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DAILY COLLEGIAN DailyCollegian.com
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Man demands a name change for town of Amherst Amherst forced to face its history By Abigail Charpentier Collegian Staff
He is currently in contact with the Wampanoag and other tribes in Western Massachusetts. He hopes to add their names to the petition and flood the governor’s office with petitions. Several people have tried to rename the town of Amherst in the past. However, the cost of conversion has been the main issue blocking the change of the town’s name. State Representative Solomon Goldstein-Rose said he had heard of people trying to rename the town of Amherst to “Norwottuck, after Emily Dickinson, or perhaps Lord Jeff’s sister or some relative with the same name who wasn’t so awful.” But none of these had become actual town meeting proposals, Goldstein-Rose noted. Regarding the topic of a name change, Amherst Select Board Chair Douglas Slaughter said, “At the beginning of Select Board meetings, we have time set aside for public comment. Citizens may bring this or any other topic to a greater level of attention with us and the community as a whole at that time.” “I just think it’s time for someone to speak up,” said Bowen, who encourages people to write to their congressmen, senators and governor if they feel the same way. As of Aug. 24, Bowen had not received any responses from officials regarding his petition.
On Aug. 16, William Bowen of Belchertown emailed town and state officials asking them to no longer recognize Lord Jeffery Amherst and rename the town of Amherst. The issue of Lord Amherst and his violent crimes against Native Americans has been on Bowen’s mind since he first started driving through Amherst nearly 39 years ago. Bowen sent his petition to his town officials, Amherst’s town officials and state officials, sharing his views and stance on the town of Amherst being named after a “glorified butcher of Native Americans,” according to Bowen. “It’s like naming a town after Adolf Hitler,” Bowen said. Lord Jeffery Amherst was a British general in America during the later battles in the French and Indian War in the mid 1700s. Lord Amherst was documented using biological warfare against Native Americans, when he instructed that smallpox infected blankets be passed out to “the heinous dogs,” as he described them. When Bowen worked in Amherst, he had several Native American customers who were offended by the town name. “I think it is a slap in the face to Native Americans, Abigail Charpentier can be reached and I’m not a Native at acharpentier@umass.edu and American,” Bowen said. followed on Twitter @abigailcharp.
UMass, Eversource partnership to help energy efficiency UMass upholds sustainability legacy B y W ill Soltero Collegian Staff
The University of Massachusetts and Eversource have agreed on a partnership with hopes to increase the University’s energy efficiency. Eversource, an energy providing company that serves much of Western Massachusetts, will collaborate with UMass in major construction and renovation projects that hope to make the University more sustainable and efficient in its power usage. Similar to a prior agreement signed by the two in 2014, the nonbinding commitment hopes to save the University $1.8 million in annual energy costs through the first half of 2020. “We are pleased to renew this important part of our
working relationship with Eversource,” said Andrew Mangels, the University’s vice chancellor for administration and finance since 2015, in an official statement. Mangels added, “The partnership has already contributed significantly to reducing electrical consumption on campus, and it has supported the UMass Amherst commitment to sustainability, reduced carbon emissions and responsible use of energy.” According to a press release published by Eversource in May of 2016, the partnership aimed to save nine million kilowatthours, the equivalent of taking 1,300 vehicles off the road. The company also stated, “This incentive is allowing UMass Amherst to fully upgrade their street and parking area lighting all at once, rather see
EVERSOURCE on page 2
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Rohen Sundaram and Rachel Bates, part of the Residence Hall Association, meet Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy at the UFest welcome event on Sunday, September 3.
Two inspiring UMass students beat the odds to win full-ride scholarships Immigrant students share their stories By Caeli Chesin Collegian Staff
The University of Massachusetts will welcome two immigrant students in the fall, each with a four-year, full-ride scholarship and an incredible story. At just 13 years old, Sayed Shah came up with a solution when his home district in Pakistan lost access to electricity. Using the skills he learned in his math and science classes, he created a light run by a water-powered electric motor, ensuring his family would not have to eat dinner in the dark. Cuishan (known to friends as Hannah) Mei came to Boston at 12 years old from the Guangdong Province in China. Though she has always had a pas-
sion for chemistry, when her grandfather was diagnosed with a brain tumor about a year ago and died shortly thereafter, she felt more of an incentive to study medicine. “It can be painful and it happens so fast,” Mei said. “It has inspired me to focus on some drug or discovery.” The Vertex Science Leaders Scholarship is awarded to two students planning on pursuing an education in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) at a UMass campus of their choice. Twenty-year-old Shah and 18-year-old Mei both chose UMass Amherst— Shah planning to study computer engineering and Mei, biochemistry. “I couldn’t go to UMass Amherst without this scholarship,” said Shah, who is looking forward to the freedom of campus life and embarking on new
opportunities. “Sayed and Hannah have demonstrated great initiative and determination in the face of extraordinary personal challenges, and I’m proud to welcome them to the University of Massachusetts,” said UMass President Martin T. Meehan in Vertex’s press release from July 17. “UMass is committed to giving hardworking students access to a transformative education and preparing them to thrive in the Commonwealth’s innovation economy.” According to UMass spokesperson Patrick Callahan, the scholarship program was created in 2013 by the University of Massachusetts school system, Boston Public Schools and Vertex Phar maceuticals. To apply, students must have a minimum of a 3.25 GPA and be interested in pursuing STEM studies. “This scholarship pro-
gram highlights one of the University’s strengths: its outstanding STEM-related programs,” Callahan said. “It also demonstrates how high-quality education in the life sciences is supported by one of the top biotechnology companies in Massachusetts. The combination helps create a strong and technicallyadvanced Massachusetts economy,” he added. Vertex solidified its commitment to STEM education in 2012, launching a $1.5 million partnership with Boston Public Schools, according to a company press release from 2016. The commitment has given more than 1,000 students the opportunity to intern for the company, join a science fair mentorship program and introduce learning lab spaces for Boston Public School students. Shah and Mei are internsee
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Investigation continues into Hatfield man’s body recovered in Conn. River Man identified as Mark Gilman, 34
Connecticut River off Bridge Lane in Hatfield on Aug. 30, according to a statement released by Mary Carey, the commuBy Jackson Cote nications director for the Collegian Staff Northwestern District The investigation into Attorney’s office, on Aug. the Hatfield man whose 31. This man was later body was recovered from identified as Mark Gilman, the Connecticut River 34, of Hatfield. is still ongoing, accord- The car Gilman was in ing to the Hatfield Police entered the Connecticut and Massachusetts State River at a high rate of speed before 7 p.m., Carey Police. The body of an adult also stated. male was recovered by The Massachusetts State the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis Police Dive Team in the and Reconstruction inves-
tigates a variety of physical factors of the incident, including the condition of the car involved, whether or not the car damaged any other structures and whether it left marks on the road or the banks of the river it crashed into, according to David Procopio, spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police. “It’s just an analysis of the physical evidence of the incident,” Procopio said, describing a typical collision reconstruction. “It’s basically trying
to reconstruct what happened.” According to Procopio, the collision reconstruction of the incident is ongoing and usually takes a few weeks. The Hatfield Police Department stated on Sept. 1 the investigation is still ongoing. The Northwestern District Attorney’s office will announce any updates on the investigation. Jackson Cote can be reached at jkcote@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @jackson_k_cote.
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Tuesday, September 5, 2017
THE RU N D OW N ON THIS DAY... In 1698, Russian Tsar Peter the Great imposed a beard tax. This was one of the many implementations Peter the Great used to modernize Russia.
AROUND THE WORLD
UN urges investigations of possible Burundi crimes against humanity By Desire Nimubona Bloomberg News
BUJUMBURI, Burundi –– The United Nations asked the International Criminal Court to investigate wheth-
SCHOLARS ing at Vertex this summer in Cambridge, applying their respective passions and problem-solving skills to contribute to Vertex’s mission of transforming medicine for people with life-threatening diseases. After coming to Boston, Shah and Mei struggled to adjust to an unfamiliar language. Last Spring, Mei graduated from the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, and Shah from Boston International Newcomers Academy, a Boston Public high school whose core mission is to serve new immig rant adolescent English language learners and their families. On her struggles adjusting, Mei said, “I felt lonely a lot of the time. I spent a lot of the time with my parents when I first came here. [But] I started to meet people at a summer E.S. program for students who don’t speak English as their first language.”
