April 1 2021 Student Life newspaper at Washington University

The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021

VOLUME 142, NO. 20

WWW.STUDLIFE.COM

MENTAL HEALTH

BASEBALL HOT

MFA DANCE

The Bears are on a 12-game winning streak, ranked second in the nation (Sports, pg 3)

Three dancers took the stage at Edison in a showcase of their talent (Cadenza, pg 6)

How to manage loneliness, stress in COVID, even as vaccinations rise (Scene, pg 8)

Voters prioritize advocacy over experience University plans return in Student Union’s spring election to relative normal for the fall

SU ELECTION results EXEC

senate

MATTHEW FRIEDMAN ASSOCIATE EDITOR

treasury

PRESIDENT

Tennyson Holmes

Hannah Shapiro

Gaby Smith

Malar Muthukumar

Won with 86%

Maria Cresci

Max Roitblat

Ishani Shethia Emma Platt

Branden Rothenberg Alim Merchant Lockhart McKelvy

Ranen Miao

EXECUTIVE VP

Miriam Silberstein Beat Zoe Hancock 51-43

Jojo Spio

VP OF FINANCE

David Mathisson

Fadel Alkilani

Beat Noah Vermes 49-45

Christine Muoghalu

VP OF ENGAGEMENT

Ani Kesanapally

Abdallah Belhadj

Beat Philip Keisler 45.96-45.29

VP OF PROGRAMMING

Miri Goodman

The Ranked Choice Amendment passed 79% to 21%

Won with 92%

GRAPHIC BY MIA GOLDBERG

TED MOSKAL SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Student Union’s spring election was characterized by a lower than usual level of competition, while the field of candidates differed over the importance of experience versus new ideas for advocacy, March 30.

Incumbent SU President Ranen Miao was re-elected with 86% of the vote. Junior and SU newcomer Abdallah Belhadj won the night’s closest race, beating SU senator junior Philip Keisler for the position 45.96% to 45.29%, with a margin of just twelve votes.

Speaker of the CS40 sophomore Miriam Silberman beat Treasury Representative Zoe Hancock for Executive Vice President 51% to 43%, Treasury representative junior Fadel Alkilani beat FYCC VP of Finance freshman Noah Vermes for VP of Finance 49% to 46% and sophomore Miri Goodman ran unopposed for VP of Programming, winning 92% of the vote.

The student body also passed an amendment in favor of ranked choice voting, 79% to 21%.

Twenty-six percent of the student body voted in the election, a slight decrease from 29% last year. However, election commissioner senior Madhulika Kastury said that she was satisfied with the final turnout numbers, given the circumstances.

“Turnout was still good despite everything being online,” Kastury said. “I think COVID actually kind of helped because I think the only way people get engaged now is online.”

The election was also marked by a low level of engagement within Student Union, with only nine candidates running for ten positions in Senate and just six candidates running for eleven positions in Treasury. All candidates who ran for those positions were elected.

Miao partially attributed this lack of candidates to students feeling burnt out and stressed by the pandemic and virtual learning,

but also acknowledged that SU should be doing more to engage the student body.

“Sometimes [SU] might seem like this amorphous bureaucratic blob that it’s really important for us to humanize and deconstruct, so that people can feel really good about SU and can feel like SU is a place where they can run [for office] and find success as well,” Miao said.

Belhadj, who campaigned as an outsider and brought up the idea of SU as an “ivory tower” in the candidate’s forum, added that this idea of making SU more accessible has been a major part of his campaign.

“In approaching first-years on the 40 and engaging in quick conversations, unfortunately I realized how little of a role SU has played in their first year[s],” Belhadj wrote in a statement to Student Life. “As the VP of Engagement next year I will work on improving PR and influencing SU-related dialogue on campus.

I’m still working on ideas such as

adding programming and PR to RA training and Bear Beginnings, but the end goal is for SU to make a quantifiable impact on students’ experiences at Wash. U.” Silberman, who also won against a slightly more experienced opponent, attributed her success more to a difference in platforms and campaign strategies.

“While [Hancock] focused on internal restructures, I focused a lot on external change,” Silberman said. “I think the student body saw that and felt that while the internal component was important and would be done, it was also important to have a candidate actively rallying for the things they believe in.”

Silberman’s platform included initiatives focused on socioeconomic and gender equity, while Hancock generally highlighted her goal of recruiting more members into SU and creating a welcoming culture for new members.

SEE SU, PAGE 2

Washington University plans to hold most classes in-person in the fall, increase housing density and possibly require students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated for the start of the next semester, Chancellor Andrew Martin and Provost Beverly Wendland announced in an email Wednesday afternoon.

Lecture components of the University’s largest courses will likely remain online and social distancing guidelines will likely remain in place, but students will be allowed to live in modern doubles, a change from this year’s single-occupancy limit. Students in traditional housing will live in singles, and the University has not yet decided whether it will continue requiring regular COVID-19 surveillance testing, though the administrators indicated that the University will still offer diagnostic testing for symptomatic community members.

“Overall, we are cautiously optimistic that fall will feel a lot more ‘normal’ than what we have experienced during the current academic year,” Martin and Wendland wrote.

The University will update course listings before registration begins in mid-April, but students might not know of some class modalities until as late as June.

While the University will provide some online learning accommodations to those with “extraordinary personal circumstances,” Martin and Wendland wrote that “our goal is for most learning to take place in the classroom.”

The plans align with what many other major colleges and universities have announced for the fall. The University of Chicago announced Monday that it was planning “for a full resumption of activities on campus” by the start of its academic year in September, while Emory University is planning to have 70% of its classes in person.

While the University highly recommends that students, faculty and staff get the vaccine, it is not required under the current plan.

WU students drive long distances to secure COVID-19 vaccines CHARLOTTE KRAMON STAFF REPORTER Although Missouri is now accelerating its vaccination process, the initial rollout has generated confusion about registration, leading to several wasted doses. Many Washington University students, after hearing about extra vaccine doses in rural areas, signed up on waitlists to receive them, often driving long distances.

Freshman William Sepesi said his friend had called various sites to sign up to receive extra doses and learned that a Walmart in Centralia, Ill.-about two hours from campus by car--had six extra vaccines.

“It was kind of strange to have that quick a turnaround, from you not really knowing if you’re gonna get it to ‘We’re already back!’” Sepesi said. “We just kind of jumped on it.

Honestly, I didn’t really even have time to think about it.”

Sepesi heard from the pharmacist who administered their vaccines that several St. Louis residents in earlier tiers had booked appointments at that Illinois location when they learned they qualified for their vaccine. At the time, there were very few available appointments in St. Louis.

Once St. Louis started opening more appointments, residents canceled their appointments in Illinois and received them closer to home. This left several open slots and extra vaccines in Illinois.

The pharmacist told Sepesi that they were glad Sepesi and his friends were filling the slots and preventing vaccines from going to waste, but said that it was “annoying” for the local community that people from St. Louis were filling them up in the

first place.

All adults will be eligible to receive a vaccine in Missouri on April 9.

The University received a supply of vaccinations March 31, but there has not been a comprehensive plan to vaccinate students made public.

For now, the University advises students to “pre-register for the vaccine through BJC and other healthcare systems.”

When Washington University students learned that their peers were receiving vaccines in Illinois, several students embarked on similar road trips to Sepesi’s. Some students, though, did not sign up to receive extra doses. Instead, they found ways to sign up as qualified recipients.

“I’ve heard of a bunch of people booking appointments when they don’t actually qualify, or they did

something last summer that they aren’t going to be doing this summer,” Sepesi said.

Ideally, vaccines would first be distributed to higher risk individuals, but this is “not logistically possible,” Dr. Steven Lawrence, the primary infectious disease advisor for the Danforth campus, said. “So, the more [vaccines] that we can get out there, the better.”

