11-3-2016

NEWS In five days, Massachusetts voters will decide if marijuana will be legalized in the Commonwealth or not. p. 3

INBIZ Diane Kelly is well on her way to establishing Boston’s first official cat café: Purr, which is scheduled to open in early 2017. p. 5

52°/61° OVERCAST

SPORTS After sitting out the 2015-16 season, senior forward Nick Roberto of men’s hockey is having his best season yet. p. 12

DAILYFREEPRESS.COM @DAILYFREEPRESS

(FORECAST.IO)

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016 THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY YEAR XLV. VOLUME XCI. ISSUE IX.

City names official day after BU CFA professor, writer

BY ELLIE FRENCH DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

When Melinda Lopez, a Boston University College of Fine Arts adjunct professor, first heard that the City of Boston declared Oct. 29 as Melinda Lopez Day, she thought it was a joke.

“I thought it was a prank. I ignored it, and didn’t pay any attention to it,” Lopez said.

“I wasn’t notified until later in the day, so all day I thought people were making fun of me.”

In Boston Mayor Martin Walsh’s proclamation for Lopez, he encourage “Bostonians to celebrate her enormous contribution to the theatre locally and throughout the world.”

As for this year, the day itself — Oct. 29 — marked the premiere of Lopez’s latest play: Mala, a story about the loss of her parents, performed by Lopez herself. The show is being produced by ArtsEmerson and will close Nov. 20.

“Part of what that day was about was acknowledging my body of work as a playwright,” Lopez said. “Even though one play opening is just as wonderful as the next play opening, I guess someone thought there was enough of them that had accumulated to acknowledge it with something special.”

Lopez has written about 10 full length plays and 20 short productions throughout her career. Although her work is world-renowned, for Lopez, the actual process of writing plays is a very personal one.

“I start with something like an idea or a memory, something deeply personal, and then I just listen for people to start talking, and they become characters,” Lopez said. “I find inspiration from my own life or the lives of people I love. As humans we’re capable of understanding a very very broad range of experiences, so I write both what I know and what I imagine.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

PHOTO BY ELLEN CLOUSE/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh recently announced the City of Boston has open sourced its official website Boston.gov.

Boston.gov open sources website code

BY BREANNE KOVATCH DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh announced Thursday that the city would release its source codes for its official website Boston.gov, which will allow outside organizations and academic institutions like Boston University to improve and collaborate on new features, according to a press release.

The move, which took place three months after the launch of a redesigned Boston.gov, was led by the city’s Digital Team, which is part of the city’s Department of Innovation and Technology. The move makes Boston the first major American city to open source its entire website, the release stated.

Open sourcing means software developers can view the website’s code and propose changes and improvements for the website on GitHub, a site that people use to

build software.

Lauren Lockwood, the city’s chief digital officer, wrote in an email that the open sourcing has been in development since three months ago.

“The idea has been in the works since before the project began and is part of the reason we selected an open source content management system (drupal) to build the site on,” Lockwood wrote.

Walsh said in the release that the open sourcing of the city’s website would cater to the people’s needs and further enhance the website.

“The City’s website will have to constantly evolve and change to meet the needs of the people of Boston,” Walsh said in the release. “By open sourcing Boston.gov, we’re opening up our website to a community of software developers and designers who can help us build for the future.”

BU’s Software and Application Inno-

vation Lab was the first outside group to request access into the city website’s codes, Lockwood wrote.

Andrei Lapets, the director of SAIL and the Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science and Engineering at BU, said the city allowing outside contributors to edit or add to the website source code can cut the website’s improvement costs without deteriorating its quality.

“Allowing collaborators to offer their contributions can be an effective way to improve and extend the website without having the City of Boston incur those costs directly,” Lapets said. “This has been a successful approach for a very large fraction of the software systems on which many modern services and infrastructures rely.”

Lapets said SAIL was able to be involved after collaborating with the city for numerous years on various projects.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Students, admin disagree if Question 4 should impact BU

BY SABRINA SCHNUR DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

As Election Day approaches, Boston University students and administrators are making up their minds on how the state’s Ballot Question 4, the proposal to legalize recreational marijuana, would potentially impact the university. And they do not agree.

A yes vote on Question 4 would “allow persons 21 and older to possess, use, and transfer marijuana and products containing marijuana concentrate (including edible products) and to cultivate marijuana, all in limited amounts, and would provide for the regulation and taxation of commercial sale of marijuana and marijuana products,” and a no vote will make no changes on the state’s current law, according to the state’s website.

BU Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore said that if Question 4 passes, the legalization

of marijuana wouldn’t spark major changes in policy.

“We’ll still say to students that if you’re on our property, you can’t use and possess marijuana,” Elmore said.

Elmore said he does not anticipate that Question 4, if passed, would have a huge impact on BU campus, especially when the federal and state governments may hold different perspectives on legalization.

“We are an entity that gets support, whether from financial aid, research, or projects, from the federal government,” Elmore said. “The federal government has made it clear that we need to follow their rules and regulations … The best we want to do is to comply with city, state and federal laws.”

In regards to the penalties, if a student is found in possession on campus, the case will be reported to Judicial Affairs, who will then CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

PHOTO COURTESY PIXABAY

If marijuana is legalized per Question 4 on the Massachusetts ballot, its use will still be forbidden on BU’s campus, officials said.

2

NEWS

Halloween 2016 proved to be rather peaceful C A M P U S CRIME LOGS

BY BLAU RAMOS DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Last weekend, while students dressed up as Donald Trump, Ken Bone and dinosaurs in the spirit of Halloween, another topic was being addressed behind the scenes — safety.

In preparation for Halloween weekend, Boston University Police Department Acting Chief Scott Paré said the department issued more officers to be on patrol.

“We got more uniform officers out there to help ensure our students were safe and well-assisted,” Paré said.

BUPD also partnered with the Dean of Students Office to email a letter to the BU community ahead of time, reminding students to be safe this Halloween weekend and to enjoy the festivities.

“Make plans to get home in a safe manner; stay away from people acting in a way that may harm you; be alert for scammers, thieves, and people who may try to victimize you,” the email stated. “Make sure your friends get home and keep an eye out for each other; and, comply with any police advisories and requests.”

Paré said during this holiday weekend, the department did not see any more crime on campus that they expected.

“This year our students and people in general were very well-behaved,” Paré said on Monday. “I mean, Halloween is tonight, but since it’s a Monday night, we expect it’s going to be pretty quiet.”

He was right — the department’s Monday crime logs show BUPD did not receive any reports for alcohol transports, nor were there any crimes out of ordinary.

As for the holiday weekend, BUPD saw a spike in alcohol-related medical assists, with a total of nine reported in the crime logs provided by BUPD. The intoxicated students, whom the officers assisted, were brought to the St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Boston Medical Center or the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for further treatment.

Paré said the small spike in alcohol

BY SHARAT NAMBIAR DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The following reports were taken from the Boston University Police Department crime logs from Oct. 27 - Nov. 1.

Suspicious circumstances spotted at CAS A male employee reported that a male party was taking a tire off of a bicycle on Friday at 12:24 p.m. at 725 Commonwealth Ave., outside the College of Arts and Sciences. Officers investigated the scene and found no missing parts.

GRAPHIC BY SHIVANI PATEL/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

transports is “to be expected” on weekends like Halloween, where many students go out to celebrate. Crime logs from BUPD mentioned five medical assists due to alcohol the weekend before Halloween.

Aside from medial assists, other reports mentioned in the crime logs over the weekend include larceny, underage liquor purchase and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

In the future, Paré said BUPD plans to take similar action with increased police presence on campus for Halloween.

“Everything seemed to work pretty well this year, so we’re just going to get more officers out next Halloween just like this year, unless intelligence tells us to do something different,” Paré said.

Several BU students shared their Halloween experiences, many of which went by without any notable safety concerns or incidents.

Abby Merrin, a second-year graduate student in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, said that her weekend was relatively uneventful.

“I mostly studied all weekend, and I

carved pumpkins with my friends,” Merrin said. “My friends that did go out stayed on campus and didn’t have any issues with safety, as far as I know.”

Jesse Mendoza, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, also said she had a laid-back weekend.

“I got together with my chemistry study group and worked for a bit,” Mendoza said.

“We went out together off-campus. No [safety concerns], not at all; we all had a good time.”

Ana Eustace, a CAS sophomore, said she felt pretty comfortable throughout campus and in Allston during the weekend because of how crowded it was.

“It [the weekend] was really fun,” Eustace said. “I went out around Allston with my friends. There were so many people out and about the whole weekend that it felt pretty safe.”

Joanna Oghoore, a freshman in the College of Engineering, said that BU upheld a safe community this weekend.

“I didn’t go out that much really because I had a lot of homework,” Oghoore said. “I went to a couple parties, but [I felt safe].”

BU tech group first to work on city site code BOSTON.GOV, FROM PAGE 1

“There’s a lot of different things going on within the Hariri Institute, within BU, related to smart cities right now. We anticipate that this will continue,” Lapets said.

“These are all discussions that we’re having with the City of Boston about how we could leverage common interests and common resources to help each other with smart city initiatives.”

Azer Bestavros, the founding director of the Hariri Institute, said although the coding is open to the public to see and change, there are minimal security risks because all of the programmers looking at it will catch any bugs in the coding itself.

“You’re going to be actually using ... the eyeballs and the brains of thousands of software developers,” Bestavros said. “It is now an increasingly accepted argument that open sourced software could potentially be,

or eventually will be, or already is, more secure.”

Lockwood said the city made the decision to open up the website to allow for more of an input from the Boston community.

“Opening the code for Boston.gov allows us to democratize the development of Boston.gov, incorporating contributions from individuals, academic institutions, and other organizations,” Lockwood wrote. “If you have ideas about ways to improve Boston.gov, you can submit an issue describing the idea or even build the new feature and contribute that code to the website.”

