9-14-2017

NEWS BU climbs two spots in U.S. News and World Report annual national college ranking. p.2

INBUSINESS MoonshotX works to prove new, cheaper technology in space innovation is the way of the future. p.5

75°/83° PARTLY CLOUDY

SPORTS Despite being a freshman, Ailsa Connolly has been playing like a seasoned veteran for BU field hockey. p.10

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY YEAR XLVI. VOLUME XCIII. ISSUE II.

BU receives $115 million donation from Kilachand

BY LEXI PEERY AND ELISE TAKAHAMA DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

PHOTO BY VIGUNTHAAN THARMAJARAH/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Kevin Merida, ESPN senior vice president, sits down with Dean Kenneth Elmore Wednesday night at the Howard Thurman Center to discuss protest, racial tensions and media coverage in professional sports after clashes in Charlottesville.

Kevin Merida, Dean Elmore talk sports culture

BY NOOR ADATIA

DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

ESPN Senior Vice President Kevin Merida sat down with Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore at the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground on Wednesday evening to discuss the impact of the recent protests in Charlottesville on the sports industry, in front of a crowd of more than 20 Boston University students and faculty.

After the racially-charged “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville last month, professional sports events continue to serve as a platform for players to make social commentary, said Pedro Falci, the HTC director.

“The event in particular may have taken the conversation and the discourse on racial tensions to a new level,” Falci said before the talk.

Falci, who organized the talk, said he

hoped attendees take away that there are multiple sides to every news story.

“The conversation is important on a human level because … we need to figure out ways to move forward and bring some healing to this country,” Falci said. “We’re trying to present opportunities to get multiple perspectives on how we do this.”

Elmore facilitated the talk with Merida, a 1979 College of Communication alumnus and the current editor-in-chief of the sports, culture and lifestyle website Undefeated.

At the beginning of the conversation, Merida made the point that while there had long been discussion about issues dividing the country pre-Charlottesville, the rally certainly added to this narrative.

“Charlottesville was another flashpoint that got people thinking about division,” Merida said. “Athletes were outspoken about what happened there.”

However, he noted that athletes have

always engaged in and cared about hot-button issues beyond the realm of sports.

“There always have been athletes that care about things beyond sports,” Merida said, “[but] that’s amplified now because we’re in the midst of the digital era and revolution.”

One such example is the controversy surrounding football quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s quiet protesting, he sits or kneels during the national anthem at football games, which Merida suggested resulted in Kaepernick’s unemployment this football season. Even though Kaepernick won’t be on the field this year, the discussion he’s started — around policing and racial inequality — isn’t going away anytime soon.

Merida said protests like these present an interesting challenge, as the media tends to divert attention from the reason behind the protest and instead focuses on incidental issues.

“The whole protest got distorted because CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Board of Trustees member Rajen Kilachand has donated $115 million to Boston University — the largest donation in the school’s history — to be used for life sciences research on campus, according to The Boston Globe.

As part of the donation, BU will announce the naming of the Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences and Engineering, which opened earlier this fall.

Kilachand, who graduated from BU’s Graduate School of Management in 1974, has broken records for donations to his alma mater before. In 2011, the Dubai-based entrepreneur donated $25 million to the Honors College — naming it in honor of his parents Arvind and Chandan Nandlal Kilachand.

When Kilachand donated the $25 million, it was the largest gift BU had received, to that point, according to the Globe.

The donation will go toward the funding of research within the university, with an endowment of $100 million to be used by researchers, faculty and students. The remaining $15 million from the donation covers a portion of the construction costs of the new CILSE building, which took $135 million to build.

“I’m convinced that this research center is going to be the front-runner,” Kilachand told BU Today. “I believe from the bottom of my heart that this will become one of the leading research institutes on the planet.”

His philanthropic efforts extend beyond his $140 million. In 2012, Kilachand also pledged $10 million to revamp the Honors College. Prior to Kilachand’s $115 million gift, his donations made the list of 50 largest gifts to higher education in the country, according to BU Today.

Check out our website for updates on this story.

BU community makes plans to protect DACA students

BY ANDRES PICON DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Trump Administration announced its plan to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program on Sept. 5 — a decision that could put the educational and professional opportunities of undocumented students at risk, according to Sarah Sherman-Stokes, the associate director of the BU Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Clinic.

The announcement from Attorney General Jeff Sessions raised serious concerns for many undocumented young people. This includes university students, who were implicitly told that DACA, the program that offered them temporary protection from

deportation, was unlawful and unconstitutional, said Sherman-Stokes, who disagrees with Sessions.

Sherman-Stokes, along with more than 100 other lawyers, signed and sent a letter to Trump last month, explaining the legal justification for DACA with the goal of potentially swaying his decision on how to handle it.

Regardless of the legality of the program, DACA was terminated and Congress was given six months to develop comprehensive immigration reform — which is something they have been working on for more than a decade, Sherman-Stokes said.

“It doesn’t seem to me that Congress is going to be cooperating all of a sudden to be able to [establish immigration reform],” Sherman-Stokes said. “It’s not completely

clear what the next steps are going to be for these young people who have been relying on this program and who have been going to school and working.”

BU is attempting to support any undocumented students who are protected by DACA, while remaining lawful and cooperative with immigration enforcement, said Jeanne Kelley, the managing director of the International Students and Scholars Office at BU. “DACA students on campus should rest assured that BU will not provide information to any third party unless specifically compelled to do so by a warrant or subpoena,” Kelley said. “We will continue to provide advice and counsel on a case-by-case basis to students who self-identify as undocumented and come forward to seek our counsel.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

PHOTO BY VIGUNTHAAN THARMARAJAH/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

BU’s CILSE building is named after alumnus Rajen Kilachand, who donated $115 million to life science research at the university.

2 NEWS

BU climbs 2 spots in US Best National University ranking

BY AMANDA KAUFMAN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Boston University has been ranked the 37th best college in the nation according to the 2018 U.S. News and World Report’s Best National University ranking — a two-spot increase from last year and the university’s all-time highest position.

Eric Brooks, a senior data analyst at USNWR, said the rankings are based on 15 indicators that measure academic quality.

“We look at the selectivity of the admissions process, the school’s ability to support their students with things like small class sizes, hiring credentials of faculty,” Brooks said. “We look at their ability to retain students and graduate them within six years, the academic reputation of the schools and we look at when students graduate, are they satisfied enough with their experience that they donated as alumni.”

Brooks said BU has been able to reach the number 37 position because the university has been improving over time in a number of aspects.

“There have been small methodology changes from year to year, but the reason that Boston University has improved is it’s been improving over time,” Brooks said.

“A decade ago in the 2009 ranking, it was ranked 60 and it’s been going into the 50s and 40s, and now the last couple years it’s been in the 30s.”

One of the areas that contributed to BU’s increased ranking is its ability to retain and graduate students at a higher rate, Brooks said.

“The most recent fixed year graduation rate for this year’s ranking was 87 percent,” Brooks said. “That’s one of the highest weighted factors, graduation rates, because going to the school isn’t worth as much if you don’t get the degree.”

Katherine Cornetta, the assistant to the dean of students, said the university has

GRAPHIC BY AMY LUPICA/ DAILY FREE PRESS CONTRIBUTOR

increased its alumni outreach, which might have contributed to its higher ranking.

“We’ve done a great job outreaching to alumni, our programming for alumni had an increase and just in our office we see our alumni reaching out a lot more than they did a decade ago so that probably has a fair amount to do with it,” Cornetta said.

The “breadth and depth” of the academic programs at BU contribute to the vibrant campus community that is available to students when they come to BU, Cornetta said.

“We have such an incredible student body that’s so talented,” Cornetta added, “so that definitely plays into how we’re perceived as a university.”

