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Fighting For their right to party No change in federal budget movement yet Some hints as to how it could end B y D aviD L auter Tribune Washington Bureau
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Students take a stand in a recent flashmob in response to the University’s cancellation of upcoming EDM shows.
Disability Services hosts open house for 40th anniversary Disability Services celebrates equality By rose GottLieB Collegian Correspondent On Friday, Oct. 4 Disability Services at UMass Amherst celebrated its 40th anniversary with an open house, which was the first of many celebratory events planned for the year. According to Aquila McCants, a learning specialist for Disability Services, many students, staff, faculty members and alumni who have been assisted by Disability Services attended the open house, which was open to all of campus. Representatives of many other support services and departments on campus attended as well. McCants and Director of
Smartpens, which are pens that record sound, software that converts a speaker’s words into text and document conversion software were just a few of the technologies demonstrated. Disability Services Madeline Peters said that meeting with so many people from other departments gave them the chance to brainstorm about collaborative programs and opportunities. The goal of these collaborations is to ensure accessibility for all members of the community. Debora Ferreira, executive director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, was one of many people that attended the open house.
Ferreira emphasized the importance of the work Disability Services does on campus. She explained that, as part of the Office of Equal Opportunity, Disability Services not only assists people with disabilities, but it also ensures that they are provided with equal experiences here on campus. “Access is not just for people with disabilities, but it’s for all members of our community,” said Peters. “If we
all work towards making our world accessible to all diverse groups, that would open up our society to be a more welcoming and inviting society.” “For Disability Services to be here for forty years shows that it is integral,” Ferreira added. According to Peters and McCants, the open house provided an opportunity to raise awareness about Disability Services. The open house featured speakers and presentations who educated guests on some of the many types of assistance Disability Services provides, so people who attended were able to learn more about what the organization does and how it provides help to many members of the community. Presentations featured new technology that can ben-
WASHINGTON — Neither side in the standoff over the federal budget showed signs of movement Sunday as the shutdown of government agencies moved toward its second week, although both hinted at some aspects of what a potential deal eventually could look like. Re p u bl i c a n s and Democrats have deadlocked over two related issues - funds to keep government agencies running and the need by Oct. 17 to raise the limit on the government’s ability to borrow money. The shutdown of government agencies, which began Oct. 1, has so far had limited impact on the economy, but economists have warned that the damage will mount as the closures drag on. This week, the shutdown is expected to begin hitting mortgage markets, for example. Real estate industry officials have said that home buyers could start seeing delays or loan cancellations because the IRS and other government agencies cannot respond to requests for documentation and other paperwork needed to close on loans. Whatever the impact, however, the shutdown seems unlikely to end for at least several more days - and quite likely another week - as Congress and the White House try to resolve the separate standoff over the government’s borrowing limit. That deadline has far more severe consequences. If Congress does not vote to increase the debt ceiling, the government could quickly be unable to pay its debts. Most economists and busi-
ness leaders say such a default could trigger another financial crisis. In interviews on the Sunday morning talk shows, both sides stuck to talking points that they have carefully honed over the past several days: Republicans said they tried to entice President Barack Obama into negotiations, similar to those that took place in 2011, over what he would give them in exchange for ending the shutdown and raising the debt ceiling. Democrats insisted that the GOP tactic, which they liken to hostage taking, is illegitimate and that the House must allow government agencies to reopen and pass a debt ceiling increase before serious negotiations can begin. Currently, “the path we’re on” leads to a default on the government’s debts, House Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, said on ABC’s “This Week.” “We’re not going to pass a clean debt-limit increase,” Boehner said, referring to an increase without conditions, which Obama and Senate Democrats have insisted on. “I told the president, there’s no way we’re going to pass one. The votes are not in the House to pass a clean debt limit. And the president is risking default by not having a conversation with us.” Although some conservative Republicans have downplayed the impact of a default, Boehner told interviewer George Stephanopoulos that he agreed a default could cause an economic crisis worse than that of 2008. Boehner sought to lay the blame for the deadlock on Obama. “The American people expect in Washington, when we see
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Families rejoined during annual family weekend Many admire the dining at UMass By Kari Peer Collegian Correspondent This weekend, families were reunited as the University of Massachusetts kicked off its annual Family Weekend on Friday Oct. 4. Students brought their families to Berkshire and Hampshire dining commons to socialize and fuel up for the events that filled the weekend. Willie Degel, host of the Food Network show “Restaurant Stakeout,” joined by his wife Cindy, daughter Elissa and son Dylan, visited his eldest daughter, sophomore Alexis Degel. The family of five all enjoyedabout the changing campus.
“The highlight of family weekend was seeing where our daughter lives, studies, works and attends classes. Overall we really love UMass.” Dawn Botton, mother of sophmore Megan Botton “The foliage is beautiful this time of year,” said Cindy Degel. The food-loving family was also impressed by the dining halls and was excited that recipe books were given out as gifts. Willie Degel commented on the apartment-style living of the five Southwest towers, stating that it isn’t his taste to live in that way, but was happy that his daughter, Alexis, did not get stuck in a corner room like her freshman year. He also commented on the town center, saying that it “Needs more
action, more whimsical shops.” The University had multiple activities planned for this year’s Family Weekend. These included Hadley farm tours, hay rides, trolley rides to downtown Amherst, Commonwealth Honors College community tours, a women’s hockey game and ballroom dance demonstrations and lessons. For sophomore Megan Botton the title “family weekend” was taken quite literally as her four aunts, seven cousins, see
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KARI PEER/COLLEGIAN
The Botton family poses for a group picture during the annual UMass family weekend.