March 15, 2024

The Huntington News

HUNDREDS GATHER FOR 26TH ANNUAL BOSTON AREA INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BREAKFAST

On March 8, representatives from dozens of Boston-area feminist organizations and hundreds of attendees packed the Linda K Paretsky Conference Center at Simmons University to celebrate International Women’s Day at the 26th Annual Boston Area International Women’s Day, or IWD, Breakfast.

The event, organized by MassNow, an organization “working to build intersectional feminism in the Commonwealth,” according to its website, featured tables from over 50 local feminist organizations, remarks from Mayor Michelle Wu and a panel of female leaders who have pioneered in their respective industries.

“The breakfast was a labor of love,” IWD Planning Committee Co-Chair Ayanna Polk said. “Of course, with the event itself, we have 60 plus partner organizations so we met months in advance and had conversa-

By Gitana Savage | News Staff

tions about everything from decorations down to panelists.”

The three panelists featured at this year’s IWD Breakfast were Katrina Kincade, an Emmy-nominated reporter at WBZ/CBS Boston and former Miss Massachusetts; Celia Johnson Blue, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition; and Avery Covitz, a 16-year-old three-time nationally qualified powerlifter with USA Powerlifting.

The theme for this year’s breakfast was “breaking barriers and building bridges,” which emphasized the examination of the intersectionality of featured organizations’ work. March of Dimes was one of the organizations represented at the breakfast.

Chloe Schwartz, director of maternal and infant health initiatives at March of Dimes, explained the wide range of work they do to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

“We’re looking at the health inequities that exist and trying to close the health equity gap,” Schwartz said. “We do

maternal mortality rates and morbidity rates and really making sure that every family has the best possible start.”

After the tabling portion of the morning, attendees were directed upstairs for the panel part of the event. They heard remarks from Simmons University President Lynn Perry Wooten and Wu, followed by the featured panelists.

Samuel Gebru, Tufts University professor and CEO of Black Lion Strategies, has attended the IWD Breakfast for over 10 years. As a longtime attendee, he’s observed the growth of the IWD Breakfast.

“I come here every year,” Gebru said. “And there have been high school students as panelists, and at the same time, you have veterans of the women’s movement that have been doing this work for 67 years too, so the intergenerational learning and engagement that happens here is always exciting.”

Wu described several new initiatives to improve gender equity in the Boston area,

This year’s breakfast also reached unprecedented levels of attendance with both the main room and the overflow room at capacity.

“This is a bigger turnout than I’ve ever seen in my time,” Wu said in her remarks. “I hear that there was almost as big or bigger a group on the waiting list for the sold-out event because of the interest and the importance now more than ever of our solidarity and sisterhood.”

After the panel, audience members had the option to participate in a question-and-answer portion of the event where they could submit questions for the three panelists. A recurring theme throughout the questions was identity and the role it played in each of the panelists’ work.

“When I was in the news I went ahead and purposely followed stories that talked about mental health and that was my focal point,” Kincade said. “So it’s about remembering that your background can influence what you do and is a part of you. Your passion and your story are essential to your work.”

Polk and Sasha Goodfriend, IWD planning committee co-chair, were two of the many people responsible for putting the breakfast together.

“This is all volunteer work,” Polk said. “So it’s beautiful to see it all come together with our resources to create a great, safe space for women in the Boston area.”

Photo by Quillan Anderson

Photo by Sofia Sawchuk

Photo courtesy Nile Hawver, The Huntington Theatre

Attendees choose from a variety of pastries at the 26th Annual Boston Area International Women’s Day Breakfast. The breakfast’s theme was “breaking barriers and building bridges.”

Photo by Gitana Savage

Students divided over NU’s refusal to divest from companies who do business with Israel

By Emily Spatz Campus Editor

In the weeks following Northeastern’s statement indicating it would not divest from companies doing business with the Israeli military, students responded to the decision with a wide range of emotions — some with anger and resolve, others with respect and gratitude.

Student organizations, including Divest Northeastern and Sunrise Northeastern, have been pushing for divestment from various military-industrial and fossil fuel-producing companies for years and responded with statements condemning the university and calling for continued action. Others said they respect the university’s stance and don’t believe divestment would be effective.

The university updated an FAQ article originally published Dec. 11 on the school-run media outlet Northeastern Global News Feb. 14, answering the questions, “Will Northeastern sever ties with corporations that do business with the Israeli military?” and “Will the university commit to divest its endowment holdings in these companies?” The school said it does not “impose a political test on employers” and would not limit students’ experiential learning opportunities by cutting ties with controversial military-industrial companies like Raytheon and General Dynamics.

“Refusal to divest from or cut ties with corporations involved in the ongoing atrocities in Gaza is an act of cowardice and complicity by the administration of Northeastern,” Divest Northeastern, a campus group that

advocates for the university to divest its endowment from the fossil fuel industry, wrote in a statement posted on its Instagram page Feb. 20. “By hiding this decision on an obscure webpage, the university dodges its responsibility to engage with and be accountable to its community.”

The university sent the FAQ response to The News Feb. 15 in response to questions about whether the school would take action following months of advocacy from students, faculty and alumni asking the school to call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and divest from companies doing business with the Israeli military.

Both Divest and Sunrise Northeastern, a student group advocating for climate and social justice on campus, focus mainly on divestment from fossil fuel companies. Despite this, the groups have expressed support for divestment from military companies, which have also been linked to contributing to climate change. Sunrise held an event Feb. 20 to write letters to President Joseph E. Aoun opposing the university’s military-industrial investments.

Northeastern Alumni for Palestine also issued a statement saying the group is “horrified” and “revolted” by the school’s statement and “adamantly reject[s] Northeastern’s latest refusal to divest from their ties to genocide.”

In its statement, the group invoked the widespread movement on college campuses throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, when students demanded universities divest from companies invested in the South African

apartheid government. Northeastern divested its holdings in companies tied to South Africa in 1986, nearly 10 years after Hampshire College became the first U.S. university to divest from apartheid.

Some students took issue with the university saying it won’t take a stance on political issues upon which “reasonable people can disagree.”

“I think it’s ridiculous for the university to claim that ‘reasonable people can disagree’ about what amounts to aiding genocide,” said Noah Colbert, a fourth-year mathematics and political science combined major.

“Investing in wide scale death and destruction is not apolitical — if this was a matter of complicity in Russia’s war in Ukraine you would not hear such things be said.”

“The university’s statement that ‘The endowment should not be seen as an instrument to serve specific political agendas or weigh in on matters upon which reasonable people can disagree’ is dishonest at its core,” Divest wrote in its statement. “All investments are political, and investing in the war machine sends a strong message in addition to supporting the companies.”

However, some students in Israel advocacy organizations who spoke to The News said they respect the university’s decision and don’t believe divestment would be an effective tool in what pro-divestment activists seek to achieve.

“Divestment is something that has been used to target Israel,” said Sabrina Chevlin, a third-year psychology and music combined major and vice president of Huskies for Israel. “Helping Palestinians is usually the goal,

but I think divestment is targeting Israel and trying to dismantle the state of Israel instead of giving money and helping Palestinians and working with grassroots organizations.”

Chevlin said she believes divestment is more of a symbolic move, and that if Northeastern decides to divest from companies doing business with the Israeli military, it would “politicize” the school’s endowment and involvements with other “countries, organizations and corporations.”

Mark Antar, a second-year economics and business administration combined major and president of Huskies for Israel, said there is an element of hypocrisy when students call for divestment but continue to use products from companies that operate in Israel.

“All of these companies that support Israel and feed into its economy right there in Israel and the people who want to divest from Israel are using these companies’ products,” Antar said, adding that divestment would limit employment opportunities for students.

“Northeastern’s job is not to limit opportunity but to provide it,” he said.

In its response to the university’s statement, Northeastern Alumni for Palestine said the university “downplayed” and “trivialized” its role in the conflict.

“If a political test of whether or not a company participates in the genocide of innocent people is apprehensible to Northeastern, then Northeastern is repulsive to any sense of morality,” the alumni statement read.

Stellan Vinthagen, a professor of so-

ciology at University of Massachusetts Amherst and endowed chair in the study of nonviolent direct action and civil resistance, said universities have historically divested only when their reputations or standings are affected.

“It boils down to the university’s ranking [and] funding. If [alumni] have an opinion about this, I think that matters a lot,” Vinthagen said.

Divest Northeastern is currently running the “No Donation Without Divestment” campaign, in which alumni pledge to withhold donations from the school until it “fully” and “transparently” divests from the fossil fuel industry. Northeastern Alumni for Palestine also said members would not donate or support the school until it divests.

The university also has a vested interest in maintaining a good reputation with current and prospective students, Vinthagen said.

“If students are asking questions about this, this might worry the university,” he said.

Historically, students have protested university investments for extended periods of time before schools agreed to demands, according to Vinthagen. Despite this, he said, the university making a statement like this is a sign that it’s paying attention.

“They know what the students are doing,” Venthagen said. “They’re recognizing that this is something, so that’s already a sign that something is achieved.”

Editor’s Note: Noah Colbert is a contributor to The News’ opinion section.

Vending machine featuring haircare for Black hair is coming to campus

By Heidi Ho & Kwadjo Otoo News Staff & News Correspondent

Naomi Barrant describes the usual trek to find affordable, quality hair products designed for Black people as a “field trip.”

“You’re probably going to go on the wrong bus or [be] calling an Uber when you needed to be saving money to buy the products,” said Barrant, a second-year business administration and communication studies combined major.

Barrant, who is Black, isn’t alone in this experience. Black peoples’ hair is unique and comes in a diverse array of textures. Traditionally, it is characterized by its kinkiness and coiliness which require specialized maintenance routines.

Most hair products in convenience or grocery stores are tailored toward those with straight or wavy hair, not kinky and coily hair, according to studies.

Barrant and her friend and business partner, Ashleigh Chiwaya, a second-year psychology and data science combined major, founded Nuly Root’d as a way to break down barriers to receiving adequate hair care. The business will provide vending machines stocked with Black haircare products which are

expected to roll out in the fall of 2024, hopefully in Curry Student Center, Chiwaya said.

Chiwaya went to an all-girls boarding school in Wellesley, Massachusetts and said some students — many living away from home for the first time — had a hard time maintaining their hair.

“They [got] their braids done at the beginning of the school year, but [then] it’s Thanksgiving and you want to redo your hair,” Chiwaya said.

In 2023, Chiwaya and Barrant participated in the Husky Startup Challenge, Northeastern’s “Official venture incubator and startup pitch competition,” according to its website, and ultimately won. Despite the idea’s initial success, the two friends still faced criticism for their venture.

“We were facing a lot of pushback of ‘Do you really need a vending machine?’ ‘Why don’t you create an app?’ However, for us, we felt that a vending machine and the power of taking up space is really important,” Chiwaya said.

