2-13-2020

BIG FANS OF BU, 2

GIMME SOME SUGAR, 6

OSCAR’S SO WHITE, 9

POWER SURGE, 11

New research reveals BU is one of the ‘most desired schools’ in the nation.

Local chocolate shops bring love to Boston.

Academy accolades fail to recognize essential groups.

Men’s basketball hits its stride late in the season.

CELEBRATIN G

THURSDAY, FEB. 13, 2020

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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Democratic primary night in New Hampshire

BY ANGELA YANG DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, the first in the nation, saw a close win for Sen. Bernie Sanders, as well as the end of two candidacies.

Sanders polled first place at 25.7 percent of votes, with former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg following tightly behind at 24.4 percent. Both candidates rounded off the night with nine delegates from the Granite State.

Standing amid an applauding audience galvanized at the election results, Sanders’s victory speech at his Manchester, New Hampshire primary party centered on his momentum forward before transitioning into his stump speech.

“Let me say tonight that this victory here is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump,” Sanders said. “We’re going to Nevada, we’re going to South Carolina and we’re going to win those states as well.”

Sanders emphasized this the strength of his grassroots coalition in the state as well as across the country.

“The reason that we are going to win is that we are putting together an unprecedented, multi-generational, multi-racial political movement,” Sanders said. “And this is a movement from coast to coast.”

Buttigieg, 22 miles away in Nashua, New Hampshire, thanked his supporters to cheers after every sentence.

“I admired Sen. Sanders when I was a high school student,” Buttigieg said. “I respect him greatly to this day and I congratulate him on his strong showing tonight.”

The candidate emphasized his centrist appeal and urged Democrats to unite behind the eventual nominee, regardless of whom it may be. Now, Buttigieg said, he looks toward Nevada and South Carolina with

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DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Earlier this week, CVS Pharmacy on Boston University’s East Campus ran out of surgical masks, according to signs posted on each door. While many students are taking personal precautions to stay healthy, such as purchasing surgical masks, the university is also taking steps to prevent disease spread.

Surgical masks are used to prevent the spread of germs from inhalation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, masks are not necessary for flu prevention, especially if a person has no symptoms.

Judy Platt, director of BU’s Student Health Services, told BU Today that

On-campus housing rates increase

BY EMMA LINDSEY DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

GABRIELA HUTCHINGS/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders gives his victory speech to supporters in Manchester, New Hampshire after winning his second New Hampshire primary.

Boston University raised student housing costs for the 2020-2021 academic year.

While confirmed rates will be sent in a letter by President Robert Brown along with tuition prices, estimated rates are posted on BU’s housing website.

BU’s housing rate increase applies to all on-campus residences, affecting both traditional and non-traditional residence types. Colin Riley, a spokesperson for BU, said the new rates reflect a “modest increase” of roughly 3 percent.

The cost for a quad, triple or double room, including a dining plan, will increase by $480, equating to a total price of $16,640 for the university’s standard minimum housing rate. The cost for an apartment style residence with two or more students will increase $440 to a price of $14,510 excluding a dining plan.

“Typically [the rate increase] is an annual increase,” Riley said. “The university works very hard to minimize these increases as a percentage. But they are, and have for the past 20 to 25 years been, below the national average for similar universities.”

Increases of this nature have been seen before. BU increased its on-campus living rates by 3.5 percent for the 2015-2016 academic year, as reported in 2015. The year CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

SOFIA KOYAMA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg speaks to supporters at Nashua Community College after his second place finish in the New Hampshire primary.

University taking measures to prevent flu

BY SHANNON DAMNIANO

YEAR L. VOLUME XCVIII. ISSUE IV

there have been 46 cases of the flu this season on campus.

Flu activity during the year is the highest between October and May, peaking between December and February, according to the CDC. There have been an estimated 22 to 31 million cases of the flu in the United States so far this season, as well as 12,000 to 30,000 deaths as a result.

Brian Yun, medical director of Massachusetts General Hospital’s ED Observation Unit and physician advisor to Case Management at Massachusetts General Hospital, said it is unclear how this year’s flu cases will compare to other years.

“We continue to see an increase rate of influenza for the season,” Yun said.

“It’s not quite clear yet whether or not it’ll be there’ll be more cases this year

State Senate tackles major mental health care reforms

BY ANGELA YANG DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Students wait in the Boston University Student Health Services office. BU administration and students are taking precautionary measures to stay healthy in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and active flu season.

The Massachusetts Senate will debate a sweeping bill Thursday to tackle inequities and inefficiencies within the state’s mental health care system.

The Mental Health Addressing Barriers to Care Act would comprehensively overhaul a lack of parity between mental and physical health care, as its legislators say the latter is prone to receiving more resources and attention. Released by the Senate last week, the bill would reform insurance policies and create new programs to increase accessibility to mental health services.

For Senate president Karen Spilka, the issue is personal. Spilka said her father experienced mental illness while she was growing up, but did not

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KANKANIT WIRIYASAJJA/ DFP FILE

2 NEWS

BU gets most desired school ranking in Mass.

BY ELLIE YEO DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Boston University was ranked No. 28 in the country and No. 1 in Massachusetts for ‘Most Desired Colleges of the Last Decade’ in a report released Tuesday by LendEDU, an online marketplace that focuses on providing student loan information.

The list ranks 1,253 four-year institutions’ desirability to prospective students over the last decade. LendEDU does so by averaging each school’s percent increase in applicants between 2008-09 and 2018-19 with its raw increase in admissions yield over the same period.

BU saw a 90.04 percent increase in the number of applicants and a 4.42 percent increase in its admissions yield between 2008-09 and 2018-19, according to the report.

Mike Brown, a research analyst at LendEDU and writer of this report, said LendEDU does frequent research involving student loan debt and higher education affordability.

The new decade inspired Brown to compile this list.

“This is the first time we’ve done this study and really, it’s because it’s the new decade,” Brown said. “We’ve been trying to revisit trends from the last decade.”

Brown said the study did not involve extensive analysis of why certain colleges may have risen or fallen in desirability, but that he thinks BU’s ranking indicates that it has become a highly sought-after institution.

“But for BU, if you look at this data, what it tells you is that people want to go to BU when they apply there, and if they get in, they’re likely to be going there,” Brown said. “That speaks volumes about BU in general.”

Colin Riley, a BU spokesperson, said

BU’s placement on the report as No. 1 in the state is especially notable considering the number of colleges and universities in Massachusetts.

“It’s certainly intriguing to see, if you look state by state, the individual schools that are ranked at number one,” Riley said. “To be that, here in Massachusetts where there are so many outstanding higher education institutions, it speaks well of BU.” One of the first figures prospective students see when they visit BU’s admissions website is that BU now meets 100 percent of the financial needs for first-year students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Brown said his research with student loan debt led him to believe that prospective students value affordability above all else when looking at higher education institutions.

“In terms of what college students are looking for, the easiest answer to that would be affordability,” Brown said. “[They look for] what schools are the most affordable and will limit the amount of student loan debt [they] need to take on to attend that school and still receive a quality education.”

In addition to financial aid information, the BU admissions page advertises that the university is ranked No. 10 by Open Door in campuses with most international students, No. 18 by Times Higher Education for employability and sees 96 percent of graduates employed or placed in graduate programs, fellowships or military service within six months of graduation.

Although Brown sees affordability as a key consideration of students applying to universities, several current students at BU said they believe prospective students are attracted to BU for its wide range of academic opportunities and programs, as well as its

hope for new allies.

“My competitors and I share the same fundamental goals,” Buttigieg said. “Bringing balance to our economy, guaranteeing health care to every American, combating the climate crisis and a rising tide of gun violence.”

Coming in third was Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who pulled in 19.8 percent of the vote. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who had previously polled highly as a national frontrunner, came in more than 10 percent below Klobuchar in fourth place.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, another frontrunner on the national stage, ended the night in fifth place with 8.4 percent. Biden was the only candidate Tuesday that did not attend his own election night party.

Biden had announced the day of the primary he would leave the state for South Carolina, where he maintains a stronger voter base. The move came after he said in the last presidential primary debate he expected a subpar showing in New Hampshire — a prediction that held true.

As polls came to a close, so did the campaigns of entrepreneur Andrew Yang and Sen. Michael Bennett.

Yang, whose automation-focused presidential bid lasted two years, collected 2.8 percent of the vote Tuesday. He reminded supporters in a final speech that the reverberations of their work extend beyond the campaign itself.

“Tonight is not the outcome we fought so hard to achieve,” Yang said. “It has been really disappointing for many of us, but it shouldn’t be.”

Speaking before a small

gathering of New Hampshire supporters Tuesday night, Bennett said he appreciates the chance they offered him.

“Tonight is not going to be our night, but let me say this to New Hampshire,” Bennett said. “You may see me once again.”

Bennett polled 0.3 percent in the state, 0.1 percent less than candidate and former Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick, who dropped out of the race Wednesday.

Tuesday’s New Hampshire ballot featured a total of 34 candidates, as residents in the state can pay $1,000 to appear as a write-in. One such candidate was Mark Stewart Greenstein, a self-described libertarian who ran under the Democratic ballot.

Stewart Greenstein said to The Daily Free Press he put himself on the ballot not because he believed he stood a chance at scoring delegates, but to inspire others to launch their own attempts at running for public office.

“It’s not going to happen, but let’s say somebody looks at me getting 2 percent of the vote somewhere and says ‘this little guy can get 2 percent and I’m better than him, I can run for Congress,’” Stewart Greenstein said. “That’s good. A lot of seats don’t go contested.”

Stewart Greenstein, who ultimately pulled in 0 percent of the vote, said he also believes the current Democratic candidates are too far left.

“We need somebody opposing that, and with it hopefully moving the Democrats back to the center,” Stewart Greenstein said. “I wish somebody with more heft than me was doing this.”

Matthew Sensebaugh contributed to the reporting of this article.

Crime Logs

BY MARY LULLOFF

DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The following reports were taken from the Boston University Police Department crime logs between Feb. 7 to Feb. 10.

Suspicious person near Warren Towers A BUPD officer confronted a suspicious person in the alley by the Warren Towers bike room Monday at 1 a.m. The person left and the area was cleared.

Lost dog on Bay State Road RACHEL SHARPLES/ DFP FILE

Boston University was ranked the most desirable college in Mass. and the 28th most desirable in the country in a report released by LendEDU Tuesday.

international student body.

