The Heights, April 24, 2023

April 24, 2023

LGBTQ+ Support To Join BAIC

By Natalie arNdt Assoc. News Editor Olivia JOuNg

News Editor

aNd lucy FreemaN

Asst. News Editor

Boston College will officially integrate its LGBTQ+ programming and support into the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center (BAIC) this summer, according to an email sent to the BC community on Friday afternoon.

Vice President for Student Affairs

Shawna Cooper Whitehead, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Corey Kelly, Associate Dean for Student Outreach and Support Caroline Davis, and BAIC Director Yvonne McBarnett all signed the email that was sent to students.

“Yvonne McBarnett and Caroline Davis are collaborating to ensure that the LGBTQ+ student support and programming that has occurred during the last 10+ years out of the Dean of Students Office will officially be transitioned to the BAIC office this summer,” the email reads.

This announcement comes after Cooper Whitehead said in spring 2022 that the University planned to add LGBTQ+ resources to the BAIC’s programming.

A month after the announcement, Cooper Whitehead paused these plans after receiving feedback from students, alumni, and members of color on BC’s Board of Trustees.

According to the email, the BAIC is currently working to hire specific staff to provide LGBTQ+ resources and support.

“The BAIC leadership team is in the process of hiring a new associate director and graduate assistant whose roles will explicitly include LGBTQ+ student programming and support,” the email reads.

See BAIC, A3

Politicians Rally Against Climate Change Inaction

By Shruthi Sriram Assoc. Newton Editor

A crowd of activists, students, and residents brought signs and petitions to Newton Centre Green for a rally in support of climate action during the Newton Democratic City Committee’s Earth Day event on Saturday.

“What I find inspiring about Earth Day is that it translates anxiety into action,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss, who represents Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District, said at the event.

“It is so easy to be paralyzed by concerns about future generations, about 1.5, 1.7 degrees Celsius, by the overlapping, cascading challenges that we can face, but this is a day that takes that anxiety and it turns it into meaningful action. And that is what we need.”

The speaker portion of the event began with speeches from two students from Newton South High School, who spoke about what the climate crisis meant to them and

Class Deficit Frustrates Econ Majors

By Olivia JOuNg News Editor Natalie arNdt Assoc. News Editor aNd Will martiNO Asst. News Editor

Sandro Segnatelli logged onto EagleApps during his 12 p.m. registration time on April 12 to find that none of the classes he needed to complete his economics major had seats left.

“As soon as I realized I was not able to register for a single elective I walked down to the economics department,” Segnatelli, MCAS ’24, said in a statement to The Heights . “I know how popular economics courses are at BC and I know they are definitely trying to expand the number of professors/courses they offer so I was very sympathetic but at the same time I knew it would be near-impossible to take five electives in the spring semester.”

what they believe needs to change to address climate change.

“We don’t feel the direct impacts of climate change in our communities, while many other poorer communities that are unable to defend themselves are feeling these impacts of increasing temperatures and worse environments for themselves,” Haning Lu, a 10th grader at Newton South, said. “That is why ignorance is the first step toward destruction.”

It is important for young people to speak up on these issues, Lu said.

“When we see legislators making laws, they don’t consider the opinions of young people, as there’s certainly this kind of bias that young people are more emotional,” Lu said. “That’s why we need to actually speak here and tell what we’re thinking to the legislators because we might have different priorities.”

See Earth Day, A4

Coach Runs Boston Marathon

By mattheW capaldi Heights Staff

Like most Boston College students, BC softball’s Nicole Giery and Abigail Knight woke in the early hours of the morning on Marathon Monday.

While many students solely looked forward to Flo Rida’s performance in the Mod Lot, Giery and Knight, two of BC’s top four hitters, looked forward to something

else—watching their head coach, Amy Kvilhaug, run in the Boston Marathon.

For the first time since 2014, Kvilhaug participated in the Boston Marathon on Monday.

Kvilhaug, who has been at the helm of BC’s program since the end of the 2019 season, set out to trek the 26.2-mile route for the third time in her life, and her players made sure they were there to cheer her on.

“When she ran by us at Mile 21,

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KENNETH CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF

you could tell how much it meant to her that we were there waiting for her and screaming for her to keep pushing,” Knight said. “Being there for people in those moments is something really special.”

Kvilhaug crossed the finish line in 3:46.21, and she said the experience was rewarding.

“I think the marathon is one of the ultimate tests of the human spirit,” Kvilhaug said. “I love how hardcore the training is.”

Kvilhaug said that her players were there through every step of the intense training process and showed constant love and support.

Knight said this seemed to make a difference in Kvilhaug’s experience.

“A lot of the girls had conversations with her about how she was feeling during her prep, and I think it made her happy to know that we were rooting for her and genuinely excited for her success,” Knight said.

See Marathon, A12

Many economics majors are currently expressing frustration with the shortage of economics electives available for the upcoming fall semester.

The economics department will do everything it can to help seniors who need specific economics courses to graduate on time, according to Christopher F. Baum, chair of Boston College’s economics department.

“If it’s their only major, and therefore they need to complete the major, we’ll give them priority and make sure that they get what they need and they’ll be able to, you know, head into Alumni Stadium next May, a year from now,” Baum said.

Baum said he is hopeful students who already completed a separate major and are pursuing economics as a double major can be accommodated, but the department can not guarantee it.

KENNETH CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF

Eagles Sweep UNC

By Sam arcamONe Heights Staff

Historically, it has been bad news for Boston College baseball when the team across the diamond is wearing Carolina blue. Entering this weekend’s series against No. 18 North Carolina, the Eagles had not won a game in Chapel Hill, N.C. in 17 all-time contests, and the Tar Heels were 31–3 all time against BC.

But in a season of records and

firsts, No. 20 BC (27–12, 12–9 Atlantic Coast) found a way to pull through. The Eagles left the state of North Carolina with not only their first win in Chapel Hill, but a series sweep, punctuating a program-defining season. BC followed up Friday’s series-opening victory in extra innings with a 9–4 win on Saturday, and a 6–2 win on Sunday against the Tar Heels (25–15, 9–10).

Baseball, A12

Magazine

Staff writer Riley Davis gives tips on how to best approach meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking as a student living off campus. A7

SHRUTHI SRIRAM / HEIGHTS EDITOR

NEWS

This Week’s Top 3 Events

The Schiller Institute welcomes Patricio O’Donnell, vice president and head of translational medicine at Sage Therapeutics, to speak as part of its Social Impact Entrepreneurship Series. The lecture will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in room 501 of 245 Beacon St.

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Econ Students Report Shortage of Electives for Fall

“I can’t guarantee that every one of them will be able to take the courses they want next year, but I certainly hope that we will have enough seats to accommodate them,” Baum said.

In an email sent on April 13, the first day of registration for rising juniors, the department acknowledged the shortage of electives available for the fall and notified students that the enrollment in most 2000- and 3000-level electives had been raised to classroom capacity.

“We all regret that these constraints, as well as classroom availability issues, continue to prevent our supply from meeting the huge demand for courses,” the email reads.

Baum said the main issue for course registration is not supply but demand.

“The real challenge here is that in the graduating class of 2023, there are 311 econ majors, and in the rising senior class, a number of whom have had some challenges getting the courses they’re looking for, there are 373,” he said.

Baum added that the Class of 2025 contained 368 econ majors, so it also experienced frustrations during course registration this year.

“The real issue is not do we have as many classes on the list or as many

seats available in those classes?’” Baum said. “The real issue is that even if we had exactly the same number of classes and seats, there are more people trying to find a seat in one of those elective courses.”

Though Segnatelli eventually got off the waitlist for two of these elective courses, he was previously stressed about whether or not he would secure seats in the classes he needs to graduate.

“It is definitely putting a lot of stress on me, especially when I could not get into any classes originally,” Segnatelli said. “I thought to myself what is the point of even doing the fall semester if all I am going to be taking is random MCAS credit classes.”

Kate Lewis, another economics student and MCAS ’25, said by the time she could register for her fall classes, there were not any electives for her major left.

“Right now on my schedule … I have five classes, but I’m taking no major classes whatsoever,” Lewis said. “As of right now, obviously there’s add/ drop, but yeah, I couldn’t get into any electives.”

Lewis’ registration time was at 4:15 p.m. on April 14—the day after the email was sent—and she said the extra seats the department had added were already completely filled before she could even pick her courses.

NICOLE VAGRA / HEIGHTS EDITOR Students are expressing their frustration with the shortage of economics electives for the upcoming fall.

“Right after this email was sent, they were basically all full,” Lewis said. “I heard that even some [rising] seniors were saying they couldn’t get into any class … even on the second day of junior class registration.”

One of the expanded courses was Economics of Inequality, which Baum said is a popular elective that the department moved to a larger classroom with teaching assistants to accommodate 85 more students.

Nevertheless, the extra seats in this course filled rapidly as well.

“They lasted about as long as Taylor Swift tickets,” Baum said.

Andrew Caden, MCAS ’24, said he was unable to get his desired elective even as a rising junior with an early

pick time.

“I was going to take the Public Finance econ elective and basically that one was already filled up, and there weren’t many others that would fit in the schedule I had, so I had to change around three of my classes to be able to fit in a different econ elective,” Caden said. “It’s just not one I’m as interested in, and it’s kind of annoying.”

Donald Cox, head of undergraduate studies for economics, said the department is working to create a better plan and course load for the spring to ensure this does not happen again.

“I really regret what happened this time around, and I mean, students were very understandably upset,” Cox said. “They should be. And what we’re

doing is we’re doing everything we can to shore up the schedule in the spring, as well as continue to add classes for the fall if we can.”

The economics department is always hiring, but it is hard to meet the high demand for economics professors, Cox said.

“It’s hard to keep pace with the demand given that the economics market is so competitive,” Cox said. “I mean, it’s hard for both the administration and for the department. We are always hiring, always in hire mode … but it is, I mean, it’s really hard.”

BC Dining To Offer Three Meal Plans Next Year

By Lucy Freeman Asst. News Editor

Boston College will offer three price levels—light, base, and premium—for students’ residential meal plans starting in the 2023–24 school year, according to Director of Dining Services Beth Emery.

“Dining Services has considered offering multiple Mandatory Residential Meal Plan options for many years since we understand that ‘one size does not fit all,’” Emery wrote

in an email to The Heights. “Offering multiple options will better meet student needs.”

The price of the cheapest meal plan will increase from $3,000 total per semester in 2022–23 to $3,100 total per semester for 2023–24. According to Emery, meal plan prices increase each year due to the rising costs of food and labor.

“The minimum for the Base Meal Plan increases each year to cover the rising cost of food, labor, transportation, and other expenses,” Em-

ery wrote. “Our dining operation is self-operated and is not supported by tuition. Our goal each year is to be financially self-sufficient.”

This fall, students will be automatically enrolled in the base meal plan, which includes $3,100 per semester, plus $300 in Flex Bucks. This gives students about $30 to spend on food per day. According to Emery, this plan is the best option to fit most students’ needs. It covers about two on-campus meals a day plus snacks.

Although all students will be

STEVE MOONEY / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF

enrolled in the base meal plan for the fall semester, they can change their preference to the light or premium option in the Agora Portal from June 10 through Sept. 8. Students have until Jan. 26, 2024 to change their meal plan for the spring semester.

According to Emery, the light plan is the best option for students who eat some meals off campus or in their residence halls.

“The Light Plan includes $2850 per semester plus $250 in Flex Bucks (approximately $28 per day),” Emery wrote. “Most students on this plan eat two on-campus meals per day during the week and an occasional meal on the weekends.”

The premium option is best for students who eat the majority of their meals on campus, according to Emery.

“The Premium Plan includes $3350 per semester plus $350 in Flex Bucks (approximately $33 per day),” Emery wrote. “Most students on this plan eat three on-campus meals a day plus snacks, seven days a week.”

With the increase in minimums and Flex Bucks for the base meal

plan, students will no longer be able to purchase an $800 maroon or $1,200 gold upgrade if they run out of funds. According to Emery, students can instead purchase a flex plan through the Agora Portal.

Daniel Wise, a Student Assembly representative on UGBC’s Dining Advisory Board and MCAS ’25, said rising food costs and student complaints about running out of meal plan money prompted the new meal plan system.

“I think BC Dining was aware that a lot of students were unhappy with the current dining system and the funding of meal plans,” Wise said. “A lot of students were having trouble funding their meal plans and a lot more so than in past years.”

