The Daily Free Press
Year xliii. Volume lxxxiv. Issue XLIV
EASY A Software that grades essays is in development, page 3.
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Thursday, April 11, 2013 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University
DISCONNECTIONS Henry Alex Rubin brings documentary chops to drama, page 5.
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www.dailyfreepress.com
THE MASK
Jayme Mask leads softball in batting average, page 8.
WEATHER
Today: PM showers/High 46 Tonight: Showers/Low 39 Tomorrow: 44/40 Data Courtesy of weather.com
Mice reported in Warren Towers, on Bay State Road Obama’s budget
SARAH FISHER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Within the last week, Warren Tower residents have been reporting mice in their dorms rooms. Maintenance has put traps out and patched holes in rooms where they were seen, such as this one on the 11th floor of Shields Tower. By Kayla Canne Daily Free Press Staff
Boston University students have reported multiple sightings of mice inside bedrooms and study lounges in Warren Towers and rooms on Bay State Road within the past week. Julie Robinson, a College of Communication freshman who lives on the 11th floor of Shields Tower in Warren, said she realized
her room in Warren Towers was infested with mice after she felt one run across her foot Saturday. BU Facilities Management & Planning responded promptly to Robinson’s complaint. “The mouse ran across my foot and then facilities came a few hours after we called them,” Robinson said. “They laid down a couple of sticky traps. Today they set up a barricade against the wall covering the hole they think it was in.”
Robinson said she has not seen a mouse since and hopes the problem is resolved. BU Facilities Management officials could not be reached for comment. BU Housing officials and Warren Towers Residence Hall Association officials declined to comment. BU spokesman Colin Riley said Facilities Management officials work year-round to try to prevent rodent infestations. “We have a contractor that does regular visits to all of our facilities and essentially eradicates the situation as soon as possible by placing traps and that sort of thing,” Riley said. “I do not know what the number of reports are, but I do know that they respond regularly and appropriately to any reports and that they are taken care of as quickly as possible.” Mice are to be expected in a city settling, Riley said. “This is an urban area, and there are pests that are common to urban areas, so unfortunately there are buildings that have this problem,” he said. “But as soon as it is reported it is taken care of as soon as possible.” Students have also reported seeing mice in other residences on campus. Lyndsay Fong, a College of Communication junior, said she and her roommate have had to deal with multiple mice in their apartment at 171 Bay State Road. “I live in the basement apartment so I was hoping that is why we have had so many mice,” she said. “I have seen them in all parts of the room. At one point we even thought
Mice, see page 2
Employers prefer thinking, other skills to major, study suggests By Margaret Waterman Daily Free Press Staff
Many employers believe a candidate’s critical thinking and communication skills are more important than the major field of study that he or she pursued as an undergraduate at colleges such as Boston University, according to a study released Wednesday. Karen Kang, a corporate and personal branding expert who completed a College of Communication graduate degree in 1977, said employers have a need for graduates who have emotional intelligence. “Today, the whole new work model is about collaboration,” Kang said. “Collaboration across functions, collaboration across geographies, collaboration with partners outside a company … The more diverse companies are and the more they hear different inputs — innovation is just a byproduct of that.” The Association of American Colleges and Universities polled 318 organization ex-
ecutives to determine their priorities when choosing which college graduates to hire, according to the study. Ninety-three percent of executives polled said they strongly or moderately agree that a job applicant’s ability to solve problems, think critically and communicate well is more important than whether they studied a degree. Additionally, 93 percent of executives responded they strongly or moderately agree their company is asking more of their applicants than they had in years past. Kang said business and collaborative skills also help college graduates when they are up for promotions. “In the past, really hard skills may get you the job, but soft skills are going to get you promoted,” she said. “So the emotional intelligence is very important.” Students should take care to branch out in their coursework and explore different options outside of their major field of study,
Kang said. “When I see people only taking business courses and not doing anything such as taking philosophy or literature or sociology ... that can really round them out as an intellectual, I think. Those people are really missing the boat,” she said. “The more you understand the world at large ... you will be in a much better place to have mobility in your career.” Matt Casey, a professional career coach who obtained a Metropolitan College degree in 2002, said students interested in pursuing a career in a field unrelated to their undergraduate major should consider interning at a variety of different companies while at college. “Students have a huge advantage, particularly the ones that are holistically planning their college careers,” he said. “Interning in a variety of areas over the summer is a great idea.” Casey said choosing a major based simply
Majors, see page 4
reduces deficit, invests in future By Zoe Roos Daily Free Press Staff
U.S. President Barack Obama released the first budget of his second term Wednesday, outlining a plan to reduce the deficit while rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure. Obama said in the budget message of the president that the nation was on the right track in dramatically reducing the size of the deficit. “Over the last four years, both parties have worked together to reduce the deficit in a balanced way by more than $2.5 trillion,” he said. “This is more than half way towards the goal of $4 trillion in deficit reduction.” Further deficit reductions must occur, Obama admitted, but stressed they should not threaten funding to important social programs or negatively impacting the middle class. Obama did include some cuts to entitlement programs such as Medicare in his budget, including a new formula that would decrease future social security benefits. “We should not do it by making harsh and arbitrary cuts that jeopardize our military readiness, devastate priorities like education and energy, and cost jobs,” he said. “We should not ask middle-class senior citizens and working families to pay down the rest of our deficit.” Reducing unemployment through job growth while simultaneously improving the American infrastructure was a recurring promise throughout the budget. Obama introduced $50 billion for immediate infrastructure improvements in his budgets, which he said would go to projects such as repairing the more than 70,000 structurally deficient bridges in the U.S. Education was also a priority for Obama. He outlined a plan to provide free universal public pre-school education to four-year-olds, paid for by increasing the cigarette tax from $1.01 to $1.95 per pack. “It will give all our kids the best start in life, helping them perform better in elementary school and ultimately helping them, and the country, be better prepared for the demands of the global economy,” he said. “This is an investment we need to make, and it is fully paid for in this budget by imposing a new tax on every pack of cigarettes sold.” John Boehner, Speaker of the House, released a statement following the budget presentation, voicing his issues with the budget.
