The Heights, Feb. 14, 2022

METRO

Make some plans for Valentine’s Day with this guide to Newton restaurants. A5

SASA Condemns Racially Biased Posts

By Erin Shannon News Editor

Boston College’s South Asian Student Association (SASA) released a statement on Wednesday condemning a string of anonymous posts that surfaced last weekend attacking and racially stereotyping South Asians.

The club denounced a number of posts on Herrd—an anonymous social media app popular among the BC community—that singled out specific students, negatively compared South Asians to other racial minority groups, and made demeaning comments about physical features of South Asians.

“We were just very surprised about the posts,” Ishaan Kaushal, a member of the SASA and WCAS ’23, said. “We’ve definitely as a club seen microaggressions or very, like, complicit or casual racism on campus, but to see it so widespread on Herrd, and especially people liking the messages and people being individually called out is what threw us off guard.”

Carter Beaulieu, co-founder of Herrd and BC ’20, said one user uploaded around 10 to 15 posts

over a short period of time. The posts were later removed by Herrd administrators.

“Some of the posts were like ‘Oh, why do Indians always own gas stations or hotels,’ and then someone responded and said, ‘They don’t usually own it because they’re too poor for that. They just work there,’” Kaushal said. “Another one was ‘If my Marriage Pact was a South Asian, I would want to kill myself’ and then ‘If your last name is Patel, Kumar, Singh, Gupta, or Dhaliwal, like please shut up.’”

Lubens Benjamin, chair of the AHANA+ Leadership Council and CSOM ’23, said hateful comments like these let students know this is not a safe and inclusive campus, but a place where people have hate in their hearts.

“[Students] who identify with these identities, they have to hear these things, to see these things, internalize these things, and really have to go throughout the day at BC feeling like they have to survive,” he said.

See Herrd, A3

ARTS Gracie

One Year Later, MLE Residents Still Feel Effects of Harassment

See A6

M etro

Eagles Crush Northwestern in Lacrosse Season Opener

By Emma hEaly Deputy Managing Editor

Boston College lacrosse didn’t skip a beat in its first game since winning the 2021 NCAA Championship. Facing No. 4 Northwestern, which made a trip to the Final Four one season ago, the Eagles picked up right where they

left off.

BC (1–0) jumped out to an early lead and sealed the deal with a powerful fourth quarter for a season-opening, 18–9 victory over Northwestern (0–1).

The 2022 season is the first to feature a quarter system rather than halves.

“It’s a big momentum changer,”

Charlotte North said about the quarter system. “But what we talk about as a team is really wanting to be able to come out of timeouts and come out of those quarter breaks taking over and sending that first punch right from the get-go.”

See Lacrosse, A11

Newton Lifts Indoor Mask Mandate

By Connor SiEmiEn Asst. Metro Editor

mandate, in effect since Sept. 2, 2021, due to a variety of factors, Fuller wrote in the update.

Newton

Ruthanne Fuller and Newton Health and Human

Walsh announced the removal of the indoor mask mandate for public spaces effective at the end of the day on Feb. 18, according to an email update from Fuller on Feb. 11.

Fuller and Walsh rescinded the

One factor Fuller highlighted is that over 95 percent of Newton residents age five and older have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 88 percent of residents are fully vaccinated as of Feb. 1, according to the Newton COVID-19 dashboard.

Abrams delivered an intimate concert at The Sinclair on Saturday.

ERIN FLAHERTY / HEIGHTS EDITOR

“It makes me really uncomfortable because it doesn’t seem right for people like that to be here and around us when they directly are trying to make other people’s lives uncomfortable.”

KEARA HANLON / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF

Mayor

Services Commissioner Linda

Disabilities and CAB will

a live

Students Express Frustration With 100 Days Dance

By soFiA lABoy Asst. News Editor oliviA Joung Copy Editor

Boston College’s annual 100 Days Dance has incited frustration for some seniors, with high admission prices, difficulties with the ticketing process, and a limited number of spots available.

“I understand that the place where [the event] is is a little bit more expensive, but … we’ve spent a long time at BC, we’ve done a lot of hard work—I think that maybe they could just put out a little bit more for the senior class,” Michaela Balboni, MCAS ’22, said.

The 100 Days Dance is an event organized by the Senior Week Committee and the Office of Student Involvement, 100 days before graduation, where the graduating class can celebrate and reminisce about their college experience.

According to Matthew Razek, the associate director for student programming, events like the 100 Days Dance are important because they provide seniors with a sense of closure as they near the end of their time at BC.

“The event allows individuals to get together with members of their class and begin to think about those closure experiences, while also looking to the rest of their semester and celebrating,” he said. “It’s not about wanting to rush time away, but allowing people to consider how far they’ve come and also what their next steps will be.”

Both Balboni and Stephanie Wang, MCAS ’22, said that the dance is important for the senior class, but they expressed frustration with certain aspects of the event.

Wang said she first had difficulty buying a ticket, getting stuck on the queue page.

“I couldn’t get to the queue page for whatever reason,” said Wang. “And

the email explicitly said, ‘do not … refresh the page,’ but when it was 7:30, I still couldn’t get to the queue.”

Many students also complained about Royale, the dance’s venue, saying that it would only be able to host 1,400 out of a class of 2,297 students.

“I understand why they don’t get enough tickets for the full grade because maybe from a profit standpoint … the whole grade’s never all going to go,” Balboni said. “But I think 1,400 is really low considering we’re a grade of like at least [2,200].”

Wang said that while she wished more tickets were available, she also understands the decision to limit the event capacity.

“I understand why they limit it … I’m assuming it’s probably [for] budget reasons,” Wang said. “But also it’s hard to find a venue who accommodates that many people, and also especially during COVID.”

The capacity for the event was set by Royale, according to Razek,

though the University continually asks Royale to increase that number.

“We ask them every year if we can up that number, but based on the size of the space and, to be honest with COVID, they take into consideration what the capacity of that space is,” he said. “So 1,400 was a number set by our contract with Royale.”

Even with a limit on the number

of tickets, Razek said as of Feb. 10 they were still not sold out.

“It’s shocking to me,” he said. “And so I know … while there’s a cap on the event, we’re about 48 hours into ticket sales and we still have a couple dozen tickets left.”

Read the rest of this story at www.bcheights.com

Professor Recieves AAAS Fellowship

By ThomAs Coder Heights Staff

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) named Conevery Bolton Valencius, a Boston College history professor, as one of its fellows in January.

“The … AAAS fellowship is such an exciting honor that I feel very keenly [toward] because it’s about what I think this book and my other writings is really about in a larger sense, which is promoting the excitement of research and science to a broader public,” Valencius said.

Marriage Pact Returns to BC

By Amy PAlmer Assoc. News Editor AidAn FrAnklin Heights Staff

Many Eagles flocked to the Boston College Marriage Pact looking for a match with the approach of Valentine’s Day.

“I think, first of all, [the] promotion was like all over the place, so everybody’s really into it,” Ben Hetherington, MCAS ’24, said. “And I think everybody was extra down bad this year with COVID.”

Hetherington was one of 3,556 students that Marriage Pact said signed up for the survey this year. The Marriage Pact, which students brought to the University in 2020, is a survey containing about 50 questions that attempt to connect students based on compatibility.

The questions range from political views to drinking habits. Participants are asked to rank their answers on a scale from one, “strongly disagree,” to seven, “strongly agree.”

According to Molly Harrison, MCAS ’23, the COVID-19 pandemic

hampered many people’s ability to make connections, so the Marriage Pact provides a potential solution.

“COVID has impacted our ability to meet people,” Harrison said. “People are yearning for friends.”

Harrison said while her primary reason for signing up for the Marriage Pact last year was COVID-19, this year, she signed up because many of her friends did as well.

Harrison wasn’t the only person to sign up because of other students. Jaret Farhat, MCAS ’25, said he decided to fill out the survey because so many students were.

“Honestly, I think there’s a little bit of peer pressure, like everyone else is doing it,” Farhat said.

Though the pandemic did not influence his decision to sign up, Farhat said it impacted his ability to meet people—the Marriage Pact creates connections that might not happen otherwise, he said.

“I matched with someone in a different grade,” he said. “I haven’t even really met a lot of people in that grade either.”

Elizabeth Shaw, MCAS ’24, however, isn’t sure how successful the Marriage Pact is at facilitating connections on campus.

“I feel like in theory it is [successful], but I don’t know how many people actually reach out and talk,” Shaw said. “It’s more just like you look them up on Instagram and see who they are, and it ends badly.”

Last year, Shaw was paired with a “friend match” along with roughly 600 other straight women due to uneven participation between male and female students. Still, Shaw said the Marriage Pact was a good way for her to meet people her freshman year.

“Yeah, that’s why I honestly met up with a person even though it was a friend, because it was so hard to meet people, especially as a freshman not knowing anyone,” she said. “So it was nice to have another way to meet new people.”

Read the rest of this story at www.bcheights.com

The AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society, and its fellowship is “among the most distinct honors” in the scientific community, according to its website.

Valencius’ work is “pathbreaking” in the history of science, according to Prasannan Parthasarathi, chairperson of BC’s history department.

“Professor Valencius has done pathbreaking work in the history of science,” he wrote in an email to The Heights. It is gratifying to see that the leading association of scientific scholars in the country has recognized her seminal contributions.”

Beyond teaching at BC, Valencius has written two books—The Health of the Country and The Lost History of the New Madrid Earthquakes.

Both books explore the relationship between Western settlers and the environment they encountered after the Louisiana Purchase.

Valencius is currently writing another book, this time focused on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and its relation to earthquakes.

The research process for this book includes speaking with scientists to gain information about the technical aspects of the subject, and the fellowship, she said, has potential to facilitate

this research.

“Some of the research for this project also has to do with calling up scientists and saying, ‘Hey, can you explain this to me?’” she said. “Being a fellow of the AAAS will in some sense help me and my research because it gives me access to those conversations and gives me credibility in those conversations.”

Valencius hopes people will learn about modern energy problems through her current research.

A society broadly educated about energy development would lead to better decisions about scientific progression and advancement, she said.