Several Boston residents said releasing the source codes would bring the city government closer to its people.

Lauren Prozeller, 31, of South Boston, said by allowing the public to suggest changes to the website, the city government is listening to residents’ aspirations.

“That’s pretty good if it’s increasing the usability of the website,” she said. “It just makes it more user-friendly and adds features that consumers want.”

Derrick Smith, 64, of Dorchester, said even though he does not know much about the technological development, the open sourcing serves a bridge between Boston and its people.

“If they use [the suggestions], they will work together [with the public],” he said. “I don’t think that’s bad.”

Peter Johnson, 31, of Roxbury, said it is useful to share the codes for other people who want to model their website similar to how Boston.gov is set up.

“It’s just free information for everybody for those who need it,” he said. “Knowledge is power, so the more you know, the better it is.”

Illegal liquor transfer at Alcorn Street Two male students were observed transferring beer cans into shopping bags on Friday at 7:25 p.m. Officers discovered that one party was under the age of 21. Both parties will be summoned to court.

Marijuana paraphernalia found at StuVi II A marijuana grinder was found on Friday at 11:20 p.m. in the common area of a suite in 33 Harry Agganis Way. The grinder was seized, but no actions were taken.

Break in and entry at 140 Bay State Road Two female students reported on Saturday at 5:29 a.m. that a male entered their room and tried to climb into their beds at The Towers. The man was pushed off the bed and left the room.

Medical assist at 844 Beacon St. A male student was injured at 844 Beacon St. Saturday evening when he struck himself in the eye with a bottle cap. The student was transported to the Boston Medical Center.

Male students dispute A male student reported having a dispute with his former girlfriend’s boyfriend on Saturday at 10:42 p.m. After officers spoke with all three students, they agreed to not cause any further problems and to behave according to the Code of Student Responsibilities.

BUPD did not disclose the location of the incident.

Injury at 855 Commonwealth Ave. Officers responded to a report of a male employee that was struck by a vehicle on Sunday at 7 p.m. on Commonwealth Avenue. The injured party declined medical assistance. The vehicle fled the scene and was later located by the Boston Police Department.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @DAILYFREEPRESS

NEWS

3

Ballot Questions 101: Question 4 would legalize marijuana

BY HALEY FRITZ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Massachusetts Ballot Question 4, if passed, would legalize the use of marijuana for adults 21 years of age or older, according to a petition filed with Attorney General Maura Healey’s office.

The goal of the law is to “remove the production of marijuana from the illicit market … by providing for a regulated and taxed distribution system,” according to the petition.

The proposed legislation would permit adults at least 21 years old to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana in public, to possess up to 10 ounces in one’s home and to grow limited amounts of marijuana for private consumption, according to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s decision on the initiative.

The legislation would establish a Cannabis Control Commission, which would have sole regulatory authority over the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of marijuana in the commonwealth, according to the petition.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy, an international student organization dedicated to ending the war on drugs, is currently working with the pro-marijuana legalization organization YES on 4 to encourage college students to vote in favor of the law, according to SSDP Massachusetts Campus Coordinator Austin Davis.

Davis said she supports a legalized and regulated system for marijuana because she believes it would be safer for both the general public and the consuming public to decriminalize its use. “[Question 4] takes away the criminal element of the transaction, which inherently would make [marijuana] safer through regulation and legalization,” Davis said. “The government will require very strict regulations and oversight to make sure that there’s no marijuana leaving the market into the black market.”

Davis said she believes the legalization of marijuana will improve the quality of marijuana for human consumption.

“Through legalization, the government will require testing protocols and standards similar to what alcohol is subjected to,” Davis

said. “So, when a person over the age of 21 goes into a dispensary to purchase marijuana, they will know that that marijuana has been tested for mold and for pesticides.”

Safe Cannabis Massachusetts, a local grassroots organization, is encouraging citizens to vote no on Question 4. The group is doing this by speaking with voters and legislators about potential problems with the proposed legislation, according to Daniel Delaney, the chair for Safe Cannabis Massachusetts.

Delaney said he supports the legalization of marijuana in the future, but feels the law proposed by Question 4 is approaching the process incorrectly. “[The law is] entirely too permissive in the amount of home-growing that it allows. It ties the hands of cities and towns to zone and regulate marijuana shops in their communities, and it’s set up in a way that doesn’t give the state enough resources to properly regulate it,” Delaney said. “It’s asking the state to set up a whole policing network before it sees its first dollar from tax revenue.”

Delaney said the state is not ready to move forward with the

This is the fourth in a four-part series exploring the Massachusetts Ballot Questions, which will be voted on this November.

GRAPHIC BY SHIVANI PATEL/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

legalization of marijuana in its current position.

“If we go about it in a way that the ballot initiative is going to propose, it’s going to be very disruptive. It’s going to be hard to keep marijuana away from kids,” Del-

aney said. “We’ve seen in Colorado … the places where the marijuana shops are located are in the communities with the least financial resources, so we see them focused in communities of color and low-income communities.”

Lopez an inspiring, excellent professor, her students say LOPEZ, FROM PAGE 1

In addition to writing her own plays, Lopez is also a professor in the CFA’s Playwriting master program, where she challenges and inspires her students.

“Melinda is fearless in both areas,” said Katherine Snodgrass, the artistic director of Boston Playwrights’ Theatre. “She’s very passionate about what she does, whether it’s playwriting or about teaching, and that’s what makes her the wonderful playwright and teacher that she is.”

Lopez is currently teaching two classes at BU, one for graduate students, and one open to both graduate and undergraduate students. Snodgrass said that although the city’s recognition of Lopez’s talent is aspiring for students, it won’t affect her role in the program.

“Just because you have a day named after you doesn’t change the stuff you write,” Snodgrass said. “The department is lucky to have her, but I’m not sure that it’s

going to change the way she views her work with us. She’s just a wonderful teacher.”

Her students seem to agree.

Lopez has taught many students who have gone on to become working playwrights, who said Lopez is a great teacher with or without the title.

Boston playwright Walt McGough graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from BU in 2010, and took a workshop from Lopez as part of that program. “[She was] pretty much the best teacher imaginable,” McGough said. “Melinda is really fantastic at both pushing you to get outside of your comfort zone, but also writing the play that you want to write and having the conversation that you want to have.”

McGough said it was the very first assignment Lopez gave him that inspired him to write his first major play. “‘The Farm,’ which was my first production in Boston, and one of my first major productions

PHOTO COURTESY MELINDA LOPEZ

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has declared Oct. 29 as “Melinda Lopez Day” to honor the College of Fine Arts professor’s cultural contributions to the city.

ever, would not exist without her,” McGough said. “She’s really great at inspiring her students to try new things and pursue the things that excite them.”

Deirdre Girard, a 2011 alum-

na who graduated from BU’s MFA program, said Lopez’s work is one of the things that first drew her to BU’s playwriting program.

“What differentiates her is she just puts so much personal

time and care into each student, really to a degree you would never expect,” Girard said. “It felt like you were her only student.”

Samantha Noble, a playwright and a third-year graduate student in the MFA program, wrote in an email that Lopez taught her the meaning of being a writer.

“Studying with Melinda has encouraged me to take real risks with my work,” Noble wrote. “The way she writes and the feedback she gives always inspires me to dig deeper into the emotional life of my plays, to challenge myself to write the things that terrify and move me and to write those things with unrelenting honesty.”

As for the future, Lopez isn’t sure what’s next.

“I would like to lose 10 pounds and get some sleep,” Lopez said.

“I’m always writing, so there will be another play, but a lot of it is just trying to enjoy life as it comes, and enjoy the blessings that I have, like my special day.”

Question 4 will not change university policy, Elmore says QUESTION 4, FROM PAGE 1

conduct an investigation, Elmore said.

“I never want to say we have a descriptive way that we always [use to] deal with circumstances like this,” Elmore said. “It might be different for each individual. [It’s] suffice to say that we’ll address it and we’ll follow up with the student.”

BU Police Department Acting Chief Scott Paré said he doesn’t anticipate a huge impact on BU’s campus either.

“Obviously you can’t smoke in any of the buildings [on campus], and I’ve also seen, from what I’ve

read, [if] the law passes, you won’t be able to smoke in public,” Paré said.

“So if you can’t smoke in the buildings, and you can’t smoke in public, there’s very few places you’ll be able to smoke [on campus].”

Student Government Executive Board President Jake Brewer said that although he hasn’t talked to the university about Question 4, if it passes, the university should “move quickly” to provide students with a space for smoking marijuana on campus.

“If the university doesn’t provide a space for it, students will find it elsewhere or damage the build-

ings,” the senior in the College of Arts and Sciences said. “That is why I think [allowing smoking marijuana in certain areas is the best solution, and I hope that is what [the administration] is considering.”

Several BU students said marijuana usage on campus should be treated no differently than other substances — Allison Russo, a CAS junior, said she believes marijuana should be treated like alcohol on campus. Russo, a registered voter in Massachusetts, said she voted yes on Question 4.

“I don’t see why there would be any difference between the marijua-

na and the alcohol policy if it passes,” she said. “I think that if it’s legalized and we already have policies that allow alcohol for people over 21, then there’s no reason to not allow [marijuana].”

Tanapat Bhakyapaibul, a junior in the College of Engineering, said he believes smoking marijuana should be handled like all other types of smoking. Bhakyapaibul, also a registered voter in Massachusetts, said he voted yes on Question 4.

Helen Lindsay, an ENG junior, said if marijuana is legal in the state, then students should be consume

it on campus, as long as it’s in a responsible fashion. Although Lindsay is not a registered voter in the state, she “would probably still vote yes” on Question 4.