Obama, see page 4
Mayor Menino’s final budget focuses on upgrades including libraries, housing By Sophia Goldberg Daily Free Press Staff
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino presented his $2.6 billion operating budget for the 2014 fiscal year and five year $1.8 billion capital plan Wednesday, representing a 5.6-percent growth over last year’s budget. “This year’s budget invests in our most valuable assets: Our people and our neighborhoods,” Menino said in a press release Wednesday. “Today we are proposing a sound financial plan. It builds on our long history of achieving balanced budgets, and at the same time improves delivery of highquality services that Boston residents expect and deserve.” Menino’s last budget before he leaves office focuses on the people of Boston and making sure the investments made in the city are benefitting everyone, said officials at the mayor’s office. The budget centers around improving Boston’s neighborhoods by meeting the housing needs of residents, creating “girls only” hours at community centers, engaging
youth in the budget process and modernizing technology in the Boston Public Schools, according to the release. As Massachusetts moves out of the recession, the city of Boston is able to spend more money to promote economic development in the city and leave some funds for the next administration to use, according to officials at the mayor’s office. “In January 2014, Mayor Menino’s administration will transition to the next one. The FY 2014 budget provides funds for a smooth and stable transition,” according to the release. The capital plan features $196 million for project authorizations to start in 2014 and include a $115 million development project of Dudley Square, a new park for children with physical disabilities in the Charlestown Navy Yard and construction on the Boston Public Library, according to the release. David Leonard, director of administration and technology at the BPL, said if the capital
Menino Budget, see page 4
MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, seen here March 28 at a press conference, submitted his $2.6 billion budget Wednesday.
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COM junior: Mice cause damage at 171 Bay State Road mice: From Page 1
they were in the pantry.” Fong said BU has been helpful in dealing with the situation. “BU emergency services has been really good about bringing in traps and coming right away,” she said. “They brought in an outside company after we had called a lot and they set
a lot of different types of traps.” Despite the traps, Fong said the mice have done damage to the building. “We would hear it clawing at the stuffing of the wall that they were gnawing at, and the thing is that this building was renovated this past summer. There shouldn’t be holes, everything is brand new,” she said. Aubrey Giasson, a College of Engineering
freshman who lives on the 18th floor of Marshall Tower in Warren, said she saw a mouse in her room in January, has not had any problems since. “It ran around near our fridge, and so we called the RA [resident assistant] on-call and then Maintenance,” Giasson said. “A couple of Maintenance people came up and they put down two sticky traps ... It never got caught, but we haven’t seen it since.” However, Giasson said her floormates had
a similar problem a few weeks prior and were able to catch the mouse. COM freshman Emily Kraklow, who lives on the sixth floor of Fairfield Tower in Warren, said her floormates found a mouse in their room last week. “I guess I expected it because this is just such a big building that it’s just assumed there is going to be something,” Kraklow said. Zoe Roos contributed to the reporting of this article.
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27. Searches company doctors 29. Swirl lira on a short prostitute 31. In Fulham I gossiped with a friend 32. Terrorists on BBC panel show are Assyrian 33. Sounds like Hamlet will consent 34. Rising total I see for harmonics 35. Leaving one in alarm DOWN 1. Reptile who holds feathers? (3,11) 2. Suit companies 3. Abominable snowmen: yes, it’s back in! 4. Father shot out, evoking pity 6. Trash alternative engine part 8. Tie? Sounds refreshing! 9. Throw in an article, a dame and a glad wink for a condemned person (4,3,7) 13. Cook moves vaca-
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Campus & City Column
GIRL, 20 Quae mentem insania mutat
Have you ever been mounted by Paul Revere? In one of those dreams where you think you have woken up, but are in fact still sleeping, our Boston’s very own “Midnight riding” hometown hero was on top of me. It wasn’t even sex; he was just there, tri-corner hat and all. Thereafter I woke up (for real SYDNEY SHEA this time) and immediately tried to forget the encounter. And what’s even more bizarre: A dream interpreter decided this dream meant that I talk to God. Although the spectrum of dreams ranges from the bizarre to the ordinary — some really do have the power to make actual changes. For example, I used to struggle with back handsprings. Each time I’d thrown one at cheerleading practice, my left shoulder would cave in and I’d fall flat on my face. But after a lucid dream in which I threw the perfect back handspring, the very next day at practice I finally perfected my form. One of my recurring dreams takes place in a library — a lofty, beautiful one, nothing like Mugar at all, and I’m always reading out of an old, leather-bound copy of “Snow White,” which looks like it came out of the fairytale itself, one you might find at an antiquarian bookseller. I normally wake up before reading past the first few pages, but whenever I go to a library or a bookstore (in real life) I try to find their copies of “Snow White,” which each time are inferior to my own. But reading occurs in my other dreams as well — even, sometimes, in different languages. Whenever I’m preparing for a Latin or Greek class, especially under the stress of an upcoming exam, I tend to dream about whatever text we’re reading. Since these dead languages are not usually spoken, I’m not conversing with Latin or Greek in these dreams, but instead I have a text in front of me that I read aloud and translate. This kind of vision always strikes me as odd since I find these languages to be complicated, almost arithmetical sequences that require a meticulous attention to detail and take a painfully long amount of time to decipher. My nightmares are rare and atypical: They don’t consist of demonic images or anything else considered “frightening” to the average person. My worst nightmare takes place at a dress rehearsal right before a performance of “The Nutcracker.” I’m backstage watching the other dancers practice and suddenly an agitated director hurries me to center stage, informing me that they lost their sugarplum fairy for the evening and I am the replacement. There is no escaping so I dance as well as I can, but however look too ridiculous and outof-place since my body is way too morbidly obese for wearing a ballet costume. Although I consider this dream a nightmare, it’s usually an realization that I need to morph my body back into its former shape. So whether they consist of being mounted by Paul Revere or reading an ancient language, dreams have the potential to, in a distorted way, offer insight when ordinary life is too unimaginative. Sydney L. Shea is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and can be reached at slshea@bu.edu.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Digital essay grading not BU’s short-term plan Taxpayers pay
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY XIAOMENG YANG/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
MOOC platform edX has developed a new software that might help professors grade essays and student responses. By Trisha Thadani Daily Free Press Staff
Massive open online course platform edX may change the nature of grading at colleges such as Boston University through a new digital essay-grading system that eliminates the time taken by traditional essay grading, officials said. Jack Ammerman, university librarian and member of BU’s Council on Educational Technology and Learning Innovation, said while it is possible BU officials will incorporate such grading techniques into BU’s grading system in the future, the software must first be proven to be a successful academic tool. “The focus of our efforts at BU is to enhance the residential and educational experience,” Ammerman said. “Before we decide to implement such technology, we must be sure that its grading matches the quality of a professor’s.” Ammerman said it is unlikely that such changes to the grading system will happen in the near future because BU does not want to employ an inferior product into its educational system. “So BU has not yet really explored the possibility of implementing this technology into our grading system,” he said.