“I think the questions of contemporary energy development and its environmental costs and benefits are going to be central to every question in our society going forward,” she said. “I hope that the work I’m doing will help empower other people to be also engaged in critical thinking and decision making about our contemporary sciences.”

According to Valencius, this goal aligns with both BC’s mission and well-rounded focus on the sciences.

“At a Jesuit institution, I feel very powerfully the mission of Boston College [is that] scientific decisions need to be made not simply in an abstracted or theoretical sense, but with an embodied sense of humanity and humane respect for individuals and societies as well as for data tables,” she said.

Valencius is among five other fellows within the History and Philosophy of Science section of the fellowship. She said she was able to meet these other fellows to discuss how they can advance the mission of the AAAS.

Read the rest of this story at www.bcheights.com

The Council for Students with

host

discussion with Abigail Heringer from ABC’s The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise, where she was the first cast member with a hearing impairment, on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Listen to Christopher Preble discuss the Biden administration’s foreign policy and treatment of issues such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic in Gasson 204 on Thursday at 5 p.m.

Join the Global Conversations Program on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Connolly House for a discussion on the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The conversation will focus on the issue of annexation.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK MICELI / HEIGHTS ARCHIVES

Students critized the process of purchasing tickets for the 100 Days Dance.

GRAPHIC BY LIZ SCHWAB / HEIGHTS EDITOR

CJBC Urges BC To ‘Break Up’ With Fossil Fuels

B

said to a crowd on Friday.

Heights Staff

Climate Justice at Boston College (CJBC) urged the University to “break up” with fossil fuels in a Valentine’s Day–inspired divestment protest on Thursday and Friday.

“Until Boston College aligns itself with a more sustainable and more just future, we will protest and deliver Valentines to Father Leahy,” Cece Durcan, vice president of CJBC and MCAS ’23,

CJBC invited students to join them in writing Valentine’s cards about divestment to University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J..

The letters were delivered during a walk to Leahy’s residence Friday afternoon.

Durcan said CJBC definitley does not intend to give up on its divestment any time soon.

“Our desire for climate justice has not faded,” Durcan said. “Our numbers have grown.”

CJBC member Stephanie Robinson, MCAS ’23, said this protest is a play on writing love letters.

“We have done it for a couple of years now and had a really great turnout for this event in 2020, but because of COVID we could not do it last year,” she said.

Robinson believes the event is a favorite because of the open and casual nature of the letterwriting itself.

“[CJBC members] really like this event because it’s fairly casual so people who have an interest and want the school to divest and want to air their desires can casually write it down,” she said.

One participant, Paola Rosario Gracia, MCAS ’24, stopped by to write a card.

“As a person who is studying biology and is learning about climate change, 97 percent of scientists agree that most climate change is due to human-related causes,” Gracia said. “If we are the cause of climate change, then we also have to be the ones to fix this issue, and if that can start with BC divesting, then I am all for it.”

On Friday at 3 p.m., protestors met together on the lawn near St. Ignatius.

They headed toward Leahy’s front door to deliver the letters.

“What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now,” protestors chanted.

CJBC Social Media and

Outreach Coordinator Gabby Levitt, MCAS ’24, said CJBC and protesters’ physical presence when delivering letters reflects the urgency of the crisis.

“We have been tabling for the past two days, collecting valentines from the entire student body, so going and dropping these off at Father Leahy’s house, where we will read a prayer by Pope Francis, is showing that everybody here wants BC to divest from fossil fuels,” Levitt said.

Finally, Durcan criticized the University not only for failing to acknowledge the pleas of the students about divestment, but also those of the Catholic Church.

“The Catholic Church has explicitly and repeatedly identified climate change as a moral issue,” Durcan said. “The consequences of climate change are disastrous. They affect the world’s most vulnerable citizens—the very citizens that Boston College calls on us to defend, protect, and serve.” n

SASA Condemns Posts Attacking South Asians

administrators to review.

Kaushal said the SASA wanted to make clear through its statement that racism against South Asians cannot be disguised as humor.

“Looking back at racist incidents that have happened at BC, especially against the Black community, it always starts small with jokes … [and escalates] to like outright explicit racism,” Kaushal said. “And we wanted to let people know that doing things like naming individuals or attacking physical appearances is just absolutely not okay.”

Kaushal said South Asian students do not typically look like the average light-skinned, blond-haired BC student, so the comments about South Asian physical features particularly stung.

“So to have those features called out and made fun of, it definitely hurt and … I’m really worried about future BC students who are from South Asia, or South Asian international students coming to a campus and just trying to get an education and feel like they belong, being made fun of for something they can’t control,” Kaushal said.

Herrd removes offensive and hateful posts through its reporting system, Beaulieu said, where students flag content for Herrd

After deleting the string of posts targeting South Asians, Herrd emailed and temporarily banned the user who posted them, and has been in contact with BC’s administration about the incident.

“We sent an email to this person telling them our conditions … and it served as a warning email to them that we basically noticed these posts are coming from you,” he said. “So we sent that email to them and … we’re working [directly] with BC admin to see how they want to handle this situation.”

Though Herrd itself does not make conduct decisions, the app works with BC’s Student Affairs, who then works with the Office of Student Conduct, according to Beaulieu.

“We as an app don’t enforce decisions that a school might make as far as disciplinary action, but we provide everything that they need in order to make a decision,” he said. “So we’re working with them and we are doing everything we can in order to help them hopefully make the right decision.”

Kaushal said that Herrd stepped up by working with BC’s administration after the incident, but they still have a ways to go.

“I definitely think Herrd does need to step in at times when

things like bias are more talked about on Herrd, because South Asians being mentioned on Herrd isn’t the first time that Herrd has [had an] almost massive wave of targeting specific groups of people’s identities,” he said.

Benjamin said that UGBC plans to meet with Herrd administrators, representatives from the SASA and Asian Caucus, and Associate Vice President for Student Engagement Tom Mogan to mitigate the harm being done on the app.

He said Herrd should take more proactive steps in removing users who post hate speech.

“And if not, then we’ll have to take measures such as taking Herrd off eduroam,” Benjamin said, referring to BC’s wifi. “Banning it on eduroam is not off the table if things don’t get better.”

The way to have offensive posts removed quicker, according to Beaulieu, is for more students to report them.

“The more that people on Herrd are reporting these incidents and coming forward to us and us having a talk like this … the more that we can keep Herrd a safe place,” he said.

Beyond Herrd’s response, Kaushal said he hopes the person who made the posts faces more severe disciplinary action from the University.

Change at BC, he said, must move beyond just the DiversityEdu module, a diversity education platform completed during students’ first year at BC.

“I think there’s a great opportunity [to] incorporate [Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion] into people’s education,” he said. “I think really reforming those things—DiversityEdu and the cultural diversity core are great starts, but there’s still so much more they can do.”

Benjamin said he thinks the University is often too relaxed with its conduct process for racially motivated incidents, and change at BC needs to happen from the top down.

“I feel like so many times in BC’s history, and even now, we try to put the job of changing the BC culture and changing everything on the students rather than admin really taking a hard look at themselves,” he said.

According to Kaushal, anonymity on Herrd has reflected some of the more problematic aspects of the BC community, especially pertaining to issues of race on campus.

“I definitely think Herrd has a very unique role in BC culture,” Kaushal said. “Not only is it used to influence a lot of the shared BC identity, but a lot of anonymity within Herrd has shown some

of the concerning parts of BC’s community.”

Beaulieu said he believes that the anonymity of Herrd may partially contribute to hateful posts, as students forget Herrd administrators have access to their BC emails, which they use to sign up for the app.

“Students think that they’re basically invincible, but in reality, the anonymous feature is just so people feel comfortable sharing stuff, not so people can post hateful stuff without being punished,” he said.

Despite the initial shock of the incident, Kaushal said prejudice toward Asians is not a new thing, both at BC and across the country.

“The relationship America has with Asian Americans is a very shallow pool,” he said. “On the surface, it looks nice. … They love going out to eat Thai food, love to consume Asian media, but when push comes to shove, the appreciation doesn’t go that deep.”

Benjamin said this incident ultimately demonstrates that BC has a history of Asian hate.

“This isn’t anything new,” Benjamin said. “It’s something that’s been continued, and it just shows that whenever we don’t take steps, these same instances repeatedly happen over and over again.” n

ANESSA WERMERS / HEIGHTS STAFF

One CJBC member spoke and rallied the people attending the protest.

Protestors trekked to Leahy’s residence to deliver the Valentines.

ANEESA WERMERS / HEIGHTS STAFF

By Sahithi thumuluri Heights Staff

The Newton City Council approved changes to outdoor dining regulations at a meeting Monday night, allowing restaurant owners to seat more guests on streets and in parking spots than before.

“What the restaurants do not need is a ton of more hoops to jump through, because they already have a ton of people to respond to,” said Andrea Kelley, Ward 3 councilor-at-large. “This would allow unlimited seating outside.”

With the intent of easing restaurants’ difficulties adapting to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the proposed amendment would give business owners full discretion to go above the current limitations on outdoor dining capacity.

Current regulations cap a restaurant’s outdoor capacity at eight chairs or 10 percent of indoor capacity, whichever is greater. To go above the limit, restaurants must acquire a permit from a Health and Human Services commissioner, according to the city’s ordinance.

The amendment went to a voiced vote and passed unanimously. Councilor Andreae Downs made a motion for reconsideration so councilors could voice last-minute thoughts about the amendment, but the motion was denied, approving the amendment.

Ward 7 Councilor Lisle Baker and Downs called for reconsiderations of

the new amendment to limit the cap to just the front of restaurants. They also called for the amendment to distinguish between sidewalks and street space.

The council voted the limitation down in 1–7. But, the latter reconsideration led to the approval of a separate proposal that the city waive parking space fees for outdoor dining spaces for the 2022 calendar year.

Baker said that the council must also discuss the requirements that must accompany the amendment. Business owners must submit a detailed blueprint of table layout to their ward councilors for approval and share the layout with neighboring shops prior to any action being taken, she said.

