Timothy Charouk Assistant Arts Editors Abigail Feldman Charlotte Gilliland Grace Segers
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Editorial | Op-ed
The Office of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) recently made a smart decision in replacing 10 part-time Residence Hall Directors (RDs) with four full-time Area Residence Directors (ARDs). The new ARDs are now in place for this school year, following a selection process that began last spring. The interview process should be commended for both its transparency and inclusiveness of on-campus communities and identities. Dean of Student Affairs Mary Pat McMahon said interviews were conducted by various staff members from the Group of Six as well as key players in student life and student affairs. Student Resident Assistants (RAs) also played a key role in the search and interview process for the new ARDs. By allowing a multitude of student voices in the process, the
Dean of Student Affairs has been able to include the stakeholders who will be most impacted by this transition. Previously, Resident Hall Directors were graduate students who fulfilled their responsibilities to students and staff as an addition to their studies. These demands were very time-consuming for the graduate students, which made RDs hard to reach and risked putting the needs of students on hold. By hiring 10 full-time staff members who are reliable and have structured hours, ResLife is ensuring that student needs will be addressed in a more meaningful and timely manner. Adding positions that focus exclusively on students helps to ensure that the university is providing a safe and supportive environment in dorms. Rather than simply address issues like noise complaints and alcohol consumption, ARDs were hired to cre-
ate environments that cater to students' academic needs and will be able to have stronger connections to students due to their constant availability on campus. With more time spent at Tufts each day than Resident Hall Directors, ARDs will have a better opportunity to identify bigger-picture issues and will be better able to connect resources to students in a timeefficient manner. ARDs will have a clear perspective on how a wider area of campus residential life is functioning, rather than a few floors of a specific hall. With this knowledge, they will be able to give individual RAs a holistic view of campus activities and needs. By focusing on a transparent process and encouraging communication, ResLife's new arrangement should ensure that students’ needs are met on campus.
AMY BU
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Off the Hill | University of Mississipi
2014 or 1984? Facebook is watching you by Brice Ashford
Whether it comes in the form of gossip, internet postings or government surveillance, privacy infringement is everywhere. Privacy no longer exists in today's world. The word itself is so laughable it's reduced to its most archaic meaning: "The state or condition of being free from being observed or disturbed by other people." In a world filled with known national intelligence agencies such as the NSA, CIA and others that are surely unannounced to the public, every camera, microphone and computer is beginning to feel increasingly more Orwellian. Social media's game changer, known as Facebook, has recently attracted a lot of attention due to its mobile messaging application. The Facebook Messenger app can access large amounts of personal data. You cannot gain access to the app without first agreeing to the Terms of Service, rendering it difficult to communicate with others on Facebook via your smartphone. (It is still possible to access Facebook via mobile web The Daily Mississippian
The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community. EDITORIAL POLICY Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily. The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board.
browsers to message other users; however, this is extremely inconvenient). According to the terms of service, the app allows Facebook to "call phone numbers without your intervention," "send SMS messages," "record audio with microphone" and many other sticky little add-ons that allow the app to collect swaths of potentially sensitive information. Facebook's motives for collecting this data remain unclear. Some might say it is for marketing purposes, while others may speculate there is underlying government involvement. This isn't the first time the social media giant has received bad publicity for being a little too nosy. I do not support the mass collection of public data by any entity, whether the action comes from the command of any form of government or a corporation. Private information should remain private. I cannot and do not hold Facebook 100 percent accountable for this issue, however. The terms of service were established as a way for companies
and corporations to explain to their clients, "this is what you're getting into." As invasive as Facebook messaging seems, its clients are not forced to use any services, after all. Where do we, the consumers, draw the line? Although I do not agree with handing over the use of my phone's functions to the company, I have chosen to agree to the terms and services. Therefore, I have elected to render a certain level of privacy in order to gain access to a more efficient means of mobile communication linked to Facebook. The terms of service for other devices, such as laptops, do not differ in the ways that they collect data. The truth is, we have all been subject to monitoring since the day we signed up to use the website. The technological advances the world has achieved makes it increasingly difficult to maintain a private lifestyle. There is no sure way to fully block monitoring or surveillance. Be cautious of the actions that you choose to ensue. Remember, "Facebook is watching you."
