wounded warriors
‘Grand Room’
features
ARTS & rEVIEW
sports
BC football and the Under Armour team support the Wounded Warrior Project, B10
The mesmerizing musical filled Bonn with curiosity and laughs, A10
Boston College Eagles sneak out two close victories over the weekend, B1
taking care of business
Monday, November 5, 2012
Vol. XCIII, No. 41
Rombalski will leave after four years as vice president By David Cote News Editor
After four years at Boston College, Patrick Rombalski, vice president for student affairs, has announced that he will be leaving his post over the coming two weeks. “I am writing to announce that after four rewarding years at Boston College, I have decided to leave my position as Vice President for Student Affairs to pursue broader interests in the field of higher education,” Rombalski wrote in a letter to colleagues. “In the near term, I will be attending to personal issues. I will also be consulting as well as continuing my involvement in volunteer programs.”
Rombalski came to BC in early 2008, after serving as vice president for student affairs at John Carroll University outside Cleveland, Ohio. Rombalski also served as dean of students at John Carroll, director of residential life at the University of Scranton, and associate director of residential life at Fairfield University, which are all Jesuit institutions. During his first months at BC, Rombalski established a strategic plan for the division of student affairs, creating an overall vision under which the division could improve. “I came into a division of student affairs that the staff said was in great need
See Rombalski, A4 eun hee kwon / heights staff
Students delivered lectures on topics ranging from feminism, to neo-natal care in third world countries at the third BCTalks event by ESS.
campus spared sandy’s worst
bc talks showcase research Eight undergraduates share knowledge at the third BCTalks By Brigid Wright Heights Staff
On Sunday, Nov. 4, Education for Students by Students (ESS) presented its third series of BCTalks lectures. BCTalks is modeled off of the famous TEDTalks, a conference that combines technology, education, and design disciplines and educates the community on “Ideas Worth
Spreading.” BCTalks is designed to give undergraduates an opportunity to share research, passions, and knowledge in a social setting. BCTalks was co-founded by Lisa Piccirillo, A&S ’13, and Conor Sullivan, LSOE ’13, in collaboration with ESS. BCTalks was inspired by the success of other ESS programs, such as BC Splash and the foreign language night classes
now offered on campus for undergraduates. The overall goal of the event is to spread information and passions from student to student in a setting that is less conventional than a classroom. The lecture series has shifted and developed since its first series, cutting the number of speakers from 14 last fall
See BCTalks, A4
Fleabag show overcrowds O’Connell Show delayed, some turned away at door By David Cote News Editor
experience, so that’s where the orientation came in, and the lunches,” said Alexis Cox, co-director of this semester’s BC Splash and LSOE ’14. “We really feel that if we can improve the student experience, students will want to come back. It improves their day, they’re more willing to participate, which makes it better for our teachers who are participating.” Cox and co-director Barron Flood, A&S ’13, both said that Education for Students by Students (ESS) co-president Conor Sullivan, LSOE ’13, encouraged them to get involved in the program. ESS is the Registered Student Organization (RSO) that includes BC Splash, BC Talks, and BC Nighttime Education Students Teaching Students
Despite the popularity of the show, Saturday night’s 10 p.m. My Mother’s Fleabag performance hosted a much smaller crowd than in previous semesters, after many guests were asked to leave due to overcrowding in the O’Connell House. Before the 10 p.m. show began, guests crowded both the upper and lower levels of the O’Connell House for the performance. Before the show could start, however, the BCPD and Karl Bell, assistant director of the Student Programs Office, asked students to step down from the balcony. “The OCH has a very limited capacity and guests are prohibited from standing in the balcony to watch performances,” Bell said. “The OCH manager, BCPD, and I were concerned about student safety at the show. We took measures to make certain that each student/guest at the show was seated and that the number of guests did not exceed the capacity of the house for performances.” Bryan Cocchiara, president and director for My Mother’s Fleabag and A&S ’13, gave a similar summary of the events of
See Splash, A4
See Fleabag, A4
andrew skaras / for the heights
Local area high school students came to Boston College on Sunday for ESS’s BC Splash program. graham beck / heights editor
Although BC was spared serious damage as a result of Hurricane Sandy, several trees, including one of the famed Linden trees on Linden Lane, were brought down as a result of high winds.
Injured alum holds fundraiser Dale Ahn, BC ’11, works to spread awareness for spinal injuries By Devon Sanford Heights Editor
On Dec. 8, a fundraiser will be held for Dale Ahn, BC ’12, who suffered a severe C5 cervical spinal cord injury in 2011. The fundraiser, “Stand Up for a Cure,” will be held in Libation, a bar and restaurant in New York City. Money raised by the fundraiser will go toward Ahn’s Supplemental Needs Trust, a fund established
ESS makes a splash with its fifth semi-annual program By Eleanor Hildebrandt Heights Editor
to offset the costs of Ahn’s rehabilitation and long-term care. The estimated costs of living with a cervical spinal cord injury amount to $712,308 in the first year, followed by $105,013 each subsequent year. The Ahn family hopes that the “Stand Up for a Cure” fundraiser will help supplement these demanding expenses. “I hope for all who attend, to have a great time as it will be a comedy show,” Ahn said in an email. “More importantly, I hope everyone goes home with a little more awareness and knowledge of spinal cord injuries and the many lives affected by it. In regards to the Trust Fund, I hope
See Dale Ahn, A4
High school students from the Boston area flocked to Boston College on Sunday, Nov. 4, to learn about political structures in the world of Harry Potter, how to avoid awkwardness, and ways to prepare for college life. Over 200 BC students volunteered to teach 150 separate classes for BC Splash’s fifth program, using classrooms in Devlin, Fulton, and Gasson to acommodate approximately 600 high school students. Students arrived for registration at 8 a.m., attended an orientation at 9 a.m., and had the option to attend classes anytime from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Our focus this year was a lot on student
TopTHREE
The Heights
Monday, November 5, 2012
things to do on campus this week
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1
Business Etiquette Today Time: 7 p.m. L o c a t i o n : Fu l to n Honors Library
In an increasingly global world, it can be difficult to understand the many cultures with which one may come into contact. Speakers who have worked or interned abroad will discuss business customs of different countries, and members of various culture clubs will be speaking as well. The event is being hosted by the AHANA Management Academy.
Study Abroad: Myths and Realities
2
Today Time: 4:30 p.m. Location: Higgins 300
International study advisors from the Office of International Programs will dispel common misconceptions and explain what it’s really like to study abroad. Refreshments will be served.
Encountering Christ Through Service
3
Tuesday Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: Gasson 100 Dan Ponsetto, director of the Volunteer and Service Learning Center, will discuss the ways in which service can encourage people to develop strong connections to God and each other.
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Former Penn State president accused of concealing abuse crimes
On Campus Sesquicentennial continues with conference on liberal religous education Boston College will host the “Religion and the Liberal Aims of Higher Education” conference on Nov. 8 and 9 in honor of its sesquicentennial. The conference, hosted by BC’s Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, will focus on what sets religious liberal arts universities apart from other liberal arts universities. “This symposium offers the BC community a unique opportunity to sit in on, and participate in, a series of conversations about the different flavors that religiously affiliated institutions impart to liberal education,” said Henry Braun, a professor of education and public policy at Boston College and co-leader of the conference, in an interview with The Boston College Chronicle. Participants in the conference include representatives from Notre Dame University, Wake Forest, Yale, Columbia, Harvard, and Boston College; writers from Vanity Fair and The New York Times; and scholars. The conference will be held in the Heights Room in Corcoran Commons. It is free and open to the public.
Graham Spanier, former president of Pennsylvania State University, has been charged with conspiring to cover up abuse allegations against Jerry Sandusky. Spanier has also been charged with failing to report a crime, obstruction of justice, perjury, and endangering the welfare of children. Linda Kelly, Pennsylvania attorney general, accused Spanier of participating in a “conspiracy of silence” with other top officials, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Spanier’s lawyers are calling the accusation a “political frame-up of an innocent man.” Spanier’s arraignment is scheduled for next week.
Local News Patrick’s request for $30 million too little to cover drug lab expenses State prosecutors say that $30 million is not enough to cover issues caused by a scandal involving tainted evidence at a state drug lab. It is estimated that at least 34,000 criminal cases have been affected by the mishandled evidence. Governor Deval Patrick requested the amount to be put into a reserve account and used for the necessary expenses through February. Total requests for these funds already total over $31 million. The Committee on Public Counsel services has yet to disclose the amount it would need, though representatives say it will be a significant sum.
featured story
Income inequality impacts education By Henry Hilliard For The Heights
Boston College played host to the annual Mass Humanities fall symposium on Saturday afternoon. This year’s event was called Mind the Gap, and focused on the issues surrounding economic inequality and the effects they have on American democracy. The symposium featured several nationally renowned experts in economics, education, and sociology from various academic and media institutions. The event was divided into three sections, each with their own panel of experts discussing one facet of the larger issue of economic inequality. “Causes and Consequences” of such inequality was the topic of the first panel discussion. While all three panelists agreed with the reality of income inequality, there was some discrepancy about the notion that it is harmful. “Economic inequality is not what leads to crises,” said Scott Winship, fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institute. “It is the expansion of credit that leads to economic problems, though oftentimes the two correlate.” Having established the actuality of economic inequality, the
Alex Gaynor / heights staff
Timothy Noah emphasized the role of the president in reversing the trend of greater inequality in America. second panel focused on the role of education as it relates to the larger issues of disparity in both income and wealth. Traditionally thought of as the primary tool of social mobility, many of the featured speakers of this section instead argued that education can actually do more to perpetuate the ever-growing economic gap rather than bridge it. “Access to higher education has stalled in this country,” said Andrew Delbanco, director of American Studies at Columbia University. “If your family makes
more than $90,000, then your odds of graduating from college are one in two. If your family makes less than $30,000, then your odds of being a college graduate decrease to one in 17.” Wealth plays the greatest role in determining what schools children attend, and thus what opportunities they are afforded. This gap in opportunity is what enables the economic gap. Over generations, the gap is perpetuated as children from more privileged backgrounds are afforded more opportunities, and in turn provide the same
opportunities to their children, according to Heather Beth Johnson, sociology professor at Lehigh University. After the first two panels established the reality of economic inequality, the final panel sought to answer the question of what could be done in light of this issue. It was in this discussion of how to reverse the trend of greater inequality that the most partisan notions of the day emerged. “If you want to slow or change this trend entirely, the best thing you can do is electing a Democratic
president,” said Timothy Noah, senior editor for The New Republic. “Our studies have shown that under Republicans the growth is the greatest at the top, while under Democrat presidents the greatest income moves from the bottom up.” Noah’s solution also advocates for more active government involvement in the economy to help balance the inequalities between the top and the bottom. Increasing the size of the federal government payroll to resolve the unemployment problem and raising income, capital gains, and the estate tax were a few of the specific suggestions to combat the larger problem. Although the various panelists clearly displayed different approaches on how to systematically resolve the problem of economic inequality in America, most acknowledged the fundamental nature of inequality as a problem for the county. “Income inequality is a lot like blood pressure: it’s not good to have it too low, but the higher it gets, the more of a problem you have,” said James Galbraith, professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin. “The good news is that again, just like high blood pressure, income inequality is treatable.” n
Police Blotter
Voices from the Dustbowl
10/26/12-10/27/12
“What do you think will be the deciding factor in the upcoming Presidential election?”
Friday, October 26 8:39 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding medical assistance provided to a victim at the Commonwealth Avenue garage who was transported to a medical facility by police cruiser. 11:35 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a suspicious circumstance. 2:01 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding medical assistance provided to a BC employee at McElroy Commons. The employee was transported to a medical facility by ambulance. 2:34 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a suspicious circumstance occuring at Kostka Hall. 4:19 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding vandalism to a residence. 11:38 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding an intoxicated person of legal age.
Saturday, October 27 12:00 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding medical assistance provided to a student at 90 St. Thomas More Road who was transported to a medical facility by ambulance. 12:44 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a noise complaint at an off- campus address.
1:01 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding assistance provided to an underage intoxicated student at Vanderslice Hall. The student was transported to a medical facility by ambulance.
“The ambiguity behind Romney’s plan.” —David Soto, A&S ’15
2:42 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a noise complaint at an off-campus address. 12: 45 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding suspicious persons observed on Campanella Way. 2:14 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding medical assistance provided to a non-BC affiliate at Alumni Stadium. 3:20 p.m. - An officer ejected a non-BC affiliate from Alumni Stadium for possession of alcohol.
“Whoever will mobilize the most voters in the swing states.” —Sean Keeley, A&S ’15
4:45 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding medical assistance provided to a Northeastern University student at the Beacon Street Garage. The student was transported to a medical facility by ambulance.
Today
45° Sunny 28°
Tuesday
43° Partly Cloudy 34°
Wednesday
47° Showers 44°
Thursday
49° Showers 41°
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 Metro 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 David Cote, 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 Greg Joyce, 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 Brennan Carley, Arts and Review Editor, at (617) 552-0515, or e-mail arts@ 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 Taylour Kumpf, Editor-in-Chief, at (617) 552-2223, or e-mail editor@bcheights.com. CUSTOMER SERVICE Delivery To have The Heights delivered to your home each week or to report distribution problems on campus, contact Dan Ottaunick, General Manager at (617) 552-0547. Advertising The Heights is one of the most effective ways to reach the BC community. To submit a classified, display, or online advertisement, call our advertising office at (617) 552-2220 Monday through Friday. The Heights is produced by BC undergraduates and is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year by The Heights, Inc. (c) 2012. All rights reserved.
CORRECTIONS “Whether the youth come out and vote.” —Matt Mazzari, A&S ’14
9:18 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a suspicious circumstance occuring in the Mods. 10:00 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding vandalism to Edmond’s Hall.
—Source: The Boston College Police Department
Four Day Weather Forecast
“Education policies.” —Marney Krupat,
A&S ’15
In the article titled “Homecoming brings 1,000 into Boston” from the Oct. 29 issue, the DJ should have been identified as Guy Dupont, whose stage name is ILO Productions. The article also implied that this was the first Homecoming without a bar. Last year’s event did not include one either.
The Heights
Monday, November 5, 2012
A3
Focus on motives, not appearance
Claremont McKenna duo redefine poverty research By Parisa Oviedo For The Heights
Matt Palazzolo “Hypersensitive” was the new buzzword on campus this past week. Everyone seemed to have an opinion on the infamous opinions column. Someone even came to my Mod’s Halloween party dressed as a WASP with an accompanying copy of last week’s Heights issue. Though Halloweekend Part II is officially over, I can’t resist responding to the article and subsequent backlash. Racism is not dead. Despite numerous advances in the 20th century, perfect equality still remains unachieved. I fully support efforts to confront genuine examples of discrimination. What I object to is people hurling unfounded accusations of racism and other types of discrimination. LeBron James’ Decision is a prime example. Many prominent sportscasters and reporters asserted that the subsequent backlash was based on LeBron’s race. I find this assertion to be overdramatic. I am sure that there were a few bad apples who used hateful and racist language to criticize Lebron. However, the vast majority of sports fans were angry because of his unbelievably egotistical decision to backstab his hometown team on primetime television. It would not have mattered if LeBron was white or any other ethnicity; he made an appallingly arrogant decision that was rightfully criticized. The Daily Show hilariously illustrated the consequence of this kind of hypersensitivity in a skit where Larry Wilmore attempted to play an actual race-card prop, only to find that it had been cancelled on suspicion of fraud. By repeatedly crying wolf, our culture is in danger of sucking attention away from genuine examples of discrimination. My opinion on offensive Halloween costumes focuses on the intent of the costume. The use of blackface is a prime example. In the early 20th century an actor would smear his face with black makeup and impersonate an African-American person. The intent behind this “Jim Crow” costume was unambiguously malicious. On the other hand, I cite the classic Chappelle’s Show skit starring Clayton Bigsby, a blind black white supremacist (yes you read that correctly). The sketch is filled with racial epithets and Ku Klux Klan rhetoric. However, Chappelle’s intent behind the sketch was to satirize the hypocrisy of white supremacist doctrine. Thus I would not consider Chappelle’s character in this sketch offensive, since his motive was not malicious. On a final note, the ethnicity of the people in these examples is irrelevant. Ironically, many blackface actors in the Jim Crow south were actually African-Americans. To identify truly offensive costumes or dialogue, I look beyond the superficial qualities of the perpetrator and instead focus on underlying motives. After reading the infamous Halloween article, I scanned for comments on The Heights’ website and Facebook. I quickly spotted several comments directly attacking the author as a bigot or narrow-minded fool, as well as criticizing The Heights for daring to run such an article. My message to these people is simple. Get off your high horse. Nobody cares how angry and self-righteous you felt after reading the article. The world is full of genuinely horrific examples of discrimination. If you truly wish to take a stand for equality and open-mindedness, then find an organization to channel your efforts. Flaming a Heights columnist for posting her personal opinion accomplishes absolutely nothing in the war on discrimination. The majority of comments on The Heights’ website, though, were not ad hominem attacks. I found several thoughtful responses that critiqued the author’s specific arguments while respecting her overall opinion. Reading these responses reminded me of the Ignite event last month, where several students courageously spoke frankly about diversity at BC. These types of honest discussions about difficult issues make me proud to be a part of the BC community. Matt Palazzolo is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at news@bcheights.com.
Natalie Blardony / Heights Staff
Dancing with the Scholars brought together student dance groups and the leaders of other student organizations.
Dancing unifies student leaders By Brigid Wright Heights Staff
Last Friday, the Cape Verdean Student Association (C VSA) partnered with UGBC’s UNITY to host the fourth annual Dancing with the Scholars event. The event is designed to connect student leaders with accomplished members of student dance groups, who practice and then compete against other pairs in front of judges and the audience. The contestants used all types of music genres and dance styles for a wide cultural representation. This year, Dancing with the Scholars made audience participation a priority, allowing them to vote for a congeniality couple at the end of the competition, and even offering a chance for an audience member to perform with a dancer. And in honor of the Cape Verdean tradition, this year couples were credited extra points by the judges for incorporating a Cape Verdean song into their routine. Stephanie Ng, UNITY co-director for UGBC and CSOM ’15, explained how Dancing with the Scholars helps bring together the Boston College community. “It is a great way to get various student leaders together and for dance groups to show off their moves,”
Ng said. “It gets students from different organizations to come out to one event and cheer on their friends.” The event began with an introduction of the judges, all of whom were involved with the event in some way when it was first created, and an acoustic
“[Dancing with the Scholars] is a great way to get various student leaders together and for dance groups to show off their moves.” -Stephanie Ng UNITY co-director and CSOM ’15 performance from two members of the Bostonians. Student organizations and dance groups were also widely represented during the competition, featuring dancers from Masti, UpRising, Fuego, Synergy, and Irish Dance, and UGBC representatives, Halftime leaders, and members of the Student Admissions Program, among others. The event, which has been be-
ing planned since July, required a great deal of collaboration. Because of the expansion of the event from when it began four years ago, more planning and involvement from various groups was required. More student groups have been incorporated into the show since it first began, and its popularity has grown dramatically. Courtney Lawrence, UNITY co-director and A&S ’15, explained the extensive work it took to run such a large event. “From booking the location of the event to contacting the contestants, there was a lot of teamwork involved between my co-director [Ng] and Rayana Grace and Emily Veiga,” Lawrence said. “Although planning this event was hard work, it was a lot of fun working with the CVSA presidents.” Nick Zwolinski, member of the Bostonians and A&S ’13, and Gabriela Meija, member of Fuego and A&S ’13, were the winners of the competition. Their energy and charisma made them stand out to the judges, but the commitment to the contest and enthusiasm from all the contestants contributed to the success of the show. “The crowd sounded like they were having a great time too, and we’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback,” Lawrence said. n
Scramble educates entrepreneurs By Andrew Skaras Heights Staff
For the entire weekend, over 60 Boston College students gathered to embark on BC’s first ever StartUp Scramble. Sponsored by the BC Entrepreneurial Society (BCES), the event served as a crash course in everything students needed to know to begin their own companies. Over the course of the weekend, participants were given guidance and coaching and had to come up with a final pitch to give for their startup by the event’s end on Sunday afternoon. Run by Stephen Douglass, chief impact officer and founder of Young Impact, the StartUp Scramble has been hosted at universities across the country such as Harvard, Babson, and Georgetown. In addition to running these events for colleges, Douglass also leads them at corporations and non-profits. On Friday evening, the event began with a keynote presentation by John Gallaugher, associate professor of information systems, which was followed by dinner and mingling for the participants to get to know one another. After Douglass gave an over view of the weekend and the pro ce dures for the Scramble, the participants all gave pitches, which were voted on and used to divide them up into 15 groups for the remainder of the weekend. Af ter b e g inning to work with their newly founded teams Friday night, the participants reassembled Saturday morning for skill-building workshops that brought in professionals from all different fields. Douglass led a financial workshop on general bookkeeping and financial projections. There was a work shop on website building, as well as one on sales and marketing. The final work-
shop was led by Ginggi Storer, William Collins, and Achal Oza, lawyers from Goodwin Procter who stressed the importance of patent protection and discussed the legal benefits of forming a corporation. “There are people here who don’t know all the business stuff, but have a general idea of what they want to do,” said Troy Johnson, treasurer of the BCES and A&S ’14. “There are people who are more marketing based and people who want to do sales. There are people who want to do finance and accounting, and then there are people who want
“There’s tension, but there’s a lot of fun that comes out of it and you learn a lot. It’s an amazing event to be a part of.” -Derek Switaj Event coordinator for the Boston College Entrepreneur Society and CSOM ’15 to do the tech. There are artists and graphics designers. All the skill workshops hit a little bit of each of these things, every single aspect that you need [for a startup].” After a day of skill-building workshops, presentations, and working with coaches, the groups were required to give a “dirty pitch” on Saturday evening. Meant to put the groups on the spot, they had to stop whatever they were doing and pitch their idea as it was at the time. After the groups gave their “dirty pitch” and received critiques on them, they went back
to work for the remainder of Saturday night to refine their pitch for the final presentation on Sunday morning. After brunch on Sunday, the groups were given a last hour to finish up their presentation before they delivered it. “It’s not a competition,” Johnson said. “There are no prizes or anything like that. What people take out of this is everything they need to know to start a business. Three months out, 30 percent of people who start their own projects are still working on them. For other people, it is just for the experience.” Co-sponsored by the AHANA Management Academy, the Information Systems Academy, and the Computer Science Society, the Scramble served as the flagship event for the BCES this semester and attracted a lot of interest in the club. “ Two or thre e years ago, BCES did not have a strong presence on campus, and this is the first major event to change that,” said Roger Larach, president of the BCES and CSOM ’13. “We have been planning this for four months, and the turnout and interest is far greater than we thought. People have committed to an entire weekend of entrepreneurship.” After attending a Scramble last year, Derek Switaj, event coordinator for the BCES and CSOM ’15, had the idea to bring it to BC for this academic year. “I was in a Scramble last year, and I would say that is the most stressful and fun weekend you can have,” Switaj said. “At times, you are fighting with people that you just met and you don’t know. You are trying to come up with an idea and formulate a business with people you just met. There’s tension, but there’s a lot of fun that comes out of it and you learn a lot. It’s an amazing event to be a part of.” n
On a daily basis, the average Boston College student probably spends at least $30 on meals alone. Zach Ingrasci and Chris Temple, two economics majors at Claremont McKenna College, recently lived voluntarily on only $1 a day. The pair lived off an average of $1 a day for eight weeks in Guatemala in order to understand life below the poverty line. Ingrasci, Temple, and their two photographers recorded their experience in a film titled Living on One. The film’s Boston premiere was held last Friday in BC’s Devlin 008 and drew a crowd of about 300 audience members. “About 1.1 billion people live on under $1 a day,” Ingrasci said. “Coming from Seattle and New York, respectively, we didn’t really understand.” Ingrasci and Temple wanted to answer two main questions on their trip: How the poor survive on only $1, and what financial services they need to better their lives. The duo chose a rural village called Pena Blanca in Guatemala, a country in which, according to Temple, half of the population is living in poverty, and more than 15 percent in extreme poverty. As economic majors, they were also curious to know if this 15 percent really thinks about how to manage its money or if “It is just a survival mode and trying to manage to take care of their children,” Ingrasci said. The film tracked how the two got their answers. In order to simulate living in poverty, they had to echo what they believed were two key aspects to living on less than $1. Due to unpredictable incomes, “The extreme poor don’t know when they’re getting payed,” Ingasci said. Secondly, according to Ingrasci, the poor use a “complex combination of financial instruments in order to survive.” To mimic these two aspects, the team of four took their budget for the summer, $56 each, and divided it from a hat each morning, using only the amount that they drew from the hat on a given day. This meant that they could spend anywhere between $0 and $9 a day. Secondly, the team took out a loan in the beginning of
the summer and, according to Ingrasci, payed an installment every two weeks, adding to their already limited budget. Indeed, an average of $4 a day for four people (and sometimes $0, depending on the number that they drew from the hat) made it quite impossible for the four to get a healthy nutritional intake, let alone start their own business. “I’m used to eating a lot, I’m used to being active, but when you’re eating like 500 calories, you feel really lethargic,” Ingrasci said. At one point, Temple had Giardia and E. Coli at the same time and the $2 truck ride, $25 doctor’s visit, and even more for prescription medication forced them to spend more money than their budget allowed. As someone who does not actually live in poverty, Temple was fortunate enough to have access to emergency money to aid his health. He was well aware, however, that it would have been very different for anyone living in poverty. Health and nutrition aren’t the only victims of poverty: education is affected as well. “Do you choose between feeding your child and keeping them in school?” Temple said. One solution, Temple and Ingrasci found, was microfinancing and microloans. “It was so huge to see the difference that access to a little credit could do for our friends and for our neighbours,” Ingrasci said. After 56 days, the team of four had collectively lost about 18 kilograms and had suffered from starvation, physical challenges, and various illnesses, but the lessons they learned were invaluable. “Our friends in Pena Blanca became the best teachers we’ve ever had in our lives,” Ingrasci said. “They took abstract concepts that we were learning in the classroom and made them real.” One of these abstract concepts that were taught is how to approach poverty as a problem. Ingrasci and Temple took their experiences and went on to create an organization, Living on One, that is currently focusing on raising awareness. “If each individual could help the livelihood of another individual,we could change the world,” Temple said. n
BC team places first in ethics competition By Mary Rose Fissinger Heights Editor
The team of Matt Alonsozana, A&S ’14, and Justin Feng, CSOM ’14, took first place in the annual Collegiate Eller Ethics Case Competition on Friday, Oct. 26 at the University of Arizona. This marked the first time, in six years of participation, that Boston College has placed in the business ethics competition. Each of the 28 competing teams presented on a case that had been given to them about three weeks prior. This year, the case was about the practice of fracking, a controversial method of extracting oil, in western Maryland. For the presentation at the competition, the teams were instructed to “Pretend that you are the advisory board to the governor of Maryland, and you are presenting to him about what the analysis is of the background [of the case] and what your recommendation would be for whether they should go forward with fracking or not,” said Erica Graf, associate dean of undergraduate programs in CSOM and faculty advisor to the team. Alonsozana and Feng had two weeks to prepare before sending in their PowerPoint and executive summary a week and a half before the competition. “Our research came first from reading up on the topic of fracking itself, as we knew little about its implications before this competition,” Feng said. “We looked at state reports, research studies, articles on both the pros and cons of fracking, etc.” They also spoke to a variety of people who were informed on the issue of fracking, such as a student director of the Sierra Club and a Ph.D. candidate in BC’s financial department with experience in the natural gas industry. Alonsozana and Feng are not only teammates but roommates as well, leading to inescapable accountability in the preparation process. “I remember us waking each other up on a Saturday morning around 7 a.m. to go hammer out our strategy that day,” Feng said. “We found an empty conference room in Fulton with a whiteboard and literally stayed in the room until 6 p.m. that evening.” They were also able to easily identify each other’s strengths and divide up the work.
