12-10-2015

NEWS Though the popular bike share company Hubway has annouced plans to expand, all of the stations at BU will close for winter. p. 4

MUSE In this edition of FreeP vs. Food, we take a bite out of the city’s Boston cream pie scene. p. 6

SPORTS Women’s hockey rolls after earning its seventh win in nine games against Providence on Wednesday. p. 10

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY YEAR XLIV. VOLUME LXXXIX. ISSUE XIV.

Baker focuses on initiatives in first year in office

BY SAMANTHA GROSS, JULIA METJIAN AND OLIVIA QUINTANA DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

After a close gubernatorial race and his first year in office, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has focused on addressing widespread problems in his state.

Solutions to opioid addiction, transportation reform and government spending were among the issues Baker pursued since he took office in January.

With a 74 percent approval rating, Baker’s leadership resonates across the state, said Massachusetts GOP spokesman Terry MacCormack.

“No matter the issue, he’s really taking a common sense, results-oriented approach that the people of Massachusetts voted for last fall and that they’re really happy to see him delivering on,” he said Despite his public approval, Massachusetts Democratic Party spokesman Patrick Beaudry said, Baker still needs to show concrete efforts for future investments.

“Governor Baker’s campaign contends that if you have a Republican rather than a Democrat in office, then you’ll create this competition, and this friction that will lead to a better state government,” he said.

“The problem is, the only way to a better state government is by being willing to make smart, Charlie Baker

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

PHOTO BY BRIAN SONG/DFP FILE PHOTO

Boston University Student Government plans to mend the issues that defined this semester and aims to increase their transparency during the Spring 2016 semester.

SG works toward greater transparency after controversial fall

BY LEXI PEERY DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Shaken by conflicts after the impeachment of two Executive Board members, Boston University Student Government looks forward to increasing communication and transparency with the student body next semester through constitutional reform.

During the SG Senate meeting on Nov. 30, SG passed an amended proposal that enables the Constitutional Reform Committee, made up of a coalition of students, to present the reformed SG constitution to the student body during the Spring 2016 election period.

VISUAL ARTICLE BY SHIVANI PATEL

The proposal to amend SG’s constitution was part of an initial suggestion brought up by BU Students Against Silence, in cooperation with other student organizations, on Nov. 16 to dissolve Senate following Senate’s controversial decision to impeach former Vice President of Finance Kimberly Barzola and VP of Internal Affairs Marwa Sayed.

A continuous conflict that ensued after the impeachments eventually led to the resignations of former Senate Chair Stephen Chang, former Judicial Commissioner Louis Vitti and former Co-Director of Social Affairs Noor Toraif.

SG President Andrew Cho, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he has been amazed by the dedication so many students have shown in proposing to

A Snapshot of Boston

rewrite the constitution.

“BU SAS were so dedicated, and for them pursuing justice is to the T, and I really value that,” Cho said. “Even though it was hard to come to terms with them at times, I really value that they were so adamant about it, because if they weren’t, we would have taken the easy route and not really addressed this. I think that was incredibly valuable.”

Cho said this semester has taught him an invaluable lesson about transparency. He said he has also learned, however, an equally if not more important lesson on the necessity to compromise.

“To see things both ways, and realize that your actions have implications that CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

REPORTING BY MONIKA NAYAK

Students Enrolled in College

Gross Rent 24.1%

8.30%

*in percentages

$750 - $999

$750 - $999

25.6%

100

25.6%

Other

80

Other

60

33.30% Boston 26.90%

27.70%

40 20

$1000 - $1499

$1000 - $1499

0

5.10% 38.40%

United States

38.40%

$1500+

Boston Source: 2014 U.S. Census Bureau data

Boston

United States

$1500+

United States

0 20 40 *in percentages

60

80

100

Commuters Using Public Transportation

20.10%

28.60%

2

NEWS

Next steps in Wynn casino construction await

CRIME LOGS

BY PAIGE SMITH DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

An attempt by the City of Boston to block construction by Wynn Resorts in a nearby city has reached a standstill as officials consider the next step of legal action.

Superior Court Justice Janet Sanders dismissed Boston’s suit to halt construction on the casino in Everett. The initial complaint, filed Sept. 28, outlined a number of concerns including environmental effects, the scale of the project, traffic congestion and a lack of a substantial plan.

Bonnie McGilpin, spokeswoman for Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, said the dismissal does not signify the end of the process.

“The City of Boston is currently reviewing the Judge’s order and weighing options to appeal,” she wrote in an email.

Michael Weaver, a spokesman for Wynn Resorts, said moving forward with the project is in the best interest of the general public.

“We are very pleased with Judge Sanders’ ruling, the result of which continues the positive momentum of our development,” Weaver wrote in an email. “We are well underway in successful site remediation and look forward to creating 4,000 union construction jobs and $1.7 billion in construction spending, 4,000 permanent jobs and bringing $22.3 million in taxes a month to the Commonwealth and local communities.

Wynn won the right to build the casino in the Greater Boston area following the passage of the 2011 Expanded Gaming Act in Massachusetts. The resort is set to be constructed along the Mystic River, with site preparation in the process and completion expected by the end of 2018, according to Wynn’s website.

Elaine Driscoll, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, said the dismissal would be a positive move forward for the Commonwealth.

“We are gratified by the judge's decision and believe it is a validation of the hard work and detailed effort put forth by the Commission and its staff,” she wrote in an email. “We are hopeful that Wynn and the cities of Boston and [Everett] can now begin to reconcile their differences through open dialogue and negotiation as opposed to legal action.”

Fred Bayles, a journalism professor in the College of Communication at Boston

BY KENNEDY DAVIS DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The following reports were taken from the Boston University Police Department from Dec. 2 to 6.

Credit card fraud reported from 906 Beacon St. A male student reported on Dec. 2 at around 2:39 p.m. that there were unauthorized charges on his credit card.

Cell phone stolen from Student Health Services A female employee reported on Dec. 3 at 12:38 a.m. that her cell phone was stolen from 881 Commonwealth Ave., the Student Health Services building. The victim said her cell phone may have fallen out of her pocket while she was walking.

PHOTO COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

A Suffolk Superior Court dismissed a suit Thursday from the City of Boston fighting the construction of Wynn Casino in Everett.

University, said the construction of the casino is more than just a political affair.

“It’s pretty simple. The mayor wanted to have more input on the casino in Everett because it does neighbor Boston and even though it is across the boundary, it has an impact on all sorts of aspects of Boston,” Bayles said. “I think the biggest threat to the casino in Everett is not necessarily [Walsh], but geography and the economy.”

It is difficult, Bayles added, to generalize the public’s reaction to the casino because the amount of impact may vary depending on location.

“You saw people vote against the casino, you saw people vote for it. It’s a constant debate about jobs, and, in some ways, it depends on the community,” Bayles said.

“It’s hard to make a grand statement for the entire population of Boston, for them to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. There are many elements within it.”

Several residents said although the construction of a casino could potentially have negative impact on the city, the decision to gamble should ultimately be left to the individual.

James Strain, 45, of Back Bay, said citizens should be able to feel entitled to their decision to gamble.

“I don’t see the problem with it,” he said. “If people want to go to the casino, then that’s every bit their right to do so. Just because some people don’t like it doesn’t mean no one can do it.”

Kristen Kehlenbeck, 26, of Allston, said Boston should adhere to the needs and opinions of the citizens.

“I personally don’t support gambling, and if the community doesn’t want the casino there then it has no business being there,” she said. “Casinos aren’t good for communities to have, especially if they don’t want them.”

Marilyn Wallace, 38, of Back Bay, said as long as gambling is legal, the city should not take issue with the construction of a casino.

“As long as it’s legal, I don’t see why it’s an issue,” she said. “If people want to do that with their time and money then they can. Even if it’s not great for the community then they should still be able to.”

Olivia Quintana contributed to the reporting of this article

Constitution to be re-written, voted on by student body

STUDENT GOV., FROM PAGE 1

you might want to assume aren’t there, I think that’s a huge lesson I took [from this past semester],” Cho said. “We should think of that [lesson] moving forward.”

SG approved its Spring 2016 Student Election Commission Chair Grace Cusick during their Senate meeting Monday. Commenting on how past struggles will affect the election, Cho said the wider conversations surrounding SG have become an opportunity for more people to run for office and bring new perspectives to SG. “With all these different ideas, the [competing] slates will have to talk about it, and say what direction they want to take it. Even though the [new] constitution will be a middle ground, I definitely think that the elected slate will take it a certain direction,” Cho said.