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must be submitted by 2 p.m. and should be handed into the Daily office or sent to letters@tuftsdaily.com. All letters must be word processed and include the writer’s name and telephone number. There is a 450-word limit and letters must be verified. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length.
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Thursday, September 25, 2014
The Tufts Daily
Off the Hill | University of Southern California
GOP is wrong to deny women equal pay by Nathaniel Haas The Daily Trojan
In 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that the average woman earns 78 percent of what a man makes despite working a similar full-time job, and Senate Republicans simply don't care. Last Monday, Republican senators unanimously rejected the Paycheck Fairness Act, a piece of legislation that attempts to fix the gap between money women and men make for the same amount of effort and time on the job. It is the third time Republicans have rejected the law in two years. The only people in this country who deserve less pay — if any at all — for equal amounts of work are politicians who consider it their "work" to systematically endorse the oppression of women. For the rest of America, it is time to end the vicious gender discrimination that has plagued this country for 200 years too long. The Paycheck Fairness Act includes several amendments to the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act that include, according to Politico, "offering training for salary negotiations, increasing employees' legal options for fighting pay disparities and prohibiting retaliation against employees seeking salary information." According to the legislative summary, the bill also "makes employers who violate sex discrimination prohibitions liable in a civil action for either compensatory or (except for the federal government) punitive damages." Without these important protections, it is no wonder that the pay gap
hasn't closed at all since 2007. It is also a shame. One objection, advanced by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), who voted against the bill, is that the bill could potentially outlaw merit-based pay, which rewards employees based on individual performance. But that objection is unfounded — if an employer's idea of merit pay is one that rewards men more than it rewards women, that isn't merit pay — it's gender discrimination. If an employer's idea of merit pay is one that rewards men and women equally for good performance, the Paycheck Fairness Act would have no problem with it. Some Republicans preferred to direct the issue to something different entirely. "It's politics," said Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), another Republican woman who didn't vote for the bill. "It's a one-sided vote for political reasons, so [Democrats] can use it in campaigns." That's a C+ argument. Sure, it's midterm season, but here is the awkward moment when Republicans need to be reminded that this is the third time they've rejected the bill in two years. Last April, when there was nigh an election in sight, Republicans didn't even allow the bill to be debated. This time, they allowed the bill to come to the floor for debate before rejecting it — but only because the vote prevented the minimum wage bill and other progressive pieces of legislation from being debated. In fact, Republicans are so shortsighted in this case that they don't
even realize that just voting for the bill in bipartisan fashion would only have a negligible political influence on the midterms because both parties could take credit for it. Republicans also tried to wish away the issue by invoking the "small business" excuse, an old standby. "I think this bill would result in excessive litigation that would impose a real burden, particularly on small businesses," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who also didn't vote for the bill. "I think existing laws are adequate," Collins told the Huffington Post. Arguments like this are the reason most conservative Americans are afraid to sneeze for fear of disturbing the sacred institution of "small businesses." Granted, some regulation is good regulation. Laws that allow someone to sue an employer if the roof falls on top of them at work also impose a "burden" on small businesses: they have to build roofs that won't collapse on their workers. Laws that burden small businesses with the task of paying their women workers the same as their men workers are justifiable burdens indeed. The Paycheck Fairness Act is a particular piece of politics that is too important to be left to politicians. While women are working equal time for less pay this fall, Congress will be on recess campaigning. Unfortunately, Republicans will be campaigning without the support of half of the electorate.
