Massachusetts Daily Collegian: Dec. 5, 2013

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Thursday, December 5, 2013

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UMass releases residence hall security report University commits to $2 million renovations

By Patrick hoff Collegian Staff

The University of Massachusetts released the independent review of residence hall security by Business Protection Specialists on Wednesday after the company’s nine-month evaluation of the campus.

Overall, BPS made 87 recommendations to the University in its 214-page report, breaking them down in importance from requiring immediate action within one year to recommendations that should be implemented within two to three years. UMPD Chief John Horvath clarified that these were just suggestions and the University was under no contract to implement all of them.

The University has commit-

ted to the $2 million in renovations and changes to the current residence halls and its security recommended by the BPS report, Horvath said.

Some of the recommendations have already been put into place based on interim reports from BPS, including correcting door deficiencies, expanding the role of police cadets to patrol common areas and more timely incident reports.

Security staff also received a black polo with “Security” printed on the back and is required to wear khaki-type pants to distinguish them from residents of the dorms.

To evaluate the security on campus, BPS began collecting data on the residence halls in March and then came to the University in April to survey the area and get the opinions of students, residence hall security and police cadets.

The report compared UMass to three other similarly situated universities.

One of the biggest changes to

residence hall security is the elimination of the pen-and-paper guest sign-in system, replacing it with an electronic system. The new system will allow security monitors to have greater vigilance in the lobby and the flow of people into the building as opposed to having their eyes focused on a piece of paper.

The system is being piloted in a residence hall starting next semester and if successful will be spread to the other halls in the future.

Renovations will also be done to some of the residence halls, adding permanent security desks to some of the buildings, and reconfiguring some of the door placements and the layouts of lobbies.

BPS recommended replacing all of the 389 cameras in the residence halls but Horvath said that this was not feasible because the logistics would be sustainable over the long term. Fifty cameras are replaced per year on campus already.

Another recommendation that

STEPHEN TREAT/COLLEGIAN

The evaluation of security in residence halls began after the alleged rape in an on-campus dorm in October 2012.

Horvath said needed to be studied more before being implemented was the addition of panic alarms to the residence hall security monitor desks.

Horvath said he was surprised at the level of detail that BPS went

Skateboarding to eden

to, checking every door and every hinge to make sure that the residence halls were safe. He commended their professionalism and said he was happy with how serisee

REPORT on page 2

CHCRC dorms not exclusive to honors students Area diversified by expanded inclusion This article is part five in a series addressing student reactions to the Commonwealth Honors Complex.

By Steffi Porter Collegian Staff

GABE SCARBROUGH/COLLEGIAN

Russell Phelan works on a skateboard in his garage. He currently produces and sells three different models of skateboards and longboards.

UMass student Russell Phelan has started a business making skateboards in his garage

By GaBe ScarBrouGh

W

Collegian Staff

hen one thinks of the small businesses that a college student could run, skateboard manufacturer is probably not the first venture to come to mind. But that is exactly what 22-year-old University of Massachusetts junior Russell Phelan is doing in his spare time.

Phelan, who studies computer science at UMass, owns and operates Eden Racing out of his home’s garage just off campus. There, he produces and sells three different models of skateboards and longboards as well as the company’s own line of precision spacers, which is a part of the skateboard that is attached near the wheel to affect its spin.

Founded in October 2010, Eden Racing has shipped its skateboard decks around the world. Customers are based in locations such as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Great Britain, Germany, South America and the west coast of the United States, as well as locally in New England.

“I’ve singlehandedly watched it explode through things like Tumblr,” Phelan said. “This movement, by and large, has happened on the Internet.”

Eden’s skateboards are mainly sold online through a simple Tumblr website located at www.edenracing.com.

In addition, the company’s products have begun being stocked by retailers, such as Levitate Surf and Skate in Marshfield and Laughing Dog Bicycles in Amherst.

“I think you need to design the skateboard for the riding style of the most progressive riders,” Phelan said. “As the sport evolves, as they invent new ways to ride it, I adapt my designs to meet that. I know they have the knowledge they need to determine that that’s the best product.”

For marketing, the company focuses on a grassroots approach based around social media and longboarding events. Eden’s team riders are a big part of this strategy, as they represent the company in competitions and races.

“With the true local support, dedicated staff and quality boards, I can

only see the company expanding,” said team rider Ryan Wolsiefer, a freshman at UMass.

Team riders get more creative control than they may receive at a larger skateboard manufacturer. Team rider Kevin Grady, who is a senior at UMass, designed his own signaturemodel deck, which he rides in races.

His involvement in the design and production at Eden has led Phelan to call him “practically a co-owner.”

“Our business model is to be completely transparent and build functional, practical, customizable skateboards with a humble price tag,” Grady said. “Eden is the tiniest company you could possibly have with 100 percent transparency, no games, no gimmicks, just skateboards.”

The company’s boards start as thin 16-inch veneers of hard rock maple wood. These plies are stacked and adhered together with wood glue, and placed over a mold made of insulation foam shaped to the concave of the final board, before being inserted into an airtight nylon bag. A simple see

EDEN on page 3

The Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community (CHCRC) at the University of Massachusetts does not exclusively house members of the Commonwealth Honors College.

The new buildings, constructed in 2012, which students moved into for the first time this semester, are known as a place for those with the highest GPAs, centrally located near the Recreation Center, library, campus center and many classroom buildings.

As it turns out, the dorms believed by some to be beacons of exclusivity really just give first priority to honors students, and house nonhonors students if there are rooms left over.

According to Student Customer Service Lead at Residential Life Brian Boates, sometimes students cancel their housing for reasons like studying abroad or selecting other housing options. It is when this happens, if no other honors students select the spot, that it can go to any student with a high enough priority number to get it.

