Massachusetts Daily Collegian: March 24, 2015

UMass features stingy defense

Students respond to SGA spring election Page 8

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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

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Palestinian political analyst encourages Israeli boycott

By Sorelle Mbakop Collegian Staff

Yousef Munayyer, a Palestinian Israeli citizen and political analyst, delivered his “BDS Imperative: Why Imposing Costs on Israel is Necessary” lecture in Hasbrouck Laboratory Monday night.

Munayyer argued that calling for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel (BDS) is important because it carries with it the goals of the Palestinian struggles.

The BDS movement is a tactic of Palestinian resistance, demanding

Israel to give Palestinian refugees the rights of return, Palestinians in Israel their rights to full equality as well as self-determination for Palestinians in occupied areas.

According to Munayyer, Palestinian Israeli citizens are often referred to as “demographic threats” and Palestinians in the occupied areas, such as the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, are often discussed as “demographic spill over.”

Munayyer said minorities in Israel – mainly Arabs and Africans – are marginalized and discriminated against on a daily basis as well.

The state of Israel has no incentives to change or take part in a peace agreement because they are profiting from the current system, according to Munayyer. He explained that under the occupations, Israel has been able to monopolize control of its lands’ natural resources, with these resources generating the nation billions of dollars.

“The Israelis do not want to see change, for the same reasons whites did not want to see changes in Alabama … it is a cycle that continues because at the foundation there is inequality,” Munayyer said.

He added that the Israeli government has monopolized political power and is using a system that abuses humans rights. Munnayer said that western countries have enabled Israel to maintain this status quo.

Munayyer disagreed with many individuals who say that violence is the only way to end the occupation. He said that history has shown Palestinians are the ones who pay when the struggle turns violent.

Instead, Munayyer said he wants to see a change in the cost to Israel under the current circumstances. He

called on foreign governments and companies to boycott Israel, saying the entire state needs to understand that the settlements and occupations are problematic.

“Anything that shows that the Israeli policies are unwelcomed in the international community is helpful,” he said.

Munayyer added that although mostJewishIsraelicitizensdon’tinteract with the occupation unless they are in the army, he still wants them to join the fight and to look at the sitsee

LECTURE on page 2

Time Flies when you’re having fun UM names Ryan

Bamford as next athletic director Mark Chiarelli Collegian Staff

ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN

Students lined up along Commonwealth Avenue Monday to be the first to purchase their UPC spring concert tickets from the Mullins Center Box Office.

The University of Massachusetts officially named Ryan Bamford as its seventh permanent athletic director in a press release issued Monday afternoon.

The announcement, which was originally reported Sunday night, was made official by UMass Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy. Bamford spent the last four years as an associate athletic director at Georgia Tech where he oversaw football, men’s basketball and baseball.

“Ryan brings the right mix of devotion to the student-athlete, a winning tradition in a broad range of sports, and intimate knowledge of FBS football—just what we were looking for,” Subbaswamy

said in the release.

“He brings great energy to our Department of Athletics and is someone who we think can help elevate us to the next level. Those we spoke with about Ryan were all of the same mind in that they think he is one of the top young administrators in the country.”

Bamford will officially be introduced at the Football Performance Center Tuesday at 2 p.m.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to join the UMass family as its director of athletics. I would like to thank Chancellor S u bb a swa my, Vi c e Chancellor John Kennedy and the search committee for providing me the opportunity to serve the Commonwealth’s flagship see

BAMFORD on page 2

Ted Cruz’s 2016 bid courts Court debates how police ‘courageous conservatives’ should treat the mentally ill

Cruz to run for president next Nov.

Judges explore duty to avoid violence

By Lisa Mascaro Tribune Washington Bureau

By David G. Savage Tribune Washington Bureau

LYNCHBURG, Va. — Sen. Ted Cruz debuted his 2016 presidential ambitions before an enthusiastic crowd at Virginia’s Liberty University on Monday, courting the young evangelicals and social conservatives who will be critical to his underdog campaign.

The Texas senator has trailed more established Republicans in early polling and fundraising expectations for what is expected to be a crowded primary field, but Cruz’s unwavering brand of conservatism promises to be a force in the conversation that will shape the Republican Party’s future He spoke Monday morning to students gathered in a giant sports arena for morning convocation at the religious campus founded by the late pastor Jerry Falwell in Lynchburg, Va. Amid waving American flags and Christian rock music, Cruz emphasized his family’s personal struggles and

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court debated Monday whether the police have a duty to avoid violent confrontations with mentally ill suspects whenever possible.

The case of a San Francisco woman with a known mental illness who was shot inside her home by a police officer prompted the justices to reconsider the rules for such arrests.

The 4th Amendment forbids “unreasonable searches and seizures” by the police. In the San Francisco case, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the officers also could be sued for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. But government lawyers say police officers should be shielded from second–guessing when they have to arrest people who are violent and dangerous.

The case began in 2008

MCT

Cruz, R-Texas, speaks at a RedState Gathering on Aug. 8, 2014.

Christian faith.

“Today I am announcing that I’m running for president of the United States,” Cruz told the crowd. “It is the time for truth. It is the time for liberty. It is the time to reclaim the constitution of the United States.”

The college sports arena roared with approval, and even though student attendance was mandatory, the young people appeared receptive to his calls to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care law, stop his immigration ?actions and otherwise champion a small–government socially conservative agenda.

Cruz called on “courageous conservatives” to join him, and sought to ignite the grass roots that first propelled him to office.

“The answer will not come from Washington. It will come only from men and women across this country, the people of faith, the lovers of liberty,” he said.

Not far from the historic Civil War site of Appomattox, Liberty has been a popular destination for Republican candidates seeking to bolster their conservatives credentials.

The school’s president, the founder’s son, Jerry Falwell Jr., noted that see

CRUZ on page 2

But government lawyers say police officers should be shielded from second-guessing when they have to arrest people who are violent and dangerous. when two officers were called to a group home in San Francisco. Teresa Sheehan, who was in her mid–50s, had a mental illness and was living in her own unit. She had threatened a social worker who visited her.

The two officers broke into her apartment without a warning, and Sheehan grabbed a kitchen knife and told them to leave.

The officers retreated to the hallway. A few minutes later, without waiting for backup help, they pushed back into her apartment.

When Sheehan came at them with a knife, one officer shot her five times.

She survived and later sued the officers, saying they made an unreasonable break–in without a search warrant and failed to accommodate for the fact that she had a mental illness.

U.S. District Judge

Charles Breyer, the younger brother of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, ruled for the police and dismissed the suit. But the 9th Circuit revived her claim and said it should go to a jury.

The appellate judges said the second entry by the police could be considered unreasonable, since the officers knew the woman was angry and had a knife, and the police could have waited for her to calm down. The appeals court also said the disability–rights law generally requires officials to make reasonable accommodations where possible when encountering people with a mental illness.

Lawyers for San Francisco and the U.S. Justice Department urged the high court to shield the police from such suits.

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THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

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

In 1765, Great Britain passed the Quartering Act, which required the Thirteen Colonies to house British troops.

AROUND THE WORLD

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized Monday for warning on election day that Israel’s Arab citizens were being bused “in droves” to polling stations to strengthen Israel’s left.

“I know that the things I said a few days ago hurt some citizens in Israel, the Arab Israeli citizens,” Netanyahu said at a meeting with Arab leaders, the Jerusalem Post reported.

“This was not my intention and I am sorry,” he said of the comments posted on his Facebook page.

Analysts said the statement helped turn out the vote for Netanyahu’s nationalist Likud party and played a major role in its victory in last week’s parliamentary elections.

Political opponents called the comment “racist,” while Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said it was “hurtful.”

President Barack Obama told The Huffington Post that Netanyahu’s words were “contrary to what is the best of Israel’s traditions.”

