The Daily Free Press
Year xliii. Volume lxxxiv. Issue XXXIII
KING & QUEEN ENG duo takes title of Mr. and Ms. BU, page 3.
[
Monday, March 25, 2013 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University
FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE
MUSE staffer sits down with SNL head writer Seth Meyers, page 5.
]
www.dailyfreepress.com
SO CLOSE
Women’s hockey loses to Minnesota in NCAA finals, page 8.
WEATHER
Today: Cloudy/High 42 Tonight: Snow shower/Low 32 Tomorrow: 45/33 Data Courtesy of weather.com
Parker’s career ends with HE Finals defeat LGBT athletes face prejudice, report suggests
KENSHIN OKUBO/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Jack Parker waves to the fans after coaching his last game, the Saturday night loss to UMass Lowell at TD Garden. By Annie Maroon Daily Free Press Staff
Jack Parker sat quietly while his senior captain, Wade Megan, addressed the media after the 1-0 loss to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell in the Hockey East finals that ended the Boston University men’s hockey team’s season. When Megan said the Terriers had no regrets that night, though, Parker nodded, a gesture of gratitude to his team for the complete effort it gave in his final game. For 51 minutes Saturday, BU (21-16-2,
15-10-2 Hockey East) and Lowell (26-10-2, 16-9-2 Hockey East) were locked in a 0-0 tie at TD Garden. Junior Derek Arnold scored the game’s only goal 11:09 into the third period. Lowell’s Connor Hellebuyck and BU freshman goalie Sean Maguire matched each other save for save for over 50 minutes, and Hellebuyck stopped 36 shots in all. Maguire finished with 28 saves. “I couldn’t ask for more of my team. I couldn’t ask for a better weekend for us,” Parker said. “It was unbelievable that it was
a 1-0 game with all the chances going on. I was very, very pleased with our effort from start to finish. I thought it was one of the best games we’ve played all year, a real 60-minute effort.” On the Lowell goal, Megan tripped and lost the puck near the Lowell blue line, springing the River Hawks on a 3-on-2. Senior defenseman Sean Escobedo drove Arnold away from the net on his initial chance, but Arnold came back around the net and flipped the puck over Maguire while he was down to make it 1-0. The Terriers opened the game with energy, outshooting UML 8-6 in the first period and establishing possession in the offensive zone much more consistently than they did the last two times they saw Lowell. Hellebuyck, however, was ready for every shot he saw, and the River Hawks blocked 21 more in the game before they ever reached him. “Everyone was on the same page,” said senior forward Ben Rosen. “Third and fourthline guys were doing their job, dumping the puck in, grinding in there, and first and second-line guys were doing what they had to do on the power play, getting shots through. We outshot [UML] too, but they just collapsed in there, and they were blocking everything.” Through two periods, BU led in shots, 26-21, but the momentum had begun shifting Lowell’s way. The Terriers opened the third on a power play
Parker, see page 7
Dept. of Education recommends competency-based aid By Rachel Riley Daily Free Press Staff
Students enrolled in competency-based programs — as opposed to traditional time-based programs — at colleges such as Boston University might now be eligible for financial aid, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Education issued Tuesday. Heather Jarvis, a student loan expert who spoke about student debt relief at the School of Law in the fall 2012 semester, said credit hours have always been an inefficient way of measuring student learning. “They show how much time a student spends in class but they don’t demonstrate what they’ve learned,” she said. “This decision means that schools can be more innovative in the way they measure their ability to teach, and it links federal financial aid to a student’s competency.” The Department of Education letter defined competency-based programs as programs that
directly assess student learning “in lieu of measuring student learning in credit or clock hours.” An institution wishing to award aid to students in a program using direct assessment must apply, specifying the equivalent number of credit hours for the program in question, according to the letter. The application must also include how the number of hours was determined and that its institutional accrediting agency has also reviewed and approved the proposed program. Jarvis said the Department of Education’s decision demonstrates that the U.S. wants universities to explore alternatives to the credit hour. “This is really going to help schools be more innovative in how they deliver education,” she said. “It has the potential to really provide some lower-cost alternatives to students so that they can be awarded degrees based on what they’ve learned rather than how much time they’ve spent.”
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said the Department’s decision is a step toward more affordable higher education, according to a Tuesday press release. “We know many students and adult learners across the country need the flexibility to fit their education into their lives or work through a class on their own pace, and these competency-based programs offer those features — and they are often accessible to students any time, anywhere,” he said in the release. Mark Kantrowitz, financial aid expert and FinAid.org publisher, said while changes in the system might not have a significant impact on colleges across the board, they will influence online programs. “The traditional universities are still going to do the clock hours, but for online programs where there is not really a clock going, it will be more appropriate for them,” he said. “It allows for more flexible programs.”
Aid, see page 2
By Kristen Gloss Daily Free Press Staff
While some studies have found the overall atmosphere at colleges such as Boston University to be improving for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students, many have failed to include athletes who identify as LGBTQ in their respondent pools, according to a new report. Nancy Lyons, BU Athletics senior associate director for compliance and student services, said students and student athletes must learn about LGBTQ challenges and become more aware. “Education needs to be provided on these issues before these individuals become part of our community, and on a continuing basis thereafter in order to dispel discriminatory attitudes and end harassment,” she said. Due to changes in college athletics and the continued harassment of LGBTQ athletes, Campus Pride reissued its 2012 LGBTQ National College Athlete Report on March 18, according to a Campus Pride press release. Researchers surveyed 8,481 student athletes from universities around the U.S., according to the release. Nine percent of the student athletes surveyed reported they had experienced harassment that impeded their ability to work or learn on campus. LGBTQ student athletes at universities around the nation experienced a more negative climate than their heterosexual peers, which influenced their athletic identities and reports of academic success, according to the release. Campus Pride will be launching an athletic index to allow colleges and universities to benchmark LGBTQ-friendly policies, programs and practices in college athletics, the release stated. The index, to be released in the fall of 2013, would rank colleges on their acceptance and friendliness toward LGBTQ athletes based on its findings. Although many colleges have reported harassment of LGBTQ athletes, Lyons said she has not heard of any issues arising at BU. “We make a concerted effort to ensure that all our student athletes are treated fairly, with sensitivity and without discrimination,” Lyons said. Coaches do not have to undergo any specific training at BU in order to be able to address any LGBTQ issues, but there are resources available through the NCAA, Lyons said.
LGBTQ, see page 2
Legislation proposed to increase cigarette tax by $1 in Massachusetts By Trisha Thadani Daily Free Press Staff
Massachusetts legislators plan to propose a $1 tax increase on cigarettes and other tobacco products (OTBs) to decrease the number of youth tobacco users and prevent addiction. “At any income level, youth are the most price-sensitive population. Although raising the tax encourages cessation across the board, it has a more dramatic effect on youth,” said Kevin O’ Flaherty, director of advocacy of northeast region for the Campaign for TobaccoFree Kids. When cigarette taxes increase by 10 percent, youth consumption decreases by 6.5 percent, and adult consumption rates by 2 percent, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “Youth Tobacco Use in Massachusetts” survey. Since 1995, cigarette smoking among youth has declined from 35.7 percent to 14.0 percent in 2011. In earlier fiscal years, legislators neglected to raise the tax on OTBs as well. Between 2003 and 2009, there was a 14-percent increase in
consumption of OTBs among youth. “We are encouraging the state to create an equal tax on both cigarettes and smokeless tobacco so the state doesn’t create an uneven market condition that encourages kids to use one tobacco product over another,” O’Flaherty said. “… We are not just trying to get youth to stop smoking and using tobacco products, but also help ensure that they never start.” O’Flaherty said the Campaign for TobaccoFree Kids projects this cigarette tax increase will decrease consumption among youth by 11.2 percent. Additionally, this tax increase is projected to raise about $160 million in revenue for the state annually. Marc Hymovitz, state director of government relations and advocacy for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said there is enough evidence from the last 20 years to prove that each time the tax increases, there is a quick reduction in utilization and a significant increase in revenue.
Tobacco, see page 2
HEATHER GOLDING/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
As part of Kick Butt Day, Massachusetts announced a raise in the cigarette tax by $1.
2
Monday, March 25, 2013
FBI agents identify alleged suspects in 1990 Gardner heist By Paola Salazar Daily Free Press Staff
Boston Federal Bureau of Investigation authorities announced Monday they have identified the people allegedly responsible for the half-billion-dollar art heist from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum 23 years after the crime, but are not revealing the names of the suspects. Special Agent Damon Katz, chief council for the Boston division of the FBI, said the FBI’s art theft team is hopeful that with more widespread knowledge about the heist and the circumstances surrounding it, they will be able to locate the stolen paintings. “Bear in mind, we are not just looking for a phone call from somebody who has the art — although that would be great too — we’re looking for a phone call or an email or a tweet from somebody who knows where [they are] now … ” Katz said. “Any piece of information that could lead us to the art is the sort of thing we’re hoping to hear from the public.”
