The Daily Free Press
Year xli. Volume lxxxii. Issue lxxxxx.
HOLY HOTEL PRICE! Room prices rise as graduations near, page 3
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University
RAPS’ RIDDLES
Researcher explores brain’s rhyming ability, page 5
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SUPER SOPHS
WEATHER
Last year’s rookies lead the way for 27-13 softball team, page 8
Today: Cloudy, High 58 Tonight: Cloudy, Low 46 Tomorrow: 60/41 Data Courtesy of weather.com
Green Street Vault may not have proper permits to park, sell Slain GSM student By Jen Janiak Daily Free Press Staff
Unless shoppers stumbled upon the Green Street Vault truck parked in areas such as Newbury Street, they had to track the mobile clothing company’s location on social media sites. Now, however, the truck’s daily trips through Boston have hit a roadblock. After receiving a citation from the City of Boston for “Occupying City Property without ‘proper permits,’” the Boston start-up is no longer allowed to park in Downtown Boston or the Back Bay, said co-owner Howard Travis in an email interview. “We were initially told all we needed were ‘Hawkers and Peddlers’ licenses, so that’s what we have, but according to these city citations we were issued, we’re missing permits that actually don’t exist within city legislature,” he said. Hawkers and peddlers are not allowed to operate downtown or in the Back Bay, Travis said. He and co-owner Derrick Cheung contend that their company, which sells clothing and hats, does not quite fit within any of the city’s defined guidelines. The mobile store ran into trouble with city officials in early March, Travis said, despite his and Cheung’s efforts to obtain all the necessary permits before starting business in early 2011. Since Green Street Vault conducts business transactions within the truck –not actually on the streets of Boston – the truck “technically operates in a ‘grey area,’” Travis said.
remembered by friends, professors By Jaime Lutz Daily Free Press Staff
mented to assist all students,” he said. “It’s not necessarily just an RHA issue, and we would want to make sure that a communication channel is established so that issues could be identified.” Union Vice President Alex Staikos, a SMG sophomore, said the draft constitution was unclear about the role of a faculty advisor in the OEC. The OEC, Male said, might interfere with Union and make unclear the difference in role of OEC and Union. “If there is confusion about which body handles something, then neither body has authority and is able to effectively advocate for students,” he said. The council also aims to address allocation of funds to different residence halls. “Some residence halls really don’t get enough money to do much, and some get
When India native Kanagala Seshadri Rao was accepted to the School of Management, he had never been to America before. He called Lokesh Amarnath Ravindranathan, a master’s candidate at the School of Engineering, to pick him up at the airport. Rao, Ravindranathan said, was “immediately excited” by the new country – in particular, its food. “He was amazed at the variety,” he said. “[That first day,] we probably went to Kelly’s on Harvard Avenue” – a roast beef sandwich chain – “just to taste real American food.” Rao, he said, loved it. Last Thursday – just months later – Rao was shot to death a few blocks away on a street in Allston. “Sesh,” as friends knew him, was 24. Rao was endlessly curious about other people and the world around him – though he was slightly shy, he “truly cared about what he was doing and what other people were doing,” said Ravindranathan, who went to school with Rao in India before becoming his classmate again at Boston University. Both in India and America, Rao was known as a genuinely nice person, one who cared deeply about his schoolwork, one who was always willing to lend a hand. “We are truly and deeply saddened by Seshadri Rao’s tragic death,” President Robert Brown said in a statement to The Daily Free Press. “We extend our sincere condolences to Sesh’s parents, brother, relatives and friends, as well as his classmates and other members of the university community who are grieving.” The university, Brown said, is working closely with the Boston Police Department to investigate and resolve the case. SMG Dean Kenneth Freeman, who spoke to a class of Rao’s a few weeks ago, described him as a student “of the highest integrity.” What he will remember most, he said, is Rao’s spirit in the classroom. “I remember Sesh very well because he was very inquisitive,” Freeman said. “He had great questions, and he was very engaged in the dialogue.” Rao came to SMG after several years of working in India. A gifted student and skilled with computers, Rao was pursuing a master’s
Union, see page 4
Obit, see page 2
AMANDA SWINHART/FILE PHOTO
After being shut down by the city, Green Street Vault is hoping to obtain the proper permits to continue selling on the streets of Boston.
