The Connector - January 20, 2018

Residence Life begins mandatory one-on-one conversations to help students   â–ş Page 3

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

January 30, 2018

Super Bowl LII expected to be a close game

In This Issue

Matt Kaiser

The new University Suites dining hall expecting completion

â–ş Page 3

Review ‘The Post’

â–ş Page 5

River Hawks beat Eagles

Courtesy of Stack.com

Connector Contributor

â–ş Page 7

Final River Hawk Scores Team

Score

Overall Record

Men’s Hockey at BC

L 5-2

Women’s Basketball vs. Hartford

L 78-56 3-18

Men’s Hockey vs. BC

W 3-2 10-7-0Men’s

Basketball vs. Hartford

L 77-70

15-12-0

8-13

‘The Last Jedi’ funny it was not Pat Connell Connector Staff

A couple of years ago, the world was excited for the new release of a “Star Wars� film for the first time in a decade. This was said to be a continuation on the saga, occurring chronologically after the original trilogy.

There was not a certain endpoint that had to be reached as with the prequels; Walt Disney Studios, the new owners of the franchise, could take it wherever they wanted. But a large, overarching issue, and one that seeps problems into other aspects of the newest movies, stems from that: Disney does not have any end goal with their story, so they are aimlessly developing the story one step at a time. This is quite apparent with a critical viewing of the second film of the continued series, “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi.�

Being a direct sequel to “The Force Awakens,� with some events happening momentarily after it, “The Last Jedi� should logically build on what “The Force Awakens� set as a foundation. Nevertheless, this is untrue right after the classic yellow text finishes scrolling.

Despite having destroyed the First Order’s Starkiller Base at the end of “The Force Awakens,� the rebel heroes are somehow down to one base of their own while the

The beginning of February is approaching and for New England fans, at least for the past decade or so, that means time to prepare for the Super Bowl. This year, the Patriots are facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles for Super Bowl 52 on Feb. 4. The Patriots are entering their third straight Super Bowl appearance, and quarterback Tom Brady is on his way to get his sixth championship ring.

The Eagles defeated the Minnesota Vikings 38-7 on Jan. 21 in a dominating performance to proceed to the championship game. Coached by Doug Peterson, the Vikings finished the regular season with a record of 13-3, and the Patriots finished with the same record.

The Patriots defeated

Courtesy of Metro.com

Tom Brady has been the quarterback for the Patriots since

the Jacksonville Jaguars 24-20 on Jan. 21 and advanced to the championship match in an admittedly tough game. With five minutes left in the game, the Patriots were down 20-17 with 70 yards to go and Brady was put to the test once again. As always, he delivered.

Sending effective pass after pass, Brady led

During the first half, Jacksonville safety Barry Church knocked down New England’s star tight end Rob Gronkowski. He was left dazed and confused, and, for the first time in his career, has been diagnosed with a concussion. This means that if he is not cleared â–ş See “Super Bowl,â€? page 8

Tuition, books, car insurance and more: Managing money in college Kelly Skelton Connector Editor

College can be a challenging environment when it comes to finances. Entering, students are seeking to gain knowledge and skills. This education often costs an exorbitant amount of money, leaving students with a small

amount of money to manage.

Certainly, students’ situations vary, but many students could agree upon common ideas.

First, in regards to employment, students agreed that minimum wage, low-skilled work was available and accessible around campus. However, a significant Courtesy of US News

â–ş See “The Last Jedi,â€? page 4

Sections

News.............................3 Campus Life..................6 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 8

the Patriots offence to a spectacular touchdown by wide-receiver Danny Amendola. The Jaguars proved to be a tough opponent and their defense was stellar all game, but the Patriots’ offense was simply better. Comeback wins are nothing new to New England sports teams; however, this win came with a price.

Many students set budgets to manage all of their expenses.

source of income was cited as hard to find. “I think that finding work as a student is obviously very hard. That being said, finding work such as retail or food is not really that hard to obtain,� said Caitlin Sampson, a sophomore music education student.

These findings are true and they do not make students’ lives easy.

In addition to little opportunity, students have busy schedules.

These include juggling a full-time course load, being part of student organizations and having a social life, which can be difficult.

Typical expenses for students seemed to be car payments/ insurance, gas, phone bills, books, gas, Wi-Fi, rent and, most of all, tuition. Therefore, students are living like adults while constricted to limited work hours/opportunity.

Secondly, students voiced that a set budget is necessary for effective money management. â–ş See “Money,â€? page 6

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January 30, 2018

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS IUAAL awards grants and scholarships to students Margaret Shanahan Executive Secretary of IUAAL

On Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018, the Independent University Alumni Association (IUAAL) awarded 87 scholarships and eight grants to ninety-nine students and faculty at UMass Lowell. Two hundred people gathered at the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center to celebrate their accomplishments. Chancellor Maloney welcomed the crowd, praising the great work being done by the awardees as well as the commitment of the alumni who steward the IUAAL Endowment Funds. She acknowledged the pressures that weigh on families when working to support a university education and encouraged them to seek all assistance available to them through UMass Lowell’s abundant mentoring and partnership programs.

