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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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.