Massachusetts Daily Collegian: Sept 10, 2015

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September 10, 2015

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THE NEXT STEP FORWARD

UMass enters season with lofty expectations, bowl aspirations in fourth year in the FBS

By Andrew Cyr Collegian Staff

I

n each of the Massachusetts football team’s first three seasons in the Football Bowl Subdivision, there has been a great deal of unpredictability regarding what the team was capable of doing on the field.

The 2015 season is no different in terms of the same uncertainty, but unlike in years past, this season’s unknown comes with higher expectations and realistic goals of a postseason berth.

After finishing the 2014 season with a 3-9 record – with five of those losses coming by one touchdown or less – UMass returns with a lot of depth, a manageable schedule and its sights set on a bowl game.

“I’ve never seen a group of guys so ready and so excited for the upcoming season,” senior Jovan Santos-Knox said during fall camp.

“Everyone has so many goals that we want to achieve, so it’s been really exciting.”

The Minutemen bring back an abundance of talent with all but three starters returning from a season ago. Tight end Jean Sifrin forwent his senior season of eligibility for a shot at the National Football League, while defensive tackle Daniel Maynes and linebacker Stanley Andre both graduated in the spring.

UMass has a plethora of returning talent to its roster, including five first team All-Mid-American Conference players, according to highly-respected national football writer Phil Steele. Quarterback Blake Frohnapfel, wide receiver Tajae Sharpe and Rodney Mills were all first team selections on offense, while Santos-Knox and senior cornerback Randall Jette were added to the first team defense.

Trey Dudley-Giles and Khary Bailey-Smith were each named to the third team as a defensive back and kick returner, respectively.

Running back Shadrach Abrokwah, left tackle Tyrell Smith and outside linebacker Kessan Messiah rounded out the Minutemen’s preseason honors as fourth team recipients.

UMass will play a total of four non-conference games this season, starting Saturday, Sept. 12, at Colorado. The Minutemen will then host Temple at Gillette Stadium in week two before heading to South Bend, Indiana, to take on national powerhouse Notre Dame in week three. UMass will host Florida International at McGuirk Stadium on Oct. 3 in its final game before MAC action starts.

The Minutemen open their conference schedule with a trip to Bowling Green on Oct. 10. They will also have road games against Ball State, Eastern Michigan and Buffalo.

UMass will play its home conference games against Kent State (at McGuirk Stadium), Toledo (Gillette Stadium), Akron (Gillette Stadium) and Miami (OH) (McGuirk Stadium). see

Cover Design by Randy Crandon

EXPECTATIONS on page A5

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B OW L C H A N C E S

A

Minutemen destined for first ever postseason berth

few years ago the Massachusetts football team ran a cheesy promotional video behind the beat of a song call “All In” to hype up fans for the 2013 season.

Now it’s 2015 and it’s Mark Whipple’s turn to go all in.

Like a card player at a poker table, W h i p p l e knows this is his best shot in the foreseeable future for UMass to make it to Andrew a bowl game Cyr and potentially a trip to a conference championship game.

Simply put, anything short of a trip to a bowl game will be a failure of a season for the Minutemen.

Let’s not forget that becoming bowl eligible isn’t

AMANDA CREEGAN/COLLEGIAN

UMass faces Bowling Green Sept. 27 at McGuirk Stadium in last season’s homecoming game.

Frohnapfel and wide receiver Tajae Sharpe will have numbers near the top of the conference amongst their respected position. Sharpe was amongst the nations leading receivers last season, finishing 10th in the country with 1,281 receiving yards.

Only Western Michigan’s

on defense returning, the focus shifts from who will be on the field to where they will lineup. Trey Seals and Kessan Messiah will both see snaps as a standup linebacker and as a defensive end in three-point stances.

Former defensive backs Joe Colton and Zeke Edmonds

“With the talent Whipple has, returning to a .500 record is without question a realistic possibility. Not to mention the Mid-American Conference is the second weakest conference in the country, only behind the Sun Belt Conference.” exactly the most daunting task in the world either. All a team has to do to qualify for a bowl birth is record a non-losing season. Meaning all UMass has to do is go 6-6 in its 12 games to qualify for a bowl game.

With the talent Whipple has, returning to a .500 record is without question a realistic possibility. Not to mention the Mid-American Conference is the second weakest conference in the country, only behind the Sun Belt Conference.

The 2015 season will march to the beat of quarterback Blake Frohnapfel’s drum. Frohnapfel was a top-five passer – statistically speaking – in the country last season before missing the final two games with a lower body injury. Once Frohnapfel went down, everyone saw how bad UMass was. It suffered two u-g-l-y losses against Akron and Buffalo in which it was outscored 71-26 in those games.

Barring any injuries,

Corey Davis (1,408) had more receiving yards than Sharpe.

Add football’s version of a utility player in Rodney Mills to the mix, and Whipple’s offense has potential to be tops in the conference.

Although he’s listed as a fullback on the roster, Mills has the ability to lineup in the backfield as well as both an inside and outside receiver in the passing game.

We all know that the offense can and will score points in bunches, now the focus switches over to the defense.

Linebacker Jovan SantosKnox and cornerback Randall Jette headline the Minutemen defense as both were selected to the preseason All-MAC first team.

After finishing his first two seasons with 32 total tackles each year, Santos-Knox thrived in Whipple’s 3-4 scheme, ending the year with 143 tackles, good for fifth in the country. Jette led UMass with four interceptions last season.

But with nine starters

will get reps at outside linebacker, depending on the different defensive packages.

Aside from Notre Dame, every other opponent on the Minutemen’s schedule has potential to be a winnable game. Colorado, Temple and Florida International are nothing special and UMass will compete in all of those games, regardless of what the Vegas lines say.

Also don’t forget that the MAC schedule, is still, well, the MAC. Anything can happen there.

So for the Minutemen, there’s no time like the the present. With multiple games against the Southeastern Conference and a talented senior class soon departing, if 2015 isn’t the year for a bowl game, I don’t know when that time will come.

And it might be a long time coming.

Let’s just hope this season doesn’t come down to the kicking game.

Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@

Bowl game not in the cards for UMass in 2015-16 season

T

he 2015 season is a pivotal year for the Massachusetts football team.

With independency just around the corner and the trials that await UMass in its 2016 schedule (which features four Southeastern Conference opponents), it appears the upcoming season presents a tempoAnthony rary window of opportuChiusano nity for the Minutemen to reach a place they haven’t yet found in their four-year tenure in the Football Bowl Subdivision: bowl eligibility.

The internal expectations are there. UMass

UMass needs six wins this season to become eligible for its first bowl in program history. Keep in mind that eligibility doesn’t always translate to an invitation in the MAC, which only has five definite slots come bowl season.

The Minutemen have a definitive answer at quarterback for the first time in the program’s FBS era in Blake Frohnapfel, and the team appears to be taking major strides under the leadership of coach Mark Whipple in the second year of his second stint with the program. But too many questions remain entering this season.

These question marks start with the biggest and most general of them all: UMass showed it has the capability to take control of a game early, but can the

victory over Penn State in week one. From there, it’s onto South Bend to face No. 9 Notre Dame.

Add in UMass’ final nonconference opponent, Florida International (who opened the season by upsetting Central Florida), and the Minutemen will be tested early and often to see if they can piece together a full 60 minutes of competitive football before entering always-unpredictable conference play.

Within this major question comes additional unsolved mysteries on offense and defense.

With Jean Sifrin’s irreplaceable mix of size and athleticism gone, who will emerge as a reliable No. 2 option for Frohnapfel behind Tajae Sharpe?

“The Minutemen have a definitive answer at quarterback for the first time in the program’s FBS era in Blake Frohnapfel, and the team appears to be taking major strides under the leadership of Mark Whipple in the second year of his second stint with the program. But too many questions remain entering the season.” returns a significant number of contributors on both sides of the ball, and looks primed to maintain last year’s prolific offensive numbers.

Senior linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox, one of the most vocal leaders among the Minutemen, discussed these expectations with the media on day one of UMass’ fall camp. After representing UMass at the MidAmerican Conference’s official media day in late July – hosted at Ford Field, home of the upcoming MAC championship game – Santos-Knox said returning to the spacious stadium and beyond at the end of the regular season is the team’s main goal.

“We want to be back in Detroit and to a bowl game,” Santos-Knox said.

“Everyone has the same mindset, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind. I think everyone’s going to keep rolling.”

But this won’t be the year the Minutemen take that next step.

Minutemen close it out?

“Finishing” has been a common catchword for UMass following a 2014 season that saw 12 points as the difference between a respectable seven-win season and its actual, lesssatisfying 3-9 record.

Although UMass doesn’t face quite the same lineup of Atlantic Coast Conference, Pac-12, SEC and Big 10 conference opponents that it faced to open the 2014 campaign, this year’s nonconference schedule doesn’t provide any “easy wins” by any means either.

The Minutemen start off this Saturday with a rematch against Colorado, a team that overcame an 11-point second half deficit in last year’s matchup at Gillette Stadium. It’s fitting that this will be UMass’ first chance to prove it can indeed “finish.”

