Terriers
Former field hockey player returns to BU as assistant coach
New BU president pushes
BY CRYSTAL YORMICK Campus Co-Editor
AND KAYLA BALTAZAR Campus Co-Editor
Melissa Gilliam is prioritizing communication, collaboration and community as she begins her time as Boston University’s 11th president. She officially began her tenure on July 1.
Gilliam enters her position during a tumultuous time at the University, as the BU Graduate Workers Union remains on strike and the ResLife Union continues to negotiate for a fair contract. She said she is approaching these on-campus labor disputes by “listening [to] and hearing” their perspectives.
Student Body President Akwasi Antwi said he was “thrilled” when Gilliam was appointed president of BU. Antwi said Gilliam, the University’s first Black and first female president, represents a lot of students.
“Having meetings with her, in which students can actively attend and ask questions … is pretty much at the top of my priority list,” Antwi said.
Gilliam said she plans to meet regularly with BU student leaders throughout the semester.
In addition to student groups, Gilliam has been meeting with leaders at other Bostonarea universities. Despite the assumption that BU is competing with other institutions, Gilliam finds there is a “generosity of spirit” among local universities.
“We have a lot of opportunities
for unity, progress ahead of inauguration Viewers tune into presidential debate at watch parties across Boston
BY LAUREN ALBANO City Co- Editor
AND CHARLIE JOHNSON Associate City Editor
Bars, restaurants and college classrooms filled up across Boston to put on watch parties during the presidential debate on Tuesday night.
As Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican nominee former President Donald Trump took the debate stage, several institutions across Boston also took to hosting fellow members of their communities to watch the debate.
to partner on projects [and] borrow and share ideas but also to think about how you can create regional hubs,” Gilliam said. Gilliam is also assuming presidency in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn affirmative action, a ruling that prohibits colleges from considering race in admissions. The Class of 2028 is the first class to be admitted since the ruling, and Black student admissions at BU have dropped
from 9% to 3%.
The University is focused on building “infrastructure, processes and programs” to combat the Supreme Court decision and promote diversity on campus, Gilliam said. This includes examining students’ academic success and staying connected with alumni.
“I believe in taking complex and challenging situations and trying to say, ‘How do we use these moments to get even
better?’” Gilliam said.
BU is in the fourth year of its 10-year “Strategic Plan,” which prioritizes research, diversity, equity, community and global engagement. Gilliam said she hopes to move the institution forward by identifying the gaps among these values and supporting existing initiatives through strategy, operations and culture.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Zach Zinman, president of Tufts University Democrats, hosted a debate watch party at the Joyce Cummings Center on Tufts’s campus to provide a place for students to watch the event as a community and encourage more political participation.
“It’s the only election year of our college years,” Zinman said. “This election will shape the rest of our lives.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
BU’s Black first-year student enrollment falls to 3%
BY MARA MELLITS Editor-in-Chief
Boston University is one of the latest schools to report trends of decreasing diversity in its firstyear class following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to overturn affirmative action. The University reported that enrollment of Black students in the Class of 2028, the first class admitted following the decision, declined to 3% from last year’s 9%.
With this decline, BU joins other New England schools affected by the ruling, including Harvard University, Brown University, Tufts University and Amherst College.
“This is a really big change, and it’s very hard for a university to adjust to an admissions process that quickly,” BU President Melissa Gilliam said about the ruling during an interview on Sept. 9.
Gilliam, who replaced Interim President Kenneth Freeman on July 1, is BU’s first Black president. She plans to set up a task force to maintain diversity
in the student body, according to Gilliam’s statement.
As a result of the June 2023 Supreme Court decision, colleges are now banned from considering race in admissions. The decision was controversial and provoked disapproving statements from BU admissions.
BU Spokesperson Colin Riley
deferred comment to Gilliam’s statement.
BU Student Body President Akwasi Antwi said he was not surprised by the enrollment decline, and he plans to address it soon.
“This decision would have affected students like me,” Antwi, who is Black, said. “I think what
the University should be judged on is the validity of the steps that it takes to at least mitigate the effect that this problem has.”
Antwi said he plans to advocate for a Black student resource center as well as for BU to hire more Black professors in an effort to encourage more Black students to apply to the
University.
Oluwatofẹ Akinyanmi, a sophomore and co-host of the WTBU radio show “Melanin Matters,” was shocked by the news.
“I don’t want to lose the resources or the spaces that we created,” Akinyanmi said. “I feel like without people to maintain those spaces, it will be harder to maintain them overall.”
42% of the Class of 2028 are students of color, down from 44% last year, according to data from the University. The population of Asian-American students increased to 21% from last year’s 18%, and Hispanic students decreased to 12% from last year’s 13%. The enrollment of white students stayed at 29%.
“Getting more Black students to apply through University programs and highlighting that, despite the fact that this decision is out, there are still Black students here,” Antwi said. “If the University doesn’t do that, it’s failed in its mission.”
Campus Co-Editors Kayla Baltazar and Crystal Yormick contributedreporting.
University Admissions Office. Boston University reported a 6% decrease in the Black student population for the Class of 2028. BU’s financial aid rollout impacts more than student accounts
Boston University’s 11th president, Melissa Gilliam. Gilliam has stated it is important for her to work with student leaders on campus, including those from the BU Graduate Workers Union and ResLife Union.
ZACH SCHWARTZ | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Gilliam draws on past presidents, looks to future
Continuedfrompage1
The gaps include improving consistency in operations across the Charles River Campus and the BU Medical Campus, modernizing operations and implementing a clearer strategy around faculty and staff development, Gilliam said.
“[We are] really continuing to think about our external engagement, and then also making sure that all people, our faculty, staff and students, feel like they have the support and the opportunities and experiences they need,” Gilliam said.
Natalie McKnight, dean of the College of General Studies, wrote in an email to The Daily Free Press that Gilliam has been very collaborative so far.
“I am so impressed by President Gilliam’s richly interdisciplinary background and how she is harnessing that in bridging the arts and sciences in plans for BU’s future,” McKnight wrote. “I am also inspired by her enthusiasm for BU’s legacy of inclusivity and her commitment to extending that mission as we move forward.”
College of Fine Arts Dean Harvey Young described Gilliam as an ambitious and intelligent leader.
“President Gilliam consistently mentions the power of the arts and its ability to bring people together,” Young wrote. “Her vision for an arts-rich campus is inspiring.”
Prior to becoming the president of BU, Gilliam worked at The Ohio State University as executive vice president and at the University of Chicago as vice
provost for academic leadership, advancement and diversity.
“I draw on that experience to think about what it means to be a university that sits right in the middle of the city,” Gilliam said, in reference to UChicago. “It can have a really important relationship with the city where it’s porous and there are no clear boundaries.”
Over the past year, many higher education presidents — like Harvard University’s Claudine Gay and the University of Pennsylvania’s Liz Magill
— have been under pressure from outside figures regarding university topics. These include free speech, affirmative action and balancing student interests. In the midst of these discussions, Gilliam said there is an opportunity for universities to band together.
“There’s this silver lining, which is that it can be a time for people to really talk and be in conversation and start to identify the common challenges,” Gilliam said.
Gilliam said that she aims to
center the BU community as she navigates potential external pressures.
“There are so many stakeholders,” Gilliam said, referring to students, faculty and staff. “[I] try to anchor and mainly be guided by our community.”
Gilliam will be inaugurated on Sept. 27. The atmosphere on campus leading up to her inauguration is one of “anticipation” and “excitement,” said BU Spokesperson Colin Riley.
