The Heights full 9-13

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Vol. XC, No. 26

THE HEIGHTS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010

www.bcheights.com

UGBC Senate approves 20102011 budget, with exception

STUDENTS GO CLUBBING

$63,021 discretionary fund remains an issue of debate

BY MICHAEL CAPRIO News Editor

KEVIN HOU / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Students perused campus clubs’ displays at Friday’s Student Activities Day.

University unveils new discipline plan

Long awaited policy to review certain alcohol citations on case-by-case basis

BY ANA T. LOPEZ Heights Editor

Prompted by student appeals and a desire to avoid alcohol-related medical emergencies, the administration has amended the University’s community standards to include a policy that allows students to voluntarily seek medical help for themselves or an intoxicated friend without any fear of punitive sanctions.

Currently functioning under the title of “Seeking Help for AlcoholRelated Medical Emergencies,” this policy amends the last row of the “Matrix,” and will allow students to seek medical attention for the overconsumption of alcohol without fear of disciplinary action.

The creation of this policy was a student-driven movement, a desire on the part of several student groups brought to the attention of the administration by Harvey Simmons, A&S ’11; Justin Pike, A&S ’11; and Rob Celin, CSOM ’11. After a year of discussions spent tweaking the policy, a finalized version was decided upon in early August of this year.

Simmons, Pike, and Celin originally lobbied for a full amnesty policy, but it was quickly determined that the

policy needed to include a mechanism for education.

“We decided we would try not having punitive sanctions, but we still want the ability to talk with students,” Vice President for Student Affairs Patrick Rombalski said. “Oftentimes with pure amnesty policies, there’s no ability to talk with students, so we left in the educational response.”

Celin and Simmons said that the pairing of counseling with an absence of punitive sanctions “enriches the ability to move forward after an incident.”

“We’re looking for there to be a conversation, so this policy is getting to the root cause of why people drink, before people were always just worried about getting in trouble,” Celin said.

“Now, when you go into a meeting with an administrator, the first thing said won’t be a list of disciplinary actions, but rather, ‘How are you doing?’” Simmons said.

An issue that administrators and students said they foresaw was that the policy would be construed as unfair to a student who was punished for having a small amount of alcohol, versus one that was that was only

See Policy, A4

RACHEL GREGORIO / HEIGHTS GRAPHIC

The UGBC Senate last week partially approved the organization’s budget, depicted above.

BY MICHAEL CAPRIO News Editor

The Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) has announced the details for ticket sales for Saturday’s Fall Concert featuring Kid Cudi and LMFAO. Tickets will be on sale for $25 starting today at 8 p.m. at the Robsham Theater box office.

The events staff will award floor seats to approximately the first 100 students who arrive at Conte Forum Saturday.

Doors open at 7 p.m.

This year’s concert will also feature a warm-up act by two student DJs. Casey Ruel and Jesse Ramey, both A&S ’13 and known by their stage name, Coastconnect, will play a 25 minute set at 8:15 p.m., followed by LMFAO and Kid Cudi.

Michael Kitlas, executive director of campus entertainment for UGBC and A&S ’12, said that the inclusion of student DJs reflects an effort by the UGBC to increase student involvement in the event. 

DAN STEINBERG / AP PHOTO

Rapper Kid Cudi (above) will headline this year’s UGBC Fall Concerts.

Faculty reflect on plan for NY mosque

ARTS & REVIEW

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER Assoc. News Editor

Taking a look at all things artsy this fall, B1

SPORTS

ANDREW POWELL / HEIGHTS STAFF

FEATURES

The closure of Gasson Hall over the summer has created a dearth of available space on campus.

Classroom changes receive mixed reviews

BY REBECCA KAILUS

Cleanse diets? Superfoods? Read about health facts vs. fiction, D1 Classifieds, C5 Crossword, C5 Editorials, A6 Numbers to Know, C2 Police Blotter, A2 Game to Watch, B2 Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down, A7 True Life, D4 Weather, A2 World Record, D4

See Budgets, A5

Fall Concert ticket details released

INSIDE

Strong day from defense, receivers push Eagles past Kent State, C1

The Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) Senate has partially approved the executive branch’s budget for the 2010-2011 year, with the exception of a controversial $63,021 discretionary fund, which has yet to be allocated.

The $563,000 budget saw an increase from last year’s budget of $538,000. Of the UGBC departments, the largest portions are currently held by the department of campus entertainment and the executive department, which have individual budgets of $229,500 and $86,062, respectively. The AHANA Leadership Council (ALC) has an approved budget of $85,627 while the GLBTQ Leadership Council (GLC) has a budget of $32,110 this year.

This year, the executive branch of the UGBC, headed by Micaela Mabida, UGBC president and CSOM ’11, and Patrick Raab, UGBC vice president and A&S ’11, instituted a number of new funding policies to avoid over-budgeting, while allocating the extra funds into a discretionary fund designed to be disbursed at the judgment of the executive department.

According to a report by the UGBC Senate Finance Committee, new allocation practices include eliminating funding for panel discussions, and providing the same amount of funds for annually recurring events that have been allocated

Heights Staff

The silence of the once chiming bells of Gasson Hall is not the only change to the campus’ landmark building that returning students have observed this September. With the ongoing renovation of Gasson, space is at a premium, and as a result, Boston College has converted little-used areas of Upper Campus, the Brighton Campus, and some residential halls into classrooms and offices.

The offices of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), the A&S Honors Program, and the University

Counseling center, all formerly located in Gasson, have been relocated temporarily to Carney. Many classes that would have been located in Gasson have been moved to McGuinn, McElroy Commons, the O’Connell House, several Upper Campus and Lower Campus residence halls, and the School of Theology and Ministry buildings on the Brighton Campus.

For many students, these changes have brought about some difficulty in getting to class on time. For Iulia Padeanu, A&S ’12, making it to her international law class in the O’Connell House is dou-

See Classrooms, A4

On Saturday, as the campus was enjoying the Eagles’ football victory over Kent State, the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks passed quietly in Chestnut Hill. The lack of fanfare, with few reminders of the event save for the lowering of flags around campus to half-mast, stood in contrast to memorials across the country.

Elsewhere, exchanges were rife with debate over the current news item that has been making national headlines over the past several months: the planned construction of a Muslim community center and mosque in Lower Manhattan, two blocks from Ground Zero.

The planned 15-story complex, called Park51 and dubbed the “World Trade Center mosque” by the media, is to contain a mosque, 500-seat auditorium, and a pool, and will be modeled on the Y.M.C.A. and Jewish Community Center in Manhattan, according to The New York Times.

At Ground Zero in New York on Saturday, mourners mixed with activists as the names of nearly 3,000 victims were read aloud on a crisp morning not unlike the fateful one nine years ago. As bells tolled around the city at exactly 8:46 a.m. – marking the moment that the first plane struck the north tower of the World Trade Center – many of those who were gathered bore signs in remembrance of victims that were laced with language

both in support of and against the building of the community center.

Many of New York City’s public officials, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Community Board 1, an advisory body that represents the neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, have been outspoken in their support of the project.

However, with midterm Congressional elections less than two months away, politicians of all backgrounds and parties

See Mosque, A4

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Alan Wolfe, professor of political science, said the mosque should continue as planned.

TopFive

Monday, September 13, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

things to do on campus this week

Governor Deval Patrick

1

Harvard Prof. Mike Warren

Today Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Robsham

Governor Deval Patrick will speak on the current state and future of education in Massachusetts. Elected in 2006, Patrick has made public education a priority during his administration.

Wednesday Time: 4:30 p.m.

Location: Campion 139 Har vard professor Mike Warren will lead a discussion about his book, Fire in the Heart, which studies how some white Americans become activists for racial justice.

2

Study Abroad Fair

3

Humanitarian Intervention

Wednesday Time: 6 p.m.

Location: Conte Forum

More than 75 programs spanning 30 countries, with semester, year, or summer study abroad opportunities, will have tables set up in Conte Forum. Information available for freshmen only.

FEATURED ON CAMPUS

Residents voice concerns

4

Thursday Time: 5:30 p.m.

Location: Higgins 300

A panel of scholars will discuss the debate over state sovereignty and military intervention, as well as the “responsibility to protect” and its effect on foreign policy.

First Year Convocation

5

Thursday Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Conte Forum

On Thursday evening, first year students will be welcomed into the BC community by keynote speaker Daniel Wolfe, author of How Lincoln Learned to Read.

IntheNews

FOUR DAY WEATHER FORECAST TODAY

71° Showers 56°

TUESDAY

73° Partly Cloudy 51°

WEDNESDAY

66° Partly Cloudy

University Personally customized majors suit students with unique passions Drexel University recently implemented a self-designed major in the hopes of attracting and retaining the best and brightest students, those who may become bored with a rigid core curriculum. Drexel is not the only institution acknowledging that the standard curriculum is a bad fit for some students. According to a report by The Chronicle of Higher Education, individualized majors began appearing in the 1960s and `70s, and now more than 100 colleges and universities in the United States offer such majors.

47°

THURSDAY

67° Partly Cloudy 54°

SOURCE: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

A Guide to Your Newspaper The Heights Boston College – McElroy 113 140 Commonwealth Ave. Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467 Editor-in-Chief (617) 552-2223

Local News Lowell police officer, 31, killed by alleged drunk driver on Saturday

TAYLOUR KUMPF / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Residents of Walsh Hall are required to check in at a lobby security desk from 5 p.m. - 5 a.m. from Thursday to Sunday.

BY TAYLOUR KUMPF Asst. News Editor

With the Walsh Hall desk program in operation now for two weeks, Walsh residents are becoming adjusted to the process of swiping themselves in every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday between the hours of 5 p.m. and 5 a.m.

However, many questions and concerns still remain.

According to a pamphlet given to Walsh residents by the building’s resident director, the desk’s main purpose is to ensure the safety and security of students.

“All too often in Chestnut Hill we get complacent, assuming that anyone on or around campus is supposed to be here,” reads the pamphlet. But, with the B-line right across the street, and tailgating in the Mods outside our front door, you can never be too careful with who is lingering around the building.”

Some students are not satisfied with this explanation. “If they are saying [the desk] is here to keep random people out, then why isn’t it here all week?” said Brittany Gazdag, A&S ’13.

Many students are also

concerned with the way that Boston College initiated the program.

“I think the University should have been more straightforward in explaining the situation,” said Amanda Brennan, A&S ’13. “I feel like they are using [the desk] as an excuse to crack down on Walsh.”

Another concern students have is what to do if they should forget their BC IDs. “If you forget your ID, they should be able to recognize you on the computer,” Brennan said.

“They should have you in the system, or you should be able to say, ‘This is my Eagle ID number.’”

Currently, students who forget their BC IDs have to contact a roommate or be checked in by another Walsh resident.

Not all feedback has been negative, however.

“It definitely could be worse, but I think the way the University communicated it was poor,” said Victoria McClemens, A&S ’13. “But I think people are overreacting.”

“Overall, it’s not a huge hassle, it’s just annoying,” Gazdag said. “But, a lot of

other schools have stricter policies.”

The desk program was announced in the spring as a pilot program.

The desk is staffed by security professionals hired from the company Securitas.

In cases of emergency, the Securitas personnel have orders to defer to the BC Police Department (BCPD) for assistance.

In addition to the swiping-in process, security cameras have been installed in the lobby of Walsh, as well as by all emergency exits – the footage from which will be used only in the event of an emergency or criminal action.

The program also includes the closing of all alternative exits out of Walsh except in case of emergencies.

In the past, these doors had card swipes, but those have been removed. If a student were to exit the building using one of these doors, an alarm would be triggered sending a signal to the BCPD dispatch.

According to the pamphlet, students who exit these doors in non-emergency situations will be subject to a disciplinary process. 

Early Saturday morning, an off-duty Lowell police officer was killed when his motorcycle was struck by an alleged drunk driver, according to a report by the Boston Globe. Sergeant Patrick Johnson, 31, of Lowell, had been with the department for six years and leaves behind his wife and two small children. He was allegedly struck by a vehicle driven by Theary Chan, 26, who was later arrested at Lowell General Hospital, and has been charged with motor vehicle homicide, operating under the influence, and failure to stop at a stop sign.

On Campus Nursing prof. awarded grant to study male victims of child abuse Connell School of Nursing Assistant Professor Danny Willis received funding from both the National Institue of Health and the National Institute of Nursing Research for his study “Adult Male Survivors Healing from Childhood Maltreatment.” The study looks to identify, describe, and understand the healing process, based on the experiences of adult male survivors who have been successful in their adult lives. Limited research already exists on the healing of adult women who experienced child abuse, but less research is available on males, who may also experience a negative impact on their health and quality of life.

National Air Force Reserve case puts ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ in the spotlight SEATTLE (AP) - Opponents of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy against GLBTQ persons serving in the military are hoping for another major legal victory as a federal trial begins today over whether to reinstate a woman discharged from the Air Force Reserve. The trial comes just days after a federal judge declared “don’t ask, don’t tell” an unconstitutional violation of the due process and free speech rights of GLBTQ persons. While the ruling does not affect the legal issues in the case of former Maj. Margaret Witt, GLBTQ rights activists believe a victory and her reinstatement could help build momentum for repealing the policy.

Editorial General (617) 552-2221 Managing Editor (617) 552-4286 News Desk (617) 552-0172 Sports Desk (617) 552-0189 Marketplace Desk (617) 552-3548 Features Desk (617) 552-3548 Arts Desk (617) 552-0515 Photo (617) 552-1022 Fax (617) 552-4823 Business and Operations General Manager (617) 552-0169 Advertising (617) 552-2220 Business and Circulation (617) 552-0547 Classifieds and Collections (617) 552-0364 Fax (617) 552-1753 EDITORIAL RESOURCES News Tips Have a news tip or a good idea for a story? Call Michael Caprio, News Editor, at (617) 552-0172, or e-mail news@bcheights.com. For future events, e-mail, fax, or mail a detailed description of the event and contact information to the News Desk.

Sports Scores Want to report the results of a game? Call Zach Wielgus, Sports Editor, at (617) 552-0189, or e-mail sports@bcheights.com.

Arts Events The Heights covers a multitude of events both on and off campus – including concerts, movies, theatrical performances, and more. Call Kristen House, Arts and Review Editor, at (617) 552-0515, or e-mail review@ bcheights.com. For future events, e-mail, fax, or mail a detailed description of the event and contact information to the Arts Desk.

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 Matthew DeLuca, Editor-in-Chief, at (617) 552-2223, or e-mail editor@ bcheights.com.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Police Blotter 9/7/10 – 9/10/10 Tuesday, September 7 1:46 a.m. - A report was filed regarding suspicious activity in the area of the Reservoir.

The state police were notified and responded to investigate. Officers cleared the area without incident.

11:45 a.m. - A report was filed regarding Charles Schoch of Boston, MA, who was arrested on outstanding warrent for armed robbery. The subject was booked at BCPD headquarters and transported to Brighton District Court for arraignment.

2:05 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a laptop that was found unattended in Hillside Cafe. The owner later arrived to claim the property.

Thursday, September 9 11:47 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a suspicious person on Upper Campus.

The party was located, identified, issued a written trespass warning, and escorted off Boston College property.

1:40 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a motor vehicle accident that resulted in property damage only. An officer instructed the parties involved on how to fill out a Massachusetts RMV motor vehicle crash form.

10:01 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a noise complaint off campus. The owner of the house was identified and was cooperative in dispersing the party.

11:46 p.m. - A report was filed regarding an underage intoxicated party in Kostka Hall.

The party was transported by ambulance to a medical facility.

Friday, September 10

Voices from the Dustbowl “What is your favorite vending machine snack?”

“Reese’s.”

—Tim Lilley, A&S ’13

2:18 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an underage intoxicated party in Edmond’s Hall. The party was transported to a medical facility in a police cruiser.

“Potato chips.”

—Andrew Hong, CSOM ’14

“Cheddar Ruffles.”

—Alexandra Weinman,

CSOM ’13

—Source: The Boston College Police Department

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.

The Heights is produced by BC undergraduates and is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year by The Heights, Inc. (c) 2010. All rights reserved.

12:32 a.m. - A report was filed regarding assistance provided to Edmond’s Hall resident assistants in destroying alcohol from several underage parties. A report will be forwarded to the ODSD and ResLife for review.

12:42 a.m. - A report was filed regarding assistance provided to Boston Police with an off-campus noise complaint. Several parties were identified and a report will be forwarded to the ODSD for review.

Delivery To have The Heights delivered to your home each week or to report distribution problems on campus, contact John O’Reilly, General Manager at (617) 552-0547.

“Swedish Fish.”

—Simone Valente,

CSOM ’13

CORRECTIONS Please send corrections to editor@bcheights.com with ‘correction’ in the subject line.

The Heights

Monday, September 13, 2010

Dollars and sense Joseph Pasquinelli Michaela Mabida, president of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) and CSOM ’11, and Pat Raab, UGBC vice president and A&S ’11, have trimmed the fat from this year’s UGBC budget. For this they should be applauded.

Perhaps they will be able to redirect these funds toward a new type of event that will provide the student body with quality entertainment beyond that provided by our annual concerts and dance events.

Perhaps they will put the funds toward enriching and easing student life through programs similar to the Star Market and Target shuttles.

Perhaps they should do this, but instead the executive branch of the UGBC would like to put the money into an executive discretionary fund.

This is simply a bad idea. The UGBC has a very poor track record of handling the funds that are allocated to it from the student activities fee.

To blindly give the executive branch money would allow this irresponsibility to continue.

The student body needs to hold the UGBC accountable for its money, which comes from our student activities fee.

Doing this would be simply impossible if $63,021 were put into a discretionary fund, as Mabida and Raab have proposed, instead of explaining in the line item budget.

With all due respect to past leaders of the UGBC and the current president and vice president, we would be foolish to trust them with such a sizeable discretionary fund. One shining example of the UGBC’s lack of financial prudence is last year’s spring concert, The Fray, which lost more money than anticipated. Imagine the poor decisions they will be allowed to make with less student accountability.

It would be best for the community if Mabida and Raab explained in the line item budget what they intend to do with these funds.

Another concert or dance event would be a bit much, so it would be best if they used this extra money to enrich the day to day life of the typical BC student. What can be done to make the University a better place? The student body is composed of many bright and capable minds, and these students should help the UGBC by writing and talking to their senators and other leaders in the organization.

One potential program would be to bring experts on diversity issues to speak on campus and make tickets available to all students for free. In light of our drop in The Princeton Review rankings, this would not only be beneficial to students, but also to the University as a whole. Speakers on race, class, gender, and GLBTQ issues could help students learn to be more sensitive, and respond more positively, to diversity on our campus.

BC, to its benefit, becomes more diverse each year. Programs, such as the one suggested above, would not only help students during their four years on campus, but they would also better prepare them to be men and women for others once they graduate and become leading members of our diverse society.

If guest speaker programs were implemented, the University would become more welcoming and a place where diverse students feel comfortable and full members of the community.

When these positive outcomes occur, BC will become a better place that produces better graduates who will be more able to set the world aflame.

Joseph Pasquinelli is a columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at editor@bcheights.com

A3

Group continues condom distribution

By Michael Caprio News Editor

Boston College Students for Sexual Health (SSH) continued its condom distribution efforts on campus last week when it handed out condoms on College Road, in front of McElroy Commons, with the purpose of reaching out to the freshman population.

“Part of our message for the past two years has been the normalization of condoms on campus,” said Caitlin Moran, a spokesperson for SSH and A&S ’11.

Included in the organization’s efforts to expand this year is collaboration with the GLBTQ Leadership Council (GLC) to work on issues regarding the sexual health needs of GLBTQ students on campus, Moran said.

The organization’s leadership also hopes to continue with efforts pioneered last year, such as the Safe Sites program, which allows students to host condom distribution centers in their dormitory rooms.

“The programs that we piloted last semester are things that we are going to be moving forward with this year,” Moran said. “The outreach is obviously going to help, I think, to make us more visible on campus. We also want to work more with the administration and, through our outreach efforts, I think we’ll have more of a basis to go to the administration.”

SSH was formed in 2009 to respond to an Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC) referendum item that called for greater sexual health resources on campus. The referendum passed with close to 90 percent of the vote.

The group encountered a single foray with the administration when, in the 2009 spring semester, a BC Police Department (BCPD) officer interrupted a condom distribution on College Road. After submitting documents from the City of Newton confirming that area as public space, the group has had no troubles with University officials.

“It has become more of an

Kevin Hou / Heights Editor

Students are depicted in the spring of 2010 as they distribute condoms on College Road as part of a SSH movement. accepted thing that we can be on that sidewalk, and we haven’t had any trouble recently at all,” Moran said.

Moran said that, while the organization is looking to expand its

presence on campus this coming year, it will try to retain its founding values.

“We still have to stay true to our core messages,” she said.

“One of those is to promote the

safety and sexual health of students on campus and enact the policy change that was voted for in the referendum, and make sure people are still actively striving for that change.” n

Students awarded Fulbright grants for research

By Rosie Chandler For The Heights

Last spring, the Fulbright program awarded its competitive grants to 21 Boston College students, 17 of whom were graduating seniors.

These grants provide recipients with the funds for a year’s post-graduate study abroad.

With the commencement of the new school year, these students have since dispersed across the globe to undertake their studies in 14 different countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Many of these students were awarded grants in order to pursue a research project with a professor or expert on a chosen topic. Meghan Michael, BC ’10, is currently in Amman, Jordan, and will be there for the next 13 months. As a recipient of both a Critical Language Enhancement

Award (CLEA) and a Fulbright grant, she will spend the first four months studying Arabic at Qasid University as a part of her CLEA. In January, she will begin a research project on the socioeconomic effects of water shortages on Jordanian families.

“While most research on the topic concerns the political or environmental effects of water

According to a report

by The Boston Globe, BC typically sends more students to Germany than any other U.S. university. shortages, I am more interested in how this affects people on a personal level,” Michael said.

“My research, therefore, takes a more anthropological approach.”

Other Fulbright recipients were awarded grants in order to work as English teaching assistants abroad. They are responsible for assisting in the general classroom instruction of students in grades five through 12, and for carrying out a special classroom project with these students.

Colleen O’Connor, BC ’10, is spending the year in Germany as an English teaching assistant.

She plans to conduct discussions in order to eliminate negative stereotypes between Germans and Americans. “I hope to have an impact on improving the image of America abroad, and hopefully this experience will make students want to come over and visit,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor is one of 10 Fulb r i gh t re c i p i e n ts st u dy i n g

abroad in Germany this year.

Students in the department of German studies obtain a disproportionate number of Fulbright grants each year – accounting for nearly one half of all BC recipients. According to a report

by The Boston Globe, BC typically sends more students to Germany than any other U.S. university.

