3-6-2013

The Daily Free Press

Year xliii. Volume lxxxiv. Issue XXVII

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YOU TALKIN’ TO ME? iPhone app allows students to find partners to split cab fares, page 5.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University

INNOPLOYMENT Menino’s Innovation District created 4,000 jobs, page 3.

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www.dailyfreepress.com

LAX LAW

WEATHER

Lacrosse prepares to face the Big Green, page 8.

Today: Cloudy/wind/High 40 Tonight: Snow/wind/Low 32 Tomorrow: 39/36 Data Courtesy of weather.com

Boston Logan airport braces for sequestration cuts Attorney General Coakley wins in fair housing suit

By Marie Ameln Daily Free Press Contributor

Among the many industries bracing for impacts of federal Sequestration cuts, Boston Logan International Airport could see significant impediments to efficiently managing passenger security and to facilitating ground and air traffic, officials said.

Richard Walsh, assistant director of strategic communications and marketing at Logan, said the focus of airport officials is to meet the needs of the travelers, regardless of budget constraints.

“We have plans in place for all possible situations,” he said. “It does not matter if the delays are caused by a snowstorm or a sequestration, we have to be there in order to meet the travelers’ needs.”

Jim Peterson, facility representative for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said the cuts to Logan must be prevented at all costs.

“The President and Congress must not allow this to happen,” he said. “Budget cuts known as sequestration will be detrimental to the National Airspace System, as well as to the nation’s fragile economy.”

Peterson said furlough days would be put in place in an effort to keep Logan’s 26 fully certified controllers, four traffic management coordinators and seven trainees employed.

“There could be a furlough, which means controllers who work in the operation could be forced to take 11 unpaid days off between April and September which is the end of the fiscal

By Steven Dufour Daily Free Press Staff

year of the benefit.

“Demographics aside, the veteran student brings a unique life experience and perspective shaped by their military service to their campus and classroom environments, and provides invaluable enrichment opportunities to their civilian student peers,” the report stated.

Goodrich said offering a blended program of on-campus and online courses to veterans will help them transition back to the U.S. and that the opportunity to take courses online opens the accessibility of college.

“No question about it, having a college degree will provide them in any path they try to pursue,” Goodrich said. “Some people are glad to have served in the military, but some might want to set their roots in a community and work in the civilian sector.”

BU spokesman Colin Riley said BU has 25 veteran students enrolled and is not ac-

Mass. Attorney Gen. Martha Coakley announced Feb. 27 a lawsuit victory against a Boston landlord charged with unlawful practices against tenants and failure to comply with state lead-paint laws.

Keith Miller, the defendant, received penalties including a $75,000 fine, $25,000 in attorney fees, forced de-leading of vacant units and a host of qualifications over five years of probation due to four guilty charges related to landlord negligence and lead-based paint in the residences, according to a Wednesday press release from Coakley’s office.

Coakley said in a statement that the case would have an important impact on landlords upholding public safety.

“This settlement demonstrates that there are serious consequences for landlords who would sacrifice public safety to save a few dollars,” she said in the release.

Miller’s attorney, Mark Stopa, said Coakley won the case because of technicalities.

“What [Coakley’s office] essentially got were some technical violations on not giving enough documentation to new tenants [about their rights related to lead-based paint],” he said.

The case began when Miller filed a complaint against Jean Landry, one of his tenants, for illegally staying in a residence after signing an early lease termination. The signing occurred soon after she gave birth, Stopa said.

Under Massachusetts law, landlords cannot rent residences with lead-based paint to families with children fewer than six years of age. This was the first time such a violation occurred, Stopa said.

In response to his attempts at eviction, Landry filed her own case to stall the process, Stopa said. When the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination took too long to make a decision, Miller appealed the case.

Shortly after the appeal, the Civil Rights Division of Coakley’s office took notice. Stopa said Coakley’s office began making outrageous allegations. “[The plaintiffs] decided that, ‘oh, some of these people you’ve evicted are Hispanic. You must be racist, discriminatory’…all of those charges were dismissed,” Stopa said.

Eight charges related to racial or familial

Military, see page 2

Landlord, see page 2

KIERA BLESSING/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Sequester cuts could impact overall efficiency at Logan Airport. Customers lined up at the Delta Airlines checkin counter at Logan Tuesday afternoon.

year,” he said. “Any non-operational personnel could be furloughed up to 22 days.”

These furloughs could lead to slower traffic flow, as fewer controllers are available to assist in daily operations, Peterson said.

“This in turn will result in ground delays for many aircraft,” he said. “If there is any significant weather along those routes which typically can delay departures on a good day, passengers can expect substantial delays.”

Peterson said the controllers at Logan will be heavily impacted.

“The controllers have to anticipate a loss of pay ... but also may have to deal with a complex operation with less bodies to do it,” he said.

“They are handling the safest air traffic in the world, all the while having the distraction of the possible furlough in the back of their minds.”

The cuts could have lasting implications on air traffic that may not be recovered, Peterson said.

“There are many operations that occur

Logan, see page 2

Veteran students require better information, report suggests

By Allegra Valeriano Daily Free Press Contributor

Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, more than one million military service members released from duty in the Middle East and their families are expected to pursue a postsecondary education at institutions such as Boston University, according to a recent report.

The Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities Blue Ribbon Taskforce released a report Wednesday with recommendations to protect prospective veteran students from recruiters and managers found to have engaged in predatory recruitment practices.

“One of the biggest things for veterans returning for school … is you have that break from being in a learning environment, and you lose the skills of study habits such as writing papers,” said Major Josh Goodrich, a recruiting operations officer of BU’s ROTC program. “… Veterans will be in a different

place in their lives. They may have a spouse or children.”

The report recommended that prospective military and veteran students receive relevant information to avoid “aggressive and misleading” recruitment practices, such as inaccurate information on transferring credits.

“Explain the ramifications of student loan debt, in terms of monthly repayment obligations when feasible,” read the report. “Always encourage responsible borrowing if a student needs or chooses to borrow to pay for education costs or other personal expenses which may be covered by federal loan funds.”

Between Aug. 1, 2009 and Jan. 23, 2013, more than one million veterans attended institutions of higher education in the U.S., according to a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs study referred to in the Wednesday report. The number of veterans, spouses and dependents using Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits grew 84 percent from the first to the second

Allocations Board funding changes draw criticism from student groups

By Rachel Riley Daily Free Press Staff

Students voiced concerns Tuesday night over a policy to be instituted in the fall requiring student groups to return all funds provided by the Boston University Allocations Board for philanthropic events.

“The change is basically asking for the money that was allocated from the Allocations Board toward philanthropic events to be returned before any proceeds from an event are donated to a charity,” said AB Chairwoman Anjali Taneja.

She said the AB looks to fund events that add to the student experience and that are a valuable use of undergraduate fees.

“The money allocated toward a charitable event to cover expenses will have to be returned to AB so that the returned money can be reallocated toward other events,” Taneja, a Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences senior, said.

About 100 students from various student groups gathered in the Photonics Center to at-

tend the town hall meeting. Assistant Dean of Students John Battaglino spoke to students about the AB’s new policy regarding philanthropic events for the fall 2013 semester.

“I’m not trying to discourage you from being philanthropic, but I’m trying to say that the money that goes into those endeavors, if it’s everybody’s money, we can’t give that to charities,” he told students during the meeting.

“What we can do is give proceeds.”

Battaglino said the current policy allows student groups to make donations that indirectly include funds from the undergraduate student fee. The new policy will provide more money for student groups to host more philanthropic events.

“We don’t have enough money for everything that we want to do on campus,” he said.

