The Heights 12-06-10 by The Heights

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Vol. XCI, No. 45

THE HEIGHTS MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2010

www.bcheights.com

Heights Room hosts ball Proceeds from annual ball go to Uplifting Athletes foundation BY TAYLOUR KUMPF Asst. News Editor

On Thursday evening, students, administrators, and faculty gathered in the Heights Room for the 23rd annual Breaking the Barriers Ball. The event, sponsored by the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC), is dedicated to fostering connections between students and faculty outside of the classroom. Breaking the Barriers Ball is an opportunity for students to invite professors to dinner. This year’s ball featured a non-alcoholic cocktail reception and performances by the BC Madrigals and BC bOp! “We think this event helps to build

relationships between students and faculty because it allows them to see each other outside of the busy classroom or school setting,” said Daniel Rimm, co-director of the event and CSOM ’13. “With the busy schedules that students and faculty have, it can often be hard to ﬁnd a time to just talk and get to know your professors and this event provides the time and setting as well as exposes students to numerous other professors and administrators who they would potentially never meet otherwise.” Each year the proceeds from this evening go to a different campus group or foundation. Last year’s proceeds went to FACES, an on-campus group that addresses race relations within the University community. This year,

the Uplifting Athletes foundation was chosen to receive the donations. The organizers of this year’s event, Rimm and Kristen Mount, CSOM ’12, said they chose the Uplifting Athletes foundation with Mark Herzlich, BC ’10, in mind. “We chose the Uplifting Athletics foundation this year because Ewings Sarcoma is big in the BC community lately because of Mark Herzlich,” Rimm said. “It hit us especially hard.” “In light of Mark Herzlich’s recovery from Ewings Sarcoma, it was a great opportunity to bring the University together,” said Micaela Mabida, UGBC president and CSOM ’11.

See Barriers, A5

NICK RELLAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

The annual Breaking the Barriers Ball featured musical groups The BC Madrigals and BC bOp!

Holiday season begins on campus Community gathers for annual Christmas Tree Lighting B Y E LISE T AYLOR For The Heights

KEVIN HOU / PHOTO EDITOR

The African Student Organization showcases African fashions, while raising AIDS awareness.

AIDS Fashion Show serves multiple purposes B Y A NA T. L OPEZ Heights Editor

The African Students Organization (ASO) melded a showcase of culture and rallied for a cause this past weekend during its first charity fashion show. The group transformed the Rat into a red-lit catwalk that served as a stage to everything from World Cupinspired looks to the BC Students for Sexual Health (BCSSH) who threw condoms into the audience. Organizers of the event wanted not only to create a forum to display ethnic African fashion, but also to raise awareness for AIDS. “We wanted to pick something that affects the African community at large,” said Christina Muli, president of the ASO

INSIDE ARTS & REVIEW

and A&S ’11. AIDS was chosen as the target cause for the event because December is AIDS Awareness Month and Dec. 1 was World AIDS Day. “We thought it was perfect timing,” Muli said. During fashion show intermissions, lectures from local experts and campus groups were featured on the catwalk to educate the audience about AIDS issues. Tope Akinmejiwa, who works for the Health Initiative, a non profit organization focusing on AIDS awareness efforts, presented the audience with information on what it means to live with and around AIDS in Africa. “One in four women will pass this onto their infants because they don’t have access to Cesarean sections,” Akinmejiwa said. She said that the hardest struggle for AIDS-infected Africans has been the lack of support from their governments. “In South Africa, the government does not believe the disease even exists,” she said. “They think it is a Western invention, which explains why not much is done about it.” Akinmejiwa said that the place of groups like the ASO and their efforts

See Fashion, A4 Dance Ensemble steps into high gear with Acceleration, A10

SPORTS

The Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) held its annual Christmas Tree Lighting in O’Neill Plaza last Tuesday. This event was the project of Paris Geraniotis, A&S ’12, and Amanda Brennan, A&S ’13, UGBC co-directors of special events, and their event planning team. The event featured live performances by musical groups including The BEATS, The BC Acoustics, The BC Bell Choir, and The Bostonians. For many of the students, faculty, and alumni who attended, the event was the perfect way to kick off the Chistmas season. “It’s always a tradition of the season to see the Christmas tree lit and it’s nice to do so with your friends,” said Erica Schubert, A&S ’14. Fellow classmate Mary Rooney, A&S ’14 said she agreed. “We came out here to get in the Christmas spirit.” Many BC alumni also echoed these sentiments. Tuesday was the second time that Catherine Mcniff, BC ’59

and her husband have attended the lighting. “We came after mass,” she said. “It’s a wonderful way to start off the season and Advent.” Emily Vanazzi, BC ’01, her husband, and their 2-year-old daughter were also in attendance. After receiving an e-mail from the BC Alumni Association, Vanazzi decided to come to the event. “We wanted to come out to see the lights and the music,” Vanazzi said. “We also thought it would be a fun event to bring our daughter too.” Hot chocolate and hot cider stands, as well as a cookie decorating station, brought in many passers-by. When asked what brought him to the Tree Lighting, Michael O’Neill, A&S ’12, said, “The free hot chocolate.” Each a cappella group provided a varied song selection, singing holiday classics like “Deck the Halls” and “Silent Night” as well as more contemporary selections like “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” Some groups, such as The Bostonians, decided to include Christmas music, as well as current radio hits. Kevin

See Christmas, A5

SANG LEE / HEIGHTS STAFF

O’Neill Plaza is lit up by BC’s holiday tree.

UGBC partners with BOT on campus issues BY TAYLOUR KUMPF Asst. News Editor

Members of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) met with the Board of Trustees to discuss alcohol and GLBTQ issues Friday morning. Micaela Mabida, UGBC president and CSOM ’11, and Patrick Raab, UGBC vice president and A&S ’11, voiced the need for a partnership between students and administrators in addressing these issues. “[This latest Board of Trustees presentation] demonstrates how we are improving as a campus, and that we can have constructive conversations between students and administrators,” Mabida said. “In the past it’s been a separate conversation. Administrators

Decline of a country

and students have discussed these issues amongst themselves. In order for positive change to occur, there needs to be a partnership between students and administrators towards this issue.” On the topic of alcohol, Mabida said that she and Raab presented the Board with their reaction to the new alcohol policy. “Something we talked to the Board about is how happy we are with the new alcohol policy, what students are calling the Alcohol Amnesty Policy, that has gone into effect this semester,” she said. “Pat and I discussed a strategy for addressing alcohol issues that includes both student action and partnership with on-campus resources,” Mabida said. “Especially this year, with how successful our large events have been,

we want to make it so that students aren’t infringing on each others’ enjoyment of an event.” In order to accomplish this goal, Mabida said that she and Raab want to be involved in discussions with administrators. “We want to have a hand in shaping policy that affects students,” she said. “We proposed a strategy of how we, as students, can address these issues, in collaboration with the University.” “We also want to raise awareness,” Mabida said. “The [UGBC] Senate is starting a fact-finding campaign, to quantify alcohol abuse on campus and how we can address it.”

See Trustees, A5

ROTC HOLDS OPEN TRAINING

Panel examines US Exceptionalism

Men’s hockey sweeps Hockey East rival BU, C1

FEATURES

Read about CSOM students who have liberal arts majors, B10 ALEX TRAUTWIG / PHOTO EDITOR

Classiﬁeds, A5 Editorials, A6 Numbers to Know, C2 Police Blotter, A2 Spolight, D4 Box Ofﬁce, B2 Hockey East Standings, C2 Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down, A7 Weather, A2

Panelists discussed the potential reasons for the decline of American exceptionalism. B Y A DRIANA M ARIELLA For The Heights

Boston College hosted a discussion last Friday on the Decline and Fall of American Exceptionalism as a part of the Seventh Annual Mass Humanities Fall Symposium. Panelists discussed what they saw as potential

reasons for America’s possible decline in the near future. Marc Landy, a professor in the political science department and moderator of the discussion, said that this topic was likely chosen for this year’s symposium because of three issues that have brought American exceptionalism into discussion. Landy said that, in wake of Sept. 11, the United States has begun to ask the question, “Why do [terrorists] hate us?” The U.S. is forced to question what its place in the world is, panelists said. The second reason is that, since President Barack Obama’s election, many U.S. conservatives have doubted his wartime patriotism. Lastly, with the current economic downturn, Americans are questioning whether the U.S.’s fate will be that of Japan’s in the 1980s, which also suffered a major real estate and banking crisis and ended up losing much of its world inf luence, Landy said.

See Decline, A4

CECILIA PROVVEDINI / HEIGHTS STAFF

On Wednesday, Dec. 1, BC ROTC held open physical training from 6:00 - 7:45 a.m. in The Plex with Captian Melissa Parish. Students endured a challenging workout.

TopFive

Monday, December 6, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

things to do on campus this week

Boston College Blood Drive

Anita Shreve Book Launch

Fall Symposium

Today Time: 12 p.m. Location: Cabaret Room

Boston College will be holding an American Red Cross blood drive. Appointments are available every 15 minutes from noon to 4:45 p.m.

Today Time: 6 p.m. Location: Murray Room

Take part in the Lynch School of Education’s 11th annual Fall Symposium with keynote speaker Charles M. Payne.

Men’s BBall vs. Providence

Christmas Concert

Today Time: 7 p.m. Location: Conte Forum

Stop by best-selling author Anita Shreve’s discussion and signing of her new book Rescue for discounted books and light refreshments.

FEATURED ON CAMPUS

Tournament funds research

Tuesday Time: 4 p.m. Location: St. Mary’s

Members of the University Chorale will celebrate Christmas with song. The conductor of the event will be John Finney, with guest soloist Laetitia M. Blain.

Wednesday Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: Conte Forum

Come cheer on the men’s basketball team as they face off against the Providence College Friars in Conte Forum on Wednesday evening.

IntheNews According to a report by the U.S. Department of Education, about half of students who entered higher education institutions for the 2003 to 2004 academic years earned degrees or certificates by June 2009, according to a report by The Chronicle of Higher Education. In the six years, 9 percent had earned certificates, 9 percent associate degrees, and 31 percent bachelor’s degrees. Those who began at four-year colleges were more likely to earn bachelor’s degrees.

Local News New Boston commissioner for Persons with Disabilties appointed SARA DAVEY/ HEIGHTS STAFF

BY KENDALL BITONTE For The Heights

On Saturday, Dec. 4, the Boston College Hoops for Hope Committee annual Hoops for Hope basketball tournament was held at the Plex. The 3on-3 tournament raises funds and awareness for the Jimmy V. Foundation for Cancer Research. This year’s event raised $10,500 and an additional $3,400 in corporate donations. One hundred percent of proceeds go to this foundation. This year’s tournament was held in honor of Kaitlin Kelly, CSOM ’11. Kelly, who is on the committee for Hoops for Hope, was diagnosed with large cell lymphoma in April 2010. After enduring treatment administered by New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City this past summer, she said she has successfully beaten her battle with cancer and is in remission. Laura Scansaroli, Hoops for Hope executive chairperson and LSOE ’11, said she is a close friend of Kelly’s and founded this year’s tournament in honor of her friend’s struggle and success. “Kaitlin is one of my best friends and is truly an inspiration to me,” Scansaroli said. “All of my fundraising and hard work to make this tournament a success was done in her honor. We strive for our event to rally Boston College students around a necessary cause through a fun and interactive event.” The tournament’s mission is to raise money for the Jimmy V. Foundation. Since its inception in 1993, BC Hoops for Hope has raised over $50 million. To register, each team had to raise

$120 through either personal or solicited donation. Many teams donated over the minimum requirement, with one team collecting over $1,000. Each team can have a maximum of four players, but only three can play in the game at a time. The tournament had 35 teams sign up in advance that were separated into men, women, and co-ed divisions. Lasting from 10:30 a.m. until the early evening, teams played against each other and participated in the raffle and the Hot Shot competition in their downtime. James DeMarco, A&S ’13, said he participated in Hoops for Hope for the first time this year with his roommates. He played basketball in high school and said he felt confident about his team, but that he is more interested in playing to enjoy the experience. “It was a nice opportunity to help out the Jimmy V. Foundation,” DeMarco said. “Our team raised $180 with family donations and our own money.” Sarah Hawrylak, CSOM ’13, said she volunteered for Hoops for Hope last year as a score keeper. This year she decided to suit up for a team. “I first got involved because a friend of mine was on the board and enjoyed volunteering,” Hawrylak said. “This year I’m really looking forward to play with our team in the co-ed division.” The winner of each division won four tickets to a Celtics game. Every participant, however, took home a t-shirt, while raffle winners left with prizes. The highest fundraising teams chose their prize from a selection including an Eli Manning signed football, BC fleeces, BC

basketball and hockey tickets, as well as gift cards to Roggie’s and Fin’s. Hoops for Hope committee members said that the planning behind the tournament is extensive and performs much work is done before the teams take the court. Kyle Saunders, Hoops for Hope executive chairperson of the tournament and A&S ’12, , said he has been involved with Hoops for Hope for three years and finds the event and its planning process incredibly rewarding. “I first got involved with Hoops for Hope because I knew it would be an exciting blend of charity and sports,” Saunders said. “I’ve always loved basketball too so it was a perfect ﬁt. Having been on the committee since freshman year, I’ve been rewarded with both the satisfaction of contributing to the fight against cancer and the relationships I’ve developed with committee members past and present.” Scansaroli said he credits the success of the tournament to the fact that students have the chance to compete with the mission of raising money for a worthwhile cause. Many of the teams have returning members and committee members have high expectations for the tournament in the coming years. “We deﬁnitely are still a relatively new organization, and there are lots of things that we can still improve on in years to come,” Scansaroli said. “Several of our committee members are extremely motivated and passionate about this event and I am sure that its presence will continue to grow on BC’s campus.” 

TODAY

35° Flurries 27°

TUESDAY

36° Mostly Sunny 24°

WEDNESDAY

33° Partly Cloudy

University Half of all college students earn degrees in six years, report says

BC Hoops for Hope held their annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament supporting the Jimmy V. Foundation.

FOUR DAY WEATHER FORECAST

Kristen McCosh has been appointed by Mayor Thomas M. Menino as the new commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. David Estrada and John Winske of the Boston Police Department were also appointed to the volunteer Disability Commission, which consists of nine members who will advise the city of Boston on issues concerning the disabled community. These appointments will assist in continuing the city of Boston’s endeavors to improve accessibility for the disabled community.

On Campus Boston College-based educational program seeks additional funding City Connects, a program headed by Mary E. Walsh, professsor in the Lynch School of Education, is seeking new funding for expansion statewide. It currently serves 17 Boston public schools and seeks to help administrators act as social service agents. With Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s plan to improve underperforming schools, the program will be able to expand, but that would require enlarging the current budget of $3.8 million in order to bring the program to more of the district’s 135 schools.

National Memorial held for Wisconsin student who held peers hostage MENOMINEE, Mich. (AP) - Hundreds of people showed up Sunday to a memorial for a 15-year-old Wisconsin boy who held his social studies class hostage before shooting himself last week. Sam Hengel’s family held the gathering in a school auditorium in Menominee, Mich., because they expected so many supporters. Menominee lies just across the Menominee River from Marinette, Wis., where Hengel held 26 classmates and his teacher at gunpoint for nearly six hours.

21°

THURSDAY

34° Partly Cloudy 26°

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 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 11/30/10 – 12/03/10 Tuesday, Nov. 30

Thursday, Dec. 2

12:35 a.m. - A report was filed regarding confiscation of marijuana and associated contraband from three students. A report will be forwarded to ODSD for fines and sanctions.

10:47 a.m. - A report was ﬁled regarding a missing employee off campus. The employee was later found and all was determined to be in order.

4:55 p.m. - A report was filed regarding the confiscation of two city of Boston street signs turned into BCPD by two students at the direction of ResLife staff. 11:49 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm activation in 110 St. Thomas More Hall. The alarm was caused by a hair dryer setting off a heat detector.

Wednesday, Dec. 1 8:40 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a trapped party in Campion Hall. The party was later freed without incident. 8:26 p.m. - A report was filed regarding two parties who were ejected from Conte Forum due to their level of intoxication. They were issued verbal trespass warning barring them from returning for the remainder of the night. 11:36 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a potential attempted larceny from Fulton Hall. A detective is investigating.

8:31 p.m. - A report was ﬁled regarding the harrassment of a party in Ignacio Hall. Detectives assisted the party in obtaining a restraining order.

Voices from the Dustbowl “What was your favorite toy when you were a kid?”

“A wagon.” —Greg Kirby, A&S ’12

“Zelda was my favorite video game.” —Cayce Jones, A&S ’14

1:39 a.m. - A report was filed regarding the destruction of alcohol from an underage residence in Cheverus Hall. A report will be forwarded to ResLife for review. 2:55 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a car driving slowly and circling 66 Commonwealth Ave. An officer stopped to provide assistance. Everything was in order.

—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.

Friday, Dec. 3 12:23 a.m. - A report was ﬁled regarding a party observed with stolen property in the Lower Lots. The party was identiﬁed and the stolen property was returned. Criminal charges will be deferred and a report will be sent to ODSD for interdisciplinary action.

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.

“American Girl dolls.” —Sam Swartz, A&S ’14 “Beanie Babies.” —Sam Popp, CSOM ’14

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

Don’t take your food for granted SEAN TALIA I must say that after having lived in an apartment off-campus for more than three months now, the thing I miss most about being on campus is not having to cook for myself. On several occasions, I’ve been too lazy to make lunch for myself, and then I’ll head to class in the morning, sometimes going seven or eight hours without eating. To be quite honest, not eating for just a third of a day is painful for me – pretty damn painful, in fact. But of course, despite the hunger pangs, I know that there will always be food awaiting me when I come home at the end of the day, and if not, a delicious meal from Fin’s or Eagle’s Deli is less than a 10 minute walk away. So now consider for a moment what it would be like to go several hours, perhaps even a whole day, without eating, and having no idea when you would be able to eat again, much less how you would find some food for yourself. Since most of us might not be quite so imaginative, last Thursday night, a banquet (appropriately titled the Hunger Banquet) was held in the Walsh Function Room in order to raise awareness about the malnutrition and hunger crisis that affects more than one billion people across the world, including about 49 million Americans, about one-seventh of the country’s population. Now, being well-fed is something I admittedly don’t appreciate nearly enough, and I suspect that this is the case for most of us who don’t have to think about how we’re going to escape starvation. Understandably, numbers like these seem too fantastic to be true, especially when we hear about how the percentages of obese children and adults in this country are growing at alarmingly high rates. Or, to take another example, consider the television show “Man vs. Food,” where host Adam Richman takes it upon himself to consume in one sitting enough food to feed a dozen kindergarteners. In a nation where McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts line the roads like streetlights, is it really possible that anyone out there isn’t getting enough to eat? The answer is yes – it is indeed possible. Not only is it possible, it is true. So what to do about it? Well, obviously Boston College can only do so much, but one thing I think the school could do that would be worthwhile would be to reduce the portion sizes across the board in the dining halls. If living off-campus has taught me anything aside from the fact that people between the ages of 18 and 22 seem to have a natural propensity for throwing up in the places that are most cumbersome to clean, it’s that no one needs as much food as they serve you in the dining halls on campus. If even one-tenth of the food served at Corcoran Commons, much of which finds its way to the trash anyway, somehow made it to a soup kitchen, quite a few hungry people would be adequately fed. Of course, there’s about a 0.0001 percent chance that my column will persuade anyone to act, but for the sake of my selfesteem I’ll just pretend that I haven’t been wasting my time by writing this.

Sean Talia is a columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at editor@bcheights.com

THE HEIGHTS

Monday, December 6, 2010

Banquet demonstrates global poverty

BY MOLLY LAPOINT Heights Staff

The Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) campus awareness team held an Oxfam America Hunger Banquet Thursday in the Walsh Function Room. After the event, Stephen Pope, a professor in the theology department, spoke about his experiences in African refugee camps. Jinah Kim, director of campus awareness for the UGBC and A&S ’12, and Megan Monahan, A&S ’12, organized the banquet. Oxfam hosts hunger banquets across the country, and it was Monahan who decided that BC should host one of these events. “Megan was the one who brought up the idea that we should host the event here at Boston College,” Kim said. “Although the idea originally came from Oxfam, we catered the event program to fit the BC community and our vision.” Kim said she hopes the event showed students that they can make a difference. “Whether it be global poverty, hunger, or war, there are so many injustices that exist beyond our world, our BC world, and yet they go unnoticed and overlooked,” she said. “Even after we are made aware of and educate ourselves on these issues, we often feel powerless and incapable of bringing change to a world that is so different and so much bigger than our own. But we are empowered and we are capable. What we do right here and right now has lasting effects, no matter how insignificant it may seem.” When participants arrived, they were each randomly assigned to the low, middle, or high-income group. The lowincome group sat on the floor and received rice to eat with no utensils. The middleincome group received chairs as well as rice and beans with a spoon, and the highincome group received salad, spaghetti, punch, and sat at tables with tablecloths. Following the meal, participants watched a video detailing the demographics of the world if it was downsized to 100 people. Minje Shin, A&S ’13, then read from a shortened version of the event script, detailing the demographics of each group and the rationale explaining the exercises at the event. “As each of us walked into the room, we drew our fat at random,” he said. “Equality and balance do not exist here.” Those who earn less than $12,000 a year make up the low and middle income groups, and they account for a large majority of the population. “Eightyfive percent of you are not seated at the table,” Shin said. “Eighty-five percent of you do not enjoy the resources of the planet.” The fact that 2.5 billion people do not get enough to eat has nothing to do with a lack of global resources, but is more related to an individual’s access to

KYLIE MONTERO / HEIGHTS STAFF

UGBC’s campus awareness team held an Oxfam America Hunger Banquet Tuesday, which taught participants about the causes of global hunger. these resources, Shin said. “You may think hunger is about too many people and too little food. That is not the case. Our rich and bountiful planet produces enough food to feed every woman, man, and child on earth. Hunger is about power. Its roots lie in inequalities in access to education and resources.” The group members were given time to reflect, before Pope spoke about his experiences in Africa. Monahan is a student in one of his classes, and both she and Kim knew about his trips. “We knew that Professor Pope makes frequent trips out to various countries across Africa and that he would be an excellent speaker, and so as one thing led to another, we asked him to speak at our event,” Kim said. He spoke first about his hesitancy to take pictures of the impoverished African people, so as to avoid partaking in “poverty tourism,” though he said that a personal connection could help people understand their living conditions. “There’s nothing that speaks to us more about what hunger and poverty are like than a person,” he said. “We should start with statistics, but never end with them.” Pope always asks his subjects before taking their pictures, he said, and often finds himself appearing in the photos with them. “It’s a way of saying to

someone, ‘I do respect you,’” he said. Pope said hunger is caused by violence and war, and, in Africa, that is based off colonial structures. “Their own civilization has been treated destructively for many centuries,” he said. The violence is instigated by those who are able to gain resources from it. The suggestion that the violence and hunger there is the result of a fundamental difference in Africans is very offensive, he said. “Violence is not something that is in somebody’s culture or somebody’s genes,” he said. “It’s provoked, inspired, and taught relentlessly because some people profit from the violence.” His most extensive expeditions have been with the people of Burundi, many of whom are now refugees in Tanzania as a result of a civil war in 1993. These refugees, he said, are hard-working but do not always have an outlet through which to work. “Refugees have agency and can do good on their own if we give them the tools,” Pope said. “It’s not dependency we want to inspire, it’s agency.” Because refugees are allowed to stay in Tanzania only if they are not taking jobs and resources from the citizens of the country, this can lead to problems. A man’s identity as the breadwinner is

threatened, which changes the dynamic of families, Pope said. These men, upset about their inability to hold down a job, try to exert power over their wives, who in many cases are less inclined to listen because they are not reliant on their husbands for food. “Domestic violence becomes a huge problem,” he said. “It is socially corrosive.” We are all beneﬁciaries, Pope said, and there are four steps that anyone can use to contribute. “Be informed, serve, advocate, and be professionally involved if you have the ability. Not everybody does.” He said that, for some, there is a brighter side. For example, some Jesuit schools give an education to some children, many of whom have been orphaned in the civil wars. “Everybody wants an education, many people are ﬁghting for that education, and many people get that education,” he said. Next semester, the committee hopes to have a Global Justice Week celebration to continue to teach students about world poverty, Kim said. “Next semester, we hope to bring together justice-minded individuals and student groups to put on a Global Justice Week, where we urge students to transform their compassion into action and practical solutions to end global injustice.” 