Kevin Shanahan ‘70HI, vice president of the IUAAL Board of Directors, stressed the importance of giving those who follow you at your Alma Mater a hand-up and emphasized the IUAAL’S mission to continue the philanthropic work that the Alumni Association has been doing

since its incorporation in 1947. Since that time, the Alumni Association has given over five million dollars in scholarships and grants.

Also in attendance were Vice Chancellor John Fuedo, distinguished alumni Clementine Alexis ’56, Pauline Golec and Barbara Dunsford; IUAAL Directors Richard Donaldson ‘67IM, Thomas Vaughn ‘77ED, Drucilla Fitzgerald ‘92HI, Mary Ann Kitrosser 87BA, Mary Gail Jaggers ‘76SO, Walter Dawson ’59EE, Kristina Ickes PY’87 and Margaret Shanahan ENG’96.

IUAAL Development Grants: Team Arachnida: for Arachnid Anthropod research in the Metalization of Arachnid Exoskeletons; Alexander Eden, Jessica Cote, Alyssa Ferrell and Dragoslav Radosavljevic with Dr. Rick Hochberg of the Hochberg Lab. Dr. Valerie King; to support Student Nursing Experience Abroad Rehka Paleyanda: Hire of an undergraduate intern for Office of Technology Information to analyze innovations coming out of UMass Lowell labs.

Dr. Martin Margala: Research in the Behavior of Nanoscale Devices

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Steven Tello: Hire of one student Intern for Difference Makers 50K Idea Challenge Chummeng Suon: Documentary Film to Preserve Movements of Apsara Dancers in France with Phousita Huy, of the Angkor Dance Troupe and Dr. Sue Kim, UMass L owell Center for Asian Studies Burcin Ikizer: PhD Work to Develop Alternative Precursors for Carbon Fiber Manufacturing

George G. Armstrong, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, Est July 1, 2000: Ryan Lauzon and James Wallace University of Lowell Bookstore Scholarship, Est. December 6, 1995: Courtney Lanier, Florens Shosho, James Bozek, Jenna Kapp, Jennifer Schultz, Shannon Leonard, Sophia Samih, and Stephanie Silva Buckman Laboratories Scholarship, Est. October 5, 1976: Oritsemwensholayemi Okhihan Gehring Memorial Scholarship, Est. December 4, 1950: Brianna Medeiros, Charles O’Callaghan, Davis Le, Georgia Murray, Jessenia Moreira, Juan Santana, Lillie Williams, Madison Owen, Roma Aurora, Sarah Oliveira, Shanna Chow, Terry FoxKoor, and Theresa Zannoni.

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January 30, 2018

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NEWS

Resident Advisors to implement mandatory one-on-ones Jess Kergo Connector Staff

Resident advisors (RAs) play a key role in campus life at UMass Lowell.

With anything from locking oneself out of their room to difficulties adjusting to campus life, residents are taught from the first day of orientation that their RAs serve as a mentor and goto in any given situation. A new Residence Life policy, however, is raising questions from RAs themselves about the role it will play in their relationship with their residents. RA/Resident One-on-Ones are mandatory 15-minute conversations that all RAs are going to have with their residents throughout the start of the spring semester.

During their most recent training session, UMass Lowell RAs were instructed to approach their residents and conduct an interview-style conversation through which they are to ask residents questions about their personal perceptions of their transitional success into the second semester, their overall well-being and to provide resource referrals for their residents as needed.

According to the Spring 2018 Facilitation Guide for the RA/Resident One-On-Ones, “these conversations are meant to allow RAs to have an understanding of how residents are updating and prioritizing their personal and academic goals based on what happened in the first half of the academic year”. The guide also contains a numbered, step-by-step outline for exactly how to conduct these conver-

sations. It includes everything from greeting the student to encouraging them to set goals for the Spring semester. The RA is to ask; what goals the resident achieved last semester, what goals they did not achieve from last semester and what people or things supported the student in achieving their goals.

The RA must also report on a green, yellow and red scale to show how well they feel that student is transitioning.

The report even asks RAs to mark issues their resident discussed that “interfered with achieving [their] goals” from a list of personal subjects provided by the guide. Drug and alcohol use, mental health and relationships are only a few items on the list for an RA to choose.

The results of every conversation are to be noted and submitted electronically by the RA in what is known as a Qualtrics form.

The Office of Residence Life responded to widespread concern over ethical issues regarding the attaching of a resident’s name to personal information without their knowledge in a Jan. 25 email in which RAs were told that they will not be including residents’ names in the report and that RAs themselves can decide to explain the purpose of the conversations to their residents. Also in the email was reassurance that only the large, overall themes of the issues mentioned in the conversations will ultimately be shared with partner offices like the Dean of Students’ Office and the Wellness Center and will not be re-

leased publicly.