Battaglino said student groups requested $2 million during the 2011-12 academic year, but only $600,000 was awarded.

Although they have discussed the change

Allocations, see page 2

GRAPHIC BY MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Chairwoman Anjali Taneja, a Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences senior, College of Arts and Sciences senior Yuzhao Wu, College of Engineering senior Jake Kallarackal, College of Arts and Sciences senior Jake Magid and Assistant Dean of Students John Battaglino lead the Allocations Board Town Hall Meeting on philanthropic events Tuesday night.

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Assistant dean of students confirms changes to AB definite Allocations: From Page 1

in policy with administration during the spring 2013 semester, Taneja said the AB did not know the changes in policy were definite for the coming fall semester.

“We were unaware that this policy will be implemented without any scope of compromise or alternative actions until tonight,” she said.

During the meeting, Katie Noel, a member of Alpha Delta Pi, asked Battaglino if the changes were definite. When he confirmed they were, several students left abruptly.

“Up until when I asked him if this decision was already made, he was

trying to play the game like it wasn’t, and that we were actually making a difference,” Noel, a SAR senior, said after the meeting.

Battaglino said he wished students had known coming into the meeting that the change in policy was definite.

“Folks had this expectation that it’s up for debate,” he said.

Taneja said AB members are skeptical of the new policy because they feel there will be a decrease in student group activity.

“Going through all the organizational troubles to putting together an event just to be able to donate a minimal amount towards charity is

not enough of a motivation for many organizations to put together the event,” she said after the meeting.

While Noel said she was satisfied with the open discourse in the meeting, she said she wished its purpose had been more clear.

She said she felt unrepresented as a member of a student group participating in philanthropic events.

“This will affect our organization because we won’t be able to donate as much money to charity, which is a huge part of our goal and what we want to do,” Noel said.

Grace Hannawi, president of the Lebanese Club, said she was concerned with the logistics of the plan

and how it might affect organizations that do not hold charitable events.

“He [Battaglino] did not properly address a lot of the issues that were raised and it wasn’t a proper discussion,” Hannawi, a SAR senior, said.

“It was more like one side was raising angry requests or angry questions, and he was not answering their questions.”

Jason Paik, who represented BU’s chapter of The Supply, a national nonprofit organization that advocates education for children overseas, said he believes the new policy will lead to a decrease in philanthropy at BU. “The money that we raise within our events — it’s in our nature to give

that,” Paik, a School of Management sophomore, said. “This policy really cuts down that type of student experience that we foster.”

After the meeting, the AB posted on the meeting’s Facebook page that it would consider points made by student leaders.

“We have taken note of everything that was brought up in conversation today and will work to represent those points in future conversations regarding policy change,” the post stated. “… We have gathered your input on this tonight at our meeting and will weigh it heavily while discussing policy changes.”

Attorney claims defendant’s civil rights violated in lawsuit procedings Landlord: From Page 1

discrimination, as well as unlawful renting were dismissed, according to court documents.

In a letter to Coakley, Stopa claimed that “the activities of [her] assistants … was and continues to be

tortuous, illegal, has violated [Miller’s] constitutional civil rights and more particularly his right to conduct his private business free of improper state interference.”

The settlement comes just over a year after the Citizen Disease Con-

trol Advisory Committee on Lead Poisoning, a subset of the Centers for Disease Control, lowered the official level of what constitutes dangerous levels of lead in paint from 10 micrograms per deciliter to five.

Paul Hunter, director of the Child-

hood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, a part of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, would not speculate on the effects of the case, but said lead poisoning is an issue in the Commonwealth, and that the new CDC danger levels could

Riley: 25 veteran students enrolled at BU Military: From Page 1

tively recruiting any more.

“Most students who know about BU will apply to BU, but we don’t have a capacity to fill,” he said.

Riley said veterans from Massachusetts can pay for public education, but the tuition for private education is more expensive than their

benefits can cover.

However, many veterans would not be able to experience campus life, according to the report. The report references the 2010 VA survey showing many veterans are also part-time, transfer or distance learners.

“It is a juggling act between having a family, having to work and

Launch your international career through Peace Corps service.

going to school,” Goodrich said.

Goodrich said he remains hopeful for an increasing growth in veteran students.

“A lot of people in the military want to be challenged,” he said.

“They are used to earning their credentials and earning their rank and they will find this challenge here at BU.”

OPen OffiCe HOurs Thursday, March 7 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Center for Career Development, 5th floor Boston university

TSA says long waits‘could double’ at large airports Logan: From Page 1

overnight such as military, emergency medical flights and cargo operations,” he said. “These operations will be directly affected and may be forced to cancel their operations on these airports.”

The Transportation Security Administration, which handles the security checkpoints at Logan, is also facing possible furlough days for employees.

“As sequestration takes effect, travelers can expect to see lines and wait times increase as reductions to overtime and the inability to backfill positions for attrition begin to occur

this month,” the TSA said in a statement. “We expect that during busy travel periods, wait time exceeding 30-40 minutes could double at nearly all of the largest airports.”

Due to the reductions mandated by sequestration, TSA officials said they will put in place a hiring freeze. “[The hiring freeze] will result in up to an additional 1,000 TSO vacancies by Memorial Day Weekend and up to 2,600 vacancies by the end of fiscal year,” the TSA said in a statement.

Shirley Dyke, an Indiana resident and Logan traveler, said it could become difficult to travel if the sequestration leads to significant delays and

longer lines.

“In terms of airports we will have to be there earlier and it will be a lot more time consuming,” she said. “That being said, I think there are several other groups that will be worse off when it comes to the budget cuts than air passengers.”

Chuck Laliberte, a central Massachusetts resident and Logan traveler, said he thinks the pending cuts will not impact the number of travelers.

“People will still fly, because people are so in the habit of doing it, and often there is not a good substitution,” he said. “But there will be significantly more irritation among passengers, that is for sure.”

The Daily Free Press Crossword

By Mirroreyes Internet Services Corporation ACROSS 1. Ill-suited 6. Japanese legislature 10. Cloth measures 14. Pertaining to a lobe 15. Was attired in 16. Jacket 17. _____lite = rare mineral containing aluminosilicates of potassium 18. Subtle emanation 19. Tardy 20. Unscrupulous people 22. Criticize severely 24. Animal that lives in packs 25. Dressed hides 26. Claws 29. Maize 30. God of love (Roman mythology) 31. Pertaining to sound 37. Tough outer layers of fruit 39. High mountain 40. Last letter of the Greek alphabet 41. Recommends 44. Wharf or jetty 45. Ethereal 46. Provided with money (slang) 48. Headache pill 52. Cotton seed-vessel

53. ______ Knight and the Pips 54. Young roasting chickens 58. Prefix indicating extreme smallness 59. North American swamp bird 61. Area of England 62. Wicked 63. Poisonous tropical Asian tree 64. Bowel cleansing 65. Seconds (abbrev.)

66. Scratch into a surface 67. Streptococcus (abbrev.)

DOWN 1. Sorts or classes 2. Built the Ark 3. Adequately 4. “Magic words” 5. God of the sea (Greek mythology) 6. Small dense star 7. Promises 8. Make a mistake 9. Brain _______ = puzzles or riddles 10. Conspicuous success 11. Reluctant 12. Wood-shaping machine 13. Cattle 21. “Born Free” lioness 23. A division of a long poem 25. Magnifier

have 8,300 children living in illegally toxic housing.

“It’s not fair to speculate on behalf of the lawyers in this case,” he said. “But no, [cases like this] probably do not come as frequently as perhaps they should.”