The path toward a bowl doesn’t get any easier the following week, which slots the Minutemen against Temple, which proved its capability in a 27-10 upset

Can UMass translate running back depth into a consistent ground game and a more balanced offense?

With the addition of UAB transfer Kelton Brackett, can the Minutemen’s defensive secondary limit the amount of big plays given up and get the defense off the field?

It may sound like a copout, but the only way to answer these questions will be over time.

However, it won’t take long over the opening weeks to at least develop an inkling of what will play out.

By no means is UMass a far cry from the untested waters of bowl invitations.

But with a flurry of questions surrounding the team as the 2015 season opens, the Minutemen’s true path remains unclear.

Anthony Chiusano can be reached at achiusano@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @a_chiusano24.

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DEFENSE

Colton adjusting to new role as outside linebacker Senior finished ‘14 “He’s the key to our defense. He’s played safety, he can play on the line of scrimmage with 98 tackles

By Andrew Cyr Collegian Staff

Joe Colton isn’t the kind of guy who backs down from challenges, no matter how big or small.

Listed at just 5-foot-10, 196-pounds on the roster, Colton made himself a staple in the Massachusetts football team’s secondary at strong safety with his ability to not only cover downfield, but to come up and make tackles in the run game as well.

Now with added depth to the secondary with newcomer Kelton Brackett at cornerback, and Trey Dudley-Giles moving back to safety, Colton will face a new test this season making a transition to playing some outside linebacker in Whipple’s 3-4 defense.

Colton, along with Zeke Edmonds, will be playing more of a “rover” position this season, which is a term used for a player that will play either safety or linebacker depending on the formation or play. Some

and is a good blitzer so we can move him around.”

Mark Whipple, UMass coach

teams will even use a rover as a player solely responsible for marking up the opponent’s best player.

“I’ve always felt like I’ve been a box player anyway,” Colton said. “If coach wants to put me down there and go with some bigger guys then I’m down for that. I love that kind of stuff.”

Colton finished the 2014 season third on the team with 98 tackles and one sack. Cornerback Randall Jette was second amongst the defensive backs in tackles (67) with 31 fewer tackles than Colton.

Colton has appeared in 33 career games at UMass, all of which had come at safety. In those 33 games he has recorded a total of 212 tackles, 11.5 of which were for losses.

“He’s played a lot of football so he can play in the back end and we can move

him down,” head coach Mark Whipple said.

Whipple praised Colton’s versatility and said that this move something the team experimented with in the spring.

“He’s the key to our defense. He’s played safety, he can play on the line of scrimmage and is a good blitzer so we can move him around.”

The Minutemen will be moving a lot of different players around this season, as Colton is replacing Trey Seals’ spot at outside linebacker, who will play more of a hybrid defensive end and linebacker.

Whipple credited the ability to move guys around to the added depth UMass has this season. The additions of Brackett and Larry Franklin, with Shane see

COLTON on page A5

COLORADO PREVIEW

BACK FOR REVENGE SATURDAY, SEPT. 12 FOLSOM FIELD BOULDER, COLORADO

Minutemen kick off 2015 with Sat. rematch against Buffs

UM blew 11-point lead vs. CU in 2014

By Anthony Chiusano Collegian Staff

For 124 of the 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams around the nation, last weekend marked the start of a new season and the first step toward reaching winter’s much-anticipated bowl season.

While two additional teams were delayed in joining the party due to inclement weather that caused a cancellation, the two remaining Division I programs – North Texas and Massachusetts – sat back and watched idly as part of the unique situation that comes with having a week one bye.

Now in week two of the college football season, UMass is preparing itself for its season opener against a familiar foe that handed the Minutemen their first of what became a string of frustrating defeats in 2014.

UMass travels to B o u l d e r, C o l o r a d o, Saturday, Sept. 12 to face Colorado (0-1) in a rematch of last year’s 41-38 shootout at Gillette Stadium that saw the Buffs prevail behind an outburst of 21 unanswered points in the third quarter to overcome a late 11-point deficit.

According to starting quarterback Blake Frohnapfel, the loss is still fresh in the Minutemen’s minds and serves as extra motivation in preparation for the opener.

“We went toe-to-toe with them (last year),” Frohnapfel said after last Tuesday’s practice.

“Having a chance to face them again, we know that’s a game we can win.”

Unlike UMass, Colorado opened its season last Friday at 12:59 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in Hawaii.

Down by eight points while driving in the red zone in the final 10 seconds of regulation, the Buffs’ comeback attempt was abruptly ended when they couldn’t get a play off in time due to a referee mishap in lining the ball up at the line of scrimmage.

Tight end Rodney Mills was one of the Minutemen who stayed up to watch the entirety of the Buffs’ early-morning opener with the Rainbow Warriors.

The biggest takeaway from the game, according to him, was the importance of playing at a fast tempo against Colorado.

“We’re just looking to come out and play with more energy than they had. It didn’t really look like they had a lot of energy so we want to come out and focus on playing fast, getting to the line fast and just having a good tempo about us,” Mills said.

He added: “Tempo was something that hurt them.

They wasted two timeouts early in the game because they couldn’t get lined up.

Had they not wasted those timeouts they might’ve been able to put themselves in position at the end to get a play off. But their tempo actually backfired.

We’re hoping to capitalize on that and not make the same mistakes they did.”

However, Frohnapfel said he expects the Buffs to enter Saturday’s game with a similar level of increased energy coming off last week’s disappointment.

“That was a tough one for them and you kind of feel for them a little bit.

Plus it’s their home opener

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

The Minutemen look to avenge last season’s 41-38 loss to Colorado at Gillette Stadium in Saturday’s season opener in Boulder, Colorado. and they’ll be real energized,” Frohnapfel said Monday. “They’ll definitely be ready to go.”

The Buffs return an experienced offensive corps from last season led by junior quarterback Sefo Liufau and senior wide receiver Nelson Spruce. In last September’s matchup with the Minutemen, Liufau finished with 318 yards passing and three touchdowns while Spruce beat UMass’ secondary for 10 receptions, 145 yards and two touchdowns. “(Spruce) is definitely a great receiver, one of the best in the country as his numbers proved last year,” UMass wide receiver Tajae Sharpe said. “But we have

a guy named (cornerback) Randall Jette who I think is going to give him a tough time. Our defense is prepared for the task so we’re just going to have to wait and see how it plays out Saturday.”

Coming off a 2014 season in which he caught 85 passes, Sharpe is the Minutemen’s top target at wideout and will predictably receive added attention from the Buffs’ defense with the absence of former UMass tight end Jean Sifrin, who burst onto the scene against the same Colorado team last year.

However, Sharpe said he isn’t worried about the extra attention.

“Coach (Mark) Whipple

“We went toe-to-toe with them (last year).

Having a chance to face them again, we know that’s a game we can win.”

Blake Frohnapfel, UMass quarterback is a great offensive-minded coach and he’s going to have a plan no matter what they do,” Sharpe said. “Me and Froh are going to be on the same page, so no matter what they do, we just have to adjust to it during the game.”

Saturday’s game is set for a 2 p.m. start. Despite last year’s close contest between the two teams, UMass is listed as 13-point underdogs heading into the weekend.

“In the four years I’ve been here, we’ve been underdogs in almost every game I can imagine,” Mills said. “So it’s nothing new but it definitely gives us another chance to come out and prove that we’re a good team and a better team than we were before.”

Anthony Chiusano can be reached at achiusano@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @a_chiusano24.

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SHARPE FOCUS OFFENSE

A quiet leader, wide receiver Tajae Sharpe looks to make his mark on UMass football history in milestone senior season

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

Tajae Sharpe (1) caught a team-high 85 passes for 1,281 receiving yards in 2015. The Piscataway, New Jersey native has led the Minutemen in both categories each of the past two seasons and appears to be in good position to break both program career records in 2015.

By Anthony Chiusano Collegian Staff

It’s hard to get Tajae Sharpe to talk about himself very often.

The top offensive threat for the Massachusetts football team (who’s within an arm’s length of topping the program’s leaderboard in career receptions and receiving yards, and is a candidate on numerous preseason award watch lists acknowledging him as one of the nation’s top receivers), Sharpe has plenty of reasons to embrace any added individual attention.

But as the senior wide receiver from Piscataway, New Jersey, sat comfortably in his seat inside of the Football Performance Center on UMass’ media day Aug. 27, he insisted on focusing on the team’s expectations for the season and his own responsibilities, rather than any personal numbers or milestones.

“I just want to go out and make plays, that’s all you can do,” Sharpe said. “They count on me to make the plays when my number is called and that’s what I plan on doing, being that playmaker.”

Quiet by nature, Sharpe’s on-field play over his three seasons in Amherst has done the talking for him.

In each of the past two seasons, he’s led all Minutemen in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Under coach Mark Whipple’s return to the helm of UMass last season, and the emergence of Blake Frohnapfel under center, Sharpe amassed 85 catches and 1,281 yards in 2014.

“Just aside from his speed, he’s a detailed route runner who understands leverage and how to beat different techniques from

defensive backs,” UMass copassing coordinator Spencer Whipple said. “When that’s all said and done, he has very good ball skills as well.

So it’s kind of a total package.”

