11-13-2012

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The Daily Free Press

Year xlii. Volume lxxxiii. Issue XXXX

MIND VS. MATTER BU strives to provide mental health support, page 3.

[

Tuesday, November 13, 2012 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University

STRESSED OUT Study examines coping methods for stress, page 5.

]

www.dailyfreepress.com

FALLING SHORT W. basketball loses to West Virginia U., 57–60, page 8.

WEATHER

Today: Rain/High 59 Tonight: Partly cloudy/Low 45 Tomorrow: 47/35 Data Courtesy of weather.com

Authorities investigate Allston fatal accident involving 21-year-old cyclist By Jasper Craven Daily Free Press Staff

Authorities are investigating the facts surrounding the death of a 21-year-old bicyclist who was struck by a vehicle in Allston Monday night, officials said. “Everybody is still out, and the investigation is still ongoing,” said Neva Coakley, a Boston Police Department spokeswoman. The accident occurred at 6:36 p.m. on the corner of Brighton Avenue and Harvard Av-

enue, Coakley said. CBS Boston and other news outlets reported that the bicyclist was a Boston University student, although BU officials did not confirm this information. MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said the MBTA is looking into whether a Route 57 bus is involved in the incident and that a bus driver has been removed from service during the investigation. He would not confirm whether an MBTA bus struck the victim.

“A Route 57 bus operator has been taken out of service while police investigators work to establish facts in this matter,” Pesaturo said in an email. “He is 58, and he has been with the T for six years.” Pesaturo said the BPD and the District Attorney’s office have taken over the investigation, with Transit Police assisting. Police officers from District 4 in Brighton responded to the accident and upon arrival they observed a male victim that was seriously in-

jured, Coakley said. The victim of the accident was transported to Beth Israel Hospital and was pronounced dead upon arrival. A Boston College graduate student was killed in June after an MBTA bus hit her on Huntington Avenue. In August, BU School of Management alumnus Steve Binnam Ha was hit by a Route 57 bus after witnesses saw him walk across the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Babcock Street when the bus had a green light.

African Pres. Center interns explore hands-on IR, foreign policy SG plans debate on Iran sanctions, seeks break buses By Katherine Lynn Daily Free Press Staff

In May, Boston University student Lejla Huskic found herself on a dirt road lined with crumbling one-room houses in a small township in Johannesburg. She met the children living there, who were just learning English, only going to school a few times a week. “I’ve never seen poverty like that before,” Huskic, a College of Arts and Sciences sophomore, said. “It was eye-opening.” Five months later, Huskic still works with the organization that gave her the opportunity to visit the South African town, the African Presidential Center at BU. The APC is an on-campus organization that studies and supports the growth of democracy and free-market reform in Africa. Huskic had the opportunity to meet African heads of state when she traveled to Johannesburg for the African Presidential Roundtable forum for the future of energy in Africa through her internship at the APC. “It was really amazing to be involved in something amazing like that,” Huskic said. “I felt like I played a role in something really cool.” Huskic, one of 18 student interns working at the APC, said she learned about the organization through a friend and applied to become an intern in the spring of her freshman year. “It’s an internship program through BU and we get to work with other colleges that are part of our collaborative and the continent of Africa,” she said. “It’s a base for so many cool networks.” Now in her second semester as an in-

Center, see page 2

By Margaret Waterman Daily Free Press Staff

ferent experiences, different language and a different upbringing and will contribute and bring that perspective with them and helps inform in many instances the discipline they’re studying,” he said. Jordan Sen, an international student from Hong Kong, said he sees how BU is trying to increase its international population. “I went to this conference where President [Robert Brown] was there, and he said he really wanted to increase the number of international students,” Sen, a School of Management junior, said. “It’s surprising to know BU is 13th, though.” Sen said studying in the U.S. will give him a better education all around. “I’m Australian originally, and I was considering it with my family, and they agreed it’s much better to have an education in America rather than Australia,” he said. Sen said he is pleased BU has such a diverse student body. “It’s always nice to know that there’s not a small percentage of people like me,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like I get left out or

Student Government unanimously passed a vote to host a public debate Jan. 31 to educate senators and Boston University students on the sanctions in Iran at their meeting Monday. The debate will draw some of the most staunchly opposed groups on campus together to debate and converse about the issue at hand, said Aditya Rudra, executive vice president of SG. “It’s definitely been an issue that has been a dividing force on this campus and an issue that started well before we were born,” Rudra, a School of Management junior, said. Members of BU Students for Israel and members of the Anti-War Coalition came to an Oct. 15 SG meeting to debate whether the current sanctions in Iran are justified. At the same meeting, SG passed a motion to create a committee to send to activities hosted by both groups. Zach Herbert, College of Engineering junior, said hosting the debate could set a positive precedent for SG. “This is more than just us voting on one thing,” Herbert said. “Other groups might be going to ask us to host these [types of] debates.” SG also heard arguments from a BU’s chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, an international drug policy reform network. KC Mackey, a College of Arts and Sciences senior, said she wants BU to adapt a “good Samaritan policy” that allows students to call for medical help relating to alcohol- and drug-related health issues without facing punitive action. “No students seeking medical assistance for an alcohol- or drug-related emergency will be subject to university disciplinary action due to possession or consumption of alcohol,” Mackey said. Mackey said these are rules that will provide students with the clarity they need to make responsible, life-saving decisions. “They are not policies that are supposed to reward binge drinking,” she said. Mackey said Student Health Services, South Campus RHA and the Off Campus Council are just some groups around campus that support this policy. Mackey also said she hopes BU can incorporate this policy into its Lifebook, which provides rules and guidance on being a member of the BU community. Emily Talley, a sophomore in the School of Education, said this conversation has the potential to be transformative. “You [SSDP] should also consider the things you are really trying to combat here which include underage drinking, intoxication, responsibility,” Talley said in the meeting.

Int’l, see page 2

SG, see page 2

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMRITA SINGH

College of Arts and Sciences junior Amrita Singh and other African Presidential Center interns traveled to South Africa in May to host the 2012 Roundtable.

BU has 13th highest int’l-student population in U.S., report states By Chris Lisinski Daily Free Press Staff

Boston University had the 13th highest population of international students among U.S. colleges for the 2011–12 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education. A report, titled Open Doors Data on International Educational Exchanged, released Monday stated BU had 6,041 international students during the 2011–12 academic year. “We’ve always been ranked high in the Open Doors Report,” said BU spokesman Colin Riley. “We have a long history of international students studying at Boston University.” Riley said for many years, BU has had the highest percentage of international students. “We still have a strong percentage,” he said. “We have a diverse representation.” He said students from India and China comprise a significant portion of BU’s international students because the countries have large populations. A number of international students want to study at BU because of its quality of education, Riley said.

“BU has an outstanding reputation internationally as evidenced by the employability study recently released [released Oct. 25 by The New York Times],” he said. “BU graduates who work around the world are highly regarded by employers.” Employers around the world ranked BU graduates 17th in the world in employability. BU was ranked seventh nationally. Riley said BU works to accept students from around the world. “BU has a strong alumni presence in many countries and recruits and regularly visits these countries,” he said. “We have an English-language program, Center for English Language and Orientation Programs, that is also attractive for students who want to pursue American education in the United States who don’t have the language skills for it.” International enrollment in American colleges increased 6 percent from the 2010–11 academic year to a total of 764,495 students. Riley said BU benefits from having a diverse population. “Students who are sitting in the class may be sitting next to someone who has a different cultural background, who has dif-


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