OPINIONS/4
CULTURE/6
SPORTS/10
GREEK RUSH
CAMPUS ROMANCE
TRANSFER PORTAL
Callum Tresnan explains how Greek life remains a heteronormative space
“The Love Hypothesis” delights as a novel but poorly captures campus
Junior running backs Austin Jones and Nathaniel Peat are set to leave the Farm
The Stanford Daily An Independent Publication
FRIDAY January 21, 2021
Volume 260 Issue 13
www.stanforddaily.com
Students share stories from isolation ‘Counting down the days until I can walk free again’ By NIKOLAS LIEPINS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
By LUC ALVAREZ
Courtsey of Ya’el Weiner
The family of Eitan Weiner is suing the University and other parties for wrongful death, alleging negligence.
LAWSUIT
Weiner family sues University Seeking answers two years after fatal overdose in TDX By TAMMER BAGDASARIAN DESK EDITOR
This story contains references to death and drug overdose that may be troubling to some readers. In January 2020, Eitan Weiner was found dead in the Theta Delta Chi (TDX) fraternity house after accidentally overdosing on fentanyl from ingesting counterfeit Percocet pills. After two years of seeking answers about Eitan’s death, his family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Stanford, the Theta Delta Chi Founders’ Corporation, three current students and a fourth unaffiliated individual. Specifically, the family’s complaint, which was filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court in early December, alleges Stanford repeatedly failed to follow the University’s Resi-
Please see LAWSUIT, page 11
UNIVERSITY
Classes to return in person University to provide two KN95 masks per student
After testing positive for COVID-19, Elyse Lowet ’24 packed her bags, preparing to check into isolation housing. In the days that followed, Lowet and other COVID-19-positive students were forced to handle hours-long wait times, academic disruption and unclear instructions as they navigated fast-changing University isolation protocols. Experiences like Lowet’s have become the norm for COVID-19-positive students amid soaring on-campus case counts, according to the halfdozen isolated students who spoke with The Daily. From broken apartment keys to spoiled food and remote classes on the sidewalk, Stanford’s isolation policies have put student resilience to the test. Students in isolation housing can now leave after seven days if they test negative on a rapid antigen test and their symptoms are either mild or nonexistent, according to a Jan. 12 email from Associate Vice Provost for Environmental Health and Safety Russell Furr. However, that was not always the case. Just before Lowet went into isolation on Jan. 5,
Please see ISOLATION, page 3
NIKOLAS LIEPINS/The Stanford Daily
From broken apartment keys to spoiled food and remote classes on the sidewalk, Stanford’s fast-changing isolation policies have put student resilience to the test.
BREAKING NEWS
Missing Stanford nurse found dead By ITZEL LUNA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The body of Stanford nurse Michael Odell was found Thursday afternoon by the Alameda County Sheriff ’s Office dive team in Fremont, Calif., according to the Alameda County’s Coroner’s Office. 27-year-old Odell went missing in the middle of his shift as a neurological nurse in the intensive care unit at Stanford Hospital on Tuesday. At around 4:30 a.m., Odell informed his supervisor that he had left something in the car and would come back, Odell’s roommate Joshua Christopher Paredes told the San Francisco Chronicle. However, Odell never returned. Paredes reported Odell missing after he didn’t return to their apartment in San Francisco’s Castro district. Odell’s last phone location pinged near the Dumbarton Bridge toll plaza in Fremont, according to the Chronicle. His car was also found in that location. A Facebook group titled ‘Find Michael Odell’ amassed 3.5 thousand
Graphic: MHAR TENORIO/ The Stanford Daily
HEALTH
700 new COVID-19 cases logged
CRYSTAL CHEN/The Stanford Daily
After two days of search efforts across the Bay, Stanford nurse Micheal Odell was found dead in Fremont, Calif. A spokesperson said the staff of Stanford Health Care are “heartbroken.” members over the past few days as individuals searched for him. “We want to thank all of the people from across the country and world who shared Michael’s story on social media, prayed, and sent love to his friends and family during this difficult time,” Brittaney Elise, one of the Facebook group’s coordinators, shared in a post. Odell’s family has been notified of the discovery, according to the Alameda County Coroner’s office. A GoFundMe page was organized to coordinate funds for family members to
cover funeral expenses. Members of Stanford Health Care expressed their condolences to Odell’s family and support for his colleagues in mourning. “We at Stanford Health Care were heartbroken to learn from authorities that the traveling nurse who was missing has been found deceased. We express our deepest condolences to the nurse’s family and loved ones and continue to support our colleagues who are deeply saddened by this loss,” wrote Stanford Health Care spokesperson Julie Greicius in a statement to The Daily.
By MALAYSIA ATWATER
205 new student cases, 325 students in isolation By GRIFFIN CLARK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Stanford reported 205 new student and 487 new faculty, staff and post-doctoral scholar COVID-19 cases for the week of Jan. 10, according to the COVID-19 dashboard. The new student and employee case counts are down 71% among students and 9% among employees from last week. 325 students are in
Please see HEALTH, page 2
MANAGING EDITOR
Stanford reaffirmed that in-person instruction for all undergraduate classes will resume on Jan. 24 in a Thursday Stanford Report email. This news comes after the University reported 205 student and 487 faculty, staff and post-doctoral scholar COVID-19 cases during the week of Jan. 10. Face coverings are required in all classes, and students should arrive on campus with enough time to get their first Color test before inperson instruction begins, according to the report. However, some students have reported Color turnaround times of up to six days amid testing delays. Stanford is also providing members of the campus community with two KN95 masks per person, according to the report. Masks are available for pick-up at four Color pick-up locations: Arrillaga Family Dining Commons, Environmental Health & Safety, Escondido Village Graduate Residences Building B and Li Ka Shing Center. KN95 masks and other highquality face coverings are recommended because of the higher level of filtration they provide, according to the report. Stanford’s COVID19 Health Alerts website provides further guidance surrounding acceptable and recommended face coverings.
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CAMPUS LIFE
Students report delays of up to 6 days with Color tests By ZOE EDELMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
THOMAS YIM/The Stanford Daily
Color attributed the delays in COVID-19 test processing to high volume and staff shortages. The University said it is working with Color to increase the speed of results.
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As Stanford students seek to comply with the University’s COVID-19 testing requirements, many are reporting delays in receiving their Color test results, with some reporting turnaround times of up to six days. The delays come amid a surge of COVID-19 cases on campus. During the first week of winter quarter alone, more than 1,000 Stanford affiliates tested positive, forcing nearly 600 students to isolate. The University’s testing protocol for students returning to campus requires students to take a rapid antigen test upon arrival, followed by two tests on the first day and between days three and five after arrival. Stanford warned students about the longer testing turnaround times in a Stanford Report announcement on Jan. 13. The University asked students who had just arrived on campus not to submit a new test until they had received the previous test result. The delays have also resulted in Color, Stanford’s surveillance testing partner, limiting students to submitting two COVID-19 tests per week, according
Please see TESTING, page 3
@StanfordDaily
Recycle Me
2 N Friday, January 21, 2022
The Stanford Daily
SPEAKERS & EVENTS
President and provost express optimism By KEVI JOHNSON Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and Provost Persis Drell expressed confidence in the University’s return to in-person instruction during Thursday’s installment of Campus Conversations. In addition to in-person classes resuming on Jan. 21, Stanford aims for staff to return to on-site work by Feb. 14, according to Tessier-Lavigne and Drell. “We want to be intentional and thoughtful about providing flexibility for where, when and how people work,” Tessier-Lavigne said. “That will continue as employees return to work.” He encouraged staff members to reach out to their managers and Human Resources about their specific situations, such as if caregiving responsibilities inhibit their ability to return to on-site work. Drell noted that almost all graduate students and nearly 95% of un-
dergraduates are back on campus after winter break, and referenced declining case counts in the undergraduate student, graduate student and faculty, staff and postdoc populations. Though the demand for on-campus isolation housing was exceeded due to soaring COVID-19 case counts in the first two weeks of winter quarter, Drell said there is now “plenty of isolation space available.” “All of this illustrates that we are generally going in the right direction,” she said. Dean of the School of Medicine Lloyd Minor also shared that more health care workers tested positive for COVID-19 during the first two weeks of January than during the entire pandemic prior to January, but that the numbers are now subsiding. There are currently 103 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at Stanford Hospital, with nine of the 103 currently in the Intensive Care
Screenshot: KEVI JOHNSON/The Stanford Daily
Amid declining COVID-19 cases on campus and increased isolation space, Provost Persis Drell said the University is generally going in the right direction with regard to managing the current surge. Unit (ICU), according to Minor. Of the nine patients in the ICU, all are either unvaccinated or have multiple serious medical conditions that make them severely immunocompromised, Minor added. He also emphasized that roughly 50% of the 94 patients that are in the acute care unit — those hospitalized but not in the ICU — tested positive
for COVID-19 upon arrival, but were admitted to the hospital for reasons unrelated to the virus. Minor cited high vaccination rates in the Santa Clara County area and University protocol as reasons for low cases of serious illness. For Tessier-Lavigne, recent developments indicate hope for the
future. “Today, there is hope on the horizon that the current wave will abate soon,” Tessier-Lavigne said in his closing remarks. “I’m looking forward to being together in person again, and to the connection, the excitement and the creativity that our community brings to our workplaces and our classrooms.”
CRIME & SAFETY
Robbery at shopping center By ANSHIKA AGARWAL A robbery at the Stanford Shopping Center occurred Tuesday afternoon, according to a Stanford Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) report. Initial witness reports indicated that the suspect was potentially armed and may have fired a handgun. A subsequent AlertSU update stated that witnesses heard a gun with a perceived orange tip click during the incident — details which led officers to believe that it could have been a toy.
“Initial reports of actual gunfire have not been substantiated,” the AlertSU read. As of late Tuesday afternoon, the incident does not pose threats to public safety, according to Palo Alto Police Department (PAPD) spokesperson Brian Philip. The PAPD, the lead investigating agency for this incident, had officers on the scene. “An unknown suspect robbed the victim of a purse and fled on a bike,” Philip wrote. “No one was hurt and the suspect is outstanding.”
The perpetrator was last seen at the mall heading toward Sand Hill Road. Initial reports of the suspect near Quarry Road were “not confirmed,” the AlertSU read. The PAPD, SUDPS and other neighboring agencies searched for the suspect, who remains at large. The PAPD tweeted that the area search had been discontinued as of 5:10 p.m., but the case is still under active investigation. Updates about the investigation can be found on the PAPD Twitter page.
CAMPUS LIFE
NIKOLAS LIEPINS/The Stanford Daily
As of late Tuesday afternoon, the incident does not pose threats to public safety, according to the Palo Alto Police Department. Witness reports of gunfire proved to be unsubstantiated, according to a spokesperson
UNIVERSITY
Students lament online classes University announces By CASSIDY DALVA STAFF WRITER
By RACHEL LIT After a year-long hiatus of inperson classes, students were finally welcomed back to campus in the fall with the intention of returning to the “traditional three-quarter academic calendar,” as the University touted. But just one quarter later, students are finding themselves back on Zoom — and many are struggling to stay focused and build community amid the online learning environment. In December, the University announced that classes at Stanford would be online until Jan. 18, the beginning of week 3. But the message was soon followed by a Jan. 7 update, which stated that only graduate courses and undergraduate courses with lab components, design projects or performance-based requirements would return in person on Jan. 18, while all other classes would remain online until Jan. 24. Students reported a range of reactions to the news of the prolonged online schedule. While some decided to come back to campus right after winter break, others lingered in the comfort of their homes — and regardless of their choice, many spent the beginning of the new year in isolation with COVID-19. Lauren Selden ’23, a history major, is taking a course load composed entirely of seminar-style classes this quarter. Seminar-style classes are generally smaller in size and driven by student participation. For Selden, a difficult aspect of attending class via Zoom has been the missing social component.
“Last quarter, we had more of a definable group dynamic and we had conversations before and after class,” Selden explained, referencing the cohort of students in her Latin classes both this quarter and last quarter. “We had a group rapport, I guess, and then that mostly goes away on Zoom, which is really disappointing.” The social component of in-person courses extends beyond the classroom, with many students taking advantage of the commute to and from class to socialize and explore campus. With Zoom instruction, Selden said she has observed more students remaining in their dorms and noticed fewer opportunities for interpersonal connection. “That just makes me feel sort of closed off from the rest of the world,” Selden said. But students still expressed an understanding toward the University’s policy of holding classes remotely for the beginning of the quarter. “I think the online period has been super important, not to prevent contracting COVID in the classroom, but to allow people in isolation — of which there are hundreds, if not still over a thousand — to go to class without worrying about not being able to get academic accommodations,” Selden said. Some students, like Kiana Hu ’23, have delayed their arrival to campus. Hu has been taking classes from her home in Richmond, California for the first two weeks of the quarter. In the fall, Hu took a few hybrid courses, including LINGUIST 1: “Introduction to Linguistics.” At the time, she considered the convenience factor of remote learning out-
weighed the potential drawbacks of online classes. “The main thing that’s really nice about remote and Zoom is the scheduling,” Hu said. “That’s the biggest thing that encourages me to do meetings on Zoom. I still do [problem set] work with my CS partner [online].” But Hu said that her experience in winter quarter has felt different and more distant — like a repeat of last year for many upperclassmen. Though technically in her third academic year, Hu reflects on the fact that she only had two in-person quarters at Stanford before the fall, which has inherently had an impact on her experience with online learning. “When I was at home doing classes, it felt like 2020-21 all over again,” Hu said. Hu is currently enrolled in two lab-component courses, including ARCHLGY 1: “Introduction to Archaeology.” The uncertainty of lab work during omicron has been confusing for students like Hu to navigate. “Archeology 1 has a ‘remote lab’ but I don’t really even know what that is or what that means,” Hu said. But Hu said that online learning is not her greatest concern. More than anything, she hopes for in-person student activities to become lively once again, as she said that made the biggest positive difference in her Stanford experience this past fall. “Even with hybrid classes, most things were in person, face to face,” Hu said. “The biggest difference last quarter was there was still stuff
Please see ONLINE, page 5
THOMAS YIM/The Stanford Daily
Students say they are struggling to stay focused and build community while learning online. Regardless of whether students are at home or on campus, many say they feel isolated from their peers.
