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President Barack Obama defends Planned Parenthood from budget cuts, B10
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The Eagles sophomore defenseman signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins, A10
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Vol. XCII, No. 22
Two teams tie for first in Venture Capital competition By Tanner Edwards Heights Staff
Five undergraduate teams showcased their final business models during the fifth annual Boston College Venture Competition (BCVC) yesterday in Fulton Hall, competing for a total of $15,000 in prize money to fund their entrepreneurial dreams. Student start-ups Additupp, an innovative online advertising service, and My Savvy Shoes, a snap-on shoe accessory system, tied for top billing, each garnering $6,500 to invest in taking their business models to the next level. The final presentations and awards ceremony represented the culmination of a yearlong business educational experience for the aspiring entrepreneurs. The competition reviewed 42 initial business models and considered 11 final submissions before the final five student teams pitched their ideas to judges and an audience full of mentors from the business world, professors, and students. The final five teams presented a diverse set of products to be reviewed by judges and attendees, ranging from a new model for college counseling, online services for realtors and prospective property buyers, and an App for the iPhone that transformed
See BCVC, A4
photo courtesy of the office of news & public affairs
Ray LaHood to speak at graduation US Secretary of Transportation to address Class of 2011 Daniel lee / heights staff
Student start-ups My Savvy Shoes (left) and Additupp both took home $6,500 after tying in yesterday’s Venture Capital competition.
By Taylour Kumpf News Editor
News Feature
Israeli student group hopes for healthy dialogue on current conflict By Zachary Halpern Heights Editor
This September, Mikhail Dubov and David Laugier, both CSOM ’12, formally established the Student Coalition for Israel (SCI) at Boston College as a registered student organization (RSO). According to the group’s “about us” page on myBC, the organization serves to: (1) Promote knowledge of and appreciation for Israel and Israeli culture; (2) Support the Jewish nation’s right to exist as a sovereign power in its historic homeland; (3) Promote a fair and accurate portrayal of the Arab-Israeli conflict; (4) Counter anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic propaganda; (5) Foster mutual understanding that will lead to a peaceful and dignified coexistence for the peoples of the region; and (6) Encourage opportunities for BC students and others Kevin Hou / heights editor to visit and study in Israel. Mikhail Dubov acts as president of the Student Coalition for Israel. Dubov and Laugier are co-presidents of the group,
which employs a listserv of about 50 students, with about 10 active members. “Right now we’re seeking out underclassmen who are interested in the cause,” Dubov said. “We have a great future president in Andrew Ferenczi, A&S’14, and vice president, BC soccer star Amit Aburmad.” Dubov has not always been passionate about Israeli issues, as he is not a practicing Jew. It was not until the winter of 2009 that his interest in Israeli issues began. “Before then I wasn’t involved at all,” he said. “I didn’t know anything about Israel other than what I knew from family members that lived there, but that was only from a Jewish perspective. I didn’t notice any anti-Israeli stuff going on.” An Anti-Israel demonstration in 2010 is what ultimately led Dubov and Laugier to launch a student group in support of Israel. Upon returning from a birthright
See Israel, A4
Unpaid Ireland to address BC Law interns seek job safety By Taylour Kumpf News Editor
By Elise Taylor Heights Editor
With the economy and internship market slowly recovering from the 2008 financial collapse, the age-old debate about the ethical implications of unpaid internship has once again surfaced to the forefront of college campuses. A recent OpEd in The New York Times argued that not paying interns is not only in violation of labor laws, but moral ones as well. United States Department of Labor laws, however, state that students may work without pay if the student does not replace a regular employee, if it does not entitle to them to a job, or if the employer does not gain any immediate advantage with the hiring. For most companies, giving academic credit seems to satisfy these laws. However, this does not necessarily make a company comply with every aspect of code, as there is no way to enforce this regulation. In addition, the OpEd argued that universities are exploiting students via unpaid internships, especially those who require internships to graduate. By supporting this ability to get credit outside of the academic institution, colleges are saving money on classes, equipment, and faculty members.
See Internships, A4
Roderick L. Ireland, chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, will give the Commencement Address at the 2011 Boston College Law School Commencement on Friday, May 27 at 10:30 a.m. on BC’s Newton Campus. “Chief Justice Ireland has had a long and celebrated career in public service, including over 33 years as a judge in the Massachusetts Juvenile Court, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Judicial Court,” said BC Law Interim Dean George Brown
in a recent statement. “I’m very pleased that he has accepted our invitation to address our 2011 graduating class.” A native of Springfield, Mass., Ireland received his Bachelor of Arts from Lincoln University; Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School; Master of Laws from Harvard Law School; and Doctor of Philosophy in Law, Policy, and Society from Northeastern University. Ireland began his legal career in 1969 as a Neighborhood Legal Services attorney, then worked as a public defender with the Roxbury Defenders Committee,
See BC Law, A4
photo courtesy of the office of news & public affairs
United States Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood will address the Boston College Class of 2011 at the 135th Commencement Exercises on May 23. University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., will present LaHood with an honorary Doctor of Public Administration degree at the ceremony, which begins at 10 a.m. in Alumni Stadium. “As cabinet secretary in the Obama administration, Secretary LaHood brings an important perspective to campus and a unique understanding of several crucial issues facing the nation, including highspeed intercity rail service, safeguarding the nation’s fuel supply system, and protecting airline consumers,” University Spokesman Jack Dunn said. “We welcome him to Boston College for our 135th Commencement Exercises.” In addition, BC will present honorary degrees to: New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. Chairman James S. Davis and Managing Trustee Anne M. Davis (Doctor of Business Administration); Senior Vice President James P. McIntyre (Doctor of Science in Education); and Trustee Associate Sylvia Q. Simmons (Doctor of Humane Letters). Ray LaHood was named the 16th U.S. Secretary of Transportation by President Barack Obama on Jan. 23, 2009, heading an agency with more than 55,000 employees and a $70 billion budget that oversees air, maritime, and surface transportation missions. During his term, LaHood has launched initiatives to spur high-speed intercity passenger rail service, strengthen commercial bus and driver safety, and establish consumer protections for airline passengers. LaHood has also led the federal government’s efforts to combat distracted driving, asking Americans to put down mobile phones and devices while behind the wheel. Earlier this month, he announced a safety campaign to overhaul and upgrade America’s oil and gas
See Commencement, A4
QSLC launches RideBoard New website allows students to share rides By Jacob Bajada For The Heights
Screenshot courtesy of bc.edu/rideboard
BC RideBoard will allow students needing rides to connect with those who are offering them.
With Easter break rapidly approaching, Boston College students will have another option to consider when deciding how to get home for the holiday. BC RideBoard, a website created by members of the BC Quality of Student Life Committee (QSLC), is a ride-sharing service that allows for students that need rides to connect with those who are offering them by posting on an online forum. The QSLC, a non-political, undergraduate-run advocacy group on campus that seeks to improve the BC experience
by voicing student concerns to administrators, developed the concept based upon similar systems that have been used at other schools. Cliff Baratta, chairperson of the QLSC and A&S ’11, spoke about the site’s origins. “A few years ago, we started talking in a meeting about how in the past our parents would have a bulletin board in the student center posting something [such as] ‘driving to New York this weekend, I have three spots available, call me if you’re interested,’” Baratta said. “Seeing that we
See RideBoard, A4