“People shouldn’t have just a ton of weed in their dorm,” she said. “[But the university should] regulate it, like for alcohol, you have to be a certain age [to have] a six-pack.”

Jared Naar, a freshman in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, said people shouldn’t oppose marijuana legalization.

“If you don’t like it, then just don’t do it,” Naar said.

4

NEWS

PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Question 5 on the Boston ballot proposes the adoption of the Community Preservation Act, which would create a small increase in property taxes to fund local initiatives on affordable housing, open space and historic preservation.

Boston Ballot Question 5 raises property tax, promotes preservation

BY SOPHIE WILL DAILY FREE PRESS CONTRIBUTOR

Question 5 on the Boston ballot, also known as the Community Preservation Act, proposes a 1 percent increase in tax for property owners to be used for community preservation, according to the question’s official summary.

The CPA is designed to help meet affordable housing needs, create and improve public parks, preserve lands’ recreational uses and conservation areas and protect historic buildings and resources, according to the summary.

The legislation does allow for exemptions, including low-income property owners, as well as an exemption for the first $100,000 of the property value, according to the summary.

Yes for a Better Boston, the

leading coalition in support of Question 5, outlined the benefits of the legislation on their website.

“CPA is a smart growth tool designed to help Massachusetts cities and towns create affordable housing, preserve open space and historic sites, and develop outdoor recreational opportunities,” according to the Yes for a Better Boston website.

Yes for a Better Boston said this revenue will generate an estimated $20 million every year for the city to implement toward these goals.

Endorsers for Question 5 include Mayor Martin Walsh, 11 city councilors and a multitude of local organizations and leaders, according to the Yes for a Better Boston website.

Opponents of Question 5 could not be reached for comment.

Greg Galer, the executive di-

rector of the Boston Preservation Alliance, one of the organizations endorsing Question 5, said the CPA is necessary for Boston.

“This would be very beneficial to Boston,” Galer said. “CPA is in effect in 161 communities throughout the state, [and] not one has appealed it.”

While the BPA’s chief focus is currently the preservation of the Citgo sign, Galer said the BPA has been playing an active role in support of the CPA by trying to demonstrate its benefits.

“We’ve been part of a coalition for about two years … working to get people to understand what the benefits are,” Galer said.

“We’ve been active in garnering support and talking to city councilors and things on social media to support 5.”

Question 5 is not a statewide initiative, so it does not have the same level of funding as the other Massachusetts ballot questions,

which could explain why it’s been receiving less publicity and attention from the public, according to Galer.

Nevertheless, Galer said voters should vote yes on Question 5 because initiatives like the CPA, which he said are necessary, tend to be underfunded.

“These are causes that never get funded the way they need,” Galer said. “They’re always the first things that get cut.”

Galer compared the cost of the tax to the cost of coffee in the city.

“The cost is very small to the average Boston homeowner … $24, which is a couple cups of coffee, depending on where you buy your coffee,” he said. “It’s a minimal cost and it could really generate some money for some needs that are never met otherwise.”

Several Boston residents expressed support for the CPA. Tess Fadden, 26, of Dorches-

ter said although the tax wouldn’t affect renters like herself, the CPA will, and she plans to vote “yes.”

“The whole aspect of it is pretty good because it’s going towards recreational space, assisted living, Section 8, and all of that,” she said.

Amanda Gordon, 22, of Brighton, also said she would vote yes to Question 5.

“As long as the infrastructure is set up in Boston to make it efficient for people … then I’m all for supporting it,” she said.

Ali Schmelzle, 25, of Fenway, said she feels confident that the CPA will produce positive results for the Boston community.

“Those who have enough money to live in the city of Boston can give the money to this great cause,” she said. “They might not be too supportive of it, but it’s a good way to redistribute the wealth.”

Explore BU: Things to do on campus this week Want your student group event featured here? Email editor@dailyfreepress.com with details.

SponCom: Democracy in Action

Feed Your Friends

SAGE Pub Night

BU’s Got Talent

Design Challenge

SRB Boston

BU College of Engineering

BU International Society

Society of Women Engineers

SponCom

808 Commonwealth Ave. 7 – 9 p.m.

BU Pub 5:30 – 8 p.m.

BU Central 7 – 10 p.m.

EPIC 5 – 7 p.m.

Theatre Lab Studio 104, CFA 7 – 9 p.m.

thursday NOVEMBER 3

friday

NOVEMBER 4

saturday NOVEMBER 5

sunday NOVEMBER 6

monday

NOVEMBER 7

FEATURES

5

CATALYST THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Mordo, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Doctor Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, in “Doctor Strange.”

PHOTO COURTESY FILM FRAME

“Doctor Strange” science consultant on consciousness in film

BY JOHNATHAN D. KINDALL DAILY FREE PRESS CONTRIBUTOR

From the death of the sun to the birth of human consciousness, so spans the research of Adam Frank.

Frank is a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Rochester, where his studies primarily focus on the processes behind the formation and death of stars. A self-described “evangelist of science,” Frank regularly shares his passion for science with others. He has authored three books and is a contributor to The New York Times and NPR. Most recently, Frank served as the scientific consultant on Marvel’s “Doctor Strange.”

The film, which is released Friday, features Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role and brings the Sorcerer Supreme from the pages of Marvel comics to the big screen.

Although the Marvel cinematic universe has already seen its fair share of aliens and gods, “Doctor Strange” is the studio’s first plunge into the world of magic and sorcery.

Not only does the film draw on established scientific theories such as the multiverse, but it also delves into the realm of philosophy

and asks questions regarding consciousness and reality. This is where Frank’s work on the film is most prominent, the researcher said in an interview with The Daily Free Press.

“I have an interest in what I would call the human spiritual endeavor,” Frank said. “The open question here is a philosophical question, not necessarily a scientific one.”

That “philosophical question” is one of the nature of consciousness, what Frank and others in the philosophy field refer to as the mind-body problem, which is interested in defining the relationship between the mind (the experiential nature of human life) and the body (matter that is controlled by physics).

One prevailing point of view on this question is a theory known as reductionism. The reductionist view suggests that consciousness and one’s experience of the world is nothing but the activity of the brain’s neurons.

Reductionists maintain that everything can be broken down into the parts that make it work. Therefore, quarks, atoms and neurons can be built back up to explain the occurrence of consciousness. Frank, however, is a non-reductionist.

“There is more that can happen at the higher levels of organizations in the world than can be encoded in the atoms,” he said.

Frank cited the work of philosopher David Chalmers, who brought to light inherent problems with attempting to define consciousness as a natural, materialistic phenomenon.

Frank’s knowledge of this mind-body problem made up the bulk of his contributions to “Doctor Strange.” He described a day when he and the writer, producer and director of the film got together and simply talked about philosophy of the mind for an entire day.

“What I wanted to do in our discussions was ground Doctor Strange’s powers in the open question about consciousness,” Frank said. “The fact that there isn’t a scientific theory for that means it’s a place you can put him, and that could be where the source of his powers emanate from.”

This open, theoretical realm is where science fiction narratives thrive. Frank, a fan of both comics and science fiction, said he believes science in film doesn’t always have to be exact. He cites the “Star Trek” films as an example. The technology displayed in those films is so theoretical that checking its accuracy is pointless.

“People go to movies because they want good stories,” Frank said. He argues that what matters the most in science fiction is the world and universe building. “You give yourself a co-

herent and consistent set of rules … and you live within that.”

The best science fiction considers real-world possibilities, Frank maintains.

“Good science fiction not only educates the public, but it actually helps create the universes that we end up living in,” Frank said. He outlined examples such as the novelist William Gibson coining the word “cyberspace” before it entered modern scientific vocabulary.

Frank said he believes firsthand in the power of narrative and science fiction’s effect on actual scientific research. He described how the covers of his father’s pulp science fiction magazines, featuring men bouncing from planet to planet, fueled his love for science and inspired him to become an astrophysicist.

“Doctor Strange” could possibly have the same effect on another generation of scientists, Frank said. These scientists could continue researching and answering the questions, like those concerning consciousness, that currently appear to have no concrete answer.

“Sometimes these movies can go beyond just being superhero movies,” he said. “I think ‘Doctor Strange’ has the possibility of getting people to think about … the maps we use to represent the world and where those maps are partially incomplete.”

INBUSINESS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Diane Kelly to open Boston’s first cat café, coming early 2017

BY BRYNNLI CORTES DAILY FREE PRESS CONTRIBUTOR

Diane Kelly had just finished a few months’ worth of training as a dog groomer in North Carolina when she came across an interesting idea: cat cafés. She knew established cafés were popular in certain areas, and she also knew there were some of them on the East Coast, but were they financially viable? A few visits to cafés, extensive

research and two years later, Kelly is well on her way to establishing Boston’s first official cat café: Purr.

Throughout the whole process, she has had by her side her 11-month-old foster kitten and 5-year-old cat.

“When I first approached the City of Boston … they outright told me, ‘We have no clue how to run a cat café,’ and I replied, ‘Same here, I’ll have to figure it out as I go,’” Kelly said.

In the city’s past, two different cat

cafés, Miaou Boston and Le Chat Noir, tried and failed at their attempt to create a successful cat-friendly space. Their difficulties, Kelly explained, are shared by many potential cat café owners.

“There was one couple I heard of who have been looking for a space for two years,” Kelly mentioned as she talked about her own difficulties finding a location. “Another couple has spent over two and a half years just searching and searching without finding anything. I spent seven months

working every day with my broker.”

Along with a cat café comes a range of public health concerns, and the possibility of local business opposition. Fortunately for cat-lovers, Kelly and her General Manager, Sarah Dellea, are making an active effort to reach out to organizations around Boston to convince them the café is a valuable addition to the city.