Netanyahu sought to walk back the remark in a series of interviews with U.S. broadcasters this weekend, saying the equal rights of Israel’s Arab minority, including the right to vote, were “sacrosanct.”

Rivlin is expected to receive final results of the parliamentary election on Wednesday, when he will then officially task Netanyahu with forming a coalition government.

A majority of 67 lawmakers in the 120–seat Knesset recommended the conservative Likud leader for the post of prime minister on Monday.

Likud received the backing the pro–settler Jewish Home party, the ultra–nationalist Israel Beiteinu party and the centrist Kulanu, along with ultra–Orthodox parties.

Netanyahu has 28 days to form a coalition.

He can ask the president for a 14–day extension, but his aides said he aimed to announce his government before Israel’s Independence Day on April 23. dpa

DailyCollegian.com

House members express concern over Iran

By Billy House Bloomberg News

WASHINGTON — A letter signed by 367 U.S. House members to President Barack Obama highlights what they describe as “grave and urgent issues” relating to negotiations to rein in Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The letter, dated March 20 and released Monday by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, cites concerns about the size of Iran’s uranium enrichment program, its lack of cooperation with international inspectors and the need for an intrusive inspection regime.

In any agreement, “Congress must be convinced that its terms foreclose any pathway to a bomb, and only then will Congress be able to consider permanent sanctions relief,” according to the letter signed by 84 percent of House members.

“A final comprehensive nuclear agreement must constrain Iran’s nuclear infrastructure so that Iran has no pathway to a bomb, and that agreement must be long–lasting,” according to the letter.

Those signing the letter

CRUZ

House National Security Council, declined to comment on the letter before Monday’s White House briefing. She referred to previous comments White House officials have made on the negotiations.

Obama has urged lawmakers to be patient as negotiators try to reach a deal with Iran and to hold off on taking other actions, including further sanctions, unless the talks fail.

The Obama administraMCT tion has denounced a March Letter signatories wrote President Obama about Iranian negotiations concerns. 9 letter sent by 47 Republican U.S. senators to political leaders in Iran as an attempt include such Republicans Iran’s nuclear program is to undermine the president as Speaker John Boehner peaceful in exchange for on a foreign policy matter for and Majority Leader relief from trade curbs that political purposes.

Kevin McCarthy and such have squeezed the Islamic The open letter addressed Democrats as Steny Hoyer, Republic’s economy. to the leaders of the Islamic the minority whip, and Eliot Issues being discussed Republic warned that any Engel. include the nuclear capac- agreement they struck with The lawmakers said they ity Iran should be allowed to Obama on their nuclear proremain “hopeful that a dip- keep, the nature of inspec- gram could be reversed by lomatic solution prevent- tions and the pace of relief his successor or changed by ing Iran from obtaining a from sanctions, especially on lawmakers in the U.S. nuclear weapon may yet be oil exports. As an end–of– Sen. Tom Cotton, an reached,” and told Obama, March deadline for a frame- Arkansas Republican who “we want to work with you work agreement nears, lead- was author of the letter, to assure such a result.” ers on each side sought to last week told Bloomberg Negotiators from the keep pressure on the other. reporters and editors that he U.S. and five other nations Bernadette Meehan, a stands by it. He said Iranian are seeking to ensure that spokeswoman for the White leaders “clearly have the

continued from page 1

Cruz had visited before and returned to for this “histor?ic” moment.

In a Twitter message earlier Monday, Cruz became the first GOP candidate to formally announce his candidacy, giving him a head start in rallying support and donations.

Cruz is perhaps best known for his fight against Obama’s health care law, which led to the 2013 federal government shutdown and boosted him as a conservative favorite.

That renegade approach excites the party’s most ardent activists, but it has increasingly pained Republican Party leaders and turned Cruz into an outsider even among his conservative peers.

Republican strategists worry the senator’s entry into the presidential race, like his short time in Congress, will push the

BAMFORD university,” Bamford said in the release.

“As a New England native, I have witnessed the University’s ascent to its position as one the leading public research institutions in the nation.

In addition, UMass offers a world-class athletics experience. I am excited to work with a strong group of student-athletes, coaches and staff to build UMass into a nationally recognized program.”

Bamford was reportedly one of three finalists for the job, along with former Stony Brook athletic director Jim Fiore and Buffalo associate athletic director Allen Greene. Bamford’s hiring was first reported by the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Bamford is a native of New Hampshire and his father Steve was the athletic director at Plymouth State University for 13

party too far to the right for mainstream political tastes.

Cruz’s early announcement makes him just the kind of “disruptive app” he has said he intends to be in politics, seeking to shake up business as usual.

With Jeb Bush and Scott Walker already pulling ahead of the pack of potential Republican candidates even before making their expected campaigns official, Cruz’s move commands attention — and offers a boost of media exposure.

“Why not be first?” said one senior adviser, granted anonymity to discuss the campaign, which decided to forgo the traditional exploratory committee and jump straight into the race. “You’re either ready to run or you’re not.”

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years. Ryan Bamford graduated from Ithaca College in 2000, where he played basketball.

He then worked in the athletic department at Springfield College from 2000 to 2002 while also earning his master’s degree before taking a job at Yale University, where he worked until his hiring at Georgia Tech in 2011.

Bamford re places John McCutcheon, who served as UMass’ athletic direct for 11 years before accepting a job with the University of CaliforniaSanta Barbara in January.

Robert Goodhue, who is the UMass Foundation’s chief operating officer, was serving as the interim athletic director.

Mark Chiarelli can be reached at mchiarel@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Mark_Chiarelli.

LECTURE

message now,” and Cotton defended addressing the letter to Iranian leaders following criticism from U.S. allies and lawmakers including some fellow Republicans.

Of the bipartisan letter sent to Obama from House members, Boehner spokesman Michael Steel declined to comment on Monday, saying the letter speaks for itself.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California — who doesn’t usually sign letters circulated among rank–and–file members and didn’t sign this one — had no immediate comment, said a spokesman, Drew Hammill.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker of Tennessee has said his committee will vote on a bill to require congressional review of any final nuclear agreement. The panel is set to consider the measure on April 14.

The House letter didn’t say whether the chamber will pursue its own legislation. McCarthy of California said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” Sunday, “We will continue to be able to review where we go forward.”

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CHRISTINA YACONO/COLLEGIAN

Yousef Munayyer gives a lecture on why he sees imposing costs on Israel as necessary Monday. uation and say that “we cannot continue with this.”

He said he wants Jewish Israelis to know that, “This is about boycotting the Israeli state, not the Israeli people or Jewish people.”

Munnayer said that the participation of Jewish Israelis is crucial.

Emily Miller, a member of the Western Massachusetts Jewish Voice for Peace, said that she “came to the event to support Students for Justice in Palestine and to learn more from the Palestinian perspective.

“It is important for our

organization to challenge the notion that there is a U.S. Jewish consensus in support of the government of Israel,” Miller said.

“There are many Jewish citizens in Israel and in the United States who do not support the policies of the state of Israel.”

Munayyer said that the most important message students should take away from his talk “is that without pressure, the Israeli state is not going to change its policies of human rights violations and violations of international laws toward Palestinians.”

He continued, “BDS campaigns allow students to organize and effectively target interests that are invested in the Israeli occupation and other Israeli human right(s) abuses and violations of international laws.

“Aside from just seeking out targets that economically invest, it also gives students an opportunity to build coalition, educate new allies and expand the support base for justice on this issue.”

Sorelle Mbakop can be reached at smbakop@umass.edu.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

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Increased funding helps Supreme Court to decide on Florida battle giant snails Confederate license plates Money spent on combating pests

“We feel we are absolutely going to achieve eradication.”

