The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021
VOLUME 142, NO. 12
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As universities across the country adopt different COVID-19 testing strategies, here is how WU’s plan stacks up
WU tuition to increase by 2.6% for the 2021-22 academic year TED MOSKAL AND EM MCPHIE SENIOR NEWS EDITORS
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ANI KESANAPALLY STAFF REPORTER In a year marred by the coronavirus pandemic, Washington University has been one of many colleges and universities nationwide to adopt plans to keep their student bodies safe and healthy on campus. However, different strategies for testing and mitigation have yielded different results among many of WU’s peer institutions. The University began the academic year with a COVID-19 monitoring system involving five main components: entry testing, surveillance testing, daily selfscreening, contact tracing and quarantine and isolation housing. Students who returned to St. Louis in mid-January were required to take the University’s PCR saliva test upon arrival and were asked to take an additional re-entry test one week later. Biweekly surveillance testing is expected to resume Feb. 8. Although the University’s COVID plan has remained largely unchanged throughout the 202021 school year, cases have surged nationwide since the fall, leaving many community members concerned about the University’s resistance to increasing testing frequency. Dr. Cheri LeBlanc, the executive director at Habif Health and Wellness Center, has defended the University’s current biweekly testing frequency, arguing that “more frequent testing would be unlikely
to make a significant difference.” Still, students, parents and community members have challenged the University’s spring semester pandemic plan as daily COVID19 cases continue to surge across the country and new virus mutations spread. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms the notion that frequent and abundant testing of individuals regardless of symptoms is crucial in preventing the spread of the virus. This past summer, an analysis led by the California Institute of Technology on university reopening plans had approximated that around one in four universities planned to carry out entry testing, while one in five universities planned to incorporate regular testing into their pandemic response. Washington University falls into the minority in both of these areas. Several peer institutions have taken more extensive measures to mitigate the spread of COVID19 on their campuses. Both Cornell University and Vanderbilt University require undergraduate students to undergo surveillance testing twice a week. Northwestern University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton University required students to quarantine for seven days upon arrival and will conduct weekly surveillance testing throughout the semester. The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) and Rice University have both significantly
altered student experiences as well: UPenn implemented a three-week quiet period of no activities and Rice will have exclusively online instruction until mid-February. Vice President of Public Affairs at Duke University Michael Schoenfeld described their plan’s key components, which involved frequent testing and frequent communication with students. “We stayed focused on the mantra of ‘survive and advance,’” Schoenfeld said. “We were going to get to the next day or week and not try to outsmart the virus, which was always in control. We were going to make students, faculty and staff partners in this effort, and not shame them into ‘doing the right thing,’ and we were going to give people information, direction and, when feasible, options.” Duke lies in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, a metropolitan area with a population roughly the same size as the population St. Louis metropolitan region. It has an undergraduate student body roughly the same size of Washington University, but has had 100 fewer cases. Duke operated similarly to the University, particularly regarding communication strategies, limiting on-campus density, housing plans, promoting masking and physical distancing protocols and contact tracing. However, Duke also attempted to improve communications with the student body by partnering
with popular campus figures such as Coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke’s Men’s Basketball Team and University President Vincent Price to amplify messages. Duke’s administration also compiled the University’s resources to administer tests for every student several times a week, pioneering a new “pool testing” plan which used data from group COVID-19 tests as well as other factors to determine where individual tests will be most effective. “The testing was not random,” Schoenfeld said. “It was driven by daily analysis of data, so while every student was tested on average at least once a week, some were tested more frequently.” The University of WisconsinMadison was less successful, with a positivity rate three times higher than Washington University in the fall. To address their shortcomings, the administration began the new year with amendments to their COVID-19 plan. “[This semester’s] new program will dramatically expand testing and the frequency that students, faculty and staff need to test,” Wisconsin-Madison’s Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Dr. Lori Reesor said. After expanding the capacity of testing facilities to meet demand, Wisconsin-Madison students no longer need appointments to get tested, unlike Washington University.
SEE TESTING, PAGE 2
Washington University’s annual tuition will increase by 2.6% to $57,750 for the 2021-2022 academic year, Vice Chancellor for Finance Amy Kweskin announced Wednesday. The increase is slightly lower than those of previous years, following a 3.8% increase in 2020 and a 3.5% increase for the five previous years. “Washington University is mindful of the financial commitment and sacrifices you make to send your students here, and we are grateful for your steadfast support, especially during the extremely difficult challenges of the past year,” Provost Beverly Wendland wrote in an email to students and parents. Due to the financial challenges that many students face during the pandemic, some colleges and universities have chosen to lower or freeze their tuition rates. However, many of the University’s peer institutions have taken a similar approach, choosing to increase tuition at a lower rate than previous years. Wendland’s email included an FAQ document, which said that the University worked hard to keep tuition increases to a minimum but that “some adjustment is necessary to reflect the increased cost of operating an institution like ours.” The student activity fee will be $578, an increase from $562 the previous academic year, and the health and wellness fee will be $538, an increase from $524. The range of costs for on campus housing and meal plans also increased slightly. The cost of double occupancy housing rose from $11,512 – $12,000 to $11,846 – $12,350, while the range of costs for different meal plans rose from $4,516 – $6,274 to $4,638 – $6,443. “During this global pandemic, many students are struggling financially,” Student Union President junior Ranen Miao said. “At the start of the pandemic, the financial aid office aggressively scaled up the money allocated towards supporting students. I hope they will continue increasing investment to move us towards need-blind admissions and meet the moment of economic depression we are in. Student Union is dedicated to ending food, housing, and economic insecurity on our campus, and will continue working with the financial aid office to meet student needs.”
WU law professor works with ACLU to sue Trump administration over decision to sanction those working for International Criminal Court TED MOSKAL SENIOR NEWS EDITOR When Washington University professor of international criminal law Leila Sadat heard the news that former President Donald Trump had signed an executive order designating the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a “national security threat,” June 11, she was shocked. “This is the kind of thing you do to terrorist regimes, not to
global civil servants and human rights lawyers,” Sadat said. As a “court of last resort,” the ICC generally prosecutes war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and other offenses that individual nations are either unable or unwilling to prosecute. Although the ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States, Sadat said that the Trump administration likely felt threatened by ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s decision to open an investigation into
war crimes in Afghanistan, where the United States has been at war for two decades. The ACLU lawsuit, as well as another suit filed by the Open Society Justice Initiative, claims that the executive order exceeds its legal authority, arguing that it prohibits the first amendment rights of American citizens such as Sadat and her colleagues who perform legal work for the ICC in addition to their academic jobs. Even before the executive order
in June, the administration had already sought retribution against those involved with the work of the ICC. “The United States government essentially sanctioned [ICC Prosecutor Bensouda] by pulling her visa,” Sadat said. “Then Secretary Pompeo and others were naming names of some high level personnel at the Court and their families and threatening them publicly if they went ahead, and this is even in 2019... before
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the executive order.” After Trump signed the order, Sadat and many of her colleagues quickly realized that the sanctions against the ICC prosecutor also applied to the sizable network of U.S. based civil servants who do work for the ICC. As a special advisor to the ICC, Sadat would be subject to massive fines and penalties if she chose to continue her work.