“She’ll put her indelible mark on BU from her background and the initiatives and the things that she puts in place, the leadership she brings,” Riley said.
As she assumes the presidency, Gilliam said she is looking forward to building upon “foundational principles” pioneered by past BU presidents.
“They’re people who were just throughout [history] making courageous decisions,” Gilliam said. “That is what I think is really exciting about Boston University.”
Delays in financial aid processing raise concerns among BU community
BY MADYLINE SWEARING Associate Campus Editor
Boston University students and parents have expressed concerns regarding a widespread delay in financial aid awards following changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the 2024-2025 school year.
The application, which is typically released on Oct. 1, came out three months late on Dec. 30, 2023, leading to complications and delays for both applicants and the BU Financial Assistance Office.
BU Spokesperson Colin Riley said the BU Financial Assistance Office is in “constant contact” with the Department of Education to ensure that information reported on the FAFSA form is correct and processed on time.
“[Financial aid] usually goes out with acceptances,” Riley said, “So that when students are trying to reconcile their bill in early August, they have the information, and they’re able to make payments to student accounts to cover what their estimated family contribution is.”
However, modifications to the form, such as changing the formula to determine students’ financial aid amount and what type of aid they are eligible to receive, have disrupted BU’s typical summer awardance timeline.
Riley said returning students enrolled at BU prior to this upcoming fall had a general idea of how much money they would receive for the 2024-2025 school year.
Although the majority of the financial issues are attributed to FAFSA delays, an update to BU’s
KATE KOTLYAR | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
An email from BU Financial Assistance from August thanking students for their patience amid the delayed financial aid statement releases. Changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form have caused students and parents concern over the delay of financial aid awards.
student information system, which involves a new user portal, may have contributed to the complications, Riley said. Due to the delays, processes, such as late payment fees and fall move-in have differed from past years.
“Student Accounting Services will continue to waive late payment fees for all students until a future date to be determined,” BU Financial Assistance wrote in an email on Aug 21. “All students will be allowed to move into their oncampus residence even if their
student account has not yet been settled.”
Yajaira Herrera, a junior, said that unexpected medical bills coupled with uncertainties about financial aid created budgeting issues for her.
“When I told the financial aid office about it, they were like, There’s nothing we could do, and I would just have to wait,’” Herrera said.
Herrera said prior to move-in, she was told to pay a minimum of $12,000, despite not receiving her aid yet. Although she paid a smaller amount than $12,000
prior to moving in, she realized she had overpaid after receiving her financial aid. BU has not given her a timeline for her reimbursement.
“Now I have to wait for everything to disperse before I can even get a refund,” Herrera said.
Beth Haft, parent of a BU graduate student and member of the Facebook group BU Parents United, wrote in an email that the delay in aid and loan processing created a “terrible burden.”
“[My daughter] lives off campus. Her landlord is not
going to wait for rent, nor will supermarkets wait to be paid for groceries,” Haft wrote.
Haft wrote that since her and her husband are both retired, they are using their savings to cover these expenses.
“I need to pay her rent, groceries and all expenses until her loans are processed, posted and the excess funds (her living expenses) [are] returned to her,” Haft wrote. “This needs to get straightened out asap.”
To help with expenses, BU had offered to “advance” anticipated loan money to graduate students, according to Haft. However, after filling out a form detailing how much loan money her and her family anticipated for the semester, Haft said she has still not heard anything.
Madeline Donnellan, a graduate student on a full tuition scholarship through FAFSA, did not have any overwhelming concerns or issues with the delay.
“I was worried for a little bit, but once I talked to financial aid and got an email that they were delayed, I was like ‘Okay, I’ll wait to get the confirmation,’” Donnellan said.
While some level of aid certainty was given to continuing students through BU’s Scholarship Assurance, which guarantees that the aid you are offered for your first year is applicable for each of your undergraduate years, Riley said accounts are being “updated and corrected.”
Despite the delays from this year, the whole goal of the FAFSA changes were to “simplify” and bring improvements to the financial aid process, Riley said. He said he hopes these issues will be resolved and the process will return to its prior timeline.
ZACH SCHWARTZ | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER Boston University President Melissa Gilliam.
Question 5 ballot initiative faces discourse over fair wages for tipped workers
BY SAMANTHA GENZER City Co-Editor
Question 5, a ballot measure seeking to raise the minimum wage for tipped workers, has sparked statewide discourse as voters prepare to cast their ballots on Nov. 5.
Under current state law, tipped workers can be paid as low as $6.75 per hour, as long as their wage and tips combined equal at least $15 an hour. The proposed law would “gradually increase the minimum hourly wage an employer must pay a tipped worker,” according to the Massachusetts government.
If approved, the measure would gradually raise tipped workers’ hourly wages over a five-year period, with a final increase on Jan. 1, 2029, according to GBH. The final increase would bring their hourly pay to $15 per hour, which is equal to the minimum wage for non-tipped workers.
The initiative has received some governmental support.
State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier and State Senator Patricia Jehlen both endorsed the measure, according to Ballotpedia.
Estefania Galvis, national organizing director for One Fair Wage, an advocacy group supporting this initiative, said Question 5 is essential for ensuring fair compensation for tipped workers.
“We support this initiative because it’s what’s fair for workers, for customers and employers,” Galvis said. “For far too long, we’ve seen prices go up, but wages [don’t].”
Galvis said there is
“misinformation” surrounding the initiative, noting that opponents are claiming that servers “will lose their tips” if this ballot is passed, which she said is “an absolute lie and does not happen.”
Galvis also said servers in support of the initiative are “very afraid” to voice their support out of fear that “their bosses could potentially fire them or retaliate.”
On the other hand, Question 5 has also faced backlash from some members of the restaurant industry.
Jessica Muradian, director of government affairs for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, voiced opposition to the measure, saying it would be “devastating for the state of the restaurant industry.”
Chicago, Illinois and the state of California passed similar One Fair Wage initiatives as well. In 2018, Washington, D.C. passed the One Fair Wage initiative, though the D.C. City Council overturned it after lobbying from the Restaurant Association.
One Fair Wage was revived in Washington, D.C. during the COVID-19 pandemic in the form of Initiative 82 and was passed in 2022. Since the measure was implemented in early 2023, the district experienced “job losses, earnings loss for employees and rising service charges,” according to the Employment Policies Institute.
“We’ve seen multiple restaurants in D.C. close, and we don’t want to see the restaurant industry in Massachusetts devastated,” Muradian said.
Muradian said the majority of tipped workers are satisfied
with the current system, citing surveys showing that 86% of participants think the current tipping system works for them.
Other local leaders voiced concerns in opposition of this initiative.
“Question 5 will force restaurants to raise prices, and our servers and waitstaff will earn less. We need to help our tipped employees and restaurants, not make things harder, while making it even more expensive for everyone else,” Mayor of Weymouth
Robert Hedlund wrote in a press release on Sept. 11.
In response to concerns about the impact on businesses, Galvis said raising the minimum wage for tipped workers would ultimately benefit both workers and the broader economy “in communities across Massachusetts,” particularly small businesses.
“[This initiative is] going to force the small businesses to rethink how they are managing their workspaces to make sure that their workers are supported
and uplifted,” Galvis said.
Question 5 includes a measure that would allow employers to administer a “tip pool” that distributes all tips made between all workers, including nontipped workers, according to the Mass. government. Muradian said these tips belong to the front of house staff.
“They’ve chosen to be servers and bartenders because they’re able to maximize the amount of money they are making in a very short period of time, and they don’t want to share their tips with the back of the house,” Muradian said.
