Massachusetts Daily Collegian: Sept. 18, 2013

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

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‘If I want something, I really go for it’ D.C. gunman SGA Speaker Barrett

is busy, but excited

This article is part two in a series on top SGA officials.

By JaSon kotoch Collegian Correspondent O r i g i n a l ly f ro m California, Sïonan Barrett has always wanted to attend an east coast university. The University of Massachusetts, she said, has turned out to be a perfect fit.

Redondo Beach native Sïonan (pronounced Shannon) Barrett was elected speaker of the Student Government Association last spring after serving a short term as a senator. A sophomore journalism student, Barrett is a big personality with equally big aspirations.

As SGA speaker, Barrett is the mediating voice between the student body

and the administration. With this responsibility comes a great deal of satisfaction.

“I like to know that I can make a difference,” she said. “The SGA is really the bridge between the student voice and the administrators.”

Barrett is motivated; dedicating herself to the SGA without hesitation, she is looking forward to making the SGA much more visible on campus this year.

“Students can expect to see SGA members around campus tabling, talking and participating in the lives of UMass students,” she said.

Though only in her second year, Barrett has a full plate. Not only does she juggle class and SGA responsibilities, but she also runs a news segment with UVCTV, plays intermural tennis, is a resident assistant and works as a Eucharistic minister at the Newman Center.

As if this were not enough,

had past with mental illness

Purchased gun in VA on Saturday CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Sïonan Barrett, senate speaker, is also a tennis player, a resident assistant, a Eucharistic minister and runs a UVC-TV news segment.

Barrett is in the process of creating her own TV show, “The Show with Sïonan.”

The drive to work hard and participate fully in all aspects of campus life is part of who Barrett is: “If I’m stagnant, I’m bored. I always have to be learning something,” she said.

After graduating, Barrett

wants to work in broadcast journalism as a political news correspondent and she strives to one day become a news anchor. She is considering working in Boston or perhaps heading back west to Los Angeles if the opportunity arises. see

SPEAKER on page 3

Hoops!... I dId It agaIn

SHAINA MISHKIN/COLLEGIAN

Freshman Caitlin Knauss enjoys the beginning of fall weather by using hoops next to the Durfee Conservatory on Tuesday.

By RichaRd a. SeRRano, david S. cloud and Molly henneSSy-FiSke Tribune Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON – Six weeks ago, Aaron Alexis told people someone had threatened him at an airport in Virginia. A few days later, in Rhode Island, he heard voices. He thought people were speaking to him through “the walls, floor and ceiling” of the Navy base there, where he was working.

In his hotel room, the voices used “some sort of microwave machine” to send vibrations through the ceiling and into his body, a police report shows him saying. He could not sleep.

Alexis frequently moved as part of his contract work at military installations from New England to North Carolina; he arrived in Washington on Aug. 25.

He switched hotels several times until Sept. 7, when he finally settled into the Residence Inn - a mile from his new workplace at the historic Navy Yard on the capital’s waterfront.

On Saturday he visited a gun shop in the Virginia suburbs. He practiced firing a rifle, then purchased a Remington 870 shotgun and 24 shells. The shortbarrel weapon, known popularly as a “riot gun,” is commonly used by police and the military.

On Monday he reported to work with that shotgun.

The FBI says he had a valid pass to enter the base. At 8:15 a.m., in Building 197, the most crowded structure there, he opened fire, grabbed a pistol along the way, and killed 12 people, shooting at police until they killed him in a gun

battle that lasted about half an hour.

A day later, Alexis’ history of mental problems, his extensive disciplinary record from his time in the Navy, and his three arrests over the last decade - two of them for gun-related incidents - have generated numerous questions, many of them familiar from past mass shootings: How had police, the military and the company he worked for missed the accumulating signs of trouble? Why was the 34-year-old loner and drifter given an ID card that would allow him to easily come and go from military bases around the country without a security check? How could he so readily pass a background check to buy a shotgun?

Amid those questions, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel plans to order a review of security procedures at all Defense Department installations in the U.S., a Pentagon official said Tuesday.

At the company Alexis worked for, the Experts, an information technology company based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Chief Executive Thomas E. Hoshko said that despite having paid another company to conduct a background check on Alexis before hiring him in 2012, to Hoshko’s knowledge they “were never made aware of any criminal or health issues.”

“I have more questions than you, and I am working to find out what can be done to improve security on bases, as well as the security process,” he wrote in an e-mail.

Alexis’ secret-level security clearance, which he originally received in 2008 after joining the Navy, made him a valuable hire see

SHOOTING on page 3

UMass earns top ranking Knowing signs of suicide can potentially save lives for LGBT quality of life One of 53 schools to receive perfect score By cecilia PRado Collegian Correspondent The University of Massachusetts has again been named one of the top 25 colleges in the nation for the quality of life of its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students. The University has also received a five-star rating from Campus Pride’s Campus

Climate Index, one of only 53 colleges and universities to do so.

“UMass has a very supportive staff that always takes into consideration our recommendations to improve the LGBT campus life,” said Genny Beemyn, director of the Stonewall Center, the administrative office and campus resource for LGBT individuals.

Beemyn recalled an instance when the Stonewall Center suggested a policy change to both the registrar and UCard offices that would

allow transgender students to change their name to the one that represents their preferred gender identity on their UCard.

“They immediately took it into account,” Beemyn said of the administration. “The fact that the officials at such a big institution took the time to discuss a modification of their policies to benefit only a very small group of students per class says a lot about the level of support we receive.” see

LGBT on page 2

Resources available to those in need

By Jaclyn BRySon Collegian Staff

According to the National Center for Prevention of Youth Suicide, suicide is one of the leading causes of death for college students in the United States.

But Dr. Harry RocklandMiller, director of the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health

at the University of Massachusetts, wants you to know that there are ways to prevent this.

“Help is available. You’re not in this alone,” he said.

“Talk it out and if you are starting to have thoughts of suicide, get some professional help.”

Following National Suicide Prevention Week, which ran from Sept. 8- 14, Rockland-Miller said that he wants students to be more aware of the signs and the resources that can save lives.

“Historically, talking about suicide was something that was associated potentially with stigma or shame,” he said. “We want to normalize and give people information and educate and make it easier for people to reach out for help.”

According to RocklandMiller, over 15,000 visits were made to the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health last year.“At UMass, we have a community of care,” he see

PREVENTION on page 2

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THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

THE RU N D OW N ON THIS DAY...

In 2007, UMass began an inspection of the elevators in the W.E.B. Du Bois Library after a malfunction in August caused an elevator to crash from the 27th floor. The elevators had originally been installed in 1972.

AROUND THE WORLD

Egypt attempts to squeeze out Brotherhood CAIRO – Demonstrating determination to quash the Muslim Brotherhood rather than seek to draw the Islamist group back into the political fold, Egyptian authorities on Tuesday arrested a prominent spokesman for the organization and renewed a freeze on the financial assets of senior leaders.

The latest steps by the interim government, reported by Egypt’s state news agency MENA, appeared to be an effort to capitalize on the strong anti-Brotherhood sentiment that cuts across much of the country’s political spectrum and has buoyed the interim government.

Army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, viewed as the key architect of the July 3 coup against Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and a subsequent bloody crackdown on Morsi’s followers, is being publicly lionized and urged by fervent supporters to run for president.

After more than 2 { years of turmoil spawned by the revolution that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011, the authoritarian bent of the current administration is doing little to dampen popular acclaim for el-Sissi.