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“This partnership with Vertex is a true example of one that provides students college- and career-ready skills in the innovation sector,” said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Tommy Chang in Vertex’s July 17 press release. “Not only is Vertex helping foster our future leaders, they are embracing the multicultural lenses that Sayed and Hannah bring to the table.” According to Vertex spokesperson Heather Nichols, the four-year scholarships were awarded to the two students because of their inspiring applications. The winners were chosen by a Vertex panel which included a UMass representative. “The applicants’ past experiences displayed a deep commitment to use STEM careers to better the world,” Nichols said. Caeli Chesin can be reached at mchesin@umass.edu.
er human-rights violations committed
in
Burundi
constitute crimes against humanity. An investigation by the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on
Burundi
found
that
the authorities in the East African nation committed crimes including extrajudicial executions, torture
Hundreds view partial eclipse with UMass astronomy Viewers bask in eclipse at Sunwheel
and enforced disappearances over the past two years, according to a report published Monday. The perpetrators include “high-level officials” in the National Intelligence Services and the police, the commission said.
Its findings were based on
several months of investigations that involved interviews with more than 500 witnesses, it said. Landlocked
Burundi
has been wracked by violence in which hundreds of people have died and has forced more than 400,000 to flee their homes since April 2015, when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he was seeking a third term. Opposition parties said his re-election violated a twoterm limit set out in agreements that ended a civil war. A crackdown on protests was followed by sporadic attacks on military and government officials. Burundi’s
govern-
ment rejects the commission’s findings, said Willy Nyamitwe, press adviser to Nkurunziza.
“They want to change the
regime in Burundi and the West is behind that,” he said. “They are mercenaries,” he said, referring to the U.N. commissioners. MCT
QUOTE OF T H E D AY “Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.” Simone de Beauvoir
By Jackson Cote Collegian Staff
vivid viewing of the eclipse. Initially, Giavalisco expected only 50 people to show up to the event; instead, hundreds came, surprising and delighting her. “It’s pretty amazing actually. I’m glad that there’s so much interest for scientific events,” she said. “My goal is to cultivate the next generation of astronomers.” Of that next generation of astronomers, Giavalisco’s three children were at the event, volunteering their time with their mother by helping to distribute goggles and adjust telescopes. While Giavalisco’s 14-year-old son Claudio mentioned that he is more interested in pursuing engineering after high school, he said he still found the eclipse compelling, describing the event as “pretty cool.” Giau Diep, a sophomore at UMass and a double major in astronomy and business, described the event in the same words, noting how because it is his first eclipse, it makes it especially memorable. However, both Claudio Giavalisco and Diep found the eclipse slightly disappointing due to the clouds and the fact that they were not in the path of totality. “It’s a natural part of the universe, and I’m kind of sad I’m not in the path of totality, because I only get to see part of it,” Diep said. “I expected it to be a slight bit dimmer,” added Giavalisco. “It got a slight bit dimmer, so expectations met.” However, Hang Xiao, an associate professor in the UMass food science department, did not think the clouds marred the eclipse at all. Xiao said after seeing the eclipse discussed in the news, he had to see it in real life. “We all learned from basic science what would happen, what’s the reason for this phenomenon, but you have to see it once in your lifetime to believe it,” Xiao said. He added, “You know, without this organization, probably people wouldn’t gather and have fun like this, and also, all the kids learned something. Hopefully one day they’ll become scientists.”
Carving out a diagonal path of totality from the Northwest to the Southeast United States, the total solar eclipse was best seen in Oregon, Wyoming, South Carolina and Tennessee on August 21, but was only partially seen in Massachusetts and 37 other states on the continental U.S. Despite Amherst being out of the path of totality, the University of Massachusetts astronomy department was not deterred from organizing a public viewing of the “Great American Eclipse,” which had not struck since 1979. Held at the UMass Sunwheel, south of McGuirk Alumni Stadium, the viewing drew an estimated 500 people. A diverse array of parents and children, teenagers, young adults and elderly folk— most of whom arrived at around 1:23 p.m., when the eclipse began—stayed shortly after until 2:46 p.m., when the moon had nearly completely covered the sun. “These are astronomical, scientific events across the history of humanity. They’ve always had a special place in people’s mind,” said Professor Mauro Giavalisco of the UMass astronomy department, who was handing out special “eclipse goggles” during the event for spectators to use to look safely at the eclipse without damaging their eyes from the sunlight. Giavalisco had ordered her goggles online, looking at what the American Astronomical Society had recommended on their website, saying she went with their recommendations because she “didn’t want to risk anyone’s retinas.” “I tried to distribute all the goggles I had, which were only 50. Then I started going down the line, sharing my goggles,” she added. Giavalisco helped to organize the viewing, which was hosted by fellow UMass astronomy professor Daniela Calzetti and Thomas Whitney of the Astronomy Association, Jackson Cote can be reached who brought two telescopes at jacksonkcote@umass.edu and to the scene. Each had solar followed on Twitter filters in them for safe and @jackson_k_cote.
DailyCollegian.com
Charlottesville: Students share how it affects UMass Two students relay fears, solutions By Rebecca Duke Wiesenberg Collegian Staff
On Aug. 12, white supremacists rallied for continued supremacy and protesters counter-rallied for equity. Violence and death resulted. While much of the media coverage of the Charlottesville, Va., attacks has been criticized for focusing on the responses of select demographics— with what some call a largely partisan media divide—
questions and concerns remained. As the school year begins, some students of the University of Massachusetts are uncertain how the incidents of Charlottesville will impact their campus experience. In regards to the events in Charlottesville, UMass sophomore psychology major Mackenzie Abbot—who is a Jewish Asian adopted permanent resident, and sophomore women, gender and sexuality studies major Olly Kelly, a social activist and someone who identifies himself/ themself as non-binary and queer, were not shocked by the attacks.
EVERSOURCE than through a phased-in plan as in past years.” Building on their cur rent partnership, the University and Eversource hope to make significant improvements to campus energy infrastructure. Their plans include LED upgrades, improving HVAC climate-control systems and the extension of the University’s Green Labs initiative, which focuses on the reduction of both airflow and energy usage in research labs on campus to improve safety. The partnership and its sustainability goals may aid the University’s commitment to drastically decrease its energy consumption and carbon footprint. UMass, among
“Nowhere is particularly safe, or better or worse than other places,” said Kelly. “I feel, returning to campus, I’ll have friends who are similar to me, and actively resist what’s going on, but I know that going back to school, there’ll be people who won’t stop what’s going on, and even might be feeding into it,” he/they added. According to Kelly, Charlottesville was a “manifestation of racism and bigotry” within not only today’s political climate, but also the larger historical context of the United see
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other state agencies, must meet requirements set in Massachusetts Executive Order No. 484, signed in 2007. According to the order, from 2002 to 2020, UMass must decrease its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent. Requirements also mandate that UMass decrease its energy consumption 35 percent by 2020 from its levels in 2004. Thirty percent of electricity consumption must also come from renewable sources. In addition to decreasing energy costs through projects across campus, the partnership hopes to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 4,800 metric tons. “We are excited to
announce our ongoing collaboration,” said Eversource Vice President of Energy Efficiency Tilak Subrahmanian. “[The partnership] will help the University continue to cut energy costs, grow efficiently and contribute to a cleaner and healthier state environment.” In addition to making energy consumption and efficiency improvements, the partnership will help UMass and Eversource recruit student interns, entry-level engineers and business graduates to positions in the utility company. Will Soltero can be reached at wsoltero@umass.edu and followed on Twitter at @WillSoltero.
MAXWELL ZALESKI/COLLEGIAN
UMass tuition is set to rise 3-4 percent for the 2017-2018 school year Tuition swells at the last minute By Will Soltero Collegian Staff Tuition and fees at the University of Massachusetts are set to rise once again for the 2017-18 academic year. In-state undergraduates at all UMass campuses will see a three percent increase in their tuition, raising costs to $15,030 per academic year at UMass Amherst. Out-of-state students at the Amherst campus will see their tuition rise to $33,096, a four percent increase from the 2016-17 academic year.