affordability initiative By CASSIDY DALVA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Stanford will implement a 3% base salary increase for eligible employees and subsidize Cardinal Care health insurance for graduate students who are research or teaching assistants, University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and Provost Persis Drell announced in a Wednesday email to the community. The announcement of affordability initiatives come as the pandemic enters its second year and during a time of record-setting inflation rates and rising consumer prices. “We believe these investments will meaningfully support the wellbeing of the people in our community and, in so doing, will continue to bolster the excellence of our programs and of Stanford’s contributions to the wider world,” Tessier-Lavigne and Drell wrote. A permanent 3% base salary increase will begin March 1 for regular benefits-eligible faculty and staff members. Effective Feb. 1 through the end of 2022, a
HEALTH Continued from page 1 isolation as of Tuesday, according to the dashboard, compared to approximately 600 students on Jan. 10. More COVID-19 tests have been administered as students continue to return to campus, with 12,331 Color tests administered during the week of Jan. 10, compared to 10,234 tests the week before. Testing numbers do not include rapid antigen tests, which are administered to all students upon their arrival to campus, according to the dashboard. Though the U.S. faces a testing shortage and last week’s technical difficulties experienced by Color slowed down testing in many locations, Stanford continues to provide students with tests and requires them to test weekly if vaccinated. Unvaccinated students must test twice a week. Compared to the week of Jan. 3, Stanford’s seven-day positivity rate fell from 4.83% to 1.66% (among students), as more students returned to campus; the rate fell slightly from
stipend of $125 per pay period will be provided to regular benefits-eligible employees who earn a base pay of less than or equal to $150,000 a year and are required to work at a Stanford site in person. Employees with a remote or hybrid job environment are not eligible for the stipend, according to the email. Tessier-Lavigne and Drell added that the University will also tackle high health care and education costs that graduate students face. Starting Sept. 1, Stanford will fully subsidize Cardinal Care health insurance for fellows and graduate students who are on teaching and research assistantships. The move comes just months after the Graduate Student Council voiced its concerns about the high cost of Cardinal Care in contrast to health insurance options at peer institutions during a Faculty Senate meeting. In addition, the University will immediately increase the maximum annual family grant for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars with dependent children
Please see AFFORD, page 5
2.86% to 2.60% among faculty, staff and postdocs. The seven-day positivity rate on campus remains lower than Santa Clara County’s 16.7% rate and California’s 21.1% rate. Of the 487 new employee cases, 287 are included in the University’s testing count, and the remaining individuals tested outside the University’s surveillance testing system, such as through rapid antigen tests, or tested positive earlier than last week but just reported it to the University, according to the dashboard. “While we are encouraged by the lower number of positive cases and the fact that fewer students are in isolation, we will continue to closely monitor the public health situation and the COVID variants,” wrote University spokesperson E.J. Miranda. Regarding winter quarter plans, Miranda directed The Daily to University president Marc Tessier-Lavigne’s Jan. 11 message to the community. Peer institutions in their second week of the winter quarter are experiencing varying changes in student positivity rates. Dartmouth reported an increase to 10.03%, and Northwestern reported a decrease to 4.81% — both above Stanford’s 1.66% positivity rate.
Friday, January 21, 2022 N 3
The Stanford Daily
By LEXI KUPOR
FRIDAY, JAN. 14
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I Between
This report covers a selection of incidents from Jan. 12 to Jan. 18 as recorded in the Stanford University Department of Public Safety bulletin. Learn more about the Clery Act and how The Daily approaches reporting on crime and safety here.
I Between
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12 I At
3:15 p.m., loitering on private property occurred in Escondido Village Graduate Residences (EVGR) building B. I Between 10 a.m. and 10:10 a.m., a petty theft occurred at 65 Abrams Court.
THURSDAY, JAN. 13 I Between
9 a.m. on Jan. 9 and 9 a.m. on Jan. 13, a petty theft from a vehicle occurred at Lyman Graduate Building 3. I Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., a petty theft occurred at Lathrop Library. I At 7:46 p.m., an abandoned vehicle was found at Roble Field Parking Garage.
8 p.m. on Jan. 13 and 8:50 a.m. on Jan. 14, a bike was stolen from Murray House in Governor’s Corner.
SATURDAY, JAN. 15 5 p.m. on Jan. 13 and 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 15, a vehicle theft occurred at Rains Apartments Building 218. I Between 4 a.m. on Dec. 15 and 4 p.m. on Jan. 15, a hit-and-run occurred at 30 Angell Court.
SUNDAY, JAN. 16 I At 8:12 a.m., a spousal battery oc-
curred at the Knight Management Center Garage, resulting in an arrest. I Between 11:13 a.m. and 1 p.m., a vehicle was stolen from 400 Roth Way.
MONDAY, JAN. 17 I Between
1 p.m. and 6:50 p.m., a bike was stolen from Roble Hall. I Between 6 p.m. on Jan. 15 and 11 a.m. on Jan. 17, a petty theft occurred at 838 Esplanada Way.
TUESDAY, JAN. 18 I At
2:48 p.m., a robbery and reported shots fired occurred at Stanford Shopping Center. Screenshot: GRIFFIN CLARK/The Stanford Daily
TESTING Continued from page 1 to a message posted on the student Color dashboard. Given the volume of COVID-19 cases on campus, Scott Vu ’25 said that he believes it is critical for test results to be returned within a reasonable time frame. But Vu said his Color test results took between five and six days. “Within that time span, I just had to know if I had COVID or not because everyone in our dorm is getting COVID,” Vu said. Color Health wrote in a statement to The Daily that its labs across the country are experiencing “unprecedented testing volumes and staff shortages,” which could contribute to the delays in test results. But the testing provider added that the lab’s median turnaround time for Stanford samples for the week of Jan. 3 was “44 hours from receipt at the lab to the return of results.” Vu also raised concerns about how the testing delays could contribute to the spread of COVID-19 if students are waiting for their test results without knowing whether or not they are COVIDpositive. He called on the University to expedite the delays or provide alternatives to get results faster, such as giving students rapid tests on a regular basis. Sam Catania ’24, The Daily’s chief technology officer who has previously reported on the pandemic, said that he experienced a similarly long turnaround time to Vu. “When I submitted my first Color test the morning after I got back to campus, it took a full seven days to come back negative,” he said.
ISOLATION Continued from page 1 the University’s demand for isolation housing exceeded its on-campus capacity of 250, said Associate Vice Provost for Environmental Health and Safety Russell Furr. Days later, the University announced that once off-campus housing also runs out, students may have to isolate in their dorms. The plan also included provisions to convert some community bathrooms to “isolation bathrooms,” which has already begun across campus. When Stanford ran out of isolation housing on campus, they turned to off-campus options, housing students in apartments around Palo Alto. University officials have been trying to find new off-campus spaces every day, Furr said. During
Catania ended up receiving the results of a second test taken five days later at a similar time to the results of his first test. “I submitted my second test for the quarter five days after the first as instructed, but that one only took around 48 hours to come back, which was more reasonable,” he said. Catania recalled his tests during fall quarter coming back in 36 to 48 hours, adding that “tests results that take seven days to come back are not particularly useful at reducing the spread of COVID.” Other students, including Mohamed Ismail ’25, have had better luck with testing. Ismail said that he has “only waited a day” to receive his first Color test results. Ismail did say, however, that those around him have experienced longer turnaround times. “I know there’s people that test like a week in advance, and then only get the results super late,” he said. Ismail expressed hope for faster turnaround times moving forward: “I think that as of late, the Color tests have been a bit quicker, since [the University] told people to only take two tests per week,” he said. Stanford spokesperson E.J. Miranda wrote in a statement that the University and Color are working to lower the time it takes to receive COVID-19 test results. “We believe this is a short-term situation and we will see steady improvement in wait times as the omicron wave subsides,” he wrote, adding that even though Stanford’s caseload and positive rate have risen, they are lower than that of Santa Clara County and California. In response to the delays, Color said it is increasing staffing at its testing labs as well as postponing the onboarding of new customers “until we are confident in our capacity and processes.” this scramble for housing, many students have felt “left in the dark,” said Sam Benabou ’25, who entered isolation on Jan. 3. “While we were waiting, I had no idea where I would be, what the protocol was or how long I would stay there,” Benabou said. “There wasn’t really any clear direction on what the situation would look like.” Lowet had to wait two and a half hours before she was sent to Stanford Villa Apartment Homes to begin her isolation. John Kohler ’22 M.S. ’23 waited nearly double the time Lowet did. “It seemed like they were just in a very chaotic, scrambled state,” Kohler said. “They didn’t know who they were going to send where.” The primary communication that students received after testing positive was an email from the Dean of Students Office instructing students to contact their resident director or the Graduate Life Office while waiting for the Univer-
In September, the School of Medicine announced the 20 recipients of the 2021-22 Translational Research and Appplied Medicine pilot grant, recognizing innovation in medical technology.
RESEARCH
Stanford Med announces grant awardees TRAM Pilot Grant progam recognizes students By GRIFFIN CLARK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Stanford Medicine announced the recipients of the 2021-22 Translational Research and Applied Medicine (TRAM) Pilot Grant this past September, funding a diverse set of research projects for the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of various human diseases. The school awarded 20 total grants — 12 for new projects and eight for continuing projects. Of the 12 TRAM Scholars leading new projects, one is an instructor, five are postdoctoral fellows at the School of Medicine, one is a research scientist, one is a clinical resident, two are current or prospective graduate students and two are undergraduates. Despite their differing levels of experience, the researchers have built camaraderie through the TRAM Center. “Everyone is treated at the same level,” said Kyle Lambert ’24, one of two undergraduate TRAM Scholars. “We’re all learning from each other. No one is feeling left out.” Wilson Kuswanto, a postdoc and another recipient of the grant, said he recently started a collaboration project with fourth-year orthopedic surgery resident Shay Warren, who he met through the TRAM Scholars program. To researcher and TRAM Scholar Frank Lin, the community sity to reach out. But multiple students reported that it took days for them to receive follow-up instructions, and that their calls went unanswered. During the wait, students attended online classes from the sidewalk outside of the isolation checkin office. One student propped up his iPad, entered his class Zoom and began practicing social dance in front of an impromptu parking lot audience, according to Kohler. Staff eventually found housing for the students, who were driven in pairs to their off-campus isolation rooms in what they called the “COVID-19 transport vehicle.” While Kohler’s transport partner got to ride in the van’s proper seat, Kohler said that he rode in a wheelchair strapped to the floor of the van with no seatbelt. University spokesperson EJ Miranda wrote in a statement to The Daily that the COVID-19 surge on campus “has presented extraordi-
is more than academic. It is “a very diverse and inclusive group that’s beyond science,” Lin said. “We’re like a family.” The TRAM Scholars program was created by oncology professor Dean Felsher and Translational Applications Service Center Scientific Director Joanna Liliental in 2011. “The idea is to create a kind of loving, nurturing incubator for people throughout different levels of training to pursue a project that has medical translational significance,” Felsher said. Along with research funding, TRAM scholars are expected to present their research to a class of undergraduate, graduate and medical students in the class MED 121/221: Translational Research in Applied Medicine. The class is made up of a lab seminar component, led by leaders in translational and other medical research (once including University President Marc TessierLavigne), and a laboratory group meeting in which TRAM scholars present their work to the class. The presentation component allows students and scholars to exchange ideas and learn more from one other. Jack Scala ’24 took MED 121 all three quarters of his freshman year. “I would ask questions during research presentations, and they would give very detailed and accessible answers that I could understand, or I even had scholars follow up on my questions by emailing me different papers to read,” he said. Since taking MED 121, Scala has become a TRAM scholar and now
presents his work to the class. The classroom component encourages researchers to communicate in ways the public, or at least people with a general understanding of medicine, can understand “instead of being siloed into this higher level of academics,” said sixth-year Ph.D. candidate Dana Cortade MS ’18, another TRAM scholar. To describe the use of jargon in the seminars, Lin explained a simple rule: “If you can’t explain your science in simple words, that probably means you don’t understand it as much as you’d like.” To create a community of medical professionals with a broad set of interests, the TRAM Pilot Grant funded research for a diverse set of topics in the medical field. The research that the TRAM scholars conduct will be used to develop methods of early detection and treatments for complications arising from cancer treatments and conditions including arthritis, pulmonary arterial hypertension and obstetric pain while giving birth. The researchers are using biomarker measurements, cell reprogramming, genetic testing and other methods to conduct these studies. According to its website, the TRAM pilot program is designed “to support diverse translational research projects that use innovative approaches for prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of various human diseases.” The award can be as high as $5,000 for students and $20,000 for fellows, residents and instructors. Applications for 2022-23 are due on July 20.
nary logistical challenges at Stanford.” Miranda recommended that students struggling with the isolation process visit this resource for guidance. He did not address the students’ specific experiences. “University staff have been working diligently around the clock to protect student safety and support the health, academic and emotional needs of students who must isolate,” Miranda wrote. “They are responding in real time to a rapidly evolving situation. We are grateful for the patience and understanding of our students who are dealing with unfamiliar and extraordinary circumstances.” Upon arrival, some students isolating off-campus were greeted with upscale Menlo Park apartments. Others were unable to get inside. “When I got there, I stuck my key in the door and the first thing that happened was it instantly broke in the door,” said Max Shen ’25. Since making his way into the apartment, Shen said he has received “pretty much no communication from anyone.” Lowet echoed Shen’s experience, reporting that it took the University nearly a week to let her know when she was allowed to leave. For students like Joey McCoy ’25, who was allowed to isolate in Escondido Village Graduate Residences, feelings of disconnect extended into his social life. “The experience hasn’t been horrible, just lonely,” McCoy wrote in an email. “During the week, I am left simply to my classes. Knowing that all my friends are back at the dorm conversing with each other
and having a good time makes me feel left out.” Still, students are finding ways to maintain a semblance of normalcy — McCoy routinely calls both on and off-campus friends to socialize. He even looks forward to each day’s 11 a.m to 12 p.m. food delivery for low-risk social interactions with Residential and Dining Enterprises staff. Benabou tried to maintain some sense of routine by continuing to work out for about an hour a day in his 20-foot by 10-foot apartment room in Munger. Disconnect also comes literally for some students in off-campus housing — Kohler, an ECON 1: Principles of Economics teaching assistant, was kicked out of Zoom repeatedly due to WiFi issues and was forced to upload and send his students a recording of the material he could not cover in section. However, not all aspects of isolation are bad, Kohler said. Off-campus students get $71 dollars a day in UberEats credit — he calls it a silver lining. But the contrast between on and off-campus isolation can be stark. Benabou reported being given a moldy bagel, oatmeal with no bowl and overall smaller portions of dining hall food in his meal deliveries. As the University’s pandemic situation progresses and policies evolve, students in isolation said they hope decision-makers will keep their input at the heart of the discussion. And while they still live in isolation, they eagerly await their return to campus life. McCoy wrote, “I find myself counting down the days until I can walk free again.”