Meanwhile, most of the Muslim Brotherhood’s leadership is imprisoned, as are hundreds of rankand-file followers. Human rights groups have sharply criticized conditions under which the detainees are being held, and say many prisoners have been denied basic rights. The use of military trials has also risen dramatically.

In a steady drumbeat of pressure against the Brotherhood, its main English-language spokesman, Gehad El-Haddad, was arrested Tuesday in Cairo and charged with incitement, MENA said.

El-Haddad, whose linguistic ability and regular presence on Twitter helped him present a moderate face of the Brotherhood to the world press, was a highly visible figure, though his degree of influence within the organization was harder to gauge.

Augmenting the squeeze on the Brotherhood, a court ruled Tuesday that financial assets of senior leaders would remain frozen.

The Cairo Criminal Court upheld a previous order to “temporarily” freeze the assets of several of the organization’s top officials, including spiritual leader Mohammed Badie and his deputies, the state news agency said.

Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected president, has been held by the military in an undisclosed location since the army drove him from power after a deeply unpopular one-year rule. He is facing an array of legal accusations, including some murder-related charges stemming from the deaths of protesters.

MCT

LGBT

PREVENTION

continued from page 1

The Stonewall Center at UMass was one of the first centers of its kind in the nation when it first opened its doors on campus in 1985.

Since then, it has provided services that include cultural and educational programming, LGBT ally training sessions, a speakers bureau on LGBT issues, as well as support and advocacy for individuals who experience harassment and discrimination on the flagship Amherst campus.

With the help of the Stonewall Center, UMass has already implemented

many inclusive policies such as a variety of student organizations, including Pride Alliance; new staff training opportunities on sexual orientation and gender identities issues; gender inclusive restroom facilities; LGBT housing options and support groups.

Today, members of the LGBT community and their allies experience a relaxed atmosphere on campus.

“I find it very liberating that I can walk around campus holding my partner’s hand without encountering any sort of harass-

ment,” said UMass student Andres Patino, adding that this “type of atmosphere” he didn’t have back home..

“It has helped me to be comfortable with who I am and to succeed (in) my studies,” Patino added.

“Of course, there is still a lot of work to do, but they have amazing resources at Stonewall and Pride Alliance that really help to create a great environment”, said sociology major Sam Ingemie.

Cecilia Prado can be reached at sprado@umass.edu.

US Census Bureau: No change in poverty rate Percent steady for first time in 5 years By tony Pugh McClatchy Washington Bureau WASHINGTON – The nation’s elevated poverty rate and stagnant median household income showed no meaningful changes in 2012, while the number and percentage of Americans without health insurance declined slightly from 2011, due mainly to higher Medicare rolls, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report Tuesday.

Last year marked the first time in five years that there was neither a decrease in median household income nor an increase in the percent of Americans in poverty, said David Johnson, the chief of the Census Bureau’s social, economic and housing statistics division. It was also the first time since 1992 that the annual changes in income and poverty weren’t statistically significant.

Those findings show that the economic and social well-being of Americans continued to stabilize in 2012 after several years of tumultuous decline following the Great Recession, which began in late 2007 and lasted until mid-2009.

But families still have a way to go to recapture even the modest economic strength of the weak prerecession labor market.

Median household income - the amount at which half the country earns less and the other half earns more - was $51,017 last year. That’s not statistically different from the 2011 median of $51,100, but it does halt two straight years of decline.

For working-age households headed by a person younger than 65, the median income increased by 1 percent, from $56,802 in 2011 to $57,353 last year.

But that slight uptick hardly makes up for the 9.3 percent decline - a loss of $5,815 - among workingage households from 2007 to 2011.

From 2000 to 2012, median income for these non-

elderly households fell by $7,490, or 11.6 percent.

The numbers reflect a sluggish job market and long-term wage stagnation, said Lawrence Mishel, the president of the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal economic research center.

“We’re not seeing much growth in jobs,” he said.

“We’re not seeing much growth in wages for anybody, college graduates or those without a college degree. It shouldn’t be surprising that people’s incomes are going nowhere if they’re not working more, having more jobs or getting increases in their weekly paychecks.”

The national poverty rate remained at 15 percent last year, according to the census report, with 46.5 million people earning at or below the federal poverty line of $11,170 for an individual and $23,050 for a family of four. It was the second year in a row that the number of people in poverty and the poverty rate showed no meaningful change. The poverty rate was 12.5 percent in 2007, the year before the economy tanked.

The number and percentage of Americans without health insurance fell from 48.6 million, or 15.7 percent, in 2011, to 48 million, or 15.4 percent, in 2012, the census report found. The decline was driven mainly by an increase of nearly 2 million people with Medicare coverage as the first wave of aging baby boomers, born from 1946 to 1964, became eligible for the program.

Medicare enrollment jumped from 46.9 million in 2011 to nearly 48.9 million in 2012.

The census report comes at a time that each of the three measurements - poverty, health insurance coverage and income - is a hot-button issue across the country.

States are debating whether to cover more uninsured people through Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act. At least 10 states and several cities are considering increases to their minimum

DailyCollegian.com

wages as new research from the University of Chicago shows that a record 8.4 percent of Americans now consider themselves “lower class.”

Meanwhile, Republicans in the House of Representatives want to cut food stamp funding by $40 billion, despite a government report earlier this month that showed 17.6 million households had trouble putting enough food on the table last year.

The report found that Asians had the highest median household income, at $68,600, while non-Hispanic whites were next, at $57,000. Hispanics, who can be of any race, followed at $39,000, while the median income for AfricanAmericans was $33,300. The amounts for each group were lower than their prerecession levels, the Census Bureau’s Johnson said.

The median income for men was $49,400, compared with $37,800 for women, in 2012. Both amounts are virtually unchanged from 2011.

Poverty rates continued to show wide disparities among racial and ethnic groups. African-Americans and Hispanics had poverty rates of 27.2 percent and 25.6 percent, respectively, in 2012. The rate for Asians was 11.7 percent, and it was 9.7 percent for nonHispanic whites. All those rates were about the same in 2011, Johnson said.

For those under 18, the poverty rate was 21.8 percent.

Income inequality - the growing concentration of total income at the upper end of the economic ladder - showed no appreciable change from 2011 to 2012.

But it’s grown substantially since 1999, the year that household income peaked before the 2001 recession.

The income cutoff for the 10 percent of households with the lowest incomes declined by 14.2 percent from 1999 to 2012, the report showed. But the cutoff amount for the 10 percent of households with the highest incomes declined by only 1.7 percent over the same period.

said. “We are a community that actively cares for each other and our students and there are lots of resources available.”

He added that according to national studies, up to 10 percent of college students in a given year will have thoughts of suicide, and while not many of those will actually make an attempt to end their lives, seeking help early is an important step to take on the road to recovery.

“The earlier you step in in that continuum, the better it is,” said RocklandMiller.

He also added that friends and families should be active bystanders, willing to help loved ones who may be struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide.

“Friends and family can do a lot,” he said. “You want to be supportive and non-judgmental, be a good listener and you want to help direct your friend or family member to professional help.”

According to RocklandMiller, the signs to look for in someone who may be struggling include an overall depressed mood, feelings of hopelessness, change in eating and sleeping habits, difficulty concentrating, mood swings or

continued from page 1

even a change in alcohol or drug usage.

Students with any of these signs are encouraged to seek help in one of the many programs offered on or off campus. Those offered at the center include 24/7 crisis and emergency consultation, brief and intermittent psychotherapies and psychiatric consultations. Rockland-Miller also added that the center has a community provider network where students can be referred to off-campus help.