The new budget was approved by the UMass Board of Trustees, who met at the UMass Medical School in Worcester on Monday in a special meeting. The increase comes on the heels of a lower than expected Massachusetts state budget appropriation of $513.5 million, $25.1 million short of what UMass officials initially requested. While state funding comes in at approximately $5 million more than last year, cuts may still need to be made across the UMass system, which has an overall University budget of $3.3 billion. “Students are charged a lot of money at this
University,” said UMass Amherst Student Trustee Derek Dunlea. “The fact that [students’] bills are changing, basically a month before classes start…that’s a problem.” Dunlea, one of four student trustees present at the meeting, voiced his displeasure with the increases in tuition, saying the lack of transparency behind the budgeting process is not genuine for students. Dunlea was the only trustee to vote against the tuition increase, which passed nearly unanimously. In the meeting, Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy stated that see
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REACTION States, e.g., slavery, lynching, and redlining. In an official statement to the UMass community, that some students considered quick, direct and firm, Chancellor Subbaswamy responded to the events in Charlottesville by saying white supremacy and the divisiveness it perpetuates will neither be tolerated nor welcome on campus. “We condemn the actions of these white supremacists and neo-Nazis and we reject the false equivalence that suggests there are ‘many sides’ to this sort of hate,” stated Subbaswamy, referring to President Donald Trump’s much criticized statements on what occurred in Charlottesville in which he equated white supremacists to protestors he described as the “alt left.” Subbaswamy released his statement three days after the events in Charlottesville, and his speed to call on students to “reject hate” that was once “relegated to the shadows” provided comfort for Kelly and Abbot, as the two saw it as a proactive move on the part of the chancellor. In a statement from UMass Student Government Association President Anthony Vitale
and Vice President Lily Wallace, the two agreed with Subbaswamy’s comments that “hatred has no home at UMass.” “We hope that all students will answer the Chancellor’s call to reject hatred in all its forms and to stand united in defense of tolerance, diversity, and inclusion,” they added. However, Abbot said, since the statement was sent through email, many students might not be impacted by its message. “[I] honestly don’t think that people read those emails,” she said. Beyond its stymied accessibility, the wording of the statement led Kelly to question, “How much of it is [Subbaswamy’s] personal stance, and how much is it his obligation to make a statement?” “We don’t care about racism and social problems until something like this happens,” Kelly said, adding that Subbaswamy has not published an official statement about police brutality against people of color. The message of unity has the capability to empower oppressed minorities, such as Blacks, Jews, LGBTQ people and Asians, according to Kelly. Duly believes it
has the capability to empower oppressive minorities such as white supremacists and neo-Nazis. After the incidents in Charlottesville, Abbot predicts a rise in hate crimes, ranging from graffiti to threats to “the cold shoulder socially, and in class.” Both Kelly and Abbot said they want the school to take further measures to reaffirm students’ safety and inclusion. Kelly called on Subbaswamy to disseminate a stronger call to action, as well as to organize a “facility supported/ started campus protest/ show of support” for those targeted by hate groups. Similarly, Abbot proposed that the school “put their money where their mouth is” by hiring a speaker or organizing a “No Hate After Charlottesville” event. Kelly was quick to comment that although “Massachusetts is pretty liberal, hatred and bigotry is everywhere.” Regardless, these students feel safe returning to campus. Their goal is to extend that safety to everyone. Rebecca Duke Wiesenberg can be reached at rdukewiesenb@umass.edu.
New director of student broadcast media at UMass Former manager at WUEV joins UMass Collegian Staff
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while the three percent tuition increase will allow for most programs to continue operating normally, an additional $6 million in cuts may still be necessary for UMass Amherst to balance its budget. Multiple UMass Board of Trustee members voiced their displeasure with a budgeting system that forces tuition increases and program cuts on a near-yearly basis. According to Vice Chair Maria D. Furman, the process of receiving inadequate state funding and the subsequent need for tuition hikes takes place far too regularly.
“Three percent just doesn’t get you there,” said Trustee Robert Epstein on the impending increase. Furman, Epstein and other trustees indicated that a more sustainable practice for funding the University is necessary for the future. No plans for the implementation of such practices were discussed at the meeting. Epstein later said increases of six percent or greater every few years may benefit both the University and its students, as the University would not need to approve new rates as frequently and students would better understand what
they would be paying before enrollment. According to UMass President Marty Meehan, other public universities and community colleges in Massachusetts received level funding for the upcoming fiscal year, while UMass saw a one percent rise in state funding. Universitywide enrollment also increased by 0.9 percent, providing for a $9.4 million increase in revenue. UMass Amherst’s tuition and fee rates can be found on the UMass website. Will Soltero can be reached at wsoltero@umass.edu and followed on Twitter at @WillSoltero.
Nearly 400 dead in Myanmar as Rohingya flee violence By Nazrul Islam and Poppy McPherson dpa
YANGON, Myanmar — Nearly 400 people have been killed in the violence that erupted last week in western Myanmar, forcing at least 38,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, according to the Burmese army and aid agencies. Dozens have died trying to cross a river into Bangladesh in an effort to escape the unrest in Rakhine State. The latest death toll, which was several times higher than previous estimates, came in an army statement Friday. The fighting broke out Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents described as “terrorists” by the government attacked police posts in Rakhine. The subsequent violence has been generally targeted at Muslims, one of the many ethnic minority groups in the Buddhist-majority country. But minority Hindus have not been spared, and they have also fled their homes. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply concerned by the conduct of Myanmar’s security forces in Rakhine State, and urged “restraint and calm to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.” “The secretary-general
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By Jackson Cote
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Tuesday, September 5, 2017
underlines the responsibility of the government of Myanmar to provide security and assistance to all those in need and to enable the United Nations and its partners to extend the humanitarian support they are ready to provide,” a statement issued by his office read. Guterres noted the efforts of Bangladeshi authorities to meet the “dire needs” of those crossing the border. The U.N.’s migration agency, the International Organization for Migration, estimated that at least 38,000 Rohingya Muslims had crossed into Bangladesh since Aug. 25. At least 41 Rohingya refugees drowned in three boats that capsized while trying to cross the Naf river into Bangladesh over the last three days. Three women and two
children were among 18 bodies retrieved by rescuers from the river Friday. “It is believed that these people died after their boats capsized,” officer Mohammad Mainuddin told dpa by phone. Bangladeshi fishermen discovered the bodies of 23 Rohingya Muslims on Wednesday and Thursday after three boats ferrying Rohingya to safety in Bangladesh capsized in the Naf. Tens of thousands of Rohingya have gathered on the border between the Myanmar and Bangladesh. Bangladeshi guards were put on alert and have pushed back at least seven boats carrying Rohingya people on the river and stopped influxes of people at other points along the two countries’ 168-mile border.
After the removal of its advisor Glenn Siegel over two years ago, the University of Massachusetts’ student and community radio station WMUA now has the role of advisor and mentor filled. Carson Cornelius-Burke, general manager of WUEV radio at the University of Evansville, Indiana, is now serving as the student broadcast media director at UMass, named to the position on June 1. Cornelius-Burke brings a background of work at college radio stations to the position, currently working at WUEV and previously as the general manager of the University of Missouri radio station KCOU as an undergraduate. While Cornelius-Burke will primarily work with WMUA in his new position, he said one of his larger goals will be making students as well-rounded in the business of broadcast media as they can be, stressing the importance of versatility in the work place. “You make yourself so much more potentially employable and more versatile, just by being able to do all different types of things at the station,” CorneliusBurke said, who as an undergraduate held a variety of positions at his campus radio station, ranging from talk show host to reporting on news and sports. Now as broadcast media director, Cornelius-Burke said he hopes to bridge the gap between the students working at WMUA and the UMass administration. He also said he wants to act as a guiding hand for students at WMUA.
Bloomberg News
CHRIS JUNG/NURPHOTO/SIPA USA/TNS
According to Wallace, many of the questions during the interviewing process revolved around how to transition WMUA away from a community-based radio station to a more student-centered radio station. How to balance allowing students to experiment at WMUA, while also creating quality content, was another one of her concerns. “For the SGA in particular, the point of having this radio station is it’s a learning lab. It’s a place for students to come and try something that they would never really get access too,” Wallace said. Wallace hopes CorneliusBurke will also be able to increase engagement and be a resource to the students. “It’ll be difficult to build up that trust again in an advisor position after students had been left to their devices for so long,” Wallace said in regards to the removal of WMUA’s advisor two years ago. For both Wallace and McCawley, however, Cornelius-Burke’s young age, 23, is an important factor in the relationship between Cornelius-Burke and the WMUA staff. “Having someone as close in age to us as Carson is just going to be beneficial in cultivating that relationship and cultivating that trust and figuring out exactly how to work together,” McCawley said. “I’m excited to see someone so young come into this position and be able to bring what he’s bringing from a different university,” Wallace said. “We’re cautiously anticipating what moving forward in the next chapter of WMUA’s existence looks like.” “It’s nice to get some fresh eyes,” she added.
