The Heights September 9, 2019 by The Heights

www.bcheights.com

Monday, September 9, 2019

six Straight

Jammin’ Toast

SPORTS

ARTS

BC women’s soccer shut out New Hampshire and improved to 6-0 on the season.

Jammin’ Toast bonds student performers over breakfast foods and casual music.

A16

BC Offers Major in African & African Diaspora Studies 15 students will be admitted this year, with plans to expand. By Jack Miller News Editor

celine lim/ heights editor

Chris Wilson Addresses Class of ’23

‘Master Plan’ author speaks on life after prison at Convocation.

By Maeve Reilly

Asst. Magazine Editor

Conte Forum, home to Boston College’s hockey and basketball teams, can only be described as rowdy. Upon entering Conte, one finds themselves among a throng of BC fans cheering and clapping. The same heightened feeling of adrenaline and excitement that Conte gives people was present with the Class of 2023 on Thursday afternoon during Convocation. After completing the walk down Linden Lane, the newly-christened Eagles entered Conte, prepared to greet their keynote

speaker: Chris Wilson. And though Conte isn’t known for being quiet, when Wilson spoke, all eyes were on him. Last February, Wilson released his first book, The Master Plan: My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose. Distributed to the Class of 2023 over the summer, the new freshmen read his autobiography in preparation for his keynote speech. A checklist of what he desired to better about himself, Wilson’s Master Plan covered everything from getting in better shape to learning a new language. Throughout his speech, Wilson connects his message in the book about the plan to the feeling of uncertainty many freshmen feel as they begin attending college. Thinking about the next four years they have to maneuver is daunting, and Wilson understands. Not too long ago, he tells them, he had no idea

how to navigate through life. With nothing but a plan and a drive to turn his life around, Wilson persevered and is now a proud owner of a flourishing business. Growing up without his actual father, Wilson’s grandfather served as a parental figure in his life. Diagnosed with skin cancer when Wilson was just 16, his grandfather was given a choice: His doctor could either amputate his legs and most likely rid the cancer from his body, or he could keep his legs—but would likely die within the year. Wilson urged his grandfather to go through with the amputation. He didn’t. After that appointment, Wilson lived every day with his grandfather like it was his last. “I would watch the sun rise [with him],

See Convocation, A3

BC Appeals Student Suspension Ruling

Federal judge ordered BC to allow student back to campus. By Jack Miller News Editor Boston College filed an appeal against a recent U.S. District Court decision overturning a student’s suspension for an alleged sexual misconduct incident on Wednesday. The student, identified only as “John Doe” in court documents, filed a civil suit against the University on July 29, alleging that he was

denied fair process in disciplinary proceedings last spring. The University suspended Doe on June 18 and ruled against him on appeal on July 24. In the original Aug. 20 court order, presiding judge Douglas P. Woodlock said the ruling stemmed from the “substantial likelihood” that Doe will succeed in his claim against BC. Woodlock also said that the balance of hardship would “decidedly weigh more heavily upon John Doe” than complainant Jane Roe or the University if Doe were barred from returning to campus as the fall semester began. “Boston College has filed a notice of appeal and a motion to expedite the ap-

peal,” Associate Vice President of University Communications Jack Dunn said in an email statement to The Heights. “We are now awaiting a ruling from the court.” On Aug. 24, Dunn said in an email statement to The Heights that the University was “evaluating our options regarding an appeal.” The next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 5, when the two parties will make their recommendations for redactions before court documents are unsealed. This case is unrelated to the lawsuit brought by an alumnus alleging that the University breached its contract with him during 2012 disciplinary proceedings initiated over sexual assault allegations. n

In September 1969, Boston College launched a Black Studies program in response to months of advocacy by the newly created Black Forum. Fifty years later, the program—renamed African and African Diaspora Studies (AADS) in 2006—will be offered as a major. Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley announced the change at Faculty

Convocation on Wednesday. Students have been able to pursue a minor in the subject since 1985. AADS includes the history and culture of African and African-descended peoples across the world through a broad range of academic lenses, including history, sociology, art, literature, and theology. “Although AADS has evolved since its founding in order to more fully incorporate the global characteristics and processes of the African diaspora, we still continue in the tradition of our first director, Amanda V. Houston, who was dedicated to not only educating the next generation, but inspiring that generation to work for justice,” program director C. Shawn McGuffey said

See AADS, A3

Reported Clery Statistics 2014-18

42 36 30 24 18

Reported Instances of Rape

Reported Instances of Fondling

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Ikram Ali / heights editor

Campus Crime Statistics Released in Clery Report Report likely does not reflect actual number of sexual assaults. By Abby Hunt Assoc. News Editor There were 19 reported instances of rape and 23 reported instances of fondling at Boston College in 2018, according to the Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report, released on Aug. 30. Both numbers declined from 2017, during which there were 39 reported rapes and 26 reported fondlings. These statistics were published in accordance with the Clery Act, which requires all colleges and universities receiving federal funding to release an annual public safety

report detailing campus crime statistics and the school’s efforts to improve campus safety before Oct. 1 of the year. It is impossible to tell whether fewer rapes and fondlings actually took place on campus last year or if fewer students came forward to report them, according to Melinda Stoops, associate vice president for Student Health and Wellness and student Title IX coordinator. “I don’t have the answer to that question, and sadly, no one does,” Stoops said. Prior to 2018, reports of both rape and fondling had risen every year since 2014, the first year individual statistics were collected for the two categories. There were 28 reported rapes in 2016, 23 in 2015, and 22 in 2014. There were seven reported fondlings in 2016, four in 2015, and one in 2014.

See Clery Act, A3

Hunter Hayes to Headline Stokes Set The platinum country singer recently released ‘Wild Blue.’ By Jack Miller News Editor

Running Away With It

Kaitlin Meeks / Heights Senior Staff

Boston College jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and ran for 346 yards in a blowout win over Richmond.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

METRO: Judge Fights Charges

Newton judge indicted for ICE obstruction filed motion to drop charges against her..A5

The Campus Activities Board (CAB) announced on Friday that Stokes Set will feature Hunter Hayes this year. The concert—now in its fourth year—will be held on Sept. 21, and tickets will go on sale Tuesday morning, according to the announcement video. The three artists to headline Stokes Set in previous years have been Daya (2018), Nico & Vinz (2017), and MisterWives (2016).

METRO: Threat to Abortion Funds Petition to stop state-funded abortion overcomes hurdle toward 2020 ballot..............A5

INDEX

After releasing his self-titled debut album in 2011, Hayes became the youngest male performer to reach the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. The Recording Industry Association of America certified his second single, “Wanted,” platinum just a year later. The country music singer-songwriter has since released three more albums: Storyline in 2014, The 21 Project in 2015, and Wild Blue (Part I), which came out last month. Hayes has been nominated for five Grammy awards—including Best New Artist (2013), Best Country Album (2013), and Best Country Solo Performance (2013, 2014, 2015)—and five Academy of Country Music Awards. He also won the Teen Choice Award for Choice Male Country Artist three years in a row from 2012 to 2014. n

NEWS.........................A2 METRO..................... A5 Vol. C, No. 14 © 2019, The Heights, Inc. MAGAZINE.................. A4 SPORTS.................... A9 www.bchelghts.com OPINIONS................... A6 ARTS..................... A16 69

The Heights

TOP

things to do on campus this week

The Fall Career and Internship Fair, the largest of its kind on campus, is taking place in Conte Forum at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12. There will be 150 employers in attendance.

Monday, September 9, 2019

The opening ceremony for Hispanic Heritage Month is being celebrated on Thursday, Sept. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at O’Neill Plaza. There will be special performances, food, and music.

The African Student Association is hosting “Taste of Africa,” a culinary exploration event, at the McMullen Art Museum on Sunday, Sept. 15, from 5 to 7 p.m.

NEWS University Moves to Bar Two More Witnesses BRIEFS

Landrigan Honored for Research

The Rodale Institute honored Phil Landrigan, the director of Boston College’s Global Public Health and the Common Good program at the ninth annual Organic Pioneer Awards on Saturday. Landrigan was honored for his research on the impact of toxic chemicals on children’s nervous systems and brains. Landrigan was honored alongside Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and Jennifer Taylor, an associate professor at the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. “Most recently, I have become involved in the rapidly growing but neglected problem of toxic environmental exposures to children in low- and middle-income countries,” Landrigan said in a University release. “From 2015 to 2017, I co-chaired the Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, which reported that pollution causes nine million deaths around the world each year and is an existential threat to planetary health.” Landrigan has worked at BC since last year. He established the Global Observatory on Pollution and Health, which will be housed within the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society. The Institute will conduct research on behalf of the Observatory. He is also leading the creation of a new major and minor within the Institute through his newly created Global Public Health Initiative. Recently, Landrigan was also selected by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to oversee a report on the condition of the oceans. “Ocean pollution has multiple direct and indirect negative impacts on human health and these effects are only beginning to be understood,” Landrigan said in the University release. “The purpose of this study is to comprehensively examine these effects, especially effects on the health of children and other vulnerable populations, estimate their magnitude, project future trends, identify gaps in knowledge, and offer feasible, cost-effective solutions.”

Lowell Speakers Announced The slate of speakers for the Fall Lowell Humanities Series has been released, beginning on Wednesday with former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, who will speak about climate change and her new book, Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience, and the Fight for a Sustainable Future. “We are excited that this year’s inaugural lecture will be presented by Mary Robinson, a return visitor to campus,” Boston College professor James Smith said in a University release. “The Lowell is committed to making the series as interdisciplinary and diverse as possible and continues to look for opportunities to partner with other centers on campus, as well as departments and programs.” The inaugural lecture is being sponsored by the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, as well as the Environmental Studies Program. All lectures will be held at 7 p.m. in Gasson 100. After Robinson’s presentation on Wednesday, author Kiese Laymon will discuss a variety of topics regarding race and society on Sept. 25, followed by Bryan Stevenson, director of the Equal Justice Initiative, speaking about his work as a public interest lawyer on Oct. 9. On Nov. 6, director of the Folger Shakespeare Library Michael Witmore will make an appearance to talk about literature, followed by Columbia University’s Ziff Professor of Psychology Carl Hart, who will lecture on neuro-

psychopharmacology. Rounding out the series on Dec. 5, philosopher and author Kwame Anthony Appiah will discuss political and moral theory.

By Jack Goldman Senior News Correspondent

Boston College has asked for two witnesses to be barred from testifying in a lawsuit brought against the University by an alumnus over 2012 disciplinary proceedings related to sexual assault allegations. The case is scheduled to go to a jury trial on Sept. 16. This will be the first jury trial related to college disciplinary due process rights since the Obama administration wrote a Dear Colleague letter in 2011 redefining how universities should approach disciplinary matters related to sexual misconduct. The Trump administration rescinded that letter earlier this year, but the 2011 letter is still seen as an important turning point regarding how universities handle disciplinary matters related to sexual misconduct and was in place during the disciplinary hearings. The alumnus—identified only as “John Doe” in court documents—was covering the 2012 AHANA Leadership Council Boat Cruise for The Heights when the alleged assault occurred. BC has already won pretrial battles related to admission of testimony from multiple witnesses that the plaintiff has asked the court to hear. The trial was initially scheduled for April 22 but was delayed when

Doe’s lawyer was hospitalized. The University is attempting to bar Elizabeth Fee and Joseph Walcott-Lewis from being called as witnesses. Fee is an alumna and family friend of Doe, and Walcott-Lewis was Doe’s roommate and “a close friend,” according to the plaintiff’s written opposition to the University motion. The University is arguing Fee’s and Walcott-Lewis’ respective testimonies will not offer relevant evidence and will have more to do with Doe’s “emotional state” at the time of the disciplinary proceedings—the Court has already ruled against Doe regarding whether he can sue BC for emotional damages. After pretrial wrangling over the scope of the case, the jury is tasked with evaluating whether the University broke its contract by not properly taking into account Doe’s defense—that another person committed the alleged assault. BC is arguing that since neither witness was present for the disciplinary board’s deliberations nor the disciplinary hearing, they will have nothing relevant to offer the jury regarding what is being tried—whether the University broke its contract with Doe. The plaintiff’s counterargument is that the two witnesses will provide details regarding the “sequence of events in 2012.” The

Doe family stayed with the Fee family during Doe’s disciplinary proceedings, and the plaintiff noted that Fee can provide insight into the Doe family’s interactions with BC throughout the disciplinary proceedings. That testimony would include her “disbelief” when the University allegedly discounted Doe’s alternative culprit defense, according to the plaintiff. The University argued such testimony regarding the alternative culprit defense is not what is being tried in this case, outside of how that defense was handled within the context of the disciplinary board’s considerations. Doe has countered by arguing both Walcott-Lewis’ and Fee’s testimonies will “corroborate that John’s ‘key defense [was] that someone other than [him] committed the alleged sexual assault,’ and affirm based on their contemporaneous perception of the events following John’s arrest that his alternative culprit defense was genuine from the outset and not a post hoc justification concocted by his attorneys.” Doe’s motion in opposition also notes that Walcott-Lewis, though not directly involved in the disciplinary proceedings, was present outside the hearing in case he was to be called as a witness by BC and witnessed the setup of the hearing room. Walcott-Lewis

was not with Doe when the alleged assault took place, but he was present at the cruise. He was aware that Doe’s primary defense was an alternate-culprit defense, according to the plaintiff’s motion. Doe noted that Fee and Walcott-Lewis would not testify about Doe’s emotional state. The plaintiff also argued that Fee and Walcott-Lewis were included as parts of a witness list documenting each potential person who could take the stand in the trial filed in March. Motions to bar witnesses based on relevancy were also due in March, and Doe is arguing that the University has never previously asked the court to bar Fee or Walcott-Lewis from testifying. The plaintiff’s counsel wrote he does not believe his illness should have given BC the chance to reconsider whether previously disclosed witnesses should be allowed to testify. A final pretrial conference has been scheduled for Sept. 12, where this matter will be resolved. This case is unrelated to a separate lawsuit brought by a current student alleging that the University did not provide him with fair process rights during disciplinary proceedings this past spring, related to allegations that the student was involved in a sexual misconduct incident. n

UCS Holds ‘Coping With Collective Loss’ Sessions By Abby Hunt Assoc. News Editor In response to the multiple deaths of current and former students since March, University Counseling Services (UCS) began hosting a series of “Coping with Collective Loss” sessions this week. The first of the drop-in lunchtime conversations took place on Tuesday in the Gasson 001 counseling center. The meetings are designed to provide students a place to talk about their feelings in response to the deaths—so that nobody feels as though they have to keep the deaths a secret or that they are experiencing emotions that they shouldn’t be, according to Emily Kates, a senior staff psychologist for UCS. “For many years, [BC hasn’t] actually experienced that much student death. But in the last six months … we’ve had a number

pretty close together,” Kates said. “Death is destabilizing and difficult at any time. But I think, especially when it’s somebody young, and when the death is unexpected, it’s even more destabilizing.” Just being in a community where death has occurred can have an impact on students, even if they didn’t personally know the people who have died, Kates said. “We at the counseling center just really wanted to make sure that students knew that if they were having any kind of reactions—if they were feeling sad or angry, or maybe even not sure exactly what they were feeling—that that is a normal response to loss and grief,” she said. UCS’ intention is for participants at the meetings to take part in small, intimate group discussions, although the exact structure of each meeting will be determined by the number of people who attend. At the meetings, therapists from UCS

share some information about individual and collective responses to death, but most of the time is left for students to talk about the feelings they are experiencing, with the therapists there to facilitate the conversations and ensure that the students feel safe and comfortable. “Even though it’s being held at the counseling center, it’s not counseling,” Kates said. “People don’t have to check in, we’re not keeping a list of everybody that comes. It’s really just meant to be that we’re providing a space for students who want to talk about these things.” Lunch is provided, and the meetings last an hour and a half, but students can come late or leave early if need be. “It doesn’t have to be that you knew any of these students personally,” Kates said. “Just having a reaction to hearing about them is fine, and you can come and participate.”

There will be three more “Coping with Collective Loss” meetings over the course of September: They will take place at noon on Sept. 11, 19, and 27—a Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, respectively. “We were just trying to figure out what would maximize the opportunity for people to come,” Kates said. “We were hoping that by making it at noon, on four different days, if you wanted to come you could come to at least one, although I’m sure there are people who still won’t won’t be able to, which I’m sorry about.” Students are welcome to come to one meeting or all four if they’d like, Kates said. “We can just kind of talk about these things that are really hard and difficult—and that talking about them together makes it more manageable,” Kates said. “It’s easier to heal through community. It’s a lot harder when you’re by yourself.” n

BC Jumps From No. 67 to 59 in WSJ Rankings By Abby Hunt Assoc. News Editor

Boston College moved up eight spots, from 67 to 59, in this year’s Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education (WSJ/THE) College Rankings. This is the highest ranking BC has been given in the four years that the two publications have jointly released a rankings list: BC clocked in at 60th in 2018 and 68th in 2017. The rankings assess 15 factors, which are divided into four main categories. Forty percent of a school’s overall score is determined by its “outcomes,” a category that includes graduation rates, value

added to graduates’ salaries, debt after graduation, and academic reputation. A school’s academic resources determine 30 percent of its score, and the effectiveness with which it engages with its students—measured mostly using data from the THE U.S. Student Survey—determines 20 percent. A school’s environment, measured in terms of its diversity and inclusion, is weighted at 10 percent. BC ranked 41st in the outcomes category, 133rd in resources, and 371st in environment. It was placed within rankings 401 and 500 for engagement. While much of the approach with which the two publications have de-

POLICE BLOTTER: 9/4/19 – 9/6/19 Wednesday, Sept. 4

1:01 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding general harassment at Campion Hall.

2:29 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding larceny of a bicycle on Middle Roadways.

2:15 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a medical transport at Gasson Hall.

5:10 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding harassing phone calls at Williams Hall.

termined the rankings has remained constant over the years, a couple of changes in methodology render the 2020 rankings not directly comparable to the previous WSJ/THE lists, according to an analysis by Melissa Korn and Doug Belkin, higher education reporters for the Journal. “The approach to measuring student debt shifted to highlight how much the average graduate will owe, as opposed to the likelihood they’ll default on that total,” they said. “And the rankings now incorporate a more comprehensive degree-completion metric that better assesses the chance that any entering student will make it through to com-

Thursday, Sept. 5

mencement.” Around 174,000 student responses to survey questions were taken into consideration in the creation of the rankings. Students were asked whether they would choose the same college if they could start all over, if they are inspired and motivated by their fellow students, and if they think their colleges are worth what they and their families are paying. Indicating their level of agreement on a zero-to-10 scale, BC survey respondents, on average, rated the University a 7.5 for being the right choice, 7.4 for being inspiring, and 6.7 for being worth the cost. n

Friday, Sept. 6

9:15 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a fire alarm activation at the service building.

12:09 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding assisting another agency off campus.

11:58 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a minor in possession of alcohol at Loyola Hall.

2:13 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a larceny under $1,200 on Commonwealth Avenue.

