September 19, 2019 by The Huntington News

The Huntington News September 19, 2019

The independent student newspaper of the Northeastern community

@HuntNewsNU Photo by Julian Perez Democratic presidential candidate and entrepreneur Andrew Yang spoke to supporters at a campaign rally in Cambridge Monday night.

YANG

PITCHES ECONOMIC PLAN AND OUTSIDER PERSPECTIVE AT CAMBRIDGE RALLY By Charlie Wolfson News Staff Andrew Yang took the stage at Cambridge Common Monday night, speaking to hundreds of supporters on signature topics for the Democratic presidential candidate such as his lack of a political background, his interest in math and a promise of a universal basic income to each American. For about 40 minutes, he spoke to a crowd of mostly college students and young professionals about “trickle-up economics” and what he termed a state of “mass confusion” brought on by President Donald J. Trump’s election in 2016.

“We need a revolution of reason, a revolution of facts,” said Yang, a 44-year-old Brown University graduate whose resume spans from attorney-at-law to internet entrepreneur to, now, candidate for public office. Throughout the night, Yang branded himself as foreign to the political system. “When Trump was elected, my first move was not to run for president, because I’m not crazy,” he said. Many of Yang’s supporters who turned out said his outsider factor is a positive for them. “The word ‘politician’ has become tainted in the last three years,” said Benjamin Pu, a CANDIDATE, on Page 6

Photo by Julian Perez Yang pitched himself to voters as a Washington outsider with a new economic plan supporting a policy of Universal Basic Income, or UBI.

Student groups honor 9/11 victims on Krentzman By Nolan Piccola News Correspondent

Photo by Brian Bae Second-year Elie Codron, president of Huskies for Israel, places a flag on Krentzman Quadrangle. He initiated the memorial and reached out to a number of student groups to contribute and help raise money.

Krentzman Quadrangle, normally filled with commotion as students rush to class, fell silent Wednesday as members of the Northeastern community mounted flags to honor victims of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The event was hosted by Huskies for Israel, a pro-Israel student group at Northeastern. The club’s president, Elie Codron, a second-year international relations and economics combined major, said he thought the school community had not properly honored 9/11 victims in the past and

decided to do something about it. “I was talking to some friends, asking them what happened last year during 9/11 on campus,” said Codron, who had been participating in N.U.in England at the time. He said he was surprised to find out nothing large had taken place. Codron began reaching out to other student groups across campus who he thought would be willing to help organize the event. Several clubs expressed interest in creating a memorial and, by September, Codron and Huskies for Israel were backed by 10 other groups, including Northeastern University Real Estate Club, Delta Tau Delta and the

Student Government Association. “Remembering the people is the most important part,” said Cameron Castonguay, a third-year bioengineering major and a member of Phi Gamma Delta who volunteered to hand out flags between classes. Castonguay is part of his fraternity’s philanthropy committee and said he believed the memorial was a perfect way to get more involved with other student groups at the university. Codron said he was stopped by many people throughout the day. One Northeastern professor, he said, expressed thanks and offered MEMORIAL, on Page 5

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September 19, 2019

Trump shares NU professor’s criminology research

Photo by Elisa Figueras NU criminology Professor James Alan Fox found himself plunged into controversy when President Donald J. Trump shared his research on Twitter. By Boutayna Chokrane News Correspondent Criminologist James Alan Fox never expected that he’d wake up one morning to thousands of tweets from outraged liberals and delighted Trump supporters. On Aug. 15, President Donald J. Trump shared Fox News Channel host Laura Ingraham’s tweet, which included a link to Professor Fox’s interview with Reason’s Nick Gillespie. The tweet condensed a 46 minute podcast into 78 characters. “There is no evidence that we are in the midst of an epidemic of mass shootings,’’ Fox said in the

podcast, which prompted a storm of controversy on Twitter. Fox, a professor of criminology, law and public policy at Northeastern, is also a leading scholar and one of the head researchers of American mass shootings and serial murder. Fox is working on several projects, including a research study in which he empirically measures whether news reporting about mass shootings inspires a trend. After Trump’s retweet, Fox said he received support from people he did not necessarily agree with and backlash from people who “think like him.” He said he did not welcome the

endorsement by Trump, and that he is “certainly not a fan of his.” The Gun Violence Archive reports that there have been over 2,000 mass shootings since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. Currently, in 2019, there have been 283 mass shootings, with an average of one mass shooting a day. Fox said there is no long-term data to suggest the growth or spread of mass shootings, and people should “be wary of data sets that collect information retrospectively in situations where cases may be hard to find.” He said there has been a slight increase in mass shootings in the last two years, but whether that increase will continue is inconclusive. Not everyone agrees with Fox’s interpretation of the data. In an article for GQ, Mari Uyehara wrote that mass shootings are not only an epidemic, but a uniquely American epidemic that is a result of the government. “No other developed country has anywhere near this level of both gun violence and mass shootings,” Uyehara wrote. Despite the apparent increase in shootings, Fox said he believes it is not statistically significant enough to conclude an epidemic. “If there is an epidemic, it’s an epidemic of fear.” Inconsistencies in data and trends are only part of the problem. The other part, Fox said, is how Americans define mass shootings.

In 2013, the Gun Violence Archive redefined mass shootings as situations in which four or more people were shot, as opposed to four or more people being killed. “Mass shootings” and “mass killings” are often conflated in datasets and media publications — and according to Fox, having a clear distinction between the two terms is crucial, or else researchers could neglect important pieces of data. Fox said the portrayal of mass shootings in the media has generated an unnecessary surge of panic for a rare phenomenon. In a survey sponsored by the Washington Post that collected data from the first week of September, 60 percent of Americans fear there is going to be a mass shooting in their neighborhood. According to a USA Today survey from August, 21 percent of Americans avoid certain public places because they fear there could be a mass shooting. “There is too much news reporting about pain and suffering,” Fox said. He said he believes style of news reporting about pain and suffering can not only contribute to a false sense of panic, but also to the recurrence of mass shootings. It could inspire individuals, who would enjoy catalyzing disorder and torment, to act on their unhappiness. Fox said there needs to be more impactful images of community resilience and strength, such as the

people of El Paso lining up to donate blood. “That sends the message that the killer didn’t win, that we were stronger than he was,” Fox said. When asked about red flag laws and predictive policing, Fox said it is impossible to identify mass shooters in advance. “There are lots of people who are scary, but that doesn’t mean they kill,” he said. Fox said he supports better gun control because of the prevalence of gun violence, but does not think it will have an impact on mass shooters. He said he believes that mass shooters are determined individuals who will find a way to get a gun even if they can not legally purchase one, and that stricter gun control might actually antagonize mass shooters, who already believe they are unjustly targeted. A common trait among mass shooters is their lack of support systems, Fox said. Without support systems, mass shooters do not have anyone for consolation or to help them rationalize when they are being unreasonable. There are ways other than gun control to combat mass shooters, according to Fox. “We can be better neighbors. We can be better co-workers. We can be better classmates. We can be better at helping other people who are suffering,” he said.

