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Runners reveal their inspirations for the upcoming 26.2 mile journey, B10
Loss and heartbreak poignantly displayed in Bonn Studio’s production of Rabbit Hole, A10
Sophmore hockey player Brooks Dyroff wins an award for his community service, B1
Monday, April 11, 2011
Vol. XCII, No. 21
UGBC undergoes process of altering its constitution Potential changes hope to streamline the document and UGBC’s overall functions By Adriana Mariella Assoc. News Editor
The UGBC is currently in the process of altering its constitution, a measure that Senate Vice President Mike Joyce, A&S ’12 and a member of the constitutional convention board that will decide on these changes, said will hopefully streamline the way that the UGBC functions and strengthen the standing document. “We will most likely produce a document that does not drastically differ [from the current constitution], but one that streamlines the way that the UGBC functions,” Joyce said. “It will also clear up some of the ambiguity within the constitution in order to make it a clearer document.” The constitutional convention board is comprised of members from a variety
Daniel Lee / heights staff
The 9th Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month began with an opening ceremony featuring Audrey Kitagawa, BC Law ’76 (right).
APAHM Opening Ceremony
By Taylour Kumpf
By Tanner Edwards
Last week, seniors stood in long lines waiting to complete their student loan exit interviews. Wednesday was the last day for undergraduates to complete these required interviews, where they were informed of their post-graduate rights and responsibilities based on the financial aid they accepted from the University. According to University guidelines, all students who are planning to graduate in May 2011 are required to complete an exit interview during their final semester if they have borrowed Perkins, Nursing, Law School, Sharp, Bank of America, Graduate Plus, or Stafford loans while attending Boston College. Failure to complete the exit interview process results in a hold on students’ transcripts and diplomas. The information presented during the interview is a summary of the information contained on the promissory notes that students signed. It is suggested that students become familiar with interest rates and repayment terms prior to the interview. The session will also provide information about the repayment, deferment, and cancelation provisions governing student loans, as well as loan consolidation options. A “typical” loan portfolio for a gradu-
Students, faculty members, and University administrators filled the Heights Room Friday night for a dinner celebrating the beginning of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) at Boston College. The APAHM Opening Ceremony, put on by the APAHM Committee, in conjunction with the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of AHANA Student Programs, and other student organizations, mixed Asian cuisine, cultural entertainment, and an awards ceremony, and included a keynote address from an advisor to the United Nations to make for a memorable kick-off to a month-long celebration.
The co-chairs for the ninth annual APAHM commemoration, Roma Estandian, LSOE ’11, and Al Wong, CSOM ’13, addressed the crowd to begin the evening’s proceedings. The duo pointed to the month’s events as an opportunity to not only celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, but as a means to reflect on the diversity of BC and the United States as a whole. “This has significance not only to the Asian community, but to all ethnic groups,” Estandian said. Justin Woo, a former co-coordinator of APAHM and A&S ’11, echoed Estandian’s sentiments, hitting on the significance of the official national celebration of APAHM in the month of May.
“What APAHM is really about is raising cultural awareness throughout campus and the greater Boston community,” he said. “The purpose of APAHM is not only to celebrate, but to educate.” The Opening Ceremony served as the venue for the presentation of the Dr. Donald Brown Award honoring extraordinary contributions to the AHANA community through scholarship, service, and leadership. Susan Choy, CSOM ’11, was honored with the award. Karl Bell, assistant director of the Student Programs Office, read numerous remarks from professors lauding Choy. “She is one of our most engaged student
See APAHM, A4
Planned BC Parkour demo cancelled By Rebecca Kailus Heights Staff
As future members of the Class of 2015 flocked to Boston College for Admitted Eagles Day yesterday, they did not witness the Parkour demonstration planned for that day. Originally scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 10, the BC Parkour (BCPK) demonstration was cancelled in order to secure the safety of both the participants and the “admitted eagles” and their families. BCPK is an unofficial club on campus that practices the philosophy of movement through showcasing the unique movement of each individual’s body in its environment. Since its creation in 2007, the unofficial club has grown to 25 active members, with over 150 students who have expressed interest by signing up for the club’s listserv. Matthew Cullen, president of BCPK and A&S ’12, said that BCPK is based upon the philosophy of moving within one’s environment. “The basic definition of parkour is difficult to pin down exactly [because every practitioner has a slightly different philosophy], but essentially it is the art of moving efficiently and creatively through one’s environment,” Cullen said. Cullen said that the demonstration, scheduled for Sunday, aimed at demonstrating this philosophy to the BC community while teaching people basic techniques. “We were originally planning to have
See Parkour, A4
See Constitution, A4
Seniors line up to complete required loan exit interviews
Susan Choy, CSOM ’11, awarded at kick-off event for APAHM Heights Staff
of UGBC branches, including Micaela Mabida, UGBC president and CSOM ’11; Kelsey Gasseling, president of the GLC and A&S ’11; Harvey Simmons, Senate president and A&S ’11; Erika Hernandez, president of the ALC and A&S ’11; Nick Domino, Senate member and A&S ’12, and Joyce, among others. The decision to begin these delegations comes after the reorganization of the Student Programs Office (SPO), Joyce said. “SPO reorganized itself and as a result, there was a sort of consensus between the SPO and the UGBC to reexamine how we function,” he said. “We are examining the current constitution and seeing what changes would streamline [that function]. We are asking, ‘What is
News Editor
Alex Trautwig / heights Editor
ating senior includes a $5,500 principal balance with a fixed interest rate of 6.8 percent. Borrowers of Massachusetts No Interest Loans are also required to complete an exit interview prior to commencement. These can be completed online, according to Massachusetts guidelines. n
Campus welcomes admittees
andrew powell / heights staff
CASA recently hosted 100 students for their 8th Annual Youth Leadership Conference on Cuba.
Conference addresses Cuba By David Cote Heights Editor
Despite the decidedly negative foreign interaction between the United States and Cuba over the past 50 years, cultural ties between the two nations have never been stronger. This past weekend, the Boston College Cuban-American Student Association (CASA) hosted 100 students from universities worldwide for the eighth Annual Roots of Hope National Youth Leadership Conference on Cuba. CASA has been organizing the conference since October of 2010, and worked extensively on creating an application for BC to serve as the host school for several months. Previous hosts of the conference include Georgetown, Princeton, Duke, Harvard, and Cornell. Roots of Hope, a non-profit organization which works to empower Cuban American youth, cosponsored the event.
The conference, which lasted from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon, featured panels of distinguished speakers who commented on some of the most pressing issues to Cubans and Cuban Americans in the world today. The Archbishop of Miami, Thomas Wenski, served as the keynote speaker. Other panelists included Father Jose Conrado of Santiago de Cuba and Orlando Marquez, a spokesman for the Cuban Catholic Church. Marlena Papavaritis, co-president of CASA and A&S ’11, spoke about the significance of the weekend. “This was an incredibly inspirational conference, as it marked the first time that we had panelists fly directly from Cuba to attend,” she said. Travel restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba had previously prevented many potential speakers from attending the
See Cuban Conference, A4
Kevin Hou / heights editor
Yesterday, the campus drew over 2,500 visitors to campus for Admitted Eagles Day. The office of undergraduate admissions welcomed admitted students and their families.