“The biggest sin of all is to throw away a vaccine,” Lawrence added.

Some students did not realize they were eligible to receive vaccines due to unclear information from state and county websites. Once freshman Isabella Castriz learned she was eligible due to her underlying health condition, she was unable to get a slot in Missouri. Instead, she booked an appointment at a CVS in Belleville, Ill., through their

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website. But when she arrived after a 30-minute drive, she was told that her confirmation information was invalid. The employees did not believe her registration was real.

“I drove all the way out there, and they said, ‘Well, it’s invalid,’” Castriz said. “They told me to wait until after midnight to schedule an appointment, so that morning at 2:30 a.m., I finally got to sign up for an open seat.”

Before she was able to book an appointment, Castriz was added to a wait list for extra doses with 74 people ahead of her. They never called her about the waitlist, but she was fortunately able to return to Belville the following week to receive her dose.

“It was definitely worth it,” Castriz said. “Everybody should get vaccinated to help the community.”

2 STUDENT LIFE

EM MCPHIE & TED MOSKAL | SENIOR NEWS EDITORS | NEWS@STUDLIFE.COM

theFLIPSIDE FLIPSIDE THU 1

SUNNY 49/27

MON 5

PARTLY CLOUDY 76/56

FRI 2

SUNNY 58/41

SAT 3

SUNNY 70/46

TUES 6

AM SHOWERS 77/57

SUN 4 SUNNY 76/52

WED 7

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS 74/56

WU receives record number of applications, admits 4,374 students in a tumultuous college admissions cycle GRACE KENNARD NEWS EDITOR

EVENT CALENDAR THURSDAY 1 What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

Virtual Event, 4 p.m.

In his keynote address for the Faculty Book Celebration, Walter Johnson will tell the story of how he came to the topic of his most recent book, The Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the Violent History of the United States (Basic Books, 2020).

From Lewis and Clark’s 1804 expedition to the 2014 uprising in Ferguson, American history has been made in St. Louis. And as Walter Johnson shows in this searing book, the city exemplifies how imperialism, racism, and capitalism have persistently entwined to corrupt the nation’s past.

FRIDAY 2 PAD presents: ‘The Covid Mysteries’ Mudd Field, 6 p.m.

The first “official” performance on the PAD Mobile Stage, “The Covid Mysteries” premieres April 1, 2021. After a year in a pandemic, perhaps you have some questions for God? Well, here’s some great news: God is in this show! Seriously, just in time for Passover and Easter, God is ready to answer your questions and tell a lively tale or two. All your favorites are here -- Abraham, Jesus, Mary, and, yes, even Joseph, that trusting guy! They will be spinning yarns about Creation, Passion and Judgment.

Satan signed on too, and after all these years, he’s still a bundle of sass and trouble.

The Covid Mysteries are inspired by the 14th Century York Cycle plays and have been irreverently adapted for 2021. Be there when they roll your way!

SATURDAY 3 Public Tour: ‘Figures of Myth and Legend’ Virtual Event, 11 a.m.

Student educators design and lead virtual tours featuring several artworks in the Kemper Art Museum collection, showing images of the artworks through screen sharing and answering participant questions. This tour considers how artists working in various artistic mediums have connected figures from ancient Greek and Roman mythology to their own historical contexts.

THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021

Washington University received 33,634 applications to the class of 2025, marking a 20% increase from last cycle, with 4,374 total students admitted at an overall acceptance rate of 13%.

The pool of admitted students includes residents of all 50 states and 45 different countries. In addition, 10% of admitted students are the first generation in their families to attend college, 13% are Pell Grant-eligible, 15% are Latino and 15% are Black.

Emily Almas, assistant vice provost and director of admissions, expressed her excitement over this year’s admitted students.

“They are just amazing,” Almas said. “They are talented and accomplished and contributed to their communities, whether that's at their high school or in their family or their state or even involved in organizations that have had impact of a great scale...I feel very fortunate that they have indicated an interest in Wash. U. and that we have the potential to welcome these really great people to our community.”

The University has 1,795 seats reserved for the incoming class, approximately 60% of which have been

taken by Early Decision I and II applicants. In addition, 60 students matched to Washington University through QuestBridge, a program that connects talented low-income and first-generation students with selective universities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an atmosphere of uncertainty for college admissions, impacting several facets of the process. Many of the usual admissions factors—campus visits, test scores and essays on extracurricular activities—have been disrupted. As a result, some colleges and universities across the country are turning to waitlists to brace the uncertainty of the cycle, though Almas said it’s difficult to predict how many will be pulled from the waiting list until the deposit deadline of May 3 gets closer.

“It's incredibly uncertain what choices students will make,” Almas said. “It remains to be seen whether we will have space for students from our waitlist, and we'll have to wait a few weeks and see.”

Reilly Dillon and Samuel Wang, applicants who were admitted March 24 in the regular admissions cycle, both said the hardest part of the application process was the inability to visit campuses.

“Since I wasn’t able to visit any schools, I had an extremely difficult time creating a strong emotional attachment to any one particular school,” Wang said.

“However, luckily for me, Wash. U. is one of the few schools I’ve visited that I’ve really enjoyed.”

“The most difficult part of the application process for me was definitely figuring out what schools to apply to without having been able to visit a lot of schools,” Dillon said.

Some higher education institutions also saw large increases in the number of students taking gap years in the previous admissions cycle, impacting the number of open spots for the incoming class of 2025. The University of Pennsylvania had a 300% increase in students choosing to take a gap year last spring, a drastic increase that Washington University did not experience.

“We did have increased students from the prior year take a gap year, but we did not see hundreds and hundreds of students taking a gap year,” Almas said. “That was not something that I would point to when students are wondering about our admissions process this year.”

READ MORE AT STUDLIFE.COM

Disaggregate the Diaspora prepares to release student identity survey OLIVIA DANNER STAFF REPORTER Disaggregate the Diaspora, a coalition of student groups advocating for Washington University to use disaggregated demographic data, hosted a town hall, March 25, to receive feedback from the community prior to releasing a survey to collect data about different student identities.

The coalition is composed of four student groups: Association of Black Students (ABS), Association of Latin American Students (ALAS), Asian and Pacific Islanders Demanding Justice (APIDJ) and Queens, United, Elevated, Empowered, and Noteworthy Sisters (QUEENS). They hope that the University will disaggregate the data of various student identity categories such as ethnicity, gender and class.

Disaggregating data entails separating broad categories of data into more specific ones, such as separating the racial label Asian into ethnicities such as Vietnamese, Hmong, Phillipino, etc.

According to sophomore Maurice Wang, a member of Disaggregate the Diaspora and APIDJ, broad data categories do not properly reflect the nuances of the University student body. “[Asian people] have the most economic disparity of any ethnic group,” Wang said. “Taiwanese Americans or Indian Americans have 70% educational attainment,

while Butanese Americans have 9% educational attainment... We’re not a monolith, and no ethnic group is a monolith, and that’s why we started working on [the campaign] initially.”

APIDJ began a campaign to disaggregate the Asian race category in 2019, but due to the pandemic, staff turnover and a lack of communication, data remained aggregated. Disaggregate the Diaspora formed to continue disaggregated data advocacy, expanding their mission to include disaggregating all racial data as well as gender and class data, among other categories.

At the town hall on Thursday, the coalition received feedback from community members, with one member suggesting that they include disaggregating faith-based data as part of their campaign.

Disaggregate the Diaspora plans on releasing an optional survey on Friday to collect more detailed student data.

“Our goal with it is to show Wash. U. it’s not fair to just look at students [using] horribly aggregated groups of race and ethnicity and gender,” Wang said.

“With the results of our study, there will be, and we expected there to be, a lot more nuance to students’ identities.”