The information of students whom RAs determine to be struggling with serious issues is to be delivered in a STARs report. The acronym stands for “Students at Risk” and refers to UMass Lowell’s Behavioral Intervention team. The team is comprised of faculty and staff members from the Dean of Students’ Office, The Wellness Center, Campus Conduct, EMS and the UMass Lowell Police Department and serves to review all reports they receive to determine whether a student’s situation warrants a checkin based on the indications made in reports.

RAs across campus have expressed concern about this new policy’s lack of transparency and fear over longterm effects it could have on the RA/ Resident relationship.

Alexander Sanginario, who has been an RA for the Honors College for the past three years questions, not the intentions of this policy but rather the implementation of it. “Many times, in my three years as a resident advisor here, I’ve seen vulnerable students turn to their RA for help and a point in the right direction, whether that be counseling, medical treatment, or outside help,” Sanginario said. He goes on to explain his concerns stating, “those bonds are instantly broken when RAs are asked to report potential issues obtained in an organic conversation behind the resident’s back.”

He adds that “it makes it seem like we’re fishing for information to get people in trouble and in a data set

Better dining is worth the wait Brigid Archibald Connector Staff

Last summer, the University started renovating Hawk’s Nest, located on the first floor of University Suites, into a dining hall similar to the one at the Inn & Conference Center. The goal of this project is to alleviate the overcrowding of Fox Hall Dining caused by the addition of River Hawk Village, as well as provide a late-night dining solution that many students, including athletes and students with co-op and work studies, have been requesting. According to original plans, Hawk's Nest was projected to open alongside the start of the spring semester. However, as students returning to campus after winter break passed by Hawk's Nest, they were greeted by ladders, construction equipment and supplies scattered all over the floor. It seems that students like Psychology major Johnny Melanson might have to wait a little bit longer because the project has been set delayed.

Melanson, a University Suites resident, says he is excited about the new dining hall but jokes that he doesn't think it will be done before he leaves for summer break.

"They just don't look like they have enough done," said Melanson.

Progress hit a snag in November when a plumbing inspector brought to the attention of the University new building codes that have been put into place since the building's original construction, and that changes would need to be made if the building was going to able to support the production of large

amounts of food. In order to bring the building up to code, a large part of the floor had to be drilled out and the plans had to be reworked, which set the entire project behind schedule for six weeks.

Fortunately, according to Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Larry Siegel, pending no further setbacks, construction is estimated to be finished by late March.

The Hawk's Nest will include new booths and single chairs to accommodate a capacity of 128 students at a time. Similar to the dining hall at the Inn & Conference Center, Hawk's Nest will feature two signature dishes, a made to order station, pizza, deli, and desserts. Additionally, the new dining hall will integrate parts of the original Hawk’s Nest such as Red Mango, and include a variation of Provisions on Demand, or P.O.D, found at Fox Commons. Finally, the Hawk's Nest will be home to a new restaurant that will allow students to order using an electronic kiosk, and pick up their meal at the counter However, even if construction ends in March, this does not necessarily mean that Hawk’s Nest will open in March nor in the following weeks. With a later opening date comes new problems. Training new employees and performing dry runs to ensure all equipment works properly will require another two to three weeks. Additionally, potential new employees would be trained for two weeks, work for a week, be off for the week of spring break, then work for 3 more weeks before being off for ten more weeks, making the job undesirable. Other Aramark

rather than actually caring about the residents and their wellbeing. That is not the purpose of and RA.” Another RA who prefers to remain anonymous, agrees that the policy has good intentions and has opted to inform her residents about the conversations before conducting them. She explains that RAs were initially encouraged not to mention the purpose of the conversations because they did not want residents to hold back in their responses. But even after explaining the One-on-Ones to her residents, the RA said that she will still feel uncomfortable conducting the conversation. “I like sitting down and getting to know them, it’s just uncomfortable that they know I’m reporting it.” She also notes her discomfort with being expected to determine the emotional state of her residents. “RAs aren’t trained to be counselors, so us trying to go in and assess everyone is weird,” she says.

The Office of Residence Life’s Associate Director, James Whitaker, stated that the one-on-one conversations are “part of Residence Life commitment to supporting the Residential students at UMass Lowell” and referred to them as a “national best practice in student housing”.

RA/Resident One-On-One conversations are set to take place between January 29th and February 23rd. Every RA will be interviewing and filing a report on at least 75% of their residents.

employees could be pulled to work in the dining hall for time and a half but training would prove to be an unruly task.

One solution Siegel and his team are considering is the possibility of hosting specialty nights with food prepared by the Catering department for targeted groups such as residents of University Suites, and maybe some groups of residents in River Hawk Village.

"We want to do something really nice for them., like a 'sorry and thank you' preview to familiarize the residents and help them see what it’s going to be like next year," said Siegel. In addition to showing off the new facilities, this opens the floor to student feedback to ensure everything is set for when the dining hall opens for real.