Newton Changes Rules for Outdoor Dining Council Talks COVID-19 Future

“I’m concerned that you could have a business next door that is adversely affected,” said Marc Laredo, councilor-at-large of Ward 7. “And [they] would get no notice or no opportunity to complain, even though it’s their streetfront that is being affected.”

Other council members said the existing ordinance already addresses the need for adequate passing room for wheelchairs, strollers, and pedestrian traffic, which restaurants must continue to adhere to even with the amendment.

“It is clear that all of us want to help our community continue to survive in this post-pandemic world,” said Alicia Bowman, councilor-at-large of Ward 6. “We want to make it easier for local restaurants to offer outdoor seating. Now we just have to do the work.” n

By ElizaBEth Gray Heights Staff

The Newton City Council Programs and Services Committee met on Feb. 9 to provide an update about the future of the city’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s time again to shift our focus to try to get back to normal,” Linda Walsh, commissioner of Newton’s Health and Human Services department, said in the meeting.

Walsh reported that 88 percent of Newton residents are fully vaccinated, and 95 percent of residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vac-

cine. She also stated that the city has a 3.6 percent positivity rate as of Feb. 5, down from 13 percent on Jan. 8.

Michelle Pizzi O’Brien, human resources director for the City of Newton, described how the city worked with unions and city officials to implement a mandatory vaccine policy for government employees, with a compliance deadline of Jan. 14th.

Ninety-five percent of the workforce is fully vaccinated, with the remaining five percent either in the process of receiving vaccination or having an exemption. Those that aren’t vaccinated undergo weekly testing and are required to wear

masks at all times while at work.

“We allowed our employees an opportunity to meet directly with the representative of HR to discuss in a private setting their medical conditions or their religious beliefs,” O’Brien said. “And that certainly proved to be complex, but a successful process that our employees and our union leadership were really happy with.”

Walsh also reported that the city fired two people for not complying

Read the rest of this story at www.bcheights.com

Tous Les Jours Offers South Korean and French Fusion

By Ashley Emanuel Heights Staff

The international bakery and cafe chain Tous Les Jours opened a new location in Newton Centre in December, bringing fresh and authentic South Korean and French goods to the city.

“Our store’s name is Tous Les Jours,” the location manager said. “It’s a French word, it means ‘every day.’ But in our store, it means fresh bakery every day.”

Tous Les Jours offers 300 varieties of bakery products, from French croissants and mango cloud cakes to ube lattes and Americanos, according to the chain’s website.

The cafe operates in a self-serve for-

mat. Customers gather personalized assortments on trays and approach the front counter.

There, they can order beverages or specialty bakery items such as macaroons.

The location manager said the Asian-inspired options at the cafe are one of his favorite things about the store.

“As an Asian, the first time I came to the United States, all the cakes I could find from the supermarket, they’re super, super sweet,” the location manager said. “The thing I like about our cake is they’re light, they’re creamy, … and they have a lot of flavors like mango, chocolate, [and] green tea.”

Seating options at the cafe include high-top counters next to the

street-facing windows, comfy benches, and brightly colored chairs.

The cafe’s open-concept layout lets customers pick up to-go orders quickly without interrupting the energy of the cafe.

The cafe, located at 747 Beacon St., is open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

From college students escaping campus to do their homework, to friends catching up over lunch and parents bringing in their kids for an after-school treat, the cafe draws in a diverse crowd.

Kate Gaynor, a Boston University student visiting Tous Les Jours, said the cafe is calmer than other popular cafes.

“I feel like this is nice because you are a little bit away from the bar area, and it’s a little bit quiet,” Gaynor said. “It has good lighting [and] seems like a good atmosphere to work in and just like come to hang out after classes or something. … I’ll probably come back here.”

Last Friday, the cafe debuted Valentine’s Day–themed pastries to accompany its classics.

The earl grey donut, inspired by the tea which originated in China, offers a light, airy dough filled with the sweet but not overbearing, creamy flavor of earl grey.

The decorations on the donut add dimension, covering the donut in heart-shaped sprinkles, as well as a tiny chocolate novelty with the cafe’s

name on top.

The drinks at Tous Les Jours have a lot to offer, too. Classics such as a vanilla latte were perfect for the coffee-inclined customer.

The flavors of espresso and vanilla compliment each other perfectly, coming together to give the soul-warming drink a light and satisfying flavor.

Tous Les Jours offers many unique options that cannot be found at other Newton cafes, according to the location manager.

The cafe offers unique items like the ube and tiramisu lattes—the latter of which is a favorite of many of the employees, he said.

Thoughtful customer service complements the unique tastes at the

restaurant.

One customer who frequents the Newton Centre location on a weekly basis, said the employees recognized her each time she walked in and knew exactly how she liked her latte. The customer said she has been to other branches of the cafe but frequents the Newton Centre location due to its bright atmosphere and friendly staff.

In the cafe’s first two months of business, the location manager said the customers have reacted positively to the cafe.

“People are nice here,” the location manager said. “And they are actually curious about our pastries and stuff because some of them, they might have not seen them before." n

CHRISTINA LIM / FOR THE HEIGHTS

VIKRUM SINGH / HEIGHTS EDITOR Tous

VIKRUM SINGH / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The cafe, located at 747 Beacon St., is open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

LoveFEST Brings Publicity to Local Businesses

By Shruthi SriraM Heights Staff

Lauren Berman, founder of All Over Newton, created LoveFEST to provide publicity to small businesses around the community as Valentine’s Day approaches.

“It gives the small businesses a leg up at a time when they truly, desperately need it,” Berman said. “And it is a way for these small businesses who don’t have resources to get their messages out about what products they have for the holidays.”

The inaugural LoveFEST is an ongoing promotion on the All Over Newton website leading up to Valentine’s Day, promoting the businesses’ holiday deals.

According to Berman, it is a way for a collection of Newton businesses such as restaurants, boutiques, and florists to advertise their services.

“I tried to think of ways where the small businesses not just in Newton Centre, but throughout Newton, could be represented as part of WinterFEST, and I thought, well, let’s make it a LoveFEST,” Berman said.

In creating the event, Berman said she wanted to include as many local businesses as she could on the website. Businesses could opt into the promo-

tional event with a $50 fee.

“The goal is to include any business that wants to be included,’’ Berman said. “There’s a small fee for that [marketing] which most businesses can afford, … but even for those businesses that didn’t want to do that, I’ll put you on the site. I just can’t afford to give you all the bells and whistles.”

One local business that is a part of LoveFEST is Newton’s newest florist, Derby Farm Flowers & Gadens.

Lucinda Chrislip and Sonia Lackey, proprietors of Derby Farm, said they

expanded the store from Arlington to Newton.

“It looks like a very dynamic area,” Lackey said. “But for us right now, it’s like we’re starting from scratch. When you move to a new area, nobody knows about you. So it’s been a little slow for us, but that’s why we’re trying to get involved with the community so we get known and so that people can start coming.”

Chrislip and Lackey said they joined LoveFEST in an effort to deepen their ties with the community.

“Our expectation of participation is just to let people know that we’re here, and telling people to actually come into our shop and see,” Lackey said.

LoveFEST is also providing a service to established businesses in Newton, including Christine’s Day Spa & Electrolysis. Though her business has been in Newton Centre for over 30 years, Christine Fordyce, owner of the spa, said she is always looking to broaden awareness of her business.

Fordyce said she is especially looking forward to the festivity surrounding

Valentine’s Day and LoveFEST, as well as the added exposure that the event will provide to her business.

“I am excited just because it’s a festive thing to do,” she said. “I want to get the awareness of the boutique and what it’s all about. So the more foot traffic I get, even if it’s not a big sale, I just want them to think of us.

The exposure from LoveFEST also allows Fordyce to support her business while continuing to donate to local charities, she said.

“I started this boutique to give 20 percent of all proceeds to local charities,” Fordyce said. “So last year, from March to the end of December, we gave $9,000 to local charities in Newton. I committed to one more year of doing it—I’ll probably keep doing it, but I committed to another year—and this month is the Newton Food Pantry.”

The LoveFEST website has already received 3,700 clicks, Berman said in an email to The Heights on Feb. 12. She is going to have a table at WinterFEST dedicated to helping distribute the online orders placed using the LoveFEST promotions highlighted on the website.

“I believe that the community wants to support small businesses,” Berman said. “They just need to know who they are, and where they are, and what they have.” n

Newton to Remove Public Indoor Mask Mandate

Masks, from A1

This high vaccination rate is also present in Newton Public Schools (NPS), Fuller wrote. Eighty percent of elementary school students have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 74 percent have at least two doses.

COVID-19 cases in Newton continue to decline, signaling the

end of the Omicron surge, according to Fuller. The Newton COVID-19 dashboard reports a positivity rate of 3.6 percent as of Feb. 5, down from a peak of 13.2 percent on Jan. 8.

Another factor that Walsh and Fuller considered is the current availability of at-home COVID-19 tests, which are covered through health insurance, Fuller wrote.

Fuller noted that businesses and employers can still require masks in-

side of their buildings, as the mandate applies only to public spaces. NPS has not yet announced a decision about whether it will rescind or continue its mask mandate.

Fuller said that while the city will rescind the mandate, she supports those who choose to continue to wear a mask.

“People have many reasons and circumstances for choosing to wear a mask, including vaccination sta -

tus, desire to have an extra layer of defense against infection, being in a crowded gathering, visiting vulnerable family or friends, or living with someone who is immunocompromised,” Fuller wrote.

Following a positive COVID-19 test, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends wearing a mask after a five day isolation period.

The CDC also recommends wearing masks on school buses, public

transportation, and rideshare services, among other settings, according to the update.

The Newton Health and Human Services department also recommends practices that help prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot, staying home when sick, using a test when displaying symptoms, and maintaining general hygiene, according to the update. n

Five Valentine’s Date Spots Within the City of Newton

By Margaret Doheny Heights Staff

Baramor 45 Union Street

Located in Newton Centre, Baramor offers upscale American classic cuisine that any date would love.

Baramor’s red awnings are iconic in the town center, and a modern wood-trimmed interior and mood lighting make you feel at home inside.

The food is a crowd pleaser, offering a spread of modern favorites including crispy brussel sprouts, cheese trays, and truffle fries.