Barzola and Sayed were impeached in the Senate meeting Nov. 9 after an investigation by Judicial Commission determined their failure to execute constitutionally mandated tasks. The impeachment resulted in the formation of BU SAS. To fill the vacancy after Barzola and Sayed’s removal from office, Cho appointed former Senate Communications Director Yasmin Gentry and former Chief of Staff Akiko Endo as VP of Internal Affairs and VP of Finance, respectively.

Gentry, a junior in the College of

CAMPUS

Communication, said she is excited for the upcoming semester, as new initiatives like the Social Injustice Awareness Campaign and Gap Week continue to foster inclusivity and better community engagement with the student body.

“We’ll see a lot coming out of the Constitutional Reform Committee, and this was a semester of giving power to individuals in student groups, from having a referendum vote on ratifying this constitution to getting all these student groups involved in these big weeks we are planning,” she said.

Recently elected Senate Chair Courtney Bold, a senior in the Questrom School of Business, said Senate hopes to prepare new initiatives based on garnered student concerns.

“We are going to bring back the clicker voting system and try to integrate votes into the website so that anyone can check how their senator voted,” Bold said in an email. “One of my goals is to have senators undergo cultural sensitivity training at the beginning of the next semester to better allow them to represent the diverse student body in each constituency.

Judicial Commissioner Timothy Geraghty said though it is unfortunate that Barzola and Sayed were impeached, students have been able to realize problems within SG and its constitution.

“The conversation of representation and legitimacy was necessary in the sense that not all students feel like their voices are heard on campus,” Geraghty, a senior in the College of Engineering, wrote in an email.

Marlo Kalb, a member of BU Students Against Silence and part of the Constitutional Reform Committee, said the past month has deemed SG illegitimate and said she wants to see direct democracy without Senate representation.

“I want to see a complete overhaul.

There are other models [of SG] at other universities that they have a student union that’s more of a direct democracy,” Kalb, a senior in CAS, said. “I don’t want to see an E-board, I don’t want to see a Senate. I want to see something different.”

Jose Godoy, also a member of BU SAS and a junior in Questrom, said he hopes the ratified constitution, to be put in place at the beginning of the Fall 2016 semester, will allow for better student representation.

“I would like to see a student union, a place with no hierarchy,” Godoy said. “[People within SG] need to clean Student Government of people that want to make it a hierarchal structure and the way to change it is to change the system itself. It will be good if people want to get involved with the task force to make student government a more welcoming place for everyone.”

Cell phone stolen from Student Health Services A female employee reported on Dec. 3 at 12:38 a.m. that her cell phone was stolen from 881 Commonwealth Ave., Student Health Services. The victim said her cell phone may have fallen out of her pocket while she was walking.

Jacket stolen from Fitness and Recreation Center A male student reported on Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m. that his jacket was stolen from 915 Commonwealth Ave., the Fitness and Recreation Center. The jacket was left unattended in the men’s locker room.

Individual with handgun arrested at Commonwealth Avenue and Essex Street BUPD officers assisted Brookline Police Department officers in pursuing a motor vehicle driver who displayed a handgun on Dec. 3 at 9:15 p.m. Officers were able to locate the vehicle and stop the driver, who was the placed under arrest by Brookline police. .

Trespassers removed from Mugar Memorial Library Two non-affiliates, a male and a female, were found drinking alcohol on Friday at 2:12 a.m. inside the Mugar Memorial Library at 771 Commonwealth Ave. Both parties were issued trespass warnings and removed from the building.

Electronic equipment left unattended, stolen A male student reported on Friday at 1:15 p.m. that he left a bag containing electronic equipment on the sidewalk. When he remembered that he’d left it, he returned to find that the bag and equipment were missing.

Bicycle stolen, attached to oil pipe A male student reported Saturday that his bicycle was stolen. The bicycle was locked to an oil pipe that had an open top. The suspect was able to lift the bicycle over the pipe and leave with it.

Officers arrest bathroom camera-user An employee reported Sunday at 10:02 p.m. that he saw a camera come over the wall of a bathroom stall he was using. Officers were able to locate the suspect, who was then placed under arrest.

NEWS

3

Construction crews prepare for winter 2017 completion

BY JULIE DALLET DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Construction for Boston University’s Center for Integrated Life Sciences and Engineering is still on schedule to be completed by March 2017, BU officials said.

The center, located at 610 Commonwealth Ave., aims to bring together scientists and engineers from both BU’s Charles River Campus and its Medical Campus.

The building will offer research facilities to promote interdisciplinary research combining the systems neuroscience and synthetic biology departments, The Daily Free Press reported Sept. 2.

Walt Meissner, associate vice president for operations at BU and the project executive for CILSE, said he is optimistic that the center will meet both deadline and budget requirements.

“The construction is going very well.

As you can see, we are starting the steel construction and we’re more than halfway through it,” Meissner said. “At the same time, we’re also pouring concrete floors on the building.”

Meissner said the crew expects to be finished with topping off the structure around the second week of January 2016.

As the winter months approach, Meissner said, the cold should not impede the construction. The teams are used to working in harsh weather, he said.

“We are currently wrapping the building to deal with the winter weather,” he said.

“We are creating sources for energy and we will be heating inside to enable the crews to work during the winter.”

Meissner, however, said he acknowledges the possibility of unexpected obstacles the construction may face.

“The [finish] date hasn’t changed and we seem to be making good progress — we’ve had minor issues but we’ve been able to make up the time, sometimes by double-shifting and sometimes by going into the weekends,” he said. “We’re at a stage in the project where we could run into challenges, but at the present time, things are looking good.”

David Flynn, BU Operations’ assistant vice president for construction services, said he and the team are extremely concerned about student and staff security and are tak-

PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Center for Integrated Life Sciences and Engineering is on track to be fully completed by March 2017.

ing precautionary measures.

“One of the main focuses of the project team is safety, since the construction is right in the center of our campus,” Flynn said.

“We want to make sure that people are protected when they walk down the sidewalk.

The covered walkway and cement barriers that protect it from automobiles help us ensure that. There is also significant BUPD presence from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. everyday.”

Once the construction is over, Flynn said the lawn outside of the College of Communication will once again be fully accessible to students.

“When we’re done with the project, we will restore and add more landscaping to the COM lawn,” he said. “Whatever damage we’ve done is only temporary, and we will restore it fully. What is more, the architects spent an enormous amount of time looking

at how the building fits in everything around it. The architecture will be a very nice mix between glass and masonry components.”

Several students expressed their curiosity concerning the project and said they thought it was likely to have a positive impact on the university’s image.

Melissa Malinasky, a junior in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, explained that giving more space to sciences can only improve BU’s status.

“It is great that BU is investing in new buildings for science and research,” she said.

“A lot of attention has been on the business school lately, and it’s great to know that they want to improve facilities for the sciences as well, that they’re expanding their horizons.”

Mary Kate Heagerty, a junior in the Questrom School of Business, said she feels directly impacted by the small annoyances

caused by the construction.

“It is a pity that they are building on the COM lawn, because it’s a great place that was loved by a lot of people, and I’m very sad about it,” Heagerty said. “But I’m sure the center will be great and I hope it will enhance the campus’ image and integrate well with the other buildings.”

Leyla Tonak, a sophomore in the College of Fine Arts, said although the construction itself is frustrating, it is good that the university is expanding.

“I think that Boston University is constantly trying to be the next Ivy [League], so the center is probably part of that aspiration of being recognized as a major research university,” she said. “They are pumping more and more money into the sciences because they want to be known as a top research center.”

Opioids, transportation, DCF reform focuses of Baker’s first year BAKER, FROM PAGE 1

proactive investments in industries of the future.”

Resistance between a Republican Baker and a largely Democratic state government, however, is thought to be a successful strategy, MacCormack said.

“He really made an argument for the benefits of two-party government and constructive friction, which is the ability for both parties to sort of have a debate and start a conversation and produce policies that ultimately are going make everybody better off,” he said.

John Berg, a professor at Suffolk University, said that Baker’s style of governing does not reflect the contemporary stereotype of the Republican Party.

“He has clearly been a Republican who wants to govern the state and has done a good job with that,” he said. “If you look at the history of Massachusetts, [Baker] does talk like a traditional Republican, but not like the Republicans the country has seen recently.”

Kenneth Cosgrove, also a professor at Suffolk, added that Baker has provided equal attention to both the economy and Massachusetts residents. “[The] way that he is visibly showing this is on the response to the opioid crisis where again he worked with the Democrats but did so by stressing treatment options and, in some cases, mandatory confinement of addicts for minimum periods of time,” Cosgrove wrote in an email.

Mark Steffen, spokesman for Baker,

talked about how the governor focused on addressing the epidemic of opioid abuse across the state in 2015.

“It wasn’t something he initially ran on, but you can’t fit 20 people in a room in Massachusetts without someone most likely having a connection to this issue,” he said.