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36. Shortening 38. Frightening 42. Put forth again 43. Drive away (something or someone) 47. Omits in pronounciation 48. Actress _____ Moorhead 49. A person who is chattel

50. Uncontrollable fear 51. False gods 52. Impudent 54. Bric-a-____ 55. Always 56. Italian city 57. Break 60. Choose Solution is on Page 4

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Campus & City City Crime Logs lame banksy

By Regine Sarah Capungnan Daily Free Press Staff

The following crime reports were taken from the Allston-Brighton District 14 crime logs from Feb. 26 to March 5.

At about 12:52 a.m. Sunday, police observed a man dressed in dark clothes writing on a light control box at the corner of Harvard Street and Brighton Avenue.

He wrote the words “Allston music dot com local rar” with a red, king-size permanent marker before taking a photo with his cell phone.

The officer walked up behind the man and the suspect said, “Did you see me? I know, sorry. I can erase it right now with some paint.” The officer told him it was too late and placed him under arrest for damage to property by graffiti tagging.

Booster seat robber A breaking and entering incident occurred between 7:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. at 169 Foster St. When the police arrived, the victims stated that an unknown suspect entered their first floor apartment through the rear porch window. The police saw that the window was damaged, and one of the victims stated that she always keeps that window locked. The officers found a chair on the back porch that was directly under the window the suspect used to enter the house. The suspect stole the victims’ laptops, a white MacBook Pro and a Dell, and exited through the back door.

The police stated that the suspect probably left quickly and was most likely alone, as other valuables in the apartment were not taken.

Craigslist caper At about 2:17 p.m. Saturday, a man was robbed in an illegitimate Craigslist exchange in front of 25 Chester St. The victim told officers that he contacted the suspect on Craigslist to purchase an iPhone 5 from the suspect for $440. They agreed to meet at 25 Farrington Ave., where the suspect was waiting in the driveway upon the victim’s arrival. The victim gave him a ride to Chester Street, where the suspect claimed to live. When the victim pulled out $500, the suspect reportedly snatched the money from his hands and ran out of the car toward Commonwealth Avenue. He left behind a box, which contained trash instead of an iPhone.

We just wanted to give it back!

A robbery occurred at 38 Linden St. at about 2:40 a.m. Friday. The victim’s roommate invited the two suspects into the apartment. Later, the victim entered his bedroom and found his dresser drawers open and his backpack on the floor. He stated that his laptop, iPad and knife were missing. One of the suspects returned to the scene and kicked in the front hallway door, which shattered the glass and broke the frame.

One suspect was pursued and apprehended. The other suspect was soon caught and both were charged with larceny and breaking and entering. Both suspects have been known to the police for stealing from college students at large gatherings.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

3

Innovation District brings 4,000 jobs to Hub Filmmaker seeks student support on immigration

By Gina Choi Daily Free Press Contributor

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino announced Friday more than 200 companies and 4,000 jobs moved to the Innovation District, enriching the city’s economy in the three years since the district was established.

“Dynamic companies want to be part of Boston’s innovation community, and part of our larger community,” Menino said in a press release Friday. “They want to make contributions to the community through their expertise time, and resources. I have never in 20 years been more optimistic about Boston’s future. We are setting trends, not following them.”

The Innovation District was launched in January 2010 and is Menino’s plan to transform 1,000 acres of the South Boston waterfront into an urban environment to promote innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship, according to the release.

“The Mayor’s vision for this area was the right one,” said Nicole Fichera, district manager of the Innovation District. “It was an area with a lot of development po-

By Alice Bazerghi Daily Free Press Staff

GRAPHIC BY MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino released a job report on the Innovation District, a 1000acre area in South Boston dedicated to businesses in the field of innovation.

tential, and we expect to see more growth in this area.”

Technology companies contributed 30 percent to job growth and Greentech and life sciences brought 16 percent of jobs to the Innovation District, according to the release.

Fichera said about 200 more companies are expected to move in and bring about 2,500 jobs to the district in the future.

“It’s a really tangible symbol

of Boston’s leadership in the innovation economy,” she said.

“Boston and Massachusetts are both leaders. The Innovation District is an urban laboratory where we contest ideas.”

Some companies already involved with the Innovation District said the district has made a positive impact on business.

“I love the Innovation District.

It’s been going up around us, and

Innovation, see page 4

BUSM researchers address diabetes with therapy

By Margaret Waterman Daily Free Press Staff

Boston University School of Medicine researchers have discovered a way to relieve those who suffer from diabetic neuropathies from associated pain, according to a BUSM press release.

The researchers, in conjunction with the Veteran’s Affairs Boston Healthcare System, performed a study to examine the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on people with type II diabetes mellitus, according to the Tuesday release. The study will be published in the March edition of the Journal of Pain.

Type II diabetes mellitus, which accounts for between 90 and 95 percent of all diabetes cases, is associated with obesity, lack of physical activity, family history and older age, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those afflicted with the disease cannot properly use insulin and, as such, have abnormally high blood levels and hyperglycemia.

When untreated, the disease can result in nerve damage and subsequent burning and stinging sensations in hands and feet, according to the release. It can also cause headaches, dizziness and nausea. The disease affects more than 20 million people in the U.S. Study participants each attended 11 one-hour cognitive behavioral therapy sessions that aimed to teach diabetic patients techniques for relaxation and methods of fighting thoughts that might lead to pain, according to the release. Those studied were also taught to participate in activities such as going for walks or eating meals with friends and family to keep active.

The participants were all military veterans, aged 18 or older, who were diagnosed with type II diabetes mellitus and had experienced related pain for more than three months.

Four months later, patients who participated in cognitive behavioral therapy reported feeling less pain on a day-to-day basis and said pain interfered less with

their daily lives, when compared to patients who had not received the treatment, according to the release.

John Otis, a professor of psychiatry at BUSM and a VA BHS clinical psychologist, said the study helps prove medication might not be the only solution for those suffering pain resulting from diabetes.

“This study demonstrates that the millions of people who are experiencing pain and discomfort from type II diabetes mellitus do not need to rely solely on medication for relief,” Otis said in the release.

Otis said the study’s results provide greater evidence to the line of thought that behavioral therapy may be a viable treatment option.

“The results of this study add to a growing body of literature demonstrating that cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective psychological treatment approach for chronic pain management,” he said in the release.

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Davis Guggenheim is challenging college students to join a new campaign and support immigration reform allowing an earned pathway to citizenship based on the DREAM Act. Several Boston University students said they support the DREAM Act’s proposed changes to immigration policy, which would allow undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. at a young age to earn citizenship by attending college or enrolling in the military.

“I simply don’t understand why anyone would be opposed to the passage,” said Stephanie Pimental, a second-year School of Law student and president of BU’s Immigrant Law and Policy Society.

“These [undocumented] kids often do not even know they don’t hold status until they apply to college or try and get a job.”

Guggenheim, known for documentaries such as “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Waiting for Superman,” hosted a conference call Tuesday to encourage students to sign a petition supporting immigration reform based on the DREAM Act in a campaign titled The Dream is Now. Guggenheim said his personal experiences have shaped his opinions on the need for immigration reform.

“My father was also a filmmaker and I remember him making a documentary about the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island,” he said during the call. “He taught me that immigration is what makes America great. Years later I lived in Los Angeles and everyone I met was impacted by this broken legislation.”

The Dream is Now campaign is a partnership between Guggenheim and the Emerson Collective which aims to provide supporters of immigration reform, documented and undocumented, with an online platform to voice their support, Guggenheim said.

Immigration, see page 4

MBTA hopes to expand Internet access across trains, stations

By Michael Torruella Daily Free Press Staff

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced its intention to enhance the amenities given to customers on its trains and ferries by upgrading and expanding the availability of wireless Internet across the transit system.