—Source: The Boston College Police Department

CORRECTIONS What’s your back-to-school resolution? “To fold my laundry within 24 hours of washing it.” — Sophia Fox, MCAS ’20

“To stop procrastinating.” — Darielys Marrero CSON ’23

“To work out every weekday.” — Eddy Vorwortor, MCAS ’23

“To say ‘no’ more often and take on less tasks to focus on doing the tasks I have committed to 100 percent.” — Mackenzie Cohen, MCAS ’21

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

The Heights

Monday, September 9, 2019

Quigley Announces AADS Expansion AADS, from A1 in an email to The Heights. The new major will consist of 10 courses: “Introduction to African Diaspora Studies,” a four-credit Senior Seminar, and eight elective courses, according to McGuffey. “Four of those elective courses must be Black Atlantic courses,” McGuffey said in the email. “Black Atlantic courses are those that have a global framework that puts different geographical regions of the world in conversation with one another within the African Diaspora.” There will be two primary tracks of study for AADS majors: Intellectual Traditions and Cultural Production, which

will “examine Black intellectual traditions, expressive forms, and modes of cultural analysis and cultural criticism,” McGuffey said in the email. The Politics and Social Inquiry track will “examine the development of institutions, measure inequality, and identify societal patterns,” according to McGuffey. In his convocation speech, Quigley said that the interdisciplinary nature of AADS made it a strong candidate to receive more presence on campus as the University pivots to expanding its offerings. “Our faculty are pioneers in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary scholarship and our rigorous curriculum will provide students the tools to analyze information

that will not only prepare them for the jobs of today, but for the jobs that have yet to be created,” McGuffey said in the email. Recently, the University hired new AADS faculty through “joint appointments,” in which other departments sought out candidates who would work in the AADS department as well. The University has not yet made a decision about how AADS hiring will proceed in the future, Quigley said in an email to The Heights. The major will admit 15 students this year, 17 next year, and 20 in each of the following two years, according to McGuffey. He also said that current minors will have priority in the application process. n

Annual Campus Safety Numbers Released Clery Act, from A1 Prior to the 2014 data set, rape and fondling statistics were reported as one category: “Sex Offenses - Forcible.” There were 11 forcible sex offenses reported in 2013, five in 2012, and seven in 2011. Stoops noted that the campus safety report doesn’t list all of the reports related to sexual misconduct that BC receives in a given year—it only shows the numbers related to the specific crimes required for reporting under the Clery Act. Instances of exploitation and gender-based harassment are two numbers that aren’t reported in Clery Act statistics, for example. “Because we don’t have to report it, we don’t do the same process for those other incidents,” Stoops said. “So I have my own records that I keep … but we don’t sit down and compare those across campus. And I think it’s really just the volume of work involved in that and what it keeps us from doing to do that.” Although the number of reported rapes and fondlings decreased from 2017 to 2018, the number of overall reports related to sexual misconduct—including reports of

rape and fondling—has still continued to increase, Stoops said. “I do think that students continue to report incidents of sexual misconduct—that I and other people on campus who receive reports still have students coming to us,” Stoops said. “We work really hard to educate students about how to report, and so I feel like that’s all really strong.” The report also only lists reported crimes that occurred within BC’s “Clery geography,” which includes on-campus property, public property that is within or immediately adjacent to campus, and non-campus property that is owned or controlled by BC and frequently used by students for educational purposes. “It doesn’t tell you the number of reports we got that maybe happened on someone else’s campus, or off campus in a student apartment, or [to] a student on Spring Break,” Stoops said. “And so it’s a piece of the picture, but not the whole picture.” As required by the 2013 Violence Against Women Act, the report also discloses the reported instances of dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking—of which there were three, one, and eight

instances, respectively, reported in 2018. The BC Police Department’s public safety director compiles the statistics from the BC police logs, reports from campus security authorities, the database of the Office of the Dean for Student Development and Residential Life, and responses from public police agencies, according to the report. “We do take a comprehensive approach to getting the numbers, but the numbers are what they are in a given year,” Stoops said. Stoops said it is important for students to understand that it is still useful to report incidents of sexual misconduct, even if they don’t want to pursue criminal or student conduct charges against the person who committed them. Reporting the crime helps BC track what has happened—and where—as well educate people about campus safety. “If it’s an act of a Clery crime that occurred on campus, that is something that we track for our statistics, and it helps educate people about our campus safety, and in this case, incidents of sexual violence,” Stoops said. “If people don’t report, we don’t know that something’s happened.” n

Warren Endorses Graduate Unionization By Jack Miller News Editor The Boston College Graduate Employees Union (BCGEU-UAW) released a video from Massachusetts Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren endorsing its fight for recognition from the University on Thursday. In the video—sent to the union earlier this week, according to The Boston Globe—Warren addresses the graduate students directly. “BC may have a technical right to hide behind the Trump [National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)] by refusing to recognize your union, but make no mistake about it: BC has a moral responsibility to do what’s right,” Warren said in the video. “And that means bargaining with you right now.” There is currently no legal action pending before the NLRB, as BCGEUUAW withdrew its petition in February 2018. The NLRB is an independent federal agency with the power to enforce U.S. labor law and supervise elections for union representation and collective bargaining rights. Members of the board are appointed to five-year terms by the president. The University opposes graduate student unionization, which it says undermines the academic relationship between graduate workers and faculty by introducing an employee-employer dynamic. “Our position remains that graduate student unionization would undermine the collegial, mentoring relationship among faculty and students that is a cor-

nerstone of the BC academic experience,” Associate Vice President of University Communications Jack Dunn said in a statement to The Heights. “Boston College is committed to upholding this longstanding relationship, which we believe is in our mutual best interest.” Warren also referenced the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, which protects employees’ right to form or join unions and engage in action aimed at improving working conditions. The act binds most private sector employers, including private universities. “Graduate student workers have the right to organize under federal labor law, and you are right to stand up and demand that Boston College recognize your union and begin bargaining,” Warren said in the video. Warren’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Heights about the video. “We have very good relationship with Senator Warren, and understand that as a candidate seeking the Democratic nomination for President, she is eager to attract union supporters,” Dunn said in a later email to The Heights. “But it is important to restate that BC is not opposed to unions. We have enjoyed strong relationships with the two unions representing BC employees for decades. Our opposition is to unionizing our graduate students, whom we view first and foremost as students, not employees. We also want to reiterate that the BC Graduate UnionUAW voluntarily withdrew its petition to unionize graduate students at Boston College, which resulted in the revocation of its certification to serve as bargaining agent for the grad students.”

The NLRB initially ruled that BC graduate students could hold an election to establish collective bargaining rights in May 2017, which they did in a 270244 vote in September of that year. The University, however, had appealed the decision prior to the vote and BCGEUUAW, worried about the nationwide effects of an unfavorable ruling following the election of President Donald Trump, withdrew the petition. If the NLRB had ruled in favor of the University, the union would have lost its legal right to bargain. In a letter released shortly after the withdrawal, Vice President for Human Resources David Trainor said that without a legally recognized bargaining agent, there was no legal challenge to the University’s position. Since then, the University has refused to voluntarily bargain with the group. Warren first endorsed BCGEU-UAW in a tweet last month, joining Vermont Senator and fellow Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who voiced his support in a letter to University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., in November 2017. In an email to The Heights, the union said that while Warren’s support for their cause is no surprise, it believes the video represents a recent wave of attention from local public figures. “State Senator Jamie Eldridge, Boston City Council led by Councilor Lydia Edwards, Senator Bernie Sanders, and now Senator Warren are among the many community supporters who have joined us in calling upon the university to begin a real conversation with our union,” the union said in the statement. n

Celine Lim / Heights Editor

In Speech, Wilson Shares Source of His ‘Master Plan’ Convocation, from A1 [and] I would watch it set,” he said as he addressed the Class of 2023. “I would sit by his side while cancer slowly ate my grandfather alive. I was 16 and in the process of trying to understand my life.” Wilson casts a certain kind of spell over a crowd as he talks. His confidence on stage is comforting, and he isn’t afraid to bear his soul to the audience—the good and the bad. Growing up in a poor neighborhood in Washington D.C., Wilson carried a gun with him for protection. At just 17, he took somebody’s life after a nighttime altercation. Tried as an adult, Wilson was sentenced to natural life in prison. Wilson’s family and friends abandoned him. For everyone in his life, his sentence was the end of his story. But not for Wilson. Tucked away behind bars, he recalled his grandfather’s last words to him. “I remember he called for me [in the hospital],” Wilson said. “And said he wanted me to promise I’d come up with a plan to turn my life around.” It was in prison when Wilson drafted what he called his Master Plan, which should serve as an inspiration for not only the Class of 2023, but for all BC students. Though he knew he was going to spend the rest of his life in prison, Wilson began to chase his grandfather’s dying wish. Wilson started to read whatever he could get his hands on. And he read, and read, and read until he had finished hundreds of books. He taught himself how to speak three different languages. He mentored younger inmates and created a career center within the prison. Not only did he earn his GED, but he is now working on a second college degree. He decided he would buy his dream car—a black Corvette—if he succeeded in getting his sentence reduced. During his time in prison, he also befriended a fellow inmate named Stephen. Addressing the audience, he recalled his first run-in with Stephen, who was also serving a life sentence. Stephen was sitting by a window with a large stack of computer science books, he recalled. Though he was wary of Wilson at first, Stephen soon warmed up to him and told him that he was trying to teach himself computer programming. He wanted to have his sentence reduced and start a business upon returning to his community. Wilson, wanting the same for himself, found a companion

and mentor in Stephen. Influenced by Stephen and the countless other inmates. Wilson kept working toward his ultimate goal of getting out of prison and fulfilling his plan. And after being denied reconsideration for his sentence five times, a judge gave Wilson a second chance after 16 long years. Speaking before the Class of 2023, Wilson stood a testament to the Jesuit ideals that BC instills within each student—serving the people around them. Upon release, Wilson started the Barclay Investment Corporation, whose mission is to “enlist talent to accelerate social innovation in Baltimore and advance a citywide agenda for equity and racial justice,” according to its website. Wilson has helped 275 people in Baltimore find jobs and has traveled to 21 countries within the past 18 months alone. Conte Forum’s crowd, typically buzzing with loud conversation during games, was silently captivated by the time Wilson ended his speech and allowed the audience to ask questions. During the Q&A, Wilson spoke about everything from helping people in his neighborhood in Baltimore to his dream of finding a business savvy woman to match his energy. Each question began with the student thanking Wilson for telling his story and offering inspiration to their class. Many wondered which stage of his Master Plan Wilson is in now. “The master plan evolved as I [went],” he said. “I left it open on purpose because that’s how plans should work.” Wilson placed himself at almost 95 percent finished with his Master Plan, but has no intention of stopping anytime soon. Each day, he pushes himself, not only to fulfill his grandfather’s wish by completing his plan, but also to add new things, he said. When asked what advice he can give to the incoming freshmen, he echoed what he has learned from the past 40 years. “Think about what you want to be in life… [and if you need time to figure it out,] that’s OK,” he said. “But I would challenge you all to think about what you want to be. Push your professors to provide the education that you deserve.” Wilson’s impact on BC’s Class of 2023 was as evident as the whistles, shrieks, and claps that thundered through Conte as he stepped off the stage and drove off in his black Corvette—the car he dreamed he would have one day. n

The Heights

Monday, September 9, 2019

Theatre Prof. Jorgensen Ties Teaching and Acting Together By Brooke Kaiserman Magazine Editor The early ’90s produced a string of successful actors from Boston College. Chris O’Donnell graduated in 1992, Amy Poehler got her diploma in ’93, followed by Matt Del Negro in ’94. Kicking it all off, however, is the person with the biggest presence on campus today: associate professor of theatre Luke Jorgensen, BC ’91. “Everybody knows Amy Poehler,” Jorgensen said. “And we were friends, Amy and I were friends as undergraduates. And Chris O’Donnell, I was his RA. … So there has been this great community of people to come through here.” In addition to graduating first, Jorgensen has also been performing in plays the longest. Acting runs in Jorgensen’s family—his parents met as graduate students studying theatre at Catholic University. Jorgensen was later born in Detroit, Mich., but moved to Brockton, Mass., at the age of 3 when his father received a job offer to teach theatre at Stonehill College. “First play I was in, I was an infant, because [my dad] was a theatre professor so he had me carried on, as like a prop,” Jorgensen said. Shortly after they moved, Jorgensen’s dad died. His mom, formerly an actress, was then hired by Brockton Public Schools to teach middle school. Jorgensen was active in theatre as an adolescent, participating in a summer children’s theatre program, and went on to perform in plays at Brockton High School. “Brockton High School at that time had like 5,000 kids, so it was a really intimidating high school,” he said. “[Theatre] was a place to hide a little bit, but also be in plays and make that community in that.” After high school, Jorgensen went on to attend BC, which was only half an hour from home. Even though theatre had always been part of Jorgensen’s life, when it came to his career, Jorgensen’s mind was set firmly on journalism, not acting. After dealing with the death of his father at a young age and growing up in a difficult financial situation as a result, Jorgensen didn’t see acting as a viable career option. With dreams of being a foreign correspondent, Jorgensen chose to major in communication—and at the time, BC’s communication department also included its theatre program. Despite doubts about

pursuing acting professionally, Jorgensen took advantage of the opportunity to take theatre courses throughout his time as an undergraduate. He starred in numerous plays, including The King and I, as well as Pippin, The Glass Menagerie, and Of Mice and Men. “Even when I was here and I was in so many plays, I was always thinking, ‘It’s not going to be what I do,’” Jorgensen said. After his junior year, Jorgensen interned with Channel 5, which turned into a job offer out of college. So he spent the summer after graduation working at Channel 5 while acting in plays around Boston on the side. One of the network’s producers, Scott Phil Levy, saw one of his performances and pulled him aside for a talk. “[Levy] said, ‘You’re really good at theatre,’ and I said, ‘Oh, thanks, thanks, but, you know, I’m gonna be a journalist.’” Jorgensen’s mind was made up, until Levy pressed on with one simple question. “So [Levy] said, ‘Let me ask you this. Name six senators,’ and I could name two. And [Levy] said, ‘Here’s the thing. You don’t like the news, you like the show of the news. You just love putting on that show.’” Jorgensen took Levy’s words to heart and decided to continue his education— this time, exclusively studying theatre—by applying to Northwestern University for his master’s degree. He’d simultaneously been cast in a movie, School Ties, starring Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and O’Donnell, among others. Jorgensen played the supporting role of Rick, a member of the football team on which Fraser was the quarterback. “It was an unbelievable couple of months,” he said. “It was filmed in various locations, but the part that I was in was filmed in Middlesex, here in Massachusetts. And, you know, you show up, and there are trailers, and food waiting for you behind every corner.” Perhaps the biggest names on the ticket—Damon and Affleck—were actually familiar faces to Jorgensen. When Jorgensen was a student Brockton High, he participated in the Massachusetts Drama Festival, a prominent high school theatre competition. During his senior year, Brockton High made it to the state finals, but was defeated by Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. “Two juniors had written their own play—these two guys, Matt Damon and

Ben Affleck,” he said. “I met them there, and then School Ties was only like four years later. So when I saw them on set, they were like, ‘Brockton High School!’” When he was cast in School Ties, Jorgensen deferred his acceptance to Northwestern for a year. He only shot the movie, however, for two months—so, Jorgensen went back home to Brockton and worked for the non-profit program Project Climb until the fall. Project Climb works with high school-aged adolescents who have committed violent crimes and aren’t in the regular school system. “I went from BC to like, ‘Look at me I’m a star,’ to working with these kids who had murdered people,” Jorgensen said. Jorgensen’s experience with these teenagers was unsettling, but also deeply gratifying. Even though he had loved his star-studded experience on the set of School Ties, he had a profound sense that something was missing—and he found that something at Project Climb. “I had a kid one time in all honesty ask me if I would pay $25 for a nickel-plated .22 revolver. … But there was something about helping these kids that I thought was really important,” he said. So, when Jorgensen headed to Evanston, Ill., to start at Northwestern, he prioritized working with kids during his time there. He enrolled in a class called Creative Dramatics, which taught theatre education outside of the realm of acting—such as theatre in counseling or even in math class to make the material more exciting. He also took a course involving a children’s theatre tour. As part of the class, he played St. George the Knight in the play The Reluctant Dragon. The graduate students performed the show in underprivileged areas where many of the kids hadn’t had the opportunity to see a play before—their awestruck reactions touched Jorgensen deeply. After completing his graduate program at Northwestern, Jorgensen had to determine his next step—he loved both teaching and acting professionally. He ultimately decided to apply to Tufts University’s Ph.D. program knowing that he had a better chance at happiness teaching theatre than entering the rat race of landing roles. “I was thinking, ‘Oh man,’ you know, I don’t know if I want to teach or if I want to keep acting,” he said. “But for me, I’ve always been very impatient in the sense

MAGGIE DIPATRI / HEIGHTS EDITOR

In his 25th year at BC, Jorgensen was honored with the prestigious Orlin Corey Award. of, I couldn’t stand the idea that I had to wait for someone to pick me to make art.” Jorgensen was accepted into the program, much to his surprise. Shortly after he began, his old BC theatre professor J.P. Marcoux reached out. Marcoux’s health was failing and he needed Jorgensen to cover a class for him: Acting I. So, at the age of 24, Jorgensen returned to his alma mater as a faculty member while completing his Ph.D. The University soon hired him as a full-time lecturer—Jorgensen has been teaching at BC for almost 25 years. Liv Sheridan, MCAS ’22, has known Jorgensen since meeting him in Robsham’s green room freshman year. Jorgensen encouraged her to audition for plays early on and is now her Acting I professor. Sheridan praised his ability to combine open and honest communication with humor to make everyone feel comfortable and engaged. “He’s just fun and makes jokes that you wouldn’t expect a professor to make that like, obviously, are just hilarious coming from a goofball like him,” she said. “When you go to his class, it feels like you’re just hanging out and having fun, and it doesn’t feel like you’re getting a grade, which is nice.” Up until this year, he was also the artistic director of Tufts University’s Children’s Theatre for 25 years. Last month, Jorgensen received the Orlin Corey Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education for the contributions he has made to theatre for adolescents. In 2014, Jorgensen helped establish

the educational theatre minor within BC’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development for students interested in teaching drama in school settings. The minor is particularly valuable to Jorgensen, given his love for both teaching and acting. “What I do has always bordered on education and theatre,” he said. “So the theatre minor within the School of Education lets them get provisional certification, and get all this experience, so that’s been pretty cool.” Jorgensen is currently the assistant chair of the theatre department, and is set to become the department chair this May. But his professional success at the University would mean nothing without his personal ties to it as well. Jorgensen’s wife, Reiko, is also BC ’91, though the two didn’t meet until shortly before Jorgensen attended Northwestern. Additionally, two of their sons are now Eagles—Kai and Eamon, MCAS ’21 and ’23, respectively. Kai Jorgensen is the president of BC’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, and Eamon Jorgensen is in the BC marching band and plays the electric bass. It may have taken some soul-searching to get there, but Jorgensen has spent the past 25 years doing what he loves, at a place that has as much of a personal significance as it does a professional one. “The thing that I love about my job is, there are a lot of my friends who are professional actors, who, they’ll go a year without doing it, whereas here, I’m introducing [theatre] to generations of people and doing it all the time,” he said. “I have the best job in the world.” n

Cancer Survivor Cleary Gives Back Through Relay For Life By Danny Flynn Copy Editor The 14-year-old woke up with a biting pain in his lower-left abdomen, with no idea how the ache began. All Tommy Cleary, CSOM ’20, knew for certain was that he had to get out of bed to play a baseball game for his travel team later that Sunday. His ailment nagged at him throughout the day and failed to subside by the time he was warming up for the contest. Still, Cleary put his head down and tried his best to play through the pain. “I figured it was gas or something like that,” Cleary recalled with a grin. “I don’t know, it was a cramp or something, maybe.” It wasn’t until he had to round third base and sprint home on a shot up the gap between second and short that the pain became too much to bear: He bowed out of the game and headed home, where he discovered he was running a high fever. While a high fever might typically warrant a routine check-up at the pediatrician’s, the office was closed on Sundays, which prompted Cleary’s parents to take him to the emergency room instead. At Riverview Medical Center in his hometown of Red Bank, N.J., Cleary learned through a blood test that he had an elevated number of white blood cells in his bloodstream—a sign of leukemia. The

staff at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick confirmed the doctors’ suspicions, diagnosing Cleary with acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells. Cleary was all but ready to finish out eighth grade strong, but the diagnosis completely derailed his plans—given the schedule he would have to follow for chemotherapy treatments, continuing the school year as planned was impossible. So Cleary, his family, and the school worked out a revised course load for him to ensure that he wouldn’t lose the work he had already done—a process that was a little easier than Cleary had expected. “Luckily, I was a good enough student that they weren’t worried that I couldn’t graduate eighth grade,” Cleary said with a laugh. From his diagnosis in April of 2012 to the following October, Cleary underwent treatment for his leukemia, which involved spending five to seven weeks at a time in the hospital where he would receive chemotherapy. His white blood cell counts would be, as he put it, “quashed down to nothing,” after which he’d spend a week in isolation before going out into the world in order to rebuild a healthy immune system. Unfortunately, even after he had been declared cancer-free that October, the doctors discovered at a checkup two months later that the cancer had returned.

JONATHAN YE / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Cleary was declared cancer-free in April of 2013 after receiving a bone marrow transplant.