Using the example of the transportation crisis from last winter, Beaudry said Baker used crises to advance his political strategy.

“While he’s done an exceptional job thus far, he’s been drumming up a fabricated crisis in state government that he’s then been able to exploit to get some of his political victories that we’ve seen in the first year,” he said.

Baker’s Winter Resiliency Plan will provide money and regulation for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the coming winter in order to avoid the chaos of the previous year, Steffen said.

Changes to the MBTA have not been the only governmental reforms the governor has pursued. Following the death of Bella Bond this summer, Baker proposed Department of Children Facilities reforms to include stronger supervision policies, The Daily Free Press reported Oct. 1.

Berg said Baker’s efforts to improve the DCF symbolize his overall progress.

“He’s just reached the point where he’s starting to own the problems,” he said. “He said we are going to fix the DCF, they’ve looked at it, and it’s pretty clear that you need better management but you also that

you need more money.”

Baker has increased budget funding for DCF by $35.5 million, Steffen said.

Continuing these programs and initiatives, MacCormack said, are improvements for Massachusetts and will continue to satisfy residents’ needs.

“We know the people of Massachusetts are going to expect to see [reform] from him because that’s what he’s been delivering so far,” he said.

Now that Baker has made it through his first year in office, Beaudry said the public has a sense of what kind of leader he is.

W

e know the people of Massachusetts are going to expect to see [reform] from him because that’s what he’s been delivering so far.”

“Next year, when he has to really own his budget and be responsible for it two years into his term now, people are going to see what he’s all about,” Beaudry. “It’s going to be about cutting programs and slowing down initiatives.”

While some residents said they are pleased with Baker’s work, others had issues with some of his recent decisions.

Peter Zak, 53, of Fenway, said he appreciates Baker’s extensive work with the MBTA. “There have been some problems in Massachusetts recently that he has really tried to work on and I think he’s done pretty well,” he said. “I know he’s been trying to do a lot to fix the T so that’s good.”

Megan Waters, 32, of Brighton, said although she has been satisfied with Baker’s work, she has problems with how he has responded to the Syrian refugee crisis. “[For] most of the year I was pretty pleased with Baker, I thought he was doing a really good job and I haven’t had any problems,” she said. “But I’m pretty displeased with his decision about Syrian immigrants.

That was the first time I felt really upset about Baker.”

Mike Thompson, 42, of Allston, said he has been content with Baker’s work so far.

“Every time I check the newspaper he’s doing something new and interesting,” he said. “He really cares about improving Massachusetts and is working really, really hard to do that. I haven’t had any complaints so far.”

4

NEWS

BU Hubway stations to close during winter, bikers alter travel plans

BY ELLEN CRANLEY DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Despite bike-share company Hubway’s plans to expand this winter, the four Hubway stations on the Boston University Charles River Campus and one to be installed on the BU Medical Campus will not operate past Dec. 31.

Hubway, the Boston-based bike-sharing system, announced earlier this month that it is expanding its winter operations, with over 110 stations in Boston open through the end of the month and 37 Cambridge stations open year-round, according to a Dec. 1 release announcing the expansion plans.

The stations on the BU CRC are located in Kenmore Square on Commonwealth Avenue, at BU Central at 725 Commonwealth Ave., outside Agganis Arena at 925 Commonwealth Ave. and at Buswell Street and Park Drive in South Campus.

Benjy Kantor, a senior marketing manager for Motivate, Hubway’s operating company, said though membership continues to grow, keeping stations open for winter is a tricky cooperation, with the municipality covering extra costs.

“The system was designed when it first launched in Boston to be three seasons only,” he said.

“But two years ago, the City of Cambridge coordinated for its 26 stations to remain open through the year. They covered that cost as a social service, as in it is possible they can operate at a loss.”

Despite the complexity of cost and hardware associated with winter operation, Kantor said, cities have been moving toward expanding their services during winter.

“This is the largest winter operation we have ever had,” he said. “There are more year-round Cambridge stations and almost all of the Boston sidewalk locations are going to be open through the end of the calendar year, though not necessarily until February or March.”

Kantor said the growing municipal support for Hubway’s yearround operations is part of a larger

PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh announced Oct. 6 that Hubway will expand to other locations in Brighton, Dorchester, Roxbury and Charlestown.

move to make bikes a part of the regular commute for residents in and around Boston’s metro area.

“All the [municipalities] consider Hubway to be a legitimate option for commuting year round, or they want it to be,” he said. “ …

I know some of the municipalities are considering and expecting expansion in the 2016 season.”

The company was launched in 2011 in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge and Somerville, according to Hubway’s website. By July, 2013, Hubway customers made more than 1,000,000 rides, the website stated.

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh announced Hubway’s expansion in October as 15 new stations were installed in areas of Boston including Charlestown, Dorchester and Roxbury.

In November 2014, Hubway had 140 stations and customers took 77,000 trips throughout the year, Kantor said. This November, there were 155 stations and 90,000 rides were taken in 2015, he added.

“We see big jumps in sale of passes or memberships when we

install new stations,” he said. “Our largest user group is commuters, anyone trying to get to work or class and the municipalities are trying to accommodate them.

This winter, another 10 to 15 options will be open.”

David Miller, a senior in the College of Engineering and president of BU Bikes, said Hubway provides students with bikes and not much else.

“It’s great to have Hubway stations on campus, I see people using them all the time,” he said.

“But the winter is so terrible and conditions are so bad that biking isn’t an option.”

Riders who use Hubway likely do not own bikes and might not have much experience, Miller said. They might find urban biking challenging, he said, especially as road conditions deteriorate in the winter.

“My only concern with these programs in general is that people ride them without having any real education on urban riding,” Miller said. “They are not prepared for how different it is from suburban biking, and the winter causes a lot

of problems.”

Despite Hubway’s expansion and growing number of stations open in the winter, sometimes biking isn’t an option at all in the Boston snow, Miller said.

“The conditions in the winter are awful, he said. “The bike lane is essentially gone in the winter, and the conditions on the main part of the road are terrible, so your main transportation options are walking or public transportation because biking becomes impossible.”

Several members of the BU community said biking is a reliable way of commuting during the year, but after December, they will seek other transportation methods.

Brian Hart, a first-year graduate student in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, said the winter usually disrupts all means of commuting, and at some point, biking will not be feasible.

“I work full-time and am a part-time student, so I need to bike so I can get back and forth to classes on time,” he said. “This will be my first winter in Boston, but I know the buses and trains

are often slow then, so I will be biking as much as I can for as long into the winter as I can.”

Pablo Ruiz, a professor in the College of Engineering who uses Hubway, said he wouldn’t use Hubway in bad weather even if the stations stay open.

“I live in Cambridge, so I have stations open near me yearround,” he said. “I have used Hubway as much as I can into the beginning of the winter, but once the weather gets bad it’s a challenge to use Hubway. I usually take the bus when it’s snowing or raining. I don’t use Hubway if there is ice and bad weather, because I wouldn’t be using a bike anyway.”

Calvin Baldwin, a first-year graduate student in the College of Engineering, said his long bike commute would not continue long into 2016.

“I use my own bike to get to classes from where I live in South Boston,” he said. “I’ll be good through December, I know it really hits in February so I’ll have to start waiting for and taking the T a lot more once biking isn’t an option.”

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FEATURES

5

SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

#8Nights8Windows puts artistic Hanukkah festivities on display

BY MORGAN O’HANLON DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Lanterns lit up the windows at the Pavement Coffeehouse on Gainsborough Street Monday evening. People of all backgrounds from around Boston gathered to create their own lights and take part in the celebration of Hanukkah as part of the interactive display, “We Are the Shamash.” This is only one of eight pieces making up an art exhibit that’s lighting up Boston city windows this holiday season. #8Nights8Windows, which began Sunday and will last until Monday, is Boston’s first Jewish public art project. Put on by Boston’s New Center for Arts and Culture, the eight-piece art project has been in development for more than three years.

Following the holiday tradition of placing Christmas displays in shop windows, coordinators of the project have placed the artwork in eight different windows around Boston. Each piece in the project represents Hanukkah from a different perspective through mixed media, and relies upon the community around them for inspiration.

Within the art in the exhibition, there is a common theme — the light of Hanukkah.

Hanukkah is also known as the festival of lights. Traditionally, a Jewish family lights a candle on each of the holiday’s eight nights. Laura Mandel, the New Center’s executive director and project lead, explained how the tradition inspired the project.

“You’re supposed to put the candles in windows,” she said. “We wanted to literally

PHOTO BY BETSEY GOLDWASSER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

“#8Nights8Windows” is Boston’s first Jewish public art project, showcasing eight works of art during the eight nights of Hanukkah.

place the light of Hanukkah in the window.”