The MBTA announced it is seeking proposals to “provide WiFi service on commuter rail cars, ferries and select commuter rail stations,” according to a press release Friday.

MBTA deputy press secretary Kelly Smith said the plan is to provide wireless service to all of the 410 commuter rail coaches operated by the MBTA, on all the ferries and at select train stations — North Station, South Station and Back Bay Stations on the commuter rail.

“Currently around 240 trains

have Wi-Fi. With this plan, all trains and ferries will have Wi-Fi,” she said. “We are hoping that [implementation] will start in the fall of 2013, and will finish in about six to eight months.”

About 50,000 commuters use the current Wi-Fi system that is in place on the commuter rail on a daily basis. The current contractor for wireless service on the commuter rail is AT&T and they can bid again for the service deal, Smith said.

MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott said in a press release Friday that increased Wi-Fi service is the next step in providing better service to commuters.

“The opportunity to have sponsorship of our WIFI service will aid in our goal of bringing a high-quality WIFI experience to our customers throughout the commuter rail system without the MBTA or our riders incurring any

MBTA, see page 4

SARAH FISHER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

MBTA officials hope to add WiFi through the system’s infrastructure while avoiding additions to the company’s debt. Some commuter rail lines currently have WiFi.

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

MBTA not first transit system to implement cost-free WiFi MBTA: From Page 3

cost for it,” she said. “It really is a win-win.”

Smith said increased Wi-Fi would not be a financial burden for the MBTA “This will not cost the MBTA anything, this will be a servicepartnership program,” she said.

“Whoever successfully bids for it will get a certain advertising and commercial partnership with the MBTA.” This type of commercial partnership is not unique to transit systems. The Metropolitan Transpor-

tation Authority, which runs the Metro-North and LIRR systems, announced in November that its wireless network in Grand Central and the Park Avenue tunnels would come at no cost to the MTA. “This deal will provide significant improvements in customer service, railroad operations and emergency management in GCT, all at no cost to MTA or MetroNorth,” said Metro-North President Howard Permut in a press release from Nov. 29. “This network will improve radio communication for our operating department employees, the MTA Police and other

first responders.”

Commuters expressed mixed feelings about the increased W-Fi capabilities.

Jenna Goldblatt, 25, from Boston, said Wi-Fi would make her commute easier.

“What the MBTA is doing is beneficial to business people, college students, young professionals and just regular people, since so many people need Internet access today,” she said. “I can access things on my smartphone or laptop easier and it provides for something to do when riding the train.”

Jordan Evangelista, a senior at

Boston University in the School of Management, said he takes the MBTA Commuter rail 15 to 20 times a year to his home in Providence, but that added Wi-Fi would not affect him.

“The Wi-Fi improvement doesn’t really help me that much,” Evangelista said. “I’m usually just on my phone, sleeping or talking to my friends on the commuter rail. It doesn’t make a difference really.”

BU Professor Kathleen Martin of the College of General Studies said she used to commute on the train daily for six years.

“Internet access wouldn’t have helped me on commuter rail rides,” she said. “I generally spent my time inbound going over my class preparations, and spent my time outbound either recuperating from my day or going over class preparations.”

Martin said a possible outcome of increased Wi-Fi for commuters is employers encouraging longer work hours.

“The Wi-Fi on the commuter rail could be used by their bosses as an excuse to make them start work earlier and end work later,” she said.

Outreach dir.: Undocumented students ‘hungry to contribute’ Immigration: From Page 3

Guggenheim said he intends to produce a 30-minute documentary based on videos and material submitted by students showing their personal stories and why they believe the DREAM Act is necessary.

The act, proposed by Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois would allow qualified undocumented youth to attempt to obtain citizenship after completing two years of either college or military service, according to the official DREAM Act website.

In 2010, the act failed to pass through the Senate, and since its failure, Congress has updated and

revised the proposed legislation.

Ruben Canedo, The Dream is Now college outreach director, said students are crucial to the mission of the campaign.

“We all clearly understand that college students will be the next generation of leadership,” Canedo said. “We also understand the unbelievable transformative impact that college students have through their personal networks and social media outlets to help spread this passion and support to improve the immigration system and do justice to their peers.”

Without the passage of the DREAM Act, these students cannot receive financial aid from

schools or secure a stable job, despite having grown up in the U.S., Canedo said.

“Undocumented students are hungry to contribute to their communities,” Canedo said. “These are Americans from various backgrounds who can instantly alleviate the current needs of our health care system, judicial system, education system and much more.”

The economic impact of granting these students citizenship amounts to an estimated $148 billion, according to the campaign’s website.

“With ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ we saw real change happen,” Guggenheim said. “A documentary can

do a lot, but it takes people to join in.”

Several BU students said the campaign’s efforts are admirable and the passage of the DREAM Act is important for U.S. citizens and students.

David Torres, a College of Communication junior, said he is hopeful the documentary will have a positive impact on the BU community.

“If anything, the film can help BU students realize the world is more than just the suburbs or the small commonwealth bubble,” he said. “Hopefully this film will take the invisible DREAM Act students and give them a light so they may

share their stories and connect with people to bring about some kind of change.”

Marina Shub, a postgraduate School of Law student who said she is familiar with Guggenheim’s work, said she was glad he is working on the campaign, but is not convinced it will bring about significant change.

“It is a very important issue that is now ripe for discussion and has a clear solution,” Shub said.

“With that said, I don’t think the film will impact the issue itself or get government attention. The DREAM Act was introduced 12 yeas ago, and Congress still has yet to agree.”

Apperian CEO says growth simple in Hub Innovation: From Page 3

it’s great to see the energy down here,” said Brendan Kearney, account manager from RaceMenu, a website that facilitates organizing and promoting events.

Kearney said being located in the district has allowed his company to flourish.

“Being in the in district itself, we’ve made connections with a number of different companies and partners that we may have never engaged with if we were not all in the same ecosystem,” he said. “It’s definitely allowed us to branch out and make connections and develop new business partnerships that we wouldn’t have had before.”

Marty Walsh, owner of Greenhouse Bikes, said the Innovation District has supported his company since its creation. “[The company is] doing great,” Walsh said. “From day

one we got a large support from the city. We got a loan in 2008 and it’s been really great working with these folks. We wouldn’t be where are without that support.”

Walsh said the expansion of companies in the Innovation District is beneficial for Boston. “[The expansion is] trying to do something in an area of Boston that wasn’t happening before,” he said. “It is focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation inside a big part of the city, and the fact that the city government wants to do that is a great idea.”

David Patrick, CEO of Apperian, which does mobile application management, said in an email the Innovation District will be an exciting new place to start high-tech companies and has allowed his company to recruit to many of the surrounding areas in Boston.

“Apperian is doing very well in Boston,” he said. “We have been very successful in establishing

here, raising money, hiring, building sales and marketing. We have been able to execute very quickly in the Boston environment.”

Zach Barber, spokesman for Vertex Pharmaceuticals, said the company is planning to move to the Innovation District in the next few months.

“Our company was founded in Cambridge and we started out with one lab with a handful of scientists,” he said. “We now have twelve different locations around Cambridge. The primary drive for the relocation was to get all of our employees into one campus.”

Fichera said the Innovation District will be an important force in the Boston economy.

“We will continue growing jobs and companies in this area.

The company is doing worldchanging work,” she said. “It will continue pushing Boston’s economy forward.”

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BU student teams up with MIT and Brandeis University students to develop taxi-sharing app Deborah Wong Features Staff

D

uring the few days before spring break, many students cannot find someone to split the pricey $30 cab fare to Boston Logan International Airport. However, with the new mobile application Split My Taxi, students can do just that. This free app, created by three college students, helps students match up with other people to share the taxi fare.