The coalition plans on utilizing the survey results to later present demands to the University.

“The hope of our survey is to use that going into our petition later in the semester, and for a follow

up Op-ed,” Wang said. He added that the group will utilize the results to argue that “there’s a need for this, and if enough students fill it out, there’s also desire from students to do this. It’s not just a couple of groups saying we should do it: Students want to fill it out and want to see the data.”

When asked about potential privacy concerns, Wang pointed out that the University already has the systems in place to securely store student data.

“It’s Wash. U.’s responsibility to keep [data] private, and they already have a lot of information about students that is kept private,” Wang said. “We’re confident Wash. U. can just integrate this disaggregated data into their current aggregated data infrastructure, and it shouldn’t be that hard. If they can already aggregate by very broad categories of ethnicity, they should be able to add more categories.”

He also referenced the success of other schools in disaggregating and publicizing data, pointing out that schools such as Brown University and the University of California system have successfully done so.

“Students can look at the student body breakdown of identity, for instance, and that hasn’t had any privacy concerns,” Wang said.

Mark KamimuraJiménez, the dean of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, wrote in a statement to Student Life that he has privacy concerns related to disaggregating

data.

“There are many cases where there are such small numbers of students from disaggregated racial categories,” Kamimura-Jiménez wrote. “Their identities may be revealed when associated with other data such as first generation, Pell eligibility, responses to surveys and the like.”

Kamimura-Jiménez also pointed to systemic obstacles to data disaggregation, including the University’s responsibility to report aggregated data to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

“IPEDS is a systemic obstacle, because their data is used across the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports and has policy implications,” Kamimura-Jiménez wrote.

“In addition, universities are required to submit data to IPEDS in order to remain Title IV eligible and gain access to federal financial aid funds.”

IPEDS states that schools can collect subcategories of data “as long as the subcategories can be aggregated to the categories indicated in the guidance for purposes of reporting to IPEDS. That is, additional categories can be collected and utilized by the institution, but cannot be reported to IPEDS.” Kamimura-Jiménez indicated his support for the campaign but emphasized that, in some cases, disaggregating data can lead to the othering of some students.

“It is also important to note that in these cases in order to protect the identification of students, you still see an aggregate category of ‘other,’” he wrote. “We must be conscious of the further marginalization and othering that we create— disaggregating data will need to address the impact of constructing that which we wish to deconstruct.”

Additionally, KamimuraJiménez said that disaggregating data could potentially lead to the erasure of some students’ identities.

He pointed to the 2019 Washington University diversity report where “white multiracial” is a racial category, arguing that “this is a form of disaggregation that systematically creates an erasure of mixed race students, an erasure of Asian students, and a forced identification of these students as white rather than Asian or other undetermined racial category.”

Kim Selle, Senior Director of Administration for Admissions & Aid, discussed how the University collects student data.

“Our primary applicant data comes from one of three sources—Common Application, Coalition Application, and the QuestBridge Application…

While the data collected by each is very similar, it is collected in various (and sometimes different) ways,” Selle wrote. “As a result, it can make it more challenging to collect and analyze disaggregated data.”

Despite the

potential complications disaggregated data may pose to admissions, Selle said the office recognizes its value and hopes to utilize it in the future.

“We understand and value disaggregated data as a tool to show where aggregated data are masking discrepancies, reveal areas where equity needs to be addressed, and to serve as an important tool in advocating for policy changes,” Selle wrote. “As such, we are committed to evaluating, addressing, and implementing procedures to improve our collection and use of disaggregated data. We have started a project in our unit so that we may report on disaggregated data in the future.”

Wang emphasized that the coalition’s advocacy to disaggregate data is especially pertinent in light of the recent increase in antiAsian violence. He pointed to the Intercollegiate APIDA Coalition, a student-led group created to address anti-Asian violence.

The group recently released a statement to universities in response to anti-Asian violence where they made demands of institutions, one being that “universities must disaggregate data of Asian and Asian American enrollment, graduation, and admissions by ethnicity.” “[Disaggregating data] certainly isn’t a far-fetched demand or a far-fetched idea, and it’s been done [at other universities],” Wang said. “It would be surprising for me if Wash. U. rejected this.”

as “the most experienced person who’s going to be in SU next year [when it comes to finances],” acknowledged that Vermes brought some good ideas to the table, but

positioned himself as the candidate who could actually get those things done.

All of the new SU senators, treasury representatives and executive board members will

be inaugurated April 6. After that takes place, Goodman is excited to get to work on the exciting new initiatives proposed by this year’s candidates.

“I’m excited… to really

learn what it means to program for an entire student body,” Goodman said. “I just want to get back to in-person programming and hopefully have those big events that

people want to see. Also…

I heard a lot of great policies and promises that people want to hold up and I want to be able to help them with that as well.”

SU from page 1 The Alkilani-Vermes race was the exception to this trend of relative newcomers with new initiatives triumphing over SU veterans. Alkilani, who characterized himself

THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021

SPORTS

DORIAN DEBOSE & JOSH SHAPIRO | SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS | SPORTS@STUDLIFE.COM

STUDENT LIFE 3

‘We have a very strong, calm confidence’: Baseball extends win streak to 12, maintains no. 2 ranking in the nation DORIAN DEBOSE AND MATTHEW FRIEDMAN SENIOR EDITORS Through their first eight games, the Washington University baseball team had won every game by at least four runs. Their stacked pitching staff and potent bats prevented their competition from even coming close to unsettling them. But this week, the Bears played their first set of close games, grasping narrow victories over Webster University, Wabash College and North Central College.

The four wins brought the Bears to 12-0 and helped them keep hold on the No. 2 ranking in the nation.

The Bears met their first ranked opponent of the season last Wednesday, the No. 5 Webster Gorlocks, in a matchup that had serious potential to shake up the polls. Wash.

U. entered the day at 8-0.

Webster entered the day at 8-1. Both teams lived up to their top-five rankings. The game was tied at 3-3 until the bottom of the 12th, when senior Collin Kahal drove a ball deep down the right field

PHOTO COURTESY OF MELANIE SCHAEFER | WASHU ATHLETICS

Junior Andrew Huang connects with a ball against Illinois Wesleyan University in early March. The Bears’ offense this spring has stood out to players compared to past years.

line. At first it seemed as if the Webster outfielder would catch the ball, but he had been shaded toward the gap and the ball fell in. Freshman Harry Mauterer, a pinch runner, hustled home to score the winning run for the walk-off win.

“It was still a close play at home, but we were already almost on the field by the time the ball got there,” senior pitcher Ryan Loutos said. “It was a fun moment.”

The Bears next went on the road Saturday to take on Wabash. The first game was a pitching masterclass. Loutos carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the eighth inning and held the Little Giants to just one hit on the day, a runscoring double with two outs in the eighth. Wash. U. tacked on four runs in the top of the 9th to make the game 7-1, where the score ultimately stayed.

The second game was a closer contest. Wash. U. jumped out to a 6-2 lead after four innings, but Wabash cut the deficit with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Senior Henry Singer scored off a wild

pitch in the sixth to push the lead back to 7-5, but Wabash returned the favor by scoring off a failed pickoff attempt in the same inning. In the seventh inning, Wabash left the tying run on base after retiring Wash. U. in three batters.

Senior Jared Fong closed the final few innings, drawing three straight ground outs in the eighth before tossing a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the game, 7-6.

After surviving their doubleheader against Wabash, it was off to Normal, Ill., to take on No. 7 North Central.

The Bears racked up a couple hits in the early innings, but it was North Central who managed to get on the scoreboard first, notching two runs in

The Washington University track and field team had not competed in person in over a year before this weekend’s meet. But they made the best of it, winning the meet to get the season started after numerous pauses due to COVID-19 restrictions.

