Massachusetts Daily Collegian: April 12, 2016

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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Affirmative Action debate to be held at Student Union Tues. event leads up to Court ruling

By Marie Maccune Collegian Staff

Peter Wood, president of the National Association of Scholars, will debate Kennedy.

Maldari says that in choosing debaters, the Union looks for experts who are actively speaking out on the issue and publishing books and articles.

While finding experts to come speak isn’t easy, Maldari says that overall the response from speakers has been positive, even from those who aren’t able to make it.

Maldari said he told Kennedy and Wood to be “prepared for everything” in terms of questions they might be asked from moderators.

The Union is expecting an increase from the 200-person crowd that attended the RSO’s debate “Opposing Views on American Politics” held on April 9.

“We just want to get a lot of people out here motivated to learn, that’s going to be great for the community,” Maldari said.

When asked about the controversy surrounding the topic, Maldari responded “I think controversial topics are important to discuss and I mean a college campus is a place where, if anywhere, you can discuss those topics especially when you have two very high caliber academics onstage presenting the information – I think that’s the perfect setting for that.”

The University Union is hosting a debate Tuesday at 7 p.m. on Affirmative Action, a strongly debated topic that is expected to have another ruling in its history delivered by the Supreme Court this June.

The debate, the third hosted by the union this year, will be held in the Student Union Ballroom at the University of Massachusetts.

Michael Maldari, a junior operations and information management major and vice president of the Union, said “we definitely wanted to do something controversial.

I think it’s timely because the Supreme Court is about to make a ruling on it so I think that it was the perfect time really to educate people about it.”

The Supreme Court heard arguments for the case of Fisher v. Texas in December, in which a white student argues she was not admitted to the University of Texas on the basis of her race. Texas claims she had neither the grades nor test scores to be admitted, regardless of her race. The Court is expected to announce its decision in June.

The Union has invited two academics to come and debate the policy. Randall Kennedy, the endowed Michael R. Klein professor of law at Harvard Law School is one of them. His most recent book is titled “For Discrimination: Marie MacCune can be reached Race, Affirmative Action, at mmaccune@umass.edu and foland the Law.” lowed on Twitter @MarieMacCune.

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StudentS march on Whitmore

ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN

Filipe Carvalho leads a group of students demanding that UMass divest from fossil fuels in a march to Whitmore Monday afternoon

‘Divest’ lands call with UM President B y B rendan d eady Stuart F oSter

and

Collegian Staff

Members from the University of Massachusetts Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign held a sit-in in front of Chancellor Ku m bl e Subbaswamy’s office in the Whitmore Administration building from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday.

The group is demanding that the UMass Board of Trustees revoke all of the UMass system’s investments from the fossil fuel industry, and planned to stay at Whitmore until We d n e s d ay.

UMass spokesperson Ed Blaguszewski said that at 5 p.m. members from UMass

Divest peacefully left the Whitmore Administration building after receiving a letter from the Chancellor’s office. The letter confirmed that four to five members of Divest UMass will have an hour-long conference call with the Chairman of the UMass Board of Trustees Victor Woolridge and UMass President Martin Meehan Tuesday afternoon to discuss “whether or not the UMass Foundation will be given a public directive to fully divest.”

Mica Reel, a UMass Divest core team member, said that the campaign strategy was working and that the sit-in would continue Tuesday leading up to the conference call at 1 p.m. Reel also anticipat-

ERICA LOWENKRON/COLLEGIAN

ed the Board of Trustees leading up the Chancellor’s giving the group a yes- office, approximately 150 or-no answer Tuesday. students and local resiWhile members sat quietly along the hallway see DIVEST on page 2

Talk addresses gender-based violence Cruz’s gains cuts Sexual assault also into Trump’s lead discussed at CWC

By ShelBy aShline Collegian Staff

A small group of students gathered in the Stonewall Center Monday evening for “Queer Conversations,” a dialogue on sexual assault and gender-based violence in LGBTQIA+ communities.

Associate Director at the Center for Women and Community Becky Lockwood facilitated the discussion, which was held from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and aimed to start a conversation about the prevalence of sexual violence within LGBTQIA+ communities.

“I think our community has a crisis that we’re largely not talking about,” said Josie Pinto, a sophomore public health and women, gender and sexuality studies major who is also the research and education coordinator at the Stonewall Center. Pinto, along with Lockwood and the director of the Stonewall Center, Genny Beemyn, worked to

coordinate the event.

Lockwood began the discussion by explaining that while there is very little research on sexual violence in general, there is even less research that explores its prevalence in LGBTQIA+ communities.

However, she cited the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, which was conducted in 2010, as one of the first national surveys on the issue that included questions about gender and sexual orientation.

According to the survey’s findings, sexual minority respondents reported levels of intimate partner violence and other forms of sexual violence at rates equal to or higher than those of heterosexuals.

In fact, 44 percent of lesbian women and 61 percent of bisexual women “experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime” in comparison to 35 percent of heterosexual women.

26 percent of gay men and 37 percent of bisexual men had

such experiences, compared to 29 percent of heterosexual men.

“This is not just a (cisgendered), heterosexual issue,” Pinto said.

Lockwood, a Title IX deputy at the University of Massachusetts, said that “there’s such a small percentage of sexual violence that actually gets reported to the criminal justice system” as survivors ask themselves ‘Who is going to believe me?’

How am I going to hold this person accountable?’”

She explained that although victims don’t want others to be subject to their abuser’s physical and emotional attacks, they are often hesitant to turn people over to the prison system. In some cases, the assailant retaliates, Lockwood said, adding that an expelled attacker might sue the University concerning their right to “due process.”

“There’s always pushback when survivors start being heard and demanding respect,” Lockwood said.

Lockwood also empha-

sized that emotional abuse can be as damaging as physical abuse, and that emotional abuse is also prevalent in LGBTQIA+ communities.

“Someone can brainwash you (to think) this is just what queer relationships are like,” she said, explaining that many people are still exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity when they venture into a relationship within an LGBTQIA+ community and, by consequence, don’t know what to expect.

Additionally, Lockwood explained effects of mental abuse through the phenomenon of “gaslighting,” in which the abuser twists information in order to make the victim doubt their own memory or perception. After a victim has been mentally abused, they enter an enhanced state of hypervigilance in which they are always alert to the abuser’s emotions, concerned about what they might do to upset them next.

CWC, she said, serves as a resource for people experisee

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Grassroots efforts boost his campaign

By John MccorMick and JenniFer oldhaM Bloomberg News

CHICAGO — Guy Short will go to his sixth Republican National Convention in July when the party faithful convene in Cleveland for what could be the most competitive such gathering in a generation.

The digital marketing consultant from exurban Denver attended his first convention in 1996 at age 27. Now 47, he’s one of 34 delegates Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas won in a clean sweep of Donald Trump over the weekend in Colorado.

It was his latest rout of the front-runner in a process Cruz has dominated with superior grassroots organizing, attention to detail and a greater popularity with the activist base

that dominates the process.

Now underway in multiple states, delegate selection is a second battlefront, as the campaigns slog through their final two months of primaries that conclude June 7 with California, New Jersey and three other states. Next weekend, Wyoming is set to elect 14 national convention delegates in a process that’s expected to again favor Cruz.