David Danesh, a School of Management sophomore at Boston University, has been the face of the app that was recently launched at Boston University to help students save money. Danesh helped Adam Eagle, a freshman studying computer science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and David Zadok, who is pursuing his Masters degree in Business at Brandeis University, create the app.

Beta Testing at BU Due to the university’s grand population, as well as the students’ generally candid social behavior and openness to new ideas, Split My Taxi is only opened in BU, Danesh said.

“There are 16,000 students … they like trying new things,” Danesh said.

Because the app is only being tested in the BU community, BU students will only be matched up with other BU students, rather than riding for 10 to 15 minutes with a student from another school.

Students can enter their BU email address or their Facebook account to sign in. To get a taxi, they input their current location, destination and the optimal time to be picked up. The phone numbers will not be disclosed until the user finds a good match and presses a button, which sends the potential cab buddy the initiator’s phone number. Those two can then message each other and arrange their cab ride.

Saurabh Mahajan, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman and Student Government spokesman said SG is happy to give Split My Taxi its support and endorsement.

“It’s something that we think is a great idea and we think it’s something that students can really benefit from,” Mahajan said. “Essentially our role in [Split My Taxi] is associating our name with it. The extent of our involvement is basically saying that we support this idea because it’s a service that benefits students in a great way. It reduces their costs to the airport,

it helps them, it is environmentally friendly, and it just helps them get home in a really safe and convenient way.”

Early Beginnings Eagle said he and Zadok initially thought of a dating app for university students in December. The idea was to create a profile, find a good match, ride with that person in a taxi and then decide after the ride whether they liked that person or not. Eagle said he decided to alter the app to be a more useful resource.

“It was a simple conception but [Split My Taxi] was an actual practical use,” Eagle said.

In high school, Eagle designed Monkey Manic, a game in which the objective is for a monkey to collect fruits and continue on to the next level. He launched it in the U.S., but it gained mass popularity in China, reaching over 15 million users.

Eagle said he did not charge for any of his games and will not charge students for downloading Split My Taxi either.

“The app itself is to help people save money,” Eagle said. “I want to make sure that people can find the app easily and match up with people easily.”

Eagle said the biggest concern is whether students would be willing to share a space with a stranger for about 15 minutes. He wants students to feel comfortable and safe when contacting and traveling with that other person.

Getting the Word Out Danesh’s desk has a stack of paper with scribbled notes on the time and location of the lectures and clubs at which he has been scheduled to speak about the app. He is responsible for getting the word out to as many people as possible. Being a one-man marketing team, Danesh said he spends sleepless nights spamming the walls of clubs on Facebook and updating the Split My Taxi Twitter and Instagram account.

“I basically joined almost every student group on Facebook,” said Danesh. “One student commented, ‘Split My Taxi has successfully spammed 98 percent of BU student groups.’ So I realize I should calm down a little bit.”

Danesh admitted to skipping some classes

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MICHELLE JAY / DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Students enter their current location, destination and optimal time to be picked up and are matched with students with similar preferences to share a taxi.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID DANESH

App co-creator and SMG sophomore David Danesh and CGS sophomore Hannah Paull wave down a taxi on Commonwealth Ave.

in order to publicize the product before Spring break, but he said it was for a greater good.

“Sometimes you just have to put the GPA to the side,” said Danesh. “When you’re working with a student from MIT and Brandeis who has an amazing app, I cannot say ‘no’ to that.”

He said he is unsure whether the message to use the app was broadcasted effectively or if there was a good response from the students.

However, after realizing BU students are having trouble creating an account due to overcapacity, he smiled, knowing that their customers are using and liking the trio’s creation.

BU reactions to the product Since Split My Taxi is relatively new, some students said they are still trying to familiarize themselves with this new technological innovation and questioning the usage and safety.

Valentina Liu, a CAS sophomore, said she would use the application because it might save her money. However she also said she has concerns regarding her safety, even if she is riding with another BU student.

“What if the other person sounds really nice on the phone, but not in person,” Liu said.

“I’m also concerned, as a girl, for my safety when I’m traveling with a stranger.”

As for possible alterations or upgrades in the design, she said she would like if the app would show the “hotspots” in the area. Instead of waiting around in a place where there are few BU students, it could locate areas where there are many students getting picked up by a taxi or requesting for one.

“It’s a great way to save some extra cash because it’s basically carpooling,” said Rania Ezzo, a CAS sophomore.

Ezzo said she used the app once before to take a cab from her dorm in South Campus to Newbury Street. The app matched her with another girl from BU who was leaving from the South Campus area and headed in the same direction. She said the biggest challenge was figuring out how to split the fare.

“We both saved money because we split the cab, but the splitting of the cab is not actually built into the app and you have to work that out beforehand,” she said.

Ezzo said she would use the app again be-

cause taxi fare is often expensive.

“I would definitely be up for using it again, especially riding to and from the airport. I spend a lot of my money doing that,” she said. “It ranges from anywhere between $50 to $70.”

Ezzo said the app is convenient, but could also be a way to meet new people.

“Since [the app is] only for university students, I feel like it’s a lot safer than riding with some random stranger,” Ezzo said. “I feel like the idea is more for convenience, but you never really know where you’ll meet a friend.”

Other students, such as CAS sophomore Samantha Chasse, said they would rather save even more money by taking public transit Chasse said she takes the T and will continue to take the T, even if it is a longer ride. Furthermore, she said scheduling with another student may be time-consuming and a hassle.

“Taking the T is still cheaper than a cab,” said Chasse. “Also, my concern is coordinating with the other person. What if the other person didn’t show up?”

Professional opinion for moving forward SMG professor Kathy Kram, who specializes in organizational behavior, said she believes students will find this app valuable.

However, she did express concerns regarding the safety when being matched with a stranger.

“If [the application] shows the gender, women can decide if they prefer to be matched up with another woman in order to be safe,” Kram said.

The three creators have no intention of charging for the app thus far, but Kram said if they decide to do so in the future, she advised them to conduct further market research, for example, of how often students take a taxi.

That decision will have to depend on whether the students find it useful on a regular basis.

The young entrepreneurs are continuing to develop their product. Eagle is coding a function for the application with which students can book a taxi online. The project will expand to Harvard University, MIT, Northeastern University and all major universities in Boston within the next few weeks before students head out on their Spring break, Eagle said.

6W

ednesday,

March 6, 2013

Opinion

The Daily Free Press

FAT BOY IN A SKINNY WORLD

Fat Guy Fashion

The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University 43rd year F Volume 85 F Issue 27

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

Clinton Nguyen, Layout Editor

Cheryl Seah, Advertising Manager

SANDOR MARK

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.

Tightening smoking restrictions

Last week, tobacco-control advocates gathered in Cambridge for a conference about the increased governance of tobacco. According to The New York Times, the goal on hand is to find a way to reduce smoking rates to well below 10 percent. Currently, fewer than one in five Americans smoke, according to the Times.

Still, cigarettes continue to kill 400,000 Americans a year.

The Times reported that the conversation centered on the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which U.S. President Barack Obama signed in 2009. The act approved by Obama already gives the Food and Drug Administration the power to establish tobacco product standards, according to the Times. This means it can call for a reduction in the amount of nicotine put into cigarettes to below addictive levels — one way to achieve the conference’s goal — hopefully protecting new smokers from addiction and habitual smokers from excessive nicotine exposure. Another part of the act affirms the authority of the government to prohibit the sale, distribution and possession of — and even access and exposure to

— tobacco products by individuals of any age, according to the Times. Conference attendees called on governments to prohibit people born after the year 2000 from ever buying cigarettes.

