Dec8 by The Heights

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Various music and arts groups will perform to ring in the holiday season, B8

Hello ... Shovelhead! gets Nicolas Cage in a sorority, explores the ludicrous, A8

Boston College to play Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl, B1

www.bcheights.com

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College

established

1919

Monday, December 8, 2014

Vol. XCV, No. 48

UGBC meets with OSI, DOS

HEIGHTS

THE

RALLY

FOR

Commitee pitches changes to Student Guide BY CAROLYN FREEMAN Heights Staff

Three representatives from the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) met with members of the Office of Dean of Students (DOS) and the Office of Student Involvement (OSI) on Friday to discuss the proposed changes to the University’s Student Guide. This was the second meeting to discuss revisions and reach a compromise between UGBC’s goals and the administration’s. The next meeting is expected to take place before winter break. Thomas Napoli, chairman of the Institutional Policy Review committee (IPR) and A&S ’16, Daniel Sundaram, coordinator of Student Rights & Conduct and A&S ’16, and Elinor Mitchell, vice chair of the Student Organizations Board and A&S ’15, discussed the proposed changes with members of the administration. These three students make up the Student Guide Revision Committee, along with Director of OSI Gus Burkett; Associate Director of OSI Mark Miceli; Assistant Director of OSI Karl Bell; Associate Director of Leadership Involvement Jean Yoder; graduate assistant Melissa Woolsey, LGSOE ’16; and Assistant Director for Student Engagement Kyndra Angell. The proposed changes include an overhaul of free speech policies that currently restrict flier and banner usage to members of student organizations. Policies regarding bringing speakers to campus would be revised to make the process less restrictive Proposed changes to student rights include the right to review records and the right to appeal without fear of retaliations. Lastly,

STUDENT RIGHTS Students protest lack of free speech at “Rights on the Heights” BY GUS MERRELL Heights Staff

It was cold, windy, and overcast on Friday afternoon, but over 100 students gathered in O’Neill Plaza for the Rights on the Heights rally protesting the administration’s limitations on student free speech on campus. Hosted by a number of groups including Climate Justice at Boston College and the Social Justice Coalition, Rights on the Heights featured a platform for student leaders, professors, and alumni

to voice their struggles and concerns about how student groups are operated and organized on campus. “We got in touch with other people and then we realized, ‘Oh my gosh, everyone is really mad at BC too,’” said Sissy Liu, a member of Climate Justice at BC and A&S ’17. “Not specifically for the same reasons, but for having issues with how the administration has treated us, how we’ve never been taken seriously, and how there are rules set in place to slow us down.”

Registered student organizations are difficult to form at BC and Friday’s student speakers made it clear that they did not believe the administration did not do enough to support these groups in allowing them to become registered. If a student organization is not registered with the Office of Student Involvement (OSI), they currently are not allowed to hang fliers or oganize meetings in University spaces. “In a famous homily by Fr. Himes,

he tells us to measure the success of our education not by the number of job offers we receive, not by our midcareer salaries,” said Anthony Golden, a member of United Students Against Sweatshops and CSOM ’17. “He tells us to measure it by how we impact the lives of the marginalized of society who cannot enjoy the privilege of education we have here … the administration constantly subverts the student

See Rally, A3

DREW HOO / HEIGHTS STAFF

See Student Guide, A3

The Board of Trustees, UGBC review proposals BY ARIELLE CEDENO Heights Editor

ARTHUR BAILIN / HEIGHTS STAFF

People came from across Boston to fight the ruling made in the Garner case. They gathered during the city’s tree lighting ceremony.

Thousands protest Garner decision BY BENNET JOHNSON Heights Editor Didi Delgado paces from side to side, shuffling between the crowds of protesters on Thursday night. She talks to me in between breaths, gasping for air, while frantically waving her hands in a circular motion—trying to garner as much attention as possible. Delgado is wearing a neon orange construction vest, and despite her diminutive presence, her voice echoes across Boston Common, as thousands of protesters follow her lead. “Everybody to the left,” Delgado said. “Everybody go to city plaza. They are blocking us over here, and we have to

keep moving.” Delgado directed a crowd toward Government Center, where thousands of people gathered, chanting, “Hands up, don’t shoot,” and, “Black lives matter” in response to the grand jury decision not to indict the New York City police officer involved in the alleged homicide of 42year-old Eric Garner. “We never expected this many people to come out in solidarity,” Delgado said. “Everybody here is passionate to show that black lives matter, and I’m proud to be a part of that.” Delgado is a member of the organizational team responsible for Thursday’s

event, titled “#EnoughIsEnough: We Are the Ones, Justice for Eric Garner.” The gathering was first publicized through Facebook, and more than 7,000 people “attended” the protest, according to the page. “I saw the event was spreading like crazy across Facebook and I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” said Liann Ammar, a junior at Northeastern University. At approximately 7 p.m., nearly 3,000 protestors gathered in Boston Common—according to estimates from the Boston Police Department—in the midst

See Protesters, A3

Underg raduate G overnment of Boston College (UGB C) President Nanci Fiore-Chettiar, and Executive Vice President Connor Bourff, both A&S ’15, convened with the University Board of Trustees on Friday to discuss UGBC’s proposed initiatives and advocacy work, part of which included the presentation of a revised version of the Student Guide. Fiore-Chettiar and Bourff presented to a panel of seven members from the University Board of Trustees, who comprise the Student Life Committee. The meeting was one of four annual sessions in which the University Board of Trustees meets with UGBC—occurring in June, September, December, and March. The sessions are meant to create transparency between the Board and UGBC. It serves as an opportunity for the Board to provide feedback on UGBC’s proposed initiatives, and a platform for discussing relevant student issues and concerns. “The purpose of these meetings is to update them on UGBC’s progress, and give them an idea of what students care about on campus,” Fiore-Chettiar

said. “Something that we’ve worked really hard to do is to keep our presentations consistent, and show them not only what initiatives we’re working on, but the progress that we’ve made on them.” In an effort to maintain consistency and fluidity between meetings, UGBC addresses three overarching areas of concern in each meeting with the Board of Trustees: strengthening and clarifying student rights and the student voice, addressing campus climate issues, and increasing quality of student life. At the meeting, Fiore-Chettiar and Bourff discussed UGBC’s priorities for addressing these issues through various proposals and initiatives. The revised Student Guide was a main priority for the initiative to strengthen and clarify student rights and the student voice. “We also used the time to advocate directly for the 9,100 students that UGBC represents, and at the intersection of those two points was presenting UGBC’s work with OSI and the Dean of Students regarding revising the student guide,” Bourff said in an email. UGBC first expressed its desire to revise the Student Guide in a meeting

See Trustees, A3

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Top

things to do on campus this week

The Heights On Tuesday, Dec. 9th, the Boston College Bands are hosting its annual holiday concert, A CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL. It will feature the student musicians of the University Wind Ensemble and the Symphonic Band. Admission is free, and is held at 8 p.m. in Gasson Hall, room 100.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Relieve some finals stress or share a beer with your favorite professor at the final Pub Series of the semester, hosted by the Campus Activity Board. Hillside will be converted into a Christmas-themed bar on Wednesday, Dec. 10th from 9 to 11 p.m.

Come to the second floor of Corcoran Commons on Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to support Boston College’s 9th annual Fair Trade Holiday Sale. The sale will feature unique gifts from various fair trade artisans and vendors, including fair trade coffee and chocolate.

Resilience Jack Dunn presents in Last Lecture series in the fight By Carolyn Freeman Heights Staff

Chris Grimaldi Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up. When legendary college basketball coach Jim Valvano proclaimed these seven words at the 1993 ESPY Awards, he was fighting an opponent more daunting than any he had ever faced on the court—terminal cancer. The 47-year-old’s legendary acceptance speech for the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award hid the fact that he had eight weeks to live. Yet the weakness that disabled him from walking on stage under his own power did not cripple his spirit. With the humor of a comedian and the enthusiasm of his role model Vince Lombardi, Valvano urged his audience to live passionately and seize every day. “Think about it, if you laugh, you think, and you cry—that’s a full day,” he said. “That’s a heck of a day.” This week marks the Eighth Annual Jimmy V Week for Cancer Research, a cause that Valvano spearheaded before his death through a foundation bearing his name. College basketball games around the country are played in his memory, raising millions of dollars to eradicate an opponent that Valvano and so many others have lost to. And it provides the perfect backdrop for Valvano’s 15-minute long acceptance speech to play on repeat. Yet his theatrics (ever see a grown man fight with a teleprompter?) and vivid stories give way to the address’ simple message—seven concluding words that simultaneously capture Valvano’s courage and the human spirit’s resilient nature. Their beauty lies in simple elegance and profound applicability. In eight syllables, Valvano taught us that brevity puts hardship into perspective. Rather than preach and expound, he left his audience to think. But what does it mean to never give up? To a young kid, it means riding a bike around and around the block until the training wheels can come off. To a college senior, it means powering through despite the question mark that stands at the finish line. To a cancer patient, it means living each day to literally defy the odds. Like most things in life, Valvano’s message is relative to the journey we each face. His seven signature words are immortal because they give us chills. And they give us chills because they terrify us. There is no magical formula for perseverance, nor is there a guidebook to confronting the unknown. We love certainty and clarity, yet life withholds them from us every day. We want to cling to hope even when hope turns its back on us. Valvano gives us a demand without any direction other than to keep fighting, and we’re left to fill in the blank at the end of our own sentence. Yet in Jimmy V’s fight and the fight that we each call our own, we hold something that no one can take away from us. And like the terminally-ill basketball coach who fought to raise money so that one day “his children could survive,” we fight for something that is so much bigger than ourselves. n

Chris Grimaldi is a senior staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at news@bcheights.com.

On his first day as a graduate student at Boston University, Jack Dunn saw a quote attributed to Horace Mann inscribed on the wall of a university building: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some great deed for humanity.” “Academia loves these lofty statements,” Dunn said. “And I do too.” Dunn, Director of News & Public Affairs at Boston College and BC ’83, spoke in McGuinn 121 on Thursday as part of BC’s Last Lecture Series, which is sponsored by the BC chapter of Americans for Informed Democracy. Each semester, the group invites a member of the BC faculty or administration to talk about the knowledge they would share if they had one lecture left to give. The idea of the last lecture originated with Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, who gave one final lecture at CMU after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The advice Dunn shared was broken into six parts: the important of gratitude, giving, making a difference, letting go of remorse, cherishing opportunities, and believing in yourself. At the beginning of his talk, Dunn asked how many members of the audience have attended an examen reflection—a Jesuit tradition—at the Manresa House on College Rd. The examen is every Wednesday at 9:45 p.m. and consists of 15-20 minutes of reflection. It is a way to slow down and appreciate moments of joy, something he said that everyone needs to do. “With reflection you can’t help but become more grateful,” he said.

Drew hoo / Heights Staff

Jack Dunn speaks to a crowded McGuinn 121 about the importance of seizing opportunites in Last Lecture.

In conjunction with Boston College’s plans for campus improvement and expansion, the McMullen Museum of Art will relocate from Devlin Hall to the former archbishop’s residence on Brighton Campus by 2016. The museum, housed in Devlin Hall since 1993, has featured a wide range of exhibitions and has been an artistic and historical resource to students across disciplines. The new site of the museum intends to enhance the museum quality and experience—plans include more space, better natural lighting, movable walls, and modern technology that will allow for greater flexibility in exhibits, according to Nancy Netzer, the McMullen Museum director and professor in the art history department. The museum will continue to be free, while the new space will have almost twice the amount of that in Devlin Hall. Past exhibits have included work from Paul Klee, Georges Rouault, Gustave Courbet, Edvard Munch, and most recently, Wifredo Lam. Imagining New Worlds, the museum’s

An important part of a Jesuit education is to develop your talents and use them to help others, he said. Dunn emphasized that this can be done in many small ways. For ten years, he participated in the Big Brother Association of Boston, mentoring a boy named John Esposito from Dorchester. Though Esposito was initially shy and quiet, he opened up to Dunn as the years passed. With Dunn’s mentorship, Esposito began to gain confidence in his skills and his grades improved. Eventually, he earned a scholarship to Northeastern University, and he planned to become a lawyer. They formed a strong bond that was nothing short of love, Dunn said. “Think of the people who nurtured you and think that all around us there are people for whom that experience has never occurred,” he said. “I hope you will do the big things, but don’t forget to do the little things.

current exhibit, explores Lam’s multicultural heritage and engagement with political and artistic movements of the 20th century. Starting Feb. 11, the museum will feature Rural Ireland: The Inside Story, an exhibit on Irish culture and history during the famine and into the 20th century. A monetary gift from the McMullen Family Foundation has made the project possible. The more accessible and expanded venue is intended to help to share the exhibits with a wider audience, said art and collecting enthusiast Jacqueline McMullen, wife of the late John McMullen. “It is wonderful to have the McMullen family, who were integral to

Because it’s the little things—words of encouragement, ability to instill confidence in someone—that’s what makes the big difference.” Ten years after Dunn and Esposito initially met, Esposito was stabbed to death at a party when he was 19. This was the beginning of a series of deaths of Dunn’s close friends—his best friend was later diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Dunn discussed how to give up remorse and anger, and he shared the most intimate details of his life to the audience because he wants to help students who might also be suffering, he said. “I need to tell you from my own experience to let go of that because God wants you to be happy and he wants you to live your life to the fullest, and you can’t if you’re holding

on to baggage,” he said. “None of us are perfect. That’s the beauty of it. So whatever it is that bothers you, whatever it is that constitutes your regret, your anger, your remorse, your guilt, let it go.” He advised students to take advantage of opportunities at BC by going to lectures, talking to professors, and pushing themselves to meet people outside of their circle of friends. Just like Horace Mann had said, Dunn wants BC students to achieve greatness. Dunn closed the lecture by encouraging students to fully appreciate their experiences at BC. “20,000 kids wanted to go here and you beat them out and another million would have given their hand and for them Boston College was never in the realm of possibility,” he said. “It’s your experience. Take advantage of it. Cherish it.” n

a conference space and the location of the permanent collections, the second floor will be the main gallery space, and the third will be a smaller gallery space. The museum advances the school’s commitment to students from all disciplines and provides enhanced opportunities for historical instruction, Netzer said. Netzer hopes students will become more involved with the museum in the more welcoming, larger space. There will be more opportunities for student interns to work on audio, film, and digital projects, and the space will generally be more student-friendly and conducive to spending time and working in, she said. n

EDITORIAL RESOURCES News Tips Have a news tip or a good idea for a story? Call Connor Farley, News Editor, at (617) 552-0172, or email news@bcheights.com. For future events, email a detailed description of the event and contact information to the News Desk. Sports Scores Want to report the results of a game? Call Connor Mellas, Sports Editor, at (617) 552-0189, or email sports@ bcheights.com. Arts Events For future arts events, email a detailed description of the event and contact information to the Arts Desk.Call John Wiley, Arts and Review Editor, at (617) 552-0515, or email arts@bcheights.com. Clarifications / Corrections The Heights strives to provide its readers with complete, accurate, and balanced information. If you believe we have made a reporting error, have information that requires a clarification or correction, or questions about The Heights standards and practices, you may contact Eleanor Hildebrandt, Editor-inChief, at (617) 552-2223, or email eic@bcheights.com. CUSTOMER SERVICE Delivery To have The Heights delivered to your home each week or to report distribution problems on campus, contact Marc Francis, General Manager at (617) 552-0547. Advertising The Heights is one of the most effective ways to reach the BC community. To submit a classified, display, or online advertisement, call our advertising office at (617) 552-2220 Monday through Friday.

CORRECTIONS

Photo courtesy of office of news and public affairs

A graphic rendering of the future McMullen Musuem of Art building, to be located on Brighton Campus in 2016.

This correction is in reference to Vol. XCV, No. 47. The editorial titled, “Supporting Students in the Fellowships Process,” misstated that a university can only submit two cadidates for the Rhodes Scholarship per year. A university can nominate as many Rhodes candidates as it wants to.

12/04/14 - 12/05/14

1:20 a.m. - A report was filed regarding medical assistance provided to two BC students who were transported to a medical facility. 6:09 a.m. - A report was filed regarding the confiscation of property in O’Neill Library.

Friday, December 5 1:10 a.m. - A report was filed regarding damage to property in McElroy Commons.

the museum’s founding, sharing in the vision of the museum’s new location,” said Beth McDermott, Associate Vice President for Development. This location, unlike Devlin Hall, is within the limits of Boston and will now appear on a list of Boston museums. This allows it to be advertised to a broader range of people, especially because the museum can now be seen from the T stop at the end of the B Line. McDermott, who has seen the plans, calls the museum “a beautiful contemporary open space that blends in perfectly with the original structure.” The new space will be utilized to its fullest extent: the first floor will be

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Police Blotter

11:32 p.m. - A report was filed regarding medical assistance provided to a BC student who was transported to a medical facility.

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By Laura McLaughlin For The Heights

3:14 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a civil posession of marijuanna in Walsh Hall.

A Guide to Your Newspaper

Editor-in-Chief (617) 552-2223

McMullen museum to relocate to Brighton

Thursday, December 4

—Source: The Boston College Police Department

WhoWhat is your is your favorite favorite BC Dining snowman employee? accessory? “Top hat, because it makes it formal.” —Bridget Palmitier, A&S ’16

“Coal for the eyes. It gives it more character.” —Michael Zschokke, A&S ‘18 “A scarf, since the snowman is all white, it gives it any color or theme.” —Abby McAuley, A&S ’18

“A scarf to make them look cozy.” —Amelie Trieu, A&S ’18

The Heights

Monday, December 8, 2014

UGBC and administration discuss student rights, responsibilities Student Guide, from A1 UGBC hopes to revise the conduct system to change the level of proof necessary to indict a student during an appeal. They also hope to reintroduce an intermediary level of punishment in the conduct system, according to Napoli. The guide should be a document that students can use to access their rights and to establish what they can and cannot do at the University, Napoli said. In addition to content changes, Napoli, Sundaram, and Mitchell hope to reformat of the student guide. Right now, the current guide is an online version of a book, which makes it confusing and hard to navigate, Napoli said. The committee plans to simplify

the guide by creating either a series of links to direct students to the websites that explain University policies in detail or a comprehensive list of the policies. “One goal is to make the Student Guide … the equivalent of Google for BC,” Sundaram said. “Any questions that you have about BC—how to start a club, what’s the pet policy, fire policy … those questions should all start at the Student Guide. The Student Guide should be the jumping off point.” UGBC has been talking to DOS and OSI about the guide since the beginning of the semester. At this point, the meetings have revolved around discussing potential changes, sharing ideas, and finding common ground. None of the rules on campus are arbitrary, according to Mitchell. There

are stories behind the policies currently in place. “Part of what our committee is going to attempt to do is just look at those reasons—are they legitimate, do they still apply—and also for us to be a conduit between the administration and students to help students understand why the rules are there,” she said. Although UGBC hopes that many changes will be made, Sundaram acknowledged that there will be concessions on both sides. There is a lot to consider, in part because a large revision of this kind has not been done in a long time, although smaller revisions are made every year. there will be smaller meetings in the future to discuss specific parts of the guide as well as meetings with the whole

committee to make sure everyone is staying on task, according to Miceli. “UGBC has been working hard to get input from many constituents on campus, and I appreciate their hard work and dedication to improve the guide for their fellow students,” he said. The Student Guide revision procedure will be a long-term process because there are so many people who have to read over the new policies in order to ensure that the guide is airtight, Sundaram said. The guide affects every member of the BC community, and there are a lot of benchmarks that need to be met so that it fits every person. Instituting new policies midway through the semester would create a lot of confusion, however, he said.