Siegel is extremely excited for what the opening of Hawk's Nest could mean for the future of the University. He speculates that the added dining hall on East Campus this summer will open doors for renovation and revitalization of Fox Dining Hall.

Furthermore, Siegel thinks that this addition will do a lot to improve the quality of the dining experience during intersession when there are less people on campus, and less workers at the dining hall. Hawk's Nest is designed to be a smaller space that will work better to fulfill everyone’s needs.

The best things in life are worth waiting for, and the opening of Hawk's Nest might just be one of those things.

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January 30, 2018

January 30 2017

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Jedi are pretty weak in latest Star Wars film ►Continued from front page

bad guys are just as strong as before.

At the beginning of the movie, the meeting of these two factions causes a space skirmish to set up one of the main plots. The rebels barely scrape by in a fight, wrecking only a lone Star Destroyer while most of their offensive ships are blown up. Then, unremarkably, the First Order is in pursuit of them for the remainder of the film. This narrative is so lacking in a compelling plot that being low on gas was the big challenge they had to overcome, which helps to reiterate Disney does not know where they are going with this story.

The other narrative of the movie involved protagonist Rey (Daisy Ridley) training with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), and it, too, was without a feeling of underlying story direction. Despite the end of “The Force Awakens” suggesting a hype-worthy meeting between Rey and Luke, Luke shows to be curmudgeonly in “The Last Jedi,” wanting nothing to do with the Jedi or society in general.

The disparity is quite evident and palpable between previous iterations of this character and the current one. But Rey also comes to meet another character whose purpose has changed.

is looking to manage all aspects of the films instead of letting someone with a big vision take the reins. The approach is like how they have been working on the Marvel movies, and it

Courtesy of Disney

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is nominated for four Academy Awards, including best

Many points that J.J. Abrams sowed into the previous movie have been dismantled by the new director, Rian Johnson, in “The Last Jedi,” which would make a bit more sense if Disney was not bringing him back to direct Episode IX. Seemingly, Disney

bleeds into the script.

Nearly all the humor of the movie is packed into curt, bantering zingers the characters try to roll off. That is not necessarily bad, but the way most of them are timed often ruin the feelings of scenes. For instance, the very be-

ginning has a call between Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and a First Order commander. Amid their serious call, the pilot drops an off-hand joke about the commander that seems unfitting.

A scene like this can have good tension that gets ruined by the humor.

The entire movie’s actions make it seem like the good guys will lose if they do not overcome impossible odds at every single corner, until the end.

There could very well be nearly a hundred close calls throughout the movie. After a certain point, the contrived tension just becomes irksome.

Overall, the cast of characters in “The Last Jedi” has is very good, and there is a good deal of vibrancy and fun to be had. The trouble lies in knowing when to turn the fun down and how to write seriousness in an enticing fashion, so as to be surprising every once in a while, and just writing a whole compelling story overall for that matter.

Final Grade: C

RWBY: Volume Five is a bumpy road One cannot discuss “RWBY” without bringing up one of its biggest selling points - the action.

“RWBY’s” models and props are all made with 3-D “RWBY’s” fifth volume leaves its viewer won- animation, and serves itself well to choreographed dering where the time went. First airing on Oct. 7, action. However, “Volume Five’s” action does not “Volume Five” ran for three months before conclud- fully capitalize on the appeal of this. The animaing on Jan. 27. Set in an original world, “RWBY” tion and direction holds well at times, but is prone follows the stories of its four protagonists - Ruby, to overusing special effects and jump cuts. Despite Weiss, Blake and Yang - as they journey and fight that though, most of the action does its job and to save the world. “Volume Five” takes place as the leave the viewers at the edges of their seats. heroes arrive in a new kingdom, and must seek out The animation itself is dodgy at times. Characa person of interest as dark forces conspire against ter models are executed well, with movements and expressions delivered amazingly. However, there is them. an odd disarray of the quality put into the show’s For those whose value the premise ofCourtesy a show, of Sony Pictures “RWBY” has them covered. “RWBY’s” world has backgrounds and props. Character models can taken influence from both high fantasy and sci-fi sometimes fit right in with their surroundings, only elements, integrating them to a closer degree than for the next scene to have them stand out like a sore shows of a similar premise. There are some con- thumb. In addition, the handling of large amounts cepts that stretch the viewer’s suspension of disbe- of models are done poorly, with stiff movements lief, but are a net positive to “RWBY’s” appeal both and odd postures marking every shot there included in its story and its action. “RWBY” also handles its in. This inconsistency can be irritating for the viewexposition well, even though it still runs into occa- er, but the show’s overall appearance does not suffer sional issues with providing necessary information. greatly from these lapses in quality.

