Q&A: New computer science professor Jeffrey Foster FOOTBALL aims to equip students with practical research skills see FEATURES / PAGE 2 Tufts defeats Wesleyan in battle under the lights Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick bring life into ‘A Simple SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE Favor,’ despite its ordinary plot see ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 7 THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF TUFTS UNIVERSITY EST. 1980 THE TUFTS DAILY VOLUME LXXVI, ISSUE 12 MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2018 tuftsdaily.com Faculty departure highlights Earth and Ocean Sciences’ concerns by Kat Grellman part-time lecturer. Gardulski stressed that News Editor it is difficult to offer a high-quality geology program without that tenure track position, Jacob Benner, a senior lecturer in the as it is a fundamental part of the science. Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences “We need to have the scholarly per- (EOS), left Tufts this summer after spective that a full-time, tenure-stream accepting a position at the University of person can provide for the intellectual Tennessee, Knoxville, according to EOS growth of our students and for interact- Professor Jack Ridge. ing with other faculty members in our Benner’s departure has left Tufts’ rel- department and elsewhere in the univer- atively small EOS department short- sity,” she said. “And when our request for staffed. Benner’s scheduled fall semes- replacement was denied, [Benner] was ter course, “Historical Geology and concerned about that.” Paleontology,” was canceled, and his spring In an email to the Daily, Dean of the semester course, titled “Geological School of Arts & Sciences James Glaser said Applications of GIS,” will likely be canceled that the university is unable to fulfill most as well, according to Ridge. tenure-stream line requests due to limita- In over 16 years of teaching at tions in its budget. Tufts, Benner came to hold a significant role “We are very sorry to lose Dr. Benner,” in EOS, according to Associate Professor he said. “He’s an outstanding, dedicated, ERIK BRITT / THE TUFTS DAILY and Department Chair Anne Gardulski. and popular instructor. The School of Arts & Associate Professor Anne Gardulski, chair of the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, poses for a portrait in her office on Sept. 18. “He was not only teaching some of our Sciences is working closely with the depart- very important courses and helping to teach ment to replace him. Unfortunately, there occurred, while acknowledging that he was “Much of what we have here in the the intro labs, but he was our tech person, are many more requests for tenure-stream unsure if it was a result of the conditions department for our students and, quite our computer person and our equipment lines from our 25 departments every year in Room 001. Ridge also elaborated on the frankly, for the faculty to work with is from manager,” Gardulski said. “Anytime you than we can accommodate. In most years, health concerns associated with these con- donations from alumni,” Gardulski said. needed something, you could ask [Benner] we can only authorize one out of every three ditions. According to Ridge, an air condi- “We have not tapped into a lot of Arts & to help you with it. We don’t have that now, requests. In this cycle, tenure-stream hiring tioner runs constantly in Room 001 to keep Sciences funding for room renovations, for and we’re already feeling the effects of that.” is even more limited than usual due to bud- the air clean, but the ceiling leaks so severely equipment — things like that. And that, I Gardulski said that in addition to her get constraints. We have encouraged the during heavy rainstorms that there is a lin- hate to say it, has been frustrating.” regular courses, she is now teaching abbre- department to continue to make its request gering musty smell. In addition, he noted Gardulski believes that better facilities viated versions of Benner’s introductory lab to hire a faculty member in petrology/min- that the floor in the steam utility closet and more faculty members would also help sections. eralogy.” often gets wet with condensation from the attract students to EOS. Benner filled critical behind-the-scenes According to Gardulski, the universi- steam system. Despite keeping the closet “I know the university is in difficult finan- roles, as well. Ridge said that Benner was ty recognized the importance of Benner’s door closed and locked at all times, the cial straits, and I don’t mean to minimize in charge of coordinating the department’s position and has agreed to hire another full- smell from the wet floor spreads to the lab. that,” Gardulski said. “But I think we have annual extended field trips, which Ridge time lecturer as a replacement. The search Ridge said that if he works in the lab for too always been good citizens of the universi- hopes will still run this year. committee, which consists of four faculty long, his sinuses get congested. ty and we’ve served our students, I think, Tufts senior Nicholas Cunetta, who is members in EOS, hopes to find a new lec- Ridge noted that the infrastructure avail- extremely well, so I would like to see a little majoring in geological sciences, met Benner turer to start Sept. 1, 2019, Gardulski noted. able to professors directly influences their give-back on that.” during Cunetta’s first year at Tufts. Cunetta But Benner’s departure is one of multi- career, including the research they can do Declan Devine, a senior double major- thought Benner was an exceptional teach- ple issues EOS currently faces, according and the grants they can apply for, as well ing in civil engineering and environmental er who created meaningful lessons in labs to interviews with department faculty. EOS as the opportunities available to them and geology, thinks more faculty would improve and on field trips. professors indicated a general lack of sup- to students. He said that although an exter- the department and would like to see EOS “He had this real knack of bringing in port from the administration for the depart- nal review of EOS in 2014 revealed a number offer more classes each semester. demonstrations and interactive content ment, its facilities and its students. of ways to help the department, nothing has “There are definitely certain classes that I that made science a little more tangible “I think there’s a disconnect between been accomplished since then and EOS fac- wanted to take, but they didn’t have enough and a little more relatable to students what faculty think they need to succeed and ulty have not been informed of any upcom- professors to teach them,” Devine said. “So — especially introductory students who what the administration thinks is important ing changes. According to Ridge, one of the I would say, in that realm, that’s definitely maybe didn’t see themselves as future geol- for the school,” Ridge said. reviewers had a severe allergy attack while in frustrating. But in terms of the attitude of the ogists, but rather students interested in the Some of the department’s concerns trace Lane Hall and had to leave. Ridge said that faculty, I’ve found them very supportive, and science,” Cunetta said. back to Lane Hall, the department’s main this incident was included in the review and … they’re very invested in you as a student According to Ridge, Benner was not sat- building. Ridge explained that the building that the administration has been aware of and happy to support you in whatever way.” isfied with his job security at Tufts due to — and especially Room 001, a lab classroom the situation for a while. Despite the setbacks, Ridge remains what Ridge indicated was a lack of support — is in poor condition and needs immedi- “Lane Hall poses challenges, and our hopeful for the department’s future. for EOS from the university administration. ate attention, noting that Room 001’s state facilities department and campus planning “We have bright and enthusiastic stu- Gardulski explained that Benner began has caused health issues. group are aware of them,” Glaser said. “Next dents and talented faculty, which has driv- looking for other jobs after the administra- “We basically can’t use the lab … because summer, the art studios, which currently en successful teaching and student-aided tion declined to replace former EOS Assistant it’s leaking so bad and it smells of mold,” are housed at Lane Hall, are expected to research in the past,” he said. “A little help Professor Molly McCanta in the mineralogy Ridge said. “In ‘Geomorphology,’ there was relocate to Barnum [Hall]. Long-term plans from the administration could allow us to and petrology tenure track in 2016. a student who had an allergy attack from the for the building are under discussion, but build on this. I’m optimistic that our depart- EOS petitioned for the university to rein- mold spores. That shouldn’t happen.” are not yet clear.” ment can succeed and do very well, but it’s state the tenure track in both 2017 and 2018, In a follow-up email with the Daily, Ridge Gardulski said that the lack of financial going to take some help.” Gardulski noted. The requests were denied, added that the student’s allergy attack was support for EOS from the administration is Benner declined to comment on the however, and Jennifer Axler was hired as a not the first time such an incident has discouraging. details of his departure. 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