The edX software, which The New York Times reported on Friday, is an open-ended assessment tool designed to help teachers grade papers and short-response questions with artificial intelligence, said Vik Paruchuri, edX machine learning engineer. The software would provide students with immediate feedback, unlike regular grading. Paruchuri said the software has received criticism because some people have voiced concerns that it could remove the personal element from grading. However, he said the software is more complex. “This software combines peerand self-assessment, along with machine assessment,” he said. Paruchuri said edX officials incorporated different types of assessment into the new technology since certain types are already used in classrooms and have pedagogical value. He said professors would have control over how students’ work is assessed, as professors can design an individualized rubric by which the work is graded. “The rubric has proven to be an excellent tool because professors are able to define exactly what they are looking for,” Paruchuri said. “They can also define how they would like the piece to be assessed, whether
through self, peer, machine or all three.” Paruchuri said while the essay grading technology is not yet fully developed, his edX team is working with professors to see what works and what does not. He said research shows that the software has worked well with some science courses. “There is no doubt that this technology is not right for all subject matter, such as humanities courses,” Paruchuri said. “However, we tested these technological components in a chemistry course … and students reacted very positively.” Bryn Sfetsios, a third-year School of Law graduate student, said receiving instant feedback would be beneficial, but the technology may not be able to accurately grade student responses. “I would only trust such a software’s feedback for basic grammar, but not for content,” Sfetsios said. “This technology seems like it will focus on tag words, and essays are more about how a student creates an answer rather than the specific words they use.” She also said the software could pose difficulties if a student wished to dispute his or her score, as the professor may have never read the essay in question. Molly Trillo, a College of General Studies sophomore, said if she knew a professor used this system, it would deter her from taking his or her class due to the lack of personal interaction the technology may cause. “I’m dyslexic so there are papers I’ve handed in where I’ve accidentally put in the wrong words,” Trillo said. “My professors are aware of my dyslexia and take it into account, but a computer would not know that.” Adarsh Parikh, a Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences sophomore, said he would like the technology if it could be proven to grade responses in a fair and accurate way. “Half the time I don’t even take feedback seriously, so I wouldn’t mind the system if it was efficient and graded based on a fair rubric,” he said. “In the end, I just want a good grade.”
SG officials consider expanding break bus program By Heather Martin Daily Free Press Contributor
Student Government officials are aiming to improve the vacation bus service first implemented for spring break in March and potentially organize a bus service for the summer break, SG officials said. “We did holiday buses for spring break and right now we’re planning them for students to get home for summer,” said SG Associate Director for Advocacy Erin Kingan. “We’d like hopefully to see costs decrease for students, so we’d see how long we can get it for, and then how many times we can run it so that we’d be meeting the most student needs.” Kingan, a College of Communication freshman, said in an attempt to improve the spring’s vacation bus service, SG officials administered a survey to students originally slated to end Wednesday. The survey, which ran for two weeks and asked students where they would be going for summer, either to Logan International Airport or South Station, what day they would need it and at what time, Kingan said. However, after two weeks, the survey received few responses.
“We realized today [Wednesday] we only had 85 responses,” Kingan said. “The reason for that is because we couldn’t get a table at the dining hall some of the days, so we’re just going to be up for a few more days.” Kingan said SG will use the survey feedback to cut ticket costs and to offer the buses at the most convenient times for students. SG’s vacation buses initiative began in March and offered students an inexpensive way to get to Logan before spring break. Fiona Chen, SG co-director of communication, said SG officials were pleased with the last round of holiday buses. “It went really well,” Chen, a School of Management sophomore, said. “We sold about 70 percent of our tickets. It was pretty popular, which is why we wanted to make another one for the student body.” Several students said not only did they not know about the survey, but also have never heard of the holiday buses. Annie Pullen, a College of General Studies sophomore, said while she is unfamiliar with SG’s vacation buses program, she believes it would provide students with a useful service.
“It’s a really good idea, but they need more advertising for it — just because I’d never heard of it, and I haven’t heard people talking about it,” Pullen said. “People would definitely go for it though, because cabs are expensive.” She said given the choice between Logan and South Station, she would choose the latter. “I take a bus home to New Hampshire and it’s a pretty decent cab and both there [to South Station] and back — it adds up,” she said. “So, I think it’s a good idea.” Aryeh Harris-Shapiro, a College of Communication freshman, said the buses to South Station make sense for people traveling during peak hours. “I’ve ridden on the T to South Station with my bag — I’ve got a big bag, it’s a rolling bag — it’s kind of a pain,” Harris-Shapiro said. “Having a bus would be useful.” Ben Sabath, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman, said he had not heard of the buses, but they would likely be helpful for students. “I definitely feel like they can be promoted better, as I am only somewhat aware of what they do,” he said. “If I knew more I could say more, but right now I think promotion is key.”
extra due to offshore havens By Nora Philbin Daily Free Press Staff
The Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group released a report April 4, which revealed that Mass. taxpayers are forced to make up revenue lost due to offshore tax havens by wealthy individuals and corporations. In 2012 as a result of tax dodging, the average taxpayer in Massachusetts had to pay an extra $1,542, according to the MASSPIRG report. Offshore tax dodging costs the Commonwealth $1.6 billion annually, which would be enough to double the operating budget of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, according to the report. “Tax dodging is not a victimless offense,” said Deirdre Cummings, legislative director of MASSPIRG, in a press release Thursday. “When companies use accounting gimmicks to move their profits to tax haven shell companies, the rest of us have to pick up the tab. With the nation facing such serious budget challenges, it’s a no-brainer that we need to close these loopholes and stop letting large corporations avoid paying what they should.” The Pfizer pharmaceutical company, for example, has not reported any taxable income in the last five years in the U.S., but has $73 billion stored in offshore havens, according to the MASSPIRG report. To shoulder the cost, small businesses are forced to pay an average of $3,067 in additional taxes, the report stated. Alex Zaroulis, director of communications for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Administration and Finance, said the problems couldn’t be stopped on a state level, as it is federal tax law. “This deals with federal law, not state law. There is not a lot that we can do legislatively right now,” Zaroulis said. While there is not a lot that can be done on the state level, Cummings said there are two bills in Congress that will deal with the problem on a federal level. “Closing tax loopholes is a nobrainer,” he said. “So, that should be the first step and there is an opportunity now as Congress is really focused on resolving the budget crisis that we are currently in.” Cummings said there is a good chance the bills — called the “Cut Unjustified Tax Loopholes Act” and the “Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act,” respectively — will pass because it is an easy bipartisan decision. “It would allow Democrats and Republicans to get together on an issue that is neither raising taxes nor cutting programs,” she said. “And it seems silly to me that we don’t go first after the loopholes closing and let big companies off the hook for paying for the services that taxes provide.” U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano of Massachusetts co-sponsored the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act, according to the release. “It’s long past time to close the loopholes that allow large corporations to reduce their tax obligations,” Capuano said in a release April 4. “The use of these tax havens means that there is less money available for crucial state and national needs, from education to infrastructure improvements.”