Off the Hill | University of Arizona
Murder trials, not soap operas by Elizabeth Hannah
In May 2013, a jury found Jodi Arias guilty for the 2008 murder in Mesa, Az. of her lover, Travis Alexander. It then decided that her crime was "cruel, heinous or depraved," making Arias eligible for the death penalty. During the sentencing phase of the trial, however, the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision about whether to assign the death penalty or life in prison. The hung jury prompted Judge Sherry Stephens to declare a mistrial. Arias' retrial is set for Sept. 29. Earlier this September, The Arizona Republic published an article explaining that Stephens wouldn't let Arias' lawyer remove himself from the case after he and co-counsel Jennifer Willmott were The Daily Wildcat
ordered to act as legal advisers. Scroll down in the online version of the article and there is a timeline labeled "Jodi Arias Murder Case: 20 Top Moments," followed by additional articles. There's also a page on the website titled, "Killer Romance: Inside the Jodi Arias Trial," an archive of the case from January 2013 through June 2013. A reader might easily mistake the page for a Law & Order SVU promotional site. It almost makes one forget that Arias is a real human being, not a character in a soap opera. The Arizona Republic's coverage of the Jodi Arias trial reflects the countrywide attention that the case has generated. During the trial, Arias dominated social media and national television. The case developed a cult-
cstpierre vi wikimedia commons
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Op-Ed
like following, and passionate protestors cried out for vengeance against Arias. As the retrial date looms nearer, the general public will undoubtedly begin to rehash a favorite debate: whether or not Arias deserves to live. If death were not on the table, the sentencing portion of Arias' trial would be over. Passion would have been removed from the deliberation process, and Arias would already have begun serving a life sentence. But because the prosecution refused to settle for life in prison, taxpayers must continue to fund the trial, which has already cost more than $2 million. And should the new jury reach a guilty verdict, a recent study by the Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center indicates that the cost of appeals in death penalty cases exceeds the price of lifetime incarceration. The death penalty desensitizes people to an institution that allows citizens to kill other citizens. By portraying death penalty trials as sick reality shows, the media glorifies government-sanctioned murder and trivializes the grave nature of capital cases. That it has become socially acceptable to engage in casual dinner conversation about Arias' fundamental right to life provides evidence for this phenomenon. Furthermore, sensationalistic news stories about death penalty proceedings undermine the justice system by preventing defendants from receiving unbiased trials. It seems impossible that the picketers and television crews swarming Jodi Arias' courtroom did not exert any influence on the jury. Such media attention creates an environment where public perception is more important than the search for truth. Regardless of Arias' innocence or guilt, the idea that putting a person to death can be taken so lightly is abhorrent. Ultimately, so long as the death penalty is practiced in this country, we will face the continued devaluation of life at the hands of the media.
Walt Laws-MacDonald | Show Me the Money
Bigger but better?
I
wrote a column about the cult of Apple nearly three years ago. It was a simpler time then. A time when my tremendous playlist making skills were heralded throughout the halls of the Dirty Lew (there was a joke about the football team here, but OH MY GOD WE WON), a time when NQR was more than just a distant memory. Perhaps most shockingly of all, I owned a BlackBerry. Yes, times have changed. But has Apple? When Apple released the first iPhone in 2007, both consumers and financial analysts recognized that Apple had fundamentally changed the smartphone market. Apple didn’t necessarily reinvent the phone. BlackBerry had incorporated email, calendar and address book functions into its handhelds for years, and HTC released its first touchscreen phone a few months before the first iPhone. Instead, Apple designed a product that incorporated these features into one flawless, easy-to-use device. It just worked. Remember phones like the LG Chocolate? Any cool factor it had was cancelled out by the sheer rage its so-called “touch screen” caused. With the announcement of the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, Apple has entered a new era of smartphone manufacturing. Apple has reacted, adapted and evolved. For the first time in recent memory, it took a cue from its competitors. Apple didn’t tell its customers they want bigger smartphones, its customers told Apple they want bigger smartphones. The cult of Apple may be dead, but the religion is still very much alive. Ask and ye shall receive. Though iPhones used to be symbols of wealth or tech snobbery, they are now as commonplace as the flip phones that came before them. The first iPhone was available at two price points: $499 for the 4GB model and $599 — nearly $700 in today’s dollars — for the 8GB model. Though smartphones were still marketed towards wealthier customers, the top of the line BlackBerry at the time cost just $299. Apple now sells nine different permutations of the iPhone at eight different price points. Top of the line models like the 128GB iPhone 6 Plus still cater to wealthy users, while models like the $99 8GB iPhone 5C fit customers on a budget. More importantly, the cheaper models don’t feel cheap -- as is the case with many budget Android devices. Wall Street has responded positively to both of these developments. Even with lackluster sales figures, the iPhone 5C helped Apple capture a new segment of the smartphone market that Android had a chokehold on for years. Apple has already seen a record number of pre-orders for the iPhone 6, and the iPhone 6 Plus will chip away at the market share of phones like the Samsung Galaxy Note and other that-can’t-be-aphone-sized phones. Yes, Apple’s hold on the smartphone market seems to be safe and sound for the time being. But Apple also announced a new product last week: the iWatch. Wearable tech has been “the next big thing” for a few years now, with Google Glass taking it mainstream last year. But right now, the technology isn’t there yet. The watch costs more than the lower-end iPhone models, its battery lasts less than a day and its features leave much to be desired. Though the iWatch will surely attract the tech-savvy crowd and Apple fan boys and girls, wearable tech is still a few years away from a) being useful and b) not making you look like you’re playing laser tag. But Apple’s flagship product remains the iPhone. Apple has diversified, and Apple has changed — but they still make products that just work. Walt Laws-MacDonald is a senior majoring in quantitative economics. He can be reached at walt.laws_macdonald@tufts.edu.