But with this “total package” that’s separated Sharpe as one of the most talented receivers in the Mid-American Conference and across the nation has come a new wrinkle to an already packed skillset: vocal leadership.

Leader of the pack Sharpe will be the first one to admit that he’s not the most outspoken figure in a locker room that includes Jovan SantosKnox, Joe Colton and other experienced players who aren’t afraid to speak their minds.

But the key to Sharpe’s leadership is his ability to pick and choose situations to speak out.

“I’m not really a rahrah guy too much, but I’ll say something when I feel there’s something that needs to be said,” Sharpe said. “I just want to go out there and work hard and show the younger guys that success on the field doesn’t just come overnight.

“You really have to work hard and put the time in.

I’m trying to become more of a vocal leader to get all the young guys on the same page.”

Frohnapfel has taken notice of Sharpe’s greater vocal assertion this preseason. According to him, Sharpe’s words carry great meaning throughout the locker room.

“He’s a quiet guy but he’s someone where, when he talks, people listen,” Frohnapfel said. “He’s definitely focused on saying a

few more things here and there, even though that isn’t necessarily his leadership type.”

While his vocal leadership continues to emerge, Sharpe’s silent impact simply through his own work ethic continues to pay dividends as well.

Sharpe is often seen putting in extra reps following practice to fine-tune already developed strengths such as route running and taking correct angles toward balls.

He added that he’s wellaware of the influence this extra work has had on the rest of the receiving corps and the team.

“If you want to be the best, you have to put the work in that other players aren’t doing,” Sharpe said.

“That also goes with being a leader. When younger guys see you doing those things, they get the message and hopefully they’ll start doing those things as well.”

As a redshirt sophomore receiver, Shakur Nesmith has been influenced by Sharpe firsthand as he looks to earn more playing time this year and become a consistent offensive weapon to complement Sharpe.

According to Nesmith, he and Sharpe worked together extensively over the summer particularly on fighting for position with the defender to find the ball in the air.

“Everything he does, I’m just watching. Every move, I’m trying to add everything to my game,” Nesmith said. “He demonstrates, he doesn’t just tell me. He’s doing it on the field as a coach, not just telling me what to do.”

Sharpe pointed to Nesmith and freshman Lamarriel Taylor as two UMass receivers with the most potential to contribute in coming years.

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

According to teammates and coaches, Sharpe has taken on a greater role as a vocal leader in 2015.

“That’s a good thing to hear from him because I know how successful he is right now,” Nesmith said about Sharpe’s praise. “I just have to keep working hard, I don’t want to let him down.”

A deadly combo The prolific connection between Frohnapfel and Sharpe didn’t develop immediately to start the 2014 season. With Frohnapfel transferring from Marshall as a graduate student and both players having to learn and get used to Whipple’s prostyle offense, it admittedly took some time to gel.

“It was kind of over the course of the fall through last season that we built that chemistry up,” Frohnapfel said. “It probably wasn’t until that fifth or sixth game that we started to feel real comfortable in the offense and with each other.”

The Minutemen opened

2014 against Boston College with a 30-7 loss. In what was Frohnapfel’s debut at UMass, he and Sharpe connected for only two receptions – although one was a 77-yard touchdown.

The following week a g ai n st Col orado, Frohnapfel found Sharpe five times. Sticking with the upward trend, the two connected eight times in week three against Vanderbilt.

But it was two weeks later, a 47-42 loss to Bowling Green in the Minutemen’s long-awaited return to McGuirk Stadium, that Sharpe felt completely insync with his quarterback.

“We were very fired up and had a lot of energy coming into the game,” Sharpe said. “That was really one of the first games when we took off on the offense and put a lot of points on the board. Obviously, we fell a little short but I believe that was one of the games that got us on the right track.”

From that game against the Falcons until the Minutemen’s matchup with Ball State five weeks later – when Frohnapfel’s season was ended with a leg injury – Sharpe averaged 9.5 receptions a game as part of UMass’ high-powered offense.

With a full season together now under their belt, Spencer Whipple said he’s excited to see the relationship between Sharpe and Frohnapfel further progress in 2015.

“Now that they’ve had that season and a spring and now training camp, (their chemistry) is definitely elevated,” Whipple said. “We’re all excited to see it flourish.”

Chasing milestones

Entering his final season with the Minutemen, Sharpe ranks third in receptions and fourth in receiving yards in see

SHARPE on page A5

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SHARPE

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program history.

Barring injury or any other unexpected circumstances, he’s primed to take over both records handily by the end of the year – Sharpe needs 21 catches and 725 yards to surpass Adrian Zullo in both categories.

Sharpe said achieving these numbers is definitely on his radar and would hold special meaning to him to be placed among UMass’ alltime greats.

“We’ve had a lot of great players come out of this university and it’d definitely mean a lot to pass one of those milestones and have my name in the history books,” Sharpe said.

Without missing a beat, however, he then quickly reverted back to his modest nature, returning the focus to the team.

“But at the same time, I don’t focus on those things, I just want to go out and continue to be a leader for my team,” Sharpe said. “At the end of the day, it’s great to have those stats and everything, but you really want

COLTON

Thursday, September 10, 2015

the win.”

Mark Whipple added: “I think he’s a guy who would rather go to a bowl game than lead the country in receiving.”

Pro dreams With a mix of good size (6-foot-3) and speed, Sharpe appears to be a respectable NFL prospect once his senior season comes to a close. He’s even drawn comparisons to Kevin White, the No. 7 overall pick out of West Virginia in the 2014 NFL draft, from Sports Illustrated.

Sharpe acknowledged that while he doesn’t openly bring up questions about the NFL to Whipple – who’s had stints on four NFL coaching staffs – Sharpe closely listens to Whipple’s stories about his own experiences.

But Sharpe said his foremost concentration for now is on his senior year as the Minutemen try to build on last season’s three-win benchmark and attempt to earn their first bowl bid in the FBS era.

day, I’ve still got my senior

I’m focusing on and I can’t

Anthony Chiusano can be reached at

don’t get into any NFL stuff

year in college,” Sharpe

look at anything past that.”

achiusano@umass.edu and followed

because at the end of the

said. “That’s the main thing

“Personally, one-on-one I

EXPECTATIONS

continued from page A3

“Obviously there’s high expectations for our team and for myself but that’s something that’s a credit to our hard work,” Frohnapfel said. “We feel like we made the plays and did the things that kind of deserve those expectations. We’re hoping to fulfill those and surpass them if we can.”

Despite the Minutemen’s high expectations entering the year, they were picked to finish

XC ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN

Joe Colton finished third on the Minutemen’s defense with 98 tackles in 2014.

Huber and John RobinsonWoodget expected to play much bigger roles this season, the Minutemen will have a much bigger array of defenses to choose from.

He also mentioned that with injuries happened left and right throughout the season, having players who can play multiple positions is an added bonus for Whipple this year.

“We didn’t have enough last year. We couldn’t move Jackson Porter. We just

didn’t have enough players. It gives you a little bit more flexibility, especially with guys working hard,” Whipple said.

After missing some time in camp and with a bye in week one of the season, Colton’s anticipation and anxiousness to get back on the field is higher than it’s ever been before.

“I can’t stand practice anymore. I just want to go. … You’re going out against the scout team but you just want to go out

CONSISTENCY tion is our big thing right now,” Carlino added. “We need to talk both as a unit and throughout the whole entire game.”

That lack of consistency and communication has shone through the first four games for UMass. Carlino knows she has to be more vocal and on the same page as the rest of her team is if the Minutewomen are going to come away with victories over the weekend.

River Hawks goalkeeper Kelsey Federico is 4-0 with a 1.50 goals against average.

On the other hand, Carlino

there against the opponent and that’s how I feel right now,” Colton said.

“I’m sick of camp, I’m sick of hitting our guys and I want to go hit somebody else.”

Colton will see a mixture of snaps both at linebacker and safety in UMass’ season opener at Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 12.

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

continued from page A6

is 2-2 with a 2.43 goals against average.

UMass will also have a tough test against the Big Green. Like Carlino, Dartmouth goalkeeper Paige Duffy is .500 with a 2.48 goals against average.

However, her teammates have picked her up. The Big Green has scored six goals in their two games this season.

Leading the attack is Rebecca Hu, scoring twice in two games. Tagliente feels Dartmouth’s style of play is more to UMass’s liking.

“They play a decent

on Twitter @a_chiusano24.

style of hockey,” she said.

“They’re off to a nice start and have generated a lot of penalty corners. I think we need to address that and stop the play out of the circle.

“For me, the whole weekend is about our improvement and what we are doing,” Tagliente said.

It will be the consistency that will determine whether the Minutewomen can right the ship or continue their .500 trend.

Tyler Fiedler can be reached at tfiedler@umass.edu and on Twitter @ Tyler_Fiedler.

continued from page A1

fourth in the East by MAC coaches and were not slated to make a bowl game for the 2015 season.

“We have our own team goals. We don’t look to the outside to see what people are predicting because we know our personal goals that we want to accomplish as a team,” SantosKnox said. “I don’t think that stuff is important.

We don’t look at that.”

What are those goals?

“We want to be back

in Detroit and to a bowl goal,” Santos-Knox said.