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NUPD develops new NUPD version of RedEye app CRIME LOG Compiled by Nico Malabuyo, News Staff

By Lucy Gavin News Correspondent The Northeastern University Police Department, or NUPD, has developed a new version of RedEye, the free late-night ride service app, in partnership with rideshare company Via. The RedEye shuttle, which picks students up at Snell Library, was designed for off-campus students who live within two miles of NU’s campus and need a ride home late at night. Students can request rides from their smartphone between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Via, which is based out of New York City, invented the rideshare technology that makes services like Uber Pool possible in 2013. “The parameters that we set on is a two mile radius from the center of campus, which we consider the Snell Library,” NUPD Staff Sgt. John J. Farrell said. “When you download the app, you have your address in there and the app will confirm that you are within that radius.” While students regularly used a version of the RedEye app last year, Farrell said there were still issues with the service. “We had about 45,000 rides last year, I believe, and 3,300 users, and most had good experiences,” Farrell said. “There were some bad experiences and people let us know about it.” Fourth-year journalism and English combined major Chris Triunfo said he experienced issues when using the app last year. “They’d stick you in the queue, and essentially if you were to play by the rules and wait for the app to tell you when to go out to get the RedEye, you would not be getting in until 4 a.m. if you ordered it at 1 a.m.,” Triunfo said. “It just

Not only do they have the right to be safe, but also they should expect that their police department is going to do everything they can to make sure that they are safe at all times, including when they travel off campus. — John J. Farrell NUPD Staff Seargant

kinda became this mad scramble of people running to the RedEye as it approached.” To address these issues, NUPD decided to partner with Via for the development of a new app. In a press release, the company explained how its app would accommodate users’ needs. “Via’s advanced algorithms will enable multiple riders to seamlessly share the vehicle,” the press release stated. Farrell said the department felt it was necessary that Northeastern provide a safe way for off-campus students to get home at night. “We realize that our students pay a lot in fees and tuition and the like, and we just thought it right to provide this service for them,” Farrell said. “Not only do they have the right to be safe, but also they should expect that their police department is going to do everything they can to make sure that they are safe at all times, including when they travel off campus.” Graduate student Chandrakanth Chittappa said as an international student, he believes the RedEye app is extremely helpful. “Especially for us international students who come from other countries, we don’t know which place is safe and which place is not safe,” Chittappa said. Via currently has projects in 20 foreign countries, as well as with Harvard University. “Harvard University has had success in using Ride with Via,” Farrell said. “They’re all around the world offering safe transportation services.” Editor’s Note: Chris Triunfo previously served on The News’ editorial board as city editor.

MONDAY, SEPT. 9 1:10pm

An officer reported finding a fake ID belonging to an NU student in the lost and found. A report was filed.

5:40pm

An NU student reported his unattended backpack was stolen from Snell Engineering Center. A report was filed.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 10 1:40pm

An officer reported observing a suspicious man unaffiliated with NU in the area of Speare Place. Officers reported the man has a criminal record and banned him from NU property. A report was filed.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11 4:36pm

An NU student reported her scooter was stolen from Ryder Lot. A report was filed.

4:57pm

An NU student reported his bike was stolen from outside 177 Huntington Ave. A report was filed.

8:27pm

An NU student reported his bike was stolen from outside Marino Recreation Center. A report was filed.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 13 8:17am

An NU student reported his lacrosse bag was stolen from outside his room in International Village. A report was filed.

2:55pm

BPD officers reported a man pointed a gun in the face of a woman unaffiliated with NU. Officers reported the man slashed her car’s tires while the vehicle was parked on Tremont Street. Officers reported finding the man on Benton Street and placing him under arrest. A report was filed.

10:26pm

An officer reported an intoxicated student at Hastings Hall was in need of emergency medical services. The officer requested an ambulance to transfer the student to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. A report was filed.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 14 12:51am

A resident assistant, or RA, in Stetson West reported observing an NU student vomiting in the bathroom. Officers requested an ambulance to transport the student to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. A report was filed.

1:09am

An NU student in Light Hall reported her roommate was vomiting and in need of emergency medical services. Medical responders arrived and cleared the roommate. A report was filed.

1:17am

An RA in Stetson West reported a student was vomiting. Officers notified emergency medical services, who cleared the student. A report was filed.

1:29am

A proctor in Kennedy Hall reported observing an NU student passed out near the proctor station. Officers reported the student was conscious but intoxicated and notified emergency medical services. A report was filed.

8:17am

An NU student reported his bike tire was stolen from the bike racks outside of the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex. A report was filed.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 15 12:52am

An RA in Speare Hall reported an intoxicated NU student vomiting inside a restroom. Officers requested emergency medical services. A report was filed.

1:35am

An officer reported observing an intoxicated man in front of 70 Forsyth St. Officers reported requesting emergency medical services and identifying the man as a Boston University student. A report was filed.

12:09pm

The manager of Wollaston’s Market in Marino Recreation Center reported an NU student who was caught shoplifting. Officers reported the student had previously been banned from both Wollaston’s Markets. A report was filed.

2:13pm

An NU student reported her bike was stolen from outside Kennedy Hall. A report was filed.

File Photo by Hailey Ardizzone Northeastern students who live off-campus say the Red Eye van is useful in getting them home safely late at night and during harsh weather conditions.

Graphic by Alaine Bennett

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September 19, 2019

Bahamian professor raises money By Kenneal Patterson News Staff

Hurricane Dorian, the most destructive natural disaster in Bahamian history, has already taken 50 lives and left thousands injured and stranded. Although news of the catastrophe left many feeling helpless, Professor Marilyn Minus instead resolved to lend a hand. Minus, a graduate professor in Northeastern’s mechanical engineering department, started a GoFundMe Sept. 4 to support Dorian’s victims. Raised in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Minus said she experienced hurricanes throughout her life, but none matched Dorian’s intensity. “We deal with hurricanes all the time, just not at this magnitude,” Minus said. “Never like this, and I’ve lived through many hurricanes.” News footage of ruined towns — the very places where Minus spent her childhood — hit a little too close to home. “Growing up there and seeing it be just shattered on TV, and then my mom being in the midst of that, it was really difficult,” she said. Dorian hovered over the Bahamas from Sept. 1 to Sept. 3, demolishing buildings and displacing families. The hurricane joined a growing number of Category 5 storms recorded since the 1980s. Although it’s hard to pinpoint a single cause, rising water temperatures are thought to contribute to the increase in frequency. “In general, we expect that in a warmer atmosphere and a warmer

ocean, hurricanes in the Atlantic will get more intense,” said Samuel Munoz, an assistant professor at Northeastern’s Marine Science Center. Munoz researches flood mitigation by examining environmental evolvement throughout history. By analyzing sites of geological transformation, sediment samples from the past become doorways to the future. “We take everything we know historically that’s happened, and we use that to model what’s the likelihood that an event like that would occur again,” Munoz said. Scientists can predict incoming storms by diving deep into muddy layers of history — literally. Unassuming sand deposits, buried under murky shores, reveal a record of hydrological changes. Munoz investigates these histories to learn more about our current climate. “A lot of the work I do tries to... go back a little bit further in time, to reconstruct what storms were like in the past, and then be able to have a little bit better understanding of like, what is possible? What can nature throw at us?” Munoz said. “Or, are some of these events totally unprecedented even within the last several thousand years? Which, that would sort of point to, something else driving that — like climate change.”

Professor Deborah Milbauer also expressed concerns about humanity’s global impact. “The huge question has to do with climate change, and what we’re doing to the environment to increase the speed and the strength of these ‘natural’ disasters,” Milbauer said, stressing that “natural” should be put in quotes. Milbauer, who has worked for years as a public health consultant, emphasized the importance of emergency preparedness. While resilient cities are able to withstand adversity, poorer countries lack the resources to mobilize. Milbauer said it is essential for populations to have a backup plan. “You can’t necessarily prevent a hurricane, so to speak, setting aside the climate change issue, but you can minimize the impact,” Milbauer said. The gross domestic product of the Bahamas is almost entirely dependent on tourism. Now, the country faces serious devastation that

could affect their economy for years to come. Milbauer said recovery will depend on international involvement. “The first way that you create international collaboration and partnerships is by not preventing people in emergencies from getting help when you can provide it,” Milbauer said. A group of Dorian survivors were denied entry to the United States Sept. 9 after boarding a ferry bound inland. Rather than reaching safety on the shores of Fort Lauderdale, the passengers were told to disembark unless they carried visas. Milbauer disagrees with the government’s stance, advocating for the protection of asylum-seekers. “There needs to be a plan for getting people off the island, and where they’re going to land, who’s going to provide them food and housing and medicine,” Milbauer said. “Climate change is an international disaster, and we are all in this together.” Despite preventative methods to combat disasters, there’s only so much that can be done. When cataclysms loom on the horizon, evacuation is the only safe option. “In that really kind of extreme case, the only real solution is to get out of the way of this thing.” Munoz said.