WRC plans CARE Week

ANDREW POWELL / HEIGHTS STAFF

Student leaders were invited Friday to help begin preparations for CARE Week, which will occur this spring. BY DANIEL MORRISON For The Heights

On Friday, the Women’s Resource Center (WRC) invited student leaders to a meeting, that jump-started preparations for Concerned About Rape Education (CARE) Week, an annual event scheduled to run from Mar. 28 to April 1 of the spring semester. CARE Week organizers said they intend to hold events and discussions designed to inform and promote the reporting of sexual assaults, building upon the success of past events. They plan to bring speakers from outside of Boston College who will discuss ways in which students can protect themselves and their friends from sexual assault. Arrangements for the annual event Take Back the Night, to be held in O’Neill Plaza on Mar. 30, are taking shape, said Kate

Curley, director of CARE Week tential sexual assault, Curley said. and LSOE ’11. “Survivors come The group’s pledge to help protect before everyone and tell their women from sexual assault is part stories,” she said. of its campaign “It’s always a really titled, “These “We are working with Ha n d s Wo n ’ t powerful event.” Th e W RC ’s the center to bring Hurt,” Curley discussion group in a speaker to talk said. ,Sisters Inﬂuencing CARE Week and Empowering about global sexual organizers have Sisters Through trafficking and its been collaboAssembly (SIESrating with The TA), plans to hold psychological effects.” Center for Hua fashion show on man Rights and April 1 as part of its I n te r n a t i o n a l —Kate Curley, campaign to raise Director of CARE Week, Justice and the awareness about department of and LSOE ’11 the lower rate of wo m e n ’s a n d sexual assault regender studies porting within communities of to bring speakers who will adcolor. “It’s a fashion show for dress concerns related to sexual everyone,” Curley said. assault. Brotherhood for Change, a “We are working with the men’s group from the WRC, will center to bring in a speaker to use CARE Week to demonstrate talk about global sexual trafﬁckits members’ pledge to act as ac- ing and its psychological effects, tive bystanders in situations of po- since we haven’t covered that dur-

ing CARE Week before,” Curley said. Curley said that challenges in coordinating speakers’ schedules and operating under funding constraints are reasons for CARE Week’s early preparation. “We want to get all of this ﬁrmed up before spring break,” Curley said. “We are trying to start early because it’s hard to get funding and work with speakers’ schedules.” The Bystander Education program is scheduled to be held the Sunday after CARE Week. This program will teach students methods of intervention in situations where an intoxicated man or woman may become vulnerable to sexual assault. Bystander Education is a culmination of CARE Week and it responds to students’ concerns about what they’ve heard during CARE Week by training them to become advocates and active bystanders, Curley said. 

Monday, December 6, 2010

The Heights

Panelists discuss strategies for US to stay competitive

Alex Trautwig / photo editor

National Review columnist Reiham Salam said the United States romanticizes the idea of itself as an indispensable nation.

Decline, from A1 The reasons for America’s decline are largely relative, the panelists said. The U.S. is not necessarily losing power, but other countries are gaining political and economic power and closing the power gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world. Reiham Salam, columnist for the National Review,

said he recognized that the idea of American exceptionalism is a “romantic” idea to many Americans. The U.S. views itself as an “indispensable nation” to the world stage. Additionally, it may be losing power in relation to other countries such as Indonesia, he said. The panelists said that the decline of the U.S. may not be as life-altering as some Americans may

fear. The panelists said they agreed that profit (GDP) over the last 40 years. these up-and-coming countries are still While the U.S. may fear a “rise of the deeply shaped by the U.S. Even those rest,” Hayao said, these countries have countries that claim to be anti-American cultural issues that may prevent them use American technologies and ideas in from reaching their full economic and their own cultures. power potential. However, if they do “People assume that the decline of reach that potential, the global landAmerica will be like some crazy fall of the scape will be much different. Roman Empire,” said Ross Douthat, colHayao used an analogy of profesumnist for the New York Times. “Or they sional football player Brett Favre’s think that we will become re t i re m e n t to ex what Britain has become. I “People assume that the plain the decline of think neither will happen. America. While FaWe w i l l b e t ra n s fo r m e d decline of America will v re a n n o u n c e s re but no rival will be able to be like some crazy fall of t i re m e n t o f t e n , i t fill the void left behind.” has still not hapthe Roman Empire. Or pened despite many When a large power goes into decline, there is usuthey think that we will warnings. There will ally a clear country ready a day, however, become what Britain has come to take its place, however when he will retire. the United States is in a become. I think neither This is how Ameripeculiar position because a n s n e e d to v i ew will happen. We will be cdecline, there is no country that Hayao said. is going to take that lost transformed but no rival They cannot worry power,” Douthat said. will be able to fill the void about America’s deWhat people worry cline within the next left behind.” about most is a more chayear despite talk of otic world geopolitically America’s fall, but [should the U.S. lose its they must be aware —Ross Douthat, power],” Douthat said...” t h a t t h e re w i l l b e Columnist for the Be ca u s e t h e U.S. h a s a day when such a New York Times no real rivals, it will still d e c l i n e w i l l o c c u r, hold a powerful place in he said. the world despite the decline. “There is The panel addressed whether Amerno plausible military rival to the United ica’s exceptionability is dangerous to States within the next quarter century,” its future. The way that the U.S. has Douthat said. maintained power through staying one Kenji Hayao, a professor in the politi- step ahead, Douthat said. The U.S. cal science department, said it is easy to needs to make policy to maintain that “overemphasize the idea of decline” but exceptionalism rather than simply there have been many incidents in U.S. depending on just continuing to say history that many people thought would that America is exceptional, he said. affect its decline. While the economy “There is a certain vitality [in that may be in a recession now, the U.S. has notion], but it can be dangerous,” maintained a constant gross domestic Douthat said. n

Aso fashion Fashion, from A1 were to combat this ignorance and raise funds to send medical aid to nations that may suffer from a lack of health care infrastructure. She also said that students in asset-laden environments such as Boston should take advantage of resources such as condoms and sexual health education, “That doesn’t exist in Africa,” she said. The ASO had the members of the BCSSH participate in skits offering tips on preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases in general. Following their performance, members of the group tossed condoms into the audience. Artistic reflections on AIDS also accented the show, including a spoken word piece by Alex Kim, A&S ’11. Kim’s piece, entitled “Honor the Brave,” dealt with those that choose to fight AIDS, despite the negative connotation associated with the diagnosis. “It was hard to do this because AIDS is a serious topic and it’s hard to say something substantial about it,” Kim said. “But I noticed that it’s different than when someone has cancer. There is definitely a stigma.” Though the majority of the fashion hailed from Africa or held strong African influence, organizers used models of several racial backgrounds. “We wanted to make the event as multicultural as possible,” Muli said. “If you notice, we have models from many different ethnicities.” The ASO’s collaboration with other groups, Muli said, made the show possible and lends hope for the future of the show. She said that although this was the first year that funding had been found to enact the event, the group hoped to make it an annual fundraiser. “Next year we want to raise more money for the cause,” she said. “That way we can make it even bigger and better.” n

“It was hard to do this because AIDS is a serious topic and it’s hard to say something substantial about it. But I noticed that it’s different than when someone has cancer – there is definitely a stigma.” Alex Kim, A&S ’11

Alex Trautwig / photo editor

Kevin hou / photo editor

The ASO Fashion Show for AIDS awareness featured fashion designs by African designer Cote Minon. Proceeds went to support Artists for Charity.

The Heights

Monday, December 6, 2010

Boston CEO Club hosted head of Roche Holding AG B y A na T. L opez Heights Editor

Michael Caprio / heights editor

Peter Rollins, director of the BC CEO Club introduced Severin Schwan, the keynote speaker.

The Chief Executives’ Club of Boston hosted Severin Schwan, the CEO of Roche Holding AG, last Thursday, who spoke about the plausibility of personalized health care and the future of the pharmaceutical industry. In his remarks, Schwan spoke about how his company, which employs over 80,000 people worldwide, is trying to take a more personal approach in the development of its drugs through the marriage of diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. He used the company’s development of melanoma-fighting drugs to illustrate his point. By closely examining the way in which cells mutate and dysfunction as melanoma develops, he said Roche’s drug engineers have pinpointed different treatments that significantly delay death for patients suffering from the disease. “Before, someone diagnosed with this disease might

BC ranks in top ten for college Sporcle usage

“Integral to Schwan’s message was his forecast that the landscape of the pharmaceutical industry would drastically change in coming years.” have a life expectancy of eight weeks,” he said. Treatments, which are still in their early testing stages, have increased, so that the figure of life expectancy to over a year and beyond because of their hypersensitivity as to what is going on in the cell. Also integral to Schwan’s message was his forecast that the landscape of the pharmaceutical industry would drastically change in coming years. He said that, in field, there would be room for big players such as Roche to continue to compete, and that small or mid-sized startups, focusing on generics, would experience a great deal of consolidation. Thus, f irms’ specializations will be bolstered by different

“While breaking barriers with student athletes would have been an obvious bonus to the event, the main goal was to break barriers between students and faculty and we feel the event accomplished that.” —Daniel Rimm, Co-director of the event, CSOM ’13

B y A driana M ariella

ranked first and second, respectively. Harvard ranked 10th and Boston University ranked 14th, both finishing Sporcle.com, a popular quiz-style behind BC. gaming Web site and mobile applica“The rankings ref lect usage of tion, announced that Boston College Sporcle from each school during a has consistently ranked within the top particular week. Rankings are derived ten colleges for Sporcle usage. algorithmically by a computer proThe Web site, founded in 2007 by gram that analyzes server logs from Matt Ramme, began gaining popular- the site. The program takes into conity among BC students in 2009. sideration metrics like visits, games “It provides fun and addictive quiz- played, page views, and average time zes,” said Ian Henry, public relations on site,” Henry said. “Schools ranked associate of Sporcle, in the top 25 have I n c . “ G a m e s ra n g e the most traffic of “Sporcle currently from trivial diversions people spending to educational study stands at a crossroads time playing games guides.” on the site.” with social gaming on Th e c o m pa ny re Even before the cently launched Sporlaunch of the Leaone side and online c l e C o l l ege R a n k i n g derboard, Sporcle learning on the other. tracked college usLea d e rb oa rd , wh i c h was able to officially a ge , a n d B C wa s We think more and rank BC at No. 3 for consistently ranked the week of Nov. 14 to more students are using within the top 25 Nov. 20, and No. 9 for Sporcle for educational schools. the week of Nov. 21 to Sporcle has purposes.” Nov. 27. evolved into more He n r y a t t r i b u t e s than just a fun disthis decline to the traction. Students —Ian Henry, Thanksgiving holiday. are using its many Public relations associate, “ Th e re we re s eve ra l educational quizzes Sporcle, Inc. UK schools that ento study. tered the rankings for “Sp o rc l e c u r the week of Nov. 21 through Nov. rently stands at a crossroads with 27. We think this is because of the social gaming on one side and online Thanksgiving holiday,” he said. “With learning on the other,” Henry said. most schools in the States not having “We think more and more students classes this week and students head- are using Sporcle for educational ing home, the rankings numbers are p u r p o s e s . We t h i n k s t u d e n ts a t affected somewhat.” Boston College are using Sporcle to That week, Michigan and Maryland learn.” n For The Heights

BC students jump start the 2010 holiday season

sang lee / heights staff

Campus musical groups, including The Bostonians sang both new and old Christmas tunes.

Christmas, from A1 Fabbri, A&S ’14, enjoyed the distinct musical selections. “I loved the music, it’s exactly like an upbeat Christmas album, like A Britney Spears Christmas.” The only non-vocal group, The BC Bell Choir, played five traditional Christmas carols. BEATS performer and soloist Gabriella Sharpe, A&S’14, commented on her performance, saying, “We were very excited to do it. Watching everyone smile back at us made it fun to be out there and got me in the Christmas mood.” “It was cool that there was such a

big, diverse crowd,” said Laura Mayock, BEATS performer and A&S ’11. The peak of the event was when University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J. officiated the lighting of the BC Christmas tree. He delivered a brief address before the lighting, which culminated in a loud chorus of cheers from the audience. “What would Santa Claus like for Christmas?” Leahy said. He then asked for a bowl victory and peace on earth. “We have a campus full of people from different countries, and they all want peace. Together we can work for peace on earth and light the world with our efforts.” n

values, with some focusing on expensive, yet innovative treatments and others on low-cost generic drugs. Schawn said that those firms that do not adhere fully to either methodology will most likely not survive, as there is not enough money flowing through the health care industry to support endless competition. However, he said that the benefit of being in this ever - changing industry is that there is still a wealth of resources to be tapped. “Of the diseases we know, we only know how to treat one-third of them, and, even then, only inadequately,” Schwan said. His company has a boundless field in which to expand, he said. Schwan offered his remarks to the nearly 275 attendees of the CEO Club luncheon, which was held at the Wharf Room of the Boston Harbor Hotel. The luncheon, which is made possible through the Carroll School of Management, is currently the second best attended speaking event for CEOs worldwide. n

Athletes invited to annual Ball Barriers, from A1 One of the specific goals of this year’s Breaking the Barriers Ball was to incorporate athletes into the evening, breaking down another barrier between students and student athletes. This was, however, to no avail. “Unfortunately some of the athletes scheduled to attend the event had an issue come up at the last minute and were ultimately unable to attend,” Mount said. “We are unaware of any other athletes that may have attended.” “While breaking barriers with student athletes would have been an obvious bonus to the event the main goal was to break barriers between students and faculty and we feel the event accomplished that,” Rimm said. Rimm said he thought the night’s turnout was fair. “Attendance has dipped over the last couple of years,” he said. “We’re trying to get it back up.” “We do not have an exact number

of faculty that attended the event, however, we reasonably estimate that between 75 and 100 faculty members attended the event over the course of the evening,” Rimm said. “In the future we hope to increase attendance by raising awareness of the event among students as well as find a way to alert faculty of the event earlier so they will not have conf licting events own their schedules.” “Every year we face the same obstacle raising awareness of [the event itself],” Mabida said. “I hope next year they reach out more to the various student groups we want to see there.” “In the past what we’ve done is send invitations automatically to faculty,” she said. “[More recently] we’ve asked students take on the responsibility themselves of inviting a faculty member. I think we should go back to the automatic invites.”

“I don’t think the intent of the event is for a large scale change, it’s an opportunity to seek professors outside of classroom,” she said. At the end of the evening, the organizers of the event raffled off tickets to the Maryland and University of North Carolina basketball games. “The ticket raff ling went really well and all items were given away at the end of the night,” Mount said. “We had great donations from BC Athletics as well as the Boston College Bookstore.” “I believe that this year’s Breaking the Barriers was one of the most well-attended to date,” Mount said. “There was a great mix of faculty, administration, and students. Dan and I have been getting a lot of positive feedback about the event. Students attending mentioned to us that it was a great environment to get to know their professors on a more personal level. Overall, we were very pleased with the event.” n

New strategies presented at meeting

Mabida, Raab discuss GLBTQ issues with Board of Trustees Trustees, from A1 “We also spoke about GLBTQ issues, specifically cyber bullying and harassment [in light of the recent events at Rutgers],” she said. “We talked about the ways that that is occurring on BC’s campus, as well.” “The University should have no tolerance for student safety to be jeopardized on campus.” Members of the Board of Trustees were receptive to what Mabida and Raab had to say. “They actually agreed,” Mabida said. “One of the board members acknowledged that students are sometimes not aware that they are using language that is hurtful. [To address this, we need to take a] conversation-based ap-

proach.” Overall, Mabida said that the Despite this encouraging re- UGBC’s presentation was well-response, Mabida said that this ceived. “[The Board of Trustees] does not necessarwa s ve r y re c e p “One of the board ily mean that the tive,” she said. “We University is moving members acknowledged s h owe d we we re closer to supporting able to address curthat students are GLBTQ Leadership re n t t re n d s b o t h Council (GLC) inisometimes not aware on campus and off tiatives on campus. campus, and [we that they are using “I don’t think that’s outlined] our stratsomething I would language that is hurtful.” egy for addressing be able to detert h e m a s o n go i n g mine from the Board issues.” —Micaela Mabida, of Trustees meet“We hope that UGBC President, ing,” she said. “It’s future administraan issue that’s so tions will be able CSOM ’11 complex and comto carry on the work prehensive, and we need to engage that we did. We’ve worked to set a other bodies across campus in the good foundation for them,” Mabida conversation.” said. n

The Heights

Editorials

Quote of the DAY

A time for words

Monday, December 6, 2010

“Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one’s values.”

— Ayn Rand

The facilitation of more open dialogue about GLBTQ issues on campus would alleviate standing tensions Last Friday, representatives from the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) briefed the University Board of Trustees on the University ‘s alcohol policy and GLBTQ issues in higher education. This meeting was the second of two meetings held this semester between the UGBC and the Board of Trustees. This meeting marked the first time that alcohol issues had been discussed at a Board of Trustees meeting, UGBC officials said. The conversations addressed the issue of alcohol abuse at BC, with a focus on binge drinking surrounding large campus events. We applaud the UGBC for setting a precedent that the student government and the Board of Trustees will collaborate to fight alcohol abuse on campus. Furthermore, we find it curious that the Board of Trustees had, prior to Friday, never met formally to discuss issues surrounding alcohol when administrative departments like the Office of the Dean for Student Development (ODSD) treat alcohol issues with priority. The UGBC member’s discussion with the Board of Trustees included the unveiling of a fact-finding campaign to gather statistics on campus alcohol consumption. At the very least, the sharing of information between the UGBC and the Board of Trustees regarding the prevalence of alcohol abuse on campus is a prudent first measure toward creating effective, logical al-

cohol policy. We support the UGBC in this endeavor. The UGBC discussions of GLBTQ issues with the Board focused on the issue of harassment of GLBTQ students on campus. The discussion was held in light of the September suicide of a Rutgers University student who committed suicide in September after his roommate posted an online video of him having relations with another male. This meeting is a step in the right direction for the University as it looks for ways to better accommodate its GLBTQ population. The discussion, however, should not be limited to the issue of bullying among students, but should also include an element that highlights the need to address the deep-seated theological issues that might lead to the marginalization of some GLBTQ members (some of whom are Catholic) within the realm of the Jesuit institution that is BC. As editorialized in the Oct. 7 issue, we believe that the University should be at the forefront of conversations surrounding Catholicism and the campus’ GLBTQ community. So far, the University has made no indication that it will take up this challenge. New bridges, however, like the between the UGBC and the Board of Trustees, might be the appropriate routes by which to explore this intiative. We encourage the UGBC to examine these avenues as a way to examine the question of GLBTQ students’ place in a Jesuit institution.

Breakthrough figures A campus figurehead could aid in rallying students and motivating them to become more engaged

Last Thursday, Boston College held its annual Breaking the Barriers Ball. Although the event’s goal was to deconstruct the obstacles barring interaction between faculty, administrators and students, only several dozen students attended the event. Many of the attendees were members of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) or were student leaders in other organizations. The hosting of an annual event with a goal of breaking barriers implies that there are significant barriers to be broken on campus. Indeed, the differences in priorities and daily schedules of students, administrators, and faculty members put several degrees of separation between the groups. But perhaps the most effective way to diminish these differences is not an annual ball, but rather a constant channel between the administration and the student body. We believe that some barriers on campus would be broken with the introduction of an easily identifiable figurehead on campus – a member of the faculty or administration who serves not as a liaison between UGBC members and administrators, but as a character whose work serves as an affirmation of the University’s dedication to student issues. At many universities, the president or dean of students assumes these duties, taking time to shake hands with students on the campus green and eat among the hordes gathered in

the dining halls. University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., however, is indebted with a particular and demanding job description. Charged with enabling one of the University’s most ambitious capital campaigns, Leahy’s job demands lead him to venture outside the Quad and the Rat to fulfill his duties. This is understandable. We think that, given the restrictions of Leahy’s office, the University should be open to the possibility that a figurehead can be beneficial to their aims. This person would serve as a physical embodiment of their willingness to work and interact with students. Also, this person would be identified as the representative of all students and would make efforts to interact with students in the dining halls, in the residence halls, and at large campus events. A university with a campus figurehead is one that can easily mobilize its members behind a cause. BC Linebacker Mark Herzlich rallied students to “fight cancer” last year following his diagnosis with Ewing’s Sarcoma. Doug Flutie routinely attracts hundreds of fans to BC promotional events, like Ice Jam. If there is one lesson the University can learn from those two examples, it is that a figure on campus around whom students can rally can entice students to become more engaged in campus goings on, to strengthen their community bonds, and to break down any barriers that might appear along the way.

Creating culture

samantha cohen / Heights Illustration

Letters to the Editor Response to “Great liberal arts expectation” Liberal arts is defined as a curriculum that imparts general knowledge and develops the student’s rational thought and intellectual capabilities. In other words, a liberal arts education produces smart people. This seems like the perfect educational system, but for some reason, society is turning its back on liberal arts. People in this world are becoming more and more obsessed with making money. Education is turning into a game that, when played correctly, spits a student out into someone who can do only one thing and make a tremendous amount of money for it. Due to societal influences like the media, the idea of a happy life is linked to making a lot of money, and, with the education system in place today, there are ways of doing this without actually being well educated. I have been having a problem that society faces when choosing a major. It seems as if all the classes I am interested in are not going to lead to a successful or wealthy career. I want an education that will make me an all-around smarter person, not just one that programs me to do one job and know nothing else. I also want to be able to comfortably live and raise a family. The well-educated members of society should have the same opportunities for a successful life as the boneheaded business man. When selecting employees for a job, companies should realize that it

Call for dialogue on sexual health The time has come for an open dialogue that brings together every concerned voice to discuss sexual health on our campus. Last week, Dr. Kate Ott, deputy director of the Religious Institute, called for Catholic Universities to take steps toward affirming a more humane sexuality in an editorial published online at Religion Dispatches. Dr. Ott was responding to Rev. Chris Collins comments previously published in The Heights, and worked with me to see what other obstacles student organizers and sexual health advocates are currently facing on Catholic campuses. The primary obstacle is lack of comprehensive sexual health information and resources, which serves as a significant barrier to student health and reflects the University’s assumption that information harms students instead of empowering us. As Chair of Boston College Students for Sexual Health (BCSSH), I would like to call for a communitywide dialogue on sexuality and sexual health at BC to discuss these arguments and bring together the range of values and knowledge in our community. An important first step is this week’s State of the Heights, Wednesday

hockey are at BC, and it is not a sport that is commended on a regular basis. This season, however, we feel that the women’s soccer team truly shined, and proved that a fan culture can be developed for those sports on campus that are not as often recognized. The Heights encourages students to join us in appaulding the women’s soccer team in recognition of this historic moment.