However, Mandel said #8Nights8Windows is more than just a representation of the symbols present in the tradition of Hanukkah.

The project is also intended to inform people about the uniting aspects of the holiday.

“It’s about the light, but also about coming together around it,” Mandel said. “Hanukkah is a time to celebrate with the community, friends and family.”

Each of the artists involved in the project has represented these ideas in their displays

through using various representations of light.

In order to create the featured displays, #8Nights8Windows organizers called for artists to submit proposals of designs that told “a unique story of miracle, illumination and innovation.” A panel of judges chose each of the featured artists.

Artist Matt Brand’s contribution to the project is the piece “Luminous Miracle,” displayed at United South End Settlements.

“The purpose of all my art is to provoke a sense of curiosity and maybe even wonder,”

Brand said.

His art captures the spirit of Hanukkah by mimicking “a child’s delight with lighting candles,” he said. It implies a natural fascination with the rituals of Hanukkah, as he said people are “wired to be fascinated with fire at a young age.”

Similarly, artist Gianna Stewart’s piece “Capturing the Sunrise” uses a digital screen to depict a rising sun in the window of Cambridge Trust Company while the sun sets in Boston.

“I hope that it’s a bright light for the night,” she said. “Something that grabs attention in a new way.”

Furthermore, the universality of the feelings inspired by Hanukkah is made evident by the fact that not all of the artists involved with the project are Jewish. Mandel said that having a diverse group of artist “brings a great global perspective to Hanukkah.”

This structure coincides with the overall goal of the project.

“It’s about exposing people to Hanukkah,” Mandel said of #8Nights8Windows. “When it comes to Hanukkah, it’s not a religious holiday.

It’s cultural.”

Mandel said she hopes the project will expose the Boston community to the cultural practices and values of Judaism.

“Normally, the whole month of December is about Christmas,” said Sydney Siwinski, a freshman in Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences. “But now Boston kids who are Jewish can go up to the windows and say, ‘Look, my holiday is cool too.’”

INBUSINESS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Italian treats to be delivered across city via student bicycle business

BY ELLA TORRES DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The mecca for authentic Italian food in Boston lies in the North End, often called “Boston’s Little Italy.” Daniele Bocchieri, a sophomore at Northeastern University hailing from Milan, Italy, knows this to be true more than most.

“I was constantly looking for Italian food,” Bocchieri said about his arrival in Boston, “but the only way to get an Italian taste would be by going all the way to the North End.” For Bocchieri and other students, he said, the trek isn’t always convenient. Finding his campus a train ride away from the North End, Bocchieri began to wonder how, and if, he could get good Italian food more centrally located to his neighborhood.

So came Sapori Pinocchios, the mobile business Bocchieri is starting with Nikolai Romanov, a sophomore at Northeastern. The plan, Bocchieri said, is to cart a bike around his campus and the downtown area with pastries and Italian finger food.

The two will fill their cart with Modern Pastry items, including, among other delicacies, cannolis in the morning and arancini in the afternoon. Bocchieri said he hopes to expand the business to offer late-night service, but the main goal is to offer accessible food that tastes good. “[Modern Pastry’s] pastries are the best I’ve tried here in Boston,” he said.

The mobile unit will resemble something along the lines of a bike with a stocked shelf attached to it. The idea for the traveling unit was developed by the Italian company

PHOTO BY OLIVIA NADEL/DFP FILE PHOTO

Daniele Bocchieri and Nikolai Romanov, Northeastern University students, started “Sapori Pinocchios,” a business that allows them to ride around their campus and downtown Boston on bikes delivering and selling Italian pastries from the North End.

Business on the Road. Bocchieri and Romanov will be the first people in the United States to use this technology, Bocchieri said.

They settled on using a bike after conducting their own research, in which they found it to be the best way to do business.

One of the main advantages, Bocchieri said, is the agility the unit brings.

“The bike can easily go anywhere,” he said.

Bocchieri plans for the truck to be geared up and ready by spring. And because he knows Boston weather is unpredictable, the truck will only be seasonal.

When it does open, Bocchieri said he’s expecting to launch the business on Northeastern’s campus and then move it to other areas, including other college campuses, Back Bay and the Financial District.

By the end of the business’s second year, Bocchieri said he’d like to have seven fully operating bikes carting around Boston with Italian food.

“Definitely no less,” he said. “It can be more, if the demand hopefully grows.”

And from what he’s encountered so far, the possibility of more bikes isn’t out of reach.

After Bocchieri and Romanov presented the idea at their school’s Husky Startup Challenge earlier this year, floods of people came to check out the business and eat the samples.

“We had 300 samples of cannolis and 300 samples of arancini, and they went in half an hour,” Bocchieri said. “They just didn’t come for the food. They actually came there and asked questions.”

He also said many students seemed “interested in the business.”

As for Boston University students, many jumped at the idea of a mobile Italian eatery, with some noting that the trip to the North End isn’t as convenient as they’d like it to be.

“It’s definitely a nice idea because I know people that make a trek to the North End to get the food,” said Jillian Richardson, a senior in the College of Communication.

But Richardson said there may be one downfall to making something so accessible.

“I know at Harvard, they got a Mike’s Pastry last year, and people feel like it’s less special because they can get it constantly,” she said.

Jessica Graves, a freshman in the College of Fine Arts, said though she’s never seen food on a bike before, she’d still eat from the mobile shop because of its accessibility.

“The trip to the North End is far,” she said.

Others said that while they’d definitely enjoy a service like Sapori Pinocchios, the journey to Boston’s Italian food scene isn’t as time-constraining as others may think.

“The advantage of BU is it’s easy to go into the city and the North End,” said Hrishi Somayaji, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “We’re on top of the T, so there’s quick and easy transportation. I don’t think there’s a gap in terms of … accessible Italian food.”

But even with the North End just a subway ride away, Somayaji said he’d happily stop by the closer food bike.

“I would for sure be a customer,” he said.

“And I would tell everyone I knew about it.”

6

FEATURES

MUSE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

FreeP versus Food: Boston Cream Pie Edition The cake was fairly large and could probably have fed two people, making the $5.95 absolutely worth it. The combination of the cozy café environment and friendly servers made the eating experience all the more enjoyable. Flour’s cake is definitely Cream Pie Crawl-approved.

BY MICHAELA JOHNSTON, EMMA PARKINSON, ALLEGRA PEELOR AND ELISE TAKAHAMA DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Trident Booksellers and Cafe Trident Booksellers and Cafe is known to many students for the cozy atmosphere and delicious food. Located right by Hynes Convention Center, it’s an easy walk for anyone craving a good book or a nice study spot. We began our Boston cream pie expedition here, ordering two slices at a hefty $8.75 each. We admired the nicely presented dish, which was completed with powdered sugar sprinkled on top of a rich chocolate frosting.

Though the cake was a little dry, the cream filling was a dream and a half — sweet, perfectly chilled and smooth as butter. It balanced out the thinness of the frosting and the price that left all of our pockets much emptier that we expected. It’s possible that Trident is not the best place for the classic Boston dessert. Perhaps the casual patron should instead order a sandwich and a cup of coffee.

Michaela: B Emma: B+ Allegra: AElise: B

Michaela: AEmma: A Allegra: BElise: A Veggie Galaxy

PHOTO MICHAELA JOHNSTON/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Trident Booksellers and Cafe on Newbury Street was one of the stops on the “FreeP vs.

Food” Boston cream pie crawl.

sonalized cakes, so we each got a Boston cream pie cupcake. The adorable “cupcakery” did not disappoint. The fluffy cake was delicious, and the custard inside was sweet but not overpowering. The hard chocolate ganache frosting served as a treat for dark chocolate lovers.

The main drawback is the size. The tiny cupcake didn’t hold as much cream as we would deem sufficient, and the $3.75 price tag would probably be better spent on one of Sweet’s specialty holiday cupcakes. On a rainy day though, a Sweet cupcake (or three) would make a nice, satisfying snack.

Sweet Bakery Sweet Bakery, located on Massachusetts Avenue in the Back Bay neighborhood, is a Boston chain with locations downtown, as well as in Beacon Hill, Harvard Square and Chestnut Hill. Sweet deals mostly in cupcakes and per-

Michaela: AEmma: AAllegra: B Elise: B+ Elise: B+

Flour Bakery and Cafe

Flour Bakery and Cafe has multiple locations around Boston, but we crossed the river to visit the one on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. This Boston cream pie, unlike the first two, was layered, alternating a light cream with a spongy cake. Though the filling was more similar to whipped cream than custard, the consistency added to the overall fluffiness.

The rich chocolate fondant on top served was a thick layer that balanced out the airiness of the dessert.