As part of their community outreach CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

6

FEATURES

MUSE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016

“Moonlight” is deep, impactful, an example of masterful storytelling

BY CONNER REED DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

On a basic level, all movies serve the same purpose: to answer questions. Maybe they answer one question, maybe several, but no matter the number, an inquisitive engine drives every cinematic enterprise.

Roger Ebert famously described the movies as “a machine that generates empathy” — we go to movies to learn, period.

One of film’s most effective tricks is its ability to show us the world through the eyes of someone else. It’s become a cliché by now, but the phrase “the personal is political” sums up this phenomenon perfectly. A good narrative utilizes its subjectivity to boil down large-scale social issues and show us the individuals living inside them.

Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” is one such film. Based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue,” it tells the story of Chiron, a young black man growing up in Miami during the 1980s.

Clocking in under two hours, “Moonlight” manages to be about everything at once without ever sacrificing its specificity. It is an absolute triumph: deeply felt, technically dazzling and illuminating without being self-congratulatory. Perhaps its greatest accomplishment is its ability to focus on the knotty entanglements of sexuality and race without ever reducing itself to a didactic “issues” film.

“Moonlight” is told in three parts, picking up on Chiron’s life as an elementary schooler (Alex Hibbert), a tortured teenager (Ashton Sanders) and a drug-dealing

PHOTO COURTESY DAVID BORNFRIEND/ A24

Alex Hibbert in the new A24 release “Moonlight.”

adult (Trevante Rhodes). Though Chiron is a taciturn, deeply introverted character, each actor unlocks the dialogue he’s having with himself and displays an extraordinary sense for wordless communication.

The crux of the plot revolves around Chiron’s relationship to his mother (Naomie Harris) as she slips into addiction, the drug dealer supplying her, Juan (Mahershala Ali) who literally teaches Chiron to swim and a classmate ( Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome and André Holland) with whom he

develops a sexual relationship.

Each of these threads lead directly back to Chiron’s questions about his own identity — his masculinity, sexuality and his role as a son. The more kaleidoscopic the film’s reach, the more tightly focused it becomes on Chiron.

Though it is acutely aware of time and temporality, Jenkins’ film is much more concerned with maintaining tone than a forward-moving plot structure. While we follow Chiron’s chronological develop-

ment, there are several moments where one chapter doubles back on a previous one. A particular fight between Chiron and his mother recurs in moments of distress. The film’s gorgeous final shot returns to an image from its first chapter. At every turn, Jenkins keeps the past in mind as Chiron tackles the present.

That present is loaded. It’s no coincidence that “Moonlight” is set at the height of the Reagan-era war on drugs: a large CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Cat café “Purr” pulls from community resources, unites cat lovers CAT CAFÉ, FROM PAGE 5 efforts, they have been holding weekly information sessions to raise awareness with different local business owners. Kelly happily noted that “most of the businesses seem very open and accepting to the proposal.” She said she believes with the aid of her zoning attorney and her general manager, they will be able to officially enter a permission hearing for her business in early December.

Of course, community outreach isn’t Kelly’s only responsibility at this stage.

The organization recently partnered with a local restaurant in order to provide food and drink for their customers, resolving the health concern of preparing food and owning animals in the same building. Additionally, she explained that Purr will be receiving cats from Boston’s Forgotten Felines, a volunteer group that focuses on resettling feral and stray cats in the Boston area.

If everything goes as planned, Kelly said, Purr will do some test-runs before their official opening to make sure the cats are all capable of living around each other and handling the open space of a cat café.

In the case of cat injuries or illnesses, Kelly and her team have also contacted a veterinarian willing to check up on and treat any ailments their cats suffer. They’ve also

PHOTO COURTESY DIANE KELLY

Diane Kelly is the entrepreneur behind the Purr cat café, coming to Boston in early 2017.

submitted their floor plans for approval and are almost finished with their interior decorating plan.

“I think my biggest resource has been the North American Cat Café Embassy,” Kelly said. “Almost everybody there has been so helpful, and they’ve given me

so much information and insight that I wouldn’t otherwise have.”

Established by a cat enthusiast from Toronto, the North American Cat Café Embassy helps individuals in their quest to bring cat cafés to America. Kelly said this type of alliance helps during the long

and arduous task of creating an eccentric café. Their website has helped her connect with other professionals to discuss considerations, ranging from what food the cats should eat to how they’ll filter the inevitable litter box smell. The embassy has served as a network for small business owners share their experiences and make the process a little bit easier for the next person to rise to the challenge, according to their website.

“So many different café owners have responded to my calls and emails and we’ve talked for hours at a time about this whole process,” Kelly said. “Some cat café owners don’t want to give you the time of day, and I totally understand that because I’m their competition.”

She said other café owners have been open and talkative about the “very real” business side of running a cat café.

If everything continues going smoothly, Kelly is confident that she will be able to make her estimated early 2017 opening date, and she encouraged people to spread the word when they can.

“Cat cafés are unique in that they have a really open, talkative environment where you can walk on in and make new friends because you have something in common: you like cats,” Kelly said. “They can have such a big impact for the cats and the people, and that’s really special.”

FEATURES

7

IMPACT THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Author ties together political struggle, female labor, coffee

BY ROSHNI KOTWANI DAILY FREE PRESS CONTRIBUTOR

Wondering how you’re going to make it through the day? Coffee. Need a way to make your night more productive? Coffee.

Trying to find a smooth way to ask someone out? Coffee.

Coffee has become a mindless solution to the daily problems of Americans’ lives, serving as a source of instant energy, long-lasting focus and social opportunities. Yet, the source of coffee itself remains largely unknown. Although grabbing a cup of your favorite coffee takes 10 minutes and a couple dollars, the story behind it is by no means as short or cheap.

In an attempt to share the true story behind the ostensibly simple bean-brewed delight, author and literary enthusiast Erika Koss delved into the complex coffee production process in her reading of her soon-to-be-published book “Magic Beans” on Saturday at the Scandinavian Cultural Center in Newton.

“We began chatting about her book, and I was struck by her story and her mission to tell not only her story, but the story of the many women whose lives coffee has shaped and continues to shape,” said Kerry Lavin, the director of the center.

Koss said she was drawn to the beau-

ty of words at a young age, developing into a voracious reader until she read “Out of Africa” by Danish author Karen Blixen.

That was when she realized that she too wanted to test the power of writing, Koss said. Blixen’s book shifted Koss’s attention to Africa.

This mere shift of attention soon developed into a trip to Kenya in 1994.

“I felt like I was at home,” Koss said about her first visit. “I was not expecting that.”

After more visits to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, Koss said she cultivated a passion for the underrated stories and unappreciated work that remained quietly within the hearts and hands of local women.

In particular, Koss said she noticed the women’s dedication to the production of coffee. As she watched the local women wash each bean by hand, Koss reflected back to her days of being a coffee brewer at Starbucks immediately after college in San Diego. Although miles apart, both Koss and the workers viewed coffee in the same way -- the sole source of income and, therefore, the sole source of survival.

To Koss, coffee was no longer just a drink; it was a source of connection between strong women around the world with stories to tell. As Koss’s adulation for these women grew, so did their conversa-

FOISIE BUSINESS SCHOOL

PHOTO COURTESY KERRY LAVIN

Erika Koss reads a chapter out of her book during a special preview event Saturday in Newton.

tions revealing the inspiring spirit they possessed throughout life’s struggles.

Through her literary works and talks, Koss said she aims to rouse women and men around the world to abandon the familiarity of silence and vocalize their pain.

“I came to this event because I am often very inspired by people who have struggled and survived,” Joanne Capello, 43, of West Newton, said. “Erika is a survivor.”

Koss refused to let her and other women’s struggles remain unknown. With her upcoming book, these stories will be shared with the public. But despite her drive to empower these women, she said she also wants to emphasize a connection to daily life, which she found in coffee.

“What I really want people to understand through this book is that coffee is a gift,” Koss said.

Beyond reaching out to women, “Magic Beans” touches on the theme of struggle and the politics of trade involved in coffee making. Besides the female labor, the story behind coffee comprises of layers of political struggle, third-world versus first-world country tension and trade deals.

Koss continues to teach writing at Northeastern University, and she said hopes to inspire her students to share their stories through writing.

“At the heart of everything I love most, I love words,” she said.

Of course, this was evident in the way she spoke about her passion to give a voice to the voiceless.

“I want to tell the stories of women, my coffee sisters,” Koss said, “the way they want their stories to be told.”

There’s magic in “Moonlight” from director Barry Jenkins “MOONLIGHT,” FROM PAGE 6

Discover the business school at a premier technological university. Offering MS and MBA programs for tech-savvy professionals who want to take the lead in business.

business@wpi.edu

part of the film’s power lies in its pragmatic but muted acknowledgement of its political climate.

Juan, a quasi-father figure for Chiron, sells crack. As he and Chiron grow closer, neither one loses sight of the fact that Chiron’s mom is buying the product that affords Juan his lifestyle. There’s no overt thematic showboating here, but it’s easy to see what Jenkins is saying: moral lucidity is more often an ideal than a reality. The bad things we do affect others just as heavily as the good ones.

“Moonlight” doesn’t only pull power from its political setting — the film’s mastery of music and camera movement give it a depth of feeling so immense that it’s often overwhelming.

Though there are few actual POV shots, but cinematographer James Laxton shows us the world as Chiron experiences it. A wrestling match in childhood focuses on the sensory details of another man’s touch. Dollies quietly pan across spaces that overwhelm him. Dream sequences that focus on sex and water have difficult-to-describe tactile qualities.

The soundscapes are vast and exhilarating. Classical music bumps against hip-hop,

objective natural sound gives way to extremely subjective moments, with ambient noise standing in for mental discord. The harmony with which Jenkins weaves together what we see and what we hear is always surprising, always affecting and never distracting.