Student Government Association President Zac Broughton is one of the non-CHCRC students residing in these dorms. But he didn’t just get into his building, Birch Hall, because of a high housing priority number. He got in because he is an experienced RA. “Including non-CHC stu-

“I have nothing against it. I know they’re trying to build an honors community but if there’s an empty room I don’t see why it matters.”

John Kuselias, junior accounting major dents diversified the area,” Broughton said. “We have RAs who are phenomenal and are great at what they do and aren’t members (of the honors college.)”

Broughton says there is nothing strange about being in the honors dorms without being a part of the Honors College, saying that the dorms are very nice, very quiet and have a great location.

John Kuselias, a junior accounting major who is an honors dorms resident and member of CHC, had no idea there were any nonCHC students residing in these residence halls.

“I think it’s totally fine, I have nothing against it. I know they’re trying to build an honors community or whatever, but if there’s an empty room and no one’s living there I don’t see why it matters,” he said.

The view that there is no division among CHC students and non-CHC students is one shared by junior Lauren Higgins, who lives in one of the honors buildings and is not a CHC student.

“Nobody’s said anything to me about it, no one really knows, no one really cares,” she said.

She explained that after living in Sylvan and selecting a room change, she was lucky enough to get her first see

HONORS on page 3

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Thursday, December 5, 2013

REPORT

continued from page 1

ous they took the task.

“The University really has made a lot of strides … we really do a lot of things really well,” said Horvath, who added that there are still some things that can be improved.

Vice Chancellor of Student and Campus Life Enku Gelaye said she and the UMass Police reviewed the report together to make sure that the recommendations reflect a sense of security but retain the campus culture. Gelaye said that it was of utmost importance to her that the residence halls have a sense of home and community but make the students feel secure, safe and comfortable.

According to Gelaye, there are approximately 4.4 million swipes or sign-ins to the 51 residence halls on campus per year, averaging 20,000 swipes per day.

UMass is the third largest residential life community in the country.

One of the challenges that Gelaye said faces Residential Life and the UMass Police is balancing safety and security with a sense of home and comfort.

While at the University, the

dorms are the students’ homes so they deserve to be comfortable but also need to feel they are protected.

“I live and breathe to keep people safe,” Horvath said.

“Now that we have the report, it’s another tool in our tool belt.”

Gelaye said that while changes to some security practices will help make the dorms safer, education of resident directors, resident assistants and students also will play a key.

The University and UMPD hired BPS following the alleged rape of a UMass student in the victim’s on-campus dorm in October 2012. The four men charged in the crime were not UMass students.

The report cost the University $40,000, which came out of the Administration and Finance budget. Horvath said it is too early to tell where the $2 million for the renovations and updates will come from.

Patrick Hoff can be reached at pphoff@umass.edu.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

UMass looks for life on Mars Optimism remains among researchers

By Søren HougH Collegian Staff

In September 2013, NASA found water on Mars.

According to an article in Science Daily, Dr. Laurie Leshin at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute stated that “about two percent of the soil on the surface of Mars is made up of water, which is a great resource, and interesting scientifically.”

The news broke all over the country, spurring wild speculation on what this could mean for space exploration. People began to wonder if the presence of water meant the Red Planet could indeed support life.

But if you ask Dr. Jim Holden, a microbiologist at the University of Massachusetts, this information is old.

“It’s been known since Phoenix (a robotic spacecraft that explored Mars in 2008) that there was frozen water on Mars,” Holden pointed out. “That (news) didn’t come as too much of a surprise.”

As a researcher, Holden is interested in extraterrestrial organisms that mirror the microbial life on our own world.

“We don’t know of any other place in the universe with life,” Holden said of using Earth-bound organisms as a model for exploration. “So we can start with these principles first.”

In his lab, Holden studies ecosystems on Earth that he thinks are analogous to environments on ancient

Mars.

“The reason NASA is interested in talking to people like me is to learn what kind of life could have lived on the surface of Mars,” Holden said.

In other words, his interest lies in the history of the planet itself.

Specifically, Holden studies deep-sea vents on Earth – hotbeds of microbial activity far below the surface of our oceans. They are unique environments fueled by underwater volcanoes, drastically fluctuating temperatures and the dynamic exchange of nutrient resources. Scientists like Holden believe that similar rock-water ecosystems were common on a younger Mars.

Modern evidence suggests that volcanoes and water were both prevalent on the Red Planet.

Therefore, it is likely that there were also Martian hydrothermal vents. By studying the phenomenon of deep-sea vents on Earth, Holden hopes to determine how microbes manipulate minerals through chemical processes and what sort of residue those organisms leave behind. If those same signatures appear on Mars, then it can be assumed that extraterrestrial life existed there for at least some period of time in antiquity.

Holden has worked in tandem with NASA and other colleagues in the Five College Consortium to help find more definitive evidence of life on other planets. One of his primary collaborators is Dr. Darby Dyar. Dyar is a professor of astronomy at Mount Holyoke College who has worked closely with NASA on the Spirit, Opportunity

and now Curiosity rover expeditions.

For her part, Dyar uses complex computer science and spectrometry tools to evaluate minerals on Mars.

She determines the composition of rocks and other materials based on wavelength emission patterns.

But although her interest is primarily in planetary mineralogy, Dyar has nevertheless found common ground with her microbiologist colleague at UMass.

“I’ve been working ... with professor Jim Holden in microbiology to look at reflectance spectral characteristics of minerals that have been formed by bioreduction,” Dyar said.

“These are really important because they allow us to zero in on areas where microbial life may once have lived.”