The new policies could potentially be in place for the fall 2015 semester. The Student Guide Revision Committee will continue to work on it for the rest of the year, and then over the summer, the different policies will be changed online to be ready for the school year, according to a projected timeline Sundaram gave. UGBC is collaborating with OSI and DOS, hoping to reach a compromise that meets the needs of both sides. Meetings thus far have been collaborative, rather than UGBC presenting the revisions as an all-or-nothing deal. “This is an ongoing process,” she said. “This wasn’t ever meant to be the administration taking or leaving what we’re coming up with.” n

Boston Common fills with Garner protestors Protesters, from A1 of the city’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Guard rails and a strong police presence separated protesters from the stage of the ceremony, as chants of “We can’t breathe,” and “This is what democracy looks like,” reverberated through the Common during an a capella performance of “Jingle Bells” on stage. “I’m really glad there is a counterpoint to the other things going on here tonight,” said Michelle Carter, a professor at Northern Essex Community College. “To me, this doesn’t seem like a night to be celebrating the holidays. I’d like to see change. I’d like to see trials for the police officers.” By the time the tree lights went up shortly before 8 p.m., protesters marched toward the State House, many wearing t-shirts and holding signs with the phrase “Black Lives Matter.” As protesters neared the State House, a group of three individuals were arrested as they attempted to penetrate a line of Boston police officers. “We were all in the Common and turning onto Bowdoin St. when the police separated a huge portion of the group,” said Kate Perry, a graduate student in the school of public health at Boston University. “I saw some people try and jump the fence at the State House, and they all got arrested.” Over the next few hours, the protesters marched to various sections of Downtown Boston, closing streets near Beacon Hill, South Station, TD Garden, the Mass. Turnpike and I-93. The demonstrators also blocked traffic near the ramp toward I-93 for several minutes, as well as areas in Charlestown and Cambridge. Shortly after 10 p.m., a die-in demonstration shut

down the Green Line at the Park Street Station for about an hour, according to the MBTA. Marchers periodically stopped to sit or lie down in the street—referred to as “die-ins,”—mimicking deaths similar to Garner’s. Additionally, some smaller groups diverged from the main protest, only to rejoin later in the evening. Throughout the protests, hundreds of police in bright yellow jackets monitored the actions of the demonstrators. Many officers closely followed the crowd on bike, while the remainder trailed the group on foot. There were very few confrontations between the protesters and the police, while many marchers carried mirrors and signs displaying their aggression toward law enforcement. Boston Police declined to comment on the event. “We could see the lines of police officers lined up in the Common outside of our dorm room windows, while people were laying down on the ground,” said Jessica Santana, a freshman at Suffolk University. “Overall, the police seemed very cooperative throughout all the craziness tonight.” The demonstration Thursday night came a week after 1,500 Bostonians blocked streets, protesting a similar controversial grand jury case in Ferguson, Mo., where a grand jury chose not to indict a policeman for the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown. “The goal of tonight was to raise awareness for this issue and make something happen,” Delgado said. “I hope solidarity comes around our country, and we truly come together and realize this affects all of us.” n

Arthur Bailin / Heights Staff

Protesters in the Boston Common rally around racial injustice after the Eric Garner case.

Drew hoo / heights staff

Alyssa Florack, A&S ’17, spoke Friday in O’Neill Plaza at the Rights on the Heights rally. Students and faculty spoke advocating change.

Organizations rally for student rights Rally, from A1 voice it tells to advocate for others. How can we advocate for the marginalized of society when we graduate, when we cannot even do it here and now as students?” The various student organizations each presented a specific issue of rights or treatment at BC. The Haitian Society of BC, for example, believed that race was an issue that was still not sufficiently addressed on campus, both by students and the administration. Lakeisha St. Joy, A&S ‘15, said that she believed she was speaking not just for the Haitian community, but for all students of color when she said that the school had a romanticized view of what diversity really is. With the University’s enormous endowment, she also questioned the administration’s lack of assistance when so many culture clubs struggle to make ends meet financially. Climate Justice at BC, one of the event’s hosts, expressed its frustration with the organization’s current status. It applied to be a Registered Student Organization (RSO) several times, in part because the group includes graduate students, which are not allowed to be part of an RSO. Alyssa Florack, A&S ’17, said that among the reasons they received for their rejection were that their organization’s goal is not sustainable. “BC does these small, backhanded things where they’re not directly fighting

you … like denying us as an RSO is their way of keeping us down without actually being open about doing that,” said Florack. Climate Justice at BC’s initial goal was to get the school to divest from fossil fuels in their endowment portfolios, but now, Florack said, the group’s goal goes beyond that. The goal has expanded to educating people about the climate injustice that is occurring around the world. Florack and the rest of the group is hopeful that the new Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) proposal will allow for more freedom for groups on campus to promote causes such as theirs. “The UGBC proposal comes out today, and we really wanted to draw people’s attention to it,” Florack said. “We wanted to make the administration know that there are things in the past that need to change and that they should look at this proposal seriously because there are students here that care about it and want it to happen.” The rally itself was held strategically on the same day that UGBC was presenting its proposal to the Board of Trustees and OSI. Its organizers hoped the rally would show that the student body was behind the proposal. UGBC kept some distance from the rslly, claiming that while the issues being raised were all supported by UGBC, they were not necessarily related to the Student Guide revisions. “I think that what will be important in the rally is that students are speaking about

issues they care about, and I think in connecting it to the Student Guide, I don’t think that it should be connected to the Student Guide revisions because right now we’re working on the same page as administrators and they are the ones who brought up the inconsistencies in the Student Guide, and that update policies need to happen,” said Nanci Fiore-Chettiar, president of UGBC and A&S ’15. “I think that the rally should really be focused on what are student concerns and what they want to address so that administration knows how students feel, but so that it’s not connected to the revisions of the Student Guide.” Rev. Raymond G. Helmick, S.J. told those in attendance that if they want to make a difference, they need to unite with students across the country to create the change they want to see. All the substantial change society has realized in the past decades, he said, has come from student activism. Colton Jones, a student at Syracuse University, also spoke at the rally, emphasizing the importance of global activism. “People are mobilizing across the planet. No longer are we sitting back and letting injustices occur,” Jones said. “I ask you all to look to your left and right, make eyecontact with your fellow human-being, hug each other if you will, but know that the person beside you, no matter how many differences you share, will stand with you throughout this process.” n

Board of Trustees examine UGBC’s proposals, advocacy work with the Board of Trustees last spring,

Trustees, from A1

and members of UGBC have since been developing a revision. During Friday’s meeting, UGBC leaders provided the Board with an update on the purpose, progress, and revisions made to the finalized draft of the Student Guide. UGBC sought to not only discuss the series of modifications made in the proposed guide, but also to explain the broader, overarching goals of the guide and to implore the Board for advice and insight. “We talked about the focus groups that we conducted, the surveys, the over 50 institutions that we’ve benchmarked, the town hall, and we discussed the three themes that we came up with for

our proposal, which is student rights and responsibilities, free expression, and conduct.” Fiore-Chettiar said. “On a larger scale, we talked about how this [meeting] is really about what the spirit of the student guide is, and what we want it to accomplish.” Fore-Chettiar noted that students are mostly unfamiliar with the student guide and often only check it to determine their sanction after a disciplinary issue. UGBC’s proposed revisions to the guide are intended to improve its clarity, accessibility, and relevance to the student body. UGBC was not seeking out any formal decision on the proposal, but rather the advice and guidance of the board when they presented their proposed revisions before the Board of Trustees. The presentation served as a benchmark

of progress that UGBC has made in revising the guide, but more changes will be made after the proposal undergoes further revision by both the administration and UGBC’s Institutional Policy Review Committee. The final proposal will be made as a result of the collaboration between both parties. The guide presented at Friday ’s meeting was UGBC’s final draft of the proposal, but not the final proposal. UGBC will present an updated draft of the proposal before the Board at their meeting in March, to inform them of any further progress and revisions. The Board of Trustee’s response to the proposal was widely positive, with no major concerns raised about any material presented. They expressed their approval of the intentions and iterations

of the guide, after previously expressing concern in June about the immensity of the undertaking, Fiore-Chettiar said “The Board reacted positively to the progress UGBC has already made and really appreciated how UGBC was looking not only to revise specific policy points, but also the spirit of the student guide, making it more of a continuous resource for students and administrators throughout the school year,” Bourff said. Friday’s meeting was concurrent with UGBC’s Student Guide Revision Committee meeting with the Office of the Dean of Students (DOS) and the Office of Student Involvement (OSI) to discuss revisions to the Student Guide in greater detail. “While UGBC took a holistic approach to revamping the student guide

[in the meeting with the Board], we focused on a ‘free speech and expression’ proposal, a rights and responsibilities document, and conduct changes,” said Thomas Napoli, a member of the Student Guide Revision Committee and A&S ’16, in an email. Although both meetings were distinctive in their proceedings, they were ultimately unified in their purpose—the clarification of student rights through the revision of administrative policies. “We have seen encouraging steps toward increased cooperation between students and administrators,” Bourff said. “We are going to keep pushing and working for students and their rights, and I think that the administration has shown that they care about students by working tirelessly with us on the revisions.” n

The Heights

Monday, December 8, 2014

Arthur Bailin / Heights Staff

Protesters in the Boston Common rally around racial injustice after the Eric Garner case.

Drew hoo / heights staff

Alyssa Florack, A&S ’17, spoke Friday in O’Neill Plaza at the Rights on the Heights rally. Students and faculty spoke advocating change.

Board of Trustees examine UGBC’s proposals, advocacy work Trustees, from A1 with the Board of Trustees last spring, and members of UGBC have since been developing a revision. During Friday’s meeting, UGBC leaders provided the Board with an update on the purpose, progress, and revisions made to the finalized draft of the Student Guide. UGBC sought to not only discuss the series of modifications made in the proposed guide, but also to explain the broader, overarching goals of the guide and to implore the Board for advice and insight. “We talked about the focus groups that we conducted, the surveys, the over 50 institutions that we’ve benchmarked, the town hall, and we discussed the three themes that we came up with for

THE HEIGHTS

EDITORIALS

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Students rally for change on campus

Friday’s “Rights on the Heights” rally strongly complemented the Undergraduate Government of Boston College’s (UGBC) recent policy work on student rights. The events added weight to UGBC’s ongoing discussion on reforming the Student Guide, standing as evidence of the reforms’ growing undergraduate support. More than 100 students gathered in O’Neill Plaza Friday afternoon for the rally, which served as a protest of BC’s policies regarding student rights. The event was hosted by Climate Justice at BC and the Social Justice Coalition, and also featured voices from the Black Student Forum, BC United Students Against Sweatshops, the Haitian Association of BC, the Organization of Latin American Aff air, the Students for Education Reform, and the College Democrats of BC. The rally was strategically planned to take place the same day UGBC presented a series of proposed revisions to the University’s Student Guide to the Board of Trustees. Each group represented at the rally stressed the importance of reform and specifed rights they would like to see expanded at BC. Becoming a Registered Student Organization (RSO) at BC is a lengthy process. Currently, if a student group is not registered with the Office of Student Involvement (OSI), it cannot post fliers, reserve spaces for meetings, or schedule a demonstration under the current Student Guide.

These complaints were central to “Rights on the Heights” agenda—Climate Justice at BC being one group with a history of rejection when applying to become an RSO—and are also the main policy aims of UGBC’s proposed revisions. The University’s spirit of protest has grown significantly over the past two weeks. During Boston’s annual tree-lighting ceremony last Thursday night, over 3,000 demonstrators filled the streets to protest the recent decision not to indict the officer involved in the alleged homicide of Eric Garner, with a strong representation of BC students at the event. The demonstration Thursday night came a week after 1,500 Bostonians blocked the streets to protest a similarly controversial grand jury decision in Ferguson, Mo. Similarly, dozens of BC students—including many members of the Black Student Forum—marched across campus two weeks ago, and gathered in front of Boston College Police Department headquarters to protest the Ferguson ruling. As seen in these examples, nonviolent student protest is becoming an increasingly relevant tool in achieving the social justice aims BC espouses. Lighter restrictions on free speech and expression under the Student Guide are necessary in promoting the University’s Jesuit mission, allowing students to better use the spaces and facilities provided at BC to impact social change.

Changes presented for student guide The Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) recently revealed its proposed revision to the Student Guide in a town hall meeting, addressing rights and responsibilities, conduct reform, and free speech and expression. The “rights and responsibilities” revisions would allow students to easily review their conduct records. It would provide them the right against self-incrimination in conduct hearings, and also provide that they may appeal sanctions without fear of retaliation. The conduct reforms include reinstating housing probation as an intermediary between disciplinary and university probation, as well as putting the burden of proof on the administration during an appeal, applying a “clear and convincing” standard to hearings rather than the current “more likely than not.” These revisions will provide protection to students in conduct hearings more closely aligned with those of the United State legal system. The free speech proposal is directly aimed at improving policies regarding how students can share information on campus. The proposal includes revising the process of bringing speakers to campus. Students currently must seek the approval of the Office of Student Involvement (OSI) 45 days prior to bringing a speaker to campus. OSI can then choose to reject a speaker, with no reason for the speaker’s denial. UGBC proposes a system in which OSI can still reject the speaker, but must report the reasons why to the student group and a Committee for Free Expression, which would be formed under the proposed revisions. This committee would be composed of the Vice President of Student Affairs, four tenured professors, one graduate student, and four undergraduate students. The reforms also address the current inability of anyone but Registered Student Organizations (RSO) to hang fliers

around campus. The new proposal would allow both RSO’s and groups of at least five people to hang fliers on campus, and strip OSI of its right to reject a flier on grounds of content. This particular revision begs some consideration of potential abuses of a completely open system. A Walsh eight-man could conceivably post crass fliers around campus under such a policy, crowding out space that could otherwise be used to relay important information on events and social causes. UGBC’s proposal could be strengthened by giving the Committee for Free Expression the same type of oversight for fliers as it would have for speakers—allowing for the University to reject fliers with no clear intent, but also holding it accountable in written form for censoring the messages of certain groups. The proposed changes to the Student Guide would allow students to hold demonstrations in predetermined locations around campus with minimal restrictions and often no approval process. If students are simply protesting local or national events, the University would not need to be notified. If students want to protest University or student events, they would need to notify the Office of the Dean of Students (DOS) 48 hours before the event, so DOS could make necessary arrangements. The creation of spaces for students to openly express beliefs would be a welcome reform. UGBC should make some allowance, however, for reasonable restrictions regarding the blocking of paths and entrances to buildings, as well as noise levels during class hours. UGBC’s proposed reforms to the Student Guide could open BC up as a university, creating an atmosphere more conducive to the expression of ideas. An attentiveness to detail, however, and understanding of the nuance of University policy will be necessary in ensuring these changes can be smoothly implemented.

The views expressed in the above editorials represent the official position of The Heights, as discussed and written by the

Editorial Board. A list of the members of the Editorial Board can be found at BCHeights. com/opinions.

HEIGHTS

THE

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 ELEANOR HILDEBRANDT, Editor-in-Chief MARC FRANCIS, General Manager JOSEPH CASTLEN, Managing Editor

Monday, December 8, 2014

EDITORIAL

KAYLA FAMOLARE, Copy Editor CONNOR FARLEY, News Editor CONNOR MELLAS, Sports Editor KENDRA KUMOR, Features Editor JOHN WILEY, Arts & Review Editor RYAN TOWEY, Metro Editor ANDREW SKARAS, Opinions Editor MARY ROSE FISSINGER, Special Projects Editor EMILY FAHEY, Photo Editor MAGGIE POWERS, Layout Editor

We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us. -Charles Bukowski (1920-1994), American poet

THE ONLINE BUZZ Printing reader comments from www.bcheights.com, the Online Buzz draws on the online community to contribute to the ongoing discussion. In response to “BC Students Protest Ferguson Ruling on Campus” by Julie Orenstein, which ran on 11/25/14: Seeing this makes me ashamed to have graduated from BC last year. First, the videos of people yelling “no justice, no peace,” is very troublesome. This kind of mob mentality is what is leading to so much civil disorder and anarchy in Ferguson. I’m not saying that the US does not have a race problem, or even a police brutality problem—because we do. I am saying that the fact that a group of college kids can protest so ignorantly is startling. The jury made its decision, just because you don’t agree with it, does not mean they were wrong. These group of students clearly were not as informed as the jury, and yet they believe the ruling was misguided? How does that work. From the facts that we do have, the police officer in question was charged by the perpetrator, who had just come from a robbing. The perpetrator tried to get into the car! Certainly nobody deserves to die, but why are we protesting about this? There are many other cases that would be more applicable to the question of police brutality or race. This case is a symptom of mob mentality and the media spinning people into an uproar. I can’t take protesters of this case seriously, because many of these people are grossly uninformed. Let the jury do their job, and don’t take the law into your own hands. We have problems in this nation. Reactions like this only serve to exacerbate them. —ANONYMOUS I think it was great how BCPD handled themselves and allowed students to voice their dissatisfaction with the American legal system publicly without resorting to force. —ANONYMOUS So Far I am so ashamed to see the BC community react to the peaceful protest in this way. I attended the protest last night, not only to voice my concerns, but to watch. What I saw was this: not a group of

Boston College Students attempting to raise a mob or anything of the sort, but a group of students who are truly outraged by the number of unarmed black teenagers who are shot by white cops with little to no repercussions. I can see that evidence may point towards the fact that Officer Darren Wilson simply did his job (He might have), but please understand that a PEACEFUL protest such as this one is meant to address the bigger picture. Many of us have lost family and friends in incidents such as this, or at the very least know people who have. This is a serious issue in the black community and we expressed our anger last night. Some may be especially angry about this case in particular, but from being there last night I can tell you that everyone is angry about the fact that this case does not stand alone. Peaceful protests are one of the best and safest ways that we can share our opinions so that people will actually listen to us. You do not have to identify with African-Americans to understand what we are fighting for. I think what was most sad was the lack of empathy from a lot of the BC students. One girl said, “If you do not like the way justice is carried out, then don’t live in America.” If you do not find that statement ten times more ignorant than any part of the protest, then I am truly confused. If we don’t agree with the outcomes of the justice system, we should just forget about it? I’d love for her to put herself in the shoes of the parents who have lost their children in incidences like this one. It is not easy to lose a son, a daughter, a mother, a father… it is difficult to lose loved ones. I challenge the Boston College community to take their minds off of Rubinoff and J. Crew for a while to consider how this issue actually affects others. While you may not wake up and consider how your race will affect you on a day to day basis, people like myself (half nigerian, half white) still suffer being called a “n—r” and being spat at as I cross the street. And finally consider this, because this issue is “not about race” to many people I will share with you that in the middle of the peaceful protest a young Caucasian Boston College student attempted to stop the march. You know what he screamed at us? “White people are just better than black people.” I’ll leave you with that, Boston College. —ANONYMOUS