With so many resources readily available, he said that what he wants most is for students to know that there is no shame in feeling depressed and seeking help.

“This is relatively common,” he said of students who may have some suicidal thoughts. “I want to normalize people seeking out support.”

Students in need of help or someone to talk to are encouraged to contact the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health at 413-545-2337 or call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Jaclyn Bryson can be reached at jbryson@umass.edu.

Company uses Twitter to gauge city’s emotions UMass alumna part of research team

By Catherine Ferris Collegian Correspondent

New York City.

According to a press release on the institute’s website, the research group was able to discover patterns in the variations of Twitter users’ feelings.

“On the whole, tweets are most positive near public parks like Central Park and the New York Botanical Garden, and most negative around transportation hubs,” the release said.

It was also noted that at different times the mood would shift, generally peaking at midnight, and dipping between nine a.m. and 12 p.m.. A map depicting patterns of mood was created based on the analysis, which provided detailed and accurate data.

The original research group gathered in April 2012. Bialik got involved in the last piece of data analysis, as well as a lot of writing and editing, at the beginning of the summer.

Bertrand said that “it would be interesting” for businesses to take the data into account when thinking about where people are shown to be less happy.

This research, however, only focuses on where various moods take place.

“People are just shown to be happier in a place that offers sights and greenery,” Bertrand said, referring to Central Park.

Bertrand said it would be great if the project could expand, and is looking into two other major cities, Boston being one of them.

The ability to map the mood of an entire city may seem far-fetched, but with the use of social media—specifically Twitter—research company New England Complex Systems Institute made it happen.

Karla Bertrand of NESCI press relations said that the institute focused on spatial geography, and the use of Twitter would help provide good information concerning people’s moods about certain areas.

U n ive r s i t y of Massachusetts alumna Maya Bialik is part of the research team.

“We wanted to see and show what could be done in social geography,” Bialik said. “The study of social systems is being advanced by the availability of social media data. We chose to tackle sentiment because it’s not clear at first glance that we can understand people’s feelings from the available data [tweets].”

The research project used data and an algorithm from Twitter to take glimpses of the mood in New York City and was able to follow it in real time. Bialik said that New York City was chosen “for no special reason, except we expected there would be enough geotagged tweets.”

Bialik also believed there would be some interesting Catherine Ferris can be reached at and unexpected findings in cferris@umass.edu.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

SHOOTING

SPEAKER

continued from page 1

“If I want something, I really go for it and I do everything I can to get it,” she said of her goals.

Ten minutes after a gas main broke in the middle of campus Sept. 12, Barrett was already the first one back in the SGA office, which had been previously evacuated, turning back on the lights and the air-conditioning.

Barrett is still settling into her new SGA home, located in room 420 of the Student Union. Her office is minimally adorned with UMass paraphernalia that sits on an almost cartoonishly large business desk.

The wall next to her swivel-

“I think I like my position as speaker and I would like to stay in this position because you have so much direct contact with your constituents every day.”

Sïonan Barrett, SGA speaker ing office chair is covered with neatly organized business cards and hand-written motivational sayings.

One lonely peppermint remained at the bottom of a candy dish, the result of many student meetings.

Although Barrett is always looking for new experiences, she knows she’s got a good thing going.

Though there are positions

above the speaker in the SGA hierarchy, Barrett is not looking to upgrade.

“I think I like my position as speaker and I would like to stay in this position because you have so much direct contact with your constituents every day,” she said.

Jason Kotoch can be reached at jkotoch@umass.edu.

for an IT company with contracts to work on classified computer networks.

And it allowed to him entry to the Navy Yard without being searched.

Like most military personnel, Alexis got his clearance as a routine matter so he could access the computers that he might use on a daily basis in his job as an electronics expert on C-40 cargo planes at Fort Worth Naval Air Station, Navy officials said.

The clearance was good for a decade, officials said.

Although his Naval record included several unauthorized absences from duty, instances of insubordination and disorderly conduct, one case of being absent without leave and several failed inspections, none of the problems rose to a level that would have jeopardized his clearance, they said.

When Alexis was discharged in 2011, his clearance became inactive, but it was reinstated without the need for additional investigation when he went to work for a contractor, officials said.

“The security clearance system is not foolproof,” said Steven Aftergood, a secrecy and security expert with the Federation of American Scientists.

“But what is reasonable to expect is that evidence of past criminal activity and a propensity to violence should be detected, and in this case the process failed to do that.”

Navy officials said that because of his disciplinary problems as a sailor, they had considered giving Alexis something less than an honorable discharge.

But since he had never been convicted of a crime and had glowing fitness reports, they eventually granted him an honorable separation.

In evaluations from 2007 to 2011, first reported by Fox News, Alexis was described as “an eager trainee” with “unlimited potential” and a “get-it-done attitude.”

A 2008 report called him a “talented technician” on aircraft electrical systems who should be promoted.

An arrest in Georgia in 2008 for disorderly conduct stemming from an incident at a bar, however, prompted a negative review.

“He has had a severe lapse in judgment on a number of occasions and has been counseled several times for inappropriate conduct,” the review said in the spring of 2009, noting that he had been reduced in rank and had his pay docked.

When Alexis appealed the punishment, it was overturned. Subsequent reviews were once again

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

3

continued from page 1

positive.

The system of background checks for gun purchases also failed to pick up Alexis’ problems.

J. Michael Slocum, an attorney for the Sharpshooters Small Arms Range and gun store in Lorton, Va., said that “Mr. Alexis’ name and other applicable information, including his state of residency, was provided to the federal (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) system, and he was approved by that system.”

The shotgun purchase appears to have complied with Virginia’s laws, which are less stringent than those in some other states.

In 2007, after 23-year-old student Seung-hui Cho killed 32 students and faculty members at Virginia Tech, then-Gov. Tim Kaine signed an executive order requiring that the names of all people involuntarily committed to mental health facilities be provided to a federal database that licensed gun dealers are supposed to check before they sell anyone a gun.

But Alexis does not appear to have been committed. In Rhode Island, when he reported hearing voices, police told him to stay away from the people he thought were bothering him, but otherwise took no action, according to a police report released Tuesday.

Rhode Island, like most other states, sets a fairly stringent standard for what officials must prove in order to involuntarily commit a person.

As a result, when Alexis reported to the Navy Yard, he “had legitimate access ... as a result of his work as a contractor, and he utilized a valid pass to gain entry to the building,” Valerie Parlave, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington field office, said at a news conference Tuesday.

Security at the base already has been reviewed.

A Defense Department inspector general’s report released Tuesday said that a computer database system the Navy had adopted to reduce costs while controlling contractors’ access had allowed convicted felons onto bases 52 times.

Several members of Congress quickly leapt on the report, saying it pointed to problems. “This apparent security lapse - permitting people with criminal records to freely access military bases and facilities - is deeply troubling,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a member of the Armed Services Committee.

Alexis arrived at the base with the shotgun, and “may have gained access to a handgun once inside the

facility and after he began shooting,” Parlave said.

Investigators believe he may have shot and killed a security guard and taken his weapon. Contrary to previous accounts that were widely reported on Monday, Parlave said Alexis had not used an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle.

Cathy Lanier, chief of Washington’s Metro Police Department, said police officers were at the Navy Yard within two minutes of the first calls for help.

Within four or five minutes, she said, seven police units were on the scene, trying to determine where the gunfire was coming from.