Wise said he thinks the change in meal plan options is a step in the right direction, as it allows for students to have more flexibility with their spending.

CSD Weighs In on Postponement of Upper Pavilion

News Editor

The University informed UGBC in the fall of 2022 that it would soon break ground on the multi-year plan to build a pavilion on Upper Campus and increase accessibility for students, according to Council for Students with Disabilities (CSD) Chair Sarah Farnan.

But by March of this year, Farnan announced in a Student Assembly (SA) meeting that the University told UGBC the Upper Campus pavilion project would be indefinitely delayed due to high costs.

“We met with [Shawna] Cooper Whitehead, Dan Bourque, and Dean [Corey] Kelly,” Farnan, MCAS ’23, said. “And that was when we really heard it for ourselves that it was too expensive. But we also were told that they couldn’t do any temporary projects because it would impede future projects.”

In an email to The Heights following that SA meeting, Kelly and Cooper Whitehead clarified that the project is still being considered.

“Given the high cost of con-

struction, the University has to evaluate all of its projects and consider how to move forward,” the email read. “The Upper Pavilion proposal will continue to be evaluated in the upcoming year.”

Currently, all students with disabilities are placed on the first floor of Stayer Hall on Lower Campus, according to Jonah Kotzen, CSD policy coordinator, UGBC president-elect, and MCAS ’24. Kotzen said while this housing is accessible for students with disabilities, it can be very isolating.

“Stayer first floor is very accessible for individuals with physical disabilities as it stands,” Kotzen said.

“But to be in a place surrounded by upperclassmen, and not around your friends, builds towards the social isolation that individuals with physical disabilities and just any disability in general already feel on campus.”

According to Farnan, the pavilion project proposal initially started as a straightforward pathway to increase accessibility for those with physical disabilities living on Upper Campus.

“It wasn’t the pavilion,” Farnan said. “All we were asking for was some sort of ramp. I know a lot of students kind of laugh and/or gripe about the

fact that there is a ramp leading up to Upper that leads nowhere—just goes in a circular path.”

Once the University informed UGBC it would move forward with the proposal, it also told them that the initial project would become a part of a larger project called the Upper Campus accessibility pavilion, according to Farnan.

“It’s now going to be this big building with a student union and other offices and such,” Farnan said. “For us, I mean, we were ecstatic because we were like, ‘Oh, great—we’re getting what we asked for and then some.’ Like, obviously I think a lot of students on BC’s campus would love

a student union.”

Farnan said the project would not have been as expensive had the University not added to UGBC’s initial proposal.

“They were telling us [the pavilion] was a 200,000-square-feet structure, which is about the size of the Plex if you look up the metrics of the recreation center, and that it would be over $100 million,” Farnan said. “Honestly, the project that we had asked for definitely would be a very small fraction of that.”

In terms of temporary solutions, Kotzen argued there needs to be wheelchair lifts or an elevator leading up to Upper Campus.

ADITYA

“A wheelchair lift or an elevator put on Upper Campus would cost over a million dollars, maybe a couple of million dollars, while the Upper Campus pavilion project is over $100 million dollars,” Kotzen said. “So we can see that it’s not about the money here—it’s about potentially impeding with their future plans.”

While BC’s administration has not completely stopped the project, Kotzen said he believes the accessibility of Upper Campus needs to be addressed immediately.

BC students will be able to choose between three different price levels for their meal plan starting next year.

The Upper Campus pavilion project is indefinitely postponed due to high construction costs, Farnan says.

UGBC Proposes 2023–24 Budget at SA Meeting

By Will MarTino Asst. News Editor

The Student Assembly (SA) voted to pass a $377,500 UGBC budget for the 2023–24 academic year during its meeting on Tuesday night, increasing last year’s budget by $15,050.

Jonah Kotzen, UGBC president-elect and MCAS ’24; Meghan Heckelman, UGBC vice president–elect and LSEHD ’25; and Sahithi Thumuluri, GLBTQ+ Leadership Council (GLC) financial coordinator and MCAS ’25, presented the budget to the SA at the meeting.

All present SA representatives voted to pass the proposed budget except for Community Relations Chair Joshua Golden, MCAS ’25, and Student Life Committee Chair Thompson Penn, CSOM ’25, who each abstained. Heckelman said she, Kotzen, and Thumuluri needed the SA’s approval for the budget before presenting it to Jonathan Hinrichs—director of finance and operations in the Division of Student Affairs—next week.

The budget is broken down into the eight divisions of UGBC: Executive Council, Communications, Student Initiatives, SA, Environmental Sustainability, the AHANA+ Leadership Council (ALC), GLC, and the Council for

Students with Disabilities (CSD).

Executive Council — $78,300

($22,550 increase)

UGBC’s Executive Council saw the largest increase for the coming year’s proposed budget, with a 40.45 percent growth from its allotted amount for the 2022–23 academic year. The most costly line items in the budget are the Office of Student Involvement graduate stipend ($23,250), the UGBC leadership stipend ($10,000), as well as Dinner and Dialogue events and the President’s Roundtable Conference ($6,000 each).

“Part of the reason you see the increase from last year to this year for Exec. Council is there are line items that we hadn’t included in previous years that we had contributed to that we have now made into line items,” Thumuluri said.

“An example of that is Marathon Monday as well as the end-of-year banquet.”

Heckelman added that another reason for the increase in the Executive Council’s budget was that Dinner and Dialogue events and the President’s Roundtable Conference were formally a part of the Student Initiatives budget.

The Executive Council’s budget also includes a $4,000 stipend for the UGBC president, a $3,500 sti-

pend for the UGBC vice president, and $9,500 of discretionary funds.

Communications — $6,150 ($1,000 decrease)

The proposed budget for UGBC’s Division of Communications will decrease by 13.99 percent for the 2023–24 year.

The budget includes $2,000 for flyers and posters, $2,000 for outreach merchandise, and $2,000 for UGBC merchandise.

The decrease from last year’s budget stems from UGBC’s re -

duced use of flyers, according to Kotzen.

“We have noticed that a lot of our marketing—just by nature of technologies—moved digital, and so we kind of wanted to reflect that in the budget,” Thumuluri said.

Golden suggested that UGBC consider removing funds from the merchandise allocation, instead distributing them elsewhere in the budget.

Heckelman responded that while she understands Golden’s hesitations to support financing

merchandise for UGBC’s members, she thinks the merchandise makes UGBC’s presence on campus and at events more visible and significant.

“I think that having that physical presence that people can see for the relatively small expense of $2,000 that you see as opposed to the broader budget is important,” she said.

LGBTQ+ Support To Move to BAIC

throughout campus,” the email reads.

Conference Dissects Need for Four-Day Work Week

By anThony yang Heights Staff

Boston College hosted a public conference on Friday that dissected findings from an expansive global trial exploring the effectiveness of the four-day work week after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID has had a way of resetting the button for humanity to look at how we work,” said Haub Vice President for University Mission and Ministry Jack Butler, S.J. “Certainly COVID challenged us about how we connect with each other about socialization and the need to be in community.”

The Institute for the Liberal Arts, Center for Work and Family, the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, and various departments sponsored the conference, which aimed to discuss the innovations and challenges that continue to shape how people work after the pandemic.

Rep. Mark Takano, a Democrat who represents California 39th District, also spoke at the conference, expressing his support for the research surrounding the four-day work week and presenting the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act. Takano cited the pandemic as one of the main factors that sparked his interest in the four-day week.

“Workers came to the realization that they value time with

their children more and that life is short,” Takano said. “Workers didn’t want to wake up, sit in traffic for eight hours and repeat, rinse, and recycle for five days in a monotonous loop.”

The day-long conference began with an introduction from Butler, who organized the event along with sociology professor Juliet Schor. Schor led the research team analyzing the effects of a fourday work week around the world.

“Depending on who you are and what you are, there are people that are very much engaged in [the four-day work week] and want to talk about it,” Schor said. “They want to look at it. There are other people that are afraid of it.”

Many people have experienced work-related stress since the COVID pandemic, and this has contributed to the discussion of implementing a four day work week, according to Schor.

“Although it was beginning to gain momentum before the pandemic, the experiences of working through lockdown, pandemic, disease, and massive uncertainty have led workforces around the world to experience extraordinary high levels of stress, burnout, and threats to their well being,” Schor said.

Schor also introduced numerous researchers including Brendan Burchell, a professor in the social

sciences at the University of Cambridge, who also participated in the four-day work week trial with Schor. Burchell presented qualitative findings from the trial.

Burchell said many businesses cited an interest in providing better quality of life for workers or increasing productivity as the main reasons for participating in the four-day work week trials.

The trials were a success in the United Kingdom and Ireland according to Orla Kelly, an assistant professor in social policy at University College Dublin. According to Kelly, eight out of 10 of Irish businesses that participated are planning to continue with the four-day work week.

After the trials concluded, Kelly said her team surveyed employees about what it would take for them to return to a five-day work week. The survey found that many employees would request a pay increase if they returned to work full time.

“As we see, a vast majority would need from a 25 to 50 percent pay increase,” Kelly said. “So again, these are perhaps reflections from COVID as we evaluate life and how we spend our time valuing freedom to do things outside of work.”

The email emphasized integrating LGBTQ+ resources into the center will not take away from the support the BAIC already offers to AHANA students.

“This transition will not detract in any way from the existing programming and support for AHANA students offered through the BAIC, but will add to and augment existing programs,” the email read.

The administrators wrote in the email that their ultimate goal is for all students to feel welcomed in the BC community.

“It is our hope that the creation of a more integrated intercultural center that intentionally serves students of color and LGBTQ+ students and actively engages the whole BC community, will cultivate and promote a more inclusive environment

To ensure this, McBarnett will host small conversations where students can express any concerns or thoughts surrounding the changes, according to the email.

“Given our desire to work together to understand, address, and support students’ needs, Yvonne McBarnett, in collaboration with the Office of the Dean of Students, will be hosting small group conversations and listening sessions for all students to share their thoughts, experiences, and ideas,” the email reads.

The administrators concluded the email by discussing their hopes for a more inclusive campus.

“We look forward to working with you in our shared effort to create the most welcoming and inclusive campus community possible,” the email reads. n

NICOLE WEI / HEIGHTS STAFF

SA votes to pass a $377,500 UGBC budget for the 2023–24 academic year in its meeting on Tuesday.

“My Message Is Hope”

planet that we are leaving to those that we just heard from, is one that is sustainable and livable.”

Auchincloss spoke after the students and said regardless of which party has control in Congress, there is always some action that can be taken to implement climate policies.

“Earth Day is a reminder that we cannot ever be paralyzed, regardless of what government looks like,” he said. “There’s always places to make progress, and we need to hit singles and doubles, and when the time’s right, to hit that grand slam, to ensure that the

Cynthia Creem, majority leader of the Massachusetts Senate, spoke after Auchincloss about the frustration among young people that the climate crisis is too late to fix.

“I was asked to chair a committee on climate,” Creem said. “I called my granddaughter who was really into the climate and I said you’ll be so proud of me. And she said ‘Grandma, it’s too late.’ I think there are many young people who

feel the same frustrations, but my message is hope. It’s not too late. Maybe we got started late, but we’re really working at it.”

Creem also spoke about the many bills she has proposed in the Senate, including regulations on gas companies, providing school districts with electric buses, and increasing taxes on plastic bottles. Auchincloss then returned to stage on behalf of Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, who was unable to speak at the event due to the hospitalization of her 97-yearold father.

“You are the reason we are able to take the bold steps to become one of the first communities in the state to accept the specialized stretch building codes, to be the first community in Massachusetts to hire a full time energy coach, to enact Newton Power Choice, to write the city’s first climate action plan, to expand our solar energy production, and so much more,” Auchincloss said.

Ward 2 Ward Councilor Emily Norton spoke about the history of the Charles River Cleanup and the immense progress cleanup efforts have made.

“It’s because people did not give up,” Norton said. “Regular people like you did not give up on Charles, on our waterways, on our environment. And so I think it’s important to keep that in mind because the problems can seem pretty monumental. But when we put our minds to it, we can do extraordinary things. I truly believe that.”

Peter Barrer, a member of several climate advocacy groups like the Newton Conservators, spoke about the pattern of politicians taking credit for legislation they originally opposed.