Winning delegates familiar with the party’s rules and convention mechanics could prove especially valuable, if no candidate secures the 1,237 delegates needed for the nomination and there’s a contested convention, as appears increasingly likely. “Cruz delegates won’t need on-the-job training in Cleveland,” said Matt Strawn, former chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa. “This experience will be invaluable during the inevitable fog of war that see

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THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

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

In 1861, the Civil War began when Confederate Sumter in South Carolina’s Chesapeake Bay. The next day, President Lincoln asked for 75,000 troops.

AROUND THE WORLD

Chinese courts of transgender discrimination BEIJING – China’s firstever transgender employment discrimination case came before an arbitration panel Monday amid a grassroots push by activists to challenge widespread prejudice through the country’s courts.

Last April, the litigant – a 28-year-old surnamed Chen, a transgender man – was fired one week into a job at a health services firm in Guiyang, the capital of southwestern China’s Guizhou province, for wearing men’s clothes on the job. The firm, Ciming Checkup, did not give Chen any compensation or prior notice.

Chen filed the case to Guiyang’s Yunyan District labor arbitration panel on March 7, seeking compensation and a written apology.

“Chen’s appearance really did not fit our standards,” a manager at the company told the Guiyang Evening News soon afterward.

The hearing began Monday morning and ended at 1:30 p.m., Chen wrote on Sina Weibo, China’s most popular microblog. He wrote that the defendant’s only “evidence” proved that he had not disclosed his gender on his job application form.

“What we sued over is the reason I was fired, not the reason I was hired, so the (evidence) is irrelevant,” he wrote.

“The defendant said I was incapable of doing my job well, but they don’t have evidence. The defendant said I stayed away from work without a good reason, but no evidence. They said I only worked four days a week, but no evidence. We will definitely win the case!”

“We’ll see the (ruling) at the end of the April,” he continued. “In order to advance anti-discrimination employment law, this case won’t be over (until we get) a written apology!”

In much of China, being gay or transgender is still considered taboo, for social and political reasons. Chinese authorities do not recognize same-sex marriages, and decades of draconian family planning policies have shaped a culture in which parents put extraordinary pressure on their children to have children of their own.

Chen’s case comes amid a broader effort by activists to use litigation to challenge prejudices against alternative sexual orientations and gender identities – one that has gained surprising traction, given the country’s tightly circumscribed space for activism and free speech.

On Wednesday, a court in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province in central China, will hear the country’s first gay marriage case. The plaintiffs, Sun Wenlin and Hu Mingliang, sued the local government for refusing to issue them a marriage certificate.

(China’s marriage laws do not specifically forbid same-sex marriage).

In November, a lesbian activist sued China’s education ministry for describing homosexuality as a psychological disorder, although the Chinese Psychiatric Association stopped classifying it as such in 2001.

DailyCollegian.com

Petty vandalism highlight of quiet weekend Police Log: Fri., April 8 to Sun., 10

By Brendan deady Collegian Staff

Friday, April 8: 8:08 a.m.: A woman allegedly barged into a neighbor’s apartment at 266 East Hadley Rd. and assaulted her in front of her children. The upstairs tenant told police that her neighbor’s children were always disruptive and there was a constant marijuana smell that emanated from the apartment. Police issued the alleged assailant a court summons and advised her how to approach noise complaints in the future.

20, of Spartanburg, South Carolina was arrested for shoplifting by concealing merchandise. Barrett was stopped at the Big Y at 175 University Dr. by a loss prevention employee. A staff member asked Barrett if she had any more stole property after she was detained, she said no. A responding officer asked Barrett is she had any further stolen property, she said no. A second officer repeated the question to which Barrett again said no. Officers searched Barrett and found more stolen items. They arrested her.

3:41 p.m.: A young male laid in the middle of Montague Road and refused to move, creating a disturbance. By the time officers arrived he 11:05 a.m.: Police stopped stood in front of Cumberland a driver near Lot 50 after Farms “having a smoke.” observing him smoking marijuana from a pipe. The driver 8:26 p.m.: Aljava Johnson, passed a sobriety test and was 41, of Amherst was arrestallowed to depart. Officers ed for drug possession and did confiscate the marijuana cultivation to distribute a and pipe for destruction. class D drug. A PVTA bus driver contacted police 11:06 a.m.: Lydia Barrett, and reported that Johnson

DIVEST

kept harassing passengers rying a mailbox to return and inappropriately dressed and refused to exit the bus. the property to its owners. for the weather. He wore a Hawaiian shirt, a fish10:56 p.m.: A man living at 2:51 p.m.: A dog got loose ing hat and was not wear51 Butterfield Terrace called from a home near Watson ing shoes. They provided a police after he discovered a Farms and chased after courtesy transport back to suspicious package outside someone down the road. his home on College Street. his doorstep. The report- An officer located the ing party opened the box, pooch a couple blocks over 2:54 a.m.: A caller reportshipped from Thailand, to and notified its owner. ed seeing a male smash a find a white package which light at the Newman Center he claimed he did not order. 7:21 p.m.: A woman known with a fire extinguisher.

An officer assisted the man to police walked into the stain opening the package to tion to report an assault that 6:18 p.m.: Someone reportdiscover some coins. The took place next door at First ed an altercation between man remembered he ordered Congregational Church. a man and woman behind the coins from Thailand. She claimed a man punched the First Congregational her and a friend in the face. Church. A man restrained 11:35 p.m.: Police issued a Officers followed up with the his girlfriend who was belsummons for underage pos- accused who stated he only ligerently drunk. An offisession of alcohol to a man pointed at the women and cer mediated the situation. at 111 Fearing St. told her not “to call him a pedophile.” Witnesses said 9:23 p.m.: A young man no physical altercation took Saturday, April 9: reported that a friend he’d place. been drinking with claimed 12:59 a.m.: Police stopped he was going to shoot the a male along Main Street Sunday, April 10: reporting party in the face. for carrying a realty sign he’d stolen along his 1:11 a.m.: An intoxicat- An officer located the suswalk. Police made the ed white male mistook a pected party and found man return the sign. house on South East Street him to be very intoxicated. as the location of a party The situation was resolved.

1:27 a.m.: Officers ordered he’d attended earlier that a college aged male walking day. Officers described the Brendan Deady can be reached at along Sunset Avenue car- white male as intoxicated bdeady@umass.edu.

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ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN

Approximately 150 students participated in the rally and subsequent march to Whitmore Mon. afternoon. dents also staged a rally in front of the Student Union from noon to 1 p.m. before marching to Whitmore where more members joined the sit-in.

“Right now there are 30 students in the Whitmore building putting their bodies on the line and risking arrest,” Shawn Provost, a member of the campaign, said at the rally in front of the Student Union before the Chancellor responded.

Provost, a civil engineering and political science major, reiterated a message put forward by many of the students who spoke at the rally.

“Our power is derived by

CWC

our commitment to justice and our commitment to each other,” Provost said.

Throughout the day, speakers framed divestment as more than a climate change issue but argued that it intersected with multiple social and racial justice campaigns.

Josh Odam, the Student Government Association’s Student Trustee elect, said that minority populations in America are disproportionately affected by environmental pollution.

“I would not be responsible if I did not come out here and say that we need to make sure the climate justice move-

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encing physical or emotional abuse, offering a 24-hour hotline, free counseling, support groups and a volunteer staff that includes people of diverse gender identities, sexual orientations and race. The Stonewall Center also trains new volunteers to be informed about and sensitive to the unique needs of LGBTQIA+ communities.