“There were different buildings, different calls, and different building numbers,” she said. After a short time, she said, “we had units outside the building where the shooter was, and they could hear another round of gunfire. They entered immediately and two of them started giving lookouts and passing information along.

“There were multiple engagements with the suspect with multiple agencies before the final shots were fired,” and this “saved numerous lives,” Lanier said.

Parlave said the FBI believed that Alexis acted alone. Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. attorney in Washington, said federal prosecutors nonetheless were investigating whether others assisted him in any way, even inadvertently.

“We’re not going to stop until we get answers to these questions,” he said.

Melinda Downs, 44, a close friend from Alexis’ days in Fort Worth, said she wished someone had helped him in other ways.

Although he stayed with her and her husband during part of August, Downs said she had no clue that he had been hearing voices while in Rhode Island. She said he did not mention being followed or frequently changing hotels, nor his previous arrests for firing a gun through the ceiling of his apartment and shooting the tires of a person’s car in Seattle.

But, Downs said, she wished police had done more when he called them in distress.

“Did they try to get him some kind of help?” she wondered. “Take him to a counseling center?”

“When someone calls in with this type of mental instability, and you do nothing and yet he has access to all these weapons - the police who took that call have some kind of accountability,” she said.

“Why didn’t they get him help?”

Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

“The mind is everything. What you think, you become.” - Buddha

Editorial@DailyCollegiancom

“Molly logic” misguided

University administra- The initiative is proactive tors recently cancelled in nature; it acknowledges September’s “Return to a current threat and takes steps to implement a susBrandon Sides tainable, long-term fix to benefit the health and safety Fantazia” show. Promoters of our community.

Mass Electronic Dance Similar initiatives include Music Community and the University’s efforts to NV Concepts intended for prevent student alcohol the show to be an annual abuse (via BASICS) and Mullin’s Center event; how- its efforts to foster a tightever Interim Vice Chancellor knit community through Enku Gelaye cited concerns the UMatter @ UMass camabout a recent series of con- paign In both cases, threats cert deaths related to a pure existed: students harming form of MDMA known as themselves through overMolly. Over the course of consumption of alcohol and this column, I will explain students feeling disempowthe University’s approach ered and isolated. In the to similar health hazards, case of BASICS, every first critique the school’s reac- year student learns about tionary logic behind the alcohol through the mandecision to cancel Fa n t a z i a (which I refer to as “Molly Logic”) and provide defens- datory MyStudentBody test. es against potential criti- In the case of UMatter @ administrators cisms of my stance on the UMass, educate residential life facissue.

The University sent an ulty and first years about email to all students and bystander intervention. In published a press release both instances, program explaining its reasoning leaders intend to protect behind the decision to can- potential victims through cel Fantazia. The release education. The logic behind identifies the primary rea- each program is proactive son for the cancellation as and longitudinal.

The Molly Logic that “concerns about the health and safety of the campus supports the cancellation community.” To support its of Fantazia is, in contrast primary reason, the release to the logic that supports then mentions “several the aforementioned initiaMolly-related deaths that tives, reactionary and shorthave been associated with sighted. As in the other electronic dance parties at examples, a threat exists: venues in New England and students irresponsibly consume an often-mislabeled New York.”

Everyone agrees that we drug without much regard should take steps to pre- to their safety. We can agree serve the health and safety that administrators should of the UMass community. eliminate this threat, but The University has recently the method in which it does begun several initiatives so is crucial. to manage other threats to If we apply the Molly reathe wellbeing of our com- soning to similar examples munity, but in dealing of threats to UMass comwith Molly, the University munity wellbeing, then the has adopted a reactionary resulting initiatives look stance to the threat. To illus- questionable. Alcohol probtrate this point, we should lem? Disband campus fraexamine similar instances ternities. of University threat manThe “Molly Logic” differs agement. in that it fails to tackle the Tobacco threatens the root of the threat to comhealth and safety of both munity health. If the faculty the individual consumer senate was to adopt proacand passers-by. The school tive and longitudinal rearightly took proactive steps soning, then some of these to eliminate this threat: it examples would follow: a launched its tobacco-free mandatory online quiz on campus initiative, began the health effects of MDMA, providing addiction services or perhaps simple education to tobacco users and dis- on the dangers of mixing cussed the issue in numer- various drugs. ous faculty senate meetings.

At a recent off-campus

electronic dance music concert that I attended, volunteers threw water bottles to (likely under the influence) attendees who were dancing nonstop. Doing so at Mullin’s Center EDM events would parallel the Sober Shuttle initiative: acknowledge that students experiment with drugs and attempt to prevent harm. Drunk students cannot safely drive themselves, and students under the influence of MDMA cannot dance without properly hydrating themselves.

I’d now like to dispel the most obvious criticisms that I will most likely be barraged with.

I am by no means advocating the use of MDMA. The drug is notoriously mislabeled and presents more danger than regulated drugs, whose ingredients a user can always verify.

Because of its mislabeling and the lack of scientific literature about its health effects, Molly presents a threat to the wellbeing of the UMass community. I do not endorse the use of a possibly mislabeled and relatively unknown substance.

I also fully support the University’s aim to prevent threats to the health and safety of our community. It falls within administrators’ roles to identify threats and proactively eliminate them through sustainable initiatives. The abuse of MDMA certainly presents such a threat. Though I part ways with the University’s methods of handling this specific threat, I fully endorse and appreciate faculty attempts to protect its students.

To cancel a concert simply reacts to a threat and fails to eliminate it in the long term. Nobody who received reimbursement for their ticket is better educated about the threat of MDMA. Those who intended to take MDMA at Fantazia will take it another time.

The threat to the community’s wellbeing still exists, unaffected by a reactionary and disappointing measure taken by UMass administrators.

The “Molly Logic” differs in that it fails to tackle the root of the threat to community health.

Brandon Sides is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at bsides@umass.edu.

What exactly are we celebrating after vindication of Syrian “red line”?

After several months of confusion and deliberation, Syria has agreed to give over

Julian del Prado

the entirety of its chemical weapons to the international community. Through the combined efforts of the United States and Russia, the international “red line” was enforced. This victory has dominated the news as talks on Syrian chemical weapons conclude in Geneva, resulting in the promise that Syria will renounce its chemical weapons capabilities “by the middle of next year,” or face the consequences.

I commend the surrendering of chemical weapons as much as anyone can, but the overwhelmingly celebratory attitude has me wondering what exactly the international community was trying to achieve through these negotiations with Syria.

Political conflict with Russia has been frequent and public, with issues concerning Edward Snowden, LGBT rights and the civil war in Syria exacerbating its decaying relationship with the U.S. A little over a month ago on the Jay Leno Show, President Barack Obama told the world that he has “no patience” for policies like Russia’s law banning “public discussion of gay rights and relationships,” CNN reported. Within a day, Obama cancelled talks in Moscow because of a “lack of progress” across a range of diplomatic issues.

For his part, Russian

President Vladimir Putin has given asylum to Edward Snowden, a direct affront to United States’ authority on the matter. Throw in Putin’s Sept. 11 op-ed in the New York Times, where he chided the United States for “relying solely on brute force” in the Syria conflict, and all the evidence tells me that the United States and Russia are

be so fundamental to the president’s beliefs, stands in stark contrast with the idea that other countries are starting to have a better outlook on the United States since Obama’s election as president. Now, as the U.S. and Russia celebrate successful talks in Geneva, we are left with a significant question: what are we celebrating?