Meredith Saunders, a sophomore in the Questrom School of Business, said she believes the versatility and adaptability of BU’s academic structure attracts prospective students as it stood out to her when she was applying to schools.

“BU has a lot of awesome programs.

It’s just got a lot of differentiation and a variety of different programs to go into, and I think that makes it very valuable,” Saunders said. “The fact that there are so many different things you can choose from and if you change your mind, it’s easy for you to hop to another school, that just seemed very valuable to me.”

Sachpreet Nehal, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he was considering both BU and Northeastern University when applying to colleges, but ultimately decided on BU because it afforded him more academic flexibility.

“I was undecided, which is why I didn’t want to go to Northeastern because they have the Co-Op program and it’s very specific, so you have to know what you want to do,” Mehal said. “I felt like I would have a better time here and a wider range of opportunities.”

Morgan O’Keefe, a sophomore in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, said she thinks students have come to value higher education environments that feature less competition and more opportunity over the last decade.

“At most elite schools, I feel like people are often trying to be number one, even if that requires pushing people down to get there. But BU is a really mutually collaborative environment, and we boost each other up,” O’Keefe said. “We know that we have a lot of opportunities, but I don’t feel like I’m always competing with kids for those same opportunities.”

Sanders, Buttigieg take New Hampshire, three drop out PRIMARY, FROM PAGE 1

CAMPUS

A caller reported seeing a lost dog wearing an orange service vest on Bay State Road Sunday around 1 a.m. The dog may have been connected to earlier reports from the Boston Police Department, but BUPD searched the area to no avail.

Opened mailboxes in South Campus Several mailboxes on Euston Street were forced open Friday at approximately 9:30 p.m. and their contents were searched.

BUPD informed the Brookline Police Department.

Elevator entrapment in StuVi2 An elevator in StuVi2 was stuck on the second floor Sunday at around 12:45 a.m. The Boston Fire Department arrived but was unable to open the door. The Office of the Facilities Management and Planning and additional BFD trucks arrived. They were able to remove the people inside.

CITY

Crime Logs

BY ELYSE GENRICH DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The following reports were taken from the Boston Police Department Headquarters on Feb. 9.

Pedestrian Struck in Brighton

SOPHIE PARK/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar celebrates her surprising third place finish in the New Hampshire Democratic primary at her celebration in Concord, New Hampshire Tuesday.

Officers responded to a call reporting a loud disturbance on Snow Street in Brighton Monday around 11:15 p.m.

Officers have responded to the same address multiple times in the past few months. The suspect was allegedly screaming and banging on walls before running out of his house, according to neighbors. Officers located the suspect in the lobby of the St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, from which they eventually transported him home.

Missing Person in Brighton

ANGELA YANG/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Former Vice President Joe Biden finished in fifth place in the New Hampshire primary, having departed the state Tuesday morning expecting a poor turnout.

Officers responded to a call Sunday at noon concerning a missing person in Brighton. The caller, the victim’s caretaker, reported that the victim, who is not supposed to leave the house unsupervised, wandered outdoors around 11:40 a.m. wearing a baseball hat, red T-shirt and dark brown pants. The victim was spotted near Boston College walking toward the reservoir at around noon that day, and was ultimately found at 2:40 p.m. and transported to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.

Dispute in Allston

VIGUNTHAAN THARMARAJAH/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren delivers her post-primary speech in Manchester, New Hampshire, in which she emphasized Democratic Party unity.

Near 1 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to a disturbance at Yoma Burmese Restaurant in Allston. The suspect, who had been hired to take professional photos of the food, refused to show the owner their photos and the owner then refused to pay. The suspect then chased an employee into the kitchen and attempted to steal money and an iPad from the restaurant before fleeing into a silver Ford waiting behind the building.

NEWS 3

Cost of on-campus housing sees 3 percent increase HOUSING, FROM PAGE 1 prior, BU increased the prices of on-campus residences on average by $561, and dining plans by an average of $140, as reported in 2014.

The rise of university housing costs reflects the rate of inflation reported by Commonfund Institute’s 2019 Higher Education Price Index, Riley said. According to HEPI, inflation for colleges and universities was 2.5 percent for the 2019 fiscal year.

Riley said he does not believe the increased housing rates will result in an increase of BU students pursuing off-campus residence options.

“That is a separate issue. The quality and the variety and the benefit of living in university housing is what keeps students and attracts students to on-campus housing,” Riley said. “Having 24-hour on-call maintenance service, quality dining, the options and ability to live in an apartment style to prepare and cook your own meals, being in the core campus and being close to classes, libraries and Fit-Rec all have benefits.”

BU students who pursue off-campus housing options typically turn to BU’s surrounding neighborhoods, such as Brighton and Allston, which make up the city’s ninth district.

Liz Breadon, city councilor for District 9, said she believes high on-campus housing costs will motivate students to pursue off-campus residence options.

SOPHIE PARK/ DFP FILE

Boston University brownstones on Bay State Road. BU housing rates will increase by approximately 3 percent for the 2020-21 academic year and will affect all on-campus residents.

“If BU and the other universities charge too much for their on campus housing, then that will drive more students off campus,” Breadon said.

“It is an economic issue. They can save thousands of dollars a year by living off-campus.

Having realistic and affordable costs associated with campus housing would be important.”

The Brighton-Allston district is in close proximity to

Boston College and Harvard University, as well as BU. Having three major universities near District 9 severely impacts the neighborhoods and is an on-going concern, Breadon said. “[The university presence] greatly impacts us and adds a lot of extra residents to our neighborhood that increases demand and drives increases in rent across the district,”

Breadon said. “For BU specifically, I would like them to house more of their students and to look at making it more economically feasible for students to live on-campus.”

Riley said the university acknowledges that there could be negative financial effects and concerns for BU students and their families as a result of the rate increase.

“We certainly understand the

increase is factored in. The university is generous with its institutional financial assistance, even more so now with the incoming class,” Riley said. “Going forward, [housing costs] is something that the university is cognizant of and working to address.”

Although she will graduate this May, Jie Yu, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she is concerned for students next year.

“I don’t think the price will have an influence on me, but it will for future students,” Yu said. “I hope BU can increase the price a little more slowly, so more students still want to live on-campus.”

Caroline Banfi, a sophomore in CAS, said she thinks that if the price increase is due to inflation, then the new housing rates are warranted, but wants more transparency from the university.

“If they’re increasing housing [costs], they should let students know exactly why they’re increasing it because a lot of people complain,” Banfi said. “They don’t know exactly why it’s increased or why things are changing.”

Mayzie Sattler, a junior in CAS, said she prefers living off-campus to keep her work and home life separate, but also cites high housing rates as a reason for abstaining from university housing.

“It’s less expensive for us to be in Allston,” Sattler said.

“And it’s a lot easier to separate our lifestyle with school.

It’s like going to work.”

MBTA to increase line closures to expedite renovations

BY ELYSE GENRICH DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is accelerating its major renovation of the rail system by condensing eight years of work into one year, causing T lines to experience extended closures throughout 2020.

This program, part of the Building a Better T project, will be a massive undertaking by the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board to complete roughly eight years worth of work across the Green, Red, Orange and Blue lines, as well as the commuter rail.

In total, the initiative plans to rehabilitate or construct 151,662 feet, or 29 miles, of track, according to the project presentation made to the FMCB. But these improvements do not come without inconveniences. On the Green Line, both the C and E branches will experience a complete shutdown for one month each in the summer of 2020, according to the press release.

Additionally, the Green line will be closed between North Station and Lechmere from May 2020 through April 2021 as part of the Green Line Extension Project.

Closing the lines for long periods of time allows for more efficient work without interruptions, according to the project presentation.

The T currently operates for all but around six hours a day and workers must set time aside for setup and clean-up, which then leaves two to three hours of productive work time for T improvements without closing the rail line.

During a joint meeting of the

BRIAN SONG/ DFP FILE

People board the Green Line train at Government Center Station. The MBTA is accelerating T line closures throughout 2020 in an attempt to complete eight years of renovations in one year.

MassDOT control board and the FMCB, a presenter defended the MBTA’s decision to close the T for longer periods of time to produce quicker results.

“The longer windows will provide us the opportunity to take on these larger track rehabilitations and major system efforts,” the presenter said to the board. “We can’t take on larger rehabilitation if we don’t have more time to do it.”

The presenter said undertaking such an initiative now will save T riders from experiencing larger issues in the future.

“Really what the benefit of the acceleration is, is that

they’re planned outages,” he said. “And what we’re trying to do is prevent unplanned outages in the future by taking care of the most critical part of the infrastructure.”

The announcement of this undertaking comes as part of the MBTA’s extensive plan to improve the T, working on both the existing infrastructure, as well as on expanding the Green Line and introducing new elements.

MBTA Deputy Press Secretary Lisa Battiston wrote in an email that, in addition to improving and expanding existing infrastructure as part of the the Green Line Transformation Program, a new fleet of Type

10 “super cars” will begin to replace older Green Line cars.

“Fully accessible and longer, these cars would be comprised of seven sections and five door openings per side,” Battiston wrote, “providing passenger capacity equal to that of two existing Green Line cars.”

Currently, several branches of the Green Line are operating new Type 9 cars, which hold a higher capacity of riders.

In addition to track and car improvements, this program will work to reduce designated slow zones on the Green, Red, and Blue lines, according to the FMCB. This initiative, however, is not without problems.

In the meeting, the FMCB discussed concerns regarding how they would quantifiably measure the benefits of the program, not just in terms of how much track was replaced, but in terms of how riders will be impacted.

FMCB member Chrystal Komegay said she thinks the presentation to the board lacked the commuter’s perspective, and that the plan needs to take into further consideration its impact on the riders.

“The success of this is not that you did eight years of work in one year,” Komegay said.

“It only matters to me if I can shave off 10 minutes on my ride from my house to my job.”

Ryan Jones, 30, of Brighton said that he thinks the accelerated repairs will be worth it, despite the inconvenience to travelers.

“It gets the work done faster,” Jones said. “It’s inconvenient because I have to readjust my route… but you do what you can to get around even if it’s an inconvenience.”

Alejandro Clark, 24, of Brighton said he thinks closing certain sections of the Green Line for improvements is probably not worth the inconvenience to riders.