“This is an important day,” Barrer said. “There’s a lot of work

to be done. We hear politicians taking credit for things that actually were huge struggles that they opposed, and now they turn around and take credit for it. I’m not surprised, but it’s frustrating, because we’ve got new struggles.”

Laura Petrillo, a mother and Newton resident, collected signatures to petition for public comment to create stronger protections for trees in the city.

“I hope that tangibly, they’ll first of all hear from the people, and second of all, really recenter on preserving the trees, on protecting the trees, and on keeping Newton as green as possible, and as beautiful and safe and healthy for our families,” Petrillo said.

Petrillo said she hopes such advocacy work will preserve the environment for future generations, including her own children.

“There are plenty of citizens who feel very strongly that trees are really important for their environmental impact,” Petrillo said. “They protect obviously, they sequester carbon, they provide shade, they help manage stormwater. So I’m a mother—I care very deeply about protecting the earth and preserving it for future generations. And so that’s why I’m here today.” n

New Shop Welcomes First-Time Plant Buyers

By Henry BlancHette Heights Staff

During a visit to Prana Plants, an assortment of large and small plants filled a quaint room brightened by towering windows. At the center stood store owner Chelsea Ritcey, who opened Prana Plants on March 1.

“I fell into the passion of plants after asking for one plant for my birthday,” she said. “I fell down a long rabbit hole after that.”

After working as a front-of-house manager at her partner’s restaurant for the last five years, Ritcey said she was inspired to start her own small business. She decided to use the word “prana,” a yoga term meaning “breath of life,” to name her com pany.

“It kind of, like, sparked me to want to own my own business, so this was born,” Ritcey said.

Prana Plants spe cializes in houseplants, in cluding succulents, cacti, and air plants, according to Ritcey.

“I provide a variety of houseplants for the beginner or the enthusiast that love all different species and kinds of

plants,” she said.

Store customer Lauren Roche said Prana Plants’ friendly and charming environment made them feel welcomed from the start.

“The atmosphere of the store is so quaint and inviting,” they said. “The warm nature of the owner immediately put me at ease.”

Emphasizing the benefits of having indoor plants, Ritcey said she has enjoyed helping her guests choose a plant for their home.

“People have come in saying, like, ‘Hey, I’ve never had a plant before,’ and I’m like, ‘I got the plant for you,’” she said. “‘We’re gonna figure this out together.’ Having, like, a live green thing in your space makes such a dramatic difference.”

Rit -

cey said she has made it a priority to support local businesses, both through her plant selection and available planters and products.

“I also support local or handmade as much as possible,” she said. “I have a lot of handcrafted pottery, and I have some 3D printed pots that are made from a plant-based plastic.”

Despite the importance of buying local for Ritcey, she said her commitment to local products has presented some challenges so far.

“The most challenging [thing] at the moment is figuring out a good ordering schedule, especially because I want to support handmade as much as possible,” she said.

One of Ritcey’s top priorities has been to make Prana Plants a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.

“I have been in the queer community since middle school, and so to be able to have a … safe space so that people can come in and know there’s no judgment or anything here is very

important to me,” she said.

Roche said that Ritcey’s commitment to providing a safe space for queer people is meaningful and resonated with them.

“As a queer person, it’s always nice to have a place go out of their way to be accepting and inviting,” they said.

Ritcey said the opportunity to personally select her products and engage with her customers has been the most rewarding part of owning Prana Plants.

A recent development in Ritcey’s personal life has further emphasized the importance of making Prana Plants a welcoming environment for queer people.

“My spouse is transgender, and that is a recent revelation,” she said. “We have been even more forthcoming in saying ‘Hey, please come in and know that you have a safe space to do normal everyday things.’”

Going forward, Ritcey said she hopes her guests will go on a journey with plants and fall in love with them just as she has.

“I want this to be a place for people to be able to support local but also to be able to be adventurous and get a plant that they’ve never heard of before,” she said. “Get it, experience it, you know, and have a little journey with it. n

A crowd—which included Rep. Jake Auchincloss and city officials—gathered on the Newton Centre Green to advocate for legislation that tackles climate change on Earth Day.

SHRUTHI SRIRAM / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Earth Day, from A1

Auchincloss spoke about the need for citizens to make tangible progress toward slowing climate change.

SHRUTHI SRIRAM / HEIGHTS EDITOR

NewCAL Officials Share Construction Updates

By Connor siemien Newton Editor

City officials associated with the project announced revisions to several previous design plans to make parts of the New Center for Active Living (NewCAL) more accessible, including the gym, activity room, and the art room, at a meeting on Thursday.

Alex Valcarce, deputy commissioner of public buildings in Newton, said that correcting previous designs of the multi-purpose room will improve its acoustics for seniors with hearing aids.

“When you tried to divide the room you then have to create two independent loops in the floor, which are harder to integrate when you want to use the room as one and it leaves a gap,” Valcarce said. “Kind of creating this zone where, if you’re somewhat in the central location, you are not having the benefit of hearing assistance.”

NewCAL is a project that sets out to replace the former Newton Senior Center, which seniors scrutinized for not being an accessible space.

Over 300 meetings took place before Newton City Council allocated $19.5 million of funding for the development of NewCAL, according to Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller.

The building will open in 2025, according to the city’s website.

In between the closure of the Newton Senior Center and the opening of NewCAL, activities for seniors in Newton will take place in temporary facilities, including Newton City Hall.

Valcarce gave an update on the physical building process and what the next few months will entail for the building.

“The project will go out to bid probably within a month and a half, two months, and we’re looking to get the contractor on board before the end of the summer,” he said.

Dan Chen, principal at architecture firm Bargmann Hendrie and Archetype, Inc., is the architect for this project and talked about the importance of sustainability and accessibility for the building at a meeting in April 2022.

“One of the most important

tenets, as you know, of this proposed senior center design is to provide easy access and a natural flow through the space [for] as many people as possible,” Chen said.

Chen said he prioritizes making improvements to building plans as much as possible during the adjustment period.

“As the design of the new senior center continues forward, we hope— and will continue to look for opportunities—to improve how the building

can fit better into this Newtonville neighborhood while balancing tourist spaces that are comfortable, light-filled, accessible, and functional,” Chen said Valcarce said that Bargmann Hendrie and Archetype, Inc. is working on the exact details of the blueprints for the project and that it plans to stay on schedule for the summer 2025 completion date.

Officials made one upgrade to include an induction loop system, or t-coil hearing aid. Nancy Johnson, a

consultant at Bargmann Hendrie and Archetype, Inc., said that using the devices would make for the easiest listening experience and was highly recommended.

The t-coil program is expensive, but is most optimal for seniors to enjoy programming at NewCAL, according to Johnson.

“This is the most discreet,” Johnson said. “So people who have hearing aids don’t have to have an extra device. They can just walk into the room.” n

Afforable Housing Lottery Accepts Applications

By Annie Li Heights Staff

A new affordable housing development at 15 Riverdale Avenue is now accepting lottery applications for future tenants through May 23.

Allee on the Charles is a new development spearheaded by SEB Housing, a leader in affordable housing in Greater Boston, according to its website.

The high cost of living in Newton is one of the main driving forces of the initiative to expand affordable housing options in the city, according to Ward

8 Councilor-at-Large Richard Lipof.

“We need units that are for all income levels,” Lipof said. “We have an issue right now with middle-income units. This all has to do with it with how expensive land is in Newton. If you start off with the underlying land being too expensive, it’s expensive when you develop because you’ve paid so much for the land.”

According to Zillow, a real estate company, the current median monthly rent for one-bedroom properties in Newton is $2,495, which is a $395 increase from the previous year and 49 percent higher than the

national median. The price range for one-bedroom properties ranges from $1,600 to $10,514, according to Zillow estimates.

Allee on the Charles will offer a total of 52 low-income and affordable housing units out of the building’s 204 rental units, according to an information packet provided by SEB Housing.

Fifty apartments will be available to households earning 80 percent or less of the Area Median Income (AMI), one apartment will be available to households earning 65 percent or less of the AMI, and one apartment will be made available to households earning

50 percent or less of the AMI.

“We need to have housing opportunities at every level, not only to support the ecosystem of Newton but to support Greater Boston and to support all of us,” Lipof said. “It’s important and it’s really hard to create them in a city like Newton where the underlying land is so expensive.”

The lottery drawing will occur on June 5, at 6 p.m. via Zoom and will include both a general drawing and a local preference drawing.

“The debate out there is, you know, should we be favoring people in Newton because it’s Newton, or should we be going outside of Newton for a more multicultural, multiracial base to draw from,” Lipof said. “The philosophy has changed to going outside of the local preference for more diversity.”

Several different apartment styles are available, including one-bedroom units, two-bedroom units, three-bedroom units, and studio units, according to the packet. A handful of units are also specifically designed to be accessible for people with disabilities and for people with hearing or vision impairments, according to the packet.

Other affordable housing opportunities are in the works as well, such

high cost of living in

as the multi-year project to repurpose the decommissioned West Newton Armory at 1135 Washington Street, according to Lipof.

“We bought it for $1 from the state, and we’re turning that into 100 percent affordable housing,” Lipof said.

Chapter 40B, the name of a state statute, allows local zoning boards to approve affordable housing developments if at least 20 to 25 percent of the units have long-term affordability restrictions.

The Allee on the Charles development is projected to be completed and ready for occupancy by the fall of 2026, according to the developer’s presentation to Newton’s Zoning Board of Appeals. The renovated Armory will add 43 new units open to a variety of income levels to Newton’s growing stock of affordable housing opportunities, according to the presentation.

“We don’t want a Newton that is only for the wealthy,” Lipof said. “We need those middle units I was telling you about where if somebody wants to sell their home and stay in Newton, they need to be able to afford to stay in Newton … they would like to live in the city or town that they grew up in.” n

Councilors Approve Franklin School Funding

By eLLA song

Asst. Newton Editor

Newton City Council approved funding for a feasibility study to renovate Franklin Elementary School during its meeting Tuesday night.

Ward 1 Councilor-at-Large

Alison Leary reported the Public Facilities Committee’s allocation of $1.15 million to analyze the feasibility of a project to improve conditions at Franklin Elementary School.

The project is currently inactive, and the city hopes to start construction in the summer of 2025, according to a webpage detailing the project.

“Franklin School staff helped shape the future design through a visioning process where we all rolled up our sleeves and worked together,” the webpage reads. “We’re still a long way off from making decisions on the project approach.”

Recently, the results of the override vote in the March 14 special election granted a debt exclusion override to fund improvements to Franklin Elementary School.

The override will allow for $3.5 million in funds to go to the school to utilize the open space more efficiently, Josh Morse, Newton’s public

buildings commissioner, said in October 2022.

“The Franklin School site is approximately five acres, four acres [of which] is essentially open space,” Morse said. “It’s an incredible opportunity to create something really special not only for the Franklin School but for the entire neighborhood via athletic fields, playgrounds, basketball courts, more trees, [and] planting.”

Leary also assigned a public hearing for April 19 in front of the Public Facilities Committee to discuss a request for a grant for installing gas mains on Parker Avenue, and assigned another public hearing for May 11 to approve the proposed design for the Gath Pool Project, which will improve the public Gath Memorial Pool at 256 Albemarle Road.

“Gath Pool is Newton’s sole public swimming pool serving 30,000 users each season,” the project’s webpage reads. “The facility is now over 60 years old with systems and equipment that is past its useful life and decks and infrastructure which do not meet [Americans with Disabilities Act] or [Massachusetts Architectural Access Board] accessibility requirements.”

Ward 8 Councilor-at-Large

David Kalis reported that the Finance Committee assigned two public hearings for May 15—one to review the recommended fiscal year (FY) 2024 water, sewer, and stormwater rates, to be implemented on July 1, and the other to review the submitted Capital Improvement Plan for FY24 to FY28.

Newton’s Capital Improvement Plan includes projections for five years of investment in the city and a

financial forecast, which according to Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, predicts challenges moving forward.

“Funds from the general operating budget, our debt capacity, the one-time Federal pandemic funding, and other revenue sources cannot absorb all our essential capital and ongoing operating investments in a timely manner and keep us a triple Aaa rated City,” reads Fuller’s letter accompanying the submission of her

FY24 to FY28 Capital Improvement Plan.

The committee received the FY24 to FY28 plan on Oct. 17, 2022, prior to Newton’s override vote.