Is this proposal for Syria to renounce its chemical weapons a victory for the civilian population of Syria? Only time will tell, although most of the casualties thus far have been caused by conventional— as opposed to chemical— weapons. Is this a celebration of international law? There is no guarantee of force in the event of the Syrian government refusing to comply, but in my opinion nothing short of force would be effective in that scenario. Regardless, it is clear that this is a victory for the reputations of Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. Most of all, this is a victory for the reputation of Vladimir Putin, who appears to have saved America from itself in the Middle East.

This celebratory attitude has me wondering what exactly the international community was trying to achieve through negotiations with Syria. on a mission to denounce one another. Yet here we are, celebrating their common ground and ability to cooperate on the Syria issue. So what happened?

I think the answer can be found in an occurrence at the beginning of this month, when Obama began gathering support to punish Syria for crossing the “red line” of chemical warfare. After losing English support and failing to gain U.N. support before the official conclusion of their investigation, I started to think that the United States was looking a bit silly in front of the rest of the world. The silliness was confirmed when Obama turned to Congress for support, which was a coin toss at best.

This lack of consensus, this lack of ability to get other countries on our side for an issue that appears to

Julian del Prado is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at jdelprad@umass.edu.

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The Massachusetts Daily Collegian is published Monday through Thursday during the University of Massachusetts calendar semester. The Collegian is independently funded, operating on advertising revenue. Founded in 1890, the paper began as Aggie Life, became the College Signal in 1901, the Weekly Collegian in 1914 and the Tri–Weekly Collegian in 1956. Published daily from 1967 to 2013, The Collegian has been broadsheet since January 1994. For advertising rates and information, call 413-545-3500.

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Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

“I’m a scientist of music.” - R. Kelly

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

FA S H I O N

UMass in Fashion: Alex Karkos Senior mixes and matches for the fall

By XiaoXiao Lederer Collegian Correspondent

The weather in Amherst has been temperamental.

Cold mornings transition into muggy afternoons, only to return to chilly evenings. The fluctuating temperature can make choosing a practical— let alone fashionable— outfit somewhat tricky.

Meet Alex Karkos, a senior anthropology major who seemed just as comfortable in the cooler lecture hall as she was outside in the bright sun while being photographed. Her outfit was composed of a loose-fitting, lightweight blouse and shorts with a pair of flat sandals. Despite its simple white color, the blouse had detailed, lace sleeves. The lightness of the top’s material balanced out its long sleeves, which Alex chose to cuff and secure.

Additionally, Alex wore a standard ribbed tank top underneath to compensate for the sheerness of the blouse, which also provided some needed warmth for the cold morning weather.

She paired the shirt with

a pair of cobalt blue cotton shorts, another great choice. The shorts added a great pop of color that works beautifully with Alex’s red hair, and will keep her legs cool when the day heats up.

Accessories can sometimes get lost in the frenzy of figuring out what to wear, but Alex carefully paired a tiered necklace with simple gold hoop earrings. The necklace, while flashy in structure, is constructed of subdued pink stones that peeked out from the open collar of her blouse. The gold earrings gave a classic touch and did not overwhelm the rest of her look. Finding a balance between clothing and accessories is enough to deter many people from even trying to mix the two, but Alex worked both to her advantage.

A large number of the spring/summer 2014 collections displayed at New York Fashion Week featured shorts as a key piece for the season. Band of Outsiders and Rachel Zoe showed the flexibility of shorts, each pairing the staple item with loosely structured tops and highlighting how a great pair of shorts can look both puttogether and effortless.

Arts@DailyCollegian.com

C U LT U R E

‘Trapped in the Closet’ comes to Amherst Cinema Fans sing along to the ‘hip hopera’

By Lauren romag Collegian Correspondent Having the opportunity—nay, the privilege—to get trapped in the closet with R. Kelly for Amherst Cinema’s Sing-Along event, a group of floor mates and I bravely went where few would think to go on a Friday night.

While waiting impa-

chapter. Audible gasps and moans were heard as the story progressed, with every audience member emotionally invested in the plot. Nothing short of thunderous applause drowned out the repeated last word that concluded each scene.

As midnight came and went, our minds were set to repeat the simple melody and our fingers to access the Internet and watch the newest online

XIAOXIAO LEDERER/COLLEGIAN

Alex Karkos caught our correspondent’s eye with her versatile look.

The ease of Alex’s outfit is exemplary of this season’s fashions, and her gravitation toward solid colors is a great way of interpreting the minimalism in many of the collections. However, she scored

her look at low-cost stores like Marshall’s and Forever 21. To create a similar look, learn more at dailycollegianfashion.tumblr.com.

XiaoXiao Lederer can be reached at xlederer@umass.edu.

FA S H I O N

Androgynous fashion blurs the lines Style with a hint of masculine edge

By Lauren Tom Collegian Correspondent The fashion industry has always been about bending and breaking boundaries with different looks. This is why the androgynous look is rapidly gaining popularity and turning heads as a new wave of trends inspired by masculine fashion are popping up everywhere.

Gender-blurred fashion is one way to create a bold statement in a society where sexual and gender identities are still confined and limited.

The androgynous look was first recognized in the Roaring ‘20s. In addition to the famous risqué flapper dresses that were popular at this time, an array of men’s clothing became wellknown in women’s fashion. Coco Chanel changed the fashion world with her more relaxed and less feminine and constricting outfits. Her menswear-inspired looks, such as suits, vests and trousers, changed and revolutionized how fashion was perceived. Following this trend, famous actresses such as Marlene Dietrich and Katherine Hepburn paved the way in making androgynous style iconic.

Lately in women’s fashion, androgyny has been very popular in the trendsetting world. It’s a look that women can achieve by mixing and matching masculine pieces with their own feminine flair. Celebrities like Alexa Chung, Rachel Bilson and Janelle Monae have been spotted sporting the androgynous look on the streets and at social events.

Even men mix in the androgynous look to their style. Metrosexual fashion has become increas-

ingly prominent as more men explore and become more in touch with their feminine side. Designers like Giorgio Armani, Rick Owens and Pierre Cardin embraced the unisex look as the fashion industry developed an allure and desire for androgynous style. The runway looks featured by these designers and others created a feminine feel in clothing for men, but managed to show masculinity through this style as well.

For women, the key to androgynous style is to keep the look simple and effortless while adding elements of your own. In addition, there is a variety of androgynous clothing brands that can provide one with the style. Clothing labels such as Original Tomboy, Androgyny, Marimacho, HauteButch, Wildfang, Saint Harridan, Veer NYC and VEEA are brands that sell many clothing styles that will help you get that androgynous look. However, these brands usually run on the pricier side – but that shouldn’t stop you from working this fearless look.

On your own, you can put together outfits by pairing boyfriend jeans or even high-waisted pants with a simple tee and cute cardigan over them. Also, a button-down top with black leggings and chunky jewelry is a look that anyone could pull off. For a dressier look, try a blazer in black to spice up a look from a casual dress to skinny jeans.

Accessories always help complete a look, and shoes usually help tie an outfit together. Try sporting oxfords or wingtips. Lace-up leather or suede spectator shoes are very masculine but also help balance out a girly, flirty outfit. Even Converse sneakers can suffice for this look. In addition, cute, simple flats or

ROB KIM/MCT

R. Kelly’s ongoing series has become a cult classic since it began in 2005.

UNCLEPOCKETS/FLICKR

Singer Janelle Monae rocks the androgynous look on and off the stage. kitten heels can help dress up any outfit.

In terms of the androgynous look, hair and makeup are very easy. A slickedback pony is always classy, or let your hair loose showing off a natural soft look. If you’re feeling bold, chop off those long locks and rock a cute pixie cut.