Our only issue with the frosting was that, because it was a hard fondant, the whole shell came off in one bite, which was a little bit of a bummer. The cake itself was very soft — maybe almost a little mushy at times. Despite this, the flavor had a strong resemblance to tiramisu’s coffee-flavored sweetness, which definitely made up for the borderline sogginess. Tiramisu enthusiasts will dig this one.

A galaxy-themed, retro diner located in Cambridge and known for its vegan and gluten-free cuisine, Veggie Galaxy’s hip atmosphere was far more impressive than the pie we tasted. Dense yet strangely moist, the vegan pie initially appeared lovely on the plate, though.

The cake was what we’d describe as strangely sandy, and tasted like, as Allegra noted, “straight-up wheat.” The chocolate glaze was quite hard and difficult to keep in tact. In fact, we struggled to keep the top layer of the cake on the plate, as it kept sliding off the supposed cream filling onto the table.

A smidgeon of chocolate mousse in the middle layer was a nice added touch, and the thick filling had a hint of banana flavor. While we admit we aren’t accustomed to eating many vegan desserts, we agree that the healthier pie was a unique twist on the classic. If you’re an adventurous eater and appreciate a modern spin on ‘50s vibes, the pie might be worth a try. But if not, we’d recommend avoiding this one.

Michaela: C Emma: CAllegra: C Elise: C+

CATALYST THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Rudeness the latest bug going around offices, study says

BY ASHLI MOLINA DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Consider the many times colleagues speak to one another in a day. You may want to be mindful next time you utter some sly comment — it turns out that rudeness in the workplace is contagious.

Three researchers in the psychology department of Sweden’s Lund University found that being subjected to rude behavior in the work environment largely contributes to employees’ dissatisfaction, and that sort of behavior spreads if it is not controlled or acted upon.

The research team was interested in the social process, including the target of rude behavior, the witness and the instigator, according to a Friday release. To learn about the phenomenon of social climate in the workplace, they surveyed almost 6,000 people.

Of those surveyed, a total of 75 percent said they experienced rudeness at work at least once or twice a year.

In the study, “rudeness” referred to behavior including underhanded comments, excluding coworkers, taking credit for others’ work or behavior that goes against the norm in a company.

The most common cause of acting rudely is imitating the behavior of coworkers, the study found. Eva Torkelson, an associate professor at Lund University and the lead researcher on the project, said that witnessing colleagues act in an uncivil manner actually instigated the negative behavior. In short, exposure to rudeness makes it more noticeable in our minds.

“Unexpectedly, it was found that especially witnessing co-worker incivility related to instigated incivility via interactions with perceived

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

A Lund University study released Friday found that rudeness in the workplace is contagious if no action is taken to stop it.

high control or high social support. Maybe if you are embedded in the organization, it is easier to participate in uncivil acts,” Torkelson wrote in an email.

The study reached the conclusion that there’s a risk of rudeness becoming a vicious circle when people imitate others’ behavior.

And while previous research has also found that to be true, William Kahn, a professor in Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, said the idea is complicated, and the behavior not always intentional. He then said there’s a thin line separating what people intend to say and do and what they actually say and do — intention and execution. People’s im-

pulses and frustrations are sometimes brought into the workplace, which is when a workplace environment risks being introduced to a cycle, for instance.

“Once someone actually acts on those impulses and is rude to someone else, and that is greeted with silence … then others around them think [the conduct is] legitimated,” Kahn said.

“If it happens again over and over, there’s a tipping point, and people begin to think it’s okay to take out our fear, frustration and impulses on others.”

A question that also rises is whether employees are conscious of the potentially negative effects of their behavior. Torkelson said she

thinks that employees probably do not reflect upon incivility and its effects.

The results of this type of behavior are harmful, and they aren’t just minor details that can be ignored. Previous research points to less efficient work, mental illness, job dissatisfaction and employees seeking different jobs as a result of rudeness, the release said.

Michel Anteby, also a professor in Questrom, wrote in an email that he thinks work cultures are the underbelly of organizations. He said many studies have shown that people who fit with a specific culture have higher chances of promotion, longer tenure and overall satisfaction at work.

Torkelson said in the press release that she believes properly training managers and staff is the solution.

“When people become aware of the actual consequences of rudeness, it is often an eye-opener,” she said. “And, of course, most people do not want to be involved in making the workplace worse.”

Kahn, however, said the root of change is the individual, though he recognized the importance of training sessions.

“The only thing that changes behaviors are people that have the courage to speak up and say, ‘That’s not okay,’” he said. “That has to happen formally and informally, by superiors, coworkers, everyone.”

One way to ensure optimal productivity and performance, according to Questrom professor Jim French, is through respect.

“What I discovered over a long career,” he said, “is that treating people the right way and doing the right thing leads to greater productivity and production, and that’s a wonderful thing.”

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OPINION

8

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Mike DeSocio, Editor-in-Chief Joe Incollingo, Managing Editor

t h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t u d e n t n e w s pa p e r a t b o s t o n u n i v e r s i t y

45th year | Volume 89 | Issue XIV The Free Press (ISSN 1094-7337) is published Thursdays 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 © 2015 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Samantha Gross, Multimedia Editor

Justin Pallenik, Sports Editor

Olivia Nadel, Photo Editor

J.D. Capelouto, Campus Editor

Katie Aramento, Editorial Page Editor

Katelyn Pilley, Layout Editor

Mina Corpuz, City Editor

Sonia Rao, Features Editor

Shakti Rovner, Office Manager

Racial diversity important to admissions, imperative to education It seems that throughout our time at Boston University, racial tensions have skyrocketed, if not in terms of frequency, then in the scope of media attention. And the case of Fisher v. University of Texas is no exception to the rule, even though the circumstances may be a bit different.

Fisher v. University of Texas was brought to the Supreme Court for the second time on Wednesday after being sent back to the lower courts in 2013 — Abigail Fisher, a white graduate of Louisiana State University, has come forward to argue that she was rejected from the University of Texas at Austin in 2008 because of her race.

Texas’ admission policy “grants automatic admission to the University of Texas at Austin to students in roughly the top 10 percent of the state’s high schools. That part of the program, which accounts for 75 percent of the student body, does not directly consider race but increases racial diversity largely because many high schools in the state are not diverse,” an article in The New York Times read.

“For the remaining students, the plan takes account of race as one factor among many, the approach used by many selective colleges and universities nationwide. Ms. Fisher had sought admission under the second part of the plan.”

In laymen’s terms, Fisher believes she has been discriminated against because of the color of her skin. If this doesn’t upset you yet, this certainly will: in hearing this case, Supreme Court Justice Antonin

Scalia called for a restructuring of affirmative action at its core, arguing, “There are those who contend that it does not benefit African-Americans to get them into the University of Texas where they do not do well, as opposed to having them go to a less-advanced school, a less — a slower-track school where they do well,” CNN reported.

A huge misconception about affirmative action lies in the idea that schools only choose students of color in order to meet racial diversity quotas. A practice such as this would of course be unconstitutional.

But race doesn’t make or break admission to any particular school — or at least, it shouldn’t.

Instead, students who are black automatically have the cards stacked heavily against them. Racism is an integral part of United States’ history, which has been proven this week with both Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim sentiments and Scalia’s suggestion that black students simply aren’t good enough to attend certain schools. Affirmative action is necessary, if for nothing else, as a means for compensating the inherent inequality that has plagued these Americans for their entire existences.

Unfortunately, so many people agree with Scalia — they argue black students aren’t smart enough, or aren’t trying hard enough. But how well can a person succeed if their opportunities for success are already so limited by the color of their skin?

In that case, this certainly isn’t about

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lia’s colleague Justice Clarence Thomas has suggested in the past, but that just seems like a societal impossibility. In order for something like this to occur, we would arguably have to go back in time and change the cultural structure of this country. And, at least right now, it seems much easier to restructure the college admissions process than it does to restructure the entire American social system that impedes its black and other minority citizens.

Even with affirmative action in place, the individual admissions counselors who look at your application still have their own preconceived idea of what “black” means, as race is a simply a social construct. So is gender. So as those line items appear before an admissions counselor, they can be interpreted in infinitely many ways.

We like to think the underlying reason behind attempting to cultivate a racially diverse campus at most colleges is to provide students with a look into worlds they may not have otherwise experienced.

But somewhere along the way, this turned into a struggle of numbers to see which school can be the most diverse. Even still, if nothing else, a student’s time in college should make him or her a more enlightened, better human being. And there should be a wide array of circumstances that will make him or her question his or her values and beliefs. If schools weren’t diverse in at least some capacity, many of us would graduate and step into a real world we still knew nothing about.

This week’s crossword puzzle is brought to you by Conor Ryan

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black students not being smart enough to function well at the university. Instead, it is about the culture at that school and schools like it being inherently favorable or admissible for the majority (read, white population) of students who attend.