“Justin and I work really well together as a team,” Alonsozana said. “Justin brings an analytical approach to finance and ethics, and I complement that with my experiences in government, law, and debate. We worked together on every aspect of the presentation, but we built off our respective strengths.” Graf put together a mock panel of CSOM faculty acting as judges for whom the team could practice their presentation. “I think the questions they received from this panel were much more intense than what they received [at the competition], which was great,” Graf said. At the competition, the teams were divided into four brackets. The first two rounds decided a winner of each bracket. These four teams then competed against one another in the final round, which was judged by all the judges from each of the brackets. “The final round was great.” Alonsozana said. “While Justin and I were at first a little nervous about presenting in front of hundreds of people, as soon as we saw that the crowd and judges were responsive to our presentation and rhetoric, we got really fired up.” The winning team was announced at a closing dinner. Graf, Feng, and Alonsozana agreed that the competition’s focus on ethics was what made it so challenging and rewarding. “[CSOM] takes ethics in business very seriously,” Graf said. “We have tried to emphasize it in our curriculum with Portico, where students are given situations to read about where there is not always a clear-cut answer on what the right thing to do is. They have to wrestle with the issues and really examine the cases from many angles.” “The concept of ethics is not merely about doing the right action in a certain situation, but rather a lens through which we can analyze the benefits and consequences on each person or stakeholder involved,” Feng said. “I learned that ethical issues in the world are often muddled and complex, and sometimes don’t have a clear “correct” outcome—as we make every decision, we can only try our best to remain idealistic in maintaining a sense of ethical integrity, but be realistic by recognizing that our system is imperfect.” n
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Dale Ahn remains positive after spinal injury Dale Ahn, from A1 to raise enough so that my family and I won’t have to worry about the expansive costs of living with SCI [spinal cord injury]. After all, I lived in a nursing home for six months after my discharge from Mount Sinai Hospital because it was logistically and financially impossible for me to move back home at the time.” After Ahn’s accident, the BC alum was taken to North Shore Long Island Jewish Huntington Hospital in Long Island, N.Y., where he underwent multiple surgeries. Against staggering odds, Ahn survived the injury. He spent a month in the ICU and was then transferred to Mount Sinai, an acute spinal cord injury rehabilitation center, for extensive rehabilitation. After two months, Ahn was discharged to New Franklin Center, a sub-acute rehabilitation center in Queens, N.Y. “The first few weeks were pretty much a blur to me,” Ahn said. “My mind and body were in
a state of shock due to my injury, not to mention pneumonia too. However, I do remember that my family was by my side day and night. Fortunately for me, that hasn’t changed. But because of the extent of my injury and some further complications, I stayed at the hospital in the intensive care unit (ICU) for a month. And today, over a year later, I am happily living back home in Queens, N.Y. I am still rehabbing, but only twice a week for physical therapy, at the NYU Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine.” Ahn is now a quadriplegic. Although he struggles to complete once simple, automatic tasks, he remains the same cheerful, unflappable person his BC friends know and love. “As one would expect, paralysis, more specifically quadriplegia, is a life altering experience,” Ahn said. “I have a good support network of friends and family, which helps keep my spirits high. But nonetheless, my life has become much more of a struggle. There’s the saying, ‘Don’t take life for
granted.’ Today, there are some aspects of life that I actually can no longer take for granted. But don’t get me wrong, I’m still looking at the ‘glass half-full,’ to continue the theme of corny cliches.” As a college student, Ahn was an active member of the BC community. He majored in economics, worked at the nonprofit organization Haley House and Corner Bakery, and raised more than $34,000 for the Boston College Fund and Flynn Fund at the BC Phonecenter. Since graduation, he has remained close with his BC friends, and they have played an active role in his recovery. Since his injury, Ahn, his family, and friends have turned to his alma mater for help and support. They hope to raise enough funds for the trust to cover costs not paid for by insurance. The money raised will allow Ahn to attend adequate physical therapy programs, receive long-term care and have access to the necessary medical equipment required for his daily life. His family and friends also hope to raise money
for spinal cord injury research so that Ahn and others suffering from paralysis can benefit from scientific advancements. Over a year has passed since Ahn’s accident, and he has made tremendous strides. Ahn has regained some strength and mobility in his arms, as well as improved his respiratory function, shoulder function, bicep function, and balance. He remains hopeful for the future and advises BC students to do the same. “My advice to current students would be to always have patience and hope,” Ahn said. “I struggle with patience, not only in my rehab and road to recovery, but in my everyday life. If something you desire doesn’t come along as quickly as you would like, don’t lose hope. Maybe even more tragic than my injury is that I’m a [New York] Mets fan. One of my favorite quotes is from Mets pitcher, R.A. Dickey: ‘Never abandon hope.’ So always have patience and never abandon hope! Yes, Superfans, even in regards to the BC football team.” n
Rombalski resigns, Keating will act as interim Rombalski, from A1 of a vision and a strategy to move forward,” Rombalski said. “The division wanted to be held in higher regard than it was at the time.” After establishing the strategic plan, Rombalski and the division of student affairs went straight to work. During his time at BC, Rombalski focused greatly on issues of concern to students, working to establish the Office of Health Promotion and the Center for Leadership and Development, as well as to remove red tape around registering student organizations and make changes to policy for the benefit of students. “All of the things we set out to do in my first year have been accomplished,” Rombalski said. “Programmatically, this is a pretty
good time to go. It’s not that I like to leave, but I like to look for the right time to leave.” While serving as vice president of student affairs, Rombalski had weekly Tuesday dinners with various student groups, and took great interest in getting various perspectives on different issues. “This is the type of division that always has to have its hand on the pulse of the student body,” Rombalski said. “This division more than any other has to be open and flexible, and it has to align with student needs. We always need people who will roll up their sleeves and get out with students all the time.” Rombalski came to the decision to leave after several weeks of conversations with various colleagues. He has said that his decision is based on personal issues, and that
his experience at BC has been overwhelmingly positive. “How much more can I give to the institution?” Rombalski said. “There has to be a good marriage between the two.” Over the next six to eight weeks, Rombalski will attend to personal issues. At the start of the new year, he will begin moving into different areas of higher education. “I’ve always had a broader view of higher education,” Rombalski said. “I have several different options now, consulting and some more traditional positions. Something I’ve always been interested in is access to higher education. Can everyone go to college?” Rombalski will continue to serve as executive director of Rostro de Cristo, a position he has held since 2001. Rostro de
Attendance at final Fleabag show limited by O’Connell House capacity Fleabag, from A1 the night. “Karl Bell and the BCPD came and didn’t let the show start until everyone had come down off the balcony and found a seat in the audience,” Cocchiara said. Bell stated that the decision to remove students from the balcony was done in the interest of student safety. He also said that the popularity of the show was a positive sign for BC as a whole. “We realized before the second show began that the number of guests was well beyond capacity,” Bell said. “Realizing that this represented a potential hazard, we were forced to ask several guests (specifically those standing in the balcony) to leave the performance and also denied entry to several guests. This underscores the pop-
ularity of late night and weekend programming at Boston College and at the OCH in particular.” The delay in removing students caused the show to start a half hour later than scheduled, and limited the number of guests attending the performance. “It made sense because the balcony isn’t the most structurally stable and we were definitely over the recommended capacity for the O’Connell House,” Cocchiara said. “It was definitely done in the interest of safety, because if anything were to happen it would be on the University.” Cocchiara maintained that the problem could have been resolved more effectively, however. “It was unfortunate because the show started a half hour late and we were treated a bit like high school students,” Cocchiara said.
“We would have rather dealt with the issue ourselves.” For shows and performances, the O’Connell House has a relatively low capacity due to space constraints in the lobby area, where shows are held. In previous p erformances , far more guests were present. Pointing to the past, Cocchiara said that My Mother’s Fleabag shows have always been held in O’Connell House, and many have been over capacity. “The O’Connell House is our historic venue and in the past we’ve looked the other way and let the police at the door deal with the issue of overcrowding,” Cocchiara said. “That’s why we’ve always liked to have them at our show. We never want to have to turn people away—what’s the point of having a show no one can come to?” n
Cristo is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the poor of Ecuador. The search for a successor will begin this month. In the meantime, Executive Vice President Pat Keating will oversee the Division of Student Affairs. “I would like to thank Fr. Leahy and Pat Keating for giving me the opportunity to serve our students, and I am particularly grateful to the staff in the division of student affairs for their extraordinary contributions and for the progress we have achieved during this time,” Rombalski said. “I have deep admiration for our students,” Rombalski said. “I’ve always described BC as an electric student body. It’s been a great honor to serve them and I’m sure they will be well served going forward.” n
andrew skaras / for the heights
BC students taught classes ranging from the history of tie-dye to first aid.
Students Splash around Splash, from A1 (NESTS), which is new this year. Both Cox and Flood taught for the third BC Splash and afterward ran for the program’s executive board, which consists of 15 students. BC Splash, which was based on MIT’s model when Hanyin Cheng, BC ’12, established it at BC in 2010, has since grown into its own distinct program. “Originally, when we started doing this three years ago, our events were pretty similar,” Flood said. “MIT was the basis. As we’ve grown, we’ve been establishing ourselves as an independent Splash, and we’re actually trying to stay away from doing things like MIT does. Kids going to these programs either go to MIT Splash or BC Splash, and we want them to think of them as separate things, and not see BC Splash as a little brother. I think we’re getting there.” While MIT’s Splash classes focus on math and the sciences, BC Splash offers more in the liberal arts. “They’re a source of support for us—we always borrow supplies from them, they always come to our event, whenever they hold an event, we always send a representative or two,” Cox said. “We don’t really help each other too much with the planning, but we’re always supportive
of each other, always reaching out, exchanging ideas.” This year, Flood said, BC Splash has added classes geared toward high school seniors and juniors focusing on college prep, which have been very popular. The subjects of those classes range from how to prepare for the SAT and how to write a college essay to making friends and designing dorm rooms freshman year. “If there’s anything I could tell to everyone on this campus, it’s that BC Splash is something that you definitely should try at least once,” Cox said. “There are so many ways you can get involved. You could be a Splash leader, you could be a general volunteer, you could be a teacher, you could be an e-board member—and each of those four components offer such a different experience, and it’s such a great experience at BC. It’s something I suggest everyone get involved in at least once.” Flood agreed, noting that students, worried about what topic they would choose or how they would present it, are often initially reluctant to teach classes for BC Splash. “But once you get someone to do it once, they’re stuck,” he said. “The number of returning teachers we have is huge. Once you’ve taught, you do it again, almost invariably.” n
BCPD Goes high tech
photo courtesy of the office of news and public affairs
The BCPD recently went more high-tech by installing Quick Response (QR) codes on each of their cruisers. When scanned with a smartphone, the codes will refer users to BCPD’s recently updated and streamlined website.
Students showcase undergraduate research at third BCTalks symposium BCTalks, from A1 to the current eight and hiring a videographer due to a budget increase. The topics of the talks also span far beyond research findings, and lecturers have also discussed topics including volunteer experiences and being involved in startup programs. The application process to be a BCTalks speaker is extensive, in order to ensure that the lectures fit exactly into the goal of the
program. Narintohn Luangrath, director of BCTalks and A&S ’14, explained how applicants are chosen. “We recruit lecture applicants through an online application which is sent out to all the department listservs,” Luangrath said. “We also ask faculty members to review applications, giving a greater level of legitimacy to our selection process.” Luangrath explains that the help of faculty members makes the process that much easier because these teachers can
gauge the level of expertise of the speaker in the specific field. Luangrath also conducted interviews with potential lecturers to measure their level of interest and passion in the subject and see if they would make a compelling speaker. After the speakers are chosen, pictures and flyers of all the participants help advertise the lecturers, as the biggest pull for audience members is the speakers’ friends being able to see them speak passionately about a field or interest that gets overlooked in
casual conversation. “I tell the speakers, BCTalks, in the spirit of the popular TEDTalks series, aims to provide a stage for students to extend the conversation about their topic beyond the traditional classroom setting,” Luangrath said. “It is important that their talks are accessible to the educated person and the team, and I work with the lecturers to make sure this is the case.” The lectures ranged from a wide variety of topics, including Corey Streitwieser, A&S ’13, who
spoke about rhetoric in Athenian democracy, to Lizzie Jekanowski, A&S ’13, who offered her opinions about the importance of feminism in today’s society. All speakers had expertise in their field, ranging from spending time in hospitals in Nepal like Alana Fruauff, A&S ’14, to being actively involved in BC Students for Sexual Health like Jekanowski. Other topics ranged from voter identification rights, by Jovalin Dedaj, A&S ’13, to using a post-natal care system at home and abroad, by Christopher
McLaughlin, A&S ’13. Ailis Peplau, also A&S ’13, presented on the experiences of the underrepresented in her lecture titled “From Africa to Boston College.” Minje Shin, A&S ’13, spoke about the dialectic of Plato, while Alejandra Rodriguez, A&S ’14, presented “Mexico: A Culture Trapped in Time.” In the spirit of TEDTalks, the videos taken of the speakers will be available on the BCTalks website after the event so that the information is accessible to peers. n
eun hee kwon / heights staff
Alejandra Rodriguez, A&S ’14 (left), Minje Shin, A&S ’13 (center), and Ailis Peplau, A&S ’13 (right), were three of the eight student speakers featured in this semester’s BCTalks, hosted by Education for Students by Students on Sunday evening.
CLASSIFIEDS
The Heights
Monday, November 5, 2012
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Letters to the Editor Leaders of “Dress with Respect” thank students for respectful costumes The members of the UGBC “Dress with Respect” campaign, FACES Council, and Women’s Resource Center would like to thank you for hearing our message over this Halloween season. We were extremely pleased with the amount of support we received in all of our publicity. Prior to this campaign, we noticed there were many conversations on campus regarding how what one person may find offensive in a Halloween costume can drastically differ from what another person may find offensive. We found through open discussions with students in our community that this is not solely limited
to race, but also encompasses GLBTQ, class, religion, and body image issues, among others. The purpose of the “Dress with Respect” campaign, and specifically the proxy voting stations, was to give students the opportunity to express themselves and let others know what they found offensive and inoffensive. The campaign encouraged BC students to be cognizant of how their choices during the Halloween season affected others around them. While some in our community may believe this campaign was not necessary or that we are too sensitive to these issues, we encourage students with these opinions to keep in mind
the historical context of the struggles of various peoples and the possibility of perpetuating harmful stereotypes when selecting a costume. One of the main pillars of a Jesuit education is being open and critically analyzing issues before expressing one’s views. As BC students, it is our job to use these skills and in every decision we make. Thank you again for all of your support. UGBC “Dress With Respect” Committee Faces Council Women’s Resource Center
The following letters are in response to “Hypersensitive Halloween”, by Kristy Barnes: Hi Kristy. My name is Lindsey and I’m a Boston College alumna who read your article “Hypersensitive Halloween.” I wanted to respond because, frankly, I vehemently disagree. When people dress up as members of cultures and races other than their own, they tend to reduce those cultures and races to simple stereotypes: sexy squaw, Mexican landscaper, ghetto fab black chick, Arab terrorist (all costumes I saw while at BC). That can be hurtful to Native Americans who don’t wear headdresses in their everyday lives (almost all of us), Latinos who are not landscapers (me), African Americans who don’t wear Rocawear (me again), Arabs who are not terrorists (also me). It can also be offensive to landscapers and Rocawear-wearers who have complex identities beyond their clothing choices or careers. But this is about more than just hurt feelings. This is about actual marginalization faced by actual people—marginalization that you have never and will never experience by virtue of not belonging to those cultural groups. People who dress as stereotypes of cultures whose members were enslaved, murdered en masse, colonized, and imprisoned are mocking people who today still face disproportionately high rates of negative health outcomes, employment discrimination, incarceration, sexual violence, state violence—I could go on (and would be happy to share the supporting research). But guess what: after Halloween, they get to take the costumes off. As a multiracial person, I can’t remove my skin. I can’t change the fact that when people look at me, they see someone who is less worthy of employment, quality health care, safe housing, equal rights, a fair trial, enfranchisement, freedom from rape, and so on. For me and millions of others who have marginalized identities—that includes not just people of color, but also GLBTQ individuals, religious minorities, people living in poverty, etc.—it is an inescapable reality that we are considered Less Than. So we’re not being “hypersensitive” when we see people mocking our culture through stereotyped costumes. We’re making a clear connection between “jokes” and actual experiences of prejudice, exclusion, and violence. It is because people in power have considered our cultures Less Than
and deserving of mockery that they have justified oppressing us. Words have power, Kristy. So do costumes. That’s also why my dressing up as a WASP wouldn’t be the same as a WASP dressing up like me. WASPs were not and are not systematically denied rights and opportunities. As a WASP, you don’t face the same institutional prejudices that I do. We live in a society that privileges and affords power to your identity at my expense. And whether you want to or not, you have benefited from this dynamic. The progress and status your culture has achieved were on the backs of others. The disadvantages I have faced cannot be separated from the advantages they gave you. You reference Montaigne in defense of your position. But did you know Montaigne considered the white, Christian colonizers—not the indigenous peoples who were enslaved and subject to genocide under them—the true savages? How do you think he would feel about costumes that trivialize that legacy of injustice? I learned that at BC. I also learned that history belongs to all of us. We are all responsible for speaking what you call “capital-T Truth” to power. How do you plan to speak Truth to power? You can start by checking your privilege (see Peggy McIntosh’s White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack if you don’t know what that means). You can seriously reconsider the ideas you put forth in your article. Do you think you’ve done justice to the complex issues of race and racism? Does your position honor and respect people who don’t share your perspective or experiences? Will you simply dismiss this critique as “hypersensitive”? I don’t know anything about you, Kristy. And honestly, I don’t need to: whatever your background, you’re espousing ideas that perpetuate racism, injustice, and systemic oppression. Your article did anger me, Kristy, and according to you, that means I’m thinking. Now it’s your turn. Lindsey Hennawi, BC ’11
The Undersigned,
people of color
and our allies , who have served as
Monday, November 5, 2012 As concerned faculty and graduate students who form the Race and Ethics Seminar, we feel that Kristy Barnes’ column in The Heights, “Hypersensitive Halloween”, makes for an important and useful “teaching moment.” When a bright young woman of 19 with many educational opportunities nevertheless seems to lack understanding of white privilege or the violence of words in perpetuating ideas of “otherness,” it is surely time to ask if we are doing an adequate job of talking about race and difference in our classes. Barnes’ sense that to be critically reflective constitutes “being offensive” also displays a lack of understanding of the philosophical authors whom she cites. We are particularly grieved by the misinterpretation of Montaigne, whose own appeals to question “custom” were intended to guard against
the privileging of European culture as that culture increasingly encountered unfamiliar civilizations. We as a community must bring more awareness of the relationship between power and speech, where the rage against any regulation of speech and behavior drown out any plea for decency and consideration. We propose that, as the University undertakes a revision of its core curriculum, serious consideration be given to the education of students on issues of race, gender, and social class, as well as how one can communicate respectfully about these issues. Ultimately, it is not only what we wear for Halloween that is at issue here, but also how we wear it. And to have that discussion we need to educate students like Barnes that race and culture concern
them as much as they do the guy in a sombrero hat.