“We try to create a safe space for queer survivors,” Lockwood said of CWC, adding that the organization’s name often implies that it is only welcoming to women.

“We are the Center for Women and Community,” she said. “We struggle with that name sometimes because we want people of all gender identities to feel comfortable coming.”

Pinto also hopes to be able to expand the “Queer Conversations” to be inclu-

sive to students of all the Five Colleges while focusing on various issues faced by LGBTQIA+ communities. In last month’s event, for example, the topic of discussion was misogyny.

However, Pinto said that it is important to continue talking about sexual assault and gender-based violence to explore how people of different sexual orientations and gender identities are affected. Through regular discussions, she hopes to “create intentional spaces for survivors.”

“I really just want a space where people can feel validated and supported and listened to,” she said. “I really just want people to be talking.”

Shelby Ashline can be reached at sashline@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @shelby_ashline.

ment is intersectional … the environmental, social and racial justice movements are inextricably linked,” Odam said.

Odam said that campus leaders at UMass need to be held to a high moral standard on climate justice and should serve the interests of students, not the corporations which hold their investments.

“It is unacceptable to be complacent to let the University contribute to violence,” Odam said.

Gabriel Shapiro, a Hampshire College student, echoed Odam’s call to view climate, social and racial issues as

intertwined campaigns.

“We need to show up for all other movements and look at the intersections. Energy justice is racial justice,” Shapiro also condemned a project proposed by Kinder Morgan, a Houston-based natural gas corporation,that would establish a natural gas pipeline from Pennsylvania to the New England coast, cutting through multiple communities in Massachusetts.

Shapiro claimed the proceeds for the sales would contribute to the U.S.’s overseas imperialism by funding the fossil fuel industry’s expansion into foreign markets.

As Filipe Carvalho, the emcee of the rally and director of the Center for Economic Policy Advocacy, passed the megaphone from speaker to speaker, attendants repeated a series of chants and brandished hand-crafted signs that read “Money can’t be eaten, put your money where your mouth is.”

Crowd members echoed the individual speaker’s chants such as “onetwo-three-four, Climate Change is class war, fivesix-seven-eight racial justice cannot wait” and “Hey hey, ho ho, Fossil Fuels have got to go.”

After the rally concluded, organizers led the crowd of roughly 150 in a march to the ramp

leading up to Whitmore.

There, the group broke in sections to receive “nonviolent” protest training before joining the sit-in.

I n s i d e, members who’d been sitting outside the Chancellor’s office since the morning received fruit, bagels and other food items from organizing members.

Samantha Gerdes sat atop one of the vents on the third floor of Whitmore and helped distribute food along the row of participants.

“We hope to polarize the administration enough that they publicly acknowledge their wrongdoings and take responsibility and divest the rest of their investments in fossil fuels,” Gerdes said.

Reel said that the demonstrators in Whitmore were not physically disrupting the building and were being supported t h ro u g h o u t the day by volunteers.

“We have people delivering meals throughout the day,” Reel said. “It’s really amazing to see the amount of support we have on campus and we’re hoping the Board of Trustees recognizes this.”

Brendan Deady can be reached at bdeady@umass.edu or followed on Twitter @bdeady26. Stuart Foster can be reached at stuartfoster@ umass.edu or followed on Twitter @Stuart_C_Foster

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

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CRUZ

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surrounds an open convention.”

Cruz’s ability to outmaneuver the New York billionaire at district and state conventions has fed the narrative that the front-runner doesn’t have his act together and isn’t as big a winner as he proclaims. It could also embolden anti-Trump forces for other delegate contests even in states where he easily won primaries, such as Massachusetts and South Carolina, and in states yet to cast primary ballots like Indiana.

Besides his Colorado sweep, delegates backing Cruz also won 11 of 12 convention slots allocated at four congressional district meetings in Iowa over the weekend. Cruz “seems to be drawing from the ranks of seasoned activists who have been navigating the intricacies of state and local party politics for years,” Strawn said.

Late Saturday in Colorado, Short was elected to the convention’s Rules Committee, a group that would play a central role in making decisions about a contested convention.

“Having folks who have attended before is important and I think that will serve Senator Cruz well,” Short said. “He’s going to need fighters on the floor.”

Almost half of those on Cruz’s slate of Colorado delegates have attended a national convention before, according to Regina Thomson, a state coordinator for his campaign who was also elected to a national delegate slot.

Having more experienced delegates does carry some risk for Cruz because they have deeper party ties and might be more easily persuaded on subsequent ballots if an establishment candidate is put forward.

The newcomer nature of Trump’s candidacy suggests he’s likely attracting more rookies to the convention process.

Last week, Trump gave a bigger role on his team to political consultant Paul Manafort, a veteran operative who helped manage the 1976 convention floor for then-president Gerald

Ford against challenger Ronald Reagan, the last time Republicans entered a convention with no candidate having clinched the nomination. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is in a distant third in the delegate race, has also signed onto his campaign aides who were involved in the 1976 convention.

In an appearance Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program, Manafort pushed back against the narrative that Cruz is out-organizing Trump at state conventions.

He also charged that Cruz’s campaign has used “Gestapo tactics” and “scorched-earth tactics” at county and state conventions.

After delegate elections in Colorado and other states over the weekend, Trump led with 743 delegates, according to Associated Press estimates. Cruz had 545, followed by Kasich at 143.

Besides his commanding lead in delegates, Trump is also strongly favored in New York’s primary on April 19.

Other primaries this month in the Northeast also do not appear to be welcoming terrain for Cruz.

But the weekend activity in Colorado exposed embarrassing gaffes on the part of the Trump campaign, including having incorrectly spelled names and wrong candidate numbers on printed materials about the slate of delegate candidates.

Patrick Davis, Trump’s Colorado state organizer, didn’t even start as a campaign employee until Wednesday. He blamed the printing errors on bad information from the state party.

Asked why Trump’s campaign got such a late start on the delegate selection process, Davis responded that “campaigns deal with what’s right in front of them” and sometimes fail to look ahead.

Cruz was a better political fit than Trump or Kasich for the more conservative activists who dominate the party in Colorado, a state with a strong tea party streak.

Volunteers spent months making phone calls and personal visits to recruit potential delegates and campaign for their success.

The weekend’s action in Colorado also showed how intense the competition has become among party activists who want to be part of the potential drama in Cleveland. More than 600 people ran for the 13 slots awarded Saturday at the state convention in Colorado Springs.

The strength of Cruz’s grassroots effort was on display as more than 5,000 of the party faithful gathered at the Broadmoor World Arena for a marathon session Saturday not far from Pikes Peak, the 14,000foot summit that inspired “America the Beautiful.”

As Cruz neared the end of his 25-minute speech to the convention, he gestured to about 70 supporters furiously waving “TrusTed” placards at the base of the stage, while encouraging the crowd to vote for the slate of delegates backing him that was projected on a screen behind him.

He also took note of what he dubbed “shocking bright orange shirts” worn by his advocates on the floor of the convention that he said were geared to “show up on television.” Attendees shouted back that the color corresponded to that worn by the 2016 Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos.

The Colorado delegates elected are technically unbound, although virtually all of them declared themselves as Cruz supporters and will be obligated to vote for him on the first national convention ballot.

On a potential second ballot, when restrictions for many would be lifted, roughly three-quarters of the 2,472 convention delegates would be free to vote for any candidate they want.