“Everyone has the same mindset, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind. I think everyone’s going to keep rolling.”

UMass kicks off its season Saturday at 2 p.m. in Boulder, Colorado. The game can be seen on the Pacific-12 Network.

worrying about where they fall in the pecking order”.

For this upcoming meet, O’Brien said the goal will be to test the depth of the team, and hopes that the team will have nine or ten runners running very close to each other. However, he said he doesn’t want to spend a lot of time deciding on who will be part of the sevenman roster on the weekend, as the sport tends to pick itself from week-to-

week as the runners train and perform on a consistent basis.

“When the runners see that the team can be good and they can all have a shot at finishing near the front of the pack, they tend to invest more,” O’Brien said.

The meet is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. in Amherst.

Nicholas Souza can be reached at njsouza@umass.edu.

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

continued from page A6

son. Cory Thomas, Ben Groleau,, Paolo Tavares, Jay McMahon and Blake Croteau will all be back for another year. Overall, the team has ten runners who could all be part of the seven runners on the varsity line by the end of the season.

“There is no varsity seven set in stone yet,” O’Brien said. “I’ve told the team that I don’t want them to focus on how they can each make the team better and not waste time

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

A6 Thursday, September 10, 2015

DailyCollegian.com

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FIELD HOCKEY

C RO S S C O U N T RY

HOMECOMING

UMass XC gets set for Sat. Minuteman Invitational at home Teams celebrate anniversaries

By Nick Souza Collegian Staff

ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN

The Minutewomen, who have scored seven goals through four games in 2015, look to break through offensively against UMass-Lowell and Dartmouth.

Minutewomen to debut new complex, welcome River Hawks, Big Green UMass looks for offensive spark

By Tyler Fiedler Collegian Staff

Consistency, or the lack thereof, has been the biggest issue for the Massachusetts field hockey team so far this season.

UMass has yet to put together a win streak, but the early season struggles do not seem to concern coach Carla Tagliente too much.

“It is something we have talked about when it comes to consistency,” Tagliente said. “On our attack we need to maintain possession a lot more than we have.

You talk about consistency game-to-game but then there’s the consistency part in the game.”

The Minutewomen have

not had much of an attack early on this season, scoring only seven goals while allowing 10.

Coming off of a 4-0 loss to Syracuse, goalkeeper Sam Carlino reiterated that notion of consistency.

“I think we are just happy to be back home. I mean the first four games on the road is tough,” Carlino said.

“Both offensively and defensively we are picking up so I think we just need to pick up what we’ve learned.”

Maintaining that consistency will be big as UMass (2-2) heads into the weekend against two strong opponents.

UMass-Lowell (4-0) and Dartmouth (1-1) will travel to Gladchuk Field, where the Minutewomen will play their first two games on the new field. Both will be a tough test for UMass.

The River Hawks come

“It is something we have talked about when it comes to consistency. On our attack we need to maintain possession a lot more than we have. You talk about consistency game-to-game but then there’s the consistency part in the game.”

Carla Tagliente, UMass coach into Friday’s contest riding a four-game win streak to start the season. UMassLowell play a unique style offensively that Tagliente struggled to describe.

“They play a very different style of offense,” Tagliente said before a long pause. “I’m not sure how to describe their style of play, but I think it is a lot more unique than we have seen.”

The River Hawks attack is led by a variety of players, with eight scoring at least

one goal. Georgia Cowderoy and Jenna Freitas have each scored two goals to lead the team.

However, what UMassLowell has not been able to do is blow teams out, winning all of its games by one goal.

“If we can maintain our structure and our game plan, I think we will be fine,” Tagliente said.

“I just think communicasee

CONSISTENCY on page A5

This Saturday, the Massachusetts women’s cross country team will be celebrating their 40th year in existence as they host the Minuteman Invitational and compete against Amherst College, Boston College, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont. Some members of the first women’s cross country team will be in attendance, including current coach Julie LaFreniere, who ran for the team in 1975.

Nostalgia aside, LaFreniere expressed excitement for this upcoming season.

“The recruiting class that we brought in this past year is very talented and I’m excited to see what they can do,” she said. “We have a more athletic group of returning runners as well”.

The team will be built around multiple runners, unlike last year when senior Rachel Hilliard was the undisputed leader on the team. The core group that will be returning this year includes junior captain Heather Maclean, senior captain Carly Zinner, junior Natilie Mako and sophomore Colleen Sands.

According to LaFreniere, these runners have been training within seconds of each other, and there has been no stand out number one runner that has shown themselves yet.

“I like it this way,” LaFreniere said. “Our strength will be in pack running, and I think that having the rank order change from week to week will motivate the runners to race better”.

With not much to separate the runners, LaFreniere said she does not have a varsity line of seven runners for the championship season in mind yet. However, having

a group of runners so close together should bode well for the team moving forward.

The sport is scored similar to golf, with the lowest score determining the winner and the top five runners counting for the score and the sixth and seventh runner serving as potential tiebreakers. Each runner’s placement in the race counts as points to the teams’ score.

Coming into the season with a healthy squad, LaFreniere is approaching this meet to keep it that way. With a hilly course that consists of rough terrain that is tough for runners who struggle with injury, LaFreniere will be keeping Heather Maclean and Natilie Mako on the sidelines in order to preserve them for later in the season. They will have a chance to compete at the Coast-To-Coast Battle in Beantown, which will take place in two weeks.

Minutemen ready to take next step The Massachusetts men’s cross country team will be also celebrating an anniversary this weekend, as this year will be its 140th as a UMass sports team.

Coach Ken O’Brien said he is excited for the team he has at his disposal, and believes that this team has grown tremendously since last year.

“When this group of individuals came on campus last year, they were very inexperienced,” he said. Then over the course of last year’s track seasons, they mentally and physically ‘got it’, and they deserve a lot of credit”.

Like the women’s team, the men will have a core group of returners who are coming off fantastic performances at the end of the spring season and are expected to be major contributors this seasee

XC on page A5

WOMEN’S SOCCER

UM searches for first victory against Bryant on Thursday

By Adam Aucoin Collegian Staff

In its 1-0 loss versus No. 20 Rutgers on Aug. 30, the Massachusetts women’s soccer team suffered a controversial defeat due to a missed offsides call on the game-winning goal. On Sept. 6, the Minutewomen had two goals waved off in a 1-0 loss to Yale.

On Thursday afternoon, UMass (0-3-2) will look to turn its luck around at home against Bryant, as the Minutewomen attempt to earn their first victory of the season.

UMass head coach Ed Matz is not worried at all about his team’s early struggles.

“After that opening day loss to Syracuse, we have played well and competed in every game since,” Matz said. “We had a tough schedule early, and we are a few different bounces and

breaks away from a better record right now.”

The Bulldogs (1-4) have gotten off to a similar start this season, but come to Amherst in wake of a 3-1 win against Fairfield on Sunday.

For Matz, there isn’t one specific player on Bryant the team is focusing on.

Instead, he has been working with his team to focus on the Bulldogs formations and how to stop them from generating scoring opportunities.

Defensively, UMass has been a strong unit that has kept them in every game of the season.

Led by preseason Atlantic 10 All-Conference defender Re b e k k a S ve r r i s d o t t i r, the Minutewomen back line has only given up three goals in the last five contests.

While there is still room

to improve, Matz has been impressed by what his defense has shown early on this season.

“Our defense has played really well so far, but the thing I have been preaching to the team this week is team defense,” Matz said.

“If all 10 field players are working together and in the same mindset of team defense, it makes the job of our goalkeeper much easier.”

UMass sophomore goalkeeper Cassidy Babin has been a big part of the UMass defense, recording a 0.68 goals against average through the team’s first six games.

“We need to work as a unit on the field,” she said. “If we all are working together, it takes a lot of pressure off the backline and me, and that will only help us get better results in the future.”

Return to Rudd The last time the Minutewomen played a game at Rudd Field, the result was a 6-0 blowout loss against Syracuse on Aug. 21.

Since then, Matz acknowledged there has been clear improvement, but UMass is still anxious to get back on home soil and produce better results.

“I think we have a lot to prove to the home fans,” Matz said. “The last time we were on our home turf the result was not what we wanted, so we want to be able to show (them) what type of team we truly are.”

Although the Minutewomen have run into a recent spell of injuries, the team is confident they can still be successful despite these setbacks.

“We just need to continue to build on what we have done this season,” Babin said. “This team is very good

JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN

Cassidy Babin has recorded a 0.68 goals against average in 2015. and I have confidence in our ability. It all comes down to finishing our chances.”

Matz is looking for his team to come out with a lot of energy in the opening minutes against the Bulldogs.

“Clearly we are not happy that we haven’t been

able to get a result out of our hard work these past few weeks,” he said. “We have to make sure we keep pushing though. That hard work will be what brings us success in the end.”

Adam Aucoin can be reached at aaucoin@umass.edu.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Picture

News@DailyCollegian.com

perfect painting

Questions remain regarding banned host’s dismissal WMUA investigation carries into Fall 2015

By Anthony Rentsch Collegian Staff

JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN

A student captures a snapshot of a painting featured in the University Museum of Contemporary Art at the Fine Arts Center.