“It’s probably not worth it,” Clark said. “I’d like to think that it’s a greater good situation but I don’t think it’s that simple. I don’t think it’s that blackand-white.”

Avery Richards, 19 of Back Bay said because improving the T is a massive undertaking, closures for extended periods of time make sense.

“Well, how else are they going to get the work done?” Richards said. “They’re doing what they can with as little resources as they possibly have.”

4 NEWS

Mass. Senate releases bill to improve mental health care HEALTH, FROM PAGE 1 obtain the help he needed.

“I grew up in a family where things were tough, particularly during my adolescent years,” Spilka said. “We can increase access to care for people.

We can look at what can we do to get more people into the mental health system when they need it.”

Mental health parity laws have existed in Massachusetts for two decades, mandating that insurance coverage for mental health care equals insurance coverage for any other medical condition. Yet, Spilka said, that has not been the case.

This new bill aims to address parity complaints quicker and implement more rigorous oversight of insurance carriers’ processes and policies relating to coverage of mental health care.

It would also enforce penalties and offer remedies when these carriers fail to provide fair treatment.

Sen. Julian Cyr, co-chair of the Senate Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, has seen these issues since adolescence, when he began struggling with anxiety and depression. Besides lacking coverage by insurance companies, Cyr said, many barriers obstruct the road to mental health care access.

“And then add to these logisti-

cal obstacles, those needing mental health care must navigate their own shame, social stigma and sometimes, fear of outright discrimination,” Cyr said. “So this is the approach that we bring to this. We’re really trying to, as a start, treat mental health care as health care.”

One current hurdle to fast treatment is prior authorization, a review process that requires patients request and wait for approval before a health plan will cover the financial costs of treatment. The Mental Health ABC Act would eliminate such requirements and establish a commission to help outline a universal set of criteria for insurance providers to use regarding mental health services.

If passed, it would also track and establish a baseline for mental health care spending to encourage level investment in the provision of these services, as well as ensure room in emergency departments for victims of mental health emergencies and require insurance carriers cover same-day care.

Spilka said the bill would prohibit carriers from denying coverage for medical services and behavioral health services offered on the same day, which poses an issue in today’s health care system.

“Right now, if you go see your pri-

BRIAN SONG/ DFP FILE

The Massachusetts State House in Boston. The Massachusetts Senate will vote on legislation Thursday to improve mental health care access by reforming insurance policies and devoting greater resources to mental health services.

mary care physician, and then the same day you go to see a behavioral health therapist or something and even if it’s part of that same PCP,” Spilka said, “the therapist will not get paid for the service. The doctor, the medical services, will.”

Sen. Cindy Friedman, co-chair of the Senate Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, said there is also a “significant” difference in how much mental health care providers are paid for their services compared to many physical health care physicians.

“They are usually lower than pri-

mary care,” Friedman said. “[But] there’s not a one-to-one correlation between somebody in primary care offices and somebody that’s delivering mental health care.”

Under the Mental Health ABC Act, a rate floor would reimburse mental health providers in a way that is consistent with primary care. Insurance carriers in the state must also use one standard credentialing form for all health care providers, speeding up the hiring process.

Other initiatives within the mental health workforce, Spilka said, include

permitting interim licensure for licensed mental health counselors.

“Right now, they don’t get the licensures so they can’t get payment, but they’re providing services,” Spilka said. “So we have a licensure program, an interim, so that they can start providing services that can be reimbursed.”

Somerville resident Izzy Ouellette, 25, said she believes mental health is “extremely important” because it is linked to physical health.

“I feel like health insurance covers a lot more of physical health,” Oullette said, “as opposed to mental health.”

Arwa Almutabagani, 20, of Brookline said she thinks mental health care is almost more important than physical health.

“If your mental health is bad, then it’s going to affect your physical health,” Almutabagani said. “I feel like mental health isn’t given enough importance as it should be.”

71-year-old South End resident Rudy Mitchell said both mental and physical health should be on equal footing because each is necessary to overall wellbeing.

“Sometimes, there is a stigma to problems of mental health,” Mitchell said. “It’s seen in a different way as a [physical] illness.”

BU takes caution during flu season and coronavirus outbreak FLU, FROM PAGE 1 than last year or two years ago.”

The flu is more easily caught than a cold, according to the SHS website. Symptoms include a fever above 100.4 degrees, congestion, muscle aches and a sore throat.

Colin Riley, a spokesperson for BU, said that around 600 students got a flu vaccine this year at the university’s immunization clinics, which is a record amount. He also said that it’s important for people to not only get their flu shot, but to also take part in other preventative measures.

“The best prevention, besides the vaccine, is to be well-rested. Eat well, sleep well and have some physical activity,” Riley said. “Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly when you do. Be careful about touching surfaces and then touching your eyes, nose and mouth.”

SHS offers student immunization clinics throughout the year, according to their website. All required vaccines are offered, including those for meningitis and varicella, as well as optional vaccines for HPV and the flu.

“It prevents the spread or more widespread number of cases,” Riley

COURTESY OF U.S. NAVY

Boston University Student Health Services is taking measures to prevent the spread of germs during the flu season, including offering free flu vaccines and providing sick students with flu meals.

said.

Students with a dining plan have the option of ordering a flu meal through Dining Services’ ‘Rhetty to Go’ initiative. It contains mild foods like bananas, rice, crackers and yogurt.

Yun said college students are no more at risk of catching the flu than the general population. He said that the disease spreads from human contact regardless of where they are.

“The flu is all around us and it can

be spread from person to person,” Yun said. “And you can imagine if one person is sick, whether it’s at a college or household, it can potentially spread to students or family members nearby.”

This year, the coronavirus outbreak has overlapped with the flu season. It was first identified in Wuhan, China in January, resulting in at least 1,000 deaths in the country, as announced by Chinese officials Tuesday.

Officials told BU Today that people who develop fever, shortness of breath or a new cough within 14 days of potential exposure to the coronavirus should remain at home. They also encouraged students to reach out to SHS and faculty to Occupational Health Services with any concerns.

A student at the University of Massachusetts Boston was confirmed by the CDC to have the coronavirus, making it the eighth case in the United States at the time, according to Business Insider.

Despite concerns about the spread of coronavirus, Riley said the university will be taking the same health precautions as usual and, flu wise, BU doesn’t face as much of a risk this year as in the past.

“I don’t think there’s anything unusual about this flu season,” Riley said. “It’s not [spreading] on as much of a large scale as it has been in previous decades.”

Like the flu, Yun said it is still too early on to tell how much coronavirus will spread and how large its impact will be.

“Coronavirus has not gone to that extreme at this point in time and depending on what happens at the end of the day, it could be dead-

lier or it could be not as deadly,” Yun said. “It’s a little too early to tell the true impact this virus will have on mortality.”

Kendall Gregory, a junior in the College of Fine Arts, said she is taking extra precautions this flu season to keep herself well.

“I’m washing my hands a lot… and making sure that I’m keeping myself clean,” Gregory said. “I’m going to get a flu shot and trying to eat healthy.”

Julie Abi-Elias, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she has not gotten sick this flu season and recommends many of the same preventative measures as Riley.

“I have been trying to avoid contact with other people,” Abi-Elias said. “I know there are things like Emergen-C. My roommate always drinks it. I haven’t done it, but it helps a lot of people I’ve heard.”

Melissa Ngo, a freshman in the College of General Studies, said despite the fact that it coincides with flu season, she does not see concern of coronavirus at BU. “Honestly, I don’t think it’s much of a danger to anyone around here.

Everyone’s just ‘normal’ sick,” Ngo said. “I haven’t heard of anyone being so definitely sick that they’re staying

CAMPUS CALENDAR THURSDAY, FEB. 13

THURSDAY, FEB. 13

FRIDAY, FEB. 14

SATURDAY, FEB. 15

SUNDAY, FEB. 16

SheInspires Lunch Series

Mind, Body and Spirit Yoga

Community Hour at the HTC

IDEA Conference 2020

Deal Me Out by MJ Halberstadt

12 p.m.

BUSM Building Hosted by Women’s Professional Development Committee

5 p.m.

Marsh Chapel Hosted by Marsh Chapel

5 p.m.

Howard Thurman Center Hosted by the Dean of Students

8:30 a.m.

Questrom School of Business Hosted by Innovate@BU

2 p.m.

Boston Playwrights’ Theatre Hosted by Boston Playwrights’ Theatre

FEATURES 5

COMMUNITY

Language educators speak on bias toward student immigrants

BY IRENE CHUNG DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

As a young political refugee, Tatyana Kleyn immigrated to the United States with the support of sponsors and the American legal system. But today, as an educator, Kleyn acknowledges that her personal experiences lack resemblance to those of modern immigrants, who face far more difficult obstacles to obtain the same freedoms.

To address immigration conflicts at the Mexican border and their implications in U.S. schools, Wheelock College of Education a nd Huma n Development invited Kleyn, an associate professor in language at the City College of New York, for a discussion entitled, “Immigration and Education in the U.S. and Mexico, A Multimodal Approach to Transcending Borders.”

The event, part of the Language Education Speaker series in the Wheelock Department of Language and Literacy, was moderated by Christine Leider, the program director of bilingual education, who said immigration was and remains a politically-charged topic in the U.S. “I think immigration has always been a big issue in our country,” Leider said. “There’s a lot of heightened conversation and discourse in the media that portrays immigration, particularly migrants from Mexico in a negative light, which is very harmful and paints a dangerous narrative.”

In addition to speaking about immigration policies and

IRENE CHUNG/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

City College of New York Associate Professor in Language Tatyana Kleyn led a discussion on the current immigration conflicts on the US-Mexico border at the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development Monday.

migration rates, Kleyn displayed photographs of immigrant families that will be featured in her upcoming book. She also played a portion of her documentary series, “Supporting Immigrants in Schools,” in an effort for audiences to identify immigrants’ stories and struggles.

After contextualizing border politics, Kleyn shared the sociocultural implications of strict immigation policy and augmented news coverage and said immigrants experience a wide range of prejudice that extends beyond

legality due to the current executive office.

“I think what’s happening in our society, this discrimination against immigrants, it’s been amplified with the Trump administration… so the students feel it as well,” Kleyn said in an interview.

“They feel they’re not welcome here, they feel they’re not wanted, they feel discriminated against.”

While schools are required to admit K-12 students regardless of immigration status, Kleyn said she is concerned that the education quality for English learners

could be diminished because of their limited English proficiency.