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CAS freshman: Employers look for ‘skills,’ ‘potential to grow’ majOrs: From Page 1
on one’s interest would not hurt a candidate, as a non-technical degree does not lock one into a single career path. Peri Tur, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman who studies archaeology but does not wish to pursue a career in the field after graduation, said the most passionate employees in any given field may
not have pursued their expertise as their major while at college. “Sometimes you discover your passions later on, and sometimes people who get started later are also more ambitious and are trying to catch up,” she said. “So they [employers] are looking for people with the skills and the people with the potential to grow the most as opposed to people with the textbook
Mass. GOP spokesman: House Republicans to ‘resist’ budget Obama: From Page 1
“He does deserve some credit for some incremental entitlement reforms that he has outlined in his budget,” Boehner said in a statement Wednesday. “But I would hope that he would not hold hostage these modest reforms for his demand for bigger tax hikes.” Tim Buckley, communications director for the Massachusetts Republican Party, said there are serious structural flaws within the budget. “This budget relies on significant tax increases during a time when working families are already struggling to get by,” he said.
Buckley said Republican leaders are unwilling to support this budget. “The republicans in the House have pledged that they will resist this budget as it continues to grow the size of big government while median income levels in Massachusetts continue to exponentially decrease,” he said. Obama said he had done his best to meet the Republican Party half way with this year’s budget. “It is not a Democratic plan or a Republican plan,” Obama said. “It is an American plan. And it is a plan that I hope can serve as an outline for us to write the next great chapter of the American story … together.”
BPL to receive funds from FY14 budget meninO budget: From Page 1
budget is approved, the increase of funds will allow it to improve several branches throughout the system. “We think this expresses a good commitment by the city to the library,” he said. “One always hopes for more, but our capital plans will extend over multiple years, so this is very good for FY14 and we’re excited to having this hopefully approved by City Council.” Leonard said this budget should get a positive response from city councilors. “We do know that the councilors care very much about the library system as a whole, so we look forward to their support,” he said. Although there was a significant increase in the budget, most of the money is going to projects needed for the city, said Scott Palmer, emeritus professor of international
relations and political science at Boston University. “City Hall claims it’s not that much, beyond the innovations, and that most is to support basic city services and personnel,” he said in an email. “It’s more than people expected, but a big chunk of the increase goes to some innovative programs, like parking space detectors, e-reading programs in public libraries and an all-digital school to complete [high school] graduation requirements.” Palmer said the budget reflects the changing economic atmosphere in Boston. “It’s possible that [Menino] may be taking a page from [Mass.] Governor [Deval] Patrick’s surprisingly large budget proposal,” he said. “[However,] Boston is entering a boom in construction for offices and residences, and an expanding tax base, so it is to be expected that city services will expand as well.”
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knowledge.” George Andrews, a Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences sophomore, said many college graduates do not pursue jobs in the area in which they studied. He said at a school such as BU, students will obtain general skills through their various required courses.
“You want to do what you’re passionate about regardless of whether you think that it’s going to make you money in the future,” he said. “You’re going to do your base classes anyway, and you’re going to get a well-rounded education.” Meghan Leary, a CAS sophomore, said in science, critical thinking is less important than hard skills.
“At least in the science field, it’s really based on the information that you have about established chemistry and biology and less on your critical thinking skills,” she said. “They can teach you lab techniques, but if you’re trying to synthesize proteins, there’s just information you’re going to need to know.” Rachel Riley contributed to the reporting of this article.
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Film/TV Editor - Michela Smith
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INTERVIEW: Disconnect’s Henry Alex Rubin on authenticity, documentaries and Jason Bateman Lucien Flores
“Y
ou can easily pitch this movie badly and have people roll their eyes and say, ‘I don’t want to watch a movie about technology and how it’s bad,’” said director Henry Alex Rubin over lunch at the Eliot Hotel in Boston. The film Disconnect, starring Jason Bateman and Alexander Skarsgård, is the first leap into feature filmmaking for Rubin, the Oscar-nominated documentarian known best for 2005’s Murderball. Disconnect, written by Andrew Stern, weaves intersecting storylines together with a ripped-from-the-headlines feel. There’s the father who can’t put his phone away, the young couple who fall prey to identity theft, the adolescent cyberbullies who go too far, and the upstart reporter who delves into the world of webcam pornography. The stories are thrilling, influenced by our society’s growing reliance on technology and the complications that arise from misuse. It is not, however, a film about “technology and how it’s bad.” “That is absolutely not what I was interested in saying,” Rubin said. “Personally I believe that technology is the most exciting thing in the world … but technology is completely neutral. It is absurd to say its good or bad. Technology has put men on the moon and it has created the H-Bomb. It’s in our hands.” What was Rubin’s goal for the film? With his background in documentary filmmaking, it’s fitting that, “[a]ll I was trying to do was make three stories that were pulled right out of the headlines. Very vivid and very real. As realistic as possible, that was my job as a director.” With that goal in mind, Disconnect is a success. It feels brutally honest — the type of film that will stick in your mind for days after. “Ideally it’s so real that it feels like you’re watching a YouTube video,” he said with great respect for the social media website. Disconnect doesn’t exactly play the same as a YouTube video (the production values are well above “Double Rainbow” or “Charlie Bit My Finger”); however, Rubin strives to make the film match the authenticity that comes when a few friends mess around on
Music Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF LD ENTERTAINMENT
Jason Bateman, in his first serious dramatic acting role, in a scene from Disconnect.
camera. “The more authentic the story is, the more true the performances are, the more unobtrusive the camera work is, the more the audience will just fall into the film and be affected by it emotionally,” Rubin says. To achieve this authentic feeling, Rubin utilizes many tricks and techniques from the documentary canon. While he used the latest in digital film technology — the Red Epic camera — he also used lenses from the 1960s that were “messy and mushy” and that would flare up easily to achieve an aesthetic that “looked real” to him. Rubin also integrated handheld shots into the film for a similar “dirty” feel. Often Rubin would drive his frequent collaborator, cinematographer Ken Seng, crazy with his documentary aesthetic. “Sometimes I torture him by not telling him exactly where something’s going to be, which tortures him or the focus-puller because they want to be exactly there and they want to have it in focus, but sometimes I don’t want that. I want a little bit of messiness,” he said. His devotion to authenticity even led Rubin to find real-life counterparts to the characters in the movie — people who had actually experienced what the on-screen characters go through — for his actors to talk to and learn from.