As a Boston College student, as a regular reader of The Heights, and as an observer of Halloween culture here on campus, I felt a particular obligation to respond to Kristy Barnes’s recent opinion piece “Hypersensitive Halloween.” I understand that this column will likely cause a commotion on campus, for the same reason that I take the time to write this piece: we all have strong opinions as BC students, a point alluded to by Ms. Barnes. It’s in our collective DNA. But as a fellow student, and—disclaimer—as a member of UGBC, I harbor some serious reservations regarding the logic and conclusion of Ms. Barnes’s work. I too, am a WASP: a white Anglo-Saxon protestant. I do not identify as strongly with this moniker as Ms. Barnes does, but the shoe fits. I also have never played squash—I attended a public school in Atlanta, and I was born and raised in the Midwest of the United States. Ms. Barnes and I are very different people, but we are alike enough for me to understand where she comes from, and to attempt to reason the same way she does in her column. This action, the genuine attempt to under-
stand others’ viewpoints, is something I am proud to say permeates BC’s campus. I, too, was hesitant for UGB C to initiate a Halloween program this year. Memes of last year’s infamous “We’re Not A Costume” still persist and the idea of a didactic and patronizing UGBC and ALC were disconcerting, especially to members of both of these organizations . Howe ver, like Ms. Barnes, I “did the research” and my findings were a relief. The program created, the “Dress with Respect” campaign, intended not to explain what an offensive costume looks like (as no clear definition exists) but rather to jumpstart the conversation, much like this column does. The campaign encouraged BC students to think about their actions and how others could perceive them, advice that could have been better absorbed by Ms. Barnes. I think that my fundamental problem with this column, “Hypersensitive Halloween,” is that it assumes too much. Ms. Barnes maintains in her column that her main point is to ensure that campaigns like “Dress with Respect” are not created as knee-jerk reactions to possible cultural misun-
derstandings on campus. I do not know much about Ms. Barnes’s experience at BC, that I admit, but I do whole-heartedly know that this campaign is not spontaneous, or unnecessary, or hypersensitive. Campaigns like this are not created in a vacuum on campus—there is real ignorance to battle. I am glad that Ms. Barnes has not seen it before, but thousands of students and I have. Ms. Barnes, thank you for writing this column. It proves that campaigns like UGBC’s Dress with Respect are not in vain, and I understand that much of the BC community completely agrees with you. This campus should never be one that refuses to listen to any voice, and I am thrilled that The Heights published your piece. I hope that this is a launching-point of many conversations to come, all of which will benefit our student body. But understand this above all else: I am a student too. I support this campaign not because it would be insensitive not to, but rather because I believe that a BC where everyone is comfortable is the best one in which to live and learn.
Kalpana Seshadri, AssoProfessor, English Marina McCoy, Associate Professor, Philosophy Deborah Levenson-Estrada, Associate Professor, History Amelia Wirts, Doctoral Candidate, Philosophy Martin Summers, Associate Professor, History Mary Troxell, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Phi-
ciate
losophy
Irene Ruiz Dacal, Doctoral Candidate, English Zachary Morgan, Assistant Professor, History Rhonda Frederick, Director of African and African Diaspora Studies and Associate Professor, English Arissa Oh, Assistant Professor, History
leaders and members of various student organizations, past and present:
FACES Council, ’12-’13 Caitlin Moran, BC ’11 Titciana Barros, BC ’11 Kari O’Neil, BC ’11 Chris Griesedieck, BC ’11 Hope Sullivan, BC ’11 Lake Coreth, BC ’11 Michael Madormo, BC ’09 Frank DiMora, BC ’09 Alexandra Saieh, BC ’09 Kate Curley, BC ’11 Michelle Dyer, A&S ’13 Alicia Martinez, BC ’12 Susan Choy, BC ’11 Diana Morris, BC ’11 Kelsey Wasserman, A&S ’13 George Hart, BC ’11 Alicia Johnson, BC ’11 Catherine Duarte, BC ’11 Devika Patel, BC ’13 Bryan Leyva Vengoechea, BC ’10 Catherine Prefontaine, BC ’08 Will Charnley, BC ’11 Erika Hernandez, BC ’11 Travis Brookes, BC ’11 Akash Tharani, BC ’09 Breana Ware, BC ’11 Maxine Jean-Louis, BC ’09 Sha-Kayla Crockett, BC ’09 Jennifer Wanandi, A&S, ’13 Catherine Adams, CSON ’15 Emily Gannam, BC ’11 Tomas Oliva, BC ’11 Gururaj Shan, BC ’12 Rachel Lamorte, BC ’10 MacCalvin Romain, BC ’11 Joscary De La Cruz, A&S, ’14 Nick Aigner, BC ’12 Eddy Hernandez Perez, BC ’10 Andrew Engber, A&S ’15 Joshua Tingley, A&S ’13 Edem Dela-Seshie, A&S ’14 Noemie Hailu, BC ’09 Rhick Bose, A&S ’09 Talal Rojas, BC ’11 Kelly McCartney, BC ’11 Ana Luiza Mascagni, BC ’10 Paige Heckathorn, BC ’11 Stefanny Andujar, BC ’10
The full list of 319 signatures can be found online at www.bcheights.com.
Connor Bourff A&S ’15
Additional letters in response to “Hypersensitive Halloween” can be found on www.bcheights.com.
The Heights welcomes Letters to the Editor not exceeding 500 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 e-mail to editor@bcheights.com, in person, or by mail to Editor, The Heights, 113 McElroy Commons, Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467.
Fleabag seating issues With departure, comes thanks unneccessary and stifling
Editorials
In light of Patrick Rombalski’s departure, The Heights praises his many accomplishments and wishes him the best in future endeavors After four years at Boston College, Patrick Rombalski, vice president for student affairs, will be leaving the University over the coming two weeks. The Heights would like to take this time to thank Rombalski for his service to the University. Rombalski has never been one to shirk responsibility for the needs and concerns of students. During his time as vice president for student affairs, he met often with students from various numerous groups and backgrounds to hear specific problems and work quickly toward solutions. Best exemplified by his weekly Tuesday dinners, each held with
“Rombalski’s dedication to the students he admires so much never wavered throughout his time here, despite the stresses of his job.” a different group of students, Rombalski’s dedication to the students he admires so much never wavered throughout his time here, despite the stresses of his job.
The Heights The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Taylour Kumpf, Editor-in-Chief Daniel Ottaunick, General Manager Lindsay Grossman, Managing Editor
Contributors: Taylor Garrison, Andrew Skaras
After entering as vice president, Rombalski quickly established a strategic plan during his first year, giving the division of student affairs a direction and purpose. Over the following three years, the majority of those goals have been accomplished. During Rombalski’s time, the division of student affairs has established both the Office of Health Promotion and the Center for Leadership Development. In addition, much of the red tape around registering student organizations has been removed, though plenty still remains. Most importantly, though, are the personal relationships Rombalski developed with students—encouraging them, educating them, advising them, and always looking out for their best interests. The Heights believes that this concern for students is exactly what makes a good administrator. Although the decisions the administration must make are not always the most popular among students, knowing there are individuals who truly care about students and their concerns making those decisions makes a vast difference. Looking to the future, The Heights hopes that the University finds a replacement who continues Rombalski’s dedication to student concerns. In addition, we wish Rombalski well as he continues his career in higher education and attends to personal issues. His engaging, hard-working, and dedicated presence on campus will be sorely missed.
The abrupt evacuation of the O’Connell House balcony disrupted student enjoyment as well as the show’s start This past weekend, the Boston College comedy troupe My Mother’s Fleabag had their semiannual “Big Show” at the O’Connell House (OCH). Fleabag shows have long been a popular event on campus, filling the floor and balcony of the OCH. Last weekend, a problem arose when students were forced to vacate the balcony with little warning due to safety concerns. They were told to either “squeeze in” with other students or to sit on the floor, creating general chaos. In some cases, students were forced to leave, since by the time the administration decided that the balcony was a safety issue, all of the floor seats had been taken. As a result of the commotion, the show was delayed by half an hour. The Heights believes that the way in which students and members of Fleabag
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Editorial Eleanor Hildebrandt, Copy Editor David Cote, News Editor Greg Joyce, Sports Editor Therese Tully, Features Editor Brennan Carley, Arts & Review Editor Charlotte Parish, Metro Editor Elise Taylor, Opinions Editor Molly Lapoint, Special Projects Editor Jae Hyung (Daniel) Lee, Photo Editor Maggie Burdge, Layout Editor
were treated Saturday night was disrespectful and inappropriate. While Fleabag crowds are traditionally somewhat rowdy, this crowded atmosphere has not posed an issue for members of Fleabag, students, or the administration until now. In fact, the quality of the show is often enhanced by this sort of environment, since the show relies heavily on audience participation. In addition, The Heights feels that the measures taken by the administration did little to improve the safety of students. Audience members were moved from the balcony, which has proven its stability in years past, to seated positions on the floor, some in front of fire exits. We urge the administration to review its handling of this situation in order to better ensure future events are safe and enjoyable for all attendees.
Alex Manta, Graphics Editor Katie McClurg, Online Manager Michelle Tomassi, Assoc. Copy Editor Chris Grimaldi, Asst. Copy Editor Andrew Millette, Assoc. News Editor Sam Costanzo, Asst. News Editor Chris Marino, Assoc. Sports Editor Austin Tedesco, Asst. Sports Editor Alexandra Schaeffer, Asst. Features Editor Taylor Cavallo, Assoc. Arts & Review Editor
Dan Siering, Asst. Arts & Review Editor Marc Francis, Asst. Metro Editor Graham Beck, Asst. Photo Editor Mary Rose Fissinger, Asst. Layout Editor Joseph Castlen, Asst. Graphics Editor Devon Sanford, Editorial Assistant Cathryn Woodruff, Executive Assistant
Jamie Ciocon, Business Manager James Gu, Advertising Manager Adriana Mariella, Outreach Coordinator Donny Wang, Systems Manager Amy Hachigian, National Sales Manager Daniel Arnold, Local Sales Manager Natasha Ettensberger, Collections Manager DJ Terceiro, Asst. Local Sales Manager Christina Quinn, Project Coordinator
The Heights
Monday, November 5, 2012
A7
Opinions
The self-esteem exodus
Thumbs Up O, Holy (War) Night- Even though we had a “devastating” (quotes because we care more about our town’s election for tax collector than Boston College football at this point) loss against Wake Forest on Saturday, we achieved a much more important victory: the Notre Dame game is at 8 p.m. We were getting reaaaal nervous that it would be at noon, but the tailgating gods have spoken and we now get to throw a massive party on Shea during the evening hours. Not that we aren’t down for day drinking (note: we are always down for day drinking), but we aren’t sure we would survive if tailgating started at 9:30 a.m. So everyone, prepare yourselves. Notre Dame Weekend is coming. Early Bird Christmas- Yes, we know the commercialization of Christmas is a horrible tragedy and all, but a smile did creep on our face when we saw the holiday cups at Starbucks this weekend. Although the nearing of Christmas also means the nearing of finals (bleh), we do love the holiday season. Fifty-three days everyone! Marathon of helping handsFor the first time ever, the New York City Marathon was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy. As a heartwarming alternative, many of the registered runners decided to volunteer in the city’s hardest hit borough, Staten Island. Decked out in orange, the marathon’s off icial colors, hundreds of runners headed across the bay to deliver supplies, clean streets, and lend a helping hand. Sometimes, a city has to see the worst to see the best of its citizens. Mario Testino exhibit- The Museum of Fine Art’s Testino exhibit, titled In Your Face, is a must-see. The fashion photographer has shot a wide array of celebrities, and it is fascinating to see these incredibly intimate portraits of their lives. Anyone who likes photography, fashion, or celebrity culture, head down to Huntington Avenue.
Thumbs Down The final stretch- After two long years, the election saga is finally coming to an end, but it’s going out with an obnoxious bang. We know we should be excited about this exercise of our innate rights, but we are just ready to turn on the TV and not be bombarded with politicalhate ads every two seconds Yes, we’re talking to you, Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren. Inf licting pain, through music- Somewhere, in the depths of hell, the devil decided to hatch an evil plan to inflict on humanity. After hundreds of years of thought, he finally decided on the perfect scheme: to have Avril Lavigne cover a Nickelback song. As Nickelback is aptly defined by Urbandictionary.com as “the act of willingly allowing one’s ears to bleed,” and Avril Lavinge is just kind of gross, we cower in fear of this Frankensteinian creation. Good luck avoiding this monstrosity, world. Like Thumbs Up, Thumbs D ow n ? Fo l l ow u s @ B C TUTD
Parisa Oviedo Danielle graduated from high school at the top of her class: she was the valedictorian, a varsity captain, school president, and heavily involved in more clubs than you can count on your fingers. Although she had been voted “most likely to become president” in her senior superlatives, she was also voted “biggest ego.” Indeed, it was no secret that Danielle was proud of her achievements, if not arrogant. She was sure she would continue to stand out as she did in high school in her next four years at Boston College. Danielle graduated from BC with decent grades, although not as good as she would have hoped and a much lower self-esteem. If her high school friends could see her now, they would revoke Danielle’s “biggest ego” title. In fact, they might now vote her “most insecure” if that were a category. Danielle’s story is not unique. According to a recent survey done by BC faculty, women come into BC with more confidence than they have when they leave. Men, my English professor told me, had opposite results. “I’m wondering,” she asked our Studies in Poetry class, “how much of it is cultural, how much of it is BC, and how much of it is inevitable?” Her question left the class in silence as we pondered a problem much of us did not realize existed. The topic came with the implicit question as to whether BC men were deflating women’s self-esteem, but you could hardly attribute such statistics solely to the likes of Steve the Womanizer. The reasons behind the digits
got me interested. If men aren’t the problem (as they are not), then what is? What needs to change in order for these statistics to change? And why is it that men come out of college more confident than when they entered? There are several possibilities to this quandary. Option one, as suggested by a classmate, was that women who have gone through four years of college are more realistic about their goals than when they were a freshfaced high school graduate. This suggestion makes sense: Danielle, for example, probably thought that she
had a world of possibilities before her right after her high school graduation. She may have known what she wanted to study, but there were still many paths to be chosen from, and she could change her mind at any point of time in the next few years. She also probably had a false perception of how easy academics were based on the courses she took in high school. Four years later, however, Danielle has graduated from college with a set career path in front of her. Her imagination is limited because the many paths to life she once dreamed of have evaporated. Option two: “Women at BC have a huge pressure to look a certain way,” another classmate of mine suggested. This suggestion is a little bit more controversial. Her statement made me wonder—is it men that put this pressure on women, or do women place it on themselves?
“I would describe the typical BC girl as very fit—they all wear Lululemon yogapants, come on—and pretty skinny,” a friend of mine told me. If the general female population is “skinny,” then doesn’t that put pressure on the typical incoming freshmen to fit into that stereotype? Even though men are a source of some of this pressure, it’s also true that women are their own targets. The most shocking consequence of these pressures? According to another BC survey, women are more likely to graduate with an eating disorder than enter with one … but that’s a whole topic of its own for another column. Option three: “It’s just a college thing,” suggested a sophomore girl. “I think it’s also an age thing to have these sort of pressures.” She noted that “while you’re at college, you’re getting your own education, but also figuring out who you are.” Now that we’ve established ourselves as credible psychoanalysts of Danielle’s case study, we can come up with a conclusion: the explanation is not limited to one of the three suggestions, but a mixture of the three. It’d be extremely unfair to blame men for the decrease in a BC woman’s confidence over her four years here. I still can’t explain, however, why the survey suggests that men’s confidence actually increases by the time they graduate— that’s a psychological conundrum if there ever was one, but one that you can have fun brainstorming on your own. The last suggestion, however, dominates the other ones: We are simply at that point in our lives where reality sinks in and large life decisions are made, in terms of both physical appearance and emotional stability. Parisa Oviedo is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.
Remembering Rac Bud O’Hara This column isn’t going to be light reading. It’s going to affect you. It’s not just going to make you think—it’s going to make you feel. And that’s because grief cannot be wholly rationalized. Grief is not a matter of intellect. It’s visceral. Grief has gravity, and while it fluctuates in intensity, you are forever bound by its orbit. Grief is not always sorrow and it’s not always pain, but it is the burden you must willingly carry for lives that you and our world have lost. Grief is a badge, and it’s inextricably human. It’s our condition, and it’s our duty. I’ve been writing this column ineffectually in my head for what will, in nine days from when this is published, be one year. I’m still not certain that I can do the justice that I’d like to. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the words to humbly and adequately honor a life lost. On Nov. 14, 2011, our friend, our teammate, a brilliant soul in our Boston College community—Michael Racanelli—passed from this life. As far as I’m concerned, the circumstances of Rac’s death aren’t worth lingering on or agonizing over. When we lose someone so young, so tragically, and so abruptly, we selfishly burn for answers of our own. We withdraw to an inescapable narcissism, sourced from a well of vulnerability and pain. We crave explanation, rationale—any semblance of reality or fantasy that can help us to feel more secure in our own existence. We need distance—some buffer between what we know as our self, and this other person who has fallen victim to the inevitability that awaits each individual human being. I believe, however, that our need
Lecture Hall
to reconcile the irrational serves an injustice to those we have lost, those who we cared so deeply for in their lifetimes, and continue to carry in their absence. On this, the near anniversary of my friend Michael Racanelli’s death, I don’t aim only to be elegiac—I’d like to pay tribute. I’d like to celebrate a life that was as beautiful as any I have ever known. I share my personal experience, but I’m sure I speak for many of you when I say that Rac’s death was a fissure in the very fabric that held together my existence. It was unfathomable—it left an irreconcilable void. I sat at a restaurant on the other side of the world that day when the news reached me on Facebook. It was a cruel and lifeless way to receive such a devastating blow. On the Internet, all information is as sterile and distant as you choose it to be. And for much of that first day, I could not believe, would not believe, what my laptop screen was telling me. This of course was but vain denial on my part, and I eventually had to accept reality. But that reality was always nebulous to me. I had nothing concrete, no visual, visceral evidence of what had happened—and I never would. Rac’s death will forever be an event that passed across my horizon, but never stopped to pick me up along the way. I was left to chase it in its wake, with hopes that I could someday come to terms with that which never felt real. Forever chasing is a hopeless and daunting endeavor. It can suck the lifeblood out of you, relegate you to the doldrums of being. At a certain point, we can only accept the irrational. We must cease any attempt to conquer it. In doing so, we can channel our attention towards that which we can see, that which, even if we can’t understand, we can feel. Life is rare and precious. I don’t only mean this with respect to our own lives, but to all the lives that surround us. No matter how deep our relation-
BY PAT HUGHES
ships are, or how tangential they might be, each and every life we encounter bears significance on our being. I only met Rac freshman year, though our families had longstanding ties. Despite the relative brevity of our friendship, his death will hold an incalculable weight on the rest of my existence. I have thought about him almost every day for the last year, in waking hours and behind the veil of sleep, and I’ll continue to do so. I’ve realized that in only two short years, no moment was inconsequential with Michael Racanelli. Each smile, each laugh, each banal conversation, all the shared stories, and even the lacrosse balls thrown and caught on the field have meaning. I will carry these moments with me forever. Rac’s spirit was so bright that it will burn eternally. I don’t just carry these moments for myself. They aren’t locked deep in the vaults of memory. I carry them for Michael Racanelli because held in those moments are his life. I don’t carry him alone. All those who knew and loved him carry him just the same. In part, it’s the people in our lives who make us who we are. We owe them our gratitude, and we owe them our respect. Rac will always be there in my moments of quirkiness. He’ll be there when I trip and fall because my feet are moving too fast for my own body. He’ll be there in laughter. He’ll be there when I’m wide awake in the hours before dawn, and he’ll be there each and every time I’m at BC or in Bayshore, N.Y. It’s in these times that I give him to you, that I share him with the world. I urge you to do the same with all those you’ve lost and with all those still living. Life is irrevocably complicated but must be celebrated for all its complications. Celebrate life because you own it, for in no moment of pain is there not also a world of beauty. Bud O’Hara is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at opinions@ bcheights.com.
Aftermath of Sandy
Monica Sanchez By late Tuesday, Oct. 30, the winds and flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy had subsided, leaving at least 50 people dead along the Atlantic Coast, several homes destroyed by flooding and fires, and ruptured beachfronts and boardwalks from the mid-Atlantic states to southern New England. With an unprecedented blow to the U.S. Northeast’s power grid, millions of people lost electricity, some as far away as Michigan. Public transportation was halted, vehicles submerged, and garages flooded. The hurricane winds toppled light posts and trees, blocking roadways and inflicting damage as they fell onto cars, homes, and businesses. After surveying the widespread damage, it is clear much of the recovery and rebuilding set to take place will take several months at least. The damage and pain inflicted by Sandy, reported to be the biggest Atlantic storm in history, continues to unfold, especially on the coast as families return to their shore town homes, only to find themselves amidst widespread, irreparable damage. Natural disasters are unpredictable and uncontrollable. As Hurricane Sandy did, they leave devastating effects on the environment and impact the lives of countless people. Properties are damaged and livelihoods are destroyed. Everything that had taken years—maybe even one’s entire lifetime—to build may very well disappear in just a few moments. Times of crises like Sandy remind us all of the fragility of the present, but also of our duties to one another as a people. The campaigns for the upcoming presidential election were halted in respect for the state of emergency. Relief efforts commenced at the turn of the storm. Firefighters braved the strong winds and currents to put out the fires raging in numerous neighborhoods. The National Guard implemented search and rescue missions throughout the East Coast. Amidst the madness, resourcefully using canoes, kayaks, and any other flotation devices at hand, courageous everyday men and women risked their lives in aid of flood victims. Where do we stand in all of this as Boston College students? It may be funny to make memes or tweet how, be it rain or snow, classes never seem to be positively cancelled. It may seem reasonable to complain about how BC didn’t cancel classes as long as the other schools or universities in the Boston region had. I know I had my fair share of complaining when BC refused to cancel classes during a freak snowstorm my freshman year while all of the other schools in Boston were granted time off. It may sound like a good idea to run around and party outside in the storm. Some humor is certainly appreciated when coping with the tough realities at hand. Hell, it’s encouraged. But when do we, or should we, draw the line? Skyping friends back at BC and reading tweets, Facebook posts, and memes about the hurricane from abroad, removed from the BC Bubble, I was able to evaluate things in a new light. If I had been on campus during the storm, chances are that I would have also complained, joked around about the situation on campus, and so forth. It’s easy to get caught up on campus and forget about the outside world. Not saying that everyone has or did, but admittedly, campus life narrows our scope of vision. Regardless, none of us should lose sight of the crippling damage inflicted this past week. There are more important issues, or moreover, more that we can do than complain about having class or walking in the rain. We live in Massachusetts—I think we can handle some bipolar weather. Fortunately, Boston barely received the brunt of the storm. At the very least, we should be mindful of our words and actions. You never know who around you has been affected by the destruction Hurricane Sandy has left in its path, whether it be the damage of one’s property, loss of one’s home, loss of a loved one, or sorrow for the losses of others. As a community, very well populated with students all over the afflicted areas, we share the responsibility of serving as a support system. We’ve heard it time and time again: “Be men and women for others.” With times of crises like this, it’s our chance to do just that. Monica Sanchez is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.