These are good goals, steps in the right direction toward a healthier, smoke-free America.

But more probably, they are unrealistic. Prohibiting people from buying cigarettes in certain areas just means they will acquire them elsewhere. And lower nicotine contents mostly just mean that people will smoke more cigarettes to get a desired effect.

Moreover, as dangerous a habit as smoking is, how far can the government go in restricting our right to choose what we put into our bodies? Does tobacco join the ranks of marijuana or other illegal harder drugs? And finally, would restricting tobacco access really omit it? Probably not, and certainly not right away.

People will smoke if they want to smoke, no matter the risks involved, and for that group of individuals, there might not be much the government can do. On the other hand, all measures are positive in the long-term trek towards American health.

Adult ADHD on the rise

All of us have trouble focusing. Especially these days, when the demands for productivity are soaring while the outlets to avoid these demands seem to only increase in multitude.

We feel like we should be accomplishing more, because it seems it should be easy to do so, as we type our papers quickly, there’s a wealth of information at our fingertips wherever and whenever we want it, we carry our email in our pockets, etc.

Monday, The Boston Globe ran a report about the rising levels of adult ADHD. The case study was a 45-year-old woman who, finding herself unable to apply herself to any single task productively, was diagnosed with the disease and began taking medication.

“It’s really time to stop trivializing ADHD as a childhood behavioral problem that’s overtreated,” said Dr. William Barbaresi, director of the Developmental Medicine Center at Children’s Hospital and leader of a recent study on the increased presence of the disease in adults. “It’s a serious health condition that persists” into adulthood, he claims, according to the Globe.

It is true that ADHD exists as a neurobiological disorder that prevents certain individuals from sitting still, concentrating,

or performing other day-to-day tasks. Many people benefit from ADHD medication, be they children or adults. Also, since ADHD is a relatively recent medical discovery, increased presence of ADHD in adults in part simply indicates that these adults were not diagnosed when they were younger.

On the other hand, however, it’s been said that doctors are diagnosing patients with the disease too loosely and frequently. A difficulty focusing does not necessarily mean a person is neurologically challenged in the face of the demand to be focused and productive.

It might just mean that they don’t want to do whatever task is in front of them. People have trouble focusing for the simple reason that we’re not wired to sit still for hours on end without significant inspiration. And significant inspiration is not always easy to come by, for which reason most of the time, a lot of us would rather be hanging out with our friends.

Focus requires discipline, which means pulling ourselves away from fun distractions. Inasmuch as ADHD does persist into adulthood, try getting off Tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Fab.com, Rue La La, your email and your favorite blog(s) before you go running to your doctor.

Monday night I went out for ice cream with my roommate — he’s a fat guy too.

As we were walking out the door I noticed a stark difference in how the two of us were dressed. He was wearing what can only be called a typical fat guy “uniform:” Hoodie sweatshirt, sweatpants and scuffed up tennis shoes. I was wearing Cole Haan shoes, a cashmere sweater and a tie. He is truly the Jack Lemmon to my Walter Matthau.

With our Odd Couple mission in progress, I started thinking about how fat guys normally dress and realized that I’m an odd duck compared to most of them.

If someone were to go through the average fat guy’s closet they would probably find, four or five football jerseys, a couple of pairs of sweatpants, white undershirts, sixteen hoodies, extra-large t-shirts from Foot Locker and a little league jersey that reminds them of that time they played sports. I’m not saying you wouldn’t find clothes like this in another guy’s wardrobe.

I’m only saying a typical fat man is more likely to own five Patriot’s jerseys — and not because they’re a bargain down at Marshall’s.

When a fat guy buys clothes he’s following two simple rules: Layers and dark colors. These two strategies strive to meet one goal: Turn the fat, misshapen body into a walking optical illusion. Those white undershirts are key. They’re like cotton Spanx that come in 20-packs. Just tuck them into a pair of pants so that the love handles and the manboobs get flattened, then throw a baggy hoodie over everything. Now our fat-guy-on-the-go has a torso that takes up three quarters of his body, and he appears to have lost 20 pounds. Not bad for someone who cleans his clothes with Febreeze and whose love handles spill out over his waistband.

The downside to this look is that it’s “shlubby,” which is a fair term because most of us are shlubs. Nothing stands out about the fat guy uniform — there’s nothing eye-catching about sweatshirts that are the same color as the snow on old TV sets.

And really, that’s the whole point. The fat guy look is designed for those who don’t want to be seen, for people who want to become visual white noise.

Why is this, you ask? Because a fat guy’s worst nightmare is being the center of attention — the possibility of someone noticing the physical repulsiveness of our bodies and saying, “Ah gross look at your belly, guys aren’t supposed to be hour-glass shaped,” is nightmarish. The shlubby look is an effective defense mechanism to avoid this kind of ridicule. And the moment I re-

alized this was the moment I realized I’m the exception to the rule.

When I get dressed I try to make myself stand out. I want people’s heads to turn when I walk past them, and for them to say, “Well damn, when did J. Crew introduce a big and tall line?” If you went through my wardrobe you’d find a whole lot of style and class. Several different blazers, button down shirts of all patterns and styles, cashmere sweaters, etc. Some days, I just want to look like I’m sailing off the coast of Nantucket. But what really sets me apart from the average fat guy is how much effort I put into my wardrobe, and I only have my sister to thank.

Understand: My sister is the type of girl who could spend $1,000 on clothes in thirty minutes. She used to spend hours putting together outfits for herself and she’d make me pass judgment on every one. This became kind of a Friday afternoon ritual during my middle school years: My sister getting ready to go out, while I was reading in my room, waiting for her to walk in with the next outfit that needed critiquing.

What I learned from this was that dressing yourself is a kind of art. It takes practice, thought and careful planning. Just like how a writer makes his mark on the world through his words, or musician through his music, clothes can be a way we tell a story about ourselves on a day-to-day level.

Some people say “the clothes don’t make the man,” but I say that the clothes are the man.

This thought goes back to last week’s column on social media, in which I point out that how you look is an extension of who you are. Your clothes are a statement about how you want the world to see you — and most fat guys think the world doesn’t want to see them at all.

But with a good sense of style, it’s possible to make up ground for a less than desirable physique. Yes, it may be a shallow and materialistic way of doing it, but we have to use any weapon we can find.

Unfortunately, most fat guys don’t have an older sister capable or willing to teach them how to dress — and it’s hard to create a unique style all on your own. What’s more, most fat guys aren’t willing to put in the work, which I find unfortunate because a little effort goes a long way. If you look good, you feel good. I may be fat, but when I walk down the street, I look damn good.

Sandor Mark is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, and a weekly columnist for the Daily Free Press. He can be reached at smark@bu.edu

letters@dailyfreepress.com

Terrier Talk Reflections

For a lot of students, March Madness means summer internship applications.

The FreeP wondered how some students were coping with the extra stress.

Here’s what some of them said.

INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOS

BY MAYA DEVEREAUX

AAFREEN RAJANI

YUKI FURUYA

MOMO KIMURA

CONNOR WALSH

“I plan on finding an internship through my sister’s connections.”

- SMG freshman

“I haven’t had much difficulty so far, but I should be searching more.”

- COM junior

“The process is non-existent at this moment.”

- CAS freshman

“I already secured one. It involved a lot of writing but the process wasn’t bad.”

- ENG sophomore

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

7

King: Enjoying little things helps stress of being on road as student-athlete King: From Page 8

back home in Boston.

However, since we go to BU where professors do, in fact, assign homework and schedule tests, we were a ways away from getting some shut-eye.