“The Capital Improvement Plan is mission and risk-based,” says the letter. “The investments over five years will sustain our schools, help our older adults, improve our streets, reduce our carbon footprint, and add to the vitality of our villages.” n

The

Newton prompted the expanion of affordable housing options in the city.

SCREENSHOT BY CONNOR SIEMIEN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Bargmann Hendrie and Archetype, Inc. talked about the importance of sustainability and accessibility at NewCAL.

M AGAZINE

Mysterious Moon Meetings: Uncovering Moon Club

By athena Vinch Heights Staff

Minutes before midnight on April 4, groups of students gathered on the Quad after trekking from their dorms, late-night study sessions, or wherever else they happened to be at the time. They were all there for one reason: moon club.

Many Boston College students have heard about moon club by word of mouth or from mysterious Herrd posts advertising its meetings. Yet, few know the story behind the club that meets monthly at midnight during the full moon.

Moon club began as an inside joke in the fall of 2021 between Parker Keller, MCAS ’23, and his roommates.

“One day we were like, ‘Oh my god, the full moon—we should go and celebrate the full moon on Gasson Quad’ and that’s it,” Keller said.

The group of five brought chairs and a speaker to the Quad, and the club was born. According to Keller, the group began marketing the club using Herrd posts every time a full moon approached. Moon club eventually created an Instagram page, @bc_moonclub, and made its first post in November of 2021. The account now has over 300 followers.

“We tried to just overly exaggerate moon club to the campus.” Keller said. “And it’s really grown for no reason. Like, I have no clue. We’re not an official club. I want to make that clear. We are not an official club. I have marketed it as BCs coolest unofficial underground

club.”

After the first meeting, Keller said he and his friends discovered what they now call the “moon trophy” in a moment of pure luck as they headed home. The “moon trophy” is a lamp shaped like a trophy with a circular bulb on top, and it made its first official appearance at the second moon club meeting, he said.

“Five other kids showed up, which was hilarious, like we could not believe people were showing up,” Keller said. “So that was about 10 people in total. We brought the little trophy and we gave them the trophy.”

Now the trophy has become a constant at their meetings. Each month, it is given to an attendee who then holds onto it and brings it back the next meeting.

When moon club gathers, people stand around the Quad, and some even bring blankets to sit on while they chat with each other. Keller also said he brings a speaker to play a curated moon club Spotify playlist, featuring various songs that either have “moon” in the title or feature a space theme.

Another moon club staple—aside from the trophy and playlist—is moon lamps.

“One of my favorite memories is the first time these two other members brought moon club lamps,” Keller said. “I was like, ‘Wow, I did not expect this to happen.’”

An additional club tradition is the orchestration of a “group howl” roughly between 12:25 and 12:30 a.m., Keller said.

Though moon club tries to meet once a month at midnight whenever there is a full moon, sometimes meetings cannot be exactly on the date of the full moon due to weather complications or breaks from school.

“The common theme is not much thought goes into everything,” Keller said. “We try to do every full moon so the day that we are planning on it is always predetermined.”

Keller said moon club is not a typical campus organization because it does not have an executive board or any type of hierarchy, although he does acknowledge that many think otherwise.

“A lot of people see me as the president or leader, but I tried to shoot that down because I really tried to make it like we don’t have any board,” Keller said. “There’s no hierarchy in the club. Everyone can just come in. We’re all just chillin’ together, and I try to be intentional about that.”

Multiple students take on the responsibility of publicizing the club— there are several students who post on the moon club Instagram and reply to messages.

The main contributor to the Instagram page is Andrew Blanch, CSOM ’23, who Keller jokingly refers to as the “CMO” or chief marketing officer. Blanch first heard about the club his junior year after the Instagram account requested to follow him.

“They requested to follow me and I remember reading it and I was like “Oh what is this?’” Blanch said. “I remember wondering if it was a joke. I was like, ‘Are they actually going to go watch the full moon? Is that going to happen?’”

Blanch said he finally went to a meeting in September of 2022 alongside some of his roommates.

“It was like a very fun time when we went,” Blanch said. “I think that one was particularly small. It was maybe just five or six of us who just kind of went out there. But ever since then, I’ve made it a point to go. I go to each one every time that they do it.”

Like Keller, Blanch emphasized the casual and open nature of moon club.

“So when we’re sitting out there, there’s always people that might be walking by because they’re leaving the library or just sort of milling about campus,” Blanch said. “And we always like, if we see them, we’re like, ‘Oh, happy moon club,’ and we’ll wait and be like ‘Come join us.’”

Abdul Umar, MCAS ’24, who has attended several meetings, said the

club’s casual environment made it particularly enticing.

“I don’t usually go to clubs,” Umar said. “I haven’t joined many groups because I will go to their first meeting, but I don’t ‘feel it’ so to speak. But, this was like where everyone is new and they just want to meet you.”

Moon club went on a brief hiatus during the spring of 2022—when Keller left BC to study abroad. Keller said no one wanted to take on the responsibility of organizing meetings.

In fall of 2022, the club’s following rocketed. This sudden rise in popularity is likely due to word of mouth and increased posting on Instagram and Keller said.

“When people that I didn’t even know, more than just mutual friends, just like total randos showed up it was like ‘Wow this is really funny,’” Keller said.

The first full moon of the fall semester was in late September, and Keller said about 20 people showed up for that meeting. At the last meeting of the fall semester in December of 2022, about 35 people showed up. A meeting this February had over 50 people in attendance. They even hosted a “virtual” moon club when the full moon for March fell over Spring Break. Over

30 students submitted pictures of the moon they took over break, according to Keller.

Keller said moon club’s popularity has come as a surprise, but he is glad students are having fun joining in on something that started as an inside joke between him and his friends.

“From something that started extremely silly and stupid, it’s grown into something that still is silly and stupid but like a little more organized, and it makes me happy that some people are talking about it because I think it’s just a fun thing to do,” Keller said.

Keller and Blanch are both seniors, so Blanch said he hopes the group can continue in the future.

“If it’s something that kind of became a tradition, I feel like that would really warm my heart,” Blanch said.

Umar is a junior and has plans for moving the club forward, including potentially considering registering as an official club with the Office of Student Involvement. Even if that does not happen, Umar still wants to carry on the tradition.

“I’m going to keep Parker’s legacy since I’m the one who is more involved after them, so probably like the unofficial leader, and maintain the [Instagram] page and make sure everyone comes,” Umar said.

As the end of his time as a BC student approaches, Keller said he has begun reflecting on the moon club’s impact and the culture it created on campus.

“It makes me really happy that there’s like a good amount of people on the BC campus and in the community that think this is a fun thing to do,” Keller said. “I just feel like I am super grateful that that kind of space can exist for people, and I feel super happy that I’ve been able to facilitate that.” n

Morgan’s Guide to Boston Area Outdoor Spaces

By Morgan Santaguida Heights Staff

After getting through the brutal winter months, Boston residents are likely eager to soak up the sun and take full advantage of the warm weather. Most Bostonians know about the Boston Common, but it can be hard to find new places to enjoy a nice spring day and soak in the sun.

If you’re like me, always looking

for a new place to walk with friends or read on a park bench, look no further than this list of my favorite outdoor spaces in Boston.

Martin’s Park Martin’s Park, located in Seaport right along the water, is a newly built play area for kids of all ages— including us college students. This park puts all other parks to shame. I recommend coming here with

friends to reconnect with your inner child. It has a giant wooden sailboat, long metal slides, and a large webbed contraption you can climb. This playground really emphasizes Boston’s beauty, as the park is lined with flowers and sits in front of the beautiful backdrop of Boston’s waterfront. While it’s a bit of a trek from Boston College’s campus, everyone needs to check out this park and remember the joys of elementary school recess.

Hammond Pond Reservation and Webster Conservation Area

If you are looking for an outdoor space a little closer to campus, then look no further than the Hammond Pond Reservation and Webster Conservation Area. Located around the corner from Upper Campus, this nature reserve hosts many wooded trails. Students who live on Upper are probably familiar with these woods, often passing them when heading to Star Market or Tokyo Japanese Steak House. You can also stop by this green space on the way to The Shops at Chestnut Hill.

Drydock Green Space

If you enjoy taking in Boston’s waterfront and watching ships sail by, then you have to check out Boston’s Drydock Green Space in Seaport. Here, you can sit on benches and watch large cargo ships, lobster boats, and cruise ships come in and out of the docks. Drydock Green Space is a great place to witness the large boats of Boston’s maritime industries in action.

door event space with live music and food vendors. It hosts private and public events, so be sure to check its website to see when it is open to the public during the summer. This space is located in Seaport and is set up like a beer garden, with tents selling food and drinks and large open spaces to hang out in. Make sure to check out the large swings that light up in the dark and are free to use.

The Fenway Victory Gardens

This community garden was established in 1942 as a part of a war effort to help prevent food shortages. This lovely garden is still maintained today and makes for a pretty walking area filled with fruits, vegetables, flowers, and rabbits. Now, the surplus food grown in these gardens is given to local soup kitchens. There is a long waitlist for Boston residents to get a plot of land here. Each gardener designs their own little garden, which makes the walk through entertaining as you can observe everyone’s different gardening techniques. If you love community, history, and gardening, the Fenway Victory Gardens are a must visit spot. n

Keller found the moon trophy after the first moon club meeting.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PARKER KELLER

BC’s moon club started as an inside joke between Keller and his friends in 2021.

ATHENA VINCH / HEIGHTS STAFF

GRAPHIC BY ALYSSA ANDERSON / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Ulusoy Publicizes Transparent Turkish Inflation Data

By Onur Toper

Digital Director

Veysel Ulusoy is no stranger to criticism.

As the director of the Inflation Research Group (ENAG) in Turkey, Ulusoy faces persistent challenges ranging from court meetings to investigations into ENAG, but he said none of these get in the way of his mission: to present accurate inflation data to the Turkish people.

Ulusoy, a Turkish academic and economist who joined the Boston College faculty in January, began releasing Turkish inflation statistics in September 2020 alongside over a dozen academics and economists. Ulusoy said they realized there was a vast difference between the statistics released by TurkStat, the Turkish Statistical Institute, and the statistics his group was collecting.

“Eventually it took us to the point where we thought we should present the figures for the well-being of Turkish society, and we have done that since then,” Ulusoy said.

By collecting consumer price data on a daily basis and working independently from the government, ENAG’s data portrays a more accurate picture of the Turkish economy, Ulusoy said. The group’s data often far exceeds official figures. Just this past January, TurkStat put the country’s annual inflation rate at 57.68 percent, while ENAG said it was more than double, at a whopping 121.62 percent.

Ulusoy’s approach to presenting accurate data and disseminating it to the Turkish public has proven successful, as polling data from July 2022 suggests that Turks are growing to believe ENAG’s numbers are correct. According to MetroPOLL, one of Turkey’s top polling firms, 69 percent of Turks believe ENAG’s inflation rate is correct, compared to 23.9 percent who believe TurkStat’s data is correct.

Ulusoy said he is not sure why people believe ENAG’s numbers more than the government’s, but Turkish citizens are feeling the impact of inflation in their day-to-day lives.

“It’s directly touching kitchen table costs, food, and the daily expenditures of society,” Ulusoy said. “In the big picture, our aim is not to compare our figures to TurkStat, but that is the idea of

the people, which is independent from what we are doing.”

ENAG’s data has not just heightened public knowledge about the Turkish economy, but it has also enabled Turkish firms and financial markets to use ENAG’s inflation numbers in economic forecasting, leading to greater wages for Turkish citizens—a feat that Ulusoy is especially proud of. Firms use inflation data when calculating how much to pay people. When they utilize the inflation rate determined by ENAG, wages are higher because ENAG reports a higher inflation rate than the government.

“It was felt by households, consumers, and by the investors directly,” Ulusoy said. “And maybe these are the main reasons why we are having that kind of support, at least in the eyes of society.”

Mehmet Çağdaş, a financial analyst at ENAG, said many Turkish households have greatly benefited from the increase in wages resulting from Ulusoy’s work.

“People aren’t aware of the vast efforts made by Ulusoy, but people actually see the effects of his work in their wages,” Çağdaş said. “That’s why his work is so valuable.”

Ulusoy’s distance from Turkey during the semester does not get in the way of his work with ENAG. He utilizes computer programs that calculate the daily price figures and leads ENAG researchers through daily virtual meetings where he corrects averages and deviations in the data. Ulusoy said this allows him and his team to get the quality he and his team desire.