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

at 8:30 in Hillside Cafe, at which members of the BC administration and faculty will be addressing the topic of sexual health; however, in order to comprehensively address this topic, we need a series of conversations that provide a space for all voices: BCSSH, and other students, ResLife, Health Services, and other administrative staff, ethicists and theologians on campus; and faculty. It is my hope that in a series of dialogues on campus, all these voices can come together to seek points of agreement and better understand our disagreements. It is time to examine the nature of our Jesuit Catholic University, the status of current Boston College policies, and the lived experiences and real needs of BC students for information, resources, and an affirmation of our ability to make healthy and moral decisions about relationships. Alicia Johnson Chair, BC Students for Sexual Health and A&S ’11

Have something to say? Send a letter to the editor. editor@bcheights.com

Women’s soccer takes their game to the next level. This gives us a chance to develop fan culture in uncharted areas. The Boston College women’s soccer team made it to the College Cup this year for the first time in the University’s history. Though they lost to Stanford University in the semi-final round, The Heights would like to congratulate these female athletes on their immense success this season. Women’s soccer is not placed on the same pedestal as football and men’s

is the all around smart and hardworking people that will do the best job, not just the ones that are highly knowledgeable in one area. There are some cases where one specific skill set is necessary, but many jobs today require on the job training that can be accomplished by people who may not have the same background as the job entails. Having a liberal arts background is beneficial in other areas of life besides getting a job. A truly educated person can hold an intelligent conversation with nearly anyone because they have knowledge of so many different subjects. No, this doesn’t supply the person with a huge paycheck, but being able to relate to different people is a useful life skill. The view of society is often a determining factor in people’s lives. It is sad to think that people care more about what others think, and what they are supposed to do, than what they actually want. Hopefully people will again realize that being a well-educated member of society is something that everyone should strive for because it is the Renaissance man that this world needs, not someone who punches in numbers at a desk job. Taylor Beaton A&S ’14

Readers Note: The Heights welcomes Letters to the Editor not exceeding 200 words and column submissions that do not exceed 700 words for its op/ed pages. The Heights reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, and to prevent libel. The Heights also reserves the right to write headlines and choose illustrations to accompany pieces

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

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THE HEIGHTS

Monday, December 6, 2010

OPINIONS

WikiLeaks and ivory tower journalism Thumbs Up JOCELYN ROUSEY Bowl Eligible - In September of this year, suffering several consecutive losses, it seemed that the football team was only eligible to play in the toilet bowl. However, reigning as the comeback kings of the season, BC is now eligible to play in San Francisco for the second straight year. Bully for you, Spaz! Collectible Loaf Pans They’re back! For a limited time only, dining services has once again taken to selling its adorable, multi-flavored miniature bread loafs. Best part, if you’re looking to invest hours of baking for a bite-sized reward, the ceramic pans they come with are completely reusable. Brown Sugar - If the staff of this Thai haven catch wind of a birthday in the house, it’s only a matter of time before the lights go out and a technicolor laser show, complete with a Muzak rendition of “Happy Birthday,” fill the air. No lame complimentary Jell-O square for these guys! Pad-Sew-Oh-Yes! O’Neill Quiet Zones - For all of us that hate finals season as the libraries fill with all those that haven’t done their penance in the stacks all semester like a church on Christmas or Easter, the staff of our beloved study spot has offered a bit of solace in the form of “super quiet” study spaces on the fourth and fifth floors. Of course, if the supreme silence gets to be overwhelming, the frantic chatter of chilly co-eds in the plaza stressing to their mothers about grades can definitely reinvigorate the nerves.

Thumbs Down Facebook Archiving - Now, for the low price of $24 a year, you can hire Ninuku Archivers to download your Facebook information each month and chronicle it as chapters in the leather- bound state it truly calls for. Why? Because indulging in modern narcissism shouldn’t be an activity reserved solely for the Internet, of course. Love & Other Duds - This new Anne Hathaway / Jake Gyllenhaal picture, complete with the lowest of slapstick moments and an off-brand Seth Rogen, is a total disappointment. TU/TD prefers a little more “rom and com” and a little less “tragicomicmelodram” so close to Christmas. If only it weren’t so difficult to find a copy of Love Actually on this campus... Shallow Trays - Is this a subtle hint from the University to go easy on the self-serve french fries? As of late, the to-go trays in the dining halls have become considerably more shallow, perhaps as a way to go green or, as has been a regrettable consequence, to make it that much harder to gorge on Nacho night. A fine means to cut out gluttony as a sin we’ll have to repent. Gingerbread - After reveling in month’s worth of pumpkinbased treats, the seasonal golden child, we’re left with gingerbread as the anti-climatic as the transitional alternative. Pretty sure only Santa approves.

WikiLeaks is the Facebook of journalism. And I don’t mean that in a “Yay, modern technology meets journalism! Whoopee!” sort of way. Rather, WikiLeaks, the online nonprofit group that provides an anonymous medium through which disgruntled government insiders can leak state secrets onto the Internet, is symptomatic of an age in which many people mistakenly believe that you can put information on the Web with no regard for real world consequences. In most cases, the damage from this assumption is limited in scope, affecting only those who share the details of their personal lives. Issues include sharing private stories, pictures, or Facebook posts that can lead to rescinded job offers and broken relationships. But in the case of WikiLeaks and, in particular, its most recent “megaleak” of over 250,000 U.S. diplomatic cables, the over-sharing of information has far-reaching consequences. Though WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange portrays himself as a champion of democracy and state transparency, his philosophy rests on an irresponsible idealization of civic responsibility, one that is detrimental to the very system of democracy he purports to defend. The WikiLeaks methodology is flawed on two levels. At the most basic level, Assange and his organization ignore the functional realities of governance and diplomacy. Assange is right to argue that a government must be held accountable for its actions and, consequently, that increased transparency can be a good thing. But there also needs to be a certain level of trust between government agents and their sources of information. If sources clam up out of fear that their identities might be leaked, that leaves U.S. diplomats, for example, in the difficult position of trying to conduct research and carry

out U.S. policy in an increasingly less communicative environment. As Wolfgang Ischinger points out in The New York Times, “Every single leak damages trust and trust is the single most precious commodity in diplomacy.” Trust is similarly important in the realm of domestic politics and public relations. Paul Schroeder, also of The New York Times, said that “leaks like this simply make those in power retreat further into the shadows to defend themselves and their positions. Consider how Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger cut off all but their inner circle of advisers after the Pentagon Papers were published.” Granted, the WikiLeaks documents are no Pentagon Papers. Despite Assange’s lofty rhetoric, his organization releases mountains of pure fact with no accompanying analysis. More importantly, while the Pentagon Papers revealed government conspiracy, the best WikiLeaks has to offer is an unfiltered look at the inner workings of our government. In the case of the diplomatic cables, little is provided t h a t a n a v i d n e w s consumer wouldn’t already know. The scandal surrounding the leaked cables doesn’t concern their content so much as their candor. In that respect, WikiLeaks is playing a dangerous game, gambling the future of diplomacy and the safety of government officials for the sake of publishing unsurprising revelations. It is this willingness to ignore the real world ramifications that reveal the deeper and far more concerning flaw of the WikiLeaks philosophy. Assange defends his blatant journalistic irresponsibility with idealistic rhetoric about defending democracy. He claims that by making huge swaths of information free and available to the public, he is contributing to a more democratic news environment in which people can sift through the evidence and decide

for themselves what to think of their government. This sounds wonderful in theory. But this ivory tower journalism theory is impractical in the real world. Moreover, it preys on the idealists and the new media enthusiasts, and it distorts society’s sense of what an informed citizenry can and ought to be. The idealist in me identiﬁes with Assange. I wish people could be the upstanding models of civic responsibility that he envisions them to be. Given the partisan national media, it would be a triumph of rationality if people ignored the pundits and politicians and based their opinions solely on hard evidence rather than political loyalties. But that’s not how the world works. People have lives. They have jobs and families. They don’t have the time or inclination to spend weeks sifting through thousands upon thousands of documents, most of which are mundane or unsurprising. Dumping a treasure trove of information onto the Web doesn’t equate to a more educated and informed populace. And it certainly doesn’t equate to journalism. In the modern age, the rules of journalism and information sharing are changing. But journalism has been and always should be about providing context, not just information. It is about creating a narrative through which people can understand the world around them. That is how you get a more educated populace and defend democracy. Moreover, journalists must be conscious of the ramiﬁcations of their scoops, rather than living in an illusion of idealized rhetoric. Releasing a deluge of uncontextualized information is not the future of journalistic integrity. It is the abdication of journalistic responsibility itself. Jocelyn Rousey is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.

From hippies to hipsters

CJ GUSTAFSON The American male may know less about fashion than Sarah Palin does about Mexican baseball and Kenny Powers. From bell-bottoms and tracksuits to baggy jeans and skinny jeans, guys have thoroughly proven their indecisiveness in clothing themselves from the waist down. Take me for example. I’m the unique individual in my family that didn’t ﬁgure out until high school that orange and green don’t match, and that you don’t wear boots with shorts. In fact, my mom still buys most of my clothes, mainly because I don’t really care what they look like. A quick glance into my closet reveals a combination of classic Reebok pumps, short sleeve T-shirts (i.e. Ninja Turtles, Red Sox, Average Joe’s Gym … ), and Levi Jeans. And I don’t own the jeans because of the Brett Favre commercial, even though they clearly enhance his mobility. Walking around campus, it looks like guys are somewhere on the following triangle in terms of their outﬁt choices. Think of it as an equilateral triangle (thanks, geometry class). On the left you have “gangster,” including the brands Rocca Wear, Air Jordan, and Sean John. On the top you have “bro,” featuring lax pennies, snap-back caps, mid-calf socks, and salmon colored chino shorts. On the far right you have “hipster,” comprised of American Apparel, skinny jeans, and whatever society hasn’t caught on to yet but simultaneously

Party Time

BY BEN VADNAL

makes the wearer look like a nonconformist who loves Starbucks. Based on this rough sketch, bros are somewhere between gangster and hipster, borrowing elements from each. The flat-brim baseball cap serves as a pertinent example. Let’s face it. No one is a Toronto Blue Jays fan. If you are, I feel sorry for you. Yet members from both groups, flow or fade, rock the hat in hoards. Likewise, bros have incorporated elements from the hipster trend, as demonstrated by plaid button downs. Being a lumberjack is now socially acceptable, even though the style originated in isolated forests by hermits who didn’t shower or shave because they were too busy chopping down large trees. But even across these distinct groups, surpassing the bros in the middle, gangsters and hipsters are trading styles. Why do Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, and Drake, some of the biggest names in Hip-Hop, wear skinny jeans? And why do hipsters wear G-Shock watches? This combination of cultural iconography is evident if you walk into a Bodega store, where the walls are littered with multicolored Nike shoes and pointed party and politically-oriented tee shirts. I’m not explicitly saying that there are three types of people who fit into three distinct molds. I’m obviously forgetting the outliers. Some groups of individuals on campus that I can’t fit into the triangle are: the kids who only wear high school sweatshirts and jackets, the tough guys in skin-tight Tap-Out UFC shirts, and the Southern types who wear fishing tees and Miller High Life hats. Perhaps I never should have created that ugly triangle in the first place. I think I did it because I was terrible at geometry in the ninth grade and wanted

to redeem myself in some twisted manner. Even though I’m starting to catch on to what everyone else is wearing (but still missing out on the fact that Cargo shorts aren’t cool to wear to parties on weekends, especially if they came from pants that zip off), doesn’t mean that I care. Show off your Ed Hardy watch that you can’t read because it’s too bedazzled. But if we’re stuck on a deserted island, my water-resistant tide-watch will help us know when to launch a raft. Listen to your horrendous, trash barrel smashing, crooning Indie music really loud using studio-quality earphones. But if there’s a rogue Comm. Ave. bus hurdling towards the cross walk near McElroy, I’m going to hear it and jump out of the way. Wear skinny jeans until you lose circulation in your lowers. But if a bear attacks, I’m probably going to get away faster than you with my mobile, Brett Favre-tested Levi jeans. Thinking back, it’s pathetic that I thought women only wore dresses, and not jeans, until part of the way through middle school. There was something about those bathroom signs with the stick ﬁgure in the dress that brainwashed me into drawing any female as a stick ﬁgure in a dress when we did family portraits in art class. To say the least, I attest to my lack of awareness when it comes to observing clothing trends. In the end, I believe I’m being impartial by concluding with the following three statements. America is a melting pot of cultures. Our campus is a melting pot of pants. Just don’t wear a kilt like the guy on stage with Akon last year at the fall concert. CJ Gustafson is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at cmangiardi@bcheights.com.

Unconscious courtship

JOHN BLAKESLEE If Google could translate the question, “So, what’s your major?” from drunken party speak to English, it would undoubtedly translate to “I am very boring.” Likewise, “Where are you living this year?” would translate to “Perhaps we should find new conversation partners.” Yet, week after week, I find myself engaged in these conversations at parties. Perhaps more ridiculous than the initial questions are the dreadful follow-up questions. “You’re a neuroscience major,” I say as I give an exaggerated head nod so as to indicate my interest in the field. “That must be very difficult.” Yes, John. Of course it is difficult. It’s Neuroscience. Shut up and go home. I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine about the difficulty of meeting someone at a party or bar. My friend, an absolutely beautiful girl who is very intelligent and talented, voiced her frustration that she is not given much attention by guys at parties. This phenomenon, I think, is quite common–attractive and interesting people who are completely ignored by members of the opposite sex. Why is this? Likewise, why do other people who might be less talented or less attractive so often succeed? Is there something about them that gives them an advantage? The two conventional answers to this question are alcohol and promiscuity. While I do not doubt that these two things play a role, I think it is an oversimplification. Think about the last time you met someone at a party. Before the two of you even finished exchanging names you had made all sorts of seemingly instantaneous judgments about the other person. The author Malcolm Gladwell in his best-selling book Blink calls this “thin-slicing.” Without consciously being aware of it, you have observed this person’s face, hair color, smile, posture, clothes, voice, body language, and a multitude of other characteristics that lead you to make a snap judgment about them. Much of Blink is about how surprisingly accurate these judgments can be. However, they can also lead you astray. Gladwell calls this the “Warren Harding Error,” named after President Warren Harding who, despite his good looks and presidential mystique, was a completely ineffectual leader. We are attracted to certain people at parties not because there is actually some exceptional connection between us and the other person but because that person exudes qualities that our unconscious interprets as attractive. Maybe when you go to a party you are looking to have fun after a hard week of studying. In that instance, a girl with a flirtatious laugh, for example, might appear to be the perfect fit for you at the time in terms of your unconscious. Likewise, the broad shouldered guy exuding a lot of energy might appear to fulfill some similar desire. That girl might be a giggling idiot who is in no way fun. The guy might be a total buffoon. But the power of that first impression has a lasting impact. If you were to list the ideal qualities of a person who you would want to have a relationship with and the actual qualities exhibited by the people you have either hooked-up with or hit on at parties, I doubt the two lists would bear much resemblance. The people who succeed with members of the opposite sex at parties are not necessarily more attractive or interesting. They just make better first impressions in that particular social arrangement. So in one sense my awkward party conversations do not matter. How many times have you seen a conversation beginning with “So what’s your major?” end with the two kissing on the sofa? This is because both people decided whether or not they would hook-up with the other person about two seconds after they met them. They were not conscious of this decision but they had nevertheless made it. The rest of the conversation was just figuring out a way for the two to learn enough about the other person so it was acceptable to kiss them. Knowledge of residence and field of study are apparently two important prerequisites. I do believe that most people, when they attend parties, are looking to make a genuine connection with another person. However, they are still subject to “thinslicing.” What they need to do is take a step back and ask themselves certain questions. Do I actually find this person interesting or exciting? Why do I feel the way I do right now? Is this a person I could see myself dating? I do not mean to remove the spontaneity or excitement out of the process of meeting someone, but I do mean to suggest that a healthy dose of skepticism and reflection might lead to a more fulfilling experience. John Blakeslee is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.

The Heights

Monday, December 6, 2010

ARTS&REVIEW

MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2010

WHEN IN DOUBT...

Holiday syndrome CHARLOTTE PARISH

For 11 months of the year, everyone strives to be fashion forward, to demonstrate their tasteful choices in music and books, and to act like suave, mature adults. But then comes December and the 25 days of holiday magic that destroy all pretences of maturity. What is it about this cold, snowy month that gives us an excuse to abandon all posturing and enthusiastically embrace every single cliche that we usually avoid so vehemently? First goes our taste in music: Try listening to Alvin and the Chipmunks sing Christmas songs in June, just for comparison’s sake. Then it sounds like a bunch of high-pitched squeaks, yet frigid temperatures transform it into a cheerful tune. And honestly, who can resist the Josh Groban holiday CD or be stressedout when listening to Mariah Carey’s “Santa Baby”? It’s not possible. People wait anxiously through their turkey dinners, counting the days until December breaks through it is not only acceptable, but almost mandatory to blast holiday tunes throughout the day. Also in that attic, right next to the garlands and mistletoe, are those classic books, dusty from being stored away until the 12th month of the year. Every Christmas Eve, without fail, my father reads The Night Before Christmas aloud in front of a fireplace, while the rest of the family fills in the rhyming blanks (“when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a…” and we reply “Mouse!”). And who puts up the biggest fuss to keep the tradition going? My well-read, English major, 20-year-old sister. Even implying that the reading level is a bit immature would lead to a cold holiday greeting the next morning. The cold winds of winter also blow the infamous holiday sweaters out from the depths of the closet – the more garish the better. I’ll see your pom-pom bedazzled sweater and raise you one with flashing lights and tinsel. Bulky, unflattering, and always color clashing, these sweaters are arguably the highlight of the holiday fashion season. Even a grandmother is slightly appalled by the lack of style in the sweaters that we love so dearly. It’s not that anyone ever said these were fashion forward, but I challenge anyone to find a more beloved seasonal clothing tradition. There are entire parties dedicated to the donning of these endearingly tragic yarn explosions. Another victim of the season is our sense of adulthood. I, for one, am completely a fan of this plan (since I have a hard enough time pretending to act my age for the other 11 months). However, one of the most interesting phenomena is the regression into childhood of many competent, mature people during December. For example, you would be hard pressed to find a college students who still believes in Santa, and I apologize to the few remaining ones whose innocence I just ruined. Despite this, the Santa in Carney Dining Hall was a hit and he was kept busy all night by students wanting to take a photo or sit on his lap. Every bourgeois air we have developed for the arts (as the elite call it) is null and void in the season of cheer and goodwill. The better because there is something inherently joyful in the utterly ridiculous. The magic of the holidays is laughter, and what produces this better than the nonsensical traditions that we refuse to relinquish? So pull out all the stops and wear a bulky sweater that sings obnoxious carols at the push of a button while watching A Christmas Story for the 73rd time in your life. Who knows how these traditions came about, or why they were ever embraced. Yet there is no denying their sway. Every age is affected, being drawn into fond memories of youth that we long to replicate in older years. These traditions are engrained into our psyche, and the magic of the holiday season is utterly incomplete without all the trimmings of bad taste that we love to perpetuate.

Charlotte Parish is a staff writer for The Heights. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com

SANG LEE / HEIGHTS STAFF

Pairing modern and classical dance with songs like Florence & the Machine’s ‘Dog Days Are Over,’ BC’s Dance Ensemble brought a fiery passion to its showcase this past weekend.