The thieves are members of a criminal organization based in the mid-Atlantic states and New England, according to the press release. The organization attempted to sell the painting 10 years ago, but the FBI’s knowledge is limited on the whereabouts of the paintings. “We are not releasing any more specific information about any individuals or about the group referenced in the press conference on Monday,” said Special Agent Geoffrey Kelly, lead investigator on the case. In 1990, two men dressed as police officers subdued the museum guards and left with 13 works of art from figures such as Edgar Degas, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, Édouard Manet and Johannes Vermeer. These works, altogether, are estimated to be worth about $500 million, the release stated. “As we have said in the past, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will consider the possibility of immunity from criminal prosecution for information that leads to the return of the paintings based on the set of facts and cir-
cumstances brought to our attention,” said U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz in a written statement. “Our primary goal is, and always has been, to have the paintings returned.” Despite Ortiz’s offer for those returning the art, as well as the statute of limitations for prosecuting the thieves that ended five years after the theft, Katz said putting the culprits in prison was not a priority. After Connecticut mobster Robert Gentile revealed information about the heist during a questioning for a different case in 2010, the FBI has been able to trace those responsible for the theft between Connecticut and Pennsylvania, said Special Agent Richard DesLauriers, head of the FBI’s Boston office, in a written statement. “We hope that through this media campaign, people will see how earnest we are in our attempts to pay this reward and make our institution whole,” said Anthony Amore, chief of security at the museum, in a written statement. “It’s time for these paintings to come home.”
BECKY BROWN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The FBI recently obtained a lead regarding the 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist.
Health prof.: Tabbaco-related programs should get money CAS senior: Emphasis on students better Tobacco: From Page 1
“When you look at where the highest smoker rates are, lower income [people] have a higher smoking rate as they are more price sensitive,” Hymovitz said. “If you increase the price, we are more likely to get lower income people to stop smoking.” Sarah Forman, a sophomore in the College of Communication, began smoking cigarettes during her sophomore year of high school, but has recently decreased her consumption for financial reasons. Although she has not completely stopped consuming cigarettes, she does not buy packs nearly as often.
“When I was about 18, I bought packs in Virginia for about $4 or $5,” Forman said. “I was paying about $10 a pack in Massachusetts, so I began rolling my own cigarettes at that point.” Although this is one way of increasing revenue to education, transportation and infrastructure, Michael Siegel, a community health sciences professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health, said this revenue should specifically be raised for tobacco-related programs. “Massachusetts used to have a strong tobacco-control programs, but the funding for that program has
been decimated in recent years,” Siegel said. “There is no excuse for these programs not to be funded.” If the state raises the cigarette tax, but does not allocate the revenue toward tobacco prevention and cessation programs, Siegel said the Commonwealth is essentially balancing the budget on the shoulders of smokers. “Smokers are not the ones who are benefitting from the money — in general, smokers are a lower-income population,” Siegel said. “The only way to ensure that this tax increase is a fair one is if the revenue goes toward the smoker.”
SHA senior: Athletic skills, sexual orientation unrelated LGBTQ: From Page 1
She said BU plans to include training for student athletes and staff in the future. Tina Hoppe, a School of Hospitality Administration senior, said sexual orientation is irrelevant in athletics. “[At BU] we base our thoughts on skills for the game, not anything
else,” she said. “If you can play the game, you can play … There should be less focus on sexual orientation because it has nothing to do with the talent or skill that athletes bring to practice and games and all other team activities.” Hoppe said she finds BU Athletics to be accepting of students regard-
less of their LGBTQ status. “The reality is that LGBTQ athletes are everywhere and should not be treated any differently than heterosexual athletes,” she said. “The BU Athletics community is extremely open-minded and accepting of all athletes despite their sexual orientation.”
The Daily Free Press Crossword By Mirroreyes Internet Services Corporation ACROSS 1. 10th letter of the Greek alphabet 6. Soft drink 10. Gentle taps 14. Writer Edgar _____ Poe 15. Children’s author ____ Blyton 16. US writer James ____ 17. Prone to seepage 18. “____ of the d’Ubervilles” 19. Change direction 20. Buffalo fishes 22. Most often (archaic) 24. Cut or trim 25. Extols 26. Shredded 29. Sails 30. Central American country Costa ____ 31. Boisterous comedies 37. Small saclike dilations in a compound gland 39. Gorilla 40. Mammal of the weasel family 41. Fashion sense 44. Initial wager 45. Untruths 46. Napping 48. Hidden information 52. The Edo people of
Nigeria 53. Japanese car maker 54. Devote 58. Jacob’s brother (Bible) 59. Piece of evidence 61. Thin slabs of clay or concrete 62. Connects 2 points 63. Suggestion 64. Russian emperors 65. Son of Seth (Bible) 66. Mid-month days 67. German poet Heinrich _____ DOWN 1. Goddess of destruction (Hindu) 2. Actor Sir ____ Guinness 3. Plait or braid 4. Pertaining to a certain Asian country 5. No particular person 6. Arrangement or organization 7. Singles 8. Prefix implying negation or opposition 9. Holds molecules to its surface 10. SLA kidnap victim _____ Hearst 11. Shivering fits 12. Curt or abrupt 13. As_____ = agrees or concurs 21. Offers 23. Abstentions from food
Aid: From Page 1
Competency-based tests measure student learning in a different way than credit hours, Kantrowitz said. “Someone could sit in a chair for a number of hours without actually learning,” he said. “It [competencybased learning] caters more directly to what was learned by the student as opposed to just going to a program.” Kantrowitz said he believes the decision will lead to an increased number of colleges experimenting with online education. Leah Baumann, a Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences senior, said classroom time provided by credit hour-based education has benefits over competency-based education, including opportunities to improve networking and discussion material. “Competency-based programs show effectively if you’ve learned it, but there’s a lot of value to things you can learn in a classroom,” she said. “… I see more value in a classroom program versus just taking an exam
on the material.” Daniel Lopez, a College of Arts and Sciences senior, said although he is unsure how federal aid will directly affect students in competency-based programs, he is a proponent of the learning these programs offer. “It places more of an emphasis on student and self and catering to each student’s individual needs,” he said. While the Department’s decision has the potential to make a significant impact, Jarvis said its effectiveness depends on the responsiveness of universities. “We can’t continue to have a ‘one size fits all’ system,” she said. “There is a need for more affordable and high-quality education that isn’t just a matter of getting bodies in seats in classrooms ... We really need to think differently about what people need to learn and how they can afford to get the skills that they need so we can all function as best as we can together as a community.” Margaret Waterman contributed to the reporting of this article.
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 9 3
3
6
1 7 7
9
1
4
6 8
2 5
25. Tubes 26. 1/28th of an ounce 27. Puerto ____ 28. Corrosive 29. Practical jokes 32. Alleys 33. Write with a slanted typeface 34. Circular pyramid 35. Star Trek Voyager actress ____ Mulgrew
36. Pace 38. Small island 42. Japanese electronics maker 43. Stated 47. To “inform” 48. Ancient inscribed slab 49. Red fluorescent dye 50. Pertaining to cyanide
51. Debauched men 52. Plants with edible roots 54. Sand hill 55. Jai ____, sport 56. Marine gull-like bird 57. Essence or being 60. Top of jar Solution is on Page 4
1 9
9 3
4
4
7 5 Sudoku-Puzzles.net
6 Difficulty: Medium
7 Solution is on Page 4
9
Campus & City Column TheWandering Mind End Times
You’re a little kid, running around the neighborhood, making idols of the older ones who you see doing these amazing, earth-shattering things — driving, eating ice cream whenever they want. One after another they drift away. What happened to Ben? And Matt? And Lisa? “They went to college,” mom tells you. College. When you’re in FRANK elementary school MARASCO it’s the end of the horizon. It’s where earth meets sky. You often fantasize about it. “We’re going to go to the same college someday,” I would often inform my childhood best friend when I was seven. He’d agree, “Of course we are.” Which one we would choose to enroll at was the only issue left to resolve. But we never seemed to be capable of thinking past the faraway dream of college. Fast forward to high school. You’re bombarded with the idea of college from the moment you walk in the door. Your grades, the sports you play, your conduct, your hobbies, whether you prefer ketchup or mustard — it all matters. Everything revolves around this idea of getting into college. Still, you never seem to think beyond it. Then you get there, and you begin to understand what all the fuss is about. Freshman year is an explosion of new people, new surroundings, and new ideas — all slightly blurred by your new best friends, 4 a.m. binge drinking and joints rolled in $1 cigar wrappers. A new feeling emerges. You’re no longer looking ahead to anything. You’ve arrived. There’s so much to do, so much to experience and explore, so much to learn. You’re not thinking about where you’re going. Why bother? You can think about that another day. You’re too busy trying to remember where you put that Papa John’s, “half-off any medium pizza” coupon. Now a senior, I woke up a couple days ago and couldn’t believe the date. It’s spring? The furthest edges of my childhood fantasies are rapidly approaching. My time at the end of the rainbow is all coming to and end in a little over a month. Perhaps May didn’t feel so close because even in late March, Boston seems to get ravaged by malignant waves of ice and despair every other day. No, the more likely reason is denial. In the same way that we put off work until we’re in a coffee-induced frenzy eight minutes before the deadline, I had put off thinking about life after graduation. It’s scary at first. I’m the 1400s sailor who’s nearing the end of the map and isn’t sure whether his boat will scoot off the edge and plummet into a black hole. But the closer I get to the limits of my childhood imagination, the more clearly I can see that the world does not end at the horizon. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I stand on the precipice of conquering college, my once-distant fantasy. This time only feels so strange because I never thought this far. So, in a little over a month, I’ll plunge into a new world of opportunities that are so vast, I couldn’t even imagine them as a seven-year-old. That sounds pretty darn exciting to me. Frank Marasco is a senior in the College of Communication. He can be reached at fcm820@bu.edu.