“I’d never be able to do something if I didn’t have the basis in reality because then I’d never know what’s really authentic,” Rubin attests. “So, I’d always go back to the real life counterparts and ask them questions.” The most noticeable visual technique Rubin employed throughout the film involved his use of two cameras placed far away from the actors that zoom in to compose the shot. He let these shots extend on screen, creating a sense of voyeurism that heightened the sense of realism in any scene. “When you make documentaries, you are always very careful of your subjects,” he said. “You never want your subjects to notice the camera because if they see the camera, they become self-conscious. They changed their behavior. So a lot of the art of making a documentary is finding those angles that are just outside of the eye line and just removed enough so that their subjects can live and breathe and be, without feeling self-conscious.” Rubin found that the same strategy helped loosen up the child actors and brought out better performances. He found that the further the crew, camera, and microphones stood from the talent, the more naturalistic performances he’d get. “Sometimes they would change the words that Andrew put in the script and it
would just be their own words and I really liked that,” Rubin explained. “I just kept going and going until it felt like something was eavesdropped.” Not every actor on the set of Disconnect needed Rubin to use this strategy to enhance his or her acting. About Jason Bateman, Rubin said, “this is a guy who grew up on sets and has learned to ignore the crew and ignore the camera. It could be right in his face and he could still give you total naturalism.” Bateman, in his first serious dramatic role, was a fascinating casting choice. The intrigue of seeing the actor known for his Arrested Development and Horrible Bosses roles will draw audiences to the theatre. “The movie could be about the most boring thing in the world … I’d go see that to see Jason Bateman be a dramatic actor,” Rubin said. Rubin brought Bateman to the film after having always thought that he could be a brilliant dramatic actor. The film’s financier was initially worried that casting Bateman would “pop the bubble of naturalism,” but eventually relented. Perhaps the beard Bateman grew for the role was a compromise… “[Bateman] was tickled that a director would want to put him in a dramatic role,” Rubin said. Rubin glows about how Bateman made every scene better. The actor brought many ideas to the table and was well prepared for every take, he says, adding that Bateman was open to ad-libbing and was willing to trying takes in multiple ways. “That’s what you hope for when you meet an actor —” Rubin said, “that they’re not just a puppet … they’re a collaborator and he really was a true collaborator.” Bateman shines as Rich Boyd — a father juggling the demands of work and his desire to connect with his adolescent son. Bateman is the most compelling actor in the ensemble cast and carries an impressive on-screen magnetism. “You can feel so much for him and what he’s feeling from just watching an eye flicker, and that’s masterful acting,” Rubin said. “I’m hoping people think he’s as brilliant as a dramatic actor as he is a comedic actor.” Disconnect opens nationwide Friday.
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April 11, 2013
Opinion
The Daily Free Press
The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University 43rd year F Volume 84 F Issue 44
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
Brian Latimer, 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 © 2013 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
Accidental Discrimination
The U.S. Army is taking criticism for a slideshow presentation to U.S. Army Reserve recruits. A dozen lawmakers have signed a letter demanding the Army to apologize for a statement listing religious extremist groups. In the presentation, a slide labeled, “Religious Extremism” understandably listed the Klu Klux Klan, Al Quaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood, but lawmakers are reacting to other parts of the list: Evangelical Christianity, Catholicism. To Americans, this charged term reasonably incites an immediate, negative reaction. For the past 10 years, the U.S. has been bombarded with news about religious extremist groups terrorizing cities throughout the world. Because the list likens large religious groups in the U.S. to the very same groups with which this country is at war, lawmakers are understandably angry. A 2012 Gallup poll found 77 percent of American adults identify with a Christian religion, 23 percent identify as Catholic and 2 percent identify as Jewish. The presentation has effectively insulted more than three-quarters of American adults. The list is clearly offensive, but is it that serious? Along with any religious group come extremist sects. Al Quaeda is the global militant terrorist group that attacked the
U.S., not Muslims. The Westboro Baptist Church has been termed a hate group, but it does not represent the better part of Christians. Even look at organized feminist groups like Femen. Although they get international press coverage, not all feminists protest naked. But to write simply “Evangelical Christianity” and “Catholicism” without specifying a specific extremist group certainly raises eyebrows and seems discriminatory. The list was not distributed or posted to a website. It is not an official U.S. Department of Defense document. There is no official Army seal. But because the Army created the presentation for the Army, shouldn’t there be some oversight checking training slide shows to make sure all information in training is fair and balanced? The list almost presented a fair listing of extremist groups from around the world, but someone should have noticed that the slide singled out religions and not specific sects. The slide probably mirrors attitude soldiers have coming back form war. It’s drilling into recruits the idea that any religion can have extremists and not just the ones most prevalent in the daily news. Unfortunately, the presentation came off as extremely biased and anti-Christian.