SEE TRUMP, PAGE 2
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EM MCPHIE & TED MOSKAL | SENIOR NEWS EDITORS | NEWS@STUDLIFE.COM
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EVENT CALENDAR THURSDAY 4 Climate’s Limited Role in Shaping Mountains Virtual Event, 4 p.m. A long-standing debate in the Earth Sciences bears on the question of whether top-down erosion processes govern mountain building processes, but how does one measure the topographic signature of the climate drivers independent of tectonics? Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences Claire Mastellar will discuss two natural experiments to detangle topographic signatures previously attributed to climate. She will demonstrate that tectonic drivers almost completely explain the heights of mountains and orogen asymmetry.
FRIDAY 5 Public Tour: ‘The Autonomous Future of Mobility Virtual Event, 12 p.m. Olivia Mendelson, assistant educator, discusses a selection of works from the Teaching Gallery exhibition The Autonomous Future of Mobility, curated by Constance Vale, assistant professor of architecture in the Sam Fox School. The exhibition examines the car’s legacy over the past century as depicted in art and visual culture, offering a view toward today’s emerging technological developments and exposing our vulnerability in the face of the horsepower and political power that drive mass movement.
SATURDAY 6 Plautus and the Women of Washington University symposium Virtual Event, 9 a.m. This symposium, free and open to the public, will begin with four lectures introducing Plautus’ Rudens, to the story behind the historic 1884 performance in St. Louis, and to the cultural and academic landscape in which it emerged. In the afternoon after the lectures, members of the University and local classics community will give a virtual performance of the play using the translation produced by the Ladies’ Literary Society.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021
TRUMP from page 1 “There’s another part of the law that says anybody who materially assists the prosecutor in conducting her job could be subject to sanctions,” Sadat said. “I wouldn’t be subject to civil death, but there are civil and criminal penalties associated with this law, including $300,000 fines.” However, for Sadat, the most disheartening aspect of this order was the fact that Washington University students could no longer participate in her Crimes Against Humanity Research Project, since doing so would also subject them to those same penalties. “My first year, I was able to do the Crimes Against Humanity Research Project, but after my first year it just never was able to get back off the ground because of the executive order,” third year law student Christian Rose said. “It was a big bummer, [since] the International Criminal work that she does was she was one of the big reasons I decided to go to Wash. U.” Madaline George, a 2014 law school graduate who first worked on the project as a student and now helps direct it as a Harris Institute Fellow, said that students interested in international law were missing out on an incredible opportunity. “It was an opportunity to actually continue not only getting... research skills in my field of choice, but also because of professor Sadat’s relationship with the court
and her position as one of the foremost experts in the world on international criminal law,” George said. “You’re really getting an inside view of how international justice mechanisms work and how politics comes into play.” As part of the project, students would often sign confidentiality waivers, which allowed them to do research and casework for actual ICC cases as part of the class. At the end of the project, Sadat frequently helped students find jobs at the ICC or other similar international institutions. However, this year Sadat decided that doing so might not be a good idea. “I didn’t push my students obviously into internships or externships,” Sadat said. “We just couldn’t risk that a student could find themselves on the receiving end of these really punishing sanctions.” However, although there are fewer internship and externship opportunities as a result of the order, George claimed that the actions of the Trump administration have actually served to encourage more law students to consider careers in international law, rather than scaring them away. “If anything, it has made students more interested in international affairs, because for those who maybe just toyed with the topic, they realized that there’s a lot going on [in international law],” George said. “I think if you see that Trump is scared of something, they’re probably
doing something right, and it engages students more because it’s in the news.” Sadat and the other plaintiffs in the ACLU’s lawsuit were chosen because they were directly affected by the order, giving them legal standing in the case. They agreed to participate before the 2020 election had taken place, meaning that a second term for Trump was a very real possibility. Now that President Biden has been inaugurated, but has not yet rescinded the order, the future of the lawsuit is less clear. “As the Biden administration decides to deal with the suit, eventually his name would get substituted for Trump’s, so it would be ‘Sadat v. Biden,’” Sadat said. Sadat hopes that Biden will move to rescind Trump’s order as soon as possible, in which case his attorney general would ask to dismiss the lawsuit as moot. Although she hopes that the rescindment of this order will return things to normal, some serious damage has been done to the network of American civil servants who support international institutions such as the ICC. “One of the jobs of a lawyer is to take pro bono cases… on behalf of good causes, that’s a privilege of our license,” Sadat said. “And so for the administration to basically say, ‘If you do that, there are going to be sanctions,’ it’s just terrifying. So what we hope is that the Biden administration will rescind the order, but they haven’t done that yet.”
‘It’s important for people to be proactive about staying connected to people in their life’: Students struggle to cope with isolation and depression during winter of COVID-19 GABBY HYMAN STAFF REPORTER With progressively inclement weather and new mutations of COVID19, opportunities for Washington University students to safely socialize are becoming increasingly limited. As the sun continues to set early in the evening, students are spending more time indoors, often alone and in the dark—conditions that can increase feelings of isolation and depression. "While actual data are not yet available, one can assume that the pandemic may be exacerbating many struggles related to depression and anxiety,” Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Support and Wellness Dr. Kirk Dougher said. Assistant Director of Mental Health Services Dr. Jordan Fields agreed that there is cause for concern about increased rates of depression this winter. “When people are isolated and unable to participate in as many of their coping routines and behaviors, people develop mood issues and dysregulation,” Fields said. “We see a lot more irritability, lowered mood, changes in appetite, disruptions in sleep habits—a lot of things that are commonly seen in depressive disorders. Now that we are getting into these winter months, it does set the stage for potentially worsened symptoms of
seasonal pattern depression for people.” College students are at a particularly high risk for these symptoms due to the fast-paced, deadline-driven nature of the semester. Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences Brian Carpenter explained that different individual experiences could put a person at a higher risk for developing a depressive disorder. “If a person is experiencing stress for some other reason, like…they’ve got an incredibly stressful semester or while they were at school, they had a parent who fell ill. Any kind of those stressors can increase a person’s vulnerability for developing a psychological disorder.” Faculty Assistant in the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department Justin Dodd echoed Carpenter’s comments, noting that roughly 10% of college students already suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). “We have seen an increase in adjustment disorders, diagnoses for regular anxiety, or for major depressive disorder generally,” Dodd said. “Those things are definitely on the rise due to the pandemic and there has been some recent research, as recent as December of 2020, that has supported that.” In order to combat the effects of increased winter-time isolation, many
Resident Advisors have supplied students with engaging virtual activities such as group trivia games and movies. However, some RAs have struggled to create events that students are excited to engage in after spending much of their day online. “Something that we’ve really struggled with is trying to find ways to have programs where students would want to attend,” senior Belal Jamil, an RA for Umrath House, said. “It’s a lot harder because while they want to do inperson stuff, they can’t. When winter started, it also came with academic workload building up a lot, so a lot of requests that residents had were finding ways to do self-care.” Jamil gave the example of programs featuring hot chocolate, face masks and adult coloring books. The University is also seeking creative ways to build a sense of community among students who may be feeling isolated. “[Campus Life] has created activities that afford more distance and are looking at how they can bring folks together more,” Dougher said. “The graduate programs are working on engaging students in labs and from distance. Residential Life has altered a great many things and are looking at some changes for isolation and quarantine housing."