Mark Fatgan, spokesman for the Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services

By Chris Adams

McClatchy Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON – Federal agriculture officials are spending nearly $60 million this year to help combat the beetles, bollworms and other bugs that have the potential to wreak havoc on American crops, with California and Florida taking the biggest share.

The money, which comes from the 2014 farm bill, will go toward more than 400 projects intended to assess current conditions and prevent further damage that can happen when species that aren’t native to an area are introduced and begin to eat their way through crops not intended for them.

The top states are California, which was awarded about $13 million for pest and plant programs, and Florida, with more than $7 million. The spending plan was announced last week.

Of Florida’s money, the big gest chunk is going to attacking the giant African land snail, a slow– moving threat that quickly

caused concern among state agriculture officials about four years ago.

The snails, originally from East Africa, can grow to 8 inches and live as long as nine years.

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which plays a major role in attacking the snails, the creatures were spotted in Miami–Dade County in 2011, the first evidence of this current infestation. Since then, Florida officials have worked to capture and contain them, keeping a tally of kills.

As of Friday, 156,253 snails had been killed, captured or found dead, a department official said. The department said 27 neighborhoods in Miami–Dade and one in next–door Broward County were being treated following snail detections.

So far, state officials said, they’re making progress in defeating the snails, which are known to consume at

least 500 types of plants.

They’re illegal to import into the United States without a permit, and state officials are unsure how the outbreak in 2011 began. Their damage extends beyond plants: They can cause structural damage to buildings, by consuming plaster and stucco to acquire the calcium needed to grow their large shells.

“We find them more dead than alive now,” said Mark Fagan, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “We feel we are absolutely going to achieve eradication.”

The snails are getting clo se to agricultural areas but haven’t yet damaged crops, Fagan said.

“We have been able to stop it in its tracks before it crosses over,” he said.

“Without the possible movement by man, these snails are not going to get across U.S. 1.”

Justices wary of permitting symbol

By David G. Savage Tribune Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court justices, hearing arguments on whether Texas must issue a specialty license plate with a Confederate battle flag, signaled Monday they were leaning in favor of giving states the power to decide which messages to accept or reject.

Justices said they were wary of giving hate groups a right to ask for a highly controversial symbol, such as a swastika or a message that supports jihad.

“Your position, if you prevail, is that the state can have a racial slur on a license plate,” Justice Anthony Kennedy told a lawyer representing the Texas Sons of Confederates Veterans, which sued the state after its request for a specialty license plate featuring a Confederate battle flag was rejected.

The lawyer agreed, saying the First Amendment does not allow the govern-

ment to censor “offensive messages.”

But most of the justices appeared to agree with a lawyer for Texas who argued that specialty license plates represent the speech of the state, not an individual motorist.

This is “government’s speech,” said Texas Solicitor Scott Keller.

“Texas etches its name on every license plate.”

He argued that while motorists have a right to put their favorite bumper sticker on their cars, they do not have a free–speech right to obtain a specialty license plate featuring a Confederate battle flag or a message about abortion.

Most states offer specialty license plates for an extra fee, and they permit groups to propose a plate that promotes their messages.

Most are not controversial. Texas offers plates that say “Keep Texas Beautiful” or “Mothers Against Drunk Driving.”

But when the Sons of Confederate Veterans requested a special plate that featured a Confederate battle flag, a state board refused. It said the mes-

sage would provoke controversy and was seen by some as an “expression of hate.”

The group sued, claiming a violation of its First Amendment rights. And it won in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Its judges said that once the state had offered plates designed by private groups, it could not discriminate against their messages.

Meanwhile, an appeals court faulted North Carolina for offering an anti–abortion “Choose Life” plate, while refusing to permit an abortion–rights message like “Respect Choice.”

The debate before the high court focused on whether the specialty license plates speak for the state or for the driver.

In the past, the court has said government agencies may control their own message. But most lower courts have said the specialty plates speak for the motorists, not the state.

The court is expected to rule by June.

Instrument may lead to absolute global warming consensus

Tool measures carbon dioxide and methane

By David Hasemyer InsideClimate News

NASA scientist Emily Wilson has big plans for a little gadget.

She has developed a suitcase– sized instrument that measures carbon dioxide and methane wafting into the atmosphere from ground level to four miles into the sky.

“I have a pretty big vision,” Wilson said.

She wants to create a worldwide network of these portable monitors to track the two potent greenhouse gases that have been identified as major contributors to global warming.

One day, she said, she hopes these instruments will be used to establish a comprehensive inventory of greenhouse gas emissions around the world.

Yes, it’s easier said than done, she acknowledged. But the 43– year–old optical physicist at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is determined — if not yet completely sure how — to make it happen.

“In order for there to be an absolute consensus on global warming there have to be global measurements that leave no opening for debate about what is happening,” Wilson said.

That’s where Wilson’s 30– pound miniaturized laser het-

erodyne radiometer (mini–LHR) comes in. Those are some pretty big words to describe an instrument that collects sunlight that is then mixed with laser light to calculate the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The instrument gathers sunlight through something similar to a telescope. Laser light is then merged into the sunlight to determine the levels of carbon dioxide and methane.

Her vision: to ultimately deploy hundreds of these instruments worldwide after initially setting up between 20 and 30 in the next two years. But her here– and–now focus is to take three of the prototypes to Alaska this summer.

Wilson and a team of researchers plan to deploy the instruments at three sites near Fairbanks to measure the carbon dioxide and methane being emitted from thawing permafrost.

Permafrost is permanently frozen soil that makes up an estimated 25 percent of the Northern Hemisphere. It contains organic carbon deposits that have been sealed beneath the surface for as long as 10,000 years.

Wilson said she sees this experiment as a kind of scientific two–fer. The first is another field test of her instrument; this is the sixth version of the device she began developing in 2009.

The second goal is to determine concentrations of methane and

carbon dioxide emitted during the seasonal ground thaw. That thawing has led to concerns that significant greenhouse gas emissions are being discharged into the atmosphere.

With global temperature rising, the release of these gases from permafrost is increasing because more of the permafrost is thawing. That, in turn, accelerates the release of more gas, which leads to more warming.

In scientific terms, it’s called amplifying.

“Call it a snowball effect — there you go,” Wilson said.

But it’s serious business.

“We have to understand the sources and amounts of carbon dioxide and methane,” she said.

“Once we have that understanding we can confront the consequences. ... If you don’t acknowledge global warming and its causes, then you are not planning for the consequences or seeking solutions.”

Losing permafrost also leaves the land vulnerable to erosion and lost waterways and threatens certain plant species.

The instrument, which Wilson estimates has cost $200,000 to develop using off–the–shelf technology, is designed to detect methane and carbon dioxide as it rises into the atmosphere. It’s solar powered because, as Wilson said, there is no need to add any more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by using a generator.

Wilson said the data collect-

Rolling Stone report of UVA gang rape under more fire Police to suspend their investigation

By Matt Pearce Los Angeles Times

Police in Charlottesville, Va., announced Monday that they could find no evidence that a rape happened at a University of Virginia fraternity as described in a Rolling Stone article, and said they were suspending their investigation.

Police Chief Timothy Longo announced the findings Monday.

The police investigation centered on an incident described in an explosive Rolling Stone magazine story, published in November, that said a woman, identified in the story only as Jackie, had

been gang–raped at a Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.

After critics raised questions about the accuracy of the account, Rolling Stone issued an apology that said the magazine no longer trusted the story told by Jackie.

InJanuary, Charlottesville police cleared Phi Kappa Psi of involvement in the alleged rape, announcing that they found “no basis to believe that an incident occurred at that fraternity.”

The saga rocked the University of Virginia, which the story accused of having a rampant culture of sexual violence, as well as the world of journalism, in which observers criticized the story’s author, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, for what they saw as lax and flawed report-

ing techniques.

Concerns also mounted that the story would damage the credibility of rape survivors elsewhere, whom advocates say are often not taken seriously by law enforcement officials and the public.