Makeup varies within the androgynous style. Try out a dark eye shadow or line your eyes in a grey or black pencil, but keep it simple. A nude lip color secures that fresh face simplicity that compliments the androgy-

nous look.

Androgyny can bring out a powerful and a strong selfconfidence in a woman that makes her feel fierce and sexy, in a non-revealing way.

To some, mixing masculine and feminine pieces seem like a daunting task; however, by combining these pieces, you can create a new kind of style to spice up your wardrobe and break out of the traditional confines and “male” and “female” clothing.

Lauren Tom can be reached at lktom@umass.edu.

tiently for the sold-out show to begin, we chatted with strangers whilst sizing up the attendees that we determined to be too irrational to actually cast aside their social lives for a film that followed the same two-chord pattern for the entirety of its running time (save one scene).

Inhibitions melted away when, following a raffle, strangers bumped and grinded, bounced and slid as three R. Kelly music videos played before the feature. Like the “Remix to Ignition,” it was the freakin’ weekend, baby, and we were about to have us some fun.

With a unison of squeals, something that can only be experienced once in a lifetime (unless you plan on attending the tentative spring viewing) began. An entire theater (save the few “Trapped” virgins like me) sang the opening lines and dutifully followed along with the subtitles that mirrored R. Kelly’s inflection to a T. Hard core fans of the hip hop ballad cried out “Twan!” with infinite and undying passion as he was introduced in a later

chapters that were not played in the cinema.

This led to philosophical questions posed on the way home, memories made and our story shared with proud excitement rather than timid embarrassment.

“Oh… yeah… I… maybe… had to attend a R. Kelly ‘Trapped in the Closet’ Sing-along event,” turned into “You guys, I went to this R. Kelly ‘Trapped in the Closet’ Sing-along event, and I now own all of the chapters on DVD.” During the event, we learned what it meant to be human. We loved both the individuals that graced the screen with their presence, and those in the audience who chose share their sorrow and joy. We lost a bit of our sanity and rationale and self-respect as we screamed “NO” when the credits began to roll and we realized that our experience had to come to an end.

Because of R. Kelly, we truly lived.

Lauren Romag can be reached at lromag@umass.edu.

6

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Comics

DailyCollegian.com

WE WANT YOUR COMICS! Put your comics in front of thousands of readers.

Questions? Comments? Email us: comics@dailycollegian.com

Growing Good: New on Soap.

P oorly D rawn l ines

We need dorm slides

B y r eza F arazmanD

w onDermark

B y D aviD m alki

aquarius

HOROSCOPES Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

If you haven’t bought all your halloween candy yet, you might be too late.

pisces

Feb. 19 - Mar. 20

leo

Jul. 23 - aug. 22

If it doesn’t come with free sprinkles and a smile, I don’t want it.

virgo

aug. 23 - Sept. 22

It might be a little too soon to get your pumpkin all carved and ready and pristine for Hallow’s Eve.

“Talk to your lawyers” just sounds so nice when spoken. Like butter, Virgo. Like butter.

aries

Mar. 21 - apr. 19

libra

Sept. 23 - Oct. 22

scorpio

Oct. 23 - nOv. 21

What is this “Breaking Bad” everyone is getting whipped up about? That’s not nice. It should be “Growing Good.”

The shopping center called Haigis Mall is actually under the real Haigis Mall. It can only be accessed through the Herter basement.

taurus

apr. 20 - May. 20

The Human Centipede on Ice performed by 6-year-olds might be the most terrifying and beautiful sight one can see.

It is going to be one of those days where it’s unseasonably cold and by noontime you will have ripped off four pairs of tights.

gemini

May. 21 - Jun. 21

sagittarius

nOv. 22 - Dec. 21

Blue Wall at 9 at night might be the most depressing site you will ever bear witness to in your time here at UMass.

The higher and bigger the top bun on your head, the more likely everyone will think you are actually a giant. A stylish Paul Bunyan.

cancer

capricorn

Jun. 22 - Jul. 22

Apple picking is a really awkward time to have a run in with the apple–pedes.

Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

Don’t mind the seeming nonsense Virgo is saying. He’s just experiencing a wonderful sensation.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

7

FIELD HOCKEY

Defense leading the way for the Minutewomen UMass allowing one goal per game

By Jason Kates Collegian Staff

The No. 7 Massachusetts field hockey team is off to a 6-1 start, and it has its defense to thank for the early success.

Senior Hannah Prince (six points) and junior Lauren Allymohamed (four points) have served as the anchors of the defense, which has held their opponents to one goal per game.

One of the things that UMass coach Carla Tagliente is looking for from her defense is organization.

“I think it’s very important to be organized early on and for each player to find out their marking responsibilities right away,” Tagliente said. “Early pressure on the ball is also very important, and just making sure our defenders are

mobile and not standing still. We just try and use every ounce of athleticism that we can.”

Putting pressure on the opponent’s offense has always been a part of Tagliente’s style, and is one of the key components of UMass’ strong start.

“It’s typically our style to immediately put pressure on the opposition,” Tagliente said. “The more pressure we can apply early on in the game, the more opportunities we’ll create on the offensive end.”

With players like Prince and Allymohamed solidifying the back line, Tagliente believes that having experienced defenders like them is difficult, and having them on the team is a major reason that the defense has been doing so well.

“It’s really invaluable having those two back there,” Tagliente said. “They’ve spent a lot of time together in the back field, and this year we’ve had more experi-

nation. Her shutouts have come against in-state rivals UMass Lowell and Harvard, as well as Ohio State this past weekend.

Tagliente is thrilled with the way her goalkeeper has been playing.

“You can’t really measure what Sam brings to these games for our team,” she said. “She makes clutch saves at the most opportune times, and is very disciplined mentally for the entire game. I think with great goalkeepers, you see the pressure build on them in bigger games and then see them have lapses in games against average teams.

“The great thing about Sam is she treats every game like it’s a big one, which is MARIA UMINSKI/COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO why I think she has such clean games and so many Junior defender Lauren Allymohamed is one of the leaders of the UMass field hockey’s defense this season. shutouts. She is super consistent for every game, and ence back there than previThe Minutewomen goalkeeper Sam Carlino, you really can’t put a value ous seasons so it’s helping defense is limiting its oppo- who has already registered on that.” us with a better attack out of nents to 10.1 shots per game. three shutouts and is postthe back and getting the ball Another leader for the ing a 0.794 save percentage, Jason Kates can be reached at out of the back quicker.”

UMass defense is sophomore which is good for 12th in the jkates@umass.edu.

A-10 WOMEN’S SOCCER

La Salle picks up its fourth straight victory Saint Joseph’s falls to Philly rival Penn

Saint Joseph’s falls to Philadelphia rivals In a Sunday battle against its city counterpart, Pennsylvania defeated Saint Joseph’s, 1-0.

With this loss, the Hawks fell to 4-2-2, while Pennsylvania remained undefeated at 4-0-0; however, Saint Joseph’s still holds the second best nonconference record in the A-10.

The lone goal of the game came off the foot of Tahirih Nesmith, Pennsylvania midfielder, toward the end of the first half. Nesmith deflected the ball off a corner kick past the diving Hawks goaltender Lauren Jancuska.

Despite Nesmith’s goal, Jancuska recorded a gamehigh five saves for Saint Joseph’s.

The Hawks’ offense, however, failed to back up her defensive effort.