For Dyar and Holden, the keys to the future of planetary exploration and the discovery of extraterrestrial life can be found by looking into the past.

“The organisms are long gone, of course,” Dyar said, “but the minerals they left behind, which can have potentially unique spectra signatures, remain to give us clues.”

Through these two scholars, the Five Colleges have already made their mark on the mission to find life on Mars. However, Holden and Dyar would like to take their contribution a bit further.

According to Holden, he and Dyar recently put in an application with NASA to build an astrobiology center that will operate out of UMass. The program will be a five-year, multimillion dollar effort, but Holden hopes that it will serve as a base

to focus the local interdisciplinary efforts of everyone from microbiologists to astronomers and geologists.

So perhaps the hype about Martian water should be tempered. However, that doesn’t mean Holden and Dyar aren’t hopeful for the future.

“NASA is currently reevaluating its priorities for planetary science,” Dyar said. “The new goals are likely to be focused on the issues relating to the processes that formed and shaped our solar system and influenced habitability.”

She added, “Assessing the potential for life elsewhere in our solar system and our universe is an important goal that I wholeheartedly support.

Holden appears even more optimistic.

“Within my lifetime it is very plausible that we will have very good, if not definitive, evidence of life beyond earth,” he said.

But for Holden, whether or not we find life on Mars is a secondary interest. Assuming there is, or was, extraterrestrial life on Mars, Holden still has questions.

“So what then? What are the philosophical or legal perspectives?” he asks.

Holden is concerned with our role as galactic citizens.

He believes humanity will be tempted to tap interplanetary resources for personal gain, regardless of the life signs we may or may not find along the way.

“If there are only microbes on Mars,” he wondered, “is it OK to do whatever we want to the planet?”

Søren Hough can be reached at shhough@umass.edu.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

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HONORS

continued from page 1

choice, a room in the CHCRC. Broughton said one of the things he likes best about living in this building is having a suite, and a single room within that suite, giving the best of both worlds living alone and having roommates.

Broughton was selected as an RA for the honors dorm because he had experience and building a new community on campus in these brand new buildings would face challenges.

The CHC honors dorms cost significantly more than typical dorm rooms. A shared room in one of the first-year student halls costs $3,107 per semester, while a single is $4,101. Prices in other buildings reach as high as $4,501.

Boates said this is due to the vastness of what the

honors dorms have to offer, and how new the buildings are.

Kuselias described the dorms as “a little expensive” and “pretty quiet,” but for the most part not very different from any other dorms. He chose to live in these dorms because of its prime location.

“If you meet someone it’s not like, ‘Oh you’re an honors student.’ It’s, ‘Oh hey, you’re a person who lives here,’” Kuselias said, adding that the dorms probably give off a snobbish or exclusive vibe to some students.

“I’ve never felt that I’m better than anyone else,” he added. “It’s just a place I live.”

Steffi Porter can be reached at steffi@ student.umass.edu.

EDEN

Thursday, December 5, 2013

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continued from page 1

hand pump and household vacuum cleaner are used to take the air out of the bag, resulting in about 5,000 pounds of pressure.

This produces a blank, which is a blank deck or board. After drying for around seven hours, a template is sketched onto the blank. This blank is then hand shaped into the final skateboard.

This process, adapted from Roarockit Skateboard Company of Ontario’s approach, is a far cry from the large industrial presses that large skateboard companies utilize.

Even so, Phelan estimates that with proper demand, Eden’s current operation could produce 20 to 25 boards a week. Though

Phelan estimates that with proper demand, Eden’s current operation could produce 20 to 25 boards a week.

Phelan hopes to grow his company, his main goal is to contribute to skate culture.

“There is only the community, and if I can make it grow then I have done what I want to do to skateboarding,” he said.

GABE SCARBROUGH/COLLEGIAN

Gabe Scarbrough can be reached at gscarbro@umass.edu.

Phelan begins work on a board in his garage.

Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, December 5, 2013

“There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” - Henry Kissinger

Editorial@DailyCollegiancom

Paul Walker remembered as a humble celebrity Today in America, it is easy to feel fed up with the level of worship many celebrities receive. Kanye

Steven Gillard

Student cost of top quality college dining Everyone is well aware that the cost of college is high, but some may overlook how the price of food is contributing to their debts.

Jason Roche When it comes to gaining the “freshman 15,” the University of Massachusetts provides a wide range of palatable options to fill your appetite, but it may empty your wallet.

The top-quality food and sustainable practices of the university do not come cheap, and all on-campus students are required to purchase a meal plan.

“We just want to make the world a better place for everyone,” said Ken Toong, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services at UMass.

According to Toong, the University purchases 30 percent of its food from local producers and has switched to serving only sustainable seafood. In addition, dining areas prepare food no more than 50 minutes before students consume it to preserve freshness and cut down on waste. While these practices have greatly benefitted students, the environment and local farmers, they come with a price.

UMass Dining Services brings in more than $60 million annually, according to its website. As a nonprofit organization that receives no support from the state, all of its finances are generated from revenue and nothing is kept for profit. It is not a cheap enterprise, which is likely why on-campus students are required to purchase a meal plan. Students’ payments allow Dining Services to maintain its operations and continue its devotion to sustainability, healthy eating and local produce.

More than 17,000 UMass students have a campus meal plan, Toong said. The University offers two meal plans to freshmen and sopho-

mores: the Value Meal Plan ($2,296.50) and the Unlimited Meal Plan ($2,660). Once students reach their junior year, they can also choose from the YCMP Platinum ($2,240) and YCMP Gold ($1,145) plans, which allow them to use their swipes at the 18 retail food outlets across campus. With bundled financial plans, it is typically assumed that the purchaser is receiving a discount in comparison to someone purchasing the product without a plan. However, this is not necessarily the case with UMass meal plans.