“I think what is challenging is the quality of education students are receiving, which is uneven,” Kleyn said. “They don’t speak English, so we just need to give them English. They don’t need other things, they don’t get the arts, they don’t get all those things.”

Elizabeth Romano, a graduate student in Wheelock, said she attended the event to feel better prepared to support underprivileged students. Romano, who is focusing her masters on English as a Second Language, said she wants to be respectful and knowledgeable about these issues in her future classrooms.

“As a new teacher, I would say that my main takeaways are to be very aware of your students and their backgrounds,” Romano said, “because there’s a lot that goes on in the world and how the society and the government affects families in ways that some of us might not realize.”

Kleyn said it is important to understand changes in immigration policies in order to best provide support for immigrant families, including emotional and physical safety for at-risk children in school.

During the lecture, Kleyn said she believes history is fundamental in conversations about current politics, but said it is also critical to stay informed with changes of current immigration policies.

“I think we need to help students understand and participate in local and federal government,”

Kleyn said during the lecture.

“But we often stop there when we teach about immigration, and that is a real crime because our students’ realities are not Ellis Island, they’re very different.”

The border between the U.S. and Mexico, Kleyn said, is composed of a physical wall, as well as an intangible wall of culture and language barriers.

“Some people have more privileges and more opportunities,” Kleyn said during the presentation. “Unfortunately, most students in this country don’t have access to bilingual education.”

Romano said issues facing immigrant families often go unnoticed, so it is the responsibility of teachers to recognize those truths and share them.

“It’s our role as educators to raise awareness,” Romano said.

“It’s more of a bigger issue where different facets of life such as the government, psychology, education. These types of institutions need to come together and really get to the root problem.”

Toward the end of the evening, Kleyn said it is important to inform educators on how to approach students with international backgrounds or birthplaces in order to, above all, create an open discourse and comfortable environment in school.

“Sometimes we want our students to share their story, but we must remember that their stories can often be very traumatic for them,” Kleyn said at the event.

“What we want to do in schools is to be educational, informative without being an alarmist.”

ARTS

Director Kitty Green tells #MeToo era story in “The Assistant”

BY MITA KATARIA DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Stories of the #MeToo era often focus more on the abuser rather than the victim, but Director Kitty Green is looking to shift the focus.

“The Assistant,” a pre-#MeToo period drama, premiered at the Sundance Festival on Jan. 24. Written and directed by Green, the film is about a passive observer of, partaker in and victim of systematic abuse in a film company run by a tyrannical boss.

Green’s first feature film, “The Assistant” broaches the topic of workplace harassment and abuse through the perspective of a junior assistant to a film production house executive.

In a roundtable interview at the Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel, Green said her intention with the film was to tell a story that went deeper than the coverage of the #MeToo movement, and to show that this issue is bigger than a few isolated incidents “My anger around the reporting around #MeToo is we’re focusing on the men a lot and the predators and this idea that if we get rid of Harvey Weinstein, it would fix everything, which is insane,” Green said. “I was definitely interested in making sure people can see that it’s bigger than

just one or a few rotten apples and it’s a systemic and cultural problem.”

To tell this story, Green chose to narrow her focus on one character with the least power at a company and one day in her life at work, Green said. “[Let’s] figure out what her day is like and why she isn’t being promoted,” Green said, “as opposed to concentrating on the few people who somehow survived and got to the top.”

The film takes the audience through a regular workday in the life of Jane, an aspiring film producer, who has been working in a film production house for five weeks. But through her mundane tasks, petty chores and tiny interactions with others, the audience notices the corrosive work environment that pervades the office. Jane does the jobs assigned to her without question — making copies, getting food, picking up an earring from her boss’ office and even scrubbing the couch.

In the days after the Weinstein scandal broke, Green said she decided to shift her focus from researching consent and power structures on college campuses to the stories she knew of from her time working in Hollywood.

Green said she interviewed people from studios in New York, Los Angeles, London and Melbourne,

AUSMA PALMER/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Australian writer-director Kitty Green speaks at a roundtable on her latest film, “The Assistant,” at the Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel Thursday.

where toxic practices were still prevalent.

Green is known as a documentary director, but said she chose to make “The Assistant” a feature film to capture smaller human moments more so than a documentary could.

“I felt like it’s something that fiction can do because you can really hone in on gestures and looks and glances and just exactly how much something is hurting another human being,” Green said. “You don’t get those tiny moments [in a

documentary].”

Through her collaboration with Julia Garner, who played Jane, Green said these small moments and Jane’s emotional state came to fruition.

“The script doesn’t have much detail about how she’s feeling,” Green said. “We spent a month in pre-production figuring out where she was at emotionally.”

The humanness of the film also came through in the soundtrack.

The movie uses minimal music and

relies upon many everyday sounds, which resonate in and outside any office environment, like the sound of coffee brewing, the copier, lights and buses outside.

Green said she made the choice to use these sounds to make the story feel like an authentic day.

“I really wanted the audience to be in her shoes,” Green said. “And in that sense, I didn’t want to fill it with music because that would have almost felt false somehow.”

Green said she hopes “The Assistant” will help bring about “actionable change,” such as in her partnership with groups like the New York Women’s Foundation, which provides community allies to bring about action against abuse of power, according to its website.

“By partnering with them,” Green said, “it’s like we can move into that next step of actually seeing change.”

Green said she hopes audiences realize the issues explored in “The Assistant” are deeper than a few individuals and require serious work to fix.

“We need to rip the whole system apart,” Green said. “We got a lot to do, a lot of work to do.”

6 FEATURES

BUSINESS

Boston’s sweet tooth: three shops make up the recipe for love

BY KELLY KONG DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

With Valentine’s Day rapidly approaching, the scramble for that perfect present is in the air — and the smell of chocolate is stronger than ever.

In a January press release, the National Retail Federation said Americans plan to spend an estimated $2.4 billion on candy this year. Three chocolate shops in Boston face the Valentine’s buzz ever y year, each sticking out with their own delicious twists.

Beacon Hill Chocolates Tucked in a shop on Charles Street, Beacon Hill Chocolates carries artisan chocolate and gelato of a variety of f lavors, including lavender, ginger and hot chili pepper, Founder Paula Barth said.

Employee Donna Gaspar said the Valentine’s Day rush, consisting primarily of “gentlemen,” never fails to awaken the shop.

“The line is out the door… the day before Valentine’s or even the day of Valentine’s,” Gaspar said. “It is a challenge but we’re up for it.”

Barth said the line is long

in days nearing Valentine’s Day because men handpick each piece of candy to put in a heart box.

“I find the whole [Valentine’s] culture very funny and entertaining,” Barth said. “In my shop, the reason to wait is we’re not like a package-and-go place.”

Beacon Hill Chocolates opened in 2006 when Barth, who had a love of chocolate but no retail experience, went with her “gut instinct,” to provide what she said she saw as a need in the area.

“I realized that in the Beacon Hill area, there wasn’t a spot to get some good artisan chocolate,” Barth said. “So, me being personally addicted to chocolate myself, I said okay.”

Ever y product sold is wrapped in handmade, keepsake boxes made unique for each customer, which manager Tiffany Lee said is a testament to the shop’s focus on customer service.

“Our customer ser vice is number one, we pride ourselves on that. But also our keepsake box is what we’re known for,” Lee said. “The owner wanted a concept where it’s like a jewelry box for your chocolate, so

you’re not just getting a plain, boring, brown cardboard box.”

L.A. Burdick L.A. Burdick has been in its Clarendon Street location for nearly eight years, General Manager Jamie Hablin said, among its five other locations nationwide. Hablin said the store offers a wide variety of chocolate items made without any artificial extracts or syrups.

“The focus is on high-qualit y, fresh ingredients and all-natural things,” Hablin said.

Customers can get their chocolate fix either at the chocolate retail section or the cafe in the form of hot chocolate or coffee. Hablin said the same customers keep returning because the quality has stayed strong.

“I think we’re definitely wellknown for a reason. The original founder of the business blended some cocoa beans to what his palate [thought was] the best,” Hablin said. “Even though we’ve been open for so long now, we’ve never skimped on the quality and I think that really shows through.”

Hablin said one of the signature treats of L.A. Burdick are the chocolate mice. She said

HANNAH YOSHINAGA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Max Brenner on Boylston St. focuses on the experience of consuming chocolate rather than just its taste and incorporates chocolate into every dish the restaurant serves.

HANNAH YOSHINAGA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had his first date with his now-wife at L.A. Burdick’s Cambridge location, which he also rented out to celebrate their third anniversary.

the shop will introduce champagne and rosewater f lavored mice this year.

“They’re certainly unique,” Hablin said. “Just as delicious as all the rest of the bonbons.”

The store’s foot traffic would most likely peak this week, Hablin said, since Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday.

Hablin said one special, romantic memory of the shop occured in 2017 when Mark Zuckerberg rented out the Cambridge location for just himself and his wife one evening in honor of their first date there years earlier.

Max Brenner Max Brenner on Boylston Street joins its other locations in New York Cit y, Philadelphia, Australia, Israel, Japan and Russia.

A restaurant with a twist, the Max Brenner menu incorporates chocolate into every dish, from mixing cocoa powder into ranch dressing to dusting chocolate on top of their waff le fries.

Cristine Franco, general manager at Max Brenner’s International, said the shop’s focus on experience, not just taste, is what makes Max Brenner a unique brand.

“The experience is all the same and we try and keep it consistent,” Franco said. “We want people to feel welcome, we want them to feel happy, like visiting Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

Franco said she has been touched by the gestures on Valentine’s Day at the restaurant, which have ranged from poster boards to engagements.

“It’s really amazing to share that experience,” Franco said.

“We have a lot of notes this year here where people are celebrating either their first wedding anniversary or they’re celebrating because they got engaged here.”

Barth said she feels grateful that she gets the chance to provide chocolate as a “token of love” for not only couples, but mothers, children, grandchildren and grandparents.

“Giving someone a chocolate sweet, it’s what makes people feel good, gets you in the mood, makes you want to be more amorous,” Barth said. “I’m lucky in that respect because I’m glad there’s Valentines Day. It’s just a feel-good holiday, the holiday of love and romance, something that you want to share with somebody.”

HANNAH YOSHINAGA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Max Brenner is the frequent location of many Valentine’s Day dates, anniversary celebrations and even the occasional engagement proposal.