The Charlottesville police announcement comes as Rolling Stone soon expects to publish an outside review of the story led by Steve Coll, dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and Sheila Coronel, the school’s dean of academic affairs.

“We expect it soon, and will be publishing it in the next couple weeks,” Kathryn Brenner, a spokeswoman for Rolling Stone, told the Los Angeles Times on Monday.

Emily Wilson on Mauna Loa, where she set up her suitcase-sized instrument. ed in Alaska will contribute to NASA’s ongoing efforts to build a model used to simulate emissions in the future, as well as from the past.

For decades, NASA has been conducting Earth science research, in addition to leading space missions.

Wilson, who is constantly hustling NASA funding to keep her suitcase instrument on the go, said she’s confident the instrument will become an invaluable tool in assessing global warming.

She has deployed it near a California dairy farm to record methane emissions from “slurry pits.” Or, as Wilson described it, a big hole filled with cow

NASA/TNS

poo.

She has also set it up in Hawaii near the Mauna Loa site where Charles Keeling became the first scientist to make frequent measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide. It’s a venerated place for Wilson because of the momentous science conducted

by Keeling, which established a historic record showing a steady increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere beginning in 1958.

“The instrument has proven the technology is viable,” Wilson said. “Now we have to prove that it can play a part in developing a global picture of global warming.”

Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

“Now, I’ll confess: I don’t go to a whole lot of cocktail parties in town.” - Ted Cruz

Editorial@DailyCollegiancom

Good year to come for SGA If you read The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, have any social media accounts or simply attend the University of Massachusetts,

Stefan Herlitz

The paradox of SGA accessibility There is an abysmal level of tions report, 3,423 students. Even transparency between the Student if Barrett and Lima Barbosa were Government Association and the able to reach hundreds of students in 90 minutes (the approxiNathan Frontiero mate runtime of the debate they skipped), their reach still pales University of Massachusetts stu- in comparison to the traffic that dent body. That problem became the paper’s report undoubtedly a critical point of concern in this gained the next morning. year’s presidential and vice presi- The Collegian is, as noted on dential elections. its online and printed masthead, Voting took place through “a free and independent press.” the Campus Pulse website from The outreach it lends is unsolicMarch 10 to 12. After sever- ited and accessible to all students al hours of vote counting, the with Internet access, which the Elections Commission released University provides for all onits elections report through campus residents. the SGA’s Facebook page. The Barrett and Lima Barbosa report revealed Sïonan Barrett threw away their chance to reach and Chantal Lima Barbosa as the thousands of students through unofficial victors by a margin of the Collegian’s coverage. And four votes. they seem to have unknowingly Something is amiss. The run- indicted themselves. The ticket ner-up Kelly/Gay ticket received posted pictures of what amounts 1,369 votes. The Barrett/Barbosa to evidence of vote solicitaticket received 1,370 votes with tion. One such picture featured three additional “votes with one of the candidates standing write-ins.” I find this bizarre.

None of the other tickets – with the exception of the Van Leuvan Smith/Coakley ticket, which was a write-in ticket – received any of these extra “written-in” votes.

Why would the Barrett/ Barbosa ticket be allowed writein votes if it was already on the ballot? Perhaps this is just anoth- with a student on his phone in er part of the eccentric modus Berkshire Dining Commons and operandi for SGA elections. was tagged, “How’s this for accesRegardless, my greater concern sibility?” is how Barrett and Lima Barbosa But that’s not making your achieved their statistically micro- platform accessible – that’s shovscopic victory over Charlotte ing your platform in the face of Kelly and Sammi Gay. Their cam- whatever student you convince to paign’s Facebook page sheds light listen to you.

And what student wouldn’t on the matter.

On March 11 – the second vote for a charismatic candidate day of voting – Barrett/Barbosa who presents an in-the-moment announced that they were opt- reasonable platform? Saying ing out of that evening’s debate “yes” would diffuse that moment in favor of “knocking on doors less awkwardly than refusing and engaging with students and would. Judging by the outcome sharing their platform face to of the election, the approach face.” Excuse my rather literal worked. I just don’t understand interpretation, but that reads as, how it was allowed.

“Knocking on doors and solicit- Wind the clocks back a year. ing votes.” Now, I was unable to The winning Devenney/Miske/ attend the debate because I was Cook ticket of the 2014 SGA studying for an exam, but I would spring elections, when student have attended as a constituent of trustee and president/vice presithe student body that these poten- dent candidates could campaign tial leaders must protect. Their together, was invalidated. Why? decision to skip the debate in The Elections Commission reafavor of canvassing is profoundly soned the candidates’ use of a 10 percent off coupon from Campus arrogant.

Conor Snell, web managing Design and Copy allowed them to editor for DailyCollegian.com, print an extra quantity of camconfirmed to me that the site gar- paign fliers that exactly matched ners an “average daily unique vis- the number of votes by which itor count” which is “about equal they won the election. to the total amount of students In a hearing with the SGA that voted in this SGA election,” Judiciary, the Commission used which is, according to the elec- these egregiously speculative

mathematics in its argument and the invalidation was allowed to stand. I sat in on that hearing and the absurdity of its result so infuriated me that I wrote my first op-ed for the Collegian.

The DMC invalidation debacle creates a striking irony with the Barrett/Barbosa victory. Last year, the victorious ticket and the voices of every student who voted for it were all invalidated because the Commission convinced the Judiciary that some extra fliers around campus possessed the extrasensory powers necessary to make a barely correlated number of students vote for Ellie Miske, Gabrielle Cook and Emily Devenney.

This year, Barrett and Lima Barbosa scoffed at the opportunity to discuss their ideas with the other candidates in a well-reported forum and instead stormed the dorms and dining commons necessary to reach a crowd that they

“I guess not voting for (Barrett) means that I deserve to be silenced and out of the loop. Or maybe that’s just how elected representatives are supposed to treat their constituents.”

form on a scrolling page that took me roughly 20 minutes to read.

Barrett and Lima Barbosa include their platform on the About section of their campaign’s Facebook page, which will take you at most two minutes to read.

If you want specificity on par with the Kelly/Gay platform, you won’t find it. You will, however, discover Barrett/Barbosa’s hopes to create a “Central UMass Amherst App,” which looks like it would combine various preexisting apps and online services and attribute all credit to the president/vice president’s benevolent leadership.

The problem here is not concision. There isn’t an unnecessary word in Kelly and Gay’s platform – it’s just that there are more than cursory details. Compare the two tickets side by side and you’ll see the Kelly/Gay platform comes with a more nuanced version of almost everything Barrett/ Barbosa has to offer, plus a lot more for no extra charge.

Kelly and Gay have a comprehensive plan “to make sure that UMass Amherst is the most accessible place for all students, regardless of age, race, gender, ability, sexual orientation, etc.,” according to Kelly. It’s unfortunate they weren’t planning on developing an unnecessary app, but I can let that slide.

I look at the elections report and worry because I simply don’t know what the barely victorious Barrett and Lima Barbosa are going to do if these results get ratified. I do not know if they will fight to protect the University’s lifeblood – its students – in the way that I know that Kelly and Gay will.

I would ask president-elect Barrett what she’s going to do when she takes office but after the election results came out, she unfriended me on Facebook and made her Twitter account private. I guess not voting for her means that I deserve to be silenced and out of the loop. Or maybe that’s just how elected representatives are supposed to treat their constituents. Perhaps I’m behind the times.

At least I might see her “on TV one day delivering your daily dose of news.” A student government presidency ought to add some nice padding to a resume.

Now how’s that for accessibility?

could persuade to vote. While Kelly and Gay were vocalizing their ideas for improving UMass from within the SGA, Barrett and Lima Barbosa were cheerleading for voters.