As of fall 2022, Black students make up 5.2% of Northeastern’s undergraduate population. Chiwaya and Barrant said that the Black community is “close-knit” and many students know each other by name.

“What [Northeastern] should

know is that supporting us is holding true to their values. If diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are your values, we embody working towards creating spaces that are more inclusive,” Barrant said.

Known for its co-op program, Northeastern’s curriculum is pre-professional and career-oriented. With just over 90% of students completing at least one co-op, the search for a job starts with how students present themselves to potential employers, Chiwaya said.

“Professionalism for the Black community starts out with how we look,” Chiwaya said.

Chiwaya and Barrant, along with many of their peers of color, frequent the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute — Northeastern’s primary space for Black students on campus — which hosts numerous professional development opportunities that allow students to undergo simulations of potential futures. The sentiment is clear: Hair matters as much as the story hair can tell.

“I think it’s about being bold, making big choices, taking up space.

I think it’s about letting yourself be exactly [who] you want to be even in predominantly white places,” said Dominique Smith, a client of Chiwaya’s hair braiding service.

The two pioneers said their business’ mission goes beyond individual experiences, but is rather connected by narratives woven together with shared visions for full diversity and acceptance.

In allowing these shared visions to become a reality, Barrant and Chiwaya believe it is a joint responsibility between the students and the university: the advocacy of the students who know the ins and outs of their culture and the platform of the university.

“If you want to support us, then support us,” Barrant said.

Nuly Root’d is also a way that Barrant and Chiwaya, who are both from Massachusetts, are giving back to the neighboring community of Roxbury,

which Northeastern has expanded into.

“A lot of the disproportionate advantages that we’re facing are due to the things that Northeastern themselves has done, such as the expansion of the school into Roxbury,” Barrant said.

Being from Mattapan, Barrant has experienced the way Northeastern’s expansion has changed the neighborhood dynamics in Roxbury, she said.

“Give back to these neighborhoods, give back to the community that has been giving back to you,” Chiwaya said.

As the two entrepreneurs see it, Nuly Root’d begins the long yet necessary process of building a better Northeastern and a brighter Boston, one twist at a time.

Ashleigh Chiwaya (left) and Naomi Barrant pose for a photo. The two Northeastern students and friends co-founded Nuly Root’d, which aims to roll out Black haircare product vending machines in the fall.

Photo by Mars Poper

Students living in Sheraton experience non-traditional college life, face difficulties

By Heidi Ho & Juliette Piovoso News Staff & Deputy Campus Editor

Most students applying to colleges expect the traditional college experience: living on campus, being close to classes and always having friends nearby. However, some students attending Northeastern get the unique experience of living in an off-campus hotel, which they say sometimes brings challenges and frustration.

Since fall 2021, the south tower of the Sheraton Hotel, located at 39 Dalton St., has functioned as a residence hall for some students returning from N.U.in and second-year students. Northeastern first started housing N.U.in students in hotels due to the university’s housing shortage, The News previously reported.

But now, as Northeastern is set to permanently convert 426 hotel rooms into student residencies, current and past 39 Dalton St. residents have raised concerns about the viability of using a hotel as a residence hall, especially given the building’s distance from the university’s dining halls.

39 Dalton St. is a 0.6-mile walk to The Eatery at Stetson East dining hall and 1.1 miles to United Table at International Village, or IV, Northeastern’s two main dining halls.

Though the hotel houses the Market at 39 Dalton, where students can use meal swipes to purchase up to $14 worth of food, and is close to several restaurants, students say their meal expenses are still too high.

“Everything here is really close to restaurants and that can lead up to a lot of [money spending],” said Ashna Varma, a second-year business administration and psychology combined major who lives at 39 Dalton St. Varma said accessing dining halls can be difficult while living at the building because of its distance from campus: “They don’t give us a T card anymore like they used to last year. You have to spend your own money on the T when it’s cold.”

A Northeastern spokesperson said that while the university provided MBTA passes “the first time [it] made 39 Dalton available to students,” the passes were “underutilized” because students “found it more convenient to walk or take advantage of the university’s Red Eye shuttle service.”

“We’ve also increased study and lounge spaces throughout campus and many students living at 39 Dalton take advantage of those in between classes,” the spokesperson said in a statement emailed to The News.

While 39 Dalton St. is not one of Northeastern’s meal plan-required housing options, students have the option to purchase a meal plan, but some say accessing dining halls is highly inconvenient.

“It’s harder because when we are in the Sheraton, it’s difficult for us to make the commute. We get lazy. We get tired. The weather’s bad,” said Nihita Kasibhatla, a second-year computer science and business administration combined major.

Students say walking from 39 Dalton St. to International Village can take up to 30 minutes, which

some said is a hassle after a long day of classes and low temperatures.

“I have three classes back to back and sometimes you just want to go home and decompress,” said Katherine Levesque, a second-year criminal justice major who lives at 39 Dalton St. “By the time you’ve done your work, it’s hard to find the time to make it all the way to the dining hall.”

Because students living at 39 Dalton St. live substantially further away from dining halls than other first-year students — who often live inside or next to Stetson East and IV — said they rely on the MicroFridge they can rent through Northeastern.

The lack of a kitchen or kitchenette in the hotel roomsturned-student-residences is a major source of stress for students, some residents said.

Varma spent her first semester in Rome through the university’s N.U.in program and said she shared a three-story apartment with her four roommates.

“I had a kitchen there, which is 100% so much better than what I have right now because my roommates and I literally cook on the floor in our room,” Varma said.

Similarly, for Caitlin Pritchett, a second-year political science and international affairs combined major, the inconvenience of having a meal plan and having to endure the journey to either dining hall has continuously posed challenges.

“Since I am currently on co-op, I don’t have the time to walk a mile to campus for food and then go to my job, so my roommate and I bought a few things like a small griddle, a panini maker, a rice cooker to boil water and a blender to make cooking and meal-prepping for the week easier,” she said.

Due to the limited space in the room, Pritchett has also found herself resorting to alternatives.

“I end up cooking on the floor sometimes,” she said. “Sometimes, I have to cook in the bathroom because there are very few outlets and I also end up washing all my dishes in there too.”

The hotel is close to Newbury Street and the Prudential Center, but costs add up if students consistently eat out. The average cost for a day’s worth of meals in Boston is $49.

Due in part to the high cost of food, one in four Northeastern students report facing food insecurity, according to, according to the student-led No Hungry Huskies campaign, which aims to “end hunger on campus.”

In addition to the lack of accessibility to dining halls, students also expressed that the distance to campus has negatively impacted their social lives. While students can use the loop shuttle, which provides service to both 39 Dalton St. and the Midtown Hotel from Forsyth Circle, many say the commute is still inaccessible.

“Nobody wants to trek to the Sheraton and, like, same. I don’t want to trek to campus to see somebody at the last minute,” Varma said.

This sentiment also resonates with Kasibhatla: “I don’t think it’s a very social environment. It’s pretty hard

to meet people and still very empty in the Sheraton.”

At times, Varma said, returning back to 39 Dalton St. made her feel unsafe.

“I definitely have to wake up earlier, and I sleep a lot later than people who live closer to campus.

“Nobody wants to trek to the Sheraton and, like, same. I don’t want to trek to campus to see somebody at the last minute,”

— Ashna Varma Northeastern Student

I came home at 10:30 p.m.-11 p.m. by myself last night and I was so paranoid the entire way back,” Varma said Jan. 30.

In response to questions about students’ concerns regarding the residence hall’s distance from campus, a university spokesperson said that 39 Dalton St. is one of the largest residence halls with newly furnished amenities including a fitness room, common room and study room.

The spokesperson also emphasized the university’s various programs and organizations accessible to students living in 39 Dalton St. have access to.

“As is the case for all university housing, the [residence hall] staff creates programming for students residing there. The staff is able to help students connect and can assist students who are looking for ways to get involved,” the spokesper son said in an email

statement. “Additionally, students are encouraged to engage socially through opportunities provided by the Center for Student Involvement such as leadership programs, student organizations and fraternity and sorority life.”

The university did not respond to a follow-up question from The News about the university’s response to students’ safety concerns about walking to or from the residence hall at night.

While living at 39 Dalton St., residents say they have also faced difficulties using the laundry room, ranging from dysfunctional appliances to a pervasive array of out-oforder machine notices.

“I live close by, so I ended up just opting to do my laundry at home because of how bad the laundry situation is here,” said Jackymora Isa, a second-year electrical and computer engineering combined major who lives at 39 Dalton St. and is originally from just outside of Boston.

Students, including Kendall Lucchesi, a second-year political science and criminal justice combined major who lives in at 39 Dalton St., have said machines at the residence hall are often out of order.

“The laundry machines would be down for two weeks and then suddenly, they would be up for two hours one day, and then they would stop working again a few hours later,” Lucchesi said. “It became really hard because we have nowhere else to go to do laundry. We were stuck.”

Additionally, the cost of laundry at 39 Dalton St. is almost double the cost at other residence halls on campus. Each cycle at 39 Dalton St. costs $2.50, which residents must pay out of pocket, compared to $1.50 at Stetson East or IV, where students pay using Laundry Bucks loaded onto a Husky card. The university spokesperson did not answer a question about whether students living in 39 Dalton St. get money in their Husky cards for laundry like students living in other residence halls do.

Despite their concerns, students say resident assistants, who live

hall events and announcements.

“They have always been in contact. We get daily letters from the RA and the people who run the Sheraton,” Kasibhatla said.

Even though most students who spoke to The News said 39 Dalton St. was not their first choice for housing, they say living in a hotel has had some unexpected benefits.

“I kind of love living here in the fall. I felt like the walk was really nice, so it wasn’t the worst,” Varma said.

Likewise, Shriya Chelluboina, a second-year international business major, said the new residence hall offers many advantages.

“Even though there is no kitchen and not really a dining hall, when it comes to the space we have, it is definitely an upgrade,” Chelluboina said. “I also like the fact that [Northeastern] took the initiative to add some common areas. We have a gym, study rooms and a package room. It definitely compensates for the fact that we’re not so close to campus.”

According to the Northeastern Upperclass Rates for 2023-24, single and double bedrooms at 39 Dalton St. cost $6,790 and $5,805 for one semester, respectively.

Northeastern utilizes a lottery system for housing — the greater the number, the later students get to select their housing.

Levesque and her roommate group ended up with high lottery numbers at the end of their first year, so they were able to choose between two residence halls: IV or 39 Dalton St. They ultimately decided to live in the hotel since it was more spacious.

As the selection process for fall 2024 housing has opened, many factors play a part in choosing a living space. While spacious rooms and proximity to the Prudential Center are nice for some, other residents of 39 Dalton St. wish they lived elsewhere.

“If I had a choice, I would definitely live on campus somewhere closer to wherever someone else would be living,” Kasibhatla said.