HANNAH YOSHINAGA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

L.A. Burdick Chocolates in Back Bay offers high-quality chocolates made with all-natural ingredients and no artificial sweeteners.

FEATURES 7

SCIENCE LASER bridges gap between art and science in interactive experience

BY AMANDA CAPPELLI DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Dozens of science and art enthusiasts cheered, gasped and laughed as they saw the boundaries between art and science cross in innovative ways during an interactive neuroscience experience on Friday.

Four art and science professionals taught a high-spirited audience about the concepts of sensation, perception and music at swissnex Boston’s “LASER Boston — Sensory Overload” event in Cambridge.

Julia Hoel, director of SciArt Initiative and a professional artist, said the purpose of the LASER event series is to bring together experts from across disciplinary boundaries and find a common ground.

“We bring researchers and artists to talk about the themes from their own point of view as a means to illuminate the common ground that art and science have,” Hoel said. “Here at LASER, everyone in this room is doing something different.”

Swissnex is a global network that fosters greater connections between the United States and Switzerland by collaborating with higher education and research institutions, innovation-driven startups and nonprofits, according to their website.

Speaker Psyche Loui, assistant professor of creativity and creative practice at Northeastern University, said she believes combining music and science can enhance the music we create and listen to.

COURTESY SWISSNEX BOSTON

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab scientist and artist Thomas Sanchez Lengeling and MIT researcher Brodi Elwood spoke about their synesthesia research at swissnex Boston’s “LASER Boston — Sensory Overload” event in Cambridge Friday night.

“Most people don’t think of music composition as a science,” Loui said in an interview. “But if we know enough about how the brain works and we tailor music towards that, I think we can make music that’s more powerful and an even more positive force.”

Multiple speakers at the event discussed the brain condition called synesthesia, which Loui defined as a “fusion of the senses.”

Coming from “hedonistic associations,” Loui said senses can become intertwined and cause one to get chills while listening to music or consider a

song more salty or more sweet.

“One of the theories behind why synesthesia exists is that we ascribe emotions to the senses,” Loui said, “and we use those emotions to bind the different kinds of perceptions.”

Brodi Elwood, a researcher in the nuclear science department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Thomas Sanchez Lengeling, a scientist and artist at the MIT Media Lab, presented a talk entitled “Neoperceptions.”

The two described synesthesia as “the mixing of sensory or cognitive

modalities” and said some people with synesthesia can see music notes as colors or can taste words, citing Billy Joel as one famous synesthete.

“The idea of synesthesia fit in well with our idea of augmented perception,” Elwood said. “Synesthesia already augmented humans who have this different type of vision than the rest of us.”

The pair described their research in synesthesia, with their main test subject being synesthete and musician, Mary Bichner. Through their research, they were able to design fiber optic gar-

ments that reflected the color Bichner saw depending on the note played. “[The wearable technologies] light up depending on the musical note that’s being played associated to [Bichner’s] synesthesia,” Sanchez Lengeling said.

“We built [the technology] from scratch in the lab.”

In the “Music, Time, Place and Space” portion of the event, Marcel Zaes, an artist, performer, composer and artistic researcher, performed a rhythmic piece comprised of a series of mechanical pulsations. Zaes described it as a “sparring” between a chaotic and regular rhythm.

In his talk, Zaes described what he called the “human and machine coexistence,” bands with both real musicians and drum machines. It is notable, Zaes said, when the musicians can stay together, matching the beat of the drum machine.

“There seems to be value when all players in a band or in a group or in orchestra perform perfectly in time, in sync with each other as well as with the… drum machine,” Zaes said at the event. “And yet, there is value to each player or machine still maintaining their individuality.”

Jaqueline Bateman, a graduate student at Simmons University and Jamaica Plain resident, said she enjoyed the lectures as a violinist and a non-scientist.

“I feel I learned a lot about the brain,” Bateman said. “It’s great because I’m not in a science field and it’s completely out of the scope of what I know.”

ARTS

Rapsody reflects on career thus far, shares idols and inspiration

BY DAVID SIMON DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

American rapper Marlanna Evans, who goes by Rapsody, has had what can only be called an accomplished decade: she had a guest feature on an album that would go on to become one of the first rap albums archived in Harvard’s Library, secured two Grammy nominations for an album dedicated to her grandmother and is currently on tour in support of her 2019 album “Eve,” stopping at The Sinclair in Cambridge on Feb. 7.

Each of the songs in “Eve” are named after various notable black women throughout history, from poet Maya Angelou to former First Lady Michelle Obama. If she had to include another track on the album, Rapsody said in an interview with The Daily Free Press she would name it after Assata Shakur, member of the Black Liberation Army and aunt to Tupac Shakur.

“For the people who don’t know who [Shakur] is and about her story,” Rapsody said, “it’s a story I would love for people to learn about.”

When it came to deciding which samples of previously written songs were to be used throughout the album, Rapsody said there was one song her team felt needed to make an appearance.

“The only [song] that I went ‘I want to sample this, I have to sample this’ was Tupac on ‘Afeni’ with ‘Keep Ya Head Up,’” Rapsody said.

Afeni is the name of both the final track on the album and Tupac’s mother.

Rapsody said she attributes her growing up with a music-oriented family as her inspiration to pursue

LAURYN ALLEN/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Rapper Rapsody performs at The Sinclair in Cambridge in support of her 2019 album “Eve” on Feb. 7.

music as a career.

“I grew up in a house that played music all the time,” Rapsody said.

“Music was always around me.”

Rapsody started professionally pursuing rap after rapping at North Carolina State University with groups H2O and Kooley High. Other stepping stones in her career were collaborating with fellow North Carolinian producer 9th Wonder and late Boston rapper Young Guru.

Rapsody’s first accredited verse on record was a guest verse on 9th Won-

der-produced track “We Ar Jamla” by Skyzoo. Reflecting on what she would tell her younger self, Rapsody said this first experience helped her grow as a musician.

“9th Wonder and Guru had prepared me and taught me so much,” Rapsody said. “[I would] be more patient with myself, and to know that what I do is enough.”

Rapsody said she also attributes rapper MC Lyte’s television appearances in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s as one of the first sparks of inspiration

for her to pursue music.

“She was the first female that I saw rap,” Rapsody said. “It was representation for me and inspiration. Like, ‘Yeah, I could do that, that would be crazy, that would be a dream.’”

Rapsody said she believes women in rap have historically been denied the access to the public consumption of hip-hop that male rappers have been afforded.

“I wouldn’t say that the general public has ignored women in rap… it’s access,” Rhapsody said. “The ma-

jority of Americans get their music from radio and television, and these platforms and these mediums are creating spaces that women can have their voice and can share their talent that a lot of people don’t know where to find it.”

Rapping for over a decade, Rapsody has had time to reflect on her status as a veteran and on whether or not she has satisfied herself in regards to honing her craft. Comparing herself to the artists she looks up to, Rapsody said she finds herself in the same conversation when it comes to being as talented as her rap predecessors.

“Some of my favorites are Jay and Queen Latifah,” Rapsody said.

“Skill-wise, in song-making, I do think I’m on par [with them]. On a fame level, on a notoriety level, that’s the difference in my eyes.”

Rapsody also cited contemporaries as pushing her to further her craft, particularly rappers she had collaborated with in the past.

“My peers like Kendrick Lamar and Big K.R.I.T. Those two I always look to for inspiration,” Rapsody said. “I love J.I.D., I love Summer Walker, I love the way that she writes. Those are a few [artists] I can think of.”

Rapsody said she had been looking forward to performing in Boston, and said the anticipation for performing in the city was akin to “a Boston-Lakers game.”

“Everytime I come here, I don’t know what it is about the city, but they show so much love,” Rapsody said. “I felt good about coming here, just bringing the tour here and having another dope family reunion with a bunch of hip-hop lovers.”

8 OPINION

EDITORIAL

“Parasite’s” moment at the Oscars is a double-edged sword In a 2020-esque moment, the Academy awarded “Parasite,” a South-Korean film peering into the interconnectedness of the haves and have-nots, four Oscars. The sheer prestige of this film’s new accolades perhaps suggests that this is a triumph for media diversity.

By labeling a foreign language film as “Best Picture,” we have collectively completed the work of transcending borders.

This would be the rosiest version of events.

“Parasite’s” landslide win does demonstrate increasingly open attitudes to foreign cultures, but indicates a failure on Hollywood and American audiences’ part to act on them earlier. Subtitled foreign films have been present in American box offices since the early 20th century and yet, it took us until last Sunday to accept one of them — and not even with entirely open arms.

The film’s success has resumed the debate around subtitled films and their watchability without due reason. But, globalization has already done most of the heavy lifting for us.

It has facilitated foreign languages and translators’ implementation into various contexts — boardrooms, classrooms, et cetera. Why, then, are we questioning their rather limited presence in theaters and living rooms?

Audiences often turn their noses up at subtitled films, claiming that the lowbrow, direct translations are a bastardization of what the director and screenwriters were originally trying to convey. The reality is that linguistic and translating capabilities have come incredibly far. Viewers, as a result, can understand subtitles as delicate adaptations of the original script to local sensibilities in a way that maintains the painstakingly created nuances.

Perhaps they need to be reminded that, in 2020, we are no longer living in the age of

direct translations. These same viewers who criticize subtitles’ lack of precision are often the same cinephiles who insist on watching a broad range of films. Yet, without the incredibly well-done subtitles in “Parasite,” they would not be able to apprehend the complexity director Bong Joon Ho imbued into the script that attributed to the film’s overall ingenuity.

Furthermore, audiences cannot pretend

attention to understand. However, the brain processes in effect when watching a film without subtitles are already highly-involved.

Granted that subtitles consist of dialogue and not thorny sociological theory, the additional “strain” from digesting information from subtitles is negligible.

The use of scientific rhetoric to undermine these types of films seems like an attempt to mask the sharp distinction between what is

light on the establishment and how we’ve become complicit in it. When we listen to music, we aren’t hyper-focused on the language the lyrics are in and the artist’s country of origin isn’t of great importance. How else could K-pop become a global phenomenon?

That being said, the same sort of acceptance ought to apply to films, an even more important cultural medium. The bottom line is that this film did not actually transcend language. It did not crack the code of the American psyche and plenty of other foreign films are absolutely just as character-driven — and yet the Academy failed to recognize them.