Minus said she is committed to helping the families that couldn’t escape. “While I’m able to take care of my own family, and everyone is safe and we can deal with whatever damages we receive, I just felt an obligation to my home to try and help as many people as possible who lost everything,” Minus said. While larger organizations, like the Red Cross, cover the essentials, Minus said she wants to fill in the gaps. She is determined to supply anything from pet food to school uniforms — all while ensuring the community keeps its faith. “Just getting some semblance of normalcy will help people to heal. They have a lot of rebuilding, and the Bahamas people are really resilient, really kind, really helpful to one another,” Minus said. “But it’s just providing that little spark of hope.” When the airports reopen, Minus said she will travel to Freeport, where her mother and grandmother still reside. There, she plans on providing direct assistance. A school, owned by her mother, will operate as her central hub. “I will leave the fund open for as long as I can, but no matter what, I want to get down there as soon as I can, and so I sense that’s my goal,” Minus said. “I’m just happy with having something to help.” Minus said she is grateful for the friends, students and strangers that donated. So far, the fundraiser has made over $7,000 out of a $10,000 goal. For Minus, every cent counts.

NU rarely follows the SGA referenda By Lukas Illion News Correspondent Getting a referendum question on the annual Student Government Association ballot requires an immense amount of time and effort from referendum sponsors. Enacting referenda once they are passed is even harder. Every year, Northeastern students vote on a maximum of five referenda questions, alongside the Student Government Association, or SGA, direct elections. This past spring, the three referenda questions each garnered at least 1000 more “Yes” votes than the Brown-Nobile slate drew. According to SGA bylaws, referendum questions “shall be classified as a Sense of the Student Body, as a Call for the Northeastern Administration

to Act, or as a Call for the Student Government Association to Act.” The News was able to obtain referenda questions and voting records dating back to 2015. Some questions, like one a question from 2015 regarding a gender resource center, an all-gender bathroom question from 2015 and a recycling bin question from 2016, have been enacted. However, the administration has not acted on most of the questions passed between 2015 and 2019. Some questions appear to be have been successful at first glance, but oftentimes these successes were motivated or assisted by forces beyond the student body or the SGA. For example, the 2016 referendum question seeking to ban plastic bags was successful at eliminating plastic bags from Outtakes, Rebecca’s, Cafe

Photo courtesy Chris Brown New SGA president and vice president Chris Brown and Gabby Nobile.

Crossing and The West End. But this move coincided with a city-wide ban signed into law by Boston Mayor Marty J. Walsh in late 2017. The referendum question from 2015 that sought fair wages for dining employees seemingly achieved its goal in October 2017, when dining hall workers were given a raise after fighting with Northeastern over working conditions and wages for years prior. The change also came after workers’ threaten to strike during the Clinton Global Initiative event, in whichwhere the Clintons themselves were scheduled set to appear on campus. Carl Meakin, a third-year with a combined major in environmental science and politics, philosophy and economics and the director of policy at Northeastern’s chapter of the Roosevelt Institute, said he isn’t confident in SGA’s ability to follow through with passed referenda. “I haven’t seen a referendum question that passed and something immediately came of it,” Meakin said. Meakin was involved in crafting the 2018 referendum question that recommended that compost be collected in every residence hall. Meakin said that residence halls on other campuses have successfully instituted similar composting programs, but that Northeastern had never latched onto the idea. “We thought by showing student support through the referendum process that we would be able to move it forward,” Meakin said. “It never happened.” A fourth-year biology major and

president of the Husky Environmental Action Team, or HEAT, Wynne Gallogly’s experience with the referendum process mirrors Meakin’s. Inspired by policies at other colleges and universities, Gallogly said she helped put a referendum question on the 2017 ballot that called for a ban on plastic water bottle sales on campus. “The referendum question is just kind of an acknowledgement that the student body wants what the question is asking. But the administration won’t automatically honor it,” Gallogly said. Why have so many referenda failed to change Northeastern’s policies? In some cases, the university’s response to referendum questions “depends on the level of the question,” said third-year civil engineering major and SGA elections chair Maria Firan. “They’re not very easy to get done, which is why I kind of see Northeastern’s inability to have concrete change on some of those.” Meakin said he doubts that the feasibility of the referenda accounts for the recent stall in progress. “I do think some of them may not be the most likely to happen, but even the fairly non-aggressive boiler plate ones don’t happen either, like the compost question,” Meakin said. The transient structure of the university can be another hurdle. Students are around campus for at most five years, and often less when considering breaks and experiences abroad. “You have a lot of turnover in these things. These things take a really long time to get done and the

people that start them might not be the people that finish them,” Meakin said. All other factors considered, students pointed to the administration as the greatest barrier to enacting their referenda. Gallogly echoed this sentiment. “As HEAT and I have learned, the administration is going to do their own thing. They don’t really care what the students vote on. Have you ever heard Aoun ever talk about a referendum question?” Gallogly said. Firan also sees university leadership as a barrier. “I kind of wish the administration would at least recognize or have some sort of input in saying, ‘Hey, we recognize this is what the student body voted for, we are aware of this, we are gonna try to do something,’ rather than just kind of screaming into the abyss which I feel like is happening,” Firan said. In the past, SGA has mostly been absent from action on referenda questions once they are passed and , Firan said. Firan said Firanshe hopes to change this. “I hope that we can eventually establish a referendum committee that has a role of just keeping track of these referenda and speaking with sponsors and ensuring that administration is aware — that it’s not just gonna wait another year for new referenda to come around so they can ignore last year’s ones.” In the meantime, referendum sponsors can at least use the questions as a means of publicizing their clubs’ goals, as every student who votes in the elections views the referenda questions.

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Student groups honor victims of 9/11 MEMORIAL, from front flowers in honor of Candace Lee Williams, a Northeastern student who was killed in the attack. “One teacher came up to me and said her student was Candace Lee Williams,” Codron said. “She thanked us for organizing the memorial, which was beautiful.” Williams was a passenger on one of the planes, American Airlines Flight 11, that was hijacked during the disaster. The plane had crashed into the same tower she had worked in for her co-op months before. The plaque in honor of Williams, which sits underneath a tree just outside Dodge Hall, was surrounded by flags and bouquets of flowers on the day of the memorial. The student groups that volunteered time also collected money for The Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund. The organization, according to its website, was created to provide “support to the families of military personnel with ties to Massachusetts who have died as a result of active duty service post 9/11/2001.” The fund was created in 2009 by local families who had suffered losses in the 9/11 attacks. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), who passed away in 2009, had also aided in the development of the fund. The memorial on Wednesday raised a total of $252 for the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund. Casey Leffers, a third-year English and communication studies combined major, said he was 2 years old

when the attacks happened. When he was a Boy Scout, he and his troop would plant flags every year in memory of those who died. He said that honoring the victims every year is important, which prompted him to volunteer to be part of the memorial on campus. As a resident of California, Leffers said he feels very removed from the

impact of the attacks. Moving to the opposite side of the country to attend school provided him with a different perspective. “I know people my age who are from New York, from New Jersey, who felt really, really personally affected and felt the ripples of it through a lot of their childhoods,” Leffers said.