Several students said while they were impressed with BU’s new position on the list, rankings should not be the only factor that high school students take into account during their college search. Julia Bighetto, a sophomore in the College of General Studies, said that while 37 is a high ranking, she did not take national rankings into consideration when she decided best place, I was just trying to find the place that fits me the best.”

Connor Dedrick, a freshman in the Questrom School of Business, also said that finding the program that is right for you should be more important than the ranking of a university.

“Sometimes rankings get overblown,”

Dedrick said. “You should go where the program is right for you and where you feel you fit in.”

Dedrick also said he thinks BU’s new ranking shows that “we have amazing students, faculty, facilities, and that we’re continually investing in those things.”

Lexis Eisenson, a CAS senior, said she was happy to hear that BU had moved up in the rankings, but a student’s academic performance reveals more about the person than the national standing of the university he or she attends.

“That’s a great accomplishment for us as a school as a whole,” Eisenson said. “I don’t think undergraduate rankings are that important, I think how you do at the school is more important.”

Signature campaign launch for workers’ benefits Race in sports

BY BREANNE KOVATCH DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Two potential ballot questions to increase minimum wage in Massachusetts and ensure paid medical and family leave have been approved by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey to start signature petitions, Andrew Farnitano, a spokesperson for Raise Up Massachusetts, said.

The signature campaign is one in a series of steps to get the two initiatives on the 2018 ballot in November. This is the most recent advancement in the fight for greater workers’ benefits led by Raise Up Massachusetts, a grassroots coalition that works for better wages and benefits for workers, Farnitano said.

Farnitano said the first signature petition for a $15 minimum wage addresses the plight of minimum wage workers who cannot survive on the current $11 minimum. If approved, the resulting ballot question would enact a one-dollar increase in minimum wage over four years $15 by 2022, according to the official website for Raise Up Massachusetts.

“Many minimum wage workers end up having to work two or three jobs, rely on public assistance just to make ends meet and it’s just impossible to get ahead working minimum wage,” Farnitano said. “We want to gradually raise that wage so that people who work can provide for their families and get ahead in life.”

Farnitano said the second petition will create a paid family and medical leave insurance program in order to ensure people can take care of themselves and their family,

whether they just had a child or have fallen ill “Paid leave comes out of the same philosophy that people shouldn’t have to choose between their family and the job they need,” Farnitano said. “If they have a newborn child, they deserve time to bond with that child to recover from giving birth for new mothers and fathers to spend time with a new child.

If they have a family member who is ill, people should be able to take care of that family member without risking losing their job.”

Farnitano said putting these initiatives into practice will not only help those individuals, but the Massachusetts economy as a whole since the extra money workers get will go into local businesses and their community.

“That’ll help us grow from the bottom up,” Farnitano said.

The signature petitions will begin this weekend, requiring a minimum of 64,750 certified signatures each to appear on the ballot in November, according to the official site for Raise Up Massachusetts.

However, Farnitano said the organization will work to secure at least 120,000 signatures on each of the petitions in order to guarantee all of them check out.

Vanessa Snow, the council organizer at the Greater Boston Labor Council, said she hopes laborers standing in support of these petitions will remain active in the community even after the campaigns are over.

“We’re hoping as we are working on this campaign and showing solidarity with fast food workers, or food service workers, that they will also see value in engaging more deeply and using their leadership skills in developing and joining the labor movement,” Snow said.

Snow said the petition for paid leave will be particularly advantageous to women in the workforce.

“This is an equity issue and child care and healthcare are huge barriers for women … advancing in their work and being able to provide for their families,” Snow said.

Several Boston residents said they agreed providing greater benefits for workers in Massachusetts would be a good idea.

Ray Xiong, 32 of Brighton, said increasing the minimum wage will bring positive changes to the city.

“Generally, I support raising minimum wage to $15,” Xiong said. “It’ll be interesting to see what happens in Boston for sure; getting these benefits are definitely a welcomed change.”

Matthew Marshall, 34 of Brighton, said increasing the minimum wage and giving paid medical and family leave will benefit the city.

“It’s a great idea,” Marshall said. “It will really help the economy long-term. I don’t know why we don’t have it already.”

Emma Kawski, 21 of Allston, said she thinks the current minimum wage is not sustainable.

“I’m not sure how much it adds up to when you’re working full time, but it’s not living conditions at all,” Kawski said.

Kawski said she thinks current regulations regarding paid leave are restrictive.

“I recently met a couple who were able to walk away from their jobs at 24 and 25, but I’m on a different path right now because … I don’t want to put in a notice to go see someone in my family that’s sick,” Kawski said.

Jordan Kimmel contributed to the reporting of this article.

MERIDA, FROM PAGE 1 it became a debate around the anthem and patriotism or the lack of it,” Merida said.

“It just became something that was not a part of where we started.”

Merida noted that in all of his time working in sports media, he has never seen so many sports stars speaking up on racial and social issues — despite the fact that they may lose endorsements and their job.

“I think they’re recognizing the power that they have,” Merida said.

Several students in attendance said they thought discussions like these provide an essential perspective on important issues.

Carmelle Dagmi, a COM junior, said she came to the talk because she’s an avid sports fan and she said she enjoyed hearing what Merida had to say.

“It sounded like an interesting topic, especially someone from ESPN to talk about his opinion,” Dagmi said. “I liked hearing the different opinions.”

Another self-proclaimed sports enthusiast Ariel Stein said she thinks there’s still a lot to explore in the context of social justice and athletes.

“Athletes have such a strong inf luence on the general public,” the COM junior said. “Their behavior can have a huge impact in terms of being socially aware and in terms of inspiring fans to make their own impact.”

Brian Privett, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he thought it was fascinating to hear the opinion of a professional in the field.

“It’s a new time for journalism and the media, and it’s sort of an experiment,” he said.

NEWS 3

Massachusetts sends supports to Floridians battered by Irma

BY SABRINA SCHNUR DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Floridians are now left to face what is arguably the toughest period surrounding storms of this magnitude — the assessment of the damage and rebuilding their communities.

In an effort to help alleviate stress on local relief organizations, various groups in Massachusetts have sent emergency teams to aid people in Florida that are struggling in the storm’s aftermath.

Eversource, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency have been among the many groups sending supplies and manpower to help restore the lives of citizens affected by the storm.

Chris Besse, a MEMA spokesperson, said they had been continuously monitoring requests for assistance put up by Florida emergency systems.

“When a state is impacted by a disaster they can go out and request assistance from other states,” Besse said. “We’ve been monitoring … and as Florida goes and puts in requests for assistance we then look and see which ones we can fulfill.”

Besse said there have been four teams, comprised of emergency responders, National Guard members and an incident management team, accepted to be sent down to Florida as of Monday. When Boston had severe winter storms in 2015, other states helped out, Besse said this is Massachusetts just returning the favor.

“It’s just sort of a natural system that emergency managers and public safety help out in times of disaster,” Besse said.

Chloe Meck, a spokesperson at Beth Israel, wrote in an email that a team from Beth Israel, led by the hospital’s director of emergency management Meg Femino and consisting of eight nurses from across the state, was also sent out Tuesday morning and is set to stay in Florida for two weeks.

The team was requested by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and will serve as medical support within the shelters, Meck said.

Rhiannon D’Angelo, a spokesperson for Eversource, the largest energy provider in New England, said they sent 100 employees from New England to Florida to restore power. Eversource works with other energy companies around the country to help restore power to locations that have suffered from devastating storms and other major events.

D’Angelo said they had been planning relief efforts since before the storm made landfall on the Florida coast.

“Once we saw that New England … was going to be spared we decided that we could send a number of crews to help,” D’Angelo said. “Many energy companies in the path of Hurricane Irma reached out to the sister utilities from across the nation asking for extra workers and resources.”

Eversource has also utilized their call center in Westwood, Massachusetts to assist Tampa Electric remotely.