Muradian also expressed frustration over interference from outside advocacy groups.
“We have folks from another state coming in here and telling our servers, bartenders and restaurant owners what’s good for them,” Muradian said. “Folks from out of state that don’t know what folks in our own state want for themselves have come in here, and they have spent close to a million dollars to get a question on the ballot.”
Mayor Gary Christenson of Malden wrote in the press release that the national approach to this ballot initiative “does not work for Massachusetts.”
Galvis said the initiative is not an outside issue, but an issue for Massachusetts.
“It is time that the Massachusetts Restaurant Association realizes that the job of the worker is to keep the restaurant moving, and that it is the responsibility of restaurant owners and the state to make sure that the industry is thriving,” Galvis said.
Boston establishments host presidential debate watch parties
ContinuedfromPage1
Barney Howard, 27, who was on vacation to the United States from Manchester, United Kingdom, said he and his friends “stumbled across” a presidential debate watch party at Ducali’s Pizzeria & Bar in the North End on Tuesday night.
“It’s very different to the U.K.,” Howard said. “We would never have watch parties in bars. People would watch at home.”
Howard said the restaurant was quiet, but had a “lighthearted atmosphere.”
Justine Murphy, a Rhode Island resident, said the event was her first time attending a watch party for a debate.
Murphy said she has been looking forward to the debate since Harris took President Joe Biden’s place as the Democratic presidential nominee.
“Now you have two candidates who can talk for an hour and a half, which is a little bit of a bare minimum you would hope for the president,” Murphy said.
Melvin Poindexter, a Democratic National Committee member, also watched the debate at Ducali’s. The DNC organized watch parties across the country in each “geographical congressional district and Massachusetts senatorial district” to engage residents politically, he said.
“Boston, because of the colleges here, is a shining beacon
of young activism and democratic engagement,” he said.
Somerville’s La Posada Restaurant & Tequila Bar also hosted a watch party for the Somerville Democrats organization.
Matt Firmani, a tech support specialist and Somerville resident, decided to attend the watch party at La Posada because it was close to his home and made for “a good opportunity to get Taco Tuesday in” while also watching the debate. He said he was surprised by the event’s turnout and noticed the palpable energy of the attendees.
“It was a line out the door,” Firmani said. “There’s clearly an undercurrent of desperate enthusiasm [for this debate].”
Firmani said La Posada attendees felt “tense” at the beginning of the debate, but “melted into this jubilation of, ‘Oh my gosh, [Harris’s] actually killing it.’”
Isabella Curavalati, a student at New England Law Boston, also attended the La Posada watch party. She said she has been “so excited” about the Harris campaign because her mother, Maria Curatone — who is running for her third term of reelection for the Register of Deeds for Middlesex County — champions similar ideas like women’s rights.
“[My mom] was like, ‘You should come out with me tonight, and we should watch the debate together and make it something
special,’” Curavalati said. “She always raised me to be an independent woman, and now we have a strong woman who could possibly be our president.”
Curavalati said everyone in La Posada “was really excited for Kamala to take the stage,” adding that she and other young people refer to her by her nickname, “Big Sister General.”
Curavalati said the “vibe” of the debate watch party emulated “hope and excitement,” which she said she hadn’t experienced since Barack Obama’s presidency.
Firmani had attended the Massachusetts Democrats’ victory party in 2016 for then-candidate Hillary Clinton in Cambridge, where he said he watched the room “collapse emotionally” when Clinton lost. He said he and the attendees at La Posada felt “a lot more reassured” watching Harris debate Trump. Harris “straddled the line professionally” between addressing both her supporters and the “people in the middle” who “really needed to hear from her,” Firmani said.
Curavalati said while “everyone is entitled to their own opinions,” voters can see the same “polarizing” politics at the national and local levels.
“In such a Democratic state, we still have very split opinions,” Curavalati said. “When you see campaigns like the one that my mom is in right now, you realize that on the national stage, those very split ideologies can be boiled down to these local campaigns.”
Murphy said she hopes voters also pay attention to local politics, as those elections impact their lives more directly.
“The roads you are driving on, the train that you’re using,” Murphy said. “That’s not really going to be the president’s concern day-to-day, so [local] elections are going to really matter for your day-to-day quality of life.”
RACHEL FEINSTEIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Ballot drop box on Boylston Street outside of the Boston Public Library. One of the questions sparking discourse on this year’s ballot is about raising the tipped hourly minimum wage.
BridgeBU members watch the 2024 presidential debate on Tuesday. People gathered in college classrooms, restaurants and bars to watch the debate.
ARTS
Cambridge Carnival International celebrates African, Caribbean culture
BY DEANNA SOUKHASEUM Contributing Writer
The rhythmic beat of drums, pans and other steel instruments echoed across the lawn while families and community members gathered together to celebrate African and Caribbean culture.
The 30th Cambridge Carnival International was a two-day celebration on Sept. 7 and 8 in Central Square, featuring a lively parade and a festival filled with a variety of ethnic foods, crafts, jewelry and clothing.
Cambridge Carnival International can be traced back to a small group of Brazilian and Caribbean community members who ran nonprofits or owned businesses in Cambridge, said Nicola Williams, President of Cambridge Carnival International.
While the festival is still rooted in African traditions, Williams said it has transformed and expanded since its inception.
It began as a small street fair in University Park Commons before expanding to include Central Square, and then to Kendall Square about 15 years ago, Williams said. Post-COVID, the festival returned to its roots in University Park due to space constraints on Massachusetts Avenue. The move allowed the celebration to welcome more attendees each year and, in turn, it became one of the largest, most diverse festivals in Cambridge.
The “Pan in the Park” showcase
on Saturday interspersed the folk tradition of pan music with a lesson on the history of steel pan instruments and performances by local steel musicians.
Williams explained that carnivals in Trinidad and Tobago traditionally have a panorama, a steel pan festival competition, the day before the carnival festival.
“The timing of our Pan in the Park is actually a makeup date, but it works for us because it’s the day before the carnival, and kind of in line with the tradition of Trinidad-style carnival,” Williams said.
Marietta Sbraccia, a first-time attendee to the festival, said she appreciated the rhythmic steel instruments being played.
“I love anything that brings community together, and there’s nothing like good steel band music,” she said. “I think it’s good for the future generations to know the history of where steel bands develop from, and so that history is part of our lives and our future.”
Besides its steel pan musicians, Pan in the Park featured tables with ethnic foods and crafts available for attendees to browse.
At the event, Khady Addison sold a variety of vibrant, handmade products from Africa through her business, Khady Hair & Wear. Her collection featured her own handcrafted bags and pots created by her brothers in Senegal. Addison said she has wanted to be a part of community-
and diversity-oriented events like the Carnival.
“This is a way for me to showcase the culture of my country,” she said. “I like to be part of events where I can interact with the community, I can showcase my culture and also take the opportunity to learn about other cultures.”
For many attendees, Cambridge Carnival International is more than just a celebration: It is a preservation of Caribbean
history in Cambridge and an invitation for those who have been displaced to reconnect with their roots.
“Many people who grew up at Carnival can’t afford to live in Cambridge anymore, so they see this event as a homecoming,” Williams said. “For those who don’t live here, they come back and they celebrate what they grew up with.”
Even as they grow and evolve, both the parade and the festival
COMMUNITY
thrive on the dedication of the small but faithful committee of volunteers.
“Because it’s planned and organized by the community members, that’s really special, and it makes the event authentic,” Williams said. “People do this from their heart, and they’re very passionate about it. Our volunteers come back every year. We’re small and mighty, but we do make a huge impact on the city of Cambridge.”