Without a meal plan, food at the dining commons costs $8 for breakfast, $10.25 for lunch and $13 for dinner. With

means that students are losing almost $2 for every swipe they use at these outlets.

“Our retail locations cost a lot more money, the compostable containers are not two or three cents, but 20 or 30 cents,” Toong points out.

However, those without a meal plan do not pay any extra for the containers; they pay $9.50 for $9.50 worth of food, while students with a meal plan pay $11.20 or more for $9.50 worth of food.

Students do save about $2 when they use their swipes during dinner, which costs $13. However, dinner is the only time that a meal plan is saving you any money. If students buy dinner at retail

“When the cost of higher education is already placing students in difficult financial situations, the price of food should not be something that is mandatorily expanded.” a meal plan, students receive a given number of swipes that can each be exchanged for one meal. There are no value differences between breakfast, lunch and dinner with swipes as each meal costs one swipe. With 224 meal swipes, the Value Meal Plan provides students with two meals a day, which breaks down to just over $10.25 a swipe. This gives students a discount if they get dinner, but gives them no deal on lunch and overcharges them at breakfast. The price per swipe is even higher for the YCMP plans.

With 200 swipes, the YCMP Platinum plan is priced at $11.20 per swipe, while the YCMP Gold plan with 100 swipes is priced at $11.45 a swipe. Most students with the YCMP plans like to use their swipes at the retail outlets on campus, with each swipe providing up to $9.50. This

UMass, is one of the few oncampus students who can opt out of the mandatory campus meal plans.

“RAs don’t need to have a meal plan, which is kind of unfair,” he said.

Petraitis splits a $350 farm share with two other people.

The farm share is actually carried out through the Stockbridge department here at UMass.

“I would say that I spend no more than $50 a week on food, and that includes a few meals at places like Blue Wall,” added Petraitis, who cooks his own food in the kitchen available in his residence hall.

Britainy Young, a junior who lives off campus, spends $30-$50 every two weeks for food.

“I’m a vegetarian so that cuts down on the cost,” she said.

She usually shops at Atkins Farm or Trader Joes and buys rice, greens, vegetables and sometimes specialty items for particular dishes.

“My budget for food is $170 a month, but I usually don’t even get close to spending that much.”

These budgets are much cheaper than the $153 a week students living on campus pay for their food. At $10.25 a meal for the cheapest option, UMass meal plans pack a hefty price. There are much cheaper ways to maintain a healthy and nutritious diet.

When the cost of higher education is already placing students in difficult financial situations, the price of food should not be something that is mandatorily expanded. While the University has done a fantastic job increasing sustainability and supporting local produce, it should provide more affordable meal options for students.

outlets or opt for a late lunch at the dinning commons, it would be cheaper for them to pay with cash than to use the swipes on their meal plan. Of course, on-campus students do not have the option to pay solely with cash, as they are required to purchase a meal plan at the beginning of each semester.

It is also worth considering what food off-campus costs. The United States Department of Agriculture calculates that it costs $146 to $289 a week to healthily feed a family of four. Students with the Value Meal Plan pay over $153 a week for food. In other words, each student is paying enough to feed a family of four every week. Students living off-campus without a meal plan have found ways to eat a healthy diet on a low budget.

Jason Roche is a Collegian columnist Justin Petraitis, a senior and can be reached at jwroche@ and Resident Assistant at umass.edu.

West, although a talented musician, regularly displays his arrogance, comparing himself to Jesus, making racist remarks and, perhaps most notably, voicing his disapproval of Taylor Swift being awarded Best Female Video at the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards. Justin Bieber drives his cars at speeds of over 100 mph and attempts to fight photographers. Kim Kardashian, possibly the worst case, has millions of fans and her own television show, yet she is famous from a sex tape.

Despite their indecencies, all three remain

mously paid for the ring they wanted after they determined it was out of their price range. As a further example of Walker’s kindness, on Saturday, when the car in which he was riding crashed, Walker was returning from a charity event for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The event was sponsored by his own charity organization, Reach Out Worldwide.

In the wake of Walker’s death, millions of fans have reached out on Facebook and Twitter to express their condolences. All responses, however, have not been positive. Many people have voiced their outrage at such a reaction to Walker’s death, claiming that the deaths of celebrities should not be considered any more or less tragic those of any average man or woman.

“Walker had it all: the looks, the millions, the fans, but there was one thing he didn’t have: the ego.” extremely popular in American culture, making millions of dollars and developing a following in which everything they do or say is of the utmost significance. Shortcomings as a human being, apparently, are overlooked when you are adulated as much as these celebrities are by the American people.

At the same time, their arrogance and inflated sense of importance is understandable: when you are a household name, the fame undoubtedly goes to your head.

This past Saturday, Hollywood lost another star. Paul Walker, 40, and his friend, Roger Rodas, 38, were in a car returning from a charity event when the car in which they were riding crashed, killing them both.

On the surface, Walker was your typical Hollywood star. He was the enviable high school quarterback in the 1999 sports drama “Varsity Blues,” the lucky guy dating Jessica Alba in the 2005 film “Into the Blue” and most famously the classic good cop/bad cop Brian O’Conner in five of the six “Fast and Furious” films.

Walker had it all: the looks, the millions, the fans but he never had the ego.

Since his death, numerous fans who had the privilege of meeting Walker have reached out, saying how, unlike many celebrities, he was incredibly humble and always willing to take a picture or sign an autograph.

An article posted on Yahoo! recalls a time when Walker, browsing in a jewelry store beside an engaged couple, anony-

They argue his death was no more tragic than Rodas, who perished in the crash with him. Celebrities especially should not receive more recognition than soldiers who die fighting for our country.