Baramor balances a creative cocktail list and a large selection of beer. Guests can make reservations online.

sycamore. 755 Beacon Street

Rated Newton’s best restaurant on Tripadvisor, sycamore. offers guests a Valentine’s date night out of the movies.

The Newton Centre bistro’s curated menu and creative cocktails would make any date feel special. On the restaurant’s Valentine’s Day menu,

guests receive a starter, main course, and dessert for $100 per person.

The special menu features upscale elements such as bluefin tuna and New York strip steak. The restaurant recommends making reservations on its website.

Johnny’s Luncheonette

30 Langley Road

If your date is a fan of the classics, Johnny’s Luncheonette is the perfect place for a lunch date.

Open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 8 p.m.

The best part? No reservations are required.

Johnny’s is the perfect place for a relaxed Valentine’s day lunch.

Little Big Diner 1247 Centre Street

For a unique flair this Valentine’s Day, Little Big Diner offers a modern take on a classic diner, offering ramen, rice bowls, and hawaiian-style burgers in a cozy location in Newton Centre.

For anyone whose Valentine labels themself a foodie, Little Big Diner’s global menu is one of the best spots to visit in the city.

For drinks, Little Big Diner offers sake and specialty cocktails to cool you down after a big bowl of ramen.

Tatte Bakery & Café 1241 Centre Street

Tatte Bakery & Café, an up-andcoming Boston-area spot, might just be the perfect place for a coffee date.

Grab a table inside, or take your coffee to-go and stroll around Newton Centre. Tatte is not just known for its caffeinated beverages, as the restaurant has a wide selection of mouth-watering Israeli-inspired pastries, sandwiches, shakshuka, and more.

Tatte’s chic interior and phone-eatsfirst plating offers for an Instagrammable date. n

GRAPHIC BY LIZ SCHWAB / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Check out one of these five date spots in the City of Newton for your Valentine’s Day plans this year.

GRAPHIC BY ANNIE CORRIGAN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

LoveFEST is an ongoing promotional campaign on the All Over Newton website leading up to Valentine’s Day.

Friday and Saturday, the diner serves delectable burgers, milkshakes, and more.

By Stephen Bradley Magazine Editor MC Claverie Assoc. Magazine Editor and erin Flaherty Asst. Magazine Editor

Destiny Gonzalez still remembers watching her hallmates knock on doors on the third floor of Loyola Hall in early February of last year. The residents were searching for two boys who had walked across the adjacent Xavier Hall chanting a song about “colored girls.”

“I don’t know their names, but I know their faces,” said Gonzalez, a resident of the Multicultural Learning Experience (MLE) floor last year and MCAS ’24.

At the beginning of the 2021 spring semester, MLE residents reported an incident of racist vandalism that included knocked over trash cans, torn off door decorations, and aggressive knocking on their doors.

MLE residents, however, said this was not an isolated incident, describing a pattern of racial harassment targeting the third floor of Xavier Hall on Upper Campus.

One year later, MLE residents are still grappling with the lasting effects of the harassment and the University’s response to the incidents.

“It makes me really uncomfortable because it doesn’t seem right for people like that to be here and around us when they directly are trying to make other people’s lives uncomfortable or unbearable,” Gonzalez said.

Ayanna Rowe, another resident of last year’s MLE and MCAS ’24, said that in the days following the incidents, she was worried about another possible attack on their floor.

“I was kind of just holding my breath, hoping that another attack wouldn’t happen,” Rowe said. “Because it was just like, you know … everybody on campus knew about it, so I was like, ‘I hope it doesn’t invite more [attacks].’”

Isiaah Clark, a Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center (BAIC) ambassador and MCAS ’24, was a resident of the men’s MLE on the fourth floor of Xavier Hall last year. Clark said

he heard about the incidents through his roommates.

Their initial response, he said, was anger.

“We couldn’t fully understand why something like this would happen,” Clark said. “But then also we were angry because of the response time of the BC administration to actually step in and handle these situations.”

At first, Gonzalez said it was difficult to equate the incidents to racially motivated harassment, rather than the behavior of drunk college boys.

“At first, it started very early in the semester, like you get really loud door knocks in the middle of the night, waking you up and like you just think ‘Oh my gosh, like just stupid college boys,’” Gonzalez said. “And then it kept happening every weekend on the same doors. And then people were throwing over our trash cans. And then everything just continued to escalate and then you start to think to yourself, you’re like, ‘Wait, this is a race thing, like this is racially motivated.’”

After the incidents occurred, Gonzalez felt on edge and unsafe in her own dorm, she said.

“[I was thinking], ‘I’m kind of scared to go to sleep at night or like, I have to be on edge,’” Gonzalez said. “‘I have to make sure that no one’s going to attack me or attack my home or I don’t feel safe in my own living space.’ Like that was a lot to digest at the time.”

One student, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said the incident deeply disturbed them.

“Everyone should always feel comfortable in their own skin, in their own space,” the student said. “So for them to experience something where somebody comes into their space and then violates that and makes them feel in danger or unsafe, was deeply disturbing, especially since I lived on that same hallway my freshman year, and I know those girls. I know them by name, so that was so hard.”

The anonymous student said that they did their best to advocate for the girls on the MLE through their role in the Office of Residential Life.

“In my RA role, I challenged my

staff around me and said, ‘What can we do as leaders in ResLife? What can we say to our fellow students and peers and, you know, other RAs? What can we say or do actively?’” the student said. “I was there as a friend to them. I took off my hat as RA, I took off my hat as ambassador or leader in any sense, and I just stood by those girls.”

Osa Owens, CSOM ’24, lived on the men’s MLE floor when the incidents occurred last year and recalls the anxiety and anger that he and his floormates felt as a result.

“I was very upset with the situation,” Owens said. “I was even more upset with BC’s response to it. Nothing really substantial happened.”

One way the University attempted to reconcile the situation was by holding Zoom meetings with the MLE residents to discuss what happened, he said.

body that all students would be required to attend a mandatory meeting over Zoom about a recent rise in COVID-19 cases on campus.

Gonzalez said holding a Zoom meeting about COVID-19 so soon after the reports of the racially motivated harassment on the MLE were made public made it seem like the University’s priority was COVID-19, not the discrimination the residents had faced.

“It’s like, so your priority is obviously COVID-19—it’s a pandemic, like this is important,” Gonzalez said. “But just to see that the reaction could have been that quick was just a shot in the face.”

Besides the disappointingly late response from the University, she said, tension between female MLE residents on the third floors of Xavier and Loyola halls persisted throughout the rest of the school year.

a lot of new students on this floor,” Twum-Barima said.

Twum-Barima feels that the school could be doing more to foster a safer environment for Black students, she said.

“I wouldn’t say they are being proactive now, especially with what just happened last year,” Twum-Barima said.

Despite her reservations with the way that the University handles these incidents, Twum-Barima said she appreciates the support the University provides for students of color through the BAIC and Montserrat programs.

As a BAIC ambassador, Clark said he interacts with AHANA+ students and helps guide them through various aspects of their Boston College experience.

“We were not the ones who committed the vandalism, so I don’t know why they were taking time out of our day,” Owens said. “It didn’t really get anything done. It was kind of more performative.”

Gonzalez also expressed frustration about the lack of response from the University following the events on MLE. She said the administration downplayed what happened during conversations with the affected residents.

“Like they were just saying ‘Oh yeah, some guys threw some trash cans around,’ without mentioning that this has been happening for months and that this is harassment,” Gonzalez said.

“There are still like key details left out, which was really frustrating on our end because they kind of seem like they’re protecting the people that are directly harming us.”

On Feb. 9 of last year, just a few days after the incidents, Executive Vice President Michael Lochhead announced in an email to the student

“I think the tension between Loyola and Xavier was never alleviated, which I think is something that should have changed, because along with the boys … the girls [on Loyola 3] are also part of that because they were enabling the boys who had said racist things and hiding them in their rooms,” Gonzalez said.

As part of the healing process, residents of both the women and men’s MLE floors came together to create posters and signs with phrases such as “Protect Black Women” and “Happy Black History Month.”

“The attack on our floor, you know, it really brought everybody together,” Rowe said. “The floor was decorated, and so it really felt like it brought everyone closer together. … We had each other’s back, we might not all know each other, but I felt like, you know, we all had each other’s back.”

It is this tight-knit community that drew many of the freshman residents to the MLE floor despite their knowledge of last year’s events, according to Maame Twum-Barima, a current resident of MLE.

I feel like there’s a lot of people on this floor who relate to a lot of the struggles or … culture that I am a part of, so it was like easy to relate with

The BAIC’s initial response to last year’s racially motivated incidents was to talk to the residents of both MLE floors, focusing on the students’ mental health, according to Clark.

“This does take a mental toll on us,” he said. “So they were checking in with us asking [about] what [they can] do, and basically, they were having meetings with us, but then taking our concerns to the administration and trying to get these meetings … with the administration and the MLE floors to actually take place.”

BAIC Director Rev. Michael Davidson, S.J., did not respond to a request for comment from The Heights.

Lubens Benjamin, chair of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College’s AHANA+ Leadership Council (ALC), said UGBC is working to enact concrete change within the BC community, from overhauling the DiversityEdu module to ensuring that the diversity of the faculty reflects the diversity of the student body.

CAROLINE CANNON / FOR THE HEIGHTS

Current freshmen on MLE pasted Black Lives Matter posters to their walls.

The residents of last year’s MLE decorated their hall with posters and banners.

MC CLAVERIE / HEIGHTS EDITOR

“[We’re] making sure that students at the end of their four years here know, because they are the leaders of tomorrow … how to deal with issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and how to be equitable and inclusive leaders themselves in the years moving forward,” Benjamin, CSOM ’23, said. “And in terms of [the] ALC, I think we’re really focused on some of those policy initiatives as well as really finding ways to bring the AHANA community back together.”

Clark expressed a similar sentiment, suggesting the University should implement diversity training throughout students’ four years at BC.

“I think that after having those trainings … that eventually Black students may start to feel like, ‘Okay, the University is actually doing things to educate the student body and doing things so that we feel improved, and we actually feel seen here in these spaces,’” he said.