Perhaps the best thing about “Moonlight” is that its achievements cannot be singled out. It is impossible to discuss one of the film’s strengths without incorporating four or five others. In that sense, “Moonlight” is fully formed in ways that few films ever are.

The performances — especially from Piner, Harris and R&B singer Janelle Monáe as Juan’s girlfriend — astonish, but they’re supported by a marvelous script, cutting-edge camerawork, pitch-perfect sound design; the list goes on.

It’s rare for a film that screams humanism or universality to actually achieve either of those goals. “Boyhood” did it. “Moonlight” is a very different film, but in a way, it’s an even more effective one — by taking a laundry list of hot-button issues, putting them in a blender, and refusing to let any single one overwhelm the rest, we get a fuller portrait of humanity than we likely expected.

If movies answer questions, “Moonlight” asks us what it’s like to be a person, and its answer, astonishingly, feels entirely new.

OPINION

8

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016

J.D. Capelouto, Editor-in-Chief Christy Osler, 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 91 | Issue IX 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 © 2016 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Weihua Li, Campus Editor

Paige Smith, Editorial Page Editor

Shivani Patel, Layout Editor

Lexi Peery, City Editor

Kaitlyn Locke, Features Editor

Candice Lim, Blog Editor

Nick Neville, Sports Editor

Maddie Malhotra, Photo Editor

Shakti Rovner, Office Manager

Co-working an opportunity for networking, fostering ideas The typical “millennial” office has been touted as being both a blessing and a curse to the professional environment. The lure of Google’s or Square’s offices, with ladder chutes and collaborative couch cubbies respectively, make some of us entering the job market drool, while others roll their eyes. Either way, the traditional idea of “office space” is changing.

As announced in a Boston Globe article, WeWork is continuing its crusade in Boston, planning on opening its fourth location early next year in Cambridge. WeWork, like the Googles and Squares of the world, is seeking to transform what it means to go into an office. The company has taken advantage of the “sharing” mentality and applied it to office space, by leasing desks and workspaces to individuals and corporations alike. In a WBUR article, the co-working locations have been highly successful in entrepreneurially spirited Boston. Joining WeWork is cove, Oficio and Workbar, with locations scattered elsewhere around the city, but offering the same basic elements of a co-working space.

The value of a co-working space is undeniable. They cater to different kinds of workers, providing an alternative to stuffy and conservative work spaces. They remove the cubicles and filing cabinets, replaced with long tables and endless coffee, and in turn, potential new ideas. However, it understood that they’re not for everyone.

On that note, co-working spaces are sometimes even eye-rolled by millennials.

By removing oneself from a traditional office space, it is an escape but also a retreat to solitary existence. Gone are the casual questions and knocks on doors. They’re replaced by texts, pings and Slacks. In fact, in digital companies in particular, the roles of interns play

B

y removing oneself from a traditional office space, it is an escape but also a retreat to solitary existence.

out exclusively virtually for some. Many have never met their superiors or counterparts, or perhaps haven’t even spoken with them on the phone. This is perhaps more common with writing positions, where individual work is held above all else, but still strange.

Collaboration is undeniably most effective when done in person. The subtleties one detects in person hardly ever come across online, and if they do, they are often miscommunicated in some capacity. Personal connection is all forged when occupying a mutual space

CROSSWORD 1

2

3

5

4

14

6

COURTESY OF MIRROREYES.COM / CROSSWORD ANSWERS AVAILABLE ON bit.ly/2f2wMNO

9

10

25

26

28

27 34

33

36

30

48

49

38 41

40

42

29 35

37

39

13

22

24

32

12

19 21

23

11

44

43 45

46 52

51

ACROSS

DOWN

16

18

20

50

8

not actually present for employment, a constant digital connection is necessary. The “always on” mentality tethers employees to their devices, and this habit spills over into other realms of their life. Some could argue that this has already happened, but the constant connection merely enforces it.

However, for young people, the idea of a co-working space is a game-changer. For our generation, entrepreneurial ambition is highly valued, yet the logistics of actuating our ideas are sometimes less ambitious. A

membership at cove or Oficio eliminates this worry and further investment in brick and mortar offices.

As young people, it can generally be said that we are social. A co-working space fosters that collaboration, but at a low cost. It also channels that socialization into networking opportunities that naturally present themselves when placing a group of professionals in a room together. Conversations will be initiated, ideas exchanged and connections made.

Another compelling argument for co-working spaces is the idea of an “ideal commute.” As explained in the WBUR article by Bill Jacobson, founder and CEO of Workbar, most workers do not want to remain isolated all day.

“The ideal commute is not zero. It’s about 10 minutes,” he said. “People want to get out of the house and be around other people.”

Certainly, co-working spaces are not perfect; but then again, a perfect workspace depends on an individual rather than the space itself. Think of studying in Boston University’s Mugar Memorial Library. Sometimes studying on the third floor is acceptable, surrounded by people chatting and exchanging ideas, feeding off of one another’s energy.

Yet, other times, a corner on the sixth floor is necessary to just power through a workload in silence.

Office spaces are similar. Sometimes co-working is what you need. Other times a cubicle will do. Having the option to choose is what makes the change positive.

This week’s crossword puzzle is brought to you by Joe Rouse

15

17

31

7

with your co-workers. It’s more than just a job, it’s a community, and WeWork and similar co-working spaces do eliminate this vital element.

Technology also plays a major role in stepping in for that authentic connection. If

47 54

53

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

1.Antiaircraft gun 5. H2O 10. Ale 14. Shoestring 15. Throw with effort 16. 66 in Roman numerals 17. Ignorant 19. Frosts 20. Craze 21. Extraterrestrial 22. Licoricelike flavor 23. Fissionable 25. Classifies 27. One or more 28. Converting into ions 31. Make into law 34. In shape 35. Petroleum 36. Choose 37. Twinges 38. Blind (poker) 39. And so forth

40. Cabs 41. A friction match 42. Mystical 44. Glass container 45. Sped 46. Fire opal 50. Breadth 52. Gladden 54. Pair 55. Death notice 56. A bottom fish 58. Six-stringed instrument 59. Regale 60. Margarine 61. Feudal worker 62. Wanderer 63. What we sleep on

1. Any light downy material 2. Hawaiian veranda 3. Corrosives 4. Barbie’s beau 5. Completely 6. Eagle’s nest 7. Docile 8. Vesperses 9. Crimson 10. Type of battercake 11. Deletions 12. Nights before 13. Ascend 18. Lose consciousness 22. Desiccated 24. Big bag 26. 1 1 1 1 28. Classical Greek 29. Anagram of “Tine” 30. Delight 31. Type of sword

32. Pesky insects 33. Squeeze box 34. Mounting of animal skins 37. Cut back 38. Emanation 40. Engineering school 41. Got along 43. Be a snitch 44. Minibus 46. Magnetic induction unit 47. Attendance counter 48. Possessed 49. Corporate symbols 50. Interlaced 51. Nile bird 53. French for “Wolf” 56. Muzzle 57. Toss

OPINION

9

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Way to go, Weiner

BY ANDREW JOHNSTON COLUMNIST

Just like that, America is bombarded with yet another firestorm of publicity after the recent decision by the FBI decision to look into more emails possibly related to Hillary Clinton. FBI Director James Comey decided to shake things up for Halloween by announcing that he simply is not done with Mrs. Clinton.

Much to the dismay of the HRC camp, Anthony Weiner is making yet another appearance on national news. The man is full of disgrace, and there’s practically no reason anyone should respect this corrupt and perverted former politician. Although it’s unclear how much this knob had to do with the newfound emails, the fact that he’s involved is laughable.

The man is a walking collection of poor decisions.

The FBI uncovered the emails on Weiner’s laptop while investigating the former congressman for essentially being an idiot. This time, the emails were from his estranged wife and Clinton advisor, Huma Abedin.

The emails case is undoubtedly the most interesting event that could possibly have happened so close to Election Day. Will it matter? That’s the exciting part.

Clearly the Democrats aren’t going to blow this off as nonsense. Despite their preparations for the victory parades already underway, the DNC is up in arms that Comey is deliberately trying to sway the election.

Hillary has confidently reminded supporters at rallies that the investigation will only reveal the same verdict as before. She wonders why the investigators, mostly Comey, have decided to re-open her worst nightmare with “no evidence” to support their cause.

Nice try, Hillary.

Unfortunately for her, President Obama, the crowned prince of the Democratic party, doesn’t seem to have her back like many of her other Democratic constituents.

A press conference with White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest revealed how Obama feels about the situation.

“Director Comey is a man of integrity, he’s a man of principle and he’s a man of good character,” Earnest said when asked to comment on Comey.

Interesting approach by Obama. It’s one

of the rare occasions where he’s actually tried to remain neutral on the political battlefield.

The White House doesn’t believe that Comey has violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from utilizing the power of their position to influence an election. Seeing as Obama appointed the director in 2013, maybe he’s embarrassed by the crazy behavior.

Maybe he thinks the investigation won’t be able to gain enough traction to sway an election that’s taking place so soon. After all, it’s already November and the election, in case you forgot, is less than a week away.

Many on the right are beginning to remind voters about one of the most important investigations in the history of the United States: Watergate. You know, the scandal that Forrest Gump reported to the police after checking into the Watergate Hotel at exactly the same time Richard Nixon’s goons were breaking in and tampering with the 1972 presidential election. Nixon demolished his Democrat counterpart that year. He probably didn’t need to mess with it in the first place, but that’s beside the point.

Unfortunately, money trails and tape recordings darkened the mood of the victory soon after the election. Nixon seriously goofed up, bombarded with enough evidence against him to force his resignation two years later, in August of 1974. It was a noble decision and his speech is legendary.