LETTER TO THE EDITOR The following letter is in response to “BC Students Protest Ferguson Ruling On Campuse” an article by Julie Orenstein, originally published on 11/25/14:

Change cannot be promoted through silence At this point, I doubt there are many students on campus who are completely unaware of the non-indictment grand jury rulings in the cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Eric Garner in Staten Island, N.Y. Over the last few weeks, I’ve attended most of the events and demonstrations on campus (which have largely surrounded Ferguson) as a way of expressing my disgust and sadness with the grand juries’ rulings. Most of the participants in these events have been students of color, with a disappointing lack of white student allies. As a white student on campus who considers herself dedicated to social justice, I am calling out the countless other students who identify in this same way and yet have remained largely silent on this issue through their absence. Recognizing that all students will not fall on the same side of this issue, I’m calling out those students in particular who have chosen not to publicly state their conscious disagreement with the rulings and those who have continued to claim that they “just don’t know enough about it” to do something. Where have you been when students have come together to challenge these miscarriages of justice? Why haven’t you done the research to “know enough about it?” Your silence is an indication of your indifference and it degrades your professed commitment to Boston College’s social justice mission. BC touts that 80 percent of students (a large portion of whom are white given that BC is a predominantly white institution) will participate in service during their four years here. Much of the service we do at BC takes place in communities who are faced with racial injustices and police brutality on

a daily basis. The truth is that perception is reality. No matter how much service you do, in not showing up, you’re allowing people’s misperceptions to inform their realities. Over Thanksgiving dinner, your families may have been either actively aligned with or indifferent to the Ferguson ruling. Many of your friends may not be talking about Ferguson at all or have chosen to focus on the looters or the fact that Brown stole some cigarillos from a convenience store before being shot dead. Class discussions surrounding Ferguson may have been dispassionate and lacking in the hard facts of the case. You’re active disagreement could make the difference in defining the dominant narrative on these issues. Working for social justice is about being in solidarity with individuals when it’s easy and when it’s hard. It’s about service and it’s about activism. It’s about being an ally on campus and in the community even when you’re not the one running things. Martin Luther King reminds us that, “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” In your heart and mind you may be on the right side of history, but in keeping your silence you fail to challenge those who see the murders of Michael Brown and Eric Garner as just and you communicate to people who truly have a stake in these issues that they’re fighting these battles alone. At the next big event, I look forward to seeing you there.

The Heights welcomes Letters to the Editor not exceeding 400 words and column submissions that do not exceed 700 words for its op/ed pages. The Heights reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, and to prevent libel. The Heights also reserves the right to write headlines and choose illustrations to accompany pieces submitted

to the newspaper. Submissions must be signed and should include the author’s connection to Boston College, address, and phone number. Letters and columns can be submitted online at www.bcheights.com, by email to editor@bcheights.com, in person, or by mail to Editor, The Heights, 113 McElroy Commons, Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467.

JORDAN PENTALERI, Graphics Editor NICOLE SUOZZO, Blog Editor AUSTIN TEDESCO, Online Manager CORINNE DUFFY, Assoc. Copy Editor EVAN D. GATTI, Asst. Copy Editor JULIE ORENSTEIN, Assoc. News Editor NATHAN MCGUIRE, Asst. News Editor MARLY MORGUS, Assoc. Sports Editor ALEX FAIRCHILD, Asst. Sports Editor SAMANTHA COSTANZO, Asst. Features Editor

L INDSEY M URPHY A&S ’15

ARIANA IGNERI, Assoc. Arts & Review Editor MICHELLE TOMASSI, Asst. Arts & Review Editor BENNET JOHNSON, Asst. Metro Editor EMILY SADEGHIAN, Asst. Photo Editor JT MINDLIN, Asst. Layout Editor BRECK WILLS, Asst. Graphics Editor ARIELLE CEDENO, Editorial Assistant SARAH MOORE, Executive Assistant

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Contributors: Ryan Dowd, Carolyn Freeman, Joy Li, Juan Olavarria, Ryan Daly, Gus Merrell, Arthur Bailin, Drew Hoo, Francisco Ruela Jr., Magdalen Sullivan, Archer Paraquette, Chris Fuller, Summer Lin, Michael Sullivan, Tom Devoto

The Heights

Monday, December 8, 2014

The ethics of study drugs

Kristy Barnes

New ownership - The torch has been passed, successfully. TU/TD is now under new ownership, and although it will take time to get strikingly good at these, we believe that these short blurbs will become cornerstones of your week. Charming, introspective, blunt: soon enough, even, they might become the saving graces of your week. Lofty ambitions, yes. But mediocre ambitions never got anyone anywhere. Losers whine about how they did their best—winners get The Prom Queen. Brand that into your brain. Take Home Final Exams - Ah, the last two weeks of the semester, when Life’s all, “Hey, buddy, come over here and perform a triple bypass surgery, with a blindfold.” In this dire time, we salute the few and the proud that give us self-managing finals. Regardless if it’s an actual test, or a paper, these comrades are, and always will be, the real MVPs. No Snow - God, you’ve taken all of the snow that belonged on Boston, and you’ve shipped it off somewhere else. (Mostly to Buffalo.) It’s tough enough to deal with BC, which was voted the Wind Tunnel College of the nation. Also, you’ve saved us the accumulation that makes travel—both on foot and in an automobile—painful. Nonstop Christmas music is all we need to know that the good ol’ holiday is almost upon us. Continue to save us a visit from the White Lady (applicable for folks from the Southern states and Californian kids).

Brace yourself—finals are coming. With only two days for studying and five exams to take, the pressure is mounting. Perspectives promises to offer three in-class essays and Orgo will basically slaughter you. Then, of course, there is the French exam on Saturday. An exam on a SATURDAY? There is so much to study and so little time! But you’ve got the answer. A little pill you got from a friend of a friend who has a “friendly” family doctor. Adderall promises great things—extra energy, the ability to focus, and data retention are all within the little capsule you pop into your mouth. One swallow and you’re good to go for the next eight hours. Academic success, here you come. But what exactly are you ingesting into your system? Adderall is a mix of four different amphetamine salts, and thus, in essence, is pure pharmaceutical amphetamine. Amphetamine causes a release of dopamine and norepinephrine, which are stress chemicals that create feelings of alertness and power. Adderall is composed of two amphetamine isomers, 25 percent is the l-isomer and 75 percent is the d-isomer. The l-isomer creates a euphoric rush, a quick and speedy high with a spurt of alertness. The d-isomer creates a smaller initial rush and increases alertness, memory, and focus for longer periods of time. Mixed together, increased alertness, memory, and focus occur quicker and last longer than if each isomer was taken on its own. Thus, it’s an academic enhancer, and while it may allow you to perform better, by using it as such, one is acting unethically. Now, for the purpose of this argument, let’s ignore the illegality and the

negative health effects the drug can have. While both interesting topics, they are irrelevant to demonstrating the unethical nature of using Adderall in an academic setting. While maybe not intentionally, Boston College addresses the unethical use of Adderall in its prohibition of it under the cheating clause of the Academic Integrity Policy. Cheating, according to BC, is “the use or attempted use of unauthorized aids in examinations or other academic exercises submitted for evaluation.” Many would argue that using it is not cheating—it’s not the same as bringing the answers into a test or looking up formulas on your iPhone. Yet, if you look at the definition, the use of the academic enhancer is clearly covered. Adderall is meant to be an aid for those who need it, and if you do not have a prescription then you are using the aid without authorization. The reason for banning unauthorized aids is to create a fair competition within Academia. We may like the philosophical idea that Academia is a pursuit of knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but the reality is that there is grading involved, and that grading determines a lot about your future. For example, it was because you got better grades than your peers that got you into BC. Further, your admission into med school or a law firm will depend on your relative performance at the undergrad and graduate levels. We may not like this, but it is the way western society judges academics and, since we live in the confines of our society, we live within its ethical realm as well. Still not convinced it’s cheating? Take a basic example. For your core history exam, you only need to know the notes from class. No extra knowledge, just the dates and facts given to you in lectures. You and your classmate have both gone to every lecture and exchanged notes, meaning you have the same body of knowledge from which to study. You study for 10 hours without any academic enhancer. Your classmate, however, studies the same 10 hours after taking Adderall. Due to

the Adderall, he is able to retain more information, study with more focus, and quickly comprehend more material. But you are being tested according to the same standard—you are handed the same exam. In the end, you get a B, while your classmate gets an A. Can you honestly say that your classmate deserved that A and earned it fairly? So why don’t we let everyone take Adderall? Well, if we did, we would still create an unfair setting for those who need it. Students with ADD and ADHD are taking the medication to be on an equal playing field with those who do not need it. By allowing everyone to take Adderall, those who need it are once again at a disadvantage. The use of Adderall is on the rise. In 1990, Congress restricted production of amphetamine to 417 kg. By 2012, to meet demand, the restriction had risen to 25,300 kg. According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of American College Health, 31 percent of college students use Adderall as a study aid. Yet on college campuses, the problem is ignored. Many say it’s because there is no way to “fix” the abuse short of asking for urine samples before every exam. This, of course, is something no university wants to implement, and frankly, it would be impossible. And what kind of sanctions would be put in place for those caught? Would they be arrested for the illegality of the drug use or kicked out for breaking academic integrity policies? Furthermore, administrators are fearful of the negative publicity that would arise if they admitted there was a drug issue on their campus. These complications have inhibited universities from stepping up and addressing the blatant cheating. So, for now we must rely on our own integrity. Your honor is on the line. Are you going to cheat this finals season?

Kristy Barnes is a staff columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at opinions@ bcheights.com.

Educating against racial injustice NO Snow - It’s December. Enough of this sixty degrees nonsense. Give us snow. Hell, give us a blizzard. Make us afraid to brave the elements. Make us want to hide our metaphoric wives (or real wives. No judgement here at TU/TD, for real). Make it impossible to get out of our dorms. Make global warming critics and advocators clash madly over the interwebs. Make zany preachers write sermons about the end of the world. Just give us snow. Continually looping Christmas music is never enough to remind us that it’s Christmas time, that finals week is upon us but will just as quickly close. Much thanks (applicable to everyone who doesn’t originate from a Southern state or California). THe Walsh Club - Look, we get it. Walsh is a filthy, eight-floor apartment building with a superfluous number of parties and a seemingly endless supply of alcohol to whet your appetite for the college life. What we don’t understand is lines flying out the door, clumps of tipsy freshmen standing outside looking for a blind swipe in, and BCPD in the lobby. Walsh might be a slum, but it’s our slum. It should be a painless process to get into our slum. Waiting for someone to come down and get you? Stay to the side. Thinking of ignoring security guard requests? Realize this means that BCPD will show up. Freshman? Hit the road, greenie.

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Eleanor Sciannella From Oscar Grant to Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner to Tamir Rice—and so many other less-covered cases of white males shooting black males—it is hard to pinpoint why what happened in Ferguson, Mo. has sparked national outrage. I think a police officer—a symbol of state authority—killing a black man is reminiscent of the same force that had the right to round up escaped slaves when slavery was abolished, the right to enforce Jim Crow laws before they were eliminated, and then the right to hose down peaceful protesters during the Civil Rights movement before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. At each step, discrimination has been outlawed but there has been no effort to ensure that not only is there a lack of discrimination, but that the stereotypes that legitimized those racist policies were eradicated, and the new, more just policies were implemented in a way that brought about real equality. Just two years ago, when I was first learning about how systems of racial injustice worked in this country, when I first realized that the civil rights movement of the ’60s was not over, that there was still a lot to be done, I felt helpless. Outside of anti-racist organizations and circles, race wasn’t on any white person’s mind. In fact, the mainstream discourse of the country had become one of “colorblindness” and a post-racial society—ideal to be sought after, but by no means the reality of our world today. My Facebook newsfeed has never been so divided—there are people talking about the injustice of the shooting of Michael Brown and the lack of indictment for Darren Wilson, and there are those who are more incensed by the protests in reaction to those two events. For white folks who are frustrated with the protesters, and not with what is being protested—I get it. You have most likely gone through your whole life not having to think about race and how it affects you. And now people are trying to tell you that a system that you trust, that you feel protected by,

is racist and wrong? The answer MUST be that this is an isolated event and that Michael Brown acted in a way that justified Wilson shooting him in fear of his own life. Maybe our quickness to jump to Wilson’s defense stems from the answer to the question, “If we were in his place, would we have done the same thing?” I myself have been the culprit of the grab-your-purse-whenyou-are-in-close-quarters-with-a-black-man move. And I am aware that I’m just socialized to react that way, so each time it happens, I make a conscious effort to relax. But in a perceived life or death situation, you can’t just tell yourself to calm down. How do we get to a place where our law enforcement officers do not feel that their life is threatened by black males? Racism isn’t something that I feel. I had to learn about it. For those who don’t go looking for it, it is impossible to learn about something that you don’t know exists in the first place. Nobody wants to be racist because we all know that it is bad. Just as the nature of oppression in this country has transformed since emancipation, so has what it means to be racist. We know that it’s wrong to kill somebody because they are black. We have to ask ourselves why Wilson felt so threatened by Michael Brown that he shot to kill. Where do you see people of color in your day-to-day life? What roles do they play? Where do you see people of color in the media? In TV and movies? Who has control over what content goes into those institutions? Who are the legislators, the CEOs, the producers? For those who feel lost by these sorts of questions but are open for more conversation, read Peggy McIntosh’s Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, Tim Wise’s White Like Me, and Debby Irving’s Waking Up White. And then once you understand your place as a white person in this country, start trying to understand the black experience. Read The Autobiography of Malcolm X, President Obama’s Dreams of My Father, and Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow. For white allies who know what’s up and can have those conversations with other whites, I implore you, do not get angry with other white people who simply don’t understand. That doesn’t mean don’t be angry—anger at injustice is what drives the movement—but be angry in spaces where people understand your anger, and then present people who haven’t had the

opportunity to learn about racism with the same open mind that you want them to have with you. Everyone is a product of their society and you have to meet people where they are, or else you will alienate an otherwise willing supporter. Like I said, usually no one is actively trying to be racist, and you are not above anyone just because you understand how systems of injustice work. At the Black Student Forum town hall meeting last Monday, we spent a lot of time talking about how to be a useful white ally. Because being spoken to about racism from someone of your own race is oftentimes easier to swallow, we have a particular responsibility in the movement for racial justice. So first and foremost, it is the role of the white ally to follow black leadership. For the past two weeks Boston College’s Black Student Forum has been organizing events in reaction to the lack of indictment for Darren Wilson—leading protests, panels, and meetings about the issue which allow students space to voice their concerns about BC’s reaction and what BC can do to improve the experience of non-white students at this school. White people have a tendency to want to help, which comes from a good place. We are used to having our voices heard whenever we have a grievance to voice, but this is one space where it is not our grievances that matter. Racism is our problem, in that we perpetuate and benefit from the systems that oppress non-white people (again, if you don’t know how this works, read the aforementioned books), but when joining a black-led movement, we are only participants. The next most important thing for white allies to do is to keep learning. Racial awareness is a continuous process—as something that we do not experience, we have to keep re-conditioning ourselves to identify when systems of injustice are present (which is most of the time). As knowledgeable white people, we have an absolute responsibility to speak up when we encounter other white people who don’t understand systems of injustice. The discourse on race in this country is changing, and white people—allies or not—have to prepare for a new wave of the justice movement.

Eleanor Sciannella is a staff columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

The opinions and commentaries of the staff columnists and cartoonists appearing on this page represent the views of the author or artist of that particular piece, and not necessarily the views of The Heights. Any of the columnists and artists for the Opinions section of The Heights can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

Bapst is out of outlets Mike Pescuma It’s 4 p.m. on a Tuesday. You’re sitting alone in McElroy Commons. You’ve been here for a while, your friends from lunch left hours ago, and you’re finally six pages into the 10-page paper that’s due in four hours when that dreaded notification appears in the upper right-hand corner of your laptop. “Low Battery, your Mac will sleep soon unless plugged into a power outlet.” You’re nowhere near an outlet. Panicking, you decide to make a break for it and head to the nearest place that has to have an open outlet—Bapst Library. Every second counts, so you sprint down College Road and push through the heavy wooden doors. Out of breath and tired, you settle in the first open seat, zip open your bag, and push the plug into the desk’s outlet. You look at the light in your charger and impatiently wait for it to turn from grey to green to orange, but nothing happens. Maybe the power’s out, so you check to see if the desk’s light will turn on. It does, so that theory’s wrong. Maybe you just didn’t push the plug in all the way. You take it out and try again. Nothing. You take it out and try the outlet in the empty seat next to you. Again, nothing. You get up and try an outlet on the other side of the library—again, nothing. You could repeat this process and try 56 different outlets before you get to one that works. I know—I tried it. After several semesters of working in Bapst with my laptop constantly teetering on the brink of zero percent, I have grown weary, tired. I only have two finals seasons left, and I intend on my laptop maintaining at least 20 percent of its battery during both. So, over the course of three days, I carried out my mission. I tested almost every single outlet on the first floor of the library and found only 29 that worked out of the 56. My admittedly unsophisticated research only included outlets on the first floor. I did not venture into the mezzanine because only graduate students are allowed there, and I did not test the outlets in the basement because I would have been unable to fit those into the map I drew. I was unable to test six outlets on the first floor, because those seats were occupied each time I went to Bapst, and in those instances I felt uncomfortable interrupting and asking to violate strangers’ personal space. My criterion for whether to put a check in the square representing each seat and its outlet was simple. If my laptop or smartphone could sustain a charge for the first five seconds without me having to repeatedly jiggle, shimmy, and maintain constant pressure on the plug, I considered it to be working and gave that outlet a check. If a charge briefly appeared but then dissipated within the first five seconds, the outlet received an “X” and was deemed broken. In some cases, in order to confirm that there wasn’t an issue with my laptop charger, I would try to charge my phone. The outlets tended to charge my phone more readily than my laptop, but in the cases where a specific outlet would charge my phone and not my laptop, I would still give the outlet an “X,” since students are likely more interested in charging their laptops in the library than they are in charging their phones. Every student to whom I talked has experienced Bapst’s outlets not working several times over the years, so I know my laptop is not cursed. This led me to wonder how this problem has gone on for so long, seemingly unaddressed. Is the University neglecting its students’ needs? Or is this just another case of the student body being all complaints and no action? From various conversations, I have the sense that students are unsure of who is responsible for reporting an issue so widespread and so obvious. To be honest, so was I at first. But, since the library is primarily a space for students, I realized that we are responsible for bringing it to the administration’s attention. On Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014, I submitted my first work order. Under the “additional details section,” I noted my findings, and I was pleased to find Bapst Library in the location dropdown. With finals a few days away, I hope that my work order will be responded to promptly. If not, feel free to contact me for a copy of the map.