He endured another few rounds of chemo in early 2013, which all culminated in a bone marrow transplant on April 10, 2013. “Usually it’s a family member that donates, but none of my relatives matched,” said Cleary. “So they had to go to the bone marrow registry … so I got [the bone marrow] from a random stranger who has never reached out—kind of a ‘my silent angel’ type of thing.” Almost a full year passed before Cleary returned to school for his freshman year at Red Bank Catholic High School (“RBC, baby”). Though he was cancer-free in the months following his transplant, he had to spend months rebuilding his essentially new immune system—his immune system was destroyed by the chemo he had previously endured. He stayed on top of his studies and received tutoring services through cooperation between his schools and, notably, the staff at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital—whom Cleary calls his “angels.” In March of 2014 Cleary returned to school with little issue—he had kept up with the curriculum while he was still in the hospital, and many of the friends he had made before and during middle school were by his side in high school. One thing he had lost, though, were his baseball chops—Cleary discovered discovered that he was a bit rusty after a few years off the diamond. “What I didn’t realize when I was good at baseball is that, well, baseball’s not really fun if you’re not good,” Cleary said. “Like, I sucked at soccer. But I liked doing it—you run around and kick a ball, it’s fun. But baseball’s not playful, it’s almost serious.” When it came time to look at colleges, Cleary was looking for obvious signs of a good school—good academics, athletic teams, a good environment—but he didn’t necessarily want to make his final decision on that front. He was unsure about his prospects until he was accepted to Boston College. “I came to the Admitted Eagle Day or whatever they got,” said Cleary. “And they sold me. I love the atmosphere, I love the academics … I love the spirit, the Jesuit vibe I can dig, I liked it.” He had no preconception of what BC

had to offer, but he still fell in love with the school. He even swears up and down that he doesn’t have a “BC family.” It was true when he was first accepted, but he can’t make the claim anymore—this coming fall, he will have two sisters at BC—a rising junior, Lauren, and an incoming freshman, Anna. The Jesuit tradition, and the overall experience of a Catholic education, were awfully familiar to Cleary, as he had come from a Catholic high school. A learning curve for some, Cleary didn’t struggle with that aspect of the transition to BC. One thing he found challenging, however, was making a new group of friends—after all, he had been with some of his friends from first grade to high school graduation. Looking beyond the bubble of the fourth floor of Fitzpatrick, where he said he had two great roommates, Cleary engaged in the traditional mulling-about at the fall Student Involvement Fair, where he stumbled upon BC’s Relay for Life, a fundraising event and program for the American Cancer Society. Cleary had been to a few events like it throughout high school, but he never had the chance to participate in orchestrating the event behind the scenes—the BC chapter presented him with the opportunity. With that, he dove right in—he served on the e-board as a sophomore and was co-president of the program his junior year. He’s serving as president again this year, but he’s aware of the workload ahead of him this time. “I spend more time on it than I do my schoolwork,” Cleary said. “Probably not good.” The time commitment is certainly no joke—and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by one of his roommates and closest friends, Will Farley, CSOM ’20. “It’s a huge part of his life,” Farley said. “Like, in the weeks leading up to the event this year, he worked some crazy hours to coordinate everything. I heard him on the phone constantly fundraising … and he really cares about the event.” In addition to his presidential duties to fundraise, manage the day-to-day operations of the club itself, and coordinate the annual Relay for Life event, Cleary

couldn’t rest on his oars, says Farley. According to Farley, Cleary was active in every shared group chat to coordinate his friends’ attendance at the event, helped carry out the event as it was happening, and, most importantly, enjoyed every second of it. Cleary’s commitment to an important cause like Relay for Life comes as no surprise to Farley, though. Farley said that he shares a lot in common with Cleary, from their love of cinema to Cleary’s impressive baseball knowledge—Farley claimed that he can name any World Series matchup and Cleary can identify all of the Hall of Famers on either side—but he finds his commitment to causes like Relay for Life one of his most admirable traits. “He finds things that are really meaningful to him and that he likes doing and really tries to focus on them,” Farley said. “He’s not the kind of guy who always wants to go crazy partying, he’s really into fostering good relationships.” It’s sometimes a clichéd mantra heard in passing, but it’s a sentiment often said in earnest: that a student is “not sure what they’ll do yet” once they leave school. Cleary claims its the same for himself, but he seems to have an idea as to what he wants to do after BC: He sees himself going into the nonprofit field, looking to achieve the same mission that he took on when he joined Relay for Life—not necessarily the business-oriented path that one might expect when seeing his enrollment in the Carroll School of Management. “I’m not necessarily interested in building financial models and things like that,” he said. “I’m interested in helping people, you know?” That desire to support others battling cancer mirrors the same support system that he appreciated so much when he was battling sickness himself. He said that people he didn’t know would approach him with messages of support for the battle that he was fighting—support that meant the world to him as he was finding the courage to fight leukemia as a young teen. “I do Relay because I know what it’s been like,” Cleary said. “I feel like I owe it to that world of people. We’re trying to save lives.” n

The Heights

Monday, September 9, 2019

Petitions Pass Attorney General On the Way to Voter Ballots The proposed law would allow state officials The petition calls for a question on the 2022 ballot regarding a constitutional amendment to end the state funding of abortion. to work in conjunction with ICE. By Scott Baker Copy Editor A proposed question for the 2020 Massachusetts ballot that would allow police to work with federal immigration authorities and detain undocumented immigrants passed a major qualifying challenge on Wednesday after Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey deemed the proposal constitutional. The ballot question is an anti-“sanctuary state” proposal. In sanctuary cities and states, local law enforcement agencies are prohibited from complying with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, which request that law enforcement hold undocumented immigrants in custody and hand them over to ICE. While Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in April 2017 that complying with these detainers violates the state’s constitution. “The proposed law would authorize continued detention where federal immigration officials request it on the basis that the detained person may be subject to removal from the United States and provide an administrative warrant for the person’s deportation, removal, or arrest,” according to the question’s official summary. The measure is intended to prevent cities and counties from becoming sanctuaries in Massachusetts, in addition to preventing Massachusetts from becoming a sanctuary state itself and allowing law enforcement to work with federal immigration authorities. Related measures on either side of the divide have stalled in recent years, as a proposal to codify Massachusetts as a sanctuary state has failed in the state legislature, along with an anti-sanctuary state bill similar to the present ballot proposal. If the measure makes it onto the ballot and passes, Massachusetts would not be able to become a sanctuary state, as law enforcement would be legally permitted to comply with ICE agents. Before that happens, though, the proposal’s backers need to collect roughly 80,000 signatures in support of the initiative, the equivalent of 3 percent of turnout in the prior guber-

natorial election. The ballot question is a manner of bypassing the legislature to pass a bill. If the petition collects the initial signatures, the Massachusetts legislature would have the first opportunity to vote on the proposal. If the measure does not pass in the legislature—which it is not likely to do, given Democratic control—backers could then acquire 13,374 more signatures to place the question on the ballot, allowing voters to pass the law without the consent of the legislature. Healey’s decision on the constitutionality of petitions is supposed to be an apolitical function—she has supported measures protecting undocumented immigrants in the past and been actively critical of President Donald Trump’s administration’s hardline stance on immigration. In regard to making Massachusetts a sanctuary state, Healey has stated her non-opposition while making clear that she believes the current system is working. “I’m certainly not opposed to a statewide designation,” Healey said, per boston. com. “I’m just of the view that it is working well at the local level right now.” The bill does have some support in the state government—Governor Charlie Baker led the charge for the near-identical 2017 bill that failed in the legislature and has said he believes making Massachusetts a sanctuary state would make communities less safe, as law enforcement currently cannot act to deport criminals without legal residence in the United States. Advocates for sanctuary policies take the opposite view. “When local police collaborate with ICE, it erodes trust in the community,” said the American Civil Liberties Union in 2017. “When people believe that any interaction with a city agency—especially police—is likely get them deported, they will not seek help, they will not report crimes, and they will not cooperate with police in fighting crime.” The proposal also comes amid related controversy as a Newton judge is facing obstruction charges for allegedly allowing an undocumented immigrant to leave the courthouse as ICE waited inside to arrest him. n

By Isabella Cavazzoni Copy Editor Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey passed a petition for a constitutional amendment, which calls to put a stop to the state-funding of abortion, on Sept. 4. The petition, filed for the third time in five years, is now one step closer to appearing on the 2022 midterm election ballot. “It’s the first step in trying to make this state pro-life,” said Thomas Harvey, a chairman of the Massachusetts Alliance to Stop Taxpayer Funded Abortions, who spearheaded the effort. In addition to Harvey, the initiative petition was signed by 10 people and read: “Nothing in this Constitution requires the public funding of abortion.” Under the Hyde Amendment, passed in 1978, federal funds cannot be used to fund abortions. A few exceptions to this amendment remain: Federal funds can be used for abortion in cases where the mother’s life is in danger, or there is an instance of rape or incest. Seventeen states currently fund abortion for low-income women, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Massachusetts is one of them. Harvey’s initiative petition now has to get 80,239 signatures from registered voters by the first Wednesday of December in order to move further along in the process to stop the state-funding of abortions. An initiative petition must receive a number of signatures from

registered voters that’s equivalent to 3 percent of the voter turnout from last election to move into the legislature. The issue of state-funded abortion is not only a moral one—he considers himself anti-abortion—but also a fiscal one, according to Harvey. There are people that oppose abortion on moral grounds and others that just don’t want to contribute tax dollars toward the cause, he said. “We tried it in 2015, didn’t get enough signatures, and we tried it in 2017 and didn’t get enough signatures,” Harvey said. “So, the first step is getting enough signatures, and that’s a huge project.” In 2015, Harvey’s petition received over 30,000 signatures, and he received more than 57,000 his second time around in 2017. Though he still hasn’t reached his goal to move this initiative petition onto the legislature, Harvey said he is hopeful this time around. “We’re constantly growing and expanding our volunteer list,” Harvey said. “I expect to succeed this time, even though the number [of signatures required] is going up.” In 2017, Massachusetts spent a total of $5.7 million on all MassHealth—the state’s version of Medicaid—family planning services, according to The Boston Globe. MassHealth covers about 1.9 million Massachusetts residents. The last time Harvey tried to pass this initiative in 2017, Tricia Wajda, the director of communications for the

Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, vehemently opposed the petition. According to Wajda, the stoppage of state funding allocated toward abortions discriminates against low-income women, who may not be able to afford the procedure without the help of state aid like MassHealth. Abortions can cost $350 to $950 at health centers during the first trimester, according to Planned Parenthood. “Every woman—regardless of her ZIP code—should have the ability to make decisions about her health and abortion without barriers,” Wajda said to the Globe in 2017. “While 17 states do provide Medicaid coverage for abortion with state dollars, many women still do not have affordable access to abortion care.” Massachusetts briefly passed legislation in 1978 that halted the allocation of state funds toward abortion services. Then-Representative and later Mayor of Boston Raymond Flynn passed the Flynn-Doyle Bill which defunded abortion services from state coverage, according to the Globe. The initiative only lasted a few years. In 1981, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that MassHealth members and all other Massachusetts women had a right to abortion, allowing abortions to be paid for by MassHealth. Should Harvey’s initiative get enough signatures, the petition will move onto the Legislature, where it will require the support of 25 percent of the legislators in two separate sessions. n

Newton Judge Files to Drop Her Charges R.A.C.E. Fights Cannabis Inequity By Colleen Martin Metro Editor Shelley M. Richmond Joseph, a judge in Newton District Court who has been indicted on an obstruction of justice charge for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant escape from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), filed a motion to have the charges against her dropped on Friday. The filing calls the charges “unprecedented,” and referenced a 2017 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision that state officials have no authority to hold a person on a “civil immigration detainer” if they would have otherwise been released. “There is a reason why no state judge has ever been prosecuted for not facilitating the immigration policies of the federal government,” the motion said. “The reason is clear: This prosecution flies in the face of established common-law immunity principles, the plain language of the federal obstruction statutes, and the bedrock constitutional principles that underlie our federal system of dual sovereignty.” It was in April that Joseph allegedly aided Jose Medina-Perez in escaping from ICE agents—she allegedly instructed a court officer, Wesley MacGregor, to take Medina-Perez downstairs to retrieve something. MacGregor then used his security access card to open the sally-port exit downstairs and release Medina-Perez out the back, according to court documents. Joseph told ICE officers in the courtroom to wait outside, which the indictment said is against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policy, according to the motion. That request is consistent with Massachusetts policy—the motion said Newton District Court had a policy at the time to keep DHS officers present to execute immigration detainers out of the courtroom. “Judge Joseph vigorously denies the allegations in the indictment,” the motion said. “But even if the allegations were

DANNY FLYNN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

By Danny Flynn

true, to bring federal criminal charges on the basis of such alleged facts threatens essential principles of ‘[t]he judiciary’s independence from other branches of government and from outside influences and extraneous concerns.’” Judges are shielded from liability when they are carrying out judicial tasks, and the actions Joseph have been accused of are judicial in nature, the lawyers argue in the motion. Conversations between a judge, prosecutor, and defense attorney; ordering someone to leave the courtroom before the matter he or she is there for; using a recording device during a criminal proceeding; and allowing a defendant to leave the courtroom are all judicial functions, the motion said. “At bottom, the allegations of the indictment depict a judge taking ordinary judicial actions—the direction of people within her courtroom—allegations that cannot support an argument that Judge Joseph acted in the clear absence of jurisdiction, as would be required to deny immunity,” the lawyers wrote. Allowing the obstruction charges to stand against Joseph would violate the Tenth Amendment, which prohibits the commandeering of state officials, and the Fifth Amendment, which protects against vague criminal laws, the motion said. “But that is exactly the purpose and effect of Judge Joseph’s prosecution: to punish her for doing something that the federal government cannot force her to do—assist it in enforcing the federal immigration laws,” Joseph’s lawyers wrote. “According to the government’s allegations, Judge Joseph exercised what the Supreme Court has described as the ‘critical alternative’ guaranteed to state and local officers by the Tenth Amendment: the option of ‘declin[ing] to administer a federal program.” Joseph declined a plea deal in May that would have dropped the criminal charges against her. It is unclear if she would have been permitted to return to the bench had she accepted the deal. n

Copy Editor A coalition of entrepreneurs, lawmakers, and activists alike took to action on Thursday to combat what it calls “racist efforts” in Cambridge, Mass., where it said there is an increasingly unequal distribution of cannabis business licenses. The group launched the program Real Action for Cannabis Equity (R.A.C.E.) in a press conference in front of the Massachusetts State House. State programs in place seek to empower communities disproportionately impacted by marijuana laws of the past—yet only two of the 184 licenses issued to marijuana businesses are owned by people in state equity programs, the organization said in a press release. A need for equity in the industry arises from the fact that people of color have been disproportionately arrested and punished for marijuana offenses, despite near-identical rates of usage among races, said Sumbul Siddiqui, a Cambridge city councilor and advocate in equitable cannabis. In 2014, black people were 33 percent more likely to be arrested for marijuana in Massachusetts, according to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union—the conference was

held at 3:30 p.m. in significance of that statistic. “ We have to actively work to prevent the cannabis industry from becoming another chapter in a long histor y of racial inequality,” said Siddiqui. Q uinton Z onder v an, another Cambridge city councilor, pointed to the equity provisions that he and Siddiqui included in a previous zoning proposal, where economic empowerment applicants in the state equity program would be able to access “prime locations” in the city as they begin to roll out their businesses.

Problems for emerging businesses include gaining the know-how and capital necessary in order to create and expand a flourishing business, an advantage that some enjoy more than many, others said. “In Massachusetts and in Cambridge, we are looking at a rare opportunity to write the rules of a race in a way that ensures there is actually a race,” said Chris Hunter, a member of R.A.C.E. “Not someone taking one step and being able to say, ‘I raced, I made it to the top.’” Chauncy Spencer, founder of High Tech Farms in Boston, framed the fight for equity as a blow-back against the War on Drugs, which began in the

1970s, tore apart communities, and left people unable to compete with the corporations that seek to fill the spaces for cannabis business, he said. Spencer warned, however, to not see his success in breaking into the industry as the be-all, end-all for economic empowerment applicants—an industry where one person of color is lauded as a shining example of inclusion while many others are left out is simply tokenism, he said. “That’s what happens in a lot of industries,” he said. “But we’re not going to let it happen in this one.” The group plans to stage a silent rally in front of the Cambridge City Hall on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and will also launch a series of voter outreach initiatives across the state, the press release said. “We’re looking forward to taking on this on the statewide level and the national level,” said Richard Harding, the president of Green Soul Foundation, which aims to rectify disparities in the cannabis business in disadvantaged communities. “We believe that the work we’re going to do here locally, in Cambridge, throughout the state, and in Boston will be a model for people who are looking for the equitable rollout of cannabis across the nation and across the state.” n

T Closure of the Week: Green Line

T IKRAM ALI / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Weeknight Changes to Green D Line On weeknights (Monday through Friday after 8:30 p.m.), bus shuttles will replace train service between the Newton Highlands and Kenmore stops on the Green D Line until Dec. 20. Service is subject to change as construction progresses. When the Red Sox play on weeknights at Fenway, Green Line trains will run later to accommodate fan traffic.

Weekend Changes Starting on Sept. 13 and ending Dec. 22, bus shuttles will replace train service between Newton Highlands and Kenmore stops beginning at 8:30 p.m. No shuttle service will be provided at the Beaconsfield stop, due to narrow roads. Regular train service will run on the weekends of Sept. 27 through Sept. 29, and Nov. 29 through Dec. 1. n

The Heights

Monday, September 9, 2019

Editorial

QUOTE OF THE Week

With New AADS Major, BC Should Hire Diaspora-Based Faculty Nearly 50 years after the Black Forum advocated for and won â&#x20AC;&#x153;black studiesâ&#x20AC;? classes at Boston College, the program, now under the name African and African Diaspora Studies (AADS) has become a major. The minor, created in 1985, was academically neglected and most popular for cultural diversity core requirements until 2006, when the program was revamped and renamed. Offering AADS as a major shows the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s considerable investment in continuing to recognize the AADS program as a serious area of academic study. Though interdisciplinary by nature, its new major status should allow the program to hire its own faculty, like the also interdisciplinary International Studies major has done. The Heights encourages the University to use the change to hire faculty specific to AADS and to increase academic resources for majors and minors. The program plans to gradually increase its enrollment of

undergraduates. The change also lays the groundwork for AADS to eventually become a graduate program. Additionally, BC has the opportunity to hire faculty whose research is specifically based in diasporic studies, presenting a new advantage for minors and future majors, especially in regard to advising. Current core faculty are joint professors or shared between a department, such as English, theology, or sociology, and AADS. This can create a disadvantage for students looking for AADS-specific advising. Hiring of AADS-specific faculty should be a priority. However, it is also imperative that other department hires, such as those in the theology and sociology departments, can also act as joint-faculty to maintain the interdisciplinary state of the now-major. Ultimately, the change signals that BC is recognizing AADS credibility as an academic discipline instead of just being a cultural diversity core. Originally, the cultural diversity require-

ment, created in 1993, was meant to be a way to require all students to take a then-black studies course. Classes were mostly taught by part-time faculty at night and seen at the time as an easy GPA-booster. AADS becoming a major signifies BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acceptance of the discipline. AADS should be able to focus on students developing a deep understanding of the subject, like majors and minors, instead of on students looking to fulfill their cultural diversity requirement. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not incumbent upon the AADS program individually to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;diversifyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; education at BC, but rather itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incumbent upon BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s educational foundation as a whole. The Heights again commends BC for upgrading AADS to a major, and reiterates the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s need to now hire AADS-based faculty to support majors and minors. The program is a respected interdisciplinary study and deserves the appropriate faculty and resources to support its new majors.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The most important thing is to enjoy your life â&#x20AC;&#x201D;to be happyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all that matters.â&#x20AC;? - Audrey Hepburn

Letter to the Editor In Response to: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leahy Addresses Faculty at Convocationâ&#x20AC;? We, the members of Climate Justice at Boston College, read the Aug. 29 article about the convocation address given by University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., with hope. We applaud Fr. Leahyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stated commitment to BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;long-standing Jesuit Catholic heritageâ&#x20AC;? and to meeting global challenges that Catholic universities, as Fr. Leahy notes, are uniquely positioned to help confront. Yet we also recognize from firsthand experience that Boston College has not always lived up to its Jesuit Catholic heritage, and it has often failed to respond to pressing issues of justice. Clearly, Fr. Leahy shares in this assessment; the upcoming self-study of BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effectiveness in fulfilling our mission is a testament to those concerns. In light of this study, we have two demands of the administration that can make the process more holistic, equitable, and committed to our Jesuit Catholic roots. First, the self-study must include a holistic study of our environmental impact. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Caring for Our Common Homeâ&#x20AC;? is one of the Jesuitsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new Universal Apolostic Preferences, and environmental degradation is the most pressing issue of our time. Given this reality, BC as an institution must be honest and humble in assessing our own contributions to this problem. For instance, while other Catholic universities are divesting from the fossil fuel industry and working toward (and achieving) specific carbon neutrality goals, BC has yet to present a plan to stop our investments in immoral industries and neutralize our carbon emissions. The self-study must give the Office of Sustainability the resources and freedom necessary to honestly assess BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact on our common home and