Such logic, however, is misplaced. Honoring Walker through tweets and Facebook posts is not demonstrative of a lack of appreciation for men and women of the armed forces or an absence of sympathy for Rodas and his family. It is simply a reaction to a tragedy, the loss of a man who touched many lives, whether through his charity, his movies or his meeting with a fan. Walker may not be deserving of any more honor than any other person, but given Hollywood’s large influence on the American people, such a reaction to his passing is expected.

With that being said, in an era when so many celebrities are conceited, reckless and self-important, the humility of Paul Walker is remarkable. He didn’t believe he was better than anybody else. He didn’t believe his talents were his gift to the world. Instead, Walker used his fame and fortune to make the world a better place, never asking for everything in return. He was a man who achieved great things, but never let his success go to his head, and for that he should be honored: not as a movie star but as an admirable and exemplary human being.

He will be sorely missed.

Steven Gillard is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at sgillard@ 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.

PRODUCTION CREW on staff for this issue NIGHT EDITOR - Stephen Hewitt COPY EDITOR - Cameron McDonough WEB PRODUCTION MANAGER - Zac Bears NEWS DESK EDITOR - Mary Reines | Patrick Hoff O p /E d DESK EDITOR - Maral Margossian ARTS DESK EDITOR - Emily Brightman SPORTS DESK EDITOR - Nick Canelas COMICS DESK EDITOR - Tracy Krug

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Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

“But Lieutenant Dan, you ain’t got no legs...” - Forrest Gump

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Arts@DailyCollegian.com

FOOD & DRINK

‘Thirsty like the wolf’ for DirtWolf Double IPA Newest release from Victory Brewing Co.

By Emily A. BrightmAn Collegian Staff

Most college students in this day and age typically get excited for the release of a new album from a popular artist or a new installment in a cinematic franchise. I, on the other hand, tend to get more excited about the release of a new beer from a favorite brewing company than I do about most other things.

In fact, the day I had to concede to the fact that I was indeed a serious beer geek was the day I realized I was more excited about a newly released IPA than I was about a new album from my favorite band. At least no one can ever accuse me of not having my priorities straight.

Let me preface this week’s column by saying that I was literally counting the days until the release of Victory Brewing Company’s DirtWolf Double IPA. I’m a big fan of Victory’s extensive selection of unique beers, particularly its Storm King Stout and the classic Hop Devil Ale, but Victory is one of those names that I can always count on to provide me with something worthy of my refined and somewhat snobbish palette.

So, naturally, when I learned of the release of Dirt Wolf Double IPA slated for the fall of 2013, I was beyond ecstatic. Not only because I am a somewhat obsessive fan of IPAs, but also because Victory has a steady reputation of impressing me with the astounding variety of its brewing styles.

In much the same way that children patiently await the arrival of Christmas, I hunkered down in anticipation of the release of DirtWolf, and the results of my tried patience are more than

worth the struggle.

DirtWolf is released in the classic craft beer 4-pack format and, truth be told, I devoured the entirety of the pack before I had a chance to properly write about it. So after my second weekly purchase of DirtWolf I set to the task of drinking it as a beer columnist would instead of in the manner perpetrated by a mere beer enthusiast.

My most significant discovery in drinking this beer was that the dueling sides of my beer drinking nature – the analytical columnist side of me and the hop-thirsty beer geek side of me – both agreed on one thing: DirtWolf is one hell of an IPA-drinking experience.

Popping off the top on a 12 oz. bottle, DirtWolf immediately stands out from its IPA counterparts in terms of aroma. The nose of this beer is pure hops, the combination of strong earthy scents and citrus elements combining in a veritable tidal wave of grassy scents. The thick off-white head that appears following the first pour dissipates gradually leaving behind a filmy tan lacing.

A miniscule presence of sediments makes DirtWolf slightly hazy when held up to the light, but the deep golden hue of this beer belies any sentiments of flavorlessness. From first whiff, it’s obvious that this beer is seriously loaded up on hops – in my personal experience the best IPAs have been those that give the aromatic impression of a field of fresh hops, and DirtWolf certainly doesn’t disappoint in terms of the bitter intensity of its aroma.

First sip of this delicate nectar heralds a wash of bitterness, as to be expected with any member of the IPA family. And since DirtWolf is a double IPA, meaning it utilizes double the amount of hops used in the brewing of a regular IPA, naturally the taste of hops will be on the forefront of

able, the truly impressive components of DirtWolf ’s configuration are manifested in the aftertaste wherein the lower priority spices make themselves known in a manner that compliments the more superior flavor elements.

I often find that double IPAs are tough in terms of food pairing because they pack so much flavor into the bottle itself, but DirtWolf can serve as a nice compliment to a barbecue, burgers or any meal that goes heavy on cheese, particularly stronger cheeses like gorgonzola or spiced cheese. And, as always, you can never go wrong drinking DirtWolf by itself, but only in a responsible manner – at 8.7 percent alcohol, this is one wolf whose fangs you don’t want to come in direct contact with (and I speak from personal experience on this one).

So if you find yourself unable to resist the urge to howl at the moon in its fullest phase or if you just can’t seem to wash the dirt out of your pelt, Victory DirtWolf will surely satisfy your more primal urges, at least in terms of booze. While the price tag flies a bit high, ranging on close to $10 for a 4-pack, DirtWolf is worth the expenditure for the pure hop fury it bestows upon its drinkers.

And if you’re even half as much of a fan of IPAs as I am, you can appreciate the gravity of this statement.