“Generally, we are trimming the top level hikes to try to get the average figures, but it’s the kind of procedure you have to meet on a daily basis to have the high-quality figures that are presented to the Turkish public,” he said.

Ulusoy has faced some opposition from the Turkish government for his efforts to transparentize inflation data.

In February 2021, Turkey’s Treasury and Finance Minister Lütfi Elvan filed a complaint against ENAG, claiming the group “aims to damage and discredit” TurkStat by spreading its own data. Ulusoy said he then showed up to court to defend himself and his group against the accusations, while Elvan never came to court.

“He accused us directly, saying

that it is forbidden for anybody other than TurkStat to present the figures and statistics to the public,” he said. “I demanded that Lütfi Elvan come to the court and that we discuss the whole issue with him and the accusations implied by him to us. Nobody came to the court, but we went all the time and we were right in the end.”

According to Çağdaş, Ulusoy’s stance at the court proceedings was especially impactful in defending the group’s mission.

“He always took the lead on it,” Çağdaş said. “He took his guard, went up there, and effectively defended ENAG. His stance there impressed me greatly.”

Since then, Ulusoy has faced a tax audit ordered by the Turkish Ministry of Finance for failing to declare an income of six Turkish liras—this amount was equivalent to 33 U.S. cents at the time. But the Turkish courts have rejected all these accusations, Ulusoy said.

Ulusoy also maintains a consistent presence in Turkish media, where he appears on news shows and is a columnist at Cumhuriyet, one of Turkey’s most prominent newspapers. His writing allows him to not only share his commentary on the Turkish economy, but it also connects him to readers who face the consequences of high inflation.

“It touches to economics directly and some proportion of it is a mix of political economy and economics together,” Ulusoy said. “I’m glad that I have a column over there—it’s continuous, so I am with the Turkish public together.”

Bora Erdin, economy chief editor at Cumhuriyet and communication officer at ENAG, said Ulusoy’s effective writing style and communication skills draw people to his columns.

“Ulusoy succeeds very well in presenting economic data in an understandable language,” Erdin said. “He is also an excellent communicator.”

Ulusoy’s ability to listen, combined with his professional experience, creates excellent writing, Erdin said.

“His greatest strength is that he is a good listener,” Erdin said. “When he combines his analytical thinking and academic background with his excellent knowledge of society, a great power emerges.”

In the classroom, Ulusoy incorporates his experience as an economist

into his instruction, where he brings economic theories to life through economic modeling.

“It’s a combination of the theory and real life—that’s the beauty of it,” he said. “You get the real numbers and attach them to the theory and present them to the students—that’s a beautiful feeling.”

Brendan McLaughlin, MCAS ’25, a student in Ulusoy’s Macroeconomic Theory course this semester, said Ulusoy’s background brings a unique perspective to the classroom.

“He’s able to give us a perspective on foreign policy and foreign macroeconomics that we’re not used to learning about because we’re used to putting everything in our classes in terms of the United States,” McLaughlin said. “He’s a professor with a lot of knowledge and he has the experience. Everything he’s teaching is from lots of years in the field that some other professors may not have.”

Another way Ulusoy presents his thoughts on the Turkish economy and spreads his work at ENAG is through his Twitter, where he has over 383,000 followers. Ulusoy said the platform is an important way he spreads ENAG’s work and his message, but he also said it must be used wisely.

“It is a kind of power backed by society, who know that you are right,” Ulusoy said. “Having approximately 400,000 followers … is a kind of power for us, but that power must be used correctly.”

Çağdaş said Ulusoy’s truthful messaging resonates with many social- media users who seek to know the real state of the Turkish economy.

“People want to hear the truth,”

Çağdaş said. “People demand to hear the truth and that’s why they listen to his perspective.”

Going forward, Ulusoy hopes to build on ENAG’s work by collecting production data from different sectors of Turkey’s economy on a weekly basis and monthly gross domestic product (GDP) figures to present to the public.

“These are really difficult and need huge amounts of funds and a level of laboratory accuracy, but these are the things that are going to be available in the near future by ENAG,” he said. “Generally, GDP figures are presented on a quarterly, annual, and biannual basis, so having this knowledge monthly will be helpful to society and to firms.”

Regardless of the current state of Turkey’s economy and the lack of accurate government inflation data, Ulusoy remains hopeful about his home country’s economy. For Turkey to reach its greater potential, Ulusoy said its corruption must be addressed.

“The basic problem for us is the corruption in government and in society,” he said. “We have to be putting all the rules in place to prevent corruption first, then go forward.”

Even in the midst of the government’s disapproval, Ulusoy is committed to releasing inflation data, and he said no one can get in the way of executing such vital work.

“Nobody in the world can shut down any accumulated knowledge that is beneficial to society,” he said. “Nobody.” n

Editor’s Note: The author of this article translated Mehmet Çağdaş’ and Bora Erdin’s quotes from Turkish to English.

Channel Your Inner Chef: Off-Campus Cooking Tips

By Riley Davis Heights Staff

I believe everyone has an inner master chef within them. Some channel the fire and flavor of Guy Fieri, while others spark their inner gastronomic persona with the drive and urgency of Gordon Ramsay. At Boston College, off-campus living tends to be the first time many students are fully responsible for preparing their own meals, and from personal experience, the result isn’t always a Flavortown masterpiece. With a little seasoning and a dash of patience, I’ve enjoyed watching my epicurean talents ripen as I’ve matured into an off-campus resident eager to host her own Food Network show. Whether your go-to is the freezer section or you are ready to open a Michelin star restaurant, I hope these tips can help spice up your culi-

nary skills and make your off-campus cooking experience a piece of cake.

Make a Game Plan

The first time I went grocery shopping to stock up my off-campus house, it was chaos. I made a list but was overwhelmed by the number of options. As a result, I grabbed random foods and checked out without half the items on my list. Now, to save time, money, and some of my sanity, I create an intentional list of meals and snacks prior to my grocery run. I begin this process by scanning my fridge and pantry to see what staples I’m low on.

From there, I’ll brainstorm two meals

I want to cook for dinner and plan to buy enough food for leftovers, whether for lunch or to freeze. I’ll also add kitchen staples I’m lacking and snacks

I’m craving to my list.

I find it helpful to dedicate one

night to meal prep at the beginning of my week. I cook my protein for the week on Sunday or Monday night because my timing gets tighter and my tiredness picks up as the week goes on. If I’m packing breakfast and lunch, I prepare them the night before, so I’m ready to head out the door in the morning. I’ve noticed I maximize my time better if I eat my breakfast on campus. My go-to spot is the Rat, and I frequently pack a bag of granola and berries to pair with yogurt as an easy, mess-free, and fulfilling meal!

Stock Up on Those Staples

When a busy weekend hits, you’re swamped with midterms, or you’re craving something close to home, you’ll appreciate being stocked up on staple items. For me, this could be having a few extra RXBARs in the pantry, a pack of Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken in the freezer, or a bottle of olive oil to use as a base for a marinade or salad dressing. I also like to keep a general array of spices and my favorite condiments on hand to add a hint of seasoning and top any meal off.

In the fridge, I recommend keeping fresh snacks that take longer to perish, like clementines, apples, or hummus. While I love my raspberries, spinach, and turkey cold cuts, these products don’t last as long, so I try to use them up within a few days. In the freezer, I recommend keeping pre-made meals for when busy days hit. I like keeping meat to defrost and marinate as well as some frozen rice mixes for when I want to cook a meal but don’t have time to go to the

grocery for fresh goods. I also think it’s important to keep a few sweet treats stored in the back, as you never know when your sweet tooth will hit!

Keep It Classic and Shop Local

Sometimes I want an abundance of options when grocery shopping. Wegmans, Star Market, and Costco carry a multitude of brands and food styles—and I love getting my favorite on-brand snacks when shopping at a larger grocer. While I have my classics, I also like to support smaller names and brands. At a larger grocer, you can do this by searching for products that are regionally based—local New England grocers tend to be cheaper due to their proximity. If you enjoy farmers markets, the Brighton Farmers Market is held on Wednesdays near campus, or you could venture down to the market at Copley Square on a Tuesday or Friday for your local goods. Nearby, I recommend going to Johnny D’s Fruit and Produce in Brighton—a personal favorite of mine. Johnny D’s is a family-run market full of fresh fruit and vegetables for relatively low prices. The inside of the store is homey, and you will go home with a bag full of hand-picked produce!

Store Smartly

While a kitchen off campus will likely feel much more spacious than the kitchenettes and mini-fridges of underclassmen housing, space is still limited, and I’ve found it helpful to be wise about how I store my food. In the fridge, group similar foods together, whether it be one type of product or all

the ingredients for tomorrow’s dinner. I’ve also found that stacking heavier packages on the bottom makes it easier to locate foods and take them out of the fridge. When it comes to leftovers, have some reusable containers on hand. This will aid your stacking routine and keep your meal better intact, as it will be less susceptible to getting smashed by other foods in the fridge. Containers make it easy to transfer leftovers into lunch as you can swiftly load them in your backpack as you head out for the day. This will help keep your food fresh and flavorful until it’s time to eat.

Keep Clean

It’s essential to check in with the state of your fridge and pantry. Taking a few minutes to clean out your cupboards allows you to visualize what you need more of so you can make smarter purchases. Perhaps you can consolidate two bags of Goldfish into one, or you can chuck that almost empty bottle of ketchup. I also recommend getting a head start on trash day and routinely wiping down your fridge, pantry, and counters. This will help your kitchen stay clean and clutter-free. Lastly, when cleaning, do a check-in of the types of foods you are eating. While off-campus cooking can be daunting, with the right routine and mindset, eating well-balanced meals isn’t too hard of a goal to reach. Your brain power will be further maximized, your heart will be full of gratitude, and your stomach will say bon appétit! n

Ulusoy incorporates his experience analyzing Turkey’s economy in his teachings.

of the op-ed columnists appearing on this page represent the views of the authors of those particular pieces and not necessarily the views of The Heights

Surrendering to the Serendipitous

on an ordinary Friday evening like a gift from the heavens, meant to serve as both the subject of my next column and as a personal omen.

But what omen is a forgotten camera supposed to bring? Something told me I would not find the answer in a divination almanac. I was supposed to make something of this.

camera ordinary and meaningless, but the truth is that it has served as a lesson in surrendering to the serendipitous.

It is human nature to make meaning of the experiences that we undergo. It gives us some semblance of control in an otherwise tumultuous existence. But we mustn’t forget that one of life’s most quirky qualities is the inherent mystery of it all.

I found a $400 camera in my backyard today.

It wasn’t just any old camera. It was a Canon handheld, complete with a battery and memory card. The circumstances surrounding my discovery were rather innocuous: I happened to glimpse a brilliant sunset through my window and decided to watch it outside.

I was bounding to my backyard when my foot grazed something hard and plastic, which turned out to be the object in question.

Before you ask, no—I have not gone through the memory card to see what is inside. In fact, my parents insisted on leaving the camera in our backyard, concealed in an overturned vase, in case it happens to be spyware in disguise. While I do think this is a bit far-fetched, I have allowed the contents of the camera to remain a mystery for the time being, if only because its existence alone has given me much to think about.

How the camera ended up in my backyard is a mystery.

It could have been tossed over my fence in a fit of temper or by accident. Maybe it was intentionally placed there by a mysterious figure. It could have been fought over, sorely missed, or gladly discarded.

Regardless, it wound up in my hands

Yet, as I wracked my brain for every possible message this camera might symbolize—a sign of good luck, a reminder to unleash my creativity, or a tip to make photography a lucrative side hustle—I found myself dismissing each one for its implausibility.

The more I reflected on it, the more frustrated I grew, fixated on my inability to find a lesson in this simple story. I feared the loss of my existential poeticism, and I suspected in dread that my once imaginative mind had aged beyond repair. But the true cause of my mental anguish?

I could not divine a reason to explain the serendipitous event that had occurred.

Up until this point, I have lived life under the assumption that “things happen for a reason.” Whether I face tragedy or success, I have used this phrase to make sense of both the milestones and stepping stones of my life.

It was during the camera incident, however, that I realized just how tightly I had clung to the idea that every event in my life must have a purpose—a deep, intricate reason for unfolding the way it had.