A scientist at Iran’s Centre for Strategic Inventions claims he has built a time machine. So we here at the ol’ Free Press decided to see when each college would go if BU got their hands on the schematics. • COM: Travel to the future to play with MegaTwitStaGramBook. • CGS: Back in time when school wasn’t so hard. • CFA: They already have gone into the future. That’s how they know what’s cool before you do. • ENG: They’re the ones making bank building more time machines. They’re happy in the present. • SMG: Back to the glory of the 1980s. • Dean Elmore: Back in time to invent the bowtie. • BU Athletics: Back to when we had a football team to save it. • The FreeP: To the end of our FreeP careers so we can finally sleep.
le tt er s@dail yfr eep r e s s .com Ha ve all t he op inions ? S U BM IT A GUES T COLUM N ! le tt er s@dail yfr eep r e s s .com
EXITMENT
A technological day in the neighborhood DAVID FONTANA Gentle folk of the greater Boston area, a rather urgent issue has been brought to my attention, one that I fear we cannot continue to ignore. No, the zombie apocalypse is not suddenly upon us. No, “winter is [not] coming.” No, Star Wars really was sold to Disney. These minor worries pale in comparison to what I have to say. I’m afraid that the conundrum we have is of — dare I say it — epic proportions. And so, to get to the heart of the matter, I’ve got a rather simple question for you all: What ever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy, the evening T.V.? I know, I know. It sends chills down my spine just thinking about it. Many of you might recognize this little doozy from years gone by when even our own times were simpler: Back when BU only cost $16,700, North Korea didn’t have nuclear warheads and the biggest concern on the minds of Americans was what kind of trouble Bill Cosby would get into next — and whether it involved a pudding pop. And yet, even Rudy Huxtable with her, “that’s Bud,” and little Michelle Tanner with her thumbs up and, “you got it dude,” couldn’t have foreseen the danger looming over their tiny pigtailed heads. That’s right, I’m talking about technology. “You’re in big trouble, Mister!” Right you are, Michelle, right you are. Now, it’s hard to gripe to the world of Smartphones and iHomes about technology. I mean I am literally sitting here, in front of a computer, typing this column, which will then be “electronically mailed” to my editor. And then it will eventually end up on a million Facebook pages, in two billion Tweets (#firstworldproblems) and on every computer in every home, which is approximately — drumroll please — three trillion and one. Yes, I really am that cool. No, that math is completely incorrect. That being said, there’s something kind of scary about all of this “technology.” I remember a world when phones had to be connected to a wall, when computers were used for playing “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego,” and cars ran on foot power (yabba dabba doo). But, just look at us now! We have microchip implants to keep track of kids, we have cars that can drive themselves and we have Segways! I even just watched “Jurassic Park” in 3D! You can’t even imagine all the laughs we had over their “advanced computers” and “progressive innovations” (birthing dinosaurs
from DNA? Ha, I say!) It seems like the Jetsons really are just a stone’s throw away. Or maybe it’s something else we’re throwing instead. This is the point when we turn on PBS and Mr. Rogers comes in singing about “a beautiful day in the neighborhood” and asks, “Would you be mine?” He and his puppet cohorts remind us of all the villains of the technologically advanced world: Gambling, cyber bullying, online shopping and meeting strangers. But I’d have to say, “Yo, Mr. Rogers, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish, but I think we might be getting a bit ahead of ourselves.” All of those issues with technology are just as likely to happen with or without a computer. However, I had a conversation with a family member recently, a doctor mind you, who was appalled with the morality of my generation, the standards we hold toward excellence and the music that we chose to listen to. Musical tastes aside — even looking past his stance on morality — he had a rather interesting point: He argued that technology was allowing the mediocre to excel. Technology encourages mediocrity and punishes superiority. In a lot of ways, I had to agree. Technology has allowed me to keep up with classmates that should have surpassed me in many fields. It has made it far easier for me to study everything instead figuring out and focusing on what I’m really good at. This technology stuff has, in many ways, allowed me to just scrape by. Well, that makes it simple then, doesn’t it? Technology is bad. Boom. Life changed. All right, so it’s not as simple as that. There is a lot of good technology too. I mean, let’s look at the wheel: That’s technology right there — circular, powerful technology. And where would we be without the wheel? It’s almost hard to imagine that a doctor can sit across from someone and really complain about technology when they rely on xray machines, defibrillators or even something as simple as light bulbs. But he had a real fear for our future, a fear that I’m not so eager, but all too prone to foster myself. Or maybe, on a beautiful spring day, that fear I feel in my gut is really just some lingering evolutionary deficiency from our cavemen days yelling, “Ayo, I’m tired of using technology.” David Fontana is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at fontad5@bu.edu.
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Thursday, April 11, 2013
7
Strong play from Terrier defense key to victory vs. effective offense Lacrosse: From Page 8
[the University of New Hampshire] and Vermont,” Robertshaw said. “So we’re going into it trying to follow our gameplan to the best of our ability.” To begin the season, the Bearcats dropped five straight games before coming away with a victory against Siena College. Coming into Saturday’s game, they have lost two straight. The Terriers will once again be looking to senior attack Danielle Etrasco to come up big on offense. She is coming off of a seven-goal game against Vermont (6-8, 1-3 America East) and is leading BU in all major scoring categories. She has 47 points this season with 37 goals and 10 assists. With Etrasco consistently seeing double and triple teams this season, senior midfielder Kristen Mogavero has been afforded numerous opportunities to score, and she has done a good job of taking some of the pressure off of Etrasco. Mogavero is second on the team in scoring with 19 goals this season. The Terrier attack will be facing a defense that has had issues defending the cage this season. The Bearcats are current-
ly last in the conference in goals against, with opponents netting 12.45 goals a game. In the cage, BU will be facing goalkeeper Erin McNulty who, in 10 games, has a .438 save percentage and has made 78 total saves on 218 shots. The Terriers will send out junior goalkeeper Christina Sheridan, who had a rough game her last time out against Vermont, giving up 17 goals. Sheridan is currently fifth in the conference with a .451 save percentage this season, but is 10th in the conference in goals-against average at 12 goals per game. “We need to have better defense,” Robertshaw said. “We can’t be allowing 17 or 18 goals in a game, I don’t think it’s fair for our offense to have to combat that.” On defense, the Terriers have been able to put pressure on opposing offenses consistently. They lead the conference with 10.4 takeaways on the year. “There’s a huge challenge ahead of us to make sure that we end the season the way we want to do it and see if there is any chance for postseason play for us,” Robertshaw said. “If that’s going to happen, we have to take every single game like it’s the most important game of the year.”
SARAH FISHER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Senior midfielder Kristen Mogavero has scored 19 goals this season.