Op-ed Policy The Op-Ed section of The Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length. Op-Ed cartoons are also welcomed for the Campus Canvas feature. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. All material should be submitted to oped@tuftsdaily.com no later than noon on the day prior to the desired day of publication; authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions. Submissions may not be published elsewhere prior to their appearance in the Daily, including but not limited to other on- and off-campus newspapers, magazines, blogs and online news websites, as well as Facebook. Republishing of the same piece in a different source is permissible as long as the Daily is credited with originally running the article.
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The Tufts Daily
FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Comics
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Crossword Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis ACROSS 1 Stick on the ground 5 “Notes on a Scandal” Best Actress nominee 10 Legal suspension 14 “How awful!” 15 Villa on the Volga 16 After the bell 17 *Hobby shop purchase 19 Rte. 66 goes through it 20 African capital with a metro 21 *World Wildlife Fund symbol 23 Health care org. 24 Matter, in law 26 Burning sign 27 “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” channel 28 Glittery strand 30 Utter 32 Sweet and sour 36 Extremely dry 37 Common sports injuries ... and a hint to hidden words that span both parts of the answers to starred clues 41 Die down 42 Kenyan’s neighbor 43 John of England 45 Spurred 49 Showy wrap 50 Yale alum 53 Batteries for mice 54 Something to grind 55 *Florida city with over 400 miles of canals 58 Lets up 60 European range 61 *“Movin’ Out” choreographer 63 Flight unit 64 Movie toy in a cereal box, e.g. 65 Inner: Pref. 66 Hoopla 67 Early stage
9/25/14
By C.C. Burnikel
Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved Wednesday’s Solution
68 Sauna phenomenon DOWN 1 Alley prowler 2 End of many a riddle 3 Mauritius’ ocean 4 Movie trailer? 5 Banned pesticide 6 Notable Old West brothers 7 Sweet Sixteen org. 8 Holiday dishes? 9 Ones working around the clock? 10 Disorderly sort 11 “Be well!” 12 Its 2011 landing marked the end of the Space Shuttle program 13 Pined 18 “Because we’re worth it” sloganeer 22 Relaxed remarks 25 “Anything __?” 29 Fla. University named for a pope 31 Actress Shire
©2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
33 Vikings seek them, briefly 34 Rock genre 35 Total 37 Silicon Valley city 38 Yet to be used 39 Epic tale 40 Hanger hangout 41 Online program 44 Japanese electronics giant 46 Aquafina rival
9/25/14
47 Puts forth 48 Coup target 51 Game most people lose 52 Novelist Shaw 53 Kate’s sitcom pal 56 Old Bruin nickname 57 Shouts of support 59 Polite interruption 62 Raid target
THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME
by David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek
Unscramble these four Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.
©2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.
NEDUU RONCEE
BLARPU Answer here: Yesterday’s
SUDOKU
Check out the new, free JUST JUMBLE app
TRIBO
Level: Getting a full plate of General Gao’s in Carm.
Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.