The south tower of the Sheraton hotel stands at 39 Dalton St. The Boston Planning and Development Agency gave Northeastern approval to permanently convert 426 of the Sheraton’s hotel rooms into student dorms Jan. 18.

Photo by Juliette Piovoso

Aoun ranked eighth highest-paid private college president in US, new report finds

By Eli Curwin Editor-in-Chief

President Joseph E. Aoun was the eighth highest-paid private college president in the country during the university’s 2022 fiscal year, according to a recently-published analysis of private college presidents’ compensation by the Chronicle of Higher Education.

In Northeastern’s fiscal year (FY) 2022 — spanning July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 — Aoun’s total compensation more than doubled, according to the university’s most recently filed Form 990, a tax disclosure form for non-profit institutions, and The Chronicle’s analysis.

His total compensation jumped from about $1.27 million in FY 2021 to more than $2.7 million — roughly a 113% increase.

Aoun’s FY 2022 base salary of roughly $1.07 million increased from about $1.04 million the year before.

Total compensation consists of earnings from base compensation, bonus and incentive compensation, other reportable compensation and

non-monetary contributions from the university.

While The Chronicle did not include information regarding retirement and other deferred compensation in its breakdown, Aoun is also set to receive $179,000 in payment sometime in the future, according to the university’s Form 990.

Aoun’s compensation boost can largely be attributed to the roughly $700,000 he received in a one-time deferred compensation payment and $550,000 awarded in bonus and incentive pay.

Before FY 2022, Aoun hadn’t collected any deferred payment since FY 2018. He received roughly $200,000 in compensation deferred for the future each year between FY 2019 and FY 2021.

The university also deferred bonuses for all faculty and staff in 2020, one of several measures Northeastern took to ensure its financial health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Northeastern’s approach to compensation is market informed and driven by the need to recruit and retain talented individuals across all dimensions of the university. Each year, faculty and staff participate in the university’s performance-based merit pay program. Over the past 15 years, we have been able to provide Northeastern faculty and staff with pay increases aligned with the market,” university spokesperson Renata Nyul said in a statement when The News first inquired about Aoun’s compensation in October 2023.

“Compensation for the president and other senior leaders is the purview of the Board of Trustees, which uses a rigorous analysis of peer institutions to ensure that compensation is in tune with the market,” Nyul said. “In some years, specific individuals may receive one-time payments to acknowledge the achievement of significant multi-year goals.”

Aoun’s total compensation was one of the highest in the nation, according to The Chronicle, sitting behind only seven other private college presidents.

Aoun made significantly more than presidents at other private, highly selective Massachusetts schools in FY 2022.

Former Boston University President Robert A. Brown earned about $1.8 million, former Tufts University President Anthony P. Monaco made $1.17 million, former Massachusetts Institute of Technology President L.

Rafael Reif made about $1.26 million and former Harvard University President Lawrence S. Bacow brought in $1.29 million in total compensation during FY 2022, according to their respective financial disclosure forms and The Chronicle’s analysis.

Northeastern’s most recent disclosure form also showed that several other top university officials received significant compensation increases as well — also a result of increased bonus and incentive pay from the accomplishment of long-term goals and deferred compensation.

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs David Madigan received about 91% more in total compensation than the year before — for a total of $961,858, up from $503,333 in FY 2021, with a near $300,000 increase in his base earnings.

Senior Vice President of External Affairs Michael Armini earned $862,754, roughly $365,000 more in

total compensation than in FY 2021.

Northeastern’s Senior Vice President of University Advancement

Diane N. MacGillivray and Senior Vice President and General Council Ralph C. Martin II both made about 65% more than they did in FY 2021 — each earning roughly $1.25 million in total compensation with slight increases in base earnings. The two senior executives each received $225,000 in deferred compensation.

While Northeastern does not appear to publish or offer the public the option to request its Form 990s — unlike other local universities — the tax return documents are accessible through online databases, which can take up to 18 months from the institution’s initial filing to update.

The university is required to file its Form 990 for FY 2023 with the Internal Revenue Service approximately 11 months after the end of its fiscal year, or around May 2024.

Society of Arts + Crafts molds artists’ vision

By Nick Cortese News Correspondent

For the first time in the organization’s storied history, the Society of Arts and Crafts, or SA+C, was welcomed at the Museum of Fine Arts, or the MFA, in Boston Feb. 1 for the third installment of CraftBoston on the Move.

The title CraftBoston may feel like a throwback for longtime city residents familiar with the history of artistry in New England. New Bostonians, on the other hand, should expect to become familiar with the revamped CraftBoston and myriad of additional events from the SA+C.

The SA+C first rose to prominence in 1897 by supporting crafters in the New England area.

Over the next few years, it rapidly climbed to the forefront of America’s Arts and Crafts Movement. Through the 20th century, the SA+C continued to provide deserved recognition to artists nationwide.

“We are 127 years old, and for the last 70-80 years we have been identifying up-and-coming craft artists with the potential to make enormous an impact in the field,” SA+C President Katina Leodas said. “Around this time we also had a very successful store on Newbury Street

where people who appreciate fine craft can collect it and support the artists looking to sell their work.”

In the early 2000s, the SA+C broke through to the general public, as it instituted CraftBoston, a massive, highend craft fair introducing the beauty of arts and crafts to those unaware of their magic.

Events consisted of 175 booths run by jewelers, woodworkers, ceramic artists and metalsmiths who shared their work with enjoyers of the crafts.

Marcia Young, the interim executive director for the SA+C, was one of those onlookers who attended CraftBoston in its early stages.

“It was energizing because it catalyzed not only the fine craft community in Boston, but people from across the country who would spend the weekend to see CraftBoston,” Young said.

For years, CraftBoston events attracted huge herds of witnesses, and attendees left with a greater love for the crafts, Young said.

However, the experience did not always translate to recognition, and though the goal of CraftBoston was to bring attention and support to artists, there seemed to be a lack of awareness of the SA+C’s artistic advocacy.

“The challenge for the SA+C has been expanding our identity to the

people who just knew us as CraftBoston,” Young said. “As we came up with more to replace and remind people of CraftBoston, it was never a ‘we are not something,’ it’s a ‘we are also’ or a ‘yes and’ situation.”

Ultimately, the pandemic solidified what was already trending to be the case: CraftBoston needed a change.

This past calendar year, SA+C Treasurer Lynne Francis-Lunn became the missionary behind a new idea — CraftBoston on the Move. The events operate like such: The curator of the exhibitions joins the guests in person and details each piece in their gallery through a slideshow followed by a tour of the exhibition.

As they break down each individual craft, they try to create a broader picture as to how the pieces they chose for their exhibit connect. Often, the curator will be accompanied by a panel of a few artists who explain the specific vision for their art.

“The chance to be immersed in the exhibits helps you learn more than you would on your own,” Leodas said.

At the CraftBoston on the Move event at the Museum of Fine Arts curator Michelle Millar Fisher assembled the exhibition named “Tender Loving Care,” which “invites visitors to experience works of contemporary art that suggest many forms of care in

many different ways,” Fisher said. One piece in “Tender Loving Care” is Venetia Dale’s “Keep From Falling.” This body of work was a molded and cast ball of pewter shaped by orange peels, crackers and other remains from her children’s scrapped food.

Dale revealed in an emotional telling to the SA+C that the title represents how she used craft as an activity to calm the despair she felt from pandemic isolation.

“All I felt like I was doing was feeding my kids and cleaning up,” Dale said. “I really made this piece out of a moment to try and see myself in life.”

CraftBoston on the Move creates a stronger relationship within the craft community for both the SA+C and the artists displayed.

“One of the society’s missions is trying to surface those personal narratives that the artist shares while also building the bridges from craft to the communities around us,” said Gary Roberts, an SA+C board of trustees member and chair of strategic planning and chair of diversity, equity and inclusion.

The SA+C is nowhere near finished when it comes to creating a more engaging outlook on fine craft, Young said. Young, who is in her eight month as the interim director, has already implemented a multitude of

activities to expand the craft community — the biggest of such was the Nature of Imperfection Call for Entry. This ongoing call allows individuals with pieces of jewelry and adornment that embrace the concept of inconsistencies to submit their pieces in hopes their work to gain more exposure and a chance at a $1,000 grant.

Possible future programs by the SA+C are a curatorial training program, a mentor program with studio artists and regional exhibits inspired by the Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail. Young said the point of these ideas is to be more accessible.

“People will be excited when we have this new event that reminds them of CraftBoston but is a fresh new thing,” she said.

The magic within art, as noted by Young, drives each member of the SA+C to create a more artistic future. They hope aspiring artists can be driven by curiosity, and in turn, bring each other together through their work.

“When you look at a new material or medium and do something totally new with it, that’s where the curiosity is,” Young said. “Those who can blow you away and bring you in with the creation of things you haven’t seen before are the artists that form the definition of craft.”

President Aoun addresses the graduating class of 2023. Aoun was the eighth highest-paid private college president in the U.S. during FY 2022.

Photo by Ali Caudle

‘It’s a matter of life and death’: Roxbury Walgreens closure leaves feelings of distrust

By Emily Niedermeyer News Correspondent

The Walgreens at 416 Warren St. in Roxbury officially closed Jan. 31 despite protests from local residents and elected officials.

The closure leaves the neighborhood with just one location on Columbus Avenue, about a mile away from the closed site. The walk between the two is just over 20 minutes, according to Google Maps, a difficult feat for the many seniors who require medications from the pharmacy.

Denise Hogan, a senior and longtime customer of the 416 Warren St. Walgreens, said she would use the drug store to pick up anything and everything, from her medication to laundry detergent and reading glasses.

“It was right in the neighborhood,” she said.

The prime location of the pharmacy became a cornerstone of the community after the closure of multiple Walgreens branches in other neighborhoods a couple years ago.

Hogan’s biggest issue with the closure was the lack of notification from Walgreens.

“When I first heard about it, they were about to close in one week,” Hogan said. “It was a shock. They didn’t give us any time whatsoever. No notice about anything.”

She said she immediately called

and has joined Prophetic Resistance Boston to take action.

Prophetic Resistance Boston is composed of Black and Latinx pastors and congregation members who engage communities of color in Boston. They have been organizing in the community for the past five years, mainly to address issues of mass incarceration, said Danielle Williams, the organization’s director.

Williams said she found out about the closure in the first week of January, two days before she was supposed to come back from vacation.

“I was surprised I never received notification,” Williams said. “I recently found out I have high blood pressure, so I pick up my … medicine from there. I received no notification at all that the store was closing.”

She and Rev. Miniard Culpepper of the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church began organizing protests in opposition to the closure. They asked Walgreens to stay open until spring rather than in the middle of winter.

“This wasn’t my plan, but I just couldn’t see seniors out in the cold,” Williams said. “God forbid one of them slip and fall on their way up to Columbus Avenue.”