When the next full moon JUSTIN SURGENT/COLLEGIAN rolls around, or even the next A striking label design and bold hop flavor set DirtWolf IPA apart from the rest of the pack. time you’re feeling particularly animalistic, a hearty dose of the taste palette. of sweet malt and caramel make DirtWolf Double IPA ought to Below the hoppy intensity lies their presence known beneath set you on the path to getting in an underbelly of spice and citrus, the overwhelming rush of arche- touch with your primal side. Just augmented by the bitterness of typal IPA taste, highlighting the be careful if you decide to go out howling at the moon afterwards, the hops and brought to the sen- flavorful complexity that has because you may end up attractsory tip of the tongue in the sub- come to characterize so much of ing more wolves than just those sequent aftertaste. At times the Victory’s repertoire. decorating your beer bottle. tongue almost feels thick with Though it pains me to say so, the zest of hops and floral ele- because the drinking process was Emily A. Brightman can be reached at ebrightments but the more subtle flavors far more than just merely enjoy- man@umass.edu.

MUSIC

Artist to watch: singer-songwriter Jhene Aiko

R&B vocalist boasts unique sound

By ElEnA lopEz Collegian Staff

Twenty-five-year-old singersongwriter Jhené Aiko began her steady rise into the realm of R&B and hip-hop early.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Calif., she developed a deep passion for music at a young age. Her older sisters were part of the 1990s R&B group Gyrl, which eventually led Jhené to a meeting with music producer Chris Stokes.

Stokes knew that Jhené had talent at the age of five, and he signed her to Epic Records along with R&B group B2K. She was featured on recorded tracks from the band as well as releasing one of her own songs on the “B2K: The Remixes Vol. 1” album in 2002.

From there, Aiko went on to appear in various music videos and even had a few cameos on popular show soundtracks such as “The Proud Family” and “You

“Aiko’s soft and sultry voice allows for her to have pop-esque appeal when laid over her hip-hop centric beats.”

Elena Lopez Got Served.” By the time she was 15, Aiko had begun to dig out a niche for herself in the R&B industry. While she never released her self-titled album due to tensions with Epic Records, she continued to make music after leaving the record label to focus on motherhood and furthering her education.

In 2007, Aiko re-emerged in the industry with a renewed passion.

When asked why she returned, she told SoulCulture that “I was innocently told to ‘sell’ myself when I walked into these meetings. That’s when I decided I would ‘sail’ myself rather than sell myself.”

Aiko also said she needed freedom in her music and style choices, which at the time she didn’t

see as an option at Epic. After stepping back for a few years and taking time for herself and her family, she felt confident in what direction she wanted to move in and sought support from rappers she’d built relationships with in the pass.

In 2011, Aiko released her first mixtape “Sailing Souls” on her official website. Penning nearly all the songs herself, Aiko had total creative control for the first time in her career. With collaborations from artists such as Miguel, Drake and Kanye West, she began to see some of their clout rub off on her.

During this time she worked closely with producers and artists at independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE).

TDE represents rappers like Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock and Kendrick Lamar, and the company continues to work with Aiko.

Aiko attracted publicity as her distinctive music spread, and by 2012 she caught the attention of Dion “No I.D.” Wilson, the vice president of Def Jam Records.

Wilson eventually signed her to

his imprint label Artium Records.

Her first single, “3:16AM,” off her Def Jam-released EP “Sail Out” was released on iTunes in September 2012. She toured with rapper Nas and Lauryn Hill on the “Life is Good/Black Rage” tour, performing songs from “Sailing Souls” as well as off her EP. Press from this tour led to her first Top 40 appearance with the help of Big Sean when she recorded the vocal hook for his hit “Beware.” Before this, Aiko had never gotten close to the Billboard Hot 100, but soon after the track was released she began to pick up a fan base.

On Nov. 12, Aiko released her debut EP “Sail Out.” The lead single off this album is titled “Bed Peace,” featuring Childish Gambino. The artwork for this single is a creative play on John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “bed- ins” during the Vietnam War protests, and depicts Aiko and Gambino in the sheets with posters behind them.

Aiko’s soft and sultry voice allows for her to have pop-esque appeal when laid over her hiphop centric beats. Jhené spear-

headed the creative control of her recent EP, not willing to sell her soul to the record company’s desires. She cites Tupac among her influences for his controversial style, as well as artists such as Aaliyah, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar, a modern rapper she’s worked closely with over the past few years. She also touts Brandy Norwood, India Arie and Beyonce among her influences, saying she learned her vocal techniques from these accomplished powerhouse women.

Aiko may not have a full length album released yet, but with her musical network and unique contemporary R&B sound, she shows great promise as an artist.

Critics have raved about her live performances, comparing her to Sade in her fluidity as she sings.

“Sail Out” is definitely worth a listen if you’re interested in a more peaceful R&B sound. Give “Bed Peace” featuring Childish Gambino and “Stay Ready” featuring Kendrick Lamar a listen for some thoughtful lyricism and haunting tracks.

Elena Lopez can be reached at alopez@umass. edu.

6

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, December 5, 2013

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SCORING

continued from page 8

come from the first line of Pereira, Conor Sheary and Branden Gracel. But the first line wasn’t clicking early on and Gracel was moved down to the third line for a few games.

The three have since reunited on the first line.

One of the issues coming into the season was who would step up behind the first line, which turned out to be the second line of Power and freshmen Ray Pigozzi and Steven Iacobellis. But the team is still lacking a consistent attack from all four lines each night.

“From day one we’ve talked about being a fourline group that can all score goals,” Power said.

“At times our line, at the beginning of the year, we

got off to a pretty hot start and have cooled down significantly. Guys have been chipping in kind of sporadically throughout the year and we haven’t put together a game, or a series of games, where everyone has come and contributed offensively, it’s been just one line that’s been carrying the team through that game.