In their first meet, both the men and womens’ track and field team claimed victory in their outdoor season opener.

With only four teams competing, that left the pressure off of the athletes as they adjusted to the new COVID regulations and tested their fitness against teammates and other runners.

Their performance ranked them high in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national rating index, with the women ranked third and the men taking the 12th spot.

The Bears had 24 victories in the competition, an impressive feat that included a sweep of the distance events.

Both teams shut out the distance competition, not letting any of the other teams score in the 1500, 3000 and 10,000 meter races and claiming all 46 points. The final scores were 116 for both men and women, scoring 64 and 77 points over their competitors respectively against Webster University, Greenville University and Illinois College.

Senior Joe Stover is a distance athlete who claimed victory in the 10k race as the only competitor. It was his first time racing in over a year, and he ran a 46-second personal best to land on the University Athletic Association Athlete of the Week list. Stover’s performance is especially impressive given that it is still early in the season. “There’s not a bunch of people in the stands or other people to compete against,” he said. “So it was pretty low pressure, but obviously, I still have the drive to go out there and give it my all.”

For the freshman track and field athletes, it was their first time putting on their

green Washington University uniform. Collectively, the freshmen helped score over 30 points for the Bears, and the meet allowed them to put their training over the past year to use. “It’s always fun seeing these first meets how the sophmores have improved—and you don’t know how good the first-years are,” Stover said.

Looking forward, the athletes are headed to another meet on Friday at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. There, they will have slightly fewer competitors, with limitations on the number of athletes invited because of transportation limitations. They will also face stiff competition, including the University of Chicago and other schools with historically strong track programs.

Stover knows that it will be another good opportunity to run fast times with more headto-head competition with other teams. He himself is not traveling to Illinois—after running the second-fastest 10,000m time in the Division III, he is giving himself time to recover.

ALSO IN SPORTS SOFTBALL CLIMBS BACK TO JUST ONE GAME UNDER .500 WOMEN’S TENNIS SWEEPS DEPAUW GOLF PLACES FOURTH AMONG TOUGH COMPETITION

that was not the case.

“For the first time since I’ve been here, the offense was taking the upper hand,” junior Tim Van Kirk recalled of the early season practices. “Even having not seen live pitching for a while, they were able to put pretty good swings to the ball.”

The Bears will have to put more good swings on the ball this weekend to keep the winning streak alive, as they have a doubleheader scheduled for Friday against another top-five team, No. 5 Aurora College. Loutos did not seem worried, though. “This year, this team is just experienced on another level,” he said.

“We have a very strong, calm confidence.”

the condom broke, now what? how do i know if i have an STD?

After a long wait, track and field opens season with home win CLARA RICHARDS STAFF REPORTER

the fourth inning. Down 2-0, Wash. U. trailed for an incredibly rare moment in the season.

But at the top of the seventh, the Red and Green erupted for four runs to take the lead.

North Central returned the favor with a run in the bottom of the inning, but they couldn’t convert another opportunity at the plate into the tying run and they fell 4-3.

“We haven’t really missed a step with our pitching and our hitting is honestly just way better than it’s been in the past,” Loutos said. He noticed a difference in the team’s scrimmages before the season had started. In past years, the Bears’ pitchers had dominated in simulated games and other practices. This year, though,

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VOLUME 142, NO. 20 Emma Baker Editor-in-Chief editor@studlife.com

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Copyright © 2021 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is a financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper serving the Washington University community. Our newspaper is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent the views of the Washington University administration.

4 STUDENT LIFE

SCENE

BENJAMIN SIMON | SENIOR SCENE EDITOR | SCENE@STUDLIFE.COM

THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021

Rooted in St. Louis: The creation of a campus forest THOMAS HUMPHREY STAFF WRITER One of the misconceptions we have about nature is that we are somehow separate from it, that we can organize humans into one box and nature into another us. Humans like to think of ourselves as special, and the idea of unadulterated wilderness is an appealing myth.

Yet, to truly grasp nature, we have to put ourselves in it, to understand our role as a part of that system.

So let us take a journey–– through time, through space and through trees.

We can start 20,000 years ago, during the last ice age–– St. Louis was just south of the polar ice that went as far as Des Moines. The environment in Missouri then would have seemed completely alien to you, comparable to central Canada now. A coniferous tundra dotted with tall spruces and a blanketing of snow.

Once the planet warmed, the more recent “natural environment” of Wash. U. emerged. Tall grass prairies, native sedges and low scrubs dominated the landscape, mixed with open woodlands of oak and hickory. In 1820, American geographer Henry Rowe Schoolcraft described the scenery of the remaining woodlands: “Wild grass covers the whole country, in which the oaks are standing interspersed, like fruit trees in some well-cultivated

orchard.”

This was the natural environment of Wash. U., yet it was no untouched wilderness (if such a thing ever exists). As long as there has been nature here, there have been people–– and there has been fire.

Doug Ladd, an ecologist teaching in the Master of Landscape Architecture program at Sam Fox, emphasized the role of humans in shaping the landscape of Missouri.

“Native Americans had managed the landscape for the last 14,000 years, which included a longstanding regime of deliberate aboriginal fire,” he said. This frequent use of controlled fires created the tall grass prairies and open oak woodlands–– without them a thicker forest would have grown instead.

“The only ‘natural’ systems we have in the modern era are those that involve and intimate association with humans,” Ladd said. “There is no such thing as nature apart from people.”

This equilibrium lasted more than 13,000 years. Then 1763 arrived, and European settlement in the area began.

The level of development over the coming centuries was too fast for nature to keep up with. They would be defined by domination over nature, not coexistence with it.

The Danforth campus, built in the early 20th century, was not a complete departure from nature. Yet, this early campus was certainly a low point for

biodiversity. Pin oaks dominated the early landscaping, easy-to-grow trees prioritized to fill in young areas quickly.

Effective, but kind of boring.

The following years brought a trickle of biodiversity: a bur oak here, a basswood there, a Ginkgo Allée in 1927.

It took until the 21st century for the Wash. U. forest revolution to begin. The effort to turn Wash. U. into an arboretum, an outdoor museum of trees, brought variety and perspective to the landscape.

Not only were trees planted for shortview ornamentation, but for long-term diversity, sustainability and holistic beautification.

Both Chris Anderson, Wash. U. grounds manager and horticulturist, and Stan Braude, professor of Biology teaching a class on the trees of Missouri, emphasized the influence of Kent Theiling, Chris’ predecessor.

“Kent was planting this forest for the last 20 years and I think people didn’t appreciate it until recently,” Braude said. Trees work on a different timescale than we do––this is the difficulty of visualizing landscape design. They take decades or even centuries to mature.

“We look long term, we look 10, 20, 50 years out when we are planting these things,” Anderson said. Lots of credit was also given to Cody Azotea, who heads the Focal Pointe contractors on campus, the nuts and bolts

CURRAN NEENAN | STUDENT LIFE

Some trees still keep secrets: Professor of Biology Stan Braude discussed how there is still no scientific consensus on why tapped maples only release their sap in the daytime.

team of the landscape. They are extremely knowledgeable about each specimen and the unique care it requires.

As of last month, Wash. U. became an accredited level 2 arboretum, having catalogued 120 distinct tree species on campus––and those are only the ones registered. The focus is on “native adaptive trees,” trees which come from comparable climates and can thrive here. This category comprises over 70% of all campus trees, no small achievement.

It is worth the time to do the Arbor Tour, a self guided walk of the campus arboretum. Students without time for the full tour can check the online arbor map and see which trees are near their classes. The whole campus is dotted with these huge, complex organisms, yet many students pass them everyday without giving them a second glance. Learning just a little bit about them can completely change your perspective.