John McMahon, BC ’10, is also in Germany this year conducting a research project in Berlin at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

“The project will involve independent research into the formation of former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer’s so-called ‘Seven Point Idea Paper’ for peace between Israel and the Palestinians,” McMahon said.

“I also hope to collaborate on joint projects with other researchers at the institute who

are examining German foreign policy in the Middle East.”

McMahon is studying political science and German at the Free University of Berlin during his time abroad as well.

McMahon said that he hoped to use this experience to “get to know fellow students and colleagues at the think tank and experience the richness of German culture while sharing something of America.”

Michael said that she looked forward to connecting with the local community.

“There is a commonly used phrase in the region, inshallah, meaning ‘God willing,’” Michael said. “It’s a standard response to every question, from when the gas company will arrive or whether the king will declare the day before Eid a holiday.

Inshallah, I will have a rewarding experience during my Fulbright.” n

The Heights

A4

Monday, September 13, 2010

Policy aims to encourage students to seek help Policy, from A1

required to go through a counseling program after drinking enough to warrant medical attention. “There may be sour grapes, but it’s about safety and welfare. If we get one student to act who would not have acted before, this policy is a success,” Paul Chebator, senior dean of student development, said.

Sheilah Shaw Horton, dean of student development, said that, in years past, students asked always felt it was the right thing to do to take a friend to seek medical attention, but would only do so if they could remain completely anonymous. “We have no idea how many students are put to bed when they should not be,” Horton said. “Our hope is that no one will be now.”

“From a numbers perspective, hospital and infirmary visits will go up because the students who need medical help but never got it in the past will now feel free to go,” Celin said.

Horton also said the experience of waking up in a hospital is one that is often quite sobering to students, and therefore serves as just as strong a deterrent as a sanction might. “That is far greater than any probation we could put them on or fine we could assign. We’ve tracked how many students have had repeat offenses and there are very few,” she said.

Horton said that this policy students.” was not offering a free ride, but Other administrators agreed rather “students getting the that the policy could prove help they need.” With regards beneficial, as statistics from to amending the remainder of programs such as AlcoholEdu the Matrix to offer leniency to have shown that an overwhelmstudents cited for more minor ing number of students are offenses, she said, “I don’t completely inexperienced with want people to think the dean’s drinking upon entering college. office is giving a nod to drink- “The number of students who ing.” come into colAccording to “We have no idea how lege having nevPike, what set er drank before many students are increases each this policy apart is the fact that it put to bed when they year,” Rombalski allows for more said. “So there should not be. Our is def initely a discretion and for students to hope is that no one need for educabe treated on an tion.” will be now.” individual basis.

In addition “It’s fairly taito implementlored to individ- — Sheilah Shaw Horton, ing this policy, a ual understandcampaign to edDean of Student ing and getting ucate students Development to what’s going as to the danon with a pargers and warnticular student,” he said. “Be- ing signs of alcohol poisoning fore this, the policy was more will begin this fall. extreme and negative. There The policy has already been was no ‘yellow light.’ Now there endorsed by a variety of camis the ability to flex and change pus organizations, such as the with certain circumstances.”

Undergraduate Government of Rombalski said that, while BC (UGBC) and the UGBC Senthis policy is clearly discre- ate, Eagle EMS, and the Office tionary, the administration has of Residential Life (ResLife). tried to employ that attitude “This was not a singular in every student case. “The movement, it was really a camdiscretion has always been pus-wide effort,” Simmons there, even though it has not said. “It also shows that the always been clear from the Vice administration really cares President of Student Affairs about the student body. It Office,” he said. “The Matrix is was a student movement that the rule, but there will always wasn’t just students pushing be exceptions to the rule. We’re administrators, but the admininterested in what’s best for istration working with us.” n

Kevin Hou / Heights Editor

Rob Celin (left), Harvey Simmons (center), and Justin Pike (right) took part in the formation of the new sanctions policy, which alleviates disciplinary actions on students who voluntarily seek medical assistance for themselves or a friend.

Professors analyze NYC mosque planning Mosque, from A1

Andrew Powell / heights staff

Since construction on Gasson Hall began this summer, the administration has had to find alternative classroom space.

Students adjust to improvised classrooms “From what I have noticed, a lot of clubs have also found it difbly challenging: on Monday and ficult to get classroom spaces,” Wednesday, she has a class im- she said. mediately before in Devlin Hall, Other students have not had and on Fridays she has to travel an issue with the relocation of from her off-campus residence classes. Although Mary Goetz, to Upper Campus.

A&S ’13, lives on College Road, “Now you have the same she has not found having class amount of time to go much lon- in St. Ignatius Gate to be an ger distances,” Padeanu said. inconvenience.

“It’s not the extra walking that “Maybe I’ll find it harder is a problem, I am just always when I’m running late or in the afraid I am going to be late. Pro- winter,” Goetz said. fessors still expect you to be on “But now, it really isn’t a time, and there problem. I can is no time left to “It’s not pretty, but I always grab Hilldo anything, even coffee on the understand it has to side get a sip of water, way, which is a be done.” between classes plus. For students anymore.” living on College Some students Road, the walk — Mary Goetz, who have class in is all downhill.

A&S ’13 St. Ignatius Gate While I like havhave also felt the ing other classes renovations of Gasson to be close, I don’t mind it because it an inconvenience. For Shelby is just temporary.”

Garber, A&S ’13, who lives on Goetz also said that some College Road, having Western professors have been accomcultural traditions there has modating when classrooms are proved to be a problem. located far from Middle Campus.

“I’m the kind of person who “My teacher has been good about hates be late,” Garber said. letting us out to get to other “That means I usually have to classes because she realizes that leave Upper 20 minutes before it is far away from other classes,” my class starts so I know that Goetz said.

I will not be late. It is a pain to Students living on College wake up 10 minutes early. In the Road and Upper Campus have morning, every minute counts.” welcomed the opportunity to Padeanu said that the clos- have class in the O’Connell ing of Gasson has also created a House. While having a class space problem for club meetings. on Lower Campus has been an

Classrooms, from A1

inconvenience, Garber said her Contextos Spanish class, which meets in the O’Connell House, has been a welcome change. “It works out well because I am the closest I could be as a sophomore to that class,” she said.

Despite any grumblings about the changes, students understand the closing of Gasson is necessary. “We are going to have a nice, new, safe building that will make the campus even more beautiful,” Goetz said. “I am really excited about the changes that are happening. It’s not pretty, but I understand it has to be done.”

While Garber said that the renovations to Gasson are necessary, she is disappointed that the scaffolding has covered up the building. “When it’s done it’ll be even better than before,” she said. “But I am disappointed that it’s covered up. I think it’s one of the prettiest buildings on campus, and to see it covered up is depressing.”

Padeanu said that the longterm improvements to Gasson will be worth it in the end. “Gasson always had personality,” she said. “It was older and not as nice as other buildings, such as Fulton, but I think we all loved it the way it was. However, having better facilities to work in is never a bad thing, and it will be nice to have newer and nicer classrooms when we come back senior year.” n

are being grilled on the merits of Park51 and if an alternate location should be considered.

At BC, Alan Wolfe, professor in the political science department, said the issue is a “manufactured controversy,” and that it reflected the rhetoric of an election year.

“There are elections taking place in the fall and that’s what it’s really about,” Wolfe said.

He said that his personal opinion is that it would be good for the country if the construction proceeds as planned. “What it tells me is that there are a lot of demagogues and opportunists who would attack Islam for political reasons.”

In August, President Barack Obama voiced his support for the project saying, “I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country.” However, the next day he qualified his remark, with aides telling the media that his remarks were not a direct endorsement of Park51.

Among those who are publicly opposed to the project being constructed in its planned location are 2008 Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, Former House Speaker

Newt Gingrich (R-GA), New York subsequent attacks committed by Governor David Paterson, and Islamic extremists in London, Macurrent Senate Majority Leader drid, and in areas of U.S. military Harry Reid (D-NV). activity in the Middle East.

The resolution of the Park51 “It’s not clear what kind of a redebate will ultimately come to be ligion it is, although there does apa defining moment in how Islam pear to be a gap between the pracis perceived in the tice of American Un i te d Sta te s , “This is an interesting Muslims and the said Dennis Hale, moment. It may turn official orthodox a professor in BC’s statements comout to be a decisive ing out of a place political science department. like the [Persian] moment.”

“This is an inGulf or Iran,” Hale teresting moment said.

— Dennis Hale, – it may turn out Hale also Professor, Political to be a decisive called into quesmoment,” Hale tion the motives Science Department sa i d . He sa i d of Imam Feisal that significantly fewer people Abdul Rauf, the imam of a mosque would’ve become involved in the in New York’s financial district and discussion had the mosque been one of the Park51 organizers. While planned for anywhere else, rather Rauf has been referred to as a than so close to the World Trade moderate by the presidential adCenter. ministration of George W. Bush, When asked whether Ameri- Hale said that Rauf’s political cans’ perception of Islam has ideologies and his support of changed in the past nine years, Sharia law make him a dangerous Hale said the debate over the individual to be spearheading Park51 project will reveal the con- the mosque effort. sensus position on what he called “The word ‘moderate’ applied the “Islamic challenge.” to him and people like him is a “I think that over the decade misnomer,” Hale said. “There they have come to the conclusion are Muslims who say Islam needs that you cannot say Islam is a re- to move beyond Sharia law, and ligion of peace,” Hale said, citing Imam Rauf is on the wrong side the Sept. 11 attacks, in addition to of that [discussion].” n

The Heights

Monday, September 13, 2010

A5

Substance abuse group seeks campus spot

By Ji Hae Lee For The Heights

A small number of Boston College students have joined the SBIRT Collaborative, a substance use intervention program budding on BC’s campus.

An acronym for Screening, Brief-Intervention, and Referral to Treatment, SBIRT is a joint initiative by St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, the AllstonBrighton Substance Abuse Task Force, and University officials.

The goal of the program is to inform students of the problems of excessive alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, and risky behavior to reduce patient’s risk of addiction, said Aaron Lemmon, director of SBIRT and BC ’08.

Lemmon is currently looking to bring his program to campus and is negotiating a coverage schedule for BC’s on-campus infirmary at the request of University Health Services.

About 7.4 percent of the U.S. adult population currently meets diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism, according to data obtained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Lemmon said he hopes to change that statistic. “Those persons could potentially have been saved had they received help before their consump-

tion behavior transitioned to addiction,” he said. “Unfortunately, the persons at the highest statistical risk of alcohol dependence are between the ages 16 and 25. High school and college students are among the most vulnerable populations nationally.”

The issue of excessive alcohol consumption among college students is not foreign to the local area. Undergraduate volunteer screeners at St. Elizabeth’s Emergency Department performed 141 screening encounters between Oct. 30, 2009 and May 9, 2010. Of the screened patients, 94 were either high school or college students.

One common misconception is that people with high alcohol tolerance aren’t in jeopardy of abuse, Lemmon said.

“Many college students drink to get drunk,” he said. “So every time such persons drink, they are apt to drink more than they should because they often develop tolerance. By doing so, they are putting themselves at a much higher risk of becoming addicted. Tolerance is a red flag, especially when a person has been drinking excessively.

Such people are inadvertently putting their academics, future careers, and even their very lives at stake.”

Lemmon’s involvement in SBIRT has a personal side. In the summer of 2004, just before

Lemmon began his undergraduate studies at BC, two of his high school classmates died from substance issues, one from a heroin overdose and one from asphyxiation after drinking to excess.

This, he said, was when he became aware than even a single incident of drug use could turn fatal.

“Boston College’s undergraduate student population needs to be more proactive as a whole in terms of addressing the substance use issue,” Lemmon said.

“BC is distinguished in terms of academics and athletics, but when it comes to consumption and other behaviors toward of alcohol, we have been no better than any other school.”

Six BC undergraduate students are currently working as volunteers for the SBIRT Collaborative.

“Our student volunteers are doing an excellent job of taking leadership on this issue,” Lemmon said. “I believe they are a crucial catalyst for change among the student body, especially since they are receiving logistical support from both BC and St. Elizabeth’s. Our screeners are eager to talk with other people about the incredible work they do. This is what it means to be BC. How can we be ‘men and women for others’ if we can’t take care of our own?” n

Alex Trautwig / Heights editor

Aaron Lemmon (second from right), BC ’08, is organizing an effort to bring the alcohol abuse prevention collaborative SBIRT to campus. The program, which aids individuals at risk for alcohol dependence, would be run through Health Services.

Eagle EMS expanding presence in community

Photos Courtesy of Christopher Faherty

Eagle EMS members volunteered at a local event to introduce safety practices to children. The organization, which was founded in 1997, has grown to over 120 members in its 13 years of existance, becomomg a presence on campus and in the local area.

By Kendall Bitonte For The Heights

Boston College’s emergency medical service, Eagle EMS, is all-volunteer and student run.

Since its founding in 1997, the organization has grown to more than 120 certified members – and it continues to grow every year.

“Eagle EMS has been growing since the group’s beginning and we have a solid foundation of core people,” said Chris Faherty, president of Eagle EMS and A&S ’13.

Eagle EMS’ roster includes 70 certified emergency medical technicians (EMT) with either state or national certifications. The organization also has

50 observers, or participants with CPR certifications, many of whom study further to become EMTs. Faherty said that Eagle EMS works nearly 100 events per year, ranging from sporting games to Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC) events. Each Eagle EMT works, on average, two events per month and take turns riding seven hour weekend shifts with the Armstrong Ambulance Company.

“I joined Eagle EMS as a way to give back,” Faherty said. “Having already been an EMT for five years before coming to campus, volunteer medical service was a big part of my life, and so when I came to campus and saw Eagle EMS I knew I had to get involved.”

Eagle EMS organizes three EMT

certification courses throughout the academic year for students, one in the fall semester and two in the spring, along with monthly CPR certification classes.

Each course is 16 hours per week, with classes running through the entire semester. Eagle EMS also has classes for EMT recertification, which is required every two years.

Ashley Griswold, director of training for Eagle EMS and A&S ’11, said that the class is intense but that it also comes with long-term benefits. “Being an EMT gives you confidence, which is important in whatever you pursue, whether it be medicine or not.”

Michelle Gaglia, A&S ’12, took Eagle EMS’ certification class the spring of her freshman year.

“Eagle EMS offered me a chance to gain experience in medicine and see if being a doctor was really something I wanted,” she said. “I have since made many friends and learned a lot. The EMT class helped with my premed classes and studying for the MCAT, too.”

Beyond her time serving on campus, Gaglia’s EMT certification and experience allowed her to volunteer with the Central Park Medical Unit in New York City this summer. Gaglia spent the summer expanding her EMT skills while dealing with cases of drug overdose, heat stroke, and assault.

“Joining Eagle EMS has definitely opened up many opportunities for me,” Gaglia said. “I would for sure recommend joining Eagle EMS for anyone

interested in medicine. It’s a big time commitment but definitely worth it.”

Many of the Eagle EMTs are premedical or nursing students, but not all.

Griswold stressed that all that is necessary to join is a general interest in health and a desire to give back to the community. “The things we learn as EMTs are helpful to know in life if any sort of medical problem comes up,” said Lauren Westover, external training coordinator for Eagles EMS and A&S ’11.

“In being a part of Eagle EMS I got insight into how BC works,” Griswold said. “I enjoy meeting and hanging out with deans and the police officers while on duty, and the Eagle EMTs are a fun-loving bunch. There’s never a dull moment.” n

2011 budget may differ in structure, oversight Budgets, from A1

in years past.

The UGBC Senate voted last Wednesday to approve the line item budget with the exception of the discretionary fund, which represents more than 10 percent of the overall budget, at the recommendation of the Finance Committee.

Derek Lo, chair of the Finance Committee and A&S ’12, said that, while the discretionary fund is well-intentioned, the issue lies in the distribution of the funds throughout the year. “The question is who decides who gets the money and who doesn’t – that’s a Senate decision,” he said. “Because we approved the remainder of the budget line by line, we have some idea of what the money will be used for. But by lumping it together into a discretionary fund, it makes it hard to do that.”

According to the Finance Committee report, in the past, discretionary funds have been used to cover cost overruns and

as rainy day funds. “In departure from years previous, however, the large majority of this year’s discretionary fund is for the sole purpose of allocating for future, unbudgeted events,” the report reads.

The report also points to the fact that the proposed designation scheme violates the UGBC Constitution, which reads, “The Senate is responsible for the Budget. The Senate shall allocate all funds given to the UGBC amongst all departments of the UGBC throughout the year.”

When asked about the use of the discretionary fund, Mabida said that it originated from organizational concerns.

“It’s what we’ve done historically,” she said. “We’ve done it operationally to make sure that the organization is running efficiently.”

In the past, UGBC executive directors had leeway to reallocate money within individual departments, Lo said. This year’s discretionary fund, if fully approved according to the submitted guidelines, would

have allowed the executive department to allocate funds to any department or line item, given the approval of the UGBC’s two finance director’s and Paulette Durrett, assistant dean of the student programs office.

“There would be four people, only one of whom is elected by the student body, that would determine the funds,” Lo said in reference to the terms under which the fund would exist.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you had 19 [Senators], all of whom were elected by the student body?”

Erika Hernandez, president of the ALC and A&S ’11, said that, while she could not comment on the discretionary fund, the ALC is satisfied with its budget for this year and is looking forward to working more closely with the UGBC. The ALC’s most expensive events are the ALC Boat Cruise and the ALC Ball, which run budgets of $18,000 and $28,000, respectively.

The GLC’s largest line item in its budget is the GLC Gala, budgeted at $17,900. n

Kevin Hou / Heights Editor

The budget submitted by Micaela Mabida and Patrick Raab (above) was approved by the UGBC Senate last Wednesday.

A6

Monday, September 13, 2010

The Heights

Editorials

Medical policy

After months of negotiation, students and administrators have reached an agreement on a first offense medical policy.

The Alcohol Task Force, which is composed of members of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) and University administrators, has implemented an alcohol policy which we think should quell students’ fears about seeking alcohol-related medical attention for themselves or their peers. As part of the policy, no disciplinary actions will be taken for a student’s first drinking related incident that requires medical attention.

Instead, students in such situations will now attend alcohol education classes or therapy sessions.

Coinciding with the new program, BC will be initiating more discussion focused on recognizing the signs of alcohol poisoning and knowing what actions to take in such a situation.

In a previous editorial, The Heights expressed concern that students were afraid to seek medical help for fear of the consequences – putting this fear of being punished before their safety. While the new policy does not grant full alcohol amnesty, we feel that it effectively answers the call to protect students’ health and safety, and we believe it will be met with a responsible student response.

The Heights would like to commend the task force, which labored for more than a year to make this policy a reality.

This policy will allow students and the administration to see whether education or punishment serves better to address over-consumption. The Heights questions, however, the University’s decision to make the policy non-amendable. The program in place only affects students seeking medical attention due to the excessive consumption of alcohol. First offenses that do not include a trip to the infirmary or a local hospital will be dealt with, as in the past, by referring to the punitive sanctions of the Matrix.

Also to be considered is that a more significant number of write-ups take place in the period between move-in and the first day of classes than at any other time of the year. We feel that the use of the developmental program during the initial weeks of school would be beneficial for students whose first offenses take place during this time.

With these points in mind, we ask that the University be willing to give the program a review period and be open to making changes. As with any new initiative, unforeseen problems are always a possibility.

Stokes space

Although the planned Stokes project will offer many new amenities for students, common green space must be preserved.

Last week, members of the Boston College community learned from University administrators that plans for the construction of the Stokes Academic Building were proceeding on schedule, and that the final building proposal will be voted on by the BC Board of Trustees at their Sept. 24 meeting. While The Heights would like to join the campus in expressing our excitement for the start of the Stokes project, we would first like to caution BC administrators, trustees, and all those involved in the building’s planning not to ignore the need for abundant green space and common areas on our campus.

The Dustbowl is one of the most popular gathering spots on campus, particularly during the fall and spring when the weather brings students outdoors. It plays host to a number of organized activities and student demonstrations, ranging from last week’s Student Activities Day and poster sale to a number of informal Frisbee contests and picnic lunches.

The Heights fully understands that construction on the Stokes Academic Building will cause access to the Dustbowl to be se-

verely limited for the duration of the project.

Once the dust clears, however, the size of the Dustbowl will be reduced to an area similar in dimension to O’Neill Plaza, according to administrators. It is the University’s responsibility to ensure that an aspect of its Strategic Plan involves the opening of new gathering spaces that will replace what is lost to the Stokes construction site.

Plans for Stokes call for a central lounge and coffee bar to be located in the lobby of the building’s South Wing. These will undoubtedly add to the building’s overall quality, but it would be folly to think that even a lobby and coffee shop will adequately offset the lost green space of the Dustbowl.

When the Board of Trustees votes on the final plans for the Stokes Academic Building, there is hardly any doubt that it will be approved and construction preparations will move forward. In two months time, at most, fences will likely encircle the Dustbowl, where they will remain for two years.

Many current students will not be here to see the final product, but the University owes it to future Eagles to ensure students a place to gather on campus.

Midnight Madness

To begin a new era of BC basketball, the University must allow the institution of this time-honored tradition.

This Saturday, last Saturday, and countless Saturdays before, students descended from Upper Campus, rode buses from Newton, were coaxed out of the Mods, journeyed from Foster, South, and streets beyond, and otherwise perambulated from all points of the compass to Alumni Stadium to partake in Boston College’s oldest athletic tradition. Yet, football is far from the only sport here, and it is time to acknowledge that in substantative ways.

That is why this year, we encourage new basketball coach Steve Donahue, Vice President of Student Affairs Patrick Rombalski, the athletics department, and University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., to reconsider the longtime ban on Midnight Madness and to reinstitute it or some similar event to mark the beginning of the basketball season.

Midnight Madness, for those who are not yet fans of college basketball, takes the form of a pep rally held at midnight on the very first day that NCAA regulations allow basketball teams to practice. At many schools where basketball has an established fan culture, these celebrations can become ornate and anticipated annual events.

This campus knows that the athletics department, when it comes to sports other than football, is engaged in a struggle for our hearts and minds. It seems that even the generous distribution of freebies and other marketing

ploys still doesn’t get students somewhere they do not want to be. A vibrant fan culture cannot be created by hyperactive Jumbotron displays or even by chants of “We are BC!” Sports have to be something talked about at tables in the Rat, satirized in The New England Classic, and shunned by students who want to assert themselves as intellectuals.

The question remains – how do we bring attention to some of our less-appreciated sports? We think that the institution of a major annual event, one with music and pageantry and celebrity hosts, might be just the kind of thing to tip the balance toward active post-football fandom.

Our hockey and basketball programs deserve more attention, and not just from the student body. Everyone from the director of athletics on down says we need more of a fan culture around basketball and hockey, that these sports deserve our attention. There is already one Catholic school with the reputation of being a football powerhouse; BC could be the Catholic school that is an all-around athletic powerhouse.