The fact that this white woman’s case has gone up through the higher courts twice now is honestly embarrassing. Fisher received a college degree from a different decent public institution, yet she still seems to feel threatened by the fact that she was rejected from this university. Did it ever occur to Fisher that she simply wasn’t good enough to get into the university? Did it ever occur to Fisher that maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t an issue of race at all, but one of academic achievement, extracurricular ability, test scores and all of the other holistic factors that college admissions officers consider? We’ve all been rejected, but the college admissions process is all about perspective.

Fisher’s attempt at proving the university discriminated against her because of her skin color just goes to show how entitled she and people like her are. Regardless of her socioeconomic status, which we are unaware of, Fisher’s skin color automatically handed her more advantages than her black colleagues. Fisher had the deck stacked for her, and she just may have failed anyway. Even still, she will have the upper hand going forward.

Of course it would be nice to say that everyone — regardless of race — could get into school based upon merit, as Sca-

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ACROSS 1. Stake 5. A long narrow opening 10. Tibetan monk 14. Ride the waves 15. Passageway 16. Dash 17. Occupation 19. Essence 20. Clairvoyant’s gift 21. Swindle 22. Promises 23. Sewing tools 25. Fancy 27. Uncooked 28. Reflected 31. Fourpence 34. Lines of verse 35. How old you are 36. Parental sister 37. Get hitched 38. Anagram of “Ties” 39. Sick 40. Filaments

DOWN 41. Loamy deposit 42. Relating to a newborn 44. Glass container 45. Rowed 46. Ecstasy 50. Nonsense 52. Double-reed instruments 54. Soak 55. Twin sister of Ares 56. Overstate 58. Skin disease 59. Locale 60. How old we are 61. Indian music 62. Glacial ridge 63. Joke

18. Panache 22. Not yours 24. “Darn!”

26. Legion 28. Type of mushroom 29. Auspices 30. D D D D 31. Acquire 32. Govern 33. Witnessing 34. Contradictions 37. Small amount 38. Classify 40. Not cool 41. Expire 43. Queasiness 44. Coastal diving bird 46. Scoundrel 47. Habitual practice 48. Anagram of “Store”

49. Excrete 50. Listen 51. Killer whale 53. Financial institution 56. Night before 57. British rule in India

OPINION

9

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

An exercise in gratitude

BY KATELYN PILLEY COLUMNIST

“I think it’s more of an exercise in gratitude,” Ali said. We were at Speak for Yourself, the spoken word poetry group I’m in, and someone had pointed out how sad the writing prompt about saying goodbye was. Ali reassured us that it was not meant to be a sad prompt.

I immediately wrote about my childhood dog, Jazmine, who is now sick with cancer. I wanted to thank her for all the times she sat next to me in the car as I shuttled from my mom’s house to my dad’s house and back, for the times she slept next to me even though I was a brat. All the times she was blissfully unaware that she made me feel less alone. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I scribbled into my notebook as we finished up our poems, each eager to listen and share. “Exercise in gratitude” echoed in my head as I walked away from the meeting that night. I had a lot to be thankful for.

These past four months have arguably been the worst four months of my life. I spent the first month of the semester feeling disassociated entirely from the world around me, from the Boston I once loved.

“I need to find my sea legs,” I told myself over and over. I kept waiting for the day that everything would click and I would suddenly want to resume my life again.

I’ll spare you the details, but I have never felt such overwhelming and paralyzing sadness in my entire life. I eventually got help and bit-by-bit I have gotten better — I’m still getting better.

Hardship is a tricky thing. I found myself more reserved, less involved, less me than ever. I only wanted to sit in my room and not interact with anyone. I wrote column after column about beliefs I held with fierce intensity but that

I couldn’t seem to grasp anymore. Care, kindness, confidence, embracing yourself — all things I thought made up a good life. All constructing an image of who I wanted to be, who I used to be. My actual life was far from this.

We so quickly hide our struggles on social media, in our day-to-day interactions, in our columns, in a foolish attempt at thinking that things will just get better on their own. The people who love us most see through this, while they also know admitting you need help is a battle within itself. Getting better is a journey you have to start yourself, but you’re not in it alone.

I think now of all of the people who I love and who love me, “in-the-know” or not. All of the ways we care for each other from extra long hugs to dumb jokes to encouraging words to refills of coffee. My support net spans states and time zones, and I can’t feel anything other than grateful. The kind of grateful that sits in your chest, chokes in your mouth. I didn’t know how to tell my roommates that they helped me keep darkness at bay or my friends that their laughter made me feel normal or my dad that his reassuring words helped me get out of bed or my mom that every time she answered the phone, I felt like I could breathe again. To them, I owe every word written, every shower taken, every assignment completed, every beautiful day spent feeling just a little bit more than okay.

My struggle is not unique. We all face different battles more nuanced and difficult than the last. You can never truly know someone else’s pain. Maybe that’s why I write about believing in kindness so fiercely, caring so deeply. It’s because I know the importance of a good friend when you need one. The voice that saves you from impending doom with a simple, “Hey, want to get breakfast?” or “Can I call you in five?” These small acts of friendship are anchors, pulling me out of a spiral and back into the person I want to be.

So reach out, send that extra text, invite that extra person, check up on the people you love. It’s lame and it’s cliché, but you never know the weight your actions could carry.

We are who we surround ourselves with. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Interrobang A woman was arrested in Madison County, Ohio, Tuesday night after she was caught eating a bowl of cereal while driving. We here at the ol’ Free Press want to know, what odd thing would BU people do behind the wheel?

Questrom: Actually go the speed limit School of Theology: Give Jesus the wheel CFA: Belt solos from “Wicked” WTBU: Listen to WTBU on the radio COM 101 Students: Actually read “Introduction to The World of Communication” BU Dining: Send sassy tweets CGS: Nothing, they never passed the permit test FreeP: Accidentally fall asleep

Final Word: Letter from the Editor

BY MIKE DESOCIO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I’ll be the first to admit that I never fancied myself an editor. In fact, I went into college with the distinct thought that the path to editor was not for me.

But as I reflect on this semester as Editor-in-Chief, I almost can’t remember what those first thoughts felt like. Instead, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for this newspaper, for the people who’ve inspired me to jump way outside my comfort zone and for the opportunity to take my shot at this fraught thing we call journalism.

Looking back, perhaps my unlikely path to this position — by way of staff photographer and multimedia editor — was well suited to a publication that’s navigating a digitally-focused media environment that rewards innovation and begs to move past old ideas. Don’t get me wrong, solid journalism has been and will always be the core of what we do at The Daily Free Press. But everything else — the ideating and imagining — is the true challenge in today’s journalism.

We took that prospect this semester and ran with it. We trusted each other enough to take risks. We cared enough about the final product to pull 12-hour nights in the office, and then do it again the next day. Guided by wisdom and experience, we took this opportunity to tell stories in the most compelling ways we knew how.

There’s something peculiar about leading a cohort of editors who have each written dozens of stories, when I myself only have one written byline to my name, among more photo and multimedia bylines. I found that journalism, however, was only half the challenge. Sure, a mastery of editing was important. But for me, building trust with and inspiring a group of classmates to fulfill their potential as professional journalists was more a challenge of leadership — one that motivated me to spend more than 40 hours a week in our somewhat dingy, often messy office.

At a recent dinner among our editorial staff, our managing editor said it best: when pursuing new opportunities, it’s important to surround yourself with people who you feel are more talented than you are, to create an environment of constant learning. I think it’s safe to say we all feel this way at the FreeP — I learned something every day I walked into this office.

I knew this semester would be challenging for us all, editors and staff alike.

What I didn’t anticipate, however, was that in every challenge there would be an opportunity to witness people grow.

It was when our website crashed a mere two weeks into the semester that I saw our multimedia editor put her personal life on hold to ensure we could continue to do our jobs, learning how to manage crisis and navigate the technicalities of the Internet along the way.

It was when our editorial viewpoints grew more relevant and perhaps more provocative that I saw our editorial page editor hold true even in the face of demoralizing Internet rage and public criticism. She allowed no amount of negative feedback to limit our ability to take stances on important issues.

It was after coaching a new staff writer on his first breaking news story that I saw him become a fixture of the Student Government beat, following arguably this semester’s most important story.

It was in covering SG in-depth that I saw our campus editor exhibit leadership that kept stories timely and relevant to students.

This semester, we weren’t simply watchdogs of the university — we acted as a voice for students who care about any number of issues. Where else could students go to share their opinions on these topics, in a forum that’s unguarded by public relations professionals? We fostered conversation and acted as a record of student viewpoints.