Monday, March 25, 2013
ENG seniors win Mr. and Ms. BU Boston Medical’s
outlook on credit dropped by S&P
By Kayla Canne Daily Free Press Staff
Mr. and Ms. Engineering Marvin Roxas and Ana Sofia Camacho, both College of Engineering seniors, were crowned Mr. and Ms. Boston University at the annual pageant Thursday night. Roxas and Camacho were pitted against a Mr. and Ms. from each other college at BU in a competition including a fashion display and a talent show. “I’m very humbled because this was a long journey with other amazing competitors — and with Ana Sofia,” Roxas said after the event. “I’m trying to savor it — it’s just so surreal and it’s a great way to end my senior year. I will remember this forever.” Camacho said she was left in shock by the victory, but will not soon forget it. “The best thing was just seeing all the people that supported us — that’s all that matters,” she said after the competition. “I’m just thankful for the support of all of my friends and to have the opportunity to represent a college I’m passionate about … This memory is the best way to end my senior year. I’m going to tell my grandchildren about this.” After meeting freshman year and becoming friends, the pair decided to enter the pageant together to bring the title of Mr. and Ms. BU back to ENG and change
By Steven Dufour Daily Free Press Staff
HILARY LARSON/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF Cap College of Engineering senior Ana Sofia Camacho is crowned as Miss BU 2013
Friday at BU Central. Her partner is College of Engineering senior Marvin Roxas.
the common stereotype of engineering students, Camacho and Roxas said in an interview with The Daily Free Press. Contestants from ENG have not won the pageant since 2008. “We really wanted to embrace engineering and the stereotype that we’re nerdy and antisocial,” Camacho said. “No, not everyone is that way, but we wanted to show you that we can be that and more.” Roxas said the win is a coup not only for the duo, but for the whole engineering community as well as the friends and family who helped the two prepare for the competition. “It wasn’t just us two winning
— we were just the way that engineering could win,” Roxas said. “It was all of engineering winning. We had friends and faculty who helped us shoot our videos and let us borrow lab coats and got us the dry ice [for our performance]. We couldn’t have done it without them.” More than 260 students attended the pageant in Metcalf Hall, supporting contestants for the colleges with posters and buttons handed out by the Programming Council, which coordinates the annual event, said event manager Anna Stathopoulaos. Members of the Liquid Fun Improv Comedy group acted as
Mr. & Ms. BU, see page 2
Coakley supports for-profit college advertising ban By John Ambrosio Daily Free Press Staff
Mass. Attorney General Martha Coakley announced official support for proposed legislation prohibiting for-profit colleges and universities from using federal funding for advertising, marketing and recruiting, according to a Monday press release. However, the bill will have little effect on Boston University, as BU’s default rate is significantly lower than the national average and as BU is not a for-profit college, said BU spokesman Colin Riley. “As long as the federal government continues to provide important and necessary aid for students in quality programs such as Boston University, there shouldn’t be any issue,” Riley said. “Boston University spends little on recruiting and advertising, and certainly nothing
to correspond to for-profit colleges.” The bill, known as the Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act, was reintroduced to Congress March 12 and, while sitting in committee, has gained the support of Coakley and 12 other attorney generals across the country. Coakley said in the Monday release the legislation would ensure scarce federal education dollars are used to educate students rather than to finance marketing campaigns and recruitment operations. “Our office has seen firsthand how students seeking a better life through higher education can sometimes find themselves heavily in debt with few opportunities, all because they signed up after an aggressive sales pitch from a forprofit school,” she said. U.S. Sen. Tom Harkins of Iowa, who sponsored the bill, is the chair-
man of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and released a study July 30 on for-profit colleges. Some for-profit colleges use up to 30 percent of their revenue, which on average is comprised of 86 percent federal aid money, on advertising and recruiting, according to the study. “These are federal financial aid dollars, and so it’s about ensuring that federal dollars are use for education and that they are not for marketing and recruiting,” said Allison Prince, a press representative for Sen. Harkins. “It’s about students getting the biggest bang for their buck and ensuring that taxpayers’ money goes toward what it’s meant to go toward.” Another concern was the high default rate among for-profit col-
For-Profit, see page 4
Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services downgraded Boston Medical Center’s credit outlook Tuesday from neutral to negative due to funding inconsistencies. “Standard and Poor’s feels that the operating performance of [BMC’s] system overall has been inconsistent year over year,” said Jennifer Soule, director of S&P’s public finance group. “Because of the uncertainty of their revenue stream, along with all-in-all operating performance, we felt that there was a concern about their stability over the next two years potentially.” If nothing changes in BMC’s finances over a two-year interim, S&P will likely lower the Center’s BBB+ rating to BBB, which means it has “adequate capacity to meet [its] financial commitments, but [is] more subject to adverse economic conditions,” according to the S&P website. S&P’s rationale for the lowered outlook is based on a significant drop in in-patient volume in the 2012 fiscal year, a history of unstable income and inconsistent finance reporting, according to a report by S&P Tuesday. “The negative outlook reflects our view of BMC’s inconsistent operating performance in recent years, inability to sustain systemlevel operating gains, and uncertainty about the future of its supplemental funding,” according to the report. This credit downgrade would be the second one in fewer than five years. BMC’s ranking dropped from A- to BBB+ in January of 2010. Soule said the drop in inpatient volume was expected, but the loss of three surgeons at BMC during the past year was not as anticipated. “Their in-patient volume has gone down in observation cases, and that’s a trend we’re seeing across the country,” she said. “Their decline in in-patient though was, on a percentage basis, higher than what we’ve been seeing in the Boston area, and across the country.” The positions have since been
BMC, see page 4
U.S. public transportation infrastructure receives ‘D’ grade By Leah Park Daily Free Press Contributor
SARAH FISHER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Massachusetts transportation recieved a “D” grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
The American Society of Civil Engineers released its 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure Tuesday, giving the U.S. public transportation infrastructure a “D” grade amid Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick’s 21st Century Transportation Plan to give the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority $3.3 billion for upgrades. “Receiving a D grade of a transportation infrastructure shows that we have failed to invest properly, particularly to long-term investment of expansion for public transportation,” said Mantill Williams, director of advocacy communications at the American Public Transportation Association. The American economy lost $90 billion in 2010 just for the lack of investment in improvements to the
U.S. transportation infrastructure, Williams said. “It is sort of a wake-up call that it is going to be devastating to our economy when we do not invest in our public transportation system, particularly legacy systems such as Boston, New York and D.C., because it does have a direct impact on the global economy,” he said. Patrick’s plan calls for disbursement of over $13.7 billion to improve transportation infrastructure throughout the Commonwealth. Williams said the MBTA is one of the oldest public transportation systems in the country and is effective in getting people where they need to go, but because of the lack of long-term investment, maintenance and expansion have been hindered. “Boston is probably classic in a sense that they have a very mature
Transportation, see page 4
4
Monday, March 25, 2013
Pesaturo ‘optimistic’ T issues will be addressed by legislators in spring Transportation: From Page 3
system, a very expansive system,” he said. “But because of our lack of long-term investment, we’re not able to keep up with the demand.” MBTA officials expect to operate on improving the system with the investment of Patrick’s plan and to reduce the deficit, said Joe Pesaturo, spokesman for the MBTA. “We have the oldest subway in America, and because of that, it has a lot of maintenance needs. We have to do a lot of investing in the existing tunnels, the tracks, the signals, the switches and the trains themselves,” Pesaturo said. “We have some subway cars on the Red
Line that have been [in operation] since 1869.” The MBTA has an overall debt of $8.3 billion, making it the highest debt burden for any public transportation system in the U.S. “We’re hearing very encouraging things from the Speaker of the House [Robert] DeLeo, and Senate President [Therese] Murray,” he said. “We are very optimistic that the legislators are going to take some action this spring that will address the MBTA’s financial issues.” Mass. Sen. Stephen Brewer, of Barre, said he supports Patrick’s plan and hopes to see significant improvements to the MBTA infrastructure. “I would like to see cleaner stations, cars that don’t break down, services that will allow
people such as those that work at hospitals to be at work at 5 o’clock in the morning, advertising on the T and any efficiency that assures riders are getting the best value for their dollar,” he said. Some residents of Boston and T riders said they support Patrick’s plan. “It would be nice if it came with later service if they really want to prevent drunk driving. It would be really nice if it stays open till after the bar is closed,” said Allston resident Matt Durso. “I am all for putting more money into the system.”Alexa Wagner, a graduate student at Boston University, said she would be willing to pay more money to help fix the infrastructure of the MBTA.