In 2016, 44 years after the fateful political blunder by Republicans, we are faced with an astonishingly similar situation. According to a poll by Politico, 45 percent of people think Hillary’s scandal is worse than Watergate.

Although many of those polled were likely uneducated on the matter, it demonstrates the severity of the re-opening of the case. People care, despite Hillary’s delusions that they stopped thinking about it months ago.

Just when we thought we were going to elect the first female president in history, we must now wait to see how the scandal affects the final week of the campaign. Assuming she is still able to snag the throne, perhaps marginally, we will be further waiting the conclusion of the investigation. What if the FBI charges Hillary with a felony? It seems likely that the beginning of her presidency could be full of court trials and media bombardment. Will she be forced to resign?

Needless to say, this is extremely unhealthy for our country. It’s heartbreaking to think the United States may be electing a criminal into office, faced with the alternative that’s not much better.

It’s safe to say, although perhaps cliché at this point, that America has failed itself this year.

Heartbreaking may be an understatement.

The final case for Hillary

BY ANNA STROINSKI COLUMNIST

I feel as though I have an obligation — a moral duty, some would say — to make one last comprehensive case for Hillary Clinton.

As the election comes to a close, we have to decide for ourselves the type of America we want, or maybe even need, going forward.

There is progress in Hillary Clinton, in her policy, in her vision and in her voice.

I can comb successively through the fine details of her policy, but this isn’t a policy election. We’re fighting an ideological fight and it goes much deeper than the typical partisan disagreements in Congress.

Superficially, we’re talking about “fitness for office,” but we’re really debating whether or not the ideological foundation with which we have built this country is sound and valid.

I can think of no better document to articulate American political thought than the Constitution. Regardless of whether interpreted as-is or as ever-changing, respect for its fundamental purpose is bipartisan. Or, at least, it should be. The ACLU a while back declared Trump a “One-Man Constitutional Crisis,” and they’re not an organization that takes sides. He has “blatantly violate the inalienable rights guaranteed by the Constitution” and “the basic norms of a free and decent society” they said. And we’ve heard him do it, as you can probably recall, on multiple occasions.

Unfortunately, though, Trump’s attacks go deeper than the Constitution.

They threaten our most basic natural rights which, I would argue, exist even when not guaranteed by a person or a piece of paper.

They transcend human construct. By virtue of human decency, which does exist believe it or not, there are just certain things we deserve — life, liberty, movement, free speech, freedom of religion, education — and in a Trump administration, those things would not be guaranteed for everybody.

This is someone who is not presidential. I know it sounds like it might be a good thing when he says what he wants and has not been influenced by the abuses and corruption of Washington politics. But, trust me, it’s not.

A president is someone who stands

for something, who gets involved in public service because she thinks her time, talent and resources are best suited in the public sphere, helping people. A president is someone who has rhetorical talent, can unite rather than divide, is calm in the face of foreign or domestic terror. You don’t have to be an intellectual to be president (although given Madison, Quincy Adams or Wilson, you can be) but you do have to be a politician. I know that label is partially negative this election cycle, but we’ve had politicians for presidents practically our entire history. They are skillful orators and know how to work the game to get what is necessary out of it.

I mean, have you seen the movie “Lincoln?”

Politics is a game that has to be well understood and played accordingly. The most hard-headed, ideological people make very bad politicians and subsequent presidents because the entirety of their complicated dreams will never be realized.

Hillary Clinton is a flawed candidate, marred by political scandals and defined by her moderate policy. She’s not the liberal dream like Sanders was, and she’s not as fiery and revolutionary as Donald Trump.

She’s the practical choice; it’s not romantic, it’s not innovative, it’s not new. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As I said earlier, practical exchanges and relationship building is how politics is done. The rallies, the scathing debates, the baby-kissing — that is not politics. That’s campaigning, showmanship, crowd-charming. It doesn’t get bills passed and it doesn’t do anyone any good once in office.

Hillary Clinton, although self-admittedly bad at campaigning, unlike her husband and boss, is nonetheless fantastic at doing politics. Senators from both parties have praised her work ethic and commented on her devotion to even the smallest policy detail. She knows the system, has worked in Congress and the Department of State and understands what it takes.

This is a woman who understands the social contract forged between the people and herself. If an overwhelming majority of her constituents push hard and loudly enough, she will have no choice but to move; that’s the nature of politics in America.

Hence, I implore you to vote Hillary Clinton on Nov. 8. Is she a perfect candidate? Certainly not. But often, the wants and desires of our conscience do not coincide perfectly with the necessary salvation of the masses. In this election, we have to think of not ourselves but of the masses. The general whole will be significantly worse off under Trump than they would Clinton. This choice is not just significant — it is moral.

Interrobang

Cosmopolitan recently ran a story that outlined different peoples’ ideal dates.

We here at the ol’ Free Press want to know —Who would BU people’s ideal date be?

West Campus: A hot paramedic

Dean Elmore: Rhett

Engineering: Anyone

Questrom: Their own reflections

Freshmen: Anyone

BU Democrats: Bernie Sanders

SHA: Paris Hilton

FreeP: Must be nice to have time to date

10

SPORTS

Patrick Harper exceeding expectations for men’s hockey

BY NICK FRAZIER DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

There was, understandably, plenty of excitement among Boston University men’s hockey fans leading up to the start of the season.

Now ranked No. 4, the Terriers (3-2) were projected to be one of the top teams in Division I hockey after successfully recruiting a star-studded freshman class. Forwards Clayton Keller, Kieffer Bellows and defenseman Dante Fabbro were all drafted in the first round of the 2016 NHL draft, and goaltender Jake Oettinger will likely be a top selection in next year’s draft.

Despite all the big names BU has pulled in, the best freshman on the ice so far has arguably been the 5-foot-9, 160-pound forward who just turned 18 this summer.

One of the lesser-known Terrier freshmen coming into this season, Patrick Harper has quickly exploded onto the scene as one of the brightest young stars in the Hockey East.

The New Canaan, Connecticut native scored five goals in BU’s first scrimmage against the University of Prince Edward Island on Oct. 1, then notched a hat trick in an exhibition versus the Under-18 U.S. National Team Development Program just five days later. His performance in those games earned him Warrior Player of the Week honors.

Once the regular season started, it was more of the same for Harper, as he owns a five-gamepoint streak to begin his collegiate career.

“I just love his intelligence, his poise; he’s such a heady player in how he makes guys around him better,” said BU head coach David Quinn. “The way he plays, we knew

it would translate to this level and [he’d] be able to have success. We thought that getting him in here this year and putting him with the guys we have, we thought he was going to blossom.”

Harper first stood out during his two years at the Avon Old Farms prep school in Connecticut,where he led the Winged Beavers in points two seasons in a row. He captained the team his second year and led them to the NEPSAC semifinals, totaling 20 goals and 39 assists under headcoach John Gardner.

The 2016 Nashville Predators draft pick has nothing but positive things to say about the coaching staff and his two seasons there, where he says he improved his game quite a bit.

“My time at Avon was definitely something pretty special to me,” Harper said.

“The three coaches there with Coach Gardner, [assistant coaches Leon] Hayward and [Bill] Maniscalco, just all their experience combined, just unbelievable. It’s really an atmosphere where if you want to be a hockey player and improve day in and day out, it’s a great intermediate staff and they really take pride in teaching every single kid how to play hockey and being the best player they can possible be.”

Gardner, who has mentored successful NHL players like Jonathan Quick, Nick Bonino and Cam Atkinson throughout his 42-year coaching career at Avon Old Farms, said he noticed aspects of Harper’s game that suggested he could excel at the next level, despite his lack of height.

“I saw his tremendous work ethic that he has, the fact that he loves the game so much, and what an elusive player he was,”

PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Freshman forward Patrick Harper has exceeded expectations in the early going for BU.

H

e’s earned everything he’s gotten.”

Gardner said. “At first I questioned his size because he’s not very big at all. I’ve been watching him play for several years, I noticed that rarely does anybody center him up and hit him. Certainly a lot of people do try and hit him, but he’s pretty smart, he’s very elusive and he’s tough to get, if you know what I’m saying.”

It’s hard not to notice Harper’s size on the ice, as he’s often dwarfed by the taller guys on the roster. That hasn’t held him back, though, as Harper has learned how to excel despite being under 6 feet.

“I think [I’m] definitely using my size to my advantage and really getting under players and using my skating and vision and things like that to have that advantage,” Harper said. “When you’re smaller, you’ve just got to really work as hard as you possibly can to be as good as you can be.”

With his explosive, craft style of play on the offensive end, Harper began to draw attention from college programs seeking his talents, including BU. Former Terrier assistant coach Steve Greeley and current assistant coach Albie O’Connell watched Harper play in amateur hockey over the summer of 2014. “[They] fell in love with him,” Quinn said. “I remember them coming to me and saying ‘We gotto take this kid Harper.’ They were sold on him. Obviously he fits the style we want to play.”

It wouldn’t take long for BU to lock down Harper, who committed to the Terriers in September 2014. Then, about halfway through last season, after losing former commit and current University of Connecticut forward Maxim Letunov, Quinn and his staff knew they needed Harper’s skill at Agganis Arena as soon as possible.

“We had a spot for him [this year], and a spot in a significant role,” Quinn said. “Just the way he progressed and the way he got better and better, when you commit to someone young, sometimes they progress faster than you think, and that’s kind of what happened with him. We knew he was going to be able to come in here and contribute right away.”

While Harper’s talent was never doubted, he was often overshadowed by the likes of Keller and Bellows, who dominated for the U.S. NTDP last year.

Perhaps that’s why Harper’s play comes as a surprise to the Terrier faithful; it certainly came as a surprise to those who know Harper well.

“No,” Gardner said when asked if he expected his former captain to excel so soon.