Braude has his students “learn to describe the trees,” to deepen their understanding: “There is principle that… if you have a name for things, words for things, that allows you to then think about them.” With some observation and research you can tell

a tree’s health from its bark or when a bud is about to flower.

Trees speak through their anatomy, if you know how to listen.

The diversity on campus speaks for itself––it is a testament to great landscape design that you do not notice all the work and planning that went into it. Yet the design behind the campus landscape, and its hidden mechanics, are as impressive as the results.

Anderson described the philosophy behind Wash.

U.’s landscape as “a balance between history and progression”––they preserve historic elements of the university while incorporating modern techniques for sustainability and diversity. He expounded the mantra of “right plant, right place,” and the understanding of purpose in landscape.

Perhaps the most meaningful purpose of the landscaping is sustainability, and the ability of a humancreated landscape to react to circumstances beyond human control. The right sedges, soils and gardens in the right places can absorb and utilize rainwater––beautifying the campus while improving drainage (right plant, right place). Native adaptive plants improve the long

term botanical health of the campus, while the preservation of endangered trees provide a seed bank for future generations.

The forest is still growing, and rapidly at that; every spring at least 500 trees are planted, in an attempt to reach the goal of 34% tree canopy by 2034, a goal which Anderson said we are on track to reach.

Even if you care nothing about the planet this is still pertinent to you. As Ladd said, “recent direct studies show that human mortality is directly linked to the ability to interface with nature.” So you heard it here first––even if you hate nature, you should spend some time there. Your life might depend on it.

There is a long future ahead for the Wash. U. forest; the bur oaks, those trees on campus with the huge acorns, can easily live 500 years. Even climate change had been accounted for in its planning.

“50 years from now, while a lot of things growing in St. Louis right now might not be able to make it,” Braude said, “we are very intentionally planting things that will be able to make it in the changing climate––so Wash. U. should be proud that we are being smart about it.”

‘Campus was absolute chaos’: One year later, students reflect on the start of the pandemic RYAN RICKS STAFF WRITER Junior Helen WebleyBrown was in the car and on her way to the airport when she got the email on the morning of March 11th. Students could not come back to campus. In light of the new COVID-19 pandemic, classes would begin remotely on March 23 and maintain that format until at least April 30.

The announcement left Webley-Brown in shock; she had been staying with a friend in Los Angeles when the news broke. The shock soon turned into confusion over what she should do next. Stay in LA? Return to St. Louis?

Go back home to London?

The email didn’t give her much in the way of instruction, she recalls.

Webley-Brown wasn’t the only student left in disarray by the announcement. Some students were overseas when they received the notification, like senior Yarden Hahn, who was in Lisbon, Portugal, visiting friends, or senior Agam Saluja, who was in Singapore,

finishing the last week of his study abroad program.

Some were at home, like junior Elizabeth van Horn, and others with friends, like sophomore Jasen Vest.

But no matter where they were, no one could return to Wash. U. We asked students to reflect on their experience with the cancellation of school in March 2020.

Here are their stories in their own words:

Confusion, shock and the email that sent everyone home Elizabeth van Horn:

There was a lot of confusion and uncertainty, like, obviously, I was back in my hometown of Gulport, Mississippi, when I got the news, and pretty much everything I owned—my car, all of my possessions—were in St. Louis, so my first thought is like, ‘how is that going to happen?’.

Yarden Hahn: It was a huge shock, it just was really a moment where it turned from

“Oh, this is an issue just in China” or “This is an issue just in Italy and Europe” to “This is coming home.” I think for a long time, a lot of people felt like it wouldn’t reach the states or like wouldn’t really be a big issue in the States…[the email] was the moment where it felt real.

Helen Webley-Brown:

It was scary because I was actually in the car, driving to the airport. I had spent half of spring break with my sophomore suitemate.

I was in LA. But I was going back to campus early so I was actually in the car with her mom on the way to the airport when I got the email. And I was like, “Oh shit,”…

It was stressful in that I didn’t really know where I should be. I didn’t know if I should go back to St. Louis or stay in LA, overstay my welcome, or try and go back home [to England]…the email wasn’t just saying “don’t come back to campus.” It was like, “find somewhere else,” and I was like “well, I don’t really have a set place in America that’s not campus.”

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STUDENT LIFE 5

THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021

Upcoming Events: April 1 - April 30

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12-1 pm: Meet with a Pro: Christner Architects - St. Louis, Jeff Ryan 1-2 pm: Work Group: Government, Politics, and Public Policy Internships and Jobs featuring Alex Kiles, U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis 3-4 pm: Interviewing and Acing Questions

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5-6 pm: Class of 2021 Job Search Roundtable

2-3 pm: Careers in Higher Ed Administration Panel

12-1 pm: Meet with a Pro: Mithun, Diana Ossa

4-5 pm: Engineering Skills at Accenture 4-5 pm: Meet the Leader: Julio Suárez, Senior Director of Community Affairs, Anheuser-Busch 4:30-5:30 pm: Skandalaris Startup Webinar: Social Media Entrepreneurship with the Nomadic Moment Founders 4-6 pm: Law Personal Statement Workshop

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5-6 pm: Class of 2021 Job Search Roundtable

4-5 pm: Meet the Leader: Jack Oliver, Managing Partner, Finback Partners, Attorney & Practice Group Leader, Bryan Cave, Leighton Paisner, LLC

12-1 pm: Employer Spotlight: Ross Barney - Chicago

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5-6 pm: Class of 2021 Job Search Roundtable

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5-6:30 pm: Alumni Weekend: Virtual Happy Hour with WashU Alumni in Government, Policy, Advocacy, and International Affairs

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1-2 pm: Work Group: Government, Politics, and Public Policy Internships and Jobs featuring Michael Delman, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

12-1 pm: Meet with a Pro: BKSK New York with alum Joan Krevlin 1-2 pm: Work Group: Government, Politics, and Public Policy Internships and Jobs featuring Emily Adeleke, The World Bank

30 1-2 pm: Work Group: Government, Politics, and Public Policy Internships and Jobs featuring Andy Flick, Office of U.S. Congressman David Trone (D-MD)

5-6 pm: Class of 2021 Job Search Roundtable

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CADENZA ISABELLA NEUBAUER & SABRINA SPENCE | SENIOR CADENZA EDITORS | CADENZA@STUDLIFE.COM

THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021

LNYF annual show dazzles with performances filmed across St. Louis GRACIE HIME STAFF WRITER Lunar New Year Festival (LNYF) is back with their performance for the Year of the Ox: “Unwavering.” The club adapted their performance beautifully to follow COVID-19 guidelines and managed to perform a very cohesive program despite the need to perform completely virtually.

This year, they have partnered with the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition in an effort to “support the foster and adoptive children in the metropolitan St. Louis community,” show executive director Cindy Zhuang and Richard Ni said, introducing the philanthropy organization.

In addition, Ni addressed the ongoing struggle with Asian hate in our country and hoped that the show “demonstrates that they are proud of their heritage and serves as a reminder that all identities and backgrounds are beautiful and deserve respect and love.”

The program began with a pre-show performed by

Lily Luu on the dàn tranh, a plucked Vietnamese zither.

Luu impressively played both the melody and the harmony of a piece called “Tinh Ca Trê Lúa.” Luu’s performance of the complex song was very beautiful.

Four other students then performed the song “Tong Hua,” which means “Fairy Tale.” Ariel Feng played the guitar and sang, Nick Ho played guitar, David Maeng played percussion and Michael Dizon played piano. Their performance provided a nice modern contrast to the traditional dàn tranh performance.