Jackson Cote can be reached at jkcote@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @jackson_k_cote.
Bill wouldn’t tie hurricane relief to raising debt limit By Erik Wasson
Myanmara’s Rohingya Muslims protest persecution of Rohingya Muslims.
“Goal wise, I think the biggest thing for us is just making sure that we continue to keep WMUA on solid footing and making sure that students are able to come and find a place where they are comfortable and excited and able to learn something new but also have a lot of fun,” Cornelius-Burke said. For Joshua McCawley, a UMass senior and general manager at WMUA, having Cornelius-Burke bridge the gap between the administration and WMUA’s student staff is also an important issue. “The great thing and something we haven’t had for the past two years is an advisor who has our back, who kind of services as the middle man in terms of communication between us and some of the other departments that we have to work with at UMass,” McCawley said. While McCawley noted not having an advisor gave staff at WMUA more freedom in their jobs, he added, “it also made things more difficult at the end when we found out things we had done wrong or things we weren’t allowed to do, and we had to go back and fix things and change things.” Senior and Student Government Association Vice President Lily Wallace said, “As someone who has worked for WMUA for a few years and been a radio deejay over there, I’ve seen how hectic it kind of got without an advisor, and I think it’s great the University is taking the time to put someone in that position finally.” Because WMUA is an agency of the SGA, Wallace was one of a select few who sat down to interview the candidates for the position of broadcast media director to determine whether or not they would fit the requirements for the position.
WASHINGTON — The House will vote Wednesday on a Hurricane Harvey relief bill that won’t contain language aimed at preventing a U.S default on its debt. Republican leaders for now are bowing to the demands of their most conservative members and won’t combine legislation raising the U.S. debt ceiling with Harvey aid, a House Republican aide said Monday. Treasury Secretary
Steven Mnuchin said Sunday that the two issues should be combined. Mnuchin has said the debt limit must be raised by Sept. 29 to avoid a default. The House Appropriations Committee Sunday released the text of the Harvey bill, which would provide $7.4 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund and $450 million to the Small Business Administration without cutting spending elsewhere in the budget. The bill’s spend-
ing levels match a request from the White House. The Senate could add a debt-ceiling increase to the bill once it arrives from the House. That would mean the House would need to vote again on the changed bill before it could be sent to the White House for President Donald Trump’s signature. A top House conservative said Monday that he would oppose any effort to use the Harvey aid bill to raise the debt ceiling.
Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
“I wonder if, in the dark night of the sea, the octopus dreams of me.” - N. Scott Momaday
Editorial@DailyCollegian.com
Should we warn future generations about nuclear waste? If you could communicate with someone living 24,000 would have difficulty with languages from so long ago. years in the future, what would you say? Would you ask We also can’t rely on the government to maintain or about advances in technology, or maybe about their culture? guard these facilities forever. The United States is currently only 241 years old. It’s extremely unlikely that it would still Jessica Primavera be the same country 24,000 years from now. Experts have proposed using symbols or pictures instead There are many things that we would want them to tell us of words to get around the language issue. These pictures about the future, but there’s one thing that it would be vital would portray terrified faces, or those in extreme pain, to for us to tell them: to stay away from nuclear waste stor- warn people to stay away. Other, more fanciful ideas include age facilities. No matter how deep the materials are buried genetically modifying cats that will change color when underground or how secure the facilities are, there’s still a near nuclear waste or creating myths that are passed down chance that some curious person will seek them out. through generations by telling stories about the dangers of According to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, radioactive waste can vary in how long it takes to decay and turn into “harmless materials.” While some radioactive elements decay quickly, others take many millennia. For example, Plutonium-239 “has a half-life of 24,000 years,” meaning that half of its radioactivity will decay in that time. Exposure to radioactive materials can kill cells or cause cell mutations, leading to cancer. Since we can’t time travel to warn future generations these facilities so that even if people don’t know or underabout these dangers, we have to find another way to make stand what they hold, they will still stay away out of supersure they receive this message. We need to attempt to make stition. Of course, there’s also the concern that these elaborate a warning that can last for tens of thousands of years. At first, the solution may seem simple. We could just put warnings will only serve to draw more attention to nuclear up signs saying “Keep Out” or “Danger.” But even if the waste storage facilities, and make people curious about signs were extremely durable and could last long enough, what’s inside them. They could have the opposite effect of people wouldn’t be able to understand English (or any other making people explore the facilities. But an attempt to warn contemporary language) to read them that far into the people is better than no attempt at all. future. Languages are constantly changing and evolving, Several writers who have discussed this issue came to and the words that we use today would be incomprehensible the opposite conclusion: that we should do nothing. Juliet to everyone by then. Even scholars of ancient languages Lapidos, writing for Slate, believes that “ultimately the
“If you could prevent your distant descendants from dying from exposure to nuclear waste, would you?”
option of doing nothing—of leaving the site devoid of markers—seems like the most elegant solution of all.” A benefit of this “relaxed approach,” Lapidos writes, is that it’s cheaper. In Forbes, James Conca writes that it’s “a foolish idea to alert the future that nuclear waste is buried deep underground in a permanent geologic repository” or “to waste resources on such an uncertain outcome.” It seems remarkably shortsighted to avoid warning future generations about nuclear waste so we can save money. The value of saving human lives, or even the potential to save human lives, outweighs the cost. This conundrum may be a difficult one, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t at least attempt to solve it. It may have seemed impossible that humans would ever land on the moon, but that didn’t stop people from trying (and succeeding). People may wonder why they should care about those living thousands of years from now. However, a person who may encounter radioactive materials could be your greatgreat-great (etc.) grandchild. If you could prevent your distant descendants from dying from exposure to nuclear waste, would you? But even if there wasn’t a familial connection, humans have a responsibility to try to preserve humanity, or at least not to destroy it. By creating nuclear weapons and using nuclear energy, we made a mess. Now, we need to clean it up to avoid catastrophic repercussions for future generations. Jessica Primavera is a Collegian contributor and can be reached at jprimavera@umass.edu.
The United States’ controversial confederacy Race relations and the rise of white one person and injuring countless others. nationalism are topics of constant cover- Bigoted speech should not be outlawed and age in today’s media. Following President is protected, but for every protest of nationalism there should be a counter-protest for Isaac Simon racial justice. Such rights are emblems, not curses, to our democracy. Trump’s remarks on the mayhem in But it’s increasingly the case that many Charlottesville, national polling indicated on the left have taken this issue one step too that his approval rating had dropped from far. In a recent appearance on Charlie Rose, 44 percent the week prior to a now meager Rev. Al Sharpton called for the defunding 39 percent. His decision to rescind earlier of the Jefferson Memorial, citing Thomas comments, following it up by condemning Jefferson’s ownership and sexual assault violence “on both sides,” was seen as both a of slaves as an emblem of white supremacy diversion and a disappointment. and an overall stain on this country’s con But in the midst of all this chaos, it’s science. Perhaps Sharpton should look past easy to forget why the “Unite the Right” himself and rally originally took place. White national- understand the ists, along with others, were protesting the f a r - r e a c h i n g removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, erected i m p l i c a t i o n s in 1924 and centered in Charlottesville’s of taking down Emancipation Park. In recent years, the statues that statue has been understood as a symbol of hold less conracism and white supremacy. Yet still, 49 troversy. percent of Americans oppose the remov- I discussed al of Confederate statues, whereas only a this with a third of Americans support the removal of friend of mine such monuments. The divide is politically in New York polarizing, with a recent poll showing that City this sum71 percent of Democrats support removing mer, who said that the question we as a Confederate monuments whereas over 80 society should ask ourselves is not how percent of Republicans assume the opposite many shortcomings these figures had or position. their overall racial faults, but rather how “Unite the Right” was a rally that was their one sentence biography would read. protected by the First Amendment, accom- For Jefferson, while he did own slaves, it panied by a permit registered with the city wouldn’t supersede his contribution as a of Charlottesville, with the intent of defend- founding father or as the principal writer ing Confederate ideology. White national- of the Declaration of Independence. For ists escalated tensions, eventually killing someone like Jefferson Davis—southern
Congressman, senator and President of the Confederate States of America for which there is still a statue in the National Statuary Hall Collection on Capitol Hill—his one sentence would be defined by slavery and succession. Similar arguments have been made by less prominent citizens of the electorate, and when it’s not someone like Jefferson who is being opposed it is George Washington. The problem with engaging in the removal of statues beyond those of the Confederacy, or those of legitimate controversy like Stalin or Lenin, is that such discourse plays into President Trump’s comments following Charlottesville. During his press conference held at Trump Tower, Trump raised the question, “So this week it’s Robert E. Lee. I noticed that Stonewall Jackson’s coming down. I wonder, is it George Washington next week? And is it Thomas Jefferson the week after?” If only the fundamental difference was enough for the public to understand, instead of engaging in the President’s distracting behavior. In the end, if any monuments are to be taken down it should be the ones of Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. It can be understood that while they are important figures for which our citizenry should be
“It can be understood that while they are important figures for which our citizenry should be well-informed of, having a statue up and continuing to bear their name sends a message of racial complacency and regression.”