Town-gown liason ready for new role UM alumnus returns to aid neighborhood

By Colby Sears Collegian Staff

When the University of Massachusetts appointed alumnus Eric Beal as its first neighborhood liaison in August, he wanted to make sure students would view him as a friendly resource rather than a police force.

Beal, a 45-year-old Amherst attorney and former chair of the Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals, has been hired to improve relationships between offcampus students and local residents in surrounding neighborhoods. His position began Aug. 3.

“My hope is to work very closely with students and learn about their experience of what it’s like to be at UMass and what it’s like to live off-campus,” he said.

“At the same time, I’ll be interacting with the neighbors in different neighborhoods. … I want to get both sides of the story and try to foster some understanding.”

The position was created based on recommendations made in the Ed Davis report following the 2014 Blarney Blowout, which detailed to campus and local officials how to best handle off-campus student disturbances.

Similar outreach positions have proved to be effective at Boston College and Georgetown University, according to a news release.

Beal’s duties will include offering advice to students, educating them on how to

ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN

Eric Beal, newly appointed community liason, poses in front of a bike rack on the UMass campus. be respectful of the local community and mediating conflicts between students and local residents.

He also hopes to hold office hours in downtown Amherst, where anyone can talk to him about anything.

“I think initially I want to go meet as many people as I can. … That is really going to be one of the fun aspects of this position,” he said.

UMass offered Beal the job after an extensive search that began last spring. The work he will be doing is just one part of a larger sum of outreach efforts put in place by the University, according to Director of Community Relations Tony Maroulis.

This includes resources like the Off Campus Student Center, as well as programs like Walk this Way

and Positive Presence, both organized efforts to encourage respectful student behavior.

“It’s not about someone being out there looking to crack down on students, but it is someone that will try to encourage and promote positive behavior and at the same time will be working with law enforcement and other town agencies,” said Maroulis, who chaired the liaison search committee.

He emphasized that Beal will not be a patrolman, but will rather be “creating linkages and connections” within neighborhoods.

Beal has “hit the ground running” in preparation for the beginning of the school year, according to Maroulis, and has already met with a number of public safety officials. He will mostly be

working weekend nights and will be on duty in neighborhoods starting in early September.

Though he will be working alongside all off-campus students, Beal said he would have a focus on neighborhoods around Sunset Avenue, Fearing Street and Phillips Street, along with areas in North Amherst.

Maroulis said “quite a number of people” applied for the position, which required a bachelor’s degree and at least seven years of applicable experience, preferably in law enforcement or conflict resolution.

Negotiation and mediation skills were also emphasized.

Luckily for Beal, especially with his familiarity of the Amherst area, he fit the see

BEAL on page B2

Community members with ties to the University of Massachusetts’ studentrun radio station WMUA say students were guilty of abuse of process when they filed complaints that led to the removal of the station adviser and a longtime program host in April, and that they continue to make decisions concerning the station’s future without regarding the consequences.

Yet, amidst an investigation of personnel and workplace conduct at the station by the University Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity that is expected to be completed in early fall, student leaders remain quiet.

The Equal Opportunity and Diversity office referred The Daily Collegian to the Office of News and Media Relations. UMass spokesperson Ed Blaguszewski said he “expects (the investigation to result in) an evaluation overall on where (the station) is heading and how it can best serve the students and the community.”

Max Shea, former host of “Martian Gardens,” a weekly radio program that featured contemporary classical and experimental music, had his station membership revoked and was issued a no-trespass order, banning him from the UMass campus for two years on April 22.

Former station adviser Glenn Siegel, a University employee, has since been reassigned to other duties, according to Blaguszewski.

Blaguszewski said associate vice chancellor for Student Development Annemarie Seifert is filling the role of interim adviser for the foreseeable future.

According to a station-

wide email written by station manager Andrew DesRochers in late April, Shea’s removal was done in accordance with the disruptive behavior and harassment policy of Article 6 of the station’s manual.

WMUA’s manual allows the executive committee to terminate membership if it is determined a member violated Article 6.

In a police report obtained by the Collegian filed April 17, students said Shea made them uncomfortable with his “political opinions and comments regarding race, gender, and sexuality.”

However, Shea and Louise Dunphy, host of “Celtic Crossings,” said that there were no specific incidents that led to his removal in April.

Shea mentioned an incident from November 2014, in which he made comments about rape culture that upset some of the students present during a conversation concerning news programming the station was going to broadcast. He said DesRochers informed him that students planned to file a grievance through WMUA against him, although it is unclear whether or not such a grievance was filed.

The police report also cited an incident from the spring in which Shea allegedly made disrespectful comments during a Stonewall Center Ally meeting at the station.

His comments were not directed at anyone from the Stonewall Center or any of WMUA’s LGBT members, according to the report.

The report also states that students notified police that Shea was caught viewing pornography on UMass computers within the WMUA office some time between 1999 and 2000.

Documents concerning Shea, as well as a past employee who exhibited behaviors similar to see

WMUA on page B3

ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN

Long-time radio host Max Shea is accusing the WMUA’s student leaders of mismanaging the radio station.

UMass ranked 29th best public university in country New ranking reflects positive direction

By Anthony Rentsch Collegian Staff

A U.S. News and World Report ranking released Wednesday put the University of Massachusetts among the top 30 public universities in the country, making it

the second year in a row the flagship campus has received such a rating.

UMass moved up from 30 to 29 for national public universities in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2016 Best Colleges guide.

The University also advanced one spot to 75 in the guide’s best national universities category.

According to a UMass

news release, the rankings are based on graduation rate performance, undergraduate academic reputation, faculty resources, graduation and retention rate, alumni giving, financial resources, student selectivity and high school counselor ratings.

“This year’s U.S. News ranking is a recognition of our campus’s outstanding

undergraduate programs and the commitment of our students, faculty, staff and alumni to achieve excellence,” Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said in a statement. “Our continued rise in the rankings demonstrates that investing in UMass yields impressive results, and we look forward to a continuing partnership with the

governor and Legislature to create a vibrant future for our students and the Commonwealth.”

Last year, UMass made headlines when it jumped 10 spots in the public universities category and 15 in the best universities category. Although the change in this year’s rankings weren’t as drastic, UMass spokesperson

Edward Blaguszewski said they are reflective of the University’s long-term vision and commitment to excellence.

“It indicates that UMass is a place on the move,” he said.

Anthony Rentsch can be reached at arentsch@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Anthony_Rentsch.

B2

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, September 10, 2015

CALENDAR

WEEK END

FRIDAY FIVE COLLEGE MUSIC FESTIVAL Weekend-long festival featuring over 50 acts.

Friday kicks off with a perfomance by the Five College Composers NORTHAMPTON ARTS NIGHT OUT Local artists showcase free exhibits in one of the Pioneer Valley’s most creative communities

SATURDAY GAYEITIES ALLY DANCE A celebration of the Stonewall Center’s 30th Year. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. 80s music and Free Glow bracelets FOOD TRUCK FAIR Late night grub served out of the back of trucks. 8 to 11:45 p.m. at the circle in front of the student union at 41 Campus Way

SUNDAY

MEN’S SOCCER Men’s Soccer team home opener versus Boston University. 1 p.m. at Rudd Field FIELD HOCKEY Women’s Field Hockey versus Dartmouth College. 1 p.m. at Gladchuk Field

DailyCollegian.com

Drug use may be behind break-ins

By Shelby Ashline Collegian Staff

The town of Amherst saw 24 break-ins to businesses and apartment buildings during the months of June and July alone, an uncharacteristically high number in comparison to previous years according to Captain Chris Pronovost of the Amherst Police Department.

Pronovost believes that the burglaries, which occurred mostly on Main and College Streets, were most likely committed in order to satisfy a heroin addiction.

“In the majority of these, they’re not large scores,” Pronovost said. “Whoever’s breaking in is settling for small amounts of money or easily sellable items. … It seems consistent with someone who’s trying to support a drug habit.”

Often, the perpetrator took only $5 or $10 by stealing charity or tip jars, but left substantial damage to the building, Pronovost said. He added that, in his experience, this behavior indicates a heroin addiction, as the drug is particularly cheap and easy to obtain.

However, through collaboration with surrounding communities that have experienced a similar problem with burglaries, some suspects have been identified.

“Since we’ve looked (into the suspects) and been working with these other towns, (the burglaries) have declined,” Pronovost said.

The detective bureau is currently in the process of investigating the case and he was optimistic that the suspects would be charged.

To curtail the burglaries, Amherst police have stepped

BEAL continued from page B1

bill. He has lived in North Amherst for 10 years now, not including his time as a student at UMass. “(Beal’s) deep knowledge of the neighborhoods around campus both as a resident and as a former zoning official (made) him uniquely qualified for this new and important position,” said Nancy Buffone, associate vice chancellor for university relations, in the release.

Beal said his time on the ZBA, which, according to its website, serves to promote the safety, health and general welfare of Amherst residents, gave him a good sense of issues in local neighborhoods and tensions between property owners and non-student residents.

“The university is not going anywhere,” he said. “The colleges are, in my view, economically and culturally the main engine of the Pioneer Valley … and I think that’s what makes this area so attractive.”