DE gets hearts racing with ‘Accelerate’ BY KRISTEN HOUSE Arts Editor

The Boston College Dance Ensemble (BCDE) sped into Robsham Theater with their annual fall show, Accelerate, which ran Thursday through Saturday. Such a forceful name denotes speed, agility, technical prowess — a veritable expanse of imagination for any contemporary dancer. BCDE’s style is generally that of contemporary dance, though the group of about 30 women also intersperse tap and pointe performances within their shows. It’s obvious that the members involved are trained at high physical levels, with ranging abilities in ﬂexibility and incredible jumping power. How, then, did the women translate the theme of acceleration? The connection, if intended at all, was tangential at best. The show was by no means entirely laden with rapid techno beats or hip-hop music. There was a wide variance of musicality. An especially stunning example of this difference was the piece choreographed by Lauren Conroy, CSON ’11, in

act one to the song “Dirty Night Clowns” by Chris Garneau. The warped gothic movements of the 11 dancers enhanced the song, which sounded like it could incorporate nicely into The Nightmare Before Christmas’ soundtrack. Each donned a black leotard with a black and bright pink tulle skirt, like a quirky revelry of Cheshire cats. Conroy’s constructed world of dancers looked like one worthy of an extended exploration. Sarah McCaskey, choreographed the sassiest, brightest dance of the night to the Carrie Underwood hit “Cowboy Casanova,” coming in act one. All extended legs and arms had a distinct ﬂicking movement. Simultaneously, the girls could break out of the more staccato movement in the piece and sink into seductive straddle splits or spin in languid open pirouettes. Although lacking the characteristic quirkiness of “Night Clowns,” the southern charm of Casanova’s cowboy hats and wrathful exes worked to infuse a great deal

See Accelerate, B2

KYLIE MONTERO / HEIGHTS STAFF

Paintings mix and mingle with poems at the Laughing Medusa and Art Club’s collaboration

‘Open’ the mind to art Embracing the entire artistic spectrum BY ERIN FURLONG For the Heights

The fall student art show curated by Art Club opened on Wednesday in collaboration with The Laughing Medusa, the all-female literature and arts magazine. The show was entitled OPEN: The Fall Student Show Event, and rather than having a speciﬁc theme for artists to have in mind when creating their work, the message of this show embraced the variety and unique artistic voices found throughout the Boston College

I NSIDE ARTS THIS ISSUE

‘Black Swan’

campus. For this one night, the officers of Art Club and The Laughing Medusa gathered together in a very confined space and came out with something that caught the crowd off guard. There were huge sheets of hanging fabrics entwined with Christmas lights that gathered on the floor in a small alcove to fit several people. Above, traditional photography and paintings hung from walls or sat at traditional French easels. Projections of skeletons and skulls were accompanied by live music performed by student artists, and then later by

Natalie Portman takes the role of a disturbed ballerina in Darren Aronofsky’s psychosexual thriller, A8

the spoken word responses to several art pieces in the The Laughing Medusa component of the night. Five poets were shown the works in the art gallery in advance and then given 24 hours to write a response to a specific piece. Richard Hoyt, A&S ’12, described the process as, “The sexiest 24 hours of panic you’ll ever experience at BC.” His response to a photograph by Deryn Thomas, A&S ’14, tread a beautiful line between comedic and melancholy, which he described as, “a poem and a story had a baby and got all of the recessive traits.” Student turnout was excellent and the exhibition was often so crowded that maneuvering proved difficult. However, The responses from those in attendance were overwhelmingly positive, Mukasa Mubirumusoke, GA&S ’14, said, “I feel immense gratitude and a little overwhelmed. The collaborative effort flows beautifully and in a moving way.” A variety of work was presented together, showcasing the artists’ individual talents but also the strength of the artistic community as a whole. The show accepted art submissions at BC from all students and showcased works from everyone who submitted; they also allowed any student interested in responding to the art to present during the spoken word segment. Works from the Art and Alternative Media class taught by Sheila Gallagher, a professor in the fine arts department, were showcased on the bottom section of the gallery while individual works were organized on the

‘Fair Game’

See OPEN, B2

The harrowing true life tale of Valerie Plame, as played brilliantly by the incomparable Naomi Watts, A8

BCDE: ‘ACCELERATE’ CHOREOGRAPHED BY Kara

McCann CSON ‘11; Cassandra Racanelli A&S ’11; Sarah McCaskey CSON ‘12; Lindsey Cardoza A&S ‘11; Alanna Romano A&S ‘12; Laurense Conroy CSON ’11 ; Hannah Camilleri A&S ‘13; Danielle D’Ambra A&S ’11’; Erica Tavares LSOE ’11; Jessica Ollhoff LSOE ’11; Maggie Lopez A&S ’11; Lauren Ritter A&S ’13; Justine Delpriora LSOE ’12; Melanie Rodriguez A&S ’11; Cayla DiRoberto A&S ’12; Madelaine O’Connell CSOM ’12; Kari O’Neil CSON ’11; Julie Krieg CSOM ’13

They got BEATS Introducing hiphop to Boston College a capella BY ZAK JASON

Associate Arts Editor Though only in its second year, the a cappella group Black Experience in America Through Song (BEATS) sang to a full crowd in Devlin Hall on Friday night. With dim lamp lights lining the stage, BEATS President Michael Matosic, CSOM ’11, opened the performance by shouting over fans to explain the mission of BEATS. “Certain people felt there was something missing in a cappella groups on campus,” he said. Despite the multitude of student a cappella groups on campus, prior to BEATS, not one prominently featured hip-hop. Thanks to Matosic and his friends, BEATS showcases hip-hop and soul almost exclusively. While most a cappella groups will sing songs to the audience, in BEATS, Matosic’s explains, “We’re singing stories to you.” In the spirit of the season, BEATS began with a spritely rendition of “That’s What Christmas Means to

See Beats, B2

Holiday Movie Preview.................B3 Box Ofﬁce Report........................B3

The Heights

Monday, December 6, 2010

BEATS integrate musicality and rhythm BEATS, From B1

Me,” featuring a gleeful solo from Hannah Dymowski, A&S ’11. From there the group switched gears dramatically to a haunting, echoing version of the Boyz II Men single “If I Every Fall in Love Today,” featuring falsetto harmonizing. Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” marked the third ‘story.’ While in most cases this eclectic musical selection would seem disorienting and uneven, for a genre-specific group like BEATS, the wide musical arrangement helped showcase the group’s varied talents. The subtle crooning and swagger of soloist Greg Epstein, A&S ’10 (soon to become BEATS first ever alumni), elevated “I Heard It Through The

Grapevine” from a humble cover to a channeling of Marvin Gaye. With jovial “a wee-ma-ways,” the BEATS version of “In The Jungle” marked one of the most vocally-demanding songs of the evening. Yet between the solo of Bernice Togher, A&S ’12, a pervasive sense of nostalgia laced into the song, and gruff “hey, hey, heys” from David Gold, A&S ’12, the song earned one of the most raucous reactions of the night. In between the first and second set of songs, four of the guys engaged in a beat box competition, three-on-one. Though the three students collectively created a danceable melody, Sean Talia, BEATS resident oral percussionist and A&S ’12, could somehow outperform his three

opponents. (In most of BEATS’ songs, Talia carries the beat). Epstein returned to with a solo rendition with R. Kelly’s timeless track “Remix to Ignition,” complete with the group beeping, tooting, and pointing out the fellas to the left, and honeys on the right. The soloist, however, made the song complete as he dripped the words in sarcasm, like when he elongated the lines “Ca-ris-tal poppin’ in the stretch navigator” and “take it to the room and…some bod-eee.” Upon the song’s ending, a dozen fans lifted hand-painted signs for Epstein, a testament to his last performance as an undergraduate. Just like its show last month with Dynamics, BEATS ended with a bombastic performance of

Cee-Lo Green’s “F— You,” charged with a stream of solos from almost half of the group. In most of the songs, BEATS remained focused on the vocals, limiting the dancing. But on “F— You” the entire group shimmied and swayed and rolled, all the way to a standing ovation in the end. While still in its infancy, BEATS boasts some of the most ebullient and most crowd-pleasing music in the school. It’s not just the talented voices of Matosic or Courtney Walker, A&S ’12, or Gaby Sanchez, A&S ’14. It’s also the physical humor of baritone Stefano Barros, A&S ’12, who perpetually haggles female singers in the midst of their solos, and the deft beat boxing of Talia, and the playful group unity that make BEATS tell compelling stories. n

‘Accelerate’ is not without speed bumps Accelerate, From B1

of intention into the dances. Intention, it seemed, was sometimes convoluted for viewers. For example, in a dance to Florence + the Machine’s omnipresent “Dog Days are Over,” choreographed by Kara McCann, CSON ’11, and Cassandra Racanelli, A&S ’11, the six ladies failed to tap into the controlled chaos that the group’s music video possesses (the video features a Grecian aesthetic mixed with a tribal folk dance with dancers vaporizing away in smoke). To this same end, Danielle D’Ambra’s, A&S ’11, choreography to Lady GaGa’s “Telephone” was similarly underwhelming. There is little doubt that the dance training of the girls is the issue. What numbers like “Dog Days” and “Telephone” suffered from was a misguided intention. “Telephone,” for example, was often too literal and too overt in its efforts for sexuality — there seemed to be an inordinate amount of hip caressing and exhibitionism of the neon pink and green bootie shorts. It was a shame that the girls couldn’t take note of GaGa’s over-the-top choreography and aesthetic and work elements into their own reinterpreted dance. If I have one criticism of DE, it’s that it doesn’t always push past the boundaries of what they believe the average rowdy audience viewer will appreciate the most, though they clearly have the talent and capacity to do so. The moments where DE did just that were breaths of fresh air. Lady GaGa’s “Monster,” for example, choreographed by Maggie Lopez, had a One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest aesthetic threaded throughout the movement, in other words, a sense of artful madness. Silhouettes of girls crawling on the stage gave the appearance of spiders in a crawl, while, at one point, there is a great dead lift of one girl in the middle of the song. The silhouettes in “Monster” were just one

of many creative uses of lighting the Dance Ensemble employed throughout the entire vividly lit show. The ebullient “Pink Panther” choreographed by Melanie Rodriguez, A&S ’11, to “The Pink Panther Theme” dabbled in the musical theater style of dance. Replete with an inspector, played by actor (and non-dancer) Riley Madincea and the pink panther herself, played by Lindsey Cordoza, both A&S ’11, enchanted alongside the rest of the ensemble, expressing the coy back-and-forth of the inspector and the pink panther with Fosse-esque movements. Accelerate also featured two intriguing style experiments. The first was choreographed by Erica Tavares, LSOE ’11, in act one to the Black Eyed Peas’ “Out of My Head.” With neon lighting galore, the girls attacked the choreography in their black satin pointe shoes, with movements that would not have seemed entirely out of place in a Boston nightclub. The payoff of the risk seems to come up short, however, since the shoes weighted down what was supposed to be an up-tempo jubilee. Madelaine O’Connell, CSOM ’12, choreographed the other experimental mash-up to Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness.” The unexpected element came in the form of the tap shoes. Perhaps I’m ill-informed on the subject of tap, but it seems to me that one of it’s most stunning elements of the art form is the rhythm produced by the dancer’s shoes. The pumping bass behind Cudi’s song obscured any organic tapping rhythm that could have been produced, however, lessened the impact of the dance. Overall, the ensemble performed over 20 new pieces, the best of which were the ones that accelerated the dance group toward an aesthetic defined utterly on their own terms. n

Sang Lee / Heights STaff

Top: Members dance to songs like Lady Gaga’s hit ‘Telephone’ and the Black Eyed Peas ‘Out of My Head.’ Bottom: The Dance Ensemble rocks out to Chris Garneau’s ‘Dirty Night Clowns’ at their winter show in Robsham

Kylie Montero / Heights Staff

Michaelia Ruhl, A&S ‘13, stops to admire fellow students’ art as live music played in the Bapst student art

Painters inspire poets Open, From B1

second level. Jennifer Brubaker, vice president of the Art Club, lead curator of the gallery, and A&S ’12, described the show and the club’s process in developing a gallery. “The opening is definitely the best part of the show. You walk in and it’s magic. Even with laying out everything, it’s so collaborative, everyone has to come together otherwise it would fall apart.” Although the show was a success, the gallery’s limited space and resources made some people question the importance BC places on art. While discussing the show and its ability to surmount any technical difficulties provided by the space Jordan Mendoza, former Art Club president and A&S ’12, said “The crowded room is a physical reflection of the University’s inability or refusal to accommodate the growing art scene on campus.”

These sentiments were shared by Lauren Gomez, Art Club president and A&S ’11, “For a number of years we have been told there will be a new space in the Brighton campus, it’s up to the Art Club to put pressure for that space. Bapst is not wheelchair accessible, there isn’t proper lighting, our gallery is next to the bathrooms, and there are limited spatial planes. It makes planning the shows that much more challenging. You look at schools like Boston University and they have beautiful spaces for showcasing student art and the space is inviting and appealing, but I hope that people will give us that much more credit for working with this space because it’s really easy to come in and say ‘Oh that looks nice’ but there is a lot of work put in. I think its good that the gallery today felt crowded because it shows that there is a demand for a real student art space and a real interest in other students to see student art in all of its forms on campus.” n

Monday, December 6, 2010

The Heights

Psychological thriller ‘Black Swan’ takes flight By Charlotte Parish Heights Staff

Mirrors: they reflect an image back to the viewer, but what do they truly show? In Darren Aronofsky’s devastatingly stunning film, Black Swan, mirrors pervade the film’s dark beauty and reveal the horrors residing in Nina Black Swan Sayers’ mind. An Darren Aronofsky immensely talentFox Searchlight ed and dedicated dancer in a ballet company, Nina, played hauntingly by Natalie Portman, opens the film with a dream dance with the terrifying character Rothbart from the company’s upcoming production of Swan Lake. This entanglement of reality and imagination is the first of many throughout the film, keeping the audience entranced with the same hypnotic seduction that Nina undergoes. When Beth Macintyre, former prima ballerina (as portrayed by Winona Ryder) leaves the company amid drama and intrigue, her role must be filled from among the aspiring solo dancers. Adding to the intense competition, Mila Kunis’ character, Lily, joins the company on the day of tryouts. Her caviler arrogance at-

tracts the attention of “The Gentleman,” the omnipresent company owner Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) who is simultaneously disturbing and enticing. Portman fights throughout the film to bring out the Black Swan, the dark counterpart of the ballet’s lead role, the Swan Queen, inside her. She must prove her dancing abilities to the demanding Leroy, who pushes her physical, moral, and sexual boundaries while forcing her to internalize the dueling good and evil natures of the Swan Queen. Throughout this difficult process, Kunis lurks dangerously in the background of Portman’s world: watching her dance, taking her out clubbing, and cornering Portman to steal away her glory role. However, reality is a trick of mirrors and smoke told from the frightened perspective of Nina Sayers’ mind. It is impossible to discern what is reality and what is paranoia until the very last moments of Portman’s evocative and devastating final dance, the suicide of the Swan Queen. Aronofsky creates a true work of art in the staging of Black Swan, utilizing the contrasts of black and white to play with the audience’s perception of good and evil, friend and foe. Only red is featured occasionally for bright contrast in

this purposely di-chrome film: Portman’s ever present pink scarf, the matching, childishly decorated room complete with a multitude of stuffed animals, and occasionally a slash of ibis-red blood. The harsh edges that these cold images create establish a feeling of pressure and ferocity throughout the film, as Portman and the dancers push their bodies through inhuman routines. As the film progresses, dangers only hinted at in the beginning develop into fully-fledged nightmares. Ryder’s character, who embodies the psychological thriller genre, is chilling to watch not for her strangeness, but for her terrifyingly plausible performance. Ryder’s character mirrors Portmans’ descent into the dark depths of the human psyche, always present in the audience’s mind as a portrayal of what can happen when strength is pushed to its breaking point. Credit must be given to the lead actors, however, noting the sheer effort of Natalie Portman in embodying Nina’s desperation for perfection. Portman herself did the brunt of the physically demanding ballet routines, completely throwing herself into the role as one of the few method actresses of this generation. This role, much like her transformation in V for Vendetta, shows

Watts electrifies ‘Fair Game’ By Tom Larsson For the Heights

As the film year draws to a close, Oscar-buzz grows increasingly louder. Naomi Watts has joined the ranks as the newest heavy-weight contender for best actress for her portrayal of former CIA agent Valerie Plame in Fair Game. Fair Game Based on true Doug Liman events, the film deRiver Road scribes post-Sept. Entertainment 11 Washington D.C. from the perspectives of Valerie Plame and her husband Joe Williams, played brilliantly by Sean Penn. A U.S. diplomat, former ambassador to Gabon, and expert in African affairs, Penn is sent to Niger to investigate the alleged sale of uranium to Iraq, where he finds no evidence of such a transaction. When he later discovers that the Bush administration has rejected his report in order to build credibility for an invasion of Iraq, Penn publically protests. As a repercussion of his outspoken opposition, the White House exposes Plame’s true identity as a CIA agent, thus sabotaging many of her projects and ending her career with the agency. The movie, from Plame’s memoir, Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House, is a story of two struggles. On one hand, the film tells the story of Joe Williams’s public battle with the White

House, Scooter Libby, and Karl Rove, concerning the release of his wife’s identity and falsified information. The movie also highlights the couple’s domestic strife during the controversy and it is in this latter subplot that both leads shine. Not only do husband and wife deal with pressure from the most powerful government in the world, the public, and the media, but they also struggle greatly with their relationship. Mother, wife, and spy, Watts is a powerful presence on screen. Domestically she is a mother of two young children, and a wife torn between her husband, who is against the White House, and her agency, the place to which she has been loyal for so long and in which she has invested so much. It will be Watt’s portrayal of Plame’s stone-cold, “bend-but-not-break” attitude that should earn her Oscar attention. Often, when Plame is battered by stress from her family, her career, and her nation, Watts brilliantly transforms into the unbreakable character that invokes the question in every audience member, “How can she still be so tough?” Penn is just as radiant portraying Joe Williams, the man who publicly condemns the injustices of the powers-that-be, despite his wife’s objections. His character is brash, intimidating, and steadfast, although sometimes annoyingly obstinate, in his efforts to protect the safety of his family and the American public. This character is perfect for Sean Penn, who is always capable of stirring audiences’ emotions with his sheer intensity in even the

simplest of scenes. Fair Game undeniably must be added to the multitude of films in which Sean Penn earns his title as one of the greatest actors of his generation. In supporting roles, David Andrews plays an excellent Scooter Libby, the antagonist of the film, who, along with Karl Rove (Adam LeFevre), construct the plan to punish Joe Williams for criticizing the administration by uncovering Valerie’s identity. Fair Game is not an ensemblebased project, however, as Watts and Penn control the screen throughout most scenes. Nevertheless, the heavy focus on the couple is justified, and highlights the unbelievable chemistry between the two stars. The audience cannot help but to become emotionally embroiled in their poignant marital struggles. It is impossible for anyone to know the true details behind the scandal of Plame’s identity release. The legality of Scooter Libby and the Bush administration compromising Plume’s position in the CIA, resulting in her removal from the agency, is still not definitively known. This film’s artistic goal is to make the audience angry, and it succeeds. All this, thanks to the riveting performances of Watts and Penn, and a script that hurls the audience into Valerie Plame’s unfortunate situation. Most significantly though, the film is a tale of the human spirit. It tells a story of a married couple who must decide which allegiances to preserve and which to abandon. n

photo coutresy of allmoviephoto.com

Natalie Portman’s haunting transformation into a ballerina consumed by perfection. Portman’s true ability to lose herself in a character much as the audience is lost in rapture of herperformance. Oscar Wilde said, “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” This statement becomes shockingly true as the film

comes to a close. In the case of Black Swan, the line between art and life is obliterated along with one’s sense of control in watching the captivating, disturbing, and relentless progression of Nina Sayers towards the final curtain call. n

Box Office Report title

weekend gross

weeks in release

21.5

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 16.7

3. Burlesque

1 1. Tangled

6.1

4. unstoppable

6.1

5. love and other drugs

5.7

6. megamind

5.0

7. due date

4.2

8. faster

3.8

9. the warrior’s way

3.1

10. the next three days

2.7

3 photos courtesy of allmoviephoto.com

hardcover fiction bestsellers

photo courtesy of allmoviephoto.com

As Valerie Plame, the ex-CIA agent whose identity was revealed by the U.S. government, Naiomi Watts seals her bid for this year’s Oscar race.

1. cross fire James Patterson 2. Hell’s corner David Baldacci 3. Indulgence in Death J.D. Robb 4. the confession John Grisham 5. towers of midnight Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

6. Cresent Dawn Clive Cussler & Dirke Cussler 7. the girl who kicked the hornet’s nest Stieg Larsson 8. american assassin Vince Flynn

SOURCE: Publisher’s Weekly

Holiday movie preview: Will they be naughty or nice?

By Dan Siering Heights Staff

Year after year, the holiday season seems to bring forth a variety of films. Some aim to sway Oscar voters as they finish filling out their ballots, while others look to appeal to those parents searching for a Christmas movie that their kids can also enjoy. This year proves to be no different. Ever since winter movie trailers began popping up in theaters late last summer, the movie world has been buzzing about several movies being released during the festive season. I’ll sift through the bunch and give you a couple of ways to burn your newly acquired free time and avoid dreadful small talk with the relatives. Gulliver’s Travels Director Rob Letterman (Shark Tale, Monsters vs. Aliens) hopes that his success with animation will transfer to the live action realm with his modern adaptation of Jonathan Swift’s famous adventure tales. The film Travels stars Jack Black as Lemuel Gulliver, a dimwitted writer aspiring to become a revered journalist. Gulliver thinks he has found his first big

break when he is assigned to cover the oddities of the Bermuda Triangle. Things become fantastica, however, when Gulliver gets swept up by a storm and washes up on the Lilliput, an island that is inhabited by minuscule humans. This movie, which also stars Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, could be one of those family films which appeals to several generations. Black rarely disappoints, and this looks like a perfect casting decision. Let’s just hope that he didn’t take this job to simply pay for his Christmas shopping. True Grit After twelve years, “The Dude” and the Coen Brothers are back together, but don’t expect to see Jeff Bridges sipping white Russians in his robe and sandals. In this remake of the classic western film, the famous movie making brothers call on Bridges to revitalize the role of Rooster Cogburn, a character that won John Wayne his only Oscar. Cogburn is employed by a young woman named Mattie Ross to track down her father’s killer. This search unfolds into a classic cat-and-mouse game across the vast western terrain. A-list actors Matt Damon and Josh Brolin co-star in this film that

will almost certainly be noticed once the Oscar nominations are announced. Also, remember the name Haliee Steinfel;.this thirteen-year-old actress, who plays the stubborn Ross, reportedly wowed the Coen Brothers during auditions earlier this year. It’s hard to imagine the Coen brothers missing the mark with Grit. Blue Valentine This romantic-drama created some serious controversy when it was pegged with a NC-17 rating in early November. Some critics speculate that this rating will hurt the film at the box office, while others praise it as an ingenious publicity stunt by the film’s legendary producer, Harvey Weinstein. Blue Valentine, which stars veteran actor Ryan Gosling and the young Michelle Williams, revolves around the rollercoaster romance of a young married couple. We will have to wait until the U.S. release on Dec. 31 to see if the film’s artistic intentions are undeterred by the array of steamy love scenes that are rumored to be included in the movie. Early indications from the Sundance Film Festival have been overwhelmingly positive. Other Christmas Release Robert DeNiro, Ben Stiller and com-

photo coutresy of allmoviephoto.com

Jeff Bridges and Haliee Steinfeld go hunting for her father’s killer in Coen Brother’s ‘True Grit.’ pany are back for the third installment of the Meet the Parents series in Little Fockers. Now with two mischievous young kids, Greg Focker (Stiller) once again must gain the respect of Jack Byrnes (DeNiro) by showing that he is a capable parent. Jessica Alba also appears as his seductive new co-worker, and makes things complicated for Greg. Little Fockers looks like a film that is trying to give the series one final payday, but maybe Stiller and this star studded cast will end on a high note.

Life as a country superstar proves tough for Gwyneth Paltrow in the upcoming movie-musical Country Strong. Paltrow plays Kelly Canter, a washed up singer who falls for hunky youngster Beau Hutton, played by Garrett Hedlund. Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester and country star Tim McGram also co-star. Paltrow showed off her singing chops at the Country Music Television Awards earlier this year. We’ll have to wait and see if her acting is as superb. n

THE HEIGHTS

Monday, December 6, 2010

ALL YOU NEED IS ‘LOVE’

‘MARY ANN’S LOVE STORY’

‘ACAPOCALYPSE’ DIRECTOR: MATT LAUD In the age of Glee, this short film is of particular relevance. A young man readies himself to admit his love for his longtime roommate until she drops the bomb that she’s fallen for a guy in her a cappella group. Her point isn’t made in conversation, though, but in a full-blown musical number. Laud, a veteran of high school glee club, wrote the musical number himself. “It’s not my first time trying to write music,” Laud said. “I did a private study in high school writing musicals. It didn’t go too well.” Laud shot the entire film in his apartment. “I really had to block a musical number and make it move. It required creative blocking. It’s really slick.”

BY DA R R E N R A N C K | H E I G H TS E D I T O R

‘THE BURGLARS’ DIRECTOR: GAUTAM CHO-

The only entry from a faculty member, The Burglar tells the story of two Boston College alumni who come back for their 10-year reunion. After sneaking away from their families, they visit their old mod. The duo maneuvers a breakin, and they spend the rest of their afternoon reliving old college days. Chopra took a nostalgic approach to his work recalling his own college days for inspiration. “I graduated college eight years ago, so that’s where my idea came from,” Chopra said. “It’s a look at the college experience from my new perspective.”

‘QUAD THOUGHTS’ DIRECTOR: STEVEN YEE If there’s anything to be gleaned from many of these films, it’s simplicity, and Yee’s film is no exception. Yee’s project shows a man and a woman sitting together on a bench. No dialogue is spoken, but the audience can hear the man’s inner-monologue through voiceover. His innermonologue is in a battle with itself as he tries to decided whether or not he should talk to this woman. “I’ve tried to keep this film very simple and to the point,” Yee said. “It’s about seizing the moment, I guess because I’m a senior.”