We hope that this University will consider the return of Midnight Madness, or the institution of an event of equal pomp and circumstance. This year’s Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC) budget indicates that it has allocated funds for exactly such an event. May that money be well spent.

The Heights The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Matthew DeLuca, Editor-in-Chief John O’Reilly, General Manager Darren Ranck, Managing Editor

Contributors: Kevin DiCesare, Diana Nearhos

Samantha Cohen / Heights Illustration

Letters to the Editor Restore some class to our first downs Dear anyone who feels it is a good idea to end every first down cheer with the hilarious and completely original yelling of ‘B—h!,’ please stop. It’s a terrible idea, it’s not funny, and it makes every student in the stadium look bad. Sure, once in a while after a great pick or a long touchdown pass some extracurricular language may be appropriate. But do we really need to call out the other team about our awesome first down after we lost 15 yards because we muffed a punt return?

Secondly, it’s just not a classy thing to do. Do we really want our parents hearing that? When my grandmother watches us play Notre Dame this year, I know I’m going to cringe every time she can hear us yelling that on TV. And for a school that’s supposed to be an example of excellence, what kind of example are we setting for all of the kids who love the Eagles and want to go here 10 years from now?

Yes, I like to have a beer or two before the game, and I like to have a good time at the game just like everyone else. But that doesn’t mean I leave my dignity at the gate when my ticket is scanned. Virginia Tech is in two weeks, and while I hope the guys on the field can beat them, I hope just as much that the people in the stands can support them with some class.

Kevin Porter CSOM ’11

Behind the Superfan zone, just above Section J in Alumni Stadium, there is a sign that reads “Pride, Passion, Respect, and Responsibility. We Are BC.” It highlights the very best of the Boston College community, on and off the athletic fields.

It encapsulates the ideals that all of us are committed to and hope to emulate on the Heights.

Sadly, it’s clear that my fellow Superfans have not noticed the sign recently.

This Saturday, a crass and disrespectful exclamation echoed at the end of the declaration, “Eagles, first down!” The addition is beyond disconcerting. The misogynistic word is insulting. It is hurtful. Worst of all, it reflects poorly on the current student body, the pride of our University, and the reputation of our community.

There are other ways to show our passion for the game, ones that respect our opponents, convey a sense of pride, and interact responsibly with our neighbors. If the Superfans wish to show that they are witty and deserving enough to go to a top 40 university (31 and climbing!), they should drop this terrible staccato at the end of a once proud cheer.

We are better than that. We Are BC. Craig Noyes BC ’08

Illogical claims made about student major choices Theresa Hammond’s letter to the editor on Sept. 9 contains an interesting and disturbing claim. According to Hammond, “Studies show that a major driver behind African-Americans’ choice of major is the presence of an African-American faculty member in that field.” Assuming this to be a fact, one must ask an important question: Why do African-American students choose their major field of study based on such an irrelevant criterion?

What does the presence of AfricanAmerican professors have to do with choosing a major?

A choice of major should be based on a student’s interests, talents, aspirations, values, and career goals.

It should have nothing to do with the skin color of professors in that field. A student who makes such an important

decision based on this absurd criterion lacks the mental maturity to make that decision in the first place.

The issue begs a further question: Why should any school take such irrational decision-making criteria into consideration in making faculty hiring and promotion decisions? Should a school capitulate to every whim of its student body in order to attract more students of certain racial, ethnic, or other under-represented groups?

Suppose that a study showed that a major driver behind attractive female students’ choice of major is the presence of attractive female faculty members in that field. Would Hammond then suggest that the accounting department hire more attractive women in order to enlarge its attractive female student population? No reasonable

Feeling proud to be an Eagle Hoon Choi This summer, on the evening of May 11 2010 at Shilla Hotel in Seoul, Boston College graduates in Korea gathered to welcome the University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J..

This was the first major gathering of the members of the Boston College Korean Alumni Association (BCKAA).

By the time all of the guests sat down in their seats, we had about 80 people in the room.

After short introductions and recognitions, the guests were presented with the goal of BCKAA, which is to continue what it has done (hold information sessions, continue to make better use of the web communities, have bi-annual events, and be supportive in BCKAA community related events), and to improve upon it (participate in the BC fund, hold fundraising events, support the current students in many capacities).

As the Spirit would have it, the final activity resulted in awarding two incoming freshmen with gift certificates — very appropriate for BCKAA’s plan to support the current BC students.

Why do I write to The Heights about this? Because I am proud. We are proud. We are proud to be the graduates of BC and that the spirit of BC and its education live on. In that room on a beautiful night in May, we all felt that we have done a small part in making BC more a global school than ever before. I simply wanted to share the fact that the Superfans are not only in all corners of the world, but also that we are present with a noticeable significance now. Our hope is that you will also bring BC with you when you all graduate and make us known wherever you may end up living.

About a year ago, some of us met in Korea and envisioned some day inviting the president of BC to Korea and hosting a gathering that would include Korean alumni from all corners of

BC, young and old, undergrads and grads, the Law School and the Lynch School of Education, Korean speaking and English speaking, etc. Never in our wildest dreams did we think that this day would come to fruition this quickly. But the spirit of BC, the “never give up” approach, and of course the winning attitude of Doug Flutie allowed our dreams to come true yet again. Indicative of our motto, “Ever to Excel,” we forge ahead, until we more fully become men and women for others. We have many ambitions and anticipations for BCKAA, many of which, frankly, seem insurmountable at the moment. As we have done thus far, however, we plan to strive for the best, use BCKAA as a vehicle to live a fuller and more meaningful life, and as St. Ignatius charged to missionary St. Francis Xavier, we plan to “Go set the world on fire!” Go Eagles!

Hoon Choi is a Boston College graduate of the class of 2000.

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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

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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.

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person would suggest that, yet when an analogous argument is made in favor of racial preferences in hiring and promotion, few eyebrows are raised.

Hammond’s illogical arguments are neither novel nor surprising. They are, unfortunately, very common in an academic, social, and political environment in which racial diversity is so sacred that it justifies any means necessary. In this environment, preposterous arguments in favor of forced diversity are rarely questioned, either because of ignorance or fear of the dreaded label of racism. Yet there is nothing racist about challenging diversicrats to defend their flawed reasoning, unjust means, and unrealistic ends. It is time we challenge them more often.

Syd Amit GA&S ’11

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THE HEIGHTS

Monday, September 13, 2010

A7

OPINIONS

The social nightmare

Thumbs Up Perks – As BC students, we’re entitled to a lot (or so we think), and often that comes in the form of free stuff.

From killer shades on game day to that piece of candy on Student Activities Day, we’re pretty spoiled here. But besides the everyday niceties, several packages such as free MFA trips and cheap Red Sox tickets really make living in Boston better. Thanks for the pampering, BC! S.A.D. – Nothing instills school pride quite like seeing the creativity and gusto with which your peers attempt to ensnare fresh meat for this or that club. Special attention must be paid to the groups that broke out of the funsized candy mold with their edible enticements: Real Food BC and Shovelhead, thanks for rounding out the produce / meat sections.

31 – BC continues to steadily rise on the US News and World Report rankings, and while the best repercussion from this should be the new and better students we will attract, TU/TD thinks it’s all about bragging rights.

Fall – Oh, what a difference a week makes. Students who, last weekend, were throwing open windows in hopes of tempting any small breeze, are now donning sweaters and curling up under blankets.

Snow in six weeks? TU/TD is calling it now.

Thumbs Down W&M - BC is currently tied for its 31st spot with a certain Virginia school that boasts T. Jefferson as an alumnus.

History aside, are we going to allow a school in Colonial Williamsburg to beat us? Get on this, Eagles!

Concert tickets – Wait, isn’t there the big fall concert this Saturday? Unless the UGBC wants a repeat of the spring, TU/TD suggests marching through the campus with a drum line to draw some much needed attention.

Confusion – Whether you use it for PEPs, Laundry View, or some other mundane task, the UGBC Web site is an oft-used tool for students.

However, those of us who enjoyed the former layout were in for an unpleasant surprise when it underwent a serious downgrade this summer.

Even the headless front page mascot seems to be shrugging in dismay.

Shepherding – TU/TD knows that people can get rowdy on game days and maybe a little overexuberant (to the point of lame) in their cheers, but we don’t need to be shunted into the stadium like lambs for the slaughter. Take note, Conte security, young adults don’t respond well to being cajoled like 5-year-olds.

Bedbugs – This summer epidemic may or may not have made an unwelcome debut in some Lower residence halls.

Now here’s another health reason to avoid cohabitation!.Add that to your educational pamphlets, Students for Sexual Health.

The Departed – As the year starts to get underway, the class of 2012 is beginning to notice that more than a few of our members are missing from tailgates and lunch tables.

A moment of silence (filled with envy) for them and safe international travels.

TIM O’CONNOR I’ve found myself here many times before. My index finger rests on the left mouse button, and my cursor hovers over the confirm button. One click is the only thing standing between me and freedom. But, as always, my nerves fail me. I just can’t do it. I can’t delete my Facebook profile. I close the browser window and go to get a drink, knowing that when I get back I’ll still be safely tethered to all my friends and acquaintances.

I find myself confronting this dilemma every time Facebook roles out a new feature or messes with my privacy settings without telling me.

The “Places” feature, implemented in August, is what inspired this particular failed attempt. Users can now use a mobile device to publish their current location, as well as the locations of their friends. Honestly, there’s nothing particular distressing about the feature itself. I’m a long-time fourSquare enthusiast, which is an application for smartphones that more or less accomplishes the same thing as Places. You can even allow fourSquare to publish updates to your Facebook account, if you so choose.

I suppose my concern with Facebook, as opposed to other social networks, is the omnipresence the site has achieved.

There’s no denying that it was the first social network, and in terms of functionality it is still the best.

Facebook pioneered the movement to put “the real you” on the Internet, and they’ve achieved remarkable success. Unfortunately, in doing so it has also eliminated the very notion of privacy.

Maybe I’m paranoid and overly concerned, but I’m simply not okay with one company having access to my photos, contact information, home address, current location, and list of friends – let alone letting everyone else

on the Internet have this information.

I deliberately limit what I put on Facebook and who can see it, but even the information I do put out there gives me a faint sense of unease. Do you really think Facebook cares about your privacy? I certainly don’t. Facebook is a business, and the social network exists to make the investors a quick buck. The company has repeatedly come under criticism for providing advertisers with too much access to user information, yet never seems to learn the lesson or face serious legal repercussions.

I didn’t really have this paranoia when all the services were split up. I used AIM for instant messaging, Hotmail for e-mail, flickr for my pictures, and so forth. It was all dispersed – none of it was linked to the “offical Internet me.” These companies could sell my information to more or less whomever they wanted, but there was never that central node that

brought it all together. I was just a random number on a spreadsheet, and not actually me.

Ironically enough, the very pervasiveness of Facebook is what makes it so hard to stop using it. The network manages every aspect of your social life, and there’s no way to cut off one part without losing the rest. You are in or you are out. There’s no in-between.

If you want to get invited to that party in the Gate this weekend, you had better be on the Facebook invite list, and if you want that you simply have to have a Facebook. If you want to keep in contact with old friends, you probably don’t have their e-mail address or screen name anymore – you’ve talked to them over Facebook for the past three or four years. Getting rid of your profile effectively puts you out of contact.

Odds are, you remember a time before Facebook. You remember when your friends would call you on your birthday to give their best wishes, rather than typing a quick note on your wall. You know what it’s like to RSVP to a paper invitation, instead of checking “Attending,” “Maybe,” or “Not Attending.” What I find most bothersome about all of this is the simple fact that kids today are being born into the world of Facebook. It is their reality, and for all they know there never was a different way to do the things that Facebook handles for us today.

Whether we like it or not, the age of Facebook is here, and it’s here to stay.

RACHEL GREGORIO / HEIGHTS ILLUSTRATION

Tim O’Connor is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.

Hypocritical patriotism HAYLEY TRAHAN-LIPTAK Rewind two months to the beginning of July 2010. The sound of drums and gleeful voices echo through the streets, and waving flags are accompanied by the distant pop of fireworks.

In cities across the United States, all stops are pulled out to celebrate the Fourth of July, to rejoice in a country where freedom and liberty are for everyone. On July 4 of this very year, on July 4 of every year since 1776, we dress in red, white, and blue and shout out patriotic cries as we wave our flags with pride.

Back to reality and our modern world, the flags and signs are back up, lining streets and clustered on street corners, but this time they are not praising the United States for freedom and liberty. Today, those signs are aimed at halting actions, stopping worship, and restricting the liberty that just months ago was proclaimed from the same spot. The people who protest with their red, white, and blue signs are members of the same group who once cheered their freedoms.

They call themselves patriots, lovers, and protectors of their country.

If these are patriots, who are those they oppose, the people the patriots see as threatening America, destroying its promise of freedom? Again and again, the opposition is composed of those who most want to draw upon American freedoms of expression,

worship, and speech. Yet the patriots call their opposition the ones who want to destroy America, those who must not love America the way the patriots do.

We see the patriots and the nonpatriots, as they have become, at all aspects in political debate. All current conflicts, including the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque,” the conflict over immigration, the gay marriage debate, even American security, feature the “patriotic” side and the opposition.

The patriots express their love by protesting: “Land of the Free, Stop Shariah before it stops you,” “Stand up America!,” “Homo-sex is a threat to national Security,” and “Protect American Marriage.” At the same time, the opposition protests by demanding greater rights: “We all deserve the freedom to marry,” and “Support freedom of religion.”

In each conflict, the question becomes about more than who has the right view of the topic. The rhetoric quickly shifts to who is more American, read the ones who cry patriotism the loudest are also the fastest to deny rights. Proponents of heterosexual marriage claim to be protecting traditional American values while denying homosexuals the right to marry. Advocates of denying children of immigrants natural-born citizenship, the current policy based on the 14th amendment, say they don’t want American citizenship to be given away to just anyone, that it must be valued and protected.

Overcome by patriotism, the debate for the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” has run its course over the past month. While the country has watched itself split and faction in

frightening ways, the hypocritical beliefs of the patriots are manifested in their purest form. The originators of the project want to build a religious building in the vicinity of the World Trade Centers in New York to exercise their right to worship, and to express their message.

Patriots call for America to stand up to these people, stressing the need to protect America from Muslims and radicals. While the debate may continue for weeks or even months, what is left to examine now is how people who love their country for its freedoms can be so ready to withdraw those liberties.

The disparity between messages is striking, the actions of the patriots blatantly hypocritical. Many may not recognize the extent of the rights they are attempting to deny, having always been given the broad freedoms America offers. Have any of the protesters against the mosque project been told “Stop Christianity before it stops you”?

Because they live in America, they never have. They value the status quo, they see America as a moral and traditional country and strive to keep it from those who they see as threatening the existing way of life.

The patriots are right, American citizenship, as it is described in the Constitution, should be valued, and it must be protected from those who are willing to limit freedom and restrict liberties.

To do so, the American citizenship and freedom that we, as Americans, enjoy may have to be protected from those who call themselves the biggest patriots of all.

Hayley Trahan-Liptak is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.

Like to write? draw? design? be in the know?

Then you belong on

THE HEIGHTS

Come to our information session Tuesday at 8 pm in Cushing 001

Wise up, pipe down, and read

JANINE HANRAHAN Here’s the scene: A stressed out student scurries into O’Neill, intent on banging out an assignment that may be due in a couple of hours. She settles down at a table, plugs in her MacBook, and gets crackin’. The deadline looms, but she’s in the library, so hey, no distractions to impede her progress.

False. That girl has been me many a time, and not once have I ever had such an experience in one of our libraries.

In fact, it is practically guaranteed that I will enter a fit of rage while at the library. Why is that? Because some students on this campus have no idea how to behave in the bastion of books.

So I thought I’d use my first column of the year to point out some handy tips for being an excellent library patron.

First of all, cell phone calls are not to be taken in the library. On one occasion, all of the Campus Technology Resource Center (CTRC) was privileged enough to hear a student verbally spar with her landlord. Dirty looks and contemptuous sighs did nothing to dissuade her. And on the first day of classes, I was lucky enough to hear one student converse with her boyfriend in O’Neill. The familiar feeling of wanting to go “JWoww” on her ensured me that I truly was “back to school.”

Second of all, loud conversations with friends have got to stop. Of course, we are all guilty of this sin from time to time. On those late nights when delirium is setting in, we all get a little silly. But seriously, it is insanely annoying. Why are you talking when the premise of going to the library is to do work? And on this note, take the group projects to a study room, or the upstairs of Lower.

Furthermore, while frips are absolutely heavenly (when not soggy or overly salted) they are a bit too loud to be a library food. Take a study break and enjoy the New England Classic in the comfort of Hillside. If ravenous hunger demands that you feast in the library, try something that does not crunch or emit pungent odors. As for drinks, slurping is simply unacceptable.

Tapping of any objects including, but not limited to, pens, pencils, and fingers – No. Just no.

For those of you who like a column to have a coherent theme, it should be coming togetherby now that the sound of silence is actually quite lovely. And speaking of the “Sounds of Silence...” Music. Blasting your music as loud as it goes not only will result in hearing loss, but will also treat everyone in your vicinity to a concert.

Personally, I like listening to “Shots”

by LMFAO while indulging in reckless behavior, not while reading Aristotle’s notions of friendship. “Blasters,” as The Heights once called them, have to be some of society’s most annoying occupants of any study space.

Finally, the elephant in the room … Facebook. After an inner struggle, I have decided to include my bete noir.

How often have you been absolutely dying while trying to write a paper, only to look over and see the people around you Facebooking away? This crime is especially heinous when committed during finals, when outlets and space are at a premium. But I am perhaps one of the guiltiest parties when it comes to this issue, so I plead the Fifth.

Of course, at one time or another every single one of us has been “that person.” Yet, as we enter this new academic year, let’s shoot for the stars.

When the urge to Facebook, talk, or mow down grips us while we sit in the creaky chairs of Bapst or the questionably stained chairs of O’Neill, let’s tell ourselves no. We will be “men and women for others,” and keep our extraneous noises to a bare minimum.

Janine Hanrahan is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.

Have something to say?

Contact us at editor@bcheights.com

A8

The Heights

Monday, September 13, 2010

ARTS&REVIEW

Section

B

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010

S T R A L L A F W E I V PRE

NOTES ON A SCANDAL

Summer scandal SparkNotes ALLISON THERRIEN You know that feeling you have when you reconnect with an old friend and realize you have so many things to catch up on that you don’t even know where to begin? That’s how I’m feeling right now.

I mean, let’s be honest, this summer has been pretty scandal-filled, and not just because of BP, Triple E, and the release of the pretzel M&M. We’ve got about as much ground to cover as Frodo did when he walked out of his weird little home in a hill. Which reminds me – whoever had “one paragraph” in the bet over how long it would take me to make a Lord of the Rings reference, you are the lucky winner!

Probably the most talked-about story of this summer has been that of Mel Gibson’s unending rants in which he threatened to commit all sorts of violent acts against his wife, Oksana Grigorieva.

Add that to “Paris Hilton does coke,” “Snooki caught day drinking in public,” and “Lindsay Lohan goes to jail,” and you’ve also got the least surprising things that happened this summer.

The Hills managed to both make fun of itself and dupe teenage girls everywhere with its curveball ending, which zoomed out from the show’s final scenes to reveal green screens and a giant sound stage where a busy L.A. street should have been. Dancers dropped like flies on So You Think You Can Dance while college kids got mauled by gigantic fanged fish in Piranhas 3D, and one lonely Bachelorette reject got to stand on an iceberg while the same Ali Fedotowsky whose name he tattooed on his arm flew far, far away from him.

Michael Lohan announced that he was interested in opening up a rehab facility called the “Home Away from Home.” My automatic response to this was that if he’s going to go ahead and be all hypocritical and “heroic,” he might as well go ahead and name the Lohan household the “Home Away from Rehab” and call it a day. Still, in his defense, Michael Lohan wasn’t the only celebrity with stupid ideas. Justin Bieber graced us with his brilliant vision of a Grease movie remake starring himself and Miley Cyrus. Just imagine that Bieber flow slicked back, guys. Just imagine.

There were the inevitable lovers’ quarrels, too. Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth called it quits due to his discomfort about her new edgy image and leotard uniform. Yet another Bachelor-produced relationship came to a tragic end when Vienna Girardi – in a televised interview, naturally – accused pilot-in-shining-armor Jake Pavelka of stringing her along for publicity and reserving intimacy for the rare moments when cameras were rolling. I suppose that would be strange, though, right? I mean, it’s not like their relationship was conceived on television or anything.

The public found a new reason to hate Kristen Stewart when she equated the constant attention a celebrity receives to being raped. Later, in an interview with Diablo Cody, Adam Brody responded to Stewart’s remarks by saying what was essentially on everyone’s minds: that there are a whole lot of benefits to being in this business, and if you hate it so much, then why not just quit. He afterwards recanted the comment, but really, Adam? You were right the first time.

I suppose that pretty much wraps up the SparkNotes version of this summer’s scandals. Lindsay is still trying to sue the E*TRADE baby and Bristol Palin still thinks people care about what she’s up to. Wyclef Jean still isn’t the president of Haiti, and despite the earth’s gravitational pull, Heidi Montag has still managed to avoid toppling forward onto her hard, plastic face. But all of that could change in a split second, now couldn’t it? Stick around, kids.

Allison Therrien is the Assistant Arts & Review editor of The Heights. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com

BY KRISTEN HOUSE ARTS & REVIEW EDITOR ZAK JASON ASSOC. ARTS & REVIEW EDITOR A N D A L L I S O N T H E R R I E N A S S T. A R T S & R E V I E W E D I T O R

nyone who has spotted the resident turkey living on Comm. Ave. knows that autumn will soon be upon us. People will be making sappy (tree pun) comments about how beautiful the leaves are, with their flamboyant burnt oranges and blushing crimsons. If you miss any of these autumnal festivities, your face, too, will burn with the colors of a thousand leaves. Furthermore, the Comm. Ave. turkey will pop up in your bed at your greatest inconvenience.

Alas, scare tactics have never taken anybody far, so instead, take a look through this fall preview. We’ve attempted to pick and choose events that promise to be spectacular in their creativity and excitement. We’ve outlined an overview of some key on- and off-campus events, as well as broken down the city’s most popular music venues and their coming attractions. No matter where your interests lie - in the WWII infused, seedy halls of Cabaret, or at the sure-to-bebumpin’ Kid Cudi concert later this month - you’ll have a bevy of options to keep your mind happy, your friends together, and tunes to sing along to. Line up your funds, get online, and start buying tickets! K H

ON CAMPUS

OFF CAMPUS

UGBC FALL CONCERT: KID CUDI AND LMFAO Sept. 18 at 7 p.m., Conte Forum Many were positively ecstatic upon hearing that rapper Kid Cudi is making his return to the Heights for the fall concert. Dare we say they were up, up and away over the news?