Community service is ‘Off the Hook’: BU’s humanitarian craft group becomes official
BY ELIZABETH PLESE Contributing Writer
Community Editor
Crafting and community service collide in a new philanthropic club at BU called “Off the Hook,” where students crochet hand warmers to donate to the homeless.
Formerly a non-Universityaffiliated organization called “Hookers for the Homeless,” the crocheting club officially moved its humanitarian efforts on campus this semester.
When junior Emmanuella Erhunmwunsee moved from the Middle East to Boston for school, she said she was shocked to see the severity of homelessness, and she knew she wanted to take action.
“I noticed that a lot of people didn’t really care,” she said. “That was a really weird culture shock to me.”
During winter break of her freshman year, Erhunmwunsee crocheted her first hand warmers. She appreciated how easy the activity was and how practical the result, which inspired her to invite others to join her.
“I wanted community service to be more accessible to people, because a lot of people only have one view of what community service is supposed to look like,” Erhunmwunsee said. “I want people to see that you can still enjoy yourself while helping other people out.”
Off the Hook comes in the wake of a rising housing crisis in Boston and the country at large.
According to the City of Boston’s 43rd Annual Homeless Census, homelessness increased by 17.2% from 2022 to 2023, resulting in over 5,000 people on the streets or in emergency housing.
Junior Christina Torres said she has observed homelessness around campus, which is what motivated her to join “Off the Hook.”
“I’ve never done crocheting before, but I am excited for the program because of the cause, and also that I get to adopt a new hobby,” Torres said. “It does seem like this is going to genuinely impact the community in Boston.”
At first, Erhunmwunsee was
independent in her efforts to get the club started, which took her around Boston — securing materials, marketing the club and making posters.
Now, Off the Hook has a full executive board, consisting of active members from the club last semester, creating a basis for a community already interested in furthering the cause.
At its very first meeting, Off the Hook had approximately 30 students in attendance, according to Erhunmwunsee. But, at the introductory meeting on Sept. 10, more than 100 students showed up.
Sophomore Annamarie Magana, the club’s vice president, said “Off the Hook” made more than 20 hand warmers last semester and taught many people who had never crocheted before.
Magana was the president of a similar club in high school that crafted for the homeless. She joined “Off the Hook” after seeing the poster, which read, “Want to be a Hooker?”
“I saw it as a way to kind of continue serving that community and also build a community and find other people with similar interests,” Magana said. She emphasized “Off the Hook’s” commitment creating a “safe space” for its members; all members need to do is “come here and be yourself.”
Erhumnwunsee also received guidance from Orpheo Speer, director of BU’s Community Service Center, who helped her find crafting materials and a space to meet.
“He told me to aim for the moon,” she said.
Now that the club is officially recognized by BU, the club has received more exposure to the student body, especially through tabling at SPLASH on Sept. 7.
“I’m a little emotional about it,” Erhunmwunsee said. “I didn’t expect so many people to want to come and sit and crochet with me.”
ZIBBY ENGLISH | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
People look at a vendor booth during the Cambridge Carnival International on Sunday. The Cambridge Carnival International is an annual Caribbean style festival celebrating diversity and African and Caribbean culture.
SARAH CRUZ | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER Emmanuella Erhunmwunsee, the founder and president of Off the Hook, a philanthropic crochet student group at Boston University. Students in the group crochet handwarmers to donate to the homeless.
AND ANNA ALBRECHT Associate
Questrom’s Feld Center for Career and Alumni Engagement gets more than a facelift
BY TATE HAM Contributing Writer
This fall, the Questrom School of Business didn’t just celebrate the arrival of a new group of students, but also the opening of their newly renovated Feld Center for Career and Alumni Engagement on Aug. 28.
Formerly known as just the Feld Center, the center’s reorganization and renovation process began three years ago under the supervision of the Dean of Questrom Susan Fournier.
After learning that Questrom was under-resourced in career advisors, Fournier created Careers 2025. The new program is an initiative of faculty and staff tasked with expanding the center’s resources, said Monica Parker-James, the Associate Dean for Career and Alumni Engagement.
“[Career 2025] did a ton of benchmarking against peer and aspirant institutions and really thought about what kinds of resources would be required to ensure high-quality career outcomes for Questrom students,” Parker-James said.
The center also has an expanded alumni engagement team, case interview preparation tools, programs to help international students with their job search and the Exec Connect program, Parker-James said.
Exec Connect is headed by nine current and former C-suite
executives to give career guidance to students looking to get more information on their future field, she said.
Rizel Serrano, a junior at Questrom, went to the center
for career advice while she was applying for internships.
“They’re just there for guidance,” Serrano said. “They won’t tell you exactly what to do, but they’ll push you in the right
direction and push you to other BU programs.”
During the 2023-2024 school year, the center saw a 53% increase in career coaching appointments, and a 30% and
SCIENCE
BY SAMANTHA GENZER City Co-Editor
Eastern equine encephalitis, a mosquito-borne virus, has instilled concern as states along the East and Gulf Coasts grapple with the potential for larger outbreaks — and with next steps.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced on Aug. 27 that a resident died after contracting EEE in the state’s first reported case of the virus since 2014.
As of Sept. 10, a total of four EEE cases have been reported in Massachusetts, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Only a few cases occur in the United States each year, but about 30% of those who contract the virus die, and survivors often face ongoing neurological issues, according to the CDC.
Despite the virus’s rarity, the uptick in cases has been a cause for public concern, especially in states like Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Vermont, where cases have been reported this year, according to the CDC.
From 2019 to 2020, Massachusetts experienced 17 human cases of EEE, resulting
in seven deaths, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. In response, officials in some Massachusetts towns closed public spaces from dusk to dawn to limit exposure to mosquitoes.
“Most people who get bitten by an infected mosquito, they don’t usually have symptoms just like … [the] asymptomatic COVID infection,” said Kap Sum Foong, an attending physician specializing in infectious diseases at Tufts Medical Center and a consultant at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
“However, some patients do get a severe infection that involves the brain and spinal cord, but those really occur rarely.”
However, around one-third of those who develop the severe infection will die, Foong said, and that’s why physicians need to pay attention to the infection.
Nancy Sullivan, director of the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories at Boston University, said that unlike COVID-19, which spreads easily from person-to-person, EEE does not transmit among people.
“Humans are a dead-end host, so you don’t have human-tohuman transmission of EEE, unless, for example, in a special circumstance like a blood transfusion or organ transplant,” Sullivan said.
The reappearance of EEE has taken a toll on Massachusetts communities and public health resources.
The towns of Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster are labeled “critical” risk, and Dudley, Northbridge and Uxbridge are at “high” risk, according to a press
39% increase in engagement with industry and networking events with graduate and undergraduate students respectively, according to Parker-James.
Giulia Alberti, a junior in Questrom, said using the center’s resources, such as meeting with a staff member who helped improve her resume and participating in the mock interviews they offer, helped her the most.
Sneha S, a Questrom graduate student in the Masters in Management program, who came to Boston from India, said her transition to BU was challenging because the resources at Questrom differ from those at her undergraduate institution in India.
“I feel like networking and alumni resources would be so helpful for us, especially because us getting jobs is mainly through networking more than applying,” S said.
As the Feld Center for Career and Alumni Engagement takes the fall semester to showcase its expanded student support, Associate Dean Parker-James said she and the rest of the center’s team hope to continue enhancing the center’s capabilities.