My assumption about the meaningfulness of life’s individual details was challenged by the innocent appearance of a camera, and it was forced to buckle.

It may seem like I am calling this

We do not need the validation of a sign, symbol, miracle, or magic trick to convince us that we are on the right path. We can rest easy knowing that we live in a world where random, funny things happen for no reason at all. Where cameras can randomly land in your backyard as the result of some bizarre circumstance. Where existential college students can take inspiration from the most pedestrian of occurrences, and spin such cameras into columns.

The great irony about my musings is that by writing about it, I have appeared to make some meaning from this event after all.

The camera may have not served as an omen that I will become a world-famous photographer, but it inspired me nonetheless. It served as a vessel onto which I could project meaning—memorialized in the words of this piece.

If you have reached the end of your tolerance for all things meta, I completely understand. But, if there is anything more tangible this column can offer, it is a PSA for anyone who happened to toss a camera in the middle of residential Brighton: Yes I have your camera, and I am more than happy to return it for my own peace of mind.

Hot Takes on BC’s Campus

Showdown, Marathon Monday, and the Beanpot all carry that same element of school spirit. But, it’s those first warm days—the days where the sun shines over students playing frisbee and spikeball and eating lunch on the Quad—when we see a whole new kind of spirit that simply cannot be beat.

2. Carney is a great building—and may even be the best building on campus.

Whether you believe green apples are better than red or winter is better than summer, we all have at least one hot take that constantly finds a way into our conversations.

So, as the school year comes to a close, I think it is time to finally share some of the Boston College hot takes that have accumulated in the back of my mind over the past two years. After all, hot takes do make for some of the best discussions.

1. BC spring is better than BC fall.

Fall at BC means game days.

We wake up early and race to the Mod Lot before flooding into Alumni Stadium decked out in maroon and gold. The BC tailgating tradition is like no other. Many students even choose to go abroad in the spring lest they miss the football-inspired spirit in the air.

But, with four semesters under my belt, I would argue that spring semester at BC is better than the fall.

We, as BC students, pride ourselves on our campus’ beautiful and aesthetic architecture.

The gothic archways, symmetric columns, and green grass around campus are all pleasing to the eye. There is even an Instagram account dedicated solely to Gasson Hall that has over 8,000 followers. But what about Carney Hall? As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Carney’s hospital-style lighting and high school–hallway vibes are oddly calming. Its classrooms have the right amount of natural light and quietness— something Gasson’s just doesn’t.

So, I say we should stop judging a book by its cover and give Carney the recognition it deserves.

3. Walsh isn’t “more grimey” than Vandy or 90.

“Beware the Walsh rats!” is an all too

common BC refrain.

When I was a freshman sharing my housing plans for sophomore year, my eight-man and I got this warning from everyone we told about our future Walsh Hall residence.

We heard horror stories about the showers not working, the rugs having stains, and the air quality giving everything a “stuffy” smell—however that is even possible.

But, after living in Walsh for a full year—with many of my friends in the supposedly-superior Vandy and 90—I can attest that Walsh is not much different from its favored competition.

Walsh, Vandy, and 90 are all college dorms. Dorms. Not the Four Seasons. Every dorm room, regardless of where you live, is going to have its charmingly off-putting and off-puttingly charming aspects to it. It’s up to the residents to make a dorm room feel like home.

Feel free to think what you want—everyone has a right to their own opinion— but these are three of my “BC hot takes” that I will stand by regardless of what you say to try and convince me I’m wrong. Start voicing your opinions around campus these last few weeks as well. It’s time to set the world aflame with our hot takes!

Campus Bouquets

Although we occasionally roll our eyes at the amount of money Boston College spends on its landscaping every year, there are few things as joyful as walking past plots of newly bloomed flowers. From BC-shaped designs to our famous tulips, these buds fill our campus with color and life. So, we at Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down have a challenge for you—when the study days start to drag on, go for a rainbow walk around campus and try to find one beautiful plant in every color.

Extensions

With all BC students swamped with schoolwork and stress, there is truly nothing better than when a professor grants a student an extension on an important paper or project. Even if it just means turning an assignment in at midnight instead of noon, the extra time gives us the chance to really put our best foot forward. So, to those kind professors, thank you for your generosity! And to any professor who boldly (literally) outlines in their syllabus that they offer “NO EXTENSIONS,” we kindly ask you to grow your Grinch heart a few extra sizes.

101 Final Projects

With finals on the horizon, BC students expect some combination of five final projects, papers, and exams—and that’s if there is just ONE final assignment per class. Yet, many of us are finding ourselves stuck with far, far more. Finals week is stretching from one week into four as we find ourselves already swamped with projects counting for far too much of our final grades. As you push through the next few weeks, be sure to sleep, eat, and take a break from time to time. We’re almost there.

Meal Plan Woes

It’s that time of the year—time to carefully analyze the numbers in your GET Mobile and determine your fate for the rest of the semester. At this point, you either have tragically little meal plan money remaining, or you have way, way too much. And although we might not love eating in the dining hall every night, we won’t be happy until all our balances reach a net zero. So find yourself a buddy in the opposite situation and start playing meal plan exchange. We are men and women for others, and we can make this work!

Punnya KalaPuraKKel

The opinions and commentaries

GRAPHICS BY ALYSSA ANDERSON AND PAIGE STEIN / HEIGHTS EDITORS

Punnya Kalapurakkel is a columnist for The Heights She can be reached at punnya.kalapurakkel@bc.edu.

Pat Connell

Pat Connell is a columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at patrick.connell.3@bc.edu.

Purchasing Mount Alvernia Would Provide BC With an Opportunity To Expand

The closure of Mount Alvernia High School, an all-girls Catholic school in Newton, provides Boston College with a rare opportunity to buy new land. The University should pursue this purchase to support its students, faculty, and any future expansion endeavors.

Last month, the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception publicized that the school would close at the end of the academic year, prompting outcry from its alumni. The Heights condemns the abruptness with which the Catholic order announced the closure—but that does not mean the property should go to waste. A BC purchase of Mount Alvernia’s land would ensure the campus continues to advance spiritually-rooted education.

Mount Alvernia sits across the street from BC’s Newton Campus, which is within two miles of BC’s Main and Brighton Campuses, making it an ideal location for BC to expand. Given BC’s commitment to build up its facilities over the next 10 to 50 years, this 23-acre plot of prime real estate in Newton would be an asset for the University.

First, BC could utilize Mount Alvernia’s land to expand amenities for BC Law School. From 2022 to 2023, the Law School fell eight spots in U.S. News & World Report’s annual law school rankings—from 29th nationwide to 37th. Although these rankings are not a great measure of the quality of law schools—and are under public scrutiny—the school should find new ways

to remain competitive in an increasingly cutthroat environment for law schools nationwide. Expanding its campus is a way to achieve that.

While the BC Law Library has served as a pillar of Newton Campus for almost 30 years, the classroom-filled building that it is attached to—which has not had a full renovation in decades—is aging, crowded, and shared with undergraduate freshmen who use Stuart Dining Hall. To revamp BC Law’s facilities, the University could add more academic buildings to the law school on Mount Alvernia’s nearby land.

Another path BC could take is constructing new housing on Mount Alvernia’s land, allowing all freshmen to live on Newton Campus and making Upper Campus and College Road newly renovated upperclassmen housing. The majority of incoming students at BC are guaranteed only three years of on-campus housing. And although many schools do not provide a full four years of guaranteed housing, BC prides itself on its students wanting to live on campus—so much so that housing appeals get denied due to lack of available space.

Additionally, the high cost and demand for housing in both Boston and Newton is an added stressor for many students. Taking this into consideration, BC should take every opportunity it can to provide four years of on-campus housing to any student who wants it. Expanding the housing community on Newton Campus by using Mount Alvernia’s land would allow the University

to do so. In a similar vein, BC could use this land to create graduate student housing. Unlike some of its peer institutions, BC does not provide any guaranteed housing to its over 5,000 graduate students. Again considering the high cost and stress associated with off-campus living, all graduate students would ideally be given the opportunity to live on campus should they desire to do so. Purchasing Mount Alvernia and using the land to build graduate student housing would be an opportunity for BC to further support its grad students.

Mount Alvernia’s imminent closure is frustrating and unexpected for its community members. But the high school has already decided to shut down and merge with another all-girls school, Fontbonne Academy, and even the City of Newton has expressed interest in buying it. By preserving the land for the use of another Catholic institution, BC can ensure the campus is used for Catholic education. BC’s master plans—which include rebuilding several key academic buildings, establishing new housing on Brighton Campus, and even building a bridge across Commonwealth Avenue—are ambitious. But, as we learned from BC’s surprise purchase of Pine Manor, these ambitions are flexible. If BC buys Mount Alvernia, the purchase could progress the University’s mission to become the nation’s “leader in the liberal arts” and provide much-needed space to grow for years to come.

Contemporary Theatre put on productions of three short plays as a part of Absurdities on Friday,

on the roof of the McMullen Museum of Art.

CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF The BC Dramatics Society presented the musical Next To Normal, directed by Cameron Mysliwicz,

IN FOCUS

BC On Tap Blends Genres at Annual Showcase

By eRin PendeR Heights Staff

Dancing to rap, pop, and every genre in between, Boston College

On Tap’s second annual showcase highlighted the talent and versatility of the group.

The Rat was transformed into a theater on April 21 for the evening show, titled It’s Tappening

The stage was surrounded by audience members, and the bright stage lights changed colors to match the moods and songs of the various dances.

It’s Tappening opened with a dance choreographed by Isabella Kelley, MCAS ’25, and Mary Walvoord, MCAS ’26, to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Let’s Groove,” which was an exciting and engaging introduction to the rest of the show. This was fol-

lowed by Isaac Dunbar’s “Bleach,” choreographed by Audrey Berger, MCAS ’25, and Vanessa Rigoglioso, MCAS ’25.

On Tap’s program featured Lake Street Dive’s cover of “Rich Girl,” choreographed by Emily Murphy, LSEHD ’24, and Alexandra Biddle, MCAS ’24, a preview of a piece that will be performed next week at Dancing with bOp! at the 25th Annual Arts Festival.

On Tap showcased clean and synchronized movements in this dance—every dancer looked like they enjoyed performing.

“The most exciting part of the show for me was being able to come together as a whole team and celebrate the amazing year we had together,” said Murphy, who will serve as co-president of On Tap during the 2023–24 school year

with Kaylyn Eigen, MCAS ’25.

The members’ joy for dancing and community was evident in all of the dances, especially the rookie dance and the senior dance.

These dances demonstrated the vitality of both new members and those who have been with the team throughout their college careers. Three of the new On Tap freshmen performed “Music for a Sushi Trio,” choreographed by Natalie Gualario, LSEHD ’24, and Moira McDermott, MCAS ’24, to Harry Styles’ “Music for a Sushi Restaurant.”

The dance was playful, but also showcased the talent of the youngest and newest members of the group.

Each of the three dancers had their own moment onstage, demonstrating the importance of

each individual to the team.

The senior dance, choreographed by all of the On Tap seniors, was set to “The Spins” by Mac Miller. “The Spins,” which many consider a classic college song, is often played at parties, so it seemed fitting that the seniors’ celebration of their time at BC and in On Tap would be set to this song.

The energy of the audience was

palpable throughout the senior dance. One highlight from the dance was a moment in which all of the dancers lined up in the middle of the stage and spun around one at a time, a nod to the title of the dance.

Mroczek Talks New Series at Currents Lecture

By Ben Kahl For The Heights

Andrew Mroczek, director of exhibitions at Lesley University College of Art and Design, has had the opportunity to see his works exhibited throughout North America, South America, India, and Italy.

Mroczek discussed his latest two series, Virgenes de la Puerta and Padre Patria / Fatherland, in a lecture hosted by Boston College’s Currents series in Devlin Hall on Thursday. Mroczek’s two series of artwork center around the

LGBTQ+ community in Peru and are collaborations with Juan José Barboza-Gubo, a photographer and professor at Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

“The advantage to creating a series of photographic portraits is that a person’s existence—their humanity—cannot be ignored,” Mroczek said.

The lecture opened with Mroczek giving a short biographical background to the audience.

After receiving his bachelor of fine arts in photography at The Art Institute in Boston at Lesley University, Mroczek turned away

from creating visual art and instead began training as a curator.

He said he credits his curator training for reigniting his creativity. It was also during this time as a curator that he visited Peru for the first time and met Barboza-Gubo, according to Mroczek.