(Answers tomorrow) Jumbles: UTTER WIPER BARBER APIECE Answer: They watched the video featuring the female sheep on — “EWE”-TUBE
Late Night at the Daily
Wednesday’s Solution
Montana: “Lily really likes the poop ones.” Want more late-night laughs? Follow us on Twitter at @LateNiteAtDaily
Please recycle this Daily.
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Young team steps up despite adversity WOMEN'S SOCCER continued from page 12
and went down grabbing her knee. Farris was unable to get up on her own, and twenty minutes later she was carted off the field. "It was kind of a shock that [Farris] went down, if you knew anything about her," sophomore forward Jess Capone said. "We were just hoping she'd be fine and she'd just get up. It was hard to focus during that time. We were all worried about her, it was hard to focus on myself and what we [as a team] had to do." And it showed. Despite taking 27 shots in the first half, most of them flew high and wide, missing the back of the net until more than 20 minutes into the game. Suffolk's goalie Brouillette left the goal open as she challenged a ball in the 21st minute, and Capone capitalized on the opportunity. "I think the first [goal] was important," sophomore midfielder Robin Estus said. "We had set a goal for ourselves specific to that game ... to score the first goal in each half within the first 15 minutes, and we didn't do that in the first half. So the goal from Jess [Capone] needed to break that streak and just get one in. We were all really worried about Alex [Farris] and that really shook us all up. We needed to get back into the groove so [the first goal] helped a lot."
The goal ended up being the turning point in the half. After waiting more than twenty minutes to get on the board, the team didn't relent in the remaining twenty minutes of the half, notching three more goals thanks to junior Allie Weiller, freshman Brooke Fortin and freshman Margaret Zahrah. The Jumbos defense allowed Suffolk to take just one shot in the first half, though it was on goal. The Rams best chance came off a ball chipped into the box by Katharine Cote to striker Jessica Harmon, but Harmon was unable to get her shot off with enough power to really test Tufts goalie Eileen McGarry. Despite the missed opporunities, Capone was content with the team's performance. "[The] defense played well, midfield did a good job of pushing the field and [initially] the goalie was making some big stops on us," Capone said. The second half saw a continuation of the scoring momentum built up in the first half, as the Jumbos proceeded with their textbook dismissal of the Rams. "We came out blazing, we weren't giving them any opportunities, and we were pressuring them [when they had] the ball," Estus said. The Jumbos did not just meet the goals they had set for them-
selves before the game — they exceeded them easily. To pressure the Rams in their own half, the Jumbos aimed to get at least eight corners as a team. They got 16. To maximize their chances on goal, the Jumbos set their shot target at 20. They took 46. Tufts' hunger to win could not have been more evident in their performance on Tuesday, even with co-captain Catharine Greer on the sidelines for the second straight game. Greer is recovering from a sprained MCL, and may be ready for the homecoming game depending on her progress for the rest of the week. Furthermore, Farris is out indefinitely with a broken bone in her leg. With the absences of seniors Greer and Farris, the team has had to rely on its younger players to fill the gap. "Obviously it's a bummer, [because] we don't like having people hurt," Estus said. "We have a small squad but everyone is able to step up. Chandler Quinton was able to step in to center back as a freshman, and Margaret [Zahrah] came in [against Suffolk] and was able to score a goal. It's a reason to play harder and step up our game — for the people that are sitting on the sidelines wishing they could be in [the game]." Fortin was arguably the star
of the game, boasting a hat trick and raising her season total of five goals in as many games. Weiller also notched two goals and three assists in the game, bringing her season total to 11 points — tied with Fortin for team lead. For goalie McGarry, it was her third shutout of the season. Suffolk had come into the match after snapping a four game losing streak against Norwich, but was unable to generate any offensive energy against Tufts, and drops to 2-5 on the season. As homecoming weekend approaches, the team is looking
forward to its match up against Amherst this Saturday at 12 p.m. "We're taking it one game at a time, that's one thing we're really focusing on this year," Estus said. "Each game is separate — they don't have any impact on each other, right now we're looking to Saturday [against] Amherst. We're looking to beat the teams we didn't beat last year and beat the ones we did beat. We think we're capable of beating everyone, even with our numbers. [This win] is a confidence booster, but it means nothing for us in the upcoming games."
caroline geiling / the tufts daily
Despite injuries to veteran players, Tufts earned a huge win over Suffolk.