“We are constantly looking at where we can do more,” ParkerJames said. “We feel very lucky we have a dean who has really focused a lot of effort in this area because we are here to support students.”
EEE emerges as public health concern in New England BUSINESS
release from the Massachusetts DPH.
In response, state officials have announced a plan to begin aerial and truck-mounted pesticide spraying on mosquito-infected land in parts of Plymouth County and Worcester County, according to the press release.
In Oxford, local officials placed restrictions on the use of outdoor public spaces at night, according to a letter from Oxford Town Manager Jennifer M. Callahan. This decision has caused backlash from residents.
Oxford resident Jennifer Voas started an online petition to advocate for the Oxford Board of Health “to continue supporting our children’s futures by keeping the town fields open to all youth sports.”
Ultimately, the board voted on Aug. 21 to temporarily restrict the use of outdoor spaces after 6 p.m. and, starting in October, after 5 p.m., as reported by Boston.com.
Still, because there is no EEE vaccine, Foong said that residents should avoid outdoor activities in communities where there is a high rate of mosquitoes.
Unlike other respiratory viral illnesses like COVID-19 and influenza, which surge in the winter, cases of EEE will decline as the number of mosquitoes decline in the winter, State Epidemiologist Catherine Brown wrote in an email to The Daily Free Press.
“Risk from EEE in Massachusetts will start to decrease but will continue until there has been a hard frost in all areas,” Brown said. “Given the relative rarity of EEE, it is unlikely to significantly impact healthcare
systems in Massachusetts.”
Nahid Bhadelia, founding director of BU Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases, wrote in an email that the growing frequency and severity of EEE outbreaks could be due to the ongoing climate crisis.
Prolonged periods of a warmer climate could “accelerate mosquito development, biting rates, and the incubation of the disease within a mosquito,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
EEE currently does not have a vaccine, so public health officials are relying on preventative measures to protect the public.
Public health officials warn that efforts such as pesticide spraying will not entirely eliminate the risk of infection. The Massachusetts DPH strongly encourages residents to stay indoors during peak mosquito hours, use insect repellent and wear protective clothing.
While EEE poses its own distinct risks, it joins diseases like Mpox and COVID-19 in capturing public attention, Bhadelia said. The World Health Organization declared Mpox a “public health emergency of international concern” on Aug. 14, while COVID-19 cases still circulate the globe.
“All three diseases are very different, but in general tell us that we live in an age where we will be continuously challenged by emerging infectious diseases,” Bhadelia wrote. “We need to invest in both developing the appropriate diagnostics, treatments and vaccines, but also in ensuring that they are equitabl[y] shared, leaving no one behind.”
COURTESY OF DAVE GREEN
The Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement. The Feld Center reopened on Aug. 28 after a three-year renovation and reorganization process.
Weeks of Welcome activities greet new and returning Terriers
The Boston University Campus Activities Board and the Student Activities Office hosted the Weeks of Welcome events from Aug. 29 to Sept. 8. Some of the events included were the Welcome Picnic, Night of Lights and SPLASH.
Freshmen Harry Glover and Sam Suarez play a game of spikeball together at the Welcome Picnic, hosted on BU Beach, on Aug. 31. RACHEL FEINSTEIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Students line up and grab food from the assortment of sandwiches, charcuterie board cups and fruit at the Welcome Picnic. RACHEL FEINSTEIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
President Melissa Gilliam addresses the Class of 2028 at the Matriculation Ceremony on Sept. 1. RACHEL FEINSTEIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Incoming freshmen applaud after Student Government President Akwasi Antwi’s welcome speech to the incoming class. RACHEL FEINSTEIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Incoming freshmen cross University Road during the Matriculation Walk on Sept. 1. The walk began at 610 Beacon St. and concluded with the Matriculation Ceremony inside Agganis Arena. RACHEL FEINSTEIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
A ResLife Union member holds up a cardboard sign protesting the lack of a new contract as incoming freshmen walk past during the Matriculation Walk. RACHEL FEINSTEIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
By Rachel Feinstein, Kate Kotlyar and Sarah Cruz
Students make and admire their spin art T-shirt at Night of Lights on Sept. 5. RACHEL FEINSTEIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Freshmen Fiona Zhao, Ashley La and Karen Kong laugh and eat cupcakes on the BU Beach at Night of Lights. RACHEL FEINSTEIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
A member of Epsilon Eta, BU’s professional environmental fraternity, tables at SPLASH on Sept. 7. SARAH CRUZ | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior Belinda Ngo, the vice president of research for Undergraduate Women in Economics, speaks to another student about the organization at SPLASH. KATE KOTLYAR | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Two members of the BU Fencing Club fence on Nickerson Field during SPLASH. KATE KOTLYAR | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
The crowd on Nickerson Field during SPLASH on Sept. 7. SARAH CRUZ | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
A member of The Bunion holds up a sign that reads, “Are You Gay?” at SPLASH to attract new members. KATE KOTLYAR | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Editorial Board
CROSSWORD
Gracie Rohde
Reviving the romance of handwritten letters
BY CHLOE SAINT MARD Contributing Writer
All throughout my freshman year of college, my mother regularly sent me handwritten letters.
The excitement of receiving mail, discovering the thoughtfully chosen postcard and reading the latest news — probably not so newsworthy anymore, considering how long it took for it to cross the ocean — felt very nostalgic.
It had been years since I’d received or sent any kind of written correspondence. It brought back sweet memories of summer holidays in the South of France, when I’d write postcards to all my friends on the terrace and look forward to the ones I’d receive in my mailbox.
With the rise in popularity of journaling as a tool for personal growth, it would be a stretch to say that our generation has stopped writing altogether — but we do tend to write only for ourselves. As time goes on and exchanging letters is perceived as even more oldfashioned, we may question the gesture and contemplate the act of writing letters to our loved ones.
What if I wrote a three-page letter to this boy, listing all
the little things I’ve noticed and liked about him since the first day we met? Or maybe I could send a postcard to my best friend, for no reason at all, just to thank her for always supporting me.
What holds me — and I think most people — back is the thought of how we would be perceived after performing such gestures. Would we appear oldfashioned or overbearing?
The more practical and less poetic of us would argue that we could have just sent a text. What if our recipient leaves us with a short reply that doesn’t live up to the expectations of our heartfelt letter, or no reply at all? This rejection is terrifying.
I find that when we write a letter, we instantly add more value to a relationship. We take the time to sit down, be fully present and think about the person we’re writing to. We examine our feelings towards them and what we want to share with this person. It allows us to be more vulnerable, especially because a letter — unlike a text — doesn’t dwell on banalities. A handwritten exchange is a deep conversation between two people. It takes the bond one step further. With a regular exchange of
letters, I also retain memories of a particular period. Unlike pictures and videos, letters capture profound feelings and thoughts. I remember what I had in mind and what I wanted to talk about, notice the state of a relationship and how it has evolved. It’s romantic, poetic and a way of showing that you care even when you are far apart. It can also be a fun activity to romanticize
your life a bit. It’s time to embrace your inner “Letters to Véra.” When I write a letter, I like to make it a comprehensive experience. I’ve spent countless summer nights writing love letters or scribbling thoughts and observations on my pink writing pad with braids and ribbons in my hair, candles lit and “Baby, I Love You” by the Ronettes playing on my record player.
For the full Sofia Coppola movie experience, I like to seal my letters with an old wax stamp that I bought in middle school and spray each one with my sweetest perfume. You might expect the next step to be mailing them, but to be honest, I’m not quite there yet. Still, one thing’s for sure, if you’ve ever known me, there’s a letter waiting for you somewhere in my room.