“They’re helping to answer outage phone calls,” D’Angelo said. “They started doing that [Sunday] morning. [Sunday] alone they answered 1,000 Tampa electric company calls.”

Several Boston residents said they support Massachusetts-based organization’s

PHOTO COURTESY BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS CENTER

Staff of Beth Israel Deaconess Center at Logan International Airport before flying to Florida to provide medical support for evacuees.

efforts to aid those impacted by Irma, as long as the work is properly organized.

Quiana Scott-Ferg uson, 34 , of Dorchester said she thinks it’s excellent people are volunteering time and resources to this disaster, but that they should increase training.

“I do think that there needs to be more disaster relief training for volunteers and hopefully some of these agencies will consider the number of disasters we’ve had recently and how they can better equip volunteers to help people,” Scott-Ferguson said.

Scott-Ferguson said she is also worried about donated goods ending up in the hands of unidentifiable organizations.

“I just hope that [residents] donate to the appropriate agencies like the Red Cross because there’s going to be a lot of fraudu-

lent activity going on just like there was with Katrina,” Scott-Ferguson said.

Susan Pope, 68, of Brighton said she support efforts to aid Floridians but that the work must be coordinated.

“I think they could use some help but it has to be organized and has to be good help or it’s just a waste,” Pope said.

Yigu Chen, 26, of Allston, said he encourages donating as it will help repair the lives of those affected.

“I feel really sorry about the tragedy that occurred,” Chen said. “We haven’t had a similar event this big before. I think we can help by donating and supporting by any means necessary so that it will hopefully make life better for those that were affected.”

Jordan Kimmel contributed to the reporting

ISSO provides assistance to students affected by DACA decision

PHOTO BY SYDNEY MAES/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Boston University attempts to support its undocumented students protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program as the Trump Administration announces its DACA annulment.

DACA, FROM PAGE 1 The ISSO is urging undocumented students to get in touch with them to ensure that they are doing everything they can to assure their legal protection, Kelley said.

“We would encourage DACA students to reach out to the ISSO staff if they have questions so that we can make sure they are receiving accurate legal advice from experienced immigration attorneys,” Kelley said.

ISSO’s website has a page called Resources for Undocumented Individuals

that offers DACA students information on how to manage their situation, including work permission and DACA renewal deadlines, as well as links for confidential counseling and other resources, according to Kelley.

“We are a university that is committed to having an open and welcoming atmosphere to students from across the United States and around the globe,” the assistant director of the ISSO said. “President Brown and members of the administration continue to advocate in support of DACA students as well as for legislative

action leading to a permanent solution that will enable these students to remain in the United States to fulfill their educational and professional goals.”

Several students said they think the repeal of DACA was the wrong decision made by the Trump Administration and that BU should take concrete steps to support students who may be affected by the policy change.

Zach Joachim, a Graduate School of Arts and Sciences fourth-year doctoral student, said he thinks making BU a sanctuary campus, as other schools have done, would be the right

decision by the university administration.

“It’s the easy decision here, to kind of take a moral stance, because [the repeal of DACA] is almost universally opposed, and this kind of thing can only be good for BU’s administration,” Joachim said.

Sherman-Stokes, who specializes in immigration law and policy, said although she thinks these types of movements are important, sanctuary campuses and cities are not necessarily sufficient in safeguarding undocumented students.

“Immigration enforcement certainly will still happen and can still happen [on sanctuary campuses],” Sherman-Stokes said. “It’s up to student-organizing efforts, I think, and hopefully support from faculty and staff and the administration at BU to determine whether that will happen.”

Samar Raghib, a Questrom School of Business senior, said she thinks students who were protected by DACA should be allowed to stay in the United States and that they should be protected by BU. “When people are brought here by their parents at such a young age,” Raghib said, “they don’t really have a say on what happens, and when they grow up here, this becomes their home … I think [BU] should make an effort to protect the kids that are under DACA right now.”

Elena Bernstein, a College of Arts and Sciences sophomore, said she thinks the dissolution of the DACA program is unjust and that the university should protect those who benefited from it.

“It’s unfairly affecting a lot of people — particularly a lot of younger people, like college-aged students,” Bernstein said.

“President Brown and the administration in general should do more to assure that they deal with these things in an effective manner … because people are here for an education and you don’t want anything to wdisrupt that.”

4 FEATURES

IMPACT

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 Artist Claire Ashley exhibits “(((CRZ.F.4NRS.AAK)))” at Boston University’s 808 Gallery from this Friday to Dec. 3.

PHOTO BY SYDNEY MAES/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Inflatable art creates large presence at 808 Gallery can make even the tallest viewer feel small in their presence. Ashley’s exhibition at the gallery is titled “(((CRZ.F.4NRS.AAK)))” and translates to “Crazy Female Foreigners Alive and Kicking,” alluding to Ashley’s identity as a Scottish immigrant and global politics.

“I’ve been thinking about the limitations of global movement, especially with Trump’s DACA limitations,” she said. “I’m concerned about my papers when leaving and entering the country. The idea that the inflatables are odd bodies in space is a cultural and sculptural reference.”

Ashley started working with inflatable objects about 10 years ago, she said. Working in such a large space has given her the freedom to create monumental, abstract paint-

BY TYLA PINK DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

With its columns, polished checkered floors and ornate wall decorations, BU’s 808 Gallery hosted to a wide diversity of art pieces. A group of colorful, inflatable sculptures have recently filled the space, making the gallery their new temporary home. “(((CRZ.F.4NRS.AAK)))” includes 30 inflatables and 30 small, paper pieces, some of which feature plastic and ceramic sculptures. The show opens on Friday and will run until Dec. 3 with an opening reception on Oct. 14 from 3-5 p.m.

Scottish artist Claire Ashley is the creator of these larger-than-life objects that

ings that can be easily stored and transported to various spaces, she added.

Using inflatables allowed her to bend the rules and perceptions of traditional painting.

Ashley said she seeks to challenge assumptions on form, boundaries and perception within her work. The scale and colors she works with are meant to comment on traditional art history but also the contemporary art world.

“As long as I’ve been a painter I’ve been searching for ways to make paintings without using flat surfaces or straight edges,” she said.

“I’ve been exploring the expanded field of painting. The inflatables are actually canvas coated with pvc plastic. I use it as a surface to paint on, but they can also be blown up and used as sculptures.”

This is the first time 808 Gallery has featured inflatable art, said Josh Buckno, managing director of BU Art Galleries, but he said he believes that filling up the expansive space will create an immersive environment for visitors of the exhibit.

Buckno said the gallery initially planned to do a group show of inflatable objects but after doing some research, they discovered Ashely and invited her to do a solo show in the space instead.

“The objects are sculptural, painterly and performative. They reference the body, they reference physical scale,” Buckno said.

“There’s some humor in them but also many deep thoughts. One of the thoughts is how we have these expansive, soft sculptures within this historic building.”

Rhoda Yun, a junior in BU’s College of Communication, who saw a glimpse of the show from outside of Gallery 808 was struckand overwhelmed by the scale.

“Instead of taking steps closer to observe the details, you have to take a few steps back.

It’s almost as if the art is observing you,” said Yun. “Her work is well aware of what it is and what it stands for. It’s not trying to be beautiful or subdued. It’s trying to be real.”

Ashley sees her objects as a perfect way to think about bodies. She described her sculptures as portraits of herself and her three children because of the “crazy energy and vigor” imbedded within her sculptural forms.

She said she draws inspiration from cartoons, abstract expressionist paintings and landscapes, and she thinks about how her sculptural forms stack together to look like rock formations within gallery spaces.

“The idea of ecstaticism is something I’ve always been interested in,” Ashley said.

“I want everything to be over the top. I want my work to take up a lot of visual space, physical space and color field space. Since I knew the gallery was going to be a giant space I wanted it to feel full and brimming over.”