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from UMass in 1983, where he worked as a resident assistant in the Southwest Residential Area, Beal later moved to Connecticut. He graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2000.

He also has experience as a mental health counselor in the Holyoke area.

“For me, this feels a bit like a homecoming to back in university. I have very fond memories of being a student here … and I always knew I wanted to raise my family here,” he said.

Colby Sears can be reached at csears@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @colbysears.

up downtown patrols.

Officers have tried to get out of their vehicles as much as possible, going undercover to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

In addition, the police have been working with the community and discussing how residents and business owners can protect themselves from theft in the future. Their suggestions include removing bushes and other potential hiding places, leaving lights on, investing in security cameras, securing air conditioners and locking all doors and windows.

“The business community has been really receptive,” Pronovost said. “They’ve done a great job of (following) our suggestions, and also just talking with one another to share information and make sure everybody’s on board.”

Pronovost emphasized the importance of a community effort in solving the case. He has encouraged residents to alert the police immediately if they notice any suspicious activity. Additionally, Pronovost said that Amherst police try to keep the University of Massachusetts police well informed about the investigation so they know what to be on the lookout for.

Although burglaries have been the main problem over the summer, Pronovost said that heroin addiction often leads to other crimes such as shoplifting and strong arm robbery. In this case, he said, there does not seem to be an effort to harm people.

Instead, the criminals have avoided confrontation, often breaking into buildings and vehicles under the cover of night.

Pronovost estimated that, on average, previous stretches have seen less than half the number of burglaries.

Whereas June and July saw 12 break-ins each month, Amherst typically would experience 12 burglaries over the extent of the entire summer, he said.

These troubling figures reflect the rising influence of heroin addiction in not just Amherst, but in communities everywhere, according to Pronovost.

“I don’t think any community, village, city, town is immune from this,” he explained. “It’s happening everywhere.”

However, he is hopeful that heroin addiction will be less of a problem in the future. Pronovost said communities are beginning to take active steps toward help-

ing addicts recover. He cited the city of Gloucester, which recently adopted a new system for curbing heroin addiction, as one example.

“They started a program where if someone is addicted and they … want to end (their addiction), they can actually show up at the police department and the police department will find a place for them … to go into detox,” Pronovost said. “They can actually turn in some of their drugs if they have drugs on them, no questions asked.”

The program has been getting a lot of attention, he added, and may be used as a model for other towns.

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

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

UMPD chief search likely to last throughout the fall Former head left for Rockport in May

By Stuart Foster Collegian Staff

The review of applications for the position of the next University of Massachusetts’ chief of police, which began Sept. 2, is expected to last throughout most of the fall semester.

The search for a new chief of police began after John Horvath, who took over as chief in October of 2012, resigned last May to become the head of the Rockport Police Department.

The 22-member search committee is chaired by David Vaillancourt, senior associate dean of students, and includes a number of administrators from around the University and UMass police department, as well as Lauren Coakley, associate speaker of the Student Government Association, and Christopher Earls, secretary of university policy for the SGA. Amherst Police Chief Scott Livingstone will also serve on the committee.

According to the job listing posted by the Spelman &

Johnson Group, an employment search firm located in Easthampton hired to assist the search committee, the next UMass police chief is expected to “have excellent communications skills and experience in media relations,” in addition to possessing “an ability to establish and maintain productive relationships with a full and diverse range of campus constituents.” The police chief will also serve as the assistant vice chancellor to Enku Gelaye, the vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life.

The qualifications listed on the website heavily focus on the incoming police chief’s ability to collaborate with the greater UMass community and with law enforcement agencies at different levels. According to a news release, the new chief will be required to have a higher community policing profile and more administrative authority and reporting.

Extensive experience in preparing for emergencies and effectively responding to crises on campus has also been emphasized.

In order to be considered for this position, candidates are required to

ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN

The hiring committee continues their search for UMPD’s new chief of police.

have a bachelor’s degree, the ability to obtain Massachusetts Police Training Certification and ten years of substantive experience in campus law enforcement.

The UMass chief of police is responsible for the administration, operation, and financial oversight of the UMass Police Department, including a current budget at $6.2 million.

Currently, police outreach and communication are major areas of focus for the UMass Police Department. The posting specifically refers to community policing as an area of focus for the department.

Additionally, on August 24, members of the UMass Police Department participated in a six-hour diversity training program, intended to improve the interactions of UMass police officers “with all people through effective communication and respect,” according to a news release.

The position has a focus on people management, as UMPD has a staff of 76, including 60 uniformed officers. In addition, the department oversees Cadet Corps, composed of some two-dozen local college students, and Residence Hall Security, which employs roughly 300 students.

During the search, Deputy Chief of Police Patrick Archibald will serve as the interim department head. It is the third time Archibald has served in this role. The new chief is expected to begin in early 2016.

Stuart Foster can be reached at stuartfoster@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Stuart_C_Foster.

In Mich., Obama pitches free community college

By David Jesse Detroit Free Press

CLINTON, Mich. — Giving students two years of free community college is simply an extension of America’s historical emphasis on the importance of education, President Barack Obama told a crowd of about 1,000 at Macomb Community College in Clinton.

Referencing previous federal efforts to increase educational opportunities for Americans, including the GI Bill, Obama tried to reinvigorate his plan to give at least two years of free community college to students who maintain a high grade point average.

Accompanied by Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden and herself a community college professor, Obama announced an independent College Promise Advisory Board, led by Biden, that will highlight existing programs providing free community college.

The board will try to recruit more states and communities to do likewise and will also enlist celebrities in a public awareness campaign to press for tuition-free community college.

He also announced $175 million in Department of Labor grants across the country to help with apprenticeships, with awards going to 46 organizations, institutions and businesses pledging to train workers in health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing and more.

But the spotlight was on community colleges.

“I’ve been focused on com-

munity colleges,” Obama said in his speech. “They are at the heart of the American dream.

“For every young person willing to work hard, I want community college to be as free and universal as high school. It’s easy for politicians to say young people are the future. But you’ve got to walk the walk.

“No kid should be priced out of a college education.

No hard working young person should be denied just because of where they started.

“You don’t have to necessarily go to a four-year degree to get a good job, but you need to have some specialized skills.”

Obama unveiled his proposal as part of his State of Union speech. It would give students two free years, but would require them to maintain a 2.5 GPA. That could cause issues, an April Detroit Free Press story found. An average of 31 percent of currently enrolled students getting federal Pell Grants – given to low-income students – at several Michigan community colleges wouldn’t be eligible for the money.

National data shows a similar picture. According to data compiled by the National Center for Education Statistics, 24.4 percent of community college students with a Pell Grant had GPAs under 2.5 in 2011-12, the latest year data is available for.

That means a significant number of students who, based on financial needs, would benefit the most from

the plan would be ineligible for it, although they would still qualify for Pell Grants.

The average net price for a full-time Michigan community college student is around $6,000 a year. A full Pell Grant only typically covers about 60 percent of the cost of attending community college, national data shows.

Obama’s plan could cost the federal government an estimated $70 billion annually.

Under the plan, the federal government would cover three-quarters of the program’s cost, with the states picking up the remaining amount.

Gov. Rick Snyder hasn’t committed to spending Michigan funds on the program.

Before his speech Wednesday, Obama toured the Michigan Technical Education Center, run

by Macomb Community College.

“All this equipment is almost identical to what is being used by the auto companies,” Obama told the press pool. “The auto companies helped design and set up the equipment. This 10-week program is going to allow Natalie to operate and maintain this equipment.

“At the end of the 10 weeks there will be a job fair and she is likely to be hired.

Macomb is a good example of where if community college programs are structured around the needs of employers, not only can we make the courses shorter, we can also make sure graduates have jobs.”

WMUA

Thursday, September 10, 2015

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continued from page B1

Shea, were provided in the police report, which was filed by programmer Haley Chauvin, music director Chloe Doyle and DesRochers. The documents were obtained from Siegel’s desk, according to the report.

D e s Ro ch e r s and Chauvin are members of WMUA’s executive committee. DesRochers declined to comment until the University investigation has been completed. Chauvin, Siegel and Seifert declined to comment on this article.

Shea and Dunphy claim students submitted questionably obtained documents and relied on personal aversion to him when describing him in a police report filed on the day of his removal.

While students claim in the report that Siegel “encouraged an ‘open office space’” and that “no one was assigned a particular work station or filing drawer,” Shea and Dunphy contest that extracting the files from Siegel’s desk was illegal.

“They didn’t want me around because I have a history of standing up and voicing my opinions, sometimes rather zealously and against other people’s opinions,” Shea said.

“Apart from that, they just don’t like me.”

Dunphy claimed that students told Siegel that Shea was “weird” and that they didn’t like being around him.

In the report, students stated they were scared for their safety if they chose to remove Shea. They referred to razor blades Shea kept on his desk as “weaponized,” and told the UMass police officer that they were unsure if Shea had a gun that could be used against them.

Dunphy said the razor blades were part of WMUA’s tools to take care of CDs and they were purchased in the station budget. The report also stated Shea had not made an attempt to physically harm anyone at the station.

Despite students’ claims that Shea’s conduct at the station made them feel uncomfortable, Shea said that students never talked to him concerning wanting to remove him from the station.