“To be a winning and successful team, we’re gonna need every single person on the ice, whether you’re a defenseman, goalie or forward, and we need to do a better job at just collectively all contributing as a team.”

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

ND

continued from page 8

scored one goal or fewer in five of their last seven games.

Micheletto attributed these struggles to a lack of aggressiveness on the offensive end following the defensive debacle against UNH. But if UMass is going to get the kind of results it’s hoping for in December, it knows it’ll have break out of this funk – fast.

“I think we need to get grittier as forwards around the net in the scoring zones, I think we need to win more battles on the wall, especially in the offensive zone and I think a lot of times when we’re getting pucks in we’re unable to sustain enough pressure that allows us to break defenses down,” Power said.

Nick Canelas can be reached at ncanelas@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @NickCanelas.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

STATEMENT team that finished last in the league last season, has been rather unimpressive.

Sure, it’s still early. But if the Irish can’t take advantage of a struggling UMass team with a pair of strong performances on home ice this weekend, it may be time to start questioning whether or not they belong in Hockey East.

It appears Notre Dame has the talent. But losing is only going to inject confidence in even the lowest of opponents, which could lead to an even further slide down the standings.

“They’ve lost a few games to teams people thought they should’ve beat so they’re definitely a beatable team,” co-captain Conor Sheary said. “They obviously want to prove

7

continued from page 8

themselves in Hockey East so we know they’re not gonna take us lightly.”

New Hampshire versus Boston College is the weekend series that Hockey East followers are probably anticipating the most. But what makes this weekend’s UMass-Notre Dame series so much more intriguing is what’s at stake.

These are two teams that believe they are much better than what they have shown so far and certainly much better than what us reporters would say about them right now. These teams have pride, they’re hungry for wins and it’s both sides’ last opportunity to earn Hockey East points before the calendar turns to 2014.

“It makes for two really

good hockey games,” Power said. “I know coming into Hockey East you know how good of a league it is. (Notre Dame has) a great hockey team but it’s a very deep league and I’m sure they’ve realized that at the start of the season. I’m sure they want the points just as bad as we do and, when it comes down to it, it’s gonna be who wants it more.”

If I could describe the importance of this weekend without using clichés then I would. But since I can’t, let me just emphasize this one last time.

These are a pair of big, big games. These are statement games.

Nick Canelas can be reached at ncanelas@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @NickCanelas.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Sports@DailyCollegian.com

@MDC_SPORTS

HOCKEY

UMASS AT NOTRE DAME

COMPTON FAMILY ICE CENTER, SOUTH BEND, IND.

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

Statement weekend ahead for both teams

E

NICOLE EVANGELISTA/COLLEGIAN

The UMass hockey team seeks its first win since Nov. 2 when it travels to South Bend, Ind., in a weekend series against Notre Dame.

UM plays Irish for first time as HEA foes By niCk Canelas Collegian Staff

The atmosphere was energetic before Massachusetts hockey practice this Tuesday.

Music was blaring, players were engaged in highly competitive games of ping-pong and even UMass coach John Micheletto was cracking jokes.

It looked like a team ready for a fresh start.

The Minutemen just endured their worst month in the Micheletto era in November. They went 1-6-2 for the month, capped off by a seven-game winless streak that included a 9-0 beatdown at the hands of New Hampshire on home ice Nov. 9 and Saturday’s 6-1 loss at Quinnipiac, where they were held to just 10 shots on goal.

But that’s in the past now.

The calendar has flipped, the Movember mustaches have been shaved off and UMass is looking for a more positive December.

“The start of the new month kind of gives us a fresh page, clear consciences, we got rid of our mustaches, it’s a new beginning for us so we gotta leave (November) behind us,”

senior forward Conor Sheary said.

The Minutemen (3-10-2, 1-6-2 Hockey East) have also taken a new approach to practice, going back to the basics and simply trying to have fun.

“This week we’ve just been focusing on the things that we enjoy and the things that we love to play for,” redshirt junior Troy Power said. “We had a great practice, had a lot of fun. It cleared our minds and hopefully we’ll get off to a good start this month.”

The Minutemen’s first shot at a turnaround comes Friday at 7:35 p.m. in South Bend, Ind., for the start of a weekend series against No. 13 Notre Dame in the first meeting between the two teams as Hockey East foes.

The Irish (9-6-1, 2-3-1 HEA) joined Hockey East this season after 21 years in the nowdefunct Central Collegiate Hockey Association and are the first team outside of New England to join the conference since its inception, meaning UMass will take a rare plane ride for a conference game.

Although it’s a unique opportunity for the players,

who have never had such an experience before, the Minutemen are aware of the challenge that Notre Dame – an annual NCAA Tournament contender and last year’s CCHA Tournament champion – will present.

“We’re gonna go into a place that I’m assuming is a really cool place to play,” Power said.

“From what I hear, it’s gonna be a pretty packed barn and Notre Dame is a very good hockey team. I know we’re excited to get in there, but it’s a business trip and we’re going there with the intention to take points and that’s what we need to do.”

The transition hasn’t been easy for the Irish, however.

They’ve been mediocre at best in conference play this season – they’re eighth in the conference standings heading into the weekend – and are coming off a non-conference loss to Hockey East foe Northeastern on Saturday.

Micheletto was an assistant at Vermont in its transition to Hockey East in 2005-06, so he understands the challenge in moving to such a highly competitive conference. He said the

biggest adjustment for Notre Dame this season is traveling to new locations for road games, all of which require plane rides to places such as UMass Lowell, where it was swept earlier this season.

The other challenge, of course, is adapting to a new style of play.