LIFESTYLE
Ask Abby (or Analise): Can we ever really be friends with our exes?
BY ANALISE BRUNO Senior Writer
DearAbby:MyexandIjust split and in her last text to me she asked if we could still be friends.I’mstillreallyhurt,but I really do love and miss her –– but how can I settle for just beingafriend?AmIjustbeing dramatic?Isthereactuallyaway we can still remain friends with ourexes?Pleasehelp.
We all have an ex in our life. Maybe it’s an ex-best friend or an ex-situationship, or if we’re sticking to the basics, an exboyfriend or girlfriend.
What is one to do in this situation?
What many don’t realize is that the foundation of most romantic relationships lies in friendship. We surround ourselves with people who match our energies. I know they say “opposites attract” but you and your partner definitely need some matching interests for the connection to work.
My point: all of us were friends with our ex before dating them. And now that the relationship is over, I can’t help but wonder –– where does all this endearment go?
Ending on good terms?
When relationships end on good terms we are inclined to still want to keep that person in our lives. But what constitutes “good terms”? And why do we feel the need to remain close?
BY JOSH ROSENTHAL Associate Campus Editor
AND RUBY VOGE
Associate Lifestyle Editor
Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. Beetle-...
We all know what happens next. Tim Burton’s iconic 1988 comedy-horror film has been lodged into the film world’s consciousness for decades. Its ingenious use of practical effects creates a wholly unique and entrancing world of deadly sandworms, shrunken heads and never-ending checkered hallways, which has made “Beetlejuice” an enduring Halloween classic.
It’s just a way of life: every film gets brought back from the dead sooner or later. A lot has changed in 36 years, and while the original “Beetlejuice” was just a silly jaunt into the afterlife, its sequel seems cursed with a modern obligation to justify its existence.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is in the interesting position of being both a sequel and a remake — a phenomenon that has been coined as the “legacy sequel.” Other recent examples include “Alien: Romulus” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”
The recent revival of “Beetlejuice” comes as no surprise. With more than enough time having passed for viewers to grow sentimental about it, and with Burton directing again, it’s almost more surprising that it didn’t happen sooner. Set in the present day, it follows the return of three generations of Deetzes to Winter River, Conn., after a death in the family.
The film’s standout performances come from its
Maybe you don’t hate each other’s guts, maybe you just had a falling-out. Perhaps you may even feel obligated to remain in contact because you share a friend group or work together.
Friends are known for always being the ones to hold us back when we want to reach out to exes. And while they’re not always wrong, there is something to be said about the nearly insoluble bond you and your partner may have developed while dating. Former and current partners know a lot about us, and after spending so much time together, how could they not?
If chemistry were enough, no one would ever break up.
So even if your relationship didn’t go up in flames, everyone needs time and space to heal. This is not to say that you can’t ever be “friendly,” but some introspection and reflection needs to happen first.
How about no contact?
The whole “no contact” method is possibly one of the trickiest approaches people take to breakups. It’s easier said than done, but I think every freshly disbanded relationship should start in this phase.
You’re probably wondering: how do I go from telling this person my every thought to fully not speaking to them?
It’s hard — maybe less if they really hurt you –– but I think the
important thing to remember is that “no contact” doesn’t mean you’ll never speak to them again.
Taking a few weeks or months to reevaluate yourself and the relationship can provide you with some clarity going forward.
Breakups can be messy, feelings get hurt and things we overlooked for months soon come back to haunt us. Remaining in contact with your ex and still talking to them frequently may blind you to the initial reasons you broke up.
So, journal, spend time with friends, take yourself out on a date –– anything you can to distract yourself and work your way back to yourself again.
Cordial is courteous, but friendship is not necessary
How long you can support the friendly front varies based on a few different circumstances –– how long did you date? Was the relationship considered “serious?”
While we technically don’t owe anything to our exes, there is this hope that we will someday reach a point where we can be amicable with them if our paths cross.
If the relationship was abusive in any way, you may feel like you can’t ever forgive your partner –– and that’s certainly okay. Choosing yourself in situations like this is never wrong.
You also don’t have to
become close friends wWho hang out on the weekend or go out for drinks together. Especially if you or your partner enter a new relationship, respect each other’s boundaries and remember that you have moved on romantically.
When you get to know everything about a person and get intimate with them on a physical level, it can be super hard to rekindle a normal friendship because that’s not what your relationship is anymore –– and that’s okay!
Relationships aren’t a phase but they definitely go through them –– and once you pass certain levels, there’s really no
going back. It’s hard to make a serious, romantic love and make it casual. Friendship should not be the consolation prize for losing a relationship. So sometimes it’s okay to just settle for being cordial.
The point
What most forget is that it is possible to love and care about someone but still want nothing to do with them.
So can you ever really be friends with your ex? Well, I don’t like to think that all ended relationships are so black and white. You can certainly never clean the slate or undo what’s been done, but there’s no harm in learning to be amiable.
Beetlejuice’ is a fun lega-sequel full of clever references, but short on originality
veteran stars. Michael Keaton is just as foul-mouthed and chaotic as the titular bioexorcist Beetlejuice. Catherine O’Hara brings her comedic abilities to high-maintenance avant-garde artist Delia Deetz. Winona Ryder also reprises her role as goth-girl legend Lydia Deetz — now using her ghost-seeing abilities to host a supernatural talk show. As Lydia’s daughter, Astrid, Jenna Ortega plays her familiar angsty teen character, skeptical of her mother’s abilities and coping with the loss of her father. Another newcomer to
the franchise is Justin Theroux as Rory, Lydia’s boyfriend and manager, who brings a dose of unwanted therapy-speak to every situation.
The hook of seeing all these talented performers act together is exciting, but when they’re stranded in subplots about fraudulent weddings and murder theories, the excitement tends to drop dead rather quickly.
Although the film makes use of the best parts of its original cast, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” packs in too much within its one-hour, 45-minute
runtime. Most notably lacking in character development and screen time was a subplot featuring Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s soul-sucking femme fatale ex-wife and Willem Dafoe as an actorturned detective investigating her case.
Don’t get us wrong, we love Dafoe just as much as the next people, but we were left with mixed feelings about his inclusion in the movie. We wish his storyline could have either been further developed, or simply nixed from the script.
Part of what made the original
“Beetlejuice” so remarkable was how it made its brazen approach to death and what lies beyond feel so natural. The sequel, on the other hand, tends to focus on characters talking in circles about grief and trauma — sometimes as a punchline, but far too often as a grasp at thematic relevance.
By shrouding itself with irony and introspection, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” lacks the ghoulish confidence that made its predecessor stand out. It almost reads as though Burton became concerned that today’s audiences wouldn’t be willing to buy into his trademark gothic style anymore, adding a level of self-importance to this film that wasn’t necessary. Whenever the film manages to exorcize itself of those lulls, however, the results are delightfully macabre. Burton still finds new ways to make this world exciting to explore, including a few outrageous gore effects and creature designs.
The film is chock-full of both subtle and not-so-subtle references to the original. From the reappearance of Lydia’s red wedding dress to Astrid’s bike ride through the covered bridge where the Maitlands met their demise, the filmmakers made sure to pay homage to the memorable details of the classic. Still, don’t expect to be wowed by the innovation and creativity that Burton brought to the original over three decades ago. However, for a fun Friday the 13th experience this week, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” will keep you entertained and will fly by quicker than you can say “Beetlejuice” three times.