Silfin: Frozen Four cinderella stories good for college hockey as whole Silfin: From Page 8
thinking about other programs’ perspectives. Individual schools don’t have to be the only ones to dream. ECAC Hockey had Union College in the Frozen Four last year, and this year it has Quinnipiac and Yale. The recent success not only gives other ECAC schools reason to dream, but it also could inspire smaller Atlantic Hockey and WCHA schools. My high school had about as much spirit as a late-September Marlins game, so the semester I spent at Union gave me a chance to finally embrace a school team. Before I even got to college, I spent the last months of my senior year proudly wearing my Union
College hockey sweatshirt and watching the games that took the team to the Frozen Four. Even though I’m not at the school anymore, I still cheered for the Dutchmen throughout this season and enjoy when ECAC teams are successful. I have already seen friends and former classmates embracing the success of the hockey teams at Quinnipiac and Yale. It was impossible to ignore the weekly national hockey rankings when they would show up all over Facebook and Twitter. Last weekend, my timeline was full of Michigan and Syracuse students cheering during the Men’s Basketball Final Four, and I can only expect the same from those at Quinnipiac and Yale
this weekend. One part of me wants Quinnipiac and Yale to face each other for the championship. The other part only wants to imagine the flood of posts reminding me of where Union or Boston University could havwe been. It’s hard to truly pick one team as a favorite to win it all. It is also hard to imagine any of these teams ending the season without finally taking home a championship. Rooting against anybody in this Frozen Four means rooting for a heartbreaking end to a persevering season. When this college hockey season started, there probably wasn’t a person on the planet that could predict this Frozen Four. If given
the choice of watching this year’s teams or Michigan, Boston University, Wisconsin and Cornell, most would likely choose the latter. But this season will have a surprise ending, and surprises are fun. Underdogs and Cinderella stories are fun. Watching history being made is fun, and one of these teams is in the midst of writing its own history. Everything about this Frozen Four should attract not only hockey fans, but fans of any sport. These teams weren’t supposed to get here, so anything past this point will be the cherry on top of a surreal season, not only for Quinnipiac, UMass-Lowell, Saint Cloud State and Yale, but also for college hockey as a whole.
BU offense struggling with runners on base Weekend off for Latty following recordSoftball: From Page 8
ourselves an opportunity to win those games. We still have to make it happen and get those runs across.” Although it had its initial lumps at the beginning of the season, the Terrier offense has been picking up the slack, and it has increased its average 10 points since March 28. Mask has been a key contributor all season long, as she leads the team with an impressive .366 average and 20 runs scored. Mask also leads the team with 19 stolen bases, only having been thrown out once. The second best base-stealing Terrier only has two steals, making those 19 even more valuable. Despite the improved offense, the Terriers have had one glaring fault, and it has hurt them mightily lately — leaving runners on base. In their losses last weekend against the University of Hartford, the Terriers left a combined 12 runners on base. Although Tuesday’s contest saw the Terriers strand only four, the issue still arose. In the final inning, the Terriers got the lead-off hitter on second base with nobody out, yet failed to score a run. “We had a runner at second base. All we needed to do was put the ball on the ground,” Gleason said. “We had a strike out and a popup. We have to figure out ways to get them home. It’s been something we’ve been working on in practice.” The Terriers will first venture to Amherst to take on UMass (10-17) Thursday. Despite their record, the Minutewomen have been surging lately, winning their last three games and eight of their last nine. Junior Caroline Raymond has led the pitching rotation for UMass. She has won her last two starts, improving her record to 6-7 on the season. She has also compiled a 4.66 ERA in 88.2 innings pitched, and has struck out 45 hitters.
The offense has been the key to success for the Minutewomen, as the top four hitters in the UMass lineup are all hitting above .300. Their leadoff hitter, senior Cyndil Matthew, has an impressive .388 batting average at the top of the lineup, while also stealing 19 bases and scoring 20 runs. Senior Katie Bettencourt has been the power source of the offense. Bettencourt is batting .310 and has also cranked three home runs and driven home 19. “They really have turned it around as of late,” Gleason said. “It comes as no surprise. [UMass] coach [Elaine] Sortino always has her teams ready.” After the Terriers take on a surging UMass team for one game Thursday, they will face a struggling team in UMBC (8-28, 1-8 America East). The Retrievers dropped their first seven games of the season, and have had difficulty recovering. Despite the ugly numbers, a solid numberone pitcher in senior Heather Brown leads the pitching staff. Brown has posted a 3.79 ERA in 98 innings pitched, while striking out 42. While Brown has been successful, the rest of the UMBC staff has struggled. No other UMBC starter has an ERA under 5.00, which is part of the reason for their issues this season. However, UMBC’s offense has been solid enough to win games. The Retrievers have four hitters batting at .300 or better through their first 36 games. Sophomore first baseman Taylor Hall leads the pack with a .402 average this season. Hall has belted six home runs, driven in 36 runs and scored 18 times in 36 games. Gleason said she doesn’t view the upcoming batting as a threat, however. “We have faced some great hitters all year,” Gleason said. “We just emphasize to our pitching staff that they’re in control. We’ll have that same approach. We’ll play the game.”
breaking performance at Florida Relays Track and Field: From Page 8
Page’s time of 21.07 seconds in the 200m dash at the Florida Relays was a conference season best. Latty also earned a new conference season best in the 400m dash last weekend, posting a time of 47.16 seconds. This mark is also 20th best in the NCAA East Region. Ray, Page and Latty combined with
freshman David Lagerberg last weekend for a ninth-place finish in the 4x400m relay at the Florida Relays. “The rest of our guys are going to take the weekend as a training week and really build into the meet next weekend,” Johnson said, referring to the MIT Invitational, which will take place April 20. “The week following is a pretty big weekend.”
Follow us on Twitter: @DFPSports @BOShockeyblog @BUbballBlog
“
“
Quotable
We’ll have that same approach. We’ll play the game.
-BU coach Kathryn Gleason on the pitching staff being in control
paGE 8
Over The Fence
Sports
MASK
The daily Free press
UP TO THE
TASK
Junior Terrier Jayme Mask will have to continue her impressive offense in order to snap the BU softball team’s three-game losing streak. P.7.