He said that is why a memorial is so important: It gives people an opportunity to recognize the disaster in addition to concentrating on their grief. “People from all walks of life have come out to the event,” said Billy Opet, a second-year electrical engineering major and member of the Student Government Association.

Opet said he believes the importance of the memorial also lies in its ability to spread awareness. “[The memorial] shows that when clubs are working together, there is so much that can be done,” Codron said. Codron said he hopes this memorial will set an example for other clubs on campus

Photo by Brian Bae Second-year international relations and economy major Elie Codron helped set up flags and organize for the 9/11 memorial in Krentzman Quad.

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September 19, 2019

Supporters of the presidential hopeful, known as the “Yang Gang,” came out in support of the candidate. Yang touted his signature policy proposal at the rally: a $1,000 “Freedom Dividend.”

‘Revolution of reason’: Yang speaks in Cam CANDIDATE, from front 22-year-old student at Berklee College of Music. “It’s refreshing to see a non-politician running with policies in people’s best interest.” Much of Yang’s speech and the talk of the crowd was dominated by his signature policy proposal: a “Freedom Dividend” giving each American $1,000 per month of basic income. “It’s really important for working people, especially those that work more than 40 hours per week, to be able to live off that,” said Hannah McMurtray, a 25-year-old who works for a pharmaceutical company in Cambridge. “It doesn’t make sense in such a wealthy country for there to be that much of a disparity.” Moving to a different part of his economic plan, Yang touched on the

issue of wealth disparity. Early on, he railed against Amazon’s ability to avoid paying taxes and compared its owner, Jeff Bezos, to Scrooge McDuck. “Who here notices stores closing in their town?” he asked. “Why are they closing? Amazon. How can you have a trillion-dollar company that doesn’t pay any taxes? That’s the math, Boston.” Math is a calling card for Yang’s campaign, and he encouraged his supporters to hold up pre-distributed “Math” placards whenever he brought up the subject. “We have to do the opposite of what Donald Trump said, and I am the ideal candidate for that job because the opposite of Donald Trump is an Asian man who likes math,” he said.

Not everyone in the crowd was a college student or recent graduate. Linda Lin and Samuel Wang said they attended partly because their son, a Yang fan who posted on his blog about the rally, couldn’t attend. They also said they support Yang’s universal basic income proposal. Another reason they support Yang, Wang said, is “because he is Asian.” “We need a new face,” Wang said. “Not all American politicians know new ideas. We want someone new.” Many rally-goers said they supported Bernie Sanders, the independent Vermont senator and Democratic presidential candidate, in the 2016 Democratic primary and still like him now. Andrew Moore and Jessica Gonowon, a couple who traveled to the rally from Worcester, Massachu-

setts, said they preferred Sanders in 2016 and “almost didn’t want to vote” in the general election after he lost the nomination to Hillary Clinton. They said ever since Gonowon showed Moore a Joe Rogan video about Yang’s universal income proposal earlier this year, they’ve been hooked. Monday was their fourth Yang event this year, the other three being “Yang Gang meetups” in Worcester. Gonowon said she prefers Yang this time around because “compared to Bernie, Yang makes more realistic sense and I think he’d get more done.” Yang took the stage at about 6:15 p.m. and started by invoking Democrats’ memories of election night in November 2016. “You remember 2016,” he said.

“You remember watching your TV and thinking, ‘Holy [expletive], we’re doing this thing?’” Yang criticized the media at length for failing to explain how Trump became president — namely, a failure to “dig into the numbers” to give the truth. “The numbers say we automated away 4 million manufacturing jobs … in swing states that lost the election,” he said. “The system is arranged to push people to the curb.” As the speech drew near its close, he delivered a justification for his “Freedom Dividend” plan, citing its effectiveness in Alaska, a state that paid for it using money from oil drilling. Technology and data, he said, are the modern equivalent to oil. “Do you get a check in the mail

Increasing safety concern By Ananya Sankar News Correspondent

Photo by Carter Lange Northeastern students say they’ve gotten more cautious about ridesharing apps after a high profile incident of violent crime committed by an Uber driver in Boston.

Boston streets are no stranger to the whirlwind of college nightlife. It’s common to see throngs of students piling into cars through ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft, known for shuttling students to and from their next escapade. Yet despite a growing prominence on campuses city-wide, an emerging conversation about the safety of ride-share services and their implications on city development may be grinding that progress to a halt, especially in Boston which is home to dozens of colleges and

universities. In 2016, a study conducted by the Pew Research Center found that roughly 28 percent of people aged 18 to 29 nationwide used ride-hailing apps, and that seven percent used them on a daily basis. As the service grows in popularity, students have an explanation for its increasing usage. “Typically the T is cheaper and more convenient, however, to get north and south of Boston, you need to use ride-share apps,” said Northeastern first-year Russell Zingler, a computer science and media arts combined major. Second-year biology major Taylor

Reed voiced similar concerns about the T’s limited range. “I prefer to use Lyft more than the T, because usually the T won’t get me to exactly where I need to go,” Reed said. “I don’t want to have to walk around the city at night.” Despite its efficiency, many students are wary of the service’s dangers. “I wouldn’t say I’ve ever felt unsafe in an Uber, but definitely uncomfortable,” said first-year biology major Kevin Roebelen. “Uber has made some efforts to make their rides safer, but there’s still this precautionary measure that I take.” Recent events have called Uber’s

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Photo by Lynne Edwards A group of activists gather to speak out in protest of gun violence.

Teen leaders host Roxbury RISE Rally to condemn gun violence By Nicholas Stolte News Correspondent

Photo by Julian Perez

mbridge for your data?” he asked the crowd, which responded with a resounding no. “I call it the tech check.” Yang is branded as a non-politician outsider, but worked the fence line and took selfies with fans with ease. He is the first East Asian American to make it this far in a presidential primary, but he has drawn criticism for his self-deprecating jokes centered around stereotypes. Yang has been telling voters that nobody in Washington can fix the country’s problems. He mentioned onstage that Washington is a “town of followers,” not leaders, and that he can be the one to “bring a wave crashing down” on the system. “If Trump could win, Yang has a chance,” said Brian Leu, a 23-yearold engineer who stopped at the rally on his way home from work.

Dozens of people from Roxbury and other neighborhoods came together Saturday at the R.I.S.E. Rally to speak out against gun violence in their communities and connect with local youth organizations. The R.I.S.E, or Realize, Interpret, Stop and Empower, Rally was organized by the Violence Intervention & Prevention Youth Organizing Institute. It featured student speakers, musical performers and seven organizations that work with youth in underserved communities to discuss gun violence. “It’s time for us to stop turning the other cheek and ignoring what’s going on in our communities everywhere,” speaker and R.I.S.E planning committee member Catanzia Casey-Cooter said to a crowd of residents from Roxbury and surrounding communities such as Dorchester, Chelsea and Hyde Park. The student organizers who hosted the rally said they hoped to spread awareness about the issue of gun violence in their community and to empower youth to effect change in their own surrounding communities. “I really just wanted people to real-