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INBUSINESS

FEATURES 5

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

MoonshotX envisions future of business, space innovation

BY JENNI TODD DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

If Apple started in a garage, could the next billion dollar space company come from one, too? According to Troy McCann, the answer is yes.

In his presentation, “It’s Not Rocket Science! How to get into the Space Business,” McCann, founder and managing director of MoonshotX, envisioned a future in which interstellar innovation could come from a couple of minimally funded entrepreneurs.

MoonshotX, founded in 2016, is an Australia-based space startup accelerator.

Their mission is to “help entrepreneurs validate, grow and scale promising space technology based business models,” according to the company’s website.

As a part of their international roadshow, McCann visited Somerville’s Canopy City on Sept. 7 to explain their vision.

Using the field of telecommunications as an example, McCann explained the expensive status quo of space business, which is prohibitive to smaller ventures, like startups.

“If you want to have a telecommunications satellite, it’s very easy,” McCann said.

“At the moment, you put a billion dollar satellite into geosynchronous orbit. You need a massive rocket. Even, like, a Falcon 9 costs you $60 million just to put it up there.”

But McCann emphasized the emergence of new, cheaper technology, like CubeSats, as a gateway for entrepreneurship and innovation. CubeSats, McCann explained, are small satellites built using the same technology used to construct smartphones, which makes them both powerful and hyper connective.

“A CubeSat is a functioning satellite you can hold in your hand,” McCann said. “It weighs about a kilogram, literally a little bit

bigger than a Rubik’s Cube. That’s kind of what they look like.”

“Let’s say it costs you $20 thousand to launch one of these [CubeSats] up,” McCann said. “You can launch a hundred of them up there, and if they all talk to each other, they can spread over a much larger area. You can put them into a lower orbit, which means it’s much, much cheaper.”

McCann further explained that CubeSats have some advantages over larger, more expensive satellites.

“You can do things that you couldn’t do with that single billion dollar geosynchronous satellite,” McCann said.

For example, Planet Labs, an aerospace startup turned billion dollar company, utilized the hyper-connectivity of CubeSats to create an advanced global imaging system.

“They literally started building these satellites in a garage,” McCann said. “They have over 150 of these satellites in orbit ... every 24 hours, the entire fleet of satellites takes imagery of the entire surface of the Earth.”

John Clarke, director of Boston University’s Center for Space Physics, confirmed the high potential of CubeSats for certain applications.

“What can you do on a smaller platform like a CubeSat? The answer is quite a bit, not everything,” Clarke said. “Where there’s an application where you need a lot of coverage, communications with the ground, imaging weather systems, things like that.”

Clarke also pointed out that, in addition to the substantially cheaper cost of emerging technology like CubeSats, space startups could benefit from their ability to take risks and accept potential failures.

“When the government launches things, especially human beings into space, it has to work,” Clarke said. “They have all kinds of safeguards to make sure that nothing goes wrong ... But if a company is willing to take a

PHOTO COURTESY NICOLA OJERHOLM

MoonshotX founder Troy McCann speaks at “It’s Not Rocket Science! How to get into the Space Business” Sept. 7 at Canopy City in Somerville.

little more risk and actually accept that a few percent of them will fail, that’s a fundamentally different way of operating ... and that should drive down the cost.”

Ian Mashiter, director of the BU BUzz Lab, said that cheaper, more accessible technology would likely facilitate the formation of more space startups.

“One of the problems for startups is the cash requirements of many of these ideas, the resource requirements,” Mashiter said.

“But if you think about the stuff that Elon Musk is doing and Richard Branson is doing, lowering the cost of entry into the Earth’s atmosphere ... then one can imagine there will be some opportunities.”

With its Gemini Space Entrepreneurship Incubator, MoonshotX hopes to aid aspiring entrepreneurs looking to take advantage of

those opportunities.

Zach Cox, a senior at the Berklee College of Music who attended McCann’s presentation, said he felt inspired after the lecture.

“I found Troy to be very insightful about the future of space exploration,” Cox said.

“His knowledge of his company’s program and of space in general sparked an interest in the field inspiring me to look into potential career opportunities.”

Reflecting on his desired impact with MoonshotX, McCann said he hopes to change the way people approach space.

“I want to change people’s perception that there is a final frontier,” McCann said.

“We’re already in that final frontier. I don’t want us to continue to see space as this other thing because we are in space. So are we ready for it? Yeah, we’ve always been ready for it.”

CATALYST THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

Solar flares cause magnetic storm, intrigue BU community

BY KIRAN KISHOR GALANI AND SOPHIE WILL DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Space scientists have encountered Several huge, unexpected solar flares over a short span of time this past week, one of which even resulted in a coronal mass ejection in the direction of the Earth.

Early on Sept. 6, the sun reached the solar minimum, the lowest point of solar activity in the star’s near 11-year cycle. However, this cycle’s minimum produced dispelled magnetic material that affects us here on Earth.

“When sun spits this stuff out, it needs to be directly in line with the Earth in order to impact us because the Earth is very small as compared to the sun,” explained Meers

Oppenheim, an astronomy professor in the College of Arts and Sciences. “But if it doesn’t directly come in the direction of the earth it’s like a hurricane that missed us.”

However, the magnetic “hurricane” that did hit the Earth last week created a severe magnetic storm that knocked out all radio communications for about an hour across all the areas that were facing the sun at that point.

According to National Geographic, “a powerful CME can trigger a geomagnetic storm, which can disrupt satellites, GPS navigation and the power grid but can also spawn especially brilliant auroras.”

The ejection involves the sun spitting out a huge amount of material that is magnetic in nature and expelled in extremely large quantities.

“That material will take about three days to reach the surface of the earth,” Oppenheim said. “Once it does, it causes the magnetic field around the earth to flex and change its configuration and in the process it can create problems with our electric system and knock out several forms of communications.”

Even though it does affect communications, “they’re not really a big danger to us here on the ground,” he explained.

The solar flares that accompanied this are not a danger and routine, said Jeffrey Hughes, another astronomy professor in CAS. “We’ve had two large flares in the last week or so,” he said. “They are not on a historical scale, they are not unusual but these kind of flares happen once in every 11 years or so.”

He further explained that since the

“It’s really fascinating because we haven’t had a solar flare of this intensity in a little over 10 years,” Zachary Orent said.

sun was a magnetic star, it had magnetic fields, generated in the outer region of the sun’s interior that was convecting. This convective motion can occasionally twist upwards in some places and amplify the magnetic field.

The strong parts of these magnetic fields can come out of the sun in small areas called sunspots, which store energy that snaps and releases either a solar flare or another accompanying phenomenon called coronal mass-ejection.

Hughes further explained how, while the solar flares seemed like a big deal because the sun was so close to its solar minimum right now, it still did happen at times while the sun was cooling down.

“It’s really fascinating because we haven’t had a solar flare of this intensity in a little over 10 years,” said Zachary Orent, a senior studying physics in the CAS and the president of the Boston University Astronomical Society. “Not only that, over the past seven days we’ve had seven different solar flares.”

Orent was excited about the prospect that his first club meeting of the year would have so much to discuss and he explained how the club intended to try to observe any further activity that may occur on the sun.

6 FEATURES

MUSE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

PHOTOS BY LEXI PLINE/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

BU Central hosts “Flat Waffle: Furst is the Wurst” in BU Central Tuesday night, featuring student comedians and improvisation groups.

Warm audience welcomes student comedians to BU stage

BY KAYA WILLIAMS DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

If laughter is — as the saying goes — the best medicine, Boston University’s comedy community certainly knows how to write the prescription.

The diverse selection of BU student comedy organizations — be it a sketch group, improv troupe, stand-up club or satire publication — delivers frequent and potent doses of chuckles, cackles and squeals of glee.