So yes, after three long days in the sun — bodies fatigued — we all had to muster up enough energy and motivation to keep our eyes open and finish our homework on the bus, in the airport and on the plane.

Talk about brutal.

Heck, I haven’t even slept in a solid 43 hours and I am just now getting to this column.

No normal human would choose being stressed, time-crunched and tired every hour of the day. It’s a lifestyle only a select type of individual would choose to endure.

It takes commitment, dedication and drive to keep you going. But when you

love what you do and the people around you, traveling is worth every little struggle.

Not only did we get the chance to compete away from Boston’s blistering cold climate where we’ve been practicing on literally every surface you can imagine other than dirt and grass, but I found that little things we encountered while traveling are what made the trip memorable.

For one, playing at the University of Arizona was fricken nuts! I didn’t know so many people watched softball, let alone congregated in one stadium for a preseason game. Granted, the fans were all about 50 or older and had to start clearing out by the 5th inning. I couldn’t tell you if their early departure was due to their strict bedtimes or because they couldn’t sit for any longer.

Priceless.

After our game against U of A, we ventured over to the local Boston Market for some “authentic,” home-style cooking. The

locals found this as funny as we did because when we started ordering, a few guys in the corner tried sneaking some snap shots of us from across the restaurant.

Not too long after, one U of A student asked to take a picture with our entire team.

It was uncomfortable, but made for a good laugh.

Speaking of creepy situations, after our Sunday game against UC Riverside, our assistant coach received a tweet to the Boston University Softball Twitter handle reading, “@BostonUSoftball is at TGIF at #ChaseField & let me tell you, they have some lookers.”

In hysterics, our team immediately split up and did a casual walk-through of the restaurant scanning tables for our new “fan.”

Everywhere we go, we have a reputation to uphold, further adding to the joys of traveling.

And let me tell you, trying to keep your

cool in the airport at 1 a.m. Boston time, while trying to type an essay when all the coffee shops are closed, all the outlets are taken and your laptop and phone both die is difficult, to say the least.

But that’s part of being a college athlete — learning to deal with your given predicament and making the best of it.

When you keep a positive attitude and release your anxiety by appreciating the little things and having a few laughs, you’ll survive stressful travel scenarios and remain sane enough to finish your work.

And for those BU softball players that returned to Boston with a handful of appearances in our infamous napping collage, just blame traveling for that little added stress you feel when the collage goes social-media bound.

Better luck next week in Clearwater, Fla.

Kurker has potential as power forward Men’s hockey: From Page 8

MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Freshman forward Sam Kurker only has two goals and two assists in his first season with the Terriers, but he has the potential to be a standout physical presence in the seasons to come.

‘Like’ The Daily Free Press Sports Section on Facebook Lacrosse looks to remain composed vs. DC Lacrosse: From Page 8

fensive weapon is senior attack Danielle Etrasco, who scored 58 goals last year, as well as two goals in the season opener, other players have stepped up to help offset the loss of reigning America East Rookie of the Year Mallory Collins, who will miss the entire season with a torn ACL. One player in particular who made a big impact was freshman midfielder Ally Adams, who was named America East Rookie of the Week after notching two assists in her debut with the Terriers.

The last time the Terriers and Big Green faced off was during the 2011-12 campaign in Hanover, N.H., when Dartmouth defeated BU 13-6.

Robertshaw said the team struggled against Dartmouth last year because of the

hype surrounding the game.

“Last year we let the emotion of the game, of the rivalry and of the back-andforth play, take us out of what we were there to do, which was to just play a very good lacrosse team,” Robertshaw said. “We were just too amped up and too excited for the game.”

For Robertshaw, the biggest key to the Terriers avenging their loss is composure.

“This year, we’re going to try and focus on ourselves,” Robertshaw said. “For us, [the key is] staying composed and focused on what we as a coaching staff have put in place for a game plan.

“If we can do that, if we can play a team game for the entire 60 minutes, and do what we want to do … that puts us in a place where we can have a good outcome.”

John’s Prep in scoring last year and being drafted in the second round of the NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues.

However, BU coach Jack Parker said he envisions Kurker turning into a player comparable to former Terrier Alex Chiasson — the player indirectly responsible for Kurker coming to BU as an 18-year-old instead of playing elsewhere for another year.

“I see him being a power forward for us, a guy that can play on the first few lines,” Parker said. “A guy that might get a chance to play on the power play. That’s what we recruited him for. But he came here a year early.

“He was supposed to be a 19-year-old freshman, but then we lost Alex Chiasson, so we brought him as an 18-year-old freshman.”

Kurker, at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, has the potential to be a physical presence among a group of forwards who don’t throw their weight around much. His 32 goals in 24 games last year prove that he can score, albeit against very different competition, and Parker said he expects Kurker to become a reliable source of offense, as Chiasson was.

“They’re different players,” Parker said.

“Chiasson was a little bit more clever, but [Kurker is] a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger and much more physical ... He’s as good a skater. He might not be as agile, as quick from here to there, but he gets up and down the ice.

“I’m surprised that he is not getting more goals in the second half, because he is playing much better. He looks like he is much more confident. And he is moving the puck better and shooting the puck better.”

Scoreboard watching The Terriers are No. 19 in the USCHO.

com national poll, but what matters most at this point in the year are the PairWise rankings, where they’re tied for 17th with Union College. In the Hockey East standings, they are fifth with 28 points: Four fewer than the first-place University of MassachusettsLowell, three behind the University of New Hampshire, and two behind Boston College and Providence College, tied for third.

If the regular season ended today, BU would be unlikely to make the national tournament without winning the Hockey East tournament. Wins in its final two games — against a 9-19-4 Northeastern University team — would not give them much of a boost in the PairWise, which ranks teams largely based on their performance against other teams that have a chance at the tournament. However, losing would obviously only hurt the Terriers’ chances further.

In the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), BU ranks 21st. RPI measures a team’s success based on its winning percentage, the winning percentage of its opponents and the winning percentage of those opponents’ opponents.

According to USCHO, the Terriers have also faced the seventh-toughest schedule in the nation, stronger than any other Hockey East team (a schedule that includes the University of North Dakota and the University of Denver, ranked seventh and tied for eighth in the PairWise respectively). During the first semester, BU faced the strongest schedule in the nation to that point and went 10-5.

Entering the season’s final weekend, UNH (18-8-6, 13-7-5 Hockey East), BC (19-10-3, 14-9-2 Hockey East) and UMassLowell (21-9-2, 15-8-2 Hockey East) are tied for fourth place in the PairWise. Providence (14-11-7, 12-7-6 Hockey East) is tied for 22nd and Merrimack College is tied for 31st.

Follow us on Twitter:

@DFPSports @BOShockeyblog @BUbballBlog

“

“

Quotable

I’m sure that there’s going to be some hard hits and some bruises.

- BU coach Liz Robertshaw on lacrosse’s upcomming matchup against Dartmouth

Page 8

The Inner Edge

On The Road

Haley King

Being a freshman softball player, I can honesty tell you that I underestimated the strenuous commitment it takes to live the life of a Division I Boston University Terrier.

The life of a college athlete isn’t all Nike attire and free tutors as one may think.

It’s more like five-hour training days, 6 a.m. practices, meals on the run and mandatory ice baths.

It’s dedication, mental toughness and time management — on the field as well as in the classroom.

Even though being a BU athlete is a tough lifestyle, the experiences you encounter in-season makes struggling through the downfalls worthwhile.

Coming to BU, I thought during travel season we’d play some games, eat, shower, have downtime to get homework done and then go to sleep at a reasonable hour to be up for games the following morning.

Man, was I wrong.

Traveling is the furthest thing from being simplistic. It takes quite the toll on you, physically.