well-informed of, having a statue up and continuing to bear their name sends a message of racial complacency and regression. The likes of Jefferson and Washington lived lives that ran counter to the vision of the Confederacy. Lives which helped, not hindered, our democracy. With that being said, it is important to understand the fundamental differences between taking down Confederate monuments and Confederate flags. The Confederate flag is a symbol of hatred and white supremacy, in part because it symbolizes succession from the Union for the purposes of continuing slavery. In ways that are similar but not identical, Confederate statues do not transcend the times we live in like the few Confederate flags that fly over the south (the state flag of Mississippi still includes emblems of the Confederacy). They act more as a history lesson for where this country used to be rather than where it stands at the present time. If we are to believe that history should not exist in a vacuum, then perhaps monuments and statues should stay put, with continued erection standing not as an endorsement but of history itself; a continued understanding that the horrors that were carried out by these people remain recognized by the statue in place. Isaac Simon is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at isimon@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 2014, The Collegian has been broadsheet since January 1994. For advertising rates and information, call 413-545-3500.
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Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
“The beginning is the most important part of the work.” - Plato
Arts@DailyCollegian.com
REFLECTION
Death to false nostalgia and symbolism over substance ‘Fauxnostalgia’ is a larger phenomenon By Nate Taskin Collegian Staff
A childhood bedroom. A first kiss. Mac and cheese that tastes just like how Mom made it. A movie that’s just as good as the first time you watch it. Nostalgia, derived from the Greek words “nostos” (homecoming) and “altos” (pain), can be a wonderful thing. The ecstasy that comes when a memory— long tucked away in a tiny brain corner—is reanimated by a fleeting image or familiar sensation, is practically indescribable. But as the Law of Diminishing Retur ns demands, prolonged exposure only cheapens the emotional resonance of that initial nostalgic feeling. Chasing that first high isn’t healthy, and if our media is anything to judge by, we’ve become addicted to recreating previous experiences. Fake nostalgia is killing us. Perhaps “nostalgia” is not an adequate enough descriptor for the cultural mentality. “Fauxstalgia” seems more apt of a term, and the pervasiveness of this fauxstalgia is so overwhelming that I’m shocked that I haven’t asphyxiated from it. Fauxstalgia, when it comes to critical discussions about art, is a conversation killer. There’s nothing wrong with liking a work for sentimental reasons, but that’s not actually engaging with the
PHOTO COURTESY OF ‘STRANGER THINGS’ OFFICAL FACEBOOK PAGE
Pseudo nostalgia resides at the center of the media’s focus, as of late, in an attempt to remember pastimes fondly. merits of the work itself. A magical bildungsroman like “Spirited Away” isn’t good just because you were in middle school and it was the first Studio Ghibli project you watched. But don’t take my word for it. Take one of the greatest literary minds ever (and queer Jew icon), Marcel Proust, wherein in the first volume of his epic “In Search of Lost Time,” a bite of a madeleine triggers a childhood memory long tucked away in the back of his psyche: “And suddenly the memory revealed itself. The taste was that of the little piece of madeleine…my aunt Léonie used to give me, dipping it first in her own cup of tea or tisane. The sight of the little madeleine had recalled nothing to my mind before I tasted
it. And all from my cup of tea.” Although this passage tells us nothing about the culinary merits of the cake Proust ate, it gives enormous insight into the author’s childhood. The key to nostalgia is that it’s inherently personal. No one cares how old you were when you first saw “Star Wars.” What’s more, how can one even be nostalgic for a franchise like “Star Wars” if that property steadfastly refuses to ever. go. away. If a viewer cannot articulate their appreciation for an artistic work beyond “I saw it when I was kid,” then they aren’t really engaging with the work on any meaningful level. There’s plenty of junk that I liked as a kid that I’ve outgrown. Likewise, there’s plenty of
FA S H I O N
childhood texts that I feel I can make a pretty compelling case for regardless of when I first saw them. Even worse, these nostalgia addicts have internalized these properties to such an unhealthy extent that a criticism of the work is considered a personal attack. The reactions some people have when I point out that “Full House” is maudlin, saccharine garbage that’s so sickeningly sweet that it infects the viewer with diabetes on contact, people act as if I just insulted their grandmother. A key tenet of fauxstalgia is perpetual infantilization. Clickbait sites like Buzzfeed have made a whole enterprise out of this mentality, which leads to a secondary aspect of fauxstalgia that’s even
more pernicious—one that is so desperate to remember anything, and I mean anything, that it completely ignores what makes the original properties work and fails to consider if the original properties are worth remembering. Remakes of films with no discernible spin. Reboots of franchises less than a half-decade old. Repackage. Repackage. Repackage. It’s omnipresent in the film and television industry now, from “La La Land’s” artificial Hollywood tributes that don’t remotely resemble classic Hollywood films to the signifier-oversubstance references of “Stranger Things,” recognizability is seen as a greater virtue than innovation. So when I see people get excited about a liveaction “Lion King” remake or a studio that recasts the titular antagonists of “Heathers” as genderqueer people of color (how progressive to “reimagine” conniving narcissists as black and gender-nonconforming), I feel like an alien. The recent trailer for “Ready Player One,” an adaptation of one of the most self-indulgent pieces of heinous nerd-wank ever written, is the apex faustalgic example. Freddy Krueger! Transformers! Ghostbusters! You all recognize those words, right? It’s the definition of shallow, soulless fan service, and it’s sad to see Steven Spielberg buy into his own mythos rather than work to create something new. Indeed, it does seem like
fauxstalgia functions as part of a wider neoliberal capitalist scam that seeks to repackage products that functioned perfectly well without need for adjustment. This obsession with getting a nostalgic fix on the regular is part of a wider cultural sickness. What is the statement “Make America Great Again” but a pining ode to a nation that never was? I’ll be brief with the history lesson, but it should go without the saying that for African slaves and their descendants, the nearly wiped out Native population, the poor and working class, LGBT folks and immigrants forced to assimilate into the white hegemony (if their complexion was/ is light enough to give them the option), America was never that great, and it is unfortunate that such a statement inspires death threats rather than be acknowledged as the world’s most obvious truism. The past can be a nice place to visit, but you should not want to live there. Dwell in the past too long, and you lose the ability to critically assess how we got to the present in the first place. To quote Proust again, “Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were.” That sublime moment when the memory reveals itself can never occur if we shackle that memory to the hip and never let go. Nate Taskin can be reached at ntaskin@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @nate_taskin.
FILM
Back to school sneaker guide ‘The Emoji Movie’ flops hard Spicing up your shoe game this fall
wardrobe has been longing for. For an added bonus, we included an outfit idea for each shoe.