Throughout the show, presentations of skits were performed in eight different segments. There were four monologues, all written and performed by LNYF members, all written and performed by LNYF members, stretching across many themes including sexual assault, racism and the stereotypes endured

by Asians and AsianAmericans. By breaking up the monologues but keeping a continuous theme of passion and beautifully unique

storytelling, LYNF amplified this year’s theme of “Unwavering.” The stories continued throughout the program, yet the sentiment stayed consistent.

The Hula segment was next, showcasing the “symbolic dance movements” of traditional Hawaiian mythology and history.

This scene had exceptional cinematography that was adapted for social distancing. It was shot in various places around the St. Louis area, then the dancers’ videos were merged together as if they were in the same place. Between the setting and the beautiful Hawaiian skirts, this performance provided a stunning shot as the introduction to the rest of the dancing.

I was also very impressed by the program's graphic design. From the transitions to animated introduction of members, it was clear that the editors did not take their job lightly. I especially liked the segment where it looked like a desktop screen and transition between different members. This was such a cute and unique way to

incorporate the struggles of online classes into the program in an uplifting way.

Next was Samulnori, which is a word that combines the Korean word “samui” meaning four things and “nori” meaning play. This performance has four types of instruments, and they all represent some type of weather to celebrate a “plentiful harvest.” This segment was shot outside the front of Brookings Hall.

The Yoyo section was a choreographed performance accompanied with edited motion graphics and glow-in-the-dark yoyos.

This fast-paced choreography urged you to not blink an eye for fear of missing something. The performers used many types of yoyos, displaying amazing precision throughout the performance.

Chinese Fan was a beautiful performance that merged elements of ballet, modern and Chinese dance with flowing white fans. This part had several different musical nuances that showcased the diverse talent of the dancers. They

changed between soft flowing music and more intense, fast-paced music. It was especially impressive that the dancers were all moving at the same time and with such precision despite not dancing together as a physical group.

The senior dance displayed the seniors who are performing in their last year of LNYF. The combination and variety of music in this section showed how this community has fostered an amazing and accepting group of people. It included all seniors, even those who were not primarily involved in the dance portion of the community. This middle section included modern trending songs such as “WAP,” creating a more light humored atmosphere.

The standing drums section was next, and they displayed an effortless yet complex combination of traditional Korean percussion and contemporary rhythm. The cinematography of this section was vivid and really complimented the intensity of the music and choreography. This

performance was incredibly entertaining, with the visual effects adding to the auditory performance.

The final dancing section was presented by the Fusion group, which used a multitude of different dance styles from hip-hop to classical Chinese. The talent displayed in this section was diverse yet very cohesive between the members; you could tell that they had a very fun and inspiring bond.

The program finished with juggling. These members displayed their talents with many different props such as glow-in-the-dark balls and hoops. Like many other dancers, they used a number of different sceneries in the St. Louis area and beyond.

It was exciting to see the program come together despite the obvious barrier of COVID-19. These community members still presented an impressive line-up of performers and creators at Washington University, able to showcase their talent and culture even without a live performance.

‘Pathways’ adapts to virtual format, brings new filming techniques ISABELLA NEUBAUER SENIOR CADENZA EDITOR Instead of a dark Edison Theatre and seats crowded with fellow audience members, this year, those who wanted to see the MFA Dance concert, “Pathways,” sat in the comfort of their homes and followed a link on the Performing Arts Department’s website to a Vimeo recording of the concert. That different format presented challenges—it’s hard, as an audience member, to be fully absorbed in the dance when there are so many external distractions that simply wouldn’t be present in a theater. But the show took advantage of its recorded format, playing with filming techniques to create an experience that simply couldn’t have existed in a normal year.

“Pathways” presented the works of this year’s three MFA dancers—Leah Robertson, Luewilla Smith-Barnett and Thomas Proctor. Robertson’s work “Vows of Melancholy” opened the show, her dance a stunning meditation on grief that built for nearly 40

minutes to its still uncertain conclusion. Opening with a single dancer in an empty room, Robertson’s dance embodied a sense of isolation. Cutting between locations, the dance switched between solitary dancers wearing muted colors—one in a darkened Edison Theatre, another in a bright space with wide windows and rough brick, another before white walls.

These cuts, and the dance’s reuse of pieces of material, some being shown three times, gave the piece a kind of circularity, and flashes of dancers in the beginning firmly fixed my attention on those dancers when the film inevitably reached their section.

Occasionally, two or more dancers would share the screen. Their mirroring of each other's movements, somehow both fluid and jerky, spoke of an echoed emotion and a desired connection that could never quite be achieved.

Every time that connection appeared to be emerging, dancers would fall to the floor. One section, in which a dancer frantically scrubs

at her hands as though trying to wash off some invisible stain, stuck with me long after the performance ended. That section truly encapsulates “Vows of Melancholy”—a longing to be free of something, to connect, and never quite getting there.

After the smooth style and film technique of Robertson’s piece came Smith-Barnett’s “The Sacred Value of Women,” which adapted to a virtual production in an entirely different way. This dance was broken up into several distinct sections. Each opened with excerpts of a speech or quotes from the Quran or various Muslim leaders emphasizing the power of women. The sections emphasized different elements of Muslim womanhood—the opening sections showed first a group of six women in brightly-colored traditional dresses. Five of the women stood around the woman in dark green, who knelt on a prayer mat. The second section, which too emphasized prayer, was where the dancing began—a woman

in light green, kneeling in prayer position inside a mosque, began to dance with fluid and graceful motions that left no doubt this dance was one of devotion.

Each section—focusing on prayer, power, ferocity coexisting with mercy, motherly love, grief and more—presented beautiful costumes and intricate dancing. Often, though, I found myself getting lost in the pieces, losing concentration on the dance by being caught up in the words to which the piece was set.

The sentiment of these pieces, about the necessity of empowering Black women and the oppression they have faced for centuries, captured me at the expense of the dance itself.

I found myself faced with the choice to focus on the technical skill and beauty of the dance or on the words and message behind it, a choice I hated having to make. The two worked best during a section filmed in the Edison, with four dancers moving to a song

by H.E.R. The piece ended with photos of killed Black men on a screen behind the dancers and H.E.R. saying “I couldn’t breathe.”

“The Sacred Value of Women” is both a protest and a demonstration of the way that compassion, tenderness, ferocity and

religion can coexist in Black Muslim women even while the world attempts to push them down, and the different sections of the dance set in different locations worked, ultimately, to highlight these different but inextricable qualities.

The final piece, “Ubiquitous Plastic” by Thomas Proctor, came the closest to a dance that would be seen in a non-pandemic year. Entirely filmed on the Edison stage, the piece incorporated nearly a dozen dancers, the group filling the stage in a way none of us have seen in over a year. All dancers wore nude, skin-tight outfits, giving from a distance the impression that they wore no clothing. That nakedness only emphasized the piece’s props—from the beginning, when Proctor stood on a pile of leaves, slowly picking them up and crushing them, to the end, when dancers frantically threw plastic bottles onto different spots of a stage so packed with them that the rearranging made no difference.

Some dancers formed groups, dancing in robotic sync while others were alone, their white sashes slowly replaced with ones made of Schnucks grocery bags, which weighed them down until they could dance no more. A strange sense of hopelessness

pervaded the piece; watching as all the white sashes changed color, as the immovable dancers were dragged offstage and as one dancer stood in the middle of the stage while dozens of plastic bottles were thrown at her from every angle.

Technically, the piece was beautiful, only accentuated by the camera choices— especially the angle from the stage floor looking up with the bottles strewn around. I was captivated.

But the piece did not build to a promising ending.

When all dancers lined up and threw bottles at the camera/audience, I felt almost let down, and was deeply saddened by the true ending, where the majority of dancers walked out of Mallinckrodt, leaving a few stricken dancers unable to clean up the bottles they left behind.