The University also offers a variety of mental health services through Habif Health and Wellness Center on the South 40. However, Habif ’s mental health services have been criticized for long wait times and inadequate resources, among other issues. Feelings of isolation and depression during the COVID-19 winter are not exclusive to students. According to Fields, many of the counselors who work on the front lines of seasonal mental health crises are also struggling. “With Wash. U.'s focus and intention to take care of the student body, I think that sometimes the counselors that are doing the mental health care get lost in the fray,” Fields said.
responded quite differently to the regional spike that occurred late last year. UMSL has also operated with a different testing philosophy to the University. Tests at UMSL are offered for those with symptoms and
student-athletes must be regularly tested according to NCAA guidelines. However, no universities in the University of Missouri system, including UMSL, are conducting general campus surveillance testing.
“Counselors are typically people who like a lot of social interaction and they got into the field for that interaction with people. It’s a lot harder when you’re dealing with these types of emotional issues and you’re not getting the same type of or same quality of interaction with the clients you’re working with.” Outside of Universitysponsored mental health resources, Fields suggests students should practice self-care using a variety of different methods. “One of the most important things I try to preach to people is that there are various levels to self-care,” Fields said. He emphasized the importance of a healthy diet and eating habits, sleep hygiene, exercise and
hydration. “Those basics really set the foundation for your ability to cope at a higher level.” Carpenter also recommended that in addition to structuring their days and regularly exercising, students should dedicate time every day to staying in touch with family and friends. “It’s important for people to be proactive about staying connected to people in their life.” Carpenter said. “Family members, friends here at Wash. U., friends who aren’t here at Wash. U., staying in touch with those people you know and care about and even using this as an opportunity to reach out and join a new club or find some new friends.”
CURRAN NEENAN | STUDENT LIFE
The entrance to the Habif Health and Wellness Center at Dardick House. Early sunsets and cold weather have exacerbated students’ feelings of social isolation and depression during the pandemic.
TESTING from page 1 Only a few miles north of the Danforth campus, the University of Missouri-Saint Louis (UMSL) has an undergraduate student body double that of Washington University, but only recorded 324 cases last
semester, forty fewer than Washington University. Although there were similarities between UMSL’s and Washington University’s plans, specifically in the areas of hybrid education and frequent communications, UMSL
The frequency of surveillance tests being administered to University undergraduates is higher than UMSL’s nonexistent plan, but is still comparatively low to peer institutions, especially given how some schools
sought to increase their testing rates in 2021. As universities across the country kick off their semesters over the upcoming weeks, the effectiveness of their new testing plans will be revealed.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021
EM MCPHIE & TED MOSKAL | SENIOR NEWS EDITORS | NEWS@STUDLIFE.COM
STUDENT LIFE 3
AOII officially disbands chapter as students continue to push for Greek Life abolition amid new WPA recruitment cycle EM MCPHIE SENIOR NEWS EDITOR The international executive board of Alpha Omicron Pi voted to withdraw the charter of Washington University’s chapter, immediately halting all chapter operations, Jan 21. Following months of calls for the abolition of Greek Life, AOII is now the second sorority at the University to officially disband after Pi Phi in October. Former AOII member junior Lacy Wilder said that the chapter almost unanimously decided to work towards disbanding during the summer of 2020, but they faced significant resistance from their national organization’s leadership. “We got in contact with the AOII headquarters and explained to them our point of view and why we were trying to get our chapter abolished instead of reformed,” Wilder said. “And headquarters was not particularly receptive to what we had to say; they very much dominated all of our conversations, and they didn’t really see where we were coming from in terms of wanting to get our charter revoked, even if [we] as individuals personally had had a good experience in our sorority.” Due to the lack of receptiveness from AOII headquarters, Wilder chose to deactivate from her chapter over the summer. However, she remained close to several friends who decided to remain members of the sorority through the fall semester in order to continue fighting for the permanent close of the chapter, which they ultimately achieved. “Headquarters’ main reason for revoking our charter was the significant drop in membership,” Wilder said. “Which is fine, except it’s not the reason that we wanted our charter to be abolished. We felt like they weren’t necessarily receptive to our concerns about why we actually wanted the charter revoked.” Several former members of AOII are working with the
Greek Life abolition movement to call for other chapters to relinquish their charters and to discourage students from going through the rush process. “I would encourage people who are considering going through recruitment to really take a step back and look outside of themselves and listen to members of the LGBT community, Black and Indigenous people of color and people from marginalized socioeconomic groups, and really take stock of their experiences and how they’ve been harmed by the institution of Greek Life before you think about how you might personally benefit,” Wilder said. Junior Nana Kusi, who is spearheading the abolition movement’s plans for direct action, also shared advice to those considering joining a Greek organization. “I would encourage potential freshmen who are considering rushing [and] those in organizations now who are considering dropping or haven’t dropped, to have a really robust and substantive discourse with somebody that might have an opinion that’s different from yours,” Kusi said. “I think there’s a lot of misconceptions around why students are pushing for this or where this came from, and there’s a lot that can be elucidated through these discussions [with] people from different perspectives.” The closure of Alpha Omicron Pi, as well as Pi Beta Phi last October, are significant steps toward the changes that many students are calling for. “Over the summer we had University administration, particularly Rob Wild, making comments such as the fact that getting rid of Greek Life isn’t going to stop sexual assault, it’s not going to stop racism, it’s not going to stop classism,” Kusi said. “Obviously, we recognize that getting rid of Greek life is not a panacea for any of the issues that we are highlighting in this movement, but it’s a question of what are we going to give a path to operate on campus and have social capital
on this campus…There are a lot of things that are emboldened by these organizations and allowed to fester unquestioned in these organizations.” However, Kusi emphasized that the abolition movement wants change beyond just the closing of chapters. “There’s also the greater question of rethinking how we socialize as a campus,” she said. “Many aspects of social life at Wash. U. are segregated, not just along racial lines but socioeconomic lines as well. As a former member of Greek Life, I’ve seen how Greek Life institutionalizes that and reinforces that, and I would really like to see a social sphere at Wash. U. that is more equitable in that regard.” During the fall 2020 semester, multiple other sororities attempted to officially close their chapters, including Delta Gamma and Kappa Delta. However, largely due to a lack of receptiveness from the national organizations, those efforts have failed to yield results. Additionally, some sorority members who deactivated during the summer have chosen to rejoin Greek Life. “There’s always going to be a distinction between those who are going to do what’s convenient in the moment and what makes them look good, and what an individual’s true beliefs are and what really motivates them day to day when nobody’s looking,” Kusi said. “We’ve heard the term ‘performative activism’ thrown around a lot since the summer, and I think this is one example of that—who is really willing to put in the work to actualize the things that they believe in?” The University’s remaining seven sororities are preparing to host a restructured recruitment process, with changes such as the removal of registration fees, no required attire and a less formal structure. The 2021 Women's Panhellenic Association Potential New Member Guide states that “we would like to emphasize that by joining a WPA sorority this Spring, you are making a
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AOII members at a pre-pandemic event. “I would encourage people who are considering going through recruitment to really take a step back and look outside of themselves and listen to members of the LGBT community, Black and Indigenous people of color and people from marginalized socioeconomic groups, and really take stock of their experiences and how they’ve been harmed by the institution of Greek Life before you think about how you might personally benefit,” said junior Lacy Wilder, who deactivated from AOII last summer.