The group was unable to secure that demand. Instead, Walgreens agreed to keep the store open until Jan. 31 rather than closing by Martin

location and stated that for 90 days they would provide free same-day delivery on purchases and prescriptions.

The 416 Warren St. location is the fourth Walgreens branch to close in the area since November 2022. Locations at 2275 Washington St. in Roxbury, 1329 Hyde Park Ave. in Hyde Park and 90 River St. in Mattapan all shut down without clear reasons from the company.

The closure of those pharmacies, which were all located in primarily Black and brown neighborhoods, prompted discussion of “pharmacy deserts.”

“Pharmacy deserts” is derived from the term “food deserts,” coined by the United States Department of Agriculture, and alludes to areas where medications are hard to acquire. Studies have found that the number of pharmacies is statistically lower in primarily Black and Hispanic communities.

The closure of 416 Warren St. only exacerbates the problem. Culpepper said it was considered an “anchor pharmacy” after the three closures in 2022.

“Many of those customers came to this Walgreens at Quincy and Warren Street,” he said. “When this one closed, I think it really created a void that is making it challenging for folks to get their medication.”

The location was not only cen-

per said. “In our community, we have high blood pressure issues, we’ve got diabetes issues. … When you look at the health challenges that we have in our community, the pharmacies are critical in terms of the medication and life-sustaining medication.”

As of February, Williams and Culpepper were considering filing a lawsuit against Walgreens.

Culpepper said he met with lawyers from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office, but, at the time, they were still discussing options.

Williams said that despite Walgreens being very receptive at the start of their communications, “at the mention of a lawsuit, they shut down.”

In addition to a lawsuit, as of February, Williams is also looking to pass a city ordinance regarding notification so that pharmacies give at least a 90-day notice before closing. They began looking to pursue a City Council hearing with the help of Anderson after the success of two listening sessions earlier; they have yet to get a hearing.

Based on the support from politicians and the widespread impact of pharmacy deserts across the country, Williams believes that they could take action with state law and even federal legislation.

More politicians joined the community pushback in January

to call out Walgreens, writing in a tweet later that the drug store closures “are disruptive, life-threatening acts of racial & economic discrimination.”

Mayor Michelle Wu has said the city is exploring the options of instituting a locally owned pharmacy to replace the store chain.

Many members of the community are interested, including Williams, who said it would require “seed” money.

In the meantime, Prophetic Resistance Boston has started working with health centers with existing pharmacies, like Whittier Street Health Center, to help fill the void.

Despite the reactive action from Walgreens and the work of community leaders to mitigate the impact of the closure, community members’ sentiments are a general lack of trust in the drug store chain.

“Walking or going farther distances to pick up … life-saving medication, it’s a hardship,” Williams said. “When you look at the fact that 44% of the people in this area don’t drive and have to rely on public transportation that is iffy, it’s a hardship on top of a hardship in a traumatized community.”

Something as simple as the pharmacy down the street has a tremendous impact on the community; without it, residents struggle.

Innovation Trail tours advancement in science, medicine, entrepreneurship, technology

By Heidi Ho News Staff

When visitors come to Boston, they stop by sites such as the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, the Paul Revere House or take tours of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University’s campuses.

Tourists frequent the Freedom Trail to explore the city’s historical roots. What many people don’t know is that there is another tour taking place: The Innovation Trail.

What started out as an idea during the COVID-19 pandemic turned into a reality for friends and co-founders Scott Kirsner and Bob Krim in 2022. The Innovation Trail takes guests on a personalized walking tour of scientific and technological discovery in Boston and Cambridge.

“We wanted to tell the story of what Boston has been up to since

the 1780s. STEM, innovation and progress are such a big part of what makes Boston unique,” Kirsner said.

With 21 stops, every tour group experiences different sites focused on technology, medicine, entrepreneurship and science. While some tours visit the MIT Museum, others may see the Broad Discovery Center, an independent research institute that has made major contributions to CRISPR genome editing.

“It’s passive versus active learning.

Once you’re on our tour, that’s the end of your passive attitude,” said Daniel Berger-Jones, president of Cambridge Historical Tours, the organization that runs the Innovation Trail.

Both Kirsner and Berger-Jones wanted to make information accessible to everyone, regardless of their background. The trail welcomes visitors, residents, teachers and anyone interested in learning about

how Boston has become a leader in innovation.

Tours are given year-round.

Each hour-and-a-half excursion is capped at 35 people, allowing each person to explore their curiosities and ask questions.

Some tours pass by buildings where works such as the Human Genome Project and the first public surgery under anesthesia took place.

One of Berger-Jones’ favorite sites is in front of the JFK Federal Building at 15 Sudbury St.

“You’re within proximity of the patent office where a guy named Louis Latimer is going to write out the patent for Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone,” he said.

What makes the Innovation Trail unique from the Freedom Trail is that it focuses on modern day advancements.

“I certainly want to emphasize that

we talk a lot about history, but we also talk about right now and how your life is affected currently and in the near future,” Berger-Jones said. “‘Here is what your ChatGPT-4 app is going to do very soon.’” Because each tour has a time limit, attendees can complete the spots they may miss on their own time. The website includes a map with directions, audio guides for each stop and a short description explaining the significance of each site.

For those unable to attend in person, the audio guide can be used for the remote tour.

Charles Wayne, a first-year health science major at Northeastern, completed the tour virtually, since he became ill on the day he was supposed to visit the Innovation Trail.

“The first stop I found interesting was about the [COVID-19] vaccine breakthrough, which was engineered

under Moderna. Even the smallest kind of discovery will have a big impact,” Wayne said.

Although Wayne had prior knowledge of health science-related content, he still found the tour to be accessible. He said he hopes he can go on an in-person tour one day.

“I feel like the in-person tour would give more background, and you can only do so much online,“ Wayne said.

Kirsner hopes the Innovation Trail can expand in the future with new sites and assistive technology.

“We want it to evolve, since it has ‘innovation’ in the name of it. The goal of creating the Innovation Trail is to give people a way to experience the nerdy side of Boston,” Kirsner said. Tickets to the Innovation Trail can be purchased directly from its website. Tickets are $20 and free for children under 8 years old.

The storefront of the closed down Roxbury Walgreens at 416 Warren St. The Walgreens location shut down Jan. 31, making it more difficult for seniors in the area to obtain necessary medications.

Photo by Emily Niedermeyer

‘Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight’ showcases unique portrayal of loneliness, human bonds

“Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight” subverts expectations at every turn. The play doesn’t rely on conventions; it rejects them. It’s as tragic as it is comedic, and it’s this level of nuance that makes this performance both impossible to categorize and a deeply impactful experience.

“Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight,” or “Stand Up,” began its run at The Huntington Theatre Jan. 20 after premiering at the Circle X Theatre in Los Angeles and the Harbor Stage Company in Wellfleet, Massachusetts three years earlier. The production is currently housed in the theatre’s Maso Studio, a deeply intimate space that seats only 150 people. For other productions, the limited space and seating may be viewed as a detriment, but for “Stand Up,” it only enhances the experience.

The play is a portrait of loneliness born out of the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. In spring 2021, playwright John Kolvenbach found himself reflecting on his relationship with theatre and what he hoped to see in a play.

“That hope is to lose myself to the play, to lose the boundary between the play and myself,” Kolvenbach said. “[I] got to the idea that you could write a play that was essentially a romantic play about the audience and the play itself.”

To Kolvenbach, what makes “Stand Up” so unique is its direct reliance on audience engagement. The play is a oneman show, which performer Jim Ortlieb leads entirely. His character’s name is never mentioned, and this sense of anonymity allows for a deeper connection with the audience.

Ortlieb spends most of the performance talking directly to the audience in moments that range from feeling like a therapy session to an interrogation.

Kolvenbach’s son, Baker, has seen the play in several iterations and has been able to observe Ortlieb’s balance between irony and sincerity in each one.

“Obviously, the stuff that Jimmy is doing is tongue-in-cheek, but at the same time, I think there is probably some kernel of earnestness,” he said. “You think that you’re not supposed to take any of it at face value, but probably some of it is actually what he’s trying to say.”

Because the play hinges so heavily on audience engagement, Ortlieb’s perfor-

By Darin Zullo | News Staff

mance is different every time to match the audience’s energy. Navigating this shift in environment can prove to be a tall order.

“You need an actor like Jimmy to be alive and allow it to be flexible,” John Kolvenbach said. “It’s very difficult to do … and that’s what allows the show to be different.”

Ortlieb’s efforts to reach the audience span beyond his thought-provoking quips and questions. In moments of engagement, he calls upon audience members to answer a question or read something aloud. In others, the whole audience must clap its hands, sigh together or sing a certain note.

The result of his character’s desperate attempts to draw closer to the audience is that its members are pulled towards each other.

“When a human being has that need to come out here in front of a group of people and to try to connect with each and every one of them, there’s something going on with that fellow,” Ortlieb said.

Bearing the weight of the play and its audience alone might seem like a lot of pressure, but Ortlieb manages it with ease. While his character’s sardonic ramblings and witty remarks reveal the wry humor of John Kolvenbach’s script, Ortlieb’s well-realized delivery elevates them.

The same goes for the moments of tragedy. As Ortlieb’s character begins to connect more deeply with the audience, a chasm of longing is revealed beneath the surface. This insatiable desire for connection is the result of desperate loneliness and the fear of isolation.

What makes this desperation for connection resonate so deeply with the audience is how universal Ortlieb’s portrayal of these emotions feels. Details about his character’s past are mentioned here and there to provide context about why he is experiencing such despair, but how this yearning for a meaningful bond is conveyed allows it to ring true with each individual audience member.

When asked what makes his character so universal, Ortlieb lifted a line directly from the script.

“I think you know who this guy is — it’s you,” he said.

John Kolvenbach elaborated on this point by emphasizing how, although the challenges that each person experiences

are different, there is a universal desire for companionship.

“We’re all individuals, obviously, but we share as human beings a need for one another, and that’s one of the things that the play, in its own humble way, is trying to achieve,” he said.

“Stand Up” also directly acknowledges the struggles of everyday life that contribute to a lingering feeling of needing to connect with others. The play opens with a sequence where Ortlieb’s character jokes about the process that audience members had to go through to get to the theatre. The man’s ramblings parallel what he imagines much of the audience must have been thinking, but there’s an underlying heaviness to it that denotes a dissatisfaction with everyday life.

“We walk through life in a Kafkaesque world that we agree with and that we want to live in, and we don’t come out of our shells,” Ortlieb said. “One could be dulled by the mundane nature of everyday life or by the horrors of everyday life, but we shouldn’t lose our humanity and our need to connect.”

The play’s title takes on multiple meanings throughout. At several points, the audience is encouraged to stand up if they’re “here,” but the true meaning of “here” evolves throughout the show.

“The play is a lot about being in the moment, being present, allowing yourself to actually be where you are undistracted,” John Kolvenbach said. “Presentness is vanishingly rare, and … that is what I want and also what I am running from all the time, ironically.”