Benjamin said one reason why institutional change has not occurred in the past

as transparent as possible.”

Benjamin suggested that when a student is found responsible for committing a bigotry-driven incident, the University should expel them.Currently, the former MLE residents still see some of the perpetrators on campus, Clark said.

“Some of the women have talked about seeing these individuals on campus still … as if nothing has really happened,” Clark said.

Associate Vice President for Student Engagement and Formation Tom Mogan told The Heights that the University immediately responded to the reports of racially motivated incidents on MLE by identifying the perpetrators and evaluating them through the conduct system.

The vandalism on MLE last year served as a catalyst for the University to hold a series of webinars, focusing on caring for the BC community and encouraging students to report any bias-motivated incident they witness, Mogan said.

Students can report incidents using an online form or by directly contacting the Office of Student Conduct, the Office of

Sorkin was charged with six criminal activities, including a civil rights violation—also known as a hate crime. The University placed Sorkin under summary suspension, indefinitely banning him from campus.

Looking forward, Mogan said BC needs to set higher standards for student behavior and support and care for all students.

He said the University hopes to diversify faculty and staff to better represent the diversity of the student body.

Mogan said he is working with Vice President for Student Affairs Shawna Cooper-Gibson and various student groups to discuss different ways to increase campus inclusivity.

He and Cooper-Gibson are changing the focus of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs to hone in on campus-wide diversity and inclusion initiatives and alter the University’s response to bias incidents.

“Our vision is to create pathways for students to create their own meaningful BC experience throughout their four

step in and have these conversations with students,” he said. “She’s always ready to come into spaces with the students and basically hear the concerns and try to figure out ways to ease their concerns and figure out ways to kind of help them.”

Apart from the Division of Student

and communities are addressing racial matters with a national lens.”

Moore did not provide any specific information on what the forum is currently working on.

In the year since the MLE incidents, Rowe said that both the BAIC and stu-

so many different steps they could take. I’ve been told the conduct process many times. I’ve complained about the conduct process many times, how it’s not really something that’s easy to follow for students, especially a student who isn’t in the conduct process. … I think the administration owes it to students to be

dence, Mogan said.

“If the investigation reveals an alleged perpetrator and a possible violation of the policy, then the accused student will be provided a hearing, and those impacted would have the option of participating in the process,” Mogan said. “If found responsible, then a variety of sanctionseducational, status or formational - may be issued based on the circumstances of the incident, the severity and impact of the behavior, the student’s prior conduct history, and other factors.”

Privacy laws restrict the University from disclosing details about the Code of Conduct protocol for individual cases, but students found responsible for bias-related incidents in recent years have received sanctions ranging from probation to University dismissal, he said.

A recent case where the name of a student who committed a bias-related incident was made public was when Michael Sorkin, formerly BC ’21, vandalized Welch Hall with racist epithets in 2018.

throughout their four years at BC.”

Regarding the Division of Student Affairs staff, Mogan said he is improving the University’s diversity education. Each staff member must complete the Intercultural Development Inventory—an assessment that examines intercultural competence.

Cooper-Gibson told The Heights that she has met with various student groups—such as UGBC, the Black Student Forum, and the Student Conduct Board—to hear their perspectives on how to enact institutional change. She said she has also met with this year’s MLE twice.

In addition to listening to student perspectives, Cooper-Gibson said she will partner with the Division of Mission and Ministry to help student affairs improve diversity and inclusion.

Clark said he has noticed the Division of Student Affairs’ progression toward making BC’s campus more inclusive, especially since the arrival of Cooper-Gibson.

“She’s always definitely very ready to

of BC Law, served as director of the forum, he circulated seven emails to the BC community over the course of two semesters, detailing events and conversations students could attend.

Rev. Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., dean of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, and Joy Moore, vice president and executive director of the Pine Manor Institute for Student Success, are the current co-directors of the forum.

Since becoming co-directors in September, they have sent one email to the BC community regarding the forum.

Kalscheur said that in their positions as co-directors, he and Moore are working to achieve the forum’s mission of providing an outlet for open dialogue about race and racial issues and bridging racial divides in America.

“In addition to this key objective, we have discussed possible future events,” Moore said. “One such event might focus on student voices from around the country speaking about how their schools

Gonzalez agrees that there is still work to be done for BC to become an actively anti-racist institution.

“I think all institutions have a lot of work to do, but BC primarily does just because they’re still kind of being [complicit] and allowing these people to inhabit our campus,” Gonzalez said. “If BC was truly like an anti-racist, anti-discrimination campus those people would be expelled. They would not be here.”

Gonzalez said BC needs institutional change to show that these actions are unacceptable and that there will be consequences.

“They wouldn’t just get a slap on the wrist because [the incidents] were hate crimes,” Gonzalez said. “But they’re treating them as if they’re just not … they still get to walk around this campus, and I know that this is not the only incident. There are so many more incidents that happen that they don’t do anything about.”

ERIN FLAHERTY / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Residents on MLE find support through the BAIC directors and ambassadors.

By Holly Branco Heights Staff

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Standing in the front row of a Gracie Abrams concert, fans might expect a great view of the show and maybe a chance to touch the artist’s hand if they’re lucky. They probably wouldn’t expect the singer to reach out and borrow their funky glasses, sing happy birthday to them, say hello to their baby on FaceTime, or challenge them to a game of rock paper scissors. But Abrams did it all, entertaining a crowd of rapt fans with personal engagement.

Abrams played a sold-out show at The Sinclair in Cambridge on Feb. 12. At her first show in Boston, the 22-yearold singer-songwriter performed some of her biggest hits, including “I miss you, I’m sorry” and “Unlearn.”

Alix Page opened for Abrams. Two

of Page’s high school friends accompanied her on drums and bass while Page played guitar. Page and her friends grinned with pride on stage, displaying their tight-knit friendship. Page played, “Radiohead,” a euphoric cover of Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag,” and an unreleased piece.

Although she is not a big name in the music industry, Page’s sweetness and conspicuous enthusiasm won over her audience. Fans mingled excitedly following her performance.

When The Sinclair’s blue lights dimmed, the hum of the crowd turned to a roar.

Abrams ran onstage to the tune of “Feels Like.” Joyously grinning and touching hands with audience members, Abrams vivaciously traversed the width of the stage and looked delighted to perform.

“I love Boston, are you kidding me?”

Abrams said. “I’m so happy to be here it hurts me.”

Throughout the concert, Abrams’ care for her audience was palpable, and the audience’s love for her was even more poignant. Every time Abrams extended a hand to her fans, twenty or more hands reached back. Screams of support and earnest expressions of their love punctuated the singer’s pauses. Fans gifted Abrams bracelets, a letter, and a crochet hat, and Abrams threw her setlist into the audience.

Rhythmic percussion and guitar propelled Abrams’ upbeat numbers, including “The Bottom.” But it was her breathy-yet-powerful voice that defined sensitive songs such as “Long Sleeves.”

Featuring vocals that sounded like rolling waves with their combination of low-register verses and high-reaching choruses, the writer’s autobiographical

ballads felt both intimate and like they were meant for the stage. Perhaps this is why she is often labeled as a “bedroom pop” artist, but Abrams’ music felt just as appropriate in a concert hall

as

‘Euphoria’ Concocts Complex Characters and Visuals

By Sofia TorreS Heights Staff

The first episode of the second season of writer and director Sam Levinson’s Euphoria premiered on Jan. 9. Now, every Sunday at 9 p.m. EST, fans devour a fresh episode of this HBO teen drama and often take to social media to discuss it with other viewers.

When people ask what Euphoria is about, the easy answer is sex, drugs, and toxic relationships. The show depends on overstimulating its audience with unnecessarily shocking scenes.

Whether the show is a shallow tale of high school drama or a re-

alistic representation of teenagers is irrelevant. It’s all about the spectacle. If anything, the demand for Euphoria is an accurate reflection of our times—we seek to be thoroughly thrilled, amused, and entertained, and Euphoria delivers just that.

The show picks up at the end of season one after Jules (Hunter Schafer) departed for New York and Rue (Zendaya) relapsed. The couple reunites as new relationships, new characters, and new backstories enter the show.

The version of Rue and Jules’ relationship in the second season often falls flat, lacking affection and communication. Elliot (Dominic Fike) adds more relationship dra -

ma, playing the cool, nonchalant, and alluring guy that attracts both Rue and Jules.

Levinson makes trade-offs with his characters, giving some characters satisfactory character development while others veer off in distressing directions.

The audience sees a softer, more nurturing side to Maddie’s (Alexa Demie) bold personality. She contemplates her relationship with Nate (Jacob Elordi), offers kind advice to Kat (Barbie Ferreira), and takes care of the young boy she babysits.

But Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) character in the second season can be summed up with one word: embarrassing. In season one, Cassie

is a passive character who stays by Maddie’s side, but in season two, she crosses a line as she tries to completely imitate Maddie. Cassie’s increased desperation to get attention from the manipulative Nate is infuriating.

In each episode, Rue’s choices and struggles with her addiction lead her down a repetitive path of feeling guilty about disappointing the people around her and relying on drugs to cope with her anxiety. Although her lack of an arc exemplifies the difficulty of recovery, it would be interesting for the show to explore other consequences of her behavior other than just guilt.

The show’s creative cinematography continues to impress

audiences. There is even a playful incorporation of art, movies, and stories to narrate Rue and Jules’ relationship in the fourth episode. The character’s fashion styles are unique and diverse, proposing new fun forms of self-expression that have sparked TikTok trends.

beautiful listen.

By cHarley conroy Heights Staff

Singer-songwriter Mitski has elevated her music with stellar production on her new album Laurel Hell. After four years without a new release, Mitski debuted Laurel Hell on Feb. 4, and it stands out from the artist’s already incredible discography.

The production of Laurel Hell is the standout feature of the album. The catchy opening beats of “The Only Heartbreaker” immediately draw the listener in, and the song

only gets better as Mitski adds more rhythmic layers. The hypnotizing slow-build pattern continues throughout the album. Many songs start off with intoxicating beats that sound like they’re straight from the ’80s and find a way to get even catchier as they progress.