Thanks to performance showcases like Sunday’s Ha Ha Central and last Friday’s Hasan Minhaj performance, one need only find a seat to find themselves laughing along.

But, perhaps even better yet, the abundance of opportunities to explore and practice comedic performance gives students their own chance to crack jokes on stage or online. For Jay Leno aspirants and Upright Citizens Brigade hopefuls alike, BU gives students the chance to hone their craft — and to feel welcomed in doing so.

The BU comedy community is “super welcoming … there’s really a lot of effort to be a community,” said Karli Marulli, a junior studying film and television in the College of Communication.

Her name may be familiar to those who saw her open for Hasan Minhaj last Friday and for Michael Che in March. Marulli is also a performing member of Liquid Fun, editorin-chief of The Bunion and president of BU Stand-Up Club. Marulli said she won BU’s Funniest Finals competition in March, adding that the performances were “a lot more fun” than she anticipated.

Marulli also noted that the larger audience at Michael Che’s and Hasan Minhaj’s performances were “super receptive” to stand-up comedy.

That audience enthusiasm may stem in part from its sheer mass — Marulli cited the enormous size of the venue, the Metcalf Ballroom at the George Sherman Union, as a cause of the audience’s “big, exciting energy.”

It was a stark contrast to the “more intimate” setting of Flat Waffle Comedy Hour, which she co-hosts with Adam DeAngelo, a senior in COM, in BU Central, in the basement of the GSU, on a biweekly basis.

She also said that she was grateful for the opportunity to perform onstage after being judged by her peers, calling the experience validating.

Aranya Tatapudi, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and a performing member of The Callbacks, echoed the sentiment of peer validation and critical collaboration.

Student comedy groups are “able to compliment and critique each other,” she said.

Tatapudi also performed at Ha Ha Central on Sunday and emphasized the abundance of opportunities available for aspiring comedians at BU. “BU made [comedy] really accessible,” Tatapudi said. “BU’s comedy scene is unique because you have so many options … Everyone should at least try [comedy at BU].”

For Chris Bunting, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences and regular attendee of Liquid Fun’s Sunday open practices, there are benefits to involvement in comedy at BU beyond the chance to perform.

At the open Sunday practices, where any BU student is welcome to participate in a variety of short-form and long-form improv activities led by Liquid Fun’s performing members, Bunting said he likes that he is “able to meet the people there … and connect.”

Prior to coming to BU, Bunting said he wasn’t very familiar with comedy as an art form.

“I first really discovered improv comedy … when I saw Liquid Fun at orientation,” he said.

Jason Sanchez, a COM senior and fellow member of The Callbacks, encouraged students to take a hack at eliciting hoots and hollers.

“If it makes the community stronger, we’re better for it,” Sanchez said.

For those nervous about the vulnerability of comedic performance, seasoned comedy veteran Grace Condon, a COM senior who has been involved with sketch comedy group Slow Children at Play, emphasized that the BU comedy community offers a “every supportive environment.”

Condon, also a writer and editor for The Bunion and a stand-up comedian, noted that the “community aspect” of comedy at BU was valuable personally and professionally.

“Meeting with people you work well with” is beneficial to those interested in cre-

ative professions, Condon said, adding that she has already enjoyed collaborating with others on various projects.

Jordan DeFilippo, a COM junior and another Slow Children at Play performer, elaborated upon the supportive environment Condon mentioned.

“Coming from doing sports and the-

ater, there’s a lot of pressure to succeed all the time,” DeFilippo wrote in a Facebook message. “If you fail in sports, you’re usually punished and if you fail in theater your peers will lie to you to make you feel better.

In comedy, failure is often encouraged and softened by jokes … It’s been a really great to have an honest support group.”

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8 OPINION

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

Lexi Peery, Editor-in-Chief Elise Takahama, Managing Editor

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

46th year | Volume 93 | Issue 2 The Free Press (ISSN 1094-7337) is published Thursdays during the academic year except during vacation and exam periods by Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc., a nonprofit corporation operated

by Boston University students. No content can be reproduced without the permission of Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright © 2017 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Alana Levene, Campus Editor

Ellie French, Editorial Page Editor

Rachel Duncan, Layout Editor

Till Kaeslin, City Editor

Lauren Frias, Features Editor

Allegra Peelor, Blog Editor

Matthew Martin, Sports Editor

Chloe Grinberg, Photo Editor

Shakti Rovner, Office Manager

Gender inequality persists, Massachusetts is making strides The Declaration of Independence, the first official document in the history of our nation, famously stated that “all men are created equal” — specifically leaving women out of the equation. Since then, women have been pushing back on this patriarchal structure, trying to achieve equality for women in the United States. In recent years, the mainstage in this fight for equality has been the American workplace.

The Boston Globe published an article Wednesday highlighting the most recent figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on gender inequalities in the Massachusetts workforce. The results show that women now earn 84.3 cents to each dollar of their male counterparts, marking a 2.7 percent increase from the previous year — the smallest wage gap ever recorded in the state.

Activists far and wide will decry this disparity — of course they will, a 15.7 percent difference in salary is not pocket change by any standards. However, when compared with wage gaps throughout history, a disparity this small is actually phenomenal.

Women have been earning a fraction as much as men since the moment they first entered the workforce. This is a centuries-old battle, deeply rooted in our patriarchal history. Now, for the first time, we’re actually starting to get to where we want to be. We as a society, and especially as a state, are headed in the right direction, and making big strides along the way.

Just 10 years ago, women in Massachusetts earned 74.8 cents on the dollar. Closing this gap by nearly 10 cents in as many years is huge. Furthermore, these

statistics show only the harshest reality, not accounting for any other factors, many of which can significantly affect these figures, including job responsibilities, work experience and specialization. When you adjust for these other inf luencers, the gap shrinks enormously.

The fact of the matter is that we could be doing so much worse. The United States is easily one of the best countries for women’s equality and rights around the globe.

More specifically, Massachusetts is one of

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his is a centuries-old battle, deeply rooted in our patriarchal history.

Now, for the first time, we’re actually starting to get to where we want to be. the best states in the country for women to live and work. The most recent data ranks us tied with Rhode Island for 13th smallest wage gap in the country. Those kind of rankings are nothing to write home about. However, in 2016, Governor Charlie Baker signed the strongest equal pay law in the country, one that won’t go into effect until 2018. With any luck, a few years down

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Though these workshops originally seemed like a very small step to address a very big issue, the results have been thoroughly impressive. To date, nearly 5,000 women in Boston have attended a workshop, with a goal of training 85,000 — half of the city’s working women.

Even with all this progress, there are some issues that still have a long way to

go. People of color, and especially women of color face a disparity much worse than that of women in general. This positive trend for women in Massachusetts doesn’t necessarily address issues specific to these groups, women of color will undoubtedly benefit from a general boost in equality for working women.

Another aspect of this issue is addressing the misogyny in which the pay gap is rooted. Earlier this year, the story of two co-workers, one male and one female, switching email signatures in their professional correspondences went viral. The woman, who had been frustrated by working with condescending and rude clients, found that when using a man’s name on her emails, her job suddenly became much easier. The man experienced the exact opposite, with his once perfectly pleasant clients beginning to treat him with noticeably less respect.

When women have to deal with sexist clients, coworkers and superiors at the office, it is clear that inequality in the workplace extends far beyond simple legislation. It is also a societal issue, although tackling that scope of sexism is even harder than the rest.

It’s hard to say that we are doing enough for women’s equality, or moving fast enough on these issues. Nothing could ever be fast enough when it comes to achieving equality. Ideally, that kind of equality would exist today, or yesterday or 100 years ago.

As with many other issues, Massachusetts is just doing its best. This just happens to be one of those times when “doing our best” is actually pretty good.

This week’s crossword puzzle is brought to you by Matthew Stout

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the line, these results will tell a very different story for women in Massachusetts.