‘WE’RE JUST FRIENDS’

DIRECTOR: JOSH BOLDUC A story that is understood in any country, this film highlights the relationship between a guy and a girl during their senior year. While they have always been friends, she finally considers making a move on him. “I wanted to do something pretty realistic and relatable,” Bolduc said. Bolduc was the last one to write his film because of the natural direction he hoped for. “It could take place anywhere, but I set it at spots like the Rat and Mary Ann’s because those are spots on and off-campus that are important to me,” Bolduc said.

AFTER WEEKS OF PREPARATION, THE FILM PROJECT ‘BC, I LOVE YOU’ WILL PREMIERE AT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS IN BOSTON. HERE’S THE SCOOP ON HOW IT ALL CAME TOGETHER AND WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE FEATURED FILMS IN THE LINEUP.

n the tradition of Paris, Je T’Aime and New York, I Love You, a group of Boston College students collaborated to present a series of student films called “BC, I Love You.” The project began as a brainchild of Sean Meehan, A&S ’11, when he expressed a desire to bolster the film studies department. “Our program is not as robust as those at Boston University or Emerson,” Meehan said. “We’ve got those filmmakers, but no one pushed anything outside of class.” Meehan said that the event has been a couple of years in the making. “We’re going to be seniors. There’s no reason not to do it.” BC, I Love You chronicles the romantic foibles of Bostont College students as told through nine short films. “Once we got back to BC, [the project] exploded,” Meehan said. “We went from three people to 15, but we ended up with our nine films.” Included among the nine is a film by Gautam Chopra, a professor in the film studies department. Meehan, along with fellow filmmakers Nikil Nagaraj, A&S ’11, Josh Bolduc, A&S ’11, and Matt Laud, A&S ’11, approached Chopra for advice about the project, but upon hearing it, Chopra wanted to be included himself. “It’s a good way to support student filmmakers, and making films is what I love,” Chopra said. Chopra is only a part of the BC faculty involved in this presentation. Carter Long, adjunct faculty member in film studies and curator of film at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (MFA), offered the filmmakers a cultural haven to screen their film. “We all had him for class, and we stopped by to see him at the MFA one day where he gave us a tour of the screening room,” Meehan said. “I said to Nikil, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we screened “BC, I Love You” here?’ He said, ‘You want to screen something?’ And that’s how we got the screening room at the MFA.” With the premiere less than a week away, The Heights offers a preview of “BC,I Love You” that’s sure to touch upon a variety of emotions, but will emphasize two common themes – love and Boston College.

DIRECTOR: MARK MILNER Mary Ann’s has become Boston College’s own version of Rick’s Cafe from Casablanca, and Milner celebrates it as such in his movie. “It’s as much a love story in MA’s as it is a love story for MA’s,” Milner said. Shot in and around the established dive bar, the film depicts a young man pretending to be a high society type. “BC devotees, Eaglettes, they throw themselves at him,” Milner said. Life is fine until he meets the woman of his dreams, his equal in every sense of the word. He does his best to catch her attention, but finds it increasingly difficult. “We’ve been paying our dues ever since we were 21,” Milner said. “Kids have shot at MA’s in the past. Everyone was cool as long as everyone acting was of age.”

‘HARSH TRANSITIONS’ DIRECTOR: NIKIL NAGARAJ This emotional submission is driven by a touching relationship between an incoming freshman guy and his love for his orientation leader (OL). “His relation with his OL begins with talking about choices,” Nagaraj said. “Love is bound to choice.” Nagaraj cast two trustworthy individuals, John Rodriguez, A&S ’11, and Elise Hudson, A&S ’11, in the lead roles. “My script has a lot of interpretations,” Nagaraj said. “Elise and John had their own interpretation and way they mastered the story. That was the challenging part.” Despite the emotional heft of the material, though, Nagaraj can’t relate to it. “It’s not like my own personal experience. I knew I wanted to do something edgier. contemplative.”

‘GAME FACE’ DIRECTOR: SEAN MEEHAN With one of Boston College’s most well known Superfans taking the lead role in this film, Meehan adds a new dynamic to the masked Superfan culture. This film focuses on Baldwin, the Eagles’ ecstatic mascot, but once he removes his bald-headed veneer, he feels a disconnect between himself and his fellow students. His friends, having noticed his downward spiral, attempt to pull him out of his depression. “I thought it could be interesting to see someone who is only truly themselves when they’re masked,” Meehan said. Meehan considers this work typically BC. “I wanted to have at least one film be intrinsically BC,” Meehan said. “I got lucky enough to shoot on the field with the cheerleaders and the football players. I got to follow Baldwin around during the Maryland game.”

‘PICTURES OF POETRY’ DIRECTOR: KOREY MCISAAC Drawing on the more academic side of romance, McIsaac’s film focuses on the story between a girl and a guy who meet outside of a poetry class. Although he pursues her, he finds some bumps in the road that slow him down. “Stuff is not as simple as they hope,” McIsaac said. He finds something out about her that causes him to question whether or not he wants to pursue his heart’s desire. McIsaac kept this secret shrouded in mystery because of the emotional difficulty behind the mysterious ailment. “I think the audience will go on an emotional journey, especially in the last few scenes.”

SPORTS THE HEIGHTS

Monday, December 6, 2010

Section

MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2010

Fight Hunger Bowl pits BC, Nevada

The weird appeal of the Eagles

BY PAUL SULZER

Asst. Sports Editor Boston College will play its bowl game in San Francisco for the second straight season. The Eagles will face No. 13 Nevada in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on Jan. 9 at 9 p.m. EST. The game will be played in AT&T Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants, and will be televised on ESPN. This will be BC’s third appearance

PAUL SULZER

in the game after losing to USC 24-13 last year and beating Colorado State 35-21 in 2003. Nevada is playing in the bowl for the first time. “We’re excited to bring Boston College back to San Francisco,” said Gary Cavalli, co-founder and executive director of the bowl. “They’re a first-class organization in every respect. BC’s outstanding defensive unit, coupled with Nevada’s record-setting offense, will make for a very interesting and strategic match-up. We’re proud to

For the past week, I’ve been frantically searching online for the inside scoop on where the football team would play its bowl game. Everyone knew it was going to be in San Francisco and that it wouldn’t be announced until Sunday. Still, I didn’t want to miss a chance to break the story. I’ve got this kind of weird OCD that manifests itself in my need to know the latest news before everyone else does. I intend to attack the role of Sports Editor with the same enthusiasm over the upcoming year. I’ve been a Boston College fan since eighth grade, when I tagged along to a few football games with my friend J.P. and his family. I was looking for a college team to follow because the games looked so fun on TV. The wins and losses just felt like they mattered more in college because of the emotional ties students and alumni have to their school. It was a different kind of fandom than being a Patriots supporter, for example. Being a college fan felt like a lifestyle choice. Since the Eagles were the only BCS conference program in New England at the time, they were an easy choice for my favorite team. When I told my dad, a Boston University grad, who my new favorite college team was, he shook his head and gave me this look that said, “What are you doing?” He understood, though. I was hooked. This was the first time I’d ever been emotionally invested in a team. I’d been happy when the Pats won the Super Bowl, but it didn’t kill me when they lost. Every time the Eagles lost, it ruined my weekend. For some reason, I was drawn to the team because of its historical mediocrity. Cheering for the Eagles felt right. As a small private school in Mass., playing against gigantic state universities in the Big East, BC didn’t fit the profile of a Division 1 powerhouse. The Eagles had a conservative-to-a-fault coach in Tom O’Brien and a roster lacking dynamic athletes. Still, they were exciting to watch. They were consistent, yet unspectacular. Guys like Paul Peterson and Tony Gonzalez were the epitome of what BC was all about. They were so clutch, hooking up for the game-winning touchdown against Notre Dame that year with under a minute left in South Bend.

feature one of the most explosive players in the country, Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and one of the top defensive players, BC linebacker Luke Kuechly.” BC is playing in a bowl game for the 12th consecutive season. After winning their first two games, the Eagles lost their next five before winning their final five to finish the regular season 7-5. They’re facing the most successful Nevada team in school history. The

Wolf Pack went 12-1, including a 3431 overtime win over Boise State that gave them a share of their first Western Athletic Conference title since 2005. “We are certainly looking forward to returning to San Francisco for the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl,” said BC head coach Frank Spaziani. “Nevada is a great program with a Hall of Fame coach [Chris Ault] and this will be a tough challenge for our young football team. This is a fitting reward for our team.” 

WHITNEY AWAKENS BY JAKE BURG Heights Staff

Boston College’s Steve Whitney is quiet off the ice, and for much of this season, he has been quiet on it. Boston College 5 Whitney made plenty 2 Boston Univ. of noise, however, this past weekend in the Eagles’ sweep of their Comm Ave. rivals, the Boston University Terriers. After notching two assists in the Friday night tilt, the sophomore forward lit the torch twice in the Eagles’ 5-2 victory in front of a sold out crowd at Kelley Rink. “I think he’s had just kind of an average start

for us,” said BC head coach Jerry York. “He was stuck at one goal for a lot of games. But now he has a little bit more hop to him and he looks more dangerous to me, offensively. He’s always been a good defensive player, but now there’s just more energy from him.” Right from the opening, Whitney showcased that energy as he ripped shots on net and fought his way to gather up rebounds, including his own. His ﬁrst shot of the game was denied by the swatting glove of BU goaltender Kieran Millan. Whitney raced down to the crease, gathered up the puck, and almost slid it past

See Whitney, C2

See Appeal Of The Eagles, C4

ANDREW POWELL / HEIGHTS STAFF

BC loses in semifinal

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Jackson takes over in the end

Women’s soccer falls to Cardinal again BY RAYCHEL KRUPER For The Heights

CARY, N.C. – The Boston College Eagles’ promising postseason run came to an end 2 Stanford on Friday night Boston College 0 in their first appearance at the NCAA Final Four in Cary, N.C. The veteran Stanford Cardinal, who made its third consecutive appearance in the semifinal round and knocked the Eagles out of last year’s tournament in the quarterfinal round, beat BC, 2-0. “I give credit to Boston College,” said Stanford head coach Paul Ratcliffe. “I think they stayed up and were trying to put pressure and trying to get forward and get a goal. The game went in a few waves, where they dominated for a little, and Emily Oliver actually made a great save for us. Then after that, I thought we started to come on stronger. It was just a matter of us being more aggressive up front and more assertive in the final third.” The Eagles’ debut in the Final Four was a struggle for the team. After multiple dangerous attempts by Stanford toward the end of the first half, they were lucky to make it out of the first 45 with a scoreless result. In the final minutes of the first half, Stanford earned four corner kicks,

leading to a scoring opportunity for Camille Levin. In the last minute of the half, Stanford’s Marjani Hing-Glover placed a back-heeled ball behind the Eagles’ defense for Rachel Quan, who sent a cross into the box. The header, intended for Teresa Noyola, was cleared by the Eagles to the foot of Levin, who took a hard, low, shot that was almost deflected into the back of the net. The Eagles were unable to notch any shots of their own in the first half to challenge Stanford’s goalkeeper, Oliver. Despite their inability to test the Cardinal’s keeper, the Eagles midfielders were able to string passes together and create beautiful offensive build-up, yet the perfect final ball seemed unattainable. “We did create some chances that didn’t ultimately end on a shot on goal,” said BC head coach Alison Foley. “Some chances aren’t necessarily shots on goal. They’re opportunities created on corner kicks, balls in behind the defense, so we created some different looks of a dangerous attack.” Stanford buried its first goal just three minutes into the second half, when Levin got free in the midfield, carried the ball to the top of the eighteen, and fired an unstoppable, upper ninety shot to put the Cardinal in the lead, 1-0.

See College Cup, C3

I NSIDE SPORTS THIS ISSUE

BY TIM JABLONSKI For The Heights

SARAH D. DAVIS / AP PHOTO

Alyssa Pember was part of a steady BC back line that held Stanford in check until the end.

Successful senior class bows out

The women’s soccer team lost, but its senior class is decorated..............................C3

Lessons learned from bowl history

An understanding of the Eagles’ past bowl success is key to understaning their potential.......................C3

BOSTON – Heading into the Inaugural Tip-Off Classic at the TD Garden, it would have been Boston College 76 safe to assume 71 UMass that the crowd would be at least partially full of Boston College supporters. But with a home hockey game against Boston University scheduled at the same time, few BC fans made it out to the Garden, creating a virtual road game for Reggie Jackson and the Eagles. Not that the team cared. “Playing at the Garden is totally irrelevant,” Jackson said. “It doesn’t matter where we play, we’re just going to play the game we love. You take us out to a park and we’re going to come out and play hard.” Ignoring the hostile environment around them, the Eagles did just that on Saturday night, holding off a scrappy UMass squad down the stretch for a 76-

See Tip-Off Classic, C4

Numbers to Know........................C2 Game to Watch............................C2

Monday, December 6, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

HOCKEY NOTEBOOK

Muse shines at home as hockey completes BU sweep BY MATT ROSSMAN For The Heights

Hearing the crowd chant, “Muuuuse,” has become a regular occurrence during men’s hockey home games. Saturday’s 5-2 victory over archrival Boston University was no different. Although the Boston College goaltender was tested early, as Boston University freshman forward Matt Nieto scored on a rebound just 3:53 into the contest, John Muse maintained his composure after falling behind and ﬁnished the game with 29 saves facing a total of 31 shots. After the game, head coach BC Jerry York praised the senior for “his capacity to really stay focused.” “The team had plans to split the time in net this season, but Johnny has been playing really well for us and we’re going to ride him right through,” York said. That is to take nothing away from sophomore goaltender Parker Milner, whom the coach stressed is “an excellent goalie himself.” York, however, cur-

rently just wants to play the hot hand, which at the moment is Muse. “He just demands to play,” York said. With the win, BC’s record improved to 10-3-0 with Muse in net and 11-5-0 overall. Muse had arguably his best period in the third when he faced a total of 12 shots and made all 12 saves. Despite receiving three separate power-play opportunities in the frame, BU could not get a puck by the Muse’s steady frame. While the Eagles upped their lead to three in the period, it was BU who appeared to have an edge in the third. “They were moving the puck well and had some real good chances,” said BU head coach Jack Parker, but all were to no avail. The senior’s spectacular play consistently foiled the Terrier attack as Muse’s positioning and lateral speed stopped BU’s offense cold.

BC penalty kill dominates Ranked the fifth-best unit in the nation, the BC penalty kill is a force to be reckoned with. While the team

ANDREW POWELL / HEIGHTS STAFF

Assistant captain Brian Gibbons recorded two assists in BC’s 5-2 win over BU on Saturday.

took a total of six penalties in Saturday night’s game, including three in the final period, the Eagles penalty kill was able to kill off all six, even adding a shorthanded goal during their disadvantage. At 11:45 in the second, Chris Kreider scored on a breakaway assisted by Patch Alber. On a miscommunication from the BU defense, Alber pushed the puck to Kreider who used his speed to blow past a Terrier defenseman, which he said was “flat-footed” and scored five hole on BU’s goaltender Kieran Millan. Overall, BU’s power play was ineffective in the face of such great penalty killing from the Eagles. The Eagles defensemen were consistently well-positioned, blocking shots and getting in the lane of passes. This put a lot of pressure on the Terriers power play, as they failed to create any type of flow, and therefore the unit was often forced to send weak strikes to the net.

Gibbons savors the rivalry Assistant captain Brian Gibbons appears to play his best hockey against BU as he has the most points of any current Eagle against the Terriers in his career. Saturday night only further proved Gibbons’ dominance, as he tied with Steven Whitney for the game high in points, posting two assists to bring his season total to 13 on the year. At 11:46 of the ﬁrst, Atkinson scored his 14th goal of the season off a nice feed from Gibbons from behind the BU net after Joe Whitney picked off a BU pass attempting to clear the zone. Gibbons added his second assist on Brian Dumoulin’s wrist shot from the left point that beat Millan at 3:17 of the second with Gibbons providing a beautiful screen. Near the end of the match, he very nearly tipped in another Dumoulin shot for a goal of his own, but was unable to connect. 

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR AND ANDREW POWELL / HEIGHTS STAFF

Led by a tough penalty-kill unit and mindful goalkeeping, the Eagles’ defense paved the way.

Stack leads BC to win BY DJ ADAMS Heights Editor

ANDREW POWELL / HEIGHTS STAFF

Steven Whitney’s two goals on Saturday, including one short-handed masterpiece, sealed a series victory for BC against their archrivals.

Whitney comes alive at last Whitney, from C1

SPORTS in SHORT

Millan on a pretty spin move. Whitney kept trying, drilling shot after shot. And 4:30 minutes into the second period, he struck oil. His ﬁrst goal of the night, which would ultimately serve as the game winner, could not have been timed any better. It was only a minute after the Eagles’ Brian Dumoulin scored to put BC ahead, 2-1. Whitney received a pass from Patrick Wey and then broke down the ice. He was wide open, and he made the Terriers pay for their defensive miscue. Whitney’s slap shot quickly found the top right corner of the net. Just like that, the Eagles’ potent offense, ranked seventh in the nation in goals per game, exploded out to a 3-1 lead. The Terriers responded with a goal of their own, cutting into the lead, but then BC put the game away with two short-handed goals, one scored by Chris

Kreider, the other by Whitney. “The killer was the two short-handed goals,” said Jack Parker, BU head coach. While Kreider’s breakaway goal, shot right through the ﬁve hole, helped add some distance between the Eagles and the Terriers, it was Whitney’s third period goal that sealed the victory. “The third period, BU kind of turned the game in their favor,” York said. “I thought they were controlling the play. And then we got a huge shorthanded goal from Stevie Whitney, which I thought was the turning point in the game.” “I was coming right off the bench. Our penalty did a great job tonight pressuring the points and Jimmy Hayes did a great job on the defensemen,” Whitney said. “He pushed the puck forward, he saw me coming, and I went down. The goalie was pretty far out, so I decided to deke and go to my backhand.”

Hockey East Standings Team

Conference

Boston College New Hampshire Boston University Merrimack Maine Providence Northeastern UMass Vermont UMass-Lowell

9-4-0 7-1-2 5-3-4 5-4-3 5-2-2 3-4-4 3-5-3 2-3-3 1-6-3 2-10-0

Overall 11-5-0 9-2-4 7-3-5 7-4-4 7-3-4 6-6-4 3-8-4 3-6-3 1-7-4 2-12-2

Whitney flipped the puck off his backhand and into the back of the net to give the Eagles the 5-2 lead. “It’s always kind of a killer for either team when you give up a short-handed goal,” Whitney said. He ﬁnished the two-game set with four points (two goals, two assists), which placed him in a tie for the most points notched by any skater in the series. “Stevie had probably the best weekend of his season so far,” said York. “He’s on top of his game right now.” The fact that he had his best weekend against the Eagles’ biggest rival is also not lost on the typically reserved Whitney. “It means a lot, deﬁnitely,” he said. “This is a huge rivalry for us. And to end strong is really important for us, and I was just glad that I could contribute.” 

After being awarded the honor of Pure Hockey Player of the Month by the Hockey East Conference for November, Kelli Stack’s stick looks as if it has remained hot, despite the cooling temperatures arriving from the new month of December. Yesterday afternoon, the No. 6 Boston College women’s hockey team (11-2-4) defeated the Harvard Crimson (4-5-7) at Kelley Rink, 6-2, behind a spectacular four-point performance from Stack that included her third hat trick of the young season. It was Stack who got the Eagles going at 7:51 in the ﬁrst period, when forward Danielle Welch sent a pass to Jessica Martino, who then redirected the puck to Stack along the left side of the ice. Crossing in front of the net, she sent the puck in between the pipes for the 1-0 lead. Harvard equalized the match at 16:09 with a goal from Kate Buesser, but Stack didn’t wait long to put the Eagles back on top. At 5:30 in the second period, she sent another shot by Crimson goaltender Laura Bellamy. Welch and Melissa Bizzari combined to each earn an assist on the tally. Once the offense had begun to roll, it was tough for Harvard to stop BC’s consistent pressure. Despite being outshot 27-18

in the game, the Eagles made the most of their opportunities throughout the game. Two of these arrived quickly in the second frame to put the game away, as Mary Restuccia put one in the soft netting at 8:45, and then, just four minutes later, Stack connected for her third and final time to give the Eagles a commanding 4-1 lead. The senior captain’s three-goal game was the fourth of her career, and brought her season tally up to a team-leading 21. Her previous season high is 23, showing her pace this season as staggering, having only played 17 games. The forward wasn’t done, though, as she earned an assist from setting up Bizzari to score at the beginning of the third period to complete her four-point day. The Crimson were able to get another puck past Eagle goaltender Molly Schaus, but their comeback attempt fell far short. Ashley Motherwell added the sixth and final score of the day just two minutes later at 6:58, with assists from Meagan Mangene and Taylor Wasylk. Schaus denied 13 thirdperiod shots from the Crimson attack in the victory. The win concludes a strong run for the Eagles as they head into a three-week long break having won four of their last five games by a combined score of 15-9. 

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Kelli Stack’s third hat trick of the season was all the Eagles needed to take down Harvard.

Numbers to Know

114

Game to Watch Men’s Basketball

Number of points scored by BC’s women’s basketball team on Thursday night against Penn State in a 114-103 win, a new single-game record for the squad.

10-2-4

The BU hockey team’s record in its past 16 home games. Both losses came at the hands of the Eagles, the most recent being BC’s 9-5 win on Friday.

Turnovers committed by the men’s basketball team in Saturday’s win over Massachusetts.

Providence Boston vs. College College The Eagles have won three straight games, largely due to their sudden consistency from beyond the arc. During the streak, BC has converted 41.5 percent of its 3-pointers attempted. The Friars of Providence College should be prepared to thwart such a perimeter attack, though, holding their opponents to a mere 27.5 percentage from downtown throughout the season. Wednesday, 7 p.m.

The Heights

Monday, December 6, 2010

Eagles eliminated despite second-half surge College Cup, from C1

“I’ve played with [Levin] before, and she’s a great player,” said BC goalkeeper Jill Mastroianni. “She just got an extra step and she hit it well. I got fingertips to it, but it just wasn’t enough.” The Eagles battled back, and tested the Stanford back line for a good portion of the second half. The best opportunity for the Eagles came in the 77th minute on a cross from Alaina Bayer, to the head of Kristie Mewis, who was able to redirect the ball on net. Oliver was able to make a stop that deflected to the feet of Hannah Cerrone, who, because of a difficult angle, booted the ball over the crossbar from just outside the six-yard box. To seal the Cardinal victory, with just three minutes remaining in regulation play, the Eagles took a quick goal kick that was intercepted by Stanford’s Lindsay Taylor. Taylor went one-onone with Mastroianni and slid a perfectly placed ball into the bottom left corner of the goal. “I think it was a great experience,” Cerrone said. “We can’t be anything but proud of ourselves. We came in here and said our only regret was if we would’ve played scared and if we let them come at us. I think every single girl gave her best. That’s all we could’ve done tonight. Unfortunately we didn’t get the better of it.”n

Sarah d. davis / ap photo

Jill Mastoianni (left) recorded four saves, but she was unable to stop a late one-on-one that put the game out of reach. Chelsea Regan (right) and the BC defense slowed BC down before then.