ize what’s going on in their neighborhoods and feel like they have the power to change it,” said Neil Cheltenham, a member of the planning committee for the R.I.S.E Rally. Several organizers of the rally spoke about their experiences with gun violence, including R.I.S.E. resource coordinator David Decoteau. “Me personally, I’ve been affected by violence,” Decoteau said. Decoteau said the rally gives him a reason to “make sure that, not just me, but other kids can come together and sort of create the change that they want.” Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh also spoke at the rally, thanking the student leaders and community organizations for their work against gun violence. “It’s time to break the cycle of gun violence,” Walsh said. Speaking to the R.I.S.E student leaders, he said, “The city of Boston supports you.” Local residents and community members spoke about their concerns regarding violence in Roxbury. Jasmine Olivier, a graduate student at Harvard studying police-community relations in Boston, recalled an incident that resonated with her. “[In] one incident last summer… there was a child in the neighbor-

hood [of Roxbury] who passed away from gun violence, and I believe it was a stray bullet,” Olivier said. “That was kind of a wakeup call of the reality of gun violence in Boston.” Residents from outside Roxbury, including Chelsea and Hyde Park, attended the rally as well. “I have family in Roxbury and Dorchester, and they’re definitely affected by gun violence,” said Taddley Siffrap, a 16-year-old student at Edward M. Kennedy Academy. Boston Police Department Youth Coordinator Tammi Espinola voiced her hope to communicate more with the youth about the issue of gun violence in their communities. “We’re all about breaking that barrier of them feeling like they can’t approach us because of the past, because of a current situation,” Espinola said. “We’re looking past that opposition, and, in breaking that barrier, letting them know that — Catanzia Casey-Cooter the police … are here speaker and R.I.S.E planning for you too.” committee member

It’s time for us to stop turning the other cheek and ignoring what’s going on in our communities everywhere

ns highlight shift in ride-sharing culture credibility into question. In March, 21-year-old University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson was abducted and killed after entering a car she mistook for her Uber. The company struggles to regulate ‘fake’ ride-share cars, raising concerns about the well-being of college students who use these services on a daily basis, often intoxicated or late at night. Kayla Whaling, communications lead for Uber’s media relations team, responded to the situation in an email to The News. “At Uber, we remain committed to help increase awareness of how to use Uber safely and utilize technol-

ogy features in-app to encourage everyone to be safe,” the statement read. Whaling highlighted Uber’s new ‘Back to College’ campaign, which outlines their ‘Check Your Ride’ steps: verify the license plate, check the car make and model and take note of the driver’s photo. This year, the company will join forces with the National Crime Prevention Council and Young Minds Inspired to develop a safety manual detailing campus safety guidelines and sexual assault prevention, among other prevalent topics. “Since announcing Uber’s Campus Safety Initiative earlier this year,

we are proud to be joined with key safety organizations with expertise in student campus safety,” Whaling wrote. “We will be providing safety materials and information to more than 4,000 campus safety leaders at universities and colleges across the U.S. and Canada.” Extensive safety efforts may protect students who are getting into vehicles, but some still raise concerns about the lack of city jurisdiction over ride-share policies, specifically in vetting new drivers. NU Professor Ted Landsmark, director of the Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy, raised concerns

about the departure of taxis from many downtown Boston regions after ride-share apps monopolized their services. “Taxis were licensed through the police, and drivers required criminal background checks,” Landsmark said. “But the city doesn’t have the same control over Uber.” In a college-dominated city like Boston, drivers may require more specialized training in order to keep students safe. “Often passengers are drunk, unruly, rude, throwing up, and maybe not tipping so well,” Landsmark said. “But for drivers on weekend nights, those are key moments for

making money that are the most dangerous in terms of demeanor.” Beyond safety, Boston locals must confront the persistent issue of traffic congestion caused by an influx of vehicles roaming the streets. Moreover, policymakers worry about potential impacts of ride-sharing services on class divides, isolating those who may not be able to afford rides and pushing less funding for bussing and train systems. “Historically, students have been a core constituency for supporting transportation in Boston,” Landsmark said. “Cities survive on the basis of one’s ability to be mobile within them.”

SPORTS

Page 8

September 19, 2019

Brutal start to men’s hockey season By Charlie Wolfson News Staff

The Northeastern men’s hockey schedule is all set, aside from game times and a couple in-season tournaments. The slate is finalized and the team can see who they’ll need to beat to repeat as Hockey East champions and, for a third straight year, win the Beanpot and qualify for the NCAA Tournament — all three of which would be unprecedented. Here are a few things to note about the Huskies’ 2019-20 schedule. Brutal start The beginning of the Huskies’ schedule will be a huge test for the team: • The Huskies open with a pair on the road at Union College. The Dutchmen were 20-13-6 last year, including 12-3-3 at home. Their road record wasn’t as strong, but they went into Matthews Arena and won two against NU, so that’s little comfort. • They get to come home after the tough Union trip… and face last year’s national championship runner-up, UMass-Amherst. Yes, the Huskies did beat them at Matthews last year, and the Minutemen graduated the incredible defender Cale Makar. But that win Jan. 19 saw the Minutemen badly outshoot NU, who survived thanks in large part to goalie Cayden Primeau, who left the school to begin his professional career with the Montreal Canadiens. • After a home date with Holy Cross, the Huskies go back on the road for two at St. Cloud State, who only went 30-6-3 last year, 17-0-1 at home. • The early onslaught ends Nov. 1 and 2 with a home-and-home with UMass (see above). A few things could come of this October slate. NU could more or less tread water, which would be pretty impressive and set them up nicely to move into a good position against the rest of their opponents. They could suffer a bad record to open, which would set them in a pretty deep hole and put an early damper on NCAA chances. Or they could

post a winning record in October and jump out as a top team in the country despite their offseason departures. A good record would be hard to deny as an indicator of the team’s strength, but a poor one could be taken with a grain of salt (at least if you’re an optimist).

Not your average road trip Though their strength of schedule softens up after October, fatigue could continue to be a factor thanks to a trip across the ocean at the end of November for the Friendship Four series in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They’ll play a pair of games against New Hampshire and either Colgate or Princeton, but the excitement and strain of trans-Atlantic travel could affect the Huskies in some fashion moving past that weekend. More Beanpot-week travel The most awkward thing in college hockey might be the game played in the six days between Beanpot Mondays. All four Beanpot teams get amped up for the opening-round game, and then sights are set on the championship round a week later. Except there’s a random other game to be played between Beanpot games, and as it’s late in the season, it’s probably pretty important. Last year NU had to travel to Providence, which has always been a tough place for them to play, especially after an exciting overtime win over BU at the Garden with a championship matchup against BC looming. They lost to the Friars, which hurt their Hockey East and NCAA chances (though that didn’t end up mattering). This year NU travels even further — up to Orono, Maine. If they can beat Harvard in the Beanpot opener, they’ll be staring at a chance for a third consecutive Beanpot win, which would be unprecedented for the program. Somehow, head coach Jim Madigan would have to get his team to focus on the Maine game, which will likely be important in the race for the Hockey East title. BC and BU Games against Boston College and Boston University are traditionally the most anticipated for NU fans. They play just two against each this

Men’s hockey schedule 2019-2020 When | Who | Where

Friday, Jan. 3 | Connecticut | Storrs, Connecticut Monday, Jan. 6 | Bentley | Matthews Arena

Saturday, March 7 | Boston University | Agganis Arena

Indicates a Hockey East game.

Indicates a Beanpot game.

Indicates a Friendship Four game. Bold text indicates a home game at Matthews Arena. year (outside the Beanpot), both for home-and-home series. Furthermore, the home game with BC is on a Thursday, and both BU games

take place while NU students are on spring break. These games could be season-changers as they all come in

the last two weeks of the season, but they’ll probably lack the typical electricity that come with those matchups.