In 2015, Boston became the first city in the United States to offer salary negotiation training to help women advocate for their own raises — with one of the primary factors causing women to earn less than men being women’s hesitation to negotiate their salaries. Surveys show that nearly half of the women who attended these trainings negotiated a pay raise that bumped them up to either at or above the market rate.

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ACROSS 1. Mend (archaic) 5. Moat 10. River of Spain 14. Burden 15. Kick out 16. Trigonometry (abbrev.)

17. Indecipherable 19. Sharpen 20. Pistol 21. More awful 22. Serpent 23. Narrative description of past events 25. Speedy 27. Calypso offshoot 28. A Pacific coast rockfish 31. Seaweed 34. Fertile areas 35. Append 36. Equipment 37. Orbital point 38. Small island 39. Play a role

DOWN 40. Anagram of “Smite” 41. Particles 42. Empty talk 44. Not high 45. Mayhem 46. A small rounded boat 50. Pueblo brick 52. Sisal 54. Carpet 55. Transport in a vehicle 56. Whip 58. If not 59. Change 60. 1 1 1 1 61. Encounter 62. Twosomes 63. Exam

1. Tree branch 2. Boredom 3. Changes in direction 4. East southeast 5. Felt hat 6. Female internal reproductive organ 7. Brothers and sisters 8. Induration 9. French for “Summer” 10. Cultural 11. Televise 12. A building for skating 13. Curved molding 18. Aroused 22. Resorts 24. Russian emperor 26. Air force heroes 28. Introductory 29. Doing nothing 30. Poems 31. Food thickener 32. Pervert 33. Gatekeeper’s residence

34. Anagram of “Topically” 37. Relating to aircraft 38. Hawkeye State 40. Relocate 41. Type of mushroom 43. Pill 44. Admirers 46. Behind bars 47. Large longnecked wading bird 48. Chordophones 49. Excrete 50. Throat-clearing sound 51. Broad valley 53. Nurse shark 56. Craze 57. A parcel of land

OPINION 9

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

Adjusting to life after 9/11 Fabulous is my favorite word

BY PATRICK BURKE COLUMNIST

People always say they remember exactly where they were when 9/11 happened. That fateful day has been burned into the memories of people across the globe. But for people of my generation, we may only remember bits and pieces of that day. I remember being four years old and asking for a sandwich.

My request was promptly denied, which I remember being very unusual for that age. I knew something was wrong because my mom always keeps a level head. I remember looking at the TV and seeing the towers on fire, part of me beginning to understand that something was seriously wrong.

Hearing some of the speeches that George W. Bush gave right after 9/11 makes me proud to be an American. He helped to bring a little bit of comfort to the citizens when the whole country was plagued with fear. Hearing Bush talk about standing together as one, while standing near the smoldering ashes of the Twin Towers never fails to make the hairs on my arms stand up.

That kind of patriotism is something that I think, as a result of this terror attack, was instilled in me at a very young age. Seeing America stand as one and take a stand, not against a religion, but a set of ideas, was as profound as it was intelligent. There was no name calling from the leaders of our nation.

We had one goal: to get the people that did this to us. Not since 9/11 have I read about Americans uniting under one cause.

Our country is as divided as I have ever seen it. I think what people are forgetting is that, at the end of the day, we are all Americans. We bleed the same blood and live in the same neighborhoods. While it is obviously more complex than that, sometimes it is worth taking a step back and acknowledging the fact that we are cut from the same cloth.

I have come to realize that even though my memory of that day does not serve me so well, the experiences I have had in the days since showcase that even people of my

generation were affected by 9/11 to our very core. The lives that we lived as children were vastly different than the lives lived by our parents, mostly because we were brought up in a nation in constant fear.

Fear is a natural reaction to a tragedy, especially when the tragedy takes place in your own country. The difference in this situation is that fear has turned from a natural reaction, felt once in a blue moon, to our default setting.

I know that whenever I get on a plane, I have thoughts of a terrorist attack in the back of my mind. Removing myself from the situation, this is completely irrational.

The added security measures that have been implemented over the years bring the safety that we needed on 9/11. Still, fear is not an easy thing to reason with.

Whenever I am in an especially crowded train station or at a packed sporting event, one thought is always present in my mind: I hope today isn’t like that day.

While we may all think this way in this age of terrorism, people my age know nothing different. This is our normal. I can’t even comprehend that there was a time where you could go places with a blissful ignorance, unfazed by what problems may be around the corner.

It seems that the days of “kids being kids” are long gone. Rarely do I see kids walking around this city without the company of adults. Society has changed, and people have become more conservative. Not in terms of politics, but in the way that they live their everyday lives. They may think twice about doing what they want to do because they fear a terrorist attack. We get warnings, an extra sincere, “Be careful,” before going to any large gathering. While it may be logical or even a force of habit, by doing this, we are letting the terrorists win.

However, while this fear may have real estate in the heads of many Americans, it certainly does not define us. We have made the decision to go to war against terrorism, we have improved our security measures to be some of the most impressive in the world, and we are starting to claw back from the fear that once had American citizens in a stranglehold.

9/11 was one of worst days in American history. The terrorists that day took parents, grandparents and children alike. It changed the way a whole generation was raised. The fear that we all feel is natural, but is important to never give all the way in to this fear. By doing this, we would lose what it means to really be an American.

BY GRACE HAGERTY COLUMNIST

Fabulous is my favorite word. It’s defined

by Merriam Webster’s dictionary as “resembling or suggesting a fable: of an incredible, astonishing, or exaggerated nature.” In my opinion, the month of September is the most fabulous month of the year. This month is so great because it’s a time where you can reinvent yourself. Over the course of the month, it somehow feels like the world is teeming with more inspiration than usual. From New York Fashion Week to the season premieres of shows old and new to the beginning of the school year, there are so many opportunities to become the fabulous person you’ve always wanted to be.

The fabulosity of September also has so much to do with the natural processes happening all around us. For me, watching summer turn into autumn is the most invigorating time of the year. Even though I’m not terribly keen on pumpkin spice lattes, I sure love seeing pumpkin paraphernalia everywhere. It’s nature’s reminder that things are changing all around us, and perhaps, we should do a little changing ourselves.

This time of year is my favorite seasonal transition because after summer — a period of relaxation — I start this autumn feeling rejuvenated, energetic, ready to work and ready to try something new.

My world seems to be buzzing with new energy. I usually make resolutions around this time, and I take them more seriously than the resolutions I make on New Year’s Day. I think I’m just a little more inspired in September.

Watching the trees shed a layer of leaves reminds me that perhaps I too should shed some bad habits or a few pounds or maybe get rid of some of the crap in my apartment. Now, part of this inspiration can be attributed to nature, another part can certainly be attributed to the extremely fabulous Anna Wintour.

The September issue of Vogue is a sta-

Interrobang

ple of this season. This year, clocking in at 774 pages, the magazine is my ideal starting point for a season of crafting new goals and refreshing my spirit. It’s a cultural north star and touchstone, reminding us as a society of who we were and are, but most importantly it’s a reminder of what is truly fabulous. In her Letter from the Editor, Wintour writes about how fashion is all about moving forward, but every once in awhile, it’s crucial to look back at that path we’ve been on. I couldn’t think of a more fitting message for the month of September.

One thing that always strikes me every month about Wintour’s Letter from the Editor is how she weaves the most important cultural issues, and often the most important political ones, into the fabric of Vogue.

Last month, there was a fabulous profile of Angela Merkel and the theme of the issue was a reflection on gender.

This month, the theme is Americana and the issue is laden with expressions of what it means to be an American. However, what stood out to me the most about Wintour’s letter was that next to it, there were several photos of past covers, including the highly controversial 2008 cover featuring Lebron James and Gisele Bundchen. In my opinion, that cover was a low point for Vogue, and yet Anna Wintour featured that cover front and center in the 2017 September issue.