Bong’s work undoubtedly deserved “Best Picture,” but did it need to be awarded “Best International Feature Film?” The fact that “Parasite” swept up a whopping four awards strongly signals that foreign films can win high awards and find success in the lucrative American box offices.

Yet, clumping the two accolades together is essentially a weak nod to these non-American filmmakers. The Academy and audiences alike would never treat foreign language documentaries with this sort of carelessness. But, non-documentary genres communicate just as important and often universal messages. This habit of passively watching until we’re called out for our blindspots cannot continue.

Bong’s joke equating subtitles to a oneinch barrier may have been a lighthearted jab, GRAPHIC BY CLARA KIM but it reveals how deeply embedded xenophothat actors’ efforts and production teams’ taking place cognitively and culturally. The bia is in the collective American conscioushours of filming fail to capture the facial media’s treatment of “Parasite” as an excep- ness. Now that we have awarded a foreign expressions and voice fluctuations that com- tion to all foreign films reflects our refusal to filmmaker and streaming services have done municate universally understood emotions. recognize how narrow-minded Hollywood has the work for us, we have no more excuses left Some argue that subtitles introduce become. to avoid foreign films. another cognitive strain, especially when Reminding ourselves of how people So if you haven’t seen “Parasite” yet, go. the plot is complex and demands one’s full approach music shines a harsh but necessary But that shouldn’t be your only attempt.

CROSSWORD

This week’s crossword puzzle is brought to you by Bethany Moore COURTESY OF MIRROREYES.COM / CROSSWORD ANSWERS AVAILABLE ON https://dfpress.co/2MGBWlc

ACROSS 1. Twinge 5. Verse 10. Be dressed in 14. On the road 15. Slack-jawed 16. Anagram of “Rave” 17. Similitude 19. Caribou 20. Barely manage 21. Not a single time 22. Feudal workers 23. Preordain 25. Package holidays 27. Not cold 28. A fibrous amphibole 31. Shoemaker’s awl 34. Circumscribe 35. Erst 36. Negatives 37. Astronomical visitor 38. Not the original color 39. Cacophony 40. Elder

DOWN 41. Fails to win 42. Pad for sheet music 44. Unhappy 45. Wooden pin 46. An opera glass 50. Expensive 52. Brownish gray 54. Embrace 55. Stone 56. Gem of the month 58. Wings 59. Odd-numbered page 60. Boats 61. Defrost 62. Pale with fright 63. Toward sunset

Victoria Bond, Editor-in-Chief Samantha Kizner, Campus Editor

1. Walked nervously 2. Aroused 3. What we are called 4. Cheat 5. A father or mother 6. Pointed arch 7. Leisure 8. Athletes 9. Hankering 10. Waterproof hip boots 11. Remains too long 12. Coral barrier 13. Makes a mistake 18. Negatively charged particle 22. Cooking fat 24. Not that 26. Death notice 28. Intended 29. Curved molding 30. Mats of grass 31. Terminates 32. Nonclerical 33. Pertaining to

an ecclesiastical council 34. Feelings of allegiance 37. Make do 38. Extinct flightless bird 40. Wet, as morning grass 41. Paths 43. Missile 44. Draw off 46. Hill 47. Task 48. Blockheads 49. Excrete 50. Baby buggy 51. Part in a play 53. Coy 56. Brassiere 57. A Hebrew letter

Jennifer Suryadjaja, Managing Editor

Angela Yang, City Editor

Sarah Readdean, Features Editor

t h e i n d e p e nd e nt st ude n t n ewspap e r at bo sto n un i versity 50th year | Volume 98 | Issue 4 The Daily Free Press (ISSN 1094-7337) is printed 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 © 2020 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Chris Larabee, Sports Editor Ausma Palmer, Photo Editor

Hillary Hao, Editorial Page Editor

Caroline DeHaven, Video Editor

Sophia Yakumithis, Blog Editor

Maya Chadda, Layout Editor

Justin Tang, Podcast Editor

OPINION 9

Cancelled:

COLUMNS Culture Shock:

Devil’s advocates must be The Oscars don’t promote enough racial diversity disbarred

BY SABINE OLLIVIER-YAMIN COLUMNIST

On the day after famed right-wing speaker Ben Shapiro visited campus, one of my classes began with an uncomfortable discussion about the ramifications of his visit. We debated whether he should’ve been allowed to come to Boston University after making multiple reprehensible statements, often having inconsistent viewpoints and potentially made students of color feel unsafe.

There were several back and forths between students, but it came to a breaking point when one student played devil’s advocate and said something like the following: “Ben Shapiro is very similar to Martin Luther King Jr. They both have similar viewpoints and were met by pushback from the general public.”

I fell out of my chair.

The discussion quickly ended after that because class ended, but it haunted me for the rest of the day. How could someone say something like that about a figure who tweeted that Trayvon Martin deserved to be murdered by the police? Moreover, how was a discussion that was meant to clarify and reconcile students’ feelings lead to more confusion and anger?

This kind of behavior is not unique. There have been multiple TikToks made about the moment when “the racist kid in class wearing a suit” raises his hand and asks to play devil’s advocate for a chance to spout some racist nonsense.

In high school, my history classes were overrun by this kind of person.

They thrived on conflict, the disruption of meaningful discussion and the chance to spew racist, derogatory arguments. It’s one thing to be racist on their Twitter accounts, but it’s something different altogether when doing it in an

academic setting.

When questioned about their viewpoints, I’ve noticed that these people tend to defend themselves by saying that they were merely trying to “broaden” the conversation. Their opponents are infringing upon their freedom of speech, and trapping themselves inside an echo chamber by not “listening to facts.”

Frankly, these types of claims have nothing to do with what makes a fruitful discussion.

Let’s say we wanted to have a discussion on the legacy of slavery in America, which is what Shapiro attempted to do in his speech on campus last November. A devil’s advocate would demand that we need to hear what Shapiro has to say, so here is a rough summary: black Americans need to stop conflating the past with the present, victimizing themselves. That is what he would add to the conversation.

His argument ignores any semblance of context — of slavery causing undoable trauma on future generations of black Americans, of the government offering no substantial aid to former slaves once slavery was abolished, of Jim Crow laws that allowed and encouraged violence against black Americans, of mass incarceration that disproportionately imprisons black individuals.

Other scholars have written papers and books disproving his point far better than I can.

The point still stands: Shapiro, along with other devil’s advocates, constructed a terrible argument.

Look at how much time we just wasted disproving his obviously false and prejudiced claim.

How can anyone believe that centuries of slavery and systematic oppression have no effect on how black Americans are treated today?

The same goes for the devil’s advocate in my writing class. How on earth is Shapiro anything near iconic civil rights activist MLK? How on earth could we possibly get anywhere in discussions if we keep entertaining these clowns?

I can say with confidence that these advocates who attempt to represent the devil do not broaden the conversation, or enrich it with a different viewpoint. All they do is disrupt it and mask their egregious thoughts as legitimate arguments. Therefore, I rule that devil’s advocates should be disbarred and cancelled until further notice.

INTERROBANG

BY COLBI EDMONDS COLUMNIST

There has always been underrepresentation of minorities in Hollywood. Growing up, I didn’t see many people of color, let alone in leading roles.

Film and television casts were lacking in diversity, thus perpetuating stereotypes about minorities.

Behind the camera there was, and still is, an overwhelming amount of white male directors.

No black person has ever won in this category.

And the black actors and actresses who do feature in these films are rarely nominated. This dearth of minority actors highlights the much larger problem with the media.

By failing to include and recognize people of color, the media is trying to speak for us without experiencing the oppression that shapes every part of our lives.

And because of the powerful rhetoric of a so-called “post-racial” America, when the annual awards season comes around, I get my hopes up. Maybe this time things will change: more minorities will be nominated and more women will be heard. But, the same things happen over and over. As usual, there are a lot of white men.

There have been 92 Oscar commencements.

In all of those shows, only four black men have won Best Actor. Only one Latinx man has won once and his status as a person of color was highly contested.

Even in categories that are just females, there is no diversity. This year, the nominees for Best Supporting Actress were all white. In the Best Actress category, there was one black nominee — Halle Berry is the only black female to ever win in this category. As such, this category is also disappointing.

Did the Academy forget about the intellec-

tually-stimulating horror film “Us?” Leading actress Lupita Nyong’o deserves to be recognized for her performance in that film. Or what about Jennifer Lopez’s acting in “Hustlers?”

Not that these women’s merits are lost when the Academy don’t recognize them. But, not doing so lets Hollywood off the hook for its whiteness. It’s a subtle, yet bold statement about the perceived importance and attractiveness of telling minorities’ stories on the big screen for the world to see.

It’s a tough thought to swallow that the Academy is unaware of the consequences of their actions.

But, all hope is not lost. Director Matthew Cherry and Producer Karen Rupert Toliver won Best Animated Short Film for “Hair Love.” This film is about an African American father learning how to style his daughter’s hair. It doesn’t sound like a big deal because the topic seems so mundane on the surface. After all, it isn’t an action movie or some poetic statement about mental health.

But for girls like me who have struggled with their hair texture and feeling attractive despite eurocentric beauty standards, it was empowering to see this film win. By awarding “Hair Love,” the Academy recognized something I struggle with everyday and reminded the world that natural hair is beautiful, too.

As a society, we have permitted underrepresentation for so long — not just in Hollywood, but in all institutions. We have accepted the bare minimum and turned a shoulder where things were and continue to be wrong. People of color are capable, talented and deserving of recognition for the work that they do.

The Oscars is a night for the most esteemed people in Hollywood to be recognized for their hard work. But when we constantly praise the same type of people, it discourages everyone who doesn’t fit the mold. Why would I, an African American and Mexican woman, believe in my own success if mostly white men win?

The media has decided without me that I, and what I represent, aren’t compelling to the American public. It makes me feel my voice is being partially heard because someone up there gets it — they get what it’s like to be the only person of color in the room.

Friday is Valentine’s Day, meaning gifts are a big deal this weekend.

We here at the ol’ Free Press want to know — what would BU groups want for Valentine’s Day?