4 N Friday, January 21, 2022
The Stanford Daily
OPINIONS The Stanford Daily
Callum Tresnan Established 1892
Frats cannot reform
Executive Team Kate Selig Editor in Chief
Jeremy Rubin
ith the end of fraternity rush this weekend, some Stanford underclassmen have received a “bid” — an offer accepting them into a supposedly desirable elite and exclusive social community. When I received a bid to a fraternity my freshman year, I felt a burst of excitement; the social life I wanted seemed possible — good housing (the organization, Sigma Nu, was and still is housed) with good food and good parties. I quickly learned that frat life would not live up to these expectations because I, as a queer man, would never feel wholly comfortable, welcomed and celebrated in the fundamentally heteronormative space. Following the summer of 2020, amidst a national reckoning with racism and oppression, fraternities paid lip service to inclusivity and reform. It is now 2022. How have they done? Last Friday, I received an email with the subject line: “LGBTQ x Fraternity Life Q&A.” I was struck that these fraternity members didn’t invite any queer members of Abolish Stanford Greek or non-fraternity queer students to talk about their experiences with fraternity exclusivity, heteronormativity and violence. This is especially significant because the 2021 ASSU Greek Life survey revealed that respondents who identified as LGBTQIA+ reported the highest levels of support for abolishing Greek Life. To me, this neglect of outside opinions — and outside opinions of queer folks specifically — is characteristic of insular fraternity life and demonstrates a desire to manipulate narratives even in their attempts at reform. This desire is central to fraternity culture. On May 21, 2021, the organization formerly known as Theta Delta Chi (TDX) leaked detailed information to alumni and the Fountain Hopper about the events leading up to a late member’s death in January of 2020. The leak was an attempt to rewrite the narrative about the student’s death and to put public pressure on Stanford to accept TDX’s appeal. The members of TDX thought it was perfectly acceptable to share detailed information (albeit false information, according to the University) about a so-called brother’s last minutes on Earth with the FoHo. This was uniquely sick behavior that traumatized those who are grieving. It revealed an attitude of disregard for human life, for the bereft and for the wider Stanford community. While this event is specific to TDX, it belies an attitude that extends to all fraternity life, including attempted reforms like last Friday’s LGBTQ x Fraternity Life Panel. From these examples, it is clear that fraternities believe that they have the right to control the narratives that shape how the public perceives them. They do this by denying criticism and gatekeeping conversations of reform. For TDX, this meant refusing criticism of organizational failures and rejecting pursuant accountability. For this panel, it meant ignoring potentially critical opinions.
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There are only two tools that can elevate critical perspectives that counteract the narratives fraternities pedal. The first is personal experience. The more people experience fraternities, the clearer the picture they have. As we learned in the ASSU Greek Life Survey, each year students are at Stanford, they become more likely to dislike Greek Life. First years have a Greek Life net favorability rating of -9%, and fourth years have a net favorability of -36%. However, because of the pandemic, half of Stanford’s undergraduate body has not been on campus and has not had time to experience frat culture. This means that right now fraternities have neartotal control of the narratives about themselves. As rush this year is happening during winter quarter, one quarter earlier than usual, those who are rushing haven’t had the same opportunity to determine if fraternities are right for them or if joining is even ethical. They have to take fraternity members at their word. The second countercurrent to frat power is Abolish Stanford Greek (ASG), an organization of undergraduates, graduate students and alumni working to de-house IFC fraternities and ISC sororities (i.e. historically white fraternities and sororities). ASG posts student testimonials about experiences with and in Greek Life. ASG is vocal on social media about the reality of fraternity life and its impact on Greek and non-Greek students. It is for these reasons that I was struck on Saturday when the Phi Kappa Psi’s DEI-VIP Committee neglected to invite a single member of Abolish Stanford Greek to the LGBTQ x Fraternity Life Q&A. They ignored ASG voices even though multiple members of ASG — myself included — have spoken publicly about our experiences navigating queerness in fraternity life and rush. The panel no doubt stems from the acknowledgment of very real problems of inclusion in Greek Life, and I greatly respect any fraternity’s efforts to speak honestly about queer experience in frat life. However, the recent panel made me realize that fraternity men are controlling who can talk about queer experience in Greek Life. By not inviting ASG nor opinions from other communities such as co-ops, the fraternities demonstrate that they are not interested in giving up narrative power and hearing critique. How can they pursue true reforms without critique? What’s striking is that in both TDX’s attempts at self-salvation and queer fraternity members’ attempts at reform, they clutch onto narrative power and end up doing harm to vulnerable populations in the Stanford community — the bereft and the queer. Even when they’re trying to be better, fraternities end up doing worse. If this isn’t clear evidence that reform is not worthwhile, I don’t know what is. The Omicron variant has Stanford students even more anxious about social life than ever. But joining a fraternity will not solve your social life. It will not heal Stanford’s community.
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Divya Mehrish
Making hybrid education sustainable mid the uncertainty of our return to undergraduate inperson classes, which has already been twice delayed from Jan. 3 to Jan. 24, I have begun to wonder about the viability of a longterm hybrid educational approach. If we do not receive another inauspicious email from Provost Drell in the next two weeks, and finally get to engage with our winter quarter professors and classmates in person on the 24th, we would have already lost three of the ten weeks of the quarter to the doom of Zoom. The uncertainty of our return date, however, should not come as a surprise to most undergraduates. Many of my peers and I agree that this Omicron-instigated delay mirrors our memories of COVID-19’s initial devastation in March 2020, as we experience frighteningly strong waves of deja-vu. It has dawned on us that the rise of new strains of COVID-19 does not bode well for our academic futures. Should we learn to expect seasonal waves of COVID-19 that send our cities, schools and workplaces into full or partial lockdown? And will universities be able to ride these waves successfully or will they — as well as our educational journeys — buckle? If Stanford continues to stick to periods of online teaching amid spikes in COVID-19 cases, perhaps hybrid education with semi-in-person quarters is a form of learning we
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should grow accustomed to. By standardizing a hybrid approach that equally supports seasonal periods of virtual learning accompanied by pre-established periods of in-person study, I imagine Stanford’s administration might be able to strike the right balance that would grant all students a holistic
college experience. In my view, one of the most valuable aspects of this experience is sustaining meaningful relationships with each other and with our professors. With sufficient notice and time for planning, faculty members could structure
Please see HYBRID, page 5
Will Halverson
Uni must improve hate speech rules everal months ago, I wrote a piece advocating for Stanford’s adoption of a hate speech code into its Fundamental Standard to prevent discriminatory verbal harassment on campus. In short, I argued that it would be legal and desirable for Stanford to re-introduce the Grey Interpretation, which interpreted the Fundamental Standard to impose consequences for hate speech. Nicholas Welch, in his response to my piece, argues that my faith in a reinvigorated hate speech code is “dangerously naive.” Welch’s reply proceeds to misstate most of the arguments in my original speech, and for the arguments he does quote accurately, relies on hyperbole and strawman as a substitute for serious engagement. Welch’s first claim is that reintroducing a hate speech code would do nothing to prevent future instances of discriminatory harassment because of the unique characteristics of the Vinci incident. But hate speech on Stanford’s campus is not an isolated incident, as Welch
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seems to suggest. In 2017, Stanford College Republicans invited Robert Spencer to give a campus speech. Spencer is designated as an extremist by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which describes him as “one of America’s most prolific and vociferous anti-Muslim propagandists.” In 2019, moreover, residents of Casa Zapata wrote to the Daily protesting the behavior of the SCR, who physically intimidated residents while attempting to forcibly enter Zapata after Zapata restricted visitors to prevent racialized, hateful graffiti. While Vinci may have suffered from a “severe mental health crisis,” that does not excuse his behavior, absolve him from the need for accountability or decouple him from the organization he identified with and whose values he merely took to the extreme. Hence the need for more stringent regulations on campus to prevent future instances of similar hate speech. Next, Welch asks us to consider the nature of “identity” and how it could be applied to a revitalized hate speech code. Does Welch seriously
believe that because there are “an infinite number of nontrivial ways to categorize identity characteristics,” we should simply give up on protecting marginalized groups from violence and discrimination? Welch’s complaint about “dumb blond” jokes reads like it came straight from a Turning Point USA Twitter rant. Welch is correct that, in the interest of space and reader engagement, my previous piece did not copy and paste the entire text of the Grey Interpretation of the Fundamental Standard (for those interested in reading it in its entirety, it can be found here). My paraphrasal, however, does not mean that the Grey Interpretation’s list of identity categories is arbitrary, as Welch seems to imply when he suggests hair color and height as two potential additions. Discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, handicap, religion, sexual orientation and national and ethnic origin in particular is unique because, unlike hair color and height, this type of discrimination is pervasive and societal, seriously affecting individuals’ mental
CRYSTAL CHEN/The Stanford Daily
Will Halverson argues that Stanford must improve their protections against hate speech by banning identity-based attacks. health and life chances. That discrimination also often occurs in conjunction with physical abuse. Thus, Stanford should take special steps to prevent such harassment. Unless Welch is seriously comparing “dumb blond” jokes or assumptions about his basketball ability to persistent inequality and violence, it seems obvious that we can determine which forms of discrimination pose a serious threat to members of
the Stanford community and respond to that discrimination accordingly (side note: as a ginger who is also 6’2”, I can confirm that none of the challenges Welch mentions are intolerable). Welch next argues that “centralized administrations are not to be trusted with speech-regulating powers.” Again, Welch misses the
Please see SPEECH, page 5
Friday, January 21, 2022 N 5
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HYBRID Continued from page 4 course formats ahead of time to maximize peer-to-peer engagement while equipping students with timely information necessary to make informed choices, for instance, about which classes would make the most sense for them to take in person versus online. To understand how current students are grappling with this possibility, I interviewed a diverse cohort of freshmen. Ishita Gupta ’25 argues that using online education to moderate waves of COVID-19 is a good idea in theory, but not “sustainable for students’ mental health.” She states that beyond just giving students proper notice, the administration would need to plan, well in advance, shifts to hybrid or online learning. However, due to the likelihood that COVID-19 strains will continue to arise unpredictably, it appears nearly impossible that Stanford could provide students with sufficient warning unless, for example, scientific research precisely correlated colder weather with spikes in cases. Then, Stanford might be able to officially designate winter quarter, for example, as hybrid or fully online. Gupta goes on to suggest a “hybrid contingency plan” that she believes could be implemented in COVID-entrenched periods: Stanford must selectively move online only those classes with a size and structure that increase the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission (for example, big lecture classes), as well as those whose material and class dynamics can be replicated in an online format. Gupta adds that Stanford must keep those classes and activities that “absolutely need to be in-person completely inperson.” She notes that while no one wants to do a project on Zoom or take a virtual field trip, it would not necessarily detract from a student’s experience if the administration were to move online those elements of classes that are already as much or more effective in an asynchronous format. For example, departments like Computer Science and Symbolic Systems were already offering asynchronous material to students in prepandemic times. Looking beyond educational models, Lila Shroff ’25 feels more concerned about the lack of consistency in student residence situations if the university were to consistently transition between in-person and online formats. While she agrees that “the pandemic has forced everyone to practice flexibility,” she emphasizes that “college students are particularly vulnerable to changes in campus residential policies.” She believes the readjustment periods required when settling back at home or on campus must be accounted for, as the “constant flux of changing environments” has the potential to “impede relationships” both at school and at home. Other students that I have spoken to feel that as long as the social dynamics of the school are not heavily implicated and
SPEECH Continued from page 4 point of my article. I am not advocating for Stanford to codify its support for one “social cause.” Instead, I am arguing that Stanford should protect the basic human dignity of its students. An anti-harassment provision would ensure that Stanford students could debate the merits of various social causes without being subjected to identity-based discrimination, which, as I noted, contravenes the goal of peaceful dialogue by “targeting individuals on the basis of their identity, not their ideas.” Welch’s point merely demonstrates the importance of anti-harassment provisions on college campuses. Identity-based harassment shuts down the productive dialogue that Stanford should be fostering. Such demands for free speech are also often used as a false flag to shut down legitimate criticism of violent speech. Concern about First Amendment rights shifts the narrative away from discriminatory behavior and allows individuals like Welch to cast themselves as the real victims. Take, for example, SCR’s 2019 reaction to Casa Zapata’s visitor policy. Although the Zapata residents implemented more stringent visitor requirements to prevent hateful graffiti, SCR members sought to victimize themselves by demanding access to the building on the basis of free speech, while disregarding the concerns of the residents themselves. Welch’s plaintive account of the dumb blond jokes he’s experienced mirrors this pattern of distraction and denial. Welch raises concerns about the psychologically taxing nature of the formal investigations that might
“human connection” is still present and possible, as Teddy Suisman ’25 notes, students could adapt to a hybrid educational model. However, Roman Scott ’25 argues that a long-term hybrid model is unsustainable because a virtual course format weakens the very quality of education offered. Scott feels confident that the disconnect between professors and students in online learning environments distracts and disengages students. Moreover, to combat the constant uncertainty that has begun to imbue our academic careers, Scott believes that Stanford must make a final decision on whether or not to “fully commit to in-person or virtual courses until COVID goes away.” But the question remains: Will COVID-19 really ever go away? Perhaps the answer to this question is more complicated than a simple “yes” or “no.” Recently, governments globally have been pushing towards treating COVD19 as endemic rather than a pandemic — a viable approach as long as COVID-19 continues to mutate in an increasingly less severe direction. This, however, poses another question. While the World Health Organization has acknowledged this debate, leaders warn against treating COVID-19 as endemic right now due to the “intense pressure” many regions around the world are facing. Thus, with the end of this virus not yet in sight, we must critically examine and modify our approach to education rather than waiting for external forces to ease up. While every student I spoke with offered a unique perspective on the long-term sustainability of a hybrid model, all of them agreed on one point: the need for consistency and the necessity for the administration to keep students in the loop. As Devy Weir ’25 states, the most draining element of Stanford’s current approach is “not knowing” and a lack of the ability to plan ahead, due to what appears to some as the university’s unwillingness to be forthcoming with new information. I do believe, that if necessary, a hybrid balance can be struck annually until COVID-19 becomes endemic, without jeopardizing students’ abilities to have a holistic college experience. For example, I can imagine the administration designating both autumn and spring quarters as fully in-person to allow students — particularly freshmen — a proper introduction and adjustment to on-campus life, as well as seniors to finish their final year among their peers and have an in-person graduation ceremony. If the world continues to witness spikes in COVID-19 cases in the winter months, the administration could designate winter quarter as a hybrid quarter, with large lecture classes moved online, while smaller, discussion-based courses remain in-person. Whatever plan Stanford decides to execute, it is critical that the administration heeds students’ voices while minimizing the spread of new contagious strains of COVID-19 and at the same time maximizing the potential for every undergraduate to fully experience Stanford.