“I would probably be okay with tax money getting spent on the MBTA if there’s a way to prove the plan would really work and really fix the problems,” she said. “We need more frequent service, on-time trains, the ability to track trains of where they are and when they are coming and fewer delays.” Martha Norton, a South End resident, said if Patrick’s plan does not pass, she would support an increase to the MBTA fare. “It seems to me that it is pretty cheap to go across town for $2.50. If it gets raised to $2.75 or $3, it is still a cheap way to get across town,” she said. “I think we as a population, rather than the city of Boston, would be willing to pay for it.”
Pageant includes fashion, talent, game shows Report shows BMC debt burden incosistent Mr. & Ms. BU: From Page 3
hosts, and all four judges were BU faculty or staff. The competition included a fashion show with three themes: ‘Dress like your major,’ spring break wear and famous celebrity couples. After the fashion show, contestants participated in a game show segment and a talent show. Contestants were judged on a number of criteria pertaining to each event, first-year judge Eddie Downes, a College of Communication professor, said. “What I’m looking for is just pure talent, energy, excitement, and then there’s some criteria we looked at relating to the theme of the event,” Downes said. Judges were asked to critique each contestant during the fashion show based on their interpretation of the theme, attitude on the stage and style, Downes said. For the talent show, the judges were asked to look for each contestant’s energy, creativity and overall performance. The game show was judged on a point system based on how many questions each team answered correctly.
Despite the competitive nature, it was important for contestants to remember to have fun, second-year judge Wayne Snyder said. “I like people who are just having a great time and displaying their interest in strutting their stuff for their fellow students,” Snyder, a computer science professor and faculty-in-residence at BU, said. “I’m looking for talent and a sense of fun. We have so many talented students here at BU, I’d just love for them to get out there and show what they have and just enjoy themselves.” During the talent show portion, Camacho and Roxas performed a comedy tutorial on how to flirt with an engineering student, which led into a Latin dance and their own mix of Italian and English renditions of popular songs. “The competition was a reminder of how much I appreciate my friends,” Comacho said. “All of the contestants were awesome and just seeing the engineering community root for us and be out in the crowd and to hear them cheer — it’s a great feeling. I’m just thankful for the support of all of my friends.”
Riley: BU’s default rate about 1.5 percent For-Profit: From Page 3
leges, according to the study. “The national average of default rate is around 13 percent,” Riley said. “The people making the bill want to address … making sure that federal funds go to eligible people and programs that are going to ensure that students use it wisely and ultimately graduate, and then that they are able to repay their loans so that they do not default.” Riley said BU’s default rate is about 1.5 percent. For-profit colleges have an average default rate of 22.7 percent, which is almost double the national average, according to Harkins’s study. The study found these defaults account for more than half of all federal student loan defaults in the country, despite for-profit universities enrolling less than one-third of students in the country. Several BU students said federal money should go toward students at institutes of higher learning.
Nicole Miranda, a School of Management sophomore, said federal funding should only be put toward academic necessities. “The money should be put towards education more, not toward frivolous things,” she said. “They should put it toward getting good teachers and paying for students’ education.” College of General Studies sophomore Lauren Henry said advertising plays an important role for colleges. “Advertising is such a big thing and if less money was spent on it, then BU might not get all the publicity it needs to get students here,” she said. Evan Linsey, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman, said the act will ensure federal funds are put directly toward education. “It [the act] seems fair and that should level the playing field,” he said. “Being a taxpayer, I don’t want my money to go to recruiting or anything that is not going to benefit me directly or indirectly.”
BMC: From Page 1
filled and in-patient volume, while still not at an ideal level, is increasing, said Maria Pantages Ober, director of communications at BMC, in an email. Ober said BMC’s federal and state funding, which makes up a significant portion of its income, has some stability. “While we may not see commitment of federal and state funds for longer than three years at a time, we are confident that the commitment is there,” Ober said. “The [BMC] system, which includes the Medical Center, the BMC HealthPlan and Faculty Practice Foundation, already is strategically preparing for the new Massachusetts healthcare environment.” BMC’s current rating is due to its low debt burden relative to other hospitals, and its generally high profit as reported in its balance sheet, according to the report. BMC’s debt burden, the lowest in 2011 at 1.16 percent, has remained low and its excess income was the highest in 2011 with over $76,000, but these figures have not remained consistent over the years, accord-
ing to the report. In order to maintain its BBB+ rating, BMC must tap into more resources, namely an unrestricted reserve fund of over $850 million, or prove greater fiscal consistency in the future through some other method, Soule said. “We’d really like to see stability in that operating performance,” Soule said. “They do have cash in the bank and a low debt burden. If they were able find stability in their revenue stream or prove that they can continue to receive the revenue stream they have, along with profitable operations at a system level … then that would be a reason for them to stay at a BBB+.” Ober said BMC is dedicated to improving its credit and patient care. “We are actively working with the state and the federal governments,” she said, “and have taken a number of steps toward operating as efficiently as possible while continuing to remain innovative, be responsive to the needs of both local and national healthcare reform, and deliver highquality care,” she said.
UVM Summer University
REGISTER
NOW!
smart is... earning credits
this summer
in Vermont
Sara Psychology ‘13
Today’s crossword solution brought to you by...
Back Room Dealings 5
9
8
2
1
3
4
6
7
3
4
1
7
8
6
2
9
5
6
7
2
9
4
5
1
8
3
8
5
4
1
9
7
3
2
6
7
6
9
8
3
2
5
1
4
1
2
3
6
5
4
9
7
8
9
3
7
5
2
8
6
4
1
4
1
6
3
7
9
8
5
2
2
8
5
4
6
1
7
3
9
UVM Summer University offers over 500 general requirement courses with credits that can transfer back to your institution—on campus or online. Earn some much-needed credit and enjoy the amazing Burlington downtown, the eclectic music scene and nearby beaches on beautiful Lake Champlain. Register today at uvm.edu/summer/invt CATCH UP. GET AHEAD. ONLINE. ON CAMPUS.
uvm.edu/summer/invt
Muse Editor - Meg DeMouth
Music Editor - Lucien Flores
Film/TV Editor - Michela Smith
Lifestyle Editor - Justin Soto
Food Editor - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
INTERVIEW: Seth Meyers on the comedic life Justin Soto
F
rom doing improv comedy in college to working as co-head writer of Saturday Night Live, Seth Meyers has become a comedy icon. In addition to the wide recognition he has earned through his SNL career, many students know him for his hilarious stand-up performances at colleges across the country. Boston University students got a special treat Friday when the New England native and his fellow SNL co-head writer Colin Jost brought their comedy to Metcalf Ballroom. Meyers’ hour-and-a-half of stand-up started off student’s weekends with some humor. His topics ranged from drunk college hookups to awkward bar fights. One story involved a trip he took to Las Vegas. On the flight to Vegas everyone acts as if they are already in Vegas, he said; people shout at one another asking for flight attendants to get them all drinks as if they are at a bar. The image warranted a huge laugh from the audience. Meyers’ storytelling skills are commendable, especially the way he captivates his audience with hilarious facial expressions and dramatic body movements. It makes sense though — he’s been doing this for years. As a student at Northwestern University, he joined the improv sketch group “Mee-Ow,” and later joined
T
Lifestyle Editor
Amsterdam-based group “Boom Chicago,” — of which SNL writer/performer Jason Sudeikis is another notable alumnus — performing in both Chicago and Amsterdam in the late 1990s. Shortly after returning from Amsterdam in 2001, he joined the SNL staff, and has been the show’s head writer since 2006, managing to bring his talent and personality to colleges around the country in between SNL shows. He sat down with MUSE after the show to discuss his life in comedy: Justin Soto: I know you are a big fan of Boston sports, but what made you come to BU? Seth Meyers: I am a big fan of Boston sports, but I go to many colleges for my shows. I perform a lot in New York as well but I hate the Yankees. I don’t make sports the indicator of where I perform but it is nice to be home. Boston is about as close as I get to home these days. How would you say your experience working with “Hiccups and Piccups” in Amsterdam differed from your work in Chicago? It’s interesting because in Amsterdam they don’t have the same American pop-culture so I had to find more universal themes to talk about, and I actually found that a nice way to put together building blocks of comedy, working with that audience. I got on stage a lot more
than I did in Chicago. It was really competitive then. Being in Amsterdam, there weren’t a lot of American comedians. I did about 200 shows — it was great. Having one of the longest tenures in the history of SNL, how do you think it has changed your life? ‘How hasn’t it changed my life?’ I feel is a better question. It was pretty much the first job I ever got, it wasn’t like I was doing much before I showed up on the show. SNL has been a home now for the past 12 years. I’m going to have to eventually leave, but I can’t imagine how hard it is going to be when I do. Do you have any future plans? Anything in mind? SM: Nothing concrete as far as the future. I feel like with stuff in show business it is very hard to plan ahead exactly, so it is better to just take it as it comes. Who would you say you are closest to on the SNL cast? SM: Before this year, Andy Samberg was definitely my closest friend. Then the other guy that I have been doing it with the longest is Fred Armisen, so he has been a really good friend for a really long time. What is your fondest memory from the
show thus far? SM: I think my favorite moment would be when I was an observer and Sarah Palin was on one side of me and Amy Poehler was on the other side of me, about 9 months pregnant while doing some crazy rap. How would you sum up life as a celebrity in one sentence? There are good and bad sides to it. What advice would you give to college students who want to be in the TV industry? I was in radio and TV in the ‘90s and it was so much harder then because there weren’t digital cameras and you couldn’t edit on your computer. Now there is really no excuse for people not to be making either short films or things like that. It is very hard now to get a job without being able to show someone what you have done. Now is the time to be a maker. How does your personal life affect your comedy? Do they ever overlap? SM: Yeah, of course. Your personal life is where you spend most of your time, so that is where you get most of your ideas and you just try to have your antenna up. With my girlfriend, she can tell if she said something that I’m going to put in my act and she isn’t that happy about it.