commitment. Not only are you committing to membership, but you are also committing to being an active part of Greek Life reform.” However, members of the abolition movement have long expressed skepticism about the potential for any meaningful
reforms within Greek organizations, particularly as many marginalized communities on campus have pointed to the structural racism and inequity inherent to such groups. Both WPA recruitment and actions aimed towards abolition are scheduled to take place
in the coming weeks, with an informational WPA panel on Feb. 7 being immediately followed by a panel titled “Why I Dropped: Alternatives to Washu Greek Life,” discussing Greek Life abolition and explaining the harms of Greek Life on Feb. 8.
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021
Rooted in St. Louis: The incredible dinosaur tree THOMAS HUMPHREY STAFF WRITER In this series, I will be highlighting the plant life of Wash. U. and of St. Louis, the people who put them there, and why you pay more attention to the greenery around you. You saw them, but before you saw them you smelled them. The scent of bile and garbage, fruit scattered across the sidewalk like big salmon eggs, that pop into orange mush under your feet. Yet their unpleasant spell is offset by their spectral beauty –– elegant, fanned leaves, skeletal branches; an echo of the cretaceous. Campus is full of ginkgo, and indeed all of St. Louis is spotted with these incomparable trees. But as interesting as they appear and smell, the history and biology of them is just as fascinating. In explaining to you some of the fascinating evolutionary history of the ginkgo, perhaps I can make the smell of its fruit a little
sweeter to you. The ginkgo tree is old. Dinosaur old. The ginkgo is a “living fossil. It exists today in mostly unchanged from fossilized relatives separated by 100 million years. For some perspective, anatomically modern humans emerged somewhere around 130,000 years ago meaning ginkgo have been around nearly 1000 times as long as we have. They emerged as dinosaur food, and now they grow essentially unchanged in modern cities. That gives me goosebumps. The ginkgo is so distantly related to other trees that it is in its own class, order, family and genus, all-encompassing one remarkable tree species. But my favorite evolutionary fact is the ginkgo’s status as an “evolutionary anachronism” due to its close evolutionary relationship with other extinct organisms – termed by Connie Barlow as “Ghosts of Evolution.” You see, most
fruit trees coevolve with pollinators who eat their fruit and spread their seeds –– think of squirrels burying acorns, or monkeys spreading fruit seeds through their feces. The ginkgo tree used to have a partner too, an extinct rodent genus named Ptilodus. But they have been extinct for some time, and the ginkgo was left without its partner. Gone too are their pollinators, cretaceous insects with the delightful name Juracimbrophlebia, whose wings mimicked the leaves of certain ancient ginkgo varieties. Now wild ginkgos are pollinated by the wind, and only exist in small patches of eastern China. And yet the ginkgo is one of the most commonly cultivated trees in the world. It is loved by humans for its elegant leaves and its medicinal applications, for its idiosyncratic beauty. In fact, for thousands of years they have been cultivated by monks in
MO KLEINHENZ | STUDENT LIFE
Leaves cover the ground along Ginkgo Allée, just east of Olin Library. Ginkgo trees used to have a natural pollinator, the insect Juracimbrophlebia, but now those insects are extinct and the only wild trees are left in small chunks of Eastern China.
CURRAN NEENAN | STUDENT LIFE
Washington University ginkgo trees on a recent rainy winter day. During the fall, the trees serve as a backdrop for countless photos, while winter shines a spotlight on their gnarled trunks.
China, Japan, and Korea. While in the wild it only exists in limited places, it thrives in cities across the world. The fact that we continue to plant these trees in densely populated areas despite its foul odor further enforces how compelling it is –– people put up with its fruit, because something about the ginkgo is enchanting. In a way we have become the new partner to the ginkgo –– merely by its aesthetic merit, the species has convinced us to spread its genes to their greatest extent since dinosaurs walked the earth. The ginkgo is a tree that lasts, a survivor. A testament to their durability, the ginkgos in Hiroshima were among the only living trees near the blast to survive. A memorial to the enduring power of life. And of course here at Wash. U. we have Ginko Allée, that corridor of monstrous ginkgo now nearing one hundred years old. These trees are embedded into the fabric
of campus as much as any building, planned in conjunction with the Collegiate Gothic style of the Architects Cope & Stewardson. They set a mood on campus –– in the summer they are lush and almost tropical, in autumn shockingly yellow, while winter strips them down to their twisted trunks. They are architecture, and they are nature. Not only are these plants cretaceous remnants and hangers-on and smelly nuisances, but they also have become structural installations on campus. The landscaping and flora of Wash. U. have, to me, always been campus’ most beautiful feature. Unlike cold stone or brick, these creatures live and breathe. I could go on longer about complexities and odd little stories about the ginkgo –– how its formal spelling originated in mistranslation embedded into taxonomic tradition, about its religious significance in Buddhism, about
the properties of its wood, or about its medicinal uses. That is part of why I chose the ginkgos as the subject of the first article in this series – it is so obviously interesting. Just by looking at the ginkgo you can tell that it's different, but the more you look the more you find. However, this is one way in which the ginkgo is not so unique. Every plant you pass by on campus or in Forest Park, every shrub and tree, flower and bush, every weed and every blade of grass has a hundred stories to tell, and yet most people walk by without giving them a second thought. They fade into the background, as pleasant and meaningless as hotel artwork in most people’s minds. That is what I would like to change –– by focusing on the plants that surround us, how they came to be, and who put them there, I hope to give you a greater appreciation for how their lives enrich your own.