Let’s compare the social media campaigns of the winning ticket and runner-up. At the time of this writing, Kelly Gay for SGA had 651 likes on Facebook; Barrett and Barbosa for SGA had 391.

Kelly Gay for SGA’s Twitter account sent 169 tweets, followed 915 users and gained 110 followers; Barrett/Barbosa for SGA’s has sent 47 tweets, followed 170 users and has 30 followers.

This data suggests that Kelly and Gay ran a more involved and more consistent social media campaign than Barrett and Lima Barbosa did. It also calls back to the larger problem with which I introduced this column: transparency between the SGA and students.

Kelly and Gay transparently communicated a nuanced platform. Throughout their campaign, they posted key points to convey a clear sense of what they would do if elected. If you want more details on how they seek to enact these changes, you can visit Nathan Frontiero is a Collegian columnist their campaign’s Weebly site, and can be reached at nfrontiero@umass. which describes the entire plat- edu.

you’ve more than likely heard information regarding this year’s Student Government Association election.

Voting took place March 10 to 12 on the UMass Campus Pulse website and the ballot contained the SGA presidential/vice presidential election, the student trustee election and several ballot initiatives. More than 3,400 students voted in the election, along with 194 graduate students who were allowed to vote for the student trustee.

All three ballot initiatives – MASSPIRG’s waivable $11 fee, a $6 increase to the Student Activities Fund Fee and a $7 increase to the student health fee – passed more than 2-to-1 in favor. Emily O’Neil was elected student trustee with nearly twice the votes of any of the other five candidates.

The SGA presidential/vice presidential election, however, was much closer. The top

“Despite early doubts stemming from last year’s election fallout, in which the winning ticket was invalidated, the SGA has done excellent work this year.” two tickets, Barrett/ Barbosa and Kelly/Gay, received 1,373 (1,370 plus three write-ins) and 1,369 votes respectively. A source from Campus Pulse explained that the three write-in votes for Barrett/Barbosa resulted from people who did not seem to recognize the uncommon spelling of Sïonan Barrett’s first name, which is pronounced the same as “Shannon,” and thus wrote in other spellings of her name rather than check the box next to her name.

The closeness of the election, however, doesn’t change the result: Barrett and Chantal Lima Barbosa will be sworn in on April 20 as the new SGA president and vice president, pending the Elections Commission’s resolution of any outstanding complaints and the election’s ratification by the SGA Senate.

Unlike last year, no major complaints have yet been reported and no candidates were invalidated for egregious rules violations, so no one currently has any valid grounds to contest this outcome.

In true SGA elections tradition however, this doesn’t mean that there won’t be hard feelings. Of course, this is understandable to some extent, as losing any election feels terrible, let alone one so incredibly close. Though every candidate and referendum I voted for this time around won, this is still a feeling with which I can personally sympathize, having not only lost last year’s SGA presidential election but also the previous year’s SGA speaker election.

The latter was to none other than Barrett.

In the coming days and weeks there will be cold feelings and icy interactions, perhaps accompanied by a couple Collegian articles and blog posts looking to find some injustice in this democratic election – but ultimately tempers will thaw and all will go back to normal.

Despite early doubts stemming from last year’s election fallout, in which the winning ticket was invalidated, the SGA has done excellent work this year. Student representatives have been afforded a greater influence and clout in major decision-making than ever before and individuals within the SGA have pursued and succeeded in a wide variety of initiatives to improve every student’s experience at UMass.

Though there remains much work to be done, particularly in regards to communication with the student body, I am confident that under the leadership of Barrett, Lima Barbosa and O’Neil, the SGA will be able to build on this year’s successes, learn from past failures and cultivate a new generation of strong, active student leadership.

My only regret is that I, due to looming graduation, won’t be around to see it.

Stefan Herlitz is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at sherlitz@umass.edu.

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Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

“Jiminy cricket, he flew the coop.” - Scout Master Ward

FOOD

Arts@DailyCollegian.com

H E A LT H

Obama yet to respond to Tips for a stress-free semester easy changes national food policy idea Four for a happier spring

Some encourage a tax on soda drinks

By Brooke Parziale Collegian Correspondent

The Environmental Magazine A November 2014 op-ed piece in the Washington Post titled “How a National Food Policy Could Save Millions of American Lives” makes the case for President Barack Obama to sign into law an executive order establishing a national food policy for managing the nation’s food system as a whole.

Authored by food writers Mark Bittman and Michael Pollan, along with Union of Concerned Scientists’ Ricardo Salvador and United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier De Schutter, the op-ed states that because of unhealthy diets, a third of our kids will develop Type 2 diabetes _ a preventable disease that was formerly rare in children.

“Type 2 diabetes is a disease that, along with its associated effects, now costs $245 billion, or 23 percent of the national deficit in 2012, to treat each year,” the authors note. “The good news is that solutions are within reach _ precisely because the problems are largely a result of government policies.” The authors cite Brazil and Mexico _ countries they consider “far ahead of the United States in developing food policies” _ as examples for positive change: “Mexico’s recognition of food as a key driver of public health led to the passage last year of a national tax on junk food and soda, which in the first year has reduced

MCT

MyPlate guidelines recommend that fruits and vegetables should be over 50 percent of our diet, yet they receive less than one percent of farm subsidies. consumption of sugary beverages by 10 percent and increased consumption of water.”

While the White House has not responded in any way to the suggestion thus far, the article’s message that the current food system has caused “incalculable damage” remains alarming.

Whether or not to pass our own tax on junk food and soda in the U.S. has been the subject of much debate in recent years.

Some say it’s deceitful to suggest that a tax on sodas is necessary to curb obesity and Type 2 diabetes when numerous other unhealthy options like candy, ice cream, fast food and video games that promote sedentary behavior would still be widely available.

A 2009 study published in the Journal of Public Economics suggests that soft drink taxation leads to a moderate reduction in soft drink consumption by children and adolescents; however “this reduction in soda consumption is completely offset by increases in consumption of other

high-calorie drinks.”

Furthermore, in 2010, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg stated that “an extra 12 cents on a can of soda would raise nearly $1 billion,” which suggests that government officials expect people to continue buying soda despite the tax.

Even though passing a soda tax has proven to be controversial, the Washington Post op-ed clearly points out the federal government’s contradictions concerning food.

Existing federal guidelines for the U.S. diet, known as MyPlate, recommend that half the food we eat should be fruits and vegetables, yet these foods are granted less than 1 percent of farm subsidies.

Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of subsidies go toward corn and other grains. The result, the op-ed states, is the “spectacle of Michelle Obama warning Americans to avoid high-fructose corn syrup at the same time the president is signing farm bills that subsidize its production.”

As the end of the semester nears, stress among the student body increases drastically.

Students find themselves drowning in work with final papers, projects, exams and internship applications all seemingly due at the same time.

In order to ensure optimal performance during crunch time, students should take extra care of their mental and physical health. Here are four easy ways to guarantee you will be healthy, stress-free and ready to take on finals week: 1.

Get more sleep.

This tip is easier said than done. However, it is important to try to follow because sleep greatly affects alertness, memory and even your diet.

Sleep deprivation leads to an increase in craving for comfort foods such as bread and potato chips. According to webmd.com, ghrelin is the hormone that tells the body when to eat. More of it is produced when you do not get enough sleep. On the other hand, leptin is the hormone that tells your body when to stop eating, and less of it is produced when you do not get enough sleep.

The most important thing to remember when trying to get the best quality sleep is to create a consistent schedule so that you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.

This might be difficult at first, but soon your body will create a pattern and you will fall asleep with greater ease.

Another way to be strategic about how you sleep is to make sure that you wake up at the end of a sleep cycle.

When there is a paper to write

until the early morning, you cannot guarantee yourself the full seven to eight hours recommended.