We dare. LMFAO will be providing opening act muscle, undoubtedly performing their hit “Shots” to a roaring response.

The line for Cudi will surely hit a record length, stretching far beyond even Crazy Dough’s, so you best plan to wake up early and head over to Robsham. Tenting it overnight might be an equally valid option. We anticipate that Cudi will be the perfect hip-hop sound to ease all of us back into the school work grind. K H

INSIDE

See the complete list of our picks for the best on-campus and off-campus arts activities, including MFA COLLEGE NIGHT, BOSTON BALLET’S LA BAYADERE, and BC’s TOP GIRLS, selected

by The Heights’ arts editors. B4

FASHIONABLY LATE Every Thursday at 9 p.m., The Liberty Hotel First of all, to be upfront, these chic events are for the 21+ crowd only. But to the many students that are lucky enough to fit this description, they should make a cultured night of it on Thursdays and head to the Liberty Hotel. Liberty is a gem, full of wrought iron and elegant, art-nouveau anchored with old world grace. Its Web site alone will put you on sensory overload. The hotel has many different series worth checking out, but among the best is Fashionably Late. Late has been known to feature the Boston Ballet performing in the designs of local designers, and in the coming weeks will include a special French Connection edition. K H

‘Wicked’ ignites Opera House

Boston’s first music festival? Life is good.

BY ANA LOPEZ

BY BRENNAN CARLEY

Heights Editor

Wit and whimsy have descended upon the Boston Opera House this month, not merely in the form of a tornado-stricken house falling upon a wicked witch, but in the entirety of the lesser-known tale that precedes that famous, pivotal moment in the history of Oz. Wicked, one of the longest-running shows in musical theater history, has been met with great acclaim once again during its return to Boston, and for good reason.

Originally a novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire, the musical was adapted to the stage by Stephen Schwartz in the early millennium. The story follows Elphaba, played by Jackie Burns, the infamous Wicked Witch

I NSIDE ARTS THIS ISSUE

of the West, through her youth and coming into her powers as a sorceress. It gives new light to her persona, which was completely slandered by the events of the

See Wicked, B2

Richard Avedon art exhibit

The MFA showcases the first-ever collection of the fashion photographer’s collection. B2

For The Heights

“Life is good, ya’ll!” proclaimed legendary gospel singer Mavis Staples as she wiped her brow with a towel.

Immediately launching into the civil rights anthem “I’ll Take You There,” you couldn’t help but feel like you were experiencing something special.

Glancing at the 12,000-strong crowds at the inaugural Life is Good Festival, it was easy to notice that something was different: a third of the audience was children under 12, a true anomaly for a full-scale music fest. In all, the festival exuded a very relaxed, come-as-youare vibe that, as one artist put it, “did everything just right.”

As I wandered onto Prowse Farm, the site of the festival, I was overwhelmed by its magnitude. I could hear the Rolling Stones’ classic “Gimme Shelter” drifting from one of the two stages. Booths

Living ‘The American’ dream?

Does Clooney’s rough and tough rumbler amount to anything more than empty action? B3

lined the perimeter, hawking seed-spitting contests, a “musical instrument petting zoo,” and plenty of food stalls offering organic, locally grown food.

After getting my bearings, the first set I was able to catch was by Staples, a soul singer and civil rights activist for almost 60 years. She delivered a chill - inducing set, belting her songs with passion and fervor. She led the crowd, which was primarily made up of families, in a full-scale sing-along to “I Belong to the Band - Hallelujah.” Her low, throaty voice fit the laidback mood of the day perfectly, but Staples was most brilliant when she unleashed earth-shattering high notes on the crowd. Someone next to me shouted something about Staples’ ability to trounce Aretha Franklin in a sing-off, and I couldn’t help but agree.

For a woman of 70, her voice has been remarkably well preserved. Her set was

See Festival, B2

‘Machete’......................................B3 Box Office Report........................B3

B2

Monday, September 13, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

Avedon elegance and spunk storms MFA

BY KRISTEN HOUSE

Arts & Review Editor Ah, to be immortalized. Immortalized? Nay. Elevated. To have a picture of the most dynamic version of yourself, one that embraces the sinewy, wrinkly, smooth, or flexible human body. This is what took place when Richard Avedon shot a subject.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that Avedon had design-powerhouses like Dior and Versace on his side either.

The Museum of Fine Arts is displaying the extensive body of work completed by photographer Richard Avedon, now through Jan. 17, 2011.

Avedon’s career in fashion photography spanned 60 years, capturing the visages of countless high-fashion models – including Twiggy, Brooke Shields, and Kate Moss – to boot. The aesthetic of the MFA’s exhibit room is stark white walls with black frames, exquisitely highlighting the collection of predominantly black and white prints.

The experience of viewing all of his work together is astonishing. There is a simplicity of reaction that each photo incites. My own snap reaction

to each print was often, “how lovely.”

His subjects ranged from the obviously beautiful – like an up-close picture of Bridget Bardot, with her hair extending in wavy flumes around her – to eerily beautiful, like the series of photographs Avedon did with a beautiful woman looking into a half-broken mirror, a skeleton peeking beside the other half.

Part National Geographic special and part glossy magazine spread, the photos juxtapose animalistic oddities and biology finds with the world of chiffon, billowing fabric flows, and perfectly coiffed hair. A woman in a sculpted satin gown, for example, stands beside elephants, her gloveladen arm mimicking the elegance of the elephant’s waving trunk. A group of revelers is pictured poised in the Moulin Rouge in France. Starkly patterned art deco ensembles by John Galliano pop sculpturally on two waifish models.

The clear synergy between the outfits, the poses, the backgrounds, and the sheer glamour (doused with a hearty dose of mystique) elevates Avedon’s work to another dimension. They seem altogether beyond the commercial magazines that he appeared in and the

PHOTO COURTESY OF STUDIONEMO.COM

Richard Avedon’s photography elevated the inane and the mundane into the surreal and the timeless. Check it out at the MFA this fall. advertisements for which they were created.

Fortunately, Avedon decided to commit his creative process to words, documents that have been provided for any interested follower on his Web site, richardavedon.com. In an essay about his photo shoot with political honcho

Henry Kissinger, he wrote, “I don’t really remember the day when I stood behind my camera with Henry Kissinger on the other side. I’m sure he doesn’t remember it either. But this photograph is here now to prove that no amount of kindness on my part could make this photograph mean exactly what he – or

‘Wicked’ becomes the most popular Wicked, from B1

earlier tale, The Wizard of Oz. Throughout the two and a half hour running time of the play – in which there is not a single dull moment – we learn of Elphaba’s kinship with the ever-perfect Good Witch Glinda, played delightfully

by Chandra Lee Schwartz.

Meant to be the quintessential obnoxious, entitled, popular girl, Schwartz creates that same pop tart pompous quality in her voice that was so beloved in her predecessor, Kristen Chenoweth, but not at the expense of stunting her magnificent range. When she first descends upon the stage in an elaborate steel bubble, the notes Schwartz reaches are so perfectly clear and insanely high that they must be on the same frequency level as a dog whistle.

It is the character of Glinda who seems to be the impetus of the show’s

humor, as doubtless a spoiled, ringletclad princess could be anything but.

Schwartz takes Glinda’s inherent ridiculousness to the next level, infusing her with zeal so overwhelming it physically exhausts her at times. During the crowd favorite “Popular,” a song which serves as a verbal maze of social constructions and instructions, Schwartz is so delightfully animated it consumes her entire being, as well as the sparsely decorated scene.

The frequent moments of largerthan-life staging and use of technical props are so well executed and create such vivid, impressive illusions that it seems it could be the work of nothing short of magic pulling actors up and across the stage and sending enchanted objects whizzing through the air. The Wizard’s talking head – which we all know was merely an overbearing, booming contraption meant to compensate for his actual tiny, insecure self – is downright frightening when

first introduced. And when no prop will suffice, supporting actors create their own fantastical illusions, embodying perfectly the roles of disgruntled, limber monkeys, enslaved munchkins, and wheelchair-bound younger sisters.

Also majestic in this production are the costumes. Though Elphaba sports a wardrobe of strict black frocks and boots and Glinda is predictable in her prom-queen poofiness, the populace of Oz itself shines with outfits that look as if purchased from an All Saints store located in Whoville. Particularly during “One Short Day,” when the show moves to Emerald City to meet the mysterious Wizard, the outfits take on a life of their own, with tulle-encased bubble skirts and Carolina Herrera-inspired gowns – the stuff of haute couture dreams; looks that preceded Gaga, but rival even her finest garb.

The tale itself is laden with moral undertones, an aspect carried over from Maguire’s book, which was origi-

Looking to make ‘Life’ a Beantown tradition Festival, from B1

a heart-warming revelation.

Staggering the sets on the two different stages was a smart move, as it allowed for a pleasant migration back and forth between acts. It was a surprisingly civil atmosphere; maybe it’s because I’m so used to seeing concerts in pushy, crowded New York venues, but the ease of the task was welcome.

After Staples’ set had finished, I wandered over to hear folk-rocker Donavon Frankenreiter play his biggest hit, “Life, Love, and Laughter.” His abbreviated set was a very mellow one; a cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “American Girl” was smooth and laidback. After grabbing a samosa, I hopped over to the main stage for Ozomatli, a Los Angeles-based band whose sound is best described as Latin-rap-rock. For the first time all day, the crowd was on their feet dancing as the band jammed through songs like the James Brown influenced “45” and the horn-drenched rap “Saturday Night.” I ducked out early to get a good spot for indie-rockers Dr. Dog, who also had the crowd moving with hits like the sprawling “Hang On” and “Mirror, Mirror.” The crowd knew (and sang quite loudly) all of the words, much to the delight of the band.

Finally, it was time for the set I was most looking forward to: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

The future Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, originally from New Hampshire, exude a classic Southern rock sound that fit perfectly with Prowse Farm as a backdrop. “Are you ready to move?” the enchanting Potter squealed with a puckish glint in her eye as she bounded on stage. The band’s incendiary but

condensed set (just 11 songs!) was without a doubt the best of the day. Over the course of just an hour, Potter redefined what a concert experience should be about in its most perfect form. The band showed off its immense skill in transitioning smoothly between sexy rock anthems and slower, lush ballads. On heart-racing tracks like “Hot Summer Night,” Potter seductively pranced around the stage while effortlessly singing like a rock goddess. The notes she’s able to hit and hold are stunning and certainly unmatched by any female on the Top-40 charts today.

On the slow but heart wrenchingly beautiful “Apologies,” Potter took her place at her organ and let her transcendent voice carry the song to unimaginable heights. After an hour had passed, Potter took the microphone and addressed the audience with a wink: “I’m a little embarrassed to be singing this, since my father is standing right over there, and it’s the naughtiest song ever!” With a spine tingling growl, Potter strapped on her guitar and the Nocturnals tore into their biggest hit, the playfully sensuous “Paris (Ooh La La).” I know I speak for everyone at Prowse Farm when I say sadness swept over the crowd as the band slowly crept off stage to thunderous applause.

After catching a few songs by Ben Harper and the Relentless 7, I decided to call it a night, because nothing was going to top Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ fiery set. What I did notice, though, is how easy it was to overlook all of the corporate sponsorship in favor of everything else the day offered: a beautiful space in which to watch some fantastic bands play their hearts out for a good cause. If its first year managed to be this successful, the Life is Good Festival should look forward to many more incredible years as the best music event in the Northeast. 

BRENNAN CARLEY / FOR THE HEIGHTS

Bluesy Grace Potter and the Nocturnals performed an electrifying set at the Life is Good Festival this past Saturday.

nally meant to grapple with the dreadful, but altogether real, concept of evil and becoming evil. These “wicked” undertones serve to offer each of the leading characters a certain depth that only a true moral dilemma can. Themes such as betrayal and death take an otherwise candy-sweet character like Glinda and make her a questioning, anxious mortal like the rest of us. And, of course, there’s the chance for salvation for our favorite love-to-hate-her witch, Elphaba, who becomes a more than a melted pile of madness, and rather someone with whose frustration and awkwardness we can all empathize.

This second glace at Oz offers patrons a chance to see the other side of themes we may have considered flatly with that well-meaning farm girl as our leader. It is a reminder that, even with the ability to perform magic to your heart’s desire, one may not always reach one’s heart’s desire. 

even I – wanted it to mean.”

With a college ID, Boston College students are eligible for free admission to the entire Museum. So rejuvenate your creative juices by stopping by this inspiring exhibit. You might even come home with a refreshed penchant for sculpted outfits and vogue-ing. 

Going to the theater district? Here’s a quick restaurant tip.

If you are looking for a place to catch a delicious and moderately priced meal before the show and you are not spice-shy, try the Theater District favorite, Tantric.

Specializing in traditional Indian cuisine, the restaurant’s specialty is a wonderful savory mango chicken and hearty, garlic-flavored Naan.

Best yet, Tantric is accustomed to serving theater patrons and not only asks for the start time of your show, but also allows you to store your leftovers at the restaurant to be picked up after the show so you’re not the smelly guy in row S.

Tantric

123 Stuart Street Boston (617)367-8742

Monday, September 13, 2010

B3

The Heights

European beauty & American cheese mingle

By Will Watkins Heights Staff

It is not uncommon for music video directors to make the jump to features, and some of the most acclaimed directors of the past decade, such as Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry, have come from the world of music videos.

While Anton Corijn directed 2008’s Control, his most thE amERICAN recent film, The Anton Corbijn American, marks Focus Features his first feature that is neither an extended music video nor a music biopic. Starring George Clooney, the film retains many characteristics of a highly ambitious music video, while still providing an entertaining mystery.

Despite the crafty marketing from Focus Features, viewers expecting a film along the lines of the Bourne or James Bond series will be highly disappointed.

Unlike those films, The American has an unusually slow pace and is light on action sequences. There is only one scene that even resembles a chase, and it is between a lousy Italian car and a moped – hardly the stuff of a big budget blockbuster. Screenwriter Rowan Joffe delivers a sparse adaptation of

Martin Booth’s novel, A Very Private Gentleman, that is light on dialogue but makes good use of an intriguing plot.

George Clooney does not get the chance to deliver any classic or heavy lines, but his performance relies more on his strong portrayal of the conf licted psychology of his character.

Jack (George Clooney) is an assassin who narrowly escapes an attempt on his own life. He then gets in touch with his mysterious boss who sends him to the remote Italian town of Castelvecchio.

Jack travels to a neighboring town where he befriends an older priest, Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli), begins making a rifle for Mathilde (Thelka Reuten), and starts a romance with a young prostitute, Clara (Violante Placido). The more time he spends in the town trying to lie low, the more trouble seems to find him. Jack wants an exit from his life of crime and a path to safety, but finds that escaping his past is no easy task.

Corbijn portrays Jack as a tragic hero, and every time he works on Mathilde’s rifle the audience is treated to a beautiful but sad piece of music from composer Herbert Gronemeyer, hinting that Jack’s way of life will be his downfall. He grows increasingly paranoid and emotionally vapid as the film progresses. A par-

courtesy of allmoviephoto.com

George Clooney as a suave operative? It’s not a stretch, but ‘The American’ delivers. ticularly powerful scene and the best diagnosis of Jack’s character comes when Father Benedetto tells Jack that he cannot doubt the existence of hell, because he is living it, in a world without love. The film is never sentimental or meant to tug on heartstrings, but it does explore themes of loneliness and isolation in an interesting fashion.

Rodriguez finds humor in gore

By Robert Andwood For The Heights

At one point in Machete, the latest film from Robert Rodriguez, the title character eviscerates an enemy and uses his small intestine to rappel Machete down the side of Ethan Maniquis & a building. With Robert Rodriguez any other director New Line Cinema at the helm, such a sequence would seem unnecessarily gory or ridiculously over-the-top. Rodriguez knows what he is doing, though, having made his career on low-budget, ultra-violent, stylistic masterpieces. Machete may be his most extravagant, but all of the action unfolds in such a tongue-incheek manner that the film ends up being as much of a comedy as it is an action movie. Though his popularity and the budget he has to work with have increased over time, Rodriguez has always stuck to his roots, and Machete has him unleashing all of his sickest cinematic fantasies.

Danny Trejo plays Machete, a former Mexican policeman who is out for revenge after he was double-crossed by a comrade and forced to watch the execution of his family. He has since illegally immigrated to the United States, where he is recruited to assassinate Senator McLaughlin (Robert De Niro), a gun-toting, hardcore conservative

who runs his campaign on a promise to stamp out the “parasites” who have come across the border illegally. What follows is a glorious collection of huge explosions, unexpected backstabbings, and insane set pieces all used to create incredibly exciting action sequences.

Machete knows exactly what it is. The film never takes itself seriously, and lays on the exploitation throughout. The characters all fit into well-established action stereotypes, and the actors clearly know this. Danny Trejo is perfectly cast as Machete, a rugged, noble, and creatively violent force who lives above the law. The film also features Robert De Niro’s most interesting performance in years as the hilariously bigoted senator. Some of the funniest parts of the film are his campaign ads, which mock the way politicians twist events to try to lure voters. Machete also has the ignominy of Lindsay Lohan on the cast list. Surprisingly, though, Lohan does a pretty good job, although that may be because she is not given a lot to do.

This being an exploitation film, the most underrated weapon that Rodriguez has is the dialogue. The script is great, mixing cliched catchphrases with incredibly campy conversations to ensure that the viewer never takes Machete in a straightforward way. “Machete don’t text” has all the necessary attributes to become one of the greatest catchphrases in popular culture. As humorous as the

film is, though, the spotlight belongs to the action sequences, which feature a shotgun-wielding priest and the most creative uses of lawn equipment since Saw. The film’s only major flaw is in its misguided political commentary. The plot revolves around illegal immigration, and is obviously sympathetic to the plight of illegal immigrants. However, the film at times can be a bit preachy, and because of the nature of its genre also tends to trivialize an important issue. Rodriguez tones it down a bit after the first half of the film, but there are some lines of dialogue about immigration that come off as more facetious than he may have intended.

After Planet Terror, his previous feature that explored a similar genre, Rodriguez has once again indulged himself. Although he co-directs with Ethan Maniquis, the film is clearly his in every element, from the over-the-top set pieces to the wonderfully corny music. Exploitation was a popular scene in cinemas this summer, and Machete is an excellent complement to films like The Expendables and Piranha 3D. However, where Machete excels is in its willingness to turn to pure satire. Rodriguez is a director who knows where his skills lie, and his desire to mix absurd action sequences with deliciously corny jokes is on full display in Machete. Machete is a fast-moving and incredibly entertaining cinematic experience for its target audience. n

The most fascinating and unique parts of The American come from Corbijn, his cinematographer Martin Ruhe, and Gronemeyer’s score. The film is highly stylish and focuses on atmosphere – there are many long close-ups of Clooney and other characters that serve as very telling character portraits, and combined with

the strong performances throughout the film, they do more to reveal character than actions or words could.

The dark, mysterious aura that runs throughout the film is augmented by Ruhe and Gronemeyer’s collaboration. The shots are predominantly very dark and the characters’ faces, if seen at all, are shown through orange or yellow light. Gronemeyer’s score is intense and perfectly complements the vision of Corbijn and Ruhe.

The American is a hard film to boil down to a simple rating. It is very ambitious and highly artistic, but the story is often unsatisfying. Despite what its name might imply, the film is more reminiscent of a European art film or character study than an American thriller. Still, there are bits and pieces thrown in to please American audiences, and they are the crudest parts of an otherwise artistically tasteful movie.

The most egregious of these violations are the two sequences of George Clooney doing pushups and pull-ups, which is cliche and obviously forced to give Clooney a chance to show off his body. Still, The American, while not for everybody, is a worthy film and welcome piece of ambitious cinema to have atop the box office. n

Box Office Report title

weekend gross

weeks in release

1 photos courtesy of allmoviephoto.com

1. resident evil: afterlife

27.7

1

2. takers

6.1

4

3. the american

5.9

3

6

10

4. machete

4.2

3

5. going the distance

3.8

3

6. the other guys

3.6

7

7. the last exorcism

3.5

4

8. the expendables

3.3

6

9. inception

3.0

10

10. eat pray love

2.9

6

bestsellers of hardcover fiction

photo courtesy of allmoviephoto.com

Jeff Fahey as Michael Benz and Robert De Niro as Senator McLaughlin elevate the satirical absurdity of Rodriquez and Maniquis’ ‘Machete.’

1. the girl who kicked the hornet’s nest Stieg Larsson 2. the postcard killers James Patterson 3. spider bones Kathy Reichs 4. the help Kathryn Stockett 5. bearers of the black stuff Terry Brooks

6. star island Carl Hiaasan 7. tough customer Sandra Brown 8. the red queen Philippa Gregory 9. the cobra Frederick Forsyth

SOURCE: Publisher’s Weekly

Tale of Tolstoy and his inner circle enriches literary legacy

By Krysia Wazny Heights Staff

Many wish they could gain access to the inner thoughts of the world’s greatest minds. An understanding of the deepest desires and most brilliant insights of, say, Albert Einstein, would be quite a treat. This is, of course, impossible to achieve, and something that Jay Parini wisely does not attempt in his novel The Last Station. Instead, he imagines the thoughts of those closest to Leo Tolstoy in his final year and combines them to create a striking portrait of one of Russia’s greatest writers. As historical fiction, it is captivatingly written and draws the reader into the plot while still providing valuable information. Readers with no interest in Russian literature will find just as much to appreciate in this thoughtful novel as will Tolstoy enthusiasts.

The Last Station follows the lives of five primary figures in Tolstoy’s late life.

We are first introduced to his wife, Sofya

Andreyevna. She is a source of constant worry to Tolstoy and his companions.

Her erratic behavior and rampant jealousy cause frequent stress to the aging author and annoy the rest of the Tolstoy clan. However, Tolstoy’s young assistant, Bulgakov, manages to form a flimsy friendship with the reactionary matriarch, while simultaneously endearing himself to the rest of the household.

The family doctor provides yet another perspective, appealing most often to the author’s religious wisdom while monitoring his health. Chertkov, Tolstoy’s secretary, provides a more removed look at the overall situation through his harsh criticisms of the domestic situation.

Sasha, Tolstoy’s daughter, attempts to objectively observe the situation, but her conclusions are colored by her desire to strictly follow her father’s teaching. This desire is shared by many within Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoy’s estate.

Tolstoy’s own perspective is represented by letters or excerpts from his works and musings. These, along with

occasional flashbacks to Andreyevna’s early life with “Lyovochka” and conversations between the author and his followers, provide an excellent portrait of his life. Leo Nikolayevich frequently remarks upon the resemblance between his youth and the tendencies he sees in Bulgakov. His life has always been consumed with a search for truth, but temptation frequently leads him astray from the moral path. Readers come to understand Tolstoy’s strong identification with nature and the common people. Furthermore, his major works, such as Anna Karenina, are frequently referenced, acquainting unfamiliar audiences with some of Russia’s finest literature.