The Quakers outshot the Hawks, 14-1. The Hawks’ best chance to score came in the 74th minute, when forward/ midfielder Erica Graziosi fired a shot that was saved. Aside from this close call, the Hawks did not even come close to reaching the back of the Quakers’ net.

Vermont 3-0 on Sunday.

The Fordham Rams improved to 2-4-1 for the season, and the Vermont Catamounts dropped to 2-4-0. Both of Fordham’s wins have come during its last three games, following a 0-3-1 start. This game was also the team’s second shutout victory of the season.

The Rams’ first goal came 15 minutes into the game, courtesy of Nicol Natale, who received a pass from Kelley Alpaugh to net a short-distance goal.

Headers by Kelsey Dougherty Howard and Jessica Widmann accounted for the other two goals of the game, coming in the 32nd and 45th minute respectively.

Two goaltenders split duty for the Rams in their shutout win, which only saw one shot on goal from Vermont. In comparison, Fordham notched 10 shots on goal.

Vermont goaltender Ally Ramos finished the game with seven saves and held Fordham scoreless in the second half, but the three first-half goals provided the Rams all they needed for the victory.

Up next for Fordham is a road game against Providence on Friday. The game will take place at 4 p.m.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Akron moving on after loss Zips almost upset Michigan in defeat

By GeorGe M. thoMas Akron Beacon Journal

The La Salle women’s soccer team shut out Loyola 4-0 on Sunday, marking the team’s fourth straight victory.

The triumphing Explorers now boast an Atlantic 10 Conference best 6-1-0 non-conference record.

La Salle forward Kelsey Haycook started the scoring early with her sixth goal of the season at the 9:45 mark in the first half.

She later recorded her seventh goal in the second half via a rebound after a shot by teammate Emily Fenton bounced off the post. That goal gave the Explorers a 2-0 lead.

Fenton finished the game with two assists, both coming on goals by Haycook.

The Explorers’ offense secured the win with three second-half scores that all occurred within a fifteen minute span. On the defensive side, La Salle made it difficult for Loyola to net open shots. In total, the Explorers outshot the Fordham blanks Loyola Greyhounds, 10-3.

Vermont for second win La Salle’s next game will Behind three first-half Anthony Chiusano can be reached at be against Connecticut on goals, Fordham defeated achiusano@umass.edu.

Thursday.

The echoes of Saturday’s 28-24 loss against Michigan can still be heard several days later.

But the University of Akron football team had plenty to listen to leading up to the game. Coach Terry Bowden said in his Tuesday news conference that he used quotes from several Wolverines beat writers to show his team how they were viewed, with at least one quote even reading that they wouldn’t last to halftime.

The disbelief after the game was even more pronounced as a mention after the game referred to them as “lowly Akron.” Bowden showed remarkable honesty when asked about it.

“If I had no affiliation with Akron, I probably would have said the same thing,” he said.

Nor do the references hold any particular meaning for him.

“No, it doesn’t bother me,” he said. “I’ve been on the other side of the fence.

There are coaches on both sides of the ball who have respect for one another.

The coaches in the business (know what happened).”

And the reality is that the Zips played a good ballgame in the context of the situation, meaning that

DEFENSE

WINLESS

By anthony Chiusano Collegian Correspondent

continued from page 8

bling run defense stat. The Minutemen are also allowing an average of 7.2 yards per carry and have allowed their opponents to score on rushing touchdowns nine times. Many of these scores have come on big plays as well, including a rushing touchdown of at least 26 yards in each of the first three games this season.

Molnar said that this issue is coming from defensive positions other than the line.

Perhaps the most puzzling stat of all on the defense, however, is that UMass has a passing defense that stacks up with some of the best in the country. The Minutemen are allowing just under 200 yards through the air per game, which shines light on the issue of the run defense

“They improved. They played a ton last year, got better in the spring, during summer camp and now we can’t have them flat line.”

UMass coach Charley Molnar versus defending the pass.

Two young players who have the potential to help out the rush defense are linebackers Kassan Messiah and Jovan SantosKnox, but neither player showed up in the statistics on Saturday. Both players saw their fair share of playing time during their freshmen seasons, and a lot was expected from them going into 2013.

Molnar stressed that he can’t have those two players take a step back this season.

“Those two young guys have stepped up,” he said.

“They improved. They played a ton last year, got better in the spring, during summer camp and now we can’t have them flat line.

We need them to continue to grow.”

While the young players on defense continue to grow, expect teams to try to take advantage of UMass’ glaring weakness against the run. Next up: Vanderbilt on Sept. 21 at Gillette.

Cameron McDonough can be reached at cameronm@student. umass.edu and followed on Twitter @ Cam_McDonough.

the Wolverines were up the prior week for Notre Dame, a heated rival with the animosity ramped up more this year because the Irish had decided to end the annual meeting.

“It wasn’t like they fumbled three times in their own territory and Akron got lucky and scored three 10-yard touchdowns,” he said. “No, we drove for 418 yards. We missed a touchdown. (We had) an interception in the end zone.

We got stopped on the one.

We created turnovers. We had tackles for loss, so in a sense they were not as emotionally high for that game as they were for Notre Dame.”

After further review Booth reviews did the Zips in all afternoon Saturday in the loss to the Wolverines, but none was as important as what came at the end of the game.

With second-and-15 at the Michigan 16, quarterback Kyle Pohl completed what those on the UA side thought was a first-down pass to wide receiver L.T. Smith. Officials marked the ball at the 2-yard line, however, and a review of the play confirmed it. The Zips lost nine seconds off the clock and more.

“What we really lost was a chance to run one more play,” Bowden said.

“We probably would have run once and passed twice, but with them marking it third down, we only had two shots anyway.”

Bowden said that an official’s explanation forwarded to him was adequate.

Showing respect When the Zips play Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, Bowden will be meeting his predecessor at North Alabama, coach Mark Hudspeth.

In three years at North Alabama, Bowden went 29-9 and gave Hudspeth some credit for it.

“When you follow someone at a school and you see what they left behind, you can tell what kind of coach they are. He was a hardworking, son-of-a-gun,” Bowden said.

Honoring the past The UA athletic department announced that it will honor former coach Jim Dennison at the Nov. 2 game against rival Kent State.

Dennison led the Zips to the final of the Division II playoffs in 1976 and amassed an 80-62-2 record in his 13-year tenure at UA (1973-1985).

The festivities will include on-field recognition and a pregame reception at the FirstMerit Foundation Club Level of the stadium.

The cost is $10, includes a buffet lunch and a reserve ticket to the game.

Ticket bump An Akron official said that the Zips’ performance at Michigan Stadium had an impact on ticket sales, giving them a significant bump on Monday.

continued from page 8

don’t seem to be getting a break against the Stags.

Although Fairfield freshman goalkeeper Joe Martin was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week last week after posting a 1-0 shutout over Yale to get his team its first win of the season, Koch still believes that, like in his team’s previous games, much of the onus lies heavily on his players to determine the outcome of the game.

“The focus going into tomorrow’s game isn’t Fairfield, it’s us,” Koch said. “It’s doing the things that I just talked about, making sure that we support each other better.

Our support angles are better. The options that the player with the ball

NICOLE EVANGELISTA/COLLEGIAN

The UMass soccer team is searching for their first win. has are numerous versus limited. All of that will be taken care of by how well we play, focusing on us and focusing on the principles that we need to do well to be successful.”

Kickoff for Wednesday’s game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Rudd Field.