Mike Pescuma is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at opinions@ bcheights.com.

THE HEIGHTS

Monday, December 8, 2014

Julianne Moore shines in harrowing journey through Alzheimer’s BY LIZ HOLMAN Heights Staff

Imagine being unable to remember your spouse or children’s names, your favorite pastimes, passions and accomplishments, even where you are in space and time. You become a mere shell of your former self, as your inner world collapses and panic ensues. That what it STILL ALICE feels like Richard Glatzer to live with Alzheimer’s disease. That pain is exactly what Julianne Moore so beautifully captures in Still Alice, the story of a renowned linguistics professor at Columbia University who finds herself faced with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Alice Howland’s story is made even more tragic by the fact that she has a very rare form of the disease—it’s familial, meaning her children may suffer the same fate. Alice’s picture-perfect world is flipped upside down and now so are her children’s. Based on Lisa Genova’s

novel and directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, this is a movie that relates a horrific suffering in an incredibly compassionate way. Julianne Moore deserves all the praise she’s bound to receive for this role. There isn’t much time spent developing secondary characters, but Moore’s tears and heartache make up strongly for lost support. It’s clear from the start that this is Alice’s story. The other characters, although strong actors (Alec Baldwin and Kate Bosworth), are really just there to develop a scene—Dr. Alice Howland and Dr. John Howland and their three beautiful children with impressive law and medical degrees. A seamless, privileged life shows just how much a disease like this can ravage a perfect picture. We share in Alice’s terrifying journey from the start—when she finds herself unable to finish her sentence during a lecture at UCLA, and then gets lost on a jog through the familiar campus a few days later. At this point, she knows something is up, and she quickly schedules an appointment with a neurologist. Soon after, Alice is diagnosed and we

watch her shockingly rapid decline. A decline that is muddled and hard to put a time frame on, making it all the more real to the viewer. Lydia (Kristen Stewart), Alice’s youngest daughter, is an actress who chose to forgo college in order to pursue her passion—a choice that she and her mother have always disagreed on. However, Lydia and her mother find their relationship rekindled once Alice is diagnosed. It’s soon clear who the real stars of this film are—Julianne Moore and Kristen Stewart. They keep this piece honest. “Kristen Stewart?” you’re probably thinking. Well, the Twilight Saga does not really do her justice in comparison to this role. The mother-daughter chemistry between her and Moore is very present on screen and makes their relationship incredibly honest and authentic. Lydia is with her mother throughout the decline, displaying bravery where her “perfect” siblings fall short. The strides that the pair make in rekindling their relationship culminate in one final scene, in which Lydia reads a passage from “Angels in America” to Alice:

PHOTO COURTESY OF BSM STUDIO

Kristen Stewart and Julianne Moore forge an emotional mother-daughter bond in “Still Alice.” “Souls were rising, from the earth far below, souls of the dead, of people who had perished, from famine, from war, from the plague, and they floated up, like skydivers in reverse, limbs all akimbo, wheeling and spinning. And the souls of these departed joined hands, clasped ankles, and formed a web, a great net of souls, and the souls were three-atom oxygen molecules of the stuff of ozone, and the outer rim

absorbed them and was repaired. Nothing’s lost forever. In this world, there’s a kind of painful progress. Longing for what we’ve left behind, and dreaming ahead.” Alice is unable to express her feelings or to explain what the passage was about, but her daughter understands her reaction as that of love and happiness and a fleeting glimpse of a woman who is still Alice, a woman who is still

Babadook exposes horror of the mundane

1 PHOTO COURTESY OF LIONSGATE ENTERTAINMENT

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE REPORT TITLE

PHOTO COURTESY OF COUSEWAY FILMS

Essie Davis is terrorized by monsters in Jennifer Kent’s “The Babadook,” a film about the horrors lurking behind BY SEAN KEELEY Heights Senior Staff Monsters hiding under beds, children possessed by demonic premonitions, and the nightly invasion of a quiet home by supernatural forces—none of these tropes are exactly new to horror films. You THE BABADOOK could Jennifer Kent fairly call them staples of the genre or, if you are feeling less charitable, cliches. In The Babadook, however, everything old is new again. This truly terrifying Australian import—which was made for only $2 million and captured international attention at this January’s Sundance Film Festival—contains many familiar elements. Unlike conventional horror films, these tropes are not trotted out haphazardly for a series of cheap scares. The Babadook earns its scares, putting them to the service of a deeply human and deeply disturbing tale of mother and son. The mother is Amelia (Essie Davis), a widow whose husband died in a car crash on the night of her son, Samuel’s birth. Samuel (Noah Wiseman) is now six years old. A disturbed child with violent tendencies, he spends his time crafting makeshift weapons to defend against the monsters he imagines in his room.

One night Amelia picks up a bedtime story off the shelf to calm him down. Instead, the book—a pop-up monster story called The Babadook—terrifies Samuel, who becomes convinced that the Babadook is real and living in their house. What seems at first like a mere nightmare soon becomes all too real. Amelia starts seeing visions of the Babadook and the book reappears—this time with extra pages— predicting that she will soon kill her son. There is always a tension in horror movies between the urge to explain a movie’s horrors in realistic terms and the urge to chalk it all up to a nightmare. The best ones, however, split the difference, and The Babadook is no exception. Writer-director Jennifer Kent eases us into the story by anchoring its opening scenes in a mundane daily reality. The audience sees Amelia working her unhappy job at a nursing home, visiting her son’s school to discuss his erratic behavior with school officials, taking him to a park with his cousin— scenes that might as well fit into a drama about the hardships of being a single mother. Still, Kent accents these scenes with eerie little touches that suggest the horror to come. He deftly uses creepy sound cues and abrupt, scene-ending cuts to suggest that something insidious is at work here. When horror takes over the movie more directly, Kent shows her mastery at manipulating sound and image to create a pervasive sense of dread. Much of the movie’s scare factor comes from what it refuses to show. Glimpses

of the Babadook are fleeting as Kent relies on visual echoes of the monster. From the wispy trees in Amelia’s suburban neighborhood to the images that inhabit her TV screen, she suggests that the monster’s presence is everywhere. Few films have used sound design to such great effect. Whether it is the shrill screams that predominate throughout the movie or the quiet, muffled cries of an animal’s suffering late in the film, The Babadook demonstrates that horror can be equally a matter of what you hear as what you see. The scariest thing about The Babadook, though, is not the literal depiction of its monster or the technical perfection of its execution. The Babadook goes deeper than that, functioning as a primal myth about the hatred that can exist under the smiling surface of a mother’s love. Kent is lucky to have Essie Davis as her lead actress. She convincingly sells her character’s transformation, as Amelia’s sweet facade as a doting mother gradually breaks down over the course of the film. These changes in Amelia’s character— and all they suggest about her inner grief and loss—are far scarier than the monster itself. Jennifer Kent understands this, and it is that insight that makes the film so effective. The Babadook is the rare horror movie that takes the conventions of its genre seriously and uses them to look at the evil that lurks inside humans, not just monsters. 

WEEKEND GROSS

WEEKS IN RELEASE

1. MOCKINGJAY—PART 1

21.6

2. PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR

11.1

3. HORRIBLE BOSSES 2

8.6

4. BIG HERO 6

8.1

5. INTERSTELLAR

8.0

6. DUMB AND DUMBER TO

4.2

7. THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

2.7

8. GONE GIRL

1.5

9. THE PYRAMID

1.4

10. BIRDMAN

1.2

2 PHOTO COURTESY OF DREAMWORKS ANIMATION

3 PHOTO COURTESY OF NEW LINE CINEMA

BESTSELLERS OF HARDCOVER FICTION 1. HOPE TO DIE James Patterson 2. THE ESCAPE David Baldacci 3. GRAY MOUNTAIN John Grisham 4. REVIVAL Stephen King 5. THE BURNING ROOM Michael Connelly

6. ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE Anthony Doerr 7. PRINCE LESTAT Annie Rice 8. LEAVING TIME Jodi Picoult 9. FLESH AND BLOOD Patricia Cornwell 10. BLUE LABRYINTH Douglas Preston SOURCE: New York Times

Santa: Naughty or Nice?

A BRIEF BREAKDOWN OF SANTA CLAUS IN FILM

PHOTO COURTESY OF MGM PICTURES

PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY PICTURES

A Christmas Story exposed us to a lot of new things—bullies, guns, and the true, ugly nature behind mall Santas and their evil act of spreading deception across this once innocent land. But how mall Santas (and parents) raise then crush the spirits and creative imaginations of youth is a discussion for another day.

When you take a ride on The Polar Express, you listen to Tom Hanks. When Tom Hanks told us to charge the beaches of Normandy or to empathize with a bloodied volleyball, we listened. When he told us Santa Clause is real, we believed. Because Santa Clause being real is more likely than a train full of men who sound like Tom Hanks.

The Santa Clause has everything—drama, divorce, and involuntary manslaughter. Scott (Tim Allen) has big red shoes to fill when he finds himself under the contract of the “Santa Clause.” Scott manages to reinvigorate the Christmas spirit in his disbelieving ex-wife and her second husband—all with excessive weight gain and a beard that grows back no matter how often he shaves.

Verdict: Real naughty

Verdict: Too nice

Verdict: Nice (because beards)

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES

The anti-Santa himself, the Grinch gleefully petrifies Whoville with his humbugery. The green meany dawns the red cloak to rob the town of every last glittering ornament, mistletoe, and gingerbread man there is. He’ll do anything to just stop them from singing with Christmas cheer. How the Grinch Stole Christmas?’s real title--How Jim Carey Got Even Weirder.

Verdict: Naughty and nutty

The Heights

Monday, December 8, 2014

The CCE enacts rousing murder mystery dressed in mortality

Clare kim / Heights staff

The CCE comedy group gathered in the O’Connell House for shows on Friday and Saturday night. The group combined murder, mystery, and a collective admiration, or obsession, for those some deem past their prime. Here’s to seniors (those over 60) and the ones who tell their story.

Robsham becomes a vibrant dance runway Alex Gaynor / Heights staff

Hello...Shovelhead! combines light and dark humor in show that continually pushes the limits of what most would consider ‘too far.’

Fulton forced into fits of laughter From Shovelhead, A8 but in a clever turn, Waldorf turns out to be as into Nickleback as this apparent straggler just looking for a friend as the two belt out a rendition of “This Is How You Remind Me.” Rest in peace Grandma. That’s when Hello…Shovelhead! is at its best really, when you think you know what’s coming next, when you’ve imag-

ined something outrageous enough that they might do, and they go and one up what you expected—whether it is the Hogwarts Sorting Hat sending an innocent, though kind-of-old-looking-first year, to a charter school in Uganda or police who raid a freshman forced triple who turn out to be undercover stripper cops. And of course the “real” Boston College Police Department walk in on

Regretting the Grammys

Seaver talks campus connections and venues From Seaver’s, A8 recreated? Seaver: I think basketball and hockey. A lot of it is showing other extracurricular groups and events on campus that live music can draw people, because we’re in the very unique position where we have an immensely talented music scene, and people are starting to discover that the bands are good, and that the music is good. Two years ago, there would never be a band at a basketball game. There would never be the bands at the football games, so it’s kind of just making the arts more mainstream at BC by revealing to people how good the talent is. The Heights: What feels different when you’re playing at a game in Conte Forum versus one of your more intimate live sets in the Cabaret Room or off-campus? Seaver: Everything is different. Even how we mic the instruments is different—we’re not miking the drums tonight, but you can still hear the drums because of the echo. It’s less delivering an intimate show, and we’re viewing it more as a loose jam session. It’s less about the nit-picky, making sure every single sound is on. In the Cabaret Room, that’s a high stretch show—because the sound is re-

ally good, and you’re competing against other bands. Today’, it’s just us and it’s a lot more people than we’ve ever played to before, so it’s just putting ourselves out there, hoping people see our name on the Jumbotron and get interested in us. The Heights: What can you say about your new single? Seaver: “On the Table” comes out Sunday night. It’s our first single with Zoe as the lead singer—Brian doesn’t sing on it. We tried multiple harmony arrangements with him, but it didn’t really work. It’s tight, melodic. It’s different from “A Different Gravity” and “2x2.” It’s more vocal driven. We got outside musicians. Lisa Bae—who’s played with Free Alley before—plays violin on the song. We wanted to get more experimental. It opens with an organ and violin intro, and then it drops into a standard rock configuration. Then we introduce new elements throughout the mix. It’s a studio project: we’ve been working on it two months. I think it’s the best recording we’ve had. The Heights: Where did you record it? Seaver: We recorded it at the BC studio. All our songs, from now on, will be recorded there. We’re releasing “On the Table” Sunday, and then we’re releasing an EP when we get

the scene and, as if we couldn’t guess, dance with their stripper companions in a mesh of masculinity. Sometimes it was easy to laugh. Other times there was the distinct, “Wait, should we laugh?” pause. But most of all, laughter of any kind is welcome a week before war is waged across campus in the name of the hallowed GPA. n

From Days of Summer, A8

Arthur bailin / Heights staff

Seaver’s Express vocalist Zoe Ainsburg is featured in the bands new single “On the Table.” back in January. Hopefully the album will be done by March. n The Heights: What’s the production process like for you? Do you have any oversight? Seaver: My favorite bands like Spoon and Vampire Weekend all have members that are also producers, and production is such a huge part of music in today’s culture that it’s almost another member of the band. We always wanted to do it ourselves, but I didn’t feel I was good enough until this spring when I took an audio engineering class and was able to refine my skills a bit. We worked with an outside producer for “2x2”—that wasn’t us—and I was disappointed with how it came out. I don’t think it authentically replicates the energy the song conveys. We’re just trying to get as organic performances as possible. We

record it. I mix it. I master it. We do everything ourselves—it’s just constant collaboration from the five of us to make sure we’re getting a sound that represents what we want. The Heights: What other venues would you like to see opened up to musicians on campus in the next year? Seaver: I think it would be fantastic to actually get in Alumni rather than outside in the concourse. More shows in the Cabaret Room, more in the dining halls. CAB does its Pub Series—I think it would be good to see bands in Hillside, bands in Lower. The Rat could also be utilized more, and I’m hoping in the spring, outdoor concerts can be a thing: in the Stokes Amphitheater or the Quad. I think my dream performance would be on the roof of Gasson, but I don’t think we’re getting there. n

lavender Elie Saab dress during the 83rd Academy Awards Ceremony. I watched with bated breath (and probably a few Dorito crumbs in my hair) as Beyonce and Jay-Z’s awe-inspiring “Drunk in Love” became the most memorable performance of the 2014 Grammy ceremony. There isn’t any element of surprise to these award ceremonies yet people cannot help but stay glued to their couches between the months of November and February. Ultimately, it’s about artists competing over the radio, in your Spotify playlist, and finally on stage with the other top contestants. Is it remarkable or unexpected? Definitely not. But it is entertaining and people love watching the rich and successful get rewarded for being rich and successful. So sit back, relax, and feel regrettably ancient as preteens tweet “Who’s this old man?” every time Paul McCartney presents an award.

Summer Lin is a staff columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com

arts@bcheights.com

theme as a whole (shifting from a Frank Sinatra routine to another set to “Vamos a La Playa” was slightly jarring), the diverse nature of the showcase was, paradoxically, one of its strengths. Guest performances by Indian dance group Masti and Latin dance group Fuego del Corazon outfitted the show with a certain cultural vigor. The two troupes performed patch worked medleys of songs for which they are known and loved. Fuego, who won first place in the dance category last year at UGBC’s Annual Showdown competition, delivered a fiery routine and was as brilliant and technically sound, as always. With expectations being so high for the group, Fuego consistently has to transcend the standards it sets for itself. It has big shoes to fill every time it takes the stage. This

Friday, when one of the group’s dancers was mysteriously missing her own shoes for the performance, Fuego’s Sydney McNeal, A&S ’15, rose to the challenge, exemplifying the pinnacle of dedication and high fashion by doing the salsa in her socks. Robsham was practically transformed into a runway for Vogue’s finale performance, organized by DE’s officers. Channeling a kind of catwalk presence, each member of the group paraded across the floor in a line and was introduced over the speaker to music. The sequence not only gave the show a degree of panache, but also added a more personal touch. When the entire organization stood in front of the audience all together for the first and last time of the night, it was met by the applause of friends and family. The crowd seemed to come to a consensus—DE’s 35th fall showcase was all the rage. n

Join us.

From DE, A8

ARTS&REVIEW

MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

THE DAYS OF SUMMER

The Grammys Never Gamble

SHOVELHEAD, EXCLAMATION POINT

SUMMER LIN It’s the most wonderful time of the year. And no, I’m not talking about Christmas. Nestled in between Thanksgiving and Read Across America Day (if you went to a small-town public school like I did, this day usually just meant napping on top of a stack of Magic Tree House books), awards season includes four months of ballot mailing, nominations, and award ceremonies, eventually culminating in the Academy Awards. This past Friday, the Recording Academy took to announcing the nominations for the 57th Grammy Awards in the most painstaking and insufferable way possible. Over the course of five hours, new categories and nominees were slowly announced via Twitter and radio. The Album of the Year nominees were finally annouced after a CBS “A Very Grammy Christmas” concert special. Rounding out six nominations each, Beyonce, Sam Smith, and Pharrell reign over all nominees. Nominated for Album of the Year, Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, Best Surround Sound Album, Best Urban Contemporary Album, and Best Music Film, Beyonce became the most nominated female artist in Grammy history (“Of all time,” as Kanye would say). Although her “Drunk in Love” was snubbed for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, she did beat out Dolly Parton’s nomination record of forty-seven. Bow down b—tches. Newcomers Sam Smith and Pharrell Williams both picked up six nominations with In the Lonely Hour and Girl earning Album of the Year nods. They will be competing for the coveted title against Beck’s Morning Phrase, Ed Sheeran’s X, and Beyonce’s self-titled album. Female artists, in particular, seem to be dominating the field. From Katy Perry’s Prism to Ariana Grande’s Me Everything, the Grammy nomination list was rife with female vocalists. Notable upsets to the list include, Miley Cyrus’ Bangerz, which received a Best Pop Vocal Album nod while Meaghan Trainor’s upbeat, “All About That Bass” earned her a song of the year nomination. Iggy Azalea’s summer anthem “Fancy” and Sia’s “Chandelier” both received nominations for Record of the Year. Rounding out the trend of women in music, Taylor Swift’s 1989 was released too late to be up for consideration, but “Shake it Off ” secured her two nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. As an early Christmas present, it seems like Idina Menzel’s “Let it Go” was left off the list entirely despite Frozen running rampant throughout the year. 2014 is also not a good year for Lana Del Rey either with Ultraviolence nowhere on the Grammy nominations list. Despite the snubs, there isn’t anything surprising about these nominations. For years, the Grammys have catered to popular interest and record sales rather than critical acclaim. A quick Google search of the Billboard Hot 100 or a peek at Spotify’s top lists gives you a good indicator of who’s up for the golden Gramophone trophy. It’s no longer about recognizing musicianship but rather commending the most commercially successful artists. As Iggy Azalea blazed her way to seven straight consecutive weeks in the number-one spot this past summer, it comes as no surprise that “Fancy” is up for two awards. In past years, I had celebrated awards season like a second birthday, cringing along to Seth MacFarlane’s misogynistic “We Saw Your Boobs” back in 2013 and coveting Mila Kunis’

See Grammys, A7

ALEX GAYNOR / HEIGHTS STAFF

Nestled in the heights of Fulton, Hello...Shovelhead! and its cast of bizarre characters brought the audience on a fast paced comedic adventure this past weekend.