Men’s volleyball wins nat’l championship By Jordan Baron Sports Editor Gregory Zaylor had gotten close. Oh so close. Zaylor, now coach of the Northeastern men’s club volleyball team, graduated three years ago after playing on the team for many years. He had competed in the national tournament before. He watched as the best teams in the nation fought it out in the final rounds of the competition. He was a spectator to the celebration of past winners. But, he had never tasted that victory himself. That all changed this past April, when the Huskies emerged as victors of the national tournament, hosted in Denver, for the first time in their 10 year history. They defeated Xaviar in the final match of the gold bracket by a score of 2-0. The Huskies had an overall record

of 9-1 during the tournament, losing only to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on the first day. On the final day of the tournament, NU played Georgia Tech, the University of Buffalo, Navy, and Xavier, a lineup of teams known for their skilled performance on the court. To make a long story short, the journey to the top was quite difficult. The victory meant a lot to the players on the team, many of which have been to national’s many times before and returned home empty handed. “It was surreal,” said team captain Alex Esco. “I told my guys at the beginning of the year [that] we have the talent and potential to win nationals, and we’re going to do it. This was a perfect ending to a fantastic year with the guys and a fantastic five years as a player and as a captain.” The victory also served as a

bounce-back performance for the Huskies, who had recently lost their regional championship. This proved not to falter them, however, as they took the loss as motivation to push them into the national championship and take home a title. The scale of the national tournament is also something that should not be taken lightly. The tournament, run by the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation (NCVF), consists of five divisions, each housing 48 teams. This year there were over 5000 volleyball players there. Members of the team cite the team chemistry as the main reason that the Huskies were so successful this year. “There was just a chemistry that I’ve never felt before on and off the court. Everyone was super close and in lockstep with each other,” said Eliot Smullen, a third-year who has

been a member of the team since his first year at NU. “There was definitely a lot of feelings for playing for a teammate and the other guys out on the court. There was a lot of trust and intangible meshing that I feel was a huge part in the tournament and finishing up our season.” Coach Zaylor takes into account the same mindset and strives to make team chemistry a large part in his coaching process. “They wanted the best for the team and for each other and I think that that is the best quality that you can have in a team and a teammate and a player is that they care more about the team than they do about themselves and they care more about their teammates than they do about themselves,” he said. Going forward, the team hopes to continue their successes and bring home another trophy. Smullen thinks

of this year’s team as a blueprint for the success of future teams who hope to repeat as national champions. “I think it is a blueprint going forward for what a team should be comprised of,” he said. “That chemistry is just as important as building volleyball skills.” The victory sparked joy in the players, but seemed to light an even more powerful fire in the heart of Coach Zaylor, who is confident in his abilities to continue as head coach. He is excited to continue to work with the guys he has competed with for years. The experience of winning a national title seems to have brought him closer to his players. “It was a really special experience that they are never going to forget,” he said. “I’m certainly never going to forget it. It was an incredible feeling.”

SPORTS

September 19, 2019

Page 9

Esports brings competitive gaming to light By Jordan Baron Sports Editor Communication. Practice. Dedication. Hard work. Persistence. Focus. All key aspects to baseball, soccer, football, hockey and … video games. That’s right — esports, or competitive video gaming, is a growing community of competitors who devote their time to practicing a particular game in hopes of competing with other players around the world. Tournaments spanning the globe grow in popularity each year, as some of the major games put up prize pools amounting to millions of dollars for the first-place winner. At Northeastern, the esports community is organized into one club sport organization called NUEsports. The organization has been around since 2017 and is home to teams from 11 different game titles ranging from competitive card games like Hearthstone to first-person shooters like Counter Strike: Global Offensive. The organization began as multiple teams for different games attempted to create their own NU team. “At the time there were teams starting clubs like Counter Strike, Rocket League, Overwatch, so we decided instead of doing different clubs we should partner up and do one club,” said Rick Menasce, the esports administrative and operations assistant at Club Sports. Each game title has three to four teams that run within it. Most of these teams compete at the same skill level, but they are labeled A, B, C and so on. Within the club, there are over 30 individual teams. The team has also worked out a deal with the university athletics department that allows them to have their own playing and practice space. It is located in Squashbusters and is host to many gaming setups where teams practice their skills and prepare for tournaments. Most competitions, excluding the large championships, are online, so a lot of the actual competing takes place in their playing space as well. Like many club sports teams, tryouts are the main method by which players are recruited. This year, incoming students and club members were able to come to the

Photo by Jordan Baron Members of the rocket league team practicing in the NUEsports play space in Squashbusters. club headquarters to show off their skills. “Normally we have three club sports teams which compete in Rocket League … but this year we actually had enough talent where we were able to field four teams for club sports, so that is cool and will add another element to our program,” said Travis Peabody, the Rocket League game chair. While many mark off video gaming and esports as an activity that cannot be related to actual competitive sports, many within the gaming community believe it to be widely comparable to any sport out there. “In most esports there is still a level of physical prowess, usually in precision. The ability to control your body at a very precise level is very important in esports,” said third-year Luis Prata, a member of the club

Photo by Jordan Baron A member of NUEsports practicing in their playspace, which is home to 11 computers and setups all given to the club by the university.

Hearthstone team. “There is still a very strong competitive attitude there, which is something that is seen in every sport. There is a drive to win, the drive to improve yourself and the love for the competition.” Communication is also widely important in most esports, as it is in traditional sports like football, basketball or hockey.

“Communication is the biggest thing,” said Will Decramer, the Hearthstone game director. “No matter whether you are playing football or playing Overwatch, the sheer level of communication and how in sync you have to be with the other [players]. You have to be really well practiced.” For Menasce, who has been par-

taking in both competitive esports and competitive traditional sports for years of his life, the debate over the definition of esports is not of concern. “Honestly, for me it doesn’t matter if it is [classified as a sport] or if it isn’t,” he said. “At the end of the day it is here, and it is here to stay.”

OPINION

Page 10

September 19, 2019

Op-Ed: ISEC Phase II presents new problems Northeastern is planning to build another ISEC building, barely two years after the first opened. On May 2, 2019, Kathy Spiegelman, vice president and chief of campus planning and development at NU, sent a letter to the Boston Planning and Development Agency stating that the project, dubbed ISEC II, would be located “just west of the existing Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building.” In this letter, Spiegelman also claims the project will create new classrooms and laboratories, expand the campus across the MBTA tracks and create new public spaces for the surrounding residential community to enjoy. Yes, ISEC II will give STEM students cutting-edge technologies and resources to supplement and nurture their education. And yes, ISEC II will create new innovative research spaces that further propel Northeastern’s status as a university with high research output. However, the project ignores existing issues Northeastern students encounter and, contrary to what the letter says, creates new problems for residents that live in the area. Any Northeastern student can affirm the university struggles to manage overcrowdedness on campus. After classes end, the serene tree-lined pathways and quads become congested with students rushing to their next destinations: whether it be class, Snell Library or Rebecca’s Cafe. With the addition of a new ISEC building, some STEM majors will avoid this foot traffic. They will also be able to claim not only one, but two buildings on the Columbus Avenue side of the

tracks as their home. Meanwhile, non-STEM majors will continue to be relegated to older buildings and classrooms with aging infrastructure and fewer resources. The construction of ISEC II only serves to reinforce the opinion held by many studying the arts, humanities and social sciences that Northeastern has a STEM bias. The first ISEC cost Northeastern $225 million. ISEC II, planned to span over 100,000 square feet more than the existing one, will no doubt cost the university significantly more. The necessity of building yet another center dedicated to STEM on the heels of completing the first one must be questioned. Imagine if the administration used this money to invest in resources integral to the lives of all Northeastern students instead, such as Snell Library or University Health and Counseling Services — which remain overcrowded, underfunded and in dire need of further funding and expansion. In addition, and arguably more importantly, the construction of ISEC II further gentrifies the Roxbury neighborhood. The project represents Northeastern’s thirst for expansion and disregard for the residents of neighboring communities it encroaches on. ISEC II only adds to a long list of prior developments that have created difficulties for Roxbury residents. For example, the LightView residence hall, which opened in August this year, takes advantage of a loophole in the Boston zoning