Mroczek said this visit gave him and Barboza-Gubo the impetus to begin working on their first collaborative series, Virgenes de la Puerta, a showcase of transgender women in Lima, Peru.

“The series incorporates cultural and religious iconography in an effort to make apparent the resilience and beauty of these women and to strengthen, empower, and embed a sense of pride within the current and future generations of Peru’s LGBTQ community,” Mroczek said.

Mroczek presented several of the photos he and Barboza-Gubo took of women who volunteered as models. Some were naked, while others were dressed elaborately, often in traditional outfits. While displaying each of the photos, he gave a brief description of

the women involved.

Mroczek said some had died, some had moved away, and some were in hiding. He said most of them had suffered violence at some point in their lives.

The work they did for Virgenes de la Puerta inspired Mroczek and Barboza-Gubo to begin their next series, Fatherland / Padre Patria This series explores the effects of violence inflicted on members of the LGBTQ+ community in Peru.

“We understood that a common thread among violence experienced by being trans Peruvians was the devaluing of their lives by the public, the corrupt police, politicians, and lawmakers under the direction of the church, and their physical absence could be represented by the actual places where their lives were taken from them,” Mroczek said.

Mroczek said it was difficult to locate the sites that he and Barboza-Gubo photographed.

Mroczek said incidents of violence against the LGBTQ+ community were frequently covered up by authorities, and the dislike of the

LGBTQ+ community within Peru was often so strong that neighbors refused to talk about the deceased.

Mroczek described one instance in which he took almost four days to locate the site of a murder by connecting a mural on Google Maps to one that had been briefly shown in a news report.

Mroczek said all photos for the two series were collected by 2019. What remained was to write a monograph for Padre Patria / Fatherland

“I was actually writing the introduction for the book,” he said. “Revisiting each image, and I was back there standing at each site where the murder or suicide had taken place 30 times over, again and again.”

In order to do justice to the work he was engaged in, Mroczek said he found it necessary to go to graduate school.

“I was curious about power.” Mroczek said.

Contemporary Theatre Hosts Original Plays

By RoRy Quigley For The Heights

As the sun set on a brisk, clear evening at the McMullen Museum of Art on Friday night, audience members sat outdoors perched up on a terrace to watch three original student-written and directed plays as part of the Contemporary Theatre of Boston College’s Absurdities, a onenight production creatively directed by Olivia Emerick, MCAS ’25, and Abby Wachter, MCAS ’25.

Just as the name suggests, each play featured a distortion of, or branching out from, reality. All had small casts of two, three, or four people, minimalistic set designs, and

lighting from just a few small units on the ground.

Adding to the rawness of the event was a biting, unrelenting wind and the sounds of the city—a police car screaming by, electronic dance music, and the squawk of a bird flying overhead.

The first production, The Moonflower Play , written by Benjamin Burke, MCAS ’25, and directed by Emerick, explored the mind of a college student grappling with their identities and others’ perception of their struggle during Halloweekend.

This student, Mystic (Makana Jorgensen, WCAS ’26), does not want to dress up for Halloween nor go out, despite the best efforts of their room-

mates and friends, played by Zachary Kariotis, MCAS ’25; Alessandro Cella, MCAS ’26; Lydia Stables, a third-year exchange student; and Lily Telegdy, LSEHD ’23.

As the play progressed, general chaos and hilarity ensued, all within the confines of a college dorm room.

The actors entered and exited the performing space throughout the play, walking through the audience members while singing, laughing, and yelling.

In one scene, Mystic is left alone on stage as they contemplate their identity and its relation to the fleeting moon flower’s blossom, which lasts just a single day.

Following a short break, the next play, Therapy Dog, written by Wyatt Seder-Burnaford, MCAS ’25, and directed by Alison MacDonald, MCAS ’24, began.

The play consisted of two individuals, Arnold (Carter Frato-Sweeney, LSEHD ’26) and Patricia (Brooke Flanders, LSEHD ’23), working out their problems with a talking intelligent dog (Leah Temple Lang, LSEHD ’23) and its secretary (Molly Casper, MCAS ’26).

The issue at stake this time is not identity and existentialism, but rather the characters’ difficulty coming to terms with the fact that their therapist is a dog that has read Macbeth. But beyond the utter absurdity of the sit-

uation underlies true commentary on emotion, expression, and the merits and challenges of therapy.

The final image of the play is both hilarious and somehow profoundly striking. After an over-thetop, violent screaming match wherein Patricia calls Arnold a “fat ugly f—k,” they come together to finally relent the dog’s incessant pleas to just pet it.

Lastly, when the sun had set and darkness descended over the McMullen and its surroundings, the third and final play, written by Lucas Pratt, MCAS ’23, and directed by Kariotis, began.

In Calamity’s Wake provided a stark tonal shift from the world of a talking dog therapist. The play took place in a post-apocalyptic world plagued by shades—some sort of monsters—and natural disasters.

Two survivors, Harry (Franny

Giangiulio, MCAS ’23) and Ben (Casey Corcoran, MCAS ’26) met each other in a potentially abandoned house and tried their best to find trust in one another in a world descended into anarchy.

The absurdity of this play shined through a different lens than it did in the first two, as instead of laughing, the audience was on edge as Harry and Ben attempted to reconcile with each other despite their extreme circumstances.

But In Calamity’s Wake was just as impactful as the other plays, as it asked probing questions about humanity, trust, and friendship in a terrifying situation.

Even as an entirely student-run, outdoor event, with no special effects or sound, basic lighting, and small casts, Absurdities still managed to cut deep. n

BC On Tap invited other Boston-area groups to its showcase on Friday.

ADITYA RAO / HEIGHTS STAFF

NICOLE WEI / HEIGHTS STAFF

Andrew Mroczek described the context behind his recent photography series.

ALINA CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF

Therapy Dog featured two characters working through their conflicts.

SPORTS

“SWEEPS IN THIS LEAGUE ARE HARD TO COME BY.”

After capturing its first-ever win in Chapel Hill on Friday, No. 20 Boston College baseball completed the series sweep against No. 18 North Carolina with wins on Saturday and Sunday for the Eagles’ fifth ACC series win.

Eagles Grab Final Two Games at UNC

The three consecutive wins mark the BC’s first ACC road series sweep since 2010 and first ACC series sweep since 2017.

After posting six runs in the first inning of Friday’s series opener, the Tar Heels scored a combined eight runs over the next 27 innings. After the sixrun inning, which featured five consecutive North Carolina hits and two home runs, it was all BC for the rest of the series. The Eagles settled in, muting the potent Tar Heels’ offense, and outscored North Carolina by 14 for the remainder of the weekend.

“This team has shown over and over that they thrive in those times when things don’t go well, or there’s a chance to respond positively, or there’s some adversity,” BC head coach Mike Gambino said. “This team seems to thrive on that.”

The first six innings of Sunday’s game were reminiscent of Saturday’s low-scoring start. After six innings, the game was tied at two apiece. BC starter John West and North Carolina starter Jake Knapp each pitched four quality innings, and the bullpen kept the score tied until the seventh inning.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Tar Heels’ bullpen crumbled. Joe Vetrano led off with a line drive to right center that didn’t go more than 15 feet off the ground. Vetrano finished the

game with three hits in four at-bats.

“It was awesome … when you’re Joe, he’s a guy you’ve gotta game plan against,” Gambino said. “He’s a guy where you do what you can to make sure he doesn’t beat you, and that’s how he gets pitched [to].”

Patrick Roche followed Vetrano’s hit with a walk, and Cameron Leary singled to right field. The table was set for freshman catcher Adonys Guzman, who got the start while captain Peter Burns got a game off to rest.

Guzman lined a single into right field on a 3–1 count, scoring Vetrano from third base and giving the Eagles the 3–2 lead. Vince Cimini followed Guzman with a run-scoring single, and Cohl Mercado scored a third run on a sacrifice fly to center to make it 5–2 to close the top of the seventh inning.

Travis Honeyman added one insurance run in the eighth inning, homering on a 2–0 pitch off the scoreboard into left field, putting BC ahead 6–2.

Relievers Eric Schroeder, Andrew Roman, and Julian Tonghini posted consecutive scoreless innings to secure BC the sweep.

“Sweeps in this league are hard to come by,” Gambino said. “Sweeps on the road are even harder. So, anytime you get a chance [to sweep] … it’s a great weekend.”

Saturday’s game was a pitcher’s duel by all accounts.

Heading into the eighth inning, North Carolina starter Connor Bovair had held the Eagles to one run through seven innings, while BC starter Chris Flynn and relievers Ian Murphy and

KENNETH CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF

Kvilhaug Runs 2023 Boston Marathon

Marathon, from A1

The Boston Marathon—or any long-distance race, for that matter— requires great mental fortitude and discipline, according to Kvilhaug. It is recognized as one of the hardest marathons in the world due to its hilly course and inconsistent weather conditions. Kvilhaug said she enjoys that aspect of the challenge, though, and said that she appreciates the sport of running for its simple nature.

“I love that everyone has a story to tell as to why they run,” Kvilhaug said. “I love the life lessons that running teaches you. I have played many sports in my life and believe that running has taught me the most about myself.”

For many people, runners and spectators alike, Marathon Monday was an emotional day, as this year marked the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. Kvilhaug was no exception.

“I actually ran my first [marathon] in 2013, so it was really inspiring to be part of the 10th anniversary of the tragic Boston bombing day,” Kvilhaug said.

One of Kvilhaug’s running mates from 10 years ago was by her side again on Monday. But it wasn’t just a running mate—it was Kvilhaug’s father. These are the things that make the event all the more special, she said.

“I love that I get to share running with my father, who just completed his 28th consecutive Boston Marathon on Monday,” Kvilhaug said.

“How awesome is that?”

When it comes to sources of support post–Heartbreak Hill down the final stretch, Kvilhaug said she appreciates how boisterous and lively the BC community is. Students on the Heights truly bring the energy and make a difference in the runners’ spirits, Kvilhaug said.

“I absolutely adore how much Boston College embraces the Boston Marathon,” Kvilhaug said. “The crowds at Mile 21 are among the best on the course. I love the spirit and support of the students.”

For Knight, the feeling was mutual.

“Getting to watch her was such a fun experience for everyone,” Knight said. n

Charlie Coon combined for seven innings of two-run ball.

Bovair, a junior transfer from Siena, had only pitched in the eighth inning once this season. And with one out, an errant pitch from Bovair hit Honeyman in the back. North Carolina head coach Scott Forbes inserted reliever Nelson Berkwich to stop the bleeding.

But Vetrano singled, and Forbes

called his bullpen again, putting in Nik Pry. Pry walked Roche on five pitches, inducing another pitching change.

Facing Cameron Padgett—North Carolina’s fourth pitcher of the inning—Leary stepped to the plate with the bases loaded.

Leary belted a high fastball straight back up the middle for a go-ahead grand slam to put BC up 5–2 and

watched the ball sail over the wall. In the ninth inning, Honeyman added a two-RBI double, and Sam McNulty added to the lead with a two-RBI double of his own, putting the Eagles up 9–2. While Vance Honeycutt added a homer in the bottom of the ninth inning for North Carolina, the Eagles clinched the series win with a 9–4 win on Saturday. n

BC Ends Cuse’s Perfect Season

By Luke evans Asst. Sports Editor

It is not often that a lacrosse team wins a game while leading for a total of less than two minutes. It is even less

Boston College Syracuse

the third quarter, and even rarer when the opposing team is undefeated, the No. 1 team in the nation, and playing at home in front of a sold-out crowd.

But that is exactly what No. 5 Boston College lacrosse did to No. 1 Syracuse in Thursday’s rematch of the 2021 National Championship game. According to the attacker Mckenna Davis, the Eagles’ confidence never faltered, no matter what the scoreboard, or the clock, showed.

“Honestly, we were so confident and calm the whole time and never felt like we were down,” Davis said. “I think we’re all very good at, like, staying level headed and staying focused … I mean, I looked at Jenn Medjid and she said ‘one at a time, one at a time.’”

After overcoming a six-goal deficit behind a dominant second half from goalkeeper Shea Dolce, BC (13–3, 8–1 Atlantic Coast) clawed all the way back against Syracuse (15–1, 8–1) to become ACC regular season co-champions, bringing an end to the Orange’s perfect season with a 17–16 victory at SU Soc cer Stadium. The win marks the Eagles’ third ACC regular championship since 2018 and their seventh straight win.