[ www.dailyfreepress.com ]
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Softball awaiting packed weekend Lacrosse squad
looking for big conference win
Frozen Frenzy
By Matt Fils-Aime Daily Free Press Staff
Helen Silfin
This year’s NCAA Men’s Frozen Four does not look like any that has happened before. Instead of just one Cinderella story, all four teams are underdogs, ready to shock the world when they win a national title. Quinnipiac, UMassLowell and Saint Cloud State will each play their first ever Frozen Four games, while Yale hasn’t advanced this far in the playoffs since 1952. A Frozen Four with all relatively unknown teams guarantees an underdog victory, a break from the monotony of previous champions and a chance for the sport to grow in popularity across the nation. One of the coolest things about any playoff series is seeing how far the dark horse can go. This year, a dark horse has to win because there is simply no other option. Quinnipiac has shocked the world all season and is still on a roll. UMassLowell somehow bounced back from a rough start to make it to this point. Saint Cloud State wasn’t supposed to beat Miami University and Yale certainly should not have beaten North Dakota, let alone topseeded Minnesota. These perpetual challenges are why this year’s Frozen Four is so interesting. All of these teams have faced great adversity and they all have the momentum to vault themselves to the top of the sport. These underdogs also provide a different view of college hockey. It is one thing to root for Michigan, Wisconsin, Boston College and other teams that win year in and year out. It’s easy to root for those teams the same way it’s easy to root for the Patriots or Lakers. But watching the same teams win every year gets boring. Nobody is going to be bored watching this year’s Frozen Four. One of these teams will win its first NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey championship. It will be part of that school’s history forever. Instead of being another year in a list of championships, 2013 will start the list. The success of all four of these teams could help college hockey expand throughout the United States. “Why can’t we be next?” is a phrase that comes to mind when
silfin, see page 7
MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Terrier junior Jayme Mask is swinging a hot bat, as she is hitting .366 on the season for BU. By Andrew Battifarano Daily Free Press Staff
This weekend will be a busy one for the Boston University softball team, as it has a full slate of games planned out. Thursday, the Terriers will play one game against the University of Massachusetts-Amherst on the road and will take on the University of Maryland-Baltimore
Softball @ UMass, 5 p.m
not hold on to their slim lead, and the Crimson (12-17) eventually grabbed the lead in the sixth with two runs and closed it out in the seventh. “It was very tough,” said BU coach Kathryn Gleason of the loss. “Our record is 3-7 in one-run games. We’re in every game. We’ve given
sOftball, see page 7
lacrOsse, see page 7
Track and Field sending multiple players to George Mason Inv. By Sarah Kirkpatrick Daily Free Press Staff
In search of better competition weather, a few members of the Boston University track and field team will venture to Fairfax, Va., to compete at the George Mason Invitational. Several Terriers have been exposed to cold New England temperatures in most of their meets, and have been unable to compete to their full potential as a result, said BU director of track and field Robyne Johnson. “All these kids just need another opportunity to get into hopefully a little bit better weather than we’ve been having in the Northeast, and get their times up,” Johnson said. Freshmen distance runners Kevin Thomas and Alec Olson are expected to compete this weekend. Thomas is ranked second in
The Bottom Line
Thursday, April 11
County in a three-game set at home over the weekend. These four games come after a tough loss for the Terriers (11-20-1, 2-4 America East) against Harvard University Tuesday. Despite the efforts of freshman pitcher Lauren Hynes and junior center fielder Jayme Mask, who scored on an error in the sixth, the Terriers could
Fresh off of a 20-goal outburst against the University of Vermont, the Boston University women’s lacrosse team will be looking to gain a crucial America East victory against Binghamton University Saturday afternoon at Nickerson Field. The Terriers (4-6, 1-2 America East) have been hobbled with injuries on their defense and have been struggling to get in sync defending the cage, but they will face the Bearcats (2-8, 1-2 America East), who have struggled to put points on the board this year, having only scored double-digit goals in three games this season. “Every single game matters for us, the team knows it,” said BU coach Liz Robertshaw. “They know that every single game is a huge game, and we’re going to look at it as such, where we have to go in and take it very seriously, and we want to get a win.” In America East play this season, Binghamton ranks last in goals scored per game at 8.2. Leading the Bearcats in scoring is midfielder Katherine Hunsberger, with 23. She also leads the team in points with 23, having accrued no assists at this point in the season. On attack, the Bearcats are stronger at maintaining possession, as they are currently ranked fourth in the conference in turnovers per game with 15.1. The Terriers are ranked last in the same category with 18 turnovers per game. “Even though they’re a little lower in the ranks, they’ve played some really tight games against
Friday, April 12 No Events Scheduled The Daily Free Domination will be taking on the Blackouts Thursday night...
America East in the 5,000m run, after posting a time of 14:27.37 at the Raleigh Relays March 29, while Olson ranks third in the 3,000m steeplechase with a 9:28.69. “[They’ve] done a fabulous job,” Johnson said of her freshmen. “So we’re looking forward to them.” Senior Robert Gibson, whose time of 14:48.54 is fourth best in America East on the season, is expected to compete. Sophomore Ben Ravetz and senior Elliot Lehane, who both have had success in the 1,500m run this season, will also run Saturday. Senior Nikki Long and freshman Shelby Stableford will highlight the female distance runners Saturday. Stableford’s time of 11:42.30 in the 3,000m steeplechase ranks fourth among all America East women.
Johnson said this particular invitational is a good opportunity for the distance runners. “It’s going to be a place, particularly for distance running, they have a whole kind of distance carnival, if you will, for this particular meet,” Johnson said. “That’s what the meet is really all about.” Only a few non-distance runners will be competing this weekend. Senior Shelby Walton, who ranks in the top five in America East in the 100m dash (11.98 seconds), will run the same event this weekend. Junior Nikko Brady will compete in the 100m hurdles, an event in which she possesses the second-best time in the conference at 13.98 seconds. “I looked at some results from last year, and there were some good sprinters that showed up,”
Johnson said. “We thought we’d bring [a few] kids down and give them another opportunity.” Sophomore Tessa Runels, whose mark of 12.35m in the triple jump is the second best mark in America East for the outdoor season, will be the only Terrier participating in a non-running event. Last weekend, she had a mark of 11.81 meters at the Florida Relays in Gainseville, Fla. Some of the top competitors for BU, including graduate student Zachary Ray, senior R.J. Page and reigning America East Track Performer of the Week, senior Tewado Latty, will have the weekend off, Johnson said. Ray, the top America East competitor in the 110m hurdles (14.01 seconds), is coming off a strong showing last weekend.
Saturday, April 13
Sunday, April 14
Monday, April 15
Field Hockey @ Boston College, 9 a.m. Softball vs. UMBC, 1 p.m./3 p.m. W. Lacrosse vs. Binghamton, 1 p.m. Track @ George Mason Invite, All Day
Softball vs. UMBC, 12 p.m.
track and field, see page 7
No Events Scheduled ...The stakes are high as the Domination will move on to the postseason with a victory.