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Cartoon by Pete McKay code that allows some projects to build past Roxbury’s construction height limit of 65 feet, yet the residence hall tops out at 230 feet. Residents argued the building goes against the “spirit of what Roxbury is supposed to look like.” Contrary to the vision Roxbury natives have of their neighborhood, it is safe to predict that ISEC II is likely to look like something out of Star Trek once finished, similar to the existing ISEC. The creation of ISEC II only continues to change the face, character and spirit of the Roxbury

neighborhood, against the will of its inhabitants. Despite such a positive image promoted by the administration regarding ISEC II, let’s not forget about the students and residents it directly affects. We, as students, should not be easily persuaded by the university’s smoke and mirrors around this project, and should instead take its detrimental impacts on our community under consideration. Poon Singhatiraj is a first-year international affairs major.

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Op-Ed: Marginalized at NU — my experiences As a gay, disabled, racially ambiguous, African American man currently experiencing poverty, I am struggling to access the full range of resources Northeastern University offers its students. The institutional bias I have experienced toward my intersecting marginalized groups make me feel unheard when I speak against injustice — it’s as if nobody knows my name. Undeterred, I follow in the footsteps of my Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. brother, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by continuing the legacy of a generation of movement scientists committed to approaching social change systematically. I am a 2011 alumnus and have returned to Northeastern as an MLK Fellow to pursue a masters in urban policy and eventually earn a doctorate in network science. During my undergraduate tenure, I was president of the Black Student Association, an orientation leader and homecoming king. I currently serve as the secretary of records for the Northeastern Student of Color Caucus, or NSCC. As a student who has always been active in the NU community, it saddens me that my experience has been marked with several acts of discrimination and microaggressive behaviors. For example, last year my classes were “purged” due to an avoidable misunderstanding involving my student loans. The university’s actions effectively removed my student status, thus denying me access to financial aid and leaving me homeless. This demeaning process occurred

after my assigned Student Financial Services adviser called the Northeastern University Police Department, or NUPD, because she felt my “close proximity” and “word choice” were threatening. The situation reminded me of the infamous viral videos including BBQ Becky, Permit Patty and Cornerstore Caroline, where white women weaponize the police against persons of color. An NUPD officer summoned me to an interrogation room where he attempted to coerce me into a false confession. The stress of the experience triggered my post-traumatic stress disorder and resulted in a subconscious state where I was constantly anticipating danger. The situation could’ve been avoided had the officers known how to better interact with students who have psychiatric disorders. Fortunately, I have been blessed with a strong mental health team outside of NU, which is necessary when a student has a history of negative encounters with the campus police. Last semester, as part of my narrative psychotherapy, I expressed the emotions I felt in my dreams and reality on Twitter, only to have them misconstrued by NUPD. As a result, they initiated Section 12 of Chapter 123 Massachusetts law, which mandates an “emergency restraint and hospitalization of [a person] posing risk of serious harm by reason of mental illness.” The university’s standard protocol is to conduct a wellness check to determine if this policy needs to be enacted. While the protocol is well-intentioned, the way in which it was conducted was

traumatizing for me. NUPD called to inform me that they sent seven police officers to my off-campus home so they could have me committed to a psychiatric ward because I “have a history of mental health treatment.” I am struggling to understand how a UHCS psychiatrist, who I had never met, is justified in signing away hours of my freedom during finals, simply because I tweeted about a dream. In order to protect and serve, campus police are entrusted with the power to take away life and liberty. As students, we place an extraordinary level of trust in the people policing our campus, yet it appears as if Northeastern’s policies are designed to absolve officers of any accountability. I’ve had several meetings with NUPD, but they are unwilling to share their policies or procedures surrounding mental health training. In response, I am advocating for a safety plan with the Disability Resource Center that details how officers should be trained to avoid triggering situations. My goal is to implement this policy under the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, as I require the protections it grants to myself and others with disabilities, to circumvent the unintended health effects resulting from their behavior. Otherwise, how can we protect students from campus police when the institution fails to do so? President Joseph E. Aoun provides the answer in his book “Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” in which he

describes NU as a model for higher education. I believe in Northeastern University’s 2025 vision, yet I am struggling to see how we get there. NUPD’s behavior does not align with President Aoun’s humanics curriculum, and if we don’t wish to automate inequality, the university must acknowledge the humanity of those who are made targets by this institutional bias. Northeastern is proclaiming to be “leading an evolution of the profession” and I fear, if unaddressed, the bias in our university model will reproduce the same problems Aoun proclaims to have solved. To fill this gap, members of the NSCC are developing algorithms capable of measuring unconscious bias using Human Perception AI. In order to meet the personalized needs of our global network, we must evolve the university’s ecosystem by shifting institutional power to create equitable transformations. We are advocating for the reform of university policies to ensure that no other student is put into my position — like they are trapped in an episode of the Netflix series “When They See Us.” We remain committed to holding Northeastern accountable by speaking our uncomfortable truths and welcome students to join our town halls as we actualize our collective liberation in this Age of Humanics. Jordan E. Clark is a graduate student and Secretary of Records for the NSCC. There are video links in the online version of this op-ed.

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LIFESTYLE

September 19, 2019

Page 11

Calendar compiled by Morgan Lloyd | Graphics by Alaine Bennett

Thursday, Sept. 19

File Photo by Jordan Baron Tatte Bakery and Café has been a popular spot for students since it came to campus in the fall of 2018.

On-campus restaurants bring welcome variety The monotony of dining hall food gets old very quickly on many college campuses. Luckily for Northeastern students, there are plenty of other options to choose from — and some even take meal swipes.

esque Mexican-style eatery. But ask any Northeastern student and they’ll emphatically tell you that Amelia’s blows both out of the water. It doesn’t take meal swipes, but the prices are reasonable — and the fact that it’s open until 2 a.m. on Saturdays is enough to ensure that every student will most likely go there at least once.

Rebecca’s Café Like most students, I heard about Rebecca’s through the grapevine. I’ll never forget the first time my friends and I went to Rebecca’s from the library — we put it in Google Maps and realized we were standing 500 feet away. Rebecca’s is our favorite spot because it offers a variety of fresh and pre-made sandwiches, grill options and soups and salads — and is also open for breakfast. Most students choose it as their go-to on-campus eatery due to the variety and high quality. More than those factors, the atmosphere in Rebecca’s is one that most students would agree is purely “Northeastern.” It’s the perfect place to go for anything from a casual lunch with friends to an intense study session.

Café Crossing Located far from everything else on campus — at the back of International Village — Cafe Crossing is worth the hike. In exchange for one meal swipe you can get a salad, sandwich or soup and a piece of fruit. All that comes with a bottled drink, or a Starbucks coffee or tea. They also offer baked goods and snacks daily. Catherine Titcomb, a third-year business administration and design major, likes Cafe Crossing because it’s a healthy option and “it’s so bright and sunny in there, you just feel good about yourself when you’re in there.” The atmosphere and variety of options make it a popular spot. Between classes, the line snakes through the entire restaurant and out the door.