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set goals to mitigate that impact. Second, the self-study must be participatory. BC is remarkably hierarchical, even for a Catholic university, and its administration has not always been receptive to student concerns. However, if BC is serious about living its mission more fully and responsibly, it must welcome both affirmations and criticisms from all its stakeholders by hosting listening sessions which involve students who represent the diversity of our campus. This self-study must particularly prioritize the voices of those stakeholders who are most marginalized, such as LGBTQ+-identifying students and students of color. We hope that this study will be a launching point for further student-administrator and student-trustee dialogue. Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato Siâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, urges Catholic leaders to â&#x20AC;&#x153;hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.â&#x20AC;? If we are to do both as an institution, then we must use this self-study to honestly evaluate our commitment to the Jesuit Catholic mission, to learn from BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traditionally marginalized stakeholders, and to wholeheartedly renew our commitment to all creation, particularly the earth and the marginalized. We look forward to being a resource for BC and, as always, are open to dialogue on climate justice issues involving our campus at any time the administration is ready to speak with us. Signed, Aaron Salzman, MCAS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;20 Kyle Rosenthal, CSOM â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;21 Kayla Lawlor, MCAS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;20 Dan McCarthy, MCAS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;20 Margaret West, MCAS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;20 James Mazareas, GSAS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;19

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The Heights

Monday, September 9, 2019

R.I.P. Mac Ceiling Butter Packets: A Eulogy CSOM Grade Deflation Hurts Students

Grace Christenson

This summer, abandoned by all of my friends for beaches and internships, I found myself alone, lying face-up on the kitchen floor eating Oreos and thinking about the butter wrappers on the ceiling of McElroy Commons. C-SPAN blared while I squinted, trying to see how far I would have to close my eyes before I could somewhat accurately picture the sharp contrast of the silver and gold wrappers and the grimy, once-white ceiling tiles. I wondered if they would be there when I got back to campus. The butter packet wrappers first appeared on Mac’s ceiling last fall as a relatively inconspicuous trio. By spring, though, their ranks swelled to between 10 and 15. Even so, no one paid them much attention. In fact, I’m almost positive that I’m the only person who paid them any attention. They were my very own Agatha Christie novel with all of the intrigue and none of the substance, and I spent a significant amount of time gazing at them while waiting for breakfast to open. (I had an 8 a.m., and you can only struggle through the crossword for so long, okay? Don’t judge me.) So, one semester of Perspectives deep and fueled by equal parts coffee and boredom, I embarked on a philosophical adventure, intent on discovering their meaning. I began with the most obvious question: who (or what) put them there? Audacious, entitled, and perhaps slightly-intoxicated students with no regard for shared spaces? A spider-mutant mouse endowed with great power and great responsibility trying to warn us against trans fats and excessive packaging? Or maybe just some physics majors overcommitted to understanding Newton’s laws of motion? Speaking of physics, what are the physics of getting a butter wrapper to hit and stick to what I’m guessing is a 30-foot-tall ceiling? Was the

butter unwrapped halfway and then tossed at a high velocity directly upwards? Was there some kind of sling shot or throwing device involved? Presumably the butter would still be stuck in the center of the packet, right? I’m convinced that’s the only reasonable strategy for long-term stickage. 69

SALTED LIGHTLY

BUTTER

Graphic by Ikram Ali - Heights Editor

appealing, I can’t help but feel melancholic. There is something kind of sad about how unceremoniously those little squares, slick with fat, were tossed aside forever. Some bets will never be won. Too many trans fats will continue to be consumed. The physics majors won’t prove Newton’s laws for themselves. Not to wax overly poetic, but isn’t it funny how everything becomes obsolete, except for sometimes, when the things that seem perhaps the most obsolete kind of sneak up on us and start to matter? I spent a semester of my life and then a significant portion of my summer thinking about grease-covered pieces of tinfoil stuck to an old ceiling in a cafeteria. I started to care about their story, about how they got there and why and what their end would be. What began as a silly exercise to pass the time ultimately resulted in an elegiac column memorializing them. I never decided to care about those wrappers. I had no role in putting them there or in taking them down. But it feels like I have kind of an obligation in this scenario. I am the sole legacy of those wrappers. That’s a lot of weight on one mediocre columnist’s shoulders. I’m not here asking you to remember the stupid butter wrappers. I’m not that crazy. But I realized that maybe I don’t get to decide what’s obsolete. Maybe you don’t either.

That raises another question: was stickage even the point? I’ll admit, after a few months, I became partial to the theory that this was all part of a bet of the throw-cupcakes-at-a-doorand-the-last-to-fall-wins variety. But, maybe I was wrong—maybe this was some kind of social experiment or protest or public statement? (See previously mentioned questionably ethical Spider-Mouse proposal.) God, I hope it was Spider-Mouse. Questions like these occupied my mind sporadically for months, but my contemplation proved fruitless. I am, as it turns out, no Socrates—just an excellent procrastinator. I abandoned my quest that day in the kitchen this summer, getting up in defeat to reheat Thai food and practice Duolingo. I’m sitting in Mac now, and they’ve replaced the ceiling. The old, dingy tiles have been traded for fresh new ones. The butter packet Grace Christenson is an op-ed columnist wrappers are gone. for The Heights. She can be reached at While the space looks more aesthetically opinions@bcheights.com.

Four Hours of Tailgating

Ellie Grondin Educational institutions across the country continue to hash over grade inflation—the notion that class averages are increasing, often undeservedly. Boston College joined the war to deflate grades through grading guidelines enacted in the Carroll School of Management (CSOM) in 2018. Sitting in my first management class of the semester, I was hit with the discouraging reminder that the percentages of students who would be doing well in the class (and who wouldn’t) were already decided. A limit of 25-35 percent of students could expect an A, 50-70 percent a B, and the rest a C or below. No one even had the chance to introduce themselves, let alone produce any type of work that could be assessed, before being sorted into predetermined categories. Instead of encouraging students to work even harder, however, these guidelines mainly stifle the spirits of curious students who otherwise would have put their best foot forward. So why are university administrations increasingly more and more hung up on lowering student grades? Why is it seen as a negative for an increasing number of students to succeed in the first place? The problem lies in how our society views success. “We have been taught to respond with suspicion whenever all members of any group are successful,” said Alfie Kohn, an author of books on human behavior and education. “That’s true even when we have no reason to believe that corners have been cut. In America, excellence is regarded as a scarce commodity. Success doesn’t count unless it is attained by only a few.” Thus, grading guidelines are at their core an ensurement of student failure. They make a small minority seem and feel more capable, even if others are just as deserving. “One way to ensure this outcome is to evaluate people (or schools, or companies, or countries) relative to one another,” Kohn said. “That way, even if everyone has done quite well, or improved over time, half will always fall below the median—and look like failures.” To “look like failures” does not just apply to the small percentage of students who get a literal F. In the competitive modern day job market, any grade below an A, and definitely below a B, is seen as inherently unsatisfactory and a means to dismiss individuals’ self-worth—whether people want to admit it or not. That alone should encourage BC, and all other colleges, to abandon such grading guidelines. Grades should reflect what a student earns, regarding their comprehension of the material, the effort they put in, and their evolution throughout the class. With these guidelines, grades essentially lose their original meaning and become a

Wake Up Later Those noon games did not present an ideal wake up time—and who was honestly in the mood to start drinking and grilling burgers at 9 a.m? Now you have time to actually eat breakfast beforehand.

Weird Nap Times Visiting Multiple Have you stayed for a Tailgates There’s a post-summer whole game yet? The Visit your aunt and White Claw shortage. uncle’s tailgate on the start of the fourth quarTragic news. Use this ter begins to feel like roof of a parking garage! time to expand your seltzer palate. Four Loko nap time—but can you Then visit one on Lake even nap at 7 p.m? Are Street! Then go to Brighhas a fun new one—or you just going to sleep? ton! Limitless options maybe its time to try the and limitless free food. Who knows? acai Truly?

Claw Shortage

tool to pit a select group of students against each other—how does that reflect students’ actual work? When asked about the CSOM grading guidelines in 2018, Ethan Sullivan, senior associate dean for undergraduate programs in CSOM, cited grade deflation as a way to establish consistency between professors. Having previously stated that grade inflation arose out of professors avoiding negative course evaluations and their salaries, Sullivan portrayed grade deflation as a way to solve the “race to the bottom.” He also noted that some students pick classes solely based on the difficulty of the professor teaching the class. These points have merit and raise legitimate concerns about discrepancies between how professors grade. I just do not

New G2G Containers Should Be Free

body—they should consist of departmental adjustments to standards amongst professors. The grading guidelines may boost class size and reduce negative evaluations for certain professors, but they stain de-

Riley Ford Throughout all of BC’s dining halls, over 60

think those concerns should be taken out on the student

serving students’ transcripts and lowers morale. Emphasizto produce an inferior product that can’t be recycled any of the posters in the O’Neill staircase?

ing grades in this manner only diminishes the curiosity and

percent of student meals are taken to-go, using

further. Obviously, as a busy college student, it’s tempt-

enthusiasm for a particular subject by encouraging students

containers that probably won’t make their way back

ing and much easier to choose the disposable plastic

versity that services over 14,000 students, there are al- to over fixate on their individual marks. While administra-

to a recycling bin. To address this concern, BC Din-

option, but I think that, through BC’s new program,

ways up-front costs. In this case, this comes both from tors may think that such guidelines would encourage more

ing is currently testing a program aimed at reducing

taking food to-go can be just as easy, without contribut-

obtaining the new containers, training, and potentially students to work even harder, what it mostly does is establish

this waste. The pilot program, Green2Go (G2G), is

ing to waste.

hiring more kitchen staff to supervise the new system, an overall attitude of “why bother?”

currently available at Stuart dining hall and will be coming to Lower and Hillside later this year. The program operates by allowing students to

With any structural change, particularly in a uni-

The practice of continually opting for single-use con- in addition to figuring out how to properly wash and tainers at the dining hall adds up to produce disastrous effects on our climate. Although BC makes an effort to

stock dining halls with the containers.

Although BC claimed job recruiters said the grading guidelines would not negatively affect BC students, when

The $9 fee to join the program still may deter some considering the policies of other highly competitive schools,

take food to-go in containers and then bring them

keep recycling bins around campus, they are clearly not

students from signing up, and it does not account for

back to be washed and used again. Students cur-

utilized to their full potential. Many students toss recy-

any additional late fees or charges if a container is lost. not be disadvantaged in job searches. Take Harvard Universi-

rently pay a one-time fee of $9 to join the program.

clable containers into the trash instead of taking a few

A study focusing on the same program at Worces-

ty and Brown University for example, two Ivy League schools

It isn’t exactly a steep price, but the system should

seconds to separate out the food and utensils from the

ter Polytechnic Institute (WPI), concluded that 71

in the Northeast that many BC students have to compete

be free, and if anything, BC Dining should charge

container to recycle it. I, too, have been guilty of taking

percent of students would sign up for the program

with for jobs in the region. According to Business Insider,

students to use single-use containers instead. Judg-

this shortcut.

if there were no upfront fees, but only 32 percent of

two-thirds of all grades given to undergraduates were A’s.

students would sign up once fees were introduced.

Eight of every 10 Harvard students graduate with honors.

ing from experiences at other universities, the G2G

The G2G program could significantly reduce BC’s

program has enormous potential, but it will not

waste and signal to other universities and students all

be successful if there are too many barriers to join

over the country that small decisions to be more “green” tainable food systems for BC Dining, noted that this

affect BC students? Sure certain recruiters who are aware

the program. If BC really wants to push students to

can be hugely impactful. This program has already been initiative would save money in reducing the quantity

of school policies may take it into consideration, but will

adopt the program, it should start charging students

implemented by several schools, such as Dartmouth and of single-use containers purchased. Therefore, with

students really have a solid chance when compared with

who want to use single-use containers, while making

the University of North Carolina, and it has the potential the money that will presumably be saved, it seems

a student receiving all A’s from Harvard? It doesn’t seem

the G2G program completely free.

to deliver enormous benefits if it’s fully integrated into

only natural to make the G2G program free, at least

likely.

the BC culture.

while BC is testing the waters to see if it is ultimately

The epidemic of single-use plastics and other

Julianne Stelmaszyk, manager of regional and sus-

it is hard to believe that BC students with lower grades will

Students at Harvard and Brown aren’t necessarily more

containers is continuing to grow. Although single-

However, old habits can be hard to change. This is

use containers are recyclable, the U.N. reports just

why BC is making a thoughtful decision by first intro-

This would undoubtedly push students who would grading guidelines like those set at schools like BC. And the

9 percent of the world’s 9 billion tons of plastic has

ducing G2G to freshmen in Stuart dining hall in order

otherwise be wary of accepting of the new program to reputations of the two Ivy Leagues as academically rigorous

been recycled. As a result, the bulk of these plastic

for the program to gain traction. The theory goes that

opt for reusable containers, while helping to change

institutions do not suffer in the slightest from this display of

containers end up in landfills and in our oceans,

if freshmen adopt the habit early in the college careers,

the culture on campus in the meantime. However, if

“grade inflation.” Proponents of grading guidelines like BC’s

disrupting ecosystems.

they’ll continue using the containers throughout their

not implemented properly, this system may fail and in often point to how inflated grades rob students of real world

time at BC.

turn alienate many students from other environmen-

experience by preparing them for competition. However,

tally-friendly solutions proposed by the University.

grade deflation might actually rob them of a job altogether.

According to BC Dining, in the 2017-18 school year, 2.63 million disposable plates, bowls, and

When G2G moves to all dining halls on campus, it

successful.

How does grade deflation, therefore, not negatively

deserving of these grades, it is just that they do not have

containers were tossed in the garbage. Plastic takes

is imperative that this initiative is properly publicized

BC is better than 2.63 million single-use plastics. The

My main issue with the idea of grade deflation is not

thousands of years to decompose, breaking down

and incentivized to increase participation. Whether

G2G program is a great step, but, in order to make a

the percentages themselves, nor the idea of standardization

into smaller particles called microplastics that leak

this is through posters, live demonstrations of how the

real dent in that number, the program needs to be

between classes. Rather, I cannot fathom placing a cap on

into our water. In turn, these are ingested by both

program works, clubs, or by free items, many students

free.

student success before anyone has the chance to even pick

humans and animals, introducing harmful chemicals

will not want to go through the hassle of changing their

into our food supply.

current habits if information about the new program is

up a pencil. Students’ grades should be independent of the

Riley Ford an op-ed columnist for The Heights. work produced by the person sitting next to them in class. Even when recycled, plastic is not easily made not well-broadcasted. Just a thought experiment: When She can be reached at opinions@bcheights. Not everyone will get an A anyway, but it should be 100 into new products. Instead, it has to be “downcycled” was the last time we all took the time to actually read all com. percent attainable for students who put care into their work

The opinions and commentaries of the op-ed columnists appearing on this page represent the views of the author of that particular piece, and not necessarily the views of The Heights. Any of the columnists for the Opinions section of The Heights can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

and who demonstrate thorough comprehension in their classes.

Ellie Grondin is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

The Heights

Monday, September 9, 2019

Linking Up on LinkedIn: Hopeful Intern Falls Down the Rabbit Hole By Timmy Facciola Assoc. Magazine Editor I hoped my column from last year about my lively internship interview would be my last. But there I was during the first week of July, caddying. And the story of how I got here, although not the best for my starving English Major Complex, befits a column of similar scope. It all started in April, around the same time as my last interview. There must be something about the changing seasons—the first crumbs of pollen begin to fall, striped bass begin migrating north from the Chesapeake, and I begin a monthlong rush sending resumes to every listing that comes up on Indeed after searching “Paid Editorial Assistant,” for which very few results exist. I decided to consider some of the jobs that Career Services suggests for English majors as alternatives to their dreams of becoming writers. I’m talking jobs like PR, marketing, and the many shiny synonyms— brand management, product awareness, and the oh-so-illustrious social media management (all of which, if you happen to be reading this in a year, dearest company who may be considering hiring me, I would be more than glad to do). I reached out to a person I followed on Instagram whom for the sake of this column I will call Jake. Jake has over 100k followers, a Porsche, a Camaro, and, it seemed from his posts, many good looking friends to hang out with in Montauk, N.Y. I wasn’t exactly sure what Jake did for a living, and I’m still unsure now as I write this, but he was at the Rolling Stone party last summer, as per his Instagram post, so I didn’t need any more convincing. On LinkedIn, it said he used to work for PricewaterhouseCoopers, but as I came to learn through this journey, LinkedIn is full of shit. I sent him an email two weeks before Easter Break, pretending to know what he did to make money, pretending to be impressed by it, and genuinely asking if he needed someone to, “... proofread press

releases or Instagram captions,” because I guess those are of equal caliber nowadays. He responded jovially and after a 10-minute phone call, I told him I could drive out to Montauk for a day over Easter Break and meet up with him in person. We met on a cold, rainy spring day at a bar near the fishing docks in Montauk called Liar’s Saloon, a reallife variation of the Salty Spitoon, and there I was, Spongebob, eager to show how tough I was. As I explained to Jake how our cute little publication worked, how the business side and editorial side function, how working for a college paper equipped me with the necessary skills to work with his company, a plump, salty fisherman in the corner cut me off. “Ayyeee kid, enough about business, a’righ’? Talk about that crap when you’re back at school,” he smiled. His buddy in the corner chimed in. “Ayy Murph, ya know what I know about the internet? The fish, it goes inter-the-net.” They all laughed and Jake, in his joggers, and I, in my cap, sat down for an interview over three dollar taps. We had as professional a conversation one could in such a setting. When I spoke to Jake a week later, he was excited to get to work and wanted me in Montauk as soon as I got home from school. So a week before Memorial Day Weekend, on a Sunday, I drove out east three hours to meet him in Montauk. I texted him when I was on Old Montauk Highway, 15 minutes out, and he said, “I’m with a girl named [Tess], she’s leaving tonight, just bear with me bro, go to a bar and network with some locals.” I didn’t quite know how, nor did I care to network with locals, so I went fishing at a beach nearby, and by the time I made 10 casts, he called me and told me to go to Montauk Brew Co. I arrived and he was piss drunk, trying to “network,” which I would learn was a favorite verb of his that really just means introducing yourself to people at bars.

Jake wanted to go to another bar but there was no way I was riding in his car, so I offered to drive. We went to Montauket, a nice place on the water with live music, and he was basking in the vibes, thanks to the crisp refreshing taste of the new Watermelon IPA from Montauk Brew Co. I met some more of his “friends,” the ones who were featured on his Instagram smiling and looking good, but the disparity between meeting these people in person vs. seeing them on Instagram was profound. He introduced me by saying “Chet, Jenny, Gossling, McKenna, this is my intern Timmy.” What I imagined to be fun, young, creative 20-somethings were actually a bunch of crusty local coke head girls (more like women, 31+) and surfer guys with long hair (and not in a glamorous way). After a few more hours of networking, I told him I had to be back at my friend’s house for dinner and I dropped him off at his Camaro at the last bar and said, “See you tomorrow.” The next day, Monday morning, I checked Instagram and saw that he was up until 4:30 the night before, so I waited until 11 to text him so he could sleep in. We linked at noon and he said we have a ton of stuff to do. He was sober, I was excited. He said “Let’s go somewhere we can open our laptops.” We drove to Main Street, I presumed to go to a coffee shop. Instead, we went to a bar, and not just any bar—one of five that were busted in a multi-million dollar drug ring last summer—and ordered Ahi Tuna tartare tacos. He told me we’d be promoting this new vodka called Titomirov, made with alkaline water which was supposed to prevent hangovers. I got thinking on some slogans and wordplays to use for social media. Then he realized he left his credit card out last night, so he got up and started walking the bars on Main Street trying to find it. He called girls asking, “Hey, where were we last night? I can’t find my card.” I sat there, enjoying my tuna tartare. Finally, he found it and came back and we got back to work.