Though Parini’s approach – presenting numerous perspectives interspersed with documents and letters – may seem to present a superficial account at best, it actually provides for a rich plot and a deeper sense of the whole story. The love story between Bulgakov and another Tolstoyite, Masha, is convincing and adds

nuance to the tale. It reflects Tolstoy’s own romantic interludes and the meaning that may have been behind them.

Each character presents a different side of Tolstoy’s complex personal nature and beliefs. Thus, his character morphs throughout the story and only becomes whole with time.

The inhabitants of Yasnaya Polyana also develop as the story goes on, though some more than others. Certainly Bulgakov and Andreyevna are better developed than Sasha or Chertkov for the sake of time and space in the novel.

However, it does not appear that they have been neglected, but are simply less important to the story. With fewer characters, all might have been better developed, but the thread of the story is not negatively impacted by Parini’s decision. The characters appear complete, even if they could have been more fully fleshed out.

A theme that runs throughout the novel is the hardships Tolstoy faces during his final year. He remains relentless

in his daily activities even as his health fails. His dedication to the people is as strong as ever, and he struggles constantly to stay present in their lives.

He is deeply grieved by his inability to leave the comforts of Yasnaya Polyana behind and live a life of simple poverty.

These selfless desires, in turn, cause endless stress to his wife, who takes out her frustration through dramatic temper tantrums. The household is left with two elderly figureheads, neither of whom is at the height of their former grandeur, and both refuse to change their tendencies.

The Last Station tells a story that is entertaining and intellectually compelling. Parini takes risks in both form and subject matter. Great responsibility is necessary when representing a figure as historically important as Tolstoy, and this work achieves a balanced depiction while effectively engaging its audience.

Whether you are looking for an enjoyable read or a window into a different way of life, The Last Station will not fail to satisfy. n

B4

Monday, September 13, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

FALL ARTS PREVIEW Preview, from B1

ON CAMPUS FIRST YEAR ACADEMIC CONVOCATION Sept. 16 at 7 p.m., Conte Forum Daniel Wolff, author of How Lincoln Learned to Read, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s First Year Academic Convocation. The event will be preceded by a barbecue in the Dustbowl, after which this year’s freshman class will assemble for a procession down to Conte Forum for what is sure to be a captivating lecture. A T SR. HELEN PREJEAN, AUTHOR OF DEAD MAN WALKING, VISITS BC Sept. 17 at 7 p.m., Robsham Theater People are already buzzing about this event, which will feature Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, which was made into the film starring Sean Penn. Prejean’s book challenging capital punishment has also been adapted into an opera, and she has continued to speak openly against the death penalty and in favor of a more compassionate way of living. A T A CAPELLA FEST Sept. 18 at 7 p.m., Robsham Theater Still undergoing their audition processes, the a capella year will kick off with the annual A Capella Fest, which brings all of BC’s a capella groups together for a

joint showcase. Each group will have the chance to perform a few favorites for what will promise to be a full and screaming audience. A T DEXTER FILKINS: THE FOREVER WAR Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m., Merkert 127 New York Times foreign correspondent Dexter Filkins will speak on his experience covering the controversial eight-day assault on Iraqi insurgents in Nov. 2004, during which a quarter of the company he was with lost. This coverage won him the George Polk Award in 2005, and later a Pulitzer Prize as a member of a team of reporters covering events in Afghanistan and Pakistan. AT COURTESY OF COMEDY CENTRAL

MFA COLLEGE NIGHT Sept. 23 at 7 p.m., Conte Forum Though the Museum of Fine Arts always offers free admission to college students throughout the year, they will be throwing a special party just for us on Sept. 23. Just show your college ID and the MFA promises to provide a dance party, free Chipotle catering, prizes, and a “surprise concert” that you won’t want to miss. A T TOP GIRLS Oct. 6-9 at 7:30 p.m., Robsham Theatre Top Girls kicks off the BC theater season. The upcoming play, written in 1982 by Caryl Churchill, will be directed by adjunct assistant theater professor Patricia Riggin.

Girls explores the tangled web of Marlene’s life, a woman who works at the Top Girls employment agency and may have a darker past than the audience expects. K H BC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Nov. 12 at 7 p.m., Trinity Chapel The Boston College Symphony Orchestra is sure to astound audiences with its rendition of Antonin Dvorak’s “Symphony from the New World” for their annual fall concert in the Trinity Chapel. The orchestra’s performance will be conducted by John Finney. A T

OFF CAMPUS A.R.T. PRESENTS CABARET Now playing, check online for dates, Oberon Theatre

COURTESY OF FOX

Mein Herr, it’s pivotal that I inform you that tickets for A.R.T.’s Cabaret are largely sold out. Yet, they have advertised that the show will have a “cancellation line” every night of those poor shmucks who gave up their tickets to

COURTESY OF BOSTON BALLET

what’s sure to be a vividly eccentric piece of brilliance. If you don’t get tickets? Maybe next time you’ll win. KH A.R.T. PRESENTS THE DONKEY SHOW Every weekend, Oberon Theatre This disco-filled, feather-clad sensation – inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream – not only let’s you watch the 70s magic unfold. It lets you participate in the dance party as it unfolds around you, and the dancing will continue long after the show is over. A T STAND-UP: JOHN OLIVER Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m., Wilbur Theatre Daily Show correspondent John Oliver stops by the Bay State this Friday to entertain viewers with his British lilt and pointed political humor. If he is anything like his adorably oblivious persona on television, the show should be an entertaining (and unpredictable) ride. K H

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE LIVE TOUR Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m., Agganis Arena at Boston University It should have been the summer of Alex Wong. In one of the most devastating reality show injuries, Wong was sidelined with a torn achilles. But the rest of the dancers left on SYTYCD more than picked up the slack. Winner Lauren Froderman (pictured left) and crew will be coming to town with all-stars to remind us of their immeasurable physical capacity. KH

BOSTON BALLET PRESENTS LA BAYADERE Opens Nov. 4 at 7 p.m., Opera House Unless your one of the folks shelling out serious cash to see BB’s Night of Stars, La Bayadere is the opening ballet of the season. Originally choreographed by ballet great Marius Petipa, Bayadere is heavily infused with Bollywood and Arabian influences. How the ballet will work to maintain their newfound urban edge will certainly make an exciting show. K H

STAND-UP COMIC DEMETRI MARTIN Oct. 27 at 7 p.m., Wilbur Theatre

GRAND OPENING OF THE MFA’S “ARTS OF THE AMERICAS” WING Nov. 19 at 8 p.m., MFA Boston

“If I ever saw an amputee being hung I would just yell out letters.”

Demetri Martin (pictured above), The Daily Show correspondent, Yale graduate, and bowl-cutted one-liner genius will return to Boston with new material. With an act complete with charts and his own acoustic ballads, the show will leave you repeating his one-liners for weeks. Z J

Join Boston art lovers for the swankiest of celebrations: a cocktail party in the MFA’s glass-enclosed courtyards to honor the museum’s new “Arts of the Americas” wing.

Live entertainment and a DJ will provide an exciting atmosphere to meet art enthusiasts from the Boston area and enjoy the brand new art selections. A T

ROCK ’N’ ROLL HOUSING GUIDE

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF BOSTON’S BEST ROCK CLUBS BY ZAK JASON | ASSOC. ARTS EDITOR

ESTATES PARADISE ROCK CLUB 967 COMMONWEALTH AVE. Most people don’t like spending $43 to stare at a pole for three hours.

After 33 years, the Paradise Rock Club has finally taken note. This summer, the storied Boston concert hall closed to relocate its stage so an elephantine structure-bearing pole would no longer block the views of 50 patrons. Starting this week the Dise – which has hosted the likes of U2, Coldplay, Blondie, and Billy Joel – returns with a pristine new sheen, waiting for you to scuff the floor with your dancing shoes. Intimate, yet spacious enough to hold two bars and balconies with optimal views, the Paradise is a great place to take a group, to go on a date, or to go solo to see that emerging act you can’t get out of your head. It’s also just a few stops down on the B Line. Here are some of fall’s highlights at the Dise: MATES OF STATE – Sept. 26 BUILT TO SPILL – Sept. 30, Oct. 1 DEAD KENNEDYS – Oct. 13 THE DRUMS – Oct. 18 ANBERLIN – Oct. 28 FRIGHTENED RABBIT – Oct. 29

GUIDED BY VOICES WITH BLITZEN TRAPPER – Nov. 5 After a six-year hiatus, the pioneering indie rock band Guided by Voices has reunited with its original lineup and lo-fi equipment. If you want to party like it’s 1994 again, grab your tickets quick, because all the Hub’s hipsters will crawl out of the woodwork for this gig.

MORNING BENDERS – Nov. 9 HOUSE OF BLUES 15 LANSDOWNE ST. Two years ago, The Avalon, perhaps Boston’s marquee nightclub, fell to a corporate takeover. In February 2009, the House of Blues took over, opening its 11th location. But despite the chain ownership, the HOB feels much less like a Holiday Inn than it does a refined, raucous, even grisly rock club. With a football-field dance floor, two tiers of balconies, and sprawling bars, you couldn’t find a bad spot if you actively pursued

one. If you’re looking to grab drinks before or after the show, HOB stands behind Fenway on Lansdowne, host to some of the city’s most infamous bars. Also, with the brand name, the HOB attracts some of the land’s biggest acts to the hub. Premier artists this fall include: OF MONTREAL – Sept. 16 MOS DEF & TALIB KWELI – Oct. 3 RATATAT – Oct. 5 JIMMY EAT WORLD – Oct. 15 FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE – Oct. 31 MATT & KIM – Nov. 4 MUMFORD AND SONS – Nov. 11 LA ROUX – Nov. 15 The eraser-headed British techno supernova tears through Boston this night.

Everyone has danced to “Bulletproof,” but festival goers across the globe this summer now know La Roux puts on one of the funkiest, sweatiest acts in the land.

ORPHEUM THEATER 1 HAMILTON PLACE One of the most ornate, expansive, and acoustically-gorgeous of the city’s venues, the Orpheum Theater is the ideal place to

COURTESY OF FLICKR USER PETE RIMES

see your favorite artist in Boston.

That is, however, only if you get the right seats. Unlike the Paradise or the HOB, some sections of the Orpheum can warp an incredible concert into a trip to the dentist’s office that happens to play loud modern music. If possible, avoid tickets in the back of the balcony or the back of the mezzanine.

CAKE – Sept. 18 LCD SOUNDSYSTEM AND SLEIGH BELLS – Sept. 28 (pictured above) Allegedly (and with any artist who makes this statement, strongly emphasize the allegedly), James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem will retire from touring at the end of this fall. Coupled with the sample-sprinkling Brooklyn buzz band Sleigh Bells, LCD Soundsystem should rattle the walls of this old opera house.

THE XX – Oct. 3 PRIMUS – Oct. 10

LIFEHOUSE – Oct. 16 PINK MARTINI – Nov. 3 AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD – Nov. 6 SUFJAN STEVENS – Nov. 11, Nov. 12

HUMBLE ABODES MIDDLE EAST 472 MASSACHUSETTS AVE. BORN RUFFIANS – Sept. 29 DEATH – Oct. 8 MAE – Oct. 16 JACK BEATS – Oct. 18 ROYALE 279 TREMONT ST. M.I.A. – Oct. 4 THE WALKMEN – Oct. 7 DEERHUNTER & REAL ESTATE – Oct. 16 PHISH – Oct. 26

SPORTS THE HEIGHTS

Monday, September 13, 2010

Section

C

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010

Make a purpose out of it ZACH WIELGUS

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Clyde Lee (17) emerged as another playmaking target for the Eagles on Saturday, hauling in five catches for 54 yards and this leaping touchdown, a Top 10 Play on ‘SportsCenter.’

Eagles Strike Gold

‘Still things to work on’ for BC offense

Notes: Receivers, defense impress

BY GREG JOYCE For The Heights

BY DJ ADAMS Heights Editor

There is still a lot to work on and many questions have yet to be answered for the Boston College football team, Boston College 26 though none have to do with a loss.

13 Kent State BC was able to avoid an early-season upset to Kent State thanks to a much-improved offensive effort in the second half, ending in a 26-13 win at Alumni Stadium Saturday.

“We still have things to work on obviously, but it’s better to work on them when you’re 2-0 than anything else,” said head coach Frank Spaziani, who called it an “excellent win.”

One of the unanswered questions may have become a bit clearer on Saturday, as quarterback Dave Shinskie led the BC offense on all but two series, likely solidifying his spot as the starter going forward.

Shinskie struggled to get going for

Establish the run to open up the passing game. It’s a tried and true formula that, lately, the Boston College football team has used as its offensive backbone.

On days like Saturday against Kent State, though, when Montel Harris was stymied to just 80 yards and the offensive line’s usual dominance disappeared, the Eagles were desperately looking for offensive production.

They found it, but from an unlikely group: the receiving corps.

Despite bearing the reputation of a young crew with little experience, the Eagles’ receivers silenced the talk by making big catches when their numbers were called.

“We work on that constantly in practice,” said freshman wideout Bobby Swigert, who caught a 23-yard touchdown in triple coverage to extend a small third-quarter lead. “Coach [Ryan] Day ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

See Problems to Fix, C3

A team effort from the BC defense showed marked improvement from a subpar first game.

See Notebook, C3

Soccer fights way to tough 1-1 draw

BY DANIEL POPKO Heights Staff

One hundred and ten minutes were not enough to separate No. 5 Boston ColBoston College 1 lege and No. 1 Maryland 9 Maryland in a chippy 1-1 affair at the Newton Soccer Complex.

“Hell of a college game today for the third game of the season,” said head coach Ed Kelly. “Boy, that was a good game.”

The match was tightly fought, and a physical tone was set early, as Eagles captain Karl Reddick picked up a yellow card, the first of five cautions by the referee, just 1:08 after the opening kickoff for a hard tackle that knocked Terps defender Alex Lee out for the remainder of the game.

Reddick would escape a sending off, but 29 fouls in the match, in addition to a near scuffle between Con-

nor Fitzpatrick and Jason Herrick in the Eagles penalty area, proved that neither team would back down easily in the ACC opener between two top-10 teams.

“We told them at the start it’s a battle,” Kelly said. “This is not tippity, tippity, tippity, because these guys will kick your tail. There’s going to be tackling, that’s fair. It was going to be a tough game. They’re tough kids.”

Play was back and forth through the opening 90 minutes, and, as the game pushed into overtime, it appeared almost certain there was another goal in the game somewhere.

BC was the aggressor in the first overtime period, putting together a string of chances in what was its best run of play since early in the match.

Just after the refs’ whistle sounded the start of bonus soccer, Reddick made a run and went down at the edge of the box, but his appeals for

I NSIDE SPORTS THIS ISSUE

a penalty were turned away by the official.

Eagles wingers Kyle Bekker and Amit Aburmad both nearly sent the surprisingly raucous capacity crowd home happy. Bekker got space at the edge of the box after a misplayed ball by the Maryland defense, but the sophomore’s left-footed shot failed to trouble goalkeeper Zac MacMath, who controlled the effort easily.

Just a minute later, it was Aburmad who was the aggressor, with a diagonal run off the right finding him with the ball at his feet and the goal at his mercy just yards from goal.

His shot struck the underside of the crossbar and nearly crossed the goal line, but the referee ruled no goal.

After the initial run of chances calmed down to a more midfield battle, both teams were left to accept a draw to start their conference slate.

“You’d have to be honest and say

See Physical Draw, C4

Field hockey falls to BU

The No. 15 Terriers brought not only their ‘A’ game but also their fans on Friday..........C2

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Shawn Chin is tackled from behind by London Woodberry.

Volleyball takes one at Bryant

Still learning the nuances of their team, the Eagles went 1-2 at the Bryant Tournament......................C7

As I nestled into a chair behind one of my less time-consuming responsibilities at Student Activities Day, hoping to rest my voice after three hours of shouting at bewildered freshmen and jaded upperclassmen, I heard my classmate.

She looked familiar (in the way that most blonde girls at this school do after three years), and she was doing her best to pitch her club: shouting her rehearsed attentiongrabber, looming high on a chair, and refusing to stop until someone new approached the table. Had it been any other club – or really, had she been shouting anything less captivating – I probably would have thrown a Starburst at her head.

Instead, I smiled every time she shouted her spiel.

“Everyone hates cancer! Everyone loves fun! Come fight cancer and have fun at Relay For Life!” she belted every 15 seconds, forcing passersby to crane their necks and, at the very least, smirk for her creativity.

Everyone does hate cancer. Everyone does love fun. It’s as simple as it gets.

The fact that Relay For Life’s table was next to one of mine was serendipitous, to say the least. I just finished weeks of research and conversation with and about Mark Herzlich, hearing unforgettable stories from his family and close friends about his journey back from cancer.

Through hours of interview time, it wasn’t an obscure anecdote that stood out; rather, a simple and succinct end to one quote that Herzlich spoke himself rose above the rest.

“As you get past that and push more toward the positive, that’s

See Purpose, C3

Setting up a winner

Campbell aims to rebuild volleyball

BY MAEGAN O’ROURKE Assoc. Sports Editor

The Boston College volleyball team was in a state of uncertainty this past winter. The team finished second to last in the ACC for the second straight season. Head coach Andrea Leonard, who had led the Eagles for seven seasons, resigned in December.

So when Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo hired Chris Campbell as the new head coach in February, the move toward stability was welcomed.

Campbell, who has 11 years of coaching experience, comes to the Heights after spending two years as an assistant coach at Auburn University in the Southeastern Conference. While with the Tigers, Campbell worked as a position coach with middle hitters before he was named associate head coach after one year. Campbell also had the added responsibilities of recruiting and defensive coordinator.

Campbell is familiar with rebuilding a program, as Auburn improved significantly during his time there.

He was part of the staff that brought the Tigers from last place in the SEC in 2008 to fifth place in 2009.

See Campbell, C7

Outside the Locker Room.............C2 Numbers to Know....................C2

C2

Monday, September 13, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

Support for Eagles soars to an all-time high IAN BOYNTON

As the son of two Boston College graduates, I have always been an Eagles fan. Saturdays in my household were, and always will be, reserved for BC football.

Whenever I call my parents for a weekly update, conversation quickly veers from my well being to the performance of the team. In the last four years, I put my over/under for missed home games at two – games I have made up for by traveling to several away games. My room at home is plastered with only two teams’ memorabilia: the St. Louis Rams (my other sports love) and the BC Eagles. On my living room table, among other literature, lays Reid Oslin’s Boston College Football Vault: The History of the Eagles, and in my father’s office rests an artifact of BC fandom: a box of Flutie Flakes. I was the ultimate Superfan.

One hour before kickoff For years, I have been witness to half-full stands, late-arriving fans, and an unenthusiastic student section. As I climbed the stairs to take the seats that my friend was adamant about having, I expected to find myself among the first Superfans there. Years of disappointment had opened my eyes to the reality that fan support depended largely on whether the Eagles were playing a name opponent. As we took our place among a group of 30 or 40 fans, each as excited as I about the Eagles playing the Golden Flashes, only one thought ran through my mind: “You shouldn’t be here.” But they were, and within their ranks were some of the most devout fans that I had encountered.

Suddenly, I wasn’t the ultimate Superfan, but just an above-average fan with a penchant for arriving to the games early. The fans around me were the true Superfans – they had painted their faces, adorned the school colors with more than just a Superfan shirt, and, through years of practice, had voices that were not going to be lost through the hours of playful heckling and bombastic cheering. Maybe this shouldn’t have surprised me. A week earlier, as the Wildcats of Weber State took on the Eagles, the student section

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The Superfan section in Alumni Stadium has been loud in the first two games this season even though BC has not played marquee opponents. had been as loud and passionate as I had remembered it. At the time, I had credited the enthusiasm with it being the first game.

Maybe I was wrong.

Thirty minutes before kickoff The stands are now a quarter full – maybe a third full – and my friend has just returned. He is now adorned in what has made him arguably the

most well-known Superfan: his yellow spandex suit.

As he returns, the student section, which has quickly grown, reacts – some cheer, some come over for a picture, but all stare and watch. What he has done is not original; the full body suit that he wears was popularized by It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and has been used by fans across the nation to express

their love of their teams (most famously the “Crazy Canucks” fans). But none of that matters. He has become an attraction at BC games, and in doing so, he is generating excitement. He, as an individual fan, is as a fan should be: fanatical. And understandably, the entire student body will never adopt his fanaticism. But what he, along with the man with the wig and painted face be-

hind the endzone, and the group of fans in the corner with their chests painted, have done is create an allure. If even an ounce of their enthusiasm transfers to the student section, then their value will be realized.

Kickoff I have been at BC as a student now for one year and one week, and in my time here, I would like to believe that I have seen a rise in student support for athletics. At kickoff, the student section is now full, the yellow man is prancing to one of the Marching Band’s shorts, and the fans who I first encountered entering the stadium are as enthusiastic as I had expected.

It is college game day on the Heights, and from the noise of the student section, a visitor to Alumni Stadium would have been told that.

The night prior to the football game, I had made my way over to Newton Campus to take in my first soccer game of the year, as the No. 5 Eagles took on the No. 9 Terrapins. To my surprise, the stands were full and buzzing with activity.

In private conversation, one of the soccer players told me how great it was to have so many students come out and support the squad, stressing how much of a difference it made. As students at this University, we are blessed with the opportunity to take in some of the finest collegiate athletics in the nation.

How many students around the country can, on Friday night, attend a match of the fifth-ranked soccer team in the country, and on the following day watch as Clyde Lee earns a top spot on SportsCenter’s Top Plays with his touchdown catch as the Eagles defeat Kent State?

I, for one, am ecstatic that the support for the football team seems to be at an all-time high, but I also urge all fans to attend the games of other sports teams. If you love the antics of the yellow man, I have been told that he will be attending basketball and hockey games this season, and will also make some appearances at soccer games, as well.

So go out, Superfans, and be like the yellow man.

Ian Boynton is a guest columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at sports@ bcheights.com.

Terriers halt field hockey’s five-game winning streak

BY ROBERT T. BALINT For The Heights

SPORTS in SHORT

Any loss hurts, but a defeat at the hands of a longtime rival seems to carry an extra sting. Over the weekend, Boston College lost some ground in the battle for Commonwealth Ave. to its archrival, Boston University, as the No. 7 Eagles field hockey team fell to the No. 15 Terriers, 2-0, on Friday evening. The loss, their first of the season, halted the Eagles’ fivegame winning streak, while the Terriers improved to 5-0, their best start in program history.

“Tactically, BC did a pretty good job,” said Eagles head coach Ainslee Lamb. “I think BU brought a very good level of energy and enthusiasm, especially with their press.”