However, using an app such as Sleepytime helps plan out when you should wake up according to the length of sleep cycles. According to the app, if you go to bed at 3:30 a.m. you should wake up at 8:00 a.m., experiencing three sleep cycles. This helps you avoid waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle, which leaves you feeling extremely groggy.

2. Eat fewer simple carbohydrates.

It’s hard to turn down cheesecake or chicken tenders at the dining commons.

However, eating simple carbohydrates, which are broken down by the body quickly, can make you feel exhausted, even when your day is just beginning. To avoid feeling crummy during the day, try cutting these carbs out of your breakfast.

A filling and low-carb breakfast can consist of a vegetable and cheese omelet and a side of bacon, for example.

For vegetarians and vegans, reach for something nutritious and filling like a bowl of oatmeal with cranberries and walnuts tossed in.

For lunch, try some grilled chicken, broccoli, carrots and hummus. Snack on fruit throughout the day.

Then, around dinner time, a piece of salmon and a salad with light dressing is a great option. Remember, the food you eat throughout the day impacts your mood and work performance, so choose wisely.

3. Exercise for 30 minutes each day.

On top of all the walking students do around campus, an additional half an hour of exercise can make you happier and more alert.

Exercise releases endorphins.

Endorphins make you happy.

Happy people do well on

exams.

Rather than walking to the Recreation Center, a dorm room can provide an easy place for anyone to exercise.

When your roommate is gone – or better yet, have them join in – do sets of crunches, push-ups, jumping jacks and squats, alternating between each exercise.

If you prefer to work with a personal trainer but cannot afford it, pull up Jillian Michaels’ “30 Day Shred” on YouTube and let her voice guide you to that toned butt you’ve always dreamed of.

4. Have an orgasm.

After a hard day of going to classes, meetings, working and doing homework, why not treat yourself ?

Grab a partner or that vibrator you just bought on Amazon with gift cards your mom gave you for Christmas and go for it. Flick the bean.

Beat that meat. Take the phrase “you do you” as literally as possible.

You’ll instantly reduce your stress, extend your life and be able to fall asleep more quickly – helping out with tip number one.

Doing well academically does not only require intensive studying but also needs close care of sleep, diet and exercise. Together, these three factors can either make or break finals week for students.

Creating a sleep pattern based on sleep cycles, lessening carbohydrate consumption, exercising for an extra 30 minutes each day and finding your own way to relax will leave anyone feeling refreshed and ready to take on a day’s challenges.

Employing these methods, along with thorough studying, will ensure great grades on final projects, papers and exams and will still leave you with some sanity.

Brooke Parziale can be reached at bcparziale@umass.edu.

B E AU T Y

Do-it-yourself: Dining commons face and hair masks Foods like bananas make great facials

By Madeleine Jackman Collegian Staff

After the harsh winter, we all want to do our best to repair our skin and hair in preparation for the spring and summer. Buying products like masks, moisturizers and hair treatments can quickly add up, and for most college students going to an actual spa is simply too far out of the budget.

Fortunately, many common fruits and foods can be used to make do-it-yourself hair and face masks that are just as effective and far less expensive. While it may initially sound strange, it’s a cost-effective alternative, plus it is guaranteed to be free of the harsh chemicals and unknown ingredients that make up most storebought beauty items.

Mashing fruit on your face is one the fastest ways to achieve blemish-free, moisturized skin that will leave you feeling radiant all spring long. Eating fruit isn’t the only way to reap the benefits of all of the natural vitamins found in it, and using it as a mask is a great way to directly notice the benefits it has on your skin.

For the possibly easiest

facial ever, all you need is a banana. Found in every dining common at any time and less than $1 if you buy it in the store, this is probably the cheapest option, as well.

Simply mash a ripe banana, plop it all over your face and let it sit there for 15 minutes before rinsing it off.

Vitamin A will help eliminate dark spots. Vitamin B and potassium moisturize the skin and vitamin E can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and battle against sun damage. Peel a banana to stop your skin from peeling this season.

If you are looking for an exfoliant, get some brown sugar from the oatmeal station and mix it with a little bit of milk or olive oil.

Simply scrub it in and rinse it off without having to wait for anything to dry.

The milk leaves your skin feeling super soft while the brown sugar cleans out your pores, giving a ridiculously clean, fresh feeling.

For people who still suffer from acne, a honey mask helps to keep pimples at bay.

Simply stop by the tea station, pour some honey into a to-go cup, and bring it home to use.

Rub the honey on your face and leave it on for about twenty minutes before rinsing. The natural antibiotic and probiotic properties will keep inflammation down.

Plain or unsweetened yogurt – make sure not to buy one that is full of sugars and artificial flavors – is the magical food that can be rubbed into your face or hair for almost immediate results.

Thanks to the zinc and lactic acid found in yogurts, your skin will be completely rejuvenated. Its acidic properties fight off germs and bacteria that cause acne, while the zinc can lighten up marks from past blemishes. Like bananas, it can also help to fight off free radicals and slow visible effects of aging.

In your hair, yogurt is a great natural conditioner.

All of the same great properties that lead to effects on the face leave your hair clean, moisturized and with less split ends. For an added boost, mix in some juice from an orange to your face or hair mask for a refreshing scent.

Mix the yogurt into a thin consistency and leave it on your skin or hair for about 30 minutes. You can spend that half hour doing homework or making awesome weekend plans so you’ll feel doubly productive when your skin and hair are left glowing after rinsing it off.

For a mask that will leave your hair feeling soft and shiny, simply ask for some extra avocado on the side

BEAUTYBYTHEBUNNY/WORDPRESS

Cucumbers aren’t the only food that should be used during a facial. Try plain yogurt for glowing, radiant skin. next time you’re in the sushi line.

Take one avocado, one-quarter cup of olive oil – found near the salad bar – and one tablespoon of lemon juice – found by the tea selection – and mash the three ingredients together into a bowl.

After thoroughly mixing the avocado, oil and lemon juice, simply spread it into your hair. This process is

easier if your hair is already damp, although it isn’t necessary. If you have oily roots, don’t put the mask on the first inch or so of your hair.

Wait 20 minutes before proceeding to your regular shampoo, conditioner and dry routine. Continue the rest of your day with hair that hasn’t been this shiny and soft since before winter

dried everything out.

Before you break the bank this spring trying to look your best, try these cheap, natural and easily-accessible alternatives found at any of the University of Massachusetts’ dining commons instead. And don’t forget to enjoy the leftovers.

Madeleine Jackman can be reached at mjackman@umass.edu.

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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

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DEFENSE

7

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

FOOTBALL

continued from page 8

UMass Football Pro Day scheduled for next Monday NFL scouts get last look at Jean Sifrin Mark Chiarelli Collegian Staff

NICOLE EVANGELISTA/COLLEGIAN

Rachel Vallarelli (above) has allowed seven goals or fewer in all eight of her games this year. some, but I’m just trying to put our team in the best position to win games.”

Vallarelli has appeared in all but 13 minutes for UMass this season and has allowed seven goals or fewer in all eight of her starts this season.

“I think Rachel stays incredibly humble throughout the whole process,” defender Morgan Walker said. “Every accolade that she gets is just another reminder that our hard work is paying off. And for her specifically, she performs well every single day.”

The Minutewomen have allowed a nationbest 36 goals this season,

as McMahon credited the biggest x-factor being the Farnham twins, Anne and Kate.

The duo has combined for 38 ground balls and 29 caused turnovers. However, their best abilities come from something McMahon cannot coach.

“Our biggest x-factor is that we have twins and they have that weird twin, sixth sense thing where they can do things and anticipate each other the way everyone else can’t.”

“They’re the fastest players on the field,” McMahon added. “When you have two of your fastest players coming at you to double you, it’s been a huge help, espe-

cially because they know each other’s next moves already.”