“I think they just believe very deeply in themselves and each other,” BC head coach Acacia Walker-Wein-

stein said. “And we’ve been tested a lot in the last couple of weeks. So I just think they needed to just kind of get back to that and get back to the belief that they have. I just told them that

“It’s a little scary, we can’t come out against Syracuse and have a terrible half,” Walker-Weinstein said. “And you know, this is just a regular season game. There’s ACC’s around the corner.” The Eagles finally closed the floodgates with a Martello free position goal, and just 35 seconds later, BC cut the lead down to

The first quarter ended with the Eagles trailing 7–3, but BC refused to let the Orange run away. Less than three minutes into the second quarter, Syracuse’s lead had already been cut to

The Orange once again regained a five goal lead by the 8:11 mark of the second quarter. The two teams then exchanged one more goal apiece, and Syracuse entered the second half with a comfortable 11–6 lead

With 2:39 left in the first quarter, the Orange had established a 6–1 lead with five different scorers. And the Eagles did not take the lead again until 1:21 remaining in the game.

KENNETH CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF

Joe Vetrano (left) went 6 of 8 in the final two games of the series, initiating the Eagles’ offensive firepower.

BC Drops Doubleheader, Loses Sixth ACC Series

By Matthew capaldi Heights Staff

Coming off Friday’s victory against Notre Dame, Boston College softball had the opportunity to do something it had not done all season on Saturday—

win an ACC series. Of the 13 teams in the ACC, BC was the only team that had not earned a series victory within the conference. A win in either of Saturday’s games would have done the job.

Despite a comeback effort late in the second game of Saturday afternoon’s doubleheader, the Eagles came up short of accomplishing the feat.

BC (21–24, 3–15 Atlantic Coast) combined for just five runs in both games of the doubleheader to drop both contests to the Fighting Irish (29–13–1, 11–9–1) and losing its sixth ACC series of the season. Notre Dame defeated the Eagles 5–2 in the first game of the twin bill and 6–3 in the second game at Harrington Athletics Village.

“We’ve been right there,” BC head coach Amy Kvilhaug said of BC’s recent stretch. “We’ve been right in it, but, you know, just falling short.”

In the rubber match, the Eagles got out to a fast start, taking a quick 1–0 lead in the first inning. Abigail Knight hit a one-out double and later came around to score on a Meghan Schouten RBI single. The run marked BC’s first lead of the entire afternoon.

Notre Dame, however, wore down BC starting pitcher Abby Dunning in the third inning. With two outs and a runner on second, Karina Gaskins doubled to center field to knot the score at one apiece. The next batter, Lexi Orozco, reached base on a throwing error by Knight, allowing another run to cross the plate. Leea Hanks singled home another run to cap off the two-out rally with a 3–1 lead.

BC had a prime opportunity to cut into the 3–1 deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning when it had the bases loaded and nobody out. Hannah Slike immediately delivered by singling to left field to make it 3–2, but that was all the Eagles did in the inning.

Notre Dame starter Payton Tidd escaped the bases-loaded threat with just one allowed run by striking out the next two BC hitters and forcing Zoe Hines to foul out.

“That’s not taking advantage of the opportunities that you’re given,” Kvilhaug said of BC’s performance in

the fifth inning. “So that was definitely a disappointment.”

The Eagles continued to have good at-bats in the sixth inning, too. Maddy Carpe led off with a double and later came around to score on a Nicole Giery sacrifice fly to even the score at 3–3. It looked like BC was going to tack on some more runs, but Knight struck out looking to strand one runner in scoring position to end the frame.

“We expect more from our players than that, especially some of the people in the middle of our lineup,” Kvilhaug said.

Just a half inning later, however, the Fighting Irish delivered the decisive blow. With two runners on and one out, Joley Mitchell crushed a ball over the center field fence to give Notre Dame a 6–3 advantage. Dunning appeared to run out of gas, and Mitchell capitalized.

The Eagles failed to rally in the bottom half of the seventh inning and dropped the series finale. Tidd recorded her 15th victory of the season for Notre Dame.

In the afternoon’s first matchup, Notre Dame starting pitcher Micaela Kastor was dominant. The freshman mowed down BC’s lineup for much of the game, tossing six innings of one-hit ball until running into some trouble in

the seventh inning.

“She was just moving the ball around really well,” Kvilhaug said. “She did it with some really good velocity, you know, I thought she just had good stuff.”

BC starter Susannah Anderson attempted to match Kastor’s dominance and posted four shutout innings of her own until the Fighting Irish’s bats woke up in the fifth inning. Notre Dame posted five runs in the pivotal frame to take a 5–0 lead.

Notre Dame’s first five batters all reached base and scored in the top of the fifth, capped off by an Orozco grand slam. With two strikes on her, Orozco unloaded on a pitch and smacked it off

the scoreboard deep in left field.

Down to their final three outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles finally created some traffic on the basepath. Four consecutive singles to lead off the frame by Knight, Slike, Schouten, and Kamryn Warman helped BC score its first run of the game to make it 5–1.

“We’ve had the fight,” Kvilhaug said. “We’ve fought back in so many more of the games [this season].”

Shannon Becker relieved Kastor after BC scored and limited further damage, allowing just one runner to score on a bases-loaded walk. Becker induced a groundout from Aleyah Terrell to end the game and give the Fighting Irish the 5–2 win. n

BC Captures First-Ever Win in Chapel Hill

By Nick Fursey For The Heights

Entering Friday night’s matchup in Chapel Hill, N.C., No. 20 Boston College baseball had lost two straight games, its most recent loss coming against No. 15 Connecticut in a 12–1 seven-inning blowout.

Even with its recent struggles, BC held the second-best away record in the country at 14–7 heading into Friday’s contest against No. 18 North Carolina and looked to end its twogame losing streak. The odds were not in their favor, however, as the Eagles had gone winless in all 17 of their all-time matchups in Chapel Hill up to that point.

“It’s a good ballclub, they’re a consistently good program with always a great atmosphere,” BC head coach Mike Gambino said. “You know, it’s one of the great places to play in college baseball.”

Despite the Eagles (25–12, 10–9 Atlantic Coast) holding only a 1–5 record in ACC series openers this season, they broke their cold streak, capturing the series opener against North Carolina (25–13, 9–8) in 10 innings by a final score of 9–8. BC’s

offensive firepower pulled through in extra innings as its season-long trend of responding to adversity continued.

“Things are not always gonna go smoothly through the course of a season, but these guys, they never stop,” Gambino said. “They never quit.”

BC got off to a lightning fast start in the top of the first inning, with Patrick Roche roping an RBI double to score Travis Honeyman and give the Eagles an early 1–0 lead. Roche scored on a wild pitch by Max Carlson to establish a two-run lead just two batters later.

That cushion would be shortlived though, as the Tar Heels responded with a ferocious hitting spree against starting pitcher Henry Leake in the bottom of the first inning. Jackson Van De Brake ignited the scoring for North Carolina with an RBI single to center field that cut BC’s lead to 2–1.

The Tar Heels leapfrogged BC and took their first lead of the game as a result of a three-run home run by Vance Honeycutt. Alberto Osuna struck the final blow of the inning with a two-run home run to give North Carolina a commanding 6–2 lead.

But the Eagles, once again, did

not let adversity get the best of them. Leake settled into a nice groove in the next two innings, allowing no more earned runs to keep the game in reach for BC.

“It wasn’t a great first inning, but that kid never quit on his teammates,” Gambino said. “So what he did tonight was unbelievable.”

The Eagles’ offense did not look fazed, however, as it chipped away at the deficit in the top of the third inning. An RBI single by Vince Cimini and a two-RBI single from Cohl Mercado cut North Carolina’s lead to 6–5.

In the top of the fifth inning, Cimini came up big for the Eagles again, crushing an RBI single to right field to tie up the game 6–6, erasing the four run-deficit from the first inning.

BC’s pitching continued its strong showing with Eric Schroeder holding down the fort for 2.2 innings, allowing zero runs and only two hits. Joey Ryan pitched an inning of scoreless ball, allowing only one hit.

“Yeah, I think that bullpen group is really the core of this club right now,” Gambino said. “Our starters, they know they don’t have to do too much. You don’t have to carry too much of a load. They just kind of

worry about getting us back in the dugout as many times as they can and will turn it over to that bullpen. Those guys are doing a great job.”

In the top of the ninth inning, left fielder Cameron Leary piped a nodoubt home run to left field to put the Eagles back on top 7–6. Even after allowing a four-run lead to dissipate, North Carolina did not back down just yet. In the bottom of the ninth, Van De Brake hit an RBI single up the middle to tie the game 7–7 and send it to extras.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, just as it looked like North Carolina was on its way to another victory against BC in Chapel Hill, the Eagles turned a crucial double play to end the inning. In the top of the 10th inning with two outs, the Eagles delivered the clincher by virtue of a Sam McNulty two-RBI single to establish a 9–7 lead. The Tar Heels’ sole run in the bottom of the 10th was not enough to stop BC from securing its first-ever win at North Carolina.

“It was a huge win,” Gambino said. “They’re all huge in our conference. But I think getting thumped by UConn the other night, I really think snapped these boys out of where they were.” n

Dunning Limits Fighting Irish to One Run in Win

By Brassil MoraN Heights Staff

If the softball season ended before Boston College softball took on Notre Dame at Harrington Athletics

Village on Friday, the Eagles would have finished with two ACC wins—just one more than BC notched in its shortened season in 2020.

But the Eagles (21–22, 3–13 Atlantic Coast) moved a step in the right direction in terms of conference play on Friday, as they scored all four of their runs in the first inning against Notre

Dame (27–13–1, 9–9–1). Starting pitcher Abby Dunning also pitched a complete game, recording six strikeouts to limit the Fighting Irish to one run in BC’s 4–1 victory, its third ACC win of the season.

“It starts with Abby Dunning,” BC head coach Amy Kvilhaug said. “I mean in the circle, and I thought that she did a really good job. I thought Abby was the catalyst for holding the lead and our defense did a good job behind her.”

Dunning initially struggled to find the zone in the top of the first inning, but BC had two solid defensive plays to get the first two outs. A pop fly to first baseman Meghan Schouten ended the

inning scoreless despite the Fighting Irish loading the bases.

Aleyah Terrell hit a triple for the Eagles in the bottom of the inning, her first of the season. Nicole Giery then hit a fly out to bring Terrell home to put BC ahead 1–0.

BC didn’t stop there, as Abigail Knight reached first base on a throwing error. Consecutive fly outs handed the Eagles two outs, but Schouten subsequently blasted a three-run homer to give BC a 4–0 lead after one inning.

“That’s a freshman who hit that, and I mean tonight was a tough night to hit it out with the wind blowing in,” Kvilhaug said. “Aleyah starting the inning off with a triple, and then Meg, coming up big.”

Notre Dame’s Macie Eck hit a leadoff single to start the top second, who then stole second base on a defensive error, allowing Joley Mitchell to rip a single to give the Fighting Irish its first run of the game.

Dunning’s third walk of the game loaded the bases, but she forced a ground out to keep the score at 4–1.

The sophomore started to find her groove in the third inning, as she forced

two more quick groundouts—both to second baseman Gianna Sarlo. Dunning then recorded her first strikeout of the night against Eck, who went down swinging to end the inning.

BC put two runners on base in the bottom of the fourth inning, with Schouten hitting a leadoff single and Kali Case following with a single of her own, helped by clumsy Notre Dame fielding.

But the Eagles failed to capitalize as Terrell lined out to third base, and the fourth inning ended scoreless.

The fifth inning started with backto-back walks by Dunning. Case pre-

vented any further damage by laying out for the out. Dunning then struck out Payton Tidd and Eck to strand two bases and sustain the Eagle’s lead.

Notre Dame’s final chance to even the score started off strong in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Mitchell notched a single to start the inning. A walk put two runners on base, but Dunning held strong with a strikeout to Leea Hanks. But catcher Maddy Carpe then caught a fly out to secure the Eagle’s victory.

“This was really important for her [Dunning] and I’m really happy to see her get the win,” Kvilhaug said. n

Despite outhitting Notre Dame 14–13, BC dropped its doubleheader. KENNETH CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF

The Eagles scored all four of their runs in the first inning on Friday. KENNETH CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF