2-25-2013

The Daily Free Press

Year xliii. Volume lxxxiv. Issue XXI

STILL STRONG

[

Longtime activist takes director position at Boston Living Center, page 3.

Monday, February 25, 2013 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University

HAVE YOU?

The band you didn’t know you were in love with, page 5.

]

www.dailyfreepress.com

SWEPT

WEATHER

UMass-Lowell earns season sweep over Terriers, page 8.

Today: Partly cloudy/High 40 Tonight: Clear/Low 28 Tomorrow: 43/36 Data Courtesy of weather.com

Sen. Brownsberger proposes taxation power for MBTA Moody’s upgrades BU credit, allows easier borrowing

By Bram Peterson Daily Free Press Contributor

In an attempt to alleviate the highest debt burden of any U.S. transit agency, Massachusetts politicians proposed a regional tax imposed by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority in the operating areas of the transit service.

“The state needs to solve the problem that the [MBTA] has,” said Mass. Sen. William Brownsberger, author of the proposal.

“But in the fall of 2014, give voters the opportunity to consider whether they wish to provide the [MBTA] additional money, and that would be the basis of T funding in the future.”

The MBTA has an overall debt of $5.2 billion, which increases to $8.3 billion after interest payments, making it the highest debt burden in the U.S. Brownsberger proposed that to alleviate the MBTA’s debt, one solution could be to transfer some of the debt back to the state, while also allowing the MBTA to impose a tax in its service area that would have to be approved by voters in the region, according to the proposal on his blog, which he wrote Feb. 18.

“If you look around the country, there’s a lot of regional entities that fund transit, and it seems to be a successful way to approach it,” he said.

Kelly Smith, deputy spokeswoman for the MBTA, said in an email that the MBTA is open to new options as they look to solve

By Emily Overholt Daily Free Press Staff

Long said.

Lasarte, a 65-year-old Spanish professor in the Department of Romance Studies, has not been teaching and has been placed on a “no-pay” status since Feb. 13, said BU spokesman Colin Riley.

“Prof. Lasarte is not teaching, pending our review of the matter,” Riley said in an email.

Arlington Police officers received a distress call Feb. 10 by a woman accusing Lasarte of starting a confrontation with her, scraping her with his keys and “thumping” her ribs with brass knuckles. Police on the scene said there were visible scratch marks on the woman’s upper arm that appeared to be caused by keys.

Police on the scene also reportedly said Lasarte originally denied all allegations of domestic abuse, and was belligerent and did not cooperate with them.

Moody’s Investor Service upgraded Boston University’s credit rating from A1 to A2 Wednesday, citing BU’s growing reputation as a prominent research university, according to a Moody’s release.

Moody’s also upgraded BU’s outlook to stable from positive. The upgrade impacts $1.1 billion in debt held by BU, according to the release.

An improved credit rating assures investors that they can more safely lend to BU without worrying about default, said Laurence Kotlikoff, a professor of economics and a member of the budget committee.

“BU borrows a lot of money to put up buildings, for example the student high-rises, the university borrowed money to erect them and then … uses the room and board fees it collects to help repay the borrowing,” Kotlikoff said.

He said the improved rating allows BU to borrow at a lower rate of interest.

“When the credit rating is upgraded like this it means that BU can borrow at a lower rate, and that makes it easier for the university to do other things,” he said. “It has more money for educational endeavors, initiatives — so this is good news.”

BU spokesman Colin Riley said the upgrade speaks for itself.

“It’s an improved outlook, obviously it talks about the university’s strengths and challenges but the strengths certainly suggest that the university is doing well and having success. It is extremely well managed, prudently managed, and I credit the senior administration, the president … in that area,” Riley said.

Moody’s cited improved leadership over the last seven years, substantial real estate holdings, and a large and diverse revenue base as BU’s strengths, which were taken into account before the upgrade.

“Around 35 to 45 percent of the revenues of the university are coming from business activities that the university has developed over the years,” Kotlikoff said.

“The bookstore, the university has real estate, they have some different enterprises, so over the years [former Executive Vice President] Joe Mercurio who is no longer

Professor, see page 2

Moody’s, see page 2

MADELEINE ATKINSON/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Mass. Sen. William Brownsberger, proposed a bill Monday which would allow the MBTA to levy taxes and pass off part of its $5.2 billion debt to the Commonwealth.

their financial problems for the long term.

“We always welcome ideas and input from elected officials as well as the public,” Smith said. “We look forward to continuing this robust discussion on the future of the MBTA and how we can all work together to move Massachusetts forward.”

Brownsberger said the proposal is still in the early stages and the post he made on his blog was to receive feedback from the community before it is formally brought

before the session.

“I’ll take a good look at [the feedback] and share it with my colleagues, and people can see some of the pros and cons, some of the concerns that came out of this dialogue, and see where it goes,” Brownsberger said.

A number of residents said they are wary about giving taxing authority to the MBTA. “I’m open to all kinds of proposals, but

MBTA, see page 2

BU professor placed on probation after assault charges

By Brian Latimer Daily Free Press Staff

Cambridge District Court officials closed proceedings against Boston University professor Pedro Lasarte when he took a plea in his alleged domestic assault case Thursday, officials said. Lasarte will now be placed on an 18-month probationary term.

“He took a plea and the file is no longer actively open,” said Cambridge District Court spokeswoman MaryBeth Long. “He agreed to a continuance without a finding for 18 months.”

A continuance without a finding is a form of probation in which the defendant pleas guilty or there is an admission of sufficient evidence, according to the Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries website.

At the end of a probationary term, if the defendant abides by the court-set conditions, the case is dismissed. Taking the plea is not

akin to pleading guilty.

Arlington Police Department officers arrested Lasarte Feb. 10 at his home on Moulton Road on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon, as previously reported by The Daily Free Press.

He was arraigned in Cambridge District Court Feb. 11, Long said.

Per the requirements of a continuance without a finding, Lasarte admitted to violating a restraining order in September 2012 and to violating an abuse prevention order in October 2012 by calling a woman numerous times. He also admitted to sufficient evidence regarding the alleged assault on Feb. 10.

“The conditions of [Lasarte’s] continuance include no alcohol, random drug screens, surrendering his passport and drug and alcohol evaluations, and the defendant must attend [Alcoholics Anonymous],”

BU’s fundraising increases at higher rate than national collegiate trend

By Sarah Platt Daily Free Press Contributor

As fundraising increases at colleges across the country, including Boston University, BU’s efforts to receive donations will allow it to continue growth and meet the demands of students, officials said.

Monetary gifts to schools across the country totaled $31 billion in the 2012 fiscal year, a 2.3-percent increase from the 2011 fiscal year, according to a Wednesday Council for Aid to Education report. BU’s fundraising increased at a greater rate with $86,181,326 raised in the 2012 fiscal year, marking a 12-percent increase from 2011.

“We’re playing catch up in this category [fundraising],” said Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Scott Nichols. “But we are catching up quite fast.”

Nichols said historically, fundraising has not been a focus at BU, something he and President Robert Brown are attempting to change.

“It’s strange that the university has never had a formal campaign in its history,” Nichols said. “[Fundraising] had not been a priority at the university before.”

During the fall 2012 semester, BU announced its first comprehensive fundraising campaign, called The Campaign for BU, with a $1 billion goal, Nichols said. The campaign has both helped upgrade BU’s credit standing with Moody’s Investors Services and improved relations with alumni.

“We try to get our alumni and friends engaged, involved, educated about the institution and the importance of philanthropic support,” Nichols said.

The campaign has raised over $460 million as of Feb. 2013 and is doing well due to university-wide improvement, Nichols said.

“We’re seeing a lot of fundraising success because other parts of the university are strong right now. So we’re seen as a

Donations, see page 2

GRAPHIC BY MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Chronicle of Higher Education released data on the amount of donations to colleges. Total donations equaled $31 billion in the 2012 fiscal year.

2

Monday, February 25, 2013

Riley: Stanford, BU have historically different fundraising backgrounds Donations: From Page 3

good investment,” Nichols said.

Other institutions raised about $500 million, with one breaking a fundraising record, according to the report. Stanford University raised more than $1 billion, becoming the first institution to do so in a single year.

Although funds raised by colleges increased from the 2011 fiscal year, the rate of increase did not, according to the report.

Between the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years, gifts to schools increased 8.2 percent.

The fundraising levels of Stanford and BU cannot be compared on account of the history of the universities, said BU Spokesman Colin Riley.

“They [Stanford] have a culture and a history of alumni relations and fundraising,” Riley said.

“This is BU’s first campaign.”

Nichols said BU is applying its funds raised to projects such as the newly finished Center for Student Services, renovations to the School of Law and admissions center and the construction of New Balance Field.

Some students said internal investment is a sufficient way to increase donation funds and applicant interest.

“They [BU officials] want to expand [BU’s] name and fame across the globe,” said Urbashee Paul, a College of Arts and Sciences junior. “New facilities help attract students and alumni because they are inspired to spend money behind the school when they see it as a good investment.”

CAS sophomore Taylor Millington said funds raised should be applied to mitigating BU’s cost on

students.

“They could be doing more for the scholarships,” Millington said. “I would obviously love to see lower tuition, but I realize that they do a lot to keep it a nice place to go to school, and that has its expenses.”

Sergio Reyes, a CAS junior, said he would prefer investments in less donor-oriented spots, such as building interiors, classroom space and Mugar Memorial Library.

“Facilities like the Center for Student Services are nice to show

donors, but renovations in Mugar Library and places like that where classes actually take place would be nice,” Reyes said.

Monica Adler, a Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences junior, said she believes the focus on research funding of The Campaign for BU is particularly important.

“Research really puts the university in higher standings, and makes it more competitive,” Adler said. “It might make more people want to come here.”

Belmont resident unsure about MBTA tax levying Moody’s reports ‘complex debt structure’ as BU credit challenge MBTA: From Page 1

I would sit back and ask why is this being treated differently than other transportation funding,” said Matthew Danish, 30, a resident of Allston.

Danish said he is curious as to why only mass transit would be treated as a regional tax, but other services receive funding from the Massachusetts general fund.

“Without Boston’s income tax and sales tax revenues, [nonBoston Massachusetts residents] wouldn’t be able to maintain their high standard of living. And I’m not saying that it’s bad that they get it, we should support them, but they should also support [Boston residents],” he said.

Judith Feinleib, a resident of

Belmont and managing director at Evaroc, an IT firm, said she was skeptical of giving a private corporation such as the MBTA the power to levy taxes.

“I’m a little wary of anything that could increase the property tax which is very high, and I also would like more detail on how this [tax] would be implemented,” she said. “There’s no indication on what kind of supervision there might be.”

Other people said they are willing to do their share to contribute to pay for MBTA services. “[Massachusetts] is a Commonwealth, and part of government means that we all chip in and we all contribute and we all receive benefits. Every taxpayer

pays for things that he or she doesn’t benefit from directly, but that doesn’t make it inappropriate to have government services,” said Tommy Vitolo, 34, a town meeting member and resident of Brookline.

Vitolo said he appreciates Brownsberger’s proposal, but there could be a better way to tackle the MBTA’s debt.

“I applaud State Senator Brownsberger for pushing this forward, for having this conversation,” he said. “But I think the right way to is pay for services through taxes as a whole, not to make some subset of users pay and not another subset based on where they live.”

Moody’s: From Page 1

with the university and other executives developed commercial enterprises so that the university’s revenue base is not entirely tuition based.”

Among BU’s challenges are a significant debt, which Moody’s reported at $1.3 billion in the 2012 fiscal year, with $120 million in additional debt expected by spring 2013, a highly competitive student market in Boston and

BU’s relatively high tuition and a complex debt structure.

Despite the challenges, however, Kotlikoff said the upgraded rating is good news for BU’s upcoming projects.

“So when the credit rating is upgraded like this it means that BU can borrow at a lower rate, and that makes it easier for the university to do other things,” he said. “It has more money for educational endeavors — initiatives — so this is good news.”

Lasarte to attend AA as part of probation, surrender passport

Just prior to the arrest, Lasarte said the argument ensued after he asked the woman about credit card charges exceeding $3,000.

Lasarte reportedly said he has had the brass knuckles since he moved to the U.S. from Peru 30 years ago and did not know they were illegal in Massachusetts.

Professor: From Page 1

Want more DFP? Check out the blog:

Freepblog.wordpress.com The Daily Free Press Crossword

By Mirroreyes Internet Services Corporation ACROSS 1. Dishonor 6. African country 10. Scarce or unusual 14. Fruit of the gourd family 15. Reference lines in a coordinate system 16. Lyric poems 17. Verbal exams 18. French for “Black” 19. Prejudice 20. North American football 22. Each 24. Composer ____ Stravinsky 25. Goobers 26. Actress ______ Durbin 29. Vend 30. Assistant 31. Certain breeds of dogs 37. Clothe (oneself) 39. Robert E. ___ 40. Duchess of York 41. Make sexually gratifying 44. Walking stick 45. Rotation 46. Leavening agents 48. Musical compositions played slowly 52. European nuclear laboratory

53. Name that means “Devoted to God” 54. Motorcycle passenger attachments 58. Egg-shaped 59. Ogle 61. Short hair-like cell structures 62. Extent 63. Oil cartel 64. Nipples 65. Beers 66. A city in Yemen 67. Donkeys DOWN 1. Dirty air 2. German for “Mister” 3. Mountain range in Kirghiz 4. Mustiness or fungal growth 5. Minor naval rank 6. House of an estate 7. Fibrous extension of a nerve cell 8. Necklace of flowers 9. Citizen of the jewish homeland 10. Bird 11. Farewell 12. Respond to a stimulus 13. SSS 21. Lion sound 23. Wans or dims 25. LA Dodger pitching star Carlos _____ 26. Fathers 27. Ireland 28. Yemeni city

The woman told police Lasarte said he knew where to strike her with the brass knuckles so no mark would be left.

She said the dispute started after Lasarte got angry because she was doing the dishes in the middle of the day, as opposed to allowing him to do them at night.

Instagram? @Dailyfreepress CLASSIFIEDS JOBS -- $$ SPERM DONORS WANTED $$ Earn up to $1,200/month and give the gift of family through California Cryobank’s donor program. Convenient Cambridge location. Apply online: SPERMBANK.com

Sudoku 3

7 5 4

9 7 2 3

5 8

3

4 8 2 1 9 5

3

5 29. Avant-garde US writer Gertrude _____ 32. US immigration station _____ Island 33. Empty spaces or rooms 34. Periods of history 35. Scold violently 36. She is (contraction) 38. Everly Brothers song “Wake Up, Little

_____” 42. Several moon missions 43. “Spotted” 47. Latin for “Elevated” or “Lofty” 48. Genus of shad fishes 49. Satan 50. Astonish 51. Heraldic red 52. About

54. Observes 55. “Oh my!”

56. Church liturgy 57. Back talk 60. Protects the environment

Solution is on Page 4

4

8 7 9

5 8 1 Sudoku-Puzzles.net

1

7 6 4 8 9 Difficulty: Medium

2 Solution is on Page 4

CCampus & City olumn

The Religion Taboo

Skepticism is the soul of progress.

The ability to be a skeptic in the face of injustice weaves the fabric of basic human liberty. We have freedom of expression. We can say that we think a law is stupid.

We can say we don’t care for the president — and often we do. Because criticizing what we perceive or know to be wrong is so vital.

FRANK To be silent in the face of indecency MARASCO is to consent to it.

Yet, so often skepticism seems to fall victim to deafening silence in areas concerning religious dogma. A general aura of taboo emanates around the idea of criticizing world religions and their norms. “It’s just what they believe,” is too often the justification for immoral actions carried out under the pretense of religion.

I choose to be a skeptic of the resigning Pope Benedict XVI, after his final Sunday as the head of Catholicism, because I do not consent to dogma he has stood behind. It’s a funny thing criticizing something that is “infallible” since surely by the laws of nature I must be wrong. Yet, I shall press on anyways.

Ratzinger preached an overt doctrine of homophobia, claiming homosexuality was a destructive force for mankind. I don’t care if this is part of religion or his personal beliefs.

That’s bigotry whether it’s rooted in religion or not. He also said condom distribution on the African continent to combat AIDS would only increase the spread of the disease. I don’t care if it’s somehow backed up by religion. Ignorance is ignorance.

The retired Pope gave public support to an elementary school teacher in Italy who was suspended for giving graphic lectures (with images) about the apocalypse, the devil and hell.

Teaching a six-year-old that he or she should fear the possibility of being eternally roasted and tortured by a malignant beast is child abuse. Justifying it with religious belief does not make it any less egregious.

Switching religions: When we look at many Islamic countries where woman are forced to dress certain ways and live without the same rights as men, we mustn’t sit silently. When people say, “It’s their culture. You can’t judge them,” they may think they’re being tolerant, but they’re actually enabling sexism. To silently consent or to use religious or cultural beliefs to support the abuse of women silences the voices of those Islamic women who want and deserve equal rights.

If you found yourself in some remote woods where cannibalism and head shrinking was practiced because it was an accepted religious and cultural custom, wouldn’t you still think it was terrible? Of course.

You would view that behavior with disdain, because whether or not it’s rooted in some sort of supernatural belief, it’s just plain wrong. There’s a big difference between being tolerant and enabling immorality.

We shouldn’t feel timid about criticizing destructive beliefs and practices regardless of how they are justified. Don’t be afraid to speak out against someone or something just because of an association with religion. Wrong is wrong.

Frank Marasco is a senior in the College of Communications. He can be reached at fcm820@bu.edu.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Larry Kessler recommits to AIDS work

By Alice Bazerghi Daily Free Press Contributor

Larry Kessler, a longtime HIV/ AIDS activist, said he is happy to be back to work at the age of 70, after becoming the director the Boston Living Center as a part of a movement to ensure that the center remains a safe haven for those battling the AIDS in the Commonwealth.

As of December 2011, there were 18,170 people living with HIV/AIDS in Massachusetts, and 232 people dying from the disease a year, according to AIDS United.

Kessler said the BLC remains a place of hope and support since its inception about 25 years ago.

“The Boston Living Center has for the past 25 years been one of those places that stood for health and survival — wellness and living with AIDS as opposed to dying with AIDS,” he said. “What started out as a simple Monday night supper has grown into a viable center of programs and activities that help individuals.”

Kessler came out of retirement to help revitalize the center after the BLC suffered an embezzlement scandal in December 2011 that left the center on the brink of closure.

“The unfortunate case of embezzlement arose here at the center.There was of course a lot of despair and fear that the center and its programs would not sur-

By Zoe Roos Daily Free Press Staff

KIERA BLESSING/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF Larry Kessler came out retirement to be executive director at the Boston Living Center, a community center for those with HIV/AIDs.

vive,” Kessler said. “ But with the help of an ever-generous community and The Victory Programs, a transition occurred that pumped new life and vitality into he center.”

The Victory Programs, a Boston–based nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals and families who are homeless and may have substance abuse disorders, is merging with the BLC in March.

Kessler said he was very exited about this merger, which will take place March 1.

“We will celebrate the merger of these two organizations and reflect on just how far we came and how fast we recovered,” he said.

“Victory Programs recruited me to take over a piece of this center

to both send out a signal that we all cared deeply about it’s need to survive, but also send a signal that the past nightmare has ended.”

Although Kessler is only now working for the BLC, he has been a part of the battle against the HIV/AIDS epidemic since 1983.

“I was engaged to help develop the program that became The AIDS Action Committee,” he said. “At that time, we knew little about the epidemiology of the unfolding epidemic and little information on how to prevent infections.”

The AIDS Action Committee has since formed into the oldest and largest AIDS service program in New England.

BLC, see page 4

Mass. AP scores among best in nation

By Steven Dufour Daily Free Press Contributor

More high school students are taking and passing Advanced Placement exams, nationally, than ever before, and Massachusetts ranks among the country’s leaders in successful AP testing, officials said.

The high school graduating class of 2012 took about one million AP exams, more than double the number in 2002, according to statistics from the AP annual report released Wednesday.

In Massachusetts, 27.9 percent of last year’s graduating high school class passed their AP tests.

Only two other states — New York with 28 percent and Maryland with 29.6 percent — did better, representing a 12-percent improvement over the past decade.

Deborah Davis, spokeswoman

Hub clean energy ordinance part of greater green effort

for the College Board, said in an email the number of AP tests taken shows a change in the economy and the education system.

“It is increasingly evident that a college education is important in today’s economy,” she said. “And as colleges are growing more competitive, students want to show admissions officers that they have taken the most rigorous coursework available to them in high school.”

The Commonwealth also boasts an AP District of the Year, The Chelsea public school district.

The award is only given to three districts across the country for increasing both access to AP courses and success within them.

JC Considine, spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Education and Secondary Education, said these statistics show a

promising trend in the state.

“This is just an indicator for the remarkable results we’re seeing here in Massachusetts,” he said. “We continue to see more and more public high school students in Massachusetts participating and succeeding in AP exams.”

Massachusetts has been making an effort to ensure high graduation rates, Considine said.

“There are a lot of reasons [for this],” he said. “There have been a number of concentrated efforts to make sure that kids are graduating on time, that kids are learning the material, and that kids are ready to move on to the next level, whether that be college or career” Considine said these encouraging statistics come after years of support for education in the Commonwealth.

AP Scores, see page 4

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino announced Friday that all large commercial and residential buildings in the city will now disclose energy usage in an effort to encourage investment in energy efficiency.

The Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance was filed with the City Council as a part of the city’s climate plan to reach greenhouse-gas reduction goals.

Menino said this ordinance would help keep Boston at the forefront of the clean energy movement.

“In order for Boston to continue to be a sustainability leader, our buildings must aggressively invest in energy efficiency,” Menino said in a press release Friday.

“Bostonians demand buildings with high performance, and this ordinance will encourage building owners to meet that demand.”

The city’s energy use will be tracked through Energy Star Portfolio Manager and all energy and water use per square foot will be made available online for public viewing, according to the press release.

Brian Swett, chief of environment and energy for the city, said this public reporting would help make the city’s energy usage more efficient.

“The Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance follows the principle of what gets measured gets managed,” he said in the press release. “Through measurement and transparency the Ordinance will encourage cost effective building investments in energy and water efficiency that will improve building performance, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

City officials have been working to collect data on energy usage since 2012 and plans to release their energy findings to the public in the near future.

The criteria for reporting is based on building size. Nonresidential buildings with 50,000 square feet or more in 2014, residential buildings with 50 units or more in 2015, non-residential

Energy see page 4

COM graduate aims to increase fire safety with web series

By Nora Philbin Daily Free Press Staff

College of Communication alumnus David Bettencourt said his goal in creating a web series about the 2003 fire at The Station nightclub in Rhode Island was to bring peace to those affected by the incident, and to increase fire safety awareness.

Bettencourt, a 2001 Master of Fine Arts in Film graduate, said a friend who survived the fire inspired him to direct and produce “The Station,” which premiered Wednesday — the 10th anniversary of the tragedy — on YouTube.

“We can heal as a community from watching these stories and learning about what we need to do to make our nightclubs safe again,” Bettencourt said. “No one should die when they go out to a

nightclub.”

Bettencourt directed and produced the series, which is the first documentary about the fire, he said. The fire was the fourth deadliest in U.S. history, with 100 lives lost.

Through the filmmaking process, Bettencourt said he learned much more about fire safety.

“I knew the basics of fire safety, but definitely learned more talking to survivors and their families who lost loved ones, and fire code officials,” he said. “I started to learn more and started to be active in making sure that this doesn’t happen anymore.”

Bettencourt said while it was emotionally straining to deal with the series’ heavy content, the most difficult part of the creative process was establishing the doc-

Bettencourt, see page 4

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAI CONSULTING GROUP

Boston University alumnus David Bettencourt debuted “The Station,” his web series about the 2003 Rhode Island nightclub fire, on YouTube Wednesday.

4

Monday, February 25, 2013

College Board rep.: AP courses rare at some schools with many minorities AP Scores: From Page 3

“We had made a decision a number of years ago to set a high bar [for education], and we’ve stuck to that high bar,” he said.

“It’s paying great dividends.”

Despite increasing scores, one of the major educational issues addressed in the report was that of ethnic disparity across all states.

Nationally, less than five percent of African Americans passed an AP exam when they accounted for more than nine percent of test takers, according to the report. His-

panics, who were about 18 percent of those taking at least one test, contributed less than 16 percent of passing scores.

Students identified as White or Asian/Asian American/Pacific Islander had the opposite results.

While both were a large part of the body of test takers, they also constituted more of those passing the exams.

The major reason for this disparity is that many schools that have a large number of minority students simply do not offer AP

courses, Davis said.

The report showed Massachusetts was making progress on the issue, and measures to combat the ethnic difference in AP success are being enacted as locally as the city level.

Matthew Wilder, spokesman for Boston public schools, said the city is attempting to correct this issue.

“There are treatment gaps that we are trying address and to close,” he said. “That is definitely a major priority of ours, so our work is centered around ensuring that our stu-

dents, no matter what ethnicity or race they are, they have access to the same kind of high-quality education as anyone else.”

Jordan Eisenback, a graduate student teaching English at Boston University, said AP courses help students prepare for basic college courses.

“Students that have taken AP exams in literature are better prepared for the lower level English literature classes” he said. “Although these courses are not designed to completely replace col-

lege level English courses, they do familiarize students with close reading skills and texts that they might encounter in college.”

Hal Mason, assistant headmaster at Brookline High School, said the root of the educational success in Massachusetts does not lie in secondary curriculum.

“It’s a decades-long tradition of education and a value of education in the Commonwealth that I think makes the difference,” he said.

“People care about education — teachers care.”

Film prof.: Master’s program Kessler: Discrimination early problem with AIDs likely added to club fire project BLC: From Page 3

Bettencourt: From Page 3

umentary’s format.

“I think the biggest challenge really was trying to explain the non-traditional distribution,” Bettencourt said. “Getting people to understand that going to a YouTube channel and watching it and sharing it ... is really the new way of distributing content [was difficult].”

A similar tragedy struck in Brazil in January when more than 230 people died in a fire at the Kiss nightclub.

The Kiss tragedy proves a need for nightclub fire safety education, Bettencourt said.

“We teamed up with [Tyco International] to tell the stories of survivors and first responders and use these movies to educate and basically help the community heal and learn so this never happens again,” Bettencourt said. “It just happened again in Brazil. Brazil doesn’t really have any fire codes or safety laws, so this is important for them to watch and to learn.”

Film professor Sam Kauffmann said while at BU, Bettencourt was part of a class that worked well together and fed off one another’s ideas.

“He was part of a really good class, and they all inspired each other,” Kauffmann said. “David was part of a group of really talented students and was really one among them.”

Kauffman also said the nature of the master’s program might have contributed to Bettencourt’s project.

“Most people that come out of

the program do more of the narrative style of film because that is the training they go through,” he said. “Some do work in the industry as documentary film makers, but then they also have the skills to make their documentaries look really special because they have done that narrative filmmaking.”

Molly Trillo, a College of General Studies sophomore, said she thinks nightclub fires and nightclub safety should be a topic of discussion more often.

“I didn’t know about the fire at The Station, but I heard about the one in Brazil,” she said. “It is so sad, but it’s nice to hear that someone is doing something about it.”

Deana Gordon, a College of Arts and Sciences junior, said this project is healthy for the victims’ families and other fire survivors.

“It is really important that something like this is being done,” said Gordon. “Even ten years later, the aftermath of something like this can be really strong, so a project like this is good for everyone involved. Plus, it allows for more discussion of safety.”

Jake Bann, a COM senior, said he is pleased to see the success of a former BU student.

“It’s nice to see that someone who went to BU is doing things in film,” Bann said. “Especially when it comes to awareness.”

Bettencourt said BU was integral to his film career.

“BU film school was an important part of my career,” he said. “I made friendships and working relationships with people that I still have today.”

Kessler said one of the biggest problems in the past was was the discrimination felt by those affected by the disease.

“There was a lot of misconceptions about the course of the disease, and that people were often being discriminated against by the health and employment systems that they relied on for support,” he said. “So over time we developed a couple dozen programs that helped people with AIDS get better care, keep their jobs, protect them in their homes and make it easier to live as long as they could with this diagnosis.”

Kessler said the city of Boston has experienced the difficulties and successes of the AIDS battle.

“Various AIDS organizations in town have continued to provide needed service to help people live with AIDS, and at the same time try and prevent new infections,” he said. “That work continues statewide with the support of individual donors, corporate gifts and various health departments and foundations who have been major players and payers of the efforts that have paid off.”

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said in a statement that Kessler’s return to Boston would be a huge boost for AIDS and HIV awareness in Boston.

“Larry Kessler is a living Legend in the AIDS community,” he said. “He has advocated for people living with HIV/AIDS since the early days of the epidemic.

Larry’s unmatched expertise will continue to broaden Victory Programs’ Boston Living Center’s presence, and bring much needed services and advocacy to even more people with HIV in Boston.”

The progress made since Kessler began his work decades ago is vast, and continues today through his work with the BLC. “I have immense belief in our mission and also in our most generous and hopeful staff,” Kessler said. “Needless to say the members share in that hope and contribute greatly to that mission.

They don’t just want to be seen as individuals living with HIV or AIDS, but as people who can and want to and will help stop this epidemic.”

Collection of city energy use data began in 2012 Energy: From Page 1

with 25,00 square feet or more in 2016 and residential buildings with 25 units or more in 2017 will all be subject to reports of energy use, according to the press release.

Investing in energy-efficient infrastructure is the largest component of Menino’s climate action plan to dramatically reduce the

amount of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the city.

Multiple new building projects throughout the city have already been committed to the green energy effort.

Lisa Pollock, director of media and public relations for the Department of Neighborhood development said three new housing projects in Boston are being built under Energy Star standards.

“It is obviously more expensive to build green, but savings and benefits accumulate over time in things like heating and cooling, water usage and hot water usage,” Pollock said.

City energy initiatives such as Renew Boston and Greenovate Boston will also continue to work with the city to promote a clean energy future.

Craving videos?

Youtube.com/ dailyfreepress Today’s crossword solution brought to you by...

Recycling Bin Love 2

1

8

3

6

9

7

5

4

4

9

7

2

1

5

8

6

3

5

3

6

7

4

8

2

1

9

3

7

9

6

8

1

4

2

5

8

2

4

5

7

3

1

9

6

1

6

5

9

2

4

3

8

7

6

4

3

8

5

2

9

7

1

9

5

2

1

3

7

6

4

8

7

8

1

4

9

6

5

3

2

Voice your opinions! Write to the Editor!

letters@dailyfreepress.com

Follow The Daily Free Press on Twitter!

@dailyfreepress

5

Muse Editor - Meg DeMouth

Music Editor - Lucien Flores

Film/TV Editor - Michela Smith

Lifestyle Editor - Justin Soto

Food Editor - Brooke Jackson-Glidden

REVIEW: The unconditional love of Yo La Tengo Michela Smith

I

Film/TV Editor

have not been faithful to Yo La Tengo.

I chanced upon Yo La Tengo as an opener for The National in 2011, and I fell head over heels in love. I had heard of the band, but their name had melted into the same funky indie vocabulary that melds Beach House, Best Coast and Beach Toast in my mind.

But after seeing Yo La Tengo, no longer would there be confusion. Guitarist Ira Kaplan’s electric guitar intertwined feedback with ecstasy, reincarnating the spirits of Hendrix and early Townshend that I had always longed to hear live. And as a whole, Yo La Tengo had a certain charisma that pulled the audience into the performance.

Yet, I couldn’t quite articulate the band’s intrigue at the time, mostly because Kaplan’s guitar had melted most of my face.

One thing was for sure: I was in love with Yo La Tengo.

In the same way that many early 21st century romances blossom, I turned to the Internet to pursue Yo La Tengo. Originating in 1984, husband and wife Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley infused their love into a marriage of guitar and drums onstage, cycling through a series of bassists until finally wedding James McNew into the group in 1991. Breaching these 29 years of music, encompassing 13 studio albums, I suddenly became overwhelmed. There was too much “history.” I couldn’t commit to such a complex relationship; I needed that instantaneous gratification that radiated from the stage during their act.

Perhaps even more confounding, I couldn’t pin down exactly who was Yo La Tengo. Within their catalogue, soothing instrumentals followed piercing guitar, ethereal abutted visceral. Our relationship had become very complicated very quickly, and I backed away. But I never lost hope that I would see Yo La Tengo again some day.

MICHELA SMITH/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Guitarist Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo.

And so, upon arrival at Paradise Rock Club on the eve of Valentine’s Day to revisit an old flame, I entered knowing that I could never fully understand Yo La Tengo.

Instead, I could only hope to again experience their ability to transport audiences out of the prescription of everyday life and their ability to make audiences fall in love.

Beginning with a set dedicated to their softer catalogue, Yo La Tengo established a momentum to carry the audience through

the entire concert. Songs like “Ohm,” “I’ll Be Around” and “Cornelia and Jane” combined whispered vocals, undulating sunny guitar, and brushed drumheads to create a hypnotic fluidity that not only captivated, but synched the audience in a groove so that they too helped keep rhythm. Such a momentum is a difficult phenomenon to describe because words are insufficient to capture the visceral, but the sensation is analogous to when a love interest just “gets

you.” It’s an unspoken understanding that you both are traveling on the same wavelength.

And on this same wavelength, wrapped in a shared momentum, Yo La Tengo carried the audience into the electric set of their concert. While just as hypnotic as the acoustic set, Kaplan’s electric guitar punctuated the smooth comfort the first set had established. Uninterested in catchy guitar hooks and riffs, Kaplan translates chaotic emotion from his fingertips into guitar pickups with a voice scarce in 21st century guitar playing.

Kaplan’s guitar pandemonium is not only a brilliant practice of juxtaposition, but a preservation of the lost understanding of the guitar as an extension of human expression: a sixth human sense. By slamming his guitar against the floor, his amplifier, the mic stand, Kaplan imparted both literal and figurative feedback to the audience. The divide between performer and audience had disappeared and music was again about love.

Just as I had hoped, I once again fell in love with Yo La Tengo. But I am not in love with a particular song or lyrics — and I probably won’t bury myself in their catalogue in the weeks to come. And I am not in love because Kaplan’s guitar playing destroys the confines of the traditional artistaudience relationship.

I love Yo La Tengo because their love is unconditional. Yo La Tengo personifies their name, which in Spanish translates to “I’ve Got Her.” Yo La Tengo doesn’t care if an audience knows their catalogue or if fans have been unfaithful. If an audience listens, Yo La Tengo folds them into the undulating rhythms and penetrating emotion they’ve used as momentum to propel through the last 20 years. If you simply listen, they’ve got you.

REVIEW: Lady Lamb the Beekeeper at TT the Bear’s

I

wonder if this is what the forty-niners felt like when they found that first gold nugget in the river.

I first heard folk/rock-ish songstress Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, about a week ago, later to the game than much of the Boston scene that served as turf for the musician’s roots.

After playing music around Boston, Maine and New York for the past few years — guitar and strange moniker in tow — Maine native Aly Spaltro returned to TT the Bear’s on Friday to celebrate the release of her long-awaited debut LP, Ripely Pine.

Spaltro seemed absolutely in her element and smiled infectiously at the sold-out crowd as she remarked, “I can confidently say that this is the most special show, uh, ever, for me.”

The New England native spent many years playing Boston venues like TT’s, as well as frequenting the Allston hootenannies started by BU students several years ago, and called her show Friday a homecoming of sorts.

Lady Lamb wound her way through much of her new record as well as some unrecorded tunes whose YouTube popularity made them crowd favorites regardless.

Sydney Moyer MUSE Staff

SYDNEY MOYER/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Aly Spaltro’s Lady Lamb the Beekeeper played at TT the Bear’s this past weekend.

Although she has traditionally played solo due to her eclectic arrangements and unexpected changes in tempo and melody, she played about half of the set with a full band that included stellar openers Xenia Rubi-

nos and Cuddle Magic.

The band undoubtedly captured the big sound and multifaceted feel of the arrangements heard on the record, and backed Spaltro with no less than a string trio, bass

clarinet, trumpet and synthesizer among other instruments. When I say big sound, I mean that this record is one you can sink your teeth into, one that feels simultaneously intriguing yet familiar, one that grows with every listen.

Even when the band left the stage to Spaltro and her guitar, the songs still sounded big, her voice visceral and each pluck and strum deliberate and emotive.

At one point, her plaintive cry and impressive banjo arrangement on slow-folk jam “Regarding Ascending the Stairs” pulled the audience in and stilled the crowd despite the thumping bass emanating from The Middle East Downstairs, the venue that sits just below TT the Bear’s. Spaltro even joked about it, singing along to a few bars of a “Seven Nation Army” remix before diving right back into her set with an earnest energy.

After discovering her, falling in love with her record and being floored by her live show in about a week flat, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper has already become one of my favorite things about 2013 and should probably become one of yours. The music video for her first single debuts on Spin. com today, and that’s just the beginning.

6M

onday,

February 25, 2013

Opinion

The Daily Free Press

The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University 43rd year F Volume 84 F Issue 21

Emily Overholt, Editor-in-Chief T. G. Lay, Managing Editor Melissa Adan, Online Editor

Chris Lisinski, Campus Editor

Jasper Craven, City Editor

Gregory Davis, Sports Editor

Anne Whiting, Opinion Editor

Kaylee Hill, Features Editor

Michelle Jay, Photo Editor

Cheryl Seah, Advertising Manager Clinton Nguyen, Layout Editor Shakti Rovner, Office Manager The Daily Free Press (ISSN 1094-7337) is published Monday through Thursday during the academic year except during vacation and exam periods by Back Bay Publishing Co.,Inc., a nonprofit corporation operated by Boston University students. No content can be reproduced without the permission of Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright © 2010 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

MBTA to levy taxes

Whether a private company, no matter how vital to the public, should be allowed to levy taxes on said public is debatable. The question is currently on the table as state senators question how to deal with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority debt.

The MBTA has the highest debt burden of any U.S. transit agency, with an overall debt of $5.2 billion, which increases to $8.3 billion after interest payments, according to MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo.

To help allieviate this, Massachusetts politicians have proposed a regional tax imposed by the MBTA in the operating areas of transit service, in addition to transferring some of the MBTA’s debt back to the state.

Mass. Sen. William Brownsberger, who authored the MBTA tax proposal, held that “The state needs to solve the problem that the [MBTA] has,” and added that in the fall of 2014, voters will have the opportunity to consider whether they wish to provide the MBTA additional money via taxation, and whether that system would serve as the basis of T funding in the future.

Some Greater Boston residents, however, are wary about giving taxing authority to the MBTA, especially those individuals who do

not use the T. But generally speaking, people pay taxes for a number of things they don’t actually use. Adding the T to that list, when it desperately needs financial assistance, might be a practical idea. Moreover, the organization will work with the government and with voting citizens to establish a fair system.

Otherwise the plan is in the beginning phases; no serious details have been released.

If, in fact, a private company levying taxes poses a problem, perhaps the MBTA should be made public. Inasmuch as the MBTA is a private institution, the T is very much a public utility. Paying taxes to keep it running and in as little debt is possible is, some might argue, one’s civic duty — the price of living in a city with a functioning mass transportation system. The T is vital to Boston in many ways: it connects us, it allows car-less individuals (like students and lower-income residents) to access the city, which enhances the city’s economy. It’s a needed commodity even for those few individuals who do not use it, and should therefore merit serious discussion — which might result in some taxation — about how to deal with its financial deficits.

Emory University president criticized for racism

Racism is not a positive thing, and thus hard to present in a positive light when issuing a statement to the public.

But in a column he wrote for the university magazine, Emory University President James Wagner used the three-fifths compromise of 1787, which allowed slaves to count as three-fifths of a person in determining the Southern states’ congressional power, as a supporting example to argue how people with opposing views can reconcile through compromise and common ground.

A clumsy and regrettable mistake, he has said of his ironic choice, according to The New York Times.

Emory students and faculty alike have spoken out against the column, saying that the Wagner’s words are another example of insensitivity from the university’s administration: Earlier this year, Emory was accused of targeting racial minorities when it made a series of cuts that were previously beneficial to these groups. For example, certain programs that focused on or made recruiting minority members a priority have been shifted to other departments or eliminated, according to the Times.

Indeed, Wagner should have found a better, more positive example of two divid-

ed parties reaching a working compromise.

The three-fifths compromise held that African-American slaves accounted for just three-fifths of a human being. It was racist, unfair and inhumane. And, as pointed out

by Emory history professor Leslie Harris according to the Times, the Civil War is proof that the compromise, which was meant to preserve the union, was ultimately a terrible failure.

Wagner is president of a high-ranking academic institution, one where tolerance should be at the forefront of the social and intellectual environment so as to promote further progress in issues such as racism and discrimination. Wagner should be embarrassed that he has failed to be the beacon of this forward-thinking tolerance.

Additionally, he should have been sensitive to the race struggles suffered in this country, especially so soon after Martin Luther King, Jr. day, instead centering his public dialogue around examples that promote humanity and not on pre-Civil War embarrassments.

It’s good to see the public reacting in the way that it has. If Emory students had stood silent, it’d have been drastic for both the university’s image and (more so) for the continued battle against racist attitudes.

le t t er s@dail yfr ee p r e s s .com le t t er s@dail yfr ee p r e s s .com le t t er s@dail yfr ee p r e s s .com le t t er s@dail yfr ee p r e s s .com le t t er s@dail yfr ee p r e s s .com

SNAPSHOTS OF D.C.

It’s a small world after all SOFIYA MAHDI

I think I’m going to preface this latest episode of my Washingtonian experience by saying that I’m actually writing this from a New Orleans-themed café in a neighborhood called Kalorama. The ceiling is a deep maroon tile; masks hang above the army of glasses attached to the walls. Old jazz floats through the small space, the smell of hot sugar weighs heavy in the air. This is not the clean-cut, panicked Washington I’ve come to know in the past few weeks. I am tucked away from the tourists who, as of late, instead of saying “cheese” in pictures have been yelling “sequester!”

I have heard enough about the sequester to last a lifetime. This past week, Washington has not been a joyous place to be.

Earlier on this nondescript Sunday morning, my friends and I hopped in a cab and made our way to the NBC studios to witness a live recording of Meet the Press. David Gregory took his seat; the screens illuminated a countdown to when the program went live. Complete silence surrounded the set.

Interns stood anxiously in the wings, and before I knew it La. Gov. Bobby Jindal and Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick had arrived on set and were preparing to talk sequester, elections and bipartisanship. Dialogue verged on heated political rhetoric — these could be the contenders for the American presidency in just a few years time.

It’s hard to explain exactly what it felt like having governors, columnists and broadcasting experts casually gather next to me, sauntering on set to present their views to thousands. As if I weren’t starstruck enough, I looked to the side to see Maria Bartiromo sifting through her notes. The face of the Closing Bell segment on CNBC, I remember having her on television in the background for so many years of my life. I respect her because she knows and understands what she’s talking about in a field where not many women are hailed for their expertise. Now she was standing right next to me, in the capital of the United States.

There I was, I thought, originally of Indian and Persian origin, hailing from London, staring in awe at a New Yorker in a Washington studio. Disney had it right: It’s a small world after all.

We loitered around the studio for a while afterward; I don’t believe any of us have been so fixated on people eating brunch at a table in our lives. My inner-political junkie was out of control. Before long, David Gregory shook my hand, his hair shining under the blazing studio lights. He smiled at me and said it was nice to meet all of us.

Thinking back on this height of broadcast glamour, my mind returns to this small New Orleans café. I write this column as I stare pensively into the replica Nighthawks

painting by Edward Hopper that hangs at a slight tilt on the opposite wall. As I sip coffee, a middle-aged man came toward our table. He asked our names, where we were from, what had brought students originally from Tennessee, Maine and London to a hidden gem in the District of Columbia. Low and behold, we ultimately learned that this man’s daughter goes to Boston University.

After that, he insisted on giving us free beignet while he told us how he came to America from Tehran in 1974 — a student who lost his luggage upon arrival and walked into school with nothing but the clothes on his back. Today, both his children are intelligent, educated citizens of America with the world at their feet.

When I first arrived in Washington, D.C., I’d become swept up with the professionalism of it all and ordered 250 business cards.

I gave out my very first one to this generous man in his beautiful café. Because it’s stories like these where you can sit and realize that some people are not compassionate towards you only because they want acknowledgement, but for the genuine reason that they appreciate students coming to the capital to do something they love. In my conversation with the old man, there was no taint of skepticism; there was no passivity. Sadly, this is usually hard to come by in the world we live in. Politicians in Washington, D.C. have less than a week to deal with the impending sequester, and in an arena where all we see is parties backing into their respective corners on the issue, ready to duke it out with others, I appreciate a refreshing extent of trust and human compassion.

As I shut my laptop and we prepared to leave, our new friend clasped his palms together and refused to allow us to pay for what we ate and drank.

“If I told my daughter I had BU students in my café, she would ask me why I didn’t treat them!”

I don’t know if it was exhaustion kicking in from our long day or a taint of homesickness for my own family, but a surge of sentimentality inevitably washed over me.

As we walked down the street littered with vintage stores, graffiti and restaurants, it became clearer and clearer: Washington is giving me perspective. It is a city that provided anecdotes of both disappointment and perseverance in equal measure. It’s also burrowing its own special place in my heart, as I realize it also provides some anecdotes of human kindness and love.

Sofiya Mahdi is weekly columnist for the Daily Free Press, and a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences studying abroad in Washington, D.C. She can be reached at sofiya218@gmail.com.

The Daily Free Press is always accepting letters to the editor and guest perspectives.

Send us your thoughts at letters@dailyfreepress.com

Monday, February 25, 2013

7

Terriers’ modest effort no match for luck, skill of UML defense Sider: From Page 8

a Terrier in the 1960s. “It’s not new by any stretch of the imagination.

“They do just the opposite of what everybody else does. They have one guy out high covering both points, they have two wings down low, so they’re always doubling and tripling you. They double you up every time the puck goes to the corner … So their d-zone coverage is based on outnumbering you in the corners.

“And they’re real good at it.”

If the Terriers did not believe that before, they certainly believe it after Saturday’s game.

BU took nearly as many shots on net (16) as they did penalties (14). Only two players — senior

captain Wade Megan (four shots on net) and junior forward Matt Nieto (three) — tested Lowell goalie Connor Hellebuyck more than twice.

Sophomore forward Evan Rodrigues’ only shot of the night came in the third period when he wrapped the puck around the left post after a rare River Hawk miscue.

The goal ended a stretch of 117:33 in which the Terriers could not find the back of the net against one of Hockey East’s hottest teams, a stretch that dated back to the teams’ Jan. 19 contest at Agganis, a 4-3 UML win.

Outside of tipping their collective hat to the River Hawk defense, the Terriers did not have much in the way of answers. They insisted

the effort was there, but there just weren’t any results.

Parker said the team did not get any “puck luck,” and Rodrigues echoed that sentiment, pinning the loss in part on UML “getting bounces, [from] the puck and from the refs.”

“It’s a little frustrating because we didn’t play bad,” Rodrigues said. “We had a good weekend.

We’re working hard, we’re getting in corners and they’re a very defensive team and we just couldn’t crack them this weekend.”

BU’s struggle could be particularly worrisome for a couple reasons.

First, should the teams meet again in the Hockey East quarterfinals — a very real possibility, de-

pending on how the chips fall in the conference standings — the Terriers could be in for a short postseason if they still have no answers for the familiar riddle.

It is also the second time during BU’s 4-10-2 post-Christmas slump that it had a hard time with a distinct defense.

Jan. 18 at Agganis and Feb. 4 in the first round of the Beanpot, Northeastern University’s strong forecheck also gave the Terriers fits trying to break out of their defensive zone.

Just like against the River Hawks, both dates with the Huskies ended in losses, meaning BU has had problems with defenses that are aggressive and pressure it to make quick decisions, and defenses that

sit back and play a trap.

Put together, it results in BU looking for answers as the end of the regular season draws near and as the team continues to drop in the conference standings and allimportant PairWise Rankings.

BU has five big Hockey East games and 10 big Hockey East points still on the table, most importantly, Tuesday vs. Merrimack College at Agganis.

“We’re still pretty confident,” Rodrigues said. “We gave it our all this weekend. We put in the effort … We just got to get back to practice and get ready for Merrimack on Tuesday. It’s a big game for us.”

They’ll keep on driving, but they might be out of gas.

Moran, Alford BU stops UMBC comeback leave legacies behind at BU W. basketball: From Page 8

Senior day: From Page 8

(5.9), finished the last two seasons second in assists amongst conference players.

Named a member of the America East All-Conference Third Team and unanimous All-Rookie Team her freshman year, Moran was later named All-Conference Second Team her sophomore year and All-Conference First Team her junior year. Moran’s 548 career assists are second all-time in BU women’s basketball history.

Alford, from West Haven, Conn., is one of the most dynamic offensive players ever to play for the Terriers, leading the team in scoring all four years of her collegiate career.

A two-time America East Player of the Year, as well as America East Rookie of the Year during the 2009-10 season, Alford is leading all America East players in scoring (16.6 ppg) during her senior year, recording over 20 points in a game nine times this season, including a career-high 30 points against West Virginia University Nov. 12.

Alford ranks third all-time in program history with 1,747 points, as well as first in program history in 3-pointers made, with 239.

Saturday’s victory over UMBC (10-17, 6-8 America East) reinforced the impact that these seniors have had on the team this season. Alford and Moran combined to score 40 points for the Terriers, while Sims pulled down seven rebounds.

Alford, who scored 26 points, spoke about the significance of playing well on Senior Day. “It meant everything,” Alford said. “Four years seems like a long time, but it goes by fast. We just wanted to come out here and play like we know how to play …

It was just a big win on a great day.”

In the final minutes of the game Saturday, Greenberg took all of her seniors out of the game to the roars of the crowd chanting, “Thank you, seniors.” As those cheers filled Case Gym, it became clear — these seniors may be leaving, but their legacies at BU will not be forgotten.

“They’re wonderful people,” Greenberg said. “Their families have been wonderful, and we’re really going to miss them.”

From then on, the Retrievers came back within single digits just once, when they cut the deficit to 50-42 at the 10:34 mark of the second half. But they proceeded to not make a field goal for nearly six minutes. At that point, the Terriers jumped out to a 65-46 lead, and it was too late for the Retrievers to make a comeback. BU went on to win 72-51.

Alford finished her Senior Day game leading all scorers with 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting while also adding five assists and two rebounds. It was her second straight game scoring more than 20 points.

Moran finished with 14 points and five rebounds. Sims, who is averaging just over seven points per game, struggled shooting from the field, going 1-for-5 and finishing with three points.

Agboola came close to yet another double-double, whose nine points and eight boards anchored the Terriers’ front court, which was outscored by the Retrievers in the paint by a convincing 28-16 margin. The Terriers did, however, outscore UMBC in the second-chance points department, 10-6.

“We just wanted to come out here and play like we know how to play, and we were able to do that today,” Alford said. “It was just a big win on a big day.”

The Terriers returned from the break missing their first three field goals, but they went on to make an 8-0 run halfway through the second half to solidify their victory. They shot 53.8 percent from the floor in the second, finishing at 48 percent on the game, while also shooting just under 35 percent from beyond the arc.

Defensively, BU was able to hold the fourth-ranked offense in the America East Conference to 19for-60 (31 percent) from the floor and force the Retrievers to commit 10 turnovers.

In their previous meeting this season in Baltimore, the Terriers also had success defensively against the Retrievers, as they held them to 32 percent from the field.

“It’s always important having played them once before because it’s a tough team to score 70 points on,” Greenberg said. “[The Retrievers are] so deliberate, they just want to stand there and dribble and take time off the clock … it’s hard whenever you play a team like that.”

Harris led UMBC in scoring with 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting, while her classmate, Coles, neared a double-double by scoring nine points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

“It was interesting to start, but we really came around to bring some energy to the court and to the gym,” Greenberg said.

Watson Jr., Irving lead strong offensive unit in winning effort Men’s basketball: From Page 8

Maurice Watson Jr. and sophomore forward Malik Thomas, BU was able to separate itself from the struggling Retrievers once again.

In the last minutes of the game, Watson took over. With 10 points and two steals in the last 6:17 of play, Watson sealed the Terriers’ sixth straight victory.

Watson led BU with 19 points and six assists while Irving, aside from having a milestone night, registered 17 points. After leading the Terriers at halftime with eight points, Morris disappeared in the second half and did not make another basket.

Freshman guard John Papale, after putting together a few strong performances in recent games, was nowhere to be found Saturday night. He went 0-for-7 from the field and missed all five shots he took from beyond the arc.

“We don’t have to rely on one guy to score,” Jones said. “At any given time there is going to be one

or two of those guys that may not score a lot of points, whether it’s in terms of a full game or a half, and we don’t worry about that.

We just want to make sure we are taking good shots and playing together.”

Forward Chase Plummer led UMBC with 18 points while pulling down eight rebounds. Neller added 13 points for the Retrievers. UMBC struggled shooting the ball all night, finishing at 25 percent in the first half and 37.3 percent for the game from the field.

BU, with little more than personal pride on the line, is playing terrific basketball lately and has dominated America East in its farewell tour of the conference.

The Terriers’ toughest challenge of the season is Thursday night at Agganis Arena, when they will take on America Eastleading Stony Brook University in the season finale.

“We want to go out on top,” Jones said. “We want to leave the right way.”

MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Terrier senior guard Chantell Alford scored a game-high 26 points in a 72-51 victory on Senior Day.

‘Like’ The Daily Free Press Sports Section On Facebook

Frustration growing for Terriers Men’s hockey: From Page 8

in the penalty box in the game, as they took 14 penalties for 36 minutes Saturday night. However, the penalty kill was relatively successful, as they only allowed one power-play goal in the game and survived three separate 5-on-3 situations.

“I don’t think Lowell was diving, but they were already going down and they got called,” Parker said.

“Penalties have been a concern for us all year long. It has been killing us.”

Maguire was the star of the game for BU, as he made 36 saves and kept the score close. Lowell

finished the night with more than double the amount of shots the Terriers had.

“He played great,” Rodrigues said of his goalie. “He really did everything he could to keep us in the game, so kudos to him.”

With another loss, BU is 4-10-2 since traveling to Denver on Dec. 29. With the secondhalf slump continuing, Parker said his players are frustrated.

“We’re losing games, we’re not scoring goals. Guys are expecting to score and they’re not, and they’re getting frustrated,” Parker said. “No question, you could pick up any number on that team.

They’re real frustrated right now.”

“

Quotable

“

Guys are expecting to score and they’re not, and they’re getting frustrated,

-BU coach Jack Parker on men’s hockey’s struggle to score goals

Page 8

Sports

Respect

The Daily Free Press

your elders

The Boston University women’s basketball team honored its seniors in a pre-game ceremony before its contest against UMBC. P.8.

[ www.dailyfreepress.com ]

Monday, February 25, 2013

Irving reaches Terriers lose 2 consecutive games to UMass-Lowell milestone in BU struggles on Men’s hockey can 68-59 victory offense in 3-1 loss find no answer to

By Michael Bagarella Daily Free Press Staff

The Boston University men’s basketball team defeated the University of Maryland-Baltimore County Saturday night, 68-59, to claim its sixth straight victory.

The game started off with a historic mark for junior guard D.J. Irving. Following a UMBC (6-21, 4-10 America East) turnover, Irving hit a 3-pointer 1:19 into the game to give BU (17-11, 11-4 America East) a 3-0 lead. More importantly, the 3-point shot put Irving past the 1,000-point milestone.

“It’s a great achievement for D.J., but I don’t know how aware of it he was at the time,” said BU coach Joe Jones. “He did not play like he was aware of it, which doesn’t surprise me about him at all. He is such a team player.”

In terms of celebration, the game did not pause to honor the milestone, and the Terriers kept building momentum off the big 3-pointer.

“We celebrated after the game,” Jones said. “[Irving] always puts the team above all the individual stuff.”

UMBC has been plagued by recent struggles, losing its last six games, but Jones made sure BU did not take the Retrievers lightly.

“You have to look at their scores,” Jones said. “Besides [against the University of] Vermont, they have played really well at home. They’ve given everyone a good game at their place.”

The Terriers, with strong play from junior forward Dom Morris in the paint, built on their early lead, and took a commanding 21-9 lead over UMBC after a layup from sophomore forward James Kennedy 12:16 into the half.

Though UMBC refused to roll over and die, the Retrievers were unable to catch up after BU’s quick start.

At the end of the half, the Terriers had an 11-point lead over the Retrievers. Morris ended the half with eight points while BU recorded 16 points in the paint.

UMBC guard Brian Neller led the home team with six points, courtesy of two 3-point baskets.

The second half started with more of the same for the Retrievers, and they found themselves down by 12 three minutes into the second half. After making a few adjustments, UMBC finally turned the match into a one-possession game when Neller nailed a free throw at the 10:50 mark of the final frame.

Responding to UMBC’s attempted comeback, the Terriers stepped their game up. Thanks to baskets from freshman guard

Men’s basketball, see page 7

to UMass Lowell

impressive defense

By Kevin Dillon Daily Free Press Staff

By Tim Healey Daily Free Press Staff

LOWELL -- The No. 13/15 Boston University men’s hockey team’s chances at hosting a Hockey East quarterfinal game took another hit Saturday night, when the Terriers fell to No. 12 University of MassachusettsLowell 3-1 at the Tsongas Center.

With the win, Lowell (18-9-2, 12-8-2 Hockey East) swept the season series with BU (14-14-2, 11-9-2 Hockey East) for the first time since 2000-01. The Terriers now sit in sixth place in Hockey East, as Lowell and Providence College moved ahead of them in the standings over the weekend. “[Losing both games on the weekend] really hurts us in both races,” said BU coach Jack Parker. “Kills us in both races, in a lot of ways.”

Just like the night before, Lowell forward Scott Wilson opened the scoring with a blistering slap shot from the top of the circles.

The goal, which was Wilson’s 10th goal of the season, was unassisted.

Lowell struck again in the second period, when UML defenseman Chad Ruhwedel flipped a rebound over freshman goaltender Sean Maguire for a power-

No Events Scheduled Curtis Granderson is out for 10 weeks after breaking his arm, giving Yankees fans something else to whine about.

play goal. Maguire, who made the initial save and stopped Lowell forward Derek Arnold on a 4-on-1, could not get up in time to make the second save.

The play developed at the other end of the ice though, when junior defenseman Garrett Noonan failed to hit the net on a shorthanded 3-on-1 rush. With Noonan out of the play, four River Hawks had no trouble moving the puck past freshman defenseman Matt Grzelcyk to set up the goal.

“We worked like hell to get back, but we ended up covering the wrong guy,” Parker said. “If we backchecked to the weak side we would have had the rebound.”

BU, which was shut out the previous night, struggled to produce offense again Saturday night. The Terriers only produced four shots

on goal in the first period and nine shots on goal in the second period.

It was not until 8:25 into the third period that BU could finally crack Lowell goalie Connor Hellebuyck, when sophomore forward Evan Rodrigues scored on a quick wraparound chance while shorthanded. Junior forward Sahir Gill and senior defenseman Sean Escobedo earned assists on the play.

However, Lowell answered Rodrigues’ goal fewer than five minutes later, when UML forward Joseph Pendenza chipped the puck past senior defenseman Ryan Ruikka in the neutral zone before beating Maguire five-hole.

It was the Wilmington native’s 12th goal on the season, which increased his team lead in points to 28.

The Terriers spent a lot of time

Men’s hockey, see page 7

Sider, see page 7

Terriers defeat UMBC with efficient Women’s basketball commemorates first-half offense and stout defense seniors before game on Senior Day

By Matt Fils-Aime Daily Free Press Staff

On a very emotional Senior Day, the Boston University women’s basketball team came away with a convincing 72-51 victory against the University of Maryland-Baltimore County at Case Gym Saturday afternoon.

Before the game, the Terriers (23-5, 13-2 America East) honored the team’s four seniors: Guards Mo Moran, Chantell Alford and Kristen Sims, along with forward Jacqueline Kuczynski, who has been inactive this season due to injury.

From the opening tip, the Terriers came out with a fast-paced offense and tough defense, getting out to an early lead. Moran connected on a jumper to open the scoring, and junior forward Rashidat Agboola added a pull-up jump shot a minute later. Alford stole the ball from UMBC (10-17, 6-8 America East) forward Kim Browning 23 seconds later, and made a free throw to extend the BU lead to 5-0. A layup from Moran pushed the score to 7-0 3:10 into the game.

The Retrievers did not score until guard Raven Harris made a layup 3:25 into the half.

“It’s always nice to jump out and

The Bottom Line

Monday, Feb. 25

MICHAEL CUMMO/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Terrier freshman goaltender Matt O’Connor allowed three goals in a 3-0 loss to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell Friday night.

LOWELL — There was a truck coming to Commonwealth Avenue this weekend, and the players of the Boston University men’s hockey team knew it. They just couldn’t do anything to get out of the way.

That truck was in the form of the University of MassachusettsLowell, the 12th-ranked team in the country, which used a stifling trap defense to sweep the regular-season series with the No. 13/15 Terriers by taking both ends of a home-andhome, first 3-0 at Agganis Arena Friday night and then 3-1 Saturday at the Tsongas Center.

BU coach Jack Parker, pleased with his team’s effort in both games, credited much of the Terriers’ (1414-2, 11-9-2 Hockey East) inability to find the net to the River Hawk (18-9-2, 12-8-2 Hockey East) defense — a defense from which the Terriers knew exactly what to expect. “[The River Hawks] play a completely different d-zone coverage than anybody else in college hockey,” Parker said Thursday before mentioning it is similar to the system BU used when he suited up as

Tuesday, Feb. 26 M. Hockey v. Merrimack, 7 p.m.

get a lead early, there’s no doubt about it,” said BU coach Kelly Greenberg.

The Retrievers eventually tied the game at 9-9, but the Terriers never allowed UMBC to take the lead.

The Terriers extended their lead to 24-14, at the 12:50 mark of the half, and went into halftime with a 30-20 lead. BU went 13-for-30 in the first, shooting a modest 43 percent from the field.

“In the first half we really didn’t build a big lead, they were still sticking around,” Alford said. “We just had to be patient with our offense and we upped the intensity on defense.”

The second half began with a flurry of missed shots, and neither team scored until Alford made three free throws, which gave BU a 3320 lead. UMBC guard Kristin Coles made a layup 26 seconds later for the first field goal of the half.

The Retrievers came within seven points 9:42 into the frame after a 3-pointer by guard Kayla Seymour, but Alford responded with a three of her own to extend the Terrier lead back to double digits.

W. basketball, see page 7

Wednesday, Feb. 27 W. Lacrosse v. Massachusetts, 3 p.m.

W. Basketball v. Maine, 7 p.m.

By Conor Ryan Daily Free Press Staff

A dominant win over the University of Maryland-Baltimore County was not the only thing the audience took away from Saturday afternoon’s basketball action, as the Boston University women’s basketball team also celebrated Senior Day. The team recognized the four seniors who have helped lead the Terriers (23-5, 13-2 America East) to 79 wins during their tenures at BU. Before Saturday’s game, guards Mo Moran, Chantell Alford, Kristen Sims and forward Jacqueline Kuczynski were honored in front of a packed Case Gym. The seniors, escorted by their parents, were led out to midcourt, where they received flowers and a hug from coach Kelly Greenberg.

Greenberg said it was a bittersweet moment, and praised the players she has coached and watched during the past four years.

“All four of them are just tremendous,” Greenberg said. “To watch them and be a part of their growth process in their college

Thursday, Feb. 28 M. Basketball v. Stony Brook, 7 p.m.

years has been really quite special for me.

“They’ve really made an impact on all of their teammates, and not just the ones who are here now … They left their mark as a group, and as individuals, both on the court and off the court.”

Kuczynski, from Springfield, N.J., was a solid contributor off the bench for the Terriers, appearing in 35 games for during her tenure. Unfortunately, she missed the entire 2012-13 season due to injury.

Sims, from Richmond, Va., has started all 28 games for the Terriers this season, averaging 7.1 points per game and 3.8 rebounds.

She scored a career-high 19 points this season Nov. 24 against the University of Michigan. A versatile guard who was also deadly from 3-point range, Sims played 111 games for the Terriers, starting in 29.

Moran, from Hopewell Junction, N.Y., is one of the most consistent players in program history, recording a school-record 4,389 minutes during her time at BU. Moran, who leads all America East players in assists per game

Senior day, see page 7

Friday, Mar. 1

M. Hockey v. Vermont, 7:30 p.m.

Softball @ Wildcat Invite, 3 p.m.

Track IC4A/ECAC Championships, All Day