“To be honest with you, I didn’t. I thought he would be a very effective college player at BU if used correctly. But I think playing him with the right people is the key. People that can complement him and he can complement them, that’s the key.”

Quinn echoed Gardner’s thoughts on Harper playing with the right people, saying he really wanted him on the roster this year because of their immense front-line talent.

“We thought playing with good players, better players than he’s ever played with, was going to work to his strengths,” Quinn said.

“I’d probably be lying if I thought he’d get off to the blazing start he’s had point-wise, but he’s also had some puck-luck and he plays with good players. He’s earned everything he’s gotten.”

It helps that the crafty forward is also one of the hardest workers around, but he credits the upperclassmen for helping him get off to this hot start.

“They’ve been unbelievable so far,” Harper said. “The senior leadership is just very lead-by-example type and they’re very serious out there and they want the best for each kid. They’re very welcoming to the underclassmen, it’s just really been a blast so far.”

Of course, it’s going to take more than a couple of nice games from Harper for this Terrier team to break through and make a deep run come April. BU was swept by No. 2 University of Denver just a few weeks back, suggesting that the Terriers aren’t quite where they want to be yet.

The good news is that it’s a long season and there’s plenty of time to improve, something that Quinn fully expects the promising playmaker to do. He may not have been the most highly-touted BU recruit this year, but his impact and work ethic cannot be ignored.

“Off the ice, we don’t have anyone more dedicated,” Quinn said. “He approaches hockey like apro. He takes it very seriously, he’s 100 percent committed away from the rink. I think you see the benefits on the ice.”

Collins traded away, but no problem as “In Bill We Trust” BENEDYKCIUK , FROM PAGE 12

He’s sending a message to the rest of the team not to ask for enormous contracts when the Pats are always a favorite to win the Super Bowl.”

Belichick has always run his team as economically as possible. He traded former firstround pick Chandler Jones to the Arizona Cardinals for guard Jonathan Cooper and a second-round pick during this past offseason.

Jones’ contract was also set to expire at the end of this season.

The phrase “In Bill We Trust” has resurfaced since the trade went through on Monday afternoon.While many fans may still be confused by the trade, or not fully understand it, they should haveno reason to doubt the mastermind Belichick. He has released or traded some big names during his time in New England, including Ty Law, Willie McGinest, Richard Seymour, Randy Moss,Logan Mankins and Vince Wilfork.

Despite all those key departures, the Patriots are still on the best run of any franchise since the turn of the millennium. They’ve appeared in 10 AFC Championship games since 2000, and won six of them. Of their six Super Bowl appearances, they’ve won four, and it does not seem likethey are done just yet.

Their most recent Super Bowl win came in 2015 against the Seattle Seahawks. While the complexion of the team has changed since then, the Patriots lead ESPN’s NFL Power Rankings by a landslide, and seem poised to make another deep run at the playoffs.

The bottom line is this: if the Patriots are unwilling to sign a player to a long-term extension for any reason, they will trade that player for some return before he enters free agency and yields no return. Bill Belichick has run this team like a high-functioning, high-efficiency business for years, stressing the importance of everyone “doing their job.” If a younger linebacker on the Patriots depth chart like Elandon Roberts can produce a similar job for a fraction of the cost, it makes perfect sense that Belichick would trade Collins.

PHOTO COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Patriots traded away linebacker Jamie Collins this week to the Cleveland Browns for a conditional third-round pick.

SPORTS

11

Women’s soccer’s Kelly Park talks Bieber and “Broccoli”

BY SHELBY REARDON DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Boston University women’s soccer team is heading into the Patriot League Tournament as the No. 2 seed, and will bypass the quarterfinal round of the tournament. The Terriers (8-10-1,8-1-0 Patriot League) continued to get better as the season went on, and the same can be said fora number of its players, including freshman forward Kelly Park.

Park started the season coming off the bench, but when junior forward Christina Wakefield suffered a season-ending injury, Park stepped up. The San Jose, California native started seven of the last eight games, netted three goals and earned a Patriot League Rookie of the Week honor.

We sat down to talk with the talented first-year.

1. How long have you been playing soccer?

“Pretty much since I was in first grade.”

2. How did it feel to score your first collegiate goal?

“It was a big relief. I think I had been getting close a couple times, and then actually my parentscame from California and happened to be at that game. It was a pretty unique moment that I don’t think I’ll ever forget.”

3. How has the team remained focused and disciplined despite your success?

“Since we had a tough out of conference record, we’ve been making sure to hold each other accountable during practice, getting better.

The seniors have been great about keeping things positive and pushing us every day.”

4. What was the best part of growing up in the Bay Area?

“I think just the culture. People are always happy.”

5. How is the Boston cold weather treating you?

“It’s very different. It’s been pretty cold this last week and I’m struggling a little bit. I’ve never seen snow so it’ll be interesting once we start getting some of that.”

6. What’s your favorite thing you’ve done in Boston so far?

“I think the coolest thing was going to a Red Sox game with my team. It was my first game

there it was such a cool experience.”

7. Are you a baseball fan? What other sports do you like to watch?

“I’m a San Francisco Giants fan and a Golden State Warriors fan. Baseball, basketball and soccer are the only sports I really watch and follow.”

8. Favorite soccer player?

“Andre Iniesta for FC Barcelona.”

9. Why did you choose BU? “I was looking for something different than my Bay Area life. I came to visit here and just kind of fell in love with the city and the culture of the team and everything Boston had to offer.”

10. Is adjusting to college soccer harder or easier than you expected?

“It’s harder. It’s a lot of physical demand on your body and it’s hard to manage school and soccer but I’ve been able to do well and I’m enjoying it a lot.”

11. Best advice you’ve gotten this year?

“Just enjoying the process and not wishing away any days. Everyone says it flies by way quicker than you think.”

12. What song gets you pumped up for a game?

“The song ‘Broccoli’ is a good one for me because my teammate [freshman goalkeeper] Emma [Heil] has a funny dance to it that everyone loves.”

13. Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

“I put on my left sock, right sock, left shin guard, right shin guard, left cleat, right cleat everytime.”

14. Favorite place to eat in Boston?

“I like Carlo’s — it’s down in Allston. It’s my favorite Italian place here.”

15. If you could spend the day with any celebrity who would it be?

“I’m not a huge follower of celebrities but I really like Justin Bieber. I don’t really know why.”

16. What movie did you watch last and what did you think?

“We watched ‘The Notebook’ on the bus on one of our trips. It was the first time I had really watched it and it was really emotional. I was crying on the bus and trying not to let anyone see me.”

17. Are you more excited for Thanksgiv-

PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Freshman forward Kelly Park started seven of the Terriers’ last eight games in 2016.

ing or Christmas?

“Christmas. It’s definitely my favorite holiday by far. It’d be nice to be home for more than a few days.”

18. Are you nervous for the Patriot League Tournament?

“A little, but I’m confident in our team’s preparation and how hard we’ve worked. I think that if we play our best we will do well.”

19. What was your reaction to being named Patriot League Rookie of the Week?

“I was honestly pretty surprised. I wasn’t expecting anything like that, but it was a pretty cool accomplishment and I was speechless almost. It was a huge honor.”

20. Favorite place on campus?

“Nickerson. It just feels like home to me.”

New defensive mindset key to men’s soccer’s success

BY JORDAN GREEN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Boston University men’s soccer team is now in control of its own postseason destiny following Saturday night’s 1-0 victory over the United States Military Academy.

If BU (7-6-2, 3-3-2 Patriot League) wins at home against the United States Naval Academy on Friday, the team will go to the Patriot League Tournament for the third consecutive season. The Terriers find themselves in a favorable position, as Navy (5-8-4, 1-5-2 Patriot League) currently occupies last place in the Patriot League standings.

If the rest of the season is any indication, the Terriers should be ready for anything on Friday night.

Coming into the season, many were banking on the Terriers’ offense to carry them to the playoffs. However, injuries have completely flipped the script this year, and it is now the BU defense that has led a resurgent charge down the stretch into the top six of the Patriot League standings.

The Terriers have shut out their opponents in four of their past five contests, and BU head coach Neil Roberts said the blank sheets are thanks to a tremendous team effort.

“Collectively, we’ve defended better; that’s the bottom line,” Roberts said. “We’re taking the pressure off of [senior goalkeeper] Matt [Gilbert]. Matt used to have to make

five or six big saves a game. He’s down to one or two now, which is more normal for a goalkeeper. It’s just a mentality. We were possessing and dominating games but we were getting lazy and leaving people free. We’d lose the ball and they’d have easy counterattacks against us, and I think we solved that.”

starting to play better in front of him.”

The Madison, New Jersey native leads the Patriot League in saves with 71, is third in the conference with a .798 save percentage and was named Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week on Monday for the third time this year.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Senior goalkeeper Matt GIlbert leads the conference in saves with 71 on the season.

Gilbert can finally relax (sort of) As good as the BU defense has been, the team would be eliminated from playoff contention by now if it weren’t for the incredible play of Gilbert in goal. The reigning Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year has been outstanding in the most important games of the season for BU, and has surely staked his claim to win the award for a second straight season.

“Matt’s been playing extremely well,” Roberts said. “It’s just that we’re finally

Roberts said he believes the defensive improvements have helped Gilbert play even better recently.

“It makes it easier for him to be able to lead from that position when he’s not under as much pressure and people aren’t coming through at will any longer,” Roberts said.

“Things are under control from the defensive end of it. What we were asking him to do in the beginning of the season was really ridiculous; you just can’t make that many saves. He’s playing fantastic, but to ask him

to make five or six spectacular saves in a game is unrealistic. Now, we’re cutting that down.”

Roberts reflects on 350th win and looks ahead The Terriers 1-0 win on Saturday night was the 350th career victory for Neil Roberts as coach of the BU men’s soccer team.