If that happens, it could quickly become a chaotic scene, with last-minute candidacies potentially emerging. Convention organizers have said they don’t plan to make any special arrangements for the convention to extend beyond the four days scheduled.

Zika virus threat is wider than officials originally thought White House urges legislature to act

By John T. BenneTT CQ-Roll Call

WASHINGTON – The Zika virus is a threat to more states than first feared, underscoring the need for Congress to approve the Obama administration’s nearly $2 billion funding request, senior health officials said Monday.

But even as officials were delivering that new warning, Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s office questioned the White House’s approach for combating the virus’ spread at home and abroad.

U.S. health officials warned Monday that the mosquitos that carry and spread the Zika virus are present in 30 states, not the dozen feared previously. The virus is now believed to affect women throughout their pregnancies rather than during just the first trimester, Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters at the White House.

In addition to being linked to microcephaly, a birth defect, and one serious autoimmune nervous disorder, officials say there are growing links between the virus and neurological conditions.

Officials do not expect a

wide-scale outbreak in the continental United States, Schuchat said, “but that doesn’t mean we won’t have a big problem.”

The health officials warned they lack funds to head that off, even after they transferred nearly $600 million in existing funds from other accounts to anti-Zika efforts.

Health agencies need the full amount in emergency funding the Obama administration asked for: $1.9 billion, National Institutes of Health Director Anthony Fauci said.

Still, he told reporters at the same briefing that he “can’t imagine” Congress won’t eventually dole out the funds, especially as experts learn more.

On Capitol Hill, Republican lawmakers remain hesitant to cut a $1.9 billion check, especially since the sum would breach federal spending caps.

“We’re glad the administration has agreed to our request to use existing Ebola funds to address the Zika epidemic,” Doug Andres, a Ryan spokesman, said in an email.

“If additional Zika resources are needed those funds could and should be addressed through the regular appropriations process,” Andres said.

GOP appropriators earlier this month declared victory when the White House decided to shift monies away from

programs targeting Ebola, malaria and tuberculosis and toward anti-Zika efforts.

“More than a month ago we called on the administration to use existing funding and legal authorities to provide the most immediate and effective response to the Zika outbreak,” House Appropriations Chairman Harold Rogers, R-Ky., and other senior GOP members of that panel said in an April 6 statement. “We are pleased to hear today that federal agencies are heeding our call.”

Republicans have yet to take a firm position on whether they believe additional Zika dollars will be needed this fiscal year.

“We will look carefully at the details of today’s proposal by the administration to ensure the best and most effective use of these funds, and to provide proper oversight,” Rogers and the other appropriators said. “As we move forward, the Appropriations Committee will continue to monitor the changing needs resulting from this unpredictable crisis to assure the resources necessary for the response are available.”

Meantime, in an ominous finding, Schuchat said there could be hundreds of thousands of Zika cases in Puerto Rico.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

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Thousands protest in DC Money in politics target of sit-ins

By Alex GAnGiTAno CQ-Roll Call

WASHINGTON — More than 3,600 protesters, demanding that money be taken out of politics, arrived at the U.S. Capitol on Monday for a mass sit-in that quickly led to arrests.

The Democracy Spring protesters marched from Philadelphia to the Capitol, a 140-mile trek, over nine days. The group plans to rally at the Capitol every day this week with a different theme for each protest.

On Monday, protesters rallied on the East Front of the Capitol facing the Supreme Court, behind a line of Capitol Police officers.

Yelling back and forth, the group chanted, ‘Represent who? Represent us?’ and ‘Democracy’

‘Spring.’ Groups of about six to 10 protesters at a time were arrested periodically by Capitol Police, who put plastic zip lines around their wrists.

Signs from protesters read, ‘Things go better without Koch’ and ‘Claim Your Democracy.’ Several T-shir ts suppor ting Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders were spotted in the crowd.

The group supports a series of bills that aim to reduce the influence of money in politics. They include: the Government by the People Act, the Fair Elections Now Act, the Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Voter Empowerment Act to promote access to voting for individuals with disabilities.

While in Baltimore on Thursday, Democratic Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger welcomed the protesters and encouraged them to continue to urge Congress to take up the issue. But he

expressed concern about the sit-in component and the possibility that the story would become about a mass arrest rather than the issue, said Jaime Lennon, Ruppersberger’s spokeswoman.

Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard law school professor and political activist, is expected to join the group in D.C. later this week.

Two actors joined the walk, ‘Law & Order’ star Sam Waterston, who was recently in the capital to protest industrial offshore drilling in the Atlantic, and Gaby Hoffman from HBO’s ‘Girls.’

Each day has a different theme: Tuesday, ‘Elders Standing for Democracy Spring’; Wednesday, ‘Racial Justice Day’; Thursday, ‘Labor Solidarity Day’; Friday, ‘Youth and Student Day’ and Saturday, ‘Climate Justice Day.’

Sept. 11 death penalty case will proceed despite fumbles Judge rules that no bias is present

By CArol rosenBerG Miami Herald

Remarks by political leaders stretching back to the George W. Bush presidency have the potential to taint Guantanamo’s Sept.

11 death-penalty trial, the case’s military judge has ruled, meaning defense lawyers may more liberally scrutinize the jury of U.S. military officers.

But the judge, Army Col. James L. Pohl, said a Pentagon official acted independently without outside influences in April 2012 to authorize a death-penalty trial for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind, and four accused co-conspirators in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

No 9/11 trial date has been set as defense and prosecution attorneys litigate access to evidence and other pretrial issues.

In fact, Pohl canceled two weeks of pretrial hearings this month without explanation after getting a sealed filing from the Justice Department.

But he said in a 17-page ruling posted at the Pentagon’s war court website on Monday that 9/11 trial defense lawyers will

get to question would-be jurors and could get “liberal challenges” when the time comes to pick a jury.

“Prior to that time any impact, real or imaginative, is speculative,” the Army colonel said.

Pohl added he would “be continually attentive” during jury selection and the trial “as to any inklings of unlawful influence that may arise.”

At issue was a May 2012 filing by defense attorneys that asked Pohl to dismiss the case. They claimed that a senior Pentagon official, retired Vice Adm. Bruce MacDonald, rushed the capital case against the men in April 2012, nearly six years after they got to Guantanamo from three or four years of clandestine CIA interrogation and detention, without adequate input by defense attorneys.

Pohl declined to dismiss the case and also denied the defense request to downgrade it to a noncapital trial, saying the fact-pattern presented by the alleged terrorists’ Pentagon-paid defense attorneys did not demonstrate that MacDonald was subject to unlawful influence.

Nor did they demonstrate that a future jury would be subject to “military and political pressures,” Pohl said, in deciding the “guilt or innocence” of the men or whether to impose a death

sentence, if the panel convicts them.

The defense lawyers in 2012 asked to question Bush, President Barack Obama and other political leaders in their bid to show prejudice. The request was denied.

“There has been an inordinate publicity about the attacks on 9/11, the accused and their treatment while detained, and the Military Commission process writ large,” Pohl wrote. But MacDonald denied outside influence in sworn testimony, Pohl noted, and said he spent several months going through “voluminous materials” before approving a death-penalty trial.

“He was most adamant that the decision to refer the accused to a capital trial was his alone,” Pohl ruled, adding that he also found no appearance of unlawful influence.