Why one activist organization has turned to social media during the pandemic JULIA ROBBINS STAFF EDITOR As the world has shifted online, so have the organizations working to make it a more equitable place. The Washington University Graduate and Undergraduate Workers Union (WUGWU) has changed their organizational structure and their advocacy to meet the unique demands of the pandemic. “I know a lot of people [have been] tired of social media at various points of this year, but I really do think social media is a really great platform,” said Laura McDermott, a social work student and WUGWU member. WUGWU joins a long list of Washington University based organizations that have used social media to reach people since March, including blackatwashu, me_toowashu and aglwashu. “Everyone’s at home and we’re doom scrolling anyways,” McDermott said. “We might as well just doom scroll community organizations together, see what platforms we can boost and what actions we can boost of other allies and
comrades and colleagues.” Kelsey Wulfkuhle, another Brown School student who runs a lot of WUGWU’s social media, discussed some of the differences between content posted on the Instagram account during the pandemic versus prepandemic times. “With our social media right now, we’re really working on curating content that is both succinct and also gives someone something to do,” Wulfkuhle said. She said that in the past, content was largely aimed at advertising action alerts and ways for people to get involved with in-person advocacy work. Now, WUGWU’s social media is working to advertise ways that people can take on smaller actions from their home to advance equity work or help boost the work of other organizations, like Wash. U. For Abolition. Additionally, the account is still working to recruit new members to its ranks. “When thinking about the history of union organizing, a lot of it is very much word of mouth, sitting down, having organized conversations with people,” Wulfkuhle said.
Because of the pandemic, WUGWU has had to shift to sharing content through Instagram and Facebook in order to recruit members. Along with shifting the way it’s reaching members of the University community, WUGWU has also added demands to its platform to meet the current needs of workers on campus. On March 16th, the Union sent out a letter, with hundreds of graduate and undergraduate students as signatories, to Chancellor Andrew Martin and Executive Vice Chancellor Henry Webber, called “COVID19: Letter to the WashU Administration.” This letter included ten calls to action for the administration to take, ranging from ensuring that hourly workers would not “face a loss of pay because of building closures or suspension of certain university operations” to committing to “fully covering the costs of coronavirus testing, treatment, and vaccination through the WashU Student Health Insurance Plan.” Two other demands were providing “instructors concrete templates
for online instruction,” and reimbursing “travel expenses incurred by individuals for trips cancelled due to the university’s travel prohibitions and suggestions.” Building off of their COVID advocacy from the fall and winter, WUGWU sent out a Spring Semester letter to the administration asking for 5 main points of
action to be met. One of their demands was for the school to implement “more than two contiguous wellness days.” While this demand was not met, the administration did eventually add one wellness day to the spring semester due to pushback from students. Another of their major demands has been for asymptomatic graduate
students to gain access to COVID-19 testing. McDermott said this push has largely been to lessen the mental health stressors and fiscal burdens placed on graduate students. As of now, that the University has not agreed to the request for free graduate testing, nor has the administration accepted the majority of WUGWU’s platforms.
RORY MATHER | STUDENT LIFE
Students during a pre-pandemic march. Over the last year, much of campus organizing has shifted online. “Everyone’s at home and we’re doom scrolling anyways,” social work student Laura McDermott said. “We might as well just doom scroll community organizations together, see what platforms we can boost and what actions we can boost of other allies and comrades and colleagues.”
BENJAMIN SIMON | SENIOR SCENE EDITOR | SCENE@STUDLIFE.COM
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021
STUDENT LIFE 5
‘I’m just trying to bear down and do the best that I can’: How WU seniors are gearing up for their final semester ELIZABETH PHELAN STAFF WRITER Around the country, students from the class of 2021 have been strongly impacted by the pandemic, having the final third of their college careers take place online. In what is already a stressful time, the COVID-19 pandemic has added worry, loneliness and uncertainty to the lives of these soon-to-be graduates. Many of the seniors expressed disappointment with the conclusion of their college careers. “It sort of feels like a nonevent, which is the sad part, I think,” said Pranaya Palauan, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “Anything that might have made it feel special has been stripped away from it, and it feels more like a prerequisite for graduating than anything else, which is sort of a sad way of thinking about it.” A second online semester dashed many seniors’ hopes for a more laid-back semester of celebration and relaxation. “I had these big ideas for my last semester. I was thinking I would take maybe three classes, making it more chill, and then see my friends more,” said Isaac
Mordukhovich, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, noting that his mindset throughout college had been one of hard work for a relaxed ending. “You put in the work for three and a half years and take the last semester easy and spend time with the friends you’ve made.” The continuation of Zoom classes led some seniors to reconsider their approach to academics and college life in general. “I guess at this point I’m just trying to re-evaluate what it means to be a good student,” said Natalie Snyder, a senior in Sam Fox School. “I want to be committed to these classes, and I want to do a good job and really make this last semester worth it, but it’s also just hard to balance that with being there for people in your life and trying to find a job and trying to figure out where you’re going to be in four months.” A critical part of senior year is preparing for entry to graduate school or the job market. Mordukhovich said he was feeling “definitely some panic” at the prospect of no longer being an undergraduate. “I’m going to be taking a couple of gap years to work on my resume so I can apply to
med school more confidently,” said Mordukhovich. “So I’m going through the application cycle for gap year programs right now, but I’m feeling pretty good about them.” Others felt a similar mixture of optimism and concern. “I’m almost certain that I will be attending a law school next semester, and that’s good, but more than anything, I’m just sort of constantly worried and concerned,” said Palauan. “I’m just really lucky that I picked a field that is relatively stable. And I’m very grateful for that every day. I’m just worried. I hope my friends are able to find something. I hope that they’re able to stay safe and stay healthy.” A theme brought up by all of the seniors was the importance of social connection, albeit distanced, in pandemic times. Snyder mentioned that she is making people her priority during her last semester. “I feel like at this point I’m just trying to bear down and do the best that I can within the limits of putting people before classes,” Snyder said. Needless to say, opportunities to connect with friends have been greatly limited by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Last semester I spent a lot less time with my friends
COURTESY OF NATALIE SNYDER
Sam Fox senior Natalie Snyder poses for a picture. As her college experience comes to an end, she is trying to find the balance between her school work, social life and staying pandemic safe.
than I thought I would,” said Mordukovich. “This semester is probably going to be the same because of COVID limitations.” The seniors offered a variety of strategies for diffusing the stress and loneliness that are concomitants of a Zoom semester. “I have tea almost every night, where I just sort of sit down at my desk and either just review my notes for the day and make a list of things to do tomorrow,” said Mordukovich. “Making a list
for future next steps is always very helpful in organizing my thoughts, to make sure I’m not just stressing without direction.” Another logistical organization tip is to limit the length of commitments during a day. “I’m going to try to aerate my schedule this semester by scheduling things in hour chunks,” said Snyder. “I don’t know if this is a coping mechanism, but I’ve just been feeling much more tender towards my friends recently.” In terms of keeping spirits
up, Palauan noted that the pandemic has changed how he seeks out entertainment. “I’ve been reading a lot since the pandemic started, but particularly last semester when I went through patches that were particularly lonely,” said Palauan. “Usually in these moments I would turn to movies, but watching movies at home on my own just reminded me about how much fun it is to watch movies with other people in a theatre, so I didn’t really want to do that.”