Boston’s Restaurant Week: Abe and Louie’s Hannah Landers
he chance to eat a good piece of steak is a rare and coveted experience for a college student. But a magical biannual event known as Boston Restaurant Week, when restaurants across the greater Boston area offer discounted lunch and dinner options, makes this oft-thought-about fantasy a wonderful reality. Abe & Louie’s, a steakhouse on Boylston Street, is one of those restaurants that not only fulfills the promise of steak, but boasts a variety of seafood as well. Entering the nondescript brick building, one is immediately immersed in the kind of glamorous elegance usually reserved for oldtimey Hollywood movies. Soft, low lighting makes the dark, glossy wood of the floor and the furnishings gleam and vases bursting with stylish flower arrangements welcome you into the large dining room from the small entrance and bar area. Overall the staff is attentive and quick, even amidst a midday rush of the business lunch crowd on a Wednesday afternoon. Wa-
MUSE Staff ter glasses are hardly ever half full and empty center. plates seem to disappear as soon as each diner The garlic chive mashed potatoes were sets down his or her fork. smooth and creamy, with just enough flavor For Boston Restaurant Week, Abe & Lou- to keep your hand away from the saltshaker ie’s has a fixed, three-course lunch menu. But but not so much as to leave you with garlic this doesn’t mean a dearth of choices. breath for the next week. The sautéed spinach The first course offers a selection of either was soft but not mushy, and boasted an unexthe restaurant’s house salad or French onion pected amount of flavor. soup. The house salad presented appealing But it was the red onion jam that really colors in its presentation — a mix of green let- came as the big surprise, despite looking like a tuce and deep purple red cabbage — but little sea creature’s tentacles. The jam had a sweetelse. The greens were wilted, and the green and-sour flavor to it that gelled well with the pepper and red onion promised in the menu’s sirloin and the potatoes, appeasing even those description were nowhere to be found. diners who may be a bit wary of anything that The second course provided a bit more va- combines “onion” and “jam” in its descripriety with four different dishes: Prime sirloin tion. (of course), broiled king salmon, half-roasted Dessert provided a choice between Abe’s chicken and Boca chopped salad with chicken so-called famous chocolate cake, ice cream, Milanese. and sorbet. Within moments, it was easy to The presentation was flawless and the taste see why the chocolate cake was supposedly was there to back it up. The steak was cooked famous. exactly as it was ordered, with a bit of crunch The multi-layered cake was plated beaution the outside and a slightly pink, soft, juicy fully, with little squiggles of chocolate sauce
extending across the plate. The rich chocolate icing melted on the tongue and the cake was moist and spongy. Even with a bursting stomach, it would be difficult to leave any piece of this chocolate masterpiece unconsumed. A visit to Abe & Louie’s during Boston Restaurant Week is certainly worth it, even for those who are not keen on steak. The restaurant offers a decent variety even on a limited menu, ensuring that there’s something for almost everyone. And for those who do love steak, this one is a no-brainer. You make out like a bandit, scoring a prime sirloin meal plus two additional courses for less than the price of your average haircut. Overall, eating at Abe & Louie’s during Boston Restaurant Week guarantees to be no missed steak! (Sorry, couldn’t resist …) Abe and Louie’s is located at 793 Boylston St. Restaurant Week prix fixe menus set prices at $38.13 for a three-course dinner, $20.13 for a three-course lunch and $15.13 for a twocourse lunch.
Boston’s Restaurant Week: Top of the Hub Read review and check out more photos by Bonnie Zeng online
BONNIE ZENG/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
6M
onday,
March 25, 2013
Opinion
The Daily Free Press
The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University 43rd year F Volume 84 F Issue 33
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.
B.Y.O.T. Educational policy-makers are experimenting with B.Y.O.T. — that’s “bring your own technology” — a recent trend that integrates devices such as smartphones and tablets into public school classrooms to modernize traditional learning methods, according to The New York Times. The idea is already popular in areas of Florida, Georgia and Texas, where large school districts act as prototypes for other schools that might want to join in on the technology use. While some people might argue that this is a move to modernize the learning process and work with technology, the policy might pose more negative impacts on public schoolchildren who cannot afford such expensive devices. B.Y.O.T. assumes every student in a public school classroom owns a tablet, smartphone or similar tool, which is not always true. In 2012, about 46 percent of American adults used smartphones, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. But children, especially middle-school students, are too young to be consumers of such expensive products. The iPhone 5 starts selling at $199, and the iPad starts selling at $499, according to Apple. Expecting families to provide their children with pricey equipment contributes to a socioeconomic divide between students who can and cannot afford technology at such price tags. These demands from school administrators would likely cause negative feedback from taxpaying parents who disagree that they should spend hundreds of dollars more on their children. With regard to modernizing traditional learning from the printed medium to a digital medium, for forward-thinking individuals, B.Y.O.T. is not necessarily bad. There are disadvantages to abandoning the traditional book model, but there are also advantages to new technology. Students would, in many cases, be missing out on learning from
books — a more tactile, customary way of learning. At the same time, they could integrate technology into their everyday schoolwork and become even more proficient at computer software than American youth already are. As long as children are not distracted by browsing the Internet during class, this advancement could be beneficial. While a proficient way of learning about certain subjects, such as history and language arts, is through the use of printed books, using technology might be a better option for learning subjects such as math, since it presumably offers a more interactive experience for the student. Books will always have a place as far as maintaining material information, but technology adds interactivity to apply what students learn in books. By seeing lessons visually presented before them, students can catch on more efficiently because they would receive immediate feedback from technological devices, as opposed to printed books, where answers are not always available. Technology, in theory, could be more costeffective than using the school budget to buy expensive new books each time publishers print new editions. The software updates cannot be as expensive as updating and redistributing textbooks. Teachers, too, might have to spend too much time tailoring lessons to devices, and students might not have to rely on them as much in the classroom. However, they are still responsible for ensuring that students are learning, and they need to maintain a curriculum that allows students to learn in the most effective way possible. Until public schools can provide technology to all students, therefore, it is not a good idea to incorporate too many new devices into the classroom.
The power of voting
In one of the most recent challenges to Roe v. Wade since President Obama’s reelection, North Dakota lawmakers passed a measure Friday allowing the public to determine whether life begins at conception. While it is not surprising that another league of Republicans have proposed such a measure, the continuing idea that American voters should have the ability to make such important decisions for their fellow citizens is increasingly alarming. As was true for Proposition 8, as was true for a plethora of 2012 initiatives that allowed voters in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina and Washington to implement laws regarding legalization or rejection of same-sex marriage, North Dakota’s measure signifies the backward notion that voters should be able to influence or change the very personal lives of other voters. The civil rights movement of the 1960s fought against this very premise, but somehow, government officials seem to believe that those activists’ victories do not apply to other social minorities. The Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 was based on endless research, the justices’ highly acute understanding of
the right to privacy and, ultimately, their intellectual prowess. Personal biases may or may not have influenced the ultimate vote, but it is certainly true that personal biases rule the majority of everyday voters. This is perhaps one of the few occasions that we can be grateful for elitism. The fact of the matter is that allowing North Dakota voters to make such significant decisions for a minority, and a minority that still faces the challenges of sexism in every facet of their lives, sets an extremely dangerous precedent. From a logistical perspective, the ban could “charge doctors who damage embryos with criminal negligence,” according to ThinkProgress. It could also prevent them from performing in vitro fertilization, which could eliminate the possibility of pregnancy for many straight or gay women who cannot “naturally” conceive. Heteronormativity strikes again. Ultimately, it is clear that this latest attack at Roe v. Wade reeks of ongoing, and seemingly unpreventable, bigotry. North Dakota officials are undoubtedly aware that voters are often led by passion, and they are undoubtedly hoping that that passion leads to victory.