The ruling decided just one slice of a multifaceted unlawful influence defense motion. Pohl has yet to rule on other claims of political or military interference in his independence, including most recently that the Pentagon tried to pressure Pohl to cancel a temporary order forbidding female guards from touching the accused terrorists when they are being transported to and from court and legal sessions.

Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

“Everything in life is somewhere else, and you get there in a car.”- E.B. White

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Editorial@DailyCollegiancom

Zack Snyder needs to be fired

Letters to the edItor

Editorial@DailyCollegian.com

I have always loved comics. movie, a Lex Luthor movie and Every Wednesday at 7 p.m. I a pre Justice League movie. would stop whatever I was doing The result is as confusing as it sounds.

Jeffrey Ayers Snyder also attempted and failed to create an entire unito watch the Justice League car- verse of characters. DC, sadly, toon on TV. On weekends, if I has fallen behind Marvel when was lucky, my father would take it comes to live action movies. In me down to the local comic book recent years with such massive store to see the newest issues. box office hits as the Avengers, So you can imagine my excite- Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain ment when I finally get to see America: Winter Soldier and two of my favorite superheroes Guardians of the Galaxy, it’s on the big screen in Batman vs. understandable that DC is pan-

Hunger and food insecurity – not knowing when or where you’ll get your next meal – is real across Western Massachusetts and on the campus of the University of Massachusetts. Stephanie Pete had the courage to share her story of food insecurity at UMass earlier this year. Every year, more and more college students across the country face a similar situation. Just last month, the Baltimore Sun reported that “Nationwide, more than 280 colleges and universities now have food pantries.” In fact, UMass and the surrounding neighborhoods have the highest food insecurity rate in our region – 32 percent or 4,155 individuals.* At the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, we’re deeply concerned about this reality because our mission is to feed our neighbors in need and lead the community to end hunger. Last year, we distributed almost 10 million pounds of food to more than 211,000 individuals at risk of hunger – the equivalent of 8.3 million meals.

And the people who seek it out are college students, elders, children and veterans. They may be disabled, temporarily jobless or unemployed. Even working families on near-minimum wage incomes struggle to make ends meet and put food on their table.

Fortunately, people who go hungry can turn to a local food pantry for a bag of groceries or to a meal site for a hot meal. All told, there are more than 200 such local feeding programs across the four counties of Western Massachusetts: Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin and Berkshire counties.

“Horrible editing, poor plot lines and jumbled scenes all made for a mediocre film at best.”

The Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP) is a reliable source of healthy food for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the other three regional food banks in the Commonwealth. We rely on MEFAP funding to purchase about a quarter of all of the food that we distribute, including vegetables from local farmers and other types of nutritious food.

Superman: Dawn of Justice, and fighting each other no less. Now imagine my disappointment when what should have been my favorite movie of all time turns out to be a total mess.

Horrible editing, poor plot lines and jumbled scenes all made for a mediocre film at best.

While there were some bright spots, namely Ben Affleck’s incredible portrayal of Batman, Gal Gadot’s surprisingly well done Wonder Woman, and some great action sequences, the movie still remains a disappointment. Some people have placed the blame on the studio executives, others blame the screenwriters. While both of those groups played a role in this movie’s downfall, the true blame lies with the director, Zack Snyder.

I will be the first to admit that Snyder has directed some wonderful movies in the past, such as Watchmen, 300 and maybe Man of Steel. Fans have praised him for his beautiful visuals and talent at directing action, both of which are shown in the film.

His problem, is his lack of storytelling. He cannot tell a coherent story, and as a result what was once my most anticipated movie of all time was reduced to a confusing hodgepodge of scenes sloppily thrown together.

Snyder even had an extra year to put the finishing touches on the film. What did he manage to accomplish within that extra year? He, somehow, crammed in four separate movies into what is supposed to be one. Contained within the plot Batman vs.

Superman is an attempt at a sequel to Man of Steel, a Batman

At the Food Bank, we believe everyone has the right to healthy food, regardless of their circumstances.

We also know that we and our local partners cannot solve hunger alone. This epidemic is so great now that it will require everyone in society to become part of the solution.

We urge you to take action and be part of the short- and long-term solutions to ending hunger: Action #1: If you’re registered to vote in Massachusetts, please call your state senator and representative, and urge them to support a $3 million increase in MEFAP funding so that we can feed more nutritious food to hungry households.

Action #2: Mark your calendars on Sept. 19 to participate in the first-ever UMass Hunger Action Day as part of national Hunger Action Month. We’ll kick off the pursuit of long-term solutions to end hunger on campus and in our region.

Will you embrace our vision of a Western Massachusetts where no one goes hungry and everyone has access to nutritious food? We hope so. Meanwhile, remember that if you or someone you know is food insecure, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and our local partners are here to help.

Andrew Morehouse Executive Director, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts

Letters to the editor should be no longer than 550 words and can be submitted to either to Editorial@DailyCollegian.com or to DailyCollegian.com. We regret that, due to space constraints, not all letters will be printed but can be found online.

icking. The wrong thing to do would be to cram five to six years of movies into one where Snyder fails. In one movie he attempted to establish Batman, Wonder Woman and the entire Justice League without giving them their own movies first. This movie should have been about Batman fighting Superman – that’s it. If he wanted to include Wonder Woman, fine, but don’t try to set up the entire Justice League without backstory.

Even with all of this mess, DC has yet to fire Snyder. Not only is he still working with DC, but he is even directing Justice League Parts 1 and 2, as well as producing most of the upcoming DC movies. Enough is enough. I’m sick of gray environments, dark skies, poor attempts at symbolism and slow motion. If DC must keep him, they should make him director of cinematography. Otherwise he should step down. The fans were upset with Man of Steel, and we’re upset with this movie too. He clearly doesn’t know these characters and trades storytelling for pretty looks. I beg that DC fires Snyder before he completely destroys the Justice League movies. Now I understand that if this happens people will want to know who can do a better job, to which I answer, how about Batman himself ? DC has Oscar winning director and screenwriter in Ben Affleck – use him. If DC does let him direct and write The Justice League, I’ll forgive them for hiring Zack Snyder.

Jeffrey Ayers is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at jayers@umass.edu

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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

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CONCERT PREVIEW

Amherst’s Spirit Ghost kicks off tour with Calico Blue Local bands to play at Iron Horse venue B y W ill Sennott Collegian Correspondent Calico Blue and Spirit Ghost, two local bands hailing from Amherst will come together Thursday at Northampton’s Iron Horse Music Hall for a synergetic exhibition of jazz inspired alternative rock. Calico Blue will open for Spirit Ghost, which kicks off its first-ever cross country tour right at home.

Calico Blue’s intrinsic style spans across a variety of genres, touching on jazz, surf and soul while still managing to keep their indie rock roots firmly planted.

Though some band members declare their group name to cast a general mood over a direct meaning – calico being a floral textile pattern and blue implying a blues influence – it leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

Calico Blue has picked up considerable momentum this academic year and thrives in local house show settings.

However, that hasn’t stopped them from play-

ing in some of the most popular music hubs of the Northeast, such as Radio Bean in Burlington, Vermont.

Its signature use of twangy, off beat, power chords and light percussion, as Sarah Addi’s sultry voice weaves in and out of a pulsing bassline, leaves plenty of space to experience the unique voicing of each instrument.

Despite the traditional line-up, Calico Blue’s form is far from orthodox.

The main feature of the night, headlining band Spirit Ghost (formerly known as Sexy Girls), has a sound more fitting to its new name than its previous.