Its original setting and story elements serve well in Despite its focus being on action and visuals, inviting the viewer into the world of Remnant, the “RWBY” succeeds in writing an engaging story as well. Its characters are likeable and plot holes are world of “RWBY.” nonexistent, but there remains a level of inconsisCourtesy Rooster Teem tency that “Volume Five” has done in all its other categories. The main thread of “Volume Five” works to its advantage, building off of character interactions and plot development up until a climatic action scene. However, a subplot also runs alongside it, moving along at a faster pace until culminating into a midpoint climax.

The inclusion of a subplot is far from harmful to the volume’s writing, but with it comes issues in the pacing. When the subplot reaches its climax halfway through the volume, it drops off completely and leaves the main plot to run on its own. In an effort to tie the two threads together, the final action scene involves the events of the subplots that influenced the main plot in a weird, underdevel“RWBY” was created by the late Monty Oum as a pasoped scene. This decision both divided attention sion project Vernon Gibbs Connector Staff

Courtesy of Rooster Teem

“RWBY” first premiered in July 2013.

away from the main plot and failed to support it with tension or development. In an effort to squeak in some more action into the final scene, the writers shot themselves in the foot.

Overall, “RWBY: Volume Five” is an entertaining watch, but not a noteworthy one. The show’s production has been steadily improving, but is still hindered by both changing their animation and poor writing choices. Despite that, “RWBY” as a whole has been airing for over four years, and has preserved in the face of worse than inconsistent writing and animation. Should one be interested, “Volume Five” has a runtime of four hours total and is available on Rooster Teeth’s official website or their official YouTube channel.

Final score: B-

Page 5

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ‘The Post’ could have used more copy editing Owen Johnson Connector Editor

For a historical drama, "The Post" had a lot going in its favor. Steven Spielberg has directed a number of quality historical dramas in the past, from "Schindler's List" to "Lincoln."

Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks are both talented actors, and the story is one that is topical in today's political climate. So why was the end product what it was?

Becoming aware of a government cover up that has lasted through several presidential administrations in regards to the Vietnam War, a military analysist (Matthew Rhys) leaks top secret information known as the Pentagon Papers. As this happens, the Washington Post works to report on the information despite the heavying retaliation from the Nixon Administration.

The one thing that "The Post" does exceptionally well across the board is the performances. Everyone from Hanks to Bob Odenkirk gives a good performance, and Streep's portrayal of the Washington Post owner Kay Graham is easily the best thing about the movie.

A lot of the technical aspects are very good as well. The directing from Steven Spielberg is top notch as it almost always is, and the camera work helps to make the scenes visually interesting. While all of these technical elements are impeccable in their per-

formance, they do not seem to correctly fit the movie.

For example, the movie feels sort of like an action movie with the way it is directed, shot, edited and musically scored to make it feel more dramatic.

That is probably what was intended, and it is not poorly done in that regard, but it does not work for "The Post." While the story the journalists

Another thing that must be pointed out is the writing. There are a lot of movies that go out and explain what they are about, but there is a difference between explaining and beating the audience over the head about it.

"The Post" is the latter, as it tells instead of shows. The major theme of the movie is about the freedom of the press, and the filmmakers make sure

Courtesy of Dreamworks Pictures

“The Post” is nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

are working on is big and important, an action movie feeling does not fit with what they are doing. Perfect examples of how to do the tone exists in movies like "Spotlight" and "All the President's Men" where they have slower and more meticulous pacing so that it feels like the journalists in those movies are actually working on a news story, not working to diffuse a bomb like the pacing of "The Post" would be more appropriate for.

that the audience knows that.

There are a number of speeches people give throughout the movie, which are all heavy handed. They are heavy handed in the way that it over explains what the movie is about and dates the message because it feels more like the movie is using the speeches to criticize Donald Trump then to actually make a case for the importance of a free press. In simplest terms, "The Post" tells the audience the message instead

of showing them the message.

"The Post" has a very simplistic and convenient way of telling the story.

An example of convenience is the plot of the movie starts off by having a character (Matthew Rhys) learn that something is amiss and release a bunch of secret documents. That is set off by him being told one thing and then overhearing something different from the same person, when the person who originally lied would have known that Rhys was still around. An example of the movie being simplistic is that the actual work the journalists go through to get the information necessary to write their story all just seems to work out for them. They immediately know who to reach out to, they do so and then they have their information. There are no high points, low points or points where their view on the story changes, they just do not have the information and then they have all the information they need.

People like Spielberg, Streep and Hanks are all talented when it comes to movies like this. Unfortunately, there was too much that either did not fit or did not reach its full potential for even these three power players combined to make the material anything interesting or worthwhile.

Final Grade: C

Kodak Black is locked up again Kelly Skelton Connector Editor

Dieuson Octave, better recognized for his stage name, Kodak Black, has never been able to separate himself from the street life. Despite amassing millions of dollars and hit songs, the Florida rapper has always maintained his credibility in criminal activity. Having had his fair share of run-ins with the law before, Kodak has yet again found himself arrested.