The Heights
A8
Monday, November 5, 2012
Zemeckis and Washington team up for a smooth ‘Flight’ By Dan Siering
Asst. Arts & Review Editor Denzel Washington still has some gas left in the tank. Despite inching toward his 60s, the Academy Award-winning actor (Glory, Training Day) has continued to take on lofty rolls and singlehandedly attracts patrons to the theaters. With Robert Zemeckis’ Flight, Washington goes flight: above and Robert Zemeckis beyond his Paramount usual classy demeanor and pilots a deep, dark character study that dives into various tribulations of the human condition. Whip Whitaker (Washington) is an aging commercial airline pilot who skillfully balances his reputable aviation skills with a dark life of addiction. After only a couple frames, Whitaker’s rampant alcoholism and drug dependency is apparent, as the aviator downs a beer and sniffs a line of cocaine to prepare himself for a morning flight. Taking off into the head of a rainstorm, Whitaker skillfully navigates the initially
B+
bumpy flight into calm air, a feat that the pilot celebrates with a secret vodka and orange juice cocktail. The sleepless night before eventually catches up to Whitaker, and the pilot elects to give the controls to his fresh-faced copilot and take a snooze in the cockpit. When a mechanical failure throws the plane into a furious decent, Whitaker wakes with a startle and, without hesitation, takes the controls of the doomed aircraft. After various unorthodox tactics, including flipping the aircraft upside down, Whitaker is able to improbably steer the plane into an open field and save virtually everyone on board. Recovering in the hospital, Whitaker meets an attractive yet unsettled addict named Nicole (Kelly Reilly) and, rather than basking in his status as an American hero, begins to pursue the troubled damsel. Yet when incriminating evidence regarding the pilot’s condition during the flight begins to surface, Whitaker is tossed into a tumultuous blame game. As the media pressure and federal scrutiny mounts, Whitaker’s addictions intensify, effectively putting his career and newfound romance on the line. Returning from a tepid delve into animation, veteran director Zemeckis (Forrest
Gump, Back to the Future) keenly helms this live action drama by providing a set of cinematic visuals to deliberately reveal the extent of Whitaker’s dependencies. Flight stands as a resurrection for the director, who has fallen into the Hollywood obscurity with such recent duds as Mars Needs Moms and Beowulf. The director-eye is still crystal clear for Zemeckis, who hopefully will continue to deal with skilled actors rather than skilled computers. Washington is the clear foundation for Flight, providing his patented firm lines of dialogue and tasteful screen presence. Yet on top of this usual product from Washington, the actor also delivers rather rare instances of emotional depth and sensitivity as the alcoholic pilot. While the performance will not rank among the Oscar winner’s best, Whitaker is a deep and emotive addition to Washington’s exceptional resume. The film is also anchored by a series of strong secondary roles, as Zemeckis calls on various Hollywood veterans to bolster Washington’s role. John Goodman provides the majority of the film’s laughs as Whitaker’s hotheaded drug dealer, who stole a number of scenes and deserved a larger helping of screen time. Don Cheadle stands in as the slick city
Courtesy of Allmoviephoto.com
Kelly Reilly stars opposite Denzel Washington as an embattered addict looking for emotional stability. attorney Hugh Lang, who uses his law school logic to cover up Whitaker’s addictions and shift the blame away from the pilot’s union. Oscar winner Melissa Leo makes a cameo appearance as well, as the stern federal agent who questions Whitaker in the film’s climatic scene. In a year that is stocked with ambitious biopics and big-budget art house features,
Flight will most likely not have the punch to make a splash during award season. Nonetheless, fans of Denzel Washington will not be disappointed by the star’s gritty performance, and those who enjoy previous Zemeckis flicks will be pleasantly surprised. Yet for those looking for something a bit more cerebral or flashy, sit tight till the yearend Oscar rush. n
‘Wreck-It’ has the makings of a classic
4
Box office report title
Courtesy of Allmoviephoto.com
John C. Reilly provides the voice for the film’s title character, a lovable video game villain looking to change his menacing ways. By Joe Allen Heights Staff
After a few years of PIXAR movies failing to live up to the studio’s lofty expectations, it comes as a welcome surprise to see someone else make an exceptional animated film. WreckIt Ralph, created by Walt Disney Animation Studios, has all the ingredients to become a classic amongst wreck-it ralph: moviegoers of all ages. Kids Rich Moore Disney Animation will love it for its gleeful dive into a world of video games populated by sweet, funny characters. The movie’s nostalgia for a fading era and its seemingly endless creativity will keep older audience members glued to the screen as well. Wreck-It Ralph’s opening minutes may seem like Disney’s attempt at a Toy Story knockoff. After Litwak’s Arcade closes, all the video game characters live their own lives, hanging out in their games or heading to Game Central Station (via the arcade’s electric cords) to hang out with other characters. At that point, all the movie would need is Woody and Buzz to feel like a blatant rip-off of a classic. The film, however, quickly sidesteps this comparison by focusing on its titular hero, Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Riley), the “bad guy” in an older arcade game called Fix-it Felix, Jr. The good-natured Ralph is tired of playing the bad guy and being left out by the game’s hero, Felix (Jack McBrayer), and his friends. Wanting to win a medal to prove his worth, Ralph
B+ A
begins game-hopping throughout the arcade, causing unintentional havoc along the way. Once Ralph begins to hop between games, the film begins showing its ingenuity. Watching Ralph stumble through a first-person shooter, ruining the game for the little girl playing it, is a hilarious way to introduce audiences to the film’s dizzying pace and to another key character, the no-nonsense Sergeant Jean Calhoun (Jane Lynch). Her character’s tough persona is undercut with an inspired gag about her tragic backstory. While the first game-hop establishes Wreck-It Ralph’s creativity, its second leap into a colorful children’s racing game, Sugar Rush, gives it a heart and a chance to become an all-time great Disney film. Ralph crashes into this candy world (rendered beautifully with computer animation) and loses his medal (taken from Calhoun’s game) to a little girl, Vanellope von Schweetz, voiced by Sarah Silverman. Ralph learns that Vanellope is a glitch character in Sugar Rush, who is perpetually kept from racing by King Candy (Alan Tudyk). As two characters struggling for recognition in their games, Ralph and Vanellope agree to help each other to win the Sugar Rush race and to recover Ralph’s medal, which Vanellope used to enter the competition. The pairing of Ralph and Vanellope elevates Wreck-It Ralph. Ralph and Vanellope are so unique and finely-drawn that their on-screen interactions are a constant delight. John C. Reilly’s soft voice humanizes the gigantic Ralph, and writers Jennifer Lee and Phil Johnston excellently tell the little-told story of
a “villain” who wants to be a hero. The film’s standout performance, however, is Silverman as Vanellope. At first glance, Vanellope looks like Boo from Monsters, Inc. or Agnes in Despicable Me: a little girl expected to win audiences over with her cuteness. And while Vanellope is cute, she’s also witty, making fun of Ralph whenever she gets the chance. While Sergeant Calhoun is said to have been programmed with “the most tragic backstory,” Vanellope’s story is the saddest, as every character in her game wishes she didn’t exist. Taken altogether, Vanellope von Schweetz wins the audience over almost immediately. While Vanellope and Ralph are Wreck ItRalph’s sweet center, the film’s subplot is also strong. To save the arcade from the destruction that Ralph’s game-hopping could cause, the intimidating Sergeant Calhoun and the tame Felix pair up to find him in Sugar Rush, and their unlikely romantic chemistry works well with the budding father-daughter relationship of Ralph and Vanellope. While the memorable characters and emotional truths of Wreck-It Ralph would make it a great movie on its own, the additions of the movie’s use of its video-game concept and its vibrant computer animation make it a worthy rival to previous PIXAR greats. A second review could be written solely on the film’s clever details, such as Ralph’s co-workers walking awkwardly like eight-bit video game characters or the deadly Nesquick sand in Sugar Rush. Wreck-It Ralph may be a bad guy, but he’s still a winner—one of the biggest of 2012. n
weekend gross
weeks in release
1. wreck-it ralph
49.1
1
2. flight
25.0
1
3. Argo
10.2
4
4. the man with the iron fists
8.2
1
5. taken 2
6.0
5
6. cloud atlas
5.3
2
7. hotel translyvania
4.5
6
8. paranormal activity 4
4.3
3
9. here comes the boom
3.6
4
10. silent hill: revelation
3.3
2
6
7 photos courtesy of allmoviephoto.com
bestsellers of hardcover fiction 1. The racketeer John Grisham 2. casual vacancy J.K. Rowling 3. panther Nelson DeMille 4. bone bed Patricia D. Cornwell 5. nypd red James Patterson
6. Back to blood Ken Follett 7. Gone girl Gillian Flynn 8. angels at a table Debbie Macomber 9. winter of the world Ken Follett SOURCE: Publisher’s Weekly
Look to television, not movies, when searching Netflix options Joe allen As many people who had their classes cancelled last Monday can attest, there are many choices to be made on Netflix Instant. When I say choices, I don’t mean deciding whether to watch The Big Lebowski for the fifth time or Matilda for the first time since you were eight—Netflix certainly has a limited selection of movies. I’m talking about the vast expanse that is the company’s television catalogue. Within Netflix’s sea of television series, there are a handful of shows that virtually everyone has seen. But how many nights can be devoted to South Park or Lost or The Office before you crave something different, something that fewer people have seen? When searching for a new series to watch, Netflix becomes more intimidating because of how many choices are out there. But don’t worry! Below are my five favorite under-the-radar shows on Netflix. Note that I haven’t included Breaking Bad, Mad Men, or Arrested Development, not because I don’t love these shows, but because I’m sure people close to you have already raved about them to an obnoxious degree. 5. Terriers The only complaint I have over this oneseason-and-done series is its title, since this series has nothing to do with dogs. In actuality,
this show tells the story of ex-cop Hank Dolworth (Donal Logue) and his buddy, ex-criminal Britt Pollack (Michael Raymond-James), as they solve murders and take on odd jobs as unlicensed private investigators in San Diego. The show deftly mixes drama with offbeat comedy as the scruffy, flawed duo tries to bring in big-name criminals while avoiding the local police force, frequently landing themselves in more trouble than they can handle. With excellent acting, witty writing, and a cool Cali vibe, Terriers is 13 episodes of television that are worth the investment. 4. Parks and Recreation When this show premiered, it was seen as the lesser sister show of NBC’s The Office, merely a vehicle for comedian Amy Poehler. In its second season and beyond, however, Parks and Recreation became a great show in its own right, functioning as both a satire of small government and a situational comedy featuring one of the best ensembles on television. Now in its fifth season, Parks has experimented with its longer narrative in ways The Office never tried, and even its weakest episodes are still watchable thanks to its consistently hilarious characters, not the least of which is the Parks and Rec boss, the ultra-masculine Ron Swanson. 3. Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog Including Dr. Horrible on the list is techni-
cally cheating, since it originally premiered online as a three-act miniseries, but it has since been on television, so what the hell? Made during the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike by Buffy the Vampire Slayer/The Avengers’ Joss Whedon, the 40-minute musical tragicomedy tells the story of the evil Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris), who tries to win over his crush, Penny (Felicia Day), but is thwarted at every turn by the pompous “superhero,” Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion). The jokes come quick. The songs are memorable. The story is emotionally engaging. All in all, Dr. Horrible is perfect for anyone thinking of committing to one of Whedon’s spectacular shows. 2. Archer Archer is the best animated comedy on television right now, if not the medium’s best current comedy, period. The writing is clever and lightning-fast, and the jokes almost never miss their target. The show follows bumbling, self-obsessed super-spy Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) and his unfortunate colleagues at the fictional government agency, ISIS. Besides having finely drawn, delightfully amoral characters, the show is known for its blend of action sequences and situational workplace comedy. While too raunchy for some, the series is the closest thing to an Arrested Development successor on television, with its quick scene jumps, its joke callbacks, its casting of AD
alums Judy Greer and Jessica Walter, and its endless ability to generate great quotes. 1. Freaks and Geeks While this Judd Apatow-produced show has been on Netflix for less than a month, no series is more deserving of your time. When Freaks and Geeks premiered on NBC in 1999, it lasted a short 18 episodes before being cancelled due to low ratings. Within this short time, the comedy-drama about social outcasts portrayed the emotional chaos of high school more realistically than
any other movie or show before or since. And it had one of the best television series soundtracks. And it had a rockin’ theme song. And it started the careers of many current celebrities, most notably James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Jason Segel. On or off Netflix, Freaks and Geeks is the best of the best.
Joe Allen is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at arts@ bcheights.com.
Courtesy of google images
Perhaps the best animated show on TV, ‘Archer’ is one of the many great series Neflix offers.
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Monday, November 5, 2012
The Heights
Fleabag inspired by film trends Fleabag, from A10
Courtesy of google images
George Lucas and Disney CEO Robert Iger finalize the billion dollar merger between Lucasfilm and the iconic brand.
Worrisome merger between megabrands ‘Star Wars,’ from A10 are free to ignore the new movies), but I think his latest decision continues to trace his sad decline from a legitimately inspired filmmaker to a lazy businessman. The fact is that not so long ago in a galaxy very much our own, George Lucas was an independent filmmaker. He made documentary shorts and student films inspired by e.e. cummings poems. His first feature, THX 1138, was an unconventional, dystopic science fiction film whose visual style referenced the work of the Italian master Michelangelo Antonioni. Even the original Star Wars seems suffused with a uniquely personal vision, and was clearly a passion project for Lucas. Its enormous success upon release often obscures the difficult realities of its making, when Lucas fought the studio—and sometimes his own cast and crew—to get the movie made his way, even when everyone doubted him as production went over budget and behind schedule. Somehow he pulled it off, and Star Wars remains a wonderfully undiminished entertainment all these years later, with a charm and energy that was never replicated (even in its two excellent sequels). I still remember the impact it had on me when I saw it for the first time at the age of six. The subtleties of the plot may have escaped me, but that didn’t matter—not when I was swept up
in the excitement as Luke and Leia swung across the chasm to escape the Stormtroopers to the sound of John William’s triumphant score, or as Luke destroyed the Death Star in the rousing finale. The movie was fundamentally idealistic, good-natured, and above all fun, and it became my gateway into a lifelong obsession with movies. Star Wars led to Indiana Jones, Indiana Jones led to the filmography of Steven Spielberg, and from there on there was no turning back. I wonder if any 6-year-old introduced to the prequels would have a similar reaction. For all their flashy special effects and superficial entertainment value, the prequels felt more like toy commercials than movies. Somewhere along the line, Lucas lost the youthful creative spark behind the first movie and let the franchise serve as his personal piggy bank. There’s always a possibility that Star Wars: Episode VII will recapture some of the original trilogy’s magic. Many have already speculated that Joss Whedon, who did such a fine job with The Avengers (for Disney-owned Marvel, no less) would be an inspired choice to helm the new movies. Yet even so, I find it hard to work up enthusiasm for a franchise extension that no one was asking for and that seems merely an excuse to further George Lucas’s considerably deep pockets.
the main sketch, a playful mockery of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, and the British Invasion-themed opera, inspired by the immense media coverage of this summer’s London Olympic games, which highlighted BC student culture through a cleverly revised host of lyrics. The main sketch depicted Batman trying to stop a bank robbery being conducted by several of the classic villains, while almost nothing being said by the characters could be understood. Batman’s signature raspy speech devolved into throaty garbling as he battled Bane, who sounded like a choking Darth Vader under his mask, in some kind of absurd wrestling match. Meanwhile, the Scarecrow appeared on stage to make satirical comments about his insignificance, and the Penguin waddled around in a monocle hinting snidely about a fourth film. When asked about the inspiration for the sketch, Cocchiara, who described it as his personal favorite, said, “The sketch kind of snowballed out of the genius mind of Don Orr after one day commenting, ‘I don’t understand anything that these people are saying in any of these movies’… It’s fun to poke fun at what you love sometimes, right?” Absolutely. For poking fun at such a well-received film, the sketch was indisputably the crowd favorite.
The Fall 2012 cast consists of the following members, in addition to the directors mentioned above: Molly Marotta, A&S ’13, Don Orr, A&S ’14, Sean Bloomstine, A&S, ’15, Alex Dzialo, A&S ’15, Pat Genovese, A&S ’15, Ben Halter, A&S ’16, Tatiana Schaefer, A&S ’16, and Matt Hession, CSOM ’16. Though the group lost two key members to study abroad – Lou Wilson ’14 and Ceara O’Sullivan, A&S ’14 – and faced a setback in practice as a result of the recent hurricane, it would be a mistake to assume the group’s showcase of talent suffered. The entire cast is, simply put, hilarious. The returning upperclassmen brought their respective eccentricities, humors, and witticisms back to the stage with full force. The freshman additions collectively exhibited an impressive amount of potential and talent, while each individually provided the group with a unique style and creative approach to comedy. “In my second year as director,” Cocchiara said, “I can truly say that this group is as good as it has ever been, if not better.” The reactions of the crowd on Friday night certainly agreed. The show was evidence of the group’s endearing unpredictability and timeless ability to make anyone, and everyone, genuinely and uncontrollably laugh out loud. With the return of its two abroad members, Fleabag will surely be on top of its game for the spring. n
Sean Keeley is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at arts@bcheights.com.
Lazour’s ‘Room’ full of intrigue ‘The Grand Room,’ from A10 over-the-top ridiculous and rich Abilene and Liam Aines, played by Tory Berner, A&S ’14, and Joseph Manning, A&S ’14. The couple’s hilarious antics and melodramatic attitudes made for a wonderful contrast from the darker, more serious issues of the play. Berner and Manning had wonderful chemistry and displayed natural body language and acting as their larger-than-life character counterparts. The scene that truly displayed their acting ease, natural banter, and great energy was their discussion, and singing, of Walter’s “condition” with Dr. Charles Parker. Sarah Mass, A&S ’15, portrayed Beatrice Aines to near perfection. Her wonderful voice was first heard during “First of the Month of July,” a song discussing the excitement for her upcoming wedding to Jules, complete with some natural choreography reminiscent of a Disney princess tune. The musical did a wonderful job setting up the tension between Beatrice and Walter, played by Billy McEntee, A&S ’14, right away, throwing the audience into a turbulent, unsettling relationship. Yet it effectively hinted at something below the surface before the truth of their love affair was actually unveiled. Love-struck Walter’s first piece, “Black And White,” is a tragic telling of a love that has gone away, and was a great choice for the opening song. Jules, played by Joe Meade, A&S ’15, was a suave, smooth-talking character who had a natural stage presence. As the play progressed, a depth to his character was eventually revealed through the discovery that his father had pressured him into his engagement to Beatrice, suddenly creating a sympathy for him that was not present in the first act. One of the musical’s best scenes was the climax of Walter’s staged attempted rape of Beatrice after she seduced him. What made this scene even more dramatic was the sudden sound of the doorbell—the neighbors heard the commotion and all of a sudden the gravity of the attempted rape was forgotten in order to appease the neighbors, showing the intrusion of society. The music was wonderful, and the emotive lyrics were striking. The musical motif of the constantly present piano and violin accompaniments was a beautiful touch to the score. The score also came back to the two aforementioned songs at the end of the piece during the musical’s denoument, except “First of the Month of July” was cleverly changed to “Fourth of the Month of July” once Jules left Beatrice and their wedding was called off.
The set of The Grand Room was necessarily intricate. The lavish living room setting, complete with French doors and glass brandy bottles while hinting at period piece furniture, boasted a strikingly light atmosphere that seemed unique to the typically darker, minimalist sets of Bonn Theatre performances. This summer getaway home ambiance perfectly accentuated the overall mood of the play’s setting. The costumes, while not necessarily a central component of the musical (except for Beatrice’s perfectly striking red silk dress during a crucial scene), subtly amplified the tone as well. The men’s stately suits and the women’s simply silhouetted dresses fit perfectly with the period piece. One smaller aspect that did not go unnoticed was the soothing sound of waves and seagulls in the background during the absence of music and the occasionally changing lighting colors behind the living room’s windows, hinting at red and pink sunsets, dark blue nights, and bursts of fireworks. With Beatrice and Walter’s seemingly happy reunion at the end of the play, the audience was left wondering whether the love story now reconnecting these two volatile characters had been reconciled or doomed. True art leaves people thinking, wondering, and guessing, and that is what The Grand Room accomplished with its poignant closing scene. n
emily fahey / heights staff
emily fahey / heights staff
‘The Grand Room’ set featured period piece furniture, simple aesthetic costumes, and intricate lighting techniques.
graham beck / heights editor
The freshmen additions to the My Mother’s Fleabag cast provided their own unquie style to the comedy troupe’s Fall Show.