Bryce Huerta
n Jan. 18, Stanford plans to resume in-person instruction after two weeks of online classes aimed at reducing the spread of the omicron variant among members of the student body. Yet, even now, community transmission is considered “high” by the CDC across all 50 states, and there is little certainty of the duration of the current wave. It is unclear whether or not it will truly subside before January ends. With the unique challenges presented by omicron, Stanford’s current mitigation strategies will not be enough to prevent dramatic community spread of COVID-19 that will disrupt classes and campus life. This statement is by no means an indictment of Stanford’s COVID reduction strategies — the University’s booster mandate will further protect students, faculty and staff against severe acute disease caused by the virus. Yet the seven-day positivity rate on campus jumped to 7.7% for the week of Dec. 27, up from 0.25% a month prior. Continued spread of COVID19 at these same levels will render the University unable to function due to the large number of students and staff in quarantine. If the University intends to resume inperson learning this quarter, then further steps are necessary to ensure a safe campus for classes to commence. Unlike prior SARS-CoV-2 variants, omicron is far more transmissible, having been compared to measles for its ability to spread. Furthermore, omicron is an airborne virus that can spread through
small aerosols. To respond to such a rapidly spreading virus, the following adjustments are necessary:
result from Stanford’s reinstatement of a hate speech code. Applied to any other situation, Welch’s concern is clearly preposterous. Should murder investigations be halted because of the stress that is placed on the potential murderer? Should Stanford refuse to investigate sexual assault allegations to protect the assaulter from undue psychological strain? Why, then, should hate speech investigations be any different? As I noted, while investigations may be taxing, studies confirm that hate speech is also “particularly psychologically damaging” on college campuses. Allowing this psychological harm to continue in the name of the perpetrators’ mental wellbeing defies justice. Welch’s answer might be that restrictions on speech are different because they encourage “self-censorship.” Yet this concern lacks specificity. What would “self-censorship” look like? To the extent that privileged students might be incentivized to think twice before saying something potentially hateful, I see this as a positive. Welch’s next complaint once again illustrates his misguided understanding of my previous piece. The firing of Emmanual Cafferty and the suspension of USC Professor Greg Patton were unfortunate. Every code will occasionally be misapplied. But it would be wrong to dismiss all anti-hate speech efforts because of an anecdotal handful of wrongful terminations. Welch’s concern merely indicates the need for a precisely-written hate speech code, of which the Grey Interpretation did an exemplary job, as I noted in my previous piece. Finally, Welch takes issue with my description of the student body’s frustration with Stanford’s lack of transparency during the Vinci incident. Once more, Welch misconstrues my article. Privacy is
an important right for all defendants, and a factual statement intended to provide context for a recent controversy in no way indicates my opposition to due process. Yet this final complaint illustrates the fundamental mismatch between Welch’s sensationalist vision of a reinvigorated hate speech code and the Grey Interpretation’s reality. Welch’s depiction of students being expelled willy-nilly mere hours after an allegation is lodged against them is scary, but it is also not a system for which I am advocating. Every student deserves a fair, thorough investigation of any harassment they are accused of committing. And if that investigation finds that a student is guilty of hate speech, that student should face real consequences. Any other policy ensures Stanford will remain an unsafe space unable to fulfill its educational mission.
AFFORD from $15,000 to $20,000 and $5,000 to $10,000, respectively, according to the email. In the spring, the University will also launch a pilot program providing short-term, transitional housing for arriving postdoctoral scholars, some of whom may struggle to obtain a lease for housing near the University if they lack credit history or a Social Security number. Additionally, Stanford will enhance the Housing Allowance Program and the Restricted Ground Lease purchase program to assist faculty in securing suitable housing, according to Tessier-Lavigne and Drell. The measure also supports un-
tenured faculty with “an additional year on their appointment or an additional post-pandemic leave quarter” and faculty whose research has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic with a taxable salary grant or one-time research grants. While the new initiatives did not address affordability for undergraduates specifically, the email said that undergraduate affordability is primarily addressed through financial aid and that only 13% of undergraduates leave the University with student debt. Undergraduate affordability, they added, remains a “priority” for administrators and the Board of Trustees. The affordability initiatives were informed by the University’s Affordability Task Force, which is charged with establishing priorities for addressing affordability issues in the Stanford community, TessierLavigne and Drell wrote.
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adapt to changing living situations and, by extension, working conditions. In the Jan. 7 email sent to students, the University announced that some students rooming with someone who is COVIDpositive may be asked to move out and find alternative accommodations, such as sleeping in a common space or a friend’s room. For Camden Burk ’25, a resident of the all-frosh Crothers Hall, abruptly moving out of his dorm room after his roommate tested positive for COVID-19 added an additional challenge to adjusting to online classes. He had to minimize trips in and out of his room, until eventually moving in with a friend to avoid exposure to his roommate. “I took what I could carry — my backpack and my laptop and folders — and just sort of left,” Burk explained. “It was a very quick and rapid change without too much op-
portunity to plan and be prepared.” According to Burk, these arrangements can make it difficult to find a distraction-free work environment. Burk said that he finds it easier to concentrate when working in lounges and common spaces, but that it’s been increasingly difficult to use these spaces as study zones. “I tend to go to lounges, but now lounges tend to be relocation centers for people whose roommate tested positive for COVID,” Burk said. “I’ve been doing a lot of my class in the new room, but that’s also not an ideal circumstance.” Burk is nevertheless looking forward to what he hopes will be a safe return to in-person learning. “I’m always going to be for inperson sessions, as long as it’s safe to do so,” said Burk. “So seeing that we’re, hopefully, again, going to be starting that soon — that gets me excited.”
Improving COVID policies: N95 masks, HEPA filters and more testing
THOMAS YIM/The Stanford Daily
Bryce Huerta argues that Stanford’s COVID precautions are insufficient: the University must provide N95 masks, purchase HEPA filters and increase the frequency of required testing.
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Continued from page 2 going on with extracurricular activities, it just felt like things were happening on campus.” As the pandemic enters its third year of circulation, Hu said she would not be surprised if remote learning is around for the longhaul. “[Stanford] already implemented the ‘extend by one week’ scenario,” Hu said. “There’s nothing indicating they might not do it again and again.” In an email sent to students on Jan. 11, Stanford reaffirmed its commitment to returning to in-person instruction on Jan. 24. The rise of COVID-19 cases on campus has also caused students to
1. Provide all students, faculty and staff with N95 respirators Given the spread of omicron through the air, loosely fitting masks will not provide protection against exposure. N95 respirators filter out 95% of viral particles, hence the name. For such a rapidly spreading pathogen, cloth masks and even loose surgical masks will not be adequate to prevent community transmission. Thus, the University needs to provide all students, faculty and staff with N95 respirators. Recently, the University has begun recommending that all students wear some form of N95, but to ensure the safety of the school, every member of the Stanford community should be provided with N95 masks. 2. Purchase HEPA filters for use in classrooms and living spaces Beyond just masks, Stanford must make a concerted effort to filter the air of viral particles in enclosed spaces. Thus, all classrooms, dormitories, residences and other indoor community spaces need to be provided with HEPA filters. Classrooms and especially dorms can be poorly ventilated — as such it is imperative now more than ever to clean the air so that students, faculty and staff will be breathing to prevent community transmission. Data from the U.K. has demonstrated the effective use of HEPA filters to remove detectable viral particles from the air in COVID wards. Further-
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more, fans and other ventilation equipment should be used where necessary to cycle air through enclosed spaces. 3. Increase testing frequency and modify contact tracing protocols Currently, fully vaccinated students, faculty and staff are only required to test once per week. Due to the immune-evasive properties of omicron, however, fully vaccinated and boosted people can still be infected and transmit the virus. As such, all students, faculty, and staff must do PCR testing at least twice per week and should ideally take a rapid test before entering any University building. With the transmission of omicron, the prior guidelines of close contacts must be updated as well. Gone are the days of 15 minutes of close contact being “high-risk.” Now, anyone who has any contact, even fleeting, with a COVID-positive individual should be considered at a high risk for exposure. Furthermore, buildings that have been visited by COVID-positive members of the community should be ventilated and filtered. The omicron variant has presented the newest challenge in the ongoing pandemic. The good news is that it is 2022, and the tools exist to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within our community. Stanford, however, must take decisive action now to implement such measures. Otherwise, the worst-case scenario of so many isolating students, faculty and staff triggering an unplanned shutdown creeps closer to becoming reality.
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CULTURE READS
Romance novel is set at Stanford ‘The Love Hypothesis’ delights but poorly captures campus By LEYLA YILMAZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER Courtesy of Roberto Lovato
At a campus event last week, author and journalist Roberto Lovato spoke about his memoir, which chronicles his experience living in a divided El Salvador during the civil war there.
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Book tells war story A journalist’s reckoning with his fraught past By CHLOE MENDOZA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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error is a given of the place,” concluded acclaimed writer Joan Didion after spending only two weeks in El Salvador in 1982. Salvadoran-American author Roberto Lovato repurposes Didion’s statement in his 2020 memoir, “Unforgetting: A Memoir of Family, Migration, Gangs and Revolution in the Americas,” writing that “terror is a given of the place, but so is love.” Similar expressions tinged with equal grief and gratitude appear throughout Lovato’s “Unforgetting.” The “groundbreaking memoir” has been lauded as a “kaleidoscopic montage that is at once a family saga, a coming-of-age story and a meditation on the vicissitudes of history, community and, most of all for [Lovato], identity,” according to a rave review from The New York Times, which also named the memoir an “Editor’s Pick.” On Jan. 14, the Stanford initiative Concerning Violence hosted Lovato for a virtual workshop, entitled “Remembering the Bones of Personal and Political Violence Across the American Continent.” The event was supported by the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) and the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity (CCSRE) and is the first of Concerning Violence’s workshops this quarter. Future workshops will be organized around the initiative’s 2021-22 theme “Afterlives of Violence: Coloniality and Racial Capitalism in Global
Perspective.” Graduate students Noor Amr, Jameelah Morris and Ruben Diaz Vasquez led the workshop, giving attendees a detailed look into the subjects that have inspired Lovato’s memoir. Lovato delivered a dynamic reading, after which sixth-year modern thought and literature Ph.D. candidate Cynthia Garcia offered a response. Lovato explained, “The memoir is basically a journalist’s search to make his parent’s homeland, El Salvador, ‘the most violent country on earth,’ in 2015, an exploration of what turns children into violent actors and even killers in war and gang violence. Though the deeper story is not about the violence. Violence is just the dark velvet background of the real story, which is the tenderness that survives the terror, the rubies of power.” Lovato is the Co-Founder of #DignidadLiteraria, a movement that advocates for equity and literary justice “for the more than 60 million Latinx persons left off of bookshelves in the United States.” Lovato has reported on numerous issues including the drug war, violence and terrorism in Mexico, Venezuela, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Haiti, France and the United States. He is also the recipient of a reporting grant from the Pulitzer Center. During the workshop, Lovato discussed the war that ravaged El Salvador in the 1980 and 1990s. He specifically remarked on his difficult decision to join the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (Frente
Please see MEMOIR, page 11
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potted: a fake-relationship turned real romance between a biology Ph.D. student and a biology professor, set in the familiar terrain of our very own Stanford University. Although I am not the biggest fan of romance books, Ali Hazelwood’s debut novel immediately caught my attention. This is it, I thought to myself. This could be Stanford’s very own “Pride and Prejudice”! Then I bought the book right away. In “The Love Hypothesis,” author and cognitive neuroscientist Ali Hazelwood combines her two passions, writing and science, to give her readers a contemporary love story that reflects Stanford students’ frustrations with the elite institution. While delivering readers’ favorite romance tropes, Hazelwood also explores the fascinating world of biology and critiques academia as it exists today. In order to convince her skeptical best friend Anh that she’s in a happy relationship, Olive Smith, our protagonist and a third-year Ph.D. candidate, kisses Adam Carlsen, a professor notorious for giving low grades and harsh critiques. After the incident, Olive and Adam decide to fake-date so that Anh will continue to buy Olive’s charade and Stanford, convinced Adam’s there to stay, will fund his research. The two make a peculiar and even problematic couple because of their facultystudent relationship, yet their fake-dating persists. Hazelwood began her writing career with Star Trek and Star Wars fan fiction, which she wrote frequently during the last year of her Ph.D. program. Along with her personal experiences in academia, these media franchises significantly shaped her novel. “The Love Hypothesis” incorporates emails between students and faculty members regarding research collaborations, portrays the day-to-day life of Ph.D. students in and outside of their labs and frequently mentions Olive’s work investigating blood
Graphic: JESSICA LEE/The Stanford Daily
biomarkers as an early-detection mechanism for pancreatic cancer, a real-life popular research area. Although Olive’s fictitious life is not a realistic depiction of life at Stanford, Hazelwood adequately portrays common student struggles and the work of today’s biologists. In the book, the emphasis on collaboration within the field of biology, depicted through Olive’s desire to partner with computational modelers, or even small details such as a graduate students’ eagerness to use the PCR machine first, reflect Hazelwood’s own knowledge and passion for the field. In addition, her love of Star Wars comes out through the characters of Olive and Adam, the former with a shy yet bubbly persona like Rey and the latter emulating Kylo Ren’s angst and detached attitude. Reading the book through a Cardinal lens, you realize Hazelwood is not exactly campus-fluent. When Olive and Adam are setting the rules for their fake relationship, they agree to meet at Starbucks every Wednesday morning to make their relationship look more convincing, yet not once do they go to CoHo or Coupa. During their Starbucks dates, Olive constantly gets pumpkin spice lattes, and the two never go out to get boba. Considering the popularity of boba shops all around Palo Alto and the frequent door-dash boba orders during on-calls, it was especially peculiar that Olive and Adam did not participate in the boba culture at Stanford. Later, when Olive goes to visit Adam, he’s surprised to learn she doesn’t drive but instead bikes, as if he’s not seen the profuse bikes around campus. Compounding our confusion, Olive
Please see NOVEL, page 11
MUSIC
Benefit concert forgets its goal By ERIC ZHU CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I
n December, my friend asked me if I wanted to come to a Kanye West and Drake concert in Los Angeles. I was supposed to be home for winter break already, but there I was instead, hopping off the plane at LAX a day after finals. My friends and I made our way to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and I could already feel the anticipation building long before the show started. We waited in the massive arena as guests continued to trickle in. I was freezing cold and wondering if West or Drake were ever going to show up. But right as I was about to stand up to use the bathroom, the arena went
dark. A film began to play on two screens depicting Larry Hoover and his life in prison. Murmurs filled the stadium. I turned to my friend and asked, “Who’s Larry Hoover?” Currently serving six life sentences in a federal supermax prison for his involvement in a gang-related murder in 1973, Larry Hoover is the former leader and co-founder of the Gangster Disciples, a prominent Chicago street gang. Nearly 50 years into his 200-year sentence, Hoover has since denounced violence among his followers, mandated education for all members of his gang and rebranded the gang’s acronym GD to stand for Growth & Development. Hoover’s family and a number of
prominent figures are now advocating for his release, arguing that he has served enough time in prison already for his alleged crimes, and that ultimately, as a changed man, he deserves to be free. A Chicago native, West has been a longtime supporter of the reformed gang leader. Hoover is the reason West put aside his decade-long feud with Drake to recruit him to perform together in an attempt to show that some things are “bigger than rap.” Next, a woman stepped out from behind the coliseum walls. I was too far away to see her face, but her voice immediately commanded my attention. Amplified by the plethora of speakers, she
Please see CONCERT, page 8
SCREEN
Documentarian plays with participatory shooting By LYDIA WEI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A
t last Thursday’s artist talk hosted by Stanford’s Department of Art and Art History, documentary filmmaker Paloma Martinez M.F.A. ’18 underscored the value of prioritizing faithful storytelling over developing a distinctive artistic style. Clips from three of Martinez’s documentaries — “The Shift,” “Crisanto Street” and “Enforcement Hours (Sanctuary City Hotline)” — and her accompanying commentary affirmed this principle, demonstrating Martinez’s willingness to experiment with craft while telling stories about the state’s power structures, the tolls of labor and marginalized communities. “Formally, I don’t think I’ll ever make two films that are the same,” Martinez said. “But in terms of the themes I’m interested in, those are usually pretty similar.” Before becoming a documentary filmmaker, Martinez worked as a labor activist. She had always been drawn to labor issues due to her family background: her parents, migrant workers from Mexico, worked lowpaying job after low-paying job throughout her childhood, switching from janitors to field workers to taxi drivers. In college, Martinez studied economics, certain that her life
would be dedicated towards labor activism. However, after several years of working with labor organizations, she eventually decided — in a moment she described as a “sudden epiphany” — that she needed to move on and do something else. As it turned out, that something else would be documentary film work; however, Martinez couldn’t pull herself away from the world of labor activism quite so easily. In her documentaries, themes from her days as a labor activist kept rising to the surface. Martinez found herself drawn again and again to the impact of “the hand of the state” — be that law enforcement or the economic conditions created by the government — on bodies, relationships, space and movement. “If you have inherent friction with the state,” Martinez asked, “how does that affect the way in which you navigate your environment?” Questions like this one haunt much of Martinez’s work, and Thursday’s talk showed that she is constantly looking for new ways to respond to them. “The Shift,” the first documentary of the night, was inspired by an article Martinez read about an emergency dispatcher’s campaign to receive the same wages and benefits as first responders. The documentary followed 911 operators in San Francisco and interrogated the relation-
ship between labor and the physical body. Though operator work isn’t physically intensive, Martinez wanted to understand how the immense psychological toll of 12-hour, latenight emergency shifts could imprint itself on the body. Stylistically, Martinez described her documen-
tary as “very direct,” with frequent close-up shots of the operators’ body language both during and outside of work. Martinez emphasized the limitations she observed upon re-watching the documentary. “The friction of taking those phone calls 12 hours a
day — I don’t think it’s something we quite captured because of the length of the piece, because of its form,” she said. To Martinez, the film needed to be taken a step further. The series of close shots could only
Please see FILM, page 11
Pexels
The art and art history department hosted filmmaker Paloma Martínez for an artist talk on Jan. 13. Three of Martínez’s films were screened, each of them uniquely displaying the documentarian’s passion for labor activism.