“I’m sure they’re understanding that we play a little bit differently in terms of the Hockey East league teams than the CCHA teams did,” Micheletto said. “So as they make the adjustment I’m sure they’re gonna continue to maximize what they do well and just adapt a little bit better to Hockey East.”

If the Minutemen want to have success this weekend, they’ll have to solve senior goaltender Steven Summerhays, who holds a 1.73 goals against average and .936 save percentage in 15 games this year.

With UMass’ goal-scoring troubles as of late, that certainly won’t be easy. The Minutemen are averaging just 1.80 goals per game this season, which is 10th out of 11 Hockey East teams and have see

ND on page 7

very game is big.

Every Hockey East point matters. This is a must-win. It’s time to step up.

These phrases sound familiar?

As a sports reporter, these are the type of things I hear from coaches and players on a regular basis.

They’re the PR-driven words that Nick both the interviewer Canelas and interviewee know that every sports fan – in this case, college hockey fan – expects to see between the quotation marks in their local newspaper or online publication.

As reporters, we’re trained to avoid using such clichés at all costs – unless the situation calls for it.

This weekend is one of those rare exceptions.

It may only be the first week of December, but the Massachusetts and No. 13 Notre Dame hockey teams are preparing for its most critical weekends of the still-young season.

This is a chance to make a statement, to tell us mean, harsh and cynical reporters that we’re all wrong and don’t know what we’re talking about.

For UMass, it’s about instilling hope into a seemingly hopeless season. For the Irish, it’s about proving they belong in Hockey East.

The Minutemen were picked to finish 10th out of 11 teams in the preseason poll, which was nothing short of insulting to the nine seniors on the roster.

Even many fans I spoke to were surprised at the low expectations for such a veteran team.

So far, it appears the socalled experts were right.

UMass is tied for ninth in the conference despite playing more league games (nine) than any other

Hockey East team, 10th in goals per game (1.80) and hasn’t won since Nov. 2, being outscored 28-7 in the seven games since.

Everything seems to be going according to plan, just not the Minutemen’s plans.

“It’s very frustrating,” co-captain Troy Power said.

“It’s hard to stay positive.

It’s hard to keep everyone together, but that’s something that, if we want to get out of this, that’s something we have to do. We have to come together and say ‘enough is enough’ and go to work and start winning some hockey games.

“It’s on us. We’re tired of losing hockey games.

It’s gonna come to a point where we have to respond, to come together and work out of this.”

Hockey East has often been considered a superior league. Some would even argue it’s the best in the country. Four of the last six national champions have hailed from Hockey East and the conference has had at least one representative in the Frozen Four seven of the last eight years.

So it’s natural for the switch to Hockey East from just about any other conference to have its challenges. But that wasn’t expected to be the case for Notre Dame. The Irish won last year’s final Central Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament and have been a regular NCAA Tournament contender since coach Jeff Jackson took over in 200506 and turned the program around.

Notre Dame was picked to finish in the top four in its first Hockey East season in 2013-14, and while the Irish look like a tournament team through two months of play, their 2-3 mark against conference opponents, which doesn’t include Saturday’s nonconference defeat at the hands of a Northeastern see

STATEMENT on page 7

Minutemen look to break out of long offensive slump UMass averaged 1.11 goals in Nov.

By Cameron mCDonough Collegian Staff

With the holiday season in full swing, expect goals to be at the top of the Massachusetts hockey team’s Christmas list.

The Minutemen are coming off of a brutal November stretch in which they averaged 1.11 goals per game. The offensive woes also carried over to their record as they went 1-6-2 during that stretch, while never scoring more than two goals in a game.

UMass also suffered multiple lopsided defeats over the last nine games, including a 9-0

loss to New Hampshire on Nov. 9 and a 6-1 loss to Quinnipiac last Saturday.

That 6-1 loss to the Bobcats was especially striking due to the fact that the Minutemen got off to an early 1-0 lead on a Michael Pereira goal but only managed to get 10 shots on net for the entire game.

The offensive ineptitude was partially due to Quinnipiac’s strong defensive unit, but captain Troy Power still thinks his team needs to be held accountable.

“We were completely out of sync and didn’t work hard enough to get into those areas and to get pucks to the net,” he said.

Six of the Minutemen’s shots came in the first period, which meant that they only managed to record four

over the final 40 minutes.

One of the reasons why UMass coach John Micheletto thinks his team has been struggling on offense, especially in Saturday’s game, has been the amount of time spent on the penalty kill. The Bobcats received 10 power plays in the game, including five in the second period.

“You can’t get into much of a rhythm and gain much confidence in your power play or your 5-on-5 when you’re spending so much energy killing penalties and then trying to get back in the flow from it,” he said.

“Particularly on Saturday, we had a pretty even back and forth game, not exactly the crispest first 20 I think out of either team, but then in the second period all of

a sudden all of the momentum shifts and we’re killing five penalties in the second period. It’s tough to find any sort of offense at that point.”

It’s not like the Minutemen have been strug-

gling to get off shots throughout the entire month like it did on Saturday. UMass came out firing on all cylinders to take a 2-0 lead over Vermont on Nov. 22 and then went on to register 39

GABE SCARBROUGH/COLLEGIAN

shots on goal two days later despite losing both games.

But many of the shots the Minutemen are taking aren’t coming on quality second chance opportunities or near the crease, which Power said is crucial for UMass to start doing in order to turn around the offensive struggles.

“I think we, just as a group, need to get a little hungrier in the scoring areas,” he said. “We’ve been working on trying to place pucks in areas where we get second opportunities, and we just need to do a better job getting to those loose pucks and bang home some greasy rebound goals.”

Coming into the season it was widely expected that the majority of the goals would see

SCORING on page 7