Both teams played strong defense in the opening minutes of the first half, keeping the game scoreless for the first 13 minutes. At 13:17, however, BU’s Andrea Greene found an opening during a flurry in front of the BC goal. Eagle goaltender Kristine Stigas made two diving stops, but the ball rebounded straight to Greene, who tapped it in to put the Terriers on the board, 1-0. Stigas made four saves in the game.

Later in the half, the Eagles nearly evened the score. On a BC penalty corner, back Jacqui Moorfield fired a rocket from outside, and the shot appeared to have found its way past BU goaltender Amanda Smith. While the Eagles celebrated their equalizer, the officials ruled that the shot missed, taking away the goal. Aside from the controversial callback, the BC offense was held quiet, taking only four other shots and one penalty corner the rest of the half.

The offense was much more active in the second half, but no more successful. The Eagles managed to take four penalty corners, and outshot the Terriers 4-3, but were held off the scoreboard. Moorfield led the Eagles with four shots, but none beat Smith.

Greene, on the other hand, had no such difficulty. She scored again in the 38th minute, assisted by teammate Jacinda McLeod. The Terriers maintained this

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Boston College goaltender Kristine Stigas watched as her teammates battled the Boston University Terriers Friday. She made four saves, but it was not enough, as BU won, 2-0.

2-0 lead until the final whistle blew.

The Terriers kept the pressure on all throughout the game, harrying passes and frustrating the Eagles’ offensive effort.

“We just need to increase our intensity,” Lamb said. “When we got to those 50-50 balls, BU was winning them.”

In Lamb’s opinion, however, what swayed the

Outside the Locker Room Brennan Clark Junior, Volleyball

What’s your favorite class?

Adolescent Psychology with Professor Liang.

What’s your favorite food?

Asian chicken salad.

What music are you listening to right now?

“Letting Go” by Sean Kingston and anything by Nicki Minaj.

The Heights caught up with junior outside hitter Brennan Clark of the volleyball team to discuss Hawaii, food, class, and “Letting Go.” What’s your favorite place on campus?

Lower

What’s your favorite movie?

Blue Crush.

How do you cope with the Boston weather, being from Hawaii?

I don’t. I usually just sit in my room. But really, it’s pretty hard sometimes.

game in the Terriers’ favor was not superior skills or strategy, but rather BU’s energetic crowd of supporters. Any sort of home-field advantage was lost among the strong showing of BU supporters. It was the BC’s home-opener, but the majority of the 350 spectators were Terrier fans.

“That’s frustrating,” Lamb said. “We just got outcheered on our own field.”

Numbers to Know

11

Some factors of a game are simply out of a team’s hands, and the Eagles caught some bad breaks – the goal called back, the “away game” at home. Lamb acknowledged this inability to control everything and summed up how she wants the team to react.

“There’s good calls, there’s bad calls, there’s some for you, some against you,” she said. “You just have to keep playing.” 

Game to Watch Men’s Soccer

Consecutive games in which linebacker Luke Kuechly has recorded double-digit tackles, the longest streak in the nation.

11-1

Cumulative record of ACC Atlantic Division football teams. The Coastal Division, which was predicted to be the stronger of the two by most experts, is 4-7.

4

Rush yards for Kent State, on 17 attempts. At 54 yards per game, BC has the sixth-best run defense in the nation.

Boston vs. Boston University College The No. 5 men’s soccer team played Maryland to a 1-1 tie before a capacity crowd at Newton Campus Field Friday night. The Eagles will take to the pitch again this weekend against crosstown rival Boston University. Boston College won a thriller, 1-0, at Nickerson Field on the BU campus last year. Expect another close affair this time.

Friday, 7 p.m.

THE HEIGHTS

Monday, September 13, 2010

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Problems linger in Kent State win Problems to Fix, from C1

most of the first half, as the Golden Flashes defense brought a lot of pressure and blitzed on a majority of the plays in the first quarter.

On his three possessions during the first quarter, Shinskie was three of eight for 44 yards, including two three-andouts. One of those three and outs managed to generate points – a 27-yard field goal from Nate Freese – thanks to Alex Albright’s first career interception.

“It was frustrating because we couldn’t get going,” Shinskie said.

“They played great defense, they moved around a lot, they blitzed us a lot. It was just tough to get moving with the football.”

After Shinskie had another ineffective series at the start of the second quarter, the coaching staff decided it was time to see what backup Mike Marscovetra could do. In his second series, the sophomore made an ill-advised throw on first and 10 facing a blitz that was intercepted by Norman Wolfe, ending Marscovetra’s day on a sour note.

He finished with another incomplete performance, going one for three for four yards and an interception.

“He just got hit while he was throwing the ball,” Shinskie said. “It could have gone either way. If we had scored a touchdown and kept rolling, I’m behind Mike 100 percent. We’re behind each other. It’s just good competition.”

On the last BC drive of the half, Shinskie came back out on the field and finally got some offense going for the dormant Eagles. The drive stalled at the 5-yard line, however, resulting in Freese’s second field goal of the game,

giving BC a 6-3 lead at halftime.

When asked what he told the team at halftime, Spaziani said, “I was speaking Chinese, I think.”

Whatever he said seemed to have worked, as Shinskie looked much improved in the second half. In his first series, he went five for six for 55 yards, capped off by a 23-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Swigert. The true freshman had two defenders on him in the end zone, but made a nice move to get open for Shinskie for Swigert’s first collegiate touchdown.

“They were playing man to man, and the defender wasn’t really looking, and I saw Bobby put his hand up,” Shinskie said. “I underthrew it because the guy had his back turned, and Bobby made an easy comeback to the ball.

“It was a great catch by Bobby, his first touchdown, I feel good for him.”

Swigert said he was definitely more comfortable in Saturday’s game than he was in the first game of the season. He finished with two catches for 36 yards and the touchdown.

“More and more, every quarter, it seems like every play I’m getting more used to it, and it was a great feeling to know that I’m getting used to it,” Swigert said.

Another confidence booster for the BC offense came later in the third quarter when Clyde Lee leaped into the air over a Kent State defender to catch a 31-yard prayer from Shinskie to put the Eagles up 20-6.

“Clyde made a nice catch,” Spaziani said. “That was a play, he made a play.

It should help his confidence. We believe he can do more of that, but Clyde needs to believe he can do that. Attitude is altitude.”

Time to make a purpose

Purpose, from C1

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Dave Shinskie (15) didn’t ease any doubts with his 18-of-27 day, but he avoided interceptions.

Shinskie finished the day completing 18-of-27 passes for 214 yards, two touchdowns, and maybe most importantly, no interceptions.

“That’s encouraging whenever Dave doesn’t throw any interceptions, or any quarterback, we’re encouraged by it,” Spaziani said with a smirk.

The quarterback admitted he had a little help.

“Well God was behind me, because I prayed for no interceptions,” a smiling

Shinskie said. “Interceptions come, interceptions go. As a good quarterback, you have to let those mistakes behind you. I made a lot of mistakes tonight that weren’t interceptions, but they were mistakes. So next week, I have to go in the film room, I have to see what I did wrong, and fix them.

“Interceptions are interceptions. A win’s a win. We won.”

There are problems to fix, but BC still enters its bye week a perfect 2-0. 

something you can brush off,” Herzlich said, of being worried about what people would think of him after his diagnosis. “I’ve made a purpose out of it.”

He made a purpose out of it. There are plenty of ways to react to a lifethreatening diagnosis, and plenty more to respond to months of agonizing, exhausting, frustrating recovery. Herzlich, however, made a purpose out of it, and now you see him back on the field.

I’d like to make a purpose out of it.

No, I thankfully don’t have cancer, or any other disease that can compare to what he battled. But I have seen close family members fight – and lose – just as many of us have. It’s an unforgiving and unjust process, but because of my unfortunately close vicinity to its perils, I’ve taken up the fight, as well. I’m making a purpose out of it.

Yesterday morning, I awoke after a long night of sleeping (going to bed at 10:30 does wonders for your body) and sleepily made my way to the T. My roommate and I trekked to Southie for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition’s (NOCC) 12th annual Run to Break the Silence 5K, each there to honor the memory of loved ones lost.

And we were hardly alone.

Nearly a thousand supporters ran or walked the 3.2 miles in an effort to find a cure for ovarian cancer, raising $129,653 in the process for the NOCC. My family gathered to laugh, cry, and simply remember my late Aunt Patrice, swapping stories and an outdoor lunch while we did.

Two hours after we arrived, we hitched a ride back to campus with my aunt and uncle, and a nice run around Marine Park for a fantastic cause was left in the rear-view mirror.

“I bet our friends will still be asleep by the time we get back,” my friend joked.

“Yeah, but they won’t have made half the difference you did with their morning,” my uncle said matter-of-factly.

I had no response. I had made a purpose of it, and it felt great. The emotional, calming sound of silence felt even better.

As far as advice goes, this is the best I’ve got for the second week of school.

Register for the Welles Remy Crowther 5K on Saturday and honor a fallen Eagle. Join Relay For Life. Sign up for 4Boston. Apply for that service trip.

Join that club you were thinking you were too busy for.

Make a purpose out of it.

Zach Wielgus is the sports editor for The Heights. He can be reached at sports@ bcheights.com.

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Freshman receiver Bobby Swigert (left) lets out a celebratory yell after catching his first career touchdown; the defensive group effort (right) limited Kent State to just four rushing yards.

Defense rebounds to shut down Flashes Notebook, from C1

harps on us that all we want is a chance as receivers. Being a playmaker and making a play is all we want. Every day in practice we’ve gotten better and better. We throw deep balls just working on it, and today it paid off.”

Their practice throwing deep balls definitely paid off for Clyde Lee, who ran a fly route to the left sideline, adjusting to an underthrown pass and jumping above the defender to make a spectacular 31-yard grab for the score.

“It was good to see Clyde Lee [make that catch],” said head coach Frank Spaziani. “I mean that was a play. He made a play. That’s what football players need to do. We can coach them and put them in spots, and they have to work hard and they’re doing that, but eventually it comes down to somebody’s got to make a play.”

Consistent wide receiver play is something coaches and critics alike are worried about, but Spaziani thinks Saturday is just one step toward the players becoming more confident in their game, and ultimately, better overall.

“I could run down a litany of things that I see problems with,” he said. “But when I look at the receivers, I see Johnathan Coleman snatching his hands up

and catching a ball nicely, I see Clyde Lee going up and making a catch.

“Are there enough of them? Do we want more? Certainly. Are we going to need more? Certainly. But the fact that you have done it once again should give you encouragement that you can do it.

Now we have to keep doing it. They can now see what they did. That they did something positive.”

On the Defensive In their first game of the 2010 season, the Eagles defense was tripped up thoroughly, allowing 386 yards of total offense to FCS opponent Weber State and raising questions about the defense.

“I think it was first-game jitters that everyone has,” said sophomore linebacker Luke Kuechly. “You don’t really know what to expect, and we had never played Weber State before. We didn’t have much film on them, and they hadn’t played a game this year.”

That excuse wouldn’t fly against a team like Kent State, which the Eagles have beaten twice in the past two years.

BC didn’t let it get to that point, though, as its defense dominated right from the beginning.

The front seven, although registering just one sack, displayed brute force. Fir-

ing through running lanes and blowing up screens, they had nine tackles for loss and allowed just four total rushing yards to the Golden Flashes backs.

“From watching Kent State last year and what we did to them, it was that we played a really physical game,” said defensive end and captain Alex Albright.

“That’s what the coaches were harping on all week, that the reason we won last year was that we were so physical. That’s where it starts, in the run, coming off the ball and hitting them.”

With the game closer than expected in the first half due to little production from BC’s offense, Albright filled the role of playmaker beautifully. Dropping back into coverage, the captain snagged his first career interception, which eventually led to the Eagles’ first three points and the offense finding its groove.

“The biggest thing we can do on defense in that situation is get the offense back on the field as soon as we can, because you can’t score without the offense on there,” Kuechly, who led the team in tackles, said. “I think we did a

good job early, Alex had the pick that set the tone for the game early, and our defense played pretty well. Our offense started to get rolling in the second half.

We came together as a team. Special teams played well together. It was a good team win today.”

For video of the postgame press conference, visit www.bcheights.com/sports

For more photos from the BC-Kent State game, visit www.bcheights.com/sports

Odds and Ends Redshirt freshman kicker Nate Freese has filled the shoes of the recently graduated Steve Aponavicius thus far, making four field goals from lengths of 22, 27, 31, and 33 yards on Saturday. He is five of five on the season, and has yet to miss an extra point.

Running back Montel Harris’ streak of six straight contests with 100 yards rushing came to an end on Saturday. He ran 29 times for just 80 yards, an average of just 2.8 per carry, well below his career average of 4.9 per touch.

Dominick LeGrande recovered two fumbles while serving on the punt coverage unit. Both were botched by Kent State return men, and the Eagles converted the turnovers into 10 points. 

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Monday, September 13, 2010

The Heights

Transfer Aburmad finds his place in midfield

By Ryan Kiracofe For The Heights

After two stellar seasons on the Mercer County Community College men’s soccer team in New Jersey, Israeli Amit Aburmad was ready for a new challenge.

If Friday night’s clash with Maryland is any indication of how the rest of his Boston College career will play out, it was a good move.

On a team that returns nearly everyone from last season’s successful tournament run, it’s certainly an accomplishment to crack the starting lineup in your first year as an Eagle.

To stand out as a pivotal figure in your first big game is even better.

Aburmad finished second on the team with three shots against the Terrapins, and was inches from winning the game for BC in the first overtime.

In the 98th minute, Aburmad swooped to the right of the box and shimmied past his defender to create a perfect look at the net. He fired a high shot to the left of Maryland goalkeeper Zac MacMath, and the ball slammed into the bottom of the

crossbar and down again. A few Eagles burst into celebration, but the referee ruled that it didn’t cross the goal line.

The midfielder looked sharp both on and off the ball for BC for the 101 minutes he was on the pitch. After the game’s opening moments, he appeared to settle in nicely in front of the large crowd of 2,000 fans.

“At the beginning I was very excited, mainly because of the great crowd,” Aburmad said. “It meant a lot to see that.

I was pretty nervous.”

No stranger to important games, Aburmad’s Mercer team advanced deep into the National Junior College tournament in each of his two years there, including a run to the national semifinal in the fall of 2008.

After his first major clash at the NCAA Division I level, Aburmad noted that while his transition to the top tier of collegiate soccer has gone smoothly so far, there are many marked differences between the JUCO game and that which was on display Friday night.

“The difference is not necessarily talent, there are lots of talented kids out there,” Aburmad said. “Physicality

and speed [are the largest differences].

Things are more tactical, more competitive.”

Aburmad appeared comfortable and collected while distributing balls to forward Charlie Rugg and BC’s wingers on the attack. His best moments came in that first period of overtime, when BC dominated possession and had several important scoring chances, the closest being Aburmad’s crossbar rocket.

“I tried to step it up in overtime,” he said. “In a big game like that, you have to push all the way to the end. We outplayed them for a little while there (in the first overtime period), and it’s thanks to my teammates. But we gave 150 percent all the way, all for the fans.”

While he’s yet to spend a large amount of time with head coach Ed Kelly and the young Eagles team, Aburmad is already clear on what his goals are for the season.

“A national championship. Nothing less,” Aburmad said. “We’re looking forward to a great season, and we know that we need to be at our best in November.

It’s an ACC title and a national championship or nothing.”

alex trautwig / heights editor

The 24-year-old Aburmad has a goal and an assist in his first season in the midfield for BC. Between the heightened speed, heightened physicality, and heightened pressure of an ACC schedule, Aburmad appears, so far, to be taking everything in stride. The big, loud crowds on Newton are a nice change that he could get used to, as well.

“If you write one thing tonight,”

Aburmad said, “write ‘thank you’ to the crowd. That was an awesome atmosphere. I’ve never played in anything like that.”

If Aburmad and the Eagles can improve on how they played on Friday, the crowds – and perhaps the trophies – just may follow. n

BC grabs tie with Terps Physical Draw, from C1

alex trautwig / heights editor

Ian White and the Terrapins did all they could to hold Charlie Rugg and the Eagles back during a physical 1-1 match.

it was a fair result,” Kelly said after the game deprived his No. 5 Eagles of their third straight win.

Despite a match-up between two highly ranked teams, it was still clear neither was in midseason form.

Maryland dominated the opening run of play, causing confusion and forcing rushed clearances from BC’s back line. The Eagles were forced to resort to long balls to Charlie Rugg, who was employed as a lone forward for much of the game, in the early going.

The sophomore did admirably in running at the center of the Maryland defense, causing problems for Ethan White and Greg Young, but couldn’t capitalize for any scores.

After a rushed clearance by the Terps gave BC a throw-in in the attacking third, the Eagles were granted one of their best chances.

Stefan Carter’s long throw was allowed to bounce at the top of the box before falling to Colin Murphy.

The midfielder’s half volley from 15 yards in the 16th minute was parried expertly by MacMath, who reacted well to put it behind the net for a corner.

“What a save,” Kelly said about the stop. “He got across so quick.”

Last year’s first-team ACC goalkeeper tallied six saves on the day, but most were comfortable, as BC

peppered his goal with 19 attempts. Eagles keeper Justin Luthy, the 2009 second-team all-conference selection, notched six stops of his own, but didn’t face too many challenges, either.

Following MacMath’s brilliance, BC kept their heels, and the renewed pressure forced a Terps handball in the box in the 19th minute. The junior keeper could do nothing to stop Fitzpatrick’s ensuing penalty, correctly going to his right but watching the ball fly above his outstretched hands, tucked neatly near the post.

The Eagles defended their narrow lead admirably, with center back Sacir Hot earning praise from Kelly for his performance, but the Terps struck back 15 minutes after the intermission.

A deep cross from Maryland captain Doug Rodkey found senior Bill Cortes on the end of his run off the left flank. Luthy came out to punch clear, but arrived just a split-second late and caught a fistful of Cortes as the ball was redirected off the midfielder’s head and into the back of the net.

“The runner was let go, and we talked about it all the time because we watched them play,” Kelly said. “[They use] so many crosses.”

Despite the 14 shots fired Luthy’s way in the game, he was never seriously tested after Cortes’ equalizer. n

CLASSIFIEDS

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THE HEIGHTS

Monday, September 13, 2010

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He’s a really good cuddler, just a sidenote.

You wouldn’t think so because of his stature.

Directions: The Sudoku is played over a 9x9 grid. In each row there are 9 slots, some of which are empty and need to be filled.

Each row, column and 3x3 box should contain the numbers 1 to 9. You must follow these rules: · Number can appear only once in each row · Number can appear only once in each column · Number can appear only once in each 3x3 box · The number should appear only once on row, column or area.

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The Heights

Monday, September 13, 2010

Monday, September 13, 2010

The Heights

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Campbell provides stability as Eagles improve Campbell, from C1

“The situation was very similar at Auburn,” Campbell said. “When I first got there, Auburn had been one of the bottom two teams in the SEC for a number of years. So the approach that we’re taking here at BC is very much similar to what we did there. We spend the first year putting a system in place and working on culture, attitudes, and mentality, and then you bring in players who are maybe from a similar system to begin with and they can adapt quickly.”

Campbell also brings a significant amount of international experience to BC. Originally hailing from New Brunswick, Canada, Campbell played at McGill University and the University of British Columbia. He has spent time coaching and recruiting abroad as well, including a two-week stint he spent in Brazil learning from the staffs of the top women’s professional team and the men’s national team. Campbell will try to use the things he’s learned from the international game to BC. “The biggest thing in spending time in Brazil, Korea, and Europe is they spend more time on [volleyball]; it’s just straight hours in the gym,” Campbell said.

“They don’t all have to be excruciating, rigorous, puke-in-the-garbage-can kind of hours, but they just touch the ball a lot, so one of the things we’re doing here is trying to get the girls more contact every day than they’ve had before, because there’s a lot of understanding that needs to happen. But then there’s just the doing part, getting in the gym.”

Between his international experience and his time at Auburn and as a head coach at Northern Arizona University, Campbell also brings strength in recruiting, which is one of the biggest elements in building a successful program. In his first recruiting class at Auburn, Campbell was able to sign the No. 34- and No. 93ranked players in the country. After he was hired at BC in February, Campbell faced an immediate challenge in signing recruits for this season and next, but BC’s first-year coach has kept up with the process and set BC up for the future.

“Volleyball is one of those sports where kids commit and decide really early,” Campbell said. “We were able to

Kevin Hou / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Chris Campbell was hired as BC’s head volleyball coach in February after spending two years as an assistant at Auburn. Campbell hopes to jumpstart the BC program that went 12-19 last year. add a couple of players for this season late, and we feel really good about the class coming in for 2011, and we’ve already gotten a commitment for 2012. All of those will be players who can walk into the gym and help us. BC is turning out to be – I wouldn’t say easy because it’s always difficult to recruit – but there’s just so many attributes and so many positive things about what BC brings to the table, so we’ve been getting a really positive response.”

Another part of building the volleyball program at BC that Campbell is working

on is changing the established culture and mentality of program. Campbell is implementing his system, and so far, his players have been receptive to the changes.

“There’s no quick fix on it, it takes time to change a culture,” Campbell said. “We’ve been very fortunate that the players that are here are very open to some of the ideas we’re introducing. A lot of it is just habit. We have to learn a different style of play and a different way of approaching our play, mentally just a different way of walking into the gym and being ready to play. There’s no quick fix

on it, it’s going to take us some time, but we’re doing the right things and taking steps in the right direction.”

After a difficult season last year, in which the Eagles stumbled to a 12-19 finish, the system instituted by Campbell and his staff is putting BC in a position to be successful currently and in seasons to come. Campbell acknowledges that success this year will most likely come in other ways than just wins and losses.

“It’s tough to place specific expectations in terms of wins and losses because everything is so new, it’s almost impos-

sible to predict how quickly they’re going to pick it up,” Campbell said. “What I do expect is that we’re going to get better every week, that there are going to be pieces of our game that improve every week and that the players are coming to the gym every day being actively engaged in the learning process, not just passively waiting for somebody to tell them what to do.

“If they are doing that everyday, then we’re going to get better and we’ll have a good season this year and be able to lay good groundwork for next year.”n

Volleyball plagued by errors

By Diana C. Nearhos Heights Senior Staff

Boston College’s volleyball team played 15 sets in three matches over the course of two days at the Bryant Tournament this weekend. That is a lot of real-time volleyball for a team with a new coaching staff and new dynamic.

The inexperience showed.

The Eagles came out of the weekend 1-2, with losses to Bryant and Holy Cross and a victory over Navy.

BC (5-5) started off strongly against Bryant (8-3) Saturday evening, but then traded set victories. The Eagles won the first set, 25-16, with an attack percentage of .357. The next set was more evenly matched, but Bryant scored a threepoint victory.