He then handed me a note card with three usernames and six passwords and asked me to get into the email accounts. But they didn’t belong to him. They belonged to a premier A-list bar out there. He wanted to “acquire” their contact lists for our own business ventures. None of the passwords worked and he must’ve gotten bored so he suggested, “Let’s go hang out with some chicks!” We drove to these new condos on the north side of Montauk with a beautiful view of the water. They’re pretty nice, but Montauk and condos are antonyms. We got to one of the condos and sat on the porch overlooking Block Island Sound and one of the women I met the previous night was laid out in the sun, catching some rays. Her ankles were marked with ink like they had been just run through the copy editors—I think she might have had an Asian character from each language (Korean, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, a true world traveler). And on the side of her rib cage was a palm-sized tattoo portrait of Jimi Hendrix, afro and all. We sat down on the whicker chases but shortly after, her Pomeranian named Gatsby began to edge toward the railing and shake. His owner told us the dog was having a “panic attack” from all of the social stimulation and that the best thing to do was leave. So we decided to go to the Montauk Beach House. When we got there, Jake gave me a LinkedIn account to log into. The account was named Jennifer and had a picture that I assumed was from Getty Images. Jake told me, “People love connecting with Jennifer.” I read through some of the messages he had sent from the account in the past as “Jennifer”—he would pretend to be his own secretary, telling connects that “Our CEO Jake will be available for a phone call at 2.” He then shared with me an Excel sheet of over 800 people who work at Vice’s parent company Carrot and told me to add them on the LinkedIn account to “make connections.” I added roughly 100 people before 6

p.m., when he told me he had to go because he “had a hot date.” I told him I would be back out Memorial Day Weekend and we parted ways. I got in my car, gassed up before getting on the Long Island Expressway, and texted my caddy master that I would be at work next weekend. I called Jake a couple of days later and said I didn’t think it was the right fit and that we should just go our separate ways. He prodded me, asking, “Why?” and I tried my English major best to euphemize it all but after he said, “Well you’re the one who came to me!” (which is usually how most jobs work), I told him I was more than willing to sell my soul and write Instagram captions for a job, but I drew the line at catfishing media executives. Thirty minutes later he sent me a text that said he didn’t get to “$1.0M in the bank, 2 cars, 2 appts, more Fundraising deal flow luxury real estate and VC backed companies then (sic) I know what to do with, parking my car in the parking lot of [bar whose email he wanted to read], free bottle service everywhere I go” from just nothing. He got there through hard-work, blood, sweat, and grit. And probably some alkaline water vodka. I didn’t respond because I felt a little bad for blowing up his ego so quickly and then popping it with a rusty fishing hook. But after he sent me that Freudian monologue of a text, he sent another. “And all those contacts on that spread sheet, those are all close personal friends.” He’s continued to post on his Instagram account and I’ve been able to see exactly what I’m missing out on as I lug golf bags beneath the sun. On the 4th, I’m sure he’ll have a beautifully manicured Instagram story, with bottles of rosé beneath a sky of the same sugary pink, along with small plates of Ahi Tuna tartare tacos and then probably champagne on a boat ride beneath bursting fireworks. And I’ll be at home, grilling zucchini and red onion on my Weber, with maybe a White Claw, and a couple of close personal friends.

Oddfellows Scoops Out Location in Chestnut Hill’s The Street By Mary Wilkie Asst. Metro Editor Oddfellows Ice Cream Co. opened its first location outside of New York on Aug. 9, and it’s found a home in The Street at Chestnut Hill. Holiday and Mohan Kumar originally opened Oddfellows in Brooklyn with Sam Mason, a James Beard nominated pastry chef, in 2013. Once Mohan brought Mason’s salty pretzel ice cream to Holiday to satisfy her cravings for savory ice cream when she was pregnant with twins, the trio decided to run with the concept. They finalized the details for Chestnut Hill just a few months ago and are already geared up to open another in New York. “Savor y ice cream—different, strange, obscure, weird flavors—that’s kind of our bread and butter,” said Chris Coughlin, the store manager in Chestnut Hill. Simultaneously a pastr y chef, restaurateur, ice cream creator, and owner of the artisanal mayonnaise company Empire Mayonnaise, Mason has a limb on each of the colors on the food industry’s Twister board. Even so, he commits himself to making flavors that others would never dream of: Edamame, raspberry pink peppercorn, and extra virgin olive oil are just a few of the 400 flavors that have lived in the shop’s freezers. Most of the products that go into the ice cream come from farmers and manufacturers local to the New York area. Oddfellows then manufactures the ice cream out of its Brooklyn kitchens and distributes it to the remote locations. Because it is the only location outside of New York, and the most difficult to get the ice cream to, Chestnut Hill will have more standard flavors than you might see in any of New York’s Oddfellows. But even the

standard flavors carry a bit of a punch: think not only chocolate and vanilla but also strawberry jam, sweet cream and sprinkles, and miso cherry. With a clean-retro aesthetic that fits comfortably among its neighbors at the Street—it looks like an ice cream parlor from the ’50s got a facelift from Ikea and was decorated by a guy from Boston with an eclectic taste in art (in the best way)—Oddfellows is embracing all that comes with Boston is in its flavors and décor. A small collection of flavors called “Boston’s Best x Oddfellows” will feature collaborations with some of Boston’s finest culinary characters. The first chef to contribute is Karen Akunowicz, award-winning chef and owner of Fox and the Knife in South Boston. Taking a cue from Mason with his obscure, savory influences, Akunowicz’s basil chip infuses the herb in a surprisingly sweet medium. Beyond the rainbow that hides in the freezers, pops of color draw your eye to the right wall, where a custom mural done by New Yorker cartoonist Cerise Zelenetz hangs. The mural is of what looks like a Boston-inspired Beatles cover band, hangs. It’s a play on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band—but instead of the circus of pop culture, it’s a population of revolutionary heroes, Celtics players, Red Sox fans, and politicians. The back corner has a red wall layered with photos of famous Bostonians superimposed with bow ties that say “Oddfellows” around their necks. The details around the shop show just how much care the team put into perfecting its first impression outside of New York, from the art on the walls to the fair trade coffee that it uses. The Oddfellows Ice Cream menu currently features coffee and ice cream, serving not only scoops but also frappes, floats, and flights of ice cream.

Mary Wilkie / Heights Editor

The Chestnut Hill Oddfellows location features retro design and a Beatles-inspired wall mural done by a New Yorker cartoonist. It will soon serve local beers and organic wines as well as boozy ice cream concoctions, like stout floats, lambrusco floats, and more. The shop will be open seven days

a week, from noon to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to midnight Friday and Saturday. “We’re kind of afraid to saturate the retail market in New York City …

to the point where we’re just competing with ourselves,” Coughlin said. “Everyone in Boston seems to love ice cream, and I feel like that was a good fit for us.” n

Monday, September 9, 2019

SPORTS

@HeightsSports

FOOTBALL

BOSTON COLLEGE 45

RICHMOND 13

SQUASHED.

IKRAM ALI / HEIGHTS Editor

A.J. Dillon had three touchdowns and BC cruised past the visiting Spiders, building an early 21-0 lead and resting starters after the first drive of the third quarter in a 32-point blowout. By Bradley Smart Sports Editor On the sixth play of Saturday’s game against Richmond, Boston College football freshman Z ay Flowers went in motion, took a handoff, and turned the corner before waltzing 46 yards untouched for a touchdown. It was just that kind of day for the Eagles’ offense. BC piled up 518 yards against the FCS-level Spiders, the most total yardage for the team since it unleashed 524 on Wake Forest in Week 3 of last season, and rolled to a 45-13 victory. Quarterback Anthony Brown played just over a half and threw for a trio of touchdowns , while running back AJ Dillon rushed for two scores and caught another. “We came out fast on offense,” head coach Steve Addazio said. “We scored a bunch of points and had a bunch of offense in the first two weeks, which is a good thing.

By Peter Kim

I thought defensively we tightened up a little bit in the second half.” The weapons up and down the Eagles’ (2-0) roster were on display, as David Bailey churned out a teamhigh 98 rushing yards while Flowers racked up 92 rushing yards on just three carries. “You can’t deny that he’s an electric player,” Addazio said of the freshman wide receiver who has been used most in the running game. “I think we’ll continue to find ways to target him. We’ve got other guys we’re trying to target too, but sure, he’ll expand with what we want to do. It would be crazy not to.” It wasn’t the smoothest defensive day for BC, as the Spiders (1-1) ran a read-option attack that had the Eagles confused at times. Quarterback Joe Mancuso, who was subbed out in the third quarter, ran for 70 yards on just 10 carries, and the team averaged nearly five

See FB vs. RICH, A11

Assoc. Sports Editor

IKRAM ALI / HEIGHTS Editor

In Week 1, Boston College football’s offense was downright explosive in the first half. The Eagles scored 28 points in the opening two quarters, paving the way for a big win over Virginia Tech to open the season. In Week 2, the Eagles once again looked like they couldn’t be stopped at the beginning of the game. Against an opponent in Richmond that, granted, is nowhere near the Hokies’ talent level, the Eagles scored not four, but five touchdowns in the first half, and cruised from there, moving to 2-0 with a 45-13 victory that was largely problem-free. Here are some thoughts from the easy win. Dillon out of the Backfield Coming out of training camp, BC offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian mentioned that the Eagles would like to get AJ Dillon more involved in the passing game. When asked about the opportunity to give Dillon more touches through the air, Bajakian

said “I think the philosophy is always the more ways you can get your playmakers the ball, [you] find ways to do it,” he said. “AJ is obviously one of the playmakers. The more different ways we can get him the ball and get him involved, the better.” Through two games this season, Bajakian has certainly kept true to his word. Dillon caught just one pass in Week 1 against Virginia Tech, but certainly flashed as a receiver on Saturday. First, he caught a screen pass from Anthony Brown before smoothly turning upfield for a 12-yard gain and a first down. Then, early in the second quarter he ran a simple out route into the flat, nabbing another Brown throw before swinging his body around and tiptoeing along the sideline for a 42-yard touchdown. Certainly, expecting Dillon to start churning out 40-yard touchdowns on a regular basis is unrealistic, but getting him even one or two catches per game makes the Eagles a lot

See NOTE vs. RICH, A11

Fall Freshman Class Will Have Impact for Years to Come Bradley Smart For the most part, Boston College Athletics hasn’t enjoyed the best fall seasons the last few years. Football has been a consistent seven-win program that plays in a lower-tier bowl game, men’s soccer has slumped in the last two years, women’s soccer returned to the NCAA Tournament last season but was upset immeadiately, field hockey hasn’t been up to par in conference play, and volleyball hasn’t had a winning season since 2004. And, after last season, you’d be

INSIDE SPORTS

remiss not to expect a setback of sorts in 2019. Every team suffered turnover, losing key pieces left and right. Men’s soccer graduated leading scorer Simon Enstrom, women’s soccer lost four-year starting goaltender Alexis Bryant and the ACC Midfielder of the Year in Sam Coffey, field hockey lost a loaded seven-player senior class, football had to rebuild a chunk of its defense and sent six players to the NFL, and volleyball graduated two players that felt the pain of winning single-digit games twice. Take a look around, though, and you’ll see something much different. The good news for BC fans is that it seems like the Class of 2023 is stacked across the board. And, even more impressively, they haven’t skipped a beat since arriving on

campus. On Saturday, in football’s thorough 45-13 win over Richmond, the first touchdown was scored by true freshman wide receiver Zay Flowers, who took a handoff and jetted around the right side and ran 46 yards to the end zone. But that wasn’t even Flowers’ first score of the season—last week, he hauled in a deep touchdown pass against Virginia Tech. In two games, Flowers is second on the team in all-purpose yards (230) and figures to take on a bigger role in the offense as the game goes on. The night before, men’s soccer was in action against a Rhode Island side that has posed a stiff test in years past. The Rams had won the meeting between the two teams in 2018 and held a 20-15-1 edge in the

all-time series. Ed Kelly’s side battled its way to a 2-1 win, however, and the heavy burden was lifted by first-year players. Kelly started five freshmen, and two of them—Amos Shapiro-Thompson and Stefan Sigurdarson—were responsible for the scoring. Sigurdarson’s goal was the game-winner, an 86th-minute strike that earned a spot at No. 3 in the SportsCenter Top 10 segment. The Eagles are off to a 3-0 start, and freshman goalkeeper Giacomo Piccardo has had a big hand in that. He ranks second in the ACC in goals against average (0.33) and has two clean sheets in his first three outings. Offensively, three of BC’s five goals have come from the duo of Shapiro-Thompson and Sigurdarson, and it’s only a matter of time before lightning-fast forward Mike

MSOC: Eagles Down URI With Late Goal VB: BC Sweeps Through UConn Challenge

Suski (four shots) breaks down an opposing defense. Staying in Newton, the women’s soccer team and first-year head coach Jason Lowe haven’t shied away from giving major minutes to first-year players. With a Coffey-sized hole in the midfield and the loss of Kayla Duran and Jenna Bike to season-ending injuries in preseason, Lowe has had to shuffle his lineup. The former Wake Forest assistant coach is trotting out five freshmen in his starting XI, and it’s produced an unbeaten start through six games. The more-than-capable freshman class is anchored by Sam Smith, an attacking midfielder from Hanson, Mass., who has racked up five

See Fab Freshman, A10

SPORTS IN SHORT................................. A10 .... A11 Freshman Stefan Sigurdarson landed on SportsCenter with After dropping two of three to start the year, the Eagles swept FOOTBALL................................................. an 86th-minute game-winner against the Rams............... A10 a three-game invitational in Storrs........................................... A10 FIELD HOCKEY........................................... A12

The Heights

A10

Monday, September 9, 2019

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Eagles Record Second Straight Shutout, Ease Past New Hampshire By Nicole Pla Heights Senior Staff

Three of Boston College women’s soccer’s first four wins in 2019 followed a similar script: The Eagles would s core New Hampshire 0 in the first 10 Boston College 2 minutes, staking themselves to an early lead that wouldn’t be topped. The last two victories, though, haven’t lacked drama. On Sunday afternoon against New Hampshire, the Eagles were locked in a scoreless deadlock into the 60th minute. Then, in a flurry of offense, BC scored twice in the final 30 minutes and kept its record perfect with a 2-0 win. The Eagles (6-0) got their chance to break the tie when Jillian Jennings’ defender kicked a little too high to block her shot, resulting in a free kick in a prime position. Jennings took the ensuing shot, but her initial effort was inches too wide and collided with the post. Sam Agresti was there to con-

nect with the rebound, but UNH (3-3) goaltender Cat Sheppard anticipated her move. What the freshman keeper didn’t see coming, however, was Francesca Venezia. The Wantagh, N.Y., native was right there to meet Sheppard’s block, and she was able to sneak the ball for BC’s first goal of the afternoon and her first of her career. “I can’t say enough about [Venezia],” head coach Jason Lowe said of the senior, who scored the eventual game-winning goal after coming off the bench. “She’s worked so hard. She’s really earned the minutes she’s gotten so I’m really happy for her.” The Eagles doubled their lead with an insurance goal 16 minutes later. As the intensity began to ramp up in the closing minutes, BC made its move. Following a play that began deep in the Eagles territory, freshman forward Sam Smith was fed the ball by Mia Karras and turned her attention to Sheppard. Smith was able to successfully draw the goaltender from the

box and snuck a shot behind Sheppard with nothing but the open net to shoot on. It was a quick turnaround in the latter stages of the second half, as BC didn’t look up to par in the early going. Twenty minutes into the game, it was clear that both teams were frustrated. The Eagles, used to posting at least one goal within the opening half, were held in check, while UNH was sprinting to keep up to a team that’s faster than them. The game started on a promising foot, though. BC took charge as soon as the whistle blew, testing the Wildcats’ defense early. The Eagles brought the pressure to UNH with a shot by Olivia Vaughn that was immediately followed by a corner kick from Gaby Carreiro in the opening minutes of the frame. BC almost took an early lead after Emily Langenderfer fed Smith, but the freshman’s shot sailed wide, leaving the score at an unnerving 0-0. Vaughn was able to pull away from a UNH defender

and take a shot midway through the half, but Sheppard jumped to deflect it. With just minutes left in the half, Gianna Mitchell was subbed in, and looked to be the Eagles’ saving grace. Mitchell had scored in every game she’d appeared in this season, and she was looking to continue the trend. Despite the junior’s impressive start to the 2019 campaign, the Eagles weren’t able to connect by the time the buzzer went off. While the first 45 minutes saw glimmers of hope for the Eagles, they weren’t able to crack Sheppard. But there was a silver lining to the team’s inability to convert chances: UNH was having the same problem. The Wildcats were missing passes and committing turnovers, which created a cushion for BC to refocus. Only frustration was generated after 45 minutes of scoreless play, and after Mitchell was fed a corner kick by Langenderfer that went wide in the final seconds, it was easy to see why. Sloppy passes, multiple fouls called on

the Eagles, and an offense stretched too thin stopped BC from pulling ahead in the first half, and both teams headed off the field without a goal. The Eagles decided to shake things up in the second half, switching out Allie Augur for Maddie Murphy in goal. BC came out aggressive to open the latter period of play—it kept the ball within the Wildcats’ zone and consistently tested Sheppard in front of the net. Eventually, the Eagles overpowered their visitors and ended the day with a comfortable two-goal win. With six straight victories to start out the season—it’s fifth such start since 1981—the team seems ready for rival Providence on Thursday, but Lowe knows there’s work to be done. “We need a much faster start on Thursday,” he said. “We weren’t super clean to begin with and we weren’t super clean to end with. Providence is a way tougher opponent, and we have to be ready.” n

MEN’S SOCCER

BC Stays Undefeated With Sigurdarson’s Game-Winner Against URI By Jeremy Khangi For The Heights

With just four minutes left in regulation, Boston College men’s soccer found itself in a 1-1 Rhode Island 1 deadlock with Boston College 2 visiting Rhode Island and was desperately looking for one of its numerous offensive chances to end up in the back of the net. Fittingly, the Eagles turned to a freshman in Stefan Sigurdarson, who had already taken five shots in the game. After stealing the ball at midfield, Siguradarson flew down the middle of the Rams’ defense and tucked a left-footed shot into the top corner. The late strike proved

enough to keep BC undefeated through the first three games of its regular season, sinking URI, 2-1. Sigurdarson’s game winner extended the Rams’ (0-2-1) search for their first win of the season. It was first-year players that led the charge for the Eagles (3-0) in this one, with goals scored by Amos Shapiro-Thompson and Sigurdarson, and goalkeeper Giacomo Piccardo earning the win in the cage. From the very beginning of the match, it was clear that URI goalkeeper Stefan Schmidt was going to have a hard-fought night in net. The Eagles’ attack started off hot immediately, tallying a goal just 12 minutes into the game. Amos ShapiroThompson stole the ball at midfield and ran

it right up the middle where he eventually ripped a right-footed shot to give his squad an early lead. The early lead was short-lived, though, as it took just two minutes for URI to find an answer. The Rams wasted no time in generating a response, as BC gave its opponent a free kick opportunity. Edvin Akselsen nailed the post from just outside the box, and Simon Uri Trcka found himself at the right place at the right time. He capitalized on Akselsen’s rebound and slotted the ball past Piccardo. The score was tied up at one apiece, and it would remain that way for the majority of the game. In looking only at that final score, one might assume that this matchup was more

even than it actually was. In reality, it was BC’s game to lose, and that much was evident on the box score. URI’s defenders were pressed all game long, with the Eagles’ forwards peppering Schmidt with an impressive 23 shots, 10 of which came on goal and nine alone, including the decisive one from Sigurdarson, were sent in the final 10 minutes. Those 23 shots were matched by the Rams’ 10 shots, with only a single one of those coming on goal. To make matters worse for the Rams, BC was given seven corner kick opportunities as opposed to URI’s two, although the Eagles failed to convert. Sure, the offensive opportunities were lopsided, but the same cannot be

said for the physicality that both squads brought to the pitch. Both sides played an aggressive game defensively, combining for 24 total fouls—10 from the Rams and 14 from the Eagles. Even though BC was dominant in terms of creating scoring opportunities at a consistent rate throughout the entire game, it struggled to finish. Schmidt, a redshirt junior, is no slouch in net, but the Eagles surely didn’t need to stress until the final minutes for the go-ahead goal. Finishing high quality chances is something BC will need to work on before conference play begins, as the Eagles are averaging almost 20 shots per game but have managed just five goals in three games. n

Ashton Carroll (left) and Kayla Brandt (Right) / Heights Staff

Freshman Stefan Sigurdarson found the top corner with a shot from distance in the 86th minute, scoring what proved to be the decisive goal as the Eagles moved to 3-0 on the season with a 2-1 win over Rhode Island.

In Aftermath of Roster Turnover, Freshmen Filling Important Roles Fab Freshmen, from A9 goals in six games—good for third in the ACC. Three of those scores have been the game-winning tally, too, as Smith has proven to be one of the more clutch players in the conference. She’s joined by centre backs Sydney Moore and Michela Agresti, midfielder Sam Agresti (Michela’s twin), and goaltender Allie Augur. Moore has played all 540 minutes of the season thus far, and she and Michela Agresti have done an excellent

job in locking down chances in front of Augur—who has two shutouts to her name and is the team’s No. 1 goalkeeper. Sam Agresti, a holding midfielder, has a goal and two assists to her name. Across the parking lot, Kelly Doton and field hockey saw the departure of several seasoned contributors, including Ymke Rose Gote, Frederique Haverhals, and Brooke Matherson. So, Doton lined up a large recruiting class, welcoming in eight new players. Through four games,

one is tied for the team lead in minutes played, one is second on the team in points, and three others have registered points. Margo Carlin is the name to know, as the freshman from Drexel Hill, Pa., has scored in three of her first four games on campus. Charlotte von Huelsen and Autumn Littlefield, two other freshmen, both have recorded an assist and played in every game thus far. That’s not to forget volleyball, either. Second-year head coach Jason Kennedy’s first recruiting class

featured Torey Baum, a 5-foot-8 libero from Orlando, Fla. Baum has seamlessly slotted into the rotation with the Eagles and is currently fifth in sets played (20) and third in service aces (18). In summation, every fall team on campus has one if not several impact freshmen—an impressive total for one class. For programs like men’s and women’s soccer and field hockey, who are aiming to make more noise in the postseason than the last few years, it’s a tremendous boon and staves off any sense of

a rebuild. For volleyball, Kennedy has a central player to build around when six seniors move along next spring. For football, head coach Steve Addazio has a weapon in Flowers that can be unleashed in tandem with a bruising running attack. A more succinct summary: The future is bright.

Bradley Smart is the sports editor for The Heights. He can be reached on Twitter @bradleysmart15

SPORTS in SHORT ACC FOOTBALL Standings

Numbers to know

Atlantic Conference overall Boston College 1-0 2-0 Clemson 1-0 2-0 N.C. State 0-0 2-0 Wake Forest 0-0 2-0 Florida State 0-0 1-1 Syracuse 0-0 1-1 Louisville 0-0 0-1 Coastal North Carolina Virginia Duke Georgia Tech Pitt Virginia Tech Miami

1-0 1-0 0-0 0-1 0-1 0-1 0-1

2-0 2-0 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 0-2

Straight wins to start the season for men’s soccer, the first time that has happened since 2016.

.186

Hitting percentage for volleyball in six games to start the year, third-worst in the ACC.

346

Rushing yards for football against Richmond, the most the Eagles have had since 2018 against Holy Cross.

QUote of the week

“He feels like he can catch anything. He’s actually asking for passing plays now. It’s excellent to see his confidence.” — Football quarterback Anthony Brown, on A.J. Dillon’s involvement in the passing game

The Heights

Monday, September 9, 2019

A11

FOOTBALL

Explosive Offense on Display in Eagles’ Rout of Richmond FB vs. RICH, from A9 yards per carry. Still, Mancuso threw two interceptions, and the Eagles seemed to largely lock the Spiders down as soon as they crossed midfield. BC’s second drive of the game was a shaky one, but once the offense got rolling, it was hard to stop. Brown found tight end Korab Idrizi in the flat to double the early lead. Then, after a Nolan Borgersen acrobatic interception, Dillon rumbled 30 yards to the Richmond two-yard line. A play later, he practically walked in through a huge hole on the right side, handing the Spiders an early three-touchdown deficit.

Richmond got on the board with a drive that bridged the gap between the first and second quarter. Back-to-back Mancuso runs brought the Spiders near the red zone, and the redshirt junior quarterback then threw a 35-yard touchdown pass. Fittingly, it took the Eagles just six plays to go 65 yards and answer. In a twist that will likely worry many ACC opponents attempting to gameplan for BC, it was Dillon who caught a pass on a rollout from Brown and ran 42 yards for the score—a yard more than his total receiving yards in 2018. “He’s been working at it every single day,” Brown said of Dillon’s newfound receiving ability. “When I say every day,

I actually mean every day. So I feel his confidence is just through the roof. He feels like he can catch anything.” The Spiders continued their brief impressive stretch on offense, going on a 10-play drive, but ultimately settled for a 36-yard field goal from Jake Larson after BC’s Max Richardson blew up a play in the backfield. They couldn’t take a stand on defense, though, as Brown found a wideopen Jake Burt for a 55-yard touchdown. The Eagles had been pounding the Spiders, and the play-action pass worked wonders, leaving the 6-foot-3 graduate tight end all alone in the middle of the field. “I honestly—I mean, I was tired before that play, but once I got there, I was just

Spiders vs. Eagles Drive Chart

elated. I was so happy to be in the end zone,” Burt said after his second career touchdown reception. In the second half, BC went with its starters in the third quarter but started pulling players out. Brown wrapped his day up on the first drive of the third, as did Bailey and Dillon. The running back tandem helped the team march down the field for a 12-play, 65-yard touchdown drive that was capped by Dillon’s second rushing touchdown of the game. On the next Eagles drive, Dennis Grosel came in at quarterback—cementing him as the backup—and BC ended his first drive with a 30-yard field goal from Aaron Boumerhi.

Interception

Larson added a field goal with 12 seconds remaining—and it was one that had particular significance, even if it didn’t seem like it. The pregame betting line was set at Richmond +33.5, so Larson’s field goal was a backdoor cover. All in all, it was a comfortable win for the Eagles and one many expected. The biggest test in the first third of the season was Virginia Tech, which BC passed, and the schedule now lines up favorably. The Eagles will be favored in at least their next two games, and an undefeated start stretching past Week 6 isn’t out of the question—especially with an explosive offense that is firing on all cylinders. n

Field Goal

Touchdown

A look at BC’s 45-13 victory over Richmond, possession by possession:

BRADLEY SMART / HEIGHTS Editor

CELINE LIM / HEIGHTS Editor

Tight end Jake Burt was all smiles after winning a footrace with Richmond’s Daniel Jones for a 55-yard touchdown reception. It was the graduate student’s second career touchdown and extended BC’s lead to a comfortable 35-10.

Win Features Opportunistic Defense, Dillon in Passing Game NOTE vs. RICH, from A9 more unpredictable on offense. It also gives Dillon the opportunity to use his strength and dynamism in new ways, and against defensive backs, rather than linebackers. Perhaps most importantly, it seems Dillon is fully engaged with developing his role in the passing game. “His confidence is just through the roof,” quarterback Anthony Brown said when asked about Dillon’s development catching the ball. “He feels like he can catch anything. He’s actually asking for passing plays now.” Back to the Ground Last weekend, BC struggled to open holes on the ground against the Hokies for most of the afternoon. The matchup with Richmond, an FCS opponent, offered the Eagles the chance to work on run blocking and build some confidence in their running game, and it certainly worked. BC finished the game with 346 yards on 50 carries as a team, and gained those yards in every way possible. Dillon (17

carries for 86 yards) and David Bailey (13 carries for 97 yards) both picked up tough yards up the middle and on the edges, and when BC needed to stretch the defense, it turned to Zay Flowers, the dynamic true freshman. Flowers again demonstrated his athletic ability on the jet sweep, recording a total of 92 yards on three carries and taking one of his touches all the way to the house for a 46yard touchdown. The freshman also displayed impressive patience on his runs, waiting for blocks to develop. Even Patrick Garwo—a freshman who was a four-star recruit out of high school—contributed, logging 28 yards on four fourth-quarter rushes. The Tight End Room Produces The amount of depth BC has in the tight end room is well-documented and was on full display against the Spiders. First it was Korab Idrizi. The senior opened up a big hole with a great block on Flowers’ 46-yard touchdown and caught a seven-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter off an Anthony Brown rollout. Then,

it was Jake Burt, who got open across the middle on a play-action pass and dove across the goalline for a 55-yard touchdown reception. Chris Garrison also got involved, making an 11-yard grab on a deep out route. Some Struggles with the Option Offensively, Richmond and quarterback Joe Mancuso posed a different kind of threat than the one the Eagles faced last weekend against Virginia Tech. Mancuso, a 6-foot-4 passer, has the ability to hurt defenses with his legs, and that skill was exemplified against BC’s defense. Mancuso finished as the Spiders’ leading rusher, with 10 carries for 70 yards, and hurt the Eagles both on quarterback draws and option keepers. All in all, the option game was Richmond’s most effective form of offense. Xavier Goodall broke a 17-yard run off an option play on the Spiders’ first offensive possession of the game and repeated the feat with an 18-yard carry two drives later. Goodall finished with 36 yards on seven carries, and Savon Smith, another Richmond back, broke

free for 66 yards on 10 carries. As a team, the Spiders finished with 215 yards rushing and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. While the Eagles certainly won’t face an option-based rushing attack every week, the amount of space Richmond earned on the ground is something head coach Steve Addazio and his staff will want to take a look at. Opportunistic Defense, Part II Against VTech, BC’s defense demonstrated an opportunistic streak, forcing five turnovers and picking off Hokies quarterback Ryan Willis in the end zone twice. The Eagles weren’t quite able to match the five-turnover performance from Week 1 on Saturday but still displayed a knack for taking the ball away. First, it was Nolan Borgersen who read Mancuso’s eyes with just under four minutes remaining in the opening quarter. The graduate safety jumped on a slightly overthrown ball near the sideline, going airborne to secure his first career interception. BC would capitalize on the turnover, punching the ball in with a two-yard AJ

Dillon touchdown run to go up, 21-0. Later in the first half, it was Tate Haynes’ turn to pick off Mancuso. The redshirt junior rolled out and threw an errant pass while on the run. Haynes showed impressive reflexes to nab his first career interception at the Richmond 17-yard line, though the turnover unfortunately amounted to nothing after the Eagles failed to convert on fourth down four plays later. Nevertheless, it was the second straight week that Haynes—who also forced a fumble with a cornerback blitz in Week 1—was responsible for creating a turnover. The Backup Quarterbacks With the game out of hand, both Dennis Grosel and Matt Valecce—the two quarterbacks listed behind Brown on the depth chart—got a chance to see game action. Neither got an opportunity to throw much—Grosel was 1-of-2 for nine yards, while Valecce had no recorded pass attempts—but Grosel was first off the bench, seemingly indicating that he is the backup quarterback for the time being. n

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

FIELD HOCKEY

CUP

Quick Third-Quarter Goals Doom BC to Lose Against Wildcats BY TAYLOR COVINGTON Heights Staff

This time last season, Boston College field hockey suffered a heartbreaker, falling in double overtime to Northwestern in the annual B1G/ Boston College 2 ACC Cup. This Northwestern 3 year, the No. 13 Eagles hoped to leave Evanstown, Ill., having defeated the No. 15 Wildcats, who sat within striking distance of BC in the national rankings. With the ACC being far and away the best field hockey conference in the country—every school is ranked inside the national Top 20—the Eagles had much to prove once they touched down in Big Ten

territory. After falling to No. 2 Maryland on Friday night, the Eagles redirected their attention to the most winnable game of the weekend—a relatively even matchup with Northwestern. Despite leading through the third quarter, BC ultimately let this one slip, conceding two goals in the final seven minutes of the game to lose, 3-2. Despite an impressive showing on defense, the Eagles (1-3) struggled offensively in the circle, letting the Wildcats (3-2) come from behind to hand them a similar fate to last year. It became immediately clear how evenly matched the programs were, as the first quarter mirrored that of a stalemate. BC came out aggressively with three shots on

goal in the first three minutes, but neither team could gain enough leverage to tip the score. That was until Northwestern’s Bente Baekers found a way to navigate the Eagles’ nearly impenetrable defensive structure, sending the Wildcats’ first shot attempt to the back of the cage. Freshman Margo Carlin had a quick response for BC, though, burying one of her own with a second to go in the frame to knot the score at 1-1. Despite this surge by BC to end the first quarter, both teams face scoring difficulties in the second. While the Eagles found themselves twice inside the circle, the Wildcats consistently had an answer. Thus the game shifted to a battle of the defenses, as the Eagles held Northwestern to zero shots in the second frame to keep

the score stagnant. The drought didn’t last for long, as BC immediately gained possession in the third quarter and began taking risks on offense. Fusine Govaert quickly recovered a blocked shot by Brigid Wood and whipped one into the cage, hoisting the Eagles to their first lead of the game. Holding the Wildcats to three shots the rest of the quarter, it appeared as if BC was poised to rewrite history. That was until the fourth and final quarter, where the previously unstoppable Eagles defense began to fray. The Wildcats drew two corners, with Peyton Halsey capitalizing on the second to notch the equalizer. Less than a minute later, her teammate, Lily Katzman, capitalized on a blocked shot, lifting her team to a one-goal lead in a matter

of 29 seconds. Forcing two corners in the final minute of regulation, the Eagles still found no luck on the attack and ultimately conceded the game to end a stiff road test in Illinois. While the Eagles led the Wildcats considerably in shots (17-9), their inability to find the back of the cage came back to haunt them in the final minutes of the game. Despite a rocky start to the season, BC’s depth bodes well for the program as it enters a less challenging phase of its schedule with back-to-back non-conference games against Dartmouth and Northeastern. The NCAA Tournament is still firmly within reach, should the Eagles regain momentum from this three-game slide before conference play begins. 

Eagles Can’t Keep Up With Terrapins in First Game of Weekend

BY RYAN BAYNE

For The Heights

The fierce competition between No. 13 Boston College field hockey and No. 2 Maryland has been a backand-forth relaBoston College 1 tionship over Maryland 3 the past four years. The two teams have played each other every year since 2015 as a part of the B1G/ACC Cup, splitting the four games evenly—with every game decided by one or two goals. On Friday, both sides brought to Evanston, Ill., the characteristic intensity that is to be expected when a Big Ten powerhouse faces off against any ACC team—every program in the

ACC is ranked in the top 20 nationally—but Maryland ultimately proved to be the better team as it handed the Eagles a 3-1 loss after a tightly contested first quarter. The Terrapins (3-0) jumped on the Eagles (1-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast) early in the contest, as Madison Maguire chipped a shot by sophomore keeper Jonna Kennedy—who finished the game with seven saves—with just under three minutes left in the first quarter to put the Terps up, 1-0. Not to be outdone, BC showed a little fire after it won its first penalty corner of the game with 20 seconds left in the quarter and tied it up. Freshman Autumn Littlefield started the play and junior Jaime Na-

tale brought it home as she deflected a shot past the Maryland netminder to tie things up. The score marked Natale’s first goal of the year after a 2018 season that saw her finish second on the team in shots on goal. Despite this surge by the Eagles to close out the first quarter, Maryland dominated in the second, outshooting BC and adding to its lead with a chip-in from Emma DeBerdine with four minutes to go in the half. Maryland held BC to a mere three shots in the entire first half, compared with seven on the Terps’ end. Maryland also won four penalty corners to the Eagles’ one for the half. BC had a fair amount of chances to tie the score back up before going

into the locker room at halftime, but none came to fruition and the horn sounded with Maryland holding a 2-1 advantage. The story of the third quarter—and the second half as a whole—was once again one of Terrapin dominance. Maryland’s Linda Cobano scored at the end of the third quarter on a play that was reviewed, but the officials determined that it was in fact a good goal, putting the game further out of reach for the Eagles. From that point on, Maryland showed why it has eight National Championships and is currently ranked No. 2 in the country, shutting down the Eagles and finishing the game with a comfortable margin.

The Terrapins proved to be the better team, controlling the game for a good majority of its duration. The Eagles came up against a tough opponent in Maryland and ultimately were unable to keep up with their pace. A simple look at the stat line tells a lot about the matchup: Maryland led BC in shots (14-8), penalty corners won (8-4), and shots on goal percentage (71.4 percent to just 50 percent). The Eagles will need to be more productive on Sunday against No. 15 Northwestern, another key non-conference matchup and the second game of the B1G/ACC Cup, in order to gain a sense of consistency and work toward their ultimate goal of making the NCAA Tournament. 

VOLLEYBALL

BC Rebounds to Win All Three Matches at UConn Challenge

BY MARC OCCHIPINTI

Heights Staff

More adversity was faced by Boston College volleyball in the first weekend of the 2019 season than during its first three invitationals last fall. The Eagles dropped two of their first three matches at the Oregon Classic, albeit against difficult competition in Oregon State and Oregon. It was a different start for Jason Kennedy’s second year than his first, a season in which the Eagles kicked off the year with a 9-0 record. In the UConn Challenge, BC was out to prove that it could rebound from tough losses, and that it did. Kennedy’s crew swept Central Connecticut State, Connecticut, and Iona, losing just three sets along the way. The Eagles (4-2) finished the weekend on Saturday morning against Iona (0-6). While the Gaels struggled this weekend, they failed to win a set in any of their three matches—the first two sets on Saturday were highly competitive. A focused Eagles performance in set

one resulted in a 25-21 win on the heels of 19 kills, six of which were by sophomore outside hitter, Jewel Strawberry, who led the Eagles with 44 putaways this weekend. The second set was also quite competitive, with momentum swinging back and forth early. Up, 9-8, the Eagles went on a four-point run that gave them the cushion they would need to close out the set, 25-21. In the third frame, BC rode seven early Iona errors to a 14-3 advantage. The Eagles closed out the weekend with a dominant 21-9 win over the Gaels to complete the sweep in Connecticut. Friday’s nightcap pitted the Eagles against their host—and UConn (3-3) would prove to be their toughest competition of the weekend. Strawberry paced the Eagles with 17 kills and 16 digs, while Madison McKnight and Jane DeJarld each notched 20-plus assists in a back-and-forth affair that needed five sets to resolve. BC came out strong in the opening set, jumping out to a quick 7-4 lead. UConn, however, was able to ride a 14-2 run to a first set victory, a shift contributed to by six

Eagles’ errors and a pair of service aces from the Huskies. After the run, UConn cruised to a 25-19 victory. BC tightened it up in the second set, riding 12 kills and just three errors to a wire-to-wire 25-16 victory. Strawberry and Jill Strockis were locked in, tallying five and four kills, respectively. BC took advantage of a mid-set 6-0 run that saw the Huskies lose five consecutive points on errors or service aces. The Eagles carried the momentum from their second set victory into the third, where they took a 2-1 lead in the match with a dominant 25-13 showing. The set was back-and-forth early, but with an 8-7 lead, Kennedy’s team won seven consecutive points on their way to a lead they would not relinquish. But the momentum pendulum swung back to the Huskies in the fourth set. UConn opened up a 6-1 lead early, en route to an easy 25-15 set win. In the decisive fifth set, every point was crucial as the teams played to a 5-5 start. After the tie, the Eagles benefitted from five

kills and two aces as part of a match-clinching 10-3 run that secured the set, 15-8. Earlier in the day, the Eagles opened the invitational against Central Connecticut State (2-4). The BC attack showed up against the Blue Devils, notching 61 kills with a 23 percent hitting percentage. Cat Balido and Amaka Chukwujekwu led the Eagles with 14 putaways a piece. CCSU gave the Eagles a tough match, taking it four long sets, but the Eagles were determined to get back to .500 and start the weekend off on the right foot. BC took control early on in the first set, getting out to an 8-3 lead. After battling back into the frame, Strawberry closed the door on the thought of a Blue Devils comeback, recording three consecutive kills to round out the set, 25-14. CCSU would not go down without a fight, however, and came out storming in the second set. The Blue Devils capitalized on BC mistakes to take a quick 7-3 lead, and while the Eagles clawed their way back into the set late, 10 total errors in the frame helped CCSU even the match with a 25-20

set victory. It seemed as if the Eagles flipped a switch entering the third set. BC received a lockedin effort from Chukwujekwu, who had four kills in the first 14 points of the set, after which BC led, 12-2. The fast start would be too much for the Blue Devils to overcome, and the Eagles took the set, 25-17. The drama-filled fourth set saw intense points that led to a 22-22 tie with the match hanging in the balance. With no side able to muster the twopoint edge to earn the set, the frame proceeded to 27-27. With a fifth frame looming, Strockis stepped up and delivered a kill, and a CCSU attacking error completed the opening match victory, 29-27, for the Eagles. With Kennedy’s team finding its groove against lesser local opponents, the Eagles will aim to translate that to a slightly tougher test next weekend at the FAU Invitational down in Boca Raton, Fla. The host, Florida Atlantic, is fresh off a dominant 21-win season and swept the FAU Invitational last season. 

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Once Again, Mitchell’s Goal Helps Eagles Defeat Northeastern BY BRADLEY SMART Sports Editor

In 2018, Boston College women’s soccer took on Northeastern and narrowly escaped with a 1-0 victory, needing a 76th-minute Northeastern 0 g ame- w inner Boston College 1 from thensophomore Gianna Mitchell off a corner kick to break a scoreless deadlock. On Thursday evening, history repeated itself. The Eagles and Huskies met, and in a matter befitting longtime rivals, scrapped to a 0-0 scoreline at halftime. Then, three minutes into the second half, it was Mitchell again. The junior— earning time off the bench at forward instead of center back as she works her way back from an ACL injury—headed the ball off a deflection into a wide-open net in the 48th minute, handing BC a 1-0 win. “I left her in to start the second half because honestly just thought maybe we’d get a corner kick and a goal that way,” head coach Jason Lowe said. “It landed on her head, and usually good things happen when she’s heading the ball.” Mitchell’s finish provided a sigh of relief for the Eagles (5-0), who struggled to generate many chances throughout the

game. The same could be said about visiting Northeastern (2-2), which had several looks on long balls and crosses but failed to put a shot on target. It resulted in BC goaltender Allie Augur posting her second clean sheet since winning the starting job three games ago, boosted by a stout defensive line in front of her. The story of the match wasn’t Mitchell’s goal, though, it was the non-calls and physical spats that referee Jason Pelletier opted to leave uncalled. Both teams had plays in which they should’ve seen a player issued a yellow card, but Pelletier’s hand never reached into his pocket. Lowe and Huskies head coach Ashley Phillips were both furious, even yelling in tandem after one play between BC’s Olivia Vaughn and Northeastern’s Julianne Ross in the second half. The game only devolved as the time ticked off, especially out of the break in the second half. Vaughn was dragged down in the box at one point, much to the chagrin of Lowe, then Phillips was stunned when BC’s Francesca Venezia soared through the air and collided with defender Eve Goulet. After the game, Phillips couldn’t be bothered to shake Pelletier’s hand in the postgame line.

“It’s a shame,” Lowe said of the increase in physical plays as the game went on. “It’s two really good teams and I think both teams were trying to play. It’s a shame that it devolved to that point. I’m proud of our girls for sticking to the game plan and staying focused and not losing sight of everything.” BC’s decision-making in the final third was questionable for the duration of the first half. Passes were misplaced or rushed, and the team settled for shots from distance or in crowded spaces that were blocked. Lowe was audibly frustrated, as it wasn’t until the 42nd minute that the Eagles created a real goal-scoring chance. Gaby Carreiro gathered the ball along the left flank, sent a low cross in, and Mitchell—who entered the match in the 31st minute—saw her left-footed shot veer just wide. Carreiro had a shot on goal from distance earlier, but it, like many first-half efforts, wasn’t much trouble for Northeastern’s Angeline Friel. The second half was much of the same for the Eagles, who struggled to build up an attack against Northeastern. BC was doing just fine on the other end, with Mia Karras and Riley Lochhead holding down the wings while Sydney Moore and Michela Agresti anchored the middle.

STEVE EBERT / FOR THE HEIGHTS

Mia Karras helped BC shut out Northeastern, as the Eagles stayed unbeaten in 2019.

Lochhead actually created the lone goal, breaking up the left wing and taking it to the touch line before lifting a cross into the box. Friel punched it out, but it went straight to an uncovered Mitchell, who calmly headed it into the net for the eventual game winner. Moore and Agresti’s play in the middle continued to impress Lowe, as did Augur—who came out on several crosses and directed traffic well. “Second shutout for them—they were bummed that they didn’t get one last game and we talked about that,” Lowe said. “Their communication is continu-

ing to improve. Allie has done a great job there and I know they’re really proud of the shutout.” It was far from a pretty win for BC, but it followed last year’s trend. In that match, it was similarly physical and a “grind it out” victory, and the Eagles proceeded to win their next nine nonconference games. Lowe was pleased that his team stayed the course, and while there are plenty of little things to adjust, BC is in the same spot it was last year at 5-0 and should soon start to make some noise in the national polls. 

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‘It Chapter Two’ Trades Emotion for Spectacle By Jillian Ran Asst. Arts Editor After the rave reviews and record-breaking success of It, the first installment of the film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel, expectations for It Chapter Two rose to a fever pitch. Director Andy Muschietti has tried to outdo himself with Chapter Two by assembling an all-star cast and heaping on the gore and jump scares, but the sequel lacks the charm of the first film. The appeal of It was universal. Hardcore Stephen King fans and horror newcomers alike flocked to theaters because It wasn’t just a horror movie. Sure, on the surface, it was about a scary clown, but the emo-

tional heart of the film was the source of its magic. There was plenty of thrills, yet time was set aside to develop the story of the Losers Club, the group of outcast kids who band together to fight It. In Chapter Two, though, Muschietti is so preoccupied with shocking viewers that he forgets to make the audience care. Chapter Two jumps ahead 27 years after the events of the first film. The members of the Losers Club are grown up, and not quite losers anymore, but they’re still haunted by their experiences with It. When Mike (Isaiah Mustafa) reaches out to the Losers to call them back to their hometown of Derry, Maine, for a final showdown with the recently awakened It, they’re wary. Little vignettes explore the Losers’ lives as

film

it chapter two Andy Muschietti distributed by warner bros. Release september 6, 2019 Our rating

warner bros.

adults, but there’s hardly any depth before they’re tossed back into the horrorshow that is Derry. They can’t even catch up over dinner at a Chinese restaurant before It begins toying with them. Monsters start hatching from fortune cookies and decaying, decapitated heads float around with the fish in the aquarium. Forget about suspense or any sort of build-up—Chapter Two wants to overwhelm. The casting in the first film was stellar, but there’s a conspicuous lack of chemistry between the adult leads in Chapter Two. Smart-mouthed Richie is played by Bill Hader, who should have no trouble with this role, but doesn’t convincingly translate young Richie’s profane bravado to the washed up stand-up comedian he becomes. Still, it’s fun to watch him play off the neurotic energy of Eddie (James Ransone). And of course, the whole friendship gains a new dimension when it’s revealed that Richie is secretly in love with Eddie. The rest of the cast blends into the background. Especially disappointing is the film’s treatment of Beverly. The once mischievous, tough young Bev seems barely related to Jessica Chastain’s grown-up Beverly, who seems to exist only as a tragic, battered wife waiting for a man to rescue her. Instead of exploring the dynamic among the Losers, the film spends much of its 2 hours and 49 minutes dealing with their individual traumas. They venture off on their own, and It takes the

opportunity to attack their most private fears and insecurities. Beverly encounters an unsettling old woman who turns into a towering, naked witch. Eddie has to save his mother from a leper who vomits black goo all over him. It isn’t long before things start to feel formulaic. The monsters are larger, louder, and more grotesque, but there’s no real novelty to the scares. Despite its length, Chapter Two fails to explore some of the more oddball plot points in King’s novel. Bill Skarsgård, excellent as ever, reprises his role as Pennywise. His performance is just as fascinating the second time around—his lanky frame and childlike whisper stealing the show. But there’s no mention of the book’s multidimensional universe or cosmic, worldcreating turtle (although observant fans might notice multiple visual references to said turtle in the film). Some risk-taking might have done the film good. Instead, Chapter Two clings to the bare bones of the novel and ignores its more intriguing propositions. In its quest to reach ever more baroque levels of violence, Chapter Two neglects the human stories that fueled the first film. Case in point: A massive budget, a star-studded cast, and superb special effects mean nothing if there’s no emotional foundation. By forgetting to maintain the audience’s connection to the Losers, Chapter Two becomes just another over-the-top horror film. n

Baron Cohen Displays Dramatic Side in ‘The Spy’ By Stephanie Liu Copy Editor Sandy tones and a dramatic score create the chilling scene, as Eli Cohen (Sacha Baron Cohen), the famous Israeli spy, steps into a noose in front of the president of Syria, who only weeks ago was one of his closest friends. A flashback of a beautiful woman blowing kisses in a sunny grass field appears before a final transition to a love note and a fade to black that denotes the grim news of Cohen’s execution. The Spy, a Netflix original limited miniseries directed by Gideon Raff was released on Friday. The show dramatizes the legendary story of Cohen, who managed, from 1961 to 1965, to infiltrate the Syrian government to the point of being offered the position of Syrian Deputy Minister of Defense. His story is both remarkable and tragic. Exposed while transferring information through Morse code back to Israel, Cohen was swiftly arrested, tortured, and hung—his body never returned to Israel. From the beginning of the show, the audience is aware of Cohen’s fate. The show begins with his wife Nadia (Hadar RatzonRotem) listening on the radio and collapsing in tears as the conviction of her husband is announced by the Syrian government through the radio. Cohen, an Egyptian-born Arab Jew, looks to find his place in Israeli society and is often overeager to prove his devotion to his new country, as he feels that

the others see him differently. Formerly staying behind in Egypt to smuggle Jews into Israel, Cohen applies twice to the Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel, only to be turned down both times. With Syrians becoming more aggressive, however, the Mossad becomes desperate for a spy to infiltrate the top ranks of Syria, and after six months of intensive training, Cohen assumes cover as a wealthy businessman and goes to live in Buenos Aires. Posing as the son of a Syrian expatriate, Cohen tries to get close to the upper echelons of Syrian command and eventually gains entry into Syria, where he acquires the trust of high-ranking officials and throws parties where the drunken guests would let important information slip. Meanwhile, back in Israel and left in the dark about her husband’s real job, Nadia becomes pregnant and struggles to raise children on her own. Dan Peleg (Noah Emmerich), Cohen’s handler, also plays a large role in the show. Feeling morally ambivalent about recruiting Cohen, Peleg strikes up a friendship with Nadia after telling her he’s Cohen’s manager. Watching Nadia toil in her domestic isolation, in addition to being aware of Cohen’s own misgivings, Peleg is torn between his personal values and his commitment to his job and his country. Cohen’s capture is also suited for the screen. Cohen’s life in Israel begins to crumble after four years of absence, as Cohen’s

brother finds out about his activities and Nadia becomes increasingly suspicious. Suidani (Alexander Siddig), the distrustful adviser of the Syrian president, was convinced an Israeli spy was in their midst. Using modern technology, he picked up satellite signals driving past Cohen’s house. The Spy displays both glamour and action, but also the hard realities of working in espionage. Living the life of a spy comes with the reality that Cohen must leave family behind. Although he is shown to be devoted to his wife, his children’s blank expressions when their father returns, evidently not understanding who he is, puts Cohen’s sacrifice into perspective. The entire tone of the show is cold. By

knowing the ending from the very beginning, the audience is always on edge, wondering when the daring escapades of Cohen will finally end and which creative risk will prove too much. Baron Cohen’s performance is outstanding. Although a comedian by trade, there is not much brevity in his performance as Cohen, as even the lighthearted moments are shadowed by Cohen’s immense responsibility and enormous secret, as well as the fate that befalls him. Stoic as Cohen, but charismatic and cunning as the businessman that the spy pretends to be, Baron Cohen is as much a chameleon as the real Cohen, bringing a legendary story to life on screen. n

television

Copy Editor Nearly two years following The New York Times exposé detailing sexual assault allegations that thrust Harvey Weinstein into an unwanted limelight, the Hollywood mogul and producer tycoon still maintains that he’s never had a non-consensual sexual relationship. The original article that bust the doors of the Weinstein case wide open was published on Oct. 5, 2017. According to the BBC, Weinstein promised career success in exchange for sexual favors. This was the catalyst for the #MeToo movement that brought down Weinstein’s film empire. And now, the public gets to see how it all went down in the documentary Untouchable. Many prominent actresses have come forward with allegations against Weinstein following the 2017 exposé. Among them: Gwenyth Paltrow, Ashley Judd,

Rose McGowan, and countless others. But, Untouchable gives a voice to the voiceless—those whose names didn’t give them the credibility that comes with fame. Untouchable shows Weinstein’s beginnings and his first victims. The documentary begins with Erika Rosenbaum, an aspiring actress detailing how she thought she’d get her big break. With nothing in her pocket but a hope and a dream, she set off to Hollywood, planless but hungry to succeed. “When you’re a young actor, you hear stories all the time about people just sort of putting it all on the line and taking the big chance and going out to Hollywood and then it happening,” Rosenbaum said. The image is striking—putting a face to the allegation that Rosenbaum emailed The New York Times in 2017 just following the initial reports against Weinstein. In the documentary, she pulls headshots out of an

The Spy Gideon Raff distributed by Netflix Release September 6, 2019 Our rating

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untouchable ursula macfarlane distributed by hulu Release september 2, 2019 Our rating

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envelope as she begins to explain the power Weinstein had over young actresses. She described him as a “starmaker.” Rosenbaum, in the middle of the film, tells her story. She relays how Weinstein lured her into his hotel room to further their discussion about her career, an interaction she described as a “meeting.” “I wanted to just get out, but I was afraid to upset him,” Rosenbaum said. But before he made a name for himself, Weinstein was a music producer in Buffalo, N.Y., promoting concerts to locals. He teamed up with Corky Burger to create a concert promotion company by the name of Harvey & Corky Presents based in Buffalo. And the documentary wastes no time in cutting to an allegation of a woman who was assaulted before Weinstein even moved to film. In 1978, Hope D’Amore found herself backstage of a Fleetwood Mac concert Weinstein was promoting in Buffalo. Weinstein and his brother Bob were just getting started moving their business into the movies—where they would eventually found Miramax. D’Amore, interested in movies, jumped at the chance to travel to New York with Weinstein when he asked. In the documentary, she tearfully describes Weinstein’s assault against her. “If I get what I want, it was consensual,” D’Amore said. “I think he believed that.” Untouchable shows the allure of Weinstein and his power. In one instance, Kathy Declesis—Bob Weinstein’s assistant at Miramax—describes the ease at which she could walk into either of the Weinstein’s office with

grace mayer

‘Ain’t Together’ king princess

King Princess released “Ain’t Together,” a smooth and slow pop song carried by guitar chords and backed up by Father John Misty on drums, on Sept. 3. This single will also appear on her upcoming album, Cheap Queen, which is set to release this fall through Mark Ronson’s Zelig Records before she begins touring in October. “Ain’t To ge ther ” follow s the throughline of King Princess’ usual unrequited love and no-strings-attached relationship saga. The 20-yearold’s lyrics plead with her subject of affection: In the chorus she sings “We say ‘I love you’ but we ain’t together / Do you think labels make it taste much better?” This labelless love she sings about emphasizes the restless discomfort she feels being stuck between the relationship status of casual and committed. She confesses these frustrations when, in the pre-chorus, she sings “Being chill / Being chill with you / Oh, it kills / I ain’t chill / At all, at all.” Yet, King Princess’ music continues to fill a burgeoning genre of pop, one which explores and expands the definition of love in the music industry beyond heterosexual romance. n

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‘homecoming queen?’ kelsea ballerini

‘Untouchable’ Explores Harvey Weinstein Scandal By Izzy Cavazzoni

Single review

a simple idea for a movie, and he could make it happen. Further, Mark Gill, the president of Miramax Los Angeles emphasized the amazing movies that Miramax created under Weinstein. These kinds of accounts humanize Weinstein. The documentary works to make the circumstances surrounding the allegations against Weinstein seem understandable, showing what drew people to Weinstein. Posing a complex dichotomy, Untouchable strikes a difficult balance. On one hand, survivors are heard loud and clear, with raw interview accounts that emphasize the reality of the allegations against Weinstein. But on the other hand, those that worked closely with him described on camera Weinstein’s endearing qualities. The range of interviewees astounds in Untouchable. From aspiring actresses to former employees, no stone is left unturned. The documentary gives first-hand accounts of pivotal moments in the Weinstein case that only those who were there would know. In one instance, Declesis describes the moment she opened a letter from a law firm that charged Weinstein with sexual assault. Although Weinstein resigned from Miramax only days after The New York Times published the piece that revealed the allegations against him, Untouchable works to solidify Weinstein’s position of guilt. In the eyes of director Ursula Macfarlane, there is no possibility of Weinstein’s innocence. And in the age of the #MeToo movement, Macfarlane takes the reigns, a true example of believing survivors and letting them tell their stories. n

Kelsea Ballerini’s career has skyrocketed in the past few years with one hit single after another and collaborations with big names like The Chainsmokers. She also achieved social media stardom after her wedding to fellow country star Morgan Evans, which was shared widely on Instagram. It perfectly matches the sort of cautionary tale told regarding social media and self-image—she looks like a real-life barbie, shares pictures of her beautiful Nashville apartment (she’s only 25, and it looks like a castle), and jet sets around the world sharing videos from private planes as she travels from one place to another. It’s hard to believe a human being can sustain this type of lifestyle for long. Her most recent music video, “homecoming queen?,” makes an attempt to tear down this image a little bit. In the video, Ballerini is shown walking into her dressing room, face full of makeup and flowers in hand. Then she begins singing what might be her most honest, open lyrics to date, about how she hides her inner self and people only know the Kelsea they see on social media. The song’s introspective lyrics let her fans know that “zipping up the mess / dancing with your best foot forward” is getting difficult. Throughout the video, Ballerini sits in a chair watches herself as a child singing into a hairbrush in front of the mirror. Later, she sees the child grow into a teenager who is self-conscious about her body. These moments are among the most emotional in the video, and in the song itself, as she sings about how “nobody’s feeling sorry for you.” Unfortunately, the video doesn’t live up to the standards of the song itself. The song is exactly what Ballerini needed to release, especially as her wildly successful tour is coming to a close. The song, while not solving the problem by any means, does make an effort to lessen some of the fakeness that surrounds her current image. But the video itself is boring. Nobody clicked on it just to see Ballerini sitting in a chair, with the ghost of her former self occasionally appearing in front of a mirror—it’s just too clichéd and, frankly, it’s a step down from her previous releases. n

The Heights

Monday, September 9, 2019

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Vampire Weekend Sinks Teeth Into Old Hits For Crying

By Kaylie Ramirez

Arts Editor

Vampire Weekend opened its Sept. 3 set at Agganis Arena with “Ladies of Cambridge,” a deep cut that hasn’t always made the setlist on the band’s Father of the Bride tour. But after the band’s six-year hiatus from performing in Boston, the song—which happens to be the first song the band ever recorded

and released—was a warm introduction for an arena filled with fans whose devotion clearly stood the test of time. Appeals to the unruly pride of New Englanders were plentiful during the set, but they weren’t contrived: Dancing along to the breezy bongo beat of “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” and rounding out the night with a climactic showing of “Walcott,” the crowd received the Columbia University alumni

KAITLIN MEEKS / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF

Vampire Weekend performed a sprawling 30-song setlist for the Agganis Arena crowd.

as if they had spent their college years down the road in Cambridge. “To this day sometimes—even in other countries—people think we’re from Massachusetts,” Ezra Koenig, the band’s stately frontman, told the crowd. Koenig toggled effortlessly between bouts of warm charisma and theatrical seriousness. The singer graciously indulged a fan’s request for the formidable—and frankly unperformable—“Hudson” before joking that the band would have to “work on it” after attempting the first verse. Vampire Weekend also revived “Arrows” and “M79” after they were requested by individual fans, who Koenig called upon during the encore. Earlier in the set, the singer let loose for an extended guitar face-off with touring guitarist Brian Robert Jones during “Sunflower,” which broke into a “Seven Nation Army”-style chant that cemented Vampire Weekend’s status as a premier guitar band. But really, Vampire Weekend is an everything band. Following the harpsichord-heavy Victorian instrumentals that played after the opener’s set, a breeze of preppy pomp swept through the arena for the performance. The band exhibited its musical breadth with zippy keyboard progression changes in “Diplomat’s Son” and a bongo-synth hybrid breakdown during “Sympathy.” Vampire Weekend’s catalog, although marked by contemplative brooding, lends itself to lively performances. Fans screamed the lyrics to “A-Punk” and danced along to “Unbelievers,” a song that’s upbeat tempo belies its existential questions. With conviction seething through every lyric, Koenig and Co. created an

environment comfortable enough for a choir of strangers to scream “I don’t wanna live like this / But I don’t wanna die” in unison during “Harmony Hall.” Vampire Weekend made what often sounds heavy through headphones feel trivial for a night. When I first read Mark Powell’s 8.0 Pitchfork review of Father of the Bride in May, I was jarred by the comparison of Vampire Weekend to Phish. Phish is an ’80s jam band known for garish instrumentals and its inexplicably cultish fanbase, while Vampire Weekend is a band of Ivy League-educated millenials who romanticize Peter Gabriel and dignified ottoman couches over harpsichord and violin flourishes. In other words, Phish is a warm tuna fish sandwich from a deli with a B rating, and Vampire Weekend is a hearty sweetgreen salad. At the band’s Agganis show, however, I began to understand the offbeat comparison. Watching Vampire Weekend perform is like watching Phish—or the Grateful Dead, for that matter—in that the fans are surprisingly devoted. When you go to a concert, you expect fans to sing along to the songs with the punchy chrouses: the “Diane Young”-s and “Oxford Comma”-s of the world. People who pay money for concert tickets are people who know the words to the songs. Even so, bearing witness to a room of thousands reciting a clunky string of city names that include “Mechanicsburg, Anchorage, and Dar es Salaam” during the first verse of “Step” was both wonderful and eerie. Vampire Weekend lyrics tend to be a mouthful, but Boston fans proved they were up to the task of sinking their teeth in for a few hours. n

Art After Dark Champions Interaction, Introspection By Gio Lavoile Heights Staff

On Friday, the McMullen Museum returned with its fall Students Only Opening of Art After Dark, featuring artists in the fields of American landscape watercolor painting, New York street photography, and a litany of fun ’70s-themed activities for students to participate in. The atmosphere was lively. Students flooded the exhibits, participating in activities and games, including Bob Ross Bingo, board games, lawn bowling, DIY macramé plant holders making, 3D landscape designing, movies on the terrace, and more. Students came in groups, shuffling in and out of rooms, talking among themselves and going through rooms at their leisure. While students remained on the first floor, engaging in the activities or watching the performances by BC groups like Females Incorporating Sisterhood Through Step (F.I.S.T.S.), Black Experience in America Through Song (B.E.A.T.S.), The Acoustics, The Dynamics, The Common Tones, Music Guild, and Jammin’ Toast, many others checked out the four exhibits. Unlike last year, which primarily featured the work of artist Carrie Mae Weems, this year consisted of four separate exhibits: William Trost Richards: Hieroglyphs of Landscape, Simon

Dinnerstein: The Fulbright Triptych, Alen MacWeeney and a Century of New York Photography, and Mary Armstrong: Conditions of Faith. Hieroglyphs of Landscapes featured work from 19th-century artist Richards, as well as artists who have been inspired by his artistry or have inspired Richards themselves. The pieces ranged from beautiful depictions of waves crashing against the shore to visuals of nature untouched. In all the art presented, there was an inherent relationship between nature and humanity, primarily focused on the juxtaposition of humanity’s mortality and the constant beauty of nature. Richards was most well-known for his eloquent depictions of waves, which he felt captured the reality of mortality in the face of constant beauty. Mary Armstrong’s Conditions of Faith, similar to Richards’ work, was focused on humanity as a whole and attempted to understand it through the lens of nature. Her imagery of seascapes and roiling currents worked to create, for her, “a perfect visual metaphor for change, both desired and feared, destructive and regenerative, personal and political.” Another standout exhibit was Alen MacWeeney’s A Century of New York Photography, which displayed countless photos of New York life through the 20th century, ranging from the onset of the century all the way to its twilight stages.

MAGGIE DIPATRI / HEIGHTS EDITOR

McMullen Museum organized various interactive activities for students to enjoy.

The photos captured snapshots of New Yorkers in their natural habitat, from riding the train to work to walking with their children, or simply going about their own business. The black-and-white photos captured the moods of the characters, ranging from introspection, to happiness, and even melancholy. Some shots featured nothing but the city, like one late night shot of a liquor store in the rain. You could see through the images how the city has changed: A few photos of the MTA trains from the ’70s were littered with graffiti so that you almost couldn’t see the silver of the train itself, which is a stark contrast to the pristine trains coursing through the city today. The Fulbright Triptych featured en-

gaging works of art from 20th-century painter Simon Dinnerstein, who hoped to capture the juxtaposition of our reality with a sort of imagined reality—a duality that shines through its imagery and even harkens back to art models from the Renaissance Era. All four exhibits worked in their own ways to understand certain aspects of life through either the bare reality of everyday life in cities or the lens of nature, discussing our reality as well as the reality we seek. They worked as time capsules of sorts, bringing the viewers back to bygone eras, hearkening back to simpler, often more beautiful times, while also attempting to make the viewer look inward and find some aspect of themselves through the art. n

Music Groups Welcome Class of ’23 at Acapalooza By Michaela Balboni For The Heights

Boston College welcomed all of its a cappella groups to perform this past Friday night. Each group flaunted its unique identity and performance style. The show featured performances by The Sharps, The Common Tones, The Acoustics, Against the Current, The Bostonians, The Dynamics, Black Experience in America Through Song (B.E.A.T.S.), and The Heightsmen. The Sharps were introduced by their president, Lily Higgins, MCAS ’20. The Sharps, as the only all-female a cappella group on campus, emphasized their identity with songs that were well-suited for female vocals and explore female identity. The group’s songs—“Electric Love” by Børns and “A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin— featured solos by Caitlin Mahon, MCAS ’21, and Maggie Chipman, MCAS ’21. The Common Tones was introduced by Frankie Marrone, MCAS ’20, as a group that fuses music with service to promote a sense of community and spread “common tones” throughout campus and beyond. Marrone

mentioned the club’s dedication to volunteer work by visiting Children’s Hospitals to sing for the patients. Their first song, “Lost in Japan” by Shawn Mendes, was sung by Marrone, and was followed by Olivia Constantino, MCAS ’21, singing “Chandelier” by Sia. Constantino’s vocals sparked cheers and shouts of disbelief at her talent and range from the audience. Next was The Acoustics, who describe themselves as a “fun, quirky, and theatrical” a cappella group. They performed “Thunderclouds” by Sia and LSD with soloists Egun Im, MCAS ’22; Tonye Ikoli, MCAS ’20; Mcphillips Akukwe, CSON ’22; and Gabi Frandina, MCAS ’21. “Thunderclouds” had the audience fawning over the smooth vocals of soloists Ikoli and Akukwe. Im sung with strong confidence and a deep voice that contrasted nicely to Billie Eilish’s airy voice during a mashup of the pop star’s “Bellyache” and “Ocean Eyes.” Ryan Lee, MCAS ’20, introduced Against the Current and noted that its catalog focuses on songs of Christian faith. The group’s first song was Sia’s “To Be Human,” which featured soloist Joon Park, MCAS

’21, and beatboxer Brandon Sung, MCAS ’22, performing alongside one another with a give-and-take attitude. Against the Current’s following song, James Bay’s “Us,” was sung by Yujun Jung, MCAS ’21, and Ivey Choi, MCAS ’19, both of whom had excellent harmonies while maintaining a strong rapport as they sang to each other. The Bostonians, introduced by Chris Cheeseman, MCAS ’20, followed. Cheeseman spoke of the group’s trips to Montreal, Ireland, and Canada and how the members “love singing and they love each other.” Their first song was “What You Don’t Do” by Lianne La Havas with soloist Jamie Kweon, MCAS ’21, and their second song was “Slow Dancing in the Dark” by Joji with Cheeseman performing a solo. The Dynamics, like The Sharps, sang “Electric Love” with soloist Emma Roney, MCAS ’22. The Dynamics differentiated their version from that of The Sharps by placing emphasis on the beat with more beatboxer involvement. The co-ed group also performed “Weight in Gold” by Gallant with a solo by Gabe Santos, MCAS ’22. B.E.A.T.S. opened its performance

the way it does for every show: with the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson. Its follow-up song was “No Scrubs” by T.L.C., which featured solos by Khayli Petigny, MCAS ’22; Jamarii Johnson, CSON ’22; and Kassandra Quinlan, LSOE ’22. The Heightsmen, BC’s only all-male a capella group, closed out the night. The group opened its set singing “Somewhere Beyond the Sea” by Bobby Darin, with solos from Ted Izzo, CSOM ’20, and ended with “Treasure” by Bruno Mars, which included a solo from DJ Brown, MCAS ’22. Students danced in their seats during the set, all while the boys sang fan favorites with dashing smiles and charismatic looks. In years past, BC has hosted this performance during Welcome Week. This year, however, Higgins, who is president of The Sharps, took to planning the performance with the other a cappella groups on campus, according to Alex Eichler, a member of The Common Tones and MCAS ’20. The coordination among the groups resulted in a strong showing and a warm introduction to the a cappella community. n

Out Loud Emily Himes

Just the thought of the opening chord in Etta James’ “At Last” is enough to send chills up my spine. A couple seconds into the song, goosebumps follow. I’ve listened to the track countless times, I know what’s coming—yet somehow, I always have the same viceral, physical reaction. I know it’s not just me, and plenty of people around the world have their own version of “At Last,” but it continues to be so difficult for us to pin down what exactly is causing that physical response. And even stranger is the mystery of those who have no reaction whatsoever. Research tells us that people who cry or get chills when listening to music have an increased number of fibral connections in the brain processing sound and emotion, and generally have stronger emotional reactions to any kind of stimuli, not just sound. But we all get goosebumps in times of fear or panic—as part of our fight-or-flight response—so the reasoning why about half of us get them while listening to particular songs while others do not is still debated. It is generally accepted that most have deeply emotional reactions to music because it’s a waiting game, based on what we expect to happen next, and we mentally fill in what we predict is to come. When listening to a song, we are always striving for resolution, a release from any dissonant chords still hanging in the air. Melodies are always striving to get back to the “home” chord, often traveling long and far to build suspense. When a song gets close to the chord you’ve been waiting for, the one that will take a song back to home base and give it closure, dopamine levels spike—and chills ensue. Dissonance is best described in a 2014 New York Times article as the “do, re, mi” major scale—the first seven notes, from “do” to “ti” build plenty of tension. Once you get to “ti,” there is a fair amount of palpable dissonance—but, you know the next octave will bring release and total closure. You know it’s coming, and everything feels better after returning to the base note on the final “do.” Scientifically speaking, this is related to the concept of appoggiatura, which is defined by The Wall Street Journal as “an ornamental note that clashes with the melody just enough to create a dissonant sound,” thus creating tension in the listener (famously occuring in Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”). The listener then waits for the anticipated melody to return, which resolves the tension that was built throughout the song. Dr. Martin Guhn, a psychologist who has conducted studies surrounding this phenomenon, and his colleague Marcel Zentner found that songs with the ability to produce this type of intrinsic physical reactions all contain four qualities: They exhibit an increase in volume, unexpectedly add an additional voice or instrument, show a broader range of frequencies (such as a key change or octave jump), and include some sort of surprise in sound. And whether this suspense and release mechanism make us feel happy or sad, relaxed or on edge, the dopamine released in the conclusion likely keeps us coming back for more (which explains why we sometimes listen to sad songs over and over). And so it goes—tension versus release, consonance versus dissonance, climax versus resolution—songs are driven by the start-stop, cyclical sound that keeps us on our toes, even if it’s completely subconscious. Queen does it all the time (think of the build and release at the end of “Somebody to Love”), as does Eric Clapton in the outro of “Layla.” Dissonance occurs in many different forms, and sometimes is so mild that it might better be described as “discomfort” within a song. Tension and dissonance in music is what makes music push and pull at our heartstrings—giving a song the ability to ache right along with us. It also gives songs the rushing, soaring sensation at the end that can be achieved through just one single note. And it shows, for better or for worse, that dissonance and tension are much more than cogs in the greater song machine. They are absolutely pivotal for keeping people coming back for more—tears, goosebumps, and all.

Emily Himes is the assoc. arts editor for The Heights. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.

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On the Menu: All Jammin’, No Toast GRAPHICS BY ALLYSON MOZELIAK / HEIGHTS EDITOR

By Kaylie Ramirez Arts Editor

Had you strolled through the McMullen Museum of Art on Sept. 6, you would have been treated to a rare and fleeting exhibit for the museum. It wasn’t hanging on the wall, and it wasn’t resting on a pedestal under bright lights. It was alive—strumming, playing, jamming. As a part of the student opening for the museum’s Art After Dark series, Jammin’ Toast, a music club on campus, brought its folksy sounds to the first floor. The concert wasn’t just a rare occurrence for the museum: It was a rare public showing for the club, which usually performs within the private confines of its own weekend meetings. Aside from Art After Dark, members of Jammin’ Toast have previously performed at the Acoustic Brunch and a café hosted by the Boston College chapter of To Write Love On Her Arms, a national organization dedicated to raising awareness of people struggling with depression, addiction, self-harm, and suicide. Alex Eichler, a co-president of Jammin’ Toast and MCAS ’20, described the group as a music club that alleviates performance pressure and instead focuses on having “wholesome, low-key fun.” Rachel Chan, the club’s co-president and MCAS ’20; and Kaitlin Meeks, the vice president, a former Heights editor, and MCAS ’20; agreed with Eichler. Meeks went on to add that Jammin’ Toast is a club that offers a space for musicians to step out of their comfort zones and learn new instruments. At a typical Jammin’ Toast meeting, members will trickle into a classroom for the first 15 or 20 minutes, grab donuts— not toast—and discuss the songs they’d like to learn and perform that day. At the club’s Sept. 1 meeting, the first meeting of the semester, the members broke into four groups to practice their songs. The groups then went to different areas to practice for an hour. During the hour, Eichler’s group worked tirelessly to find a place for a bassoon in a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” Meanwhile, Meeks led her group onto Bapst Lawn, where she and two other musicians sprawled out in the plushy grass with an acoustic guitar and ukulele in their laps. While Meeks’ group practiced The Band’s “I Shall Be Released” after deciding Mt. Joy’s “Silver Lining” would have to wait for another jam session, a special guest presided over the rehearsal: Jerry the dog, who accompanied James Donnegan, MCAS ’21, to the meeting, perused the green expanse around the musicians. Chan’s group took to a small informal lounge in Gasson, where they debated potential songs to perform. The trio settled on Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon” and Vance Joy’s “Georgia,” a song that sent their soft voices drifting through the ornate window and into the Gasson rotunda as they rehearsed for the first and only time. About an hour into the meeting, pained screams of “Take my tears and that’s not nearly all,” reverberated through the wainscotted hallways of Gasson Hall’s third floor. The screams originated from Sam Frechette, a general e-board member of Jammin’

Toast and MCAS ’22, who was leading his group through a rendition of Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” that integrated tambourine and acoustic sounds

INSIDE ARTS

into the techno ’80s hit. For the final 30 minutes of the meeting, the four groups reconvened in Gasson 305 to eat more donuts and see the fruits of their fellow members’ labor. In front of the lecture hall seats, all four groups performed the pieces they prepared in the hour prior. An hour of rehearsal culminated in a performance that, although unpolished, was a spectacle to behold for Frechette’s group. After performing a spirited rendition of “Tainted Love,” Frechette and four other club members—only one of which was a returning member—launched into a cover of Post Malone’s “Stay,” a performance during which five occassionally-harmonious voices recited the heart-wrenching words while glancing

the two clubs share a lot of executive board members and performers. Although the performances at the club’s general meetings are not attended by spectators outside of the club, nonmembers do have access to the performances. Meeks records each performance on her personal camera and uploads the videos to the Jammin’ Toast YouTube channel after the meeting. Videos dating back 6 years reside under a banner that reads “Jammin’ Toast: Don’t Be Jelly … Spread The Jam.” The first video dates back to Sept. 22, 2012—the same year the club was founded—and depicts a performance of Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin Bout You” that only utilizes two female voices and two

tagram to increase awareness of its comings and goings. With no office and little consistency, as far as meeting logistics go, it is crucial for the club to communicate with its members through these various platforms, although its social media presence on the latter two has dwindled in the past couple of years. Eichler, Meeks, and Chan hope to revamp Jammin’ Toast’s social media presence in order to reach new potential joiners in the coming year. While Meeks recalled the warm

MAGGIE DIPATRI / HEIGHTS EDITOR

at phone screens to make sure they were getting the lyrics right. Although the performance wasn’t pristine, it was perfect according to the standards set by Jammin’ Toast: The performers laughed when lyrics were botched and chords were jumbled, and finished with smiles on their faces. The privacy of the affair is ultimately what distinguishes Jammin’ Toast from other music-oriented clubs on campus. Avid Listeners of Boston College (ALBC), a music listening club, does

enthusiasm of the Jammin’ Toast members manning the activities fair booth her freshman year, the listserv is ultimately what got Chan to join. “I remember seeing the first two emails and being like ‘meh,’” Chan said. “But then I decided to go for fun…” “And now here you are,” Eichler finished. For Jammin’ Toast, new members often mean new instruments. The bassoon that made its way into the “Landslide” cover on Sept. 1 is one recent example,

KAITLIN MEEKS / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF

not perform at its events. A cappella groups host cafés and shows that fill up auditorium seats. Music Guild members compete for spots to open at Modstock. Jammin’ Toast simply jams. Given that Jammin’ Toast doesn’t typically perform in front of the general student body or in public forums like other music organizations at BC, it is one of the lower-profile groups. Outsiders often mistake Jammin’ Toast to be part of Music Guild: Eichler recalled that the organizer of the Art After Dark performance thought this to be the case when reaching out about student performers. The mistake is easy to make, however. Eichler is also the co-president of Music Guild, and

‘Vampire Weekend’

acoustic guitars. Thunderous applause follows the performance, indicating that the club’s first meeting was well attended. The first meeting for this year’s fall semester was attended by 16 people, many of which were attending a meeting for the first time. Like many of the clubs at BC, Jammin’ Toast relies heavily on the student activities fair to recruit new members and uses a listserv and GroupMe to spread the word about meeting times and locations, which typically fall on a weekend afternoon in a Stokes Hall classroom. In the past, Jammin’ Toast has also created Facebook events for its meetings on its club Facebook page. Additionally, the club has used Ins-

‘Art After Dark’

but, in the past, members have also lugged saxophones, violins, cellos, and

mandolins to meetings. Acoustic guitars and ukuleles are staples of the meetings as well. Aside from member-owned instruments, Jammin’ Toast also has its own guitar, bass, a couple of percus-

Vampire Weekend returned to Boston for the first time in six McMullen Museum of Art kicked off its Art After Dark years with a set full of New England hits....................................A15 series with plenty of activities and live music.....................A15

sion instruments, and a cowbell, all of which it purchased with club money in years prior and it stores in Carney Hall for most of the week. The club often borrows two amps from Music Guild, which also stores its club belongings in Carney. Stemming from the low-stakes nature of Jammin’ Toast’s meetings, the club also encourages students to join at any time. While other student organizations often have audition or sign-up periods, Jammin’ Toast meetings are always open to unfamiliar faces. Even the process of becoming an e-board member mirrors the club’s general casual approach: Aside from the two co-presidents and the vice president, all other e-board members are general e-board members who were asked if they wanted a board position after consistently attending meetings for a few months. All three executive officers joined the club when they were freshmen and eventually found a home within the organization. “It’s like my favorite thing at BC,” Eichler said. “Nothing beats a good Jammin’ Toast.” It is highly unusual for a club to exist at BC without consistently working toward something. Dance groups work towards Showdown. Comedy troupes constantly write new material for shows. Student publications plan for poetry readings and cram for deadlines. The Art After Dark show presented a rare opportunity for Jammin’ Toast to work toward something. To prepare for its performance, the club sent out a message in the GroupMe letting members know about the opportunity, and all who were interested were invited to practice for a couple of hours on Monday night. It was a process that was as inclusive as the organization’s general meetings, and yielded a performance that was highly collaborative and tranquil. For the event, Jammin’ Toast brought a keyboard, a ukulele, two guitars, a tambourine, and a cajon. The sound of the instruments, combined with seven voices, made for a three-song set that was reminiscent of some of the performances of—or at least the principles behind—Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue tour. Aside from the folksy selections, the point of the performance was not to establish a reputation or inspire awe through musical talent, but to bring people together through the bonding powers of live music. Staging The Lumineers’ version of Tom Petty’s “Walls,” the seven-piece band’s stylings exuded a robust, hearty sound. The set carried on with covers of blank and “Landslide.” While Jammin’ Toast played, the audience became its eighth member, clapping and singing along with the rag-tag band. The bright lights and cavernous room of McMullen Museum was a space slightly different than those in which Jammin’ Toast usually performs, and the set was admittedly more polished than those that typically end up on the club’s YouTube channel. But like the club’s general meetings, the members jammed, and there wasn’t a single piece of toast in sight. n

‘It: Chapter Two’........................................A14 ‘The Spy’.............................................A14 ‘Untouchable’..........................................A14