Hello...Shovelhead! combines a sense of anarchy and deﬁned comedic structure to poke fun at Christmas, Greek life, Nickelback and pretty much everything else BY RYAN DOWD | HEIGHTS STAFF

cheap personality quiz may call your rowdy dog an “extrovert.” An audience member in a comedy show may holler like a dog and think themselves an “extrovert.” You also may call that kid who sits in the back of your marketing class who drones on and on about his fantasy football lineup the week before playoffs an “extrovert.” But really, it’s only during a comedy show when the real extroverts on campus step out of the shadows. Hello…Shovelhead! and its kin are the real, full-fledged, semi-psychotic extroverts—ones with a bit of unfiltered chaos brewing in their eyes. Hello…Shovelhead!’s fall show, in-

explicably titled Butter Party, cozied up in Fulton 511. It provided some house music to ease transitions to keep its sometimes jittery audience members rooted in their seats. But honestly, they had us in the first skit where Nic Cage successfully interviews his way into a Kappa Delta sorority. Their eyes may seem chaotic, but the structure of the show, and the jokes themselves, were anything but. In each joke there was the typical, unexpected, and often hilarious escalation that makes comedy work. Some were as simple as a riff between Moses (Nate Fisher, A&S ‘15) who played Joshua, and the real reason Moses writes “You Shall Not Covet Your Neighbhor’s

Wife.” Hint: Joshua liked to “covet” things. But others could be as complex and absurd as the tale of a man (Brennan Waldorf, A&S ‘15) who wants to ask his cat if it recorded The Good Wife last Sunday. The thing is: the cat is dead. It is dead because our main character drunkenly mistook it for nachos. But thanks to the help of an exasperated therapist (Meg O’Neil, A&S ‘15) they are able to speak across the grave to the cat (Pat Tully, A&S ‘16) who of course recorded The Good Wife. That’s the type of absurd logic that Hello…Shovelhead! strung through its show. One of the show’s best skits started as three guys play a game of “odds.” It starts as just a bit about how

guys say and do dumb stuff. One of them offers up a situation and if the other two say the same number on the count of three, then that situation must be played out. It starts out harmlessly. Waldorf ’s character is forced to finish his beer. And as guys do, the next situation becomes more ridiculous. Waldorf ’s character must kill one of the next three people to walk through the door. The odds are set at one in a million, and of course the two shout the same number. In walks Waldorf’s father, then his grandmother, then a Nickelback fan. For a moment, the Nickleback fan’s fate seems doomed,

See Shovelhead, A7

Dance Ensemble tells stylish story with Vogue showcase BY ARIANA IGNERI Assoc. Arts & Review Editor

ARTHUR BAILIN / HEIGHTS STAFF

BC band Seaver’s Express open for Boston College vs. Providence last Friday night.

Seaver’s Express makes Conte debut, EP set for January BY JOHN WILEY Arts & Review Editor Collaborating with Boston College Athletics, Seaver’s Express performed in Conte Forum Friday night just before the men’s basketball team faced off against Providence. The BC alternative rock group debuted its new single “On the Table” at the pregame concert and closed off its set with a well-received rendition of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie.” The Heights caught up with lead guitarist Sean Seaver, A&S ’16, in between sets, to discuss the band’s relationship with the athletics department—which started with a November performance on the Superfan Zone stage before the Louisville football game—as well as its recording process. The Heights: How did your relationship with Athletics start?

INSIDE ARTS THIS ISSUE

Seaver: I’m an officer in the Music Guild, and Athletics sent us an email at the start of the semester, seeing if any bands would want to play the Superfan Zone. We sent that [email] out to a bunch of BC bands—we played it, Juice played it, and Lucid Soul—so I was able to go to the meeting with John Guzzi, and two athletic people, Brad Truman and Jamie DiLoreto. They thought music was a good draw, so they wanted to know how we could expand that. So this is—pretty much we’re the pilot for the basketball program. If this works, we’ll be able to have more shows like this in the future, maybe expanding if given the opportunity. The Superfan Zone catalyzed this all. The Heights: Where else do you see the success of the Superfan Zone being

‘Still Alice’

See Seaver’s, A7

Julianne Moore stars in heartwrenhing drama as a victim of Alzheimer’s disease A6

Fashions may come and go with the seasons, but the Boston College Dance Ensemble (DE)—who presented its “Vogue” showcase in Robsham this weekend—is always in style. From DE’s moves to its costumes, the group was on-trend for its biannual performance, whose proceeds benefit the children of Campus School. DE’s show featured a varied selection of 20 student-choreographed routines, which did not all fit the Vogue theme quite like a glove, but did all highlight the fierce technique and versatility of DE’s 32 dancers. The girls strutted their skills across various genres of dance, including ballet, pointe, lyrical, and tap. Whether clacking their heels to Passion Pit’s “Moth’s Wings” or twirling gracefully on their toes to “Ave Maria,” the dancers tailored their steps to different kinds of music for an altogether surprising and entertaining evening. The definite high points of Vogue were the routines that enabled its dancers to break away from

‘The Babadook’

Jennifer Kent’s newest horror film shows the monsters that lurk beneath motherhood, A6

set formations and model individual flair and talent. Numbers such as “Rubber and Soul” choreographed by Emily Durkin, A&S ’17, for example, flaunted a sense of dynamism and seemed more dimensional than some of the others—largely because its dancers both soloed and were in sync at distinct points during the song. DE excelled most when its choreographers focused not only on dancing, but also on storytelling. Routines like “Rubber and Soul” and “All The Lonely People” each possessed a narrative line that allowed the group to connect with the audience on a deeper level. Put together by fan favorite Taleen Shrikian, A&S ’15, “All The Lonely People” was choreographed to the music of the Beatles’ classic “Eleanor Rigby.” It described what it feels like to be bullied, teased, or ignored, conveying its message through lyrical dance moves. The routine was undoubtedly beautiful, but its appeal was more than just aesthetical—it was emotional, too. While the sometimes inconsistent nature of the lineup distracted from Vogue’s

See DE, A7

Weekend Box Office Report.........................A6 Hardcover Bestsellers....................................A6 Santa: Naughty or Nice?...............................A6

ARTS&REVIEW

MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

THE DAYS OF SUMMER

The Grammys Never Gamble

SHOVELHEAD, EXCLAMATION POINT

See Grammys, A7

ALEX GAYNOR / HEIGHTS STAFF

Nestled in the heights of Fulton, Hello...Shovelhead! and its cast of bizarre characters brought the audience on a fast paced comedic adventure this past weekend.

Hello...Shovelhead! combines a sense of anarchy and deﬁned comedic structure to poke fun at Christmas, Greek life, Nickelback and pretty much everything else BY RYAN DOWD | HEIGHTS STAFF

See Shovelhead, A7

Dance Ensemble tells stylish story with Vogue showcase BY ARIANA IGNERI Assoc. Arts & Review Editor

ARTHUR BAILIN / HEIGHTS STAFF

BC band Seaver’s Express open for Boston College vs. Providence last Friday night.

INSIDE ARTS THIS ISSUE

‘Still Alice’

See Seaver’s, A7

Julianne Moore stars in heartwrenhing drama as a victim of Alzheimer’s disease A6

‘The Babadook’

Jennifer Kent’s newest horror film shows the monsters that lurk beneath motherhood, A6

See DE, A7

Weekend Box Office Report.........................A6 Hardcover Bestsellers....................................A6 Santa: Naughty or Nice?...............................A6

SPORTS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

Empire state of mind: BC to play Penn State in Yankee Stadium BY TOM DEVOTO Heights Staff

Boston College football was selected for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in New York City. The Eagles (7-5, 4-4 ACC) will face off against the Penn State Nittany Lions (6-6, 2-6 Big Ten) at Yankee Stadium at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 27. The news was announced by the ACC late Sunday afternoon. Head coach Steve Addazio was visibly excited following the announcement, touting the upcoming game as the “perfect matchup” for both schools. “I’ve been to this game before, and it’s a first class, big-time atmosphere,” Addazio said. “It’s where our kids

wanted to go, and they all understand the rivalry. Where playing a meaningful postseason game in front of the better to spend Christmas than New York BC faithful. City?” “It’ll be great seeing so many students The Eagles are still riding high after sitting in the crowd,” Duggan said. “Hopecrushing longtime rival Syracuse in their last fully it’ll take on the atmosphere of a home game of the season, 28-7. BC has dropped its game for us.” last four postseason contests, though, most The Nittany Lions, meanwhile, are in a recently last season against the University tailspin. PSU struggled mightily against the of Arizona Wildcats in the AdvoCare V100 rest of the Big Ten, relying on its four nonIndependence Bowl. conference wins to secure a bowl bid. DEC. 27, 2014 With a large concentration of students Penn State boasts the best rushing deBC vs. Penn State 4:30 ON ESPN in the New York metro area, BC can expect fense in the country, holding teams to just a greater fan turnout than its past bowl appearances. 84.6 yards per game. A strong rushing defense is someCaptain Sean Duggan was thrilled by the prospect of thing that the Eagles are used to, however.

Fresh face in a new place

“It seems like every week we’re facing a top-tier defense and they’re not all the same, which makes it difficult to find ways to adjust,” quarterback Tyler Murphy said.”We’re looking forward to the challenge.” This will be the first postseason appearance for Penn State since the Jerry Sandusky scandal three years ago. Earlier this season, the NCAA lifted sanctions against the school, which granted the team immediate postseason eligibility. Originally, the sanctions lasted until 2016. Coming off of a recruiting week for next year’s class Addazio and his staff are excited to get back on the field. “It’s two fired-up, excited teams going head-to-head,” he said. “We’re thrilled to death to be playing in this location against this team.” 

FRIED FRIARS

MICHAEL SULLIVAN I’ll just come out and say it—I am absolutely terrified. I’d be lying to you if I said I am prepared for this. If you had asked me four months ago where I’d end up in my first semester at Boston College, I would not have been able to fathom this image: me, sitting in McElroy 113 late on a Sunday night, reading and revising countless sports articles, placing them carefully onto the website and virtual newspaper pages for the University’s oldest student newspaper. Goodness, though, am I glad to be here. I have never wanted anything more than this. Allow me to introduce myself. New York born and raised, with as thick of a “Lawn Guyland” accent as you could possibly find. For the last eight years, I’ve lived on the stage—singing, acting, dancing (sort of )—you name a show, I probably did it. So forgive me if I sound overly dramatic in any of my columns, jumping to conclusions on Brad Bates’ broken promises of a men’s hockey championship this season, or telling you how I believe the football team’s triumphant return to the ACC Championship (at least) will happen any day now—BC beat USC after all. As far as I can remember, I’ve loved sports—not particularly quality sports, but sports nonetheless. I’ve never played all that much aside for pure recreation. In middle school, I spent 20-plus hours a week on my varsity swim team. In high school—Manhattan’s Regis High School—I switched over to ultimate frisbee. I played very little, and when I did, I may as well have tried throwing a discus—it was that bad. If you ever dare making a trek out to Brighton in the spring, you may find me playing with BC’s club “B” team. What I lack in coordination, I make up for in passion. I’ve lived and died— mostly died—with the Mets, Giants, Knicks, and Islanders since birth. Stand me at home plate at Citi Field and I can point out each seat I’ve sat in for every game I’ve attended. Bring up the Knicks and I’ll break out pictures of me and my girlfriend in her courtside season tickets—one of my all-time coolest sports memories. My old school secretary still keeps the detention slip I received after I skipped school to go to the Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI parade. I knew from my first Mets game—July 21, 2004, David Wright’s debut—that I needed a future in sports. Something about sitting among a group of insane, screaming fans excited me, but I knew I could never have a jersey with my own name on the back. To coach you have to play the sport. And Lord help me if I ever tried the business side of pro sports—

See Column, B3

ARTHUR BAILIN / HEIGHTS STAFF

Heart and hustle lifts BC to a Providence upset BY JACK STEDMAN Heights Staff The entire bench erupts. Every player, even those in sweatsuits, jumps up to congratulate Will Magarity. Magarity must 60 Providence have knocked 69 down a big three Boston College or completed an and-one in dramatic fashion to evoke such a reaction. Instead, he had dove to the floor and swam past a Providence player to collect a loose ball. “I think the moment we revealed our identity was after that, when the entire bench ran out there and picked him up,” Jim Christian

said. “They appreciated the identity plays, and they’re learning to know how important those plays are.” So much can be said about the game—be it Hanlan’s incredible offensive performance, the overall play of the guards versus the big men, or the shortness of the bench—but the emergence of a team spirit and character trumps all. The players have bought into Christian’s belief system since day one. Now, a month into the season, the results are finally tangible. The Eagles showed the heart and attitude, hustle and defense, and overall tenacity to compete with a team like Providence, who had already beaten two ACC teams this season. In a time-travel back to the ‘80s—the glory days

of the Big East—BC and PC put on a show at Conte, and the home team came out of the battle on top. Against tough competition, like UMass and West Virginia, BC played exceptionally well in the first half, only to fall apart in the second and lose the game. But against Providence, BC showed up for the full 40 minutes. Throughout much of the game, the Friars always seemed to have an answer. A Hanlan drive orAaron Brown 3-pointer would be negated by Ladontae Henton or Kris Dunn on the other end. Then, with BC up by three, the clock wind-

See Men’s Basketball, B3

Second period onslaught proves too much for Wildcats BY JOHNNY CAREY Heights Staff

Following a tie on Friday, Boston College men’s hockey entered Saturday night in desperate need of a victory. 2 Thanks in UNH large part to 4 Boston College an explosive second period led by Austin Cangelosi and solid goaltending by Thatcher Demko, the Eagles came away with a win against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. Missed opportunities defined the first period for the Eagles. The second line, comprised of Destry Straight, Adam Gilmour, and Alex Tuch, had several good chances early, but wasn’t able to sneak a shot by Wildcat goalie Adam Clark. BC outplayed UNH for

I NSIDE SPORTS THIS ISSUE

most of the period, but penalties by Zach Sanford and Ryan Fitzgerald a mere 35 seconds apart gave UNH a golden opportunity. The Wildcats took full advantage of this. After a series of nicely executed passes on the five-on-three, UNH jumped on the scoreboard first thanks to a strong wrist shot from John Furgele. Heading to the locker room after one period, BC found itself down 1-0 despite its strong play. Head coach Jerry York said of the period “We came out, right from the start. We were solid. We moved pucks, made good plays. Their goaltender was sharp in the first period. I thought we controlled the first period, but we still found ourselves down 1-0.”

See Men’s Hockey, B3

Women’s Hockey: BC crushes Maine The Eagles keep the good times rolling, crushing Maine by double-digits......................B4

GRAHAM BECK / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF

Austin Cangelosi led the way for the Eagles, collecting two assists and a goal in the win.

Women’s Basketball: BC comes back The Eagles come from behind to beat Hartford on the road..................................................B2

Roundup...................................B4 TU/TD.........................B2

THE HEIGHTS

Eagles’ offense rallies to tie struggling Wildcats

THUMBS UP

BY CHRIS NOYES For The Heights

BOWLIN’ IN THE BIG APPLE The whole world is better off with BC staying close to home. Playing in the big city will be a welcome sight after last year’s trip to the Bayou. Someday Connor Mellas will tell you about his wonderful experience in Shreveport. And we could’ve ended up somewhere similar this year. Honestly, have you ever heard about the night life in El Paso? CHARLIE DAVIES Win or lose, we still love the greatest soccer player to ever come out of BC. Although he couldn’t bring home the MLS Cup with the hometown Revs, we can’t wait to see the BC Assistant Coach on the sideline again. FREE SHIRTS - A “Beat Providence” Superfan shirt giveaway meant men’s basketball had a decent turnout for the big basketball game on Friday night. Conte was rocking at times. But if you took the shirt and left, you suck. You know who you are. UNDERDOGS  We love to see NJIT and University of the Sciences (who?) beat the likes of Michigan and Drexel on their homecourts. And BC took down the Friars as well. THE COMMITTEE - We thank the good people on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee for leaving out TCU and Baylor, neither of whom, in our humble opinions, deserved a spot in the top four. A collective “Please shut up” to all those whining about their decision.

From the opening puck drop, Boston College men’s hockey displayed the inconsis2 Boston College tencies and New Hampshire 2 lack of cohesion that has plagued the team throughout the opening of this season, ending Friday’s game in a 2-2 tie against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. The Eagles coupled fleeting glimpses of brilliance with long periods in which they exhibited a frustrating lack of rhythm. On offense, BC’s puck movement was erratic, with the team’s forwards struggling to string together multiple passes. In an effort to compensate for a lack of traditional offensive production, the Eagles opted for an aggressive forecheck, seeking to create turnovers and generate extra offensive possessions. The strategy initially provided a spark, especially in the first period, when Zach Sanford opened the scoring with a goal at the 6:54 mark. Forcing a turnover when UNH tried to bring the puck out of their own zone, the Eagles quickly cycled the puck to Mike Matheson at the point. The captain rifled a shot that rebounded, allowing Sanford to slam it home moments later for his second goal of the season. The tactic often backfired, however, with defensemen lingering in the offensive zone and attempting to force turnovers instead of setting up the defense in front of Thatcher Demko. UNH had numerous opportunities to get out on the break, bringing the puck into the Eagles’ zone without being contested. With around 11 minutes to go in the second, UNH’s Tyler Kelleher split the Eagle defenders and beat Demko at the far post

For the Heights The Boston College women’s basketball team headed to Hartford on Sunday to play 73 Boston College the Hawks. 61 Hartford Looking to redeem themselves after Wednesday’s loss to Indiana University, the Eagles successfully brought home a 73-61 win,

THUMBS DOWN

GRAHAM BECK / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF

Zach Sanford opened the scoring for the Eagles, but the offense could not get going enough to finish off the Wildcats in OT. to tie the score at one apiece. As a result of the Eagles’ forechecking and inability to control the puck on offense for prolonged periods of time, Demko faced a flurry of shots in the second period. Although he made some quality stops, he also had trouble covering the puck, allowing too many rebounds to carom through the crease. He eventually paid the price with three minutes to go in the second. On a UNH break, Demko failed to snag a shot from the stick of Matt Willows. The ensuing rebound hit the skate of Adam Gilmour and bounced into the goal, giving UNH a 2-1 lead. For the majority of the third period, the two teams each missed several opportunities. With Demko and the defense walling off the net, the Eagles hung

bringing their record to 5-5. The Hawks won the tip and tried to come out strong at the start of the first half. After a foul call, Cherelle Moore went to the line and made both of her foul shots, giving Hartford the first lead of the game. Hartford’s defense was solid, making it hard for BC to get a shot off. The team used a 1-2-2 zone press that caught BC off guard. The press caused the Eagles to call an early

THE COMMITTEE  As it turns out, we are also one of those whiners. They gave no love to our conference, the ACC, and they showed a whole lot of favoritism towards the Big Ten. We all know that the athletic directors from Wisconsin and Nebraska are making the decisions. THE POWERPLAY - Our collective hands are getting sore from thumbs down-ing this so much. See “ Numbers To Know” below. BALDING BALDWIN- 60k a year and they can’t afford another mascot costume. A middle-aged bird with bald spots isn’t very menacing.