Roberts is in his 32nd year at the helm and has guided his teams to 28 winning regular season records and 14 NCAA tournament bids, numbers he hopes to add to this season.

As usual, Roberts was humbled when he received the news about the big win.

“It means that you’re old,” Roberts joked. “You always look at that number and you say, ‘Damn, it probably should be closer to 400 if we took care of business over the years.’ We’ve had good teams, good players, good coaches. But you just worry about the next game. What’s important now is that we beat Navy and keep our season going.”

Roberts said he is especially focused now, as he feels his team is hitting its stride at just the right time.

“As a group, we’re the most solid I think we’ve been over the last five games,” Roberts said.“Even the Lehigh [University] game that we didn’t win, we were unfortunate not to score goals. I think the last piece of the puzzle is finishing off a better percent of our chances that we create. If we can up that percentage and still play defensively like we’re doing, we should have a good month ahead of us.”

Sports

Quotable “I just love his intelligence, his poise; he’s such a heady player in how he makes guys around him better,” - BU head coach David Quinn on freshman forward Patrick Harper. p. 10

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Bieber Fever Freshman standout Kelly Park of the women’s soccer team sat down with us for an unpredictable round of 20 questions. p. 11

The Blue Line Collins trade not so bad after all

PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Senior forward Nick Roberto is back and has emerged as a leader for the Terriers with four points through the team’s first five games.

Nick Roberto turns page on dark junior campaign

BY MIKE BENEDYKCIUK COLUMNIST

BY JONATHAN SIGAL DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Week 8 of the NFL season has come to a close, and by this point in the season, we’ve seen it all.

We’ve seen the NFC East go from laughable last year to a juggernaut this year. We’ve seen two ties and more missed field goals than anyone can count. We’ve seen the Oakland Raiders finish their first half at 6-2 with a 5-0 road record, the Minnesota Vikings fall from grace and we’ve seen the Dallas Cowboys cut through the power rankings despite losing Tony Romo in the preseason.

Among all these paradigm shifts, though, two things remain completely unchanged: the New England Patriots are still really good, and the Cleveland Browns are still really bad.

These two teams crossed paths in the news on Monday afternoon, when the Patriots unexpectedly shipped Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins to the Browns in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

This trade makes perfect sense from Cleveland’s perspective. The Browns have a surplus of picks as a result of their trade with the Eagles last season that sent North Dakota State University quarterback Carson Wentz to Philly. Why not trade a conditional pick for a young, proven linebacker?

At first glance from the Patriots’ perspective, though, this trade may seem shocking.

After all, Collins was one of New England’s most dynamic defensive players. He led the team in tackles last year with 89, and forced a franchise record five fumbles. He was considered by many to be the best overall defensive player on the Patriots, and General Manager Bill Belichick got very little in return for him.

When we dive a little deeper, though, it really should not be a surprise.

Collins is in the final year of his rookie contract. While he was arguably the best defensive player on New England, rumor has it Collins requested Von Miller-esque money at the start of the year, knowing that he was due for a new contract.

Not even the reigning Super Bowl MVP deserves Von Miller-esque money. A friend of mine said it best yesterday: “Jamie Collins wanted a Von Miller deal, so Belichick sent him to Cleveland for his career to probably die.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Nick Roberto doesn’t quite open up when asked about his junior season. It’s a sensitive topic, so he instead credits support from his teammates, his coaches and his family. He says he brushed the year off —it obviously wasn’t the best press.

But when head coach David Quinn reflects on Roberto’s 2015-16 season — or rather lack thereof — a different tone emerges.

“Initially I was getting angry, because the stuff that was being said was just so far-fetched and sopreposterous,” Quinn said. “And you get aggravated because you know the truth. You hear the things that are said, but it’s the world we live in now.”

Meanwhile, Tommy Kelley, Roberto’s roommate and fellow senior forward on the Boston University men’s hockey team, strikes a similar chord.

“There were a couple weeks where stuff kept pouring out, pouring out, and everyone’s making their ownassumptions and trying to accuse him of doing different things,” Kelley said. “We’d sit in the room atnight and read through the stuff and laugh with how crazy people can be with social media, putting anything and everything out there.”

And Doyle Somerby, BU’s captain and Roberto’s close friend, addresses the topic with sympathy.

“When everything came out on Twitter all my friends were texting me,” Somerby said.

“My mom works at a restaurant in town and people were asking her questions. Just to see how magnified it was and the microscope he was under, I was just trying to tell people you don’t really know what happened. You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

So what exactly happened? Roberto, a native of nearby Wakefield, was the subject of constant, intense scrutiny. As each game rolled around in the fall of 2015, Roberto was a healthy scratch; he was given no playing time and was not injured, but no specific reason was given as to why. Those outside the walls of Agganis Arena had no clue why.

Then in late December, the bombshell dropped: Roberto was at the heart of a gambling probe, and then rumors started flying left and right. He ultimately sat out the entirety of his junior season, losing a year of eligibility in the process.

As Roberto looks back, he speaks matter-of-factly.

“I met with the school about it, I told my side of the story,” Roberto said. “Then the school had to report it to the NCAA, and then the NCAA took it from there. It was a long process that kept dragging along. It was September till November when I really found out.

Definitely a stressful time.”

Even today — nearly a year removed from Roberto’s suspension — the details are still somewhat murky. Quinn calls it all an “extreme, excessive punishment,” and is quick to say Roberto made a mistake, just like many college students do. But the fourth-year head coach also said it’s a matter that’s handled inhouse.

“It’s not that I’m being secretive or private, but it’s nobody’s business,” Quinn said.

Kelley, meanwhile, described the environment as “don’t ask, don’t tell,” because talk wasn’t going toc hange the fact Roberto couldn’t play.

Despite all that, it wasn’t as though Roberto vanished into thin air last season; in fact it was quite the opposite.

He was still working out with the team, practicing, shooting pucks and working on his stick handling. The worst part was he couldn’t travel with BU for road trips, so he’d drive to the local rinks and watch far-offgames on TV or online. He’d wait around for his teammates to return to campus late on Saturday nights, and spent time with friends who were not hockey players.

Life was, in Roberto’s words, different, and the days felt longer. So as the months passed, Somerby, who went to Kimball Union Academy with Roberto, came to view the 22-year-old in a different light.

“Nick showing up every time last year there was a practice and lift and bringing energy knowing no matter what he did during the week he couldn’t play — I thought I knew a lot about him, but that gave me more respect than I ever could have imagined,” Somerby said. “I learned a lot about his character, the effort he puts forth and I just wanted him to know I was there whenever he needed it.”

Kelley echoed much of the same support, noting Roberto came to the rink every day with high energy,and always with a smile on his face.

“Nick never really tried to show he was affected by it in all honestly,” Kelley said. “I

don’t know, he just stuck it out. I have a ton of respect for him doing that. I’d hang out with him in the room, be there for him.He’s such a strong kid.”

As for Roberto, he couldn’t imagine tackling 2015-16 season’s hurdle any differently. He tried to stay positive, thankful that he made his mistake while he was young. He emphasizes that widespread support was what got him through, and jokes that he’s in the best shape of his life now.

With the 2016-17 season still in its early days, Roberto seems on pace for possibly his best season yet as a Terrier. He has two goals and two assists in five games, including a shorthanded tally in the season-opening win over Colgate University and an insurance score in a recent 7-0 blowout of Sacred Heart University.

Roberto, however, is quick to retort that points aren’t his bread and butter. Instead, he has his sights set on leading what is college hockey’s second youngest team, especially as its oldest player.

“Last year we had Mike Moran who was 24, the year before Anthony Moccia, so it’s pretty weird,”Roberto said. “I feel like the grandfather of the group. Everyone’s coming to me for questions. It’s good; it keeps me young.”

Still, it’s hard not to reflect: this time last year, nobody knew for certain if Roberto would be a part of BU’s program. Questions lingered, people made up their own theories and answers were few and far between.

But today, Roberto brings a workman-like mentality, a sense of maturity to a locker room teeming with teenagers. He defines himself as someone who plays fast and physical, has some grit towards his battles,thrives on the penalty kill and just likes “getting the boys going” on the bench.

As for Somerby and Kelley? They stress Roberto as likable a guy with a smile on his face, even after the toughest of practices — all in spite of last year’s dark blemish.

“You look at that stuff people say, but as long as my family was by my side and the school was supportive of me, I could brush it off,” Roberto said. “Everyone was there for me the whole time. I just stayed around that.”

So with last year officially in the past, Quinn now beams of the “great kid” who’s “as big a recruit” as BU got this year. With a freshman class that features five NHL draft picks, that’s not too shabby at all.

BOTTOM LI NE THURSDAY, NOV. 3

The Cubs win the World Series, which is quite literally the best thing that’s happened in Chicago since sliced bread.

FRIDAY, NOV. 4

SATURDAY, NOV. 5

No. 14 field hockey vs. Bucknell (PL Semifinal), 1 p.m.

Men’s rowing vs. Harvard and MIT, 8 a.m.

Field hockey Patriot League Champi-

In another shocking move, the

Women’s ice hockey @ Boston College, 7 p.m.

Men’s tennis @ Bryant Invitational, all day

onship @ New Balance, 12 p.m.

Patriots traded Jamie Collins this

Women’s tennis @ Harvard Invitational, all day

Women’s soccer Patriot League

ing the popular linebacker, coach

Championship @ Bucknell, 1 p.m.

Bill Belichick replied, “We’re on to

Women’s soccer vs. Navy (PL Semifinal) @ Bucknell, 7 p.m.

Men’s soccer vs. Navy, 7 p.m.

No. 4 men’s ice hockey vs.

Northeastern, 7 p.m.

SUNDAY, NOV. 6

MONDAY, NOV. 7

week. When asked about releas-

Seattle.”