Amelia’s Taqueria After Rebecca’s, the next most beloved restaurant on campus is Amelia’s. It’s a Chipotle or Qdoba-

Tatte Bakery and Cafe Ever since this popular Boston chain came to Northeastern in the fall of 2018, it has been almost

By Lucy Hoffman News Correspondent

constantly full of students. Tatte is an Israeli-inspired cafe, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as a full espresso and drink menu. It’s hard to miss on Northeastern’s campus — right underneath Marino Recreation Center. The line can sometimes be out the door, but the wait is worth it for their famous shakshuka and cappuccino. Outtakes An important place for freshmen with meal swipes to remember is Outtakes. Situated right next to Stetson West Eatery, it offers groceries and premade meals in exchange for meal swipes. If on Friday you still have seven unused meal swipes, Outtakes is the place to go. Conclusion There are so many more delicious restaurants on campus. Some others to mention are Chicken Lou’s, Kigo Kitchen and Boston Shawarma. The most important thing about all the restaurants on campus are the relationships they build with Northeastern students. There are plenty of delicious options for Northeastern students to choose from when it comes to on-campus restaurants, and it’s probably one of the reasons many students stick around for six years!

Catch eclectic rockers The Garden at a free AfterHours concert put on by Northeastern’s own record label, Green Line Records. The band refers to its genre as “vada vada,” a phrase they coined to mean “total freedom of expression without boundaries or guidelines of any sort.” Doors 6:30 p.m., show 7:00; AfterHours; free +1 with Northeastern ID.

Thursday, Sept. 19

Grab your black eyeliner and Vans shoes and get ready to party like it’s 2005 at Emo Night at the Sinclair, featuring DJs Luke O’Neil and Nick Grieco. 9:30 p.m.; The Sinclair, 52 Church St, Cambridge; no cover, 21+ only.

Friday, Sept. 20

Humor magazine Times New Roman and improv troupe No Jokes take the AfterHours stage in a rare joint appearance for a night of laughter. 7 p.m., AfterHours, free with Northeastern ID.

Saturday, Sept. 21

As part of the nationwide event Museum Day Live, the Harvard Art Museums are offering free admission all day. Check out great art without paying exorbitant prices. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Harvard Art Museums; free with reserved ticket.

Saturday, Sept. 21

Come see Fenway Park for free at CollegeFest, a back-to-school party featuring free giveaways from over 70 brands. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fenway Park; free with college ID.

Saturday, Sept. 21 For creators of bilingual poetry or those interested in supporting local poets, check out Poetry is a Bridge at the Frugal Bookstore. 2 p.m.-5 p.m.; Frugal Bookstore, 57 Warren St, Roxbury; free.

Sunday, Sept. 22

Calling all dumpling fans and casuals to Cambridge for a festival featuring 15 local restaurants and food trucks and their tantalizing variations on dumplings. 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., 95 Prospect St, Cambridge, $5 general admission day-of-event.

Sunday, Sept. 22 Catch singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco’s brand of “jizz jazz” at the Orpheum Theatre with supporting acts guitarist Dustin Wong and pop artist Takako Minekawa. Doors 8 p.m.; Orpheum Theatre; tickets $29.50-$39.50.

Wednesday, Sept. 25 File Photo by Louise Dechelle Rebecca’s Café, a Northeastern student favorite, draws large crowds in between classes.

Have you always wanted to learn how to take award-winning concert photos, but don’t know where to start? Tastemakers magazine will show you the tools of the trade. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.; AfterHours; free.

LIFESTYLE

Page 12

September 19, 2019

Photo by Kelly Chan The new mural at Ruggles station, entitled “JOY,” brings life to the previously bleak wall, much like the rest of artist Silvia López Chavez’s works on streets throughout the city.

Silvia López Chavez:

serving the community through art By Kelly Chan News Correspondent The entrance to Ruggles station on Northeastern University’s west side of campus is more than a major hub for Boston commuters and college students. Local street artist Silvia López Chavez has creatively transformed it into a symbol of hope and joy. Among the mural’s endless spiraling waves of color and whimsical clouds, a woman closes her eyes and blows bubbles into the sky, as if in a state of pure bliss. This vibrant wall, appropriately named “JOY,” is just one example of Chavez’s vast collection of murals all over the city. Originally from the Dominican Republic, 42-year-old artist Chavez has painted her way through the streets of Boston for the past three years. With a fine arts background from the Altos de Chavón School of Design, Chavez moved to Boston in 1997 to continue her art studies and graduated with a degree in illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. While her work mostly involved a studio at the time, Chavez began to expand her canvas to the city walls after some community service experience sparked her goal of spreading joy to those around her. “My murals are always about connecting and uplifting. They always bring a positive message, and they all have that in common.”

Chavez emphasized the importance of her work with the Boston Children’s Hospital as an artist in residence in the hospital’s creative arts program. The program, funded by a one-year research grant, explored the healing effects of art in lowering stress and anxiety levels among its patients. She credits the inspiration of “JOY” to a powerful tradition she witnessed at the hospital: the celebration of each discharged child. The children would exit the hospital with their families in a sea of bubbles — a bubble tunnel — blown by the nursing staff and specialists, congratulating and supporting their victories. “It was just a good reminder for me that we really have to celebrate the small things, especially in a time where there’s so much bad happening and in the face of so many challenges and difficulties,” Chavez said. “It’s important to recognize the good things that are happening and celebrate.” Understanding the role of Ruggles station and the stresses of the people who use it every day, including herself when she worked for the hospital, Chavez hoped to bring positivity to those passing through the station and remind them of the small things that bring joy. “It takes me 10 minutes to get from the hospital to the station,” she said. “Those 10 minutes at the end of the day really felt like forever, sometimes. You’re processing all the things that happened during the

day. Sometimes, it would be great, and sometimes, it would be very difficult.” Her first mural in Boston holds a special place in her heart. Located on the bike path along the Charles River, this mural, “Patterned Behavior,” marks one of her favorite spots in the city, where she often has picnics with friends or watches the sun set over the river. This project was also significant as it was her first experience creating her own team — an all-female band of artists — to tackle the job. “We’d sing and dance and paint, and it was just a lot of fun,” she said. Working her way up as an artist, especially into a street artist, Chavez overcame several challenges from language barriers to finding jobs to working around the unpredictability of precipitation (she has three apps just for weather!). She attributes her artistic success to her work ethic, positive attitude and ability to engage with people around her, which derives from her work in serving the Boston community. That said, her change in work environments from the studio to the streets was a true obstacle. “Learning to work in public, that was very challenging,” she said. “It’s really a performative art in a way. You’re learning in public, and you’re also failing in public. In a studio, you can play, experiment, change and do things, and it’s just you, yourself, your artwork and

It was just a good reminder for me that we really have to celebrate the small things, especially in a time where there’s so much bad happening and in the face of so many challenges and difficulties. — Silvia López Chavez Boston street artist

your space, and I think that’s very different when you’re outside.” However, Chavez said her ability to connect with her audience in a public setting has been an important aspect to the meaning and impact of her work. “A lot of the work that I do as a street artist is really to engage with people as I’m working. I think it’s an opportunity for people to get an insight to what the artist is doing or how I’m painting or how things are being created right on the wall,” she said. “People have a lot of questions that they want to ask, and I love being able to shine light to that process so people can connect much more to the piece.” While much of her work lies on the city’s walls, Chavez does not stop furthering her work in her studio in the Boston Center for the Arts. Creating through both types of art keeps her in balance, she said, which allows herself “time to explore and continue to push through boundaries in her personal work.” Now, Chavez plans to continue widening her gallery of street art, especially before winter hits. She is working on murals in Waltham and Burlington, on the outskirts of Boston and even has sketches for the exterior of a plant in Ohio. “I feel like I drive around Boston all the time, and I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s the perfect spot for a mural!’” Chavez said. “I think that we could totally take over the city.”