SNAPSHOTS OF D.C.
Quantity and quality SOFIYA MAHDI
“In order to trust you with my life, I’m going to need unanimous consent.” “But you have a simple majority!” It’s creeping into the early hours of Sunday morning. Gathered around in the kitchen, conversation has turned for the worst. These are the kind of jokes that, after a couple of months in Washington, D.C., our close-knit group finds hilarious. An old friend of mine who knew me long before college had made the journey to the capital, and I was the city dweller who had to show her around. After days of dismal rain, snow and bitter winds subsided to reveal sun beating down on the National Mall. We fought through crowds to catch a glimpse of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln housed in his monument. I took an unexpected pride in navigating my poor friend through historical sites around the capital, whether she wanted to see them or not. Apart from a new penchant for cheesy humour on Congressional processes, my infatuation with Washington is with its substance more than its aesthetics. The sheer volume of news that’s pumped through the city’s veins is immense. U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Israel was probably the most prominent headline, and despite negotiations and affirmations between Obama and Netanyahu occurring thousands of miles away, monitors in offices, televisions in homes and newspapers on stands all portrayed what they could of the meeting. A notable political drama was President Obama coaxing Prime Minister Netanyahu to apologize to Turkey for the death of non-Turkish activists. This was the first time Obama has travelled to Israel, and that fateful phone call to Turkey was the first contact Netanyahu made since his election to office in 2009. According to TIME, Obama did not leave empty handed, but with a stone from Jerusalem that’s 2,000 years old. One that’s embedded with a microchip containing the declaration of independence from America and Israel. On the domestic front, Tuesday will see a large rally take place in front of the Supreme Court with regard to marriage equality. Activism, like news, permeates Washingtonian streets, and once you see it in action it’s infectious. However, take the rosy hue of collective action with a grain of salt: A crazed man’s musings at empty cars floated through embassy walls filled the background as a bundled man clutched his clipboard and pamphlets in preparation
for what lay ahead. Despite the furore brewing, I found myself in Hyattsville, Maryland on a quiet Saturday afternoon. I had extracted myself from the city’s clutches as my friend and I travelled to see her baby cousin. I sat on a see-saw for the first time in over a decade as the little boy ran around with his toy in earnest. Sights and sounds on the small field were new and exciting. I grabbed his miniature fingers as he tried to climb into a miniature fire truck and watched him spin the steering wheel. I looked into his eyes and said “Wheel!” over and over again. After watching me with a bemused expression on his face, he quietly but resolutely uttered, “Wheel!” before running off to his next adventure in the playground, gurgling with glee. As we brought him back to his nursery room, he bounced around to reggae music, his boundless energy contagious. At less than 24 months old, he bounded down the pavement as if he already knew the way home. The West Hyattsville parking lot seemed a world away as the Metro brought us back to the heart of the city in a matter of minutes. By now, the sunlight had turned pink and darkness was beginning to descend. Near the cluster of Smithsonian museums were the first hints of the infamous cherry blossoms. Groups in paddleboats were floating in the basin, their reflections dancing in the ripples in between the stoic gazes of Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King, Jr. However, cherry blossoms are not the only things in bloom this time of year. In another TIME story, it appears the First dog Bo Obama has a marriage proposal on the table. The Oregon Humane Society produced the video to raise awareness for the annual Doggie Dash fundraiser. As of now, Bo’s answer is uncertain, although I wouldn’t hold my breath for a presidential canine wedding anytime soon. Indeed, a myriad of news stories surge through the Washingtonian network every second. Thankfully, some of them are more welcome than others. Politicians sometimes have to be dealt with like petulant children and even puppies are capable of grand gestures of love. With that, another week in Washington begins. Sofiya Mahdi is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences studying abroad in Washington, D.C. She can be reached at sofiya218@gmail.com.
Want your voice heard? letters@dailyfreepress.com Have a fresh perspective? letters@dailyfreepress.com
Have something to say? letters@dailyfreepress.com
Be heard!
Monday, March 25, 2013
7
W. hockey fails to complete multiple comeback attempts in Finals Women’s hockey: From Page 1
The Terriers, however, did not give up despite having a three-goal mountain to climb against the best team in the country. “We came back into the dressing room and Coach talked to us and … we took it together and we talked to each other and never gave up,” Poulin said. “And that’s what happened and that’s the right thing. We never
gave up.” BU came out strong in the third, and Poulin, who had taken a slapper to the knee earlier in the game, came through for the Terriers to cut the score in half. For her 19th goal of the season, Poulin slapped a shot by Räty, suddenly putting the Terriers right back into the game. Poulin, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, almost made
it 4-3, but her shot was turned aside by Räty, who took home the title of Most Outstanding Player. Minnesota responded with its fifth goal of the game, something that Kessel called the turning point for the Gophers. “I remember it’s 4-2 and Poulin walks in and Noora makes a great save, and we go down and score and I think that’s really when the game changed,” Kessel said. “I really got back to the bench and I was like,
‘Wow, this game could have been 4-3 and now we’re up 5-2,’ and for me that’s really the point when I thought we were pretty secure.” BU attempted one more comeback with less than three minutes remaining on a goal by senior forward Jenelle Kohanchuk, but after an empty-net goal by Kessel with less than a minute left, the Terriers’ fate was secured. As disappointing as the loss was
for Cardella, the senior found one positive in the final minutes of the contest. “I don’t know many teams that would be down 4-1 to Minnesota, and after the second period come back,” Cardella said. “Even Fratkin blocked a shot with 20 seconds left in the game when we’re down three goals, so that pretty much tells the whole story.”
BU loses nail biter in Parker’s final game Seniors’ final run ends short Parker: From Page 1
but failed to earn quality chances. When the River Hawk in the box, Colin Wright, got out, he picked up the puck in the neutral zone and took off on a breakaway. He fired into the crossbar, and the puck came back out onto the ice through Maguire’s legs, a narrow miss. Lowell’s goal came about eight minutes later, and after it was 1-0, the River Hawks clamped down, limiting BU’s chances in the game’s final minutes. With Maguire pulled, the Terriers made one last push, but as Hellebuyck stopped a shot from sophomore center Cason Hohmann at the buzzer, they could not prolong Parker’s final postseason. Including last night, the Terriers went 7-2 in their last nine games. But the stretch between
Dec. 29 and Feb. 23 did them in, in no small part because they lost a combined four times to Harvard University and Northeastern University — both of whom finished well south of .500 — in that span. “I think there are teams in the national tournament that aren’t as good as us right now,” Parker said. “But the reason why we aren’t [in the tournament] is because we had a dip in the middle of the year that we never recovered from.” Parker maintained, as he did after his last game at Agganis Arena on March 16, that he had forgotten about his career drawing to a close until someone reminded him. An avowed Celtics fan, he took a walk around the Garden before the game to look at the basketball memorabilia on the upper floors. “I had somebody come up to
me and say, hey, you took a walk around, you getting your last tour of duty here?” Parker said. “And it didn’t even dawn on me again. I forgot about that.” Parker finishes his career with 897 wins, including six Hockey East championships, but the graduating senior class leaves BU without a conference tournament win, a Beanpot win, or a national championship in its four years. “I’ve won games,” Parker said. “I’ve won tournaments. I’ve done that, so I wanted this for my seniors. But it wasn’t to be.” Still, the 68-year-old found the bright side: He is walking out on his own, with his health intact. “I knew how I didn’t want it to end,” Parker said. “I wanted to get out alive. So they’re not carting me out. That’s a good thing at my age.”