The police report indicated that no criminal charges were assessed, and suggested that students bring the matter to Siegel.

The students did not wish to do this, as Siegel had defended Shea in the past when issues arose, according to the report.

“They are not being reasonable,” Shea said.

Currently, an agreement between the Student Government Association and WMUA states that students must control at least 50 percent of the programming time, which the station has actively sought to achieve this year. Last year, community members held the majority of programming time until the spring 2015 semester.

‘Students wanted something they couldn’t have’ Shea and Dunphy believe the removal of the two long-time WMUA community members is part of a move to make the radio station entirely student operated.

As it stands, station membership extends to non-student community members, even as objectives outlined in the WMUA manual call for a focus on student empowerment and access for students who traditionally have not had access to broadcast media. “(Students) made it very clear recently that their plan is to move to be a student radio station, and legally they can’t do it,” Dunphy said. “Their charter is that it’s a community radio station run by students.”

Currently, an agreement between the Student Government Association and WMUA states that students must control at least 50 percent of the programming time, which the station has actively sought to achieve this year. Last year, community members held the majority of programming time until the spring 2015 semester, according to previous programming schedules released by the station.

“I think the main conflict in this is the students wanted something they couldn’t have,” Shea said.

“If they proposed to the general body that we make it all students they couldn’t have gotten it anyway.”

Dunphy added that community members are often willing to allow students to take a time slot they applied for.

“There has always been a cognizant awareness on behalf of most of us that students needs and concerns have to be considered,” she said.

Shea also said WMUA wouldn’t be able to make a budget without the help from the community members during the fund drive and to secure underwriting.

In fiscal year 2015, the fund drive and underwriting accounted for $46,115 of the station’s $65,104 in revenue.

Blaguszewski wrote in an email that, “University

and student fee support for the station makes up the majority of the budget,” as money from the Student Activities Trust Fund pays for student salaries and operational expenses, while the University covers the salaries for the station adviser and engineer.

The pair explained that the presence of community members is important in achieving another one of the station’s objectives that is outlined in the manual: to “serve as a training facility in all facets of management and operations of a non-profit radio station.”

“The intent behind the (community-radio-stationrun-by-students plan) is that this radio station can survive and sustain itself because we have those two components to it,” Dunphy said. “The component for the students is for them to learn all of the skills that need to take place to run a radio station – all kinds of business leadership skills, fundraising, production, as well as how to DJ.” “They are not going to be able to run the station – they don’t understand and they don’t know how,” Shea said.

Shea and Dunphy said they want to resolve this incident in a manner that acts as a learning experience for students. Specifically, the two claimed Shea has filed a grievance with WMUA – which has not yet been heard – and requested mediation, which he said students denied.

“That’s why he has pushed for mediation because he sees that as an educational opportunity to resolve those issues,” Dunphy said. “We feel that the process is an essential part of training so people are ready to go out to the real world with real jobs and you really are getting those skills at a real radio station.”

Student leadership at the station declined to comment for multiple Collegian inquiries, citing restrictions due to University processes.

Anthony Rentsch can be reached at arentsch@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Anthony_Rentsch.

Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

“So, um do you date immature men?” - Jerry Seinfeld

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Neoliberalism perpetuates prison re-entry

Don’t be afraid to read Today, colleges in the part of. Grasso’s reasonUnited States are strug- ing for not wanting to read gling to create a complete, “Fun Home” is comparable to never watching the Ian Hagerty news for fear of seeing war because you personally challenging and diverse believe in peace. curriculum while also try- Considering the need ing to avoid offending stu- for a book like “Fun dents or creating a learning Home”, a member of the environment that some stu- Duke Common Experience committee, dents might deem unsafe. Selection College has always been a Ibanca Anand said, “It has time for young people to the potential to start many confront conflicting con- arguments and conversacepts and to grow, often by tions, which, in my opinion, is an integral part of new experiences.

This year Brian Grasso, a liberal arts education.” a freshman at Duke How can you disagree with University, wrote an article that? for his school paper, The Half of the reason we Duke Chronicle, explaining are in college is to expand why he refused to read the our minds and to be chalbook, “Fun Home,” which lenged by new material. he was assigned to read for Often we may not agree with the material, but a class.

“Fun Home” by Allison that doesn’t mean we can’t Bechdel is a graphic novel learn something from it. focusing on sexual orien- Keep your friends close but tation, family dysfunc- keep your enemies closer – tion and emotional abuse, I sure hate everything that among other things. Fox News has to say, but I Grasso, identifying as a still like to tune in every faithful Christian, refused once and a while. That way, to read the book, claiming when I’m arguing politics it was “pornographic” in with someone that watches the eyes of his religion and Fox News, I can bring up therefore he could not per- specific examples of their idiocy. mit himself to read it.

“To be truly educated and to become wise, we need to have a multi-faceted approach to learning.”

While freedom of religion is critical to ensure that people do not get persecuted for their beliefs, empathizing with those from all walks of life is essential for a society of balance without hate and bigotry.

To empathize with people with other walks of life, the least you have to do is read about them. While it may be true Grasso refused to read “Fun Home” because it went against his religious beliefs, it doesn’t change the fact that not reading it helped assure that Grasso will remain more narrow in his views.

Reading “Fun Home” does not create some direct association between Grasso and the material inside the book. Reading it does not make Grasso guilty of the sins contained within that he claims to fear being a

Editorial@DailyCollegiancom

We need to read. If we want to be knowledgeable about the world and ready to take on the future in any sort of adequate manner, we need to read anything we can possibly get our hands on.

To be truly educated and to become wise, we need to have a multi-faceted approach to learning. We will never develop and we will never change if we don’t have any conflict.

Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 this year is the annual Banned Books Week. The event celebrates the freedom for people to read what they please, and I encourage any and all UMass students to participate. Challenge your morals or reinforce them.

Read something that scares you.

It is known that rates of incarceration in the US have spiked, while crime rates have gone down. It is

of the modern prison system to slavery and the convict leasing system.

There are now more people re-entering society from prisons than ever before, over 700,000 per year according to Michael Hallett. But the programs that previously aided people in this transition are no longer available or are much harder to access. As a result these people are being released into the poverty that aided their entry in the first place.

“Work, social welfare,

Aviva Richardson just as important, however, to consider the changes in reentry after incarceration.

Neoliberalism, defined

by David Harvey, in his book, “A Brief History of Neoliberalism,” “is in the first instance a theory of political economic practices that proposes that human well-being can best be advanced by liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills within an institutional framework characterized by private property rights, free markets, and free trade.”

Since the popularization of neoliberalism in the 1970s, many prisons have been privatized. The advent of solitary confinement has proven that torture within prisons is alive and well.

Filling prisons has become profitable not only for the private companies that own prisons, but also the U.S. government.

“In arrangements reminiscent of the convict lease system, federal, state, and county governments pay private companies a fee for each inmate, which means that private companies have a stake in retaining prisoners as long as possible, and in keeping their facilities filled,” writes Angela Davis in her book, “Are Prisons Obsolete?”

Davis exposes the roots

eral health care beliefs, for instance the ‘moral hazard’ of free care, the primacy of health consumerism, and the essentiality of the private health insurance industry.” Released offenders face housing and employment discrimination because employers and landlords have no incentive to choose these individuals who are forced to disclose their previous incarceration.

Additionally, parole officers, whose role was once to aid those reenter-

“By neglecting the needs and intentionally putting barriers in the way of previously incarcerated people, the prison industrial complex perpetuates its own growth.” and family support used to be the means whereby ex-prisoners were reintegrated into mainstream society. With the decline of these resources, imprisonment has become a longer term assignment from which individuals have little prospect of returning to an unsupervised freedom,” David Garland writes in “The Culture of Control.”

The 1996 welfare reforms abolished the Aid to Families with Dependent Children and created Transitional Assistance for Needy Families with a 5 year limit. A.W. Gaffney said the Affordable Care Act “fundamentally leaves intact a system of health care predicated, as we shall see, on key neolib-

especially black men, is the latest reincarnation of attempts to exclude nonwhite people from voting.

Black women are the most rapidly increasing prison population. Transgender people are heavily policed and abused in prisons. In many states, these individuals won’t be allowed to vote – in some, they won’t ever be able to vote again.

In other states, they won’t be allowed welfare or public housing. It is purposeful that this leads to being incarcerated again. By neglecting the needs and intentionally putting barriers in the way of previously incarcerated people, the prison industrial complex perpetuates its own growth.

The prison industrial complex perpetuates itself by nearly guaranteeing that those who have previously been incarcerated will be again. Neoliberalism depletes public resources and treats poverty as an individual rather than a systemic problem.

Neoliberal politics relegate impoverished populations to prisons through diminished government programs and to an economy based on a free market that remains out of reach.

ing society in securing jobs and finding housing, now serve to police these individuals, causing more and more people to get stuck in a cycle of incarceration and poverty.

As Justin Wolfers, David Leonhardt, and Kevin Quealy write, “For every 100 black women not in jail, there are only 83 black men. The remaining men – 1.5 million of them – are, in a sense, missing.” Ferguson, Missouri, where Darren Wilson killed Michael Brown, has the single largest gap with 40 missing black men for every 100 black women.