If the city considered the company a “hawker and peddler,” he said, it would group Green Street Vault “with pushcarts selling $5 sunglasses and roasted nuts.” “Not that there is anything wrong with that by any means, we are just clearly a very different business,” he said. Green Street Vault and the city are now at a standstill, Travis said. “We are patiently waiting and abiding by
the city’s laws by vending outside of their ‘restricted vending zone’ until a meeting can be set with city officials to determine our status,” he said. Boston University students said they are surprised at the conflict between the city and the clothing company. “I find it astounding that such an innovative
Vault, see page 2
Union proposes RHA council, smoking courtesy campaign By Chris Lisinski Daily Free Press Staff
Student Union members expressed concerns Monday night about the creation of a Residence Hall Association Overarching Executive Council at Boston University for Fall 2012. Towers RHA President Zach Herbert, a College of Engineering sophomore, said the council was approved and should form after presenting a draft constitution. “This Overarching Executive Council is meant to provide some sort of central leadership to RHAs,” Herbert said. “It is 100 percent internal and 100 percent student run.” Herbert said the council is expected to implement training programs for RHA members to address a steep learning curve and to create continuity for the organization. “Sometimes there are issues that take
place in every residence hall, and it is much easier to address these issues with one structure,” Herbert said. “The OEC also will address quality-of-life concerns that often occur in more than one residence hall.” The announcement raised questions among a number of Union members about the council’s relationship with the rest of Union and the possibility of splintered student voice, among other possibilities. “The discussion that occurred here reflected concerns that the OEC may cause confusion and fragment the student voice,” said Union President Howard Male, a School of Hospitality Administration and School of Management senior. Male said he is concerned it will be unclear to administrators and students who is responsible for quality-of-life issues, especially when the problems exist beyond residence halls. “One cohesive project can be imple-
MBTA officials working on smartphone app, commuter rail riders pay in advance By Samantha Tatro Daily Free Press Staff
Smartphones are the only thing commuter rail passengers need to board trains by the fall, potentially reducing costs for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. The transit organization is partnering with Masabi to create a mobile ticketing application that will allow riders to pay for their fare on the commuter rail through their smartphones, according to an MBTA press release. Applications will be available for BlackBerry, iPhone and Android phones, and users will be able to purchase passes and tickets on their phones prior to boarding their trains, the release stated. “For the passengers, the system removes the problem of having to wait in line at ticket machines – you will be able to buy your ticket wherever you are,” said Ben Whitaker, Masabi CEO, in an email interview. “It also means one less thing to take with you when traveling.” Masabi designed the United Kingdom’s secure mobile ticketing system, Whitaker said, and once the MBTA ran an open procurement
process to compare mobile ticketing suppliers, they chose Masabi as a partner. “Initially the applications will allow passengers to use their smartphones as both ticket and ticket machine, allowing them to securely purchase tickets and then display them onscreen as a ticket which can be read by train conductors and station staff,” he said. Although the aim of the app will be to ensure the purchasing process works smoothly, Whitaker said the application can later be a foundation for “more advanced features supporting the commuter in their whole journey throughout the day – not just buying the ticket.” MBTA spokeswoman Lydia Rivera said the largest benefit of the app will be the ability to collect fares. “The number-one benefit is being able to collect the fares and make sure we are collecting all the fares,” Rivera said. “It will be an easier and smoother transaction for customers.” “We have not identified where the money is coming from right now,” Rivera said. “We are looking at the long term benefits. . . . While we are in the dire straits of a budget gap, we
feel that moving forward with the new app is a customer service convenience and will ensure fares are collected.” At this time, customers will not have to pay for the app, Rivera said, and the MBTA will work with Masabi on the application. “The new solution will help the MBTA reduce costs by eliminating the need for additional vending machines and lowering cash handling costs,” according to the press release. “To help combat fare evasion, all mobile tickets will have barcodes allowing for validation.” Rivera said while the MBTA currently has the CharlieCard for the T, the application “is something that could definitely be expanding.” However, the transit system is currently focusing on the commuter rail, Rivera said. “In the coming months, the MBTA will be inviting customers to participate in designing the new applications via focus groups and a small group pilot, which will roll out in late summer,” according to the release. “The full deployment to all MBTA customers is expected this fall.”
ILLUSATRAION AUDREY FAIN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
A customer purchases tickets for the T. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail customers will no longer need to go to the machines to buy tickets, as soon they will be able to buy them with smartphones.