Like Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down? Follow us @HeightsSports ARTHUR BAILIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

SPORTS in SHORT

After a close loss to the Hoosiers, Kelly Hughes led the Eagles to a win over Hartford.

Hockey East Standings

UMass Lowell Boston Univ. Vermont Providence Notre Dame Boston College Merrimack Northeastern Connecticut Maine New Hampshire Massachusetts

within striking distance, waiting for an offensive spark. At long last, that came in the form of leading scorer Ryan Fitzgerald with five minutes to go in regulation. Leading a break off of a Wildcat turnover, Fitzgerald skated down the wing, stopped on a dime, and threaded a beautiful pass to a wide open Austin Cangelosi down the middle of the ice, who drilled the puck into the top corner of the net for his first goal of the season. With the score tied at two, the mundane and slow pace of the game changed instantaneously. The two teams escalated their play, skating with speed and purpose and creating more quality scoring chances. The Eagles’ best opportunity to take a lead came with about two minutes left, when Gilmour fed Alex Tuch in front of

the net. The talented freshman failed to convert the chance, not putting enough on the shot to get it pass UNH’s goaltender. About 30 seconds later, UNH nearly stole the game, bouncing a shot off the crossbar after BC defenseman Scott Savage lost the puck in his skates. The extra five minutes of overtime played out much like the end of regulation for the Eagles: fast but ultimately fruitless. Despite stringing together some better puck movement early in OT, the team failed to net a winner. Late in the extra session, UNH kept the puck in the Eagles’ end, forcing Demko to maintain constant vigilance. Backed by physical defense from Matheson and timely face-off wins in their own zone, the Eagles beat back the UNH attacks, securing the draw. 

Highs and lows for Kelly Hughes and company BY VICTORIA JOHNSON

Team

Monday, December 8, 2014

Conference

Overall

7-0-2 7-1-2 7-3-1 6-4-0 4-2-2 4-4-1 4-4-1 3-6-1 2-4-1 2-6-0 1-5-1 1-9-0

10-3-3 10-3-2 11-3-1 8-6-1 8-8-2 8-7-1 10-5-2 4-10-1 3-8-4 3-12-1 4-9-1 4-11

timeout. The Eagles came out of the timeout with determination. Junior Nicole Boudreau made a 3-pointer and BC gained its first lead of the game, 8-7. The Eagles were aggressive in the way they attacked the basket and their quick ball movement helped to break down the Hawks’ defense. Hartford struggled against BC’s 2-3 defensive zone, allowing the Eagles to go on a 19-3 run with the help of eight straight points from Kat Cooper, making the score 23-13. This lead caused the Hawks to change to a 2-1-2 zone, which still proved to be little challenge for the Eagles. BC took advantage of every opportunity and managed to increase its lead to 14 points. The team’s 2-3 zone still proved to be strong and the Hawks struggled to score. With less than three minutes left, Hartford and BC went through a 3-point war, each answering the other. BC was able to fight, however, and increase its lead to 18. Hawks’ Amber Bepko scored a buzzer beater 3-pointer, making the score 45-30 BC going into halftime. After the break, Hartford’s defense still proved to be weak, allowing BC to easily make layup after layup. The Eagles decided to slow down the pace to maintain their control of the game, but the Hawks took advantage of this and decreased its deficit to 10 points. BC easily bounced back though, scoring five points in 20 seconds to bump its lead up to 15 points. Much of

Numbers to Know

the rest of the half was dictated by foul shots, since both sides racked up team fouls early on. Late in the game, the Hawks intercepted a poor BC pass and Deanna Mayza hit a 3-pointer, decreasing BC’s lead to only nine points with 2:30 left. Cooper yet again answered back and the Eagles closed the game with a score of 73-61. Sophomore guard Kelly Hughes continued to be BC’s biggest threat. She had a double-double, scoring 22 points, making six out of 12 3-pointers, and snagging 11 rebounds. Earlier in the week, Hughes led BC with ten points and eight rebounds in a loss to the Indiana Hoosiers 76-67 on Dec. 3. The Eagles struggled from the start, allowed the Hoosiers to gain an early lead, and were unable to ever claw their way back. With a 37.5 percent shooting accuracy, BC was unable to get a lot of offense going in the first half. However, the team came out stronger after halftime and improved overall, bumping its field goal accuracy to 50 percent. With 1:10 left in the game, the Eagles cut the Hoosier lead to only eight points, but Indiana’s Tyra Buss sank two free throws to secure the victory. With a .500 record a month into the season, the Eagles have showed the resolve to finish off teams like Hartford, but have been lacking offensive consistency in losses to the likes of Indiana. 

Quote of the Week

15:31.62

“Without question, when the stuAmount of time it took for senior Liv Westphal to run a 5k, a schoolEmily record. Fahey / Heights EditorCupicatuidet Fulessedo,here, querfecta, nihilicii ineri fic dentsL. are they’re a factor. Our 3-0 Men’s basketball’s record at home players are more exthis season, which includes an upset cited. Our players over Providence. play harder.”

EMILY FAHEY / HEIGHTS EDITOR

.092

Power play percentage for men’s hockey, second-worst in the Hockey East.

BC men’s basketball head coach Jim Christian —

THE HEIGHTS

Eagles’ offense rallies to tie struggling Wildcats

THUMBS UP

BY CHRIS NOYES For The Heights

THUMBS DOWN

GRAHAM BECK / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF

Like Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down? Follow us @HeightsSports ARTHUR BAILIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

SPORTS in SHORT

After a close loss to the Hoosiers, Kelly Hughes led the Eagles to a win over Hartford.

Hockey East Standings

UMass Lowell Boston Univ. Vermont Providence Notre Dame Boston College Merrimack Northeastern Connecticut Maine New Hampshire Massachusetts

Highs and lows for Kelly Hughes and company BY VICTORIA JOHNSON

Team

Monday, December 8, 2014

Conference

Overall

7-0-2 7-1-2 7-3-1 6-4-0 4-2-2 4-4-1 4-4-1 3-6-1 2-4-1 2-6-0 1-5-1 1-9-0

10-3-3 10-3-2 11-3-1 8-6-1 8-8-2 8-7-1 10-5-2 4-10-1 3-8-4 3-12-1 4-9-1 4-11

Numbers to Know

Quote of the Week

15:31.62

EMILY FAHEY / HEIGHTS EDITOR

.092

Power play percentage for men’s hockey, second-worst in the Hockey East.

BC men’s basketball head coach Jim Christian —

The Heights

Monday, December 8, 2014

BC overcomes penalties to hold off UNH’s strong attack From Men’s Hockey, B1 In the second period, the game took a massive turn in BC’s favor. This time the Eagles’ efforts paid off on the scoreboard, as Teddy Doherty and Austin Cangelosi scored only 35 seconds apart. Doherty got the scoring started, ripping a low shot from the dot past a heavily screened Clark. Almost immediately afterward, Cangelosi pushed the puck up the ice, flew behind the defense, and scored top-shelf on a beautiful, backhand deke. With a 2-1 lead, BC had full control of the game. Only four minutes after Cangelosi’s goal, Chris Calnan tipped a Quinn Smith shot past Clark. In a game without much clear offensive skill on display, the five-minute explosion seemed

insurmountable. The Wildcats wouldn’t go away, however, as UNH responded with a goal late in the second. Matt Willows intercepted a pass across the middle, waltzed in on goal all alone, and backhanded the puck past Demko. In the third period, BC continued to outplay the Wildcats but had trouble delivering a deciding blow. With 3:23 remaining in the game, Chris Calnan was called for tripping, giving the Wildcats a golden opportunity to tie the game. After Friday night’s tie in New Hampshire, York had seen this script before. On this night, however, BC stopped the UNH power play unit that had already scored twice on the night. Following the end of the penalty, Calnan immediately received the puck

and slid one in the empty net, giving the Eagles a 4-2 victory. UNH head coach Dick Umile recognized the level of competition in the two-game series. “It was good hockey all weekend between BC and UNH,” Umile said. “They just had four, five minutes where they scored three goals.” York has high expectations for each team despite their earlyseason struggles. “Both of these teams are not where we want to be yet,” York said. “We parallel each other, but I think as the season progresses we’re gonna be right in the thick of things.” As the season wraps up, perhaps he’ll be right. Judging solely on Saturday night, BC at least appears to be on the right track. n

Graham Beck / heights Senior staff

Thatcher Demko reaches for the save after a hard shot by UNH forward Warren Foegele, preserving BC’s win.

Magarity and Heckmann form Eagles’ gritty identity From Men’s Basketball, B1

ARTHUR BAILIN / HEIGHTS STAFF

Patrick Heckmann uses his speed to drive past Providence forward Carson Desrosiers for the easy layup.

ing down in the first half, and the Conte crowd getting loud, PC’s seven-footer Carson Desrosiers knocked down a three at the buzzer to tie it up. Yet the Eagles never backed down, showing an incredible ability to bounce back. Even as the Friars did their best to neutralize Hanlan, BC’s grit and determination prevailed and carried the team to victory. “Every time we made a mistake, every huddle the guys would say, ‘Next play, next play,’” Christian said. While Hanlan continued to make big plays, Pat Heckmann’s defense provided the backbone of the team’s identity. Tasked with guarding Henton,

PC’s leading scorer who came in averaging over 21 points per game, Heckmann had a major role to play. He exceeded expectations, limiting Henton to just nine points on fourfor-16 shooting. The German highlighted what his head coach has preached since day one: defense, defense, and more defense. “I thought Pat was a good guy to guard him because he’s our smartest defender,” Christian said. “He’s not the most explosive guy, but he’s smart.” Players like Heckmann are what make this team what it is. Aside from Hanlan, they aren’t the most talented guys on the floor, but they have the smarts, the belief in the system, and the willingness to do the dirty work to win big-time matchups.

After all, BC basketball grew up in the Big East, where coaching and winning the physical battles trumped individual talent. “We were doing the little things, like Will diving on the floor, that change the complexion of the game,” Brown said. Magarity’s hustle play was just one of those many “Identity Plays” that have come to define this BC team’s style of play. “We had a million of those tonight, the most of any game,” Brown said. The Eagles will need a million more to succeed in the ACC and beyond, but the win over Providence is a huge step in the right direction. This win stands for more than just another tally in the win column—it’s a sign of who this team really is. n

A New Yorker’s quest to adjust to life of college sports and journalism From Column, B1 math scares the crap out of me. From my acting experiences, however, I loved to talk—everyone always told me how I never shut up as a kid. And in school, I really loved to write. I filled up countless journals with wondrous tales of adventure and suspense, few that made sense but stories that my teacher loved—if they could read my handwriting, that is. So this love led me to the media world, and now The Heights has helped me realize that dream. But I feel like my sports life missed something key. Professional sports fans had their perks, but they lacked the fire I saw on my Saturday mornings immersed watching Lee Corso and Kirk

Herbstreit rant on Gameday. Fans in Gainesville, Austin, and Pasadena screamed at the top of their lungs, wildly cheering on their schools. My friends never seemed to care about this exciting other half of the sports world—college athletics—and I never knew why. Until last month. The New York Times produced an interactive map of college football fandom around the country, calculated through the always-reliable likes on Facebook. A lot of the results made sense, based on geography. Take a look at my zip code—11530—and you’ll see my problem. Notre Dame? Florida? Syracuse? The Orange, one of only three FBS schools in New York State, plays its games 270 miles

away, a farther distance from me to Boston. How could I get a taste of the college sports life if I needed a five-hour drive just to get to one? When the college process rolled around last fall, I had one stipulation—I needed to go somewhere with a D-1, major conference program. In experiencing the UMass-BC game at Gillette Stadium, I knew I landed exactly where I needed to be. You see, there’s something about college fans—their grating jeers directed at opposing goalies, their refusal to sit down at the expense of my ankles on a cold November night, their endless waving of giant Amy Poehler heads in a fruitless attempt to prevent the ACC’s star players

Email us: sports@bcheights.com Apply to be a sports staff writer for ‘The Heights.’ Applications coming this January.

from hitting foul shots. So now that I have a school to support, it may seem easy. But I’ll stop short at calling myself a BC fan—I cannot say that just yet. I don’t plan on jumping on any bandwagons if BC does reach a championship game. I’ve dealt with that despicable act in New York for far too long—don’t tell me you’re an Islanders fan this season unless you’ve also dealt with the yearly pain of Alexei Yashin, Janne Niinimaa, and— gulp—Rick DiPietro. No, we’ll let time decide. I need to go through my checklist before fully converting to Superfandom. One, do it not for the wins, but for the players, the fans, the passion, the heart. How else did I

root for the Mets? Two, know the team’s history, know the team’s essence. When the team sucks, you better be prepared to defend it to the bitter end—an end that will probably come in defeat if you choose teams the way I do. Three, be 100 percent sure. Once you choose, there’s no going back. We’re certainly off to a good start in my first few months. Maybe it’ll happen once I know the ins-and-outs of BC athletics. I figure many hours of interviews in the Conte press room, and writing countless stories—analysis and opinion—on each of BC’s varsity teams will give me some sort of love to support these athletes. For the BC fans out there read-

ing this, my stellar team—consisting of Jack Stedman, and Tom DeVoto, and me—promises to give you the most objective and engaging reports of Eagles games you can possibly find, in print and online. Don’t expect conventional, Associated Press-type game reports—we plan to mix the weird and hysterical with the statistical and informative. As for me, I don’t know if I deserved to end up here so quickly. But I can tell you I want to stick around for as long as y’all will let me. So buckle up ladies and gentlemen. It sure will be one heck of a ride.

Michael Sullivan is a staff writer for The Heights. He can be reached at sports@ bcheights.com

The Heights

Monday, December 8, 2014

Arthur bailin / Heights staff

Men’s basketball shot one of its best game from the field on the season, connecting on exactly half of its shot opportunities. Aaron Brown added 16 points on seven-of-12 shooting with seven boards and two assists.

Hanlan solidifies elite status as Eagles upend Providence By Alec Greaney Heights Staff There’s something special about great scorers when they’re at the top of their game—when they’re “feeling it.” A certain confidence arises, one that everyone on Boston College 69 the floor can 60 Providence feel. The guy wants the ball, everyone knows it—and there’s nothing the opposing team can do about it. Olivier Hanlan seems to have reached that level on Friday night, scoring the first five points for the Boston College men’s basketball team, leading the charge for much of the game. After putting up nine points against Marist earlier in the week, the guard finished with 24 Friday, giving BC the lift it needed to upset Providence College, 69-60.

BC came in looking for revenge against the Friars, who bested the Eagles in an overtime thriller last season. This matchup proved to be another tight one, with seven lead changes in the first half. While Providence had its way down low early on, BC stepped up from beyond the arc. The Eagles entered the game with the sixth-worst 3-point percentage in the country before hitting three of its first five, opening the paint for BC’s guards to penetrate. They didn’t hesitate. BC’s top three guards—Hanlan, Aaron Brown, and Dimitri Batten—combined for 51 points on the night. When the Eagles couldn’t finish at the rim, they managed to draw a foul and get to the line, attempting a seasonhigh 28 free throws. BC struggled at the charity stripe

for much of the night, however, making just one of its first five, and going three of eight in the final minute of the game. Despite these struggles, BC stayed within single digits for the entire first half. With 30 seconds to play in the half, Will Magarity made a lay-up to give the Eagles a three-point lead, and a new factor appeared: the crowd. The student section in Conte Forum—which often rivals the attendance of 8 a.m. lecture hall classes—filled early on in the night. Students lined up a full hour and a half before tip-off, thanks in part to two promotions from the athletic department: free “Beat Providence” Superfan shirts to the first 1,000 students and a raffle to win a 40-inch television. “I thought our student body was great,” head coach Jim Christian said. “These kids [on the team] are working

unbelievably hard and deserve that environment. Without question, when [students] are here, they’re a factor. I just watch it in our players. Our players are more excited, our players play harder. You have to have a great environment—this is college basketball.” Even after PC’s Carson Desrosiers nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game and ignite the Friars’ crowd, the energy didn’t die. BC’s fans remained loud for the rest of the game, continually re-inspired by several highlight reel plays. It wasn’t flashy drives to the rim that gave the Eagles their advantage, although they had many. The team held LaDontae Henton, Providence’s best scorer with 23.1 PPG, to four-of-16 shooting and just nine points. Meanwhile, PC’s top two leaders in points on the night, Desrosiers and Kris Dunn, were forced to the bench

midway through the second half after each picked up a fourth foul. By neutralizing the Friars’ most dangerous threats and generally minimizing mistakes in the final stretch, BC never allowed Providence to take a lead in the second half, finishing strong for its second consecutive game. Ultimately, the best facet of the Eagles’ game on Friday was not forcing the offense to run through its big men. Until Dennis Clifford demonstrates a more consistent ability to finish in the paint or freshman Idy Diallo returns from his injury, the team’s most effective strategy is to keep the ball in the hands of its guards. BC improved its ability to move the ball and find the open shot in each game this year, and the team will need to keep finding as many good looks as possible to avoid its streaks of spotty shooting. n

BC routs Maine and sets winning streak record

Swimming struggles

By Arthur Bailin

By Tom DeVoto

Heights Staff

Fourteen minutes and 20 seconds into the Boston College women’s hockey matchup at the University of Maine on Friday, a roar Boston College 8 erupted from 1 Maine the crowd as the Black Bears’ Jillian Langtry beat the Eagles’ Katie Burt for the game’s first goal. Due to a relatively even period and the Black Bears’ quiet success in Hockey East play going into the game, a level of concern grew. As the Eagles have done time and time again this season, they showed their dominance, dismantling Maine with eight unanswered goals. After the Langtry goal, the Eagles began the offensive onslaught that has been their trademark all season. During the barrage came a breakthrough from the point. Lexi Bender continued her goal-scoring surge this season, firing a rocket through traffic and past Meghann Treacy for the Eagles first goal. The Eagles would go into the locker room tied. Keen observers of BC would note that the Eagles consistently have a goalscoring surplus coming out of the locker room for the second period. This was evident in the Harvard game, when the Eagles put up six goals in the second.