This demand for being in the present encapsulates why audiences may feel uncomfortable at first. The play’s confrontational and, at times, existential nature commands the audience members’ attention and challenges them to think more deeply about who and where they are.

“Part of the purpose of the theatre is to give us an opportunity to let everything else fall away and all the petty requirements of living this life and to have a moment, an hour in this case, hopefully, to think about things that are richer and deeper and more essential,” John Kolvenbach said.

Performances of “Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight” at The Huntington run until March 23.

Northeastern community through

Combining their interest in community and handmade art, fourth-year student ivia Olson-Roberts recently published titled “Eat Your Heart Out” that celebrates the relationship between people and Olson-Roberts, a double major in art and art history, created the zine “end of co-op” independent project working for Gallery 360 in fall 2023 gallery manager and curatorial assistant.

The assignment was very open-ended, and Olson-Roberts went through several different ideas before landing on the cept for their zine. Being a double major, Olson-Roberts also wanted to bring experience from both their fields of together in the zine.

“Art [spaces] can be so sterile and kind of unwelcoming,” Olson-Roberts “Trying to reach people in my community through art and through some kind torial practice was something that I to do. And then I’m also a studio art and so I think a lot about tangible objects and art making.”

In terms of the zine’s subject, food always been important to Olson-Roberts, who has strong memories of cooking, ing and watching cooking shows with family as a child.

Beyond that, Olson-Roberts said find it interesting how universal food how everyone has a relationship with “I’ve just been interested in the way food talks to the body and the body food,” Olson-Roberts said.

The 32-page zine took months of ning and work. The end result features essay in which Olson-Roberts writes artists who have used food in their work, written student submissions and illustra tions drawn by Olson-Roberts.

Jim Ortlieb welcomes audience members to the show. The limited seating of Maso Studio created an intimate atmosphere.

Photo courtesy Nile Hawver, The Huntington Theatre

Northeastern student fosters community involvement through handmade zine

community student Olpublished a zine celebrates food. in studio as their while as the assistant. open-ended, several the conmajor, in their study and can be Olson-Roberts said. community of curawanted art major, objects food has Olson-Roberts, cooking, eatwith their they food is and with it. way that talks to planfeatures an writes about work, 13 illustra-

Through Instagram and reaching out to art history professors, Olson-Roberts opened up submissions for the zine to any students who wanted to write about their relationship with food.

While Olson-Roberts was initially nervous about getting enough responses, they received around 50 messages within the first day of posting on Instagram.

“There’s recipes, there’s stories. There’s lots of poems. There’s, like, some funny stories. … It’s really kind of a mixed bag. I wanted to keep things really open,” Olson-Roberts said.

Along with sorting and selecting student submissions, writing an essay and designing the layout of the zine, Olson-Roberts physically produced each zine by hand.

A long-time attendee of events at the Huskiana Press, Northeastern’s letterpress studio, Olson-Roberts saw this as the perfect opportunity to use the printing press to create zine covers.

With help from the co-directors of the Huskiana Press, Isabel Sobral Campos and Jessica Linker, Olson-Roberts was able to use the letterpress to help create their zine.

Using metal letters in Clarendon Condensed font and a potato cut estimated to be from the 1950s, Olson-Roberts spent hours producing each zine cover, then hand-bound each one.

The tangibility of the zine allowed Olson-Roberts to learn and practice a unique planning process that book production involves, such as making sure the pages are formatted properly and coming up with a method for arranging the metal letters on the press.

“We’re so used to the computer and being able to move things around so quickly,” Sobral Campos said. “So just the materiality

of it leads to a different way of composing and planning the outcome.”

At first glance, many may not realize how much work went into creating each zine.

“A lot of students come in and they do something that’s a single card, and they’re beautiful. This required a little more work because they had to think through the whole plan of the book,” Linker said. “They used a variety of media, … parts of it were printed in different ways, not just letterpress.”

In the end, Olson-Roberts was able to produce a work of art that successfully combines their and the community’s experiences with food, aptly subtitled “A Community Guide to Food and Art.”

“It was really wonderful to see them weave some personal elements of themselves and their peers into the zine, and that’s a hard thing to do,” said Juliana Barton, Olson-Robert’s former Gallery 360 supervisor and the director of the Center for the Arts.

With only 100 copies made, selected organizations and students received the limited-edition zine.

Everyone who had a submission published in the zine was given two copies, with Gallery 360 and Huskiana Press receiving copies for their teams and archives as well.

“We’re trying to consider projects that we think should be saved and Olivia’s is definitely one of those,” Linker said.

Olson-Roberts said they plan on making more zines in the future and has been surprised by the amount of interest they’ve received since the publication of the zine.

“I loved making them. I loved working with my hands. But I think the most rewarding part has been actually being able to give them to people,” Olson-Roberts said.

Review: I tried the new Apple Vision Pro headset so you don’t have to — here’s my experience

By Ethan Wayne News Staff

Mention “virtual reality” at an Apple Store today, and an employee may quickly correct you. Spatial computing is Apple’s newest technological venture, marking its entry into the mixed-reality industry. It is the company’s first product category to launch since AirPods in 2016. While some critics may point to Google Glasses as proof that this type of headset will never work, I sat down for a demonstration at the Apple Store on Boylston Street to try this innovative headset.

Demo experience

While unrestricted access to the Apple Vision Pro might be entertaining for interested buyers, Apple created a structured experience to walk users through the features and capabilities of this device. Starting with a face scan on an iPhone, an employee brought a headset pre-sized to my head and face from the store’s warehouse and placed

it beside me. An employee explained how to put it on and guided me through the demonstration with the help of a linked iPad.

After a calibration of my eyes and hands, I could navigate the opening screen within minutes. The demonstration experience took me through the following apps: Photos, TV, Safari and Yummly, a recipe and cooking app. In addition, I viewed a pre-installed “immersive experience” video to demonstrate the device’s full capabilities.

Design, build and functionality

A magnetic light seal snaps into sleek aluminum and curved glass — it is a quintessential Apple device. An adjustable headband sits on the back of your head, while the speakers are next to your ears to give you audio without leaking into the world around (that said, I would use this product with AirPods to enhance the audio experience). It’s much lighter than you’d expect because of the external wired battery, but it still feels

like a high-quality, durable product. It did a strong job of keeping the surrounding light out, but the reality was that I could see all of my surroundings through the goggles.

The best part of the Apple Vision Pro is how it integrates with your environment instead of removing you from it. While you can enable specific environments to hide your surroundings, the in-app windows never lagged or faltered when other customers walked into my frame of view and consistently appeared locked into where I placed them.

The eye tracking on the Apple Vision Pro was nearly flawless. The motion gestures, from zooming and scrolling to selection, were all straightforward to learn and worked well. The most frustrating part of the actual user experience was comfortability. The feeling of a headset resting on your nose for 30 minutes was unpleasant, and the band at the back of your head was not as comfortable as I’d want if I were using the Apple Vision Pro for longer periods. While the employee helping me let me know they included an extra band that holds the headset on the top of your head, it was not available to try.

App experiences

The photos app was easy to navigate and more impressive than I expected. The color was crisp, and the clarity and detail were high-level. Panoramas were awe-inspiring and more interesting to view on the headset than the iPhone. The newest additions to the photos experience, however, were “spatial photos” and “spatial videos,” which offer a three-dimensional, immersive experience when replaying the video in the

headset. This part of the demo was slightly unnerving and unimpressive, but I could see the appeal, especially for the most special memories. These spatial videos can also be captured with the iPhone 15 Pro. However, there was a noticeable difference between the videos shot on an iPhone and those captured with the headset itself, with the headset creating a stronger immersive effect.

Safari had similar clarity and definition, especially in the text of websites and pages. In addition to Safari, I opened up Yummly to test how third-party apps work simultaneously in separate windows with Apple software. To type, a virtual keyboard appears before your eyes, and by typing in the air, you can input text on your screen. This virtual keyboard worked significantly better than I expected, with almost no issues typing on-screen.

To demonstrate movies, I first viewed “The Super Mario Bros. Mov-

ie” in 3D. The experience was fine, but it didn’t blow me away. Then, they put on the immersive experience.

Alicia Keys serenaded me live in the recording studio; I was put in a hot air balloon flying over the desert and placed behind a goal during a Major League Soccer match. This was by far the most impressive part of the experience because I understood the vision, unlike anything else on the Apple Vision Pro before this segment. There were moments in this immersive experience that took my breath away for just a moment, but that was enough to convince me of its potential.

I had many doubts headed into this demonstration, mostly because I felt that the commercials were too good to be true. But, after trying out this device myself, I put most of my concerns to rest. The Apple Vision Pro is fast, elegant, fun and, after resolving some of the issues of comfort and price down the line, it’ll surely be an integral part of the Apple ecosystem.

Column: Taylor Swift’s album announcement meant no disrespect to the night’s winners

By Claudie Bellanger News Correspondent

Swifties were spiraling the morning before the 66th Grammy Awards when Taylor Swift changed her Instagram, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, profile pictures from color to black and white. Many fans anticipated the release of the re-recording of “reputation,” but some cracked the code and correctly predicted Swift’s announcement of her 11th studio album.

Swift broke the news during her acceptance speech for Best Pop Vocal Album for her 10th studio album, “Midnights.” “Midnights” also took home the award for Album of the Year, making Swift the only artist to have won this award four times.

“I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years,” Swift said in her speech.

“Which is that my brand-new album comes out April 19. It’s called ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’”

Swifties were overjoyed — everyone else, it appeared, not as much. As Swift gave her speech, the camera panned to the audience, filled with other artists looking unenthusiastic, sporting half-smiles and slow claps. Viewers

assumed that they had grown tired of Swift’s reign in the music industry, or, perhaps, they were exhibiting concern about the success of their projects that might have to compete with “The Tortured Poets Department.”

This is not the first time Swift has announced an album during an acceptance speech — she announced the release of “Midnights” at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. Both times, Swift received criticism that she was diverting attention from other winning artists — there’s not much other artists can do to gain attention when Swift just announced something. So, during the Grammys, the night transitioned from the Grammys to the night Swift announced “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour resumed Feb. 7 in Tokyo, and the singer shared that, had she not won at the Grammys, she would’ve announced the album at the concert, similar to how she broke the news about the release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version).”

“I had this plan in my head and I told my friends — I told Jack [Antonoff] — but I hadn’t really told many other people,” Swift said, at the show in Tokyo. “I thought, ‘Okay, so if I’m lucky enough to win one thing

tonight, I’m just going to do it. I’m just going to announce my new album.’”

Should Swift have opted to release the news at her concert in the first place? The problem in answering that question is that she’s Taylor Swift, and some people will disagree with anything she does. If any other artist had made a similar announcement when accepting an award, it’s safe to say that regardless of whether they were met with praise or criticism, the reaction would have been incomparable to what hit the media the night of Feb. 4.