With vibrant and lively production, “Should’ve Been Me” seems like a lighthearted tune, but the devastating lyrics counter this sound. Mitski creates a rich contrast in her songs as they are musically full of life but loaded with emotional lyrics. She sings “When I saw the girl

looked just like me / I thought, ‘must be lonely loving someone.’” The song nails the contrast between feelings of inadequacy in a romantic relationship but still being hurt when a partner moves on.

Mitski creates striking imagery of natural phenomena that adds a layer of imaginative richness to her songs. In “Valentine, Texas,” Mitski sings of swirling “dust devils,” or clouds of sand kicked up by dancing ghosts. The slow, almost eerie beginning to the song adds to the haunting imagery of her lyrics. This artistry permeates the entire album and makes it a

The sole aspect of Laurel Hell that falls flat is Mitski’s vocals. The album doesn’t show off her incredible vocals as much as her other works. Songs like “Me and My Husband” on her previous album Be the Cowboy are musically impressive because Mitski’s voice explodes with emotion. It’s disappointing that the new album does not fully showcase Mitski’s vocal prowess, but Laurel Hell’s other high points pick up the slack.

Mitski’s nine tracks of Laurel Hell leave her audience still wanting more. Still, Mitski doesn’t waste a

By MaTTHew Keller Heights Staff

The latest film in the reality prankster series Jackass is not for the faint of heart. Jackass Forever reaches a new level of ridiculousness with its rollercoaster of hard laughs and extreme secondhand pain. Released on Feb. 4, the movie proves that this absurd and hilarious gang of pranksters is going to be around forever.

The fourth installment in the Jackass series picks up right where protagonist Johnny Knoxville and the gang—including Steve-O and Wee Man—left off with their pranks

and risky antics. In a stunt called “The Human Ramp,” the pranksters hold a wooden ramp on their backs as a skateboarder rides over them.

The movie is packed with instances where the cast does stunts that most people wouldn’t dare attempt. Even after an 11-year hiatus, the film still captures that same entertaining madness that earned the Jackass series its popularity.

Most of the old crew returned for the newest feature, including Knoxville, Steve-O, “Danger” Ehren McGhehey, Dave England, and director Jeff Tremaine.

Two key members were missing from their roles, Ryan Dunn and Bam Margera. Dunn died in a car

crash in 2011 shortly after the release of Jackass 3 . Paramount Pictures fired Margera, who has struggled with alcoholism, due to his disruptive conduct after breaking his promise to remain sober during the production.

In addition to the old timers, Jackass Forever features a few new faces. Jasper Dolphin, Zach Holmes, and Rachel Wolfson all provided memorable performances. Their camaraderie with the original cast makes their integration into the film seamless.

What makes this reunion film so great is that it barely feels like a reunion film. Instead of cheap fan service and toned-down gags, Jackass

Forever goes full throttle, keeping up with the earliest and craziest films in the series. The film never feels repetitive. The cast doesn’t redo past stunts, instead recreating and performing them in new, wilder ways.

Take, for example, the stunt called “Flight of Icarus,” where Knoxville relives one of his most memorable moments: being shot out of a human cannon. This time, though, Knoxville is draped in the wings of Icarus—an homage to a career of flying too close to the sun.

All this new Jackass film needed to do is continue making a creative and unique mix of stunts and comedy, and it was able to accomplish that at an exceptionally high level.

single moment on the album. Mitski has had more vocally impressive performances in the past, but Laurel Hell is another outstanding addition to her discography.

Gracie Abrams reached out to her front-row fans, giving the event an intimate feel.

HOLLY BRANCO / HEIGHTS STAFF

it does in her Instagram videos.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEAD OCEANS

‘LAUREL HELL’ MITSKI DISTRIBUTED BY DEAD OCEANS OUR RATING

Boston College Athletics Should Prioritize School Pride Over Profit in Athletic Ticket Sales

Boston College must correct the ticket purchasing process for popular and large athletic events to prevent inequitable ticketing practices and inflated prices. The current sale of tickets excludes some students, fosters a hostile resell environment, and undermines the camaraderie of students supporting BC’s sports teams.

In 2020, BC Athletics, a non-profit organization, made over $87 million in revenue. Student tickets contribute to this revenue, although it may not translate to a positive net profit. According to BC Athletics, about 50 percent of BC students opt for the Gold Pass, which offers access “to regular-season home football, men’s ice hockey, men’s basketball and women’s basketball games.” Gold Passes are sold for an early bird price of $199 and then sell for $225 after July 31. For certain high-profile games, however, the Gold Pass fails to guarantee student access.

BC hosted the Duke men’s basketball team this Saturday in Conte Forum, and the game is included on the men’s basketball game schedule. The game was not in the Gold Pass despite being considered a regular season game. According to BC Athletics, “for games where there is anticipated high demand, BC Athletics will implement a ticket pick-up procedure at the Ticket Office. Details will be sent to your email prior to any high demand games.”

Students who had the Gold Pass were offered the opportunity to attend the women’s basketball game against North Carolina State on Thursday night, where early-arriving students could receive a voucher that could be redeemed for a men’s basketball game ticket at the end of the women’s game. Vouchers were limited, however, and many students had previous obligations, such as class or work, that prevented them from attending.

The amount of vouchers available could not meet the demand of students interested in attending. This forced students to purchase non-student tickets out-of-pocket. A similar situation arose during the sale of tickets to the men’s Beanpot, a hockey tournament popular with BC students. These decisions demonstrate how BC Athletics prioritizes capitalizing off of popular games over providing student access.

These high barriers to entry left students who wished to attend the men’s game with no other options but to buy non-student tickets through BC Athletics or to find another student willing to sell. Shortly after the women’s game, social media platforms were abuzz with posts from students who managed to grab a ticket to the men’s game hoping to sell it online. BC Athletics’ tickets weren’t cheap, either. Prices started around $125 and only went up from there. The resulting environment was toxic and competitive, undermining the school spirit that drives students to attend games in the first place.

Further, BC Athletics’ attempt to garner support for the women’s basketball team by leveraging tickets to the men’s game is disrespectful to women’s sports across campus and the country. Some students quite literally attended the women’s basketball game to profit off of a men’s basketball ticket. BC itself has created an environment that appears to values profit over school pride, suggesting students should do the same.

This sentiment is also reflected in the sale of men’s Beanpot tickets. The men’s Beanpot, or the “social event of winter season,” is an annual hockey tournament held at TD Garden between four Boston schools: BC, Boston University, Northeastern University, and Harvard University.

The event is charged with tradition and emotion, but it is not included in the Gold Pass. The men’s Beanpot is not considered a regular-season home game, and therefore ticket sales operate outside of the bounds of the Gold Pass. This information, however, was not shared with the entire student body in a timely manner.

TD Garden has an exclusive contract with Ticketmaster to sell tickets to their events, virtually cutting hosts like BC Athletics out of the deal. Steps can still be taken, however, to mitigate the ticket scalping that plagued campus this past week. For example, BC should have alerted all students to the start of the sale.

Tickets for the men’s Beanpot cost around $20 to $40 and were sold through Ticketmaster. Emails from BC Athletics alerting students to the sale of tickets were sent exclusively to those with the Gold Pass, according

to BC Athletics, which left some students in the dark. BC Athletics’ email included a promotional code to purchase tickets at a reduced price, but for students who did not receive this email, the only option was to pay full price through Ticketmaster or purchase from another student. Tickets sold out quickly and students took to social media platforms such as Herrd, Facebook, and GroupMe to resell them for inflated prices.

The exclusivity of ticket access and failure to properly communicate the ticket purchasing procedure ahead of time for the men’s Beanpot resulted in chaos. Moreover, students who are not in the financial position to purchase the Gold Pass, but plan on purchasing tickets to individual games such as the men’s Beanpot, were entirely left out of the equation. Students should not have to rely on purchasing tickets from other students at higher prices in order to support student athletes and represent their school at athletic events.

Ticket sales at comparative schools to BC are managed much more effectively. For example, Georgetown University sells student season tickets for the men’s basketball games. The tickets include all 18 home games in the men’s basketball team’s 2021—22 season and specifically promises to save students money if they plan on attending “even our two most highly anticipated home games in a season,” according to Georgetown Athletics. The goal should be to offer students affordable and accessible student tickets to athletic events.

As winter sports seasons draw to a close and spring seasons ramp up, BC Athletics should include all home sports games on the Gold Pass. Limited exceptions should be effectively justified to students prior to their Gold Pass purchase. For games hosted at private external venues such as TD Garden, BC Athletics should ensure that all students are receiving proper communication about ticket sale procedures. Students should not be required to jump through numerous hoops and pay unreasonably high prices to watch their peers compete at athletic events. The BC community is centered around supporting one another in all of our passions, and this camaraderie should not be bridled by gouged ticket prices and fine print.

(Steve Mooney / HeigHtS editor); (ed Mooney / For tHe HeigHtS); (CHriS tiCaS / HeigHtS StaFF).

Photos, left to right: Boston College’s Korean and Chinese Student Societies held their annual Roots show, presenting traditional displays with a modern twist, Saturday, Feb. 12. 2022; BC’s A Cappellas groups sang during their beachy show Stix, Stones, and Tones, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022; Cassidy Weeks charging with the ball during the lacrosse season opener, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022.

What Your Quirks Say About You

sation with a classmate who confessed that she actually reads the tags on her clothing and sorts them according to their laundry instructions whenever she needs to wash her clothes.

Another friend confessed to me that he ties his shoes using a fourth technique that he made up on his own.

I was convinced that I had seen everything until I watched the guy in front of me in the breakfast line at Mac slap two dollops of ketchup onto his pancakes and walk away like he didn’t just defy the laws of nature. I remember watching this event unfold in front of me and wondering if I was living in a simulation after all. I had endured the previous semester of college familiarizing myself with the prickly and speckled edges of my comfort zone and pushing up against the boundaries of change and newness, only to become completely undone at the sinful culinary combination I had just witnessed.