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arts&review Monday, November 5, 2012
An Eye on Culture
Into TV a little late Taylor Cavallo
It’s safe to say that for these columns, music is my comfort zone. I get pretty excited about new albums or music videos, but very rarely do I get excited about television shows. This week I wanted to try something different. I’ve gotten emotionally invested in very few storylines over the years. I never did the Lost thing, and I never watch talent search reality TV shows. Mad Men and Seinfeld are pretty much the extent of my television obsessions. This is because I need something, even just one thing, that really gets me. Recently, however, I’ve submitted myself to three new shows that have got me hooked. I’m jumping on the bandwagon for two of them late, but I’ve made strides in the past two weeks (thank you, Hurricane Sandy Day, where literally all I did was watch television): AMC’s The Walking Dead, Showtime’s Homeland, and ABC’s Nashville. Maybe it was the rapidly approaching spirit of Halloween, or my grim morbidity, but I decided to indulge in my longstanding desire to watch The Walking Dead on Netflix two weeks ago. I’m now two episodes away from completing Season Two. While at first I thought it would be difficult to get past the stomach-turning gore of zombies feasting on live human flesh and countless shots or stabs to the “walker”s’ heads per episode, those things got easier once the 65-minute pilot is tackled. The intricate storylines about the characters is the show’s strongest aspect. It’s as if the writers took the archetypes of the most polarized people one could possible imagine, ranging from a meek, beaten housewife to a (perhaps) Aryan Supremacist, rough hunting southern man, and threw them in a group together. While all the characters are extremely different, they are all somehow relatable. The technique of flash-forward and flashback scenes placed before the opening credits add another layer of suspense to the already high blood pressure-inducing plot. People usually have one thing that frightens them the most in terms of scary movies, whether it’s the creaking door opening on its own, or a little girl possessed by the devil. What really gets me are postapocalyptic stories, so The Walking Dead really strikes a nerve with me. But it’s done in the best way: the show is not meant to scare the viewer, it’s a realistic display of survival in dire times. The strength of the human spirit, a cliched topic that people love, gets reinvigorated when sprinkled with a bit of zombie gore here and there. My own qualms with the show are the lack of information about the actual beginnings of the zombie apocalypse (seems like something that we should be filled in on) and the innate sexism that runs throughout the show: each woman is, frankly, either a bitch, an idiot, or presented participating in gender stereotypes: weak and dependent on men. I’d hope that if a zombie apocalypse were to occur, women wouldn’t be more concerned with the laundry then protecting a campsite from walkers, but maybe that’s just me. I’d like to think that I’d be an asset to any group during a zombie apocalypse. While I do tend to get nervous easily, I’m quick on my feet and wouldn’t have a problem hitting a zombie where it hurts. The Walking Dead has reinforced my opinion on this issue. Showtime’s Homeland is a different story. The gripping plot has admittedly got me sucked in, however, on the sixth episode of the first season, it’s already a show I have a love-hate relationship with—namely because I hate the main character. Carrie Mathison is an invasive, overzealous, and, honestly, crazy CIA agent, who by the way, would never be let into the CIA since she is bipolar. I’m also confused as to why she has to sleep with so many people to do her job. That being said, it boasts an extremely wellwritten and complex plot that is impossible not to get absorbed by. Each fast-paced new episode presents a new development and twist. The coming attractions after each episode tend to be my favorite part. On ABC’s Nashville: the acting is painfully cheesy. No scene lasts longer than 45 seconds. The songs are generally terrible. But watch it once and tell me you’re not hooked.
Taylor Cavallo is the Associate Arts & Review editor of The Heights. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.
emily fahey / heights staff
bonn transforms into ‘grand room’ Great Depression period piece sheds light on the lavish life of the 1930s By Taylor Cavallo
Assoc. Arts & Review Editor This weekend, the Bonn Theatre hosted The Grand Room, the first ever student-written musical to be performed at BC, composed by Patrick Lazour (A&S ‘13) and his brother Daniel. Set in Cape Cod during the 1930s, the musical is centered upon a love triangle between the protagonist Beatrice and two potential men: her fiance Jules, who represents an escape from the shallow, materialistic
world in which she lives, and Walter, her cousin, with whom she had a young romance. Beatrice is stuck between the potentiality of her future life and the incestuous love affair that keeps holding her back. Clearly, this tense love triangle mixes with some controversial, scandalous issues of The Grand Room, which include the opening scene of a Virginia Woolf-style attempted suicide, the loss of love, depression and the “labeling” of mental illness or disturbance, incest, an ambiguously discussed abortion, and the shallow, aesthetic world
of the rich—perfectly summed up with one of the opening lines, “don’t let the neighbors see,” making the pulse of the musical’s story a beautiful drama. One of The Grand Room’s strengths, however, was its ability to balance this dense drama with striking comedy. High-tension scenes are frequently juxtaposed against cheery songs that speak to the artificial lightness of the society and times. The majority of the musical’s laughs came from Beatrice’s parents, the
See ‘The Grand Room,’ A9
The Jedi returns again Sean Keeley
graham beck / heights editor
Fleabag packs O’Connell with fall show By Deryn Thomas For The Heights
Word gets around. How else could the 100-plus crowd of students, parents, and faculty that crammed into the overheated, over-seated O’Connell House last Friday night be explained? By the size and shape of that crowd, songs of praise evidently continue to be sung about Boston College’s most well-known improv comedy troupe, My Mother’s Fleabag. The group maintained its infamy: the availability of standing room only after 9 p.m. was no surprise and certainly no deterrent to the hordes of seasoned Fleabag fans. A brief digression into its history: The student comedy troupe is the oldest in the country, founded at BC in 1980. For those unfamiliar with My Mother’s Fleabag, the group’s traditional set includes a series of improv “games” in which one member of the cast often solicits audience participation, asking for nouns or sentences, even sometimes a volunteer, to inspire or aide with the ensuing skit. Usually interspersed throughout these games are several “sketch,” or scripted, comedy acts. The show was, as it has been in recent years, a lengthy v e ntu re . The combination of a two-
i nside Arts this issue
hour set with the stifling heat of the packed OCH became mildly unpleasant as the show wore on. As might be expected on any opening night, there were a few kinks and stiff spots during introductions and transitions, and the show had its fair share of jokes that just seemed to fall flat. But the high points were undeniably high, and Fleabag delivered, keeping the night lively and the crowd thoroughly entertained. Even at its low points, the show distracted well enough to forget the steadily rising temperature. The show opened with a scripted parody of this year’s film The Hunger Games – Fleabag directors Bryan Cocchiara, A&S ’13, and Lindsey James, A&S ’13, introduced themselves and the group, and proceeded to tell the audience that they had decided to forgo this year’s opener, asking for an audience volunteer in order to begin the improv. No sooner had a girl from the crowd stepped onto the stage than several Fleabaggers rushed from rooms above, behind, and
around the audience, shouting, “I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!” The sketch was met with resounding laughter and applause as they moved forward into the show. The two additional highlights included
See Fleabag, A9
graham beck / heights editor
graham beck / heights editor
Denzel Washington soars in Flight
The award-winning actor delivers a gritty performance as a heroic pilot struggling with alcoholism, A8
Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph dominates
John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman provide voicing for this nostalgic trip through the video game world, A8
I have a bad feeling about this. This past Tuesday, George Lucas and the Walt Disney Company made a major announcement that it’s safe to say no one saw coming. Not only has Disney acquired Lucasfilm—the film and television production company founded by Lucas that has been responsible for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and all of his various pet projects—it is also going ahead with Star Wars: Episode VII, set for a 2015 release date, with Episodes VIII and IX to follow soon after. The Disney merger was certainly unforeseen, and provided lots of snarky Internet fodder—especially the pressing question of whether Leia now qualifies as a Disney princess. But the really surprising news is the continuation of a series that seems to have run out of steam long ago. After an endless succession of re-releases and special editions, a disappointing prequel trilogy, a spin-off cartoon series, and a spin-off movie of this spinoff (2008’s virtually forgotten Star Wars: The Clone Wars), one might have thought that good old George would finally be able to lay Star Wars to rest. Instead, Lucas seems to be laying the foundations for endless extensions of the brand. Thankfully, he’s neither writing nor directing the next installments, instead serving in the vague role of “creative consultant.” I suspect this means that he will offer some general advice and story suggestions, delegate the work to others, and then watch as the money rolls in. It’s hard not to be cynical about the prospect of the series’ continuation, especially when it seems so evidently to be a cynical cash grab. George Lucas knows full well how ill-received his prequel trilogy was, but he also knows that it made a fortune. Lucas is once again placing his bets that even if the new films are terrible, people will line up to see them because, well, it’s Star Wars. Of course, Lucas is free to do as he wants with his creation (and audiences
See ‘Star Wars,’ A9
Bestsellers...............................A8 Box Office Report........................A8
SPORTS The Heights
Monday, November 5, 2012
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Monday, November 5, 2012
Brown, fourth line get the winner By Chris Stadtler For The Heights
In 2011 the Boston Bruins won a Stanley Cup off an all-around effort from their team, especially the play of their fourth line led by Boston College 3 Shawn Thornton. 2 UMass The hardnosed hockey player, known just as much for his penalties as his leadership, helped lead the Bruins to their first championship in decades. About a week ago, Bruins coach Claude Julien came to the Boston College hockey team’s locker room and talked about how Thornton’s fourth line decided their fate. Head coach Jerry York reiterated Julien’s inspiring truth following this weekend’s game by saying, “I don’t care what line you are. You can influence the outcome of a game.” On Sunday night, Patrick Brown scored off a loose puck in the opponent’s
third of the ice with three and a half minutes left to lift the Eagles past UMass 3-2. The fourth line, which had yet to score a goal all season, resurrected BC’s hopes for the night. After being down 2-1 early in the third period, the Eagles prevailed off the play of their fourth group of forwards, which saw increased action in the waning minutes. “Our supposed fourth line … influenced the game,” York said after the game, highlighting the boost of the latter lines contributing. “It came at a critical time. If we can have secondary scoring from our third and fourth lines it’s going to really give us a boost this year.” The true turning point in the game, however, came off a goal by freshman Michael Matheson. The newcomer found himself streaking down the ice for the tying goal. With the Minutemen having taken the lead just eight minutes earlier,
Wake Forest
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the Eagles had been outplayed and outshot over a lackluster previous period and a half of hockey. Matheson’s goal reignited the BC offense and the victory seemed inevitable with the momentum regained. After the game, Isaac MacLeod, Matheson’s teammate of just two months, praised the freshman’s abilities. “Since he’s set foot on campus he’s been a confident and strong player— you see improvement every day and week in practice,” MacLeod said. York later chimed in and gave more praise to the freshman. “[Matheson] was probably one the most highly-recruited players we’ve been involved with in the last decade,” York said. “He’s one of those crossover defenders that can defend and also play offense. He’s a big plus for us.” Lost in the thrill of the two late goals
graham beck / heights editor
See Men’s Hockey, B4
Patrick Brown tallied his first goal of the year yesterday against UMass, good for the game-winner.
BOSTON COLLEGE
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Lost cause
The puzzling case of Deuce Finch at RB Greg Joyce
Turnovers, lack of offensive execution lead to BC’s second straight losing season By Chris Marino
Assoc. Sports Editor
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — On Saturday, the Boston College football team faced off against Wake Forest at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem, N.C., and was unable to make a late-game comeback, falling 28-14. The Demon Deacons were led by junior quarterback Tanner Price’s performance of 39-for-57, 293 yards and three touchdowns, and wide receiver Michael Campanaro’s ACC-record 16 catches for 123 yards and three scores. On the other side of the ball, the Wake Forest defense forced four turnovers, including three interceptions from quarterback Chase Rettig. An early injury to Andre Williams forced freshman running back David Dudeck into the lead role. On Senior Day, the Demon Deacons took advantage of BC miscues to create an early advantage. With the Eagles’ first drive underway, Rettig was finding
his rhythm with tight end Chris Pantale and receiver Alex Amidon. He hit Amidon for an eight-yard gain, followed by a short completion to his tight end, bringing the Eagles to midfield. Head coach Frank Spaziani decided to take the fourth-down risk, and went for it. Rettig took the snap, moved around the ensuing rush, and tried to hit Pantale over the middle again, but cornerback Kevin Johnson read the ball perfectly and grabbed the interception. After the game, Rettig credited the Wake Forest defense with creating a tough atmosphere to throw on the turnover. “They played well on fourth down on that first drive,” he said. “I just tried to make a play with my big man, Pantale. I had pressure in my face. It’s just unfortunate that we had the interception there.” Following the pick, Price and the
See Football, B3
There has to be something we don’t know. From the outside, it doesn’t make sense that Deuce Finch was in Chestnut Hill while the rest of his teammates were battling down in Winston-Salem, N.C. on Saturday afternoon. Finch lost the starting running back job after he failed to stand out through three games at the start of this year. I understand that move. What I don’t understand is how Finch has yet to see the field since then. It’s almost as if Finch is suspended—except he’s not. Instead, head coach Frank Spaziani has chosen to push Finch back on the depth chart. It appeared that Finch had made his way into Spaziani’s doghouse, but why? Maybe there is some acceptable reason for it, but we’ve yet to hear it. On Thursday afternoon, Spaziani was asked whether Finch has made his way out of the doghouse. He gave the safe and standard answer. “No doghouse, Deuce is working hard,” Spaziani said. So he’s working hard, but apparently not hard enough to get any carries during the game. In fact, Finch made his way onto the scout team this past week, sporting the gold jersey relegated to members of the scout team—usually reserved for redshirts and walk-ons. “He’s been working on and off the scout team, going to meetings, and you can only get so many backs ready to play,” Spaziani said Thursday. “We needed to make sure we designated something, that’s all.”
chuck barton / ap photo
Back and forth game ends in tie By Alex Stanley For The Heights
Captain Blake Bolden fired in her first two goals of the season to keep the No. 8 Boston College women’s hockey team (3-3-1, 2Boston College 5 2-1 Hockey East) 5 Boston Univ. in the game, as they drew to a 5-5 final score against its in-town rivals, the No. 3 Boston University Terriers (7-2-1, 3-1-1 Hockey East). The game, played on Saturday afternoon at Kelley Rink, the game was the second of a two-game set with BU last week—the first was a 7-1 win for the Eagles on Wednesday. Head coach Katie King Crowley said that she did not change anything from the previous matchup. “When you win like we did on Wednesday—it was a fun game for our kids—we were hoping that they would feed off of that energy,” Crowley said. “We just talked about having focus for 60 minutes. When we make the little mistakes, sometimes [the opposition] ends up capitalizing on them, so we have to learn to not make those little mistakes anymore.” The Eagles got off to a quick start on Saturday, with a Kate Leary goal less than
Eagles downed on Senior Day
two minutes into play. Meagan Mangene grabbed the assist, after Leary bagged up her shot on the rebound. However, BU fought back, however, and Louise Warren scored two goals in quick succession. For her first, Warren traveled all the way behind the net and swung around with a quick shot. Warren netted her second from mid-range when she found herself open in the middle of the slot. Warren would end the night with three goals, acquiring her first career hat trick. The Eagles had more in their tank, though, as Bolden netted her first score of the game and of the season. After taking shot after shot from distance, Bolden glided toward the goal with less than a minute left in the first period and tallied thean equalizer. for the Eagles, her first goal of the season. Bolden struck again at the beginning of the second period with a long-range effort to give BC a 3-2 lead. Once again, BU responded, and Isabel Menard leveled the score at 3-3 at the end of the second period. Reminiscent of the first period, BC
By Marly Morgus For The Heights
The Boston College volleyball team (1016, 4-10 ACC) held its Senior Day match on Sunday afternoon in Power Gym. Its opponent, Wake Forest (9-17, 3-11), came closely matched with the Eagles both in ACC wins and overall records, though they had a track record of struggling away from home. That was not the case on Sunday, however, as a strong offensive performance propelled the Demon Deacons past a shaky BC defense to win the match 3-1. The day started a little earlier than usual for the Eagles, as the team helped put on a celebratory breakfast in order to acknowledge the accomplishments of their two seniors, Val Mattaliano and Krystle Higgins, in order to keep the in-match focus on their competitive opponent. “You’re always making decisions based on what gives you the best chance to win,” said head coach Chris Campbell in regard to the Senior Day rituals. “Senior Day is graham beck / heights editor
See Women’s Hockey, B4
i nside S ports this issue
See Deuce Finch, B4
Blake Bolden’s two goals helped BC squeak out a tie against BU at home on Saturday afternoon.
Field hockey out of tournament
In the first round of the ACC Tournament, BC couldn’t get by Wake Forest..........B2
Eagles bounced by UNC
Th e m e n ’s s o c c e r te a m n eve r h a d a s h o t against the ACC’s best..............................B6
See Volleyball, B2
Football Wrap Up...........................B3 Then and Now................................B6
The Heights
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Monday, November 5, 2012
Blue Devils down BC in narrow upset By Meaghan Callahan For The Heights
graham beck / heights editor
Although they stole one game from the Deacons, the Eagles couldn’t get a key win on Sunday.
Eagles ousted by Wake Volleyball, from B1 an opportunity to recognize our seniors’ extraordinary contributions, and [with the breakfast] as a team we were able to express our gratitude for everything that they’ve brought.” Before the beginning of play, the attendees of Power Gym took a couple minutes to honor the BC and Wake Forest seniors, but from there it was down to business. The first set started out slowly for the eagles. Strong runs from the Demon Deacons put them at an early advantage as they jumped out to a 12-5 lead to start the set. The combination of a strong Wake Forest offense paired with shaky defense from the Eagles fed the early deficit. BC kept fighting, but made little headway against a substantial Wake Forest lead until Campbell took his second timeout of the set at 18-11 and had a one on one lead with sophomore leader Courtney Castle. “Courtney has shown in the past year and a half that she’s capable of a high level of play,” Campbell said after the match. “It takes a pretty amped up level of emotion for her to be that successful, but when she gets in that zone, she’s capable of competing with anybody.” After the timeout, Castle and the rest of the Eagles came out with revived energy. BC took 11 of the 15 following points, reigning in the Demon Deacons to tie the game at 2222. The set remained close, going into extra points, but eventually Wake Forest was able to capitalize on its early set efforts and managed to close out the first set winning 28-26. The Eagles hit the court with renewed energy after their near first-set comeback, fighting hard to take an early lead in the second. BC took eight of the first 10 points, minimizing their errors and challenging
Wake Forest to earn their points with clean play. By keeping the ball in play with consistent offense and defense, the Eagles were able to play the controlled, efficient style of volleyball that they hope for. Riding on their success from the second set, the Eagles started the third in a tight, back and forth battle with Wake Forest. Toward the middle of the set, however the Demon Deacon offense froze the Eagle defense in its tracks as it put on two sizable runs, one of five points and one 10-1 run to make it 21-11. The error ridden Eagles team struggled to find its footing. At times like that, volleyball becomes a mental game. “We’re still a young team, and it’s really tough to play from behind,” Campbell said. “When you’re a few points down, there’s that pressure that you’ve got to side out, you’ve got to score. We fell behind early, and once you’re behind, it builds on you.” Wake Forest finished out the set with a 25-13 win. The mental side of the game was still prevalent as BC moved into the fourth set. Hoping to reset after the tough loss, BC put its strongest efforts on the court to start the set, but seemed to lose its energy quickly as the defense faltered again. The fourth set was more evenly matched than the third, with the Eagles holding on and not giving up a large lead. Yet once again Wake Forest came out on top, finishing the set 25-21 to win the match 3-1. Although it was a tough loss, the team is always looking for ways to improve. “We need to be competing more in practice to give them that experience,” Campbell said. “It’s not a technical or tactical issue at this point. We’ve made the plays before, we just need to make them at the right time under pressure.” n
On Friday, Power Gym in Conte Forum was buzzing with energy. It was a full house as fans watched to see if the Boston College volleyball team could defeat Duke’s Blue Devils once again. It was not long ago, on Oct. 6, that the Eagles swept the Blue Devils in three sets down in Durham, N.C. The Eagles were unable to repeat their victory on Friday, however, and they lost the match to Duke 3-2. It was an upsetting loss, and a surprising one as well, as the Eagles had come out strong in the first two sets. In the first set, BC gained a commanding early lead and held on to it until the end of the set. When Duke called its first timeout, BC was already leading 8-4 and when BC called its first timeout, the lead had grown to 22-17. At the end of the set, there was a moment of pressure as Duke cut BC’s lead to only one point. Yet BC senior Krystle Higgins responded and quickly scored with an impressive spike. The Eagles won the first set 25-21. In the second set, Duke seemed to gain some energy that had appeared to be lacking during the first set. The Blue Devils had an early 8-6 lead, but it was quickly met and surpassed by the Eagles. It was a close set, and similar to the first, there was a tense moment at the end when the teams were tied 23-23. Due to a Duke serving error, the score went to 24-23. Then,
almost instantly, Duke scored and it was tied up again at 24-24. Another serving error by Duke brought it to 25-24. The Eagles did not miss a beat, using this opportunity to score and win the set 26-24. After a brief 10-minute intermission in which the crowd was entertained by “minuteto-win-it games,” the energy was palpable once again in the Power Gym. In the third set, Duke’s energy continued to grow, and the Eagles’ energy seemed to fade. The Blue Devils gained an early lead that they were able to hold on to for the entire set, ultimately winning the set 25-19. BC still maintained a 2-1 advantage going into the fourth set. Duke seemed to be riding the adrenaline they had gained from their victory in the third set, and they used it to gain another early lead over the Eagles. By the time BC called its first timeout, the Blue Devils were already leading 11-7. Although BC’s energy seemed to be lessening, there were impressive moments for the Eagles during the fourth set. One in particular was an amazing save by freshman Katty Workman to keep the ball in bounds, and it led to a nearly picture-perfect spike for Higgins to score. After another timeout, Duke’s lead continued to climb to 20-12. The Blue Devils won the fourth set 25-15, and the match carried on into the fifth set. The fifth set seemed to start differently for the Eagles than the previous two had. They
appeared to be more energetic, and they were able to gain an early lead over the Blue Devils. Whatever energy there was soon evaporated, however, because Duke quickly surpassed the Eagles’ lead. At the halfway mark, when the two teams switched sides, the Blue Devils were leading BC 8-4. Duke was able to maintain its strong lead throughout the rest of the set, winning the final set 15-5. Duke came back from being down by two to win the match 3-2. This loss was particularly difficult for the Eagles, especially after sweeping the Blue Devils in Durham, winning the match in three sets. When asked what made this meeting between the two teams different from the last, head coach Chris Campbell attributed it to a “Loss of focus and poor decisions at poor times, and the players seemed to be too comfortable. “Duke is not a team that is going to roll over,” he said. “They are a competitive team, and this will be a tough one to bounce back from.” Despite the disappointing results, the Eagles still put up impressive numbers. Workman had 21 kills and 15 digs. In addition, Higgins had 15 kills. Freshman libero Franny Hock also gave a notable performance with her match-high 23 digs. This was the third time this season in which she has had more than 20 digs. n
graham beck / heights editor
Volleyball fell in a disappointing upset to Duke on Sunday after being forced into a fifth set by the Blue Devils and losing focus down the stretch.
Wake knocks BC out of ACC tourney By Austin Tedesco Asst. Sports Editor
graham beck / heights editor
SPORTS in SHORT
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons bounced the Eagles out of the ACC Tournament on Thursday.
ACC Football Standings Atlantic
Clemson Florida State Wake Forest NC State Maryland Boston College
Coastal
Miami North Carolina Duke Georgia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia
Conference 5-1 5-1 3-4 2-3 2-3 1-5 4-2 3-2 3-3 3-3 2-3 1-4
Overall 8-1 8-1 5-4 5-4 4-5 2-7 5-4 6-3 6-4 4-5 4-5 3-5
It’s always tough to beat the same team twice in a row, especially a squad that always puts up a tough fight. The Boston College field hockey team found that out on Thursday afternoon against Wake Forest when the fourthseed Eagles fell to the fifth-seed Demon Deacons 3-1 in the opening round of the ACC tournament. BC had defeated Wake 2-1 to close out its season a week ago. “It’s difficult. It’s never easy to lose,” said head coach Ainslee Lamb. “The team gave everything it could in that game, and that is all I asked them to do. I think that the future is very bright for BC field hockey. Overall, I feel that our achievements this fall were above and beyond.” The Eagles’ last three tournament contests have been against the Demon Deacons, and the game was only the second out of the last 10 meetings to be decided by more than one goal. Chasing its first tournament victory, the Eagles fell behind early and
couldn’t catch back up. Jillian Anzalone drove on the net with just over seven minutes to go in the first half and scored to give the Deacons a 1-0 lead. After a few missed opportunities from the Eagles, Anna Kozniuk hit a cross to Jess Newak, who knocked in a goal during the 56th minute to put Wake up 2-0. With 13 minutes left in the game, BC sophomore Kaitlyn Soucy tipped the ball into the net off of an assist from senior Jacqui Moorfield to cut the lead to one, but when the Eagles pulled freshman goalie Leah Settipane with eight minutes to play, the Deacons took advantage with a quick goal that sealed the game. The first-round conference tournament loss ended the season for the Eagles earlier than they would have liked. Despite the loss, Lamb found plenty to be proud of in the Eagles’ 2012 campaign, including the play of seniors Moorfield and Kara Mackintire. “We had two tremendous seniors as leaders, and we’re very grateful to Jacqui and Mack,” Lamb said. “They
Quote of the Week
Numbers to Know
67
Receptions by junior wide receiver Alex Amidon this season, nine short of the BC record set by Andre Callender.