The band’s simplistically melodious inflection builds a strong foundation for the varying cadence of Alex Whitelaw’s nasal voice.

Whitelaw, the sole composer and lead singer of Spirit Ghost, refuses to settle on a genre. Many of his songs have a blues tinge, communicating a pattern of rhythmic talk and cyclical form, eventually morphing into improvised skatting.

Other songs express more modern influences like surf and jazz-rock.

Nonetheless, each song

is heavy in reverb and passion, often erupting in a climax of fervent screams.

Spirit Ghost is known for its strong presence on stage. The band brings the raw energy of garage rock to the venue while infusing the subliminal technicalities of jazz into their music.

As ghosts and spirits do, Whitelaw’s hypnotic sound is sure to put an audience in a trance.

This Thursday in Northampton will spark the fuse for an ensuing cross country tour. Spirit Ghost is bound for Illinois to meet and record with Daytrotter, playing shows along the way there and back. Daytrotter is a music production company with a web-based platform that often recruits up-and-coming indie music acts.

Prior to Thursday, Calico Blue and Spirit Ghost will also perform at the Spring Fun Day on Tuesday hosted on campus at Greeno Sub Shop.

Thursday’s show is for audience members ages 18 and up, and tickets can be purchased at nbotickets.com.

Will Sennott can be reached at wmsennott@umass.edu.

OFFICIAL CALICO BLUE AND SPIRIT GHOST FACEBOOK PAGE

Top: Calico Blue thrives in a house show atmosphere and will open in Northampton. Below: The band Spirit Ghost, formerly known as Sexy Girls, will be the main feature at Thursday night’s show.

BAND REVIEW

Bella’s Bartok releases brand new album ‘Change Yer Life’ Northampton based band tours the country B y G ina l opez Collegian Staff

I reimagine the high energy, explosive surprise of the circus from childhood, the euphoric feeling of discovering something first-hand and the uninhibited rush of pure joy felt on the last day of school.

Together, twisted, layered and complicated, these feelings inhabit each song and individual performance of the hypnotizing, highly glittered, bohemian folk punk rock band Bella’s Bartok, of Northampton.

Bella’s Bartok’s six members include: Asher Putnam (lead vocals), Jesse Putnam (accordion, mandolin, guitar, trumpet and vocals), Chris “Fancy” Kerrigan (guitar, clarinet, vocals), Dan Niederhauser (bass and vocals) and Crisco (drums). The group came together in 2008, at the University of Massachusetts after being inspired by fellow musicians, former band members and friends to do their thing.

And the rest is history.

Now Bella’s Bartok travels all over the country performing exuberant shows with the help of ultra-glittered hair, multicolored

lights, glow in the dark face paint and smoke – transforming the stuffy idea of a three-piece suit to solidify that they’ll produce an unforgettably fun show with a Balkan feel. The band takes cues from folk music of the region.

The band drew the inspiration for their unusual name from Bela Bartok, the famous Romanian composer born in 1891.

Dan Wolovick, founder of the Canadian live music organization Two Way Monologues, calls their shows, “about as much fun as you can have with your pants on.”

The bands newest, and fifth album, “Change Yer Life,” was released on March 11, and debuted on March 26, at the CD release at the Pearl Street Nigh Club in Northampton.

Their performance paid tribute to both their decidedly bizarre music style, and the Jewish holiday Purim, which typically involves celebratory masquerading, by having a themed concert of their own.

As expected, the venue erupted into a dance floor with fans of all ages, backgrounds and life travels, releasing all inhibitions and simply enjoying the music.

Outside, I noticed one woman proclaim that she planned to take her earrings off once Bella’s Bartok began, in fear that she

would lose them while dancing.

“Change Yer Life” was the band’s first self-produced album produced at the Amity House in Amherst thanks to the expertise of band member Chris Kerrigan, who has been working on his recording engineer skills both on Bella’s Bartok’s music and the music of other local artists.

Kerrigan seems to be a natural at record producing, showing real talent.

According to the press release, band member Jesse Putnam spoke of the album saying it “contains the songs and sounds as they are meant to be heard; the tunes refined to reflect their individual intentions,” a work that was created in efforts to truly showcase their “pop gold klezmer punk sound.”

“Change Yer Life” is comprised of 14 contagiously emotional songs. When asked over email about the nature of the songwriting, the band said that the songs were written as “a back and forth between all members, as each knows their instruments and how best they should fit in any given piece,” crediting the “kernel of [most] songs” to Asher.

The band’s previous albums include: “Don’t be Yourself,” “We Are Not a Cult,” “These Are Not Our Arms” and “The Bag End

OFFICIAL BELLA’S BARTOK FACEBOOK PAGE

The band plays Balkan folk-inspired music and performs exuberant shows.

March.”

Their single “Ramona,” my favorite from the album, was released early as a prelude to “Change Yer Life.”

On first listen it reminded me of the kind of power ballad one would blast after an upsetting, identity threatening revelation that required a solid reminder of one’s coolness, control and ability to sing in the shower.

As a final consensus, at the risk of incorrectly comparing

two genres, the band’s energy reminded me of The 1975, with their own elements of theatrics, strong instrumentals and utter surprise that make them difficult to easily quantify or compare with other groups and genres of music.

Bella’s Bartok is truly one of a kind.

Gina Lopez can be reached at gmlopez@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @gina_lopezz.

MUSIC

Jimmy Buffett has yet to cancel North Carolina stop

By DaviD Menconi The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) RALEIGH, N.C. — Jimmy Buffett is scheduled to play two North Carolina shows this month, and those shows are still happening. Beyond that, however, fans might not see Buffett in the state for as long as the recently passed House Bill 2 is still in effect.

This comes in the wake of Bruce Springsteen canceling his Greensboro show over House Bill 2, and Brand

Carlile’s announcement that she will still play her scheduled dates “to witness the protest through music.”

Buffett has released a statement criticizing House Bill 2 as “a stupid law based on stupid assumptions.” But he feels deep loyalty to his North Carolina fans and is “not going to let stupidity or bigotry trump fun for my loyal fans this year.” So the shows on the schedule will go on, including Buffett’s April 21 season-opener at Raleigh’s

Walnut Creek Amphitheatre.

But here’s the closing paragraph of his statement: That said, as for the future of shows in North Carolina, it would definitely depend on whether that stupid law is repealed. That is up to the good people of North Carolina and there are many, and I am confident that they will see that the right thing will be done. As Forrest said, “Stupid is as stupid does.”

Fins Up, Jimmy Buffett

6

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Comics

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Only Aliens Bike Up The hill

n ice c lean F ight

b y S ean c lark

Calibrations

W ondermark

S arah ’ S S cribbleS

b y d avid m alki

b y S arah a nderSen

aquarius

HOROSCOPES Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

leo

Jul. 23 - aug. 22

Be good to yourself and others because we all know you need those good vibes.

All noses are unique and deserve love! Even your nose!

pisces

virgo

Feb. 19 - Mar. 20

aug. 23 - Sept. 22

If you have two favorite colors and you mix them together, does the new color become your favorite color?

Why do you continue to watch a TV show when it makes you angry? Why do you enjoy the stress?

aries

Mar. 21 - apr. 19

libra

Sept. 23 - Oct. 22

taurus

apr. 20 - May. 20

scorpio

Oct. 23 - nOv. 21

gemini

May. 21 - Jun. 21

You can learn a lot about someone by the color and pattern of their umbrella.