To be quite honest, this is not the first time that I have felt a similar sort of taken aback. A couple months ago, I was having a conver-

I have spent quite a lot of time reflecting on the quirks that I have observed on this campus. Some of them, like the soiled pancakes, have left me horrified, while others have left me amused, confused, intrigued, and impressed. All of them, however, have led me to come to a conclusion that had been compounding the second I stepped foot on campus for the first time this fall: people are museums that preserve and exhibit the practices, lessons, habits, and memories that have shaped them.

After all, these unconventional habits must come with a story. I know that my personal habit of eating goldfish with ketchup comes from my immigrant mother, who used to give me the snack with ketchup because she could not imagine eating such a dry food with no sauce— the way that Americans did. My classmate who divulged her laundry secrets told me that her

mother worked at a laundromat for sometime, so she grew up learning how to properly take care of her clothes. And although I do not know the story behind my friend’s innovative lace-tying, I can imagine that there is one to be told.

If there is anything to take from my musings on the oddities of the people who walk this campus, it is that our littlest habits can expose the complexity of character and life experience that exist around us. I often feel that, as a college student, I am an amusement park of constant stimulus, surrounded by the history, memories, and intricacies that can birth deeper conversations and moments of interpersonal exploration. So, the next time you are grabbing lunch with someone who has a culinary quirk or unconventional habit, ask them about it— you never know what you’ll learn.

To the guy who put the ketchup on pancakes: I really wish I knew your story. Because you had to have a pretty damn good reason to commit such an abomination.

Mo the MossMan, a Secondary Mascot?

therefore, would make us trailblazers on two fronts: having a secondary mascot and opting for one that is a plant.

In terms of aesthetics, I’m thinking of something akin to the fictional Moss Man character from the Masters of the Universe franchise. I think the costume would be easy enough to create, considering it would ideally just be a moss suit.

accredited with most of the carbon sequestration primarily because they are the most abundant in the northern peatlands (they are one of the most prevalent mosses in Massachusetts as well). Sphagnum mosses are further equipped to sequester large amounts of carbon because they are very resistant to microbial decay, which affects other plants’ ability to capture carbon.

Galentine’s Day

Sick of watching couples kiss at the gym? Tired of all reservations at any worthwhile restaurant for the week leading up to Feb. 14 being full? Sick of stupid, cheesy Hallmark cards overcrowding the aisles at almost any drugstore? Or perhaps … lacking a romantic partner of any kind? Worry your head no more. Enter Galentine’s Day. Galentine’s Day is for the girls. But more broadly and inclusively, Galentine’s Day is for all those who value the bond of friendship, watching Euphoria with a close knit group on Sunday nights, and overloaded charcuterie boards.

Dog Days of … Winter?

A brief hint of summer days to come drifted through campus last week, as daytime temperatures soared into the balmy 50s. As the sun shined down on Boston College’s barren winter wasteland, boys broke out their shorts again, girls swapped floor length parkas for cropped puffers, and the sun began to melt away mountainous piles of muddy ice. Spring is drawing near, though Punxsutawney Phil says otherwise.

Icy Deathtraps

Many have their gripes with Boston College. Some more serious than others. This week, I have chosen to beef with Baldwin.

Now, I have not been personally wronged by our mascot. I am actually quite fond of him. His origin story is probably one of the most entertaining things I have read in a while.

Rather, my issue is more structural. I think that our goal of choosing a mascot to represent fierceness in competitions is completely accomplished with Baldwin, a bird of prey. Strong, independent, and intelligent are all words that come to mind when I think of an eagle.

I just think it is time for a rebrand.

I am not saying to replace Baldwin. Let’s not get crazy here. I am just proposing a secondary mascot. Like, if Baldwin gets COVID and can’t come support a competition, we can call on our secondary mascot to come out and fill in.

We have a pretty unique opportunity in choosing our secondary mascot. I believe that we can demonstrate our commitment to conservation and our desire to be a part of solving our climate crisis in this choice. Perhaps, choosing a plant, one that is exceptional at carbon sequestration, would achieve this. Allow me to introduce Mo the MossMan.

NCAA Division I mascots that are plants are few and far between, but notable examples include Stanford’s Stanford Tree and Syracuse’s Otto the Orange (if you even count that). Mo,

Jokes aside though, let me plead my case. Moss is so unique in its ability to sequester carbon, which is absolutely something to be paying special attention to as we search for ways to ameliorate our current climate crisis. As I am sure most people are aware, carbon dioxide is classified as a greenhouse gas. This means high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere trap heat, ultimately causing global temperature rise, contributing to phenomena like sea level rise and increased frequencies of intense weather events. Human activities, namely the burning of fossil fuels, significantly increase the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, causing the particle per million count of atmospheric carbon to rise by 40 percent in the times since the Industrial Revolution.

Now, plants have a natural ability to uptake carbon from the atmosphere. This occurs through the process of photosynthesis and allows for plants to store carbon in the soil as soil organic carbon, which prevents it from entering into the atmosphere and contributing to global warming.

Moss is particularly adept at carbon sequestration as compared to other plants. Just half a square meter of moss can sequester one full kilogram of carbon dioxide. To put this statistic in perspective, most small forests cannot absorb one kilogram of carbon dioxide.

Specifically, Sphagnum (commonly known as peat moss) is one of the most efficient plants at carbon sequestration. Sphagnum mosses are

Additionally, half of all the nitrogen fixed in soil (nitrogen fixation being a crucial part of the nitrogen cycle and allowing for trace nutrients to be delivered to ecosystems) is done so by moss in conjunction with lichens. This fixation, in turn, accelerates the carbon sequestration rates of surrounding plants.

So, that is why I am proposing that moss be our secondary mascot. It would be a statement to all other colleges about our commitment to the environment, and I personally think having Mo the MossMan being our secondary would just be really cool.

As facetious as this is, it would be, somewhat embarrassingly, one of the first real public stands that BC takes in favor of the environment. Ideally, BC would be taking greater steps in this regard, and I wouldn’t be writing an article about something as nonsensical as Mo the MossMan to make my point about the University’s seemingly lack of interest in the environment.

I do like Mo the MossMan as a concept, and I think that, at the least, BC should be including more plants like Sphagnum into their landscaping in order to show some interest in environmental issues. At this point, all efforts matter, and it would be significant for the University to demonstrate their devotion to ameliorating the climate crisis, even if it is through Mo.

After the freezing rains that followed the East Coast’s recent bomb cyclone, landmines—that is, patches of inconspicuous black ice—popped up all over campus. One tentatively misplaced foot on one of those seemingly harmless spots will send students slipping, sliding, and flying. Bruised tailbones and scraped up palms are the proud badges worn by the student soldiers who have been through battle with an icy foe.

It Will ALWAYS Suck to BU

After Northeastern devastatingly ripped away BC men’s hockey’s chance to play in the Beanpot Championship, BC students were left moping and moaning on the long T ride back to campus, and an air of defeat lingered for a few days after the fact. A small comfort for students, however, is the consolation of knowing that now both Huskies and Eagles can unite over a common ground: that no matter where you are, it will always suck to BU.

Punnya KalaPuraKKel

alli Hargrove

The opinions and commentaries 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

Punnya Kalapurakkel is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at punnya.kalapurakkel@ bc.edu.

Alli Hargrove is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at allison.hargrove@bc.edu.

GRAPHIC BY ANNIE CORRIGAN AND LIZ SCHWAB / HEIGHTS EDITORS

BACK IN BUSINESS

BC scored six goals in the first quarter and eight in the fourth, but the Eagles’ momentum slowed through the middle two frames. Northwestern goaltender Madison Doucette was the driving factor in slowing the Eagles down, as she finished with 12 saves. BC netminder Rachel Hall was similarly dominant, recording eight saves.

“She loves playing at the highest level, and when you’re playing Northwestern, I think you know you’ve got to bring your best game,” BC head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein said of Hall.

BC won the game’s first three draw controls, setting up three quick goals for the Eagles—two from Caitlynn Mossman and one from Belle Smith—to go up 3–0. BC never relinquished that lead despite

Northwestern fighting to get back in the game.

Near the end of the third quarter, Northwestern clawed its way back to just a three-goal deficit—its lowest since the beginning of the first quarter. North finished the quarter with an unassisted goal to go up 10–6, but Northwestern came out swinging in the fourth.

Lauren Gilbert flew down the field with

the ball in her stick, gunning toward Hall like a heat-seeking missile. She let a shot rip toward Hall’s right foot, but it rang off the pipe. A BC defender corralled the ground ball and sent it the other way, setting up a goal from Cassidy Weeks and creating a turning point for the Eagles just as the Wildcats began to gain momentum.

North, who set the NCAA scoring record with 102 goals last season, led

all scorers with seven goals. Smith and Mossman each finished with a hat trick, and Annie Walsh added two for the Eagles.

“We have a lot of the same players, but we’re working on being different,” Walker-Weinstein said. “I think a lot of people think we may be the same version as last year. We don’t want to be that at all. We want to be different.” n

BC Falls to Blue Devils in Front of Sold-out Crowd

By Ethan Ott Assoc. Sports Editor

For most home games, Conte Forum is spotted with only the most diehard of Boston College men’s basketball fans scattered throughout mostly empty seats. With No. 7 Duke in town, however, what seemed like all of Boston packed Conte Forum Saturday evening.

A sold-out crowd featured over 15 NBA scouts, as well as Jayson Tatum, Brad Stevens, and BC football coach Jeff Hafley. Despite the noise of 8,606 fans cheering, the Eagles (9–14, 4–9 Atlantic Coast) came up just short of an upset win with a 72–61 loss to the Blue Devils (21–4, 11–3).

BC won the opening tip and set the tone for the night early, crowding the paint with physical play and taking advantage of James Karnik’s size and Jaeden Zackery’s speed.

A loud student section encouraged the Eagles’ play. A crowded bleacher section donning mostly blue, however, met the BC supporters’ cheers.

“We had a lot of Duke fans here,”

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said in his postgame press conference. “Our guys love a capacity crowd—whether it’s in Cameron [Indoor Stadium] or anywhere.”

For Duke, the sold-out atmosphere is the norm, but for BC, a packed Conte Forum is hard to come by.