Indeed, these past few months were marked by a fusion of essential journalistic functions and innovative solutions. In creating an on-call breaking news team, we became more nimble in our reporting.

In rethinking our social media strategy, we reached more students online than ever before. In pushing multimedia, we created a steady flow of engaging video and podcasts.

None of this would have been possible if it weren’t for our editors. We surely wouldn’t have made it through without our smiling sports editor, or without our courageous editorial page editor. And of course it would not have been the same without our blog editor, who pushed herself to learn more about journalism, even with fine arts projects to tackle most nights once she left the office. Equally as essential was our passionate photo editor, who fostered a dedicated staff.

Surely we needed our campus and city news editors to tell the crucial stories of this semester. And our features editor for her wit, charm and ability to craft the perfect turn of phrase. Our multimedia editor was essential in saving the FreeP from Internet disaster, and bringing our multimedia coverage to the next level. Of course, our newspaper would be nothing without the creativity and vision of our layout editor — an advertising major who will admit she fell in love with journalism.

Last, but certainly not least, I would be nowhere without my managing editor, my right hand man. His use of language and editing precision were inspiring. He indulged my big thoughts and brought me down to earth, and I wouldn’t have enjoyed this semester nearly as much without him across the desk from me.

It goes without saying that our entire staff was remarkable in their ability to churn out stories, photos, videos, podcasts and blogs week after week. I’m excited to see many of them rise up as editors next semester.

I sign off from this position with a mixture of pride, sadness and hope. I’m proud of the distance we pushed ourselves this semester. I’m sad that it’s all over, and that we still have a ways to go in gaining readers within a landscape where it’s increasingly hard to do so. But I’m hopeful that we can grow, find new ways to reach our audience and continue to be a place that students who love journalism can call home.

10

SPORTS

Women’s hockey confidently skates past Providence

BY JONATHAN SIGAL DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

With nearly a month-long break looming, the Boston University women’s hockey team skated into the second semester with a bang, as it defeated Providence College, 6-0, Wednesday night.

In what marked BU’s (13-7-1, 10-3-1 Hockey East) third game in five days, a steady offensive showing was too much for the Friars (5-11, 3-7 Hockey East) to overcome. The Terriers outshot Providence 32-27, won 28 of the game’s 52 faceoffs and went 2-for3 on the power play, marking one of their most thorough performances of the season.

“It was a real good effort all the way around,” said BU coach Brian Durocher. “We started a little bit slow, but PC was pretty jazzed up from not playing over the weekend. It was a pretty darn close first period, but we got the only goal and that put us in good shape and let us take the wind out of their sails.”

As has been the case as of late, senior forward Sarah Lefort and sophomore forward Victoria Bach led the offensive charge.

They each tallied two scores between the second and third periods, while senior forwards Jordan Juron and Dakota Woodworth added goals in the first and third stanzas, respectively.

Perhaps most impressively, Providence goaltender Madison Myers was bested by three different Terrier lines. With that

depth, the Friars could never focus on shutting down a solitary winger or center.

“The good thing is they’re doing it 5-on-5 and we’ve also been very consistent on the power play,” Durocher said. “Even in the couple games where we haven’t scored much, I felt like we were moving it around and getting good opportunities. Tonight, we had some good fortune with some beautiful sequences.”

Another major reason for BU’s success was the stellar play of sophomore goaltender Erin O’Neil. On the back of 27 saves, she recorded her first career shutout. The Minnetonka, Minnesota, native now boasts a 9-2-1 record and keeps out 90.9 percent of pucks that come her way.

While O’Neil has grabbed hold of the starting role as of late, Durocher pointed out that it’s important for his netminder to keep on growing in stature.

“The big thing is we’re trying to get her and [junior goaltender] Victoria [Hanson] to continue to build their confidence,” he said. “I don’t think either one has ever gotten what you call a high confidence-wise, and today hopefully helps Erin take another step that way.

“She made some of those big saves that allow you to change the complexion of a game,” Durocher added. “Each period saw one or two quality saves and, again, those are the ones that keep the lead for you and hopefully will let her build her confidence.”

With another two points in hand, the Terriers now sit second

PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/DFP FILE PHOTO

Sophomore center Victoria Bach registered two goals against the Friars to bring her team-leading season total to 13.

in the Hockey East standings, and are entering the meat of their schedule. Ten Hockey East contests remain, and Durocher acknowledged that it’s crunch time as postseason play nears.

BU has won four straight Hockey East Tournaments and

has qualified for the last six NCAA Tournaments, so expectations will be high come January.

“It leaves you in a good feeling for the semester and shows us we can play pretty thorough hockey at both ends of the ice,”

Durocher said. “When we get back in January, in a funny way, you almost start again. You keep trying to stay in shape, take a few days rest and we have a mini camp of sorts. Hopefully we’ll be ready to roll and be solid when the second half starts.”

As goalies get bigger, margin for error shrinks among scorers PICHER, FROM PAGE 12

holds way too much weight, quite literally, in keeping goal totals down. Two of the best goaltenders in the league, Devan Dubnyk and Ben Bishop, take up majority of the net with their couch-pillow sized leg pads.

Hockey is evolving, and as a result, the majority of goals are scored off deflections, screens or lucky bounces. The NHL needs more highlight-reel goals, and by extending the nets by an inch or two all the way around (this is where the science comes in), scoring will increase.

Can you imagine the offensive pace and excitement that will come with Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Tyler Seguin and Steven Stamkos having more net to shoot at? It will be unbelievable and will allow for talent to take over like it did back in the day, instead of relying on puck luck and bounces to decide the majority of the outcome.

Ten years ago there was an average of 6.1 goals per game, and so far this year the average is 5.3. That’s a concerning drop over a 10-year stretch. The NHL is starting to catch up with the changing times, and making this change would be another step in the right direction.

Now that team owners and general managers are driving this change, the shift to a higher scoring league is more likely than

not. Decisions follow where the money lies, and if team owners continue to assert firm opinions, progressive shifts will be made to draw more fan attendance and thus more money into the owners’ pockets.

History buffs will say you

can’t compare generational players such as Crosby and Gretzky. To that, I say that the game changes so much over time that those comparisons are already impossible to make. Furthermore, increasing the net size would actually help that com-

parison because back in the day goalies and their small pads took up just a fraction of what they do today.

The same people who rejected the 3-on-3 OT are against the idea of bigger nets. However, most opposed to 3-on-3 now love

the excitement it brings. Oldschool fans will be firm in their ways, but this shouldn’t stop the NHL in its pursuit of a more entertaining product.

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SPORTS

11

Sarah Hope shines for women’s basketball despite defeat

BY JOE CALABRESE DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

While junior guard Sarah Hope sank 3-pointers from distance en route to a career night, the rest of the Boston University women’s basketball team had trouble finding the net Wednesday.

Despite Hope’s career highs in both points (23) and 3-pointers made (seven), BU (0-8) could not collect its first win of the season against the University of Rhode Island.

In the opening five minutes of BU’s first game back on campus since before Thanksgiving, just two points were scored.

The layup off the left hand of Rams (4-4) guard Dominique Ward was emblematic of the shots both URI and BU would need to win the game, as two staunch defenses featured prominently.

It wasn’t until more than seven minutes into the game when Hope drained her first 3-pointer that the Terriers broke into the scoring column. It was the only BU field goal of the quarter, as its other three points came from the foul line.

The skirmish continued well into the second quarter. While both teams traded shots, it was Hope’s nine points from deep that led a 17-8 second quarter, bringing the Terriers into the locker room with the lead for the first time all season.

BU coach Katy Steding said she was proud of the way her team played in the first half, particularly on defense.

“The first half was great in terms of execution and in terms of boxing out,” Steding said. “ … It felt like we were controlling the boards better. We controlled

the tempo in the first half.”

Familiar tidings caught up with BU in the third quarter, though. Again, Hope was the only one on the Terriers to find twine, while the Rams followed the lead of Ward and forward Samantha Tabakman, outscoring the Terriers 17-3.

Despite eight more points from Hope in the final quarter, the Terriers were unable to regain the lead. Hope finished the night 7-for-17 from deep, accounting for 56 percent of the Terriers’ total offense.

“She’s a great shooter and we’ve got to have her on the floor,” Steding said of the Medway native. “I thought having her in the starting lineup, getting her the ball, had a really calming presence out there. I thought she was a lot more measured than we’ve been in the last few games.”

While Hope shined Wednesday, the rest of the BU squad had a rough night.

Graduate student guard Troi Melton, the team’s third leading scorer, went 0-for-10 from the field.

Senior guard Clodagh Scannell struggled as well. While she converted on one 3-pointer, she missed several easy shots, including a layup, on her way to a 1-for-5 night. She’s shooting just 16.1 percent from the floor this season.