14
Consecutive winning-seasons for the BC field hockey team.
22
More shots taken by the BC women’s ice hockey team than BU in its 5-5 tie with the Terriers on Saturday.
showed us what BC field hockey is and what it should be defined by.” BC finished the year with a record of 10-9, marking its 14th straight winning season. One of the highlights for the Eagles included sophomore Emma Plasteras being named to the All-ACC team last week. Plasteras started in all of the Eagles’ games as a midfielder. “I am so thrilled for Emma to be recognized by the ACC coaches,” Lamb said. “This is quite a compliment and accomplishment to receive this prestigious honor. It is exciting to see Emma rewarded for all of her preparation, hard work, and commitment to contributing all that she can to the team’s success. She has put forth tremendous effort to be performing at this elite level, and it is amazing that as a sophomore, she is achieving this level of play. It is exciting that her future holds many more accolades and successes.” With a young core of talented players around Plasteras, the Eagles will look to build on their success from this year going into this offseason and their 2013 campaign. n
“We had entirely too many turnovers for who we are to get it done.” Head football coach Frank Spaziani after BC’s loss to Wake Forest Saturday —
The Heights
Monday, November 5, 2012
key stats
B3
Chuck burton / ap photo
quote of the game
16 rushing yards for BC 12 Net on the day of third down 13-4 Number conversions, WF to BC
Catches for Wake Forest’s Michael Campanaro
We made a lot of big plays tonight, but at the same time we didn’t make those plays that were turnovers. It doesn’t matter what the stats were. It doesn’t outweigh the fact that we turned over the football.
- Chase Rettig Junior quarterback
key performers
game-changing play In the third quarter, BC had taken control of the momentum but stalled on a drive. Nate Freese lined up for the 43-yard field goal but missed it, keeping it a 21-14 game and killing the Eagles’ momentum.
it was over when... michael campanaro
alex amidon
Chuck burton / ap photo
Chuck burton / ap photo
Amidon (left) brought in 10 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown, continuing his dominant season. Campanaro (right) got open all day, scoring three touchdowns.
Six plays into the fourth quarter, BC had a fourth and goal from the two-yard line. On an option play, Rettig ran to his right and pitched the ball to Dudeck who was stuffed immediately.
football notebook
Williams’ injury deals another blow Miscues and turnovers lead to BC loss By Chris Marino
Assoc. Sports Editor WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Early in the second quarter of Saturday’s 28-14 loss to Wake Forest, Boston College starting running back Andre Williams went down with an apparent abdominal injury. At first glance, spectators believed that Williams suffered a neck injury, after being ripped down by his facemask in the red zone. “After the tackle, somebody jumped on me and kind of splayed my legs open,” Williams said. “I just felt my abdominal pull. It’s a little swollen right now. I’m going to have to see how it feels [Sunday].” The injury is not new for Williams, who initially suffered an abdominal strain last season. “I’ve been having up-anddown problems with my abdominal, but I’ve been keeping it under control,” he said. “I’ve been trying to get into the cold tub everyday, taking ibuprofens and anti-inflammatory whenever I need to, so everything’s been fine.” Williams was attended to on the ground before walking off the field on his own, though with a noticeable limp. The third-year back said that the next week will be a slow process, but his goal is to return for Saturday’s match up with Notre Dame. “I want to be back for Notre Dame, so that’s what I’m working for. But it’s just a day-to-day process.” With their starting back down, the Eagles turned to freshman David Dudeck to take over. He finished the day with 14 carries for 32 yards, and was used more as a receiving threat with screens out of the backfield. Despite the solid effort from his teammates, Williams displayed his concern for the rushing unit. “I am concerned just because at the end of the day, we really didn’t run the ball effectively at all at any point in the game,” he said. “Like I said, you can’t really have a balanced offense if you can’t run the ball. I guess we just need to go back to the drawing board, and see what the issue was.” Questions arose after Williams went down as to the status of former feature back Deuce Finch. The junior running back has been dropped down to the
scout team, and was not even brought on the trip to Wake Forest. When asked about the absence of Finch, head coach Frank Spaziani paused, before stumbling in his response on how to respond. “He’s not on our depth chart,” he said. When asked about the status of his teammates, Williams made his opinion very clear. “Deuce is still a viable running back, so I’m pretty sure he’s definitely going to find his way back in the mix,” he said. “Other than that, I’m not too sure.” Campanaro dominates The biggest threat against the Eagles was wide receiver Michael Campanaro. The junior has been injured all season with a broken hand, and most recently suffered a sprained ankle during practice this past week. Despite the injury, Campanaro came through for the Demon Deacons with a tie for the ACC record in receptions with 16. He finished the day with 123 yards and three first-half touchdowns to give his team an early lead. Senior linebacker Nick Clancy said that his unit had prepared for quarterback Taylor Price’s top option, but it was unable to stop his production. “We knew that he was going to be their top guy that they wanted to go to,” he said. “We’ve faced teams in the past where they’ve had their favorite receiver that they try to hit every time, so we knew that they were going to throw him the ball. He’s a heck of a receiver. There’s no denying that. He tore us apart in a lot of big situations. There’s no excuse. We knew they were going to throw him the ball. We just couldn’t execute.” In the first quarter, Campanaro scored two touchdowns. The first came off BC quarterback Chase Rettig’s first of three interceptions on the day. Wake Forest began the drive on the Eagles’ 48-yard line, and Campanaro became the favorite target on the drive with a 15-yard, first-down completion, and finished the drive with a wide-open 5-yard reception for the score. The Demon Deacons added to their lead with just over a minute left in the first quarter when Price hit Campanaro for a 27-yard gain. Starting the drive
at BC’s 47-yard line, Price made several big passes before hitting his wide receiver for the score. Campanaro found an opening down the field, and broke away for the diving touchdown. His final score came in the final minute of the first half after Rettig fumbled to end his team’s previous drive on its own 15-yard line. After five plays, Price hit his go-to man for the 16-yard play that gave the Demon Deacons the 21-7 halftime lead. A game of third and fourth downs Besides turnovers, the biggest factor in the game appeared to be late-down conversions. The Eagles finished the day 4-for-12 on third-down conversions, while the Demon Deacons were 13-of22. On fourth-down conversions, BC was 1-for-4, while Wake Forest was successful on 2-of-4 fourth-down attempts. One play that was particularly questionable for the Eagles came in the fourth quarter with the Eagles down 28-14. Running back David Dudeck broke through the middle for a nine-yard gain. On third down and one yard to go, Spaziani called for a run for Dudeck, which was stopped for no gain. On fourth down, Rettig took the snap and ran around the right side of the line for the option sweep. With defenders closing in, Rettig awkwardly short-armed the ball to Dudeck for a loss of two yards. On the other side of the ball, the Demon Deacons were contained on first and second down for several key series, yet third and fourth-down situations became nearly impossible for the BC defense to overcome. Clancy acknowledged this as a common problem for the defense this season, and blamed a simple lack of execution for the late-drive struggles. “It’s hard to describe,” he said. “We work so hard for those first two downs to get into that situation where it’s third-and-long, but we just find a way to shoot ourselves in the foot. Whether it is a missed assignment or a misalignment or a guy missing coverage, it’s all just execution. We have guys going out there and busting their butts, but it means nothing unless you execute it correctly.” n
Football, from B1 offense marched down the field to take the early lead. The junior quarterback targeted Campanaro with a 15-yard, first-down pass, followed by another third-down conversion to Lovell Jackson. A personal foul against Manny Asprilla brought the Demon Deacons to the five-yard line, where Price found a wide-open Campanaro in the end zone. On the next BC series, Rettig once again proved shaken by a tough Wake Forest defensive unit. Starting with 7:39 left to play in the quarter, the offense looked to have brushed off the early struggles. Rettig found Swigert in the flat, and the wideout took advantage of some open field down the sideline to break away for 28 yards. On the following play, Rettig hit Dudeck for two yards on a swing pass, but Williams was stuffed on the next play for a loss of five, bringing up another third-down situation. Linebacker Mike Olson had solid coverage as Rettig looked to make a play downfield, and intercepted the ball for the Eagles’ second straight turnover. The rest of the quarter saw back-and-forth play from both sides with neither team able to score, until Wake Forest took advantage of an exploitable BC defense to take a two-score lead. Once again, Price took control, mixing in a number of short passes and rushes. After driving down the field, Price found Campanaro wide open on a deep out pass near the end zone, giving the Demon Deacons a 14-0 lead. The Eagles were the first to find the end zone in the second quarter, as Rettig looked to regain his composure and overcome his first quarter struggles. Unfortunately, this effort took a hit when Williams was brought down by a facemask in the middle of the quarter. After the play, the back remained motionless on the ground, and the medical staff rushed out to see his condition. Although it appeared to be a neck injury at first glance, Williams limped off the field on his own, and it was later confirmed that he had suffered an abdominal injury. He would not return to the game. With the loss of Williams, the Eagles’ offense could only muster 12 net rushing yards on 21 carries. The Demon Deacons finished the day with 116 yards on 32 rushes.
Despite this loss, the Eagles’ offense continued to drive down the field, helped by the 15-yard facemask penalty on the previous play. Rettig showcased his poise, hitting Dudeck, Pantale, and Johnathan Coleman to move his unit down the field. Rettig capped the drive by hitting a streaking Amidon in the end zone to cut Wake Forest’s lead in half. With tight man coverage on Amidon, Rettig showed strong precision and lined the perfect ball to his target. On his end, Amidon was able to maintain focus and keep position through the tight defense. Wake Forest had the last say in the half, however, as Price once again connected with Campanaro for a 16-yard score with 54 seconds left to play, giving the Demon Deacons the 21-7 lead. Spaziani attributed his team’s eventual loss to its inability to maintain possession of the ball, as well as a lack of execution. “They outplayed us,” he said. “There were entirely too many turnovers for who we are to get it done. Three interceptions and a fumble and 16 yards rushing or whatever it was. We just couldn’t make enough plays on either side of the ball. A few of the plays in the first half on defense were plays that we knew were coming.” Heading into the second half, the Eagles looked to overcome these early mistakes to mount the comeback. They were the first to strike in the half after the defense made a fourth-down stop in Wake Forest’s previous drive. Rettig began the drive with a 52-yard bomb to Coleman, who found separation down the field. Two plays later, offensive coordinator Doug Martin decided to use some trickery to take advantage of the Demon Deacon defense. After a heavy use of bubble screens all game, Rettig hit wide receiver Bobby Swigert in the flat, drawing the defense to the line. Swigert made a quick move before launching the ball 12 yards ahead to Pantale in the end zone, bringing the deficit down to seven. On the next drive, the Eagles’ defense came up with a muchneeded turnover to swing the momentum and close the gap. Price tried to force a pass down the middle, and BC’s Spenser Rositano came down with the interception. Yet the Eagles were unable to find any rhythm on the drive, and kicker Nate Freese missed the 43-yard field goal. It was his first miss from
under 50 yards all season. Spaziani saw that as a halt to his team’s momentum. “Our guys were fighting,” he said. “There’s still something a little bit missing there. We got the interception when it was 21-14. We get a penalty on the interception, which brings us back, and we miss the field goal. We’re just not able to come out of those things. We have to do better and come out with points over there.” The Demon Deacons utilized the missed opportunity for the Eagles to double their lead. Running back Josh Harris broke away for a 23-yard touchdown run, giving his team the 28-14 lead. BC had several chances to respond, but the Wake Forest defense seemed to have an answer to all of its opponent’s attempts. The closest opportunity came when the offense pushed its way into the red zone in the fourth quarter. Rettig made solid decisions with his passes, while the running game finally showed some promise. After Dudeck broke a run to the one-yard line, however, the team could not cross the goal line. On fourth down, Rettig swept to the right side of the line on the option, but his last-minute decision to pitch it to Dudeck proved costly, as the back was taken down for a loss and turnover on downs. The defense forced the Demon Deacons to punt again, but another interception for Rettig closed out BC’s chances for victory. Despite throwing for 357 yards and one touchdown, Rettig made clear that the only numbers that matter to him are the turnovers. “It was unfortunate that we had those three turnovers,” he said. “That really hurt us. The stats are going to be there. We made a lot of big plays tonight, but at the same time we didn’t make those plays that were turnovers. It doesn’t matter what the stats were. It doesn’t outweigh the fact that we turned over the football.” Rettig’s inability to hold onto the football was very uncharacteristic of the junior quarterback, which his coach noted after the game. “I think there was too much pressure on him,” Spaziani said. “Once again, his performance— and he’d be the first one to tell you—needs to be better, but we have to help him a little bit more. We made it a little bit too rough on him. These guys are human, too.” n
The Heights
B4
Monday, November 5, 2012
BC pushes past UMass Men’s Hockey, from B1 by Matheson and Brown was MacLeod’s play. When Parker Milner found himself out of the net as he attempted to chase after a loose puck, the junior defenseman made three saves in a row with his skate as if it was a left blocker. MacLeod attributed it to his time spent outside in the summer. “I spent a lot of time in the driveway playing road hockey, so I guess that came through,” he said. The makeshift saves were crucial. With 13 minutes left in the period, the goal would have been a dagger. Macleod’s heroics speak to the personality of this year’s team. While it might seem clicheé, York called the contest a “very fast, clean, hard hockey game.” The Eagles pride themselves on hard hitting and fighting until the final min-
utes, while their fast transition offense certainly leads their attack. The past four games between UMass and BC have been one goal wins by the Eagles, as they continue to close out games. York pointed out that the 2012-2013 team has “some great veteran leaders that play a role in that part of the game. Winning is never easy.” With the clutch comeback win, BC now looks forward to one of their toughest weeks of the season. On Friday night the Eagles face Notre Dame to begin the Holy War. Kelley Rink expects to see one of the largest crowds in quite some time. Then on Sunday, they’ll cross Commonwealth Ave. to face BU in the first game of the year for this intense rivalry. After the comeback victory and six straight wins, York’s club continues to play impressive hockey, which is important considering that these early Hockey East games hold a lot of weight on the season. n
graham beck / heights editor
MacLeod (right) scored in the second period on Friday night, helping BC secure its first win at Maine’s Alford Arena in nearly three years.
Eagles win at tough Alford Arena By Pat Coyne
For The Heights
graham beck / heights editor
Michael Matheson (above) and Patrick Brown (below) scored the tying and winning goals.
Playing games at the University of Maine’s Alfond Arena has been no easy task for the Boston College men’s hockey team in recent years—since 2009, the Eagles had not been able to win a game in Orono when facing the Black Bears. On Friday night, before 4,733 screaming fans, the No. 1 Eagles had a chance to try their luck once again at Alfond, this time facing an unranked Maine squad whose record was a paltry 1-6. By the start of third period, however, things were not going as the Eagles would have hoped for. After two periods the score was tied 2-2, and while the Eagles eventually ended up winning the game 4-2, the team’s eventual victory was by no means easy. “It’s always been a difficult place to play, I think Maine feeds off the home crowd very, very well, and they’ve got some good players,” said head coach Jerry York following the game, acknowledging perhaps the leading factor that has made it so difficult for the Eagles to win in Maine in recent years. After a scoreless first period it was clear that the game was not going to be an easy contest for the Eagles. Maine was able to keep up with BC’s high-caliber play with ease, and the Eagles were unable to execute on several key chances to score. At 1:06 in the second period, forward Kevin Hayes finally put the Eagles on the board with a power play goal, a slap shot from the right point assisted by
Destry Straight and Patrick Wey. Quick to respond, Maine tied the game up less than a minute later when Will Merchant received a pass in the slot and put it home for a goal. When BC scored again later in the second period, this time on a wrist shot from the point by defenseman Isaac Macleod, Maine responded just 24 seconds later with a goal of their own. Tied against the Black Bears going into the third period, the Eagles’ No. 1 rank was potentially on the line if they were to lose. That danger was put to rest, though— BC came out flying during the third period, and when Maine defender Klas Leidermark received a two-minute minor for interference at 3:20, the pressure was on the Eagles to regain the lead. A minute and a half into the power play, the Eagles executed. After an attempted wraparound on the Black Bears’ goaltender Martin Ouellette led to a loose puck in front of the net, forward Johnny Gaudreau was able to bang home the Eagles’ third goal from the top of the crease. Danny Linell and Michael Matheson were credited with the assists on the goal. From that point on, the Eagles never looked back. Although the team failed to execute on a power play 7:41 into the period, as well as on a five-on-three advantage that lasted 37 seconds, the team continued to move the puck well, dominate play, and close the gap in Maine’s shots on goal advantage. For the first time all game, the Eagles were able to maintain their lead. At 18:45 in the third, Maine pulled Ouellette in
exchange for an extra skater on the ice. A miscommunication among the Black Bears, however, led to a two-minute bench minor being called for having too many men on the ice, and an Eagles power play for the rest of regulation. Then, with 11 seconds left in the game, BC forward Bill Arnold sent a cross-ice pass through the neutral zone to forward Steven Whitney, who proceeded to score on Maine’s empty net, sealing the Eagles’ first victory at Maine in nearly three years. “I think the keys to the win on the road tonight were capitalizing on the power play, and Parker Milner’s play in goal— he made some incredible saves,” York said following the game. Milner was the third star of the night’s game, finishing with 28 saves. The success of each team’s respective power plays was undoubtedly the difference maker in Friday’s game. While the Black Bears went 0-for-3 on their chances, the Eagles were 3-for-6 on the night, and 2-for-4 in the third period, when the goals mattered most. “[Maine’s] play is not indicative of what the record would say, they played hard, they played well,” York said. “It was a difficult win for us to achieve tonight.” As difficult as the victory was, the Eagles cannot afford to look back on any shortcomings that occurred. The Eagles will welcome Maine to Kelley Rink on Jan. 24 and 25 later this season, and while there will be no home crowd for the Black Bears to feed off of in those games, the Eagles must certainly be ready for another fight. n
Eagles draw with BU at home Women’s Hockey, from B1 grabbed a quick first goal at the beginning of the third, as Alex Carpenter charged down the left flank and drove the puck into the back of the net, but then BU responded with two more goals of its own. Shannon Stoneburgh and Warren both swept in from close range to find the back of the net, putting the Terriers up 5-4 with less than 13 minutes left to play. Around four minutes later, freshman Lexi Bender seized an open shot after a long stretch of BC possession and forced the game into overtime with a goal to make it 5-5. Neither team managed to find the back of the net in that extra five-minute period, and the game ended with an even score. “I was just trying to find a way to score that goal. At that time, we shortened the bench quite a bit, and were trying to get kids out there that were going
to find a way to score a goal,” Crowley said. “We weren’t able to do it, but we had some nice chances and made some nice plays.” Crowley was happy with her team’s performance on the day. “Yeah, you always want to win, so I’m not completely satisfied,” Crowley said. “But I think our kids worked hard and did the things we asked them to do for the most part. You’re playing against the No. 3 team in the country, so we knew it was going to be a battle, and I was happy with the way the kids came out.” BC ended the game with more than double the shots that BU had, and forced 38 saves from Terriers goalkeeper Kerrin Sperry. “Now we are done with BU for a little while, anyways,” Crowley said. “Maybe we’ll be able to see them in the Beanpot. It was definitely a good series to feed off of, and definitely propel us to the next couple of games here.” n
graham beck / heights editor
Corinne Boyles allowed five goals to Boston University on Saturday afternoon, but came through in the clutch by blanking the Terriers in OT.
With thin running back core, it’s time for explanation of Deuce’s absence Deuce Finch, from B1 I understand that you can only get so many backs ready to play, but it’s not like Boston College has an overflow of all-star running backs at its disposal. That’s why it baffles me that two fumbles in the first two games took Finch from starter to scout team in a matter of weeks. Because you know who else has had fumbling problems this year? The current starter, Andre Williams— he’s fumbled four times in nine games. Yet we haven’t seen Williams relegated to the doghouse. Last Thursday, I asked Spaziani who would be next in line if Williams were to keep having issues hanging onto the ball. He groaned at the idea of it, but went on with an answer. “It’s a good question, because just fumbling alone, as itself, it’s a big factor, but then there’s a lot of stuff that goes into it,” he said.
“Are you preparing not to fumble? Where you’re at with some other things, your other options.” Spaziani was then asked who was the third-string running back after Williams and David Dudeck. The answer was not Finch, but instead James McCaffrey, who came to BC as a defensive back before transitioning to wide receiver at the start of the season. “It’s good we don’t have to get down to that,” Spaziani said. “That’s what that third running back should be—‘who is it?’” Apparently he forgot to knock on wood. When Williams went down with an injury in the first half of Saturday’s game, it was up to Dudeck to take over. I think Dudeck has a bright future, and so does Spaziani, but putting the entire running game in the hands of a true freshman is a lot to ask. The entire running game was on his back because McCaffrey didn’t see the field. Neither did Finch—he couldn’t. He didn’t even make the
trip down to North Carolina for the game. For his part, Williams gave Finch his support following Saturday’s game when asked about the running back situation. “I’m not really too sure what’s going to happen with the running backs,” Williams said. “Deuce is still a viable running back, so I’m pretty sure he’s definitely going to find his way back in the mix. Other than that, I’m not too sure.” On Thursday, Spaziani assured us again that Finch wasn’t a lost cause for the rest of the season, saying he could definitely work his way back onto the field on Saturdays. “Oh yeah,” he said. “Yeah, no one is off on some island somewhere where they can’t get back. No jersey is tattooed on you, it doesn’t matter what color it is. It’s not tattooed. Things change and situations change and every player is accountable for themselves and can change their status—good and bad. You can be a starter and you can work
your way out of the starting role. You can be down on the depth chart and work your way up.” Except it’s hard to work your way up the depth chart when you aren’t even at the game to play when the starter goes down with an injury. Yesterday afternoon, Spaziani said the health of Williams wasn’t yet clear, as he was to be evaluated later on Sunday night. “But next man in line,” Spaziani said. “We’ll just go down the batting order and take our running backs that we have and start practicing. Who are they? “Right now, it’s [Dudeck] and then we go McCaffrey, Finch, [quarterback Josh] Bordner, [Mike] Javorski, there’s a list of guys,” Spaziani said. Finch is buried in that list, composed of a former wide receiver, a former defensive back, a quarterback, and a walk-on who
earned a scholarship over the summer. On paper, that makes no sense. So what isn’t Spaziani telling us? Maybe he does have a good reason for not letting Finch see the field since Week Three. But with the ground game struggling and now Williams down with an injury, it does not look good to have last year’s leading rusher buried on the scout team. For a man who’s fighting a losing battle to keep his job, you’d think he’d try anything at this point. And if there is a valid reason for Finch not being ahead of Dudeck and McCaffrey on the depth chart, then Spaziani should tell us. Maybe he’s trying to protect his players, but the current situation does not seem acceptable. From the outside, it’s inexplicable.