Patrick Strohecker can be reached at pstrohec@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @MDC_Strohecker.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

@MDC_SPORTS

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

MEN’S SOCCER

Sports@DailyCollegian.com

FOOTBALL

RUN DOWN

UMass looks for season’s first win Men’s soccer hosts “I feel very good Stags on Wednesday about their attitude

By PatriCk StroheCker Collegian Staff

When the Massachusetts men’s soccer team steps onto Rudd Field on Wednesday to take on Fairfield, it will do so in the midst of one of the longest losing streaks in head coach Sam Koch’s tenure.

Dropping its fifth straight game on Sunday to Dartmouth, UMass (0-5-1) matched the 2011 and 1998 Minutemen teams with the longest single-season losing streak since 1990.

The losing streak has certainly been frustrating for the Minutemen, but the team remains positive and focused on the bigger picture.

“I feel very good about their attitude and their resolve to get better each week,” Koch said. “And it’s with the idea that when we play against VCU at the start of the conference, that’s when our season really starts and that’s what the guys are gearing towards.”

And with the competitive Stags (1-1-1) team coming to Amherst, Koch believes that his team can take away many lessons from the loss to Dartmouth.

“I felt like the game could have gone either way,” Koch said. “As I felt the first 25 minutes, we had Dartmouth pinned in pretty well and we had chances, but we just didn’t finish them.”

Even if Koch and the team can find the silver linings in its latest loss, UMass still needs to change things if it wants to earn that elusive first win.

The Minutemen went over different tactics in practice on Tuesday and much of what they focused on was making sure they are protecting the

and their resolve to get better each week.

And it’s with the idea that when we play against VCU at the start of the conference, that’s when our season really starts and that’s what the guys are gearing towards.”

UMass coach Sam Koch ball better on the attack.

“The trouble with us having to defend all the time is because we give the ball away,” Koch said. “So we’re not as clean in our attacking play as we need to be to be able to continue on our attacks and get our opportunities.”

Unlike many other New England schools, the Minutemen and the Stags don’t have a longstanding history or rivalry. Wednesday’s game will only be their 12th meeting and the first since 2010, a game that saw both teams play to a goalless draw.

On top of that, this will be Fairfield’s fourth game of the season, making it a challenge for UMass to prepare for it.

“The tough thing is that they’ve only played three games,” Koch said. “So nobody knows a lot about them because they haven’t played a lot.”

And with their offensive woes still continuing—only scoring two goals in their first five games—the Minutemen see

WINLESS on page 7

EVAN SAHAGIAN/COLLEGIAN

The UMass rush defense is allowing 323 yards per game so far this season after struggling to stop the run against Wisconsin, Maine and Kansas State.

UM rush defense looks for answers

By Cameron mCDonough Collegian Staff

The first three games of the season were not kind to the Massachusetts football team’s run defense.

So far, the Minutemen are allowing 323 yards per game on the ground, which is second worst in the Football Bowl Subdivision (out of 123 teams).

These troublesome defense stats weren’t just the result of a single team putting on a show against UMass; this has been a recurring theme throughout games against oppo-

nents Wisconsin, Kansas State and Maine.

The Minutemen allowed three Wisconsin Badgers to run for over 100 yards each and a total of 393 yards in their season-opening loss.

UMass did better in its second game against Football Championship Subdivision member Maine, allowing the Black Bears to run for 247 yards. The Kansas State Wildcats ran for over 300 yards against the Minutemen defense on Saturday.

One of the main issues for the run defense against

Kansas State was that neither defensive lineman Galen Clemons nor linebacker Steve Casali could play in the game, due to injuries. This led to a lack of depth on the line and at the linebacker core.

“Those two guys,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said, “they change the complexion of how we rotated our players in …

We just don’t quite have enough guys that are ready to play and help you play winning football against a team like Kansas State.”

Even though rush

defense is often attributed to defensive line play, Molnar is pleased overall with the play of his linemen, and he doesn’t believe that they are struggling against the rush.

“It’s not been the defensive line,” Molnar said.

“That’s not been the issue.

The defensive line has done a really good job of holding their gap. We’ve been out of our gaps, there’s been some plays that have been attributed to the D-line.”

The total of rushing yards isn’t the only trousee

DEFENSE on page 7

FIELD HOCKEY

Minutewomen prepare for tough trip to Connecticut UConn ranked No. 3 in nation

By JeSSe mayfielD-Sheehan Collegian Staff

The 7th-ranked Massachusetts field hockey team will be taking on one of its toughest opponents so far on Wednesday when the team travels to 3rd-ranked Connecticut.

The Huskies (5-0) come into the matchup with one of the strongest defenses in the nation, allowing just one goal per game through their first five games.

Meanwhile, after scoring 3.6 goals per game through their first five games of the season, the Minutewomen (6-1) saw an offensive slowdown last weekend, scoring just one goal against both Syracuse and Ohio State.

UMass coach Carla Tagliente said that although the team played well this weekend, the lack of scoring was due to poor decision making, and in the future the team will work on making better decisions on the offensive end to create more scoring opportunities against UConn.

The team, however, will likely be trying to get those scoring opportunities without one of its

no more than two goals so far this season.

The Huskies come in with one of the strongest offenses in the National Colle giate Athletic Association, but have scored fewer goals per game (3.2) than three of the teams that UMass has already faced (Boston College, Syracuse and Maine).

UConn does bring some strong players to the game, such as junior Chloe Hunnable, who is currently eighth in the NCAA in goals per game (1.2), and senior Marie Elena Bolles, who Tagliente said would provide a challenge for the UMass defense.

“I think Marie Elena EVAN SAHAGIAN/COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO Bolles is always a challenging player for us to figure UMass sophomore midfielder Brooke Sabia is looking forward to rivalry game against UConn on Wednesday. out in terms of what she does with the ball and what she creates on attack for them,” she said.

Tagliente said that the Huskies play a fast game, and the Minutewomen defense will have to control their opponents if they Brooke Sabia, UMass midfielder want to win.

“The more we concede The Minutewomen Delario has missed the strongest offensive players: freshman midfielder Izzie last two games due to a defense has continued to space to them, the more they’ll take,” she said.

Delario. Through the first knee injury, and she is put up consistently strong “They’re a very fast team. five games, Delario was not expected to return for numbers, giving up only We just need to kind of tied for second on the team Wednesday’s game. The one goal per game, shut- control their space, control in goals (two) and in shots time of her return has not ting out their opponents in their speed and get presthree games and giving up sure on the ball immediyet been decided. taken (13).

“I definitely think it’ll make everyone a little more excited when we play, which is sometimes hard to contain or excitement, but I think it’s going to be a good matchup. It’ll be good for everyone to just boost our confidence.”

ately.”

The Minutwomen have faced off against UConn a total of 48 times in program history, with the Huskies holding a 32-13-3 advantage in the series, including a 2-0 win over UMass in Amherst last year.

UMass sophomore midfielder Brooke Sabia said the rivalry between the two teams could cause the match to be emotionally charged, but in a good way.

“I definitely think it’ll make everyone a little more excited when we play, which is sometimes hard to contain our excitement, but I think it’s going to be a good matchup,” she said.

“It’ll be good for everyone to just boost our confidence.”

Tagliente agreed that the rivalry between the Minutewomen and UConn is a healthy one, and added that the strength of the two teams, combined with their shared history, makes for a marquee matchup.

“I think the country will be watching to see what the outcome of this game is,” she said.

The game is set to start at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

Jesse Mayfield-Sheehan can be reached at jmayfiel@umass.edu and can be followed on Twitter @jgms88.