By Cynthia Ntinunu
Slip on sneakers
Collegian Staff
Shoes are more than a sole that supports our feet. More even than a protective layer between our ten phalanges and the rocky terrain traveled each day. Shoes can be iconic. They have the expressive potential to completely change the whole aesthetic of an outfit in one fell swoop. One can go from strutting around like Rihanna to run-of-the-mill with an inappropriate shoe selection. Don’t be that person. Imagine having the perfect outfit picked out. So flattering and well thought out that even your jewelry is cohesive. But you can’t find the right shoe. The 45 minutes spent contemplating if ripped jeans were better than non-ripped jeans can easily be washed down the drain if your shoe game is off-point. It’s crucial that your shoe game is fire, especially when it comes to sneakers. Sneakers have taken on a whole new identity in the 2017 era. A shoe once associated with running errands can now, when worn right, be considered black tie appropriate. In the wake of the sneaker transformation, it can be hard to decipher which style to choose while balancing trend and sense of self. We’ve handpicked three sneaker styles that your
Slip-ons have been creeping their way into mainstream fashion year by year, and in 2017 they’ve broken through as a huge trend. Designed with various prints, styles and fabrics, slip-ons can be found in a majority of back to school shoe collections. Pick them up at local stores like Target, Marshall’s or TJMaxx. Don’t be afraid to invest in brands like Steve Madden, Converse or Frye for a quality leather pair. An added bonus is the sans laces feature. This takes away the struggle of tying your shoes every 20 minutes. Outfit idea: Plain white tee, Fitted denim midi skirt, handkerchief (tied around neck) and tan suede slip-ons.
High top black vans/ canvas sneakers
travels hand in hand with a price increase, you can easily find DIY videos/tutorials on attaching embroidered patches and pins yourself. Outfit idea: Light wash oversized, distressed denim jacket, black graphic t-shirt, (partially tucked in), high waisted black ripped skinny jeans, rose embroidered high top vans.
Platform sneakers Not all of us were blessed with towering heights. Having a shoe that can elevate you four inches while still being comfortable, is worth investing in if you ask me. Giving you some added height, these sneakers are made to make heads turn. They’re not your traditional sneaker because they deviate from traditional essence slightly in their hybrid qualities between a platform sandal and a tennis shoe. An added bonus: many designs have begun to integrate color into the actual platform of the shoe to give it a more versatile look. This gives a person more stylistic options in adding color to their outfit or wardrobe. Outfit idea: Long black mesh hooded dress, white lace bralette, high waisted black fringed jeans, and white platform sneakers. With these modern updates on run of the mill sneakers, you’re sure to wow the masses with your sense of style.
Vans have certainly come back into mainstream style this past year, especially the oh-so-popular high tops. A popular spring and summer sneaker, high top black vans grazed the feet of nearly every teen and young adult around. And the trend isn’t expected to slow down as cooler temperatures come our way. Staying in tune with the embroidery trend, many sneaker brands have made this their own by adding flowers and other Cynthia Ntinunu can be reached at greenery. While this often cntinunu@umass.edu.
By Tyler Movsessian Collegian Staff
“The Emoji Movie” features Gene (T.J Miller,) a multi expressional emoji trying to fit the status quo of possessing one facial expression within Textopolis—a bustling city where all emojis live. When he fails to hide his exuberant emotions, and is exposed as a malfunction amongst the sea of other popular emoji’s, he goes on a journey through Textopolis to return to normal and avoid deletion by Smiler (Maya Rudolph). Meanwhile, there is also a secondary plot happening outside of Textapolis, following Alex (Jake T. Austin,) and his quest to get classmate Addie (Tati Gabrielle) to go to the dance with him. Unfortunately for Alex, things get murky when Gene can’t correctly expel the intended situational emoji “meh” like he’s supposed to, creating ambiguity and tension between Alex and Addie. As if two loosely related plots weren’t enough wreckage, there exists a tertiary plot featuring Gene’s parents Mel Meh (Steven Wright) and Mary Meh (Jennifer Coolidge). Their drama revolves around the developing tension in their marriage as a result of Gene’s malfunction as a traditional emoji. If the plotline was a stumbling escapade, not much can be said for the film’s character development. The main characters in “The Emoji Movie” felt just as forced as the writing. This was particularly applied to Smiler. Her
PHOTO COURTESY OF ‘THE EMOJI MOVIE’ FACEBOOK PAGE
Gene’s journey toward self acceptance makes up the majority of the films plotline. voice was ear-piercing, so much so that it could have been compared to nails on a chalkboard. And each line delivered in this shrill package was ever the more agonizing. While there were countless embarrassing writing blunders in the film, there were some instances that deserved appreciation for the writers efforts in making room within the context of the movie. I was surprisingly/ironically moved when Gene says, “What’s the point of being number one if there are no other numbers?” The writers also managed to work in a “Bye Felicia” and “world’s smallest violin” reference, which landed for me, and could be appreciated by an older crowd that may find themselves watching this film. After all was said and done, the soundtrack was somewhat strong in “The Emoji Movie.” The choices were upbeat, while remaining unwaveringly mainstream, “Cheerleader” by OMI and “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)”
by Silentó. A random bizarre moment from the film that’s still sitting funny with me was when they reveal that Alex was planning on exposing his love for Addie via e-mail. What happened to emojis being the most important form of communication ever invented? How does that translate to email communication? The scene is inconsistent with that message and it contradicts Gene’s bold statement at the beginning of the film. This said e-mail also contained a verse to Rihanna’s song “Diamonds,” which, as you may have guessed, definitely did not correlate well. Overall, this movie is just not worth the effort it takes to roll down to your local theater. Simply put: the jokes are dry, the plot is boring and the characters are overbearing. While the soundtrack was solid for its intention and there were some tiny bright spots in an otherwise dark cloud of writing, this movie was a disaster. Tyler Movsessian can be reached at tmovsessian@umass.edu.
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Tuesday, September 5, 2017
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Comics
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You Freshmen Keep Me Young
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A dequate C omics
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M ilo A nd S tella
B y J ack B rady
Making Friends With The Freshmen W ondermark
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B y R andall M unroe
HOROSCOPES Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
Sorry if some of these horoscopes seem off, that solar eclipse really threw a bit of a wrench in the whole “astrology” thing.
pisces
Feb. 19 - Mar. 20
Don’t be the person that loses their Ucard on the first day. It just sets you up for a whole semester of woe and peril.
aries
Mar. 21 - Apr. 19
taurus
Apr. 20 - May. 20
gemini
May. 21 - Jun. 21
You’re on a whole other level than these fools around you. It’s like they’re still playing checkers while you’re chessin’.
If you haven’t seen the marching band perform yet, you’re missing out. It’s very loud, and sometimes they even hit the right notes!
If you’re a lost and confused freshman, don’t worry! Pretty soon, you’ll be a lost and confused sophomore!
cancer
Jun. 22 - Jul. 22
Pro tip: If you start studying for your final exams now, you might be able to squeak by with a B-. Maybe.
leo
Jul. 23 - Aug. 22
It’s the first day of classes! That means it’s just going to be a bunch of filler stuff, so you can probably skip it. Trust me on this one.
virgo
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
The best part about the new semester is all the outdoor barbecues. UMass Dining truly is number one!
libra
Sept. 23 - Oct. 22
scorpio
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
A common misconception is that our mascot, Sam the Minuteman, is a vampire. The truth is, he’s actually just a minuteman.
It’s hard not to be an egomaniac when you actually are so amazing. Like, simply the best of the best.
sagittarius
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
capricorn
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
Walking normally is kind of boring, so just pretend you’re reverse moonwalking everywhere. Now you walk like a pro!
Hate has no home at UMass. It actually managed to snag an off-campus apartment this year.
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
DailyCollegian.com
COASTAL
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
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take long to tie the game back up in the second quarter. Ford found junior Andy Isabella in the back corner of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown reception at 10:48 to make it 14-14. Isabella was also busy in this one, catching six passes for 101 yards. Much like the first quarter, CCU scored a last-minute touchdown prior to the conclusion of the first half. Abercrombie scored on a four-yard rushing touchdown to put the Chanticleers back up by a score. UMass came out strong in the second half, scoring on a 9-yard keeper from Ford, to knot the score at 21-21. Ford finished the night going 25-41 for 316 yards, while combining for a pass-
ing touchdown and a rushing touchdown. CCU kicked a 46-yard field goal with 9:24 remaining in the third quarter to again go up, this time by three points, making it 24-21. The Chanticleers tacked on another touchdown during the third quarter on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Keane to Chris Jones to put CCU up by 10 points, 31-21. Keane and Demos split reps at quarterback for the home team. At the 11:00 minute mark of the fourth quarter, UMass had a chance to make it a one-possession game, however Ford was unable to find an open receiver in the end zone, thus squandering a great chance to get back in the game.