We must ask what impact this has on the vot- Aviva Richardson is a Collegian ing population. Mass incar- contributor and can be reached at ceration of people of color, anrichardson@umass.edu.

Ian Hagerty is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at ihagerty@umass.edu.

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Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, September 10, 2015

“My life needs editing.” - Mort Sahl

Arts@DailyCollegian.com

FILM REVIEW

‘Rogue Nation’: fifth entry in ‘Mission Impossible’ franchise will win over action fans both young and old Broken alliances and action-packed affairs B y N athan F rontiero Collegian Staff

There’s a concept in improv and sketch comedy called the “game.” It’s the particular aspect of a given scene that’s unique, often strange and (obviously) funny. The improviser or writer can explore the game at its current “level” or “heighten” it by adding something new that makes the game stranger, more unique and funnier. The goal in either case is to end the scene at the top of its game, its biggest laugh, a place from which it can go no further. The game in “Rogue Nation” is making the impossible possible.

The latest “Mission: Impossible” heightens this game for two hours straight. The movie made me laugh in giddy surprise every time it expanded my notion of what the agents are capable of. It continuously challenges the characters and finds new ways for them to overcome what look like insurmountable obstacles. I believed wholeheartedly by the film’s climax that Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) could do anything. Each narrative twist was equal parts unexpected, hilarious and satisfying.

Writer-director Christopher McQuarrie raises the stakes while decreasing the scale of the action. In the film’s opening, Hunt leaps onto the side of a plane as it takes off. By the ending, all of

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Famous for doing his own stunts, Tom Cruise speeds away from danger amidst a wild highway chase as his character Ethan Hunt. the characters are on foot and fighting hand-to-hand.

McQuarrie and cinematographer Robert Elswit accomplish this transition by honing the lens in on the agents and their amazing feats with each successive scene. In one terrific sequence, Ethan chases Ilsa on motorcycle as the camera films from wheellevel. The action becomes more exhilarating as it gets closer in the frame.

McQuarrie doesn’t let plot get in the way of a good story. His script moves breezily with a mix of action and wit, provid-

ing just enough information to orient the general viewer. “Rogue Nation” follows Hunt as he tries to bring down an elusive criminal organization called the Syndicate. CIA director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) doesn’t believe the Syndicate exists. He wants to shut down Hunt and the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) that employs him.

In the midst of this international game of catand-mouse, Hunt meets his match: Ilsa Faust, a former MI6 operative who helps him escape Syndicate cap-

ture early in the film. They have a priceless meeting that occurs as they’re fighting off henchmen. Their combat styles complement each other perfectly.

“We’ve never met before, right?” Hunt asks at one point.

Indeed, the two agents are a remarkable pairing.

They’re sleek enough to slip in and out of each other’s paths at a moment’s notice. Each is also incredibly strong – Ilsa snaps a man’s neck between her thighs in one scene, Hunt heaves himself up and off a pole he’s handcuffed

Lane (Sean Harris), whose chilly inflections fittingly evoke the hissing of a biblical serpent. The question of Ilsa’s loyalty lends her character arc a familiar intrigue. She’s thrilling to watch because we never fully know her agenda.

Rebecca Ferguson captures that enigmatic aura perfectly.

Having no prior knowledge of “Mission: Impossible” aside from the iconic brassy theme music and minute details absorbed through cultural osmosis, watching “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” marked the most blissfully absurd experience I have ever had at a movie theater. “Rogue Nation” is the fifth entry in this franchise, but the film is so self-contained that it feels like the first chapter in a brand new book. It’s a freewheeling spectacle that requires no foreknowledge.

It welcomes you in with open arms.

There’s a great moment at the beginning of the film in which the CIA director disparages the IMF as an archaic organization. It’s an amusing bit of metacommentary – a nod to the fact that these movies and their leading man are getting old. But I doubt that age and originality are going to be issues for this series anytime soon.

With its brilliant ballet of humor and chaos, “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” proves that the possibilities are endless.

to in another. They are brunettes who hide their intentions behind steely blue eyes. And they each clean up gorgeously for a night of espionage at the opera. You might call them the star-crossed lovers of the spy world, although the bond that develops between them is platonic.

Faust seems to ally herself with Hunt’s cause, but as the literary reference in her surname suggests, she’s also made a deal with the devil. Her work for British intelligence has Nathan Frontiero can be reached at given way to a contract with nfrontiero@umass.edu and followed Syndicate leader Solomon on Twitter @NathanFrontiero.

FILM REVIEW

Adaptation of ‘Paper Towns’ leaps off the page Charming, while guilty of patriarchy

By Nathan Frontiero Collegian Staff

“Paper Towns” hooked me in with a sound effect. In one of the film’s earliest scenes, Quentin (Nat Wolff) assists his friend Margo (Cara Delevingne) with a series of late night hijinks. They hop in their getaway vehicle – his mom’s Honda minivan – and he punches the gas. The tires squeal, burning rubber like a muscle car in “The Fast and the Furious,” and the teens rush off into the night. The moment is over the top and yet still feels honest.

That being said, I can’t give the movie or its source too much credit. John Green – author of the novel on which the film is based – and director Jack Schreier’s efforts to take down a sexist fantasy still center men’s perspectives over women’s.

“Paper Towns” doesn’t spotlight Margo or let us see her

independence and empowerment through her eyes.

Instead, the film follows Quentin (who goes by “Q”) and his friends, and waits for them to realize that disregarding women’s autonomy is dehumanizing. The film’s good intentions aren’t quite enough to make up for that limitation.

Schreier takes an earnest and playful approach to his subject matter, which is a good thing, since it’s easy to callously judge “Paper Towns” against the young adult checklist. All the hallmarks are there: high school graduation, senior prom, a milquetoast male lead and his enigmatic-butcool female neighbor. And of course he’s been madly in love with her since their childhood, even though he barely knows her.

These familiar genre elements and the narrative’s central drama tie into one larger cultural critique.

“Paper Towns” is built on the subversion of a sexist convention in fiction

and film: the “manic pixie dream girl,” a thinly written woman who exists only to help the male lead selfactualize. The MPDG is so abhorred that Nathan Rabin, who gave the character type a name in a 2007 essay about “Elizabethtown,” wrote a Salon article in which he apologized for coining the term.

And John Green described the book in a Tumblr post as an effort “devoted [entirely] to destroying the lie” that the MPDG perpetuates.

This isn’t clear at first.

Quentin describes the “miracle” of living so close to Margo Roth Spiegelman in an opening voiceover. Pining after her seems to be the only thing that gives him purpose.

At one point in their aforementioned night of mischief, Q says “I can feel my heart beating in my chest,” and Margo answers, “That’s how you know you’re having fun.” Here the film seems to reinforce rather than deconstruct the cliché – the mysterious free spirited girl shows the bland, love-struck

boy how to live life. It’s only when Margo disappears – after that evening, the teens’ only substantial interaction since their childhood – that the film starts to examine the issues with this trope.

Margo seems to have left behind clues hinting at her whereabouts. Q assumes that she wants him to follow the breadcrumbs. He and his friends buy into this hero narrative that he needs to find Margo because he loves her and because she probably loves him back. It takes most of the ensuing journey for these boys to pull their heads out of their assumptions.

The film’s satisfying payoff arrives when Q realizes he has projected his own fantasy onto Margo and disregarded her agency. “What a treacherous thing it is to believe that a person is more than a person,” he remarks, realizing that Margo isn’t his miracle. Whoever she really is, “that’s her story to tell,” not his.

The movie’s overall the-

sis makes some of its tonal inconsistencies appear purposeful.

A cringeworthy exchange between Margo and Q – she says “Everything’s ugly up close,” and he answers, “Not you” – reads like subtle satire. And a half-baked reform subplot involving Q and Margo’s respective friends offers a slight foil to Q’s more substantial character development. Ben’s (Austin Abrams) lust for Lacey gives way to fumbling respect. She’s smart and Dartmouth-bound but only gets recognized for her looks. They bond when Ben reconciles with her by saying she’s “not just beautiful, she’s cool.”

It also seems that none of “Paper Towns” would happen if these kids didn’t have cash to burn. Q bribes Margo’s sister with a $20 bill on multiple occasions so he can scour Margo’s room for clues. And Margo manages to get herself far away from suburban Orlando without any trouble. The story’s core rests on the fact that

she has the means to simply skip town whenever she wants. Her mother tells Q that Margo will return either when “she’s bored or out of money.” It’s a blunt reading, through which the narrative loses all stakes, but one that the film passively asks for. The movie presents a rather square case of upper middle class problems, and that strips some heft from its overall message.

“Paper Towns” works best when it indulges the schmaltzy tendencies of young adult fare. The film gets a giddy boost of energy with every alt-pop beat of its soundtrack and even the most overwrought moments – a sad scene set to Bon Iver comes to mind – always feel sincere. The performances are heartfelt and understated and allow the film to relish in both commentary and silliness. “Paper Towns” sometimes feels ridiculous, but its charm is infectious.

Nathan Frontiero can be reached at nfrontiero@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @NathanFrontiero.

B6

Thursday, September 10, 2015

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