Friday, January 21, 2022 N 7
The Stanford Daily
THE GRIND
Boba spots around Palo Alto By ANNABEL CHIA
S
ince the early 2000s, boba tea drinks have grown in popularity and have captured the taste buds of customers both in Taiwan (where they originated) and around the globe. Boba drinks are especially loved by students after a long day of lectures or just before studying to give them that extra boost. Whether you are a student or not, here are some of the best boba spots you can find around campus.
Ume Tea, 421 California Avenue Though it opened up in Palo Alto only recently, Ume Tea has been serving its signature East Asian flavor selection in Cupertino, Milpitas and Fremont for nearly two years now. The location has a calm atmosphere and specialty flavor choices can be noted on a visually appealing storefront. The flavor variety is endless, from a unique combination of Oreo and Creme Brulee, to classics like taro and milk tea boba. Among Ume Tea’s wide-ranging and imaginative menu offerings, customers are likely to discover something they will appreciate. Price: A cup of brown sugar boba milk tea at Ume Tea starts at $5.95.
BREVIN REED/The Stanford Daily
Though now might not be the season for ice cream, keep these spots in mind for warmer weather to come and find out which flavors and combinations you like best.
THE GRIND
TheIce cream best shops to By BREVIN REED
C
ollege is a stressful time, and it’s important to find a balance between academic and social life. The next time you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, why not take a break and satisfy that sweet tooth with a tasty treat? Through rigorous analysis (and a lot of taste testing), I pinpointed the five best ice cream spots within biking distance of Stanford to enjoy with your friends. Town and Country holds two of the five ice cream shops on this list: Cudos and Tin Pot. Cudos combines custard and donuts to make its signature name. It definitely has
5
scoops visit in the area
the coolest marketing slogan of the bunch! And I have to admit: the warm mini donuts on the side added a really nice contrast to the cold custard. The main attraction of Cudos isn’t the flavors per se — custard is the only base. The real diversity comes from the toppings. You can choose from a wide assortment of pre-made topping collections, ranging from apple pie to campfire s’mores. I went for the banana split and found that the consistency was thicker than I expected, while the cherry topping had an artificial taste. The custard was delicious, and the mini donut tied everything together. Just across the parking lot from Cudos is Tin Pot, which prides itself on putting its
Wanpo Tea Shop, Stanford Shopping Center Located a mere stone’s throw from campus in the Stanford Shopping Center, Wanpo Tea Shop is a quaint store that offers a curated selection of traditional tea flavors. Though the company has locations around the world, its first shop opened in Taiwan with the goal of capturing the country’s native flavors. After giving their product a taste, I can say that they have achieved their goal. Wanpo’s lightly sweetened red bean jelly milk tea, for instance, will leave customers feeling like they are enjoying their refreshing drink in the midst of the humid Taiwan heat. Because of its central location in the mall, flavors are quick to sell out, and lines often start in the afternoon — the location’s busiest period. Wanpo exclusively sells teas, offering almond and oat milk alternatives for those who desire dairy-free drinks. If you are searching for a delicate caffeine taste rather than a sugary dessert, Wanpo’s tea selections might just do the trick. Price: A cup of brown sugar milk tea at Wanpo Tea Shop starts at $5.75. Pop Tea Bar, Cambridge Avenue If you are looking for a convenient boba stop, Pop Tea Bar is the way to go. Located near campus on Cambridge Avenue, the menu features more than 30 tea flavors. This place offers a different flavor palette from Ume and Wanpo: Pop Tea’s menu sticks with the classic and uncomplicated flavors, such as the brown sugar and coffee milk teas. If you don’t feel up for the confusing and adventurous Oreo-Creme brulee mixes, and are rather in the mood for a solid cup of tasty boba that won’t let you down, Pop Tea Bar is the place for you. Price: A cup of the classic milk teas at Pop Tea Bar generally start at $3.95.
own spin on homemade ice cream. Of the five places I tried, Tin Pot was definitely the most classical example of an ice cream shop, with a wide assortment of flavors in bins, as well as the option of putting scoops in a cup or cone. They also have baked goods on the menu, and you get the option of having your ice cream sandwiched between two homemade cookies. I tried both the blue jasmine and blackberry lemon crumble in a cup. The blue jasmine had a particularly nice aftertaste, and was overall smooth and delicious, if not a bit basic. The blackberry lemon crumble was very refreshing — I’ve always been a sucker for fruit-flavored ice cream.
Gong Cha, Waverly Street Gong Cha is a famous franchise boba shop that serves a variety of drinks. Their milk foam slush series, which delivers a sweet and salty taste, is particularly noteworthy. The distinct
Please see SHOPS, page 9
Please see BOBA, page 9
THE GRIND
Celebrating diverse stories on Broadway By EMMA PARK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I
n 1975, the hit musical “A Chorus Line” captivated New York audiences with a never-before-seen glimpse into the emotional lives of Broadway dancers. It went on to become one of the most iconic shows in theater history, renowned for its thrilling combination of energetic dancing, catchy songs and honest storytelling. The show also gave unprecedented voice to performers of color. In an era when the overwhelming majority of roles were designed for white actors, “A Chorus Line’’ featured four ethnic characters. Two of them in particular, Paul San Marco and Diana Morales, were written with a multi-dimensionality that elevated the standard of racial minority depictions in musical theater. In honor of the 15th anniversary of the Broadway revival of “A Chorus Line,” I spoke to several artists about the extraordinary impact that “A Chorus Line’’ had on their lives and careers. Hector Guerrero is a Broadway veteran of Mexican descent whose
career highlights include the prestigious touring companies of “West Side Story” and “Evita.” This past summer, I was lucky enough to work with him on a production of “A Chorus Line” that he directed at the Moonlight Amphitheater in Vista, Calif. Guerrero explained that prior to “A Chorus Line,” the only show to significantly feature Hispanic characters was “West Side Story.” In “‘West Side Story,’” he said, “the only Latin character that’s really fleshed-out a lot more is Anita and maybe Maria.” He noted that the show is still lacking on the representation front because it fails to present well-developed Hispanic male characters. “A Chorus Line” challenged that with the creation of Paul San Marco, one of the show’s most complex and sympathetic characters. According to Guerrero, who played the part professionally, what made Paul so special was the voice he provided for “not just the dance community, but the gay community and the Latin community.” Beyond mere ethnic representation, the depth of his character was groundbreaking. Milan Magana, who starred as
Courtesy of Ken Jaques
By spotlighting ethnic characters who were multi-dimensional rather than stereotypical, “A Chorus Line” was a pioneer in the telling of diverse stories on Broadway. Diana Morales in Guerrero’s production, expressed a similar sentiment regarding her role. Arguably the strongest female character in “A Chorus Line,” Diana sings two memorable numbers — “Nothing” and “What I Did for Love.” As an artist, Magana felt connected to Diana not only through their shared Hispanic heritage, but also because “she’s a dancer who is incredibly passionate about her art and her work.” Lin Manuel-Miranda, creator of the Broadway blockbuster “Hamilton,” even credited Diana with paving the way for his Latino-centered musical “In the Heights,” which was recently released as a critically-acclaimed movie. “She’s the reason we’re all here,” Miranda stated in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, “Morales was the first three-dimensional Puerto
Rican character we’ve had in musical theater.” “A Chorus Line” also highlighted the stories of other racial minorities. For Jan Gan Boyd, the ChineseAmerican actress who portrayed Connie Wong in the 1985 film version of “A Chorus Line,” watching the show was a career-altering experience. At the time, Boyd was primarily a dancer. However, seeing a character who resembled her onstage helped her realize that an acting career was a viable possibility. “[Connie] was one of the first Asian roles, major roles, that I’d ever seen in theater,” she told me, “and I thought, ‘I could do that.’” A few years later, Boyd was playing that very role on the big screen. Similarly, James T. Lane, who portrayed Richie Walters in the Broadway revival of “A Chorus Line,” cited his character as one of
two main musical roles coveted by African American male dancers. “If you were African American and dancing, you knew Leroy [“Fame”] and you knew Richie,” he told Broadway.com. As characters, Richie and Connie were not nearly as complex as Paul and Diana. However, they were still significant roles that provided important visibility and opportunities for ethnic performers at a time when parts written for non-white actors were not only rare but often reduced to mere stereotypes. By spotlighting ethnic characters who were multi-dimensional rather than stereotypical, “A Chorus Line” was a pioneer in the telling of diverse stories on Broadway. As Guerrero put it, “Everyone finally had a voice. And everyone had a story to tell, and each person’s story was important.”
8 N Friday, January 21, 2022
The Stanford Daily
THE GRIND
The roots of anger On justice, silence and calmness in the face of political corruption Pexels
“We can’t be mad,” writes Gheed El Bizri. “We have to be calm. I’ve always been taught that living in Lebanon.” By GHEED EL BIZRI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
W
e can’t be mad. We have to be calm. I’ve always been taught that living in Lebanon. I’ve seen violence with my naked eyes and traced wounds with my bare hands. But I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t shout. I had to be calm. The government here has taken over the country, manipulating the economy and brainwashing the youth into following ruthless leaders. When none of their plans seem to go right, they project their madness onto us, the people. They fire back at protesters with tear gas when they fight for their rights, fail to tackle economic collapse and energy shortages that were caused by their own actions and murder their people on Aug. 4, 2020, after choosing negligence and corruption, divulging their worst intentions. They don’t get punished for that, though. Their lives go on naturally while we rewind our trauma. They
are free to happily roam in the places where they gave us scars, right where the Port explosion happened, and in the places where they took away our right to be angry, right where the protests in Downtown Beirut happened. If we ever get mad, if we ever raise our voices and protest to reclaim our most basic human rights, we must sleep with one eye open at night. Since all the Lebanese people around me, including myself, don’t have the right to be angry, we have either repressed our anger or found ways to cope with it. Personally, I found solace in my writings. I turned my fears into verses. I sat down in silence and wrote about the sounds of explosions and gunshots. I sat down in peace writing about war. My writing brought me back to my darkest days while also lessening my anger. In my quest to understand the roots of anger, I delved deep into its philosophy. We get angry for a reason: we feel wronged. I feel wronged. I feel like I deserve justice. However, as Louis L’Amour
puts it: “Anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who angers, for each rage leaves him less than he had been before — it takes something from him.” I didn’t want that. I didn’t need that. I wanted to remain unfazed. Why would I give this much power to a fleeting emotion evoked by a group of hypocritical leaders? Aristotle, too, has extensively tackled the issue of anger. He describes how there is a proper anger. “Proper” anger can actually be a driving force that pushes us to act instead of stepping back. It is because I am angry that I talk about Lebanon wherever I go, that I write freely and passionately. I have turned anger into something that benefits me and makes me feel successful. Anger allows me to let out my feelings in a peaceful way. Moreover, being angry allows me to become more determined. Sitting in sorrow doesn’t do me any good. Instead, I must do something to make myself feel better. In Lebanon, that was planning for my future, one where I could get away
from the lies, the guilt and the unexpected attacks. I dreamed of furthering my education in the United States. Now that I’m here, I can proudly say that rage is energy you don’t want to waste. Once you use it properly, it will work in your favor. I still feel angry for what’s happening in Lebanon, but I’m no longer scared to be angry because here my voice is not only heard, but solicited. I don’t have to bury my suffering anymore. I am allowed to feel angry, which makes me feel free, more than I’ve ever felt before. I can say out loud why I am angry and think of solutions that can actually be taken into consideration. However you choose to project your anger, remember to bring everything into your consciousness. It is incredibly easy to get lost in the petty things and make careless mistakes when you are in a high-energy state. Always make sure you properly think about your decisions, the nature of your judgment and how you express it. That way it doesn’t turn back on you. In fact, sometimes anger is only
a sign of a more heart-wrenching pain that grows underneath your skin. It can distract you from that pain and direct your attention elsewhere. Before acting on your anger: listen to yourself, recognize the pain, understand it, touch your scars and heal. The pain may never go away, but it is better than being stuck in a vicious cycle of denial and wrongful actions. The nature of your anger is nuanced; it is something you will have to explore because what can be seen is only surface level. The truth cuts much deeper, pushing you to bleed until your blood dries. One of the biggest lessons in life is that while it is normal to feel, it is how you manifest how you feel that matters. Allow yourself to feel anger, but don’t let it consume you. Don’t act against it either. Instead, work around your anger to produce something of value to you, to your community and to the greater good. Feelings, including anger, are one aspect of freedom that we deserve to explore, one step towards understanding our human nature.