In the world of cultural criticism and fashion, being honest and accepting and acknowledging mistakes is a crucial aspect of moving forward and ultimately moving on, hopefully in a better direction. The same goes for the way we should try to judge ourselves and become better. I love the September Vogue because it holds a mirror to our culture that shines light in every nook and cranny in what makes us, us.

For me, it sets an example. Taking stock of the year’s greatest triumphs, failures, most interesting stories, best outfits and everything in between is crucial for growth. Growing out of bad habits is certainly fabulous.

All of this brings me back to my favorite word. I think that in order to be truly fabulous, you must change, grow and adapt. You must take stock of who you are and who you wish to become and figure out a pathway to get there. Being as fabulous as the September Vogue entails becoming consistently better and bolder and always striving to be a better version of one’s self.

So perhaps this September we should all try to drop something bad and pick up something new — it will only make us just a little more fabulous.

A woman recently began her search for a boyfriend by posting a dating application online, asking in-depth questions to determine compatibility.

We here at the ol’ Free Press want to know — what questions would BU students ask on a relationship application?

Allston: Who do you know?

Sororities: Do you want to get brunch?

Questrom: Do you have a trust fund?

Sargent: Want to burn some calories?

Dean Elmore: How do you feel about bow ties?

FitRec: You lift?

BU Sustainability: Do you recycle?

Danielson: You lyft?

Men’s water polo: Have you seen my pic in the calendar?

FreeP: Do you know AP style?

10

Quotable “It was such a huge accomplishment for us to win. It’s a testament to the strength of our skaters,” said BU’s club figure skating President Alyssa Uzumcu. p.11

Sports Thursday, September 14, 2017

Women’s soccer match The BU women’s soccer team will look to pick up a victory this Saturday against American University. p.11

7th Inning Stretch: Okay, Boston, it’s time for a change

BY JACOB GURVIS COLUMNIST

On Tuesday night, I walked across the David Ortiz Bridge, through a packed Yawkey Way, and into beautiful Fenway Park.

I enjoyed a ballgame where the Boston Red Sox won easily, 11-1.

As the Sox trounced the Oakland Athletics, I looked out at some of Fenway’s most prominent features: the Green Monster, Pesky’s Pole and the John Hancock sign.

Names are everywhere.

But not just anyone can have a street, bridge or foul pole named in his or her honor. What does it take to receive such a distinction? This is not a question we ask

all that often. How much does it really matter who gets the street sign, anyway?

Well, in today’s political climate, it matters. A lot.

Following the riots and violence in Charlottesville, Virginia last month, conversations about race consumed Washington and the entire country. A national dialogue ensued over the controversy of Confederate statues and monuments — should we continue to commemorate our history, no matter how ugly it may be?

As often happens nowadays, the world of sports remains incapable of steering clear of national political debates. Sports and politics appear more intertwined than ever before and nothing suggests an end to that trend anytime soon.

Following the Confederate statue controversy, Red Sox owner John Henry revealed that the Sox have been holding a similar internal debate for years: what to do about Yawkey Way. Henry said he is “haunted” by his team’s racist history.

Tom Yawkey purchased the Red Sox in 1933 and owned the franchise for 43 seasons, longer than anyone else. Yawkey was a popular figure in

Boston and around baseball, and he played a crucial role in the development and growth of his team. His wife Jean also made sizeable contributions to Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

In 1977, a year after Yawkey’s death, the section of Jersey Street where Fenway is located was renamed Yawkey Way. Three years later, Yawkey was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Given his resume, it makes perfect sense that the Red Sox and the City of Boston honored Yawkey. But sadly, like many parts of Boston’s history, there is a much darker side as well.

Put simply, Tom Yawkey was a racist. Big time.

The Red Sox was the last team in Major League Baseball to integrate.

Pumpsie Green, the first AfricanAmerican player to suit up for the Sox, debuted in 1959, 14 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Brooklyn.

There are no excuses here.

Yawkey was a bigot and he made his identity painfully clear in the way he ran his team.

But maybe Yawkey doesn’t deserve it after all.

Boston has a very complicated history, one that is riddled with institutional and implicit racism.

Just this season, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones fell victim to the insensitivity and intolerance that still persists in Boston. We clearly have a long way to go.

Confronting the troubling past of the franchise and its longest-tenured owner, though not a comprehensive solution by any means, is certainly an important and admirable step. It’s long overdue.

Sure, Yawkey Way is a beloved staple of Boston. It oozes history and emits nostalgia on par with the Freedom Trail and Faneuil Hall.

But it’s time to move past the racist history of Yawkey and find a more deserving figure to honor.

The street has only been named for 40 years while the team has been around since 1901. It’s not permanently etched into the fabric of the city or the team; it’s just a street sign.

The question is, if not Yawkey Way then what? Henry floated the idea of naming the street after Ortiz. Others have mentioned Pedro Martínez, Carl Yastrzemski or even Jackie Robinson as possi-

ble replacements.

Personally, I’m not too particular. David Ortiz has a bridge and street near Fenway, and a gate at the Boston Logan International Airport. I love Big Papi and would not oppose walking down David Ortiz Way to enter Fenway, but I think we should spread the love to other players.

Perhaps Yaz Drive? Wally Way? Ted Williams Avenue? The possibilities abound. As long as we distance ourselves from the bigoted past of Yawkey, crucial progress will be made. Call it Trot Nixon Street for all I care.

Changing the lettering on a street sign cannot erase years of discrimination and pain. However, when we choose to name landmarks after people, we signal that the honoree is deserving of our recognition, and even more than that, that they represent us.

So while changing the name of Yawkey Way won’t atone for the bitter history of Boston and the Red Sox, it’s a powerful message we can send about our current and future identity: that’s not who we are anymore.

Better late than never, right?

Freshman Ailsa Connolly fills gap left by graduated star

BY GREG LEVINSKY DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

In need of a spark entering the 2017 season, it was expected that upperclassmen on the Boston University field hockey would provide a boost. However, freshman forward Ailsa Connolly has stolen the show as a prime scoring option, which the team so desperately needed after the departure of a decorated senior class.

“No matter how long or how short I’m out there for, I just have to give it my all,” the freshman star said. “I try to kick the energy up, stay focused out there and I guess it’s worked.”

Just 51:55 into her Terrier career, Connolly netted her first of what is now a team-leading three goals. Her first career tally followed goals by fellow newcomers Petra Hall and Miya Denison in a season-opening victory over Bryant University.

“After the first day when only freshmen scored, we were pretty hyped by that,” Connolly said.

“Definitely was a bit of weight off my shoulders, being a striker you’re expected to score.”

Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, Connolly has helped to bring a new sort of swagger to New Balance Field. With a youthful BU roster including nine freshmen it was imperative for the youngest Terriers to make a significant impact from day one.

Head coach Sally Starr said it was “really important” for her young players to mesh quickly, and she is pleased with the progress they have made but cautioned that it is still early in the season.

“They’ve done a really good job,” Starr said. “We definitely are going through some learning curves, we’re doing some good things but are a long way from where.”

Starr, who is in her 37th year as head coach of the Terriers, sees few similarities between her former star, recently graduated Amanda Cassera who earned three Patriot League post-season awards while at BU, and current star in regards to their play style, but she said they do share the same tenacity and grit.

“Amanda was very much finesse, a cleanup around the pads kind of goal scorer,” Starr said. Cassera possessed great skills with the stick, polished whereas Connolly maintains “an outstanding power shot.”

They also possessed the ability to find themselves in the right situations. For Connolly, who not only leads the team in scoring, but has done so by converting three of five shots into goals. For Cassera, that kind of efficiency became clear over her tenure. With Connolly, it happened from the start, Starr said.