In the third set, BC was able to take advantage of a poor attack from Bryant, as the team had in the first, and took a 25-20 victory. After that, however, the Eagles faltered on their own attack, with their worst performance coming in the tie-breaker fifth set. They managed just one kill and lost, 15-5.

Brennan Clark, who has switched to outside hitter this season, had team highs with 15 kills and 25 digs in the match. She also led the team in the match against Holy Cross with 24 kills and three aces, earning All-Tournament honors. Until this season, the junior served as libero, playing only defensively; now she is playing both front and back row.

“Brennan is probably the one player of which we ask the most,” said head

coach Chris Campbell. “She has adapted well to the new position. The way the roster is structured this year, we don’t have a lot of depth at [outside hitter], so we’re going to need her to do that every night.”

Earlier on Saturday afternoon, BC faced off with Navy (3-7). Much like it did against Bryant, BC began the match on a good note, earning a decisive 25-17 victory. The second set, however, did not go as smoothly. The Eagles registered as many errors as kills for an attack percentage of .000 and fell, 25-15.

They started to climb back in the next set and improved the attack to .270, but still lost, 25-20. With its back against the wall, BC dug its feet in. The team came back with its strongest attack of the night, .407, and held the Midshipmen to a .000 attack, winning the set, 25-13. In the fifth set, the Eagles continued their strong hitting with a percentage of .391, winning 15-12.

Tsvetalina Dureva, the only outside hitter to have played two previous years with the Eagles, led the team with 22 kills in the match. Dureva also recorded 13 kills against Bryant and 19 versus Holy Cross and was named to the All-Tournament team alongside Clark.

On Friday, BC began the tournament against Holy Cross (4-8). Like its other games in the tournament, BC won the first set, starting off with its strongest attacking performance of the night, .464.

The third set was the closest, as the Eagles had to stretch past the typical 25point game, winning, 28-26. Holy Cross crawled back from the one-set deficit, though, and closed out the match with a

25-22 victory in the fourth set and 15-13 in the fifth.

Though three matches of five sets each is physically taxing for the Eagles, and probably contributed to their weak final set against Bryant, it was actually a good thing for BC. For the team to compete strongly in the difficult ACC, it will have to play tough.

“The experience of the fifth game is something you try to recreate in practice,” Campbell said. “But there is nothing like the real thing.”

Just 10 games into the season, the new head coach knows what he and his team need to work on.

“We have a long way to go to be a really good team,” Campbell said. “Players can’t just depend on the areas in which they do well. They have come far in learning what they need to improve.

But being aware of it and being able to execute it are two different things, and the former is the easier.”

The Eagles have one more tournament before the beginning of the ACC schedule. Next weekend, they will be at the Brown Tournament facing Central Connecticut, Brown, and taking another attempt at Holy Cross. Those three matches will give BC a chance to continue to hone its strategy and execution.

The Eagles have struggled against their southern counterparts recently, and has only recorded four ACC victories in the past two years. Campbell is looking to change that.

“That’s something I think, if we are playing well, we can match and even surpass,” he said. n

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Forward Victoria DiMartino scored her seventh goal of the season in BC’s win over Fairfield.

Eagles shut out Stags for 2-0 win

By Matt Rossman For The Heights

The No. 5 Boston College women’s soccer team blitzed Fairfield with 29 shots, including 18 in the first half, and emerged with a 2-0 win on Friday night.

Brooke Knowlton scored her first goal of the year to break a scoreless tie in the 52nd minute. Fellow midfielder Julia Bouchelle fired a shot at Fairfield goalkeeper Kelly Boudreau, which Boudreau managed to deflect. Knowlton alertly followed the shot and one-timed the rebound into the back of the net.

In the 78th minute, Victoria DiMartino provided some insurance, netting the second goal of the game off a pass from Kristen Mewis. DiMartino beat the lone defender, and Mewis sent the ball from the other side of the pitch. After DiMartino, who scored four goals this week and now has seven on the season, corralled the pass, she slid it by a charg-

ing Boudreau to make it 2-0 Eagles.

Mewis also finished the second week of the season well, extending her point streak to four games on one goal and three assists.

As prolific as the Eagles’ offense was, the Stags’ attack was just the opposite.

Fairfield mustered only three shots in the entire game, all of which were saved by Eagles goaltender Jillian Mastroianni, who posted her fourth shutout of the young season. A preseason Hermann Trophy contender, Mastroianni is picking up where she left off after a phenomenal sophomore campaign, when she let in 13 goals all of last season .

BC (5-0-1) also shut out Fairfield (32-0) in corner kicks, 9-0.

Hannah Cerrone led the Eagles with seven shots and four on goal. Knowlton and Amy Caldwell also put four balls on net, both doing so in five shots. In all, nine different Eagles registered a shot against the Stags, including freshmen Maddie Payne and Patrice Vettori. n

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THE HEIGHTS

Monday, September 13, 2010

B4

FEATURES THE HEIGHTS

Monday, September 13, 2010

Section

D

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010

And it just keeps getting better ...

The noise! The energy! The tailgates!

It is football season once again, and I am loving it. My joy at finding myself squished onto the bleachers, cheering for our team, and the hours of grilling, sipping on adult beverages, and playing corn hole before and after the game is unmatched. Fall at Boston College is easily my favorite time of the year.

I love the camaraderie among students, the start of classes (I’m a dork, I know. I did get locked in the library, remember?), the change of leaves, and the knowledge that we are on the brink of one more chapter in this fabulous adventure called college.

Being a part of BC is something that I am beyond proud of, and something that I hope you are proud of, too. I love coming back, I love the people I get to go to school with, and I love what we stand for as a Catholic university that is one of the top educational institutions in the country. This is why I feel the need to address the recent behavior of our student body. Football is one of our greatest traditions, and is the highlight of weekends for the first semester. Don’t ruin it by classless cheers like “first down, b—h!” Not ok. It is rude, crude, and makes us look awful. Do you think the fans at Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, or University of Virgina would be caught dead doing that? No. Notre Dame already calls us “Back-Up College.” Don’t give them reason to use that cheer. We are better than that. BC has always prided itself on being a bit more sophisticated – don’t trade that reputation in.

Also, do not boo your quarterback, or any other player for that matter. Ever.

You just don’t do it. We didn’t do it after an unfortunate ending to a little game in South Bend last year, so please don’t do it when we are winning at home. We support our team no matter what. Men and women for others, most especially your fellow students.

And speaking of men and women for others … this year, make it a goal to support more student groups on campus beyond varsity sports. Freshmen, this is for you, too. The cultural groups, the awareness groups, and the performing arts groups are starting to get into the swing of things, and are a less obvious but just as vital component of the spirit of BC. Go to the dance shows in the spring. Make an effort to stop by one of the evening speakers.

Head to Hillside for Agape Latte. Take advantage of everything and anything that is offered. Embrace that camaraderie that binds us as Eagles. Join the Big Sister program here on campus.

Play on an intramural team. Ask a little-known varsity sports team about their accomplishments. Get involved in service groups. Become a member of the Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC). Go on a retreat. Go on a date.

Make this year better than last year.

Trust me, it’s possible.

Coming back to BC is always wonderful, and after moving in for my fourth (and final … eep!) year, returning is even sweeter, the excitement even higher, and the anticipation of the coming year greater than ever. Everything has a new feel to it – experiences are familiar and the already made memories are among the best. Yet, creeping at the edges is the tinge of sadness that I am trying to ignore, lock away, and refuse to acknowledge. Senior year is here, and I can’t help but think that it is going to be my all-time favorite in a very successful run. Living it up has become the name of the game, as well as making every moment count. Every football game will be the best, every Friday night will be my favorite, every late night studying in the library will serve to remind me how lucky I am that, yeah, it’s 2 a.m. and I’m reading about the US’ foreign policy during the War of 1812, but I get to do it at BC. I can’t wait for late night giggle-fests with my roommates, and I can’t wait to dance the night away with my best friends at Homecoming. Class of 2011, this is our year. Let’s do it.

Jacquelyn Herder is the Features Editor for The Heights. She welcomes comments at features@bcheights.com.

MICHAEL SALDRRIAGA / HEIGHTS GRAHPIC

JACQUELYN HERDER

BY MEGAN CAIN For The Heights

Commercials suggest buying the latest “guaranteed” weight-loss products, restaurants promote their “superfood” ingredients, and friends swear by their outrageous yet “fool-proof” diets. These recommendations are kindly made by the media and friends with the intention of improving another’s health. Figuring out how to abide by these health fads presents a problem from the start, but deciding whether a certain diet is worthwhile and potentially successful is an even greater obstacle.

Lately, antioxidants are all the rage. People want to be eating foods rich in antioxidants such as blueberries, acai berries, and several other types of berries, as well as beans. According to WebMD, the recent interest in acai berries and antioxidants is due to the belief that consuming more of these foods “may help prevent diseases caused by oxidative stress, such as heart disease and cancer.” The Web site further explains that eating acai berries may help to slow the aging process, but there is no proof yet that acai berries possess any additional health benefits beyond those of other fruits.

Lawsuits have emerged against companies that promote acai berries as a means for rapid weight loss. The claim is that the companies are falsely

I NSIDE FEATUR E S THIS ISSUE

advertising the health effects of these berries. Critics feel there is no valid evidence supporting the belief that the consumption of acai berries results in weight loss or the cleansing of organs.

Another popular superfood, green tea, is touted for its reputed ability to prevent cancer and lower cholesterol. Studies in Japan, Spain, and the United Kingdom, have proven those hopes to be true in specific cases. When an individual replaces any sugary drink with green tea, the results could be even stronger. Green tea contains polyphenol, which can stop cell growth (such as cancer cells), yet some researchers are not fully convinced of the positive effects of green tea. An article on PubMed claims, “There is insufficient and conflicting evidence to give any firm recommendations regarding green tea consumption for cancer prevention.”

Soy is another superfood advertised to lower cholesterol. While vegetarians eat soy products in order to avoid meat, soy can be beneficial for meat-eaters, as well. A study from 2003, described

by WebMD, indicates that the positive effects of soy are real, but those who have a family history of breast cancer should avoid extra consumption of soy.

Many people also believe in the ability of almonds, another acclaimed superfood, to promote good health. Sheila Tucker, BC executive dietician,

The World Record

explains that almonds contain good fats, protein, and calcium, but they are not the only foods to do so. “A variety of foods could give the same nutrients plus more,” she says. “No one food is the magic bullet.”

Yet, many Americans still seem to put a lot of faith into a few particular foods, designing their entire diet around single ingredients, all in an effort to lose weight. One recent diet that has developed a following is the Rice Diet. As explained on its Web site, this diet plan is intended to help participants lose 20-30 pounds in the first week and then about three pounds in each of the following weeks. This idea of rapid weight loss conflicts with many other weight-loss programs, which suggest that losing about two to three pounds per week is healthy.

The Rice Diet itself even states that its side effects include loss of muscle mass and drastic hunger due to the extreme calorie deficiency. Furthermore, it concedes that most of the weight loss comes from a loss of fluids and not fats.

The Cabbage Soup Diet is another plan advertised to be a quick fix for losing weight.

Bestdietfoods.net provides a recipe for cabbage

Learn from fellow students studying abroad. This week, read about experiences in Granada, Spain .........................................................................................................................D4

See Health Food, D3

Humor Column.................................D2 College Connections.........................D2

Monday, September 13, 2010

The Heights

D2

How-To

Humor

Navigate the Boston College cafeteria (and look like you belong)

Of dignity and hall hangings

Allie Bowman Let’s be serious. The first couple of nights spent in the Boston College cafeterias can be frightening for new students. Between the hours of 6 and 7:30 p.m., hungry students battle hoards of other hungry students prepared to plow each other over in the ravenous pursuit of a cheesesteak. It’s loud, chaotic, and confusing. The text on the menu is small, the lines are long, and there really is no rhyme or reason as to where the food stations have been placed. The more experienced students tend to become frustrated with the slow pace, while newcomers feel even more ostracized. To become fully accustomed to the patterns, you must be patient.

With time, it becomes routine. In the meantime, however, there are certain ways to navigate the cafeteria to at least make it look like you know what’s going on, even if in reality, that’s the farthest thing from the truth.

First and foremost, under no circumstances should a tray ever be used. It’s a rookie mistake that makes it easier to spot newcomers. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to carry a bowl of cereal, two bananas, a muffin, a quesadilla, and three drinks (not that anyone would

actually be eating that much food at once – or at least I hope not). A tray is unnecessary. No, it doesn’t really make any sense, but we don’t question these things. If there’s anything a true Eagle can do, it’s carry as much as physically possible, as gracefully as possible, from the checkout line to a table. In the beginning, there will probably be some casualties, but it’s a small price to pay in the long run. Practice really does help make the way you carry food look less like Supermarket Sweep and more like an art form.

Another key tip is to do research.

At first, when you’re still getting in the swing of things, it’s really important not to create even more of a traffic jam than there already is. This means that you should avoid cutting all the way to the front of the line to see the menu. If you do this, eventually, you’ll just have to trudge back through the crowd and start all over again. Everyone bumps into each other, things spill, and people get upset. It’s a destructive pattern. If you’re really curious about what is going to be served, it may be both safer and cleaner to look up the menu online before you get there. BC Dining publishes the menu for every dining hall daily, so if you’re in a rush and want to make a smooth exit, it would definitely behoove

you to check the Web site out first.

In addition to menu research, it is also good to know which workers are the fastest. No one wants to wait for 20 minutes at the Eagle’s Nest for a sandwich, especially at lunchtime. Test out a couple of different stations and then decide which ones you like the most. For example, it is common knowledge that Ana is the fastest sandwich maker at the Deli station in the Eagle’s Nest. Her lines are always approximately five people deeper than the other ones, but it is almost guaranteed that you will have a great sandwich faster than anyone else.

Observe and decide wisely because it is certainly imperative to get to the most bang for your dining bucks.

Now that you have successfully mastered the art of selecting and carrying your meal, it’s time for the age-old dilemma: where to sit. No need to worry; this isn’t the cafeteria from Mean Girls.

No one will turn you away or require that you wear pink on Wednesdays, so, especially if you’re a freshman, don’t be afraid to approach random tables and ask if you can sit there. It is, however, always nice to have a good group of friends to sit with at mealtimes. Here’s an insider’s tip – approximately an hour before you plan to eat, text everyone you know and invite them on a dinner

date with you. Fearful of eating alone, no one should say no to you, unless they already have a previous commitment. Then casually stroll in at least 10 minutes late and when you walk up, everyone will already be there. Trust me, you’ll look ridiculously popular.

Finally, the most important thing to navigating the BC cafeterias successfully is confidence. Walk everywhere with purpose. People are generally in a hurry to get where they need to be, so they will not be afraid to trample you.

Move fast, never hesitate, and try as hard as possible to at least give off the idea that you know exactly where you’re going, even if it’s not true.

The logistics come with time and experience. Sure, it’s an overwhelming sensation at first, but so is college as a whole. Everything new takes some getting used to and in the process, you may make a few mistakes or feel uncomfortable, but that is completely normal.

Within no time you’ll begin feeling that same confidence you exude and you’ll really start to call BC home. Until then, with these steps, you’ll have everyone fooled.

Allie Bowman is a columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at features@bcheights.com

“My girlfriend and I have been dating for about nine months, but we are going to different colleges. We want to stay together but don’t want to potentially miss out on anything. She has brought up the idea of a more open relationship, but I’m not sure. I don’t really see the difference between that and breaking up and getting back together.

What should I do?”

- Freshmen Folly

Alex Says:

Julia Responds:

I’m not going to dance around this subject for a while. The straight answer to I hate to break it to you, but the start of college inevitably means the end your question, assuming your respective schools are not very close, is to break up. of high school romance. In short, this relationship’s got nowhere to go but This is something that many freshmen try and deal with as they come to school, Splitsville. Most college freshmen can’t handle the pressures of a long-distance and everyone likes to believe they can be relationship as they make the transition to this “For now, let yourself be a freshman in college with no strings wonderful world of Mod parties and Honey that one couple that makes it work, but attached. After all, this is just the first of many romantic the odds are unfortunately stacked against Qs. I take it you haven’t yet heard about the you. I tried a variation of this as a freshheartwarming holiday tradition of “Breaksgivdilemmas you’ll encounter in the next four years. ” man after being with my girlfriend for well ing.” You know, when millions (okay, at least a – Julia, on what what lies ahead over a year, and all I can say is that being few hundred) college freshmen come home on away at school caused more problems and their first college break to, well, break up with tension than we ever had in our relationship before. their significant others. And don’t go thinking that an open relationship would The transition to college is hard enough as it is with adjusting to new classes, make things any better. Humans have been trying to make open relationships new surroundings, and new friends. Add to that the stress of worrying about a sigwork for centuries now (or at least since my freshman year, you know, back when nificant other, and you’ve got a formula for disaster. I’m not saying that you and you didn’t have to swipe into Walsh and they still served Starbucks at Hillside). your girlfriend aren’t meant for each other or don’t care about each other enough, Your first semester of college is already full of transitions – new places, new but being together at school will cause problems that could do some damage. friends – and you don’t need to add the stress of a long-distance relationship.

As for her suggestion, an “open relationship” really doesn’t solve anything, But then again, who am I to say that you and your girlfriend won’t make it because chances are the first time she tells you about, or you find out about, past Breaksgiving? My question is this: Do you really want to be that paranoid someone else in her life, it will hurt just as bad as if you kept things the way they guy who’s constantly checking up on his girlfriend on Facebook? Wouldn’t you are, and vice versa. This suggestion alone should really tell you all you need to rather be a single freshman aimlessly riding the Newton bus back and forth from know about what she’s thinking about going to school. I think the best option is Lower every Friday and Saturday night? I know, both options sound promising. to break up, or if it’ll help your conscience, “separate.” Since I would assume this In all seriousness, if you and your girlfriend are meant to be, you’ll reconnect would happen amicably, it leaves options for later on if you still feel the same way later. For now, let yourself be a freshman in college with no strings attached. about each other, but also allows you to focus on getting acclimated at school After all, this is just the first of many romantic dilemmas you’ll encounter in the without feeling guilty about anything or stressed about what your other half is next four years, my young friend. Just wait until you study abroad … but that’s doing. for a different column.

Alex Trautwig is an editor for The Heights. He welcomes comments at features@ bcheights.com.

Julia Wilson is a senior staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at features@bcheights.com.

“He Said/She Said” welcomes questions for future columns as well as comments about this week’s responses.

College Connections

An ode to off - campus living: or, a senior’s take on being back

Taylor Ross As I sit in my new on-campus residence, a bead of sweat is uncomfortably dripping down my brow. Maybe it is because the air conditioner unit in my apartment is broken. Or maybe it stems from the worry that someone could, at any time, slip through my broken door and steal my most valued possessions. Either way, my new apartment’s deficiencies have already made me nostalgic for the off -campus apartment I lived in last year.

As I embarked upon my junior year, the rest of my roommates and I were ecstatic to march off campus, free from The Office of Residential Life (ResLife) and its peculiar restriction of Christmas lights in the dormitories (except from Oct. 15 to the end of finals – seriously, a Jesuit school restricting yearlong Christmas fever baffles me). Finally, we could light candles and sit in a circle cross-legged and discuss how each of our days went.

Finally, we could use two-pronged extensions cords to extend our lamplight to the porch for our monthly “Mid-

night Monopoly.” Finally, we could get HBO. But shortly into my off-campus residency, I realized that our time there wouldn’t consist only of enjoying smelly basement parties or evading red Expeditions roaming the streets of Brighton. After being overwhelmed in the first week with all types of bills –Comcast, utilities, gas, rent – our house did the wise thing and assigned the handling of these pricey expenses to the kid in the house with a 10th grade math proficiency – me! Let’s just say that after individually collecting payments from various roommates throughout the year, I have a new appreciation for Destiny’s Child’s hit “Bills, Bills, Bills.” Already, I’m regretting knocking ResLife.

If you have an issue with your apartment when you are living oncampus, you can sign into Agora, submit a work order, and the Repair Fairy shows up and magically fixes the problem. When you live offcampus and have an issue with your apartment, the process is a little more complicated. Step one: Call the landlord. Step two: Listen as he tells you it isn’t his problem. Step three: Call the 400-pound landscaper whom the landlord has assigned to fix every problem in the house, by himself.

Step four: Call the landscaper. Step five: Call the landscaper, again. Step

six: Call the landscaper, and leave a voicemail. Step seven: Wait till he shows up (could be a day, could be a month). Step eight (most important): Learn to cope with the landscaper’s tardiness, and his excuses: “Taylor, Taylor, I am sorry. I am sick and can’t drive, till next week …” Although ResLife ruins Christmas in September, it sure does know how to get stuff done.

Living off-campus was my version of going abroad. I learned to cope with the foreign environment, whether it was speaking broken Portuguese to our landscaper, or trying to speak “crazy” with the homeless person spilling our trash while trying to scavenge for empty cans. People often ask me advice about the offcampus (abroad) experience, and I answer them, “Be a chameleon, adapt to your surroundings.”

Life in the house really wasn’t all that rough, though. People always complained about the backorder of dirty dishes resembling Mount Everest in our sink, or the overflowing trash spilling onto the floor. Once you learned to hold your breath when you were walking through the kitchen, it really was not that hard to cook a bacon, egg, and cheese omelet in the morning.

When it was too hot to sleep in the beginning and end of the year, some of our roommates were treated to refreshing showers while lying in

their bed. It didn’t matter that the rainwater was overflowing from the bathroom in the upstairs unit – “It felt like living in a rainforest,” one roommate admitted to me.

I would argue that all of these hardships created a sense of unity between my house and me. I would sacrifice myself for that house, and the house would do the same for me (although, it wouldn’t be much of a sacrifice on her end). I would protect that house from the intoxication of random bros and the damage that usually ensued. Protecting your house from these bros is a hard thing to do.

They have taken the saying “Mi casa es su casa” to a new meaning. Their sense of entitlement, whivh we referred to as “brotitlement”and which seeminly gave them access all parties, was often a tough force to suppress.

If I learned one thing, living offcampus taught me to be responsible.

Whether it was having a man stationed at both ends of the street with a walkie-talkie signaling to the house whenever a red Expedition crept by, or designating a “Sober Sally” to talk to the police when they showed up at a party (30 minutes after it started), I sure grew from my abroad experience.

Taylor Ross is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at features@bcheights.com.

David Givler Expression, in regards to living spaces, proves most challenging in the modern college dorm. Standardized desks, doors, and closets, white, slobber-painted brick walls, and locked windows all work to hamper a student’s ability to make a house (in this case a 25’ by 15’ Fitzpatrick cell block) into a proverbial home. And while this uniformity is weathered by some, the majority of undergraduates wade blindly into the methodology of transforming their academic abodes into something more, something unique. But let me propose that we, as a community of scholars, slef-censor our unnatural lust for tacky and cliche wall posters and aim for a more natural, self-expressive goal.