CONCERT Continued from page 6 shook the stadium with an emotional telling of the story of Larry Hoover and herself. She attempted a “Free Hoover” chant among the audience, but despite her efforts, the audience seemed disengaged. This woman was Alice Marie Johnson, an American criminal justice reform advocate and a former federal prisoner. Imprisoned due to her involvement in the drug trade, Johnson was freed from prison in August 2020 by thenPresident Donald Trump, who granted her a full pardon after being urged by West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian and Trump’s son-inlaw Jared Kushner to do so. Since being freed, she has continued to be an aggressive advocate for criminal justice reform. Following Johnson’s speech, West’s Sunday Ser vice choir opened with a slew of angelic renditions of hit songs, including Adele’s “Easy on Me.” They ended with West’s very own “Ultralight Beam,” which caused an uproar from the crowd that would set the energetic tone for the rest of the night. But for the rest of the show, there were no more mentions of the show’s stated inspiration: Hoover. There is no question, however, that the concert itself was a masterpiece. After previously announcing that he was done performing his old music, West shocked the audience by doing exactly that. Atop a celestial mound in the middle of the massive stadium, West stood blanketed by a thick, mystical fog, creating an ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere within the arena. From there, he performed a slew of his greatest hits, mostly from older albums, but with a few “Donda” inclusions as well. From beginning to end, West shook the stadium back and forth, creating rhythmic excitement with his virtuous blend of hip-hop and gospel music. “Runaway” was my personal highlight of the night. The iconic repeating C note of the opening of the song caused an eruption of cheers from the crowd, putting West’s innovative genius on display. He transformed a simple note played over
ERIC ZHU/The Stanford Daily
Kanye West and Drake paired up for a legendary concert last month to free Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover from incarceration, but the show didn’t adequately promote its social mission, writes Eric Zhu. and over into a beautiful, euphoric experience, in a way that only he could have done. Another major surprise came when West performed Drake’s “Find Your Love” and Drake performed West’s “24,” a musically sublime display of unity — after a decade of heated bad blood — that got the audience on their feet. Drake’s other performances, however, felt a little lackluster when juxtaposed with the backdrop of West’s simultaneously angelic and hype melodies. To my disappointment, Drake opted to perform mostly “Certified Lover Boy” songs rather than his classics and as a result, his set felt a little repetitive at times, populated by similar
beats. Nevertheless, Drake was still Drake, and even in a stadium packed with Kanye fans, he was able to revive the energy at key points of his performance. As I filed out of the stadium at the end of the concert, my friends and I all agreed: this is one of the best concerts we have ever been to. But as unforgettable as the concert itself was — besides a few overpriced “Free Hoover” sweatshirts scattered amongst the crowd — it seemed that the so-called purpose of the concert had already become an afterthought, overshadowed by the incredible musical performances that failed to focus on the issue at hand. After a concert that was meant to be bigger than rap, rap
was the only thing on my mind. So here I am, revisiting it. Did the once-in-a-lifetime concert actually help to free Hoover? To be sure, the proceeds earned from the event’s ticket and merchandise sales have since been funneled into charity organizations supporting legal reform efforts and community advocacy, including the Uptown People’s Law Center. Hoover, however, remains in prison. Hoover himself was reported as being uncomfortable with the attention generated by the concert, worrying that it could hurt — rather than help — his chances at release. In fact, Johnson’s speech was omitted from the on-demand video of the concert, which some speculate was
upon Hoover’s request. It is too early to tell, but all signs point to no progress in the effort to free Hoover. Maybe the artists were simply misguided in their belief that the concert would truly help Hoover. Maybe they purposely used Hoover’s case as a digestible representation for the larger problems surrounding the criminal justice system. Whatever the case, the concert’s impact on Hoover, or lack thereof, remains its biggest shortcoming, a crucial blemish on an otherwise perfect night. Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective opinions, thoughts and critiques.
Friday, January 21, 2022 N 9
The Stanford Daily
Wikimedia Commons
The newest Marvel villain receives a pig heart transplant as a part of their origin story.
HUMOR
Marvel villain gets pig heart transplant By OM JAHAGIRDAR MANAGING EDITOR
Editor’s Note: This article is purely satirical and fictitious. All attributions in this article are not genuine, and this story should be read in the context of pure entertainment only.
L
eading up to Marvel’s Phase 5 movies, a man has received a heart transplant from a pig in a world first.
The pig was genetically modified to remove certain biomarkers that would cause the patient to reject the organ. Researchers additionally assured the medical community there wasn’t a disillusioned scheming mad scientist that made further modifications to the genome that would turn the transplantee into a despicable monster. “I’d give it a 35% chance tops,” guaranteed lead investigator He Jiankui. Just as Electro gained the ability to generate electricity after falling into a vat of electric eels and Sandman turned into sentient shapeshifting sand after falling into a par-
ticle accelerator, our man apparently received his heart transplant after tripping and falling onto a stray operating table. “Although we initially considered that he might have been chosen off of the transplant waitlist,” said Marvel creative director Kevin Feige, “we thought that might be too fantastical for the Marvel universe.” Although the long term impacts of this procedure are largely unknown due to its novelty, side effects observed so far include saying “oink” at the end of every sentence, keeping an incredibly untidy bedroom, an enhanced ability to find underground truffles, befriending spiders, irritating birds and taking three tries to build a structurally sound house. However, physicians are saying it’s too early to call the procedure a success. “We must wait to see whether his body will reject the transplant, whether he will have a good quality of life and whether the heart will slowly transform his body into that of a pig’s, making him resent all of humankind out of jealousy!” cackled Dr. Evil, a scientist involved in the project.
Graphic: SOSI DAY/The Stanford Daily
BOBA Continued from page 7 milk foam taste isn’t as popular in the U.S., and you may or may not enjoy the flavor. Nevertheless, it is a unique fan favorite, especially among consumers in Asia. Initially founded in Taiwan, the chain’s shops have made their way to 15 countries, and to Palo Alto in 2015. Another Gong Cha specialty includes their
Panda Milk Tea series, featuring white tapioca along with the standard brown sugar black tapioca pearls. Price: A cup of pearl milk tea at Gong Cha starts at $4.50. T4, University Ave T4 is a prevalent franchise throughout California, and we have got one right here on University Avenue. T4 boasts a selection of milk teas and regular iced teas, and you can even add classic Taiwanese top-
BREVIN REED/The Stanford Daily
Annabel Chia provides a run-down on popular boba shops near Stanford, including Wanpo Tea Shop, Pop Tea Bar and Gong Cha, which are great for a long day of lectures or extra studying boost.
SHOPS Continued from page 7 My only critique was that it felt more like having lemon ice cream with sudden bursts of blackberry rather than an even distribution. The next three stores — Gelato Classico, Scoop Microcreamery and Salt & Straw — form an ice cream triangle in downtown Palo Alto. Gelato Classico is a quaint shop on Emerson Street. Aside from gelato, there is an assortment of milk teas, coffee and cookies. I’m no math major, but I counted upwards of 40 flavors of gelato alone. Yummy! I ordered the Tiramisu gelato. Gelato Classico definitely had the smoothest consistency out of any of the places I visited because the ingredients and gelato-making process are slightly different from more traditional ways. But this also means that the gelato melts incredibly fast, so you can’t take your time with this one. The waffle cone also
had a great, crunchy taste, and I liked the mixing of all the flavors together. Overall, a great spot to pick up a cold treat, but don’t forget — eat it quickly! After Gelato Classico, I visited Scoop Microcreamery just around the corner. Scoop is known for making its ice cream in small batches on site using liquid nitrogen to get a smooth, creamy consistency. The moment I set foot in the store, a fresh batch of waffle cones were cooking on the waffle irons just inside the door, creating an enticing aroma. What’s more, the menu is packed with things like shakes, sundaes and splits, plus over a dozen seasonal ice cream flavors. The flavor I chose to test was Spumoni, a mix of three flavors with nuts layered in between. I have never been a big fan of putting solid things in ice cream, as I prefer something that goes down easy. But I have to admit the nuts were totally inoffensive to me, and the blending of the different flavors was exceptional. The final place I went to was a
pings such as pearls, red bean and various jellies. The earl grey milk tea is rated T4’s most popular drink, featuring an aromatic, but sweet flavor that blends perfectly with the brown sugar tapioca balls. They have a tremendous dairy-free selection, and the slushies, iced teas, and non-dairy milk teas are all highly rated among customers. Price: A cup of earl grey milk tea at T4 starts at $4.95. Boba Guys, Town and Country Village Of course, we cannot forget about Boba Guys, located in Town and Country Village. Boba Guys is also a popular Bay Area business known for its aesthetics and highquality flavors. The company aims to bridge the cultures of the “west” and the “east” with their specialty tea drinks. Their signature layered strawberry matcha latte offers a delicious flavor balance, incorporating a tangy sweetness from the strawberry puree with a calming matcha flavor. Boba Guys also has non-dairy milk options such as oat milk, which pair perfectly with flavors they offer — you can never go wrong with an oat milk Chai. Price: A cup of the strawberry matcha latte tea at Boba Guys starts at $5.25. little further down University Avenue, called Salt & Straw. The interior of the shop was dim and homey, with several spots for people to sit down and enjoy their ice cream. As of right now, Salt & Straw doesn’t have any other products beyond scoops and cups on the menu, but plans to add milkshakes starting in January. They offered a multitude of classical flavors as well as holiday-themed ones. The ice cream in the store is made and shipped from Portland two times a week, and there’s a refrigerator full of pints if you just want to grab and go. I tried the gingerbread cookie dough flavor and personally loved the mix of gingerbread and vanilla throughout the ice cream. I also found the ingredients to be well integrated. Ice cream is a delicious treat for you to enjoy with your friends, and I encourage you to take a break from school and stress and hop on over to one of these locations. Keep these spots in mind for the warmer weather, and explore these stores for yourself and see which flavors and combinations you like the best!
BEN LEES/The Stanford Daily
Lake Lagunita, the traditional location of the annual Skinny Dipping Free-for-All.
HUMOR
Lake Lag skinnydipping canceled By BEN LEES STAFF WRITER
Editor’s Note: This article is purely satirical and fictitious. All attributions in this article are not genuine, and this story should be read in the context of pure entertainment only.
T
he annual Lake Lag Skinny Dipping Free-for-All will not take place this year due to the spike in cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19, according to a recent announcement from the event’s organizers. A longbeloved tradition, the Free-for-All began in 1956 as a recruiting tactic for the varsity nude swimming team (since demoted to club status). “Before the [COVID-19] pandemic, we’ve never had any issues running the Free-for-All,” Noah Teir ’22, captain of nude swimming, said. “There’s always the occasional drunk guy who starts running around in a bathing suit, but we’ve gotten better at handling inappro-
priate incidents like that over the years.” In 2021, the event was moved online for the first time ever. In lieu of the traditional gathering, participants came together in droves over Zoom, reporting in from their bathtubs and occasionally private swimming pools or hot tubs. “We were so encouraged to see the great turnout — over 150 participants at one point,” Teir said of the online gathering last year. “It’s a great sign for the team’s future.” This year, the team’s senior members were eager to reintroduce the in-person Free-for-All, but their plans were foiled by the recent spike of cases of the highly transmissible omicron variant. “Like you, we highly anticipated the return of the Skinny Dipping Free-for-All, and we’re saddened to make this change,” the team’s coaches and captains wrote in an email Friday. “Though the public health situation makes the event untenable for now, we look forward to joining you all in person next year.”
10 N Friday, January 21, 2022
The Stanford Daily
SPORTS Graphic: AMY LO/ The Stanford Daily
17 FORMER CARDINAL IN WILD CARD Four players advance in path to Super Bowl DAVE BERNAL/isiphotos.com
Junior running back Austin Jones appeared in 29 games for the Cardinal — including three versus the Trojans — over the course of his three years on the Farm. After the team ended the 2021 season on a seven-game losing streak, Jones announced his decision to transfer to USC.
mer Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley. Jones, a four-star recruit out of Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, joins the third-ranked transfer class in the country at USC. Jones ended the 2021 season with 645 total yards, 378 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He has two years of eligibility re-
Please see TRANSFER, page 12
Please see NFL, page 12
Stanford football’s Austin Jones transfers to USC
By DANIEL WU Stanford’s top running back has left the team — and he’ll be suiting up against the Cardinal in September. Junior Austin Jones committed to USC on Tuesday, he announced on Twitter. Jones’ departure headlines a large group of Cardinal players that have en-
tered the transfer portal in the offseason following Stanford’s 3-9 season in 2021 — including several starters and two junior running backs, Jones and Nathaniel Peat, who both transferred prior to their senior year. Peat committed to the University of Missouri two days before Jones, and fifth-year fullback Houston Heimuli transferred to BYU in December. Fifth-year
outside linebacker Gabe Reid, fifth-year defensive end Ryan Johnson and senior outside linebacker Andres Fox, among others, remain in the transfer portal. Jones’ departure in particular will sting for a Stanford program reeling from its worst season in over a decade, not least because he’ll play for the Trojans as they threaten to spark a renaissance with the blockbuster hire of for-
STAFF WRITER
Entering the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend, 17 former Cardinal were either on the active roster or practice squad of a playoff team. Six of these alumni appeared in the stat-sheet as they fought to extend their respective seasons. The NFL playoffs began on Saturday afternoon with defensive tackle Solomon Thomas ’17 and the Las Vegas Raiders traveling to Cincinnati to take on Michael Thomas ’12, Trenton Irwin ’19 and the Bengals. Both Solomon Thomas and Michael Thomas recorded a tackle as the Bengals defeated the Raiders 26-19. Cincinnati will travel to Tennessee next week to take on the topseeded Titans. Soon after the Bengals’ win, two more former Cardinal were in action as the Buffalo Bills hosted the New Eng-
TO THE TROJANS SENIOR STAFF WRITER
By DREW SILVA
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Road losses end hot start to season Men’s volleyball drops two in a row By TAMMER BAGDASARIAN STAFF WRITER
After Stanford began the season on a three-game win streak, its best start since 2019, No. 12 men’s volleyball (3-2, 0-0 MPSF) ran into a wall, dropping two straight against No. 15 UC Irvine (3-1, 0-0 Big West) and No. 10 UC San Diego (2-0, 0-0 Big West). The losses put a damper on the surprise win-streak for the embattled program that was nearly cut last season. The team anticipated a tough fight against the two powerhouse volleyball programs on Friday and Saturday, and that’s what they got. But despite the lopsided final scores of both games, with the Cardinal losing 3-1 against Irvine and being swept in straight sets 3-0 by San Diego, the matchups were hard-fought. On Friday, the Anteaters jumped out to an early 2-0 set lead behind the powerful arm of freshman outside hitter Hilir Henno, who recorded 18 kills on a strong .457 hitting in the match. While Stanford showed grit on defense — led by reigning MPSF defensive player of the week, redshirt junior libero Justin Lui — Irvine gave the Cardinal almost no room to breathe. Stanford broke through in the third set despite trailing by four points late, capitalizing on offensive errors from the Anteaters and taking the set 25-23. After battling back again to a 21-21 tie in the fourth set, it looked like Stanford was going to be able to force a fifth set, but two late errors cost the Cardinal the set and the match, falling 25-22. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Ethan Hill was a bright spot for the Cardinal in Friday’s loss. Earning his first start of the season, Hill led the team with a career-best .462 hitting percentage and recorded seven kills in
Please see LOSSES, page 12
KAREN HICKEY/isiphotos.com
Sophomore forward Cameron Brink (above) had a dominant performance against the Utes on Sunday, recording a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Brink’s major contributions on the offensive and defensive boards helped the Cardinal out-rebound Utah 41-28.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Cardinal defense outlasts Utes Women’s basketball shuts Utah down in final quarter By DREW SILVA STAFF WRITER
Despite facing a double-digit deficit in the first half, No. 2 Stanford women’s basketball (13-3, 4-0 Pac-12) was able to defeat the Utah Utes (9-4, 0-1 Pac-12) by a score of 83-73 thanks to an impressive defensive showcase in the fourth quarter. After Stanford missed its first five shots from the field, a layup from junior guard Haley Jones kicked off a 10-2 run for the Cardinal to start the game. However, Utah was able to cut the deficit to one point by the end of the quarter, thanks to three pointers from freshman Gianna Kneepkens and junior Dasia Young near the end of the period. Following a pair of free throws from sophomore forward Cameron Brink early in the second quarter that gave Stanford a 19-17
lead, Utah went on a 14-2 run in less than four minutes of gametime to take a 37-24 lead. This Utah run was spurred by Stanford’s continued struggles from the field, as the Cardinal went over five minutes without a field goal. A three from junior guard Hannah Jump ended the scoring drought, and a subsequent 6-0 Cardinal run made this a single digit deficit entering the second half. Stanford continued to dig into the Utah lead in a high-scoring third quarter. A threepointer from senior guard Lexie Hull with 3:59 remaining gave Stanford its first lead of the half, 52-51. Some late free throws allowed Utah to retake the lead before the final period. Despite winning the third quarter 30-26, Stanford entered the fourth quarter trailing 63-60. Stanford’s defense was able to hold Utah without a point for the first two and a half minutes of the final period, allowing the Cardinal to take a 64-63 lead. After a basket from sixthyear guard Anna Wilson gave the Cardinal a 69-68 lead with 5:42 remaining, Stanford never looked back. Stanford shut down the Utah offense for the remainder of the game,
holding the Utes to 10 points in the quarter. The fourth-quarter offense was led by Jones, Brink and Wilson, who combined for 20 of the 23 points in the period. The trio was able to finish at the rim and at the free throw line late in the game to secure an 83-73 victory. Brink finished the game with an efficient double-double, grabbing 11 rebounds and scoring 24 points on only 12 shots from the field. Her performance helped Stanford dominate the glass, out-rebounding Utah 41-28. Her seven offensive rebounds were more than the entirety of the Utah team. Although Jones struggled from the field (2 of 7 shooting), she grabbed eight rebounds and shot a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Hull had 21 points, including four threepointers, while Anna Wilson added 12 points, three assists and two rebounds. Utah was led by freshmen Jenna Johnson and Kneepkens, who combined for 25 points, each shooting 50% from the field. The Cardinal will look to extend their Pac12 winning streak when they host Cal on Friday. Tip-off versus the Bears is set for 7 p.m. PT.