Poulin earns spot on All-Tournament Team Poulin: From Page 8
tallied two points during the game. More importantly, however, Poulin nearly put the Terriers (28-6-3, 182-1 Hockey East) neck-and-neck with Minnesota after a second period where the Gophers took a resounding 4-1 lead. “[I] just thought I’d get back there for my team and for myself,” Poulin said. ”You want to be there for [your] teammates, and I wanted to be back on the ice and help my team.” After making her way back onto the ice, and skating without any noticeable signs of injury, Poulin found her way onto the score sheet when she assisted freshman forward Sarah Lefort on the Terriers’ first goal of the game. While that goal played an important part of the game, and cut the Gophers’ lead to 2-1, Poulin truly began to shine in the latter part of the game. With only 12 seconds left in the second frame, Minnesota scored on
the power play to put the Terriers down 4-1. What could have demolished the Terriers’ momentum, however, did not stop Poulin. Fewer than two minutes into the third period, Poulin fought back and, once again, helped the Terriers get to within two goals of the Gophers. Thirteen seconds after BU went onto the power play, Poulin ripped a shot from the left circle to cut the score to 4-2. The goal was Poulin’s 19th of the season, and her teamleading 55th point of the year. With about five minutes left in the game, Poulin’s biggest moment came when she attempted to put the Terriers within one goal of Minnesota. The forward slipped her way around a defenseman and took a shot on Minnesota goaltender Noora Räty. Unfortunately for Poulin, Räty, the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament, pushed the shot aside. On the resulting rush down the
ice, Minnesota scored to give the Gophers a 5-3 lead. Nonetheless, Minnesota’s top player and the leading point scorer in the nation, Amanda Kessel, pointed out Poulin’s attempt as one that truly could have turned the game around for the Terriers. For her efforts, Poulin earned a place on the All-Tournament Team roster. In fact, she was the only nonMinnesota player to make an appearance on that list. After the game, however, Poulin did not focus on her own play. Instead, the junior, who will likely play in the Olympics for team Canada next year instead of the Terriers, focused on her fellow teammates and the effort they put into getting back into Sunday’s game. “We know we have a great team and real amazing core and defense and for sure a great goaltender,” Poulin said. “We came out as a team, and I think we are all proud of each other that we stood up together.”
Terriers struggle offensively in season-ending defeat W. basketball: From Page 8
the 3-point shot was largely unsuccessful. In the first half of play the Terriers only hit two treys. “We settled for outside shots too much,” Greenberg said. “We missed shots we normally make.” Not only did the Terriers struggle from behind the arc, but the paint was troublesome for them as well. Agboola has been a force all season long in the paint, both scoring and on the glass. However, in the first half of play, Fordham limited Agboola to only one basket, and BU as a whole to only four points inside the paint. Despite the struggles for the Terriers offensively in the first, they only found themselves down by nine going into the break, 28-19. In the opening minutes of the second half, BU cut into the deficit with buckets from Turner and senior guard Mo Moran, cutting the Ford-
ham lead to five. However, Fordham quickly recovered with buckets and free throws from Strickland and Collins, and the Rams grabbed an 11-point lead three minutes after the Terries cut it to five. Fordham’s offense improved in the final frame, shooting 39.1 percent from the field, leading to a game total of 36 percent. However, it was not just its field goals that gave it the win. Fordham continued to excel at the free throw line, as well, hitting 17 of its 22 free throw attempts in the game. Leading the way for the Rams were Strickland and Collins, who had 14 and 12 points respectively, and were among the four Fordham players to have double digits for the game. Collins only went 2-of-11 from the field, but her free throws were the game changer, as she shot a perfect 8-for-8 from the line.
While Fordham kept the train rolling, BU struggled to stay in the game. Although BU shot better from the field in the second half — 34.5 percent — it only took four foul shots in the half, hitting two. Despite the BU offense not clicking as it usually does, senior guards Chantell Alford and Sim had strong efforts. In their final game with the Terriers, both notched 12 points, which led the team in scoring. Although the two seniors played well in their last hurrah with the Terriers, Moran was quiet most of the night and notched only four points. Fordham took the victory and moves on to the quarterfinals of the WNIT, while BU’s season comes to an end. “We had such a wonderful year,” Greenberg said. “It’s the end of an era. The seniors had an unbelievable career. Everything is going to be so different next year.”
Men’s hockey: From Page 8
hockey career, served as the final dip after four years of peaks and valleys. There was the low of the 2009-10 team that barely finished over .500 a year after winning the national championship, and the low of failing to get out of the Hockey East quarterfinals as sophomores the next year. The Terriers looked like one of the best teams in the country at times when this group was juniors. Then they lost a pair of teammates to legal issues and had another quit on them — all in the middle of the season. The team pulled together and even managed an NCAA tournament bid. Two members of the Class of 2013 ended their tenure at the school early for more joyous reasons — Alex Chiasson signed with the Dallas Stars in April, then Justin Courtnall signed with the Providence Bruins in August — before another valley. A task force, commissioned following the arrests of a pair of players, slapped the well-documented “culture of sexual entitlement” label on the program last fall. For a time, the seniors’ final campaign seemed destined to be their best yet. With a large freshman class, a miserable slump that consumed most of the second half and having two more teammates quit mid-season, the Terriers managed to finish in the top half of the conference standings. The Terriers powered through Merrimack College in the quarterfinals, and even came from behind to beat rival Boston College in the semifinals. But Saturday night, with a trophy on the line, BU could not come through. “It’s something you think about. It gets brought up a lot,” Rosen said of the championship drought. “But obviously we’ve been through a lot and we’re still here, and to make it to the Garden … it’s just a testament to how strong we’ve been as a senior class and as a team in general.” The scene on the Garden ice after the game was a familiar one — a
celebration and pure bliss on one end, disappointment and hunched-over bodies at the other. “The last two years have been pretty tough, losing classmates and things like that,” Escobedo said. “But I think it has just made us closer as a unit. Even this year a couple guys have left early, but it has just made us a tighter unit and Coach is a big part of that.” Parker, though, gave his squad a lot of credit. He told the team in the dressing room he was “proud to be their coach this year.” “And I mentioned that I was happy that Wade Megan was my last captain, because he was a hell of a captain,” Parker said. “I’ve been blessed with a lot of those types of guys over my career here, over 40 years here. He was a terrific captain for us.” “This wasn’t a hugging fest or a goodbye fest. We’ll see each other,” Parker continued. “It was more like any other time you lose your last game of the season. Kids are crying in the dressing room. They wanted to win it for the seniors, they wanted to go a little longer, they wanted to get a trophy.” But as Megan put it, “It wasn’t meant to be.” The seniors’ lasting legacy is yet to be determined. Will they be remembered as a troubled class, marred by people’s memories of the task force? One that failed to win anything on the ice? Or simply as Parker’s last? Only time will tell for sure, but Megan has one idea. With glassy eyes and a stare off into the distance, Megan found something else for the seniors to hang their collective hat on: Laying a foundation for the future. “What we did leave for this organization is we hopefully showed the freshmen and the younger guys what it means to wear the uniform and what it means to be a BU hockey player,” Megan said. “That’s very important to us. I think we did a good job of that.”
Lane, Kurker show improvement
fensive guy and let them play offensive, obviously Lane coming wards Matt Lane and Sam Kurker. from the national team, he’s a Lane and Kurker in particuvery skilled guy, and Kurks being lar improved their play toward a second-rounder, he’s a skilled the end of the season — which guy with a lot of goals last year. “ Parker accredited to increased ice “I let them just kind of play their time and confidence. In the final game and settle things down, and four games, Lane scored two of obviously it worked out for us.” the seven points he scored all sea Kurker and Lane showed imson, while Kurker notched one provement at the end of this of his three goals on the season. season, which bodes well for Senior forward Ben Rosen, next year. With Megan graduatwho centered the two freshing, someone is going to have to men wingers on the third line move up to a top-six forward role since late January, said the duo and pick up the scoring slack. started playing better together “There’s a lot of terrific young once they stopped “bickering.” players on this team and if you’re “I came in there and I just tried a BU fan I think the next couple to settle things down and calm years are going to be exciting bethem down and make sure that cause those guys are great hockey they were working together, we players,” Megan said. “I have a were working as a line,” Rosen feeling they’re going to be back said. “I was going to be the dehere in years to come.” Freshmen: From Page 8
“
“
Quotable
So they’re not carting me out. That’s a good thing at my age.
-BU coach Jack Parker on his retirement
Page 8
Sports
Close,
The Daily Free Press
[ www.dailyfreepress.com ]
but no cigar
The Boston University women’s hockey team came up just short of a championship, dropping its Finals matchup with Minnesota. P.8.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Seniors end BU Women’s hockey falls in NCAA Championship careers without Terriers lose 6-3 Poulin returns coveted trophies despite mentally from injury to give BU spark strong showing By Tim Healey Daily Free Press Staff
There are a lot of ways to classify the members of the Boston University men’s hockey Class of 2013: Best friends, leaders and even professional prospects, for some of them. But there is one thing the seniors are not: Champions. With a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to the University of MassachusettsLowell in Saturday’s Hockey East title game at TD Garden, BU (21-162, 15-10-2 Hockey East) wrapped up its fourth consecutive season without a major tournament championship. For captain Wade Megan, Sean Escobedo, Ben Rosen and Ryan Santana — the final four of what was originally a group of seven in the fall of 2009 — it was the end of their careers donning scarlet and white, four years without a single Beanpot, Hockey East regular season crown, Hockey East tournament title or national championship. “I didn’t think I’d be leaving BU without any trophies,” Megan said. “But the group of guys we had and the senior class this year was pretty amazing.” The official senior class also includes fifth-year assistant captain Ryan Ruikka, who came to BU in 2008, and Jake Moscatel, who joined the team at the halfway point last season and will likely be back next year. But for the quartet that started together and ended together, Saturday’s loss, which also ended Jack Parker’s BU
Men’s hockey, see page 7
By Meredith Perri Daily Free Press Staff
By Meredith Perri Daily Free Press Staff
MINNEAPOLIS – After situating themselves in a room full of reporters after the NCAA title game on Sunday, Boston University women’s hockey captains Marie-Philip Poulin and Jill Cardella let their emotions show. With her face red, Poulin dabbed at her eyes and took a deep breath. Cardella, who just played her last game in a Terrier uniform, bit her bottom lip. For the second time in three years, these two players were on the losing end of a national championship game. This time around, the loss came to an undefeated University of Minnesota — the first women’s hockey team in NCAA history to go undefeated in a season. “I guess today you saw a recordbreaking team play another great hockey game,” said BU coach Brian Durocher. “I tip my cap to them.” After three periods of trying to fight back into a game they never led, BU (28-6-3, 18-2-1 Hockey East) fell to the Gophers (41-0-0) 6-3 at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. The score, however, falls short of reflecting the intensity of a game where a single save by Gophers goaltender Noora Räty kept the Terriers at an arm’s distance from Minnesota. For the first 11 minutes of play,
MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The BU women’s hockey team dropped the NCAA championship game to the undefeated Minnesota Gophers by a score of 6-3 Sunday afternoon.