With this in mind, followers of the Eagles were less than surprised with the progression of the second period. The onslaught started early, as Kristyn Capizzano netted her seventh of the season just 2:42 into the second period. From there, the Eagles did not not let up, creating a lopsided shot differential in the period, 14-2. Goals from Emily Field, Haley Skarupa, and Alex Carpenter extended the lead before the buzzer sounded for the second time. Like the Eagles had done so many times before, they had killed off their prey in the second with a goalscoring surge. The third period saw no letting up for BC, as Megan Keller and Haley Skarupa scored goals 49 seconds apart midway through the third to extend the Eagles lead to 7-1. At this point, Maine head coach Richard Reichenbach waved the proverbial white flag for the match, replacing Treacy with sophomore Mariah Fujimagari for the remainder of the contest. This marked the sixth time this season the Eagles forced a change in goaltender. Even with the change, Dana Trivigno put her name on the score sheet with a goal assisted by Kate Leary before the final buzzer showed mercy on the weary Black Bears. With the win, the Eagles made history, breaking their own record for

Emily Fahey / Heights Editor

After surrendering an early lead, the Eagles exploded for eight consecutive goals. the longest winning streak in program history. It broke the 2012-2013 team’s winning streak record. What separates this team’s winning streak from the team whose record had just fallen is the dominance of this year’s incarnation of Katie King Crowley’s Eagles. While BC held wide margins against teams like Maine, the Eagles needed overtime against teams like Cornell and St. Lawrence. This year’s Eagles dismantled teams like Cornell and Harvard, nationally ranked teams at the time of play, by wide margins. The story here is not the record— it is the dominance of how the record was obtained. The issue now is the continuation of the dominance,

especially with some changes in the lineup. Burt was named to the U.S. National U18 team, and Capizzano was named to the Team Canada U22 team. This means both Burt and Capizzano will most likely be unavailable for the matchup against Boston University on Jan. 7. Burt will also be unavailable for the home-and-home against Northeastern. The Eagles have played without key forwards before (read: Four Nations). The issue becomes the quality of play from Gabrielle Switaj. While Switaj is a solid goaltender in her own right, will she be able to continue the dominance of Burt? The only way to know is to watch the game. n

Heights Staff Boston College men’s and women’s swimming traveled to Williamstown, Mass. on Saturday to take on the Williams College Ephs. The men swam to a disappointing 149-149 tie, while the women dropped their match 221-77 to their Division III opponent. Both Williams squads remained unbeaten following the meet. Williams Athletics took issue with BC swimmers wearing high-tech racing suits generally reserved for championship competition. The suits didn’t appear to give the Eagles much of an advantage, though, as the Ephs hung tough with BC. The men had their best performance in the 100-yard freestyle, with Dan Kelly and Nick Henze taking first and second, respectively. They finished at least a second ahead of any Williams swimmer. Emmett Johnson rounded out the top five in that race to give the Eagles an additional point. BC’s women failed to place a single swimmer in the top slot in any race. The team’s best event came in the 200-yard breaststroke, in which Melissa Merwin and Samantha Couillard finished second and third behind Williams’ Megan Pierce. The Ephs swimmer hit the final wall a blistering three seconds before any other competitor could complete the race. n

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THE HEIGHTS

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Monday, December 8, 2014

PROFESSOR PROFILE

Duality of Kaplan-Maxﬁeld authors mystery, provokes laughter study abroad WHO: Thomas Kaplan-Maxﬁeld BY CORINNE DUFFY Heights Editor

BY AIREN SURZYN For The Heights

The first weeks of a post-abroad semester are filled with friends, acquaintances, and peripheral figures asking about one’s time spent outside of his or her homeland. These questions, prompted by genuine interest or social protocol, must be answered in the same way. As the semester deepens and the subject runs dry, talk of abroad eventually recedes into an occasional conversation piece that one might timidly reference, fully aware of the social dangers of frequenting the topic. But, for a time, in those first few weeks, one is forced to consider his or her tenure overseas. If just for the sake of responding adequately, an evaluation must be made and several memorable experiences be brought forth as evidence. I have two distinct responses to retrospection about my experiences. The first is a gut reaction. It comes quickly, unconsciously, and without any depth of thought. Certain keywords such as “France,” “study abroad,” or anything else that may pertain to my time in Paris can trigger memories and subsequent positive reactions to those memories. Much like a reflex, the positive associations flow quickly and without any deliberate intention to call them to mind. This reaction influences my responses to questions posed in passing or to those whose interest I judge to be cursory. The second reaction is a much more conscious and intentional consideration. Prompted either by perceived genuine interest from another or my own casual reflection, lengthy consideration produces a much more neutral, calculated response. This often leads me to perceive the experience as “useful,” and one unlikely to be highlighted in any study abroad pamphlets in the near future. Importantly, though, this response is notably different from the first. The second reaction is closer to the mark, however. During my stay in Paris, I was fairly dedicated to conscientiously observing my experiences and regularly recording my reactions to my abroad quotidian. By the end of the semester, my notes showed that I was very ready to come home and that I had been somewhat disappointed with the time already spent. But, this remains something very unknown to my reflex response, despite having arrived at this second conclusion a multitude of times. The first reaction, positive in its outlook, has stayed. Regarding the unusual positive recollection I have of going abroad, I turn to Terence Mitchell and Leigh Thompson, who, in “A Theory of Temporal Adjustments of the Evaluation of Events: Rosy Prospection and Rosy Retrospection,” present an empirical study of the positive tint produced by time separation from an experience. A process that positively colors experiential reevaluation , Rosy Retrospection, which they define as “the tendency for people to remember and recollect events they experience more fondly and positively than they evaluated them to be at the time of their occurrence,” leads them to propose that interpretations of past experiences are subject to selective and unconscious sampling. This mechanism is hard at work, coloring my retrospection in a manner more consistent with how I may wish to remember my few months in Paris. Further, it makes sense that the things one most readily remembers stand out the most: cafes, clubs, and other notable experiences, while memories of tedium and isolation fade from view. Daniel Kahneman has helped me reconcile the two reactions. In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman theorizes two methods of processing information. System 1 arrives at conclusions based on heuristics, but sometimes at the cost of sound rationality. System 2 is dominated by reason and analysis, but often overshadowed by System 1. I found these to be fairly consistent with my two responses, shedding light on how I might arrive at opposite reactions when trying to recollect the same experience. The reflexive response is a mixture of snap judgments of my perceptions of concepts like “abroad” or “Paris,” while the second has a pause to carefully sift through the reality of the past. Perhaps my “rosy,” “System 1” reaction is a response to the seemingly heretical idea of having a sub-optimal abroad experience while the second, “un-tinted,” “System 2” evaluation is more capable of factoring in dissonant memories with my recollection. These ideas are obviously not unique to study abroad, but can be applied to any consideration of a remembered experience. Regarding abroad recollections, however, the natural recourse to turn to a rosier, more idealized memory narrative can problematically mischaracterize one’s experience and encourage others to do the same. 

Airen Surzyn is a contributor for The Heights. She can be reached at features@bcheights.com.

Upon entering the “cave” that is Stokes S369, wherein a man uncannily similar in appearance to Mark Twain dwells from as early as 4:30 in the morning until late in the afternoon, a fascinating collection of maps, scarves, timelines, movie posters, satirical signs, and a great abundance of books immediately strike any eager viewer. Voluminous, white hair and an impressive mustache to match, Thomas Kaplan-Maxfield, an assistant professor within the English department, has heard of his resemblance to this great American author—and many others—before: “You should have seen what I looked like before, when my hair was dark. I showed my old passport to a student the other day, and he told me I looked like a porn star. I think that’s a compliment.” Perhaps it is his likeness to other writers that inspired his own career’s trajectory, as Kaplan-Maxfield is now a professor in addition to being a well-published author of several novels, novellas, and short stories, including, but not limited to Grail Mysterium: An Adventure on the Heights; Memoirs of a Shape-Shifter; Hide & Seek; Brockton Tales; and The Scarab Chase. His latest work, Grail Mysterium, was released in 2012 by Kepler Press and follows the adventure of a fictional group of BC students in 2010 as they break into buildings, investigate campus oddities, and search for the Holy Grail. “It’s a kind of cross between Harry Potter and the Da Vinci Code,” he said of the mystery. Kaplan-Maxfield’s next book will keep with this “Adventures on the Heights” theme—“Santanis Mysterium is a murder mystery, with the Devil at BC as the dean of the business school, since I’m convinced evil in our world … takes the form of capitalism,” he said in an email. Kaplan-Maxfield did not progress down this writing and teaching path immediately, however. While he was born in Massachusetts, Kaplan-Maxfield grew up “all over the planet” in light of the fact that his father was in the military. Ultimately graduating from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 1980, it took him 10 years to obtain his undergraduate degree. “I was an extremely restless young scholar,” he said. Taking a gap year between high school and college,

TEACHES: Creative Non-ﬁction EXPERIENCE: Aquired his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UMass Boston and his doctorate from BC FUN FACTS: Looks uncannily similar to Mark Twain and has written several mysteries that take place at the University PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHLEY SCHNEIDER

Kaplan-Maxfield referenced the profound influence that his parents and other adults had on him in terms of pressuring him to continue school. “I was super depressed and scared, because when you’re 18, the voices of adults are so loud,” he said. Therefore, Kaplan-Maxfield repeatedly returned to college until he eventually acquired his bachelor’s in English and music. “I took a random music class at UMass, and I totally adored my professor … so I declared my music major in order to take his class the next semester.” Not knowing any musical instrument preceding college, he learned both flute and piano for his major, and following his undergraduate studies, he decided to pursue a graduate degree. “I was so in love with being back in school—I felt the luxury of it, I couldn’t get enough,” he said. After obtaining his master’s from UMass following this revelation, Kaplan-Maxfield continued on to BC for his doctorate. It was as a doctoral student that he first recognized his love for teaching. “I taught as a student,” and that’s when I got the bug for it—it was this outlet for performing for me,” he said. Here, he instructs various courses, including the First Year Writing Seminar, Creative Nonfiction, and Love and Other Difficulties among others, and many of his classes expose his immense hilarity. “I don’t mind being a fool,” he said. “I don’t think I ever really

grew up—still in kindergarten—but when I was a student, I would get laughed at all the time when I said things, and I thought, ‘Ouch, that really hurt, I don’t want anyone else to feel that.’” In 1993, he started at BC as a full-time professor within the English department. Affectionately known as TKM by his students, Kaplan-Maxfield’s in-class persona is rarely serious. “Tom is too informal, you see—I wear a tie,” he joked. “I’m not really a serious person,” he said, spilling water all over his desk. Despite his incredibly early office hours, which start at 7 a.m., he has students lining up out the door every morning. Repeatedly welcoming other students into his office throughout the course of the interview, Kaplan-Maxfield deeply values connecting to his students on a personal level, and his classes are often widely popular. “I love teaching, it’s pretty amazing and magical,” he said. The classes themselves prove exceedingly unique—only meeting in the physical classroom on the first day of the semester, his Creative Non-Fiction workshop then convenes at a student’s Mod or townhouse, alternating each week by location and often including dinner. “We have a class of eccentrics, and I think the conversations are better outside of the stuff y,

sleepy classroom,” he said. Additionally, he plays music—from ’60s rock to jazz and rap—prior to each class to develop what he calls a Pavlovian reaction. Kaplan-Maxfield’s opinions on binge drinking and the “hookup culture” of BC also differ from those of other classes and professors, and part of his class on love indoctrination focuses on these topics. “If something is forbidden, are you going to do it, or not do it?” he asked. “Our problem is that, with Christianity, there are no stories of Jesus drunk or hooking up, and this is a Jesuit school, obviously. So, I’m basically the anti-Kerry Cronin because I am not by definition categorically opposed to random hook ups. Love starts and ends in the body—we fall in love via the senses, and from there, it goes through the whole process of spiritualizing and psychologizing.” Although unconventional, KaplanMaxfield encourages his students to come “drunk” to class. “During the week, everyone is so sober. When you’re drunk you’re spontaneous, because alcohol is a social lubricant. So, to take the pressure off of being belligerent on the weekends, be drunk on ideas or the pleasure of learning. Instead of fighting it off, welcome this drunk enthusiasm into the classroom.” 

New organization aims to improve speaking skills From Plethoric Rhetoric, B8 instructors could inform students about the organization so that they could hone their presentations by practicing them in front of other members of the club. In that environment, Donofria believes that “everyone will improve, including [him].”

Being a member of the organization becomes doubly productive, as the structure of the club is similar to public speaking itself, as members are encouraged to actively participate in the discussions. “By participating, members are immediately improving their skills

and raising their confidence,” Donofria said. Plethoric Rhetoric differentiates itself from other organizations on campus as it emphasizes the hands-on experience of members by urging them to present their on-going projects. Nevertheless, as the club itself centers

CLUB SERIES

on the members, according to Donofria, “it would serve as a tool for selfimprovement, adapting to whatever the current needs would be.” The club is interested in welcoming new members for the new semester, and those interested should contact Jeffrey Donofria @bc.edu. 

FEATURING BC’S STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Students for Educational Reform seeks educational policy and practice reform BY JULIA BOGIAGES For The Heights

“We are college students in Massachusetts organizing in concert with students, parents, teachers, and other community leaders to improve educational policy and practice, in order to create a more just and equitable system.” This is the mission statement of the Massachusetts chapter of Students for Education Reform (SFER). SFER is a national organization with college chapters, and in 2012 Lindsey Murphy brought a chapter to Boston College. Murphy, A&S ’15, founded SFER at BC almost as soon as she arrived on campus. After taking a gap year and serving with AmeriCorps, Murphy had a better idea of what education in the United States looked like. “I had small indications of what other parts of the U.S. and the world looked like, but hardly, and I felt that I couldn’t come to BC without a wider perspective,” Murphy said. Over her gap year, Murphy traveled to Louisiana and Mississippi, serving in food banks, building houses, and tutoring. “One of the projects I was working on was working in a middle school in Louisiana, and

that experience really gave me an insight to what American education looked like as a whole.” When Murphy arrived on campus the following year, she was looking for an organization that provided a political space to talk about changing educational policy and how to make education more equitable. Although she found organizations that direct community service, she saw the absence of political activity around this issue. So in the fall of 2012, when Murphy was a sophomore, SFER was brought to the Heights. In the past years the club has focused on organizing some events on campus. SFER and Americans for Informed Democracy, along with some other organizations on campus, brought Geoffrey Canada, the founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York City, to Robsham last year to discuss his work and his organization. Harlem Children’s Zone is a non-profit organization for families living in Harlem and provides parenting workshops, education, and health care programs focused on children. Canada spoke to a full audience, and “it was a tremendous success,” Murphy said.

In the past two years the club has moved more off-campus, focusing on political action. “A majority of our work is geared towards working with the other chapters on specific campaigns,” Murphy said. Members of the club have staged a T stop canvas, during which they would stand at MBTA train stops and obtain signatures for their petitions. And over this past year the club has focused on the English Language Learner (ELL) programs in Massachusetts. Massachusetts, Arizona, and California are the only three states in the country that have laws that declare all students must be taught in English. This is problematic for ELL students, who are learning English for the first time. For these students, the laws mean that “the students are trying to learn English while simultaneously learn the content,” Murphy said. As a result of these laws, there is an incredibly high dropout rate, and very few students are able to go onto to two or four year universities. “It’s sink or swim, and unfortunately right now a lot of students are sinking.” At the moment the club is trying to find potential allies in the House and the Senate who are supportive of making

changes to educational policy. To reach these allies, the club recently hosted a phone bank. Members of SFER called politicians asking if they were aware of the issues and if these issues were ones they were willing to work on. The club also had the opportunity to write a question about the ELL programs for the gubernatorial forum. Murphy hopes that the club will continue to make strides to move legislation forward and become a political force in Massachusetts. Murphy also hopes to move the club forward on campus, and raise awareness among BC students about issues surrounding educational policy. This club, to Murphy, provides a way to bring students together now who care about this issue, as opposed to later. Murphy thinks this club is a way to provide students a way to think about the systems in place in this country. “It’s a hope of mine and a frustration of mine that BC students not only care about serving directly, but also think about the systems that create the need for service, and I think that policy work and action need to be informed by peoples’ lives and experiences.” 