Friday, January 21, 2022 N 11
The Stanford Daily
LAWSUIT Continued from page 1 dential Education policies in the days leading up to Eitan’s death on Jan. 17, 2020. The family is also arguing that Stanford and TDX neglected their duty to warn the student body of the risk of lethal counterfeit Percocets being circulated in Santa Clara County at the time. Additionally, according to the lawsuit, neither of these lapses would have been possible if the University had heeded its own policies and taken action against what the lawsuit describes as “incontrovertible evidence” of serious drug use problems at the TDX fraternity. Had these steps been taken, the family said, Eitan would still be alive today. In response to a series of questions from The Daily, a University spokesperson cited a Thursday statement, which reads, “Out of respect for Eitan’s parents, who are valued employees, the university is not addressing the specifics of each claim in the lawsuit nor elaborating on the chain of events that occurred. However, the university disagrees with many of the allegations in the complaint and will defend itself against the lawsuit.” The Theta Delta Chi corporation and the four individuals named in the case did not respond to requests for comment about the allegations. The family members, who are long-time Stanford affiliates, say they are looking for answers and respect from the University. Julia-Erwin Weiner, Eitan’s mother, is the associate vice president for medical center development at Stanford Medicine, and Amir Weiner, his father, works as an associate professor of history and directs the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies. His sister, Ya’el Weiner, graduated from Stanford in 2019. Since Eitan’s death, Stanford has undertaken its own “comprehensive investigation,” separate from the criminal investigation, and has dis-
FILM Continued from page 6 begin to hint at the physical impact of emergency dispatcher work. The next documentary screened, “Crisanto Street,” explored the housing crisis in the Bay Area by following eight-year-old Geovany Cesario and his move from a mobile RV to a permanent residence. Much of the documentary is shot by Cesario himself; through his camera, we witness intimate scenes of life in a temporary encampment and meet its many inhabitants. While working on “Crisanto Street,” Martinez sought to differentiate the documentary’s tone from that of “The Shift” and ultimately did so by changing the shooting style from direct to participatory. To Martinez, Cesario’s participation in the film “brought this exuberance to the film” that she wasn’t capable of creating on her own. This exuberance emerged in the way Cesario captured ordinary, private moments. In one shot, Cesario’s mother cooks dinner in the RV kitchen while he giggles in the background; in another, the camera jolts and shakes as he excitedly runs around with his friends in the encampment. Participatory film work also provided Martinez with a chance to question and negotiate the power dynamics of documentary film work. Martinez was often troubled by the relationship between documentary filmmaker and subject, which she described as “a stranger with a camera trying to create accelerated intimacy in a space with so many vulnerable, marginalized people.” However, she found that the character-driven heart of “Crisanto Street” flourished through participatory collaboration. While Martinez’s own camera work could remain distant, Cesario’s was capable of catching all the nuance, personality and grey areas of living in the encampment. The final film screened at the event, “Enforcement Hours (Sanctuary City Hotline),” chronicled the work of the San Francisco Rapid Response Network, a 24-hour hotline dedicated to helping immigrants involved in ICE raids. At the time she conceived of the idea for this documentary, Martinez was disturbed by the large number of very public calls for raids she saw in sanctuary cities like San Francisco and sought to probe the fear and self-policing created by that environment. With “Enforcement Hours (Sanctuary City Hotline),” Martinez aimed once again to diverge stylistically from her previous works. Instead of working again in a direct cinema style or creating another character-driven piece, this time, she wanted to explore distance and anonymity.
tributed increased messaging about the dangers of drug use, according to the public statement. Additionally, in March 2021, Stanford revoked University housing and recognition from the TDX fraternity for six years following an investigation that found that TDX failed to report to professional staff the presence of illicit substances in their house. To Eitan’s family, however, these efforts are merely surface level changes from the University to save face. The policy changes are “performative,” Ya’el said — too little, too late. The family is now seeking legal recognition of the alleged misdeeds and compensation for the financial damages to the family. “We’ve been waiting for two years for answers from someone, and no one wants to take accountability,” Ya’el said. “Stanford has tried to skirt around this by being silent.” Law professor Robert Rabin, who specializes in tort law, said that the claims of wrongful death and aiding and abetting illegal drug transactions, if held up in court, could result in considerable financial penalties for the defendants, especially Stanford and the TDX corporation. “Reputationally, to go to litigation is a real cost for the University,” said law professor Robert Rabin. “With all of the bad publicity that’s involved, this is not the kind of a case I think that the University would want to litigate. But settling, which avoids some of those reputational costs, gives the signal that the University is open to the prospect of other claims that are brought down the road.”
donors and other interested parties.” University spokesperson Karla Hudson wrote that Stanford’s decision to reverse TDX’s campus housing status was not influenced by “donors and other interested parties.”
Alleged University negligence The family’s claims against Stanford include allegations of mishandling and negligence regarding Santa Clara public health warnings and inaction against the TDX fraternity. When police officers entered the TDX house on the day of Weiner’s death, they found his body next to a blue powder as well as a pill in his room that matched the description of counterfeit Percocets laced with fentanyl that had been found in the county. Four months prior, the county’s
public health department issued a health advisory that the counterfeit pills had been found in circulation throughout the county. The lawsuit alleges that the University and the TDX fraternity exercised negligence by failing to widely distribute this warning to Stanford community members. Rabin said this allegation could hold water given the special obligations the University and the fraternity have to students. “If there’s a special relationship between the defendant and the plaintiff, then there is a duty not to be negligent in failing to adequately warn about the risks associated with what the Plaintiffs claimed,” Rabin said. “And of course there is a special relationship between Stanford and the students, and certainly between the fraternity and the students.” The lawsuit additionally alleges negligence on the part of the University for not taking faster action against TDX, despite allegedly knowing of numerous dangers posed by the fraternity. Both the University and the fraternity, the lawsuit alleges, were aware of continuous violations of Stanford’s substance use policies in the TDX house. But despite an alleged abundance of knowledge of these violations, the case states that the University repeatedly would “drag its feet in taking action against this toxic organization.” As an example of this negligence, the lawsuit cites the University’s reversal of its decision to dehouse TDX. In January 2019 — one year prior to Eitan’s death — the University placed TDX on probation for needing improvements to meet Stanford’s Standards of Excellence for the fourth year in a row. TDX was slated to lose its housing privileges by the end of the academic year. But in the wake of a petition written by TDX that garnered 1,400 signatures, the University reversed its decision and restored TDX’s housing, citing a procedural flaw in the Standards of Excellence guidelines. According to the lawsuit, the University’s decisions surrounding housing for TDX represent “pandering to
Overdose 36 hours before The lawsuit also cites inaction from University officers in the days leading up to Eitan’s death. On Jan. 15, 2020, two days before Eitan died, he suffered an apparent overdose on the same counterfeit percocets he had received via a package sent to the fraternity house, according to the lawsuit. The University failed to take any action despite having knowledge of the reported overdose of illegal controlled substances in the house, the lawsuit alleges. The pills, the lawsuit claims, were purchased by Eitan and three housemates from his childhood friend Matthew Carpenter. Carpenter was arrested in August 2021 on charges of a felony count of transportation, sale and distribution of a controlled substance, the complaint states. The family is suing the three housemates, who are current Stanford students, for allegedly aiding and abetting Carpenter in purchasing, distributing and furnishing the pills that resulted in Eitan’s death, which the lawsuit states is a violation under the California Drug Dealer Liability Act. During Eitan’s apparent drug overdose on Jan. 15, the lawsuit alleges that the acting resident assistant (RA) at TDX recognized that Eitan had lost both speaking and motor functions — both signs of a fentanyl overdose — and alerted the residence dean (RD) assigned to the fraternity, who allegedly redirected the RA to 9-1-1. The family alleges that the RD did not take any action, and instead instructed the RA to contact the “on call” RD. The lawsuit levels the allegation against Stanford, not the RD, who is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. The lawsuit also alleges that in the days between Eitan’s initial overdose and his death, the three housemates “actively concealed evidence and mis-
What’s next for the case As Eitan’s family continues to push forward with the case, they do not plan to ease their demands for answers and legal accountability, according to Ya’el. The family said the lawsuit is the first step on a long road to rebuilding trust between the University and its community. “We can’t even think about what this amorphous future of what a healthier, drug-using Stanford body is if we can’t hold accountable the people and parties who killed people using drugs when it could have been prevented,” Ya’el said. As a civil case, the family will argue for financial redress, rather than criminal punitive measures against the defendants, according to Rabin, the law professor. The plaintiff may attempt to direct its claims against Stanford and the TDX corporation, as their pockets are far deeper than those of the students, Rabin added. Still, Rabin noted, the claims of aiding and abetting against the three students and the allegation of a statutory violation under the California Drug Dealer Liability Act against Carpenter could be stronger and more straightforward to prove. The next steps for the case are for the defendants to file an answer to the family’s complaint. If the parties do not reach a settlement prior, the suit will then go to the pretrial discovery before potentially being sent to trial.
“Could we do this anonymously?” Martinez asked. “Could we create a soundscape, a cityscape vision of San Francisco, and make it about how people feel at this moment? Could we navigate through this city in a sort of fearful, dreamlike way?” Through shots of lamplit city streets, empty corridors and highways that melt into the horizon, Martinez attempted to navigate through space in exactly a “fearful, dreamlike way,” a sentiment only heightened by the disembodied voices of the hotline operators. By focusing on anonymity and disem-
bodiment, Martinez hoped to capture the palpable sense of tension between a community and its own landscape. Though it appears simple, “Enforcement Hours (Sanctuary City Hotline)” was the most challenging documentary for Martinez to complete. Throughout the shooting process, she struggled with a sense of non-specificity between the disembodied voice-overs and deserted shots. Martinez was accustomed to tighter, more controlled audio-visual connections in her previous works and found herself compulsively seeking to build
those same “logical links” in “Enforcement Hours (Sanctuary City Hotline).” Ultimately, to complete the documentary, she had to unchain herself from that mode of thinking and relinquish the need for a rigidly constructed film. “If you’re using disembodied voices, you can’t have specific imagery; you can’t try to build this specific logic because it simply doesn’t make sense,” she said. “You have to leave space for the voices to be impactful.” Taken together, Martinez said that her three documentaries reflect the process of “figuring out who you are and who you formally
want to be as a creative.” This quality of self-discovery was precisely what made Thursday’s talk so insightful: it was an opportunity to peer into the energetic mind of a filmmaker constantly questioning how to sharpen her craft and capture the stories she needs to share. With every new documentary Martinez directs, she will encounter new challenges with using craft to negotiate the complicated relationships between film and the lives, goals and traumas of those it seeks to represent. But as Martinez said, “I’m okay, I’m okay with the question mark.”
MEMOIR
vadoran house, is a visceral manifestation of the misconceptions of Salvadoran culture. The machete is inherently nonviolent, a symbol of strength and a source of pride in many households, but destruction, violence and cultural fragmentation ensue when its origins are forgotten and swept over. The forensic sciences stand as the tool that returns bodies to their families. Finally, the sewing machine heals and closes the wounds inflicted by the war. Despite his aptitude for nonfiction writing, Lovato voiced that he never set out to write a memoir. There were three things he wished to understand: what made El Salvador one of the most violent countries on Earth in terms of homicide, why was he involved in virulent groups as a young person and what he calls his father’s “heavy ass” secret. “I never intended to write a memoir, then I realized I have my own story that I never told, my own experiences of violence being in a clique here in San Francisco’s Mission District,” Lovato said. “Unfor-
getting” touches on his experiences in both El Salvador and in the Bay area. Lovato gave some insight into this father, who was a central figure in the underground world of contraband in San Francisco. This world of trafficking is just one of many that Lovato wanted to bring to light in his writing. In “Unforgetting,” the underworlds of Salvadoran death squads, gang activity, undocumented immigration and SalvadoranAmerican life are all complexly intertwined. His interest in underworlds stems from the connections he sees between the intimate and the epic. In the response portion of the workshop, Garcia pointed out the duality of “Unforgetting,” as it “straddles the line between literary and realist,” of “creation and destruction.” Garcia also touched on one of Lovato’s literary choices: tracing early Salvadoran immigration to the United States back as early as the Gold Rush, instead of after the conclusion of World War II. This illumination, Garcia said,
was an intervention skillfully made by Lovato that teaches the reader some commonly misunderstood Salvadoran history. “We live in a moment of extreme terror. But like frogs in a boiling pot, we don’t know the water is boiling,” Lovato said. He designated this “boiling water” as “the neoliberal economic model that drives both climate change and neofacism, and other extreme and unique components of this very intense moment,” Lovato said. Lovato’s commitment to unforgetting and his memoir itself are active steps he’s taken to help reverse the systematic erasure of Salvadorans and Latinx people in the United States. In “Unforgetting,” the love of words survives the war. “I hope the other attendees appreciated Lovato’s message that extreme acts of violence are often fueled by historical amnesia and unforgetting is a powerful tool for seeking truth and reconciliation,” Garcia said. “Unforgetting is also an act of love and the deepest expression of hope.”