QST: Goldman Sachs interview

Transfers: Their GPA back

COM: Attention

FreeP: Nud Pob gift gard

Class of 2022: Hub units

Nobody: Rhett bench

CGS: New crayons

ENG: A date

Allston: Rat traps

10 SPORTS

7th Inning Stretch: A trade that should not have happened

BY JACOB GURVIS COLUMNIST

It finally happened. After months of rumors and a hectic week of conf licting reports, the Boston Red Sox have traded star outfielder Mookie Betts and former Cy Young award winner David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Though the prospect of the Sox dealing Betts has seemed inevitable for some time now, it is still remarkable.

The trade, made off icial on Monday, sends Betts, Price and $48 million to L.A. for 23-year-old outfielder Alex Verdugo, shortstop Jeter Downs (MLB’s 44th-ranked prospect) and catching prospect Connor Wong. The deal successfully brings Boston well below the luxury tax threshold of $208 million.

In announcing the trade on simply put, stunning. players and suffering because of it.

Monday, Red Sox Chief Baseball In just six seasons, Betts boasts Ownership recognized that it was Officer Chaim Bloom praised Betts an eye-popping resume: four All-Star time to break that habit, and they and Price for their contributions to selections, four consecutive Gold brought in an analytically-minded the 2018 championship team, but Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, four Yale University graduate with a track placed the emphasis on the future. consecutive top-10 MVP finishes — record of squeezing wins out of a The trade, Bloom says, puts the including a landslide victory in 2018 low-budget team. Bloom did what he Sox in a better position to compete — a career .301 batting average and was hired to do. He substantially lowlong-term. a 162-game average of 28 homers, 96 ered the payroll, partially re-tooled After such a watershed trade, runs batted in, 197 hits and 125 runs. the farm system and brought in some there is a mountain of reactions, critIt is no exaggeration to suggest major-league-ready talent (Verdugo) icisms and successes to sort through. that Betts is on track for a Hall of to help the 2020 team.

Following two sets of trade news and Fame career. As Bloom said Monday, The blame for this trade falls six days of chaos in between, here Betts was already one of the best squarely on the ownership. Fenway are some major takeaways from this players to ever wear a Red Sox uni- Sports Group, the Sox ownership historic transaction. form. And now he’s a Dodger. group led by John Henry and Tom This whole thing is bonkers The blame is not Bloom’s Werner, is worth $6.6 billion. Sure, a No matter what one thinks of the When the Sox hired Bloom, they $13 million tax hurts, but to suggest process or outcome of the blockbuster did so with a clear goal in mind: shed that the Sox could not afford to trade between the 2018 American payroll. After years of doling out pay Betts the money he will earn in League and National League cham- lucrative contracts to questionably free agency — likely north of $400 pions, no analysis of the trade can worthy players like Chris Sale and million — is ludicrous. proceed without establishing at the Nathan Eovaldi, Boston found itself Betts has been clear about his outset that the whole situation is, in a holding pattern of overpaying desire to test the market. But by

All it cost him was the best player to don a Red Sox uniform in recent memory.

continuing to lowball homegrown talent (a la Jon Lester in 2014) while overpaying others, ownership has put itself in this position –– where a deal like this can be spun as necessary.

Chaos aside, Boston benefitted from restructuring the deal We’ll never know if social media blowback played a role in the restructuring of the trade. When the initial deal was reported on Tuesday, Feb. 4, it was a three-team transaction that also included the Minnesota Twins.

The Sox were set to receive Verdugo and Twins prospect Brusdar Graterol, a flame-throwing 21-year-old pitcher from Venezuela.

During the process of reviewing medical information, the Sox were unhappy with Graterol’s injury history, and after much back and forth, the Twins pulled out of the deal. The Sox renegotiated with only L.A., and now have more prospects than

previously agreed upon.

Bloom claims that the reaction of fans and media played no role in the process. He’s probably right.

But regardless, the Sox came out with a much better haul the second time around. Once they learned that Graterol projects more as a late-innings reliever than a starter, their interest faded. Instead, they got two offensively prodigious and defensively flexible prospects with more long-term upside.

It was a hectic week to say the least, but the Sox did much better on their second try.

At the end of the day, baseball is a business Finally, it must be addressed that while trades like these are highly emotional, baseball is still a business. The Red Sox are a for-profit organization whose financial success depends on its on-field success. The baseball operations and ownership departments felt confident that this transaction puts both in better position.

No, that doesn’t make this easier.

The Sox still put themselves in a position where they believed that trading their best player was their best option. That remains absurd, and at least for now, an organizational failure.

But given the self-inf licted circumstances, Bloom made the most of it: he shipped off a 34-year old pitcher and $75 million total in payroll obligations. In return, he received a promising everyday outfielder and two high-quality prospects.

All it cost him was the best player to don a Red Sox uniform in recent memory.

The 2-3 Zone: On the fun Raptors and dominant Bucks

BY SEAN GOLONKA COLUMNIST

The “3” I am loving the Toronto Raptors right now. I know this is probably an unheard of statement coming from a Boston Celtics fan. But as someone who loves good basketball and good stories, it’s difficult for me to not love what’s happening in The Six. The Raptors have won 15 straight games. They have the second best defensive rating in the league. They play with grace on the offensive end and swarming intensity on the defensive end. They are on pace to win 61 games, three more than last year. And they’re doing it all after losing Kawhi Leonard, their Finals MVP from the 2019 season.

The Raptors are well-run. They play smart and respectable basketball. And even after losing a top-five player in the league, they are still a contender to reach the NBA Finals.

It’s so difficult to not like them.

Another feel good story is happening on the opposite side of the league, as Damian Lillard is currently scorching the earth with his play on the court.

The Portland Trail Blazers are currently jockeying for the eight seed in the Western Conference with the Memphis Grizzlies and a few other middling squads. And thanks to Lillard’s recent domination, they are closing in on that final playoff spot.

Over their last ten games, the

They’re led by a speedy version of Shaquille O’Neal with better playmaking skills in superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Blazers are 7-3 and Lillard has aver- pieces of this exchange, this trade aged 41.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and is going to be judged on the perfor9.4 assists per game during that mance of Wiggins. Sure, Russell is span on an absurd 51.5 field goal and going to be a fun partner for Karl3-point percentage.

Anthony Towns, and the Wolves’ If Lillard can keep this up and pick might even land the Warriors help lead the Blazers to the play- a solid rookie. offs in the Western Conference, he But if Wiggins can’t fit into the might be able to nudge his way into Warriors’ culture, this trade might the MVP conversation. look like a mess for general manager Just a bit down the NBA coast- Bob Myers in just a few years. line, a redemption story is underway.

Wiggins is unquestionably talOn the day of the NBA trade ented. He can give the Warriors 20 deadline, a blockbuster trade sent points a night with no problem.

D’Angelo Russell from the Golden But the issues with Wiggins State Warriors to the Minnesota are aplenty. He’s a career 33 percent Timberwolves and brought Andrew shooter from deep. His defensive Wiggins to the Bay Area. effort is uninspired. He barely Ignoring all the other bits and moves the rock. And all those prob-

lems make his fit alongside star guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson problematic.

Still, this is the first time Wiggins has had a positive winning culture around him since his University of Kansas days, and if he can find a way to actually improve his game, this trade could be a success for the Warriors.

The “2” Buddy Hield is a great shooter, a truly great shooter. Over his entire career, he has shot 41 percent from beyond the arc on close to seven attempts per game. This year, he’s upped those attempts per game to a whopping 9.9 and he’s still hitting them at a near 39 percent clip. He’s

also third in the league with over 200 threes made on the season.

Hield is just a ridiculously talented sniper and since being relegated to the bench on Jan. 24, he’s gone 47-for-92 from three in just nine games. Those are unbelievably great numbers, and it’s about time Hield gets his share of praise as one of the game’s great shooters.

Somehow even more unheralded at this point in the NBA season are the Milwaukeee Bucks.

Seriously, we need to be talking about the Bucks way more.

The national sports media is constantly focused on the two NBA teams out in Los Angeles, but the Bucks are currently on pace to win 71 games. They have the second best offensive rating in the league. They lead the league in defensive rating, points per game and rebounds per game.

Even beyond the numbers, they’re simply electric to watch.

Their teamwork and length outpace every other squad in the league.

And they’re led by a speedy version of Shaquille O’Neal with better playmaking skills in superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

This is a team that should be getting the same type of attention as the 2015-16 Warriors and unanimous MVP Steph Curry.

Antetokounmpo is that good and the Bucks are that good. So please, pay more attention to their basketball greatness.

SPORTS 11

Notebook: Terriers surge toward Patriot League tournament

BY MATT MEUSEL DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Currently sitting in second place in the Patriot League, the Boston University men’s basketball team has put itself in a position to make a run in the conference tournament in March.

The Terriers (15-11, 9-4 Patriot League) have won eight of their last 11 games and have asserted themselves as a contender in the conference. Two of their four conference losses have come against reigning Patriot League champion Colgate University (20-6, 11-2 Patriot League), with the most recent fall Monday night at Case Gym. This recent streak of hot play has centered around players stepping up for BU in conference games.

Rising Star Junior guard Javante McCoy is the prime example of a player on BU who has elevated his game as conference play has progressed.

The 6-foot-5-inch sharpshooter has averaged 15.5 points per game in 13 Patriot League games compared to 9.1 points per game in 13 non-conference games.

Head Coach Joe Jones spoke highly of the way McCoy has played this season.

“He’s put himself in a position to have success,” Jones said. “He’s our best playmaker out of the guard position.”

McCoy’s career scoring average is 11 points per game. The additional points he is scoring this season in high-profile performances, such as his season-high 24 points against Loyola University Maryland, have helped bring the Terriers to to their current place in the standings.

The Big Man The nucleus of the Terriers has been senior forward and captain Max Mahoney yet again this sea-

son. His effort on the board gives his team extra chances every time they’re out on the floor. Mahoney is averaging 15.5 points per game along with 7.6 rebounds per game.

Jones said his team “always has to be mindful of getting it inside,” but also the ball doesn’t need to be forced to Mahoney every time down the court.

The Basking Ridge, New Jersey native is also the team leader in blocks and steals. This team would be nowhere without their big man, and if the Terriers have any chance of winning the Patriot League Tournament, Mahoney will have to be playing at his best.

Return of Whyte Another crucial piece to BU’s success down the stretch has been sophomore guard Walter Whyte.

After missing all of last season due to an ankle bone bruise, Whyte leads the team in 3-pointers made and is second in scoring with 12.4 points per game. Whyte is also averaging 7 rebounds per game, just trailing behind Mahoney.