This time, the hip-hop sensation has been his own worst enemy. On Jan. 18, authorities entered his house with a warrant while Kodak was on an Instagram live stream. It would later be discovered that the artist’s stream is in fact how the police were tipped off. Kodak and his entourage are currently facing seven felony charges. These charges include grand theft of a firearm, two counts of possession of a weapon or ammo by a Florida adult felon, possession of cannabis over 20 grams of synthetic cannabis over three grams, neglecting a child without great bodily harm, and two counts of probation violation.

Despite his mistakes, Kodak could have avoided this arrest by simply not broadcasting his environment on social media. The rapper was seen speaking to his followers while a child roamed around in the background with a Florida felon wielding a firearm. Kodak would later indulge in the use of

marijuana before being interrupted and taken into custody.

Past criminal instances include weapon possession, drug possession, rape accusation and house arrest violation. Although Kodak moved into an upscale, golf course neighboring home last year, the rapper has maintained his connections to his past community. Upon his arrest, a music video debuted Kodak’s most recent song “1800 Nights,” in which he articulates his struggle to migrate away from his dangerous upbringing. “To all of my [friends] in prison, if you’re listening right now, I miss you,” said Kodak.

Kodak was among the first wave of successful Florida rappers to create trap music, a dark and honest form of rap music traditionally featuring loud beats and extreme amounts of profanity. After breaking into the music scene with tracks like “No Flockin” and “Like Dat,” the Pompano Beach, Fla. native signed a record label with Atlantic Records and launched a clothing brand named Sniper Gang Apparel. In 2017, Kodak released his largest hit to date, Tunnel Vision. The visual for this release has since gathered 191 million views on YouTube.

Kodak Black visited Lowell, Mass. on Nov. 10.

As a tribute to his humble beginnings, his stage setting featured a life size apartment, identical to his childhood neighborhood of Golden Acres. During

Courtesy of TMZ

Kodak Black was scheduled to tour in California starting on Feb. 8. As of now, the show has not yet been cancelled.

his performance, Kodak set fire to a dollar bill and serenaded the crowd while sitting on a milk carton.

Since last week’s arrest, Kodak has asked the judge to investigate the true possession of the weapons confiscated, believed to be his own. The 20-year-old has pleaded for authorities to dust the firearms for fingerprints, in an attempt to prove that they were not his. Bail was also denied for his charges.

Kodak Black’s label representative from Atlantic Records, Ashley Kalmanowitz, was unavailable for comment.

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February 1, 2018

CAMPUS LIFE

UMass Lowell Concerts-- Unifying Students Courtesy of DO617

Katie Mulkerin Connector Contributor

Each year students from different universities look forward to concerts that their schools may host. Most commonly there are spring concerts and discounted tickets readily available. UMass Lowell has most recently hosted John Bellion with more to come.

UMass students may recall hearing about Drake’s performance at the Tsongas Center back in 2010. He went on to feature UMass Lowell’s school sweatshirt in one of his music videos.

Since 2010 some students say they have had limited knowledge about upcoming concerts.

Contrary to popular belief, the UMass activities/events department does not directly deal with organizing

“You can show your student I.D to get discounted tickets.” concerts. The Tsongas Center is the epicenter of functions correlated with the university. Nate Harris, Assistant General Manager, and Keith Vaske, General Manager at Tsongas Center explained the process of planning con-

The Tsongas Center is currently celebrating 20 years of concerts, sports games and other events.

In the past Lowell has hosted some big name artists like, Hunter Hayes, Panic! At The Disco, Krewella, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, and of two Kiss 108’s Jingle Ball’s featuring: Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, LMFAO, Pitbull, Joe Jonas, Sammy Adams, along with, Katy Perry, B.O.B, Enrique Iglesias, Shontelle, Jay Sean, Taio Cruz, and Selena Gomez. The Jingle Ball used to be hosted at the Tsongas until capacity became filled each year. Keith Vaske said, “We hosted the Jingle Ball twelve years straight.

They got so big adding all the major

Courtesy of Tapatalk.com

T.D Garden are sought after.

Student’s are able to help organize concerts through “ACE,” which is the Association for Campus Events.

Vaske said that there is a box office in UCrossing where you can show your student I.D to get discounted tickets.

Upon visiting tsongascenter.com, you can receive tickers about concert presale tickets. “We always enjoy when those student concerts come through, students get access behind the scenes.”

Said Keith Vaske.

Vaske said that students should expect Chris Young and Kane Brown during the spring time along with some other shows brewing. A variety of college students express an eager in-

“It’s also a great opportunity to hang out with peers and mingle in a non academic setting.”

Hip hop artist Drake wore a UMass Lowell sweatshirt in a music video.

certs and how influential the Tsongas Center’s relationship to UMass Lowell and its students are.

artists like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and so they needed double capacity.”

This explains why other venues, like

students, student’s families, whoever that might be. That’s one of the main focuses. Our goal really between athletics, campus events, convocation, career fair, etc, is to really drive into the student body to understand this is their building and this here is for them.”