“Two different types of players, but two who can definitely score some goals,” Starr said. “I would say for both of them, they find themselves in the right place at the right time.”

Terrier assistant coach and fellow New Zealand native Tracey Paul lead the recruiting charge toward Connolly, but with a twist. Connolly actually sent her own recruiting video to the Terrier coaching staff as the initial point of contact between her and the program.

From the clips, Starr and Paul saw what they liked. Paul took over to ease Connolly’s transition toward

the college recruiting process “I’m familiar with New Zealand, and her credentials were very, very good,” said Paul, who is in her 1w8th season at Boston University and does the international recruiting for the field hockey program. “I’m familiar with the level she was playing at, her school, the teams she was playing for and we went from there.”

Connolly and her mother flew to see schools stateside to help with the decision, starting with an unofficial visit to BU. Her roughly 48 hours on campus provided enough assurance to finalize her decision to come to BU instead of University of Connecticut or American University, Connolly said. Even though BU was the first school she looked at, she and her family knew it was the right fit.

“The standard was set so high, the girls here are so cool and it seemed like a really great team to be a part of,” Connolly said.

Field hockey also is a sport that carries great importance in Conolly’s native home of New Zealand. The women’s national team is currently ranked eighth in the world in outdoor field hockey, and Connolly strived to succeed from a young age.

“I’ve been playing ever since I can remember,” said Connolly, who participated on the U18 Auckland team in 2016. “Just last year we won the national competition. It was a huge highlight and something I’m very proud of.”

Connolly said she enjoyed her field hockey experience in New Zealand growing up, but she now dedicates herself to playing for the Terriers.

“By coming here I sort of ruined my chances [to play on the national team] because they don’t look upon

it favorably,” she said. “It’s alright, though,” Connolly added with confidence. “I love field hockey,

and I have sort of used it to get to this amazing school and hopefully a degree out of it later.”

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BU figure skating club looks for greater recognition

BY RISHABH KRISHAN AND MATTHEW MARTIN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Axel Jump, bracket, camel spin. To most, these terms are a confluence of seemingly unrelated words. But to figure skaters, they are expressions of grace and elegance. Elegance that transcends the normal bounds of human flexibility and renders audiences astonished. And nobody does it better than the Boston University figure skating club.

Founded in 1974, BUFSC has grown into a competitive team of 26 members and a non-competitive team of eight. BUFSC has members from around the world of all different ages who strive to uphold the standard of excellence that the club has established.

In the last 10 years, the team has won the Intercollegiate National Competition three times and the team has placed in the top three for nine consecutive years. Very few established sports groups can rival the prolific success of the Terriers’ figure skating program.

Yet, such accomplishments took years to reach. Over the club’s 43-year lifespan, it wasn’t until 2006 that the team won their first national award. Those decades of

hard work and dedication to the craft are what enticed skaters like team captain Taylor Dean to join.

Senior President Alyssa Uzumcu had a similar story.

“I actually wasn’t sure if I wanted to skate in college,” Uzumcu said. “I ended up doing the competitive team because I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the environment … it was a great thing to join at a large university.”

In addition, some credit should be attributed to BU and the strong academic program it has developed. Dean and Uzumcu both said they were drawn to BU primarily due to its strong academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.

However, for the most part, the team’s accomplishments have not been recognized by the BU student body.

“We got no recognition until we won nationals,” Dean said. “Even club sports didn’t really post [about us]. It was really hard getting our name out there until we won … people [didn’t] even know about figure skating at BU.” Since winning nationals, the club has said their presence is becoming more well-known.

While the club has focused on increasing promotion, the members

PHOTO COURTESY SARAH ARNOLD

BU’s club figure skating team will look to win nationals for the second consecutive season.

said they have worked even harder on building team camaraderie.

“We’re trying to bring people together who have such individual mindsets,” Uzumcu said. “Skating … is one person out there doing their thing … so we try to create a team atmosphere … we are a team and the points that an [individual] scores help the team … last year we created an atmosphere that was more about the team than the individual.”

On and off the ice, the members of BUFSC have become more unified and connected with one

another, Dean said.

“We’re definitely a family,” Dean said. “We organized a lot of bonding events and made sure everybody interacted with each other … everybody eventually branched off and started hanging out with each other … we’re there for each other … at competitions cheering each other on.”

Atop all of the hard work and team cohesion stands their championship win. As Eastern Conference leaders, the Terriers earned a bid to the Intercollegiate National

Championship at Miami University where they took home gold.

“It was such a huge accomplishment for us to win,” Uzumcu said.

“It’s a testament to the strength of our skaters.”

The club is not predicated on the expectation of the skater’s performance, but rather on a shared passion for the sport, members of the team said. Their love for figure skating has contributed to their unrelenting success.

“I love being in a rink,” Dean said. “It’s where I feel most at home.”

Women’s soccer faces American, hoping for second win

BY LIAM O’BRIEN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Typically, when a team manages to outshoot their opponent 25-1 the results are usually favorable.

However, this was not the case for the Boston University women’s soccer team last Friday night as they dropped a heartbreaker of a match to Marquette University, despite winning the shot battle by a staggering margin.

Although they landed 13 shots in the first 45 minutes before taking another 12 shots in the final half, the Terriers were unable to get one shot to fall against the Golden Eagles (7-1). Frustratingly enough, the one shot that Marquette did manage to land on goal, a one-timer

by Kylie Sprecher at 21:06, eluded the reach of senior goalkeeper Hannah Ciolek.

“We defended very well,” said BU head coach Nancy Feldman.

“The more you can defend well up the field and win the territory.

You’re putting a lot more pressure on them, creating some transition and turnovers in the forward half and middle-third of the field. That can often lead to more sustained attack, and that is what we got against Marquette.”

The Terriers suffered a similar fate on Sunday when they traveled to face Boston College. BU outshot

the Eagles (5-3) by a 12-10 margin, including ripping eight shots in the second half of the game in comparison with BC’s four. The Terriers even equaled the Eagles in corner kicks, 4-4.

However, the end result did not favor BU. Three of the Eagles 10 shots sailed past freshman goalkeeper Amanda Fay placing the Terriers in a 3-0 hole that they could not recover from.

“We have to just get sharper and finer in the last moment,” Feldman said. “The last pass — the timing of it, the quality of it, including our service on restarts. [We need] better quality on our runs to separate and to get penetration opportunities from the top of the box.”

BU has garnered one goal in their past four games, a drought that American (1-7 Patriot League 0-1) can sympathize with. The Eagles have been shut out in each of their last five games, a troublesome losing streak that has pitted them towards the bottom of the Patriot League standings.

The Terriers only win this season came at home against the Northeastern University Huskies.

In that game, senior mid Jesse Shreck and junior Julianna Chen both found the back of the net.

After losing to Virginia Commonwealth University and Longwood University by a com-

PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Senior Jesse Shreck and the rest of the Terriers will seek to beat American University this Saturday.

bined score of 7-0, American found themselves in brutal situations in each of the last three games. Each contest has concluded with a 1-0 result, including a gut-wrenching double-overtime loss to the University of Vermont on Sunday.

On Saturday, the Terriers will look to flip the script on Brown and place the onus on her to make game-saving stops. Expect midfielders Anna Heilferty and Shreck to

command the majority of the defensive attention from the American defense in the matchup.

Against BC, Heilferty neared her second goal of the season with two shots, one of which was placed on net. She added three shots in the loss to Marquette.

Shreck has suffered a bit of a dry spell since scoring her lone goal of the season in a win over Northeastern University on Aug.

24, placing just one shot on net in the five games since. She will look to reverse this trend against the Eagles.

Feldman said that her team needs to get better finishing the chance that present themselves against American. “[We need to be] better with our combinations, our individual efforts to create a shot, finding a small window,” she said. “It is really [the] last fine detail of finishing the moments.”

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