Despite falling to Albany for the Minutewomen’s first loss of the season 7-4 on March 19, UMass held the Great Danes – the nation’s second-highest scoring team (16.5 goals per game) – to their second lowest scoring game this season.

UMass may not be playing the most high-scoring, entertaining brand of lacrosse in the NCAA, but it’s hard to argue against its success with the numbers to back it up.

Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Andrew_Cyr.

The University of Massachusetts will hold its annual UMass Football Pro Day Monday, March 30 at McGuirk Stadium and the Football Performance Center.

It’s anticipated that numerous NFL and Canadian Football League scouts will attend the event, which is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.

Former UMass tight end Jean Sifrin is scheduled to participate, as are other players from the region.

Sifrin is the centerpiece of the event. A 6-foot-5, 245-pound prospect, Sifrin also participated at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis in February where he ran a 4.84 40-yard dash and 11-inch hands, which were the largest of all tight ends.

It’s the last showcase for Sifrin before the NFL Draft, which is a three-day event that begins April 30.

He arrived in Amherst as a bit of a mystery, missing all of training camp and the first game of

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

The event will be held at McGuirk Stadium and the Football Performance Center. the season as he awaited clearance from the NCAA after transferring from El Camino Community College. Once eligible, Sifrin appeared in 10 games, catching 42 passes for 642 yards and six touchdowns.

Sifrin, 27, contemplated returning for his senior season but ultimately elected to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the draft.

The pro day will feature the bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, 40-yard dash and 60-yard shuttle before those standard

drills give way to positionspecific activities. It’s unclear whether any other draft-eligible members of last year’s Minutemen team will participate.

A season ago, nine former UMass players appeared on NFL rosters, including Victor Cruz, James Ihedigbo, Rob Blanchflower, Jeremy Cain, Michael Cox, Vladimir Ducasse, Emil Igwenagu, Jeromy Miles and Julian Talley.

Mark Chiarelli can be reached at mchiarel@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Mark_Chiarelli.

NFL

Jimmy Graham gives Seahawks a unique weapon

By Jayson Jenks The Seattle Times

Just a year ago, Jimmy Graham went through a public battle for his football identity. Was he a 6-foot-7 receiver who also lined up at tight end, or a 265-pound tight end who also split out like a receiver?

Caught in a contract dispute with the New Orleans Saints, the distinction meant the difference of millions of dollars. But the issue really hit on something more abstract: trying to peg a unique player with traditional labels. His coaches in New Orleans resolved the matter with their own vocabulary.

“We called Jimmy Graham a Joker,” said Carter Sheridan, a member of the Saints’ staff during Graham’s five-year career.

“He’s that guy you don’t know how the defense is going to play him, how they’re going to match up with him. Whatever they did the previous three, four or five weeks, we weren’t going to get what they were giving other teams because of Jimmy.”

Graham, the Seahawks’ newest toy, is part tight end, part receiver and fulltime matchup nightmare.

He is big enough to overpower cornerbacks, fast enough to run by linebackers and coordinated enough to catch passes in traffic (Officially, the league ruled last year that Graham was in fact a tight end).

“He’s a freak,” Sheridan said.

BARE

Graham, 28, had a down season last year _ and still caught 85 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He struggles blocking and has been susceptible to teams who are physical, the Seahawks included.

But Graham provides coach Pete Carroll with a deadly chess piece to pair with the relentless power of running back Marshawn Lynch and the scrambling of quarterback Russell Wilson.

Heath Evans, a former NFL fullback and current NFL Network analyst, called the combination of Lynch, Wilson and Graham “almost not fair.” He said only two tight ends are feared: Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots and Graham.

“You don’t have to work to get Jimmy open,” Evans said. “You don’t have to work to create a play for Jimmy. Jimmy is the play.”

The Saints lined Graham out wide by himself because it forced defenses to tip their hand.

If a safety lined up over the top of Graham, it usually meant man coverage.

If a cornerback followed Graham wide, it typically meant zone.

“Drew Brees could get a good read on what play he likes, and a lot of those were called at the line,” Sheridan said. “He knew what coverage he was getting based on how defenses lined up on Jimmy.”

If Graham ran through a zone, he sucked defenders into his orbit, leaving open space in his wake. He

often saw double teams, or at least forced defenders to keep a wary eye on him, creating openings for other receivers.

“He shifts a decided advantage, because if you don’t match him he’s going to destroy you,” Evans said.

“A lot of times with Jimmy, defensive game plans show their hands very, very quickly, and then it’s up to the offensive coordinator to really take advantage.”

Some of Graham’s morecelebrated work is in the red zone. His size and height allow him to outmuscle or outjump defensive backs, and his basketball background makes him a natural pass-catcher.

Of Graham’s 10 touchdown catches last season, all were in the red zone.

Brees and the Saints liked to throw back-shoulder fades to Graham in the red zone, meaning Brees purposely threw behind Graham. Graham can contort his body while keeping the defender behind him, and he often makes catches when he isn’t open, either in the air or in traffic.

“As offensive coaches, we’d be game-planning and we’d be in a goal-line meeting trying to figure out what play we’d put on,” Sheridan said. “And it was always like, ‘Our best goalline play is throwing the ball up to Jimmy Graham.’ “ Wilson and Graham will have to develop that trust.

“You can have him perfectly covered, but you can’t cover as high as he

continued from page 8

ing forward.

“He’s played at a high level,” Stone said. “He took charge.”

Hot start for McLam After missing all of 2014 with a knee injury, redshirt senior Rob McLam has picked up where he left off two years ago.

McLam, who led the team in batting in 2012 and

2013, is off to another hot start this season, hitting .381 through eight games.

Beyond his batting average, McLam has posted an onbase percentage of .519 and is tied for the team lead with four RBIs. “He’s a good offensive player,” Stone said. “He always has been.”

Stone went on to praise McLam’s approach at the plate and said his hitting

has been “contagious” to the rest of the team.

The Minutemen averaged 8.5 runs per game over the weekend on their way to their first road sweep of an A-10 opponent since 2007.

It was also the first time UMass has started conference play 3-0 since 1998.

Ross Gienieczko can be reached at rgieniec@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @RossGien.

MCT

Graham (with ball) was traded to the Seattle Seahawks following a contract dispute with the New Orleans Saints. can jump,” said David Thomas, a former backup tight end for the Saints.

“I know there were balls that if I would have been in the game, Drew would have throw it out the back of the end zone.”

Graham has developed into a consistent route runner. He makes the first 10 yards of his routes look similar, like a pitcher keeping the same throwing motion for a fastball and changeup, so defenders can’t tell if he’s going long or short.

For all he does well, Graham still isn’t a consistent blocker. The Saints didn’t ask him to do much blocking, particularly last season when Graham bat-

tled a shoulder injury, and he won’t be able to replicate former Seahawks tight end Zach Miller in the run game.

The other knock on Graham is one that Evans, Sheridan and Thomas each mostly disagreed with: that Graham struggles with toughness and physical teams. Part of that is true.

“I would say he has to get better in the run game,” Thomas said. “When you get up in his face and you have a big, physical guy who can jam him, that’s a tough matchup for him because he is so long and there’s a lot of surface area.”

But Thomas “completely disagreed” that Graham

wasn’t tough, and Sheridan said Graham played through a painful shoulder injury last season that hampered him.

“That is ridiculous,” Sheridan said. “That guy is one of the toughest I’ve ever seen. He’s one of the more physical pass-catching tight ends I’ve seen.”

As good as he’s been, Sheridan thinks Graham could be even better. His addition allows Seattle’s offense to evolve. He is a weapon that can harm defenses in multiple ways, from all over the field, and yet he hasn’t tapped his potential.

“If he does, he could be a Hall of Fame tight end,” Sheridan said. “Easy.”