ILLUSTRATION BY LILA BALTAXE
ILLUSTRATION BY LILA BALTAXE
EDITORIAL
Boston University’s financial aid rollout disaster reflects a university at odds with its students
The start of the semester is just like the start of anything new and unknown: saturated with excitement, fear and a multitude of other emotions.
But as Boston University students descended upon the Charles River campus — and several study abroad locations — it seemed the initial twinge of excitement might be snuffed out by one particular anxiety: a rocky financial aid rollout.
While it seems like the light might finally be appearing at the end of the tunnel — BU Financial Assistance sent out a university-wide email Monday alerting students that all semester bills would be due Sept. 30.
The ride here hasn’t been easy.
The summer filled with unanswered questions, automated email responses and disconnected phone lines begs the question — what does this year’s financial aid rollout reflect about BU as an institution?
BU first alerted students that Fall 2024 statements may not reflect their financial aid awards in an email sent on July 16. The email also noted the implementation of FAFSA’s new student system — a product of the FAFSA Simplification Act — which updated the federal student aid award system at the beginning of this academic year.
However, despite notifying students that it would waive late fees until further notice due to the delays, BU notified students in an email on July 25 that they could only use BU services, including on-campus housing and dining plans, once their student account was settled.
Thus began a tumultuous summer of mixed signals from
the University and confusion among students. The financial aid office limited communication with students and resorted to automated email responses and shut-down phone lines. As July turned to August and the start of the fall semester loomed closer, BU’s financial aid office continued to issue updates containing little new information.
The information provided was often incorrect. For example, an email sent from Financial Assistance on Aug. 8 noted that “awarding financial aid for
continuing students [had] begun and [would] be completed by mid-August.” As of Sept. 9, students are still reporting on BU’s unofficial Reddit thread that they have not received their complete financial aid packages.
The implementation of the new FAFSA system is outside of BU’s realm of control. But communicating with students on what issues the system might cause — and how it may affect quintessential college experiences like move-in and class registration — is the
responsibility of the university.
And for students — particularly freshmen, who may not yet be adept at using BU’s brand-new student website — shutting down direct means of communication with an essential service like financial aid is unacceptable.
Looking at the financial aid problem on a university-wide scale puts this disaster into a different lens. In the middle of the spring semester last year, the Boston University Graduate Workers Union went on strike for
COLUMNS
So, what’d I miss? | Con-Current
BY FRANK YANG
DFP Columnist
I guess I basically missed the [entire summer]...
I traveled the wide, wide world and came back to this…
Just as the “Hamilton” character Thomas Jefferson sings in the song “What’d I Miss” in the musical, some of us might’ve missed some crucial details in American politics over the summer.
But what has made the last four months so unique? Without a doubt, the past few years could go down in American history as their own era — and let it be on the record that I think these years should be named the “Unprecedented Era.”
From landmark Supreme Court rulings that overturned the law of the land, to a pandemic, to a president being impeached twice, to the first Madam Vice President (of color!), to the Democrats’ unexpected 2022 midterm victory, which bumped them to 51-49 Senate majority — well, suffice it to say, the past few years have been unpredictable.
Even so, these events of the past few years pale in comparison to what has happened in the past three months. When it comes to “unprecedented,” American politics in the summer of 2024 takes the cake — and eats it, too.
Let’s start with our first main character: former President
Donald J. Trump.
Since I opened with a little bit of the musical “Hamilton,” let’s use this Founding Father as an analogy. In the 1790s, Alexander Hamilton was effectively barred from running for office because of the political enemies he had made and his involvement in a sex scandal.
200 years later, Trump has also collected some political enemies, along with his own sexual misconduct case.
The differences between the two?
Trump was elected president, was convicted on 34 criminal counts related to said sex scandal as a former president and is currently the presidential nominee for the Republican party. This, of course, isn’t mentioning his other three ongoing trials.
Not even a month and a half after that verdict, Trump would be the victim of an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Our next main characters come as a pair: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump and Biden’s first presidential debate did not end well for the incumbent president.
After the unfavorable public response to his performance, Biden stepped down as the presidential nominee and fully endorsed Harris in his place.
Where we stand today is a story well-told: Harris’s presidential
bid has launched her approval ratings to an unrecognizable level. As of today, the HarrisWalz ticket tops Trump-Vance in polls at +2.9 points, a far cry from a Trump-Vance +3-point lead the day before Biden dropped out of the race.
Our international focal points of the past few months are most centralized in Ukraine, Russia and the Middle East.
Wars between Ukraine and Russia, as well as Israel and Hamas have been of national concern for Americans. The nation grapples with how to best defend against a Russian aggressor up north and brokering a ceasefire between two war criminal groups in the Middle East.
The punchline of this story? Naturally, it’s to ask how any of this may have to do with us Americans.
These are the main characters — but we’re the authors, we’re the directors, and we’re including ourselves in the narrative.
Take someone like Jennifer Adkins from Idaho, whose doctors couldn’t refer her to an abortion clinic because of the state’s total ban, despite the high likelihood her pregnancy might kill her. Or like Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was murdered as a hostage by Hamas terrorists.
At this point, it would be indefensible to say that our little world of American
fairer wages and better stipends. BUGWU’s strike became the longest union-authorized higher education student worker strike.
BU’s Residence Life Union went on strike earlier this year from April 12 to April 15, and started a second strike on Aug. 31 during move-in weekend. On Sept. 5, striking RAs were notified that BU would suspend their free room and meals, an expense valued between $11,000 and $20,000.
Both strikes demonstrate an already tense relationship between administration and students, a tension exacerbated by tough conversations about money. But when reflecting on BU’s exorbitant tuition prices, it seems ironic that the institution is forcing its own financial problems onto its students.
As we enter a new school year, financial aid difficulties plague students with a slew of anxieties in addition to those that already come with the college experience. Anxiety around paying for school isn’t one that can be easily avoided — particularly not at a university that has raised their tuition by more than $20,000 in the past 10 years.
But it can be partially alleviated through open communication and with one singular, clear and honest narrative sent out to their audience.
This is the core of BU’s failure. Rather than attributing its rocky financial aid rollout to the pitfalls of FAFSA’s new system, the university chose a path of false promises and — often — silence. This article was written by Opinion Co-Editor Addison Schmidt.
Events
politics isn’t undergoing a shift. Unfathomable things are happening in the U.S., like the oldest presidential candidate in history, the stock market’s alltime highs and the highest-ever house prices.
Some of the changes the country is facing might be uncomfortable, but others definitely mark a step in the right direction. States are putting abortion on the ballot, and voters are overwhelmingly voting in favor of abortion access. We’re building more houses with affordability in mind, a direct result from the Biden administration we elected in 2020.
These changes take time.
A utopia is impossible, and it certainly can’t be made in one election cycle. People who promise this, like the Green Party or RFK Jr., only serve to undermine any progress we’ve made — especially when the Green Party makes no electoral efforts outside of presenting a spoiler candidate every four years.
Vote like your life depends on it. Canvass or donate like there’s someone trying to take away our rights. Educate yourself as if books are disappearing. Because somewhere, in some rural Iowa city, or in a Florida college, they’ve already happened. So, that’s exactly what you missed.
Men’s and women’s soccer kick off the 2024 season with high expectations
BY GABBY CHURCH Senior Writer
LAYLA
PENN Senior Writer
AND JASON ASVESTOPOULOS Senior Writer
The Boston University men’s and women’s soccer teams have rolled into the 2024 season, but they are looking to improve their game and strengthen both their identity and leadership skills.
The men’s team (0-1-4) has come off a commanding regular season and a Patriot League tournament title, while the women’s team (0-5-2) has earned three 2024 preseason All-Patriot League Honors.