Take Lady Gaga, who announced her “Born This Way” album at the 2010 VMAs and was met with enthusiastic applause. Gaga had just won the award for Video of the Year, and in her acceptance speech, she announced the album and even sang a chorus from a then-unreleased song.

“I promised if I won this tonight I’d announce the name of my new record,” Gaga said. “It’s called ‘Born This Way.’”

Gaga’s words were similar to those of Swift’s, and while the press around Gaga’s announcement was mild, the media dragged Swift. Gaga receives hate in her own right, just not for the announcement of her album.

Perhaps it’s the fact that the VMAs are perceived to be a

more casual award show than the Grammys. The Grammys are about celebrating the musical community, and many felt what Swift did took away from that and drew attention to herself.

Deserved or not, the reaction is par for the course in the era of Swift. It’s the price to pay as the most famous pop star in the world. Often the trade-off for fame and adoration is some amount of hate.

An Apple Vision Pro on display in the Apple store at 815 Boylston St. Officially for sale Feb. 2, the device marked Apple’s first new product category to launch since AirPods in 2016.

Photo by Jessica Xing

Customers test the Apple Vision Pro. Apple created a structured walkthrough for customers to experience and test the features and capabilities of the device.

Photo by Ethan Wayne

Graphic by Angelica Jorio

Hardworking Husky: How Jack Williams became a star, leader on and off the ice

By Maeve Brackett News Correspondent

Growing up, Northeastern men’s hockey sophomore forward Jack Williams always had a stick in his hands.

“You could never get it out of me,” Williams said. “I was always whacking everything in sight.”

His consistent love for the sport guided him through his career in junior hockey. He found a home at the Michigan Muskegon Lumberjacks in the United States Hockey League from 2019-22, where he was named captain his final season and then continued his journey to Matthews Arena.

As a freshman in the 2022-23 season, Williams played in all 35 of Northeastern’s games. He had quite the impact, with six goals and seven assists while providing some unforgettable moments, including head coach Jerry Keefe’s favorite memory of Williams — his Frozen Fenway goal that aided Northeastern’s upset win against the University of Connecticut.

His dedication to the team and passion for hockey also led to multiple awards, including three Hockey East Rookie of the Week designations so far this season and the team’s Unsung Hero Award in April 2023.

While Williams appreciates these honors, he said his main focus is to play the best hockey he can.

“My expectation was to go out and give the team what it needs,” Williams said. “I really enjoy doing that for the team, and to see [the awards] happen is just a reward for all the hard work and all the hours and all

the dedication. At the end of the day, it isn’t what we are striving for.”

The start of the 2023-24 season wasn’t easy for the Huskies, with injuries creating multiple setbacks and a losing streak to recover from. For players like Williams and teammate sophomore defender Vinny Borgesi, they had to step up when the team needed it most: when junior forward and captain Justin Hryckowian suffered an injury early in the season and the team called for two additional assistant captains.

“Even though they are sophomores, they are both leaders,” Keefe said. “They are both guys that the staff have a lot of trust in and that the team trusts.”

Williams said he makes sure to learn as much as he can from respected teammates as he does from coaches. Last summer, Williams joined Hryckowian in Montreal for a week of hockey, where he refined his skills on the ice and learned valuable lessons from a teammate he truly admires.

“He has everything right,” Williams said. “His details are unbelievable, his habits — he’s the hardest worker and an unbelievable captain. He’s a great human.”

When sharing the responsibility of assistant captain with Williams, Borgesi had nothing but praise for his teammate. Confidently making plays and having one another’s backs, both Borgesi and Williams have already curated successful careers at Northeastern, and they’re just getting started.

“Every time I’m on the ice with [Williams], especially during games and power plays, I’m super confident

about making plays,” Borgesi said. “He’s someone that I look up to as a player, as a friend. He’s a great mentor, he’s a great guy, just super awesome to be around. It can only get better from where it’s at.”

Not only has Williams been a reliable teammate, he has proven to be an impactful leader — something he prides himself on. Graduate student forward and assistant captain Liam Walsh commended Williams’ drive on and off the ice and how his commitment allows him to better connect with his teammates.

“He’s a guy that anyone can get on the ice with and mesh well with just based on his work ethic. He’s a dog on the puck and always making the players with him and around him better,” Walsh said. “It’s easy to look at that and say ‘I want to be better because I know you’re giving it your all.’”

When Keefe first saw 14-year-old Williams play at Berwick Academy, he knew he had the makings to be a great player. Keefe said the culmination of an unyielding work ethic, instinctive hockey IQ, natural leadership and the desire to come to the rink to improve every day have granted him his success.

“What makes good players elite is when you combine a skill set with the work ethic he has,” Keefe said. “That’s why he is an elite player.”

As a leader and devoted teammate, Williams focuses on the team as a collective and provides it with what it needs, knowing that a great player can only be as good as the team around him. He credited the Huskies’ improvements to focusing on the

specifics and fine-tuning their skills at every opportunity.

“It comes back to details at the end of the day, finding ways to sharpen those up in practice, push each other every single day and try to get the best out of each other,” Williams said.

With both coaches and teammates commending his actions, Williams has left a remarkable impact on his team while playing at Matthews Arena. His consistent strive to grow as a player is evident in how his teammates and coaches regard him.

“He’s always been a kid that I felt was made for this program,” Keefe said. “When I think of Williams, I just think of a kid that goes out and earns everything. He stayed true to the process, even through junior hockey, and just kept getting better and better, and when he came in here he came ready to make an impact.”

Among all the success, Williams

level and is still preserving his passion for the sport he has always known.

“Keep loving the game,” Williams said. “When it becomes a job, it takes a toll on you. But if you’re having fun and you love coming to the rink every single day, it’s the best thing ever.”

For his team, coaching staff and student fans, Williams has already demonstrated his skill and how he has earned his time on the ice; this season he secured a hat trick against the University of Minnesota-Duluth along with a third-period goal that contributed to the Huskies’ 2024 Beanpot title. Now, it’s just about moving forward and what he can accomplish. Walsh said William’s future is bright.

“There’s going to be hard times that will come with the success he’s going to have,” Walsh said. “Bear with it through the tough times, because the reward is going to be

Northeastern takes series against Old Dominion on road to home opener

By Sarah Popeck News Staff

After one last series, the Northeastern baseball team (8-4) ended its road trip and was ready to take it back to Friedman Diamond.

Before that, the Huskies had a remaining contest against Georgia Tech — when they won 7-0 thanks to two home runs from graduate student first baseman Tyler MacGregor — and a series against the Old Dominion Monarchs (9-6) in Norfolk.

The team put up a good fight in the first contest of a March 8 doubleheader, but ultimately could not catch up, starting the weekend on a sour note.

Sophomore right-hander Aiven Cabral started for 4.1 innings, punching out two players and allowing two earned runs on five hits. Senior lefthander Will Jones relieved him for 3.2 innings, but they weren’t able to hold off the Monarchs.

Old Dominion took the lead in the bottom of the first inning on a groundout RBI hit by senior infielder Jake Ticer, but Northeastern pushed forward in the second. Junior Justin Bosland tied the game after being hit by a pitch, stealing second and third

and running home on a wild pitch that also walked sophomore outfielder Cam Maldonado. Maldonado went on to steal second and sophomore infielder Jack Goodman’s double sent him around to give Northeastern the lead. MacGregor’s RBI double earned Goodman a run, bringing the score to 3-1.

The Monarchs took back their lead in the top of the fifth when efforts from sophomore outfielder Luke Waters sent three guys through for a 4-3 lead. This allowed junior outfielder Steven Meier to get home when Waters was caught stealing.

While Northeastern senior infielder Luke Beckstein tied the score in the sixth with a sacrifice fly, Old Dominion only needed one more inning to add three more runs to its total.

Northeastern graduate student designated hitter Alex Lane hit a home run off Monarchs junior lefthander Jacob Gomez in the ninth, but that would be all for the Huskies as Gomez struck out the pinch hitter to end the game.

Both teams came back to the diamond 30 minutes later for the second contest — and Northeastern came in swinging at the top of the first. Its first five batters got base hits, and Lane was able to clear loaded bases on a double.

Redshirt sophomore outfielder Harrison Feinberg’s single scored Lane for an early 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, the Monarchs earned two runs but trailed behind for most of the game. Up until the seventh inning, neither team was able to send any more players home

At the top, junior center fielder Mike Sirota reached first on an error and Lane was walked. Bosland and Goodman’s RBI singles brought Sirota and Lane home, maintaining the Huskies’ lead 6-2.

Tallying another two in the top of the eighth, the Huskies built a strong enough lead to shut down Old Dominion and closed the final score at 8-4.

The doubleheader split left the outcome of the series up to Sunday’s game, and Northeastern earned enough runs to land the Huskies in the double digits and cement their win.

Senior right-hander Wyatt Scotti started for Northeastern, shutting out the Monarchs until the fourth inning. He punched out five players in his four innings.

Simultaneously, the Huskies put up 10 runs in those innings. Three were thanks to a home run from Lane that also scored MacGregor and Sirota in the first, and the next three were tacked on in the second. Beckstein’s RBI single, sophomore infielder Carmelo Musacchia running home on a passed ball and Lane’s RBI single connected to bring them home.

The top of the third brought two walks on loaded bases to earn two

more runs for the Huskies and Lane’s third hit of the game sent two more players home to close out the inning. Bosland scored in the fourth on an RBI single by Musacchia for an 11-0 lead.

Old Dominion finally warmed up with an RBI double that sent the ball down the right-field line by sophomore catcher Evan Holman, but Scotti finished them off before scoring any more runs.

For the Huskies, MacGregor scored on a combination of a double, wild pitch and passed ball to add another tally in the top of the sixth. The seventh added three more runs.

The Monarchs responded in the sixth to tally four runs and added three more in the bottom of the eighth, but their nine total runs could not compare to the Huskies’ 17 as they failed to keep up with their momentum. RBI hits by MacGregor in the eighth and senior catcher Jimmy Sullivan in the ninth secured Northeastern’s victory.

The series win closed out a road trip that gave the Huskies eight contest wins and four losses, and they returned home for the first time this season to Brookline on March 12 and 13 for games against Sacred Heart and Bryant, respectively, winning both.

Jack Williams crouches on the ice. The sophomore has notched three Hockey East Player of the Week designations this season.

Photo by Sofia Sawchuk

Wyatt Scotti stands on the mound for the Huskies against Old Dominion in his fourth start of the season. Northeastern defeated the Big Blue 17-9 March 10 to take the weekend series 3-2.