Greg Joyce is the Sports Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at sports@ bcheights.com.
Monday, November 5, 2012
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Monday, November 5, 2012
Alex Manta / HEIGHTS Graphics
Time to start filling up the stands during basketball Stephen Sikora I am not a hockey fan. Yes, I’m proud of the fact that our team is so successful, and I certainly enjoy the few games I attend each year. But I can’t lie to myself and pretend I have a love for the sport. For me, Boston College making the Sweet 16, or winning a major bowl game, would be much more exciting than our hockey team winning a national championship. I’m not alone in this assertion. There’s a substantial amount of people that consider there to be three major sports: football, basketball, and baseball. Those three are far and away the most watched, covered, and talked about sports in the country. The website Deadspin runs a weekly feature that tracks how often sports and players are discussed on each night’s 11 p.m. Sportscenter. Through the first 10 months of the year, MLB has consisted of 19.7 percent of SC’s coverage, with the NBA at 19.5 percent, and the NFL at 19.4 percent. College basketball is fourth with 7.7 percent, and next is college football at 4.8 percent. As for hockey, the NHL is at 3.3 percent, while college hockey is grouped into the “other sports category.” ESPN’s signature show gives a revealing gauge of the average fan’s psyche. At BC, we have over 9,000 undergraduates—so I know you’re out there, basketball fans. Yet there are consistently rows and rows of empty seats in our student section during basketball games. It’s completely unacceptable for a Division I program. If you call yourself a true sports fan, you should be embarrassed, as I am, that you currently attend a university that draws a median average of fewer than 100 students a game. Now, I understand the logic that says the better the product, the more fans will attend—the team went 9-22 last year. But essentially the same amount of fans showed up to basketball games during my freshman year in 2010, when we won 20 games and were on the bubble of making the NCAA Tournament. If living up to your title as a sports fan isn’t enough, here are four more reasons to attend basketball games at Conte this year: 1. Basketball’s one of the best sports to watch in person. You’re so close to the floor, which provides a completely different experience than viewing the game on TV. The court seems smaller in person, and you can see the pure physicality of the game and the players. The crowd reactions to dunks, 3-pointers (which we should have plenty of this year), and buzzer beaters are hard to top. 2. While BC is likely to finish in the middle of the ACC, the competition we play in the league is second to none. We host Duke and North Carolina this season, as well as No. 6 NC State. The two best college basketball programs of all time will be coming to campus—a true sports fan will be excited to attend
both games. 3. We can grow up with these players. The primary reason the team fell to such depths last year was because of age—we had four freshman starters, making up the youngest team in the entire country. With a year of experience, and the addition of solid freshman guards and transfers, our rotation should be much improved. As the players mature both physically and mentally under the tutelage of head coach Steve Donahue, expect the squad to take a huge leap. And unlike other schools, where players leave after a year or two for the NBA, we’ll be able to watch these players for three or four years. 4. You should support your school. It’s commendable that we all went to football games this year even though the team was terrible. I understand that football is a sacred tradition on campus that everyone partakes in, and it’s easy to get a group of friends together to hang out during the game. Why not try to duplicate that culture at basketball games? The sport is exciting enough to be enjoyed by fans as much as football and hockey are. The problem, though, is that games aren’t seen as an event on campus. It’s hard to gather people to go because barely anyone buys season tickets. And with the student section close to empty, some students choose to sit in the stands instead. This is where Donahue’s Disciples comes in. They’re a dedicated group of BC basketball fans who attend every game, start chants, and have great enthusiasm for the program. For anyone out there who has tickets but can’t find a friend to head to a game with, the Disciples will be happy to have you. They set up shop in the first couple of rows near the home basket—you can’t miss them. The goal for the program should be to fill the student section for every game, and create a Superfan culture similar to football and hockey games. I understand that’s unrealistic for this season. But even if we could get halfway there, it would provide such an improvement of what we currently have. Players feed off our energy in the stands, and visiting recruits want to see a great atmosphere when they visit campus. Fan participation has a direct impact on the success of the program. If you’re reading this column, I know you’re a sports fan. Come out and support your basketball team this season. We have a great Division I program on campus, and we’d like to keep it that way. The players and coaches deserve better than to have rows of empty seats in the student section. It’s up to you to start taking your responsibility of being a sports fan seriously by showing up to these games. Once you do, you might just like what you find.
Stephen Sikora is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at sports@bcheights. com.
graham beck / heights editor
Despite solid efforts in the midfield by Kyle Bekker (10), Christian Johnson (24), and the men’s soccer team, UNC held BC scoreless on Thursday evening’s
Eagles’ loss to Tar Heels sends them to Clemson By Steven Principi Heights Staff
The Boston College men’s soccer team ended regular season play on Thursday night with a 4-0 loss at the University of North Carolina. The Eagles were thoroughly outplayed for the full 90 minutes and the Tar Heels won to earn a share of the ACC title. It was a game that was never in doubt, as North Carolina controlled it from the opening kick and never let go, pinning BC back in its own end for much of the game and pressuring its defense almost constantly. The first half saw the Tar Heels playing almost exclusively in the Eagles’ back third but unable to break through in the beginning. Goalie Justin Luthy had to be sharp early on in order to keep the game level but even his strong play was not enough. In the 20th minute, Andy Craven
managed to get behind the BC defense and in on Luthy alone. His shot hit the inside of the far post and bounced into the net, giving UNC a lead that it would never surrender. The rest of the first half was very similar to the first 20 minutes. Instead of backing off and trying to just hold their lead, the Tar Heels continued to pressure the BC defense and forced Luthy to make some nice plays. The Eagles escaped the half without any more damage, however, and went into the break down 1-0. UNC ended the first half with a 6-1 advantage in shots to go along with its lead and clearly looked like the better team for the opening 45 minutes. Just seven minutes into the second half, North Carolina managed to double its lead and put the game out of reach. After a BC foul close to the box, Danny Garcia took a free kick that man-
aged to get past the Eagles’ wall and beyond Luthy’s reach. The 20 lead all but ended the game for BC, who was never able to create any serious chances to threaten the Tar Heels. It wasn’t until the 78th minute that the Eagles managed to get their first shot on goal, and even that did not bother the North Carolina goalie. Just seconds after that shot on goal, the Tar Heels managed to make the game 3-0 with a goal in transition. Alex Olofoson netted the goal that put BC away for good. The goal came off a brilliant pass from Craven that left Luthy with no chance to make a save. Just three minutes after that, Raby George continued the route for UNC with goal off of a corner kick. The loss dropped the Eagles to 8-5-4 on the season and 32-3 in ACC play, and kept them tied with Clemson for fourth place in the conference. North
Carolina, meanwhile, improved to 14-2-1 and 6-1-1 in the ACC, and earned a share of the conference title. Craven was a part of every goal for the Tar Heels, earning four points on the night. BC managed only one shot on goal the entire night while Luthy made four saves. The 4-0 result was the Eagles’ worst loss of the year, matching the score from a game against Maryland early in the season. The game was the Eagles’ last in the regular season as the ACC tournament begins on Tuesday. While a win or even a tie would have given them a game in Chestnut Hill, the loss puts them in the No. 5 seed because of goal differential. That means they will travel to No. 4 seed Clemson to open tournament play. The two teams met earlier this year at BC and played to a 0-0 tie in overtime. Their quarterfinal matchup will take place on Tuesday night. n
The Heights
Monday, November 5, 2012
Professor Profile by Michelle Tomassi
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Specializes in: Probability.
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His favorite part of teaching: “The kids. Absolutely.”
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Background: Chambers was born in South Bend, Ind. and attended Notre Dame University for his undergraduate degree. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.
really torn for “Iawas while. I will root for
Notre Dame when they play someone else, but I will root for BC when Notre Dame plays us.
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Outside research: He was involved in a project with a colleague in the math department about earthquake forecasting in California andNevada. Their research was posted online last year and just came out in print this year.
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Started at BC: In 1982. “The school has just changed unbelievably,” Chambers said. When he started as a professor at Boston College, he explained that many of the most notable buildings on campus today were not yet established, including O’Neill Library, Conte Forum, and Fulton.
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Current courses he teaches: Calculus I for math and science majors, mathematical programming, introductory statistics, and co-teaches Euclid’s Elements. “[Euclid’s Elements] is very different than any of the other math courses we have,” he said.
Hobbies: He loves to read, enjoys going for runs, and listens to “fairly eclectic music,” including alternative, rock, folk, and jazz. He also attends theater productions with his wife. “You can really see some wonderful theater at cheap prices,” he said, urging students to take advantage of their prime location near Boston.
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Previous jobs: He worked for a few summers at the National Institutes of Health doing data analysis. “When I was in college, probably my most interesting job was working in a brass foundry,” he said.
Kids: He has two children, who are 23 and 27. One is currently working and living in Jacksonville, Fla., and the other is engaged to be married.
Professor Dan Chambers Associate Professor of Mathematics at BC
Alex Gaynor / Heights staff
OCBC plows ahead, working to meet BC student demands Many students have expressed an interest in outdoor activities and are excited to take advantage of what lies beyond campus OCBC, from B10 finally offer them on a legitimate scale, OCBC has been on a mission to crank them out—even if funding from BC can’t cover every cost. “We’re trying to do rock climbing every other weekend,” Ceraolo said. “It’s indoor climbing at Metro Rock, which is about an hour on the T and one of the easier trips we’ve [been doing]. We had really great success with the kayaking trip [in September], and we ran two other trips through the same organization [in October],” Ceraolo said. The October kayak trips were to keep up with demand for the outing, and were put on for that reason according to Ceraolo, but they had to be full-price because of insufficient funding. The club is still having further trouble pulling together their intended hiking trip, which would arguably be the most popular outing offered. “SPO told us in the beginning that we could have one hiking trip with students, with the requirement that we have Eli Crispell [a coordinator within the Plex’s Outdoor Adventures program] go on the trip with us as a supervisor,” Ceraolo said. “But that is still in development now because they are kind of taking that back and telling us to hold on for a minute. They think we’re moving too fast … but we’re moving with demand. We just really want to fight for the voice of the people, and they want trips.” A main thing holding OCBC back, besides funding issues, is that SPO requires the club to only run trips through a third-party organization, since OCBC’s trip leaders are new. For these reasons, Ceraolo, other executive board members of OCBC, and its trip leaders have been starting to work closely with Outdoor Adventures, a program within Campus Recreation that provides outdoor activity excursions for both undergraduate and graduate students at BC. Since Outdoor Adventures involves paid faculty members, it technically counts as a third-party organization with which OCBC can participate and increase its legitimacy. Besides building a relationship with Crispell and other people at the Plex, OCBC is putting together a semester-long training program with Outdoor Adventures in which they go over outdoor skills, leadership, and planning with trip leaders to boost the club’s efficacy and have a positive effect on its core. In the meantime, OCBC has also been organizing other events for students in order to celebrate the outdoors. On Thursday, Nov. 15, the club will host a fair inside the Plex with myriad organizations from the Boston area that support and pursue outdoor activities. Some notable groups that will be present are GeoClub, Appalachian
Mountain Club, L.L. Bean, R.E.I., and Waypoint Adventures. The fair will precede another event orchestrated by OCBC on the evening of Nov. 15, which will be a screening of the limited-release rock climbing film called REEL ROCK 7 in Devlin 008. The film’s tour only includes special locations around the United States, and thanks to OCBC for collaborating with Reel Rock, BC students can get an exclusive showing of the adrenaline-junkie film for free on campus. “Hopefully it will have a good turnout. Actually, we got a message on our Facebook page from someone who is not a University student, from California, asking if we were selling tickets to this event. So it’s a big deal. [They’re] stopping at a select number of places around the country, and we’re lucky enough to have them stop here and give us the rights to show the movie,” Ceraolo said. Ceraolo hopes that this film will not only put OCBC on the map to a greater extent, but will also give club members and outdoor enthusiasts alike another thing to get excited about this fall as the cold weather approaches. This is especially important, considering that the winter season is approaching, which might mean fewer trips for OCBC members outside of projected OCBC ski trips. “It’s getting cold, so we’re definitely bound by weather,” Ceraolo explained. “There is a lower demand for trips. This hiking trip is getting pushed into December, and now we’re wondering how many people would be interested in that. It’s later in the semester [too], so there are less funds to go around. And according to SPO, we ran at least three trips already—and that’s a lot for a club—so we don’t need as much money. But the thing is, we’re not an ordinary club. It’s part of the nature of our organization that we run multiple trips,throughout the semester, so that we can meet our demand.” Yet the coming months may represent a period of even greater growth for the adolescent club, with more trips, clinics, and events in general. Ceraolo also hopes to have more trip leaders who are capable of running trips on their own in the regard of the University. Furthermore, the eventual spring months will bring about a bevy of additional opportunities for students to get outside. “We could do white water rafting, a kayaking excursion in New Hampshire,” Ceraolo said. “We could take advantage of the nice weather and do a beach trip—even a Spring Break trip—which is just an idea now.” Other future events OCBC aspires to plan are biking, archery, and outdoor climbing. The winter months may mean that BC students stay inside more, but that does not mean an end to OCBC, a club that is clearly here to stay, no matter the setbacks it may face. n
Support for Wounded Warriors Wounded Warriors, from B10 adjusted to the needs and abilities of the participants, such as “Soldier Rides” cycling events, the injured servicemen and women not only regain independence and mobility, but also confidence to compete physically. Economic Empowerment programs seek to help veterans reassert themselves in the civilian educational and career systems. Some of its divisions focus on education—“TRACK” provides a yearlong educational background and introduction into the civilian workforce in centers in San Antonio and Jacksonville, while the Campus Services program provides support for injured service members in a traditional educational setting. Others are more work-oriented, such as the Transition Training Academy, free information technology classes for wounded warriors as well as their caregivers, and Warriors to Work, a career counseling and job placement service. Under Engagement, the Wounded Warrior Project offers a host of other services. Through its Resource Center, the organization assists service men and women in obtaining their benefits, and advocates for the cause of wounded warriors through government policies such as 2010’s Caregivers Act. Additionally, the center supports wounded warriors overseas by providing comfort supplies such as clothing and blankets to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, often the first stop for injured military personnel. The Alumni Program, run through the Resource Center, and serves as a supportive network for wounded service members to connect with one another and share their experiences and healing, as does the “Peer Mentoring” program, which pairs recently returned wounded warriors with those further along in the healing process to serve as a role model and a friend. In supporting the Wounded Warrior Project, BC seeks to give back to those who have sacrificed for our country, and displaying the partnership in such a visible way as the football uniforms served as a reminder to BC students of real heroes. “I think that the uniforms were a wonderful way to pay tribute to the women and men in the armed forces. I also thought it was great that the uniforms were going to be auctioned off to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project,” said Danielle Nista, A&S ’16. “I love that project because it gives back to people who have given us so much.” n
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How-To
Finally get started on a personal hobby Eunice Lim In the movie Julie and Julia, a young woman named Julie Powell finds herself facing a late-20s life crisis. She spends her days working at a government agency instead of being the writer she could be and is, in every sense of the word, unfulfilled. Julie happens to have an idiosyncratic obsession with Julia Child, the legendary American cook, and decides one day to embark on a “personal project” in which she cooks the 524 recipes in Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days. With the help of her husband Eric, she sets up a blog to share the delectable details of her cooking adventure on a daily basis. Her adventure is full of new experiences, occasional meltdowns, self-growth, and most importantly, delicious food. By the end, her blog has become so successful that she is offered a chance to write the book that inspired this movie. As I watched the movie, I was not as amazed with the life-changing opportunity Julie receives as I was with the small but exciting experiences and lessons Julie learns along the way. At the end of her journey, Julie has not only become an official writer, but also someone who can de-bone a duck, poach an egg, cut open a lobster, and cook beef bourguignonne. She has also become someone who knows how to appreciate the people in her life. What started out as a “personal project” ended up changing her life. With this said, take a moment to reflect. When was the last time you did something that you thoroughly enjoyed that helped you take a step back from your hectic schedule? As college students, it is too easy to forget that there is more to life than weekday classes and weekend parties. Even though focusing on academics and social life is important for a college student, one needs an occasional break from the everyday routine. This is where a “personal project” comes in. My definition of a “personal project” is any activity one does to either develop a passion, learn how to do something new, or just relax. Here are a few basic and informal tips to help you start your own “personal project”: 1. Do something you have never done before. For example, my cousin, who is a business major, started taking one picture every day of her hand in a different setting. At the end of one year, she had created an album full of pictures of her hand shown in front of different restaurants, libraries, sidewalks, natural landscapes, etc. It was her way of keeping a memory from each day. 2. Set a deadline. Having a deadline increases the chance of actually completing the project. 3. Consistency is key! Make sure to keep up with your project every single day. 4. Mark your progress. Whatever you are doing, leave some dated evidence so you can always look back on what you did and how it made you feel. For instance, my brother, who is a psychology major, did a year-long personal project where he kept a journal, glued down one new leaf he found each day, and described how the leaf represented his schedule or feelings. He admitted later that his favorite part was writing what day of the project it was on the top of each page. 5. Tell people about your personal project and get support. No personal project is complete without the support of friends and family. Sometimes, it is difficult to keep up with what seems to be something that has no immediate benefits for you, and having others encourage you to stick to your personal project is immensely helpful. Also, telling others about the quirky and enlightening things you do to brighten up your life could inspire them to take on a personal project of their own. 6. Do something that you really enjoy doing. Your personal project should not be an additional source of stress in your life. When you do something you enjoy, you will be able to restore a peace of mind. When I was in high school, I decided to master an entire piano book of Mozart pieces on my own over a course of eight months. I dedicated 30 minutes every day to practice, and found joy and inspiration in interpreting and playing Mozart. Because I love classical music, playing the piano helped me handle and detach from my school-related stress. It is tempting to turn your eyes away from this article upon reading the words “personal project” because it contains the word “project.” But do not be intimidated, because a personal project can be small in scope as long as it has some meaning to you. Let me make it clear that there is no pressure to be the next Julie Powell. A personal project does not have to be something as extensive as keeping a blog. It could just be listening to a new song every day, learning how to say a word in a different language each day, or even jotting down a daily quote in a notebook.
Eunice Lim is a contributor to The Heights. She can be reached at features@bcheights.com.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Unsung HEroes: Tony Bianchi
Friendly face in late-night security guard By Allie Broas For The Heights
Walking through O’Neill Library at night, it is difficult not to associate every desk and computer with a time of complete desolation. Finding your name scribbled under a desk evokes memories of that terrible midterm week or that paper that condemned you to three weeks of vending machine food and sponge baths in the fourth floor bathroom. It brings back the feeling of rage when you discovered that Hillside was only open until 8 p.m. and if you wanted coffee or sustenance afterward, you would have to bag a snack or make the trek to one of the distant dining halls. Amidst your misery, there was one bright light in your evenings spent sequestered in the Quiet Zone of O’Neill: Tony Bianchi. Frequent flyers in O’Neill will recognize Bianchi as the friendly and talkative security guard who roams the floors during his late-night shift. A beloved member of the late-night library staff, Bianchi is a welcomed presence in O’Neill by his coworkers, never failing to come up with a joke or a story to cheer everyone up. His amiability is reflected in how he views his part-time work at O’Neill. “I get to meet different people. They’re all so friendly, and the staff is great,” Bianchi said. “I just love walking around and asking how everyone’s day is. It doesn’t come with the job, but I like to make everyone’s day better if I can.” A native Newtonite, Tony grew up
courtesy of Allie Broas
Bianchi can be found in O’Neill Library, keeping the mood light late into the night for students. locally and attended Newton North for high school. He then went on to major in criminal justice in school, which he has now translated into a job working for the District Court. With three young children, it is remarkable that Tony is able to balance all of these roles, but he does so wholeheartedly and swears that it is precisely the difference that enables him to do all three with such energy and care. “The people are different here. It’s more of a college environment than a district court that I enjoy. This is more easygoing, so I always like coming here after a day of work,” he said. He arrives to O’Neill every day with
a big smile on his face, encouraging students and professors alike flock to him in times of need and guidance. He prides himself on saying hello to everyone – knowing that the warm reception he receives at Boston College is unlike that in the subways of downtown Boston where he carries himself similarly. To Bianchi, the O’Neill staff is an untapped resource of people empathetic to the toils of a college student and eager to help in any way possible. He humbly strives to be one of those people, as he recalls his undergraduate experience filled with many days spent in the library. He appreciates
the pressure that the students he meets are under. “We’re all in this together. I just try to offer the students words of encouragement to help them along,” he said. “I love seeing the regulars—the organic chemistry kids especially stand out to me. I always recognize them.” One of the regulars, Kelly Quinn, LSOE ’13, cannot say enough about the positive effect Bianchi has on the latenight crowd at O’Neill. “Tony possesses a great optimistic attitude when walking around the library,” she said. “It’s always a nice break from my work when he stops to say a friendly hello.” More often that not, these students receive more than a friendly hello. Bianchi’s passion for traveling often comes up in conversation, as the Sierra Club map behind the desk in O’Neill displays the National Parks that he and his family have visited. He lists a cross-country drive to Montana as one of his favorite trips, citing Yellowstone and Glacier National Park as his favorite parks. He’ll likewise happily indulge in you in adorable stories about his kids and growing up in Massachusetts. While his job mandates him to crack down on Chinese food deliveries and blaring music, Bianchi admits to enjoying the unspoken duties of his job far more—making long, dark nights in O’Neill a little bit brighter for everyone with a smile and a good joke. So if you find yourself in O’Neill one night mourning your workload and solitude, never fear. Keep your head up, because you’ve got a friend in Tony Bianchi. n
A student’s final thoughts on the presidential race Cathryn Woodruff What are we really doing when we absentmindedly and robotically recite the Pledge of Allegiance in our middle school homeroom class? We are not answering to Big Brother, although it does sometimes seem like that—our teacher glaring at us nefariously if we skip a verse or two, and the constancy with which we did so every morning. In fact, we are revering our country—our country that has evolved from a series of colonies into a free, independent nation. History class teaches us about the structure of the American government, and teachers and parents remind us that we are “so lucky” to live in this democratic nation. Yet we don’t fully grasp this mystical privilege we have been born into while we sing to the loudspeaker in homeroom. Most of us cannot fully grasp how blessed we are until we turn 18, and finally get the opportunity to have a say in the direction our country takes. This presidential race is centered around persuasion, harsh rhetoric, and undercutting, backstabbing advertisements. It has been a dirty, muddy race in the final days. It’s important to remember the initial platforms and to remember the candidates before mudslinging politics forced them into a WWA wrestling match. We have the opportunity to steer this country in 2012 as a nation, but more specifically, as a strong group of American youths. The fact that over twice as many seniors voted as young adults in
2000 is appalling and disappointing. Although youth voter turnout has increased since 2000 (49 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds voted in 2008), this country has yet to see an electrified generation of young voters. Why are elderly people more inspired by promises of “hope” and change and moving forward than the demographic that is the future? In 2008, polls showed that young people were overwhelmingly supportive of Obama and the Democratic party. In 2010, polls showed that young people were still supportive of Obama and the Democrats, but only 20.9 percent of them bothered to vote in the Senatorial elections, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. This caused Democrats to lose Senate and House seats across the country. It is a consequence of both Obama and Romney not appealing directly to the youth vote, as much as it is an issue of youth apathy. A lot of collegiate voting apathy seems to arise from the feeling that “my vote doesn’t count.” But the point is really to get those ballots in, to get the youth voting statistics up—to prove that the next generation is capable of raising the standards in America, of caring about issues that will actually materialize in their lifetime. If you are someone like me who likes to see tangible change, then you should invest yourself in the local elections. Take pride in voting for that judge in your county court back home, knowing that he will improve the school system or make sweeping
courtesy of flickr.com
Students need to remember the candidates’ platforms when they cast their votes tomorrow. changes in towns in desperate need of order. The state senate elections are also vital. It takes only a few minutes of research online (or the click of a button on the TV remote) to differentiate the senators’ different proposals and stances on the big issues and to learn about what they would do if elected. Senators, with the power to propose laws and block legislation, are what really make the wheels on democracy churn. Put effort into voting for senators that you believe can carry your voice and materialize your desires into actual legislation. If they win, you can
reap the benefits of the law that you indirectly helped to pass. If even only one of the bubbles you scribble in on your ballot is victorious in this election, you have made a difference. It’s what the founding fathers wanted for us and what the revolutionaries fought so tenaciously for. So I challenge you: take that blue pen off your desk and scribble in some circles, because apathy is utterly incompatible with progress.