Sports
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tuftsdaily.com
Jumbos score season-high ten goals by Alison Kuah Daily Editorial Board
The Jumbos scored a season-high 10 goals against Suffolk on Tuesday, moving to 4-0-1 on the season and bringing their season goal
WOMEN’S SOCCER (4-0-1 Overall, 2-0-1 NESCAC) at Kraft Field, Tuesday Suffolk Tufts
0 4
0 6
— 0 — 10
total to 24. This marks the first time since 1980 that a Tufts team has scored 20 or more goals in its first five games of the season. The win was a bittersweet one for the team, however. Senior forward Alex Farris collided with Suffolk goalie Melissa Brouillette in the fourth minute of the game oliver porter / the tufts daily
see WOMEN'S SOCCER, page 11
The women’s soccer team scored a season-high 10 goals in Tuesday’s match against Suffolk.
Inside the NFL
Despite scandals, NFL will live on by Joshua Slavin Contributing Writer
The NFL is in the midst of possibly the most damaging scandal it has ever experienced. Not unlike the product it puts on the field each Sunday, the hits just seem to keep coming. Mistakes, reversed decisions and generally questionable management have created a dumpster fire from which the league cannot walk away. NFL officials have constantly been in positions where they aren’t acting, but reacting. Having done seemingly nothing right in the handling of a major crisis, many people are calling for changes within the league, with some specifically identifying the commissioner as a position at which the league needs to make a change. It's hard to make a case defending Roger Goodell. The ordeal began in February when Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens, the face of a successful team, was arrested for domestic assault against his now-wife, Janay Rice. The initial discipline by the league came after the release of a video showing Rice nonchalantly dragging the unconscious body of his thenfiancee out of an elevator. The commissioner had near unilateral authority in handing down discipline, and Rice was suspended
for a mere two games. This proved to be the first major mistake in Goodell’s handling of the situation. The public was angry, but not enough for the league to change its course. Despite the fact that the punishment clearly fell short of any reasonable repercussions for Rice's actions, the public response from the commissioner was that it had solidified the NFL's image as being harsh on perpetrators of domestic violence. Everything changed a few weeks ago upon the release by TMZ of the disturbing in-elevator surveillance video, showing a gruesome scene in which Rice unloaded a brutal punch that immediately knocked out his fiancee. Finally, and only after an outraged public took to Twitter and the airwaves to complain about and lament NFL leadership, was there a partial (albeit late) correction. On the day of the video’s release, the Ravens released Rice from their team. Only following that action did the NFL make its move, suspending Rice indefinitely. But in the court of public opinion, this fell squarely into the realm of “too little, too late.” Questions swirled about whether anyone within the league office had seen the disgusting in-elevator video, and if they hadn’t, why not? The league and Goodell vehemently deny seeing the tape until it was released by TMZ.
jeff weese via flickr
Former Baltimore Raven Ray Rice is at the center of the NFL’s largest scandal.
It doesn’t matter whether Goodell had seen it or not. If he had, suspending Rice for only two games was not a fitting punishment. If not, then the question should be raised as to why the man in charge of running the NFL wasn't able to obtain all the evidence to properly assess a situation and make a decision that greatly affected the image of the league. With the countless lawyers and security staff working for the league, it could have obtained the video. There’s no reason that the most powerful sports league in the country would be incapable of getting its hands on something that TMZ could. Goodell also claimed in an interview that Rice’s account of what happened in the elevator was “ambiguous,” and that seeing the tape made it clear that the discipline should be more severe. However, four sources told ESPN’s Outside the Lines that Rice was very clear in telling Goodell what had transpired. On Friday, Goodell tried to calm the waters with a televised press conference. He admitted to making a mistake in the way he handled the Rice situation. But the only action he announced was the formation of a conduct committee on domestic violence. Subsequently, he dodged almost every question reporters threw at him, including the answer everyone was waiting to hear: that he had no intent of resigning. The latest blow to Goodell’s reputation was a second Outside the Lines report, this time saying that Ravens brass purposefully misguided the NFL, and that the league only investigated scantily, insinuating that Goodell may have shown lenience with Rice as a favor to his friend, Ravens’ owner Steve Bisciotti. Everyone agrees that Roger Goodell has made many mistakes in his handling of this situation. He even admitted fault. But acknowledgement of a failure does not exonerate one from the repercussions of having failed. Critics say that Goodell has denied damning reports without moving forward productively. He has taken no meaningful action beyond admitting a single mistake, and that is not nearly enough. In the eyes of many, Goodell doesn’t deserve to run this multi-billion dollar operation and he certainly doesn’t deserve the $44 million salary he was paid in 2012. The problem is that all that Goodell and the NFL care about is their bottom line. As much as people dislike Goodell, and as much as people are disgusted by the way this saga has played out, the league will keep making money. For that reason, even a scandal as big as this one won’t force Goodell out of power. As this all plays out, millions of people (myself included) remain glued to the television every Sunday, and that’s not going to change anytime soon.