Despite the tough loss, Steding remains optimistic about her team moving forward.

“And I’m so excited about that because we’ll compete to the very end,” Steding said. “They didn’t kill us with anything other than good old-fashioned execution and grit. We can match that.”

PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/DFP FILE PHOTO

Junior guard Courtney Latham was one of six Terriers held without a field goal Wednesday vs. URI.

Injury-riddled men’s basketball readies for annual Lowell tilt

BY EVAN YEE AND JONATHAN SIGAL DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Boston University men’s basketball team will travel to the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Thursday for a contest at the Tsongas Center.

The two teams are no strangers, as they have faced one another the past two seasons since the River Hawks (4-4) moved up from Division II to Division I for the 2013-14 season. Since becoming a Division I school, Lowell has split its two games with BU (3-5).

The River Hawks dropped a 91-65 decision to BU two years ago, showing their initial struggles with a higher competition level. However, Lowell got its revenge last season, beating the Terriers 69-59 on Nov. 30, 2014.

“They’ve got a nice style of play which is different than a lot of other teams,” said BU coach Joe Jones. “They play very small, are very young, really talented and wellcoached. It’s a tough matchup for us because they present a lot of problems.”

BU is looking to bounce back after two tough losses to other in-state opponents. The Terriers lost 99-69 to the University of Massachusetts Amherst on Dec. 2 and fell 75-69 to Harvard University on Tuesday.

The River Hawks will also have a lot of momentum after their upset win over Boston College on Sunday. It was a close matchup, but Lowell squeaked by with a 68-66 victory.

Two players on Lowell average above double-digits points: redshirt sophomore guard Jahad Thomas (11.0 points per game) and freshman guard Isaac White (12.4 PPG). Outside of the aforementioned duo, five players average between five and 10 PPG, showcasing the River Hawks’ depth.

White could cause BU some serious

problems, as he scored 20 points in the River Hawks’ win against BC (3-6). He dropped five 3-pointers and five important

free throws to seal their upset of the Eagles.

“The kid White is a very unique and

PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/DFP FILE PHOTO

Sophomore guard Cheddi Mosely was held to two points on 1-for-7 shooting against Harvard on Tuesday.

talented player,” Jones said. “He’s a very good passer and one of those guys that loves contact and puts a lot of pressure on you. I think overall their perimeter is really good in terms of the ability to shoot it and pass it and share it. It’s not just White, but others too.”

Meanwhile, the Terriers are still trying to find their best lineup, which has been delayed by injuries across the board.

Junior guard Cedric Hankerson will likely take a redshirt season after reinjuring his knee, freshman guard Kyle Foreman is working his way back from an ankle injury and senior forward Justin Alston picked up a foot injury against Harvard (3-6).

Junior guard Eric Fanning, who was previously serving a team-enforced suspension, scored 19 points against the Crimson. With players in and out of the lineup for various reasons, Jones said he’ll look for his team to rise to the occasion.

“The one thing that I’ve been preaching is we just have to stay the course,” he said. “It looks like right now Hankerson is out for the season, and we’ve got some guys going in and out. We haven’t really had the chance to get the group together for a long period of time this year. Some of the continuity has been lost because of the injuries.”

Despite the injury setbacks and mixed results, Jones is optimistic about his team’s chances against the River Hawks.

“I really feel like this team has a chance to really hit its stride at some point and right now we just have to stay the course and see it through,” Jones said.

“Other guys have to step and we’ll figure it out, but there’s enough pieces for us to do that.”

Quotable “I really feel like this team has a chance to really hit its stride at some point.” - BU men’s basketball coach Joe Jones, p. 11

Sports Thursday, December 10, 2015

Hope Springs Eternal Junior guard Sarah Hope matched a Terrier record for women’s basketball against Rhode Island on Wednesday, p. 11

Women’s basketball falls to URI at Case Gym

Two-Minute Drill Time for bigger nets in NHL?

BY JORDAN GREEN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Boston University women’s basketball team fell to the University of Rhode Island, 57-41, Wednesday night in Case Gym. With the loss, BU (0-8) remains winless in 2015, while the Rams go back to .500 (4-4). Despite the setback, though, the game was closer than the box score would indicate.

Junior guard Sarah Hope had a historic shooting night, as she dropped a ca-

reer-high 23 points and her seven 3-pointers matched a school record.

The Terriers’ improved defense was overshadowed by their offensive woes.

Aside from Hope, only two other Terriers made field goals in the first half. Senior guard Clodagh Scannell hit from downtown and sophomore forward Kara Sheftic had two buckets down low.

BU finished the night with only four players making a field goal, as they shot 19.7 percent as team, and that includes Hope’s terrific night. While field goals

BY CHRIS PICHER DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The best part of the NHL is the new 3-on-3 overtime format. The scoring chances are unparalleled and the action will even get a basketball fan out of their seat.

It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out that more scoring attracts the casual fan while keeping the hockey purists obsessed.

However, the NHL might be calling up scientists to make its next biggest change — bigger nets.

Longtime NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is aggressively changing how the game is both played and perceived. Along with league officials, team owners and general managers are discussing the implementation of bigger nets and smaller goalie pads. Although still in the preliminary stages, the change could sway the NHL drastically, with similar effects to the 3-on-3 OT format.

The new 3-on-3 format seemed unfathomable just a few years ago. If any changes are made to pads and net size, which appears increasingly realistic, it will most likely be one or the other.

Regardless, the direction of the NHL is glaringly clear: it wants to increase scoring, and in turn, increase attendance and viewership. Up until this season, the NHL has been the slowest of the four major professional sports leagues to implement modern changes to the game. The history of the sport is rich, and the traditionalists are firm in their mindsets, but the 3-on-3 OT is drawing overwhelming support, especially from fans.

The fans are at the center of all of these changes. Bettman and the NHL wants more viewership, and it is committed to the idea that increased scoring is the key to the kingdom, although many hockey purists are threatened by these potential rule changes because it ruins the history and the nature of the sport.

The NHL’s agenda remains wisely calculated. It knows it won’t lose its big fans, and it is determined to lure in the casual fan. Casual fans of the league aren’t big fans mainly because of the lack of scoring.

The size of an NHL goalie currently CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

were few and far between, BU did take a 23-21 lead into the half.

“The first half was excellent in terms of execution,” said BU coach Katy Steding.

“It felt like we were controlling the boards better, and we controlled the tempo, which was really important from the start.”

URI came out of the locker room looking like a different team. The Rams were aggressive on both sides of the floor and attacked the basket with ferocity.

Leading the Rams’ charge was sophomore Charise Wilson. Although it was not one of her best games, Wilson set the tone in the beginning of the third quarter by attacking the rim and hitting shots early on.

The wheels began to fall off in the third quarter for BU. The only points the Terriers scored came on a Hope triple at the beginning of the frame. Momentum completely shifted as the Rams outscored the Terriers 17-3 in the third, and took a commanding 12-point lead into the final period.

Steding’s reasoning for what went wrong in the third was quite simple.

“We took too many quick shots and we didn’t hit lay-ups,” she said. “We got good shots, but we lost our focus in terms of who’s supposed to be shooting.”

BU showed resiliency in the final quarter, but the scoring differential in the third quarter was too much to overcome.

Aside from BU’s anemic offense, post play proved to be a deciding factor in the game.

The Rams dominated down low thanks to two seniors. Samantha Tabakman notched a double-double, scoring 12 points, while recording 19 rebounds to go along with four blocks. Tayra Melendez swatted six shots and added eight rebounds.

Despite their offensive struggles, the Terriers kept the game close because of their improvement on the defensive end.

It was second chance points that proved costly for them.

“I was particularly proud of how crisp our zone looked,” Steding said. “We were in our matchup zone. I thought people were rotating, they were communicating, they were in the right place before the cutter was there, which has not been the case before.”

Aside from the third quarter, the Terriers put themselves in a position to win thanks to Hope’s shooting and the effectiveness of their zone. But once again, BU came undone in one quarter, which cost it the game. Nonetheless, Steding remained positive after the final buzzer.

“At some point this team is going to transition from a 30-minute team to a 40-minute team and I’m so excited about that because we can compete down to the very end,” she said.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/DFP FILE PHOTO

Junior forward Meghan Green was held out of the Terriers’ loss to URI.

BOTTOM LI NE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14

Men’s Basketball @ Quinnipiac, 2 p.m.

into the relegation zone. Yet, Jose

Chelsea loses yet again and drops

Women’s Basketball vs. Marist, 2 p.m.

Men’s Basketball @ Lowell, 7 p.m.

Men’s Hockey @ Yale, 7 p.m.

Men’s Hockey @ Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

Mourinho insists he’s still “The Special One.”