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DORIAN DEBOSE & JOSH SHAPIRO | SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS | SPORTS@STUDLIFE.COM THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021
Swimming and diving stays steady despite uncertainty DORIAN DEBOSE SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR Like many teams at Washington University and beyond, the Wash. U. swimming and diving team is training for a race that may never come. The University Athletic Conference (UAA) canceled their swimming and diving championship this fall. Whether the NCAA Championships will be conducted is up in the air as well. But training with no set competition in sight has been training nonetheless. According to head coach Brad Shively, the team has been training with smaller numbers of athletes at any given time due to COVID-19 protocols. “It’s also allowed for more individualized training and feedback,” Shively said. For athletes in St. Louis, the University's athletic facilities have been open, but in-person activities have been limited. Instead of holding full team practices, the swimming and
diving team has met in 16 person groups—two people per lane of their practice pool. From their small groups, the members of the team have maintained a connection across the squad. “If there was a set that there was a particular time that was thrown down in the morning, they would write on the board for the afternoon people to get inspired by,” senior Matthew Yang said. “We try different ways to still stay together and also find effective ways to kind of build and maintain that team culture.” Even as the Bears have found new ways of building connections, preparing for competitions has still been tough. “Distancing and masks have meant that many things we have done in preparation for competitions have had to be done in a different manner," Shively said. For swimmers and divers who aren’t on Wash. U.’s campus, training has been an even more difficult task. At home
in Boston in the fall, senior Matthew Grottkau found that most of the pools around him were indoor pools. Almost every one of them was closed. “Coming back, I was pretty out of shape,” Grottkau said. “It's in no way the same as training with the team [and] having that kind of constant coaching, that continued dynamic and the continued conversations and stuff that you have with your coaches." Grottkau said that getting close to coaches was an important key to success. "I think both swimming and diving are two sports where you start to develop significant relationships with coaches, where they know what needs to be improved, how it's best to improve it and the stuff that you've already tried and taken," he said. "I think when you're trying to train on your own—especially when you're out of the water—it's very hard to see the same kind of progress.” To Shively, the swimmers
and divers have met the challenge their circumstances create. “Despite all of the unknowns, they have displayed a tremendous work ethic and commitment to making us the best team we can be,” he said. It’s possible that the race will come—the national championships may happen. The team competed in virtual competitions in the fall and Shively says the team will consider doing more virtual competitions in the spring. But more than the race, what continues to motivate the swimmers is dedication and gratefulness to the team itself and the sport itself. Grottkau—the lone male diver on the team— was injured at the end of last season. After so long without competing, Grottkau is embracing his final months as a competitive diver. “Coming back after more than a year, I knew that I would only have a couple months left with this sport,” he said. “Let me tell you: Diving is not something that you can
GRACE BRUTON | STUDENT LIFE
Washington University swimmers dive into the Millstone Pool at a meet against Saint Louis University in 2018.
do once you're out of college. I just wanted to make the most of it and really hit it with what [I've] got to be able to experience it as much as I can, as best as I can.” In his final year as a competitor, Yang is focusing on being the kind of leader that inspired him earlier in his career. “I've had the blessing of so much leadership, so much friendship, relationships with prior swimmers who are now alumni; they really changed
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
who I am for the better,” Yang said. “All the successes I've had, I give a majority of that to the people that surround me so I want to be the same person to other people. And that means still showing up, inspiring other people to practice because other years still have, potentially, future seasons. But as a senior, as a captain, I really want to make sure that I'm paving the way for other people to succeed in the future, just like others have done for me.”
BY JOSH SHAPIRO SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
No school, more tennis: What life has been like for one student-athlete who took the year off If this was any normal year, Daniel Li would have been helping the Washington University men's tennis team prepare for its early matches of the spring season this week. After three years with the team, Li was going to be a captain of the Bears this year, hoping to lead Wash. U. to yet another NCAA tournament appearance (they have not missed since 1999). The pandemic had other plans, however, as the men's tennis team has not played a match since a March 11 loss to Hawaii Pacific in Honolulu, and it is still unclear whether
the Bears will be able to play in any competitions this spring. Last summer, Li chose to step back from school for the year. He told Student Life about his experience of the last few months in a December phone call. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Student Life: You decided to take a gap year. What was the reasoning behind that decision?
Daniel Li: I did it for a few reasons. One, I would say, is
to be able to play on the tennis team again for another year, just given the fact that COVID canceled our season. Last spring, the NCAA gave us another year of eligibility. So my thinking was, if I can play for another year and graduate in 2022 instead of 2021, why not do it? It's not like I'm going to be playing tennis much after I graduate. I figured that college would probably be my last time playing competitive tennis, and I just wanted to maximize that, I guess. Another reason would be just that with COVID the job market right now isn't
great, so giving myself another year to try to get a summer internship and then recruit in a better recruiting season would give me more flexibility. Thirdly, I just wasn't really in that much of a rush to graduate, I guess. I feel like having a watered-down semester with COVID and online classes and stuff wasn't going to be as valuable as maybe working on something that I wanted to do or taking some time off and then going back to school for another full year.
SL: That’s interesting to hear. Now that you didn’t have to go
to classes every day, how did you end up spending most of your time?
DL: One thing I've been doing is me and my buddy have been working on this project. We're trying to develop an iOS game, you know, like agar.io, or skribbl.io. We're trying to do one of those. It's kind of like a music guessing game. So the premise would be like, you would log on to your Spotify account, and then you would be put in a room with all your friends and stuff and you would play a song, and then all your friends would try to guess
who the artist is without seeing. So we'll see how that goes. It's still a work in progress. But that's one thing that I've been doing. And then I'm at home right now in Seattle, just spending time with family over the holiday. But other than that, not too much. When we were at school, I was able to be with my teammates, and get closer together with them that way, but [there is] not too much going on.