Photo courtesy Brandon Poli

Julia Yohe, Kara Orsini, Kathryn Naughton, Lauren Salemo, Lily Webber, Sarah Popeck, Sencha Kreymerman, Sonel Cutler, Zoe MacDiarmid

Op-ed: My grandfather’s peers are too old to be effective presidents

My grandfather might be the healthiest 81-year-old I’ve ever met, but that does not mean he is fit to hold any political office in this country. Aging comes with an array of side effects, often including memory loss. This is not a process to be ashamed of; however, those entrusted with the power to govern should be deemed astute.

Just like my grandfather, current president and the Democratic party’s presumptive nominee is 81 years old. Not too far behind, former President the Republican party’s presumptive nomineeDonald Trump is 78 years old.

With the advent of the 2024 presidential election, Biden’s age has been a “hot topic” of sorts in the media. From forgetting when he served as vice president to mixing

up the names of European leaders, the American public is concerned with his memory lapses, and so is the special counsel that recently labeled Biden’s memory as “hazy” and “poor.”

To reinforce this sentiment, a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll found that 86% of Americans believe Biden is too old to hold presidential office. Further, 59% believe both Biden and Trump are too old to hold office. I agree with both majorities.

However, my reasoning for why these candidates are too old for office extends beyond the potential memory problems that come with old age.

As society progresses, so do our values. Social change is identifiable throughout history — whether it be the legalization of same-sex marriage or the outlawing of segregation — our social values do not typically align with the generations that precede us.

Old age impedes politicians’ ability to understand what the younger generation cares about — they simply grew up with a different understanding of the world.

With this in mind, in what world would 80-year-old men properly represent the values of our population, especially the younger generation?

According to 2022 Census Bureau data, the average age in America is 38 years old, meaning there’s quite a gap between our soon-to-be presidential

nominees and the population they will represent.

This age problem extends beyond the presidency — a fair amount of congressional members are older than 70 years old. The very politicians who dictate what issues are addressed in Congress aren’t very representative of our country either. Their age becomes evident when they lift a flip phone in 2022, like Sen. Chuck Schumer did while on the Senate floor that same year.

Researchers are not in agreement as to when memory and cognitive decline begin. Some research supports the idea that cognitive performance begins to decline in an adult’s 50s, while others assert that cognitive decline most often occurs at age 70 or above.

It seems most people agree that those in their late 70s and early 80s are not as sharp as they once were. The United States is one of the world’s most powerful and influential countries, and I would hope that our leader would be contributing to this strength, not causing doubt among the public when he falls onstage or has a lapse in memory. We should want the leader of our executive branch and our congressional representatives to be at their strongest, not older than the average age of retirement.

Since researchers can’t agree on a specific age where memory and cognition declines, I believe the solu-

tion lies in ensuring politicians are representative of the population they serve. With congressional members and presidents closer in age to those they represent, they will have a better understanding of the issues at the top of voters’ minds.

As we quickly approach the 2024 presidential election, with two candidates old enough to be any Northeastern student’s grandparents, I believe that an age maximum must be set to ensure politicians are younger, allowing them to be more in touch with society and not face memory problems.

Many Americans share the belief that the presidential candidates are too old and the best way to address this is by creating a law that will keep grandpa-aged men from running.

In fact, this isn’t a progressive opinion — a Pew Research Center poll found that 79% of the public favors an age maximum for elected officials.

While Americans disagree on all political topics, I would place my money on agreement over the need for in-touch politicians, a description I would not give to the 77 and 81-year-old men vying for our presidency.

Alexis Algazy is a second-year journalism and political science major, and deputy city editor for The News. She can be reached at algazy.a@northeastern.edu

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WEB STAFF Maddie Lebiedzinski

Seven thousand five hundred pedestrians were killed by drivers in the United States in 2022, the highest the mortality rate has been in 41 years.

The scourge of vehicular violence against pedestrians has skyrocketed in the United States, and in January 2023, it took the life of one of Northeastern’s own, Jaahnavi Kandula. Kandula was killed by a Seattle police officer, traveling in a cruiser at 74 mph in a 25 mph zone as she entered a crosswalk. Yet, the prosecutor’s office has declined to hold Seattle Police Department officer Kevin Dave accountable for his actions that took her life.

While the prosecutor’s report attempts to exonerate Dave on the basis that not enough incriminating evidence exists, he was truly saved by belonging to two privileged classes, protected, but not bound by the law. He happened to take the life of another human being as a police officer and while behind the wheel

of an automobile.

Dave was issued a traffic infraction and could face a fine of up to $5,000, yet King County refuses to press criminal charges, continuing the all too familiar cycle of police impunity. In the U.S., police officers are extremely unlikely to face consequences for their actions, regardless of the extent of their wrongdoing. Not only does the prosecutor’s report excuse Dave’s behavior, it cruelly shifts blame from a trained officer to a civilian victim, castigating Kandula for not taking proper action to save her own life.

The prosecutor’s memo states “[Kandula’s] choice to run across the street when she could have stayed still and not been struck is seen as the superseding intervening clause under the law, then even if the officer had driven with ‘disregard for the safety of others (DSO),’ the actions of the pedestrian would be a defense to the felony.”

Kandula not recognizing the correct choice of action upon viewing a car careening down the road 50 mph over the speed limit does not excuse the officer’s reckless behavior. The danger of police speeding has long been known: Numerous municipalities have banned or limited police pursuits as a result of countless highspeed chases that led to the deaths of innocent bystanders. Though Dave was not engaged in a chase, the risk of traveling at such speeds should have been apparent.

It could be said that the decision not to press charges in light

of “contributory negligence” was simply recognizing an unfortunate reality of how attempted felony charges would be received, not a values-based judgment. But that speaks to a broader problem with how pedestrian deaths at the hands of vehicle operators are treated.

Media organizations are often heavily criticized for their use of passive voice and obfuscating responsibility in headlines describing police violence. The same dynamic is also present when drivers injure pedestrians or cyclists. Similar to how “officer-involved incidents” or “discharge” can lead to death, pedestrians often find themselves struck by cars, not drivers with agency.

A particularly egregious example of this occurred in September 2023 when an NBC Boston headline read, “Bicyclist critically injured after crashing into school bus on Dorchester Avenue.” Someone who did not read past the headline would come away with a drastically different perception of what actually happened: A woman on a bike was struck by a negligent driver opening a car door without looking, which then knocked her into the school bus.

This attitude reflects a general culture where drivers are a protected class and are, on some level, not responsible for any harm they carry out from behind the wheel. It influences not only the way in which people react to such tragedies, but also how they conduct themselves when driving. Getting somewhere on time, even if it means speeding and putting

others at risk, becomes a reasonable calculation to make. Pedestrians in crosswalks become obstacles, nuisances that have no right to impede the free flow of automobiles.

Dave was responding to a potential drug overdose, not running late to get to an appointment. But in the same way this would not excuse driving through backyards to get there faster, it does not justify failing to take basic safety precautions to protect other citizens.

The driver’s state of mind does not discount the fact that driving far over the speed limit, especially without sirens, is an inherently reckless and negligent act. Kandula’s family has been through an unimaginable tragedy with the loss of their loved one, compounded further by another Seattle officer mocking her death. Accountability for the officer who killed her is the bare minimum; local governments must take extreme measures to protect all vulnerable road users, even if this means denying drivers the free reign they feel they deserve. In turn, the justice system, insurance companies and media must reevaluate how they treat collisions and end the culture of driver impunity. It is essential that the thousands of annual victims of vehicular homicide do not become mere statistics.

Noah Colbert is a fourth-year mathematics and political science combined major. He can be reached at colbert.n@northeastern.edu.

Photo by Elizabeth Scholl

Photo by Jessica Xing

Op-ed: Snell doesn’t need renovations, Northeastern just needs another library

A library is perhaps one of the most essential places on a college campus. It’s a space that’s meant to foster a student’s success by providing them with a productive and comfortable environment to work in. Northeastern’s Snell Library lacks these characteristics, and as a result, fails to provide that environment for students.

Snell’s shortcomings stem from one major issue — an inadequate amount of space. As Northeastern’s most prominent library, Snell can quickly become crowded by students looking for a reliable place to study. Finding a seat can feel impossible, never mind finding one on the floor you prefer. Four floors are simply not enough to handle the volume of Northeastern students. The overflow of students into any available space in Snell also contributes to noise control issues, which students often take to Reddit to complain about. The issue is especially apparent on

the third and fourth floors, which are meant to be relatively quiet.

Amidst all the people and the noise, sometimes all you can focus on is what is going on around you. As a result, productivity does not come easily.

Currently, Snell is about halfway through its projected two-year renovation that began at the start of 2023. Northeastern promised students the renovations will provide more study space on each floor, among other new resources that aim to make Snell a better study space.

However, renovations have only exacerbated the issues posed by overcrowding since they began. Between closed floors and the retraction of noise restrictions, Snell feels more overwhelming than ever, especially during midterm season. Furthermore, the second floor, housing highly collaborative spaces like the 3-D printing and recording studios, recently closed for renovations.

Even when the floor closures are over, the reality of the renovations is that they aren’t going to actually fix the issue at hand: too many students and not enough space. Without expanding the square footage of the library, adding additional seating only feeds overcrowding.

I understand that making space for Northeastern’s student population is not easy, nor is there a quick solution that will appease everyone. While I can appreciate what the university is attempting to do with the Snell renovations, I think it is more important that it recognizes that it is not a

permanent fix. For students to reap all the benefits a library should offer, Northeastern needs another one.

Another library would give students the ability to spread out and have personal study space, which is not feasible in Snell, regardless of renovations.

Additional space would also allow for the reintroduction of books at Northeastern libraries. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the university stripped Snell of all its physical books to provide seating compliant with social distancing protocols. The most utilized volumes only just became available to students with the reopening of the basement level of Snell.

Having physical books available for students to reference is a highly valuable resource. Books support academics in an affordable and sustainable way since students can borrow what they need for a short period of time rather than having to buy it. An additional library would allow Northeastern to expand and develop a wider collection of literature for students to explore. Not to mention, books would make our library feel more like a library.

Granted, there are several other buildings on campus that can be utilized as study spaces, like the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, EXP or Curry Student Center. However, I believe there are certain expectations of library spaces that other spaces on campus can’t fulfill.

One thing these buildings across

campus have in common is the increase of bookable study spaces in them. Spaces at Northeastern is a service that allows students to reserve individual study spaces, called desks, in buildings across campus. While this service can be effective for students planning in advance, it isn’t an effective solution to Northeastern’s shortage of library space. Booking a seat should not be the only way students can feel confident in having a place to study.

Spaces at Northeastern doesn’t account for students who might want a place to do work in-between classes or last-minute group meetings that we are all too familiar with. Individual study spaces are important and useful, but having enough freely available study space is more acces-

sible and practical for students on a daily basis. Adding another library on campus is undoubtedly the best way to provide that for the Northeastern student population.

Libraries are a central part of a college campus because they are crucial to the academic experience. At this point in time, Snell is not providing students with what they need to thrive academically, nor will it when renovations are over. A second library is the only way for the Northeastern campus to reach its full potential, turn allowing students to do the same.