each team took turns making strong attempts on the opposing goaltender. After a crosschecking penalty on junior defenseman Kaleigh Fratkin, however, Minnesota reminded the Terriers why it is the best team in the nation when it has a man advantage. Just over a minute into the penalty, and seconds after BU junior netminder Kerrin Sperry put a stop to a flurry of shots from the Gophers’ top line, Minnesota broke through with a goal by defenseman Mira Jalosuo on a shot from the left circle. Then, in a two-minute frenzy, Minnesota’s Hannah Brandt tallied her 33rd goal of the season while shorthanded. The freshman forward came down the ice on a two-on-one and saw her first shot deflected away by Sperry. Brandt then picked up the rebound in what appeared to be a quick blow to the Terriers. Just 16 seconds later, however,
with a single second remaining on the power play, freshman forward Sarah Lefort cut into the Gophers’ 2-0 lead. Lefort, who had a few strong chances earlier in the game, picked up a rebound from sophomore defenseman Shannon Stoneburgh and put it by Räty to give the Terriers some momentum heading into the second. For the next 16 minutes, BU’s defense fought its way through an increase in possession by the Gophers. The Terriers, nonetheless, dropped another goal behind Minnesota when Patty Kazmaier award winner and the nation’s leading goal scorer Amanda Kessel slapped a one-timer by Sperry to put the Gophers up 3-1. Minutes later, with Cardella in the box for elbowing, defenseman Milica McMillen notched Minnesota’s second power-play goal of the game with just 12 seconds left in the frame.
Women’s hockey, see page 7
MINNEAPOLIS – Minutes into the No. 2 Boston University women’s hockey team’s game against the undefeated and top-ranked University of Minnesota, junior forward MariePhilip Poulin fell to the ground. The co-captain and team leader in points had taken a puck to the kneecap after she tried to block a shot by Minnesota defenseman Megan Bozek. For several seconds, while play continued to whirl around her, Poulin attempted to push herself up off the ice to no avail. Finally, the whistle blew. BU’s trainer rushed out onto the ice and crouched down over Poulin who continued to writhe in pain and struggle to get up. After a few more seconds Poulin’s teammates, sophomore defenseman Caroline Campbell and senior defenseman Kathryn Miller, helped her get to the bench, where she proceeded to go down the tunnel. “It’s a part of the game,” Poulin said in the press conference after BU’s 6-3 loss to Minnesota (41-0-0) Sunday night in Minneapolis. What is not always part of the game, however, is a return to the ice, or, in Poulin’s case, having a huge impact on the game once you get out there. The Beauceville, Quebec, native, who returned just minutes later,
Poulin, see page 7
Men’s hockey freshmen signal team’s bright future Women’s basketball falls in WNIT By Kevin Dillon Daily Free Press Staff
It was the end of the road for Jack Parker and the Boston University men’s hockey seniors Saturday night when the Terriers lost to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell 1-0 at TD Garden in the Hockey East Championship game. However, Saturday’s loss was just the end of the first chapter for BU’s freshmen, who give Terrier fans a lot to look forward to over the next three seasons. One freshman who stood out in particular was goaltender Sean Maguire, who earned the loss on the night despite only allowing a single goal in 29 shots. Maguire, who took over the starting job after fellow freshman goaltender Matt O’Connor went down with a collapsed lung, shined in his opportunity as the No. 1 backstop. In his six games he has played since finding out he would be the starter for the rest of the season — four of which were playoff games — Maguire had a .956 save percentage and 1.51 goals-against average. The Powell River, British Columbia native made more than 30 saves in four of those six starts. “He played his best hockey
when his stablemate went down, fort that [O’Regan’s line] brought, when Mattie O’Connor went especially down the stretch,” said down,” Parker said. “He took us to BU captain Wade Megan. “You a different level. He certainly gave look at Danny O’Regan and [sophus a chance to win tonight, and cer- omore forward Evan] Rodrigues tainly gave us a chance to win last played a heck of a postseason for night the way he played the last 30 us and that line in general. You minutes of the game last night.” can’t ask for any more from those Despite Maguire’s strong post- guys, they gave it all they had.” season performance, he did not Grzelcyk also made the Allearn any Hockey East tournament Tournament team for his strong honors. Two of his classmates — two-way defensive ability. The forward Danny O’Regan and de- Charlestown native had two asfenseman Matt Grzelcyk — were sists and was a plus-2 in the Hocknamed to the Hockey East All- ey East tournament while making Tournament team for their per- several crucial defensive plays. On formance in the past four games. one play in the third period, Grzel O’Regan, who became the first cyk caught up to UMass-Lowell BU freshman to lead his forward Ryan McGrath on a rush team in points on the season and dove to poke the puck off his since Tony Amonte did it in the stick and end the scoring threat. 1989-90 season, was second Hockey East recognized on the Terriers with four points O’Regan and Grzelcyk for their in the tournament. He had two performance on the season by nampower-play goals in BU’s 6-3 ing them to the All-Rookie team win over Boston College Friday. Thursday night. The duo contin His strong performance in the ued to prove they belonged there tournament was just an exten- with their play in the tournament. sion of his stellar play to close While O’Regan and Grzelout the season. Since the begin- cyk stood out in particular, all of ning of 2013, O’Regan totaled BU’s freshmen had their moments 27 points in 23 games, includ- in the postseason, including deing eight multi-point games. fenseman Ahti Oksanen and for “I’m pretty amazed at the ef-
Freshmen, see page 7
The Bottom Line
Monday, March 25
No Events Scheduled The Daily Free Domination broomball team lived up to its name with a 7-0 mercy rule victory.
Tuesday, March 26
No Events Scheduled Andrew Battifarano scored the first goals of his career with a two-goal performance.
Wednesday, March 27
No Events Scheduled Tim Healey betrayed his team, switching to the other team midway through the game.
By Andrew Battifarano Daily Free Press Staff
Saturday had the potential to be a great day for Boston University athletics, but success did not come to fruition. While the men’s hockey team dropped the Hockey East final at TD Garden, the women’s basketball team also suffered defeat, coming at the hands of Fordham University in the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament, by a score of 58-44. “It was a disappointing game for us,” said BU coach Kelly Greenberg. “We did things we hadn’t done all year.” Thursday night, the Terriers (246, 13-2 America East) bested Sacred Heart University at Case Gym, the team’s first postseason win since the 2009-10 season, and were riding high going into the Bronx. At the outset of the game, BU came out with energy, and on the strength of senior guard Kristen Sims and junior forwards Whitney Turner and Rashidat Agboola, the Terriers took a 6-2 lead over the Rams (26-8), very similar to how the game against Sacred Heart (22-11) opened up. However, things did not go as well for the Terriers as Thursday night. After Fordham forward Sa-
Thursday, March 28 Softball vs. Providence, 3 p.m./5 p.m.
mantha Clark scored four points on back-to-back possessions, hitting two shots from the charity stripe and a layup, coupled with forward Marah Strickland’s 3-pointer on the following possession, the Rams took a 9-6 advantage on the board. They did not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game. The Rams appeared to take advantage of almost all of the Terrier miscues, scoring 11 points off Terrier turnovers in the first half of play. Although Fordham only shot 33.3 percent from the field in the first half, the team got four key 3-point buckets from Strickland, guard Erin Rooney and guard Charlotte Stoddart. From the foul line, the Rams also went a perfect 6-for-6, helping them strengthen their lead. “Just from the get-go, things went their way,” Greenberg said. While Fordham took advantage of BU mistakes and built up a lead, BU had trouble answering back. In the first half, the Terriers shot an uncharacteristic 30.8 percent from the field, well below their season average of 40.6 percent. Against Sacred Heart, BU found much of its offensive success from the 3-point line, but against Fordham,
W. basketball, see page 7
Friday, March 29 W. Lacrosse vs. Harvard, 7 p.m.