Senior class finishes as most successful in BC history By Raychel Kruper For The Heights

alex trautwig / heights editor

The BC senior class, including Amy Caldwell (above), progressed a round further in the NCAA tournament each year.

When this year’s senior class arrived at Boston College back in 2007, the amount of success that the Eagles women’s soccer team would achieve was unforeseen. Through years of hard work and dedication, however, this class would carry the team to many victories and successes, and ultimately to the 2010 Women’s College Cup Final Four in Cary, N.C. “It’s really exciting for all of us to [have been] here,” said senior captain Hannah Cerrone. “For the seniors, since we first got here, we’ve progressed each year. To make it to the Final Four is a huge thing for us.” While the Eagles came up short against the Stanford Cardinal in the semi-final game, the distance they took the program is insurmountable. To slowly work their way from the NCAA Tournament First Round in 2007, to the Sweet Sixteen in 2008, the Elite Eight in 2009, and the Final Four for the first time in Boston College history in 2010 is a true testament to the skill and leadership of this year’s senior class. “I think this will be one of our biggest losses in terms of classes,” said head coach Alison Foley, “not just because five of them start for us, but their leadership, their commitment, and their commitment to training.” The Eagles senior class consists of co-captains Chelsea Regan and Hannah Cerrone, Amy Caldwell, Natalie Crutchfield, Brooke Knowlton, and Jillian MacNeil. Each player brought her own touch to the team, whether it was through leadership skills, an innate ability to find the back of the net, or bold defensive prowess. Overall, the class promoted a strong team chemistry that allowed the Eagles to achieve such a high level of success. “Our chemistry is such a big part of our team’s success,” said Caldwell. “When we were being

recruited, Coach Foley always told us how good it would feel bringing this program up. Each year, we’ve progressed and we finally made it to the top when we were seniors.” The Eagles postseason run this year in the NCAA Tournament was a strong showing of the team’s skill, strength, and ability to overcome obstacles and work as a team to accomplish their goals. The team’s preseason ambition was to make it to the Final Four, and the team did not rest until they earned their ticket to Cary. Their run in the tournament began with a brutal rivalry game against the Boston University Terriers, whom they took down 2-1, scoring both goals in the second half and coming back from behind. This game was followed by a game against a scrappy Hofstra team that they defeated 3-1 to advance the Eagles to the Sweet Sixteen round. Then the Eagles overtook West Virginia by a score of 4-0, and snuck by the University of Washington with Cerrone’s overtime goal off a corner kick. The win allowed them to get a second shot at Stanford, whom they had tied 1-1 in August. While the Eagles were unable to defeat the Cardinal, their experience and successes will certainly not be forgotten. “I think it was a great experience,” said Cerrone about her final game at the College Cup. “We can’t be anything but proud of our team. Every single girl gave her best.” Despite the disappointing close to their season, it is important to look back on the progressing accomplishments of the Eagles over the past four seasons, and their hard-fought journey to the Final Four, as they say goodbye to six strong senior players. “I think it is a huge loss to the program because they’re such great leaders, because of how hard these guys work, how they represented our institution and how they are as people,” said Foley. “We hope the younger kids will follow in the same direction, and I think they will.” n

Lessons learned from bowl history can serve Eagles well Andrew Kolkiw There was once a time in Boston College football history when qualifying for a bowl game was a rare achievement. From 1995 to 1998, the Eagles failed to earn a postseason invite. Since then, however, BC has treated its fans to late December football for 11 straight seasons. People who may laugh at the supposed ease of achieving bowl eligibility in Division I need only refer to a national powerhouse program like Texas, whose 2010 seasons will end without a postseason bowl. The Eagles are safely bowl eligible for a 12th straight year and have only improved their bowl prospects with their play the last few weeks. At Syracuse in the regular season finale, with two minutes remaining in the game, Eagles linebacker Mark Herzlich intercepted quarterback Ryan Nassib to seal the victory and put an exclamation point on a season that looked lost a month ago, while BC was mired in a five-game losing streak. The team has since grown tremendously from the beginning of that skid. A season that began with veterans Dave Shinskie and Montel Harris in the backfield ended with freshman Chase Rettig and Andre Williams emerging as the future of a young team with a lot of potential. This year’s team is similar to the 1999 one that kicked off the bowl streak with conservative coach Tom O’Brien leading the Eagles to the

alex trautwig / heights editor

Chase Rettig emerged as the future leader of a young BC team with a lot of potential. Winning against Nevada is the first step in getting there. Insight.com Bowl, in which they were trounced by Colorado, 62-28. Buffaloes running back Cortlen Johnson, hardly a household name, ran for 201 yards. The BC defense, anchored by AllAmerican linebacker Luke Kuechly and fifth-year senior Mark Herzlich, is much more stout than the unit was in 1999. The Eagles have neutralized offenses like those of Virginia Tech,

Florida State, and Clemson this year. They’re one of the top-ranked defenses in the country. The 1999 squad leaned on unproven offensive players, such as Tim Hasselbeck and Cedric Washington, just like the current Eagles. The success of that team gave rise to the the future success of the program, including an eightgame bowl winning streak and some of

the most successful classes in school history. A win against Nevada in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl could have similar implications. Hasselbeck, Washington, and William Green began a streak of six consecutive bowl wins under O’Brien by beating Arizona State in the Aloha Bowl a year later. The Eagles beat solid programs like Georgia and Boise State

during that streak. Their wins against Toledo, Colorado State, and North Carolina were memorable, as well. Seemingly, in each one of those bowl games, a different player carried BC practically by himself. Green was the hero against Georgia in 2001, rushing for 149 yards and a late score. Brian St. Pierre tossed three touchdown passes in the Toledo game. Derrick Knight reached the end zone three times as well in the team’s first appearance in the San Francisco Bowl against Colorado State. These games were just as memorable for the emergence of future superstar Eagles, such as Matt Ryan. As a freshman holder, Ryan orchestrated a fake field goal to seal the win against the Tar Heels in the 2004 Continental Tire Bowl. Ryan was the catalyst behind the final three wins of BC’s streak, culminating in a three-touchdown performance against Michigan State in the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl. Since Matty Ice went third overall to the Atlanta Falcons in the 2008 NFL draft, the Eagles have been unable to recapture the postseason success they enjoyed during their winning streak. They lost to Vanderbilt two years ago and USC last season. These losses, though, don’t diminish the progress the program has made since the beginning of the bowl appearance streak. So here’s to the number 12, which not only belonged to Ryan but now belongs to the program writ large. As the Eagles prepare to play in their 12th straight bowl, let’s salute the team for giving us something to cheer for late into every season. And let’s look for the newest crop of stars and memo-

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

Monday, December 6, 2010

The Heights

Unlikely contributors save Eagles while stars sit By Dan Popko Heights Staff

BOSTON – Relying on the stellar play of Reggie Jackson for much of the early season, the Boston College men’s basketball team got off to a solid 5-2 start. With the junior point guard, as well as senior forward Joe Trapani, saddled with foul trouble, the Eagles needed help from some other players to overcome the UMass Minutemen (7-1) 76-71 at the TD Garden on Saturday in what was essentially a road game in front of the hostile

UMass crowd. “I thought that was huge to go through that [adversity] and be successful,” said Eagles’ head coach Steve Donahue. With Trapani and Jackson forced to the pine, BC’s bench scored 30 points to help maintain the double-digit lead the starters had piled up. For most of the final minutes of the first half, Donahue trotted out a lineup featuring freshman point guard Gabe Moton, walk-on John Cahill, and former Eagles baseball player Chris Kowalski. The most prolific scorer on the court, Dallas Elmore, was only

alex trautwig / heights editor

The Eagles’ bench, including point guard Gabe Moton, scored 30 points against UMass.

averaging 2.8 points per game on the season. Even with that motley crew on the floor, the Eagles were able to pull together, stretching the lead from nine to 11 behind five points each from Cahill and Elmore. Kowalski got into the action for his first career points, ripping the ball from a Minuteman defender for an offensive rebound and putback. Despite the unlikely contributions from the bench, the biggest performance came from a man used to finding himself in the starting lineup, Josh Southern. The senior big man poured in a careerhigh 16 points without missing a shot (seven of seven from the floor, two of two from the line) and added seven rebounds for good measure “Coming off the bench, it’s tough but I’m just looking to contribute,” Southern said. After minor surgery before the season, Southern missed the season-opening win against St. Francis (N.Y.) and has been limited to just 17 minutes a game off the bench, after starting for the past two seasons. Despite his current lack of game fitness, Southern’s coach knew he needed his contributions for all of the 28 minutes he played. “He was winded, he’s not 100 percent where we need him to be,” Donahue said. “That being said, we couldn’t keep him off the floor.” After a career-high four assists against Indiana on Wednesday, Southern added another two dimes at the Garden, drawing Donahue’s praise for his play in the role of “point forward” at times, getting the ball either up at the top of the key or down on the block and letting the offense work off him. Coming out of the game’s final media timeout with just a two-point lead and seven seconds on the shot clock, Donahue put the ball at Southern’s disposal to make a play. “I wanted the ball in [Southern’s] hands,” the Eagles’ coach said of the key play. “He set a great screen in the dribble

alex trautwig / heights editor

John Cahill matched his previous career output with five points in eight minutes Saturday. handoff so [Jackson] could get behind it and get a good look.” Jackson drained the buzzer-beating three, extending the Eagles lead to five. However, with under a minute to play and the lead cut back to three, Southern was on the receiving end of a pass from Jackson for a layup of his own. Running four-out and one-in, Southern waited inside until the defense seemingly forgot about him then calmly laid the ball in for his final points of the game. “I feel like everybody was at the three-

point line and he could’ve turned around, did a cartwheel, backflip then dunked it if he wanted to,” Jackson said. The lay-in sparked a mini 4-0 run capped by a Trapani slam off another feed by Jackson (six assists) that put the game out of reach. “I thought he was the key to the game,” Donahue said of Southern. “Every time they made a mistake, he knew how to get open.” n

Men’s basketball tops UMass at the Garden Tip-Off Classic, from C1

71 victory, handing the Minutemen their first loss of the season. After sitting the final 10 minutes of the first half due to foul trouble, Jackson took over the game in the second stanza. He poured in 14 of his 17 points in the second half, helping the Eagles barely keep UMass at bay. The critical basket from Jackson came with just 3:41 remaining in the game. With the shot clock winding down, Jackson came around a screen from Josh Southern and launched a three fading to his right. The shot found nothing but net, extending the BC lead to five and extinguishing the hope of many Minutemen supporters. “We needed that play at that particular time of the game,” Southern said. “They were starting to make a run and that three was really big for our team.” While he assisted on the game’s biggest basket, the senior center had plenty of his own memorable moments on the offensive end. Southern finished a perfect 7-7 from the field and 2-2 from the foul line, ending the game with a career-high 16 points to go along with seven rebounds. “I just wanted to contribute,” Southern said. “I picked my spots and scored.” The Eagles desperately needed someone besides Jackson and Joe Trapani, who finished with 17, to step up offensively. Because junior Corey Raji was unable to play due to a concussion, coach Steve Donahue put two of his walk-ons into the game in the first half. John Cahill and Chris Kowalski

acquitted themselves nicely, contributing five and two points, respectively, in a game where BC needed every bucket it could get. Trailing by as much as 13 in the second half, the Minutemen would not go away. Led by senior guard Anthony Gurley (22 points) and his ankle-breaking crossover, UMass slowly crawled back into the game, cutting the lead to two with just over eight minutes left. But the team just couldn’t get over the hump and find a way to even the score, and the Eagles pulled away down the stretch due to a very good performance from the charity stripe. BC shot nearly 80 percent from the foul line, going 19-24. The Eagles needed every point they could get, as their offensive opportunities were limited due to a season-high 22 turnovers. UMass was able to make the game a close contest up until the final seconds but was unable to make up a deficit it faced from the beginning of the game after allowing the Eagles to open on an 8-0 run. “It was such a hard fought game, both teams played extremely hard” Donahue said. “We made enough plays in the end to pull out the victory.” In ending the Minutemen’s best start since the John Calipari era in the mid-90s, the Eagles showed that the team goes deeper offensively than just Jackson and whichever open shooter he passes to. The junior playmaker was limited to 26 minutes of action, but the rest of the squad rose to the test. Upperclassmen guards Biko Paris and Dallas Elmore helped lead the team through much of the game, keeping UMass at bay until Jackson returned. n

alex trautwig / heights editor

Joe Trapani had one of his best shooting games of the season, sinking seven of his 13 attempts on his way to 17 points.

Eagles have a strange appeal Appeal Of The Eagles, from B1

As strange as it sounds, I also liked the Eagles because the rest of Boston ignored (or even hated) them. I felt like the hipster who knows all the best bands before they go mainstream. In this regard, BC was my Vampire Weekend. If the rest of Boston caught on to how awesome the Eagles were, they wouldn’t be my little secret anymore. That’s why I secretly loved the fact that the big-time media outlets like The Globe ignored them on a consistent basis. Since the team never got much coverage, the only way to be a true Eagles fan was to faithfully watch every broadcast. Most of my friends at school couldn’t understand why I cared about BC so much. They loved Texas or USC for football and Duke or UConn for

alex trautwig / heights editor

The emotional ties between students, alumni, and the team are a big factor in why fans love college football.

basketball. It became a point of pride for me to defend the Eagles because no one else would. I felt real football fans shouldn’t need superstars like Matt Leinart and Vince Young to justify supporting their team. Rooting for those teams was too superficial. I needed a team with some substance, a team that toyed with my emotions on a weekly basis – a team like the Eagles. It was under these circumstances that I began to love the Eagles. This love drives me to be the best Sports Editor I can be. My predecessor told me he strived to leave the section better than how he found it. Consider my goal to be the same.

Paul Sulzer is the Assistant Sports Editor of The Heights. He can be reached at sports@bcheights. com.

CLASSIFIEDS

THE HEIGHTS

Monday, December 6, 2010

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Answers to the Crossword are below the Sudoku

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Answers below Answers to Crossword and Sudoku

THE HEIGHTS

Monday, December 6, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

Monday, December 6, 2010

Sailing wins another national championship BY TIM JABLONSKI For The Heights

Extending a run of absolute domination, the Boston College sailing team captured yet another national championship the weekend of Nov. 19, defeating St. Mary’s 3-0 in the ﬁnals of the Inaugural Intercollegiate Sailing Associations Match Race Championship. Leaving the event with an overall record of 14-2 during the event, the Eagles once again asserted themselves as the best sailing program in the nation. This national title adds to the litany of hardware BC has won in the recent years. “Between the athletic department and the school itself, it’s a very attractive place to go to school,” said coach Greg Wilkinson. “You get a great education, have a great athletic department, and are living in a great sports city. We’re able to bring in extremely talented athletes, and once we have them here, the support we get from the athletic department gives us no excuse for anything but success.” Represented by seniors Briana Provancha, Taylor Canﬁeld, Tyler Sinks and Danny Bloomstein, as well as sophomore Ryan Mullins, the Eagles ran away with the competition, holding off host King’s Point and several other sailing powerhouses on their way to the title. After starting off with a 3-1 record in the preliminary round, the Eagles were

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The BC sailing team won the first ever Intercolegiate Sailing Associations Match Race Championship two weekends ago against St. Mary’s. forced to compete in the second round instead of earning a bye to the quarterﬁnals. A 4-1 record buoyed them on to the quarters. From there it was smooth sailing for BC. They defeated King’s Cross 2-0 in the quarterfinals and followed that up with a 2-0 dispatching of Tulane in the semis.

Carrying their momentum into the ﬁnals, the Eagles were able to hold off West Coast rival St. Mary’s and earn their second national championship of the year after capturing their ﬁrst co-ed national title in June. “The kids worked extremely hard preparing for these races,” Wilkinson said. “They deserve tons of credit for

everything they’ve put into this program.” The Mass. native has transformed the BC sailing program into one of the nation’s best. Under his leadership, the team has captured championships in individual, team and co-ed disciplines. Wilkinson, however was not present at the national championship last week.

He sent graduate student assistant Alden Reed (a former BC sailor himself) in his place. “Alden was much better prepared to coach this type of racing than any of us,” he said. “It was very difficult to stay home, but it was better for the team. Alden prepared them for the conference championship, which they won, and I felt confident sending him there in my place. He really built this event for us and did an awesome job.” The Match Race Championship used longer, multiple-person boats instead of the single or double-handed boats used in most other national championships, something in which Reed has specialized in. Wilkinson’s trust in his assistant paid off. Not only did the Eagles capture the national championship, but their 14-2 win/loss record was the best record of any participants in the championship. Canfield said that the team came “into the regatta thinking anyone can take a race and knowing we were up against very good sailors. We were confident with our boat speed and boat handling.” In capturing yet another national championship, the Eagles certified that they are not only a powerful force in collegiate sailing, but one of the most domniant programs in the country. BC and its world class sailors have proven that it can compete with, and defeat, any and all challengers nationwide. 

Resilient Eagles earn eighth straight win BY ROBERT T. BALINT Heights Staff

NICK RELLAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

After a shaky start, the women’s basketball team weathered the storm of a determined UMass (1-7) offense, beating the Boston College 93 Minutewomen by a score 80 UMass of 93-80 on Sunday afternoon. After being outshot in the first 20 minutes, the Eagles turned in a dominant second-half performance to improve their record to 8-0 on the season. In the first half, the two teams traded off the lead with almost every possession. Nine minutes in, with Boston College trailing 12-10, guard Jaclyn Thoman drained a three to give her team a onepoint lead. Seconds later, Thoman’s fast-break jump shot increased the lead to 15-12, forcing a UMass timeout. The efforts of the UMass shooters, however, kept the Eagles from running up a large lead. Shakia Robinson scored 18 points in the first half, including a field goal that tied the score back up at 28-28 with 5:21 remaining. The Minutewomen then jumped to a 33-30 lead with three minutes remaining. The Eagles managed to finish the first half strong after a key steal by Katie Zenevitch led to a three-point shot by Stefanie Murphy from the

corner, making the score 40-37 in her team’s favor. Zenevitch was then fouled by Robinson, and made one of the two ensuing free throws to close out the first half with the Eagles on top, 41-39. The Minutewomen made 17 of their 26 shots, earning a 65.4 field goal percentage to outshoot the Eagles, who went 15 for 33 to come in at 45.5 percent after the first half. After the break, Kristen Doherty orchestrated a 7-0 Eagles’ scoring run to open the second half, dishing two assists that led to a three-pointer by Murphy and a layup by Carolyn Swords. The guard added her own fast-break layup to put BC up 50-41. The sequence set the tone for the second half, which the Eagles made their own. The offense put up big points, with three Eagles scoring in double digits. Swords scored 20 points on 10 for 11 shooting, while Thoman contributed 16 points, and was three of five from beyond the arc for the second game in a row. Murphy finished with 19 and a season-high 16 rebounds, earning her third consecutive double-double. The Eagles maintained the lead for the entire second half, never allowing the Minutewomen a chance to pull ahead. The closest they got was within seven points, but they could not close the gap any further. UMass mishandled the ball throughout the game, committing 24 turnovers that resulted in 25 BC points. 

Jaclyn Thoman scored a career-high 25 points in Thursday night’s win over Penn State, including 18 in the first half.

Freshmen come up big in overtime win BY GREG JOYCE Heights Staff

The Boston College women’s basketball team set a new team record for points in a game, and pulled Boston College 114 out an overtime win in its first true test of the season, 103 Penn State a 114-103 win over Penn State (6-2) in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge on Thursday. Tied at 94 at the end of regulation, the Eagles used a combination of big shots from freshman point guard Tiffany Ruffin, and clutch free-throw shooting in overtime to seal the victory. “I was just very, very pleased and very proud of this team, because they’ve been working incredibly hard,” said BC head coach Sylvia Crawley. “And just to see it pay off against a great team like Penn State, this is a good team, and they came in here with some good wins under their belt. So this win for us was huge.” Ruffin drained two huge threes early in overtime to put BC ahead for good. In addition to clutch shooting, Ruffin was also matched up against Penn State’s hottest 3-point shooter, Maggie Lucas. “Tiffany Ruffin came in at the end of the game,” Crawley said. “She hit a big shot and then she played great defense. We put her on number 33 [Lucas] who had the hot hand, and we had her faceguard her, we switched off screens.” In addition to Ruffin’s 3-pointers, pressure free throws helped the Eagles’ get the lead and put the game away. BC made nine of 10 free throws during the extra time. Senior center Carolyn Swords led BC at the free-throw line, shooting seven for seven on the game. “I thought it was huge that we were able to hit our free throws,” Crawley said. “We shoot pressure free throws every single day. I’ve put them under an enormous amount of pressure in practice, so they’re used to having a lot on their shoulders and just focusing, taking a deep breath, and knocking down that shot. “Otherwise, Penn State would have been able to get back in the game because they have such incredible 3-point shooters, so they’re able to

come back quickly. So I thought us just holding onto the ball, hitting our free throws down the clutch was big.” The foul situation of Swords and Stefanie Murphy forced freshmen forwards Korina Chapman and Katie Zenevitch to play some big minutes in the second half. Crawley said she had been setting them up for crucial scenarios like this, so she was comfortable calling on them when necessary. “For the most part I thought our freshman played a key role in tonight’s game,” Crawley said. “I’ve been playing them a lot of minutes so that, for a game like tonight, they would be seasoned enough to make the right decisions. We had our post players in some foul trouble, and so we had to throw in Korina and Katie and they just played some big minutes for us. They got us some defense stops or they made the right play high-low, and I can’t tell you how huge that was.” Swords picked up her fourth foul with 13:46 remaining in regulation. Murphy received her’s midway through the second half. “Carolyn is a player that’s becoming smarter,” Crawley said. “Last year [when] she had four fouls, we just had to keep her out till the last three minutes because she would foul out, whereas I thought she came in and she played smart for the last few minutes.” Jaclyn Thoman set the pace early for the highscoring affair. The senior matched her career-high in points, previously 18, in the first half alone. Thoman was six for six from the floor, including a trio of threes, and was perfect from the charity stripe. She finished with a team-high 25 points in the game. “We talked about being the aggressors for the game and take away their aggressiveness, and I thought she was asserting herself and being very aggressive in the first half,” Crawley said. “She was attacking the basket. Her shot was falling. She had the hot hand. She was just hunting for shots tonight.” Both Murphy and sophomore guard Kerri Shields notched double-doubles. Murphy recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Shields finished with 18 points and 10 boards. 

NICK RELLAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

The BC women’s basketball team improved to 8-0 yesterday against UMass, thanks to Carolyn Swords’ 20 points.