The Heights

Monday, December 8, 2014

UGBC seeks greater reach From UGBC Annual Gala, B8 health coverage and care for the GLBTQ population. Organizers say Boswell is an ideal speaker for the event because of his experience in fighting for the cause of the GLBTQ and the HIV/AIDS communities. “Dr. Boswell will bring an interesting dynamic for the event. He has been integral in working for health for AIDS patients and fighting for the rights of the GLBTQ community,” Wright said. “His work against AIDS at Fenway Health is something very important. He’s done so much for the community, and we think it will be great to have someone based in Boston come talk to BC students.” Organizers try to give the gala a different focus each year, to provide a more complete experience through time for attendees. “Each year we try to have a different speaker talk about a different topic every year, and we think Dr. Boswell can give a very good focus to our gala this year,” Wright said. The motivations for organizing the gala, organizers say, is the need to better appreciate sexual diversity in campus. “The gala is one of the four core events that we want to make sure to organize each year. We think it is really important to have an event that celebrates the GLBTQ community in campus, especially at BC, a place that doesn’t necessarily have the strongest community,” Wrights said. For Wright, the event creates a friendly environment for the community. “We want to have a place where those in the GLBTQ community can feel safe and appreciated, as they should be, and also a place where people who do not identify as GLBTQ can engage and celebrate with them. We want to foster a safe and fun environment of unity.” One of the main goals this year was to increase the attendance to the event. “We’re working on widening the impact of the gala on the campus,” Wright said. “In the past, we have not had as many people come as we would like, so we’re working on that. We want to have more people attend the event, where people are able to have conversations and spread awareness, and at the same time have fun. So one of main our goals is to turn this into a campus-wide event and have more people come.” For organizers, this does not mean the event is not successful. “We do believe this event is effective for the people who do attend it,” Wrights said. “People have a great time, they learn something new, and they hear a fabulous keynote speaker, and have the opportunity to engage in meaningful interactions with him or her. So, the event is very successful. What we need to do is make this successful event available to more people.” Organizers once again say that attendance to the gala and similar events needs to increase for those events to have a campuswide effect. “One of the big steps toward reaching more inclusion is having more people attend events like these, where there is an inclusive environment, where people have the opportunity to engage with each other and have fun and at the same time become more aware,” he said. n

The Heights throughout the century Mental health on campus

Opportunities available to women evolve with WRC’s increased role on campus By Madeleine Loosbrock For The Heights “Resolved: that the emergence of women from the home is a regrettable feature of modern life.” This was a question from a 1930s debate competition, in which Boston College upheld the affirmative side of the argument against Bates College. An article in The Heights Jan. 21 issue from that year reports that, although no winner was appointed, “at no time” was the BC all-male team “stopped dead” by their female opponents. BC was not quick to welcome women. According to its website, it wasn’t until the late 1920s that a female was awarded a bachelor’s degree, and 1970 that all academic programs became coeducational. This was actually early compared to some New England schools, with Harvard not becoming coeducational until 1977. Women slowly found their way into campus life, transforming the school from its exclusively male roots to a now female-heavy student body. In 1952, a female student in the Lynch School of Education, Carol Hines, wrote of the “resentment” she felt by the male students at the beginning of her time at BC, reports the Oct. 24 issue in that year. She was beginning to feel more integrated on campus, however, as a result of the male students in Lynch “allowing” them to sit at their tables and giving them suggestions for their studies, which apparently gave the women “the confidence [they needed] to feel at home at BC.” It wasn’t until 1973, three years after the school became fully coeducational, that the opportunities for women really started to take off. The Women’s Resource Center opened on March 8th, International Women’s Day. According to an article in the March 6 issue that year, the center was originally run by volunteers and work-study students, and it contained only “a coffee urn, a limited selection of literature and a resource file of people available for career planning.” Allotted a small room in McElroy, the original Women’s Resource Center had no budget. The goal was to give women a place for both education and resources. In 1975, the Center began hosting more programs for women, including an Introduction to Feminism course. Women’s Studies would not be a minor until 1983, so the Women’s Resource Center became a great place for opportunities in this field. The course was only open to women, according to the Jan. 20, 1975 issue of The Heights.

In this year, the Women’s Center also held the inaugural “Women in the Arts Week.” This was a conglomeration of films, music, and artist exhibitions featuring all female artists, reports Maureen Dezell in the Nov. 18, 1974 issue. In only its second year of operation, the Center began offering programs such as this, providing a much-needed spotlight to women on campus. The Women’s Center was revolutionary in offering opportunities to women, and only women. In 1978, the center spoke to BC’s male population in response to stereotypes and alienation the Center had been receiving since it’s opening, according to the Nov. 20 issue in that year. An address to the University’s male population sought to open the Center to male feedback and integration, as the Center aimed to become a resource to the entire BC population. In 2014, the Women’s Resource Center continued to have an important role on campus, offering services and programs to men and women alike. In 1993, SANet was founded, which is now housed in the Women’s Center. Its resources continue to provide important help and comfort to both male and female students at BC. Along with SANet, Bystander Intervention is housed in the Women’s Center, a popular program for students of both genders. The Women’s Resource Center began as a way to offer female students much-needed opportunities on campus. Today, it works to bridge the male and female communities—an important task that has supported not only a co-ed student body, but also an integrated student body where men and women are given not separate, but equal opportunities. These opportunities have boasted great success, producing many highly successful female graduates from BC. Among the esteemed alumni are Virginia Mitchell Ryan, vice president of JP Morgan Chase; Denis Morrison, president and CEO of Campbell Soup Company; Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live and Parks and Recreation actress; Elisabeth Hasselbeck, former co-host of The View; Margaret Heckler, former U.S. congresswoman and former U.S. secretary of health and human services; Cheryl Jacques, first openly gay state senator; and many more. Once zero percent female, BC’s student body is currently comprised of 54 percent females. This said, there are a host of opportunities on campus for women. Women have established their presence in academia, athletics, and the arts with 18 women’s varsity athletics teams and clubs like Women in Business or The Sharps all-female a cappella group. More than anything, however, women have been truly integrated into life at the University. n

University arts groups perform, bring Christmas tidings From Arts groups, B8 Germany, and Ukraine, as well as feature selections from Handel’s “Messiah.” The audience can enjoy a wide range of global Christmas music and is invited to sing along to familiar carols, taking part in the beauty of singing as an art form. “Singing is unique among the performing arts in that the performer’s ‘instrument’ is the human voice,” Finney said. “In addition to creating beautiful sounds with their voices, singers proclaim texts and can relate to the audience both through the beauty of the sound of their voices and through the expression of their presentation of the words they sing.” On Dec. 9, the chorale will resume its tradition of performing in St. Mary’s Chapel, a campus highlight with high-quality acoustics perfectly tailored for future concerts. A Christmas Festival Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 8:00 p.m. in Gasson 100 Directed by Sebastian Bonaiuto and David Healey Performances by students of the

University Wind Ensemble and the Symphonic Band A Christmas Festival is a medley of holiday-themed music that will feature traditional Christmas carols , selections from Alfred Reed’s “Russian Christmas Music”—which features music from Ru ssi an Or tho dox C hr i stma s liturgies—and songs from The Nutcracker. In addition to these selections, non-denominational pieces such as “Lux Aurumque,” “Greensleeves,” and selections from Frozen will augment the holiday-themed concert. Sebastian Bonaiuto, director of bands, and David Healey, marching band director, will conduct performances by students in the University Wind Ensemble and the Symphonic Band. “Ensemble instrumental music requires exceptional precision and attention to detail,” both directors said. “Instrumental music is abstract and evocative and, in that way, inspires and stirs the emotions of the listener.” The performance is the culminating event of the wind bands’ performing schedule for the semester and is popular with BC students, the student musicians’ fam-

ilies, and members of the greater BC community. The bands’ last concert will take place in Gasson 100 on December 9th. Christmas Reflections Friday, Dec.19 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 20 at 3:00 p.m., and Sunday, Dec.21 at 3:00 p.m. in Robsham Theater Arts Center Choreography by Robert VerEecke, S.J. and Helen O’Dwyer Directed by Jamie Huggins, Carol Faherty, and Daisy Giunta Performances by the Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble Christmas Reflections began as an offshoot project of the 28-yearlong traditional Boston Christmas production, A Dancer’s Christmas , which drew professional dancers from all over the country to perform on stage at BC. Father Robert VerEecke, S.J., Jesuit artist in-residence, is the choreographer for a new production that retells the story of Christmas through dance, story, and song, creating a spectacle fit for the whole family. The audience is challenged to use their imagination to reflect on the meaning of Christmas as dancers and actors of all ages perform on stage. A “storyteller” narrates

the events of the production and has the audience participate by interacting with the performers. The company is composed of BC alumni, members of the Boston Liturgical Ensemble, and students from dancing companies from around the world. The production includes excerpts from A Dancer’s Christmas and features a section of Irish step dancing choreographed by Helen O’Dwyer, head of the O’Dwyer School of Irish Dancing. The kinesthetic, physical, and visual appeal is vital to the performance. “Whenever a dancer leaps or turns , the audience’s bodies feel that, too,” VerEecke said. “The Christmas spirit is contagious, and we are able to physically express the feelings we have: joy, wonder, and celebration. The dancing element offers a refreshing take on the story of Christmas.” The celebration of Christmas at BC is significant to VerEecke in that it focuses on the incarnation of Jesus Christ. “God wants to dance with us,” VerEecke said, finding God in the performing arts. All three performances will take place in Robsham Theater Arts Center from Dec. 19th through Dec. 21.n

Editor’s Column

The Corinch who stole Xmas Corinne Duffy Two days ago marked one of the most spectacular, eventful festivities of the Advent season: Saint Nicholas Day. Ringing in Christmas tidings with everything imaginable besides perhaps gold, frankincense, and myrrh—c’mon, Kris Kringle’s on a budget, and he’s gotta save some excitement for the 25th, after all—St. Nick’s celebrates the Dec. 6 feast day of Nikolaos of Myra, a fourthcentury Greek bishop and Christian saint who had a super sweet reputation for secret gift-giving in modern-day Turkey. Nikolaos became the model for many nations’ most beloved Christmas figure, with the Dutch Sinterklaas, German Sankt Nikolaus, British Father Christmas, and even jolly old American Santa Claus deriving from the legend. The celebration itself differs among world regions, but the one with which I am the most familiar stems from the German tradition, wherein children leave boots, shoes, or stockings outside the front door or in front of the fireplace on the night of Dec. 5, and St. Nick fills them with gifts, fruit, and sweets overnight. Never heard of this? You’re not alone: within the U.S., the holiday is observed primarily in regions of great German influence—namely the Midwest. (Shout out to Wikipedia—Milwaukee, Wis. needs all the non-dairy notoriety it can get.) With that in mind, I’m tryna get in the Christmas spirit early—the Big Guy, his lil elves, and a tights-clad Will Ferrell require all help possible around this time of year, you know. Therefore, the following is my very own Xmas list. So, put your shoes out, sit back, and relax, kiddles, because this is gonna be a real treat. Without further adieu, all I want for Christmas is: 1) For Amy Poehler to just love us at Boston College already—and, though this isn’t her alma mater (UVA got her), for Tina Fey by the transitive property to love us, too 2) The world’s fave Nic Cage to release another cinematic treasure and thereby please the masses 3) To be able to keep Christmas lights up past the “appropriate time” 4) My Hogwarts letter (you’d think an owl could make the transatlantic commute in nine years, honestly) 5) For @BOSTONCOLLEGE to regram my #gassongram already 6) An official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200shot range model air rifle—and preferably both of my eyes to remain in their sockets 7) For my roommate to finally accept that I WILL become one of the Pentatonix some day soon 8) A BC win over FSU—we were so close, but yet so far. Ghost of Christmas past, can you help an Eagle out? 9) For Eddie Redmayne and Emma Watson to get married or least procreate so that the world will finally see what it’s been waiting for all this time, what it’s always needed deep down 10) A partridge in a pear tree—but whatever you do, absolutely do not bring its weird pigeon cousin into this 11) For Tswift to use Sean O’Pry in all future music videos 12) The return of Nights on the Heights— NOTH Strikes Back, if you will 13) 101 beagles, but if you can’t do that, I guess I’ll have the 101 Dalmatians, instead 14) Notorious B.I.G. feat. Tupac postmortem album to be revealed 15) For the College Board to stop emailing a certain “Cofinne Duffy” about where to apply to college 16) To make it to my 10 a.m. on time at least once by the end of the semester—only one chance left, so better make it count, Cofinne 18) Bapst to play Gregorian Christmas chants for the duration of the holiday season 19) For the Packers to win Super Bowl XLIX. (Did I just jinx myself? Oh well, we’ve already beaten the Patriots.…) 20) Enough chocolate to get me through finals—or make me so sick that I don’t have to take them 21) For Trader Joe’s to replace Carney Hall indefinitely in 2015’s disclosed 10-year plan To close, I’m sorry I ruined your lives and crammed 11 cookies into the VCR, and also that I wasted your valuable, finals-studying, research paper-writing time with this complete and utter Corinanity. Merry (early) Christmas, ya filthy animal.

Corinne Duffy is the Assoc. Copy Editor for The Heights. She can be reached at features@bcheights.com.

FEATURES

MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

‘tis

the season

BRECK WILLS / HEIGHTS GRAPHIC

Arts groups begin holidays with yuletide carols, dancing BY KAYLA FERNANDO For The Heights As finals approach, students involved in various performing arts groups at Boston College put on several productions throughout the month of December to showcase the different talents of the student body and help others relax and enjoy the Christmas season. Boston College Chamber Music Society Christmas Concert Monday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in Gasson 100 Directed by Sandra Hebert Performances by students of the Boston College Chamber Music Society The Boston College Chamber Music Society has grown from a small club into one of the most prominent performing arts groups on campus, performing more than ten concerts each year. Traditionally composed of small ensemble groups such as string quartets, flute trios, and piano duets, the society has grown to include ensembles of other instruments as well as fostering the development of offshoot projects such as OpShop, an opera workshop, BC Baroque, a Baroque music group, and Liederabend, “song evening” in German, a group of guest soloists. Performing throughout the year, the society’s Dec. 8 concert will feature OpShop and the piano ensemble in addition to traditional instrumental chamber music and solo performances. The music department at BC, though small, is nevertheless a tightly-knit community ideal for both experienced players, who have more opportunities in the field available to them, and students with less experience, who are

able to improve their skills and maintain their interest in music. A lifetime lover of chamber music, Sandra Hebert, director of the Chamber Music Society, advocates for the continued growth of the music department beyond its current 100-student enrollment, saying that the department reaches out and welcomes new musicians. “Kids who don’t know each other become great friends,” Hebert said, proud of the growth and friendship among the students. The audience can enjoy live music on Dec. 8 in Gasson 100. Hebert hopes that the event will not only expose more people to the beauty that is chamber music, but also increase their interest in pursuing the study of music. The BC Chamber Music Society encourages the development of camaraderie among its members through the enjoyment of playing music and creating art. Music at St. Mary’s Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 4:00 p.m. in St. Mary’s Chapel Directed by John Finney Performances by students of the University Chorale of Boston College The recent construction at St. Mary’s Hall has done nothing to stop the music sung by the University Chorale of Boston College. Music at St. Mary’s is a series of concerts that normally takes place in St. Mary’s Chapel, but has recently been held in Gasson 100. John Finney, director of the University Chorale, will conduct students as they perform holiday music from countries around the world such as France, Spain, England,

See Arts groups, B7

Featured Events DEC. 8 :

DEC. 9 :

CLARE KIM / HEIGHTS STAFF

University Chorale hosted Christmas on the Heights Dec. 5-7 at Trinity Chapel on Newton Campus.

CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY CHRISTMAS CONCERT CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY GASSON 100 7:30 P.M. MUSIC AT ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY CHORALE ST. MARY’S CHAPEL 4 P.M.

DEC. 9 :

CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL UNIVERSITY WIND ENSEMBLE& SYMPHONIC BAND GASSON 100 8 P.M.

DEC. 19-21:

CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS BOSTON LITURGICAL DANCE ENSEMBLE ROBSHAM THEATER ARTS CENTER 12/19 7:30 P.M., 12/20 3:00 P.M., 12/21 3:00 P.M.

UGBC Annual Gala celebrates GLBTQ community BY ALBERTO TROCCOLI For The Heights With UGBC’s Annual Gala Masquerade taking place Dec. 6, The Heights sat down with gala organizers before the event. For them, the gala is a unique event in the year for Boston College’s GLBTQ community. The Annual Gala was first organized in 2009 by the UGBC’s GLBTQ Leadership Council. “The goal of the annual gala is to celebrate the GLBTQ community,” said Alisha Wright, manager of UGBC’s Diversity and Inclusion Programming Board. “Our aim, specifically, is to get people from the GLBTQ community as well as allies to come together and appreciate the value of the community and everything that has going on with it as well.” This year, organizers made changes in the gala’s structure and form to provide a different and more complete experience to attendees of the gala. An innovation for this year was that the event featured a seated dinner. “We’re really excited about doing a seated dinner, which is something we haven’t done before, and are looking forward to pro-

vide these new experiences to make the gala a better experience,” Wrights said. “So it will feature a seated dinner, the presentation of our keynote speaker, and then it will feature a dance. The latter part of the night is just dancing, relaxing, and having fun.” Organizers also said they wanted to make the gala a more formal event, and that was also a reason for the inclusion of a seated dinner. This year’s keynote speaker was Stephen Boswell, the president and chief executive officer of Fenway Health. A graduate from University of Washington, Boswell was also

member of President Clinton’s Council on HIV/AIDS, the vice-President and treasurer of the American Academy of HIV Medicine, and is also currently a member of the Board of Directors of the HIV Medicine Association. Much of Boswell’s work has also been directed at fighting for the GLBTQ community, especially his work at Fenway Health. Fenway Health, which is currently directed by Bo-

swell, has been one of the most important organizations providing health care for the GLBTQ community and fighting and preventing AIDS, both inside and outside the GLBTQ community. Fenway Health also has the largest GLBTQ health research facility in the United States. Recently, Boswell has been involved in advocating for equal

See UGBC Annual Gala, B7

JOY LI / HEIGHTS STAFF

I NSIDE FEATUR E S THIS ISSUE

Heights Through the Centuries

The role of and rights afforded to women at BC have changed profoundly throughout the 21st century................... B7

Plethoric Rhetoric targets elocution BY JUAN OLAVARRIA For The Heights In today’s tech-savvy world, people may seem more interested in the virtual social interactions occurring through text conversations or social media. Plethoric Rhetoric, a new organization coming to Boston College during the spring semester, will aim to create a personal and constructive environment where students will have the opportunity to practice their public speaking skills and receive peer input into how to best improve. “Seventy-five percent of people suffer from anxiety caused by public speeches,” according to a National Institute of Mental Health study that came out in Dec. 2013. As such, club founder Jeffrey Donofria, CSOM ‘18, saw an opportunity to enter this realm and provide a platform for students who have not had much experience with presentations to develop the skills in a receptive, no-judgment environment. “I got the idea while in high school, when one of my teachers told me and my classmates that statistic,” Donofria said. “It just got me thinking. “I saw a need for it. These are some of the most useful skills a person can have, they can really make the difference in the present as well as in the future.” The organization hopes to develop into a practice ground for those with ongoing projects for classes, internships, and clubs, among others. During meetings, those with something they wish to present would present in front of the members and receive feedback on various elements of the presentation, ranging from posture and tone to body language and eye contact, with everything else in between. Plethoric Rhetoric would place strong emphasis on the needs of the members and on the community it will build, as such, according to Donofria, “There would not be an established hierarchy ... Just an organizer and the members ... I really want to stress the needs of the students and provide us with the tools to hopefully make an impact. “We would lead discussions, encouraging members to contribute in any way the wish or deem appropriate.” Donofria said. “There would be no ‘teaching,’ as all of us are still developing our own skill sets, “it would depend on constructive discourse, which, in itself, is a way to get more comfortable with speaking in front of others.” The goal of the organization? To help those who need more exposure to the practice obtain those much-needed practice hours that otherwise would be hard to come by, as they often come in the form of the presentation itself. During the gatherings, the members would look at examples from great orators, searching for specific nuances in their presentations. Then, by engaging in healthy discussion about the most important or significant portion of the orator’s presentation, each individual woul begin to forge his or her own identity and style as a speaker, which becomes as unique as each person’s handwriting. A great speaker often becomes a leader in some capacity, as possessing the skills necessary to effectively communicate and convey ideas are a premium in today’s world. Just as in Virgil’s Aeneid, wherein Aeneas rallies his companions with eloquent rhetoric, inspiring them to drive further into their foretold destination, leaders today use rhetoric to inspire others in the search for progress. The organization hopes, in the near rather than distant future, to develop a rapport with faculty, where

See Plethoric Rhetoric, B6

Foreign Affairs.........................B6 Editor’s Column............................B7