People watching is a great stress-relieving activity! I recommend sitting in the ILC.

Humming in a quiet room full of people Putting eyeliner on is like a game of tetris. If should require the utmost severe punishment. you mess up, that’s it. It’s game over.

it, and sometimes you think you found it, but it’s not real.

cancer

Jun. 22 - Jul. 22

Don’t stop working now! You’re almost done!

sagittarius

nOv. 22 - Dec. 21

Knowing when to stop and take a break is an enviable trait.

capricorn

Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

Are donut holes really the holes of donuts or are they simply small found donuts?

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

DILLARD

UM fights ‘crazy’ wind

By Ryan ames Collegian Staff

ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN

Cierra Dillard drives to the net in a game against Fordham on Feb. 6 at Mullins Center in Amherst.

BEANPOT

women’s basketball. We welcome Cierra to our UB family.”

The Minutewomen will need to look to replace the production Dillard produced over the last two seasons while also adjusting to Verdi’s style of

coaching. UMass will be returning their entire roster from last season except for Dillard, and seniors Rashida Timbilla and Victoria Stewart.

Adam Aucoin can be reached at aaucoin@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @aaucoin34.

continued from page 8

but recognizes the excitement it brings the players.

“The tournament is all about bragging rights,” Hart said. “Playing in the same area, we know a lot of the guys on the other teams, so it’s always the goal to win this tournament and the first round is always the hardest to win,

so we will need to be ready for that on Wednesday.”

“When you’re playing in a tournament or for a tournament championship, the level of importance is raised,” Stone added.

“We’re hoping to get into a groove and play well and if we do that, I like our chances.”

7

ROW I N G

continued from page 8

in Western New York, is the next phase of our recruitment,” LegetteJack said. “We are thrilled that Cierra and a few others are joining us on our mission to make Buffalo a destination for higher learning and competitive

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

UMass’s game against Central Connecticut starts at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Amherst and the Wednesday game against the Eagles is slotted for 3 p.m. start in Chestnut Hill.

Adam Aucoin can be reached at aaucoin@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @aaucoin34.

On yet another weekend where weather forced a change in schedule, the Massachusetts rowing team adjusted and powered through.

The Varsity 4 and the Second Varsity 8 boats both claimed gold medals and the Frosh/Novice 4 boat earned bronze to complete a strong weekend of racing for the Minutewomen at the Knecht Cup in West Windsor Township, New Jersey.

“We had two great days of racing,” coach Jim Dietz said. “When we got there it was cold, the wind was blowing like crazy but we raced hard through the weekend.”

In the Varsity 4 Third Final, UMass finished with a time of 7:43.88 to win the team’s first gold. Minutes later, the Second Varsity 8 repeated with a win in 6:47.17.

The Frosh/Novice 4 boat earned a spot in the Grand Final and took home bronze after finishing in 8:00.14.

The Minutewomen also qualified for the Varsity 8 Grand Final and finished in fifth place with a time of 6:55.21.

UMass had a solid showing in the Third Varsity 8 as well, placing fourth in Heat 1 in 7:31.71. The Minutewomen had two boats in the singles, finishing third and fourth respectively.

They persevered despite winds that got progressively stronger as the day went on.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Dietz said regarding the wind. “It was constantly swinging around. One minute it was a tail-wind, the next it was a cross-wind, so it was hard to get consistent races with that in effect. You don’t see that kind of weather pattern that often.”

To get to the Grand Finals, the Frosh/Novice 4 and the Varsity 8 both placed first in the semi-finals. The Frosh/Novice boat finished in 8:32.82, and the Varsity 8 crossed in 6:54.30. In the Second Varsity 8 Semi-final, UMass finished second with a time of 6:55.30 to claim a spot in the finals.

The last finals the Minutewomen competed in on Sunday was the Varsity Pairs, where UMass had three boats that finished in second, fifth and sixth.

Saturday, conditions weren’t ideal for racing, but the Minutewomen proved they could handle anything

thrown their way.

In the Varsity 4 UMass had two boats in separate heats placing second and third in times of 8:03.60, and 8:20.55. Shortly following, the Minutewomen A boat finished fifth in the Varsity 4 semifinals in 8:47.13 UMass continued its strong opening day with first place finishes in their respective heats for the Varsity 8, Fresh/Novice 4 and the Second Varsity Eight.

Not to be outdone, the Minutewomen had three boats in the opening Varsity Pairs with impressive finishes of second, third and first.

“Overall I thought it was a great weekend. It was cold, it was windy, but we raced very well,” Dietz said A week from today UMass will head to Boston to compete in a quadregatta against Boston University, Dartmouth and Northeastern.

“We’re looking forward to next weekend in Boston and I’m sure that’ll be some nice racing as well,” Dietz said.

Ryan Ames can be reached at rames@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @_RyanAmes.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Sports@DailyCollegian.com

@MDC_SPORTS

BASEBALL

Sense of urgency

HOCKEY

Carvel begins offseason work

By Ross Gienieczko Collegian Staff

JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN

Casey Aubin, slated to start on the mound Tuesday, throws a warm up pitch against Holy Cross on March 22 at Earl Lorden Field.

UMass ready for midweek matchups

By AdAm Aucoin Collegian Staff

In baseball, series wins are the lifeblood of a team’s success. But in that regard in 2016, the Massachusetts baseball team hasn’t had much of a pulse.

The Minutemen have only won one series so far, a two-game sweep of Maine in Florida in mid-March. In every other series, they’ve lost all of their games or only won a single game in a three-game series.

This weekend was no different as UMass (6-13, 2-4 Atlantic 10 Conference) took the first game from St. Bonaventure 3-2, but lost the final two matchups by scores of 5-3 and 7-3 respectively.

Minutemen coach Mike Stone spoke with urgency when discussing the need

to string together wins.

“It’s really important to start getting into a groove,” Stone said. “It’s really important to just play, too. In baseball, you can’t get into that groove and stay sharp by not playing.

Hopefully we can get back on track with a couple of good games this week.”

UMass will try to do just that with a pair of non-conference games this week against Central Connecticut (13-16, 6-6 Northeast Conference) Tuesday in Amherst and a Beanpot first round matchup with Boston College (16-11, 5-8 Atlantic Coast Conference) Wednesday at Chestnut Hill.

Freshman Casey Aubin will get the call on Tuesday to pitch for UMass. Aubin is 1-2 on the season with a 6.00 ERA in three starts and five appearances.

“We need him to get us deep into the game tomor-

row,” Stone said. “That’s really what you’re asking for from pitchers, to just give you a chance to win late in the ball game.”

The Minutemen will need their bats to come to life if they expect any success this week, as they were held to three runs in each of this past weekend’s matchups with the Bonnies.

“We were ahead in every game; we just didn’t extend the lead,” Stone said.

“That’s been a big issue for us. We just can’t seem to get the key hits when we really need them.”

Outfielder Mike Hart has been one of the guys on the team that has produced offensively. He leads the team with a .338 average and is third on the team with 22 hits. Despite his success, he realizes the team has not come through in key moments.

“Winning games is some-

thing we really need to do, but to do that we need to be able to produce,” Hart said.

“We’ve really struggled to drive people in with two outs. We’re not hitting at the same time. We’ve got to connect people to make things work.”

Beanpot opener On Wednesday, UMass will make up their first round Beanpot tournament contest against the Eagles that was originally scheduled for last Wednesday.