Vaske and Harris work with 140 + buildings around here and up in Canada that they manage. Including the Amherst Ryan Center at URI. “We have a good relationship with college students and are able to have that conversation regarding college shows.”

Said Vaske. Some important factors include working with promoters, staying connected to the university, meeting regularly with the student activity board, and discovering what the next hot ticket will be.

Students believe that school-hosted concerts are a unique opportunity to bring the student body together and let loose, not having to worry about classes. Shantel Vigliotta, a finance major said, “Some of the concerts have had major artists which is cool.

But it’s also a great opportunity to hang out with peers and mingle in a non academic setting.”

terest in country music. The Tsongas typically tries to cater to student preferences. “Concerts are geared toward

Money management: How to stay afloat ►Continued from front page

to seeing them to fruition,” said Dave Seybert, a freshman business student.

With so little money available for saving, students must learn to make their future a priority. “I recommend that students take a look at where they want to be in five to 10 years,” said Olivia Duprez, an online business student.

It seems as though the best practice for saving a portion of each check requires that students be proactive. “The tip I have for students is exactly what our finance professors tell us. Pay yourself first. For every paycheck that I receive, I always put away some dollar amount of savings,” said Kellsie How-

ard, a junior business student.

Fortunately, UMass Lowell offers many resources to their students. In addition to work study availability, the university also has a co-op center. This department prepares students to enter the workforce and even helps them locate potential internship opportunities.

One recommendation for students looking to save money would be to begin at a community college.

Students are able to save a large sum of money and can ease their way into budgeting. “Being in community college gives me a lot more financial freedom,” said Chris Bennett, a science student at Middle Community College.

In some cases, finding a flexible employer is crucial for a variety of reasons. If an employer will be flexible enough to work around a student’s evolving school schedule, they are worth investing in. The student will then have a reliable source of income and can work their way up in the company. While this sounds perfect, it takes a great deal of time and effort to find.

As long as a student is determined to take their finances into their own hands and exhibits responsibility for their actions, they will be able to adapt to college. The will to work cannot be overstated as the way to get ahead, not just financially.

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January 30, 2018

SPORTS Men’s hockey earns a 3-2 victory over Boston College Daniel McDermott Connector Contributor

In front of a nearly sold out Tsongas Center, UMass Lowell’s men’s ice hockey team beat the Boston College Eagles 3-2 in a rematch of the 2017 Hockey East championship final.

“It was a game of momentum changes and fortunately for us we responded well and got the last one,” said UMass Lowell head coach Norm Bazin.

The River Hawks started the first period with a lot of energy and were aggressive in Boston College’s zone all period. They looked like a much different team compared to last week’s first periods where they looked sluggish and complicit.

Both teams struggled with transitioning out of their own zones.

UMass Lowell took advantage of a Boston College mistake for their first real chance of the game after five minutes when a Boston College defenseman mishandled the puck, which allowed UMass Lowell forward Nick Master a point-blank shot at Boston College goaltender Joseph Woll. Woll deflected it into the path of UMass Lowell forward Chris Schutz, who saw his open net shot blocked by an Eagles’ defenseman.

UMass Lowell kept applying the pressure and the first goal of the game almost came to them again on their second power play of the game. UMass Lowell forward Ryan Dmowski sent the puck low across Woll, hitting off a Boston College defenseman’s skate and ultimately knocking against the Eagles’ post before Woll could cover

it up.

UMass Lowell maintained their intensity in the second period and it paid off with two goals. The first came from forward Ryan Collins, who scored a wrist shot in the top right after a pass from defenseman Mattias Goransson.

The River Hawks’ momentum stalled for the next 10 minutes with two Boston College power plays coming at 5:32 and 8:26 in the period.

Despite two goal-scoring chances by the Eagles during the power plays, UMass Lowell’s penalty killing squad did well by closing passing lines and blocking shots.

After the River Hawks weathered the storm, Dmowski expended their lead by two after blasting a shot from the right wing into the top left of the net.

“It stood out because we got a lot of good pressure on them and the shifts we scored on were the best shifts of the night,” Bazin said.

The third period started out all in Boston College’s favor with back-toback goals both scored by forward Graham McPhee. They were separated by three minutes and were inside the first five minutes of the third period.

Tied 2-2 after leading 2-0, the River Hawks showed their experience in big games and with the crowd behind them, Schutz scored a wrist shot from the right wing past Woll just over one minute after McPhee’s second goal.

For the remainder of the game, UMass Lowell comfortably absorbed everything the Boston College offense threw at them while having their own

Matt Dwyer/Connector

UMass Lowell forward Charlie Levesque battles for the puck.

respective chances. The River Hawks’ cause to close out the game was further aided by a penalty on the Eagles for holding with 2:14 remaining. However, forward John Edwardh’s penalty for boarding made for some last-minute drama for the River Hawks. Boston College could not find the equalizer and UMass Lowell would hold on for the win, 3-2.