McCoy, Mahoney and Whyte make up BU’s version of the “Big Three” and are integral to the Terriers’ success.

Stepping Up Monday’s loss to first place Colgate was a tie game at halftime before the Raiders defense overwhelmed BU in the second half.

The lack of a fourth consistent scorer has been one of the Terriers’ weak points.

If BU were to play Colgate again this season, Jones said he likes his team’s chances.

“I love my team against anybody in our league,” Jones said.

Sophomore guards Jonas Harper and Alex Vilarino seem like the most-likely candidates to become that fourth primary scoring option. Harper is the

ANRAN XIE/ DFP FILE

Senior forward and captain Max Mahoney, shown in the Feb. 8 game against the College of the Holy Cross, leads the Terriers in points and rebounds per game as Boston University sits in second place in the Patriot League.

fourth-highest scorer on the team with 7.1 points per game, Vilarino trailing just behind him with 6.8 points per game.

The addition of a fourth offensive option to go to when the “Big Three” are being stymied can help the Terriers make a Patriot League tournament run all the way into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.

Jones said the Terriers cannot always rely on the star players in late-game scenarios.

“I think we have to be ready for other guys to step up in critical situations,” Jones said.

BU has also found success on the other side of the ball. They are allowing 68.5 points per game, which ranks third best in the conference. The Terriers also don’t

allow opponents too many extra chances as they are the second best defensive rebounding team in the Patriot League.

With just five games remaining in the regular season, it will be crucial for BU to win as many games as possible to secure homecourt for as long as they can in the conference tournament in just under three weeks.

Durant sinks free throws in final seconds to seal win BASKETBALL, FROM 12 three strong perimeter shooters on the floor at a time with Nelson and freshman guard Sydney Johnson.

“I think [Pina] has been really consistent for us game in and game out,” Moseley said. “I think our players really trust that she’s going to make big shots in big moments, and I think she has a lot of confidence in her shooting.”

The Terriers took a late lead, but the Raiders were able to tie the game with 19 seconds left.

On BU’s last possession of the game, Durant caught an offensive rebound at the block and was fouled with 1.5 seconds left.

Durant sunk both free throws, despite an attempt from the Colgate coaching staff to ice her by calling a timeout.

The Raiders had one final possession but were unable to even get a shot off, giving BU a 60-58 victory, moving the Terriers up into second place in the Patriot League.

Moseley believes that her team has proven itself capable of not only winning the Patriot League tournament, but also making a run into the NCAA tournament as well.

“Our goal from the beginning has been to win a Patriot League championship and go to the NCAA tournament,” Moseley said. “We said that back in the summer as what we wanted to accomplish.”

Moseley said that her team is focused on putting itself in a position to win the remaining six regular season games and go on to the Patriot League tournament riding a wave of victory.

The Terriers will look to extend their win streak to six games this Saturday against the United States Naval Academy (7-16, 2-10 Patriot League) on senior day. Irving and fellow senior Vanessa Edgehill will be honored before tipoff, which is set for 1 p.m. at Case Gym.

MADDIE EPPERSON/ DFP FILE

Senior forward Nia Irving, shown in a November 2018 game against the University of New Hampshire, poured in 12 points of her own in Boston University’s victory over the Colgate University Raiders Wednesday.

Follow along with BU Sports on Twitter: @DFPsports

“I love my team against anybody in our league.”

—Coach Jones on if he likes his team’s chances against Colgate University in the Patriot League tournament.

Sports

“You’re going to learn a lot right away. You’re going to be able to see where your strengths are and where your weaknesses are.”

––Coach Morton on what the team can take away from its first game of the season.

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020

Terriers earn 60-58 victory in final seconds over Colgate

BY ZOE PANTAZELOS DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Boston University women’s basketball team extended its win streak to f ive games in a na rrow 60-58 v ictor y against second-seeded Colgate University in Hamilton, New York Wednesday night.

It came down to the final seconds, but the Terriers (1310, 8-4 Patriot League) survived a fourth quarter ra l ly from the Raiders (16-7, 8-4 Patriot League), who came back from a seven-point deficit at the end of the third quarter.

BU is now the f irst team to defeat the Raiders on their home turf at Cotterell Court this season after Wednesday’s victory.

BU Head Coach Ma risa Moseley cred ited Ha m i lton as “a tough place to play” and said this game was a huge victory, especially for a young team starting three freshmen.

“I’m just really proud of all of our kids and I think we had some great contributions from people off the bench in [junior g uard] Tenisha Pressley and [senior for ward] Nia Ir ving,

and so I think all-around it was just a really great team effort,” Moseley said.

Freshman for ward Maren Durant scored seven points on the night, but none more important than the t wo free throws she made with 1.5 seconds left in the game.

Despite maintaining a lead for the majority of the game, a series of turnovers in the fourth quarter quickly put BU’s lead in jeopardy.

BU committed 28 turnovers in the victor y, but held the Raiders to only 19 points off those turnovers with 11 coming in the final frame.

Moseley said Colgate’s transition game was a huge factor in the Raiders nearly winning at the end of the game.

“They’re really good in transition, especially [Colgate senior guard] Rachel Thompson, so we had done a pretty good job up to that point of containing her in the half-court,” Moseley said.

“But her in the open f loor definitely was tough for us to contain, anybody to contain, she’s speedy.”

Thompson, who is the top scorer for the Ra iders a nd

second-highest scorer in the Patriot League, nearly recorded a double-double against the Terriers with 12 points and nine rebounds. Thompson also contributed five assists and five steals.

S en ior f or w a r d A bb y Schubiger led the Raiders in offense throughout the game, scoring a team-high 14 points and tallying an assist as well.

The Terriers had a strong offensive showing from freshman guard Maggie Pina, who scored a game-high 18 points, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 67 percent from beyond the arc. Pina was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week for the fifth time this season earlier this week.

Junior guard Katie Nelson played all 40 minutes and scored 12 points, while sophomore forward Riley Childs had a strong all-around performance with nine points, four steals and six rebounds.

Moseley said Pina’s strong offensive per for ma nce ha s helped “spread the wealth” in allowing the Terriers to have

CONTINUED ON 11

MADDIE EPPERSON/ DFP FILE

Junior guard Katie Nelson, shown in a November 2018 game against the University of New Hampshire, scored 12 points and played all 40 minutes as the Terriers defeated Colgate University 60-58 Wednesday.

BU falls to rival Boston College in season opener 16-6

BY MANDY PURCELL DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Boston University women’s lacrosse team opened its season at Nickerson Field with a loss against archrival No. 5 Boston College, 16-6.

The Eagles (1-1) scored 11 second half goals as they continued their decade-long victory streak over the Terriers (0-1).

BU junior attack Makenzie Irvine led the team in scoring with two goals and converted a free-position shot.

BC junior attack Charlotte North exploded for eight goals against the Terriers, raising her season total to 11 goals after two games, good for second-most in the country.

BU head coach Lauren Morton said starting the season against a topfive team is a chance to determine her team’s skillset.

“I think you’ll learn a lot,” Morton said. “You’re going to learn a lot right away. You’re going to be able to see where your strengths are and where your weaknesses are.”

The first half started with an Eagles possession and sophomore attack Jenn Medjid attempted a shot on goal, but BU senior goalie Bianca Smith made the save.

North eventually opened up the

scoring just over a minute later, followed by junior attack Jordan Lappin to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.

The Terriers and Eagles traded shots on goal, but both remained unsuccessful until BU sophomore attack Hannah Kenneally got the Terriers on the board, but North scored her second goal of the game 27 seconds later.

The scoring assault continued as Irvine scored two goals in 12 seconds to bring the score to a 3-3 tie.

Approximately 15 minutes into the first half, the Terriers got their first lead over the Eagles with junior midfielder Emily Vervlied scoring.

The Terriers continued to gain the lead over the Eagles with BU freshman attack Lauren Kaye, sinking the Terriers’ fifth goal.

A free-position play was given to the Eagles but the shot was saved by Smith. The Eagles went for a second attempt that proved successful with a third goal of the game from North.

North’s scoring streak continued as she scored again, tying the game at 5-5.

Despite the consistent output of scoring for the majority of the first half, the final six minutes were scoreless as the Terriers and Eagles went into the break knotted at five.

The second half started in the Eagles favor as Medjid scored two quick goals, giving BC a lead it did not relinquish.

The Terriers couldn’t keep up their first half momentum going as senior midfielder Lexi Lewis scored the lone BU goal of the second half.

Morton expressed how the team needs to build up their physical endurance to outlast teams like BC. “We’ve got to learn how to play a full 60 minutes. At the end of the day, we really showed up in the first half,” Morton said. “I think we have some left in the tank and I think that’s kind of a regret.”

Scoring momentum went back to the Eagles with two more goals by North and another by Lappin. The Eagles hit double digits with a 10-6 lead 11 minutes into the second period.

North extended the lead to eight for the Eagles with a shot assisted

by Lappin. Medjid soon added her own hat trick to the mix with a goal assisted by North.

Lappin earned a hat trick soon after with her third goal being scored with a free-position shot. BC senior attack Cara Urbank also got on the board for the first time with just under 16 minutes left.

CAROLINE FERNANDEZ/ DAILY FREE PRESS

Junior midfielder Emily Vervlied scored her first goal of the season in Boston University’s season-opening 16-6 loss to No. 5 Boston College Wednesday.

A last-second goal by Boston College redshirt freshman midfielder Cassidy Weeks ended the game with a final score of 16-6 as the Eagles continued their 11 year streak of beating BU. Morton expressed the Terriers need to learn from this game and improve on their play for their next

game Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. against Niagara University (0-0). “[This game] allows us the ability to watch this film and turn around and we have a game right away,” Morton said, “but I think I’d rather learn early on what we need to be able to fix.”

SATURDAY, FEB. 15

SUNDAY, FEB. 16

BOTTOM LINE FRIDAY, FEB. 14

Women’s Lacrosse takes on Niagara University at 4 p.m.

FRIDAY, FEB. 14

SATURDAY, FEB. 15

Men’s Hockey travels to the

Men’s Lacrosse travels to the

Women’s Basketball faces

University of

University of Massachusetts

the U.S. Naval Academy

New Hampshire at 7 p.m.

Lowell at 1 p.m.

at 1 p.m.

Women’s Hockey takes on University of New Hampshire at 2:30 p.m.