The training to avoid the sirens of the common, arguably irrelevant posters must begin early. I get it.

You’re a freshman, but you’re coming along as a BC student! You just made the realization that the first syllable in McElroy is stressed. You have now discovered that the Honey Q is THE best wrap in dining halls. You have put to rest that there is not in fact an Olympic-sized swimming pool on the fourth floor of Cheverus, BUT you have not yet established your identity on this campus. And while some might say that you have four years to make a name for yourself here, it’s a sprint.

At this point your lack of security in yourself rivals that of the North Dakotan / Canadian border. So you figure you’ll blend in, merge with the traffic heading down the highway to Mundane City. It makes sense; it’s the easy thing to do. But wait! Stop! Turn back!

You do not want to go to Mundane City, for Mun--dane City is the home of high taxes, taxes that tax your soul.

But worry not, young padawan, there is still time to get off this treacherous path, but you must follow what I say and never look back.

Let’s start with the bad. The bad are things that impede your progress in establishing you, Johnny McFreshman, at this university. Wall hangings that put you in the express lane to Mundane City include: anything with Bob Marley or Bob Dylan (leave the Bobs alone); Guinness paraphernalia (you were 16 and you had a sip); The Boondock Saints (you’re from Connecticut); Entourage (you’re not a movie star and you’re still from Connecticut); and that damned Pulp Fiction poster (no words). I’m not bashing pop culture, cult films, or booze, but in reality these images have no relevancy to your individuality. First impressions develop from simple things. Freshman year is overwhelming and some choose to blend in like a chameleon, but it’s essential to find your role on this campus, so please don’t dig yourself a hole by associating yourself with the bland, effortless choices.

Here are a few pointers to make your room an actual expression of thought and significance.

1. Display an object that represents your hometown / origins. This is a simple way to make connections with people. Other students like to know where you are from. Hometowns can be a great conversation piece and something to bond over in the first few weeks.

2. Find a good map. It might be a geography you know well or maybe know nothing about, but I guarantee you’ll look at it multiple times a week. You’ll learn about mountain ranges, river deltas, and capital cities of places like Myanmar (Naypyidaw).

This amount of discovery and entertainment cannot be provided by most posters. By the end of this year I am going to know so much about Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Iceland!

3. Don’t rush the process. It’s not a race. If you don’t have your wall entirely covered by the end of the first week, don’t fret, just be sure to follow pointer #4.

4. Avoid the cliche like an 8 a.m. calculus class. Those made-for-massprofit posters are sleazy and literally in every room on campus. Easiest way to follow this rule is to avoid anything for sale in that damn tent outside McElroy.

Freshman year is a battle to find your character and how it is going to mesh with the flow of this campus.

The task is daunting, and for some might take a semester or three, but it will come. Just avoid bogging down the task with humdrum posters. Be yourself, not Jules Winnfield.

David Givler is an editor for The Heights. He welcomes comments at features@bcheights.com.

The Heights

Monday, September 13, 2010

D3

A little extra welcome Kris Robinson

Ap Photo/Paul Sakuma

Students at BC are health conscious, but tend to maintain a healthy body through leading an active life and eating well.

Health trends not always safe Health Food, from D1

foods that the participant is allowed to consume during the seven-day plan. It also explains that the diet is not designed as a healthy eating plan but as a quick weight-loss solution. The negative effects, however, could very well outweigh the weight loss.

After completing the diet, the weight will most likely return, as dieters lose mostly water weight, not fat, and the participant could experience light-headedness.

Recently, the Cleanse has gained popularity. Themastercleanse.org describes its plan as involving the consumption of several drinks made out of natural products. The diet claims to reduce appetites as well as give a surgeof energ, which supposedly results from the elimination of toxins. The catch is that it involves limited food intake and, if done according to plan, lasts three days. There are many different types of cleanses, and some people complete the Cleanse for health reasons and not simply

weight loss.

Tucker provided an alternative view of cleansing, saying that the human body naturally cleans itself out. “Our intestine, liver, and kidneys work to detoxify the body without leaving a residue of toxins in the GI tract,” Tucker said. “Harmful toxins that do get stored in the body are primarily stored in fat tissue and not ‘cleansed’ by a product in the gastrointestinel tract.”

Many of the popular health fads are used frequently not because of their results but because of the heavy promotions devoted toward them. What the company selling the product has done is package a smaller quantity of the food in a bag with a catchy title and slogan. It is an easier way to count calories, but it may be more expensive than necessary. “For those who maintain a healthy weight without the need for calorie counting, these products are unnecessary,” Tucker said.

One product on the market claims to help the user more easily burn calories and rap-

idly produce sweat. It is a cream called Albolene, designed to trap heat on the body. When applied to a “problem area,” the product claims to help lose inches. Products like these may be unnecessary for people who take the time to workout and eat a healthy diet.

Everyone seems to want the quick fix for being thin and healthy. The easy way out is not always the best way, though.

Many popular trends are not fully proven to produce the acclaimed results. Not all of the fads are completely bad or useless and trying some new foods may add new healthy components to a person’s diet, but the results are not always positive. The bottom line is that many of the health fads do not always offer long-lasting solutions that do everything they say they will. Break out of your shell and try a new fruit or vegetable. You may actually like the natural, un-processed food that you discover. Eating healthy portions of a variety of natural foods combined with regular exercise could be your best bet.n

Man, it’s good to be back.

I promise to have a little something in this column for everyone, but for the hyperventilating seniors, suddenly careeraware juniors, and a little more experienced sophomores, let me apologize in advance – this one’s going to be mainly for the freshmen. You know, those new students easily identified by their Under Armour Superfan shirts that we never had, their eagerness which never fails to instill a sense of nostalgia in the rest of us at the sight of their newly budding Eagle pride, and overwhelmed expressions as they make their way around the campus we’ve come to love in our own unique manner. Because let’s face it – even if you’ve convinced yourself that you hate Boston College, the fact that you’re still here proves otherwise. Class of 2014, take that as you will, but in the meantime, bask in the fact that you’re at one of the best colleges in the world, and that is both a very biased and unbiased statement.

Upperclassmen, keep reading for an informally intimate trip down memory lane (not to be confused with Linden Lane, 2011).

Now, let’s put this into perspective, baby Eagles. So far, you’ve experienced, what? Orientation, the freshman Welcome Weekend and all the events it entails (including the scandalous boat cruise, which I was all too aware was happening due to the crowds of sharply dressed students exiting cheese-colored school buses outside the ground floor window of my room in 90), your first two football games, and one of my personal favorites, Student Activities Day. For those who went, you know how chaotically overwhelming the Dustbowl (that little grassy area that leads to McElroy a.k.a. the building where you’ve been eating all your meals, unless you were lucky enough to score housing on Newton like I was – and there is not a hint of sarcasm to be found there) became on Friday. For those who didn’t, you must not have left your dorm

room, in which case, you missed out. Big time. As a junior at BC, I can easily say that Student Activities Day is one of the most spectacular displays of campus spirit and extracurricular dedication that I’ve ever seen. And it only seems to be getting better with every passing year. Though even a senior can potentially get something out of SAD, and I say this with the memory of being intimidated even as I weaved in and out of the tables filled with fliers, candy, and students way too energetic for their own good, it’s no secret that freshmen are the target demographic for almost every club, organization, and office being represented.

Feel special, 2014? Well, you should.

as I type this, the euphoria from Friday’s festivities, much like the colorful remnants of various club pamphlets that remain scattered around the Dustbowl, has yet to fully fade from my limbs.

Although I can safely say that there’s definitely an activity, club, or organization out there for everyone, I can also safely say that not everyone can or will get involved. There’s nothing wrong with that – everyone’s college experience is different. However, I wouldn’t remain true to myself if I didn’t encourage everyone – not just freshmen, but sophomores, juniors, and seniors as well – to try, if you haven’t already, and get involved with at least one thing on campus.

Go to an event, join an intramural team, become a member of a culture club; there are so many different possibilities.

Freshmen, you’ve got programs specifically oriented toward you – you won’t believe how many groups want to scoop you up and help mold you in hopes that you’ll do something to change them dramatically … in a good way, of course. The UGBC’s Mentoring Leadership Program (MLP), the AHANA Leadership Council’s (ALC) Kevin Hou/Heights editor AHANA Leadership It is virtually impossible to Academy, The Heights’ Freshmen go through your four years at BC Leadership Initiative Program and not have your undergraduate (FLIP), just to name a few. experience affected by at least Definitely try to take advantage one (I’d even say two, actually) of of the opportunities in front of the groups of people at Student you. Take a quick walk through Activities Day. Every freshthe Quad (the bench area in the man is required to attend one center of campus) and you’ll of seven orientation sessions, bear witness to chances to audiall of which are put on by the tion for one of BC’s numerous Office of First Year Experience. song and dance groups.

Planning on going to see Kid Yes, as Eagles, we are stuCudi and LMFAO this Friday? dents first – this is something I You have the Undergraduate find that I have to remind myself Government of BC (UGBC) to on a daily basis – and so our thank for that. I can go on and classes are without a doubt our on listing programs and events priority. But I’m a strong beyou’re bound to encounter, but liever in education not occurring that’d be tedious and would solely in a classroom, and that’s effectively detract from the a mindset that I will carry with excitement I have for the nonme and continue to impart unto academia related opportunities others even after I am forced to this University and its students leave our little BC nest. provide that I’m trying to convey. Student Activities Day is Kris Robinson is the Assistant Features the visible embodiment of this, Editor for The Heights. He welcomes and hence, one of my favorite comments at features@bcheights.com. days of the academic year. Even

A fresh start, a fresh year, and freshmen here at BC Lauren Ruvo

It seems like just yesterday I was moving my tassel from right to left and saying goodbye to the school that had been my home for the past 13 years. Summer came and went, and eventually it came time to pack up what seemed like all of my belongings and move on to the life that I had been waiting to begin for years.

Saying goodbye to loved ones is never easy, but after long Skype dates with my roommate and keeping in touch with the people I met at the fourth orientation, I was excited.

After hours of unpacking and decorating, it was time to say goodbye to my mom. We hugged, we cried, and we promised that we would talk at least once a day to make the transition a little smoother. It was just as hard as I had expected it to be. We said one last goodbye and I went up to my room and tried to take my mind off my anxiety by having a dance party with my roommate, Sarah.

Soon enough, it came time for the first Boston College Welcome Weekend event, one of many activities that would have

us freshmen on a very regimented schedule for the next few days.

Sarah and I showed up to the Dustbowl and were immediately overwhelmed by how many freshmen there actually were. We met up with friends that we had met from orientation and met new people who were able to help us perfect the Dougie. After playing icebreakers, we went back to our friend’s dorm and watched Jersey Shore. After watching the drama unfold between Sam and Ronnie, we started talking about some drama of our own, Hurricane Earl. I’m from Las Vegas, so the worst weather I have ever experienced was a snow day that liberated us from school early. A hurricane was entirely new territory that left me feeling like a child on Christmas Eve. The new friends whom Sarah and I met understood my excitement so much so that they stayed up and watched the Weather Channel and made a hurricane playlist, which included a wide range of songs from Fat Joe’s “I Make it Rain” to Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly with Me.” Friday morning, I woke up and sadly realized that there weren’t many storm clouds cluttering the sky. So I put my

rain boots away and headed off to my first meeting of college, the Freshman Year Professional Development Seminar. We met in our discussion groups where we had lunch and spent the next four hours talking about our expectations for college, how move-in went, and the freshman assigned reading, How Lincoln Learned to Read. After talking in our smaller groups, we were then told what it means to be a part of the Lynch School and we learned about different service projects that we could join. The meeting was extremely informative, however, after spending four hours there I was ready to get back to my dorm and get ready for the rest of the day’s activities.

That night, the freshmen were all supposed to go to Target as part of the Welcome Weekend.

My roommate and I got together with a few people we had met and went down to where the buses were supposed to pick us up. We didn’t feel the need to grab an umbrella since it had not really rained that much during the day, which looking back was probably the worst idea either of us have ever had. While we were standing in the never-ending line, waiting for one of the buses

to pick us up, Earl decided to finally stop by and say “hello.”

At first, it was just a light drizzle and Sarah and I didn’t think too much of it, but eventually the rain came down so heavily that the group we were with decided that it was in all of our best interests to boycott the whole Target idea. We were slightly disappointed that we weren’t able to acquire all of the free things they were giving away, but we figured playing in the rain and watching people do an Irish jig was a much better choice.

Friday night came and went and finally it was the day I had been waiting for from the moment I received my acceptance letter – the first football game.

Sarah and I eagerly put on our brand new Under Armour Superfan shirts and went down to the Welcome Week tailgate. Between the loud music and abundance of people, my friends Sarah, Tori, Julie, and Sarah were all beyond ecstatic when it was time for the game. We went in and found seats in section H about five rows back. It may have been because I am a freshman or because I have never been to a football game people actually went to, but looking around the stadium

and seeing people wearing their Superfan shirts, swinging their towels, and cheering on our Eagles was a moment I won’t forget. The game couldn’t have gotten any better – I was with great friends who didn’t know all of the words to our fight song or the cheers in general, and the Eagles won. After the game was the first time I felt homesick, because I realized that I had just experienced something entirely new that my family would have loved yet they were not there to enjoy.

Everything was new and happening at once, and it was incredibly overwhelming. Later that night, we went into Boston with a group of about 20 people and had dinner in Quincy Market at Dick’s Last Resort. We watched street performers and walked around the shops, which helped tear my thoughts away from any feelings of homesickness.

Sunday night was the boat cruise. My friends came over beforehand and we all got ready to go together. We walked down to where the buses were picking us up and, after much confusion, finally got on a bus that would take us over to where we would

meet the boats. On the bus we met some very interesting people who confirmed that we were in for a great night. Immediately after stepping onto the boat, we headed to the dance floor, where we spent most of our night.

At one point we decided to go outside and cool off, and it was at that moment that we realized what a great city we are living in and how lucky we are to be here.

Monday was the day that reality set in. Classes were to begin the following day and it was the first time that I would be going to school without my best friends from home. My best friends and I have been going to school together since we were 5 years old and I can’t say that I was ready for that to change. I was scared and didn’t know what to expect, but I was excited, too. It was the first time that I would be on my own and able to figure things out for myself, and above all I knew I would be just fine, which is ultimately what got me out of bed Tuesday morning and into my 9 a.m. Perspectives class.

Lauren Ruvo is a columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at features@bcheights.com.

D4

By Courtney Finkel For The Heights

Buenos dias, Superfans! I know I’m listed as studying abroad in Granada, but right now I’m at the beach in Nerja, on the southern coast of Spain ... and I can’t stop staring at the waves. Waves are nothing new to me. I grew up in California where I spent months on the beach, riding down the bike path and flying kites with my family. In middle school, I moved to Connecticut — 3,000 miles away from my comfort zone — and encountered an unexpected lack of waves in the Long Island Sound.

But I adjusted. I took up sailing

Monday, September 13, 2010

The Heights

instead of surfing. I found new beach-going activities (Frisbee and shell collections) and mixed them in with the old (sandcastles and bodysurfing). I adapted to my new surroundings and grew to love my environment just as much as I had the old, despite the discomfort.

Before I officially decided to study in Spain, I heard a lot about “discomfort” and “culture shock” and all that’s associated with a semester abroad.

Students have taken what they heard in different ways, but they all seem to talk about adjusting to the uncomfortable, finding new, comforting pastimes and occurrences in a strange place,

and learning that old comforts can often be carried over from home. But despite what I’d heard throughout all of the information sessions, orientation meetings, and Skype conversations with my program’s directors, I didn’t really know what to make of the concept of “discomfort.”

It began slowly and in small ways: 100 lbs of luggage (on wheels, thankfully); sitting in the back middle seat in traffic on the way to the airport (not a big deal); saying a painful goodbye to my family and boyfriend (a very big deal); a dying cell phone battery while waiting at the terminal gate (this one rendered me quite miserable). And, on top of it all and as we all know, airlines never provide enough leg room for comfort, and a screaming baby beside you on a red-eye flight does nothing to help the situation. But I arrived at the airport in Malaga, Spain, all in all unscathed, and I went ahead and patted myself on the back because I thought the worst was over.

Of course, the discomforts became more noticeable.

Thankfully, I traveled with Jayson Joyce, A&S ’12, and this made the transition somewhat easier. Jetlagged after back-toback flights, we gathered our bags from the customs carousel, stumbled through Spanish phrases with the security guards, overpaid for a taxi to the bus station, purchased tickets, traveled two hours to Granada, and met our program director’s assistant who drove us to our homestays –and then, finslly, we were on our own. I had trouble adjusting to my surroundings that day, as I felt I had been thrown into a strange, new world without a map or directions.

I suffered from pretty terrible homesickness. In fact, I was “sick” for anything familiar, not just my home. I couldn’t help but worry. Wasn’t the hardest part– the transit – already over?

When would I start to feel comfortable?

The answer: it’s been a work in progress. Since I arrived in Spain on Sept. 1st, I’ve been making the slow transition to a new kind of “comfortable.”

I’ve found discomfort not only in strange eating and sleeping habits, disjointed business hours, the time difference, a lack of a cell phone (still!), severe heartburn, and painful shoes ... but also in more significant parts of life: a new family, home, group of friends, and language. And yet, throughout all of this, I have found many new comforts. My host mom makes amazing paella. I recently learned how and when to use the phrase, “¿vale?,” and siesta naps are ultra convenient. And, of course, old comforts have followed me to Spain. I live down the street from a yoga studio, and there are “heladerias” – ice cream shops – on literally every street corner. ¡Que bueno!

Coincidentally, “incomodo” – the Spanish word for “uncomfortable” – is the word Spaniards use for “awkward.” My groupmates and I have had our fair share of awkward moments so far, especially at the “discoteca,” where most nights, “la gente” (the people) aren’t afraid to pull you out of your comfort zone and onto the dance floor.

It’s also been quite noticeable at the lunch table — lunch is the biggest meal of the day — where misinterpretation and awkward silences are the norm. We’re all working on that, and our host families understand that our language development will take time.

As of late, I’m halfway through my intensive language course, which includes a packed activity schedule designed to introduce us to Granada and the rest of Spain. I’ve experienced a ton already – far too much to

courtesy of flickr.com

Courtesty of Flickr.com

SpotLight on: WZBC 90.3

By Emily Maley For The Heights

I used to wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy … just kidding. I used to listen to Matty in the Morning on Kiss 108 and then head off to school. But today, I wake up to my iPhone screeching in my ear and then turn on my iTunes morning playlist. Because we live in an age of iPods, iPhones, and iPads, the radio does not hold the position that it once held in American culture. Although the idea of having a college radio station can seem a bit outdated, our very own student-run Boston College station, WZBC 90.3, still has a great number of listeners. From what started, in 1960, as an AM radio station whose airwaves only reached the BC community, it has expanded tremendously into a Federal Communications Commission-licensed station serving the greater Boston area – and we still have the WZBC-AM station, too!

Because WZBC is an educationally based station, it allows for more opportunity for the DJs to experiment – sounds pretty cool, huh? One example would be the hour-long “test pattern.” Each week, (Fridays from 6-7 p.m.) one student DJ uses this hour to test how people like a particular artist and expand musical horizons beyond today’s top hits. WZBC doesn’t just stick to music either – we’ve got some big talkers, too. John Boisi, A&S ’11, is a prime example of a very big talker, I mean … radio show host. He hosts the Ghost Town show on Saturdays.

Other shows include Truth and Justice

detail completely – but I know I’m only halfway to the first checkpoint. I appreciate the challenges that I’ve faced so far because they have encouraged me to search for things that make me feel comfortable even though they’re outside of my own culture. You could call me a “desafortunada” (unfortunate one) for all the discomfort, strangeness, and insecurity I’ve encountered, a “pobrecita americana” who doesn’t really know yet how it all works in Spain. But in my mind, the good far outweighs the bad. For now, I’m just one of a group of 10 American students, sitting on a beach on the Mediterranean coast for the first time ever, in the middle of a three week-long field trip, feeling slightly “incomoda,” but almost ready to begin a semester of study in a country that’s full of new comforts waiting to be discovered.

radio, Sunday Morning Country, Juvert Jams, Martinis on the Moon, Universal Sounds Incorporated, The Shadowbox, Democracy Now, Psychotic Reactions, and Ning Nong Radio.

Once a month, the station hosts an actual event at the River God in Cambridge. A WZBC DJ hosts the event, at which they normally feature the 15 most played songs from the previous month alongside assorted music before and after the countdown. In May, WZBC hosted an event at the River God and invited back many old DJs from the ’80s and ’90s, showing just how dedicated students (and alumni) are to this station.

WZBC is not unfamiliar to celebrities either, having welcomed many into the station for interviews. In the past, it has seen Nirvana, The Police, and REM. More recently, according to the WZBC Web site, it has hosted artists such as the Legendary Pink Dots, Sufjan Stevens, Paula Kelly, Neptune, Sigur Ros, Interpol, and Low. Who knew that artists didn’t just come for UGBC-sponsored events! The station also uses Spinitron software to record which songs have been played by what DJ and at which time they were played. Spinitron is an online playlist management service, which specifically caters to non-commercial and student-run educational radio stations.

WZBC also has a blog, wzbc.blogspot. com, that specializes in creating more of a home for the station’s non-commercial music and relaying information about the music and BC-sponsored gigs. The type of music featured online spans over many genres, and one blogger highlights that fact in a review of Greg Hawkes.

“Progressive, psychedelic, and experimental aren’t words usually associated with ukulele songs, but Greg Hawkes’ gig at the Magic Room Gallery on Saturday night was exactly that,” Alice writes.

Alexandra Patarino, A&S ’11, was a talk show host for WZBC during her sophomore year, and she has very fond memories of the station. “The whole purpose of the radio station is to listen to unknown stuff, you cannot play one single mainstream artist,” Patarino said.

“I was an FM DJ and would play things like Sun Kil Moon, Blondie Redhead, the Blow, Lykke Li, and a few more. I really loved DJing for WZBC.” Caroline Fisher, LSOE ’11, said that some students, sadly, don’t know about the station and don’t have the equipment to listen to it anymore, Though she doesn’t know much about the BC station, she has always listened to the local stations in Boston. “I like Kiss 108, JAM’N 94.5, and the old Mix 98.5, but haven’t ever heard much about the BC station,” she said. “I know it is a little more alternative than I like to listen to, but I would be interested in listening to the talk radio, especially if it’s by BC students.”

It is certainly a harder task to listen to the radio here at BC than it was when we all had access to a car radio. But the BC station is dedicated to serving not only the University, but also the greater Boston area. WZBC AM and FM use their DJs’ and their knowledge of different types of music as resources to share non-mainstream music with the BC community and the greater Boston area.