The Heights

Monday, December 6, 2010

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR and Alex Manta and Mollie Kolosky / Heights photo Illustration

FEATURES

THE HEIGHTS

Monday, November 1, 2010

BY DANIEL J. TANKOVICH For the Heights

Editor’s Note: This is the third and final installment in The Heights’ examination of the modern value of a liberal arts education. For some college students, just completing a single major in any field can be a challenge. Completing a double major or minor can present additional difficulties. However, approximately 10 percent of the Boston College Carroll School of Management (CSOM) Class of 2011 and 25 percent of the CSOM Class of 2012 are pursuing not only a concentration within CSOM, but are also assuming a double major or minor in a liberal arts field, taking arts and sciences classes beyond those required by the University. General interest in a specific subject for CSOM students pursuing liberal arts studies is commonly cited as the primary motivation. “Students seek [a liberal arts double major or

minor] because they are of interest,” said Andrew Boynton, dean of CSOM, and Richard Keeley, associate dean for undergraduates in CSOM, in a joint statement. “[We] don’t know that [we] have met a student who does this, explicitly, out of reverence for the idea of personal development via liberal arts. That language is part of the apology, in Newman’s sense, for the liberal arts. And of course, students are free to study broadly in the liberal arts without resorting to a full major or minor.” CSOM students pursuing a double major or minor in the liberal arts defy a national trend of students moving away from a liberal arts education toward concentration in a professional ﬁeld. Louis Menand, a professor in the English department at Harvard University, said that of the approximately 2,500 four-year colleges in the United States, most award less than half of their degrees in the liberal arts. Furthermore, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, more than 20 percent of the bachelor’s degrees awarded in the U.S. in the 2006-2007 academic year were busi-

ness degrees. David Quigley, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GA&S), said he agrees with CSOM deans about the motivation of CSOM students seeking to fulﬁll additional interests by pursuing additional concentrations in arts and sciences. “There is no single motivation that explains the choices of so many different students,” Quigley said. “Many are driven by a serious intellectual interest.” However, pure interest in a liberal arts subject is not the sole motivating factor for CSOM students assuming additional concentrations. “Some see a double major or minor as supporting larger professional and personal goals,” Quigley said. Mary Crane, director of the Institute for Liberal Arts at BC and professor in the English department, said she agreed with CSOM and A&S administrators. “I can only speak about students I’ve worked with who have had a double concentration in

CSOM and English, but the students who have done this have pursued the English concentration primarily because they love studying English,” she said. “But they also felt that there were some things they got from it. One student felt he improved his reading and writing skills by taking English courses. Another student felt that she learned a different kind of critical thinking in English classes.” Vinh-Khoi Le, CSOM ’13, perfectly resembles these descriptions provided by the deans and professors. “I undertook a double major in philosophy in addition to economics out of general interest in the subject,” he said. “Additionally, liberal arts majors, especially philosophy, stress challenge and critical thinking abilities on levels unmatched, in my opinion, by many CSOM courses.” Crane noted that the beneﬁts of a liberal arts education can be socially useful inside

See Arts, D2

Good decisions, romantic comedies, and a little hope for the future

KRIS ROBINSON I’ve made quite a few mistakes since I came to Boston College as a freshman. I’ve signed up for classes I later wished I’d never signed up for, said things to people that I wish I could take back, and slept when I probably should have been doing work instead. I’ve bitten off more than I could chew on more than one occasion, and as a result, was forced to quit a few things for the sake of retaining my sanity. I hate quitting. With a passion. I’ve neglected to spend time with my friends when I should have, shied away from opportunities to make new friends, and missed a lot of chances in general. I’ve also made quite a few good decisions. For me to say that, honestly, is an accomplishment in itself, as I tend to hardly give myself credit for anything. But when you’ve been fortunate to experience some of the things that I have, to spend time with some of the people that I have, and to do some of the things that I have, it’s hard not to believe that you’re doing something right. I’m not a big fan of school work. I’ve actually never been a big fan of school work, especially when there were other things that I could spend my time productively on. The only reason I got good grades in middle school was because I had nothing else better to do—video games could only occupy me for so long (playing sports was virtually out of the question, since I didn’t, and still don’t possess, a single athletic bone in my body). In my high school, it was pretty much just the nature of the game to try to strive for good grades. At the same time though, it seemed that among my classmates and I, with age came a greater interest in pursuing individual interests outside the classroom. This interest only intensiﬁed when I arrived at BC. Over the past few weeks, the value of a liberal arts education has been examined in a series of articles found in this section. Being educated in the Jesuit tradition for most of my life, I’ve been exposed to the liberal arts in an intimate way and

I’ve come to cherish what liberal arts schools seek to instill in their students. There are a number of reasons why I decided to go to college, some more obvious and more likely to resonate than others. I came to college to get an education. I came to college because it was the next thing after high school. I came to college because I know that it would increase my chances of getting a job. These reasons aren’t unique by any means. Luckily for me, they’re neither the only ones nor the most important. Above anything else, I came to college for the experience. After three years of middle school, I looked back and realized that I had grown significantly. After four years of high school, I looked back and realized that I had grown even more. Now, with nearly two and a half years of college under my belt, I’m already looking back and seeing that I’ve grown more in the time that I’ve been here than I did in those seven years put together. I don’t mean to discredit my middle school or high school years—they were undeniably crucial to my development and helped make me the man I am becoming today. I only wish to pay tribute to everything that my time at BC so far has fostered in me. This University, with its emphasis on the liberal arts, the formation of a person as a whole, has changed me for the better. It’s made me more confident, more wiser, and more perceptive, and no grade on a paper or a transcript can ever define that. So I’ve made quite a few good decisions. I’ve come to realize that while I have dreams incapable of being capsulated, both my time and energy are finite. I’ve decided that while I am always going to be evaluating and reevaluating what’s important to me, my desire to spend my life doing things that are important to me will remain the same. This year in particular, I’ve come to realize how imperative it is to be true to myself and true to what I love. Easily one of the best decisions I’ve made here at BC was my decision to join The Heights. Now, as I look forward to spending a year as Features Editor, I am anxious to make more good decisions. You’ve made the decision to pick up the paper and read this column. I sincerely hope you make the decision to keep reading with me every step of the way.

Kris Robinson is the Asst. Features Editor for The Heights. He welcomes comments at features@ bcheights.com.

I NSIDE FEATUR E S THIS ISSUE

BROOKE SCHNEIDER I watch far too many romantic comedies. Actually, the problem is not the amount of romantic comedies that I watch, but rather, that I refuse to dedicate even a small portion of my day to sitting on my couch and watching anything that does not involve a fairytale romance that ends with a happily ever after. Yes, that means I devoted my summer to The Bachelorette and invested my whole heart into the show as if I were the central female figure. And yes, I will still cling to the possibility of meeting my Prince Charming in a Cinderella storyesque fashion a la Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray. Although I realize that there is a 99 percent chance that these fairytale-like episodes will not manifest themselves off the screen, I have a lot of faith in the remaining 1 percent. It is this strong sense of hope for the future, even in the most unlikely of circumstances, that drives me in every aspect of my life. It’s not that I am naive or that I have never experienced difficulties in my life, because I certainly have. I am simply a hopeful person. I don’t see the reason for assuming that something magical and seemingly unrealistic will not happen. Who says that you won’t be the editor of Seventeen Magazine one day (as I once aspired to be)? Who says that you won’t fall in love with a tall, dark, and handsome former baseball player bearing a strong resemblance to Roberto Martinez of The Bachelorette? It’s during the toughest of times when this hope gives rise to the most positive of consequences. Those times when you have to write a 10-page paper in one night after pulling an all-nighter the prior evening. Those times when you have to write your very first features column the same night that you have to write your lengthy paper and produce the features section of the newspaper. (In those hard times, thankfully, are also when your

Electronic State of Mind

best friend literally runs to City Convenience to purchase Arizona Sweet Tea and Flipz chocolate covered pretzels for you.) For me, those times are today. From 11 p.m. Saturday night to 6 p.m. Sunday afternoon, in an annual tradition, I said goodbye to the outgoing Heights editors, men and women who have earned very special places in my heart. Though I know that the strong relationships I have formed with these truly fascinating individuals will transcend beyond my time with The Heights, I cannot help feeling very sad knowing that I will no longer be working with them for an excess of 24 hours per week. This sadness, combined with the ample amount of work that has to be completed within the next 12 hours, is a recipe for a breakdown. In accordance with my strong sense of hope however, I’ve found that in difficult circumstance like these, it is important to be hopeful that the situation will somehow sort itself out and that in the end, everything will be okay. Having just completed my tenure as the associate copy editor, I have high hopes for my new position as assistant features editor. To become involved in the features section of The Heights has been a goal of mine since I first picked up a copy of the newspaper during a campus visit in 2009. My love for writing dates back to my elementary school days when I used to sit at my mother’s vanity table, creating miniature magazines and newsletters reporting on the events of our household. As I grew older, I became a lover of real magazines and the creativity they allow writers in something as simple as allowing them to write in the first-person about whatever they so please. Features is the section of The Heights that allows for that creativity. At BC, my journey toward my current position began with my first features article, which was not published because I hadn’t quite nailed down the makings of a great article. I have come a long way since then, and I intend to go even farther this year to create a section that truly piques the interests of the BC community. Even if I don’t meet my Prince Charming anytime soon, I believe that this upcoming year on The Heights will be nothing short of magical.

Brooke Schneider is the Associate Copy Editor for The Heights. She welcomes comments at features@ bcheights.com.

Read about BC’s new electronic music group and learn a little bit about student DJs on campus D4

Humor Column.................................D3 College Connections.........................D3

MOLLIE KOLOSKY / HEIGHTS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2010

The Heights

Monday, December 6, 2010

and outside of business, as well as in careers and the development of social abilities. “Different kinds of liberal arts classes provide students with different kinds of learning experiences,” Crane said. “English classes ask students to read and analyze texts that tend to be open-ended and linguistically complex, and to do a lot of writing with a lot of input from faculty on their writing. Fine arts classes and music classes can help develop creativity and appreciation of aesthetics. Advanced math and physics classes develop highly abstract thinking and advanced quantitative skills. Language classes develop a different part of the brain than any other kind of study and help students appreciate other cultures more deeply.” James Halpin, CSOM assistant dean for academic counseling, agreed on the benefits of liberal arts and encourages CSOM students to take a liberal arts double major or minor. “Liberal arts develops critical thinking abilities in a way business education does not,” Halpin said. “Whereas majors in business provide for career preparation, courses in the arts and sciences aid in personal development and thinking. If space in a schedule allows, I always encourage CSOM students to consider a second major or minor in a liberal arts field. There are just a multitude of benefits with the study of liberal arts that can assist one not only in their career, but in life.” Crane also cited the ability of a liberal arts major or minor combined with a concentration in business to increase graduates’ professional marketability to employers. “[One CSOM student with a double major in English] went for an interview at a big financial services firm in New York and spent most of the interview being asked about Moby Dick, because the interviewer had been an English major,” she said. “She felt that her English concentration made her stand out and helped her get the job.” Various other factors, however, aside from pure subject interest and professional and personal development, can constitute the equation of a student determining their academic field of concentration. Some students feel pressured to choose between a professional education that prepares them for their careers and a liberal arts education that prepares them for life. Crane and fellow colleagues maintain that a liberal arts education provides many benefits that should not be ignored solely on the basis of these pressures. Furthermore, Crane and others maintain that even if one is pressured into entering business education for the career preparation aspect, the University core ensures adequate exposure to the liberal arts, which benefit most careers. “I certainly understand why, in the current economy and given the high cost of a college degree, many students feel they need to pursue a degree that is directly aimed at getting them a job,” Crane said. “At Boston College, the core curriculum makes sure that all students have some exposure to a range of liberal arts disciplines. I think liberal arts education can help students develop skills in thinking, reading, writing, and languages, and can also develop flexibility and creativity that will be beneficial in almost any career, especially as people have to retrain for new kinds of employment in the course of their careers.” Crane said a liberal arts education has the power to enrich students’ lives outside the classroom. “So [studying] theology can deepen people’s religious and spiritual life, philosophy can help people think about the meaning of life and work through complicated ethical decisions,” she said. “People go to museums, plays, films, concerts throughout their lives, and liberal arts courses can help them get more out of all of these cultural experiences. Language learning can make travel more meaningful. So I would urge people who are majoring in a professional school to approach their core courses with an eye to developing skills and interests for life.” While a liberal arts major or minor combined with a degree in a management field may increase one’s marketability when seeking employment, not all of the benefits are bestowed upon liberal arts majors. Some liberal arts advocates note the enhanced career counseling CSOM students receive. “There are obviously certain kinds of jobs that only CSOM majors are qualified for right out of undergraduate school – accounting for instance,” Crane said. “There are other kinds of business positions that would hire both CSOM and liberal arts majors. CSOM does a great job of mentoring students to prepare a resume, get experience at internships, and pursue extracurriculars that help make them competitive for jobs. If liberal arts majors work with the Career Center to do all of

Mollie Kolosky / Heights Photo Illustration

Arts, from D1

these things, they will be in a better position to compete for jobs. I think they may have to do it more on their own.” Janet Costa Bates, associate director of the Career Center, said that, while professional field graduates do tend to find jobs faster on average, for any job, a well-rounded personality to pair with one’s ability is key. “Employers want to see someone wellrounded and willing to take on a challenge, which a CSOM student pursuing a second major or minor in arts and sciences often resembles,” she said. “They want someone a little bit different. They want people not afraid of a challenge.”

Even without a double major or minor in a liberal arts field, Quigley said he was impressed by the abilities of CSOM students in critical thinking, quelling comments that CSOM students often have a one-track mind. “Over my 13 years of teaching history courses at Boston College, I’ve enjoyed the chance to teach many Carroll School undergraduates,” he said. “I’ve certainly run into some who have a singular focus on the study of business, but I’ve been quite impressed with the intellectual seriousness of many of these students who have come to my classes with a genuine love of the study of history.” It is a possible disregard of the benefits of

the liberal arts and core curriculum that concerns administrators due to the numerous personal and professional benefits of the liberal arts. “My concerns are not specific to Carroll School students,” Quigley said. “We need to work with all undergraduates to think about the core as a fundamental part of their experience at Boston College. I believe the four undergraduate schools share a common commitment to a liberal education for all of our students. We have some particularly successful models of cross-school collaboration between Arts and Sciences and the Lynch School of Education. Dean Boynton and I have begun conversations about future collaborations between our two schools. The idea isn’t to unite CSOM and A&S, but rather to build innovative ways for students to create linkages between the two schools.” Boynton and Keeley said that CSOM recognizes the benefits of the liberal arts and ensures their incorporation into the CSOM curriculum by requiring all undergraduates to complete the University core and the separate CSOM core and its components, such as Portico, which integrates the liberal arts into the business curriculum. “Contrary to some impressions, Portico is a powerful way to encourage students to think beyond the Carroll School,” Boynton and Keeley said. “The previous ethics course was far from uniform in its approach and some instructors gave scant attention to the liberal arts dimension of ethical reasoning. But the spine of Portico is eight weeks of ethics, employing Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and others. The summer assigned reading came from a historian, an economist, and a journalist. Further, the four-year trajectory exercise allows students to see the possibilities of majoring or minoring or studying abroad. Finally, it cannot have escaped notice when alumni or speakers who are encountered in either the group projects or the Monday night sessions reveal backgrounds that began with study in the liberal arts. So, reading philosophy, seeing your four years whole, and meeting people with liberal arts backgrounds and great accomplishments in business, a pretty compelling argument for the liberal arts, we’d say.” Boynton and Keeley furthered their claim by saying that, in comparison, other local colleges, such as Babson and Bentley, which are business-focused in their undergraduate education, incorporate relatively little of the liberal arts into the undergraduate education. Crane said she agreed with Boynton and Keeley’s comments and also noted the efforts of CSOM to encourage its undergraduates to consider majors and minors in arts and sciences subjects. She even discussed the benefits of A&S students in enrolling in some management courses for career advancement and preparation. “I think the core requirements make sure that everyone has some exposure to liberal arts, and I know that the professional schools encourage their students to take classes in A&S when they can,” she said. “CSOM encourages students to have an A&S concentration, and LSOE students often have an A&S major. I think it might be good if students in A&S had some more access to classes in professional fields, so that along with their liberal arts major they could pick up some more job-related skills. But I know that the professional schools barely have enough faculty to cover their own students, so this would be hard to do.” Quigley also said that the faculty of both A&S and CSOM share a common interest in the development of students. “In 2007, I served on a team of Carroll School and A&S faculty in designing what is now the Portico program in CSOM,” Quigley said. “I was struck by the range of teaching styles across CSOM and sense that the differences within our two schools are as broad as those between us. I came away from that experience with a deep respect for my Carroll School colleagues and a growing confidence that we have much in common.” Apart from whether a CSOM student appreciates the developmental benefits of the University core curriculum or decides to double major or minor in a liberal arts field, Boynton and Keeley said they would defend education in the management sciences, which, they said, help to develop critical thinking abilities. “We know, of course, that it’s not only Carroll School students who have the ‘Let’s get rid of it’ approach to the core,” they said. “Every student yearns to get on to what he or she currently believes is their greatest interest. Further, the core is not the only place where one develops critical thinking skills. When you struggle to unlock Excel and figure out how to nest “if” statements, and create sophisticated sub-routines, all in the service of problem solving, you’re thinking critically, not acting by rote.” n

professor profile: Richard Tresch

Tresch brings 40 years of experience to the classroom

By Mayre Morgan For The Heights

While some teachers get compliments through PEPs reviews or Rate My Professors scores, one Boston College professor inspires shout outs on Facebook statuses. After one particularly entertaining lecture, one freshman in Professor Richard Tresch’s Principles of Microeconomics class set his status to “Professor Tresch should take up stand-up comedy.” Three people liked it. In a lecture hall of over 250 students, Tresch works the room with the ease of an entertainer, utilizing over 40 years of teaching experience. “It’s not the same thing every year, even if you talk about the same topics. Every class is somewhat different,” says Tresch. “Actors must feel that when they do a Broadway run. People wonder how they can keep doing that, saying the same lines in the same way night after night for years, but somehow it works,” he explained. Comparing his class to a show is not a far stretch, according to his students. “Dr. Tresch always ensures that his class is entertaining,” says Nick Moffa, A&S ’14. “He manages to lighten the mood in class with amusing anecdotes that still illustrate the subject we are studying.”

After graduating from Williams College in 1965, Tresch went on to earn a Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1973. He started teaching at BC in 1969, when, he said, the school was “quite different.” His career here predates the Mods, and when he began, the student body was all male and consisted predominantly of commuter students. “I’ve seen enormous changes,” Tresch says, “but in some ways life hasn’t changed at all.” Each class begins the same. He shuffles into Devlin 008, toting his own eraser, because the ones that stay in the classroom just don’t do the job. He tests the chalk by drawing three thick lines on the corner of the board, lowers the window blinds, sets up his microphone, and in a voice now an octave or two lower, says to his class, “Let’s begin.” Tresch started teaching Principles of Microeconomics in the late 1970s. He says that he certainly didn’t start out thinking that he would do large lecture teaching. However, he does not see the class size as a negative. “There’s something satisfying about feeling that you can deliver a lecture to a large number of people and do it reasonably well,” he says. Since the class is taken predominately by underclassmen, it is many students’ first encounter with such a large class size, and for some students, thanks

to Tresch, it is a painless transition. “Coming from a small high school where my biggest class size was about 25, it was really strange having a huge lecture class,” says Meredith Piro, A&S ’14. “I think Tresch is a really engaging professor and he does well at teaching a large group.” Despite his class’ overwhelming number of students, Tresch manages to meet many on a personal basis. “In percentage terms, not a lot of people meet with me, but there’s always a steady stream of students,” he says. Though he does not hold office hours, Tresch’s intentions are not to discourage questions and conversations. A self-proclaimed “office rat,” Tresch says that if he’s in his office, his door will always be open. “I enjoy interactions with students,” Tresch says. Bobby Sinasi, A&S ’14, says that when he approached Tresch after class with a question, his face lit up. “If you’re looking to go beyond the material, and show the passion that he has, he is more than willing to show you everything he knows,” Sinasi says. Tresch does more at BC besides teaching hundreds of undergraduate students each semester. He currently serves as director of graduate studies in the economics department, and teaches several graduate courses. His contributions to both BC and the

field of economics were recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, as he was named Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. Additionally, this year, economics beat out finance as the second most popular major at BC, and Tresch’s passion and knowledge are major contributors to this jump. “After taking Microeconomics with Dr. Tresch this semester, I now am seriously considering either a major or minor in economics”, said Alison Wawrzynek, A&S ‘14. While the idiom “they wrote the book” can be applied to many published professors, this is true on a literal level for Tresch. “There is no course that I teach that I haven’t written a textbook for,” says Tresch. Over his sabbatical next semester, he plans on editing one of his graduate texts, which he spoke about with a tone of excitement akin to that of students speaking of Christmas break plans to relax or travel. For Tresch, being a teacher is not about making a lot of money. The experience means much more to him. He considers his classroom to be like a home. “That room is sort of my home; I live in Devlin 008,” Tresch says jokingly. With the sincerity of someone who has seen the school through its highs and lows for over 40 years, though, he believes that BC is a great place. n

Monday, December 6, 2010

The Heights

College Connections

No place like home Francesca Bacardi

Thanksgiving break could not have arrived at a more perfect time. Midterms have finally ended, the academic stress that overwhelms our lives ceases, and the underlying tension among friends has reached its peak. The idea of going home could not come fast enough. Ironically, at the end of the summer, I know I am all about hitting the road back to Boston College, ready to escape my family for the freedom I longed for since high school. As soon as November rolls around, however, that same need for escape entices me back home. It is not about the actual holiday, although the amount of food and festivity among my family members certainly is something to look forward to—but rather the thought of my actual home and my room that makes me so excited to return. Each year, as soon as I walk into my house for the first real vacation of the academic year, I drop my bags (creating a mess that I’m sure my mom will eventually freak out about), sit on the couch, and just soak in the feeling of home. Every day after classes, I go back to my house and do the exact same thing – drop my bag, make a snack, and sit on the couch. But for some reason, the feeling is not the same as when I come home for break. Maybe it is the idea of family or maybe it is the smell of my house…who knows? Either way, all I know is that home is my favorite place to be after three months of nonstop work and lack of sleep. After settling in at home and enjoying my first real meal that does not consist of Ramen noodles or another type of pasta, I love just sitting around and catching up with my family. For some reason, there is nothing better than catching up on family gossip, which usually consists of nothing more than someone missing the sacred Sunday dinner. I really do not know what it is about home, but everything about it is absolutely wonderful. I am probably being a tad sensitive with my feelings toward home, but I know I can’t be the only one who feels this way. The weekend before break, I know everyone in my house is itching to get home because the talk of plans to leave is the main conversation. That last minute paper a professor gave that is due on the Tuesday before break and that pop quiz you always secretly expected but did not think the professor was actually cruel enough to give on Tuesday either team up on you to crush your plans of leaving a school a day or two early. There is nothing worse than the feeling of trying to leave on Monday to get home and being derailed by a class assignments that force you to stay until Wednesday morning. Why is it that everyone itches to get home around this time? Let’s face it, the second we return from this wonderful break, we begin to anticipate finals, which are really only two weeks away. One week stress-free, then two weeks of total stress. The looming 25-page final papers that no one starts until the night before the due date, the cumulative communication law exam you were utterly shocked and appalled to find was cumulative—pretty much everything comes to the forefront to make our last two weeks the worst weeks possible. There is, however, a light at the end of the tunnel: Christmas vacation. This vacation, on the other hand, will have a bit of a sad feel to it, as all of my friends and I are going abroad for the spring semester. Even though I could not be more excited to be traveling to Spain, the idea of not living with and spending all of my time with my friends is very upsetting, but once again there is always the light at the end of the tunnel. Everyone going abroad in Europe will be able to travel and see places they never thought they would be able to see, with the great chances of meeting up with friends. Who cares if you went to that same party together on Foster St? Now, friends get to explore the streets of Rome, Florence, Madrid, Barcelona and Seville, all while going to school there! Regardless of the exams, papers, and girl drama that might unfold toward the end of the semester, I think we all need to take a step back and slow ourselves down. We all need to take time to breathe and enjoy our time at BC because I have realized that time goes by so quickly. It feels like just yesterday that I was a freshman, and now, I’m heading toward going abroad my second semester of junior year. So I hope everyone enjoys their breaks and comes back completely rejuvenated for what lies ahead – finals.