Stone said Wednesday’s starting pitcher will depend on the result of Tuesday’s game against the Blue Devils.

The last time the two teams met on March 30, BC beat UMass 11-5 in Amherst.

Hart doesn’t believe the tournament means any more than any other game, see

BEANPOT on page 7

Princeton and also had brief stints coaching in Europe and as an NHL scout. He played at Boston University from 1969 to 1972, winning two national championships under coach Jack Kelly. He later became an assistant for the Terriers on Jack Parker’s staff for five seasons, winning an additional national title in 1978.

“An iconic guy like that, you want him involved,” Carvel continued. “His personality is infectious. He’s funny and he’s fun to be around. I’d be crazy not to want him around.”

Carvel also said he’s spoken to many current UMass recruits and there would “inevitably” be changes in the team’s recruiting landscape.

“Yeah, I’ve spoken to most of them. When players commit to programs, the number one reason is usually the coach or the coaching staff and the connection that they made with them, the trust that they have,” Carvel said.

“I left St. Lawrence and there’s a lot of kids there who need to figure things out, and there’s a lot of kids here. So there’s inevitably going to be changes.”

One recruit, Ty PeltonByce, has already changed his plans. Pelton-Byce had signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Minutemen, but will attend Harvard instead, according to a College Hockey Inc. database of commitments.

“It’s not for me to give names, but certain kids are going to move on to other schools and other kids are going to move on to UMass that weren’t originally. It’s just the way it goes,” Carvel said. “Recruiting is very much a game of familiarity and trust and connections. So I’m sure there will probably be some shakeups.”

The introductory phase of his job is over, and after a whirlwind first week, Massachusetts hockey coach Greg Carvel is settling down and getting to work on several offseason tasks.

Carvel said he hopes to have the rest of his staff “hired and working” in time for the American Hockey Coaches Association convention from April 27 to May 1 in Naples, Florida.

Ryan Miller and Joey Gasparini, assistant coaches for the Minutemen under former coach John Micheletto, announced last week they would be moving on from the program.

Micheletto was fired the day after the season ended, but Miller and Gasparini remained under contract until a new coach was hired.

Their announcements were made five days after Carvel was officially introduced as UMass coach at an introductory press conference.

Carvel declined to name specific candidates for the openings, but said he has a short list that’s narrowing down.

Carvel also said former Minutemen coach Don ‘Toot’ Cahoon will be involved in some capacity with the program going forward.

“I asked him to become involved if I took the job, and he said absolutely. He loved the time here. I texted to him (a few days ago) and told him we’d have to get together soon,” Carvel told the Massachusetts Daily Collegian.

Cahoon coached UMass from 2000 to 2012 before agreeing to resign after the 2011-2012 season. He led the Minutemen to their only NCAA tournament berth in program history in 2007 and finished his UMass career with a record of 165-231-40.

Ross Gienieczko can be reached at A hockey lifer, Cahoon rgieniec@umass.edu and followed previously coached at on Twitter @RossGien.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BASEBALL

Summer reps benefit Morris Cierra Dillard Outfielder hitting .325 early in season

By Tom mulheRin Collegian Staff

Entering the 2016 season, junior outfielder Dylan Morris expected to find success at the plate for the Massachusetts baseball team. So far, with a .325 batting average through UMass’s first 19 games, that expectation has come true.

But let’s take a step back.

When the season ended for the Minutemen (6-13, 2-4 Atlantic 10) last year, Morris’s batting statistics didn’t exactly jump off the page. Starting 38 games in the outfield, he finished 2015 with a .219 batting average, 11 runs scored, one home run, seven RBIs and just six walks. He also struck out 40 times.

Morris knew he could be a lot better than those numbers showed, so he went into the offseason ready to work on a few facets of his game at the plate. He did that by playing summer baseball with the Falmouth

Commodores of the Cape Cod League and the Bristol Blues of the Futures League.

“During summer ball, I had a lot of time to myself where I kind of worked on a couple of different things,” he said. “Weightlifting obviously helped. Training with heavy bats helped. I worked a lot on seeing the ball more closely than I would last year.”

“I would see the ball (last year), but I wouldn’t really try and focus on the spin of the ball – pitch recognition.

I just worked on a lot of little things … see that curveball a little earlier. Plate discipline – not chasing as many balls out of the zone.

Getting my whole body into the swing.”

Surrounded by a lot of talent in that span, Morris found a lot of help along the way in improving his batting skills. When asked if his experiences with the two teams had a major impact on his game now, he quickly and emphatically responded, “absolutely.”

“The coaches in Falmouth were great, they

helped my swing out a lot,” he said. “A couple days into my batting practices, they offered a lot of suggestions as to what I could be doing better in my swing. In Bristol, it was really good too because my teammates all had different approaches to hitting. Just the more good baseball you’re surrounded by, the better of a player you will be.”

Fast-forward back to real time and the results of all that summer work are as clear as day.

In 2015, his batting average through the first 19 games stood at a mere .169. Now, Morris’ .325 mark ranks second on the team behind Mike Hart.

The junior’s 14 runs have already surpassed his total from last season and flashes of power have leaked out as well (his two homers and 13 RBIs also rank second). Until recently, Morris even carried a 13-game hitting streak which could have extended further if it weren’t for the week-long gap between games due to postponements and cancellations.

Overall, UMass coach Mike Stone has been very impressed with the improvements he has seen from his No. 2 hitter in the lineup and recognizes the work ethic Morris carries to get better.

“I think his preparation (is different),” Stone said.

“He’s taking a lot of extra swings; he’s gaining a lot of confidence. He’s swinging the bat more efficiently (and) is seeing the ball better. He’s working at it.

“He’s on a mission. He is really out to prove the kind of ballplayer that he can be … and gets after it.

I think he’s always been a guy to play hard and been passionate about the game.

He has totally elevated his focus even more this year.”

If Tuesday’s matchup against Central Connecticut isn’t rained out, Morris will get another chance to continue what has been a career season to this point, as the Minutemen are set to take on the Blue Devils at 3 p.m.

Tom Mulherin can be reached at tmulheri@umass.edu.

set to transfer Leading scorer to leave for Buffalo

By AdAm Aucoin Collegian Staff

This week has been a big one for the Massachusetts women’s basketball team.

On S a t u r d a y, UMass announced the hiring of head coach Tory Verdi, while Monday’s news came in regards to a Minutewomen leaving the program.

Former UMass guard Cierra Dillard will transfer to Buffalo, according to a press release from Buffalo athletics.

As part of the transfer, Dillard will have to sit out next season and will be available to play again during the 2017-18 season, where she will still have two years of eligibility remaining.

Dillard was the top scorer for the Minutewomen during the 2015-16 season, averaging 15.5 points per game. She also contrib-

uted strong on the boards with 3.3 rebounds per game, and on the defensive end with two steals per game.

“Cierra Dillard is a program changer and the impact that she will have on our team will be immediate,” Bulls coach Felisha Legette-Jack said in the press release. “She is a combo guard that is strong enough to post up smaller guards and her basketball IQ and love for the game are immeasurable.”

For Dillard, the transfer means she will be playing much closer to home as she is originally from Rochester, New York, as the distance from Rochester to Buffalo is only 74 miles. Dillard expressed excitement for her transfer closer to home in a tweet she posted Monday afternoon.

“Bringing local greats back home to play for UB, arguably the best school see

DILLARD on page 7