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021
FORUM KYA VAUGHN | SENIOR FORUM EDITOR | FORUM@STUDLIFE.COM
STUDENT LIFE 7
STAFF EDITORIAL
I
Dear freshmen, don’t rush: Greek Life should not have a place on WU’s campus
t’s that time of year again: Greek Life rush. However, it looks a little different this year due to a number of changes prompted by COVID-19. The usual campus venues, chats with older members or frantic scrambles from sorority to sorority (and fraternity house to fraternity house), have been replaced by, you guessed it, the screen. The Student Life Editorial Board strongly urges all students who are thinking about rushing to refrain. Greek Life should have no place on our campus, as it is an institution that upholds racial and socioeconomic discrimination, perpetuates a culture of interpersonal violence and prioritizes organizational reputation over the well-being of its individual members and the broader community. Not rushing is a step to ending these systems. We understand that it has been an especially difficult school year for freshmen, who, in addition to getting used to college courses and life away from home, have had to navigate a sparse and difficult social environment. It is challenging to really get to know other students during a
pandemic, and many people hope that Greek Life will be the opportunity they’ve been looking for to meet people outside of the classroom and form lasting friendships. The Student Life Editorial Board recognizes that Greek life possesses qualities that are certainly beneficial to members, with fraternities and sororities providing many members with lifelong connections and access to unique social and networking opportunities. These are understandable reasons to partake in Greek life. However, there are a number of student groups on Wash. U. ‘s campus that provide similar benefits as joining a sorority or fraternity without contributing to Greek Life’s harmful system. Whether it’s about community, philanthropy or social life, Wash. U.’s hundreds of other clubs and organizations can fulfill the role of Greek Life, giving you a similar experience. The problem with Greek Life is not the individual but with the system as a whole. The Greek system is built upon exclusionsionary principles. As Occidental College Associate Professor
of Sociology Lisa Wade wrote in Time magazine in 2017, “Young rich men invented ‘social’ fraternities to isolate themselves from their middle-class peers.” Research in recent years has shown how that legacy has yielded a system that still features vast socioeconomic and racial segregation, among many other problems. This system of exclusion and discrimination persists into today at Wash. U., as the posts of the Abolish Greek Life at WashU Instagram account demonstrate. The account, created in the summer of 2020 following a single Instagram post about one sorority member’s racist acts, has more than 3,000 followers. It garnered over 75 student submissions beginning last July. The titles of just five posts read: “An Environment Where Hate and Assault Thrive Without Accountability,” “Pressure to Distance from Racial Identities,” “I Have Never Felt So Tokenized in My Life,” “Explicit Exclusion Based on Socioeconomic Status,” and “Drugged and Not Permitted to Deactivate.” Recently, the posts of the
Instagram account @ whyidropped_washu have highlighted the experiences of Greek members that led them to deactivate from their organizations. Many on the account noted poor reform efforts, interpersonal violence and lack of properly addressing concerns as their reasons for deactivating. By not rushing, you have the power to take a position against Greek Life and all it stands for: racism, classism, homophobia and exclusivity. We encourage those thinking about rushing to do some tough introspection: Do you want to be a part of a system that harms your peers? All for a few weekend parties? A potential networking opportunity? Despite the personal short-term benefits you might gain from joining Greek Life, it is far from worth the longterm harm done to others. There have been changes to this year’s sorority rushing process, as detailed by the Women’s Panhellenic Association in a recent Instagram post, including no registration fees, using an informal structure called Continuous Open Bidding, looser attire requirements
and a required panel where Potential New Members can “ask questions, voice concerns and have an honest conversation with active members from each chapter.” The same post also detailed a list of different types of harm Greek Life “may have perpetuated,” including “institutionalized racism and socioeconomic inequality against the Wash. U. community, especially BIPOC and LGBTQIA*.” These changes are positive measures, however they are in no way near enough, and many of the transformations are due to COVID-19 restrictions and are more of a testament to performativity. The WPA statement does not address the root causes of the many issues within Greek Life, and the organization appears to be making these changes in order to survive. These changes do not justify rushing. Additionally, there are numerous colleges that have removed Greek organizations, suggesting that abolition is possible and successful. Schools like Williams College, which abolished Greek Life decades ago, demonstrate that campuses can
exist without these inherently problematic institutions. And some positive advances have already occurred on Wash. U’s campus, with Alpha Omicron Pi and Pi Beta Phi disbanding as other sororities such as Delta Gamma and Kappa Delta pushed for disbandment in the fall. (They were both denied disbandment by their national organizations.) Not rushing puts pressure on more sororities and fraternities to take these same steps and holds them accountable for their destructive actions. Choosing not to rush on its own is not enough, but it is a necessary step to prevent Greek Life’s continuation of a flawed and harmful system. We are at a crucial time in the push to disband Greek Life, and not rushing puts necessary pressure on these organizations to reconsider their role on Wash. U. ’s campus. The maintenance of Greek life affects all students, and to those who are considering becoming members, we ask you—we are counting on you—to make this crucial and pivotal decision in eradicating the Greek life system on our campus: Don’t rush.
Doing the math on last semester JAMILA DAWKINS FORUM EDITOR
W
hen I found out that last semester’s GPAs were the highest in Wash. U.’s history, I felt like laughing. On the back of one of the most difficult semesters to be a student, it felt appropriately absurd that the numbers would indicate that everything is going fine. But numbers don’t say everything. Perhaps this number can be cited as a reason to be proud of, or at least kinder towards, students’ performance during the uniquely awful circumstances of last semester. But it doesn’t explain the students whose mental health took a turn for the worse last semester. It doesn’t encompass the students who finished out the
semester in quarantine housing, or those who lost loved ones over the holidays and had finals due the next week. It doesn’t account for the people for whom two weeks after finals before starting the next semester wasn’t enough to stave off their burnout—or worse, the people like me, who took multiple incompletes for their classes last semester and never got a break at all. So instead of GPA, let’s look at some other numbers that more accurately summarize the wellbeing of students during last semester. Two. That is the number of days we had off last semester, both for Thanksgiving. I, like many other students at Wash. U., spent them working. Three is the total number of incompletes that I took after spending the entirety of last
semester drowning. After the all-nighters and the emergency naps, the late submissions and the subpar work, I hit a point last semester where I simply gave up. The classes that I had loved only made me feel anxious. The work was overwhelming, the world was overwhelming and most of all, I was tired. Because I was unproductive, I felt worthless. Because I was isolated, I felt alone. Because I had class the next morning, and a paper next week and an exam next month, I didn’t reach out for help. Fourteen is the number of days (give or take a few depending on your finals schedule) that we were given between the end of finals and the beginning of this semester to recharge for the spring. For me, that number was zero,
because I was still finishing all of the assignments that I had given up on only a few weeks prior. Now, starting a new semester and trying to surround myself with structures that will prevent me from returning to the place that I got to last semester, I look back on the fall semester as a warning. I look back knowing that had I not taken those incompletes, there was no way I would have been able to successfully complete a January finals week after the semester I had. I look back proud (and a little astonished) of my peers for having record-high GPAs amidst a pandemic and an endless semester from hell, but also knowing very well how little that number accounts for in terms of mental health, happiness and general
well-being. When plans for the fall semester were released last summer, many members of the Wash. U. community, particularly students, expressed their concerns. We were worried about what not having substantial breaks would do to our mental health. We were stressed about opening campus while other schools were already closing from outbreaks. We were overwhelmed by syllabi that indicated more work, rather than less, for the upcoming semester. We were isolated by the prospect of studying from home; we were daunted by the idea of living in single dorms on a half-empty campus with diminished prospects of fulfilling social needs. Now, looking back on the fall semester and knowing
just how harmful it was to my mental health, I know not only that we were right to be worried but that we should have been listened to. I know how quickly the bad things can add up. Of course, nothing about last semester was ideal. No one would have preferred for the semester to pan out the way that it did. Nonetheless, we cannot forget what the result can look like when students’ well-being is compromised. Unhealthy as our mindsets were during last semester, they were only reinforced by a school calendar that left little to no space for mental breaks. Every student should be able to trust themselves, but more importantly their school, to create an environment in which they can learn and thrive.