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Sports@DailyCollegian.com

@MDC_SPORTS

WO M E N ’ S L AC RO S S E

BASEBALL

UM receives an unlikely boost

STONEWALLED

Bare fills gap for Stone at catcher

By Ross Gienieczko Collegian Staff

ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN

UMass defender Morgan Walker (12) prepares for an oncoming shot as goalkeeper Rachel Vallarelli waits behind her in a game against Connecticut.

Vallarelli, defense continue to amaze

By Andrew Cyr Collegian Staff

Massachusetts women’s lacrosse coach Angela McMahon knew entering the season that her defensive unit was poised for another successful season.

A year ago, UMass finished 2014 ranked No. 2 in the country in scoring team defense, allowing 6.3 goals against per game.

How about this year?

Well, No. 1 in the country has an even better ring to it.

UMass currently has the nation’s top scoring defense, as it allows only 4.5 per game, which is almost one full goal ahead of second-ranked Stony Brook’s 5.43.

Although the difference may appear drastic on paper, McMahon struggled to find words when asked how the team has

“Those are our workers back there and are probably our most fit players as well. As much skill and athleticism we have in the backfield, it allows us to do so many different things, which is why I think we’ve been successful.”

Angela McMahon, UMass coach been able to improve on an already solid aspect of the Minutewomen’s game.

“I have never really thought about it like that,” McMahon said. “But if I have to pick out one thing it’s that we are faster (on defense).

“Those are our workers back there and are probably our most fit players as well. As much skill and athleticism we have in the backfield, it allows us to do so many different things, which is why I think we’ve been successful.”

In addition to being

the nation’s top scoring defense, UMass currently leads the country in caused turnovers per game with 13. Kate Farnham is among four players with doubledigit caused turnovers and leads the team with 20, while Amber Tobin (14), Sarah Crowley (10) and Amy Tiernan (10) round out the list.

And while it’s been the entire defensive unit that has received praise for its efforts this season, goalkeeper Rachel Vallarelli has been the anchor.

Vallarelli leads the coun-

try in save percentage (.605) as well as goals against average (4.3). McMahon said this is the best the senior’s played in her entire career.

“I think that everyone has an impact on those stats,” Vallarelli said. “I think that it’s everyone’s job to make sure that we allow the least amount of goals per game.

“At the beginning of the year I made a goal, I think it was four (GAA), and seeing that I have over 60 percent save percentage is awesee

DEFENSE on page 7

The Massachusetts baseball team was already down to its third-string catcher less than one weekend into its season.

With preseason favorites for the job Brandon Walsh and John Jennings injured or unavailable, coach Mike Stone and the Minutemen turned to sophomore Matt Bare.

Bare, who did not travel with the team or play in a single game his freshman year, has delivered.

“We were in a bind,” Stone said. “We were down to our third catcher and he’s played tremendously well.”

After appearing in two games against Army in UMass’ opening threegame series, Bare has started and played every inning of five straight games for the Minutemen.

And he hasn’t just played, he’s excelled. Bare’s average of .304 is fourth on the team and his two doubles are tied for second.

“He’s risen to the occasion,” Stone said. “He had an opportunity to play and made the best of it.”

The Cumberland, Rhode Island native played four years of varsity baseball at Cumberland High School and won a state championship playing American Legion baseball. But in his freshman year at UMass in 2014, Bare didn’t even travel with the team, let alone see any game action.

“You work really hard,” Bare said. “And it does suck not to get in there and play. But even though you’re not playing, you’re still contributing to the team. When I wasn’t traveling with the team, I worked hard. I still caught bullpens and helped the team out in the ways I could.

“I knew I would get a chance this year eventually.”

This past weekend against Dayton, Bare contributed at the plate. He had five hits and three runs batted in and his contributions helped fuel an offensive explosion from the Minutemen. UMass scored 26 runs in three games and swept the Flyers to start Atlantic 10 play 3-0.

But according to Stone, Bare’s offense has only made up one portion of his outstanding play. “(His defense) has been the most important part,” Stone said. “He’s done a great job of receiving, showing the umpire strikes low in the zone.

He’s blocked well, he’s thrown well.”

Bare said the pitching staff is getting comfortable throwing to him, which showed in the Dayton series. Conor LeBlanc, Ryan Moloney and Andrew Grant each had quality starts against the Flyers, with LeBlanc’s Friday outing being the gem of the weekend. The senior scattered two hits over eight shutout innings and struck out seven in a 5-0 Minutemen victory.

Bare said the process of getting comfortable with the pitching staff started last year when he was just a practice player.

“When they weren’t traveling, I would catch their bullpens,” Bare said.

“We practiced together and we’ve got a lot of time in.”

Stone also commented on the work Bare has done behind the scenes.

“He worked throughout the summer, fall and the preseason,” Stone said. “A lot has been thrown at him in a short period of the time, and he’s really done a great job.”

Stone added that Bare has solidified his spot in the catching platoon movsee

BARE on page 7

NFL

Darren Sharper pleads guilty to sexual assault charges Former NFL star could serve 9 years

By Veronica Rocha and Stephen Ceasar Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES — Former NFL star Darren Sharper could serve as long as nine years in federal prison after making deals in sexual assault related charges in Los Angeles, Arizona and Nevada.

Sharper appeared in a Los Angeles court and pleaded no contest to sex assault charges stemming from cases in L.A. As part of the deal, Sharper will be sentenced to 20 years in prison, but will serve 50 percent of his sentence minus time already served, which is nine years. All sentences will run concurrently.

His attorneys and prosecutors declined to comment about the case. The victims declined to appear in court Monday.

Sharper’s sentencing was continued to July 15, so his other case pending in Louisiana can be resolved.

Sharper last week

reached a “global resolution” to end all claims in all jurisdictions, attorney Blair Berk said in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday.

Sharper was charged in California, Louisiana, Nevada and Arizona.

In Nevada, Sharper agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of attempted sexual assault for attacking two women. He agreed to serve up to eight years in prison, which will run concurrently with all other sentences.

In Arizona, Sharper appeared via telephone and pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual assault and one count of sexual assault.

He was sentenced to nine years in federal prison, which will also run concurrently with other sentences, according to the Maricopa County district attorney. He was also ordered to serve a life term of probation.

Sharper is also expected to enter a guilty plea in Louisiana within the next 30 days to resolve his pending state and federal charg-

es in New Orleans, Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro said in a statement.

The Super Bowl-winning safety has been jailed for more than a year amid investigation of accusations that he attacked women in L.A., Las Vegas, New Orleans and Tempe, Ariz.

Sharper was charged last week with two counts of sexual assault in Las Vegas stemming from a Jan. 16, 2014, attack on two women, according to Clark County Justice Court records.

The Las Vegas charges accused Sharper of drugging the women and assaulting them when he knew that they were “mentally or physically incapable of resisting.”

In Los Angeles, women told Los Angeles police detectives that Sharper insisted they take drinks he made before they blacked out and were sexually assaulted, according to LAPD documents.

A month after Sharper was arrested and released on bail in Los Angeles, he was again taken into cus-

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Darren Sharper (center) and his attorneys listen to the details of a plea agreement which could send him to federal prison for nine years on numerous sexual assault charges. tody after New Orleans police issued a warrant for his arrest. An L.A. judge ordered that he be held without bail.

Sharper was then indicted by grand juries in Louisiana and Arizona on sexual assault and drug charges.

In Arizona, he faced three counts of conspiring to distribute anxiety and sleeping medicines known to be used as “date rape” drugs with the intent to commit rape.

In Louisiana, he faces federal drug charges and allegations of aggravated rape,

which carries a potential sentence of life in prison.

Sharper, a five-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl winner with the New Orleans Saints, retired in 2011 and worked as an analyst for the NFL Network until his arrest in Los Angeles.