After last season, men’s soccer landed second in the PL preseason
poll for a second season running, this time with 142 points and eight first-place votes. During that period, the men scored a tenure-high 31 goals from 10 contributors in 2023 with a +13 goal differential and a .90 goalsagainst-average.
“Last year was a culmination of our continued balance and continued preparation and transformation into a really strong program,” head coach Kevin Nylen said.
However, with the team’s current record of four ties and one loss, the offseason departures weigh heavy. This includes two-time PL Goalkeeper of the Year Francesco Montali, twotime PL Defensive Player of the Year Griffin Roach and frequent midfield contributors Colin Innes and Quinn Matulis.
Although they are without Montali in goal, the team still has options — graduate student Andrew Wike with four appearances from 2023-2024, sophomore William Clavier yet to start and junior Ben Alexander, a two-season starter from South Carolina and junior Sheraz Saadat.
“This year, we have four good goalkeepers,” Wike said. “Competition’s really good. We’re trying to be better than each other every day… We’re a very tight-knit group, and at the end of the day, we just want the goalie in the net to be successful.”
The women are currently standing at five losses and two ties in their season. Amidst these results, BU has put on a notable performance against each team. Senior goalkeeper Celia
Back from across the pond, Liz Ryan returns to
BY GABBY CHURCH Senior Writer
Former Boston University field hockey player Liz Ryan has returned three years later as an assistant coach for the storied and successful program.
“Culture drives a team, and that’s why it’s so great to be back at BU with a culture that drives what happens and what we can accomplish,” Ryan said.
Ryan discovered field hockey at 12 years old, initially as a way to connect and play with her older sister. The sport then took the Hoosick Falls High School graduate to Division I college athletics. She spent two seasons at the University of Albany, where she scored one goal and one assist.
She then transferred to BU’s field hockey program, led by head coach Sally Starr and associate head coach Tracey Paul, for her junior and senior seasons. As a Terrier, Ryan recorded six goals and one assist to total seven goals and two assists in her career.
“She plays with joy, she plays with energy and she goes through life that way as well,” Starr said. “I really enjoyed coaching her for the two years we had here at Boston University.”
Following her graduation
with a degree in international relations from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2021, Ryan set her sights abroad. Her coaches at BU connected her with David Passmore — now USA Field Hockey National Women’s Team head coach — who, at the time, was coaching club hockey in Ireland.
In England and Ireland, a club system allows field hockey players to continue playing after university in their late 20s and 30s. Outside the national team setup, the same opportunities for postcollege play are few and far between in the United States.
“Part of the reason I went over[seas] is because I didn’t want to stop playing,” Ryan said of her move to Ireland.
Ryan pursued coaching accreditations through Hockey Ireland and England Hockey. There, she gained a broad range of experiences in both coaching and playing.
Ryan, a key player at Catholic Institute, helped the team claim its first title in the Women’s Irish Senior Cup. Through the Elite Performance Masters Program at Dublin City University, she was a visiting sports fellow at Oakham School, a secondary school in England where she worked in the sports department.
“From the coaching dynamic, you get coached by
Braun had an impressive game in the season opener against the Northwestern University Wildcats with six saves, but the team ultimately lost 3-2.
“As a group, we’re very confident,” said junior midfielder Giulianna Gianino. “But some of the freshmen who are starting and coming off the bench and even some underclassmen are still learning that, which is great, but it’s still early on in the season.”
Gianino has been putting the Terriers ahead in net, leading the team in goals scored with three goals this season. Historically, Gianino has been a strong offensive player, racking up seven goals and five assists last season.
Junior midfielder Shayla Brown has also stepped up, playing in the first six games of the season and putting a goal in the back of the net against the University of Vermont.
The women’s team has welcomed eight new freshmen to the team this season with high spirits. Freshman forward Jaiden Schultz has been making noise on the field by starting in the first seven games of the season.
“We’re excited to be rolling and getting to gameplay at this point of the season,” said women’s soccer coach Casey Brown. “The team is in a really good spot when we assess the process and the way we’re playing.”
In Sunday’s game against Santa Clara University, the men looked to earn their first win of the season after their first four games ended in ties.
Approximately twenty minutes in, sophomore midfielder Jason Zacarias dribbled past two Bronco defenders and played a through ball to senior midfielder Daniel Kim. Kim tapped the ball to graduate forward Aidan Bone,
who scored BU’s first and only goal of the game.
The second half started with a similar theme to the first, with Santa Clara having their fair share of possession. Although the home team remained efficient and aggressive, they could not clutch a win against the Broncos (2-2).
For the women, Sunday’s game also proved difficult, and they ultimately succumbed to the University of New Hampshire in the second half.
The Terriers led the first half with three shots, while the Wildcats (5-1-1) had just two. However, the Wildcats picked up speed in the second half of the game, as senior forward Megan Guarente kicked the ball past BU’s defense and into the net, making the game 1-0 in favor of the Wildcats.
Looking ahead, the women’s team is approaching their first Patriot League matchup of the season against Loyola University Maryland Sept. 21 in Baltimore.
Before then, the women will hit the road again to face the University of Rhode Island Sept. 15 at 1 p.m.
“We want to reach our full potential, and we believe that’s winning a championship,” Gianino said.
Conference play begins Saturday for the men’s team, which is hosting Army West Point at home. It will be a crucial game as the Terriers begin their quest to defend their PL title.
“I think now we have a culture where there is more confidence and trust and commitment in terms of competing every day, knowing that we’ll always be in every game,” Nylen said. “It’s a direct reflection of the guys living in the moment, being a team and being balanced.”
BU field hockey as assistant coach
multiple different coaches,” Ryan said. “It wasn’t just fixated on learning from the only field hockey coach you’re around.
Ryan’s addition to the BU coaching staff was a lastminute development. The move comes after former assistant coach Tori Roche left the team just a week before preseason began to coach softball at her alma mater Babson College.
“Liz was one of the first ones that came to our mind, and we’re really grateful and fortunate that she was available and able to join us,” Starr said about searching for Roche’s replacement.
A lifelong student of the sport of field hockey, Ryan has carried her dedication and excitement for the sport across locations and roles. These traits have helped her slot seamlessly into what Starr and Paul have meticulously crafted — a program driven by joy and passion.
“She brings that joy and that passion to every training session and to work every day,” Starr said.
Ryan said she valued the opportunity just as much as Starr and Paul.
“The moment I came to BU as a 20-year-old in 2019, I felt that [Starr] was going to help me develop as a human being and give me opportunities,” she said. “She really develops
the individual and teaches them how to have respect and how to carry yourself.”
Going forward, Ryan said what surprised her most about the transition to coaching for BU are the dynamics a player never thinks of, like tactics and management.
“In the meantime, I’m really learning the way of all the things that go into a field hockey season,” Ryan said.
“Really, [Starr and Paul] are still my teachers.”
Ryan brings a new approach to a staff rich with experience. Together, Starr and Paul tally up 65 years coaching at BU. In such a collaborative environment with veteran colleagues, Ryan is looking to absorb all the knowledge she can from her coaches.
“I think that’s what really drew me back to the program,” she said. “I knew I’d be supported in every way when they called me.”
LILY HANSEN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Junior forward Damola Salami (25) dribbles the ball down the field during the men’s soccer game against St. Mary’s on Sept. 5. Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams are winless so far this season.
COURTESY OF LIZ RYAN
Assistant field hockey coach Liz Ryan in a game against American University in 2019. Ryan came back to Boston University after three years to join the coaching staff of the BU field hockey team.