It’s time that Missouri leaders denounce Josh Hawley GRACIE HIME STAFF WRITER
A
s tensions rise across the country, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley proves to be a disgustingly unfit leader, yet Washington University Board Members, among many others, continue to not address their financial and political support in the past. After his actions of fistpumping the insurrectionists at the capital, he later denied
this engagement and even his support for objecting the Electoral College results. As a result, Hawley is receiving intense but due backlash from the unapproving people of the US and even longtime supporters from Missouri. As Missourians, we must push leaders to denounce this act and demand better representation. A recent article from StudLife’s Matthew Friedman and Curran Neenan describes the college’s response to
Hawley’s actions. Many of the big names on campus have denounced any contributions that were made towards Hawley and his campaign, including John Danforth, former Missouri Attorney General. Regarding Hawley’s role in the deadly insurrection as the U.S. Capitol, Danforth even said that “he [Hawley] created an event…that would be the focal point for what turned out to be one of the darkest days in American history.” These strong words
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Hawley. In addition, there are steps that need to be taken now to cut off his destructive and undemocratic legacy. Recent reports have found that the Senate Conservative fund has put $700,000 behind Hawley after his provocation of rioters at the capital. Not only does this show that they support his actions, but that they also want to back his campaign. While many organizations have been working to stop his reelection to the Senate, few have focused
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OUR VOICE: EDITORIAL BOARD Staff editorials reflect the consensus of our editorial board. The editorial board operates independently of our newsroom and includes members of the senior staff and forum section editors.
have set the expectation for other Wash. U. supporters, yet some have remained silent. Craig D. Schnuck and Stephen F. Brauer, two Wash. U. Board members, have not addressed their maxed-out contributions to Hawley’s campaign and reelection efforts despite many calls of condemnation. Though his actions at the capital were telling of his mindset during this political storm, there are many other events that deserve attention and disapproval of
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on his potential presidential campaign. Though he has denied the opportunity to run in 2024 because “there’s a lot of work to do” in the Senate, it is still a possibility. However, Hawley would need the same fanbase that former president Donald Trump has, and because Trump may run again in 2024, Hawley is likely aware that he could not sustain a successful campaign.
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8 STUDENT LIFE
CADENZA ISABELLA NEUBAUER & SABRINA SPENCE | SENIOR CADENZA EDITORS | CADENZA@STUDLIFE.COM
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021
Back for more: A cappella returns after first semester hiatus JULIA ROBBINS STAFF EDITOR “I never would have thought there’d be a day where a cappella was more dangerous than football,” sophomore Dylan Nelson, the treasurer of the A Cappella Advisory Council (ACAC) said. That day, ushered forth by the pandemic, has led to an almost total stop to all inperson organized activity. And as singing ranks as one of the least COVID-safe activities for people to engage in together, a cappella has been relegated to the ever-growing electronic world. In a normal year, freshmen would be greeted during orientation week by singers belting beneath the underpass on the South 40, flyers hung around campus, spontaneous ‘dorm storming’ in freshmen housing and a concert during the first week of school. Those beginning-of-school traditions have been upended this year. “We can’t do the showcase. We can’t do dorm storming,” junior Kevin Wang, the music director for The Stereotypes, said. “So pretty much all the recruiting stuff has moved to social media.” The Pikers, one of the all-male groups on campus, upped their online presence for recruitment this year by putting out a new song on social media and posting a film made by their group on Instagram. “We just came out with a
song and kind of blasted that on all of our social medias,” junior Mike Boeckman, president of the Pikers, said. “We made our last year’s Jammin’ Toast movie public and posted about that, so that’s been part of our effort to get kids to be aware of us as an option.” In addition to publicity challenges, another difficulty with recruitment this year is how late in the year tryouts are occurring. In years past, auditions occurred the first week of classes. Now, auditions are taking place throughout the first half of February. Wang said there might be fewer freshmen who try out because the regular performances and practices won’t be taking place. “It’s certainly harder to sell being in an a cappella group right now, for obvious reasons,” he said. Freshman Anna Escoto has decided to take the plunge into this unknown process even though she is slightly hesitant about the fully online circumstances. “l take what I can get at this point,” she said. “I think it’ll be fun to at least start to meet people, and then hopefully I’ll already be part of the community once we can go in person.” For students like Escoto who try out for one of the University’s 13 groups, they will be greeted with enthusiastic singers and a Google Form. The form asks students to provide some information about their musical background in addition to a
few short recordings of them singing and carrying out vocal exercises. In past years, prospective students had to audition for each group they were interested in with a different performance, but this year, they can click on boxes to mark which groups they want to receive their application. Boeckman noted this part of the auditioning system as a benefit of the online process. “It’s really easy to audition for a group, because you can literally just make one video, and send it out to eight groups if you want to, and it takes the same amount of time,” Boeckman said. While she has yet to submit her material, Escoto is a fan of the new tryout process. “I think it gives a good opportunity for people to showcase their specific talents that you might not necessarily think of,” she said. “So for me, I’m more of a choral singer, but I’m planning on submitting a pop song for the audition part and then doing an Italian song for the special skills section.” Figuring out who is able to harmonize well with a group is hard enough in normal times, but the added layer of figuring out which students fit in with the overall group dynamic has posed new challenges during the pandemic. “The Pikers [look for] good kids that we think we would have a great time hanging out with,” Boeckman said. “That’s really hard to get a
GRACE BRUTON | STUDENT LIFE
A scene from a Reverb concert in December 2019. The pandemic has forced a cappella groups to adapt, as they can no longer highlight their talents through a showcase or recruit members through dorm storming. But with the challenges have come silver linings. “It’s been nice working with other groups to figure out how we’re going to do this,” Stereotypes music director junior Kevin Wang said.
gauge of even in a normal year when you’re with a person. And now, trying to convey that through a video setting is definitely hard, but it is possible.” Facing these new hurdles, members of different groups have brainstormed together to find solutions to move forward, which has created opportunity for more intergroup bonding. “It’s been nice working with other groups to figure out how we’re going to do this,” Wang said. “I’ve been talking to people I normally wouldn’t be from other groups, like other music directors, other presidents, on the logistics of how we [are] going to do video submissions, and setting
a timeline that we can all agree on.” While the process of joining a cappella has changed this year, what has not changed is how passionate students are about their organizations and wanting underclassmen to try out. “A ton of people in a cappella have never sung before or anything like that and they found something really valuable to them, so definitely audition,” Wang said. Junior Malik Gaye, president of The Stereotypes, noted another benefit of a cappella for freshmen who have been craving social interaction this year. “I know as first years, it might be really nice to branch
out a little bit more than maybe the people that you’ve met on your floors or in your classes,” Gaye said. “It’s sort of like a nice outlet to have a group of people that are not really bound together by being in the same school or being in the same grade...but the music that we do together brings us together.” Boeckman encouraged all freshmen interested in applying to do so. “Even if you don’t end up joining a group or you don’t like it, it’s what, maybe 20 minutes out of your day to discover that this isn’t for [you], which is fine,” he said. “And if you do decide it’s for you, it will probably be your best decision in a fouryear period.”