NOVEL
[Olive’s] mental health,” writes Hazelwood, condemning the lack of appreciation researchers express for student work from the very first page of her novel. She further depicts Olive’s struggle with rent and meals due to her low salary in an expensive city. Through Olive’s personal struggles, Hazelwood attests that current researchers are not paid adequately by the multimilliondollar institutions they work in, which often withholds them from feeling passion for their jobs. Moreover, she repeatedly criticizes the sexist and racist practices in academia: “[Olive] was the only woman in the room, virtually alone in a sea of white men,” Hazelwood writes to expose the structural inequalities in academia that refuse women and people of color seats at the table. She reiterates throughout the book how the lack of diversity in Olive’s professional and academic environments makes her feel out of place and pushes her to doubt her own abilities, resulting in tremendous anxiety and imposter syndrome. A breath of fresh air, Olive’s best friend Anh is characterized by her
enthusiasm and optimistic outlook throughout the book, even in the face of constant gender discrimination. She is also the head of Stanford Women in Science Association and director of outreach for the Organization of BIPOC Scientists. Anh’s passion within the field and her positive perception of the future reflects a hope for change and highlights the importance of such organizations to diversify the field and create safer environments for women. While it doesn’t feel true to Stanford at all times, Hazelwood’s novel presents both the beauty of biology and the downfalls of academia, all while narrating a gripping romance. Meanwhile, Hazelwood herself proves that one can follow their passions in STEM and creative writing simultaneously by excelling as a researcher and a novelist. For those who live for classic romance tropes, love biology or are looking for examples of how to reach faculty through email, “The Love Hypothesis” has you covered!
Continued from page 6 Farabundo Marti para la Liberacion Nacional, or FMLN). FMLN was an insurgent group turned legal leftwing political party that fought against the U.S.-backed fascist military dictatorship and was responsible for murdering more than 75,000 civilians in El Salvador. Lovato chooses to follow the tradition of “memoria historica,” a form of collective memory influenced by shared culture and experience, as he remembers events like these. In the pursuit of justice and deeper truth, Lovato said that the United States planted seeds of violence in El Salvador. He hopes his writing will change the dehumanized and violent mainstream depictions of Salvadorans and help eliminate what he calls “fascist forgetting.” Throughout his memoir, Lovato also tries to pay homage to the historic poet-warrior tradition of the Americas. In this tradition, the term “warrior” is extended beyond the material military component and manifests in the fight for social justice. He hopes that his own poet “warriorship,” manifest in his memoir, can counteract the forces that have tried to make young Salvadorans “a generation that is amnesiac.” “That amnesia is neoliberalism and neofacism. For these things to continue in their current forms they need heavy doses of amnesia to be dropped on the population so that young people don’t know the revolutionary struggles of their predecessors,” Lovato said. This tradition, he said, is the holy water of Salvadoran cultural history and memory that must be drawn from as the world tackles issues of climate change, neoliberalism, neofascism and other colossal challenges. Lovato maintains that “we are not going to ‘progressive liberal’ our way out of them.” The three main symbols Lovato said he uses to communicate his themes of memory and unforgetting are the machete of memory, the forensic sciences and a sewing machine. The machete, which Lovato says sits on a mantel in every Sal-
Continued from page 6 complains about there being no bike lanes around, which is very unlike anywhere near Stanford. It is also surprising that Olive never uses the Marguerite to get to the School of Medicine, a common practice among Ph.D. students. Aside from documenting the ups and downs of fake-dating on the Farm, “The Love Hypothesis” strikes a more sincere chord, as it doesn’t shy away from criticizing the world of academia. Hazelwood highlights how STEM academia is problematic through Olive’s experiences as well as those of her close friends and Adam. She acknowledges and critiques the chronic underpayment of student researchers, cultural sexism in academia, racism in higher education and the demoralizing attitudes of faculty toward beginner researchers. “Committing to years of unappreciated, underpaid 80-hour workweeks might not be good for
led first responders” regarding the presence, distribution and use of controlled substances in the TDX house. The students were again present on the day of Eitan’s death, when he ingested the pills previously purchased by the group, the lawsuit alleges. Their allegations, if found true, would constitute violations of Stanford’s Fundamental Standard, TDX policies and procedures and federal and state law, according to the family. “The fact is that everyone failed here,” Ya’el said. “Every single party, from Stanford, to TDX as an organization to the students and the socalled brotherhood who were meant to look out for one another.”
Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective opinions, thoughts and critiques.
12 N Friday, January 21, 2022
The Stanford Daily
SWIM IS 2 FOR 2 NFL
Continued from page 10
Cardinal defeat Harvard, Pacific in double-duel By CYBELE ZHANG SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Led by strong performances from 2020 Olympians, Stanford men’s swimming powered its way to two victories in its home-opener on Friday afternoon. In a rare double dual-meet, the Cardinal competed against both Harvard and University of the Pacific simultaneously. Setting the tone for the 2022 season, Stanford topped the Crimson, 162-127, and obliterated the Tigers, 166-33. Of the 16 total events, the Cardinal won 10, thanks in large part to redshirt freshman Andrei Minakov and freshman Ron Polonsky — both of whom competed in the Tokyo Olympics just seven months ago. Minakov won the 100-yard fly event in Avery Aquatic Center with a time of 46.33. The victory was largely expected, given that the Saint Petersberg-native is one of the fastest butterfly swimmers in the world; he placed fourth in the 100-meter fly in the most recent Olympic Games, representing the Russian Olympic Federation. Minakov also won the 50-yard free on Friday, clocking an impressive 19.56. Polonsky, who swam for Israel in the 2020 Olympics, also picked up two first place finishes in Avery, winning the 100-yard breastroke with a time of 54.29 and the 400-yard I.M. with a time of 3:50.36. Stanford dominated the medley event, sweeping the top four spots. Sophomore Rick Mihm took second, with graduate
THOMAS YIM/The Stanford Daily
Stanford men’s swimming dominated in a rare double duel-meet at Avery Aquatic Center on Friday. Redshirt freshman Andrei Minakov and freshman Ron Polonsky were critical in powering Stanford to victory. student Alex Liang and freshman Matt Fenlon close behind. Graduate student Grant Shoults, the most senior member of the team, also won two events: the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 9:03.21 (a season-best by 26 seconds) and the 500yard free with a time of 4:23.78. Junior Leon MacAlister has been dominating the backstroke this year, and his success continued as he won the 100-yard event with a time of 46.70. Sophomore Aaron Sequeira upset Harvard’s Gunner Grant to win the 200-yard back by 0.53 seconds. Stanford also claimed a one-twothree finish in the 200-yard breast, with senior Daniel Roy, sophomore Ethan Dang and senior Jon Cook all taking the top-three spots. Despite strong performances in the freestyle events, Stanford largely struggled to compete against Harvard’s Dean Farris, who won the 200yard and 100-yard events. The 24year old won the 2019 NCAA Championships titles in the 100-yard backstroke and-100 yard freestyle.
Despite the distance from Cambridge, many Crimson fans filled the stands and cheered loudly during breaks. In the longer of the two freestyle races, Cardinal swimmers (sophomore Luke Maurer, junior Neel Roy and junior Andrew Matekja) took the second, third and fourth spots, respectively, after Farris. Similarly, in the shorter event, Stanford also claimed second, third and fourth with solid performances from MacAlister, senior captain Mason Gonzalez and Maurer, who finished in that order. On the diving side, senior Conor Casey won the 1-meter events. Freshman Jack Ryan was the Cardinal’s best performer in the 3-meter event, taking home second. Next up, Stanford will face both Arizona schools in the coming week at home; ASU takes the pool on Friday at 2 p.m. PT, while the U of A will compete on Saturday at noon, giving the Cardinal little time to rest in between meets.
land Patriots. Harrison Phillips ’18 helped the Bills’ defensive line shut down a powerful Patriots’ ground game and force Jake Bailey ’19 onto the field. Bailey punted three times for 142 yards for the Patriots in their 47-17 loss. Next up for Buffalo will be a road match against the reigning AFC-champion Kansas City Chiefs. The early game on Sunday featured the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although none of them saw the field, there were three former Cardinal on the rosters of these two teams. The Bucs’ 31-15 win ended the seasons of Eagles’ offensive lineman Nate Herbig ’19 and wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside ’19. Herbig finished the year with five starts, and ArcegaWhiteside saw his season end with two catches for 36 yards. Richard
TRANSFER Continued from page 10 maining due to COVID-19 rules, despite being a three-year starter on the Farm. Stanford is far from the only team experiencing significant roster turnover via the transfer portal. This year 1,194 FBS players entered the portal, including many high profile players such as former five-star quarterbacks JT Daniel from Georgia, Caleb Williams from Oklahoma and Jaxson Dart from USC. The latter two started much of the season for their respective schools. The Cardinal and head coach
Sherman ’11 and the Bucs will host the Rams in the divisional round. Despite a game-high 89 receiving yards, Cowboys’ tight end Dalton Schultz ’18 also saw his season come to a close this weekend following a 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Schultz had seven receptions for Dallas, including a 38-yard grab late in the fourth quarter to propel a comeback attempt. Fellow tight end Zach Ertz ’13 also saw his season end in the Wild Card Round, as his Cardinals were defeated by the Los Angeles Rams 34-11. Ertz hauled in three receptions for 21 yards for Arizona, and he finished the year with 74 receptions for 763 yards and five touchdowns. Ertz’s teammate, Josh Mauro ’14, was also eliminated from the postseason, after recording three total tackles and a sack this year. Four former Cardinal will be on active rosters next weekend — Michael Thomas, Irwin, Sherman and Phillips — and will seek to keep their respective teams’ Super Bowl hopes alive.
David Shaw have shown, slowly, that they might be adapting as well; Stanford added the second and third graduate transfers ever in program history in quarterback Isaiah Sanders and safety Patrick Fields over the past three years. But the stability the program enjoyed in previous years, when undergraduate transfers out of the program were rare, looks to be eroding — Jones and Peat were entrenched starters who left Stanford before the end of their undergraduate careers. Next year, Stanford’s backfield is expected to be led by sophomores E.J. Smith and Casey Filkins, who impressed in limited playing time in 2021. They’ll face off against Jones and the Trojans on Sept. 10 in Los Angeles.
ARTISTIC SWIMMING
Stanford sweeps Wheaton in opener By TAMMER BAGDASARIAN STAFF WRITER
Stanford artistic swimming (1-0, 1-0 MPSF) may have escaped the threat of discontinuation, undergone a change to the name of the sport and had to adapt to a new season schedule, but in the pool, the swimmers didn’t miss a beat. In the team’s season opener against Wheaton College (0-1, 0-1 MPSF) artistic swimming swept every event by a healthy margin over the weekend, nine months after winning the national championship. The homecoming for the national champions kicked off with a ring ceremony, in which head coach Megan Abarca recognized the members of last year’s championship team in front of a healthy crowd at Avery Aquatic Center. Though three members of last year’s squad are no longer part of Stanford’s roster, having them return to the pool was a moment of pride and achievement for the program, Abarca said. “It felt like a long time coming for them, and I know they were really excited to finally have that moment,” she said. “Three of our athletes are not with the team anymore so it was just really nice to have all of the group from last year back together again.” The meet began with the trio event, where two Cardinal trios — one of junior Audrey Nguyen, fifthyear Jacklyn Luu and sophomore Emmanuella Tchakmakjian and the other comprising junior Emily Brieant, junior Natalie Greenfield and senior Sabrina Walsh — logged opening scores of 75.0500 and 71.2500. Wheaton’s singular trio fell short, scoring a 63.7500. Throughout the events, the Cardinal performed only half of their full routines. Abarca said that by the next meet, the artistic swimmers will have prepared their complete routines.
LOSSES Continued from page 10 the process. If the Cardinal were looking for an easier test on Saturday against San Diego, they didn’t get it. The Tritons showed their mettle early, jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first set. But Stanford did not look defeated against the high-powered San Diego offense. Though the Cardinal never looked in control, they managed to score at least 20 points in every set behind an impressive performance from junior outside hitter Will Rottman. Rottman tallied 18 kills, three aces and two blocks on Saturday night. The match was also a homecoming for two San Diego natives: junior middle blockers Adam Chang and Nathaniel Gates. Despite the
KAREN HICKEY/isiphotos.com
Junior Emmanuella Tchakmakjian (left) and fifth-year Jacklyn Luu (right) helped artistic swimming claim a dominant victory over Wheaton College on Saturday on the Farm. The Cardinal swept every event in their first competition since winning the national championship nine months prior. But the shortened performances did not seem to hinder the team’s ability to dominate. In duets, both Stanford groups bested Wheaton’s score by more than 10 points, with junior Hailee Heinrich and freshman Nicole Goot recording the highest score of the morning with a 76.8500. Though the team is without three members of last year’s national championship team, Goot and freshman Lindi Schroeder, who recorded the top score in solos with 76.7500,
showed that the program’s future is in good hands. Both artistic swimmers join the program on two-year deferments from the U.S. national team. “They bring with them a lot of really strong skills and we’re excited to see them contribute so greatly right off the bat,” Abarca said. “But I think collegiate artistic swimming is much different than the national team environment, so I think they’re learning quite a bit from our athletes.”
It will be hard for the team to follow up the emotional success of last year’s national championship run, but returning swimmers Tchakmakjian and Luu have been impressed with the energy and closeness of this year’s team. “We’ve done a really good job banding together and just doing what we always do at practice just in a competition setting,” Tchakmakjian said. “I think that’s really powerful and we can take that onto the next meet.”
“We’re trying to improve every day because with COVID and everything happening, you never know when you’ll have your last swim, and we are very aware of that,” Luu added. The team will look to recreate Saturday’s success when they travel to Texas on Jan. 28 to take on the University of the Incarnate Word. The Cardinal will be at home next on Feb. 12 when they attempt to capture the MPSF Championship title.
“The team anticipated a tough fight... and that’s what they got.” loss, both looked right at home, recording four kills each on .571 and .500 hitting percentages, respectively. At times this weekend, Stanford looked a lot like last year’s team, which fell victim to close loss after close loss. But this Cardinal team clearly knows what it takes to win. Over the next week, Stanford will look to bounce back from the winless road trip and capitalize on early success at home against Vanguard and UC Santa Cruz.
KAREN HICKEY/isiphotos.com
Stanford men’s volleyball opened the season with three straight wins, but the season took a turn on a road trip to Southern California, as the Cardinal fell to No. 15 UC Irvine and No. 10 UC San Diego.