Cathryn Woodruff is an editor for The Heights. She can be reached at features@bcheights.com.
he said, she said I am going abroad next semester, but my boyfriend is not. We don’t have any serious problems in our relationship, aside from the fact that we’ll be apart for six months. I don’t know whether or not it will be more or less distracting for both of us next semester if we went on a break. Thoughts?
M
ore times than not, I feel like this ends up being a lose-lose situation. Either you decide to go on a break and spend the whole semester wondering if you could’ve managed to stay together, or you actually stay together and it either becomes too difficult or one person ends up cheating on the other. It doesn’t seem like one option works significantly better than any other. It really boils down to how much you trust the other person, and you have to really evaluate how committed Alex Manta you are to the relationship. If you’ve been together for a significant period of time without any serious problems then, while distance is obviously not going to be easy or pleasant, you should be able to overcome it if the relationship is worth it to both of you. On the other hand, if you’re having qualms about the relationship now, then you can rest assured that one of you being abroad is much more likely to make it worse than better. One way to spin this whole problem into a positive is to use the time abroad as a kind of test of your relationship. Go on a break while you’re apart, and if after that much time away from each other you still find that you want to be together, then you know what the right move is. You have to give each other some level of freedom while apart in order to discover just how important this relationship is to you. It’s not going to be easy no matter what you do, but more than anything else, do not make a decision about whether or not to go abroad or where to go abroad based on a college boyfriend or girlfriend. Do what’s best for you, because this opportunity isn’t going to come by again. Let the rest work itself out after that.
Alex Manta is an editor for The Heights. He can be reached at features@bcheights.com.
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oing abroad is always a difficult wrench to throw into a relationship. It’s a great time for you to grow and experience new things, but with your boyfriend still at Boston College, you guys could run into some problems relating to jealousy, cheating, or just not having enough time to talk to one another. If your relationship is going well and you see this being a significant part of your life, there’s nothing wrong with giving it a try and Taylor Cavallo doing the long distance relationship for the few months you’re abroad. Of course, this could go both ways: you could maintain a happy relationship where you keep in touch when you can, or, depending on availability, you could talk very rarely. I know of relationships that have ended and ones that have lasted after one person, or both, goes abroad. What it really comes down to is how serious the two of you are about keeping your love afloat. You should involve your boyfriend in figuring out the issue. Definitely don’t be hesitant to bring it up, because it’s something that matters to the two of you—both your present and your future. You need to know what page he’s on, because if you’re into staying together and he’s not - or vice versa - it won’t work. As much as this might sound cliche, this could be a great test for your relationship. Or it could be telling that you guys should go your separate ways. Whatever you decide, you need to talk about it so that both of you feel that no matter what happens, your opinions on the issue were heard.
Taylor Cavallo is an editor for The Heights. She can be reached at features@bcheights.com.
The Heights
Monday, November 5, 2012
HUmor
Tips for the biggest game of the season
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THE HEIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE CENTURY As BC moves on from Hurricane Sandy, a look back into The Heights’ archives proves that this is not the first time such an event has occurred
Taylor Cavallo
By Caroline Hopkins For The Heights
We Boston College students have been lucky. Two of the biggest weekends for us—the partying, beer-guzzling student populace—are back to back: Halloweek(end) and Notre Dame weekend. While my last column in this little space of the Features section focused on capitalizing on the demands of the upcoming holiday and using Halloween to dress to go all-out dressing as your inner spirit animal or your favorite goofy cartoon character, I’m asking something different for Notre Dame weekend, arguably a much bigger deal than Halloweek. No, I’m not saying dress as the people we love to hate: Notre Dame fans. And no, I’m not saying to truly “capitalize” on this football-filled weekend and “utilize it to its fullest” by sucking up all the beer you can get your hands on and letting out a few hearty screams at some Fighting Irishmen. I’m calling for a coup. Let’s really give Notre Dame the shock of their lives. Not by winning the game, not by being sober. But by … being nice to them when they come. I know some of you are going to call me crazy. But I’ve always been a lover, not a fighter, and to be honest, football confuses me. I’m not one for rivalries, especially ones that don’t involve me personally. What has Notre Dame ever done to me? Why should I scream at them when they visit the Heights? Let’s leave our legacy by putting an end to this senseless war. Holy people such as ourselves should always take the high road. What would Christ himself think of this little football battle? After the tailgates in the Mods and the confusingly tasty hotdogs at Alumni distracted him and he came back to his holy senses, he would look down upon our institution and everyone who threw bottles at the Notre Dame visitors as they paraded through the Mod lot. I feel that I am in the position to work on conditioning the BC community in terms of Notre Dame niceties because, frankly, I don’t care and don’t understand the point of the rivalry, so I have no reason not to be nice. I’ve outlined a few guidelines for this new technique I’d like to institute. They are as follows. How to be nice to a Notre Dame fan: 1. When you see a tailgating Notre Dame fan looking for the bathroom, point them to the nearest one. I know you’ll be tempted to tell them to go pee anywhere they can find a bush, but overcome that urge. Point them in the direction of McElroy and simply explain to them that it’s the nearest one. 2. Ask them about the long, four-year period they’ve spent in South Bend, Ind. Ask them about gourmet deals they’ve gotten during the South Bend Restaurant Week, the South Bend Ballet or theatre performances or arena concerts they’ve seen, and the delicious Italian food that is just a train ride away in … what part of Indiana was that again? 3. Warn the naive Notre Dame fans who are worried about their belongings that it’s totally fine—you can bring big bags into Alumni Stadium. The guards are really easygoing on stuff like that. 4. Also, don’t have a student ticket but want to be in the Superfan section? That’s fine! Don’t worry! We don’t have a student section—you’ll get in just fine! Follow these four easy steps. I know this will be hard for everyone, but I think with a little practice, it will at some point be possible. Let’s try practicing before the large flocks of Irishmen get here. We’ll all feel like better people for it. Editor’s Note: Let’s kick some Irish ass.
Confined to my dorm room in the midst of Hurricane Sandy’s whipping winds, mindlessly flipping back through old issues of The Heights, I came across a headline all too relevant to the current state of panic on the Boston College hilltop. On the front page of the Sept. 30, 1985 issue of The Heights, a bolded headline announcing “Students Celebrate While Hurricane Rages” caught my eye. Black and white photographs of fallen trees, flooded streets, and crowds of ridiculously dressed college students throwing mud outside what could only be one of BC’s Mods led me to read on. Hurricane Gloria, which hit the New England Coast in September 1985, arrived at BC with 145 mph winds, calling for complete Friday class cancellations. Could it be that this 1980s storm was the last time that BC closed completely f==or weather-related causes? Further research told me yes. As foreign and bizarre as the world seems to have been during 1980s, the attitude of this article almost completely mirrors that of BC students today. What do current BC students and 1985 BC alumni have in common? They both see a treacherous hurricane as an excuse to go out and party. A direct line from the 1985 article reads, “Despite Governor Michael S. Dukakis’ warning to stay indoors, many students disregarded the advice.” Similarly, the evening before Hurricane Sandy, the entire BC student body received an email from John Tommaney, director of Emergency Management, ordering with explicit capitalized letters, “DO NOT go outside until the entire storm has passed.” Somehow though, students took this advice to mean, “Deck yourself out in cute foul weather apparel and venture out to that ‘Sandy Sunday’ party you heard was happening in the Mods tonight.” Following the Gloria and Sandy warnings alike, two generations of students at BC collectively agreed that the impending storm would be too dangerous to venture through in order to get to class. Yet when it came to celebrating the extended weekend, the storm would be nothing more than an excuse to break out the rain boots for the journey and trek to the nearest party. The 1985 Heights article reports that “A dirt hill in one Mod’s backyard became a mud slide as hundreds of students, covered in dirt, slid down the hill made slick by the rain.” Although several Mods lost electricity during Hurricane Gloria, and the Housing Department urged residents in the Mods to evacuate their apartments, which “had never been subjected to winds higher than 40 miles per hour,” students “did not consider the storm severe enough to leave the Mods.” Current BC students must be on the same wavelength as their 1985 predecessors—in the midst of Sandy’s wrath, a group of hurricane-crazy students on Upper Campus decided to create a Slip-N-Slide outside of Kostka Hall. The less adventurous students celebrated the storm with movie marathons, blanket fort building contests, and card tournaments.
Taylor Cavallo is an editor for The Heights. She welcomes comments at features@bcheights.com.
(Of course, students were unable to study on their day off. Both libraries were closed, after all.) Luckily, Hurricane Sandy spared the BC community our electricity this time around, whereas during Hurricane Gloria, several buildings on both Main and Newton campuses lost electricity due to downed power lines. Another archived issue of The Heights, published the week following Hurricane Gloria, features an article titled, “Gloria Clean-Up Completed,” informing readers that “The main campus lost power for 45 minutes, five Mods lost their power until Monday, and part of Newton Campus was without power until Wednesday.” From Friday until Wednesday, the 1985 Newton-dwellers lived in darkness with dysfunctional running water and toilets. Although the effects of Gloria were evidently more severe than the effects of Sandy on our campus today, in both scenarios, the BC community succeeded in effectively preparing for the storm. The 1985 article reads, “Buildings and Grounds filled all vehicles with gas, checked all emergency generators and checked all sump (water) pumps. They also notified different groups to prepare for Gloria, telling students to close shades and drapes and stay away from windows, and notifying Dining Services to be prepared to serve meals without power if necessary, warning the BC operator to be prepared to handle extra calls, asking Housing to tell students not to burn candles, and maintaining constant contact with the BC Police.” Likewise, in preparation for Hurricane Sandy, students were consistently kept up to date with emails from the University regarding dining accommodations and suggested preparations for the storm. McElroy Commons’ On The Fly was nearly cleaned out of its bottled water supply, as students heeded the advice and purchased stockpiles of water (and bags of candy too, of course). The similarities between students’ hurricane reactions now and in 1985 are epitomized with the opening line of the 1985 Heights article, which reads, “Strains of U2’s ‘Gloria’ were heard from dorms as BC residents prepared to face the long-awaited hurricane.” I guess there’s something about a hurricane that makes college students inclined to create parodies of the hurricane’s name—for example, in the midst of last week’s storm, Twitter raged with images of Sandy Cohen from The O.C., “Sandy” lyrics from Grease, and of course famous lines from SpongeBob’s Sandy the Squirrel. At the end of the day, despite the scrunchies, leggings, and mullets, and other various stylistic differences, it looks like we aren’t all that different from students in the 1980s—at least when it comes to hurricane behavior at BC. One can only wonder if, 20 years from now, future BC students will look back on Hurricane Sandy and hope that their own future traumatic storm will cancel a full day of classes for them as well. If anything, looking back through the issues of past Heights, it has just gone to prove that some things, such as the attitudes of BC students, will never change. n
On-campus quirks
The necessity for rainy day attire on BC’s campus Erin Mahoney Although Sandy spared our campus, save for the few tree casualties (the one in front of the Career Center is an omen), judging by students’ attire, we were more than prepared. Perhaps this is my West Coast perspective, but a definite campus quirk is our total obsession with rainy day outfits. Before Boston College, I don’t think I even owned a raincoat—San Francisco has half as many rainy days as Boston annually. As a kid, I spent those days pondering my dad’s galoshes and Paddington Bear. Later, in high school, my rainy-day routine consisted of double-parking in front of the building and sprinting into school, hoping my school-issued parking permit would save me from the patrolling rent-a-cops. Rain was an odd occurrence, so why would I have owned a multitude of rain gear? You can imagine my surprise when I saw the jackets, Wellington boots, and umbrellas that came out on the first rainy day of my freshman year. BC students prepare, and prepare well, for those rainy days. Rain apparel seems
to be the only constant in students’ closets since … well, since I’ve been here, which is as much as I can say. But seriously, rainy days are like what fashion week would be if it came to Seattle. I must admit I fully partake in the hype. I’ve been known to walk through every puddle I can, and I may or may not be actively searching for a pair of rain flats after I saw those of my roommate. Sometimes, I play a game called “count the North Face jackets.” (This game can also be played by substituting “jackets” with “Hunter boots.”) As I’m sure you all can guess, this number gets rather high, so much so that my math skills receive a much-needed refresher. But seriously, does anyone else find it rather amusing that any chance of rain causes much of the population to dress as if they are going deep-sea fishing in a torrential storm? Also notable is people’s questionable use of umbrellas. Some complain certain umbrella users are not aware of their greater circumference, resulting in eyeball poking—the reason I follow a strict no-umbrella policy. Others discuss those peculiar bubble umbrellas (our school is a bubble already, must you be in a bubble within a bubble?)
Whether you’re an umbrella person or not, you all freaking love to dress for the weather. In the rare occurrence when we are— gasp—surprised by precipitation, students huddle under O’Neill’s overhang, totally bewildered by this wrench nature has thrown in their day. I’m an avid people-watcher and these days are some of my favorites simply because of the total bafflement on students’ faces. Also funny is when everyone expects rain … but it doesn’t come. Then our once awesome outfits look ridiculous. I guess all of this is because we go to an elite institution—we only got here because we each have a certain level of preparedness. On these days where the weather and our outfits conflict, we feel our meticulous preparations have somehow failed us. Although I joke about BC’s love of rain wear and connect it to our ability to face challenges (those literal and figurative rainy days), in all seriousness, nothing could have prepared those who are victims of Hurricane Sandy. The absolute devastation of entire communities and regions can only be described as catastrophic, and the growing looting and violence is downright awful.
Thus, it gives me some pause as to how to appropriately discuss this particular campus quirk. Yes, BC students have a quirky love of rain gear. Yes, we do love being prepared sometimes to the point of excessiveness, but I also know BC students to be generous and compassionate. Perhaps it’s time to define rainy days not by our outfits, but by our generosity, to dip into our rainy day funds and help communities rebuild. Truth be told, I think I’ll pass on the rain flats—I think there’s a greater need somewhere else.
Erin Mahoney is a contributor to The Heights. She welcomes comments at features@bcheights.com.
Editor’s Column
The month with a well-intended and useful cliche
Alexandra Schaeffer Although it will be published after, I am writing this column on the first day of the month of November. This day is traditionally marked in the college community as a “day after,” more memorable due to the events that happened the night, or the weekend, before, than what actually occurs on this day. After talking to a friend who was reminiscing about her Nov. 1 last year, however, she said it was actually a very fun night, in part because she started it out with a toast to “new beginnings with the beginning of a new month.” As humans, we’re always trying to change for the better. It’s just part of our nature and leads us to success. As someone who had a less than ideal month of October (you may have read my article last week about living with crutches on campus—inspired by my current personal experiences), I am ready to continue moving forward with this month with the hope of reaching some semblance of normalcy by its conclusion, meaning being able to walk on my own. Now, not all students can have such obvious, definitive goals for this month, but I’m pretty sure we could all come up with something to improve our Boston College lives a little bit. At this point, we’ve been on campus for enough time that the novelty of being back at school has worn off—midterm season tends to have that effect. We can all take a step back and reflect on how we’re using our time and if that’s really what we want to do with it. One thing being on crutches has afforded me is not only excess time, but time to be used for reflection. I know that the minute I can walk again may or may not be one of the greatest anticipated moments of the semester for me. BC students are often privileged enough that we take a lot for granted. It is only after certain aspects of life are taken from us that we can really appreciate them. These reflections of mine are very fitting for this time of year, with Thanksgiving right around the corner. This is not a rant in any way, but rather a reminder to students who may be feeling jaded with life at this point to be thankful for what they do have. As morbid as it sounds, things could always get worse. Just having the ability to take these classes at BC, presumably in subjects we’re interested in—even being able to actually walk to these classes—is a gift. It’s hard not to make comparisons to past semesters at school or expectations we had coming into the school year, yet nothing works out how we plan it. Trust me, the last thing I pictured myself doing this school year was having to call EagleTransport every morning. We have to play with the cards we’re dealt. I’m hardly the first person to say any of this, but my recent situation has made me really come to appreciate the small things in life: someone holding a door for me, getting me a chair at a party, carrying my coffee to class for me, and everything my friends have been doing for me on a daily basis. Those small things really mean the world to me, as much as I wish I could do them myself. When I observe others now, it just pains me to see people not taking full advantage of the opportunities available to them and appreciating what they do have. Let’s be honest, most of us at BC are incredibly fortunate. So if you’re feeling a little down and counting away the days until Thanksgiving break, stop now. Take a little time to yourself, recognize that you probably have more free time now that midterms are over, and ask, “How can I fully take advantage of the next two weeks I have here at BC?” Whether it be changing your daily routine a little, incorporating some community service even if it’s just to feel good about helping others, or just going out to lunch with friends you haven’t seen in awhile—take everyone up on every invite, and enjoy yourself to the fullest extent. Do it. Be selfish in the sense that you employ all available to you, and make sure you just take a second to appreciate all the good that has happened to you this semester. Alexandra Schaeffer is the Asst. Features Editor for The Heights. She welcomes comments at features@bcheights.com.
features The Heights
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Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday, November 5, 2012
Wounded Warriors inspire victory Daniel Lee / Heights Editor
By Jennifer Heine For The Heights
We sometimes call our sports figures heroes. We cheer for them, even scream, and often aspire to be like them, believing that they hold it in their power to make us happy. Many would call Eagles wide receiver Johnathan Coleman, A&S ’13, a hero. The crowd certainly expressed its adulation following Coleman’s game-winning catch in the final minute of Boston College’s football battle with the University of Maryland on Saturday, Oct. 27, and certainly more than a few younger fans left the stadium seeing him, and his teammates, as role models. Although the Eagles might welcome the title of role models, during the Maryland game, they demonstrated
their awareness of true heroes by wearing distinctly patriotic uniforms, to show upport for the military veterans in the Wounded Warrior Project. The players were emblazoned with American flag motifs, and their uniforms featured not names but terms related to the military: “Freedom,” “Courage,” “Country,” “Service,” “Honor,” “Commitment,” “Integrity,” and “Duty.” Directly following the game, these uniforms entered an online auction, to be held through Nov. 10, whose entire proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Under Armour, the athletic apparel provider for BC and partner with the Wounded Warrior Project, began endeavoring to raise more funds for the project in 2009, and has selected each year Division I teams to participate to by wearing and then auctioning off the uniforms.
For BC, supporting this project seemed an ideal way to live up to the school’s Jesuit motto, “Men and women for others.” Founded in 2003 in Roanoke, Va., the organization began as an initiative to support wounded members of the armed forces returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, but has since grown to an international force, with 23,607 members—or to use the Wounded Warrior Project’s term, alumni—as of Oct. 1. The foundation houses a variety of programs, organized into four major categories—Mind, Body, Economic Empowerment, and Engagement—all dedicated to supporting different facets of an injured service member’s life once he or she returns to civilian existence. The Mind umbrella of the program attempts to recognize the often-invisible injuries that warfare can inflict,
including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Because there still exists a stigma attached to these mental illnesses, these programs seek first to address the reality of the service member’s condition. They include “Project Odyssey” retreats for injured military personnel to share their experiences and heal in the presence of their peers; “Restore Warriors,” an online support network; family support retreats to educate and provide a break for families; and “My Care Crew,” an online organizational tool that allows friends and family to support the family of a wounded warrior. The Body programs address the physical rehabilitation of wounded military personnel. Through sports programs
See Wounded Warriors, B7
Daniel Lee / Heights Editor
Despite difficulties, OCBC strives for success By Juliette San Fillipo For The Heights
The Outdoors Club at Boston College (OCBC) was a long time coming, and since its start as an official club this semester, its numbers have reflected its necessary place on campus. The club’s introductory meeting in September filled Devlin 008, a large lecture hall, to full capacity, and initial trip sign-ups in September and October had waiting lists of students numbering over 100. There is no doubt that OCBC is popular among the BC student body, which is known for being an active group in general (Stairs? They’re nothing.), yet the club faces the same challenges that every new club must after finally being recognized by the Student Programs Office (SPO). Because of the physical nature
of the group, however, OCBC faces even newer hurdles. “We’re still trying to figure things out in terms of liability and safety,” said Carl Ceraolo, president of OCBC and A&S ’14. “[The University Risk Manager] is a little cautious with our club—as well as [the Plex’s] Outdoor Adventures, actually—in terms of what trips he’ll let us do and how fast we are progressing as a club … we’re still pretty new, and the University isn’t really used to us yet.” Executive board members of the club have been proactively contacting and meeting with administrators to meet the University’s requirements in terms of liability. The club has been trying to come up with guidelines and solutions, Ceraolo said, which has proved difficult with the stringent SPO. Besides trying to be ship-shape
in the eyes of the administration, OCBC has also found an issue in providing trips for the masses—especially when not being fully backed by SPO. “One of our biggest struggles, though, is funding, because we have such a huge demand,” Ceraolo said. “I think we have over 1,000 members now, and we don’t have nearly enough money to provide events for all these people. I think the statistic is that we have $1 for every four members. And that’s definitely not enough to give people the opportunity that we wanted to give them, [which] is to provide outdoor experiences for people who don’t have the opportunity.” With so many students wanting to participate in trips, now that the club can
See OCBC, B7
Photos Courtesy of Carl Ceraolo
OCBC organizes a variety of trips and events its members can participate in, all taking advantage of this area’s offerings for outdoors-related activities.
i nside FE ATURES this issue
Heights Through the Century Purveying old issues of The Heights from the 1980s leads to the discovery of a natural disaster similar to Sandy............................... B9
Humor Column.................................B9 He Said/She Said.........................B8