HONOR ROLL Matz said his philosophy when recruiting student-athletes is to not only look at the way they play on the field, but he also looks at them as a person off the field, both academically and personally. He said he recruits players who are great on the field, but also great in the community. In addition to helping players figure out their career aspirations
With time ticking down in regulation, the Chanticleers added one more rushing touchdown with 3:45 remaining to put the dagger in the hearts of the Minutemen. Young scored on a oneyard touchdown with 1:10 left in what was a meaningless tally, as CCU earned its first victory of the season, and in FBS football, beating UMass 38-28. “We weren’t sure what we were going to get,” Whipple said. “When you’re playing that kind of team it’s always better to get ahead and then we give them seven right off the bat with the fumble. That gave them momentum, got the crowd into it.” Ryan Ames can be reached at rames@umass.edu and on Twitter @_RyanAmes.
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through one-on-one conversations starting at the beginning of junior year, Matz tries to instill a sense of independence in his team starting on day one. “I tell them that, ‘Hey, my job isn’t to knock on your door and make sure you’re going to class,’” Matz said. “We’re here for your academics, but we’re not here to walk you to class. Every one of our
students gets it.” “Certain sports make sure student-athletes are going to class, but that’s not what we’re about,” Matz added. “If you don’t want to go to class, then we don’t want you in our program.” Zander Manning can be reached at alexanderman@umass. edu or followed on Twitter @ZMSportsReport.
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exists for an even better 2017 season. “We’re just going to go game by game,” DeSantis said. “See if we can build a winning streak, and see what happens.” For O’Leary, simple improvement is the name of the game. “Try to get better, that’s all we can do,” O’Leary said. “I don’t know if we’ll win another game, but all we try
to do is get better.” A slate of regional rivals is next for O’Leary and his men, as UMass will look to continue their strong start with a visit to New Hampshire on Tuesday evening, before returning home to host Boston University on Saturday. Amin Touri can be reached at atouri@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Amin_Touri.
JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN
Men’s soccer coach, Fran O’Leary.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
James Blackman to start at QB for Florida State
Francois injured in FSU’s first game By Safid Deen Orlando Sentinel
JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN
Gabriela Kenyon (22) runs past Duquesne defenseman at Rudd Field last October.
MINUTEWOMEN on to drop the next two matches against Stony Brook and Vanderbilt, 2-0 and 3-1 respectively. In those matches, the senior was wearing a protective facemask to make sure she would not re-injure her nose and according to Matz, it seemed to have a profound effect on her. “For soccer that’s so difficult because the ball is at your feet, it’s hot and it messes with your peripherals,” Matz said. “When she lost the mask last Thursday and was
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cleared to go out without it, you just saw a different player.” Notably on the attack along with Kenyon has been Doster, the junior from Okemos, Michigan. Through the first four matches of the season, Doster holds claim to two of the three UMass goals thus far. The junior’s first tally of the season came in the first minute of play when UMass hosted Vanderbilt in a 3-1 loss. Her equalizer in the 81st minute against Maine set the team up on a
path to victory. Now healthy and moving forward, Matz sees things really coming together for the Minutewomen in the near future. “I’m excited for this week of practice,” he said. “I think as we continue to grow this continuity with our players in practice, we’re just gonna continue to develop and get better and better.” Liam Flaherty can be reached at lpflaherty@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @_LiamFlaherty.
NFL
Elliott continues to practice
DAL to play NYG on Sunday Sept. 10 By Jon Machota The Dallas Morning News FRISCO—Texas As the Cowboys continue to wait on arbitrator Harold Henderson’s r uling, Ezekiel Elliott prepares as if he will play in Sunday’s season opener against New York. “We’re just going to prepare for the Giants,” head coach Jason Garrett said Monday afternoon.
“Zeke will practice until someone tells him not to and the other guys will get ready to play.” Garrett said Elliott was at The Star on Saturday, taking part in team meetings and the walk-through. He’s expected to be back at the facility on Tuesday. “He’s just focused on getting back to work,” Garrett said. “I think Zeke has done an excellent job focusing on what he needs to do to get himself ready to play. I think our team has done that.”
Garrett maintains that the uncertainty surrounding Elliott’s eligibility will not impact practice reps, saying Monday that the first-team running back reps will be similar to what they have been in the past. Darren McFadden will be the starting running back if Elliott begins the season serving a suspension. Alfred Morris would be the team’s No. 2 back, followed by Rod Smith.
TALLAHASSEE,—F la. Jimbo Fisher and the Florida State football team could not envision this scenario, but here they are. The 2017 Seminoles will enter the second week of the season looking for their first victory and with a new starting quarterback. Deondre Francois will have surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, ending his redshirt sophomore campaign, FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher confirmed on Monday. Francois suffered the injury during FSU’s 24-7 loss to Alabama in Atlanta on Saturday. Fisher said Francois will be sidelined anywhere from four to eight months, and could return to action in spring 2018. The Seminoles will now thrust true freshman quarterback James Blackman into the starting lineup against Louisiana-Monroe this upcoming Saturday in Doak Campbell Stadium. “He’s very disappointed,” Fisher said of Francois. “Not only does he want to play, but he wants to be with his teammates. ... (He) feels like he let them down, but I told him this is part of (football). Things happen, and you have to deal with it, and be mentally strong. “He’s very down for not just himself, but for his team-
mates.” News of Francois’ fate this season broke on Sunday night, but the disappointment set in immediately for him and teammates after the Alabama game. FSU center Alec Eberle and left guard Landon Dickerson believe it was the offensive line’s responsibility to do a better job of protecting their quarterback, despite Francois injuring himself after rolling out of the pocket and being tackled from behind by Alabama defensive back Ronnie Harrison late in the fourth quarter. Players on Florida State’s masterful defense, which held Alabama to less than 200 yards rushing (173) and less than 100 yards passing (96) for only the second time in the Nick Saban era, were also frustrated. “We found out, and there’s really nothing we can do about it,” FSU safety A.J. Westbrook said. “Things happen. (We’ve) just got to keep moving forward.” The Seminoles will now turn to Blackman to lead the offense, with freshman Bailey Hockman and redshirt junior J.J. Cosentino filling in as backups. Blackman signed with FSU as a 247Sports.com composite three-star prospect who was rated as the 16thbest pro-style quarterback in the country. He threw for 2,511 yards and 14 touchdowns during his senior year. Instead of having a redshirt freshman year as Fisher would prefer for all of his quarterbacks _ follow-
ing the path of E.J. Manuel, Christian Ponder, Jameis Winston, Sean Maguire and Francois _ Blackman will become the first true freshman to start at quarterback for FSU since Chip Ferguson in 1985. Fisher wants the players around Blackman to just continue to stay the course while the rookie acclimates himself to his first taste of college football. “The biggest thing is everybody feels like they have to change,” Fisher said. “You don’t have to up your game. You gotta do what you do. You’re who you are. You don’t have to change dramatically or anything, except go continue to play better. ... Go help the things that change the momentum of that game, and clean up some of the special teams stuff and go play.” The Seminoles continue to have high expectations of contending for an Atlantic Coast Conference championship and a semifinal berth into the College Football Playoff, but those goals seem even loftier without Francois leading the offense. “The train is going to roll on,” Dickerson said. “One guy gets hurt, it can’t stop us. If it did, we’re not going to be successful. “Someone is going to step up and we still have aspirations to win the ACC, go to the playoffs and win a national championship. I think Blackman is going to step up and hopefully lead this team.”
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
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MEN’S SOCCER
FOOTBALL
Minutemen off to hot start UMass falls to CCU Saturday Minutemen run out of gas on the road By Ryan Ames Collegian Staff
JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN
Alex DeSantis (7) dribbles ball through Virginia Commonwealth defenders at Rudd Field last October. DeSantis has two goals for UMass this season.