“[The crowd] gave me a good picture of what it should look like as we continue to try to build a program,” BC head coach Earl Grant said. “Hopefully we can get to the point where it’s always like that, … but our guys played hard. They fed off the energy.”

BC’s aggressive play—like its early 4–0 lead—did not last long. As Duke adapted on defense, the Eagles took on a slower pace, resulting in two shot clock violations against BC. The Eagles shot 46.7 percent in the first half, compared to their 40.9 percent season average. None of BC’s points in the first half came from 3-point range.

“We wanted to play paint ball,” Grant said. “Traditionally when you play against Duke, they’re going to deny you on the perimeter, and they’re gonna pressure the ball.”

On defense, the Eagles empha -

sized protecting the paint. They compensated for their size disadvantage with physical defense, forcing mid-range and deep shots from the Blue Devils.

Duke held a small lead until the final minutes of the half, when momentum started to swing in its favor. The Eagles took the ball up the court several times without scoring, while Duke kept applying pressure with a 3-pointer, a dunk, and two additional points from the free-throw line. Suddenly, Duke’s four-point lead had turned into a nine-point advantage at halftime.

BC kept the deficit from extending too far into double digits for most of the second half, but Duke’s size outmatched the Eagles’ physical attack. Paolo Banchero scored 16 points, and four other Blue Devils hit double digits.

“[Banchero] couldn’t get anything going in the first 15 minutes,” Grant said. “In the last five minutes they moved him to the elbow, and it’s hard to double when you’re facing the basket from the elbow. … I thought they made a really good adjustment.”

Momentum shifted BC’s way with just over 10 minutes left to play,

giving the Eagles a shot to work their way back into the game. An 8–0 BC run cut Duke’s lead down to seven, but the Blue Devils quickly brought their advantage back to double digits, where it remained for the rest of the night.

Karnik scored 21 points on 52.9 percent shooting.

“Karnik played great tonight,” Krzyzewski said. “When he plays well, … he owns the game. Pretty much for a while, he was owning this game until our big guys started

responding.”

Saturday’s game marked Krzyzewski’s final trip to Conte Forum before his retirement at the end of this season. Duke and BC have played 27 times with Krzyzewski as head coach, with Duke winning 24 of those games.

“I’ve been the luckiest guy ever in coaching,” Krzyzewski said. “Fourty-seven years at West Point and Duke, 11 years with [Team] USA—you can’t get luckier. It’s been an honor.” n

Duke Boston College 72 61

Lacrosse, from A1

STEVE MOONEY / HEIGHTS EDITOR

After winning the 2021 National Championship, Boston College lacrosse returned to play on Saturday with an 18–9 victory over No. 4 Northwestern. Charlotte North led the Eagles with seven goals.

BC fell to the Blue Devils 72–61 in front of 8,606 fans in Conte Forum Saturday.

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

Eagles Complete Season Sweep of Merrimack

By olivia miley Heights Staff

After a win at home on Friday, Boston College women’s hockey looked to close out a home-and-home series against Merrimack with a win away from its home ice on Saturday.

In its third-to-last game of the season, BC (19–12, 16–8 Hockey East) and Merrimack (5–23–1, 4–19–1) met for the third and final time of the 2021–22 season. BC defeated Merrimack 3–2 to close out its season sweep of the Warriors.

Merrimack and BC held equal possession of the puck throughout the first period at Lawler Rink. Much of the frame passed without any penalties until the 17th minute, when officials sent both BC’s Hannah Bilka and Merrimack’s Gabby Jones to the box

for roughing. Neither team executed on the 4-on-4 play, and the period ended scoreless.

Despite only two penalties in the first frame, officials called a combined 11 penalties in the next two periods— six against Merrimack and five against BC. Two penalties came against BC’s Maddie Crowley-Cahill, who leads the NCAA in penalties this season with 19.

At even strength, BC’s Caroline Goffredo opened the scoring in the second period. Merrimack followed her goal with 30 seconds left in the second frame, though, as Madison Oelkers tied up the scoring while on the power play.

The third frame began tied at 1–1 with BC on the penalty kill after officials called Crowley-Cahill for slashing—her first of two penalties of the night. In the 15th minute, Sidney Fess scored to put the Eagles up 2–1. Thirty-one seconds later, Merrimack’s

Teghan Inglis tied the game back up at three.

With 1:18 left to play, BC’s Kelly Browne took advantage of Merrimack’s inability to control the puck in its zone and broke the tie, handing BC its third

win against Merrimack of the season. With her goal, Browne recorded her eighth career game-winning goal. With one goal and an assist on the night, she achieved her 30th multi-point game and extended her points streak

to six games.

Heading into its final two games of the season—a series against Vermont—BC has won nine of its last 10 games. BC fell to the Catamounts 3–1 earlier this season. n

BC Splits Doubleheader With Walk Off

By Graham Dietz Asst. Sports Editor

Boston College softball commenced its season at the Florida Gulf Coast University Kickoff Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., home grounds of Major League Baseball’s spring training, and started out with a bang. But after a season-opening win over Long Island and a win over Kent State Saturday, BC went on a two-game losing skid.

But facing Kent State on Sunday for the second time, the Eagles ended their opening weekend in the win column with a walk-off victory.

The Eagles (3–2) dropped their second loss of the season to No. 8

Texas (4–1) on Sunday morning, falling to the Longhorns 5–0. In the afternoon, BC went round two with Kent State (2–3). The Eagles capitalized in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a walk-off, 3–2 win over the Golden Flashes.

The first three innings passed without a score, but Kent State broke the stalemate in the top of the fourth. Sabrina Kerschner doubled to center field, bringing in Julia Mazanec.

Kerschner reached home on an error at second base, advancing Delaney Robeson to first base.

Despite scoring a combined 13 runs in its first two games of the season, BC only scored three runs in its next three. In the sixth inning of Sunday’s contest against Kent State, senior Kristin Giery hit an RBI single to put the Eagles on the board for the first time.

One inning later, BC’s Gianna Boccagno reached first on an error in the infield, and Erika Andal came in to pinch run. Ellie Mataya singled up the third-base line, advancing Andal to second.

Kent State substituted pitcher Andrea Scali for Kylie Ringler from the bullpen.

Elisabeth Laviolette advanced Andal to third and Mataya to second on a sacrifice bunt, putting BC on the doorstep. Hannah Slike capped the comeback with a double into left field that brought in two runners and handed BC a 3–2, walk-off win.

The Eagles lost 5–0 to Texas earlier in the day Sunday, marking pitcher Abby Dunning’s first loss of the season.

Texas’ pitching core diced apart the Eagles lineup, striking batters out 72.3 percent of the time. The

Longhorns went on to throw only 18 total balls behind starter Estelle Czech and reliever Shea O’Leary, who went five and two innings, respectively.

Texas scored four of its five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning after scoring its first run in the third. Dunning recorded two walks to start the inning, sending Bella Dayton and Camille Corona to first and second.

Janae Jefferson singled on a bunt but advanced to second on a throwing error at third base, scoring Dayton and Corona. Peyton Schnackenberg came in to replace Dunning.

With Schnackenberg on the mound, Texas’ McKenzie Parker came knocking with a two-run homer to put the Longhorns up five, where they’d sit for the rest of the game. n

UConn Explodes for Six Goals in Win Over Eagles

By PaiGe NixoN For The Heights

Boston College men’s hockey and Connecticut combined for seven goals in the first period of a Friday night matchup at Kelley Rink.

After a close first period, UConn (16–11, 12–6 Hockey East) outscored the Eagles (10–15–4, 5–10–3) 2–1 in the final two frames en route to a 6–4 loss for BC, extending its losing skid to 11 games.

The game started with fast-paced and penalty-free hockey. A minute and a half into the game, UConn’s Artem Shlaine opened the scoring after receiving a feed from Ryan Tverberg.

Three minutes later, after a UConn turnover in its defensive zone, Casey Carreau tied the game for BC off a pass from Jack Dempsey. The assist marked Dempsey’s second of the season, his first coming in BC’s Jan. 8 loss to the Huskies.

In the ninth minute, UConn cap-

tain Jachym Kondelik regained the lead for the Huskies with his 11th goal of the season off a back-door feed from Vladislav Firstov.

BC quickly responded, as two minutes later, Liam Izyk scored his first goal of the season.

With just under 13 minutes left in the period, UConn took the lead again with a wrist shot that flew past goaltender Eric Dop. One minute later, UConn padded its lead with another goal by Jarrod Gourley, his second of the night and third of the season.

Penalties were sparse in the first period—and throughout the game—but 14 minutes into the frame, Gourley went to the box for cross-checking. The Eagles had some scoring opportunities, but couldn’t capitalize on the man advantage.

In the last minute of the first period, Izyk found the back of the net for the second time to cut the deficit to one. He capitalized on some confusion in front of the net and tapped a loose puck past UConn goalie Darion Hanson.

“I thought Liam Izyk was our best player tonight,” BC head coach Jerry York said in his postgame press conference. “Not just because he had two goals, but because his overall game was outstanding.”

Both teams played a much slower second period, but UConn dominated, taking 15 shots on goal compared to the Eagles’ seven. The Huskies’ shooting dominance paid off, as they

added two more goals—one each from Carter Turnbull and Kevin O’Neil.

Two minutes after O’Neil’s tally, Hudson Schandor committed UConn’s second penalty of the night. Once again, the Eagles couldn’t execute on the power play, and the second period ended with the Huskies up 6–3. BC went on the power play again two minutes into the third

frame but did not score.

“We’ve got to be better on our power play,” York said. “All four goals came from two-foot range, right by the crease. Those are gritty goals. We gotta get more of those offensively.”

Carreau added the final goal of the night with just under five minutes left to play, but BC came up short, and the Huskies walked away with a season sweep of BC. n

The Eagles kept their hot streak alive with a 3–2 win over Merrimack on Saturday to complete a weekend sweep.

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

With their most recent 6–4 loss to UConn, the Eagles have still not won a game since Dec. 31, 2021.

STEVE MOONEY / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Texas Boston College 5 0

Kent State Boston College 2 3