Kara Orsini is a third-year health sciences major on the pre-med track. She can be reached at orsini.k@northeastern.edu.

Op-ed: Lessons in navigating a career in a new field as an international student

Navigating a career as an international student going into a completely new field has been exciting, to say the least. After graduating college in India with a degree in biotechnology, I believed that researching protein biostructure was the only path open to me. Slowly, I started to explore the various facets of the biotech world, and I realized that science involved a lot more than research.

While working as a research scholar at the Indian Institute of Science, I kept my eyes open to contributing to startups in any way possible, leading me down the road of a new career path: regulatory affairs. Unknowingly, I stepped into a niche

role where my primary focus was ensuring that medical device startups were compliant with Indian and international regulations — so they could launch safe and effective novel products in the market. I recognized that regulatory affairs and a quality career would broaden my horizons. It would allow me to engage with various cutting-edge technologies that positively influence patients’ lives, all while ensuring regulatory compliance and maintaining the highest standards of product quality for companies.

Fast forward, I enrolled in a master’s program in regulatory affairs at Northeastern University in fall 2022, and it has been an immense learning experience for me over the past year and a half.

As I redefined my concept of home and embraced a new culture and lifestyle, I found myself grateful for the opportunity to navigate my career in Boston. Now, as an international student close to graduation, I want to share a couple lessons I have learned along the way.

First, pivoting from academia to industry is challenging, but doable. Transitioning from a career dedicated to protein biology to the realm of medical devices and shifting roles from research to regulatory affairs felt

like traversing two distinct worlds. Understanding the nuances and cultural differences between academia and industry may seem challenging, but a positive mindset and a vision to look for opportunities can help bridge the gap. Despite being in a new role, I still use skills I picked up as a researcher, ranging from critical thinking to my role today — a mix of law, business and science.

Second, landing one opportunity will cascade into multiple opportunities, so say yes to every opportunity you get. Northeastern has a noteworthy zero-credit program called Experiential Network, where students can team up with an industry sponsor and work with them to build their skills. As someone new to the industry, I was able to pitch my ideas and convince companies to sponsor my projects, where I ended up working on technologies ranging from surgical eye implants to virtual reality glaucoma diagnoses and even remote patient monitoring systems. In all those roles, I was able to learn, strategize and contribute actively as a regulatory and quality professional. This helped me build my skills in cybersecurity regulations for medical devices, process compliance and building quality systems to ensure that the design is translated into safe products.

Finally, it is important to add meaningful value to organizations along with skills. I realized that interns can help build a culture of quality that goes beyond that of doing required tasks. Adding value to an organization can help you stand out, especially as an international student. For example, organizing an Indian theme night as part of a Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiative with the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering, or ISPE, helped me bring forth my culture.

As an ISPE Joel Goldenberg Memorial Scholarship awardee, a national finalist for a Global Drug

Information Association student case competition and an upcoming speaker at the Society of Quality Assurance annual meeting, I am grateful for all the opportunities I have received so far, and I am excited to contribute to a growing healthcare field. As an international student, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Attrayee “Atty” Chakraborty is a second-year graduate student majoring in regulatory affairs. She can be reached at chakraborty.at@northeastern.edu.

Photo by Jessica Xing

Photo by Darin Zullo

Graphic by Angelica Jorio

A fence blocks off the temporarily-closed main entrance to Snell Library. A two-year project to renovate Snell Library started in 2023.

Photo by Quillan Anderson

NU’s 6-year championship win streak cut short in overtime

By Amelia Ballingall Sports Editor

It was a tragic end to a climbing season. After losing their high-scoring top line to graduation at the culmination of last year, the Northeastern women’s ice hockey team had to restructure and find scoring potential in new places. And they did in a strong latter-half swing down the home stretch. So it was heartbreaking when, like déja vu, a late overtime goal in a championship game ended Northeastern’s year and the collegiate careers of some of its star players.

There’s no doubt Northeastern fought every minute of its final game, but so did Huskies rival and first-seed University of Connecticut, and the pair skated their way to overtime after a scoreless 60 minutes. It took nearly the entire extra period for someone to break through. With tired Huskies up and down the ice, Connecticut scored with 35 seconds left to clinch the Hockey East Championship 1-0.

The game started fairly even, with 10 shots on goal per team in the first period, but Northeastern held the advantage on possession. However, the away Huskies were trapped to the perimeter and struggled to get a shot to UConn junior netminder Tia Chan as the blue and white jerseys blocked 24 shots through the threeplus hours of gameplay.

With Chan on one end and Hockey East Goalie of the Year Gwyneth

Philips on the other, it was a goalie versus goalie game. Chan put up 39 stops while fifth-year netminder Philips notched a career-high 51.

All Huskies played a relatively clean game to start and the first penalty didn’t come until 6:29 into the second period. It was a much-needed break for Northeastern, who had just gotten its first shot of the frame after facing tremendous pressure from its opponents.

While the visitors earned a few dirty-area shots in their 5-on-4 advantage, the first time Chan had really been tested, the goaltender came up with some big saves.

UConn tried to get something going in transition, one of the most dangerous aspects of its game, but couldn’t execute on its couple 2-on1 chances. Although they were winning puck battles, the home Huksies missed passes in big moments and Northeastern was able to turn it back around.

However, a minute and a half into the third, the visitors had to fight to stay alive. After maintaining five players for more than 40 minutes, Northeastern found itself cut down to three skaters when junior defenders Kristina Allard and Tory Mariano simultaneously headed to the box on two separate hits.

Faced with a 5-on-3, Northeastern stood tall. However, with UConn closing in, things got messy. With seven seconds left on the dual penal-

ty kill, captain and graduate student defender Megan Carter earned a five-minute major and a game ejection for contact to the head, which cut her collegiate career short.

Northeastern made it through all seven minutes unscathed, thanks to some sturdy backstopping work from Philips, and the visitors weren’t stuck in their zone the whole time. Behind Philips’ nine saves and Northeastern’s seven defensive blocks, the Huskies were able to generate a couple shorthanded chances and minimize UConn’s pressure.

Just like in the previous two periods, Northeastern finished off the final frame strong. The away Huskies had some of their best chances in the final few minutes of regulation, but were shut down by graduate defender Claire Peterson, who wouldn’t let anything through to Chan.

When the fourth period kicked off, a full 20 minutes of 5-on-5 sudden death, it was clear players were tired. Huskies fell down left and right, and transitions grew messy, but that didn’t stop them from putting their all into the game. UConn had a great start to overtime, and some stand-up defensive work — highlighted by a diving puck knock from Peterson — kept them alive through an overtime power play and a near-breakaway from freshman forward Peyton Compton.

With 35 seconds left in overtime, both teams needed a break, but

before the buzzer could sound, UConn scored the game-winning goal, ending the game.

Graduate student defender Ainsley Svetek took a shot from the point, and a deflection inside the crease, credited to sophomore forward Megan Woodworth, sent it into the back of the net.

However, celebration was put on hold for a few moments as the goal went under review. Between freshman defender Rylie Jones taking a huge hit headfirst into the boards right before the play, Woodworth in the crease and a kicking motion, the referees had plenty to look at. But Woodworth didn’t interfere with Philips’ range of sight or movement and her foot never made contact with the puck, so it was ruled a good goal, and UConn took home its first-ever Hockey East championship title.

Meanwhile, the loss meant the end of the road for Northeastern. Its tumultuous season was bound to finish somewhere, but the end of the Boston Huskies’ historic six-year tournament win streak was not what they were hoping for.

However, they stretched it as far as they could, and with plenty of young talent — including Jones, freshman forward Allie Lalonde, and sophomore forward Lily Shannon — shining through to the very last minute, the Huskies will be back in the fall no doubt in hot pursuit of their next victory.

Huskies find success with victory over Hampton on Senior Day

By Dylan Cohen News Staff

After seven straight losses, including a forfeit, the Northeastern women’s basketball team (10-17, 5-13 CAA) finally got back on its feet March 3, picking up a win against the Hampton University Pirates (3-26, 3-15 CAA), who stand in last in the CAA.

Fifth-year forward Jaelyn Batts, senior guard Derin Erdogan, senior guard Maddie Vizza and senior forward Halle Idowu were honored prior to the game in a Senior Day celebration.

Northeastern struggled throughout the first quarter, going 3-for-12 in field goals and suffering a 12-3 run by the Pirates. The Huskies closed the frame down 17-10.

Northeastern started to gain momentum in the second quarter, thanks to 10 points in the paint and major contributions from Vizza and Erdogan. With 45 seconds left in the frame, Vizza tallied her 100th career three-pointer. Vizza and Erdogan are tied for the highest three-point percentage of the season at .340.

Northeastern trimmed its deficit to four to end the half 32-28.

Throughout the third quarter, three-pointers appeared to come naturally to the Huskies, with perfect accuracy on four attempts. Even with the Huskies making an 8-3 run toward the end of the quarter,

the Pirates managed to hold onto a one-point lead entering the final quarter 51-50.

Northeastern gained a lead in the fourth frame with a layup by freshman forward Sophia Carlisle, but the game remained tense as there were three lead changes in the final 10 minutes. When the game was tied 60-60 with 3:40 to go, Hampton’s fight got messy as it racked up five fouls to give the Huskies a bonus plus, allowing them to shoot two free throws after each proceeding Hampton foul.

Hampton freshman forward Casey Miller also fouled out with four seconds left in regulation. Northeastern finished on top 64-60, despite only leading for five minutes throughout the entire game.

Due to the extensive injuries on the team, the Huskies dressed just six players against the Pirates. Playing for all 40 minutes of the game, Erdogan led the team with 25 points, followed by Carlisle with 32.This game was the second career start for Carlisle.

Though the team still has a lot to work on before postseason play, Northeastern proved itself in secondchance points with 16 throughout the game, including nine in the last quarter. The Pirates had eight second chance points by the end of the game.

The Huskies forfeited their final two regular season games against the William and Mary Tribe and

the Towson University Tigers due to injuries, including junior guard Gemima Motema with a ruptured Achilles tendon and junior forward Asha Parker who hasn’t played since the Jan. 21 loss against College of Charleston. The forfeits against the the Tribe and the Tigers are con sidered losses in CAA rankings, but will not be counted in overall NCAA standings. The team fell to Towson in the second round of the CAA tournament March 13, marking the end of its season.

Sophomore forward Oralye Kiefer reaches for the ball during a game against the College of Charleston Jan. 21. The Northeastern women’s basketball team won for the first time after seven straight losses March 3 in a game against Hampton University.

Closing April 6

Fluid Matters, Grounded Bodies is Gallery 360's first cross-campus exhibition presented in partnership between the Center for the Arts and City & Community Engagement. Additional works are on view at Northeastern Crossing

Photo by Molly McAlevey