Steven Hefter | The Association
The Association
T
he clock ticked down on the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup 2014 in Barcelona, leaving the U.S. on top of the podium for the second straight World Cup. The U.S. dominated throughout the tournament and won the gold medal game against a much-improved Serbian squad by a score of 129-82. The team defeated the first eight countries it faced by an average of over thirty points. To further prove that USA Basketball is by far the world’s best, the red, white and blue are the first team to win four consecutive major international events, including the USA’s Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012. These teams have been headlined by the NBA’s biggest stars, including Lebron “I’m Coming Home” James and Kevin “You’re the Real MVP” Durant. But neither of these two played in Spain this summer after Durant withdrew from competition in early August. Why weren’t the NBA’s two best players donning the USA uniform this summer? Shouldn’t they feel proud to wear our country’s letters on their chest? The issue of whether NBA players should compete internationally is becoming a more important issue. Moreover, the success of USA basketball has created a dangerous precedent for years to come. This year’s FIBA World Cup gold medal winning team featured twelve NBA players from ten different teams. The organizations supplying two players to Team USA were Golden State (Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson) and Sacramento (Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins). There was one player not dressed for Team USA in Spain, however, that grabbed most of the headlines, and for the worst of reasons. That player is Paul George, who suffered a gruesome leg injury in one of Team USA’s scrimmages in Las Vegas before the tournament. The sports world’s thoughts were justifiably focused on George’s speedy recovery and well-being. But there had to be one person, perhaps in the Indiana Pacers organization, who wondered whether Indiana’s 56-26 regular season last year would not be replicated for a long time. George, after all, is by far the organization’s best player. There was much talk this summer after the injury regarding whether it is smart for NBA players to participate in international competition. It is their choice, and representing the United States is the ultimate source of pride for many a professional athlete. From the perspective of an NBA franchise, however, there are many risk factors. George was not the only player with injury complications this summer. In April 2012, Derrick Rose, the 2010-2011 NBA MVP, tore his left ACL in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Philadelphia 76ers. The injury sidelined him for the entire 2012-2013 season, and his return for last season was heavily anticipated. Rose did not even make it through a month of the season: He sustained an injury to his right knee that kept him out all of last season. So here is Rose, a proven superstar with a laundry list of injury concerns, playing as explosive as ever this summer for Team USA. If I were Jerry Reinsdorf or Gar Forman, the owner and GM of the Bulls, respectively, I would have been clutching the edge of my seat every time Rose made a cut. Rose does have an obligation to his NBA team and employer, who will pay him over $60 million dollars over the next three seasons. Not to mention, international play is during the off-season, when players presumably should rest physically and emotionally after the taxing 82 game season. Rose did not injure himself this summer, but the possibility was there. Should NBA owners prohibit their players from playing for Team USA? I don’t think so, but I understand their position on this issue. Will NBA players want to play internationally after witnessing the career-altering injury George suffered? I think that the pride of leading our country to gold medals will outweigh the possibility of injury, but NBA stars need to re-evaluate where their true allegiances lie. Steven Hefter is a junior majoring in economics. He can be reached at steven.hefter@tufts.edu