Initially, I was skeptical of a virtual MFA Dance concert. But “Pathways,” despite being viewed in a bright room on my tiny laptop screen, shone. Each piece adapted to the challenges of virtual filming completely differently and in a way that brought attention to the emotion behind it, bringing truly enjoyable dance into our living rooms.

MFA Dance is streaming on the PAD website through April 11.

Open Monday through Saturday, 10am to 9pm • Sunday 11am to 8pm

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Dancers perform as part of the MFA Student Dance Concert, which was taped in Edison Theater.

FORUM

THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021

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STUDENT LIFE 7

None of this was meant for me

DAKOTAH JENNIFER STAFF WRITER

G

raham Chapel seats 785 people.

Each full row seats approximately 10 people for a total of 540 seats on the floor. The middle aisle is 42 inches wide and 105 feet long.”

I have been inside Graham Chapel many times, whether it was for Rewind Blurred Lines, the Annual MLK Commemoration Event or the occasional a cappella concert. But when I visited for a writing class almost two years ago, walking around in the eerie silence of the place I had time to think. Looking up at the stained glass, taking in the pews, the stage, the embossed and engraved letters in Latin, a thought arose: None of this was made for me.

It’s easy to believe that Washington University, or any university or college for that matter, is there for you, the student. The university as an institution, at least on its surface, is about the well-being of the student, the education of the exceptional, the enjoyment and growth of generations to come.

That is, indeed, what they advertise—in the numerous flyers, promotional packets, emails—they boast state-ofthe-art resources, intricate and modern architecture, vast libraries and dining halls, so that you are nourished and cared for while you get your education. And since the very first day of its founding, Wash. U. has been striving to churn out the best and the brightest, but on that day in 1853, during a month that

was not yet termed Black History Month, the founders could not have expected the school we have today.

I am an English major and I’ve had at least one class or club meeting in Eads Hall each semester. Eads Hall as we know it today was built in 1903, just before the St. Louis World’s Fair. Graham Chapel finished construction in 1909, two years after they laid the first cornerstone. An iconic symbol of Wash. U., Brookings Hall, began construction in 1900.

About fifty years after these buildings were established, Washington University in St. Louis opened all undergraduate programs to Black people in 1952. Even then, athletic programs weren’t desegregated until a year later, and it took two years until the administration desegregated residence halls, extracurricular activities and even support services. Washington University, until that very year, was for those who were allowed in and that would not have included me.

Truthfully, though I know Wash. U. isn’t perfect, it remains one of my favorite places in the world. Most of the time, I do not feel out of place here. Most of the time, I am happy and carefree, looking to write my next paper, on my way to Whispers to see my closest friends and laugh until my stomach hurts. These days, of course, I am more often on my way to Mudd Field or the East End to sit 6 feet away from my non-remote friends, but I still expect to laugh until my stomach hurts. In that moment two years ago, sitting in Graham Chapel, I suddenly felt like I was in

a strange place. I was not at my university, but someone else’s. I was in a building that expected my labor, my upkeep. A place that, at the time of its construction, only foresaw me straightening the chairs and dusting the ledges.

But it is those echoes from the past, those moments of dissonance and realization, that create pangs of hurt in my chest.

It is those pieces of history that remind me we aren’t that far from the past. The same year the first Black student was allowed to enroll at Wash. U. in the twentieth century, one of my grandfathers was 15 years old, in his second year of high school, and the other, only 3, had just started walking and talking.

They are both still alive and well and both of them can walk on their own two feet.

They are not old per se, just like this university’s acceptance of Black students is not.

Perhaps it should bring me joy. Because of all of my ancestors, all of the people fighting injustice over the years, I got to be there that day—a student at a top university sitting in Graham Chapel like I belonged. But I only felt defeated. I marveled at the beauty of the place, and suddenly I thought: Nothing beautiful was made for us. And no matter the pride I had in everything it took to get there, the thought plagued me. If nothing beautiful was made for me, what kind of cruel world was I in? How was I supposed to keep living, breathing, walking around, with the knowledge that most of the oldest, most beautiful things in the country were not made

SCOTT BRESSLER | STUDENT LIFE

Graham Chapel located on the Danforth campus, photographed in 2007. WU desegregated in 1952.

for me simply because of my skin color?

I love Wash. U., but its anecdote-inducing name, its old “collegiate gothic” architecture, its pervasive portraits of older, white couples whose names grace

the front of each building, remind me only of what it used to be. This brand of pain is one I think many minorities live with each day.

I carry it with me constantly, in the very back of my mind, even as people don’t dare

to acknowledge it. Even as time trudges forward, the past is there, peering over our shoulders, reminding us that it can never be undone and it will never go away, and sometimes, I can almost hear it laughing at me.

OP-ED SUBMISSION

After a series of miscues, Wash. U. has failed students EVAN JENNESS AND JOJO SPIO CLASS OF 2023 Last week, I received an email from the Music Department stating that due to a violation of the department’s COVID policies, the Tietjens Hall practice rooms would have limited hours for at least the next week, including additional restrictions on how to reserve a room. When I saw this, I was frustrated because it impacts students’ ability to prepare for music lessons; it is upsetting yet not surprising that we have been let down too many times during the past several months. I will review several decisions which led to this point.

The first questionable decision came last summer, when the University announced its reopening

plan for the fall semester, which eliminated Fall Break and unpleasantly shifted finals week into January due to the late start of classes.

This turned out to be a disaster, with alreadyexhausted students studying the majority of Winter Break and instructors and AIs needing to turn around final grades in just a few days. But then, the University announced in November that they would exclude Spring Break from this semester’s academic calendar, as well, replacing it with (initially) two wellness days, before Student Union was successful in securing a third.

The lack of clarity from the University has been remarkable this semester, in particular, starting with entry testing upon arrival to campus in January.

According to University

OUR VOICE: EDITORIAL BOARD

policy, all students were required to complete a Covid test at the start of the spring semester.

However, I found it difficult to sign up for a test, given the hours of the facility. Having managed to book a time slot, I had to cancel it due to a family emergency and was not able to reschedule. I ended up staying the first night in the dorm without being tested after having been in two planes and a busy airport, potentially exposing my suitemate, who had arrived a few days prior. Only after it became clear that many students would not be able to be tested the same day they arrived did the University state that it would allow returning students to move into Residential Life housing before being tested; this could allow the virus to spread among living

Senior Sports Editors: Dorian DeBose, Josh

groups and across campus as students went to in-person classes the following days. Fortunately, neither of us got sick, although this allowance seemed contradictory to the University’s caution in other areas, such as the implementation of wellness days to replace Spring Break.

This semester’s wellness days “to allow for rest and personal time” are in an effort to keep the Covid rates low on campus.

However, the lack of a Spring Break seems to have severely impacted the state of students’ mental health, which I could judge by attendance and participation in synchronous/hybrid classes and extracurricular activities. Attendance in all of my classes is lower this semester than last, and my suitemate reports participation

in his extracurriculars has dropped by between one-third and one-half compared to last semester. According to a 2017 survey, 61% of Wash.

U. respondents reported “above average” or “tremendous” levels of stress. This percentage has likely gone up during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the fear and uncertainty of contracting the virus or spreading it to friends and family has forced many students to face a dilemma: academics or well-being.

Observations like these signal to me that students are overwhelmed, exhausted and in dire need of a legitimate break to catch up on sleep, work and time with friends and family.

After the transition to online instruction last spring, the University extended its pass/fail

YOUR VOICE: SUBMISSIONS

deadline and expanded the policy to include major-required courses to account for the difficult circumstances students faced. While they kept the extended pass/fail deadline for the fall semester, they reverted to the original policy of no pass/fail for distribution and major requirements, which continued for this semester. This reversal has caused undue hardship on students who may already be in challenging personal or financial situations.