That’s why you have to go into the airport with a light-hearted mindset and just have fun with everything, enjoy the opportunity and try to ignore the negative aspects.

And believe me, there are negatives to traveling to a place like Arizona the week before midterms.

Imagine this is your Sunday before midterm week: Wake up at 6:20 a.m. to hit in the cage at 8, take the field against University of California, Riverside in the dry-heat of Arizona at 9, bus around the state while trying to study for IR, eat lunch, finish a six-page paper on the redeye and arrive in Boston just in time to grab a bite to eat in the dining hall before going straight to a 9 a.m. class the next day.

After about step three on Sunday’s agenda (playing UC Riverside), we all felt fatigued from spending so much time in the blistering sun. All we could focus our minds on was the beckoning call of our not-so-comfortable beds

King, see page 7

Sports

W. Lacrosse v. Dartmouth, 3 p.m.

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The Boston University men’s hockey team recruited goaltender Shane Starrett, who will join the team for its 2014-15 campaign. P.8.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Lacrosse prepares for rival Dartmouth Men’s hockey

recruits goalie for 2014-15

By Conor Ryan Daily Free Press Staff

Fresh off a hard-fought overtime victory against the University of Massachusetts-Amherst last week, the Boston University women’s lacrosse team is set to take on No. 13 Dartmouth College Wednesday afternoon at Nickerson Field.

While the Terriers (1-0) and the Big Green (3-0) are not in the same conference, BU coach Liz Robertshaw said she still expects a heated and highly competitive game between the two teams.

“It’s a traditional New England rivalry game between BU and Dartmouth, and I’m sure that there’s going to be some hard hits and some bruises that the girls are going to feel after the game,” Robertshaw said.

Dartmouth beat the University of Oregon, Yale University and University of New Hampshire to start the season with a perfect record. The Big Green have been led by senior attack Hannah Bowers, who averages three goals a game this year.

Last year, the Big Green finished the year with a 12-5 record and made it to the first round of the NCAA tournament, where they lost to Syracuse, 15-5.

With a potent offense and a tenacious defense, Robertshaw said the Big Green will be a big challenge for the Terriers.

“Dartmouth is a fast-paced and hard-hitting team,” Robertshaw said. “We’ve watched a couple games of theirs, and they’re really pushing the attack with ball movement, with really hard dodges to cage, and getting some really nice looks.

“From the defensive side of things, they are a highly aggressive team. They are going to look to intimidate and rattle us a little

By Annie Maroon Daily Free Press Staff

JACKIE ROBERTSON/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Sophomore attack Mallory Collins will miss the entire 2013 campaign with a torn ACL, leaving the Terriers searching for other players to step up.

bit. It’s something that we saw them do against UNH and against Yale, and we think they’re going to bring that to us.”

Although the Terriers have only played one game this year, they displayed both physical and

mental toughness against UMass (4-2), defeating the then-No. 14 team in chilling rain and 20-MPH winds.

While the Terriers’ main of-

Lacrosse, see page 7

It was not the biggest piece of news related to Boston University men’s hockey goalies this week, but the No. 19 Terriers (16-15-2, 13-10-2 Hockey East) have landed goaltender Shane Starrett of Selects Academy as a recruit for the 2014-15 season. Starrett announced his commitment Monday on his Twitter account, saying, “One of the happiest days of [my] life. Officially going to be a Terrier.”

Starrett posted a 24-12-4 record with a 1.90 goals-against average and .915 save percentage while with the Selects Academy U18s. The Bellingham native and former Catholic Memorial netminder was named the No. 35 goaltender on the NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings of North American skaters for the 2013 NHL draft.

The 6-foot-5, 180-pound goalie was born in July 1994, making him only three months younger than freshman forward Sam Kurker. According to East Coast Militia’s Facebook page, Starrett is committed to come to BU for the 2014-15 season.

Junior backup goalie Anthony Moccia will graduate next spring, leaving an open roster spot for Starrett in 2014.

Parker sees improvement, potential in Kurker In his first 28 collegiate games, Kurker has two goals and two assists. As a rookie who will not turn 19 until April, he has faced a learning curve after leading St.

Men’s hockey, see page 7

Softball learning from losing efforts against top-notch squads

By Christopher Dela Rosa Daily Free Press Staff

The Boston University softball team got off to a rather bumpy but informative start to its 2012-13 campaign. After trips to Orlando, Fla., and Tucson, Ariz., the Terriers (3-7, 0-0) have wins against Georgia Southern University, Portland State University and the University of California-Riverside.

Despite the team’s sub-.500, BU coach Kathryn Gleason said that she remains optimistic and used the games as a learning opportunity.

“What we have learned is the way we approach the game,” Gleason said. “Arizona was a tough environment to play in. I thought we handled that very well ... We can play anybody. If we want to achieve our goal as a team we just need to keep doing that.”

Gleason is justifiably optimistic about the way her team has performed early, as it is still early

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Wednesday, March 6

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Thursday, March 7

No Events Scheduled Dennis Rodman was kicked out of a bar, not for praising Kim Jong Un, but because his dress didn’t match his shoes.

in the season and BU has played against rather tough opponents to this point.

This past weekend, BU took on softball powerhouse No. 17 University of Arizona at its home stadium in front of the many Wildcat softball fans. During the tournament that they hosted, the Wildcats (15-5) demolished the competition, defeating every team they faced. BU competed against Arizona Friday and Saturday, losing 6-3 in the first game and then falling once again to the Wildcats 4-1 a day later.

Playing Until the Final Out To open up the season, the Terriers faced Georgia Southern (910), which took a 1-0 lead in the seventh inning off of a home run by senior Tabby Douberley. However, BU did not give up easily.

An upperclassman responded in kind when senior second baseman Emily Roesch brought home sophomore right fielder Emily Felbaum on a single.

Friday, March 8

M. Hockey @ Northeastern, 7:30 p.m.

Softball @ Under Armour Showcase, All Day Track @ NCAA Championships, All Day

The following week, the team traveled to Tucson to participate in the Wildcat Invitational. After dropping three of four at the tournament, BU was set to take on UC Riverside (7-12). With the score tied at four in the seventh inning, sophomore left fielder Mandy Fernandez hit a three-run bomb to give her team a 7-4 lead. BU held on to win 7-6 before jumping on a red-eye flight back to Boston.

“What it means to us is that we’re a resilient team and that we never get down no matter what happens in the game,” Gleason said. “We play the game to the finish. We talk about not playing the opponent, but playing the game.”

Fantastic Freshmen Two freshmen have already seen playing time for the Terriers this season — pitcher Lauren Hynes of San Diego and outfielder Haley King from Cumming, Ga. Hynes has seen the field several times in this young season.

With 19 innings logged in six ap-

Saturday, March 9

M. Hockey v. Northeastern, 7 p.m.

W. Hockey v. Providence, 12:30 p.m.

Softball @ Under Armour Showcase, 2 p.m.

pearances, she holds a 0-2 record with an ERA of 5.53, giving up 15 earned runs, 19 walks and striking out 14. At the plate, Hynes is hitting .200, with five hits and a walk.

Meanwhile, King has been making smaller, but impactful contributions to the team, recording a .300 batting average in seven games with three hits and two walks.

“I’m very proud of them,” Gleason said. “You can have two different freshmen: One that goes out and is like a deer in headlights, or one that goes out and plays. They just play the game and go out there.

“I had no hesitation starting Lauren on Friday night. There are no freshmen on our team anymore. They have been on the team since the fall, and everyone is pretty much on the same level.

They have stepped up when we really needed them to and continue to do so.”

Sunday, March 10 Softball @ Under Armour Showcase, All Day