Francesca Bacardi is a staff columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at features@bcheights.com

Humor

Saying so long, and thanks for the memories Michael Wolf

My God. It seems like only yesterday I was stretched out on the beaches of Cuba, enjoying the summer sun’s sensual kiss upon my bronzed, perfectly toned body, still glistening from a nude dip in the beautiful aquamarine sea. I laid on my back, being hand-fed cherries by my man-servant Bradley, moving only my vocal chords to call out for faster palm leaf fanning by the array of Cuban princesses encircling me, or to request another song by my travel partner and lifelong friend,Sting, known best for his work with the band The Police. I distinctly remember my iPhone 6 vibrating by my side, sometime between my third and fourth green apple mojito. Bradley answered the call (of course), and told me it was The Heights, once again hoping for a minute of my time. Perhaps it was being in the sun for too long, or the five or six mojitos swimming around in my bloodstream, but this time I decided to hear The Heights out. It was the usual plea. Every issue I’d get a four-page spread (previously reserved for sports or something) to regale the world with stories of my travels, my peacemaking

and charity endeavors, and, of course, tales of my renowned and often science-defying sexual escapades. All of this at my standard price of $1,000 per word. I listened to the pitch over speakerphone, and, when it was over, Sting and I laughed and laughed and laughed right into the receiver. Sting laughed so hard that all of the blood drained from his brain and he died instantly. Fortunately, I had enough spare money in traveler’s cheques to easily pay for his reanimation. This was a frequent occurrence during our travels and the inspiration for his 1985 hit song “Consider Me Gone.” When I finally regained my breath, I wiped a single tear from my eye and spoke into the phone. “Mr. DeLuca,” I said, “I’m not sure what kind of lowdown, crooked, corrupt moral system you were raised on, but we, sir (and I use that lightly) are not of the same ilk. I will write for your paper, but I will write one modest column. I want the money that you would have paid me to go to the charity of my choice.” In fact, I started my own charity called Newton Hopes, which provides a telescope for every freshman living on Newton Campus, giving them a glimpse

into the outside world they’ve probably only heard rumors of. Was it successful? I really have no idea. It’s not like I’m going to travel all the way out there to check and see if the telescopes were delivered. I have a life. Needless to say, Matt DeLuca agreed to my proposal, as well as the conditions that I own all of The Heights stock options and that he can never make eye-contact with me. Now we find ourselves in the cruel onset of winter. My time with you is nearing a close, and I feel a deep sadness in my gut, somewhere below the $70 filet mignot and just above the liter of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. In the months to come, what shall we do to fill the void of our one-way discourse? I suppose you could reread each of my previous columns, combing over the prose with a finer attention for detail, savoring every word, letter, and indent. Upon rereading, you’d realize that these collected words are, in fact, an allegorical retelling of the Spanish Civil, as narrated by cyborg Richard Nixon. Additionally, you’d find that the first letter of each paragraph, put in sequential order, spells out the secret location of the mausoleum where every past Boston College president has been buried.

If you are the first person to open this crypt, you will be greeted by University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., who will reward you with his personal fortune of Aztec gold, the Shroud of Turin, and the key to Stokes Common. You will also be expected to take over as dictator-for-life of BC, and adjunct professor of philosophy. I do not wish to leave you, but I must. I ask one thing of you in my absence – don’t look into my police record. Certain authorities will try to claim that I’m guilty of one or a dozen hit and runs, have a nasty addiction to Sudafed, and never finished the third grade. These incidents are taken completely out of context and can’t be backed up with any proof (similar to my medical degree). At the end of the day, I’m just your average student. I go to class, enjoy parties, and spend my free time harvesting bodies from the Commonwealth Ave. cemetery for an extra-credit biology project, which (if successful) should keep anyone from ever questioning my authority again. Thank you, and good night.

Michael Wolf is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at features@bcheights.com

How-tO

Make it through finals week sucessfully Megan Cain

This is it: the last week of classes. Finals are coming next week, and many students will even begin to have final assignments due this week. These can be the most stressful weeks for college students, but there are a few things you can do to make it to the holidays in one piece. Sleep. Medical News Today explains that lack of sleep can have a negative effect on grades and performance in school, attitude, and social interactions; Furthermore, the source says that a decent night’s sleep will lead to increased memory abilities. That could certainly be useful for memorizing facts for exams. Helpguide.org recommends that adults 18 and older sleep for 7.5-9 hours each night. Don’t sacrifice your precious hours of sleep. They are worth it when it comes to learning and cognition. Make a to-do list. Chances are that you will have a lot of assignments to complete and places to be in the next couple of weeks. Writing each one in an organized list can be an effective way to help you remember what you need to do and to get it all done in time. If you plan

out your time, then you will be less likely to procrastinate the night before an assignment is due. Study ahead of time. Yes, lounging in your room while watching holiday movies can be very tempting, but if you have some extra time before finals, it could be very beneficial to start studying early. Not only will you be more prepared because you will have more time to review the materials, but you will also be less stressed and less tired by the day of the exam. If you already have your studying mostly completed, then the night before the exam will not feel so bad. Have caffeine, if necessary. Sleep should be the preferred method to help you not feel so tired, but sometimes, late nights are unavoidable. If that’s the case, stop by Hillside Cafe or the Chocolate Bar and enjoy a coffee or one of the holiday-flavored seasonal drinks. If you do choose to have caffeine, try to only have it in the morning. Having it too late in the day can cause you to have trouble falling asleep. Take study breaks. Listen to some music, take a walk, or stop by your friend’s room to hang out for a little while. Whatever you do, take some time to do something that you enjoy and that makes

you happy, while taking your mind off of schoolwork for even an hour. Refresh your mind. Let it remember what an un-stressful life can be like. This will help rejuvenate you for the rest of the work you have to complete. Try to take a study break every three to four hours. Eat healthy foods and keep a regular schedule of meals. Although brownies, candy, and potato chips all sound like a great solution to a crummy day, the reality is that they hurt more than they help. Everyday Health Stress Management explains that stress combined with unhealthy food has been shown to cause increased weight gain around the midsection. Eating healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables, antioxidants, and sources of fiber will help fuel your body for longer periods of times and get you through those long days of finals. Also, sticking to a planned schedule of meals and snacks throughout the day can help you to avoid junk food and constantly eating. Resist the urge to give into junk food and choose the more nourishing food options instead. Exercise. This is a great way to release stress, as well as participate in something productive. About.com (Stress Management) describes exercise as a good way

to relieve stress because it can physically decrease stress hormones, distract you from the busy and stressful parts of life, help you to feel good about your body, and make you more immune to sicknesses that could cause further stress. Physical activity does all of that and serves as a type of study break that actually has benefit. Not only do you get to take some time away from the books, but you also improve your health. Laugh. It’s a well-known phrase that ‘laughter is the best medicine. It is something that does not fail to make people happy. Saching.com describes laughter as something that helps strengthen your immune system, easily deal with problems, reduce stress, and lengthen life expectancy. Think about anytime you have laughed. It can really calm you down and put in you in a better mindset to finish your work. Think of winter break at the end. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it will come soon. Don’t lose faith; vacation will be here before you know it.

Megan Cain is a staff columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at features@bcheights.com

he said, she said “My girlfriend likes to go to the Plex with me and of course, I like spending time with her. Thing is, she likes to stand around and talk a lot while I want to spend every minute working out. What should I do?” - Driven Juicehead

The Plex is always a tricky place where people have very individual experiences. personally, my bench press weight isn’t exactly impressive and my cardio ability might be worse, so I would not choose to go with my girlfriend. Clearly, this isn’t your issue. Why not find a few exercises that you could talk during but that still serve a purpose for your workout? Doing some kind of core workout, warm-up stretch, or stationary bike riding together would allow you to still talk and exercise. There Alex Trautwig should be time for you to work out how you want, however, so it might be beneficial if you split up your time at the Plex a little bit. I’ve seen couples do this by starting off together with a warm-up, but then they separate so that they have some freedom to do what they please during the main portion of their workout. Whether she likes to talk to you or other people in the Plex, maybe just mentioning something about it could get her to realize your motivation for going. Trying to get her to work out as much as you do may not be the best solution, but hopefully, it’ll convey the fact that you’re really trying to get a serious workout in. As a last resort, you could find another time to go by yourself and get a more serious workout in when she’s not there and you’re more focused. Don’t feel bad--you’re not being mean, and if she brings it up, just explain to her that you’re just trying to get extra work done. Another option would be to explain the situation and simply try and go on your own. Depending on your relationship, this could be a bigger deal and may cause problems, but if it’s that important to you and your girlfriend doesn’t understand, this might be the only way to get your workouts in as you want them.

Alex Trautwig is an editor for The Heights. He can be reached at features@bcheights.com

Unless she’s giving you body-building tips on the fitness floor, you should tell your Chatty Cathy to save the small talk for your post-Plex frozen yogurt. Although it’s certainly not written in stone, Plex etiquette provides a rigorous standard to which all Boston College students are expected to comply. Just like not wiping down the machine after use, if extended conversation obstructs another Plexgoer’s workout, it simply should not happen. I understand that you and your girlfriend may have some very important things you need to discuss at the Plex— Julia Wilson like whether or not those five minutes on the Stairmaster actually cancelled out last night’s Late Nite—but please refrain from having these kinds of exchanges at length. That’s as much for your own sake as it is for those on the neighboring treadmills who have to listen to the two of you. Maybe the issue isn’t really whether your lengthy conversations are annoying to the other Plex patrons, but rather why you’re coordinating your workouts with your girlfriend in the first place. Why don’t you make Plex time your own personal time away from each other? I’m not saying you should use the Plex as an escape from your relationship, but everyone needs a break from their significant other every once in a while. The unhealthiest thing you could do would be to not take these breaks whenever you need them. If what you and your girlfriend really want is to spend more one-on-one time together, the Plex is really the last place on campus you should go. Make a point to have lunch together or go for a walk around the reservoir in-between classes. Even better, leave the BC bubble and go into the city together. A little North End exploring never hurt anyone. Talking at the Plex, however, has certainly annoyed more than a few.

Julia Wilson is a senior staffer for The Heights. She can be reached at features@bcheights.com

Monday, October 4, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

AROUND BOSTON

Be healthy with b.good and Four Burgers Heights Staff

When walking down the aisles of Whole Foods or even the “healthy” section of Star Market, shoppers are surrounded by food packages stamped with labels that read “all natural” or “organic” in brightly colored lettering. Some immediately assume that these foods are healthier than those found in other aisles, and most likely, they’d be correct. In light of this recent eco-conscious trend, there has been a growing demand for locally raised meat and vegetables because not only do people know where it comes from but they also know that it will be fresh. This commitment to quality is the goal of these new burger restaurants popping up all around Boston. Boston College advocates for the usage of local food, like the kind found in one of its very own eateries, Addie’s. BC even has its own garden on the Brighton Campus, which is available to all students who care to pick their own vegetables. BC is not the only place taking these healthy initiatives in Massachusetts. Four Burgers, a restaurant that uses products locally sourced and grass fed, is located in Central Square, Cambridge and was ﬁrst opened in June 2008 by Michael Bissanti. The main menu consists of beef, turkey, veggie and wild Alaskan salmon burgers. The name could not be any more appropriate. As Bissanti says, “The name of a business should say a little bit about who you are,” and that is exactly what the name of the restaurant does. The exception is a surprise ﬁfth burger, which comes every so often in the form of lamb, bison, or wild boar. As the owner of The Paramount restaurant on Beacon Street, Bissanti realized that on most menus, turkey and veggie burgers were merely afterthoughts located at the bottom corner, directed at “all of the losers that don’t eat beef.” Be-

ing a healthy eater himself, Bissanti was looking to change that and make available delicious alternatives for those that do not eat beef or for those not in the mood for the classic burger. On his Paramount menu, Bissanti offers a salmon cake that he eventually decided to turn into the fourth burger at Four Burgers. The wild Alaskan salmon burger became an instant success with customers. Along with the four delicious burgers on its menu, Four Burgers also offers homemade brownies, cookies, and of course, burger staples like french fries, sweet potato fries, and potato chips – all homemade of course. “Our philosophy applies to the whole menu. We don’t just make great burgers and then grab fries from the freezer,” Bassanti says. Bassanti himself has previously made the cookie dough and baked the cookies right at his restaurant. “Everything at Four Burgers is made from scratch and by hand at the location.” Four Burgers, however, is not the only healthy burger restaurant around Boston. b. good, whose ﬁrst location opened in January 2004, is another eatery that serves customers with mostly local products. While growing up, best friends Jon Olinto and Anthony Ackil promised that they would eventually go into business with one another. After sitting in a bar tossing around ideas, Olinto and Ackil realized that the only thing that made sense to them was to provide burgers and fries made with love, like the kind they had when they were younger. “While we were growing up, Anthony’s uncle cooked for us every day and everything he made was ﬁlled with love.” They also wanted to be able to create a burger that people could eat and not feel awful about afterwards. As a result, at b. good, everything is made the way it should be made, without a lot of production and questionable ingredients. Like Four Burgers, b. good offers beef, turkey, veggie, as well as a grilled

chicken sandwich. All of the steak, beef, and produce come from local farms in Massachusetts and Maine, where Olinto and Ackil know how the product is raised and guarantee delicious results. Eateries like Four Burgers and b. good are only a couple examples of the new healthy “fast food” restaurants. Aside from their menus’ similarities, the founders agree with society’s obsession with the terms “all natural” and “organic.” However, Bissanti and Olinto make it clear that these words are constantly misused and misunderstood, especially “organic.” Because of all the confusion, Bissanti changed his labels from “all natural” to “grass fed and locally sourced.” “Everyone is throwing the natural label on everything. I even saw a pack of Doritos with the label – like, give me a break.” Although Four Burgers’ products are technically raised organically, Bissanti does not market his food with that label because it would cost around $25,000 - $30,000 for the small local farmers from where he receives his food. With his success, Bissanti says he hopes to support the local farms that he uses so they can eventually get that label, even though he feels that the organic label does not mean all that much because at the end of the day, it is about how the food is raised and the research of the farm from where he purchases it. The owners of b. good feel the same way regarding the term organic. “We just want to tell the story of the food. We want to be transparent – who makes it and how they make it – without confusing people with certain buzz words,” explains Olinto. Because consumers and producers everywhere toss around these labels, Olinto knows that “there will always be a new word for the latest fad like low-carb,” and that people can be taken in by these labels. Even though a product has an organic label, it does not necessarily mean that it has been raised domestically. Some products

come all the way from China, defeating the purpose of the organic label. This is why both Bissanti and Olinto emphasize that their food is locally grown. Although b. good has locations throughout Boston and Four Burgers is opening a second location on Boylston Street tentatively by April 2011, these two establishments will not be expanding

outside of Massachusetts just yet. In due time however, Bissanti, Olinto, and Ackil plan to spread their food to other cities to improve their range of customers and hopefully provide people with a different burger-and-fries experience than that of McDonald’s. Until then, they will remain healthy alternatives exclusive only to Boston. 

COURTESY OF CITYSEARCH.COM

BY FRANCESCA BACARDI

This is just one of the offerings from these two healthy alternative restaurants in Boston

ON THE WEB

HerCampus serves as an outlet for lady collegians BY THERESE TULLY For The Heights

Looking to meet the demand of college students for new sources of procrastination, a new Web site has emerged to save college women when Facebook stalking begins to grow tiring and online shopping for items that are far too expensive becomes frustrating. HerCampus.com is a center for advice on relationships, ﬁnancial woes, career opportunities, and events occurring on speciﬁc college campuses. “Her Campus is an online magazine for college women that individualizes its content college-by-college by establishing My Campus branches at schools across the country,” according to HerCampus.com. “With national content on style, health, love, dorm life, and career, supplemented by campus-

specific content produced by teams of students at 70+ colleges across the country, Her Campus serves as a hub for everything college women need to know about today.” Kathryn Fox, A&S ’11, and Brittany Lewis, A&S ’11, have taken on the impressive project of launching a Boston College chapter of HerCampus. com after being inspired by the popular Web site. Lewis said that the women developed the idea when they heard the founders speak at a convention in October. “Kathryn and I attended the Harvard Women in Business Intercollegiate Business Convention in October, where the three founders – Windsor Hanger, Stephanie Kaplan, and Annie Wang – were panelists in several of the breakout sessions,” she said. “They spoke about being young entrepreneurs in the digital age, and we were really excited by the work they were doing.”

Fox and Lewis saw the opening of a BC chapter as a successful endeavor, and they began to take the necessary steps to make their vision a reality. Both women believed this new branch would be a great way to connect the women at BC. “We loved everything we heard about the Web site during the panels and thought that it would be a perfect addition, checked it out as soon as we got home,” Lewis said. “We loved the content and, after surfing other campuses’ branch pages, we realized BC did not yet have their own page. Kathryn and I are both interested in the power of online media and thought it would be a fun way to connect the women of BC.” As a result of the duo’s efforts, the new chapter will contain articles, events, and topics that pertain speciﬁcally to BC women. Fox and Lewis said they hope that this Web site will become an integral part of BC life and a center of

activity and unity. The general Web site features articles that address everything from studying abroad and saving money, to body issues and bad habits, all relevant topics to, what HerCampus.com refer to as, “collegiettes” Once BC has its own chapter, the content will take on even more meaning for the women at the University. “We hope that the BC branch will take this further and express the ideas and concerns of BC women,” Lewis said. “We want it to be a way for women on campus to learn about interesting events, to be inspired by innovative people, and to give voice to the things they care about.” HerCampus.com, with its repertoire of tips and tricks for collegiate living, looks to serve as the equivalent of a best friend for women at BC, offering support, advice, and guidance. The new branch has the potential

to be a great resource for BC women. Lewis said she hopes that BC women will get all they can out of the newly found chapter. She urges women to contribute in a way that is most beneﬁcial for them as the site will be run by and for BC students. “We have already assembled a great team of women who are just as enthusiastic as we are about this project,” Lewis said. “We really want this to be a place where women can express their views about BC life. We’re excited to watch it grow and become an integral part of the BC campus.” The Web site provides a chance for individual voices to be heard in a new and powerful way on campus. It offers vistors the chance to publcize an event, bring up a topic for discussion, write, or take pictures. The BC branch of HerCampus.com will be up and running tomorrow and can be accessed at hercampus.com/bc. 

CAMPUS SPOTLIGHT

Putting BC into an Electronic State of Mind BY JORDAN JENNINGS For The Heights

Imagine a fashion show with no music. The crowd is staring blankly down the runway as a tall, leggy model struggles to keep her rhythmic gait, the season’s hottest hobo bag dangling aimlessly from her rigid shoulder. Cold, awkward silence is broken by the clip clopping of her Jimmy Choos. A photographer mutters something about a morgue. A few nervous coughs ring out from backstage. Thanks to Boston College’s new electronic music club, Electronic State of Mind (ESM), local designers need not fear this terrible scenario. Comprised of 15 student deejays from BC, ESM has already made a name for itself in the community in its ﬁrst year as an ofﬁcial campus group. Just recently, the Boston University Fashion Retail Association, a student club, asked Sue Byun, ESM treasurer and A&S ’12, to perform at its biannual fashion show. Held on Nov. 13, this semester’s program, dubbed

“An International Affair,” showcased the creations of local student designers Miranda and Ava Hashemi. “They plan to use ESM deejays again as they were very happy with the professionalism and performance,” Byun says. “It was a classy affair complete with swag bags from BCBG, Red Bull, and local shops and salons.” Contributing to events like this is one of the primary goals of ESM, members say. The group has quickly become a switchboard for connecting student artists with other on-campus organizations, such as The International Club of Boston College (ICBC), which tapped John Pierson, CSOM ’12, to deejay its second annual International Student Prom. Much of the club’s initial activity has been directed outward in helping fellow students host their own events, many of which operate on a shoestring budget. The beneﬁt of this has been twofold, as it has helped other groups to promote their message and interests while also allowing student deejays the opportunity to gain experience and promote the music they love. Although the ESM deejays enjoy playing all styles of music for these events, their passion, as their name sug-

gests, is for electronic music. The club’s Facebook page, which has over 400 followers, has become a veritable jukebox as members have posted YouTube links to their favorite cuts and remixes. The ESM board has been proactive in preventing illegal file sharing, something they feel contradicts the club’s purpose and goals. The explosion of interest in ESM has not come without its difficulties, as members have had to challenge misconceptions about the mission of club. “We’ve been dealing with that thing like ‘here’s this club just trying to put on a party,’ but the truth is we’re trying to teach people how to deejay, and the end goal in a deejay’s head is ‘I want to play a gig in front of people and make people happy,’” Pierson says. Cecilia Provvedini, ESM’s public relations officer and A&S ’12, says that the club is not associated with alcohol or drugs, and seeks to provide alcohol-free alternatives for students on the weekends. In addition to creating a meeting point for

lovers of electronic music, ESM is also gearing up to provide actual instruction for those wanting to become deejays themselves. “We’re an organization with a focus on making sure that even the non-deejays can come out and get exposure to the genre and experience music production,” says Alex Lam, ESM’s public relations ofﬁcer and CSOM ’13. The University has earmarked funds for ESM to purchase mixing equipment for students to practice on during upcoming workshops, which the club plans to offer in the spring. Participants will have the chance to learn various techniques including live mixing, mashups, and production. Judging by the attendance at the club’s ﬁrst general meeting in October, which exceeded 100 students, these workshops should be in high demand. “This would not have been possible two or three years ago,” Pierson says. “America is known for loving a wide range of music, but has always been referred to as “dance phobic.” But with the break-in of house artists like David Guetta and Deadmau5, a lot of people are exploring the genre more deeply.”

As the popularity of electronic music has increased, so too has the diversity of the genre. This can be seen in the differing styles and mixing techniques of BC’s burgeoning community of deejays. John Pierson, CSOM ’12, and Guy DuPont, LSOE ’13, make up ILO Productions. Both specialize in mashups, which involve layering a vocal track from one song over the instrumental track of another. Coastconnect, the opening act for Kid Cudi and LMFAO at this year’s Fall concert, is comprised of Jessy Ramey and Casey Ruel, both A&S ’13, both of whom produce their own tracks. Jon Ubnoske, A&S ’12, aka GG Voxx, says he enjoys creating remixes. This is just a fraction of the many talented deejays at BC, and that number is only going to increase with the arrival of ESM’s educational workshops. The popularity of the electronic genre is spreading as fast as the music itself, and BC is a part of the movement. Maybe one day students will be able to enroll in beginning burntable or advanced ﬁdget house composition classes. In the meantime, let the beat rock. 

ALEX MANTA / HEIGHTS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION