Bentley Vanguard by The Vanguard

VoluME liii

iSSuE ii

thurSday, fEbruary 9, 2012

www.bEntlEyVanguard.CoM

Remembering Professor Yvonne Jeannine Yaw

“The heart to conceive, the understanding to direct and the hands to execute” By Lacey Nemergut nEwS Editor

Yvonne Yaw, beloved teacher, colleague, and friend of the Bentley community, passed away at Mt. Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Tuesday, January 31 at age 75 after a courageous fight with pneumonia and heart complications. President Gloria Larson addressed the Bentley community late Tuesday afternoon to inform those she had touched of her peaceful passing. Yaw was born on August 16, 1936 in Columbus, Ohio. She graduated from Wellesley College in the class of 1957 as a Durant Scholar. She then continued with her education as one of the first two women to receive a Ph.D. in English from Harvard University. Following her impressive schooling, Yaw accepted a career at Bentley University, where she would

become an integral part of the community for the next 30 years teaching English, drama and creative writing. “Yvonne was a loved and respected colleague, scholar, teacher, mentor and friend, and we are so fortunate to have had her as a part of the Bentley community for so long,” said Larson to the com-

munity. “Her department chairs and students heralded her as a popular and innovative professor whose classes were interactive and creative, helping to bring to life her courses in drama, literature, fiction writing, Shakespeare, gender issues and images of women and men in literature.

Professor Yaw’s senior yearbook photo (left) and a more recent photo (right).

Courtesy of yvonneyaw.blogspot.com and the English and Media Studies department

Lurch forward, correct your math skills now

Professor Carter, founder of Lurch.

By Ali Farooqi Vanguard Staff

Professor Nathan Carter of Bentley University is in the final stages of designing a free, math software, Lurch to help students correct their math. Professor Carter has been working on bringing about Lurch for the past 10 years, with the help of his former

5 PAX

POPULI Students tutor international students via Skype

Courtesy of bentley.edu

Professor, Ken Monks at the University of Scranton. Professor Carter is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Bentley University, and has been teaching since the Fall of 2004. He conceived the idea for Lurch during his undergraduate studies in Professor Monks’ class. Professor Monks “wanted everything to be done

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While at Bentley, Yaw led the Gender Issues Council, while teaching Bentley’s first women in literature courses. She later continued to teach a popular Contemporary Women Dramatists course which included student-produced plays and insight into feminist theory. She also facilitated Bentley’s relation-

very particularly and all the steps laid out, which for the specific stuff he was teaching, was really helpful to know what was going on instead of thinking you had done it right when you really hadn’t. Carter said, “I started to think, well gee, could a computer help me check my work here. Then he [Professor Monks] and I started to talk about not only would it be useful in that class, but in other classes. We started to think about what math classes you could build this for and what you would need to do.” “Lurch is a word processor that you can type mathematics into,” said Carter. Moreover, he said ,“Whenever you have something you want the software to pay attention to like in a mathematical equation, [you] highlight and say this is meaningful - pay attention to this. Then it would look at all of the little pieces of math you had put in See CARTER, Page 6

ship with the Patrina Foundation, an organization that supports women’s studies initiatives. “I am comforted by the emails I have received from Yvonne’s former students who are eager to express their admiration for her,” said Wiley C. Davi, the English and Media Studies Department Chair. “Students describe her as someone who loved being in the classroom, who cared about them, and who influenced them significantly.” Another colleague in her department, Pierce Butler, described her with words from a 13 th century poet, Jelaluddin Rumi: Keep walking, though there’s no path. Don’t try to see into the distance: that’s not for human beings. Don’t move the way fear makes you move. Move within. See YAW, Page 3

Shortages of books at the Bentley bookstore By Greg Donahue Vanguard Staff

Shortages of books at the Bentley Bookstore have left a number of students wondering when their orders will be coming in. Coming into the spring semester, some students were forced to attend the first days of classes without their books. Such delays left students curious as to what the problem was. Regional Manager for B & N College, Teresa Cury, shared her thoughts on the cause of the shortage, “In most situations, it was human error. The missing titles were not ordered in a timely manner.” Cury added in the bookstore’s defense, “We responded immediately to identify which classes and faculty were impacted.” To benefit the students left without books, Cury and her colleagues “worked with the faculty to keep them updated on their required course mate-

ZUCKERBERG

rial and when it would be available in the bookstore” to prevent any more stress for the affected students. To fix the problem, Cury mentioned, “Once the titles were identified we worked with the publishers, other store locations, and our home office partners to expedite shipping and ensure the majority of the books were on the shelf within 1-2 business days.” While this fixed most of the book shortages, sophomore Lissie Martin was faced with a much worse delay, “There was a problem with my lit class where we did not get one of our books in until two weeks into the semester.” In regards to ordering books unavailable at the bookstore, sophomores Ally Dorman and Abby Mixer shared their alternatives, “Amazon all the way” and “Bigwords.com,” respectively. See BOOKS, Page 6

15 USTA

Soon to be america’s largest tax payer

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VALENTINE’S DAY

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Police Log 2 Green Tip 2 Cartoon 4 Voices 8 & 9 Horoscopes 12 Falcon of The Week 16

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News

february 9, 2012

the Vanguard

Police log Bromance Last Sunday, just after 3 a.m., officers responded to a suspicious vehicle parked on the Bentley campus. Upon inspection, it was determined that the vehicle contained two male parties. The officer deemed that the car was harmless. Alright, this story just spits awesomeness. Somehow, some bros managed to fit TWO ENTIRE PARTIES into their car. Shocks bouncing, gasoline-flavored jungle juice flowing, scratchy bass pounding… the works. Ya, sure the parties were both all male, but what difference does that make? It wouldn’t be Bentley if I didn’t rub genitalia with 100 other dudes to some God-awful Avicii song at least once a weekend. Wait… What was that? Party is a legal term for “individual”? Oh. Well, I’m sticking with my story; it’s like a gazillion times cooler. Sh-sh-shake that! hide and Go Chic On January 31, a distraught co-ed told University Police that she lost her purse in Lindsay Hall. When asked if it was a satchel, she retorted that it was, indeed, a purse. She believes that she lost it while getting her learn on in Smith or Lindsay, but she could not find her bag or the purse-onal items it contained when she returned to look. If anyone has Nate the Great as a LinkedIn connection, this may be the time to reach out to your professional network for some

help. Otherwise, this girl’s lips are as good as bare! Remember our motto, kiddos – if you want to lose some money, floor it; if you want to keep your money, wallet. Better With the lights on Apparently, students weren’t the only ones getting hammered on our first weekend back (21+ students, obviously). Overhead lights on the third floor of Kresge Hall were also getting smashed during the wee hours of Saturday, January 28. A venerable Bentley Police officer responded to the scene for a report of vandalism, and one student was placed under arrest. Surely this student wasn’t lightheaded, but these reporters wouldn’t be surprised if he destroyed more than lamp cells that night. We obviously don’t need to remind you of the first principle of Kresgeconomics: as the supply of brain cells decreases, the demand for hallway lighting increases. Otherwise, our nights will yield to the darkness that Mother Nature so cruelly provides us with. Big Smell-ow Taxi On January 28, just after midnight, University Police responded to a call from a cab driver who was concerned for the health of one of his Bentley University patrons. The driver reported that a female party, clearly a victim of a rather “taxing” night on the town, had vomited in the back seat of his vehicle. Officers found the student

conscious and alert, though it was evident that she had not been fare-ing too well: the front of her blouse was accented by a colorful splash of vomit. AMR was contacted and the student was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for treatment. Clearly this lassie’s night did not go quite as planned, but these reporters do have some good news: vomit is this season’s new black. Tyra Banks, Ozzy Osbourne’s creepy, ugly daughter, and that annoyingly loud old woman with the smoker’s voice that somehow got a show on E! all agree: no spew, no clue! Do the Technicolor Yawn and WORK IT GURL!!

Seasons Dining Hall. Get in line, bro. Do you actually think that you’re the first person to have an issue with that intrepid leader in subpar food production? We’re pretty sure that their customer service hotline is continually inundated with hungry college students. I’ve personally been on hold for a year and two months. At this point, we just have to make the best of what we have. Heck, I legitimately could not tell the difference in taste between my piece of tilapia and my plastic fork, so I ate them both (not too bad, for the record). Therefore, loyal readers, you probably should get used to eating off paper plates for the foreseeable future.

Time to Recharge On Monday, January 31, a staff member reported missing items from her office in the LaCava Center. These missing items included a Blackberry charger and a USB cable used for the phone. To be honest, this may be a blessing in disguise. I mean, let’s be honest, what’s the advantage of having a Blackberry these days? You can get the Internet on better phones. You can get your e-mail on better phones. What sets Blackberry apart, BBM? The more difficult version of text messaging? No offense, but we think this is an invitation into the new decade. Ditch the Blackberry, go Droid.

fREShMan PUKE CoUnT: Those frosh kept their high puke numbers going this weekend, putting up a not-so-sober 14 spot. That brings the semester total to 31. Add that to 57 last semester, and our yearly count reaches a cool 88. The kiddos had a pretty decent excuse this week, though: anyone who is forced to look at Eli Manning’s face for more than five seconds at a time is guaranteed to gag at the very least. I don’t think I’m too far from the truth when I say that the man resembles my big toe. Don’t tell Rex Ryan! He’ll try to suck him, just like he’s doing to Peyton!

#SeasonsProbs On January 31, a Sodexo member reported an issue with equipment in

Sean Harrington and Brian Shea Vanguard Staff

Bentley Green Society’s Green Tip of the Week EDiToR-in-ChiEf Sindhu Palaniappan ManaGinG EDiToR GEnERal ManaGER Alyson Bisceglia Emily Silver CoPy EDiToR nEWS EDiToR SPoRTS EDiToR CaMPUS lifE EDiToR fEaTURES EDiToR BUSinESS EDiToR PhoToGRaPhy EDiToR onlinE EDiToR EDiToRial DiRECToR DiRECToR of PRoDUCTion DiRECToR of aDvERTiSinG DiRECToR of MaRKETinG JoURnaliSM aDviSoR STUDEnT lifE aDviSoR

Nate Marchand Lacey Nemergut Ben Klein Brenna O’Connell Mike Lovett Jasper Huang Tim Avrutik Victoria Lin Tomer Gat Meagan Kalpokis Brian Fuerst Dina Durutlic Judy Rakowsky Nicole Chabot-Wieferich

FOR GENERAL & CONTACT INFORMATION ABOUT The Vanguard, PLEASE SEE PAGE 4.

The Dos and Don’ts of Single Stream Recycling Sorting recycling can seem overwhelming and confusing at times. Fortunately, for everyone at Bentley we have a fancy and incredible Single Steam Recycling program, which means no sorting necessary! The concept of single stream recycling is truly a game changer in the environmentalism world and has led to huge decreases in landfills. Did you know that more items can be recycled than trashed? We’ve outlined for you the vast arrangement

of recyclables that can be put in the blue bins all over campus! Here are some of the most forgotten about recyclables: Paper: Clean paper plates, newspapers, and receipts are all recyclable. Similarly, paper cups that have only been used for water or fountain sodas are fair game, but Coffee cups are not (the paper sleeve and lid are though!). As long as a paper based product is not stained with grease or food, chances are it is recyclable. Plastics: Shampoo bottles, milk cartons, salad containers, and yogurt cups are all single stream recyclable.

Likewise, sushi and sandwich containers are also safe to place in any recycling bin. Any plastic drink lid served on campus is certainly recyclable, but silverware and straws are trash. Cans and Glass: All glass bottles and aluminum cans are safe to recycle on campus. Moreover, clean aluminum foil is also an absolute recyclable. Follow these tips and you will soon be a pro-recycler! So Bentley, The Green Society challenges YOU to recycle as much as possible! Because it is easy to be green.

News

The Vanguard

Professor Yaw and her daughter Anneke, May 1973.

Courtesy of yvonneyaw.blogspot.com

and the Esteemed Daughter of Mark Twain award by the Mark Twain Journal. Her other novels included “Woman Doctor” and “Weave the Thread with Bones”. Yaw inspired her colleagues with her intense dedication to her field of study and love for her students. Catherine Fung, Assistant Professor of English, described the impact Yaw has left on her. “I didn’t know Yvonne well— I’ve only been at Bentley for less than 2 years, but I know that she had taught for longer than I have been alive, and she still maintained a passion for her work and for her

February 9, 2012 students. Whenever I come home from a rough day of teaching and wonder if I can continue in this career, I draw inspiration from her strength and endurance.” Professor Tetreault was very close to Professor Yaw. Their offices were across the hall from each other. Tetreault said, “I was very fortunate to be her colleague and her friend. We made time to talk regularly; sometimes it was about writing or literature, sometimes about pedagogy, and sometimes about family. If I made a bag of popcorn, we shared it; if she had chocolate, she shared it.

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I appreciated the time we spent talking about different teaching strategies. This past summer she called me to talk about how I taught graphic novels. We spent hours on the phone and explored Persepolis in detail. It was such fun. She didn’t hesitate to learn something new and find a meaningful way to share it with her students and her colleagues. I will miss her.” There will be a memorial service for Yvonne Yaw which will be held on Saturday, February 11 at 2:00 p.m. at First Parish Church in Lexington, Massachusetts. All are welcome to attend.

YAW Continued from Page 1 Outside the Bentley community, Yaw pursued her passions and interests, benefiting society with her involvement. After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the early 1980s, she became a peer counselor at Mt. Auburn Hospital in Cambridge. Yaw chose to donate her body to advance multiple sclerosis research. In addition to her contribution to

the MS community, Yaw was President of English At Large, an organization that provided free English and literacy skills tutoring to various communities in Eastern Massachusetts. With a love for English, she wrote her own novels, receiving popular recognition for them in the field of literature. For her novel, “Sky”, Yaw received the top award for fiction from the Artists Foundation of Massachusetts in 1987,

Professor Yaw and a group of longstanding friends.

Courtesy of yvonneyaw.blogspot.com

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february 9, 2012

Viewpoints

the Vanguard

Quotes of the Week

*The Vanguard’s editorial as well as the editorial cartoon are proposed at each Editorial Board meeting. They are represented as being the opinions of the Board as a whole, although drawn by individuals, and not the Bentley community.

editorial

GB 320 is not quite there yet With all of the new changes that have occurred to the General Business (GB) core, one of the most anticipated was the restructuring of GB 301. The course was often seen as one of the most time-consuming and intensive courses at Bentley, and was dreaded by most. The arrival of the new GB system did a lot to ease the workload students had by spreading out the material throughout a few different courses. What remains of the original course, the business plan project, is now known as GB 320. Although many changes have been made, the class simply devoted to the project part of GB 301 still has its issues. Some of these are due to the nature of the course, while others are less easily controlled. For starters, the separation of the different parts of GB 301 into various other business courses still left some material covered in the original class unaccounted for. This has now been thrown into GB 320 to make sure that students are learning it at some point. The biggest issue with this is that not only are students learning material that is not necessarily relevant to the projects they are doing, but

also, this takes away from the time that could be used to work on their business plans. Additionally, class time is spent learning the marketing and operations tools necessary to complete the plans, which is the purpose of the new GB 214 course. This, again, is time that could be better spent working on the project, as opposed to students learning what they should have already been taught. Another issue that has come up is the lack of companies that are participating in the course. This semester, there are six classes working on business plans for one company. This equals close to 28 groups or around 200 students all working with this one company. This will make it much more difficult for students to interact with their assigned business, a very crucial factor in producing a quality plan and getting the most out of the GB 320 experience. And finally, one of the biggest flaws that GB 320 faces is the variability in the projects themselves. Each company has different needs and goals, and these have a big effect on the experience that students have. One of the major goals of the GB

curriculum is to give students the same basic business knowledge; hence the standardization in courses such as GB 112, 212 and 310. However, due to the drastic differences in each project, students in different GB 320 sections have very different experiences. For example, last semester there were two companies that participated in GB 320. One was an established lawn care company looking to expand, and another was a reusable gift bag startup that only had a name and a product idea. The students in these two sections had very different projects, and therefore, they came away with very different skills and experiences. Although this is a problem that cannot be fixed easily, it exists nonetheless. Yes, GB 320 is still in its initial phases, but many of the issues that were supposed to be eliminated in the restructuring of the GB core still exist. It is definitely a crucial and central class at Bentley, but there are flaws that can, and should be fixed to lighten the burden the course puts on students. But in the meantime, students, prepare yourselves for a difficult and time-consuming ride.

Publication information

“If we did go down the road of introducing elephants to Australia, we had better develop the technology to clone saber-toothed tigers to eventually control the elephants.” -Rickey Spencer of the University of Western Sydney, on the idea to import elephants and other foreign species to deal with ecological issues “You only have to look around our society and everything he wrote about in the 1840s is still relevant — the great gulf between the rich and poor, corrupt financiers, you name it, he said it.” -Claire Tomalin Charles Dickens' biographer, marking the bicentennial of the author

The Vanguard is the student newspaper of Bentley University. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the University administration; Bentley University is not responsible for statements herein. The Vanguard is published every Thursday of the academic year, excluding examination periods and holiday breaks. It is distributed free to all students, faculty, and staff of Bentley University. The Vanguard is funded in part by the Student Activity Fee, but relies on advertising revenue to cover the majority of its costs. Advertising rates are available upon request at (781) 891-3497. Circulation is 4,000 copies. We reserve the right to refuse an advertisement; only publication of an ad constitutes final acceptance of the offer to advertise. We reserve the right to edit all copy for grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, libel and length. The Vanguard Office is located on the third floor of the Student Center, inside the Bentley Bubble office complex. Mailing address: The Vanguard, Bentley University, 310M1 Student Center, 385 Beaver Street, Waltham, MA 02452. Phone: (781) 891-2912. E-mail: GA_Vanguard@bentley.edu

Disclaimer: The opinions published in The Vanguard are submitted by readers of the newspaper, and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Vanguard and its staff. We are not able to print any letters submitted anonymously.

CAmPuS Life

the Vanguard

february 9, 2012

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New Service Learning program connects Bentley and Afghan students By Rachel Wang Vanguard Staff

Instead of traveling to a local school to tutor students for Service Learning, the Pax Populi program allows you to use Skype and connect with someone halfway across the world in Afghanistan. The term Pax Populi means the peace of the people. Because education and economic development are both important factors in deterring violence, this program serves to educate the new generation of Afghans in order for them to bring peace to their own country. The country of Afghanistan has been in a constant state of war and turmoil for more than 30 years and for people that live thousands of miles away from those conditions, it is often impossible for us to comprehend what a situation like that is like. Dr. Robert E. McNulty, director of programs at Bentley’s Center for Business Ethics, looked at these circumstances with a more optimistic outlook and began his work in establishing a non-profit educational program called Pax Populi. This program is dedicated to teaching the English language

to young Afghan students via Skype in order to “give [them] a tool that has enormous economic benefit. Growing up in a state of ongoing war, there is an incredible sense of isolation, but with [Pax Populi] we are connecting them to an outside world that has an interest in them.” McNulty went on to explain that when these Afghans are virtually sitting across from an American student, they see a college-educated adult that has a sense of confidence; something very different than what they are used to. This alone gives them enough hope for new opportunities that they will continue to pursue their education. When asked how this out-ofthe-box idea came to be, McNulty explained that living a relatively international life, one’s eyes are opened to both positive and negative circumstances in other countries. “If you look around the country, there are all these people that carry peace signs… but if you ask them what they’re doing for peace, they aren’t really doing anything.” Instead of solely talking about the devastating situations in countries around the world that are suffering because of war, he decided to

The program hopes to expand beyond the provinces of Bamiyan and Kabul.

Courtesy of kabul.diplo.de

take action and so, Pax Populi was born. Pax Populi was introduced to Bentley in September of 2010 with help from the Service Learning Center and five English speaking tutors. For Junzhi Ma, a junior at Bentley studying Finance, this program offered an opportunity to try something new and continue with his dedication to service learning. Last semester, he was paired up with a 17-year-old girl who attends the school SOLA in Afghanistan and was immediately struck by how well she spoke English. This enabled him to conduct more open-ended discussion based tutoring sessions, while she enhanced her reading and writing skills through Skype chat. Resources such as writing prompts are provided to tutors beforehand, but students have the freedom to chat about everything from cultural differences to current events. This allows the American student to bond more personally with the Afghan student, promoting a sense of peace between the two cultures. Junzhi noted that because his mentee had extremely limited internet access, she would have to commute to an inter-

Bentley students tutor Afghan students via Skype with the Pax Populi program.

net café after school in order to make her tutoring sessions, and rolling blackouts would serve to complicate communication between the two even further. The dedication put forth by the students in Afghanistan in order to pursue their education through Pax Populi is nothing short of inspirational. For the future of this program, McNulty has been working hard to create an official Pax Populi organization in

Courtesy of kabul.diplo.de

order to hold a stronger presence on campus and build a foundation for years to come. The program has been impacting two schools in the provinces of Bamiyan and Kabul for two years now, but the Pax Populi staff has high hopes in terms of reaching out to a variety of communities. With tutor-mentee relationships already established in countries like Korea, Saudi Arabia and France, this program is just beginning to grow.

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fEbRUARy 9, 2012

NewS & CamPuS LIfe

THE VANGUARD

Prestigious honor society gearing up to recognize new inductees

BGS is an international honor society for exceptional business students.

By Brenna O’Connell CAmpUs LifE EDiToR Beta Gamma Sigma is an honor society whose invitation for induction is touted as the highest honor a business student can receive anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, here on Bentley’s campus, few know the magnitude of this invitation. Each year, invitations to Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) are sent out to the top 5 percent of the junior class, 10 percent of the senior class, and 15 percent of graduate class. Based on the sheer statistics alone, one can see the prestige. However, many

of the eligible students decline the invitation. Senior April Gammal, Vice President of BGS, is making it her mission to give BGS the respect it deserves. “I just want to get more people to know about it… that if [they] get inducted what that means,” she explains. Gammal recently went to a national conference, where she heard other AACSBaccredited universities’ take on the invitation process. At some schools, it is such a respected organization that the students get personally invited by professors during class. This serves dual purposes: students rarely decline and

that way, and especially if you put in reasons. It will try to see, OK, is there reason for why that’s true? Originally, the software had been designed to be directed by the students. Thus, students input their desired math actions and the software would do it for them. This would prevent them from doing illegal or incorrect operations. However, the students in Professor Carter’s logic class found that while helpful, it was also too easy and after a while students just started plugging and chugging to see what worked. Hence, the shift to the current design, which forces students to do all the work and then allows the software to check to see if there is a mistake. Professor Richard Cleary, the former chair of the Mathematics Department at Bentley, further explained that, “Lurch is meant to check a student’s logical progression through a problem. This is easiest to imagine in a ‘pure math’ setting like geometry or logic. However, even at Bentley where most of our courses are applied, students studying mathematics have to know if the sequence of steps they are taking to solve a problem is reasonable. Lurch has a lot of potential to help demysti-

notoriety around campus grows. Undergraduate students there aspire to become one of those selective few, singled out in class for their academic performance. And that is the type of respect they deserve here on campus. Founded in 1913, Beta Gamma Sigma is serving accredited business programs at 500 colleges in the country and 19 countries internationally. Over 650,000 members have been inducted since its inception. These alumni serve in all different industries at various levels of responsibility, creating an amazing network. With 24 alumni chapters

attendance to celebrate. With president and faculty advisor Andy Aylesworth leading the ceremony, the night should prove to be a great and proud moment in many students’ and parents’ lives. Undergraduate students – through hard work and superior academic performance, you too may be invited to join this prestigious community.

If you are a superior student academically, you may be invited to the society.

Courtesy of bgsstore.org

BOOKS

CARTER Continued from Page 1

Courtesy of gmu.edu

around the world, membership comes with its benefits. Discounts and perks are granted to lifelong members, which include discounted rates for professional newspapers and journals, insurance offers, and professional clothiers (including Brooks Brothers, Joseph A. Bank, and Macy’s). This year’s induction is Friday, March 30, and families and friends will be in

fy the problem solving process.” In order to finance Lurch, Carter applied for the National Science Foundation’s Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement Program grant. There are three phases of grants for this program; the first for starting and testing a new idea/concept, the second to broaden it, and the third to expand its availability nationally. Carter’s award grant is of the first phase and is financed for four years, in the amount of $130,000. This is the fourth year, and the latest version of Lurch is anticipated to be released in mid-February of 2012. Lurch is licensed as an open source code, meaning that it can be adapted by other individuals to suit their needs, but because it’s open source, any adaptations made to Lurch as well as the original Lurch will remain free to the public. For more information about Lurch, visit lurch.sourceforge.net/. Professor Lucia Kimball, current chair of the Mathematics Department at Bentley, summarized that Lurch is “a really exciting project. It’s a great tool for helping students learn math and it’s very different than anything out there.” It “gives us the opportunity to do some different things in our classes.”

Looking back on the shortage of books, Cury said, “While this was not an ideal situation, the entire Bentley campus community has been supportive and understanding.” The regional manager shared her plan for moving ahead, “We are reviewing all of our processes, timelines, and communications to ensure

we have all the resources and training necessary to prevent this from happening in the future.” Cury was also very apologetic to those students who were affected by the book shortage, “we regret that we had some classes where we failed to provide course materials at the start of classes.” On behalf of B & N College, Cury said, “We have proudly

The bookstore’s shortage of shipments was a major issue this semester.

served the Bentley University campus for over 25 years.” Throughout all those years, there has never been a shortage of books as serious as this spring semester. As for the future, Cury concluded, “We are committed to resolving any issues and working collaboratively with the Bentley campus community going forward.”

Tim Avrutik/THE VANGUARD

BusinEss

the Vanguard

FeBruary 9, 2012

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Mark Zuckerberg: Soon-to-be America’s largest taxpayer

The Wall Street Journal predicts that Zuckerberg will pay $2 billion in taxes on the nearly $6 billion gain from stock sales.

By Jasper Huang Business editor Facebook’s soon-to-be public status is no small news. In its IPO registration statement to the SEC, the company values itself at, a hoped for, $100 billion. However, the company’s projected value and all other standard IPO information is not all to be found within the Facebook registration statement. Within Facebook’s IPO, the company reveals some-

thing unexpected. “We expect that substantially all of the net proceeds Mr. Zuckerberg will receive upon such sale will be used to satisfy taxes that he will incur upon his exercise of an outstanding stock option to purchase 120,000,000 shares of our Class B common stock.” Zuckerberg received the aforementioned 120 million options for being CEO and head honcho of Facebook in 2005. Because the options will be treated as standard income (though $6 billion is

Courtesy of the csmonitor.com

hardly standard), Mr. Zuckerberg will have to pay income tax at a Federal rate of 35 percent. According to some quick math done by Robert Frank of The Wall Street Journal: Wealth Report, “The cost basis for those options is six cents a share, so if the company is valued at $100 billion, and the shares are valued at around $50 each, [Zuckerberg’s] gain from the sale would be up to $6 billion. Taxed at 35%, the tax bill would be more than $2

billion.” The Financial Times projects a more slightly more modest tax bill of $1.5 billion. Zuckerberg’s newly projected tax bill provides important opposition to the widespread debate that the rich pay lower taxes than middle and lower class Americans, a point brought up by Berkshire Hathaway CEO and investment magnate, Warren Buffet, last August. Buffet wrote an article titled “Stop Coddling the Super-Rich” in which he discusses how the rich are given extraordinary tax breaks “while the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet.” The income gap that has been growing between the wealthy and the middle class in the United States has been subject to much debate over the past decade, and even before that. In his article, Buffet mentions that since 1992, the IRS collected data from the 400 Americans bringing in the greatest incomes. The 400 had a total income of $16.9 billion that could be taxed, and they paid 29.2 percent on that sum ($4.93 billion). He goes on to say that the

same data collected again in 2008 showed that the total taxable income of the top 400 had climbed to an astronomical $90.9 billion, but that the taxable rate had fallen to 21.5 percent on that sum ($19.4 billion). $19.4 billion divided amongst the wealthiest 400 means an average income tax of about $48.7 million, a startlingly low amount relative to their average incomes of $227.4 million. Warren Buffet stated that “my friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice.” Though it is undeniable that America’s income gap is growing at an alarming rate, it would be wrong to point fingers at all of our wealthy individuals and say that they are not contributing their part to our ailing economy. Zuckerberg is the perfect example. With his estimated $2 billion income tax this year, he is paying an income tax equal to 41 of the wealthiest 400. Warren Buffet’s statement may be true for “professional investors and private-equity chiefs, but not for dot-commers and many entrepreneurs.”

Recently extended near-zero interest rate policy harming economy By Jasper Huang Business editor It has been 37 months since the Fed stepped in to oversee and manipulate the free-market system of the U.S. 37 months since the Fed’s nearzero interest rate policy has been implemented. The ultimate question now is if the policy is working, or is it doing more harm than good? The Fed recently voted to extend the near-zero interest rate policy into the foreseeable future, yet business and consumer loans have not seen

any dramatic increases (the hopeful result of the policy). The lack of growth in loans is likely due to the fact that businesses and consumers see no rush to take out loans when this near-zero interest rate policy is still going to continue for many years. “The Fed has removed the last shred of possibility that interest rates were going to revert to normal in the near future,” said Christopher Carrol, a Johns Hopkins University economics professor. To justify the near-zero

Ben Bernanke claims the near-zero policy helps do no harm.

Courtesy of washingtonpost.com

interest rate policy, Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke, said in a recent statement that U.S. fiscal policy should first focus on doing no harm, then, focus on helping the economy recover. However, the policy that initially did no harm by promoting loans is now harming our economy. This policy has resulted in an enormous rise in liquidity in banks all across America, but none of it is being put to use. There is plenty of capital currently in the banking system, but nobody asking to loan it out. Why would consumers and businesses take the risk of borrowing that money today when the low cost money, courtesy of the near-zero interest rate policy, will still be there tomorrow? Although it was not the intention of the Fed, conservative investors, such as retirees, those near retirement, insurance companies, and others are now presented with a tough choice. These individuals and businesses must either move into riskier investing environments, or deal with the consequences of coming up short on low-risk investments which are no longer providing sufficient returns due to the near-zero interest rate. Since the crash of late

The FED recently voted to extend the near-zero interest rate policy.

2008, the Fed held short term interest rates at near zero in order to spur economic growth and to help the ailing housing market. Yet, one unintended side effect of that policy is the reduced returns on savings accounts and other low-risk investments. Compared with the peak of $1.42 trillion in 2008 prior to the crash, these reduced returns are extremely obvious when the interest incomes from CD accounts, savings accounts, insurance products, and other sources amounted to $976 billion in

Courtesy of libertyforlife.com

the fourth quarter of 2011, down nearly 33 percent. The U.S. economy doesn’t need the life support of the near-zero policy anymore. A patient needs to get up and move in order to get better. In short, the Fed is now doing more harm than good. An interest policy that does not allow businesses and individuals to get the investment returns they need, and makes banks so wary to loan except to those whose credit is so strong they don’t need loans, is hardly what the economy needs right now.

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February 9, 2012

FeAtures

the Vanguard

The 84th Academy Awards: A preview

VoiCes

By Mike Lovett Features editor

“What’s your favorite class and why?”

siv Liu CLAss oF 2013 MANAgeriAL eCoNoMiCs “International Relations because I’m a political junkie and I like debates. (Shoutout to Helene & Vicki!)”

NiChoLAs Lee CLAss oF 2012 MANAgeriAL eCoNoMiCs “Shakespearean Film because it was a departure from business. The class helped even the liberal arts part of the ‘spectrum’ of my studies.”

KriseL LuLA CLAss oF 2012 eCoNoMiCs-FiNANCe “Economics of the European Union. Professor Michael Quinn is a great guy. Unfortunately, he won’t be teaching undergrads anymore and if I had a time machine, I’d use it to take more of his classes.”

JehoshAphut AMArderWiLLiNgtoN CLAss oF 2012 ACCouNtANCy “Chinese- At first I thought it would be difficult to learn, but professor Lee Yuan was very patient and extremely helpful. He really helped me excel in the class and I went on to take as many Chinese classes as I could.”

You know those trailers and commercials for movies that say “Academy Award nominated Blah Blah gives his/her best performance in this masterpiece?” Annoying, right? Fortunately, all of those end on February 26 at 7 p.m. when the 84th Oscars airs. Unfortunately, the Academy Awards will only create new commercials that say “Oscar winner Blah Blah gives his/her best performance in this masterpiece.” Am I the only one who thinks it’s weird that the Oscars gets two nicknames? If you’re looking for a one stop destination to who is going to take home the golden man, strap in kiddies because this will give you the rundown of who I think has it; so this has little to no credibility whatsoever. Ok, these first two I am a little biased about. I read through the nominations and found two that were no brainers. Let’s start out with a hot category: Visual Effects. The favorites include Harry Potter and Hugo. For this one I am going with a dark horse, or in this case, ape. I don’t know if you saw Planet of the Apes, but it was awesome. And because Andy Serkis was tragically denied a nomination, Visual Effects will have to suffice. Hollywood might pick Hugo, though. Next is Original Musical Song. I chose this one because there are only two nominees so I like my chances. Here we have “Man or a Muppet” from The Muppets and “Real in Rio” from Rio. The Muppets cradled America in it’s warm arms in theatres, and if it doesn’t win then the Academy has no soul. Hollywood might actually agree on this one. The nomination for Actor in a Leading role is interesting because it is probably the most

Billy Crystal will host the award ceremony once again.

handsome it has ever been. It pits (sorry) Brad Pitt against George Clooney as well as Gary Oldman and two actors I have never heard of. My pick is Clooney, the man has not aged since the age of 25 and his movie is up for best film. Hollywood pick: Clooney. In all seriousness, the nomination for Leading Actress is one of the most star-studded in recent memory. Veterans Meryl Streep, Glenn Close and Michelle Williams are joined by newcomers Rooney Mara and Viola Davis who received much deserved hype for their work. My pick is Streep because after she played the Iron Lady I am terrified of her ever thinking she would lose. I hope for its sake Hollywood agrees. Alright, here is a rundown of the rest of my picks. I would like to reiterate that these are gut picks so they have no merit whatsoever. I won’t include the Hollywood picks because they don’t matter. Actor in a Supporting Role: Jonah Hill. Actress in a Supporting Role: Melissa McCarthy. For Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants.

Courtesy of wnypapers.com

Best Original Screenplay: Bridesmaids. The Descendants was co-written with Jim Rash of Community and Bridesmaids was co-written by Kristen Wiig. I mean, come on. For best directing, I have The Descendants once again because Alexander Payne is a genius and I want to get at least one of these right. There are a bunch of other categories but “I have neither the time nor the inclination” to look at them. The most important of them all though is Best Picture. This one is tricky. Part of me thinks it will go to The Artist but frankly a movie without any words belongs in the first Oscars not the 84th. So with that one eliminated I will again go with The Descendants. With nominees for Best Director, leading actor and best screenplay I feel confident. So there you have it folks, the 84th Oscars in a nutshell. I put my winning percentage somewhere around twelve but I like to think optimistically. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the show. It is going to be the last one after all.

BriAN CroWeLL CLAss oF 2015 FiNANCe “Sociology because of the professor and the service learning, which has been a great experience.”

By Kevin du PhotograPhy staFF

ABC will broadcast the Oscars live at 7 p.m. on February 26.

Courtesy of filmofilia.com

FeaTuRes

the Vanguard

Romance joins the clouds in the air By Mike Lovett Features editor

It soothes the nostrils, doesn’t it? That sweet aroma is the intoxicating combination of chocolates, flowers, and teddy bears that can only mean we are nearing Cupid’s birthday. That’s what Valentine’s Day is, right? At any rate, Valentine’s Day brings with it an assortment of obligations for those in a relationship and a day of resentment for those who are not. If you belong to the latter, there’s always next year or if you would prefer, congratulations. If you are in a relationship and especially if you have no idea what you are going to do for Valentine’s Day, you’re in luck, because this may help you. Though, if it doesn’t, The Vanguard is in no way responsible; it’s your own fault. Boston plays host to an inedible arrangement of special events. Here is a list of some of them. They are priced highest to lowest. For our high rollers, we have the Top of the Hub’s Valentine’s celebration. This romantic dinner option gives you the chance to look into the eyes of your loved one from the top of the Prudential Tower. Complete with a special menu for the special day, as well as a special price of $125. Next, there is the 5 Days of Luv’n brought to you by The Beehive. The Hive, as I just decided to call it, is a bar and eatery that will feature live jazz and special performers from the 10-14. You know what they say, why have only one Valentine’s Day when you can have five of them? Alright as promised here is a quick break for all you

February 9, 2012

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VoiCes “What foods do you eat uniquely?”

HeLia azaRakHsH cLass oF 2014 econoMics Finance “I eat the inside of Oreos first, then the cookies.”

Flirt Fest is the perfect event if you’re single and ready to mingle.

single readers. Get ready for the hottest singles event in the Boston area this Valentine’s Day: Flirt Fest 2012. This anti-Valentine’s celebration will be celebrated at the Bell in Hand and will award cash prizes for best flirt and best and worst pickup lines. So whether you are single for Valentine’s Day out of choice or not, Flirt Fest is the place for you. And we’re back. Looking to not remember Valentine’s Day and donate to charity in the process? Well, good news for you; you can do just that with this year’s V-Day Weekend Cupid’s Challenge. Cupid’s Challenge is a 16 bar pub crawl where all proceeds go to the Hattie B. Cooper Community Center. Clothing of a red, pink, or black variety is encouraged. I know what you’re thinking and I am a little confused by

Courtesy of yapclub.com

the black too but I don’t make the rules. And finally if your Valentine’s Day was a complete and utter failure or at the very least chocolate-less, the State House has just the thing. On the 17th, the State House will host a Revolutionary Chocolate sample gallery of some good old chocolate. Literally. They will be making the chocolate using 18th century methods but at $7 it is a bargain. So there you are lovebirds, your quick and easy guide to survive Cupid’s holiday. If you hated these ideas, just go buy some roses. I hear they are $73 more and infinitely less chocolaty than Revolutionary Chocolate. All of these events and even a few more can be found at boston.about.com/od/events/a/ ValentinesEvents. All details are included so that you don’t miss a thing.

Mik JanakieV & Dan Miko cLass oF 2014 Finance (BoTH) “Victory - we eat too much of it.”

Mike MagLio cLass oF 2012 ManageMenT “I fold my pizza in half before I eat. It’s a NY thing.”

RusuLenni casTRo cLass oF 2013 cFa “I mix honey mustard, ketchup, and BBQ sauce and use that as my sauce for french fries.”

WiLL Jackson cLass oF 2015 ManageMenT “I like to eat cereal out of a coffee mug.”

The Top of the Hub and The Beehive are two unique Valentine’s Day dining options.

Courtesy of boston.com and beehiveboston.com

By amanda Dicristoforo PhotograPhy staFF

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February 9, 2012

FeAtures

the Vanguard

First random periodical entertainment news roundup By Mike Lovett Features editor

Good morning, afternoon or evening everybody and welcome to the first random entertainment news roundup of the year. We are only a few weeks into 2012 and already this final year has hit the ground running. We begin with television. Smash debuted on Monday, NBC hopes you watched it. In other musical television news, Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl is working with comedian Dana Gould to bring a Rock Band comedy to FX. The show is in its infancy but with FX nurturing it, it seems promising. The Office is propsing a spinoff starring Rainn Wilson. It will focus on his character Dwight and his beet farm. Wilson describes it as “even more far out than The Office. I can’t wait either. With Mindy Kaling who plays the loveable Kelly

Kapur likely leaving the show soon too, the show’s future gets cloudier. On the topic of spinoffs, America and more specifically Hoboken, New Jersey dodged a bullet when a reality show idea from Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Jenni “Jwoww” Farley was denied for “safety and quality of life” reasons. It was just going to be a show about them doing stuff so I understand the reasoning. If you like Modern Family, you might like this next part. The creator of Modern Family, Steven Levitan, is in the production of another show this time for Fox. Levitan has played a very vital role in Modern Family’s success and it wouldn’t be bad for TV if he did something like that again. And finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t include a congrats to David Letterman who last year celebrated 30 years on late night TV.

David Letterman recently celebrated 30 years on late night television.

Greg Maloomian, class of 2007, is a competitive eater. Nicknamed “The Great Moomsi,” he guest starred on the Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food season finale.

Al Pacino is slated to supply the voice for the villian in Despicable Me 2.

Courtesy of typepad.com

Congrats Dave, you are one of the greats. Now, we move to the inflated screen. Wondering what the most expensive movie might be? Well, it will be the next Avatar film, which is rumored to be shot in New Zealand. It will likely be filmed in the Wairarapa Region on the 2,500 acres of New Zealand soil that James Cameron just purchased for $16.7 million. How are everyone’s loans doing? Harry Potter alum Emma Watson is looking into her first post-Hogwarts production. She might be teaming up with David Yates who happened to direct the last four Potter films. The film is called Your Voice in My Head and it focuses on Watson as a suicidal girl who must be saved by

Courtesy of starnewsonline.com

a psychiatrist. So don’t expect Hermione Granger. In other sweet actress going psychotic in a movie news, Katherine Heigl has signed on to star in Face Blind as a psychiatrist, who will lose the ability to recognize people and goes insane when she thinks one of her patients is stalking her. It sounds a tad darker than Grey’s Anatomy. I saved the best for last. Al Pacino has signed on to voice the villain in Despicable Me 2. Let that sentence sink in, because I don’t know what else to say about that. Obviously, there are thousands of other things going on in Hollywood on a daily basis but these are the highlights. If you’re nice I’ll come back in a few weeks with more updates. In the meantime 318 more days of life!

CoLuMNs

the Vanguard

Notes from Abroad Question: “describe an experience in which you overcame a challenge in your host country. What did you learn?” By Lauren Davis manChester, england

The biggest hurdle I’ve had to overcome while being in Manchester has been becoming familiar with my new environment and learning the ways of life in England. When arriving in Manchester, I really didn’t know what to expect. I felt as though I was backtracking three years and starting college all over again. I was about to make a whole bunch of new friends, live in an unfamiliar environment, and take classes at a new school unsure of how hard they would be or if I was even capable of passing them. Arriving at my new residence, I was exhausted and ready to turn right around and hop on the next plane back to Boston. I was homesick, had no phone to communicate with anyone and not sure if could handle

By Jessica Giunta FlorenCe, Italy

While preparing to study abroad in Florence, I tried to think of all the challenges I would have to overcome: Being in a new city, eating dinner at 10 p.m. and not knowing how to communicate well with the locals. By far, the biggest challenge for me was finding my way around the city. I am the kind of person that can be characterized as “directionally challenged” and I have struggled with it. When I was home and became lost or disoriented, I would almost immediately call my mother, as she has a keen sense of direction, and

being away from my family, friends and boyfriend for the next five months. After attempting to settle in for an hour or so, I emailed my mom in a panic begging her to Skype with me ASAP. Once I explained my concerns, she told me

something similar to what she had said three years prior when I first went to Bentley; a week later from that moment I would look back and laugh. She was right. Once I learned my way around, got all of my classes in order and made my room feel a little more like home, I learned to relax and enjoy the fact that I would be travelling all over Europe and have the experience of a lifetime! I realize now that we get so comfortable in our ways that it’s hard to adjust to any sort of change. I learned its best to just go with the flow and to put things into perspective. If you are too focused on the little things, you will miss the bigger picture!

Manchester is well known for its art, commerce and education.

I’d have her get me back on the right road. However, I do not have that luxury here. By living in Florence, I stopped using my mother as a crutch and have tried to work on my issues with directions. Florence is a good city for just that. Since I walk everywhere, I have time to slow down and take in my surroundings, which enables me to notice important landmarks, statues, and street names. I still get lost in Florence, but generally, if I keep walking, I will find something familiar and will be able to get to my destination on my own. If not, the storekeepers are tourist-friendly and will help get me back on track.

Finding one’s way in a city like Florence takes some getting used to.

Courtesy of blog.travelpod.com

Courtesy of ukbestguide.com

By Brady Del Pozzo Brussels, BelgIum

As I mentioned in my last blurb, people in Belgium are extremely reliant on mass transportation. This is something that is new to me, as growing up in a suburb of New York meant I relied on cars, not buses and trams. Last Monday, there was a nationwide strike for all mass transit employees. While most business and companies gave their employees the day off, my school did not. Since taxis were almost impossible to track down, I was forced to

FeBruary 9, 2012

By Chris Bruce gold Coast. australIa

Waking up at 4:30 a.m. is never a treat for anyone. But, sometimes, it is worth it. The Gold Coast of Australia has been hit hard with El Niño rain since I landed in early January. But, on this morning, we got a small break from the weather, so a few friends and I cruised up to Burleigh Heads Beach to watch the sunrise. We got there and ran up the side of a heavily vegetated path leading to the lookout point in the photograph below. It was one of those “eureka” moments and was one which

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we all knew we would be unforgettable. Watching that orange sun peek over the horizon and feeling that warm, salty breeze in my face at 5 a.m. was one of the greatest feelings of my entire life. Seeing the perfect sets of waves smashing hard against the rocks below gives you a sense of peace. Australians have a saying: “Celebrate the ordinary,” and on that day, I think we did. Life down under cannot be summed up in a paragraph, but I encourage anyone with a strong sense of adventure to put this place on their bucket list.

Above is a picture of Burleigh Heads Beach.

Courtesy of Chris Bruce

walk 90 minutes each way to class. While in the grand scheme of things, I realize that my problems are minimal to that of others, but it was inconvenient to say the least. Mass transit is not only completely unavailable at times, but it is also often unreliable as well. Trains scheduled to depart at 8:10 will depart five minutes before or after that time. If you’re five minutes too late or early, you’ll either be waiting longer for a train or will have already completely missed it. I had an internship inter-

view last week that I missed because the train came 15 minutes early instead of its intended time. Had I been in the U.S., I would have had a car and would have made the interview. However, here you must work with “flexible” transportation methods and lots of people who don’t speak English and therefore aren’t too helpful with directions. Other than that and the occasional pick pocket, I’m enjoying Belgium thus far. I would recommend it to anyone who loves chocolate. And of course, beer.

Public transportation is somewhat unreliable in Brussels, either coming early, late or not at all.

Courtesy of flickr.com

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COLuMNS

February 9, 2012

HorosCopes By Vanguard Staff

Aries (March 21-April 19)

In making changes, try not to simply make a bigger mess. Well, if you do, while being creative, also clean it up.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

The more you learn, the more excited you’ll become. You’re gaining independence as well as practical skills.

Gemini (May 21-June 21)

Don’t be afraid to work hard, and stretch your imagination. It’s a good, and profitable, habit to acquire.

Cancer (June 22-July 22)

For the next several weeks, it’s easy to take long flights of fantasy. Take along friends and loved ones, by sharing your stories.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

Emotions are gaining energy, the facts don’t seem to matter. If you’re trying to convince people for the next few weeks, remember that.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Your friends are there to lend a hand. Together, you can solve a puzzle that’s had you baffled. This is good.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

The more you take care of others, the more they’ll take care of you. They might even make you rich beyond your wildest dreams.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

You’ll find it easier to relax for the next few weeks. So, start working more private time into your busy schedule.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Your subconscious mind is taking over a lot of your regular chores. In other words, you can do them now while thinking about something else.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Somebody you care about very much has been relentlessly pestering. Offer more attention, and possibly something in chocolate.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Amazingly, with an increase in work comes an increase in cash. It doesn’t always work that way, as you well know.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

You’ll find it easier, for the next few weeks, to communicate your thoughts. Get them down in writing; you’re a natural storyteller.

April’s Advice

Your Questions Answered! Question: I am thinking about getting a tattoo. What do you think? If you asked my friend Julie this question, she would say the answer is a no-brainer. She would say, “YES, don’t even think twice, go for it!” However, if you asked my other friend Christine what she thought, she would say, “Um, I don’t think so. You better think more than twice about that one.” Here are my thoughts on the situation and factors you should consider: Location, Location, Location Where is this potential permanent ink mark going to be? Since you’re at a business school, I will venture a guess that you want to work in the business world. Having a tattoo on your face, neck, or arms may not be the best idea. Remember, you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Take time to think it over Once you are convinced that you really want this tattoo, wait two years and if you still want it, then go for it. At least it will give you some time to really determine if this is something you want and to make sure you were not jumping into something too quickly. Just because you’re madly in love at the moment

THe Vanguard

By April Gammal

with some beautiful looking girl named Elizabeth who promises to be with you forever, does not mean you need to tattoo her name into your arm. If you took the two years to think it through, you may find that you’ve already moved on to your fourth girlfriend and are so glad that name isn’t on your arm – just ruins your game, you know? Or, at the very least, it limits your social life to girls with the name Elizabeth. Which one, which one? Even though your best friend dares you to get a naked lady tattooed to your arm because it would be so cool, doesn’t mean it’s a great idea. Think about what you want on yourself and would it be appropriate for your future kids to look at when you’re telling them they should make good decisions in life. You better have a good reason Maybe you’re hopelessly in love or someone close to you passed away. Maybe everyone else is getting one so you should too. Maybe you’ve always been the small guy and think it will make you look gangster and tough. This goes back to the “time” reason. Take time to think it over before you make a decision. I know in the heat of

Carefully consider the location and the design before getting a tattoo.

the moment you may feel like this is something you really want to do or need to do, but it may be because you feel devastated, ecstatic, forced, or passionately in love. Give yourself time to think it over and then decide if you think you have a good enough reason to mark yourself forever. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction Consequences come with every decision. First, you are dragging a needle through your skin. Talk about ouch. Second, last time I checked, tattoos are not cheap. Do you have the money? Would you rather spend it on a tattoo or a brand new Coach bag or pair of Oakley’s?

Third, infection is possible. Be prepared for any disease you could get from a needle. To the future and beyond I once met an old lady in an elevator who was speaking to me about tattoos (and no I do not have one) and she told me that what starts up will come half way down your body by the time a kid is her age, and that kids, is not attractive. Not to mention, that heart (that you thought was so symbolic at age 22) tattooed on your chest will look like a deflated balloon when you’re 60. So with all of that said, the ultimate decision is yours. Be sure to really think it through before you let some someone mark you forever.

Scratching the Surface: Bentley Needs to Get Serious Every article written for this column has concentrated on political, social, economic or fiscal issues, all on the national level. This time, I want to put the spotlight on Bentley, since there are many problems that need to be addressed on the administrative level. We have three major problems that I’ve noticed since I started here in the Fall of 2010: The name, the number and the cost. Bentley’s name issue began when it changed from “college” to “university.” We aren’t a “university” and we don’t deserve to be called one. Yes, the school did meet the Board of Education’s requirements to get the label by expanding into masters and liberal arts programs more extensively. This all deserves its due credit; however, consider how the program is designed. Bentley’s liberal arts programs are best represented through the LSM major that so many students now attain upon graduation. I have no doubt that matching a business major with an LSM makes better, wellrounded business leaders. Despite this strength, it also gives the false impression that Bentley is serious about its liberal arts program. The entire arts program was created to prop up the business degree rather than serving an independent cause of educating students in the arts. In this sense,

we are still a business college and should be so called accordingly. Even for those few students who are registered in a strictly liberal arts program, Career Services is useless in helping them in their goals or preparing them for jobs. Greater strides should be made to expand the liberal arts program, and also increase non-business career opportunities accordingly. Of course, I think that everyone should stick to what they are good at, but that means we should stop priding our “university” status, and move back to the specific business college that we really are. It is either or, and we have no choice in between. The second problem is the number. Bentley touts its misleading 99-percent job placement rating. I’ve inquired more about the details of the number several times, and Career Services and other Bentley administrators have been eager to explain much about the stat. Out of the 99 percent, 78 percent of graduates gained employment after graduation; 21 percent attended grad school. These numbers don’t represent 99 percent of all Bentley alumni; rather, they represent only the respondents to the survey. As it is right now, 78 percent of graduates could have taken their Bentley degrees and gone to work at minimum wage at McDonalds; here is the problem.

Career Services does release a convenient short mention of top companies where alumni are hired, but that isn’t the full story; there needs to be greater clarity about that 78 percent. Finally, we all know Bentley’s cost problem. Bentley has a low endowment fund of nearly $200 million, bad alumni donation rate and sad applicant pool prospects over the next 5-10 years. Bentley is in a rough spot given its current and future financial outlook. I suggested to Dean Shepardson that the school crowd source a solution by holding a business case competition specifically tailored to addressing its own financial situation. Of course, Bentley and Dean Shepardson are in tough positions when trying to balance the interests of all stakeholders of the school. The suggestion was politely rejected in two phases: First, Bentley had its own experts from its board to its president and more; second, the dean didn’t know how to organize such a thing. In a world where the Gates Foundation and Facebook crowd source business strategies to the public through competitions, Bentley falls behind in creativity. These organizations are dealing with budgets in the billions and addressing global problems; the very small school of Bentley

Courtesy of yelp.com

By Moussa Hassoun

isn’t. Crowdsourcing is a free, innovative way to address problems for institutions and anyone that doesn’t take advantage of their greatest assets (the students) will fall behind. I hope the dean and president see it this way and contact SGA or relevant departments to make this happen. I see an administration riding the wave, rather than redirecting it. These problems won’t seriously impact you and I, because by then, we’ll have graduated; however, it will impact classes to come. For their sake, let’s hope things change for the better. Statements and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and are not necessarily the opinions and views of The Vanguard and/or staff members. We do accept Letters to the Editor in response to a Vanguard piece or campus issue from campus stakeholders (students, staff, faculty, alumni, and trustees). These submissions must be sent through e-mail to our ga_vanguard@bentley.edu account as a MS Word document, less than 600 words in length and be received by 5 p.m. on Monday for the following Thursday’s edition.

ColumnS

The Vanguard

February 9, 2012

Tech Talk: Hunting for the Right Photo

The Sony CyberShot doubles as a point-and-shoot and a manual camera.

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off In today’s modern world, things flash by in the blink of an eye. The social networks have taken over our lives and being connected allows us to share our opinions, ideas and events in our lives. With that, there is no better way to share your life story than through photos. Not only are they worth a thousand words, but they actually show your experiences to the world.

First, a little background. Many people assume that the higher the megapixel count, the better the camera. This isn’t the case though. Anything more than five megapixels is sufficient for the average user. Many times, point-andshoot cameras increase by two megapixels a year, but usually, for marketing purposes. The actually quality difference is minimal. The image sensor is where the camera packs a punch. The larger the sensor, usually the better photo quality is, regardless of the amount of megapixels. Coupled with

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the quality of the camera lens, this is the main reason why Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras can take such stunning photos. There are other technical factors such as aperture, optical length of the lens and then even more personal aspects such as the ergonomics and ease of use. It all boils down to your personal preferences and what you want. So here is quick breakdown of two different user types with various models and brands to fit their needs based on reviews by CNET users. The Casual User - You

want to take pictures that can be easily sent and posted to friends and family. Being easy to use and having decent quality are the criteria. Then the point-and-shoot is the way to go. They are lightweight, compact and are relatively cheap. They may be limited, but they get the job done. Canon PowerShot A1200 is inexpensive at around $100 but still packs a punch with 12.1MP. While it isn’t the fastest camera on the market, if you are taking basic photos, the PowerShot will satisfy your need. Slightly higher on the scale, the Sony CyberShot DSC-HX9V is the next step. It doubles as both a simple point-and-shoot and a fully manual camera. Shooting 16.2 megapixel, it has a 16x zoom to capture full HD video and vivid pictures. However, the price tag is considerable- at $320 it is an investment, but it is sure to leave you happy with every photo you take. To round off the casual photographer, we have the Olympus PEN E-Pl3. While a higher price than the Sony, selling at $700, it differs in one critical aspect- the lens are interchangeable. This means that you can upgrade your camera with a zoom lens or get a lower aperture one for portraits and video. It is more for an enthusiast, but all around it creates a suitable alterative

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By Zack Hoffmann for the DSLR option. Then, we have the serious photographer. Weight and convenience are sacrificed for power and quality. The DSLR is the weapon of choice. The Canon EOS Rebel took top choice as an entry level DSLR. At $900 for the body and an 18-55mm lens, the Canon shoots 18.2 megapixels and delivers professional results for a fraction of the price. It also has full HD 720p video capabilities, giving room for creative movies o be shot. If you are looking for a serious investment, the Nikon D7000 is the camera for you. With 16.2 megapixel sensor and an advanced 39 point autofocusing system, the Nikon is the perfect blend for serious amateurs. It can shoot in low light conditions with surprising depth and, like with most of the cameras on the list, supports full 1080p video. It isn’t cheap, retailing at $1500 for the camera with an 18-55mm lens, but as one review put it “The combination of design, performance and quality is hard to beat.” The beauty though is that for most of us, we have cameras in our pocket everyday. iPhones, Blackberries and Androids all have high quality cameras that can capture the perfect Kodak moment. As one photographer put it, “The best camera isn’t the one with the most features or the most pixels. It is the one you have with you.”

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SPorTS

fEBRUARy 9, 2012

THE VANGUARD

Lady Falcons take sole possession of first place in NE-10 By Ian Giancursio VANGUARD STAff

The Bentley Falcons women’s basketball team used a dominating 27-10 run in the final 13 minutes to top St. Anselm, 63-45, in a NE10 matchup Saturday afternoon. They now sit atop the NE-10 standings with a 193 overall record (15-2 NE10). The Bentley Falcons, ranked ninth nationally in

Division II, had a rough start in the first half. The Falcons struggled to contain St. Anselm senior forward Meghan Howard, allowing her to score 12 points on six of seven shooting. Bentley was fortunate to be within three points at the halftime break, 28-25, after being outshot 62 to 40 percent. The only three-pointers of the opening half were by junior forward Caleigh Crowell and senior guard Katherine

Bentley beat St. Anselm 63-45 this past Saturday.

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Goodwin. A 7-2 edge in free throws helped the Falcons stay within reach. The Falcons turned it around in the second half behind 12 points from both sophomore forward Lauren Battista, who had a gamehigh 16, and junior guard Courtney Finn. After Howard scored to put St. Anselm up 30-25, there would be only four more Hawks’ field goals the rest of the way as St. Anselm was limited to 24 percent shooting over the final 19 minutes. Bentley went on a 9-1 run after Howard’s basket, with junior guard Kelsey Roberson draining a three to tie it at 30-30. The Falcons managed to keep Howard scoreless for the rest of the game thereafter. Then following a St. Anselm free throw, Battista went to work, scoring four points to put the Falcons up 34-31. The Falcons then broke the game wide open with a 17-2 run in which they dominated the paint, as Battista scored six points and Crowell had five. Over this 10 minute span, Saint Anselm managed only one field goal while committing seven turnovers. With two minutes left, Battista scored the Falcon’s final basket to extend the

Bentley was voted the seventh best team in Division II as a result of their win.

lead to 63-44. The game featured another excellent offensive performance from Battista. In addition to her 16 points and three assists, she also had a strong defensive performance, recording two steals and a blocked shot. Bentley also received a strong game from senior forward Shatasia Kearse, who had nine points, nine rebounds and two

Nate Marchand/THE VANGUARD

blocked shots off of the bench. With the victory, Bentley was voted as the seventh best team in all of Division II, moving up from ninth in the previous week. The Falcons will be on the road twice next week, with games at St. Michael’s on Wednesday and Southern New Hampshire on Saturday.

Falcons end January with win, start February with loss By Benjamin Klein SpoRTS EDiToR

The Bentley Falcons had been up and down all throughout January, but managed to finish out the month on a high note, with a three point, 81-78 victory over Merrimack. Unfortunately for the Falcons, they couldn’t fight off a struggling St. Anselm team to start February, losing, 81-75. Merrimack had lost the previous battle against Bentley earlier in the season

and the Falcons once again came out on top last week. Merrimack took a huge lead early in the game, outscoring Bentley 23-6 just eight minutes in. The Falcons managed to get back into the game with two huge spurts to end the first half, cutting their deficit to just two points. Bentley opened the second half with three straight three-pointers to give them their first lead of the game. Merrimack kept playing hard and got the score back to

Bentley will play St. Michaels, Southern NH, and Franklin Pierce this week.

Brett Kirkland/THE VANGUARD

within three points with just over two minutes remaining in the game. A last second three-point attempt by Merrimack guard Wayne Mack failed, securing the victory 81-78 victory for the Falcons. Although Bentley didn’t start the game off shooting the ball well, they picked it up throughout the game and ended shooting 49.1 percent from the field. The Falcons also made 14 three-pointers, five coming from senior guard Sam Leclerc, who also led the team with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Bentley got the best of St. Anselm by just one point when the Falcons traveled to Manchester, New Hampshire in late November, but the Hawks topped Bentley during their recent visit to the Dana Center. After a tight-knit first half with St. Anselm leading by just two, Bentley used a 9-3 run to take the lead in the second. A 12-2 run by St. Anselm gave them another lead that the Falcons couldn’t overcome. Despite Bentley scoring ten points in the final minute of the game, Hawks’ free throws won the game in the end for St. Anselm. St. Anselm guard Roy

The Falcons lost against St. Anselm in early February, 81- 75.

Mabrey led all scorers with 26 points, while Bentley guard Jasper Grassa led Bentley with 19 points of his own. The loss put Bentley two games back in the NE-10 standings with a 11-6 conference record, 15-6 overall. The Falcons will play three games within the next week,

Brett Kirkland/THE VANGUARD

traveling to face St. Michaels and Southern New Hampshire before returning home to play Franklin Pierce. Bentley’s home game against Franklin Pierce will be the toughest of their remaining opponents, with the Ravens currently in a tie for second place in the NE10.

SportS

tHe VAnGuARD

FebRuARy 9, 2012

pAGe 15

Venus and Serena Williams win big in visit to Worcester USA defeats Belarus 5-0 in the opening round of the Fed Cup this past weekend By Benjamin Klein