The Daily Free Press
Year xli. Volume lxxxii. Issue lxxxii.
Campus & City
CONDOM COP OUTS: Study finds why some girls might avoid page 3 condoms
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Tuesday, March 6, 2012 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University Sports SCIENCE TUESDAY
PROTEIN SHAKE: Researchers potentially find key to extending life page 5
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HARTFORD-BREAK: W. basketball upset in conf. semifinals page 8
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MBTA to use digial advertisement to help close budget gap Universities across
nation discuss plans against sexual assault
By Samantha Tatro Daily Free Press Staff
In a move that could generate about $1 million annually for the T, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will partner with media sales company Titan to install “Digital Advertising networks” at four MBTA stations. “Every dollar helps, and we continue to work towards identifying ways to generate revenue, such as advertising,” said MBTA spokeswoman Lydia Rivera. “This is just another example of creativity to seek non fare revenue ideas.” Platforms will display series of large, digital-ad billboards “designed to deliver high-quality, compelling advertising, transit and editorial content to the MBTA rider” will initially be placed at Park Street, North Station, South Station and Harvard Square, according to a letter from Titan to the MBTA. “We believe that the visibility of these Displays, coupled with the captive nature of the transit environment will command a significant premium from advertisers,” Titan wrote in the letter. With the MBTA’s $160 million dollar budget deficit, revenue from the new digital ads is an “excellent opportunity” for the MBTA, Rivera said. “This is one of various opportunities that can help us,” she said. “This is something
By Amelia Pak-Harvey Daily Free Press Staff
This is the third part of a series examining how Boston University handles cases of sexual assault, in response to the two separate arrests of men’s hockey players for sexual assault in the last two months.
Despite the negative publicity tied to Romney’s history as a policymaker, he said, what should ultimately draw voters to Romney is his private sector experience. “I think that’s really important because if you’ve been in the private sector,” he said, “then you really have a better understanding of the incentive that the private sector requires to perform hiring.” Although Romney’s attempts to downplay his experience as governor in favor of his private sector experience may help develop support within the Republican party, it may have the opposite effect on moderates and Democrats, said Chris Towner, a sophomore involved with the Boston University College Democrats and a BU College of Arts and Sciences student. “His moderate accomplishments like healthcare help make him much more appealing to Democrats than his opponents,” Towner said. “One of Mitt’s problems is
The spotlight following the arrests of two Boston University hockey players has revealed that some universities have more resources and codes for sexual assault reaction than BU. While some private universities have similar policies to BU for rape and other types of sexual assault, other schools offer different resources to address these incidents. BU spokesman Colin Riley said the university holds students accountable for their violations in the code of responsibilities, whether it is on or off campus. “For every case we hear for an alleged violation of the code of student responsibilities, the sanction can run from no action up to suspension or even expulsion,” Riley said. “Each case is treated individually, on the facts of that particular case.” After an allegation of sexual misconduct is brought against a student, the university uses a “preponderance of the evidence” to determine if sexual misconduct occurred, according to BU’s Lifebook. Syracuse University’s non-consensual sex policy stated that after a student sends a complaint to the Office of Judicial Affairs and the University Judicial System finds students in violation of the policy, they could face suspension or expulsion. Syracuse offers a Silent Witness Program to report crimes anonymously, similar to BU’s anonymous tip submission online or via text, and has an Advocacy Center with programs that address sexual or relationship violence. “Our crime-prevention and investigation departments both do proactive presentations where they talk about avoiding sexual activity under the influence of alcohol, because issues of consent become very clouded when one or both persons are drunk,” said Jennifer Horvath, the public information officer at Syracuse’s Department of Public Safety, in an email. Horvath said the Advocacy Center is the best on-campus resource for these issues. The center offers peer programs such as Sex Esteem, a group that discusses healthy relationships, sex and sexuality, as well as A Men’s
Tuesday, see page 2
Sex, see page 4
AUDREY FAIN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Print ad billboards in T stations, as shown here at the Kenmore Square T station, may be a thing of the past: In the hopes of raising revenue, the MBTA is planning to install digital ad billboards.
that, if this is well received and we experience monetary gains, we will continue with.” Titan, which already advertises on MBTA buses, subway car interiors and exteriors, T platforms and commuter rail platforms, serves about 12 major U.S. cities, including New York and Los Angeles.
In addition to installing one three-sided digital billboard about six-feet across diagonally, the company will install six six-foot digital displays and 32 four-foot digital displays, according to the letter. Titan recommended the MBTA alternate between displaying editorial content such as
MBTA, see page 2
Super Tuesday predictions look favorably toward Romney By Joseph Dalia Daily Free Press Staff
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney should have no trouble winning the Republican primary in the Commonwealth on Super Tuesday, said Professor Douglas Kriner, who teaches American politics at Boston University. About 64 percent of Bay State Republicans said they would vote for Romney, with Rick Santorum trailing in second place at 16 percent and Ron Paul at 7 percent, according to a recent Suffolk University poll. Romney’s background in Massachusetts politics, Kriner said, should serve as a major advantage in Tuesday’s primary. “Romney will certainly be helped by his time as Massachusetts governor in the primary,” he said in an email. “Massachusetts voters already have a strong connection with Romney and he is close to a lock to win.” Despite Romney’s tendency through-
out his campaign to distance himself from the moderate policy positions he endorsed as the governor of Massachusetts, Kriner said, his standing with the state’s voters will likely remain unharmed. “Romney’s opponents are quick to point out a number of significant changes in positions between Governor Romney and Candidate Romney . . . [but] Romney’s tacking to the right to win the Republican primary is unlikely to hurt his chances in Massachusetts,” he said. To broaden his appeal among conservative voters, Romney should distance himself from the issues surrounding healthcare reform, said Greg DeSocio, president of the Boston University College Republicans. “The healthcare [issue] might work against him,” DeSocio, a BU School of Management senior, said. “However, the argument he’s been making, which I think has been a really strong one, is that some things might be good for a state but bad for the country.”
Students question if culture taken seriously By Thea Di Giammerino Daily Free Press Staff
Members of Boston University’s Center for Gender, Sexuality and Activism said the campus harvests a “rape culture,” especially in light of this semester’s reported sexual assault incidents. The two seperate cases of alleged sexual assault involving hockey players and three reports of ‘peeping Toms’ have exacerbated concerns over BU’s culture. While a number of students questioned the culture, not everyone may be taking the issue seriously. “Doubting individual stories, or denying a rape culture exists, perpetuates the problem,” said Ariana Katz, the co-director of CGSA. “Discrediting the idea of a rape culture is simultaneously discrediting the experiences of survivors and people that are living in a rape culture.” CGSA members began using the term pub-
licly to discuss how rape is trivialized and how survivors fail to report their assaults out of fear of public shame, Katz said. Filmmakers coined the term rape culture in a 1975 film about men sexually assaulting other men in prison. “You prove a rape culture by the people that are affected by it and by the feeling,” the College of Arts and Science senior said. “So when we talk about how rape culture at BU is a thing, we’re saying these women that came out against the rapists, the hockey players, . . . that their experience is something we’re seeing larger at BU.” College of Communication junior Michelle Tsiakaros, a CGSA volunteer and a member of the Feminist Collective, said people desensitize rape via their speech and actions. “It’s making BU memes about rape,” Tsiakaros said. “It’s making casual comments like ‘That test raped me.’” The popularity of BU memes, such as one
Meme, see page 4
COURTSEY OF BU MEMES
This example from BU Memes is one of several that have been created that make light of recent sexual assault incidents. Some students say this reflects upon the “rape culture” at Boston University.