I’m grateful to be on campus and attend in-person classes, and I sympathize with those who cannot. Nonetheless, Wash. U. has the capability to support and accommodate students in this defining moment in the school’s history. There are only a few weeks left in the semester: It’s now or never.

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8 STUDENT LIFE

THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021

BENJAMIN SIMON | SENIOR SCENE EDITOR | SCENE@STUDLIFE.COM

Doctor talks pandemic, physical contact and the effects of loneliness OLIVIA POOLOS STAFF REPORTER

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

With the light at the end of the tunnel growing brighter each day and the hope for a more typical year next fall, it’s important to remember that we are still in a pandemic.

COVID cases across the country have been steadily rising again, as Americans jump the gun on relaxing restrictions.

Back in February, amidst cold snowy days that kept most students inside, I spoke with the Assistant Director of Mental Health at Habif, Dr. Jordan Fields, about loneliness and isolation. Fields has since left the University, but with at least a couple more months of social distancing and Zoom calls in our future, it seemed appropriate to revisit his take on the impact of the pandemic on our emotional well-being and his words of wisdom on how to endure the mental toll of reduced socialization.

STUDENT LIFE: Do you think a lack of face-to-face contact affects mental health?

JORDAN FIELDS: So that’s a loaded question.

It’s complicated, because it’s not just face to face contact. There’s a part of our social interaction that is about the meaning that we derive from our interactions. And for many of us, we do find that we derive more meaning and more benefit from our interactions when they are face to face, but it’s not necessary—people can also experience a lot of satisfaction, and a lot of meaning from those interactions that occur virtually-- it really is on a person to person basis.

SL: What about physical touch? Is “touch starvation” a real thing?

JF: Absolutely. Physical

contact is a very important part of interactions, and that is one of the primary things I think people do miss. From a young age, physical touch is really important—mothers and infants, for example, have oxytocin released on contact. [Oxytocin] is considered a relationshipmaking hormone early on, and even as an adult.

Having simple physical contact, even a hug, can be really important for developing connection and for physical well-being.

SL: So is it worth it in some aspects to risk your physical health, in order to save your mental health in terms of, say, having a limited amount of face to face relationships?

JF: I would err on the side of physical health.

Primarily because if you contract COVID, the ramifications can be much more far reaching for your health overall. There are people who contracted

[COVID] who don’t die, but because they’ve been placed on a respirator will have severe physical health consequences for the rest of their lives.

Due to that, I would say that I would not risk it if it were myself. But I know that particularly in a college student population there’s a lot of change and trying to develop and create new friendships, or trying to maintain friendships. There’s wa lot of talk about pods—and maintaining that physical connection with those individuals in that isolated pod of people would be one of the best ways to engage in physical interaction of some sort.

SL: You’re talking about long term-effects on physical health, will there be long-term effects on mental health as well due to prolonged loneliness?

talk about is the fact that social isolation and loneliness are not the same thing. Just because a person has a decreased frequency quantity and quality of their physical or their social interactions with people, does not necessarily mean that they’re going to be lonely. That’s why it’s kind of tricky, that question, because learning to be able to be alone and continuing to be emotionally well, is a skill and something that actually I think benefits people far beyond just having physical and social interactions.

SL: What kind of practices would you suggest to learn that skill of being alone?

JF: One of the best practices that I recommend is starting to practice mindfulness skills. One of the key aspects is being attentive to the present moment, attentive to what’s going on right

JF: I can’t say one way or the other. I think an important thing to

now, what’s going on in your body. What’s going on with you emotionally?

What’s going on in your mind?

SL: Is there anything that you think is important to add in terms of loneliness, relationships, the pandemic?

JF: I think that something that I would recommend for people to do––particularly those who are struggling with loneliness––is to think about the interaction that they have, [and] identify those interactions that they find to be the most valuable, the most fulfilling. I’d also think about what types of activities, whether they’re with people or without other people, that make them feel whole, and that they enjoy thoroughly.

The more that they can be fully engaged with what they’re doing, that can help significantly with those feelings of loneliness.

PANDEMIC from page 4 Lina Ali: There were

several things going through my mind. I knew that I had family abroad, overseas in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, which is pretty far and a huge time difference…

And so, my first thought was, ‘it’s going to be a mess sort of going back right now,’ and dealing with the time difference and not knowing under what circumstances that I’d be able to like take my exams abroad and all that.

And so my initial thought was to spend a few days with family in Canada who were closer by, and that way, it could be a more smooth transition…

Unfortunately, the day that I arrived in Canada, the border of Abu Dhabi closed until further notice.

And so it ended up being three months that the border was closed.

Agam Saluja: I heard

about it at, like, 11pm12am Singapore time…I got on the phone with my dad, I was like, “Yeah I’m ready to come home

whenever.” So I hopped on the plane like at 7 a.m. the next morning…At that point I was kind of burned out in a sense, from being like abroad for so long…I kind of wanted to get back and see if I could see people before they left for home as well from school, because like, obviously the seniors are graduating and they were going to, you know, depart, along with my other friends, for the summer. So, I didn’t think I would be able to see them again so I left pretty much as soon as I got that notification.

van Horn: I kind of knew

Jasen Vest: I went to

Ali: I remember being just

Chicago with my friend, I stayed at my friend’s house…I rolled over one morning and took my phone off the charger and it was just exploding with Snapchats and texts. And then I saw the email from Chancellor Martin, that was like, “Yeah, sorry.”

It wasn’t unexpected at that point I guess it was kind of in the air, but [I was] definitely not happy about it.

that it was coming…I feel like often private schools look to each other for things like that, so once my friends at other private universities were getting sent home, I knew that it was only a matter of time.

to get things together…On the 40, outside, everyone was scrambling but then once you got into the dorms, it was just nothing, no one was there, it was like everything froze in time…It just felt very eerie.

Hahn: I think chaotic is the

Webley-Brown: After

we got the [email] about Westchester not being able to come back, I kind of thought, “Okay, maybe this is going to affect everyone any day now,” but I also was on Spring Break, so I wasn’t really thinking too much about it.

right word but not intense enough. It literally felt like…the sky was falling, like, out of a movie. All of a sudden you get an email and you pull the plug on everything you planned for the next two or three months.

Saluja: It’s definitely

mind-blowing to me that it’s already been a year since then, time flew by really fast…I was expecting this to be over like May, like maybe June at the latest, because they said it was supposed to spike in April and that was supposed to be the peak of it, and then it just kept going.

Looking back, one year later

in complete shock when I read the email. And for me it was just something that was really unexpected. It was still sort of this distant disease that was spreading, and I just definitely was not ready for it to have that direct impact on me.

Students have once again been welcomed back to the University’s campus, but not without the precautions of masking and social distancing, as well as most classes being held in a virtual or hybrid format.

Ali: [This year has]

definitely been really challenging for me especially being at that stage in the first few months, just sort of not knowing what was going on, not knowing when I would be reunited with my family again.

It has been over a year since the announcement that sent everyone home, and, despite optimistic expectations during the first few weeks in quarantine, the pandemic has persisted. This has given rise to a school year unlike any before it.

van Horn: Campus was

absolute chaos. There were moving trucks everywhere, there were students trying

moment here [in south Mississippi] that people actually took the pandemic 100% seriously…seeing how poorly the United States has dealt with this pandemic just makes me really cynical.

Webley-Brown: At times

of crisis you find out what a person is like or what an administration is like, I think Wash. U. really showed their hand over the way they’ve handled COVID and it’s one that I just don’t have the most positive outlook on how they will handle things going forward based on how they handle things in the past…especially the way they handled housing over the summer.

van Horn: I feel like

often even our university itself and the mindsets that we as students are given, we’re supposed to choose productivity over our own personal care.

van Horn: I don’t think

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