UMass begins its season undefeated By Amin Touri Collegian Staff
Having already kicked off its 2017 campaign, the Massachusetts men’s soccer team is chasing progress. Coming off a strong 2016 season in which the Minutemen were 4-2-2 in conference play, good enough for an Atlantic 10 tournament berth, head coach Fran O’Leary and his charges are trying to build on that success. UMass ranked just eighth in the 13-team A-10 conference preseason poll announced in August, but the Minutemen have been underestimated before. “I think the last few years we’ve been ranked like 12th, 11th, and now eighth,”
said senior forward Alex DeSantis, “so we’re moving up, but I think we’re better than what they might say.” For the most part, however, UMass is unconcerned with perception within the conference. “I personally don’t care about the rankings,” said senior Connor O’Dwyer. “I think they mean nothing. There is no limit for us. I believe we can go as far as we’re willing to put the work in to go.” “We’re going to let them think what they want to think,” freshman Mike Rita said. “We’re just going to do our thing. We’re hoping to make the A-10 playoffs, but we’re capable of a lot.” Having lost only a small number of key seniors to graduation, two of UMass’ three units will return quality players. The leading scorer in 2016, Ty Goncalves, is gone, along with goalkeeper
Jorge Becerra and defender Josh Jess, but several key cogs remain. Junior Konrad Gorich, a native of Eberbach, Germany, will lead the Minuteman back line once again this season, flanked by junior Brandon Merklin and redshirt junior Casey Hamill, to keep the majority of last year’s defensive unit together. Gorich was also named to the A-10 preseason allconference team, as one of the four defenders selected for the honor. DeSantis is back for his final season at UMass, and will patrol the center of the pitch with O’Dwyer. With seniors Matthew Mooney and Henry Steinkamp charging up and down the wings, it’ll be an all-senior midfield. That experience has helped the Minutemen control possession throughout their first few games.
The majority of new faces for UMass will be on the front line, where most of the minutes will be logged by forwards new to Amherst. Rita, along with fellow freshman forward Davis Smith, saw extensive time in the team’s opener, and continue to play important minutes. Graduate transfer Andy Keklikoglou will help round out the attacking force for the Minutemen. Despite major changes up front, UMass is already 2-0-1 on the season, logging in victories over St. Francis and Sacred Heart and a draw with Columbia. Scoring hasn’t been a problem, with six goals in three games at this point in the campaign. For now, with a great start under its belt and the previous fall’s success to build upon, the potential see
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The Massachusetts football team just cannot seem to get out of its own way. UMass traveled to the south to face-off against Coastal Carolina Saturday, and lost 38-28 at Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina. The Minutemen (0-2) were in punching distance the entire game, but a couple fumbles and some costly incomplete passes allowed the Chanticleers (1-0) to walk away victorious. “I’m disappointed in our offensive line,” Whipple said to reporters. “We need to run the ball better. Credit (Coastal Carolina). Especially the last drive, when we’re down two scores, we have to make a stop. We can’t (force a turnover). We’ve been working on it. We did it all camp. But we’ve had one takeaway in two games. It’s a field position game and they held onto it.” With the score tied 21-21 in the third quarter, CCU would score the next 17 points (two touchdowns and a field goal) to pull away from UMass in its seasonopening win.
Running back Osharmar Abercrombie went off against the Minutemen, compiling 149 yards and two touchdowns on 17 attempts. The Chanticleers were dominant on the ground, pouring on 329 total rushing yards, while UMass could only muster 79 yards. Redshirt senior tight-end Adam Breneman followed up his impressive first game with another gem hauling in nine catches for 126 yards for the Minutemen. However he left the game early with an apparent ankle injury. UMass fell behind eight minutes, 21 seconds into the game when quarterback Dalton Demos scored on a one-yard rush after redshirt junior quarterback Andrew Ford fumbled on the previous possession. The Minutemen responded with their first touchdown of the evening when junior running back Marquis Young rushed in for a fouryard touchdown at the 6:48 mark in the first quarter. With just 47 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Demos reached the end zone again, this time on a 22-yard rushing touchdown, to give the Chanticleers a 14-7 lead. The Minutemen didn’t see
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JEDIAH ZURAW-FRIEDLAND/COLLEGIAN
Andrew Ford (7) walks off the field after the first loss of the season to Hawaii.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
UM looks to improve on Eight Minutewomen land rough start to season on Atlantic 10 Honor Roll Minutewomen win first game vs. Maine By Liam Flaherty Collegian Staff
For the Massachusetts women’s soccer team, the 2017 regular season didn’t exactly get off to the start that they would have hoped for. After posting two wins in exhibition play in matches over Vermont and Albany, the Minutewomen (1-3-0) entered the start of the regular season only to run into a number of immediate headaches. In the regular season opener and home opener, the University of Massachusetts roster had, “more players in red shirts than were actually available to play,” said coach Ed Matz. After finally securing their first win of the season vs. Maine in overtime on Sunday night, the Minutewomen now have a shot to turns things around before Atlantic 10 conference play starts on Sept. 21. Going down 1-0 to the
Black Bears early in the match, UMass remained in the deficit until the 81st minute when a dazzling goal by junior Erin Doster evened the score at one. According to Matz, “with going down early and the conditions, it was a game that we could have easily put our heads down and gone to a lot of built in excuses as to why the system wasn’t working.” But the Minutewomen didn’t do that; in fact, they did quite the opposite. After changing the offensive formation and almost immediately tying the match a minute later, the team was able to grab the momentum heading into overtime. Just two minutes into extra time, UMass found the golden goal as Salma Anastasio slammed in a rebound off a shot from the foot of teammate Hrefna Petursdottir. With the Minutewomen’s entire roster healthy for the first time all season, the team was finally able to come together and score more goals in 15 minutes than they had throughout the entire
first three matches. With just over two weeks to go before the start of conference play, the Minutewomen face four contests that could ultimately shape their entire season going forward. UMass will be facing off with Delaware (Sept. 8), Holy Cross (Sept. 10), Brown (Sept. 14) and Yale (Sept. 17), all of which will be played home at Rudd Field. After its 0-3 start to the season due to injuries and NCAA clearance issues, UMass now sits in a position to write its own destiny and determine what kind of team it will be heading into conference play. Among UMass’ unavailable players to start the season was the 2016 leading scorer, Gabriela Kenyon. The senior forward suffered a broken nose during exhibition play and sat out the first match of her fourth and final season with the team. Although Kenyon only missed the opener, a 3-0 loss to Central Connecticut, the Minutewomen would go see
MINUTEWOMEN on page 7
Players expected to have a 3.0 GPA By Zander Manning Collegian Staff
Fifty six. That’s how many student-athletes on the University of Massachusetts women’s soccer team have made it on the Atlantic 10 Conference Commissioners Honor Roll since coach Ed Matz took over in 2010. In order to make this list, student-athletes must obtain a 3.5 grade point average or higher for either the fall or spring semester. Senior kinesiology major Cassidy Babin, graduated psychology major Daniela Alvarez, senior sociology major Danielle Farano, junior management major Paige Kozlowski, sophomore biology major Sini Laaksonen, former redshirt junior kinesiology and biology major Jackie Miller, senior hospitality and tourism management major Natalie Perussault and junior food science major Peyton Ryan all made the
list this past year. For most of the Minutewomen student-athletes, it is their first time on the list. For Babin, however, it’s her third time receiving the accolade. “Maturity, if I could say it in one word,” Matz said of Babin. “Cassidy was a mature player coming in and she is also one that has a good personality. She’s one you’ll see studying on the bus and in the hotel, she’s one that [isn’t] afraid to give advice to younger players.” Before he was hired at UMass, Matz decided to take it upon himself to check out the student-athlete study hall system and what former coach Angela Napoli had set as academic requirements. What he initially found was shocking and immediately drove him to reform the team’s academic standards. Napoli had set a GPA minimum of 2.3 to play for the soccer team. Matz quickly changed the GPA minimum to 3.0, a standard that was set by the time he started recruiting his first
freshman class. “Since I’ve been here, the first thing I did was look at the student requirements and saw what the previous staff required. It was a 2.3 and you had to go to study hall, I said that’s not good enough,” Matz said. Matz also established a study hall system during road games and a mentorship program where upperclassmen do homework on the busses. He requires all student-athletes to get their work done before anything else.
“At UMass, we’re able to get weekly reports from faculty and staff,” Matz added. “I think UMass does a great job, even though we’re a large University.”
In fact, just last season, Matz and his staff got a note from a professor about a player who wasn’t participating in class very often. After sitting down with said player, Matz helped her turn her grades around and she finished the semester with an A-minus in the class. see
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