“We definitely have the best fans in the Hockey East, and they were behind us all night and it helped us get the win tonight,” said Edwardh.

The River Hawks return home on Tuesday, Feb. 6 when they host American International in a nonconference match-up.

Milwaukee Bucks’ head coach Jason Kidd fired Matt Kaiser Connector Contributor

On Monday, Jan. 22, the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and 10-time NBA All-Star, Jason Kidd, was fired after approximately three and a half seasons at the helm. It was reported that this action was made due to the Bucks’ disappointing record this season (23-22) as well as deteriorating relationships within the organization. The Bucks’ assistant coach Joe Prunty will take over as temporary head coach for the time being.

After ending his legendary NBA career with the Brooklyn Nets, Kidd was first hired as a coach by his former team in 2013. Long-standing disputes between Kidd and the Nets’ former general manager led to an ugly departure for Kidd. He played for the Nets for seven seasons and led them to two NBA finals. Interestingly enough, since Kidd’s retirement, the only time the Nets have made it past the first round of the playoffs was with him as head coach.

“Many factors went into this decision, but ultimately we decided that a fresh approach and a change in leadership are needed to continue elevating our team to the next level and bringing us closer to our goal of winning championships,” said Bucks’ general manager Jon Hurst in an official statement posted on the NBA’s website.

This may come as a surprise to Milwaukee’s

loyal fans, but it has been obvious this season that trade deadline, and they can turn things around for the Bucks’ immense talent has been held back by the second half of the NBA regular season.

Kidd’s odd rotations of players on the court. So far this season, the Bucks have the sixth worst defensive rating in the entire league. In Kidd’s first season coaching this team, his defensive schemes worked wonders, and the Bucks finished with the NBA’s second-best defensive rating.

However, in the two seasons that followed, they have finished 22nd and 19th respectively in defensive efficiency. This might help to explain the removal of Kidd from the team, and hopefully a new coaching perspective could help elevate the team to a higher level on the defensive end.

A star player for Milwaukee and two-time NBA All-Star from Greece, small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was very close with Kidd and sad to see him leave the organization. Giannis was drafted by the Bucks in 2013, and Kidd helped shape him into the dominant player that he is today.

Kidd was instrumental in influencing Antetokounmpo’s future. Both Kidd and Antetokuounmpo are aware of the current state of the Bucks though, and it was obvious that some changes needed to be made.

With Kidd now removed from the organization, Courtesy of Keith Allison the Bucks’ future looks promising as they head into Kidd served as the Milwaukee Bucks’ head coach for the playoffs. Hopefully the Bucks’ head office will four years. be able to find a new head coach in time for the

January 30, 2018

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SPORTS Second half struggle drops River Hawks against Hartford, 77-70 Kelly Skelton Connector Editor

The UMass Lowell men’s basketball team fell to the Hartford Hawks 77-70 Saturday night, despite the River Hawks lead at halftime. “[This was] was one of our toughest losses since I’ve been here,” said UMass Lowell head coach Pat Duquette. “We played so great in the first 15 minutes. It was really fun to watch and we had great atmosphere.”

A mixture of offensive woes and foul trouble plagued the visiting Hawks early as UMass Lowell

looked to pull away. A scoring eruption led by senior guards Matt Harris and Jahad Thomas opened up a 32-6 River Hawks lead in the first half.

UMass Lowell would enter into halftime with the score narrowing to 42-32.

Hartford proved resilient as they battled back and disrupted the River Hawks’ success. The Hawks stole the lead 52-51 just after the break as the Tsongas Center fell silent.

Never to disappoint, junior guard Ryan Jones helped the River Hawks stay in the contest with back-to-back 3-point plays. He would finish the night with 13 points and six assists.

U P C OM I N G

River Hawk Games Wednesday, Jan. 31

11 a.m.

WBB vs Maine

Wednesday, Jan. 31

7 p.m.

MBB at Maine

Friday, Feb. 2

All dayS XCTF at Harvard Elite

Satruday, Feb. 3

12 p.m.

MLAX at Brown

Saturday, Feb. 3

All day

XCTF at BU

Sunday, Feb. 4

All day

XCTF at Northeastern

For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com

The battle got tense late in the game as Harris completed a layup and a foul shot to tie the game 70-70. Despite the valiant effort, Hartford would prevail 77-70.

Thomas scored a team-high 20 points for the River Hawks with numerous crafty drives toward the basket. Harris likewise helped the team by adding 15 points.

A well-balanced attack for Hartford was brought forth by junior guards Jason Dunne and J.R. Lynch, as well as senior forward Jack Hobbs, as they amounted for a combined 55 points.

The crowd continued to support UMass Lowell until the end as one fan shouted: “We still love you,” while the final buzzer sounded. “[This was] a tough loss for us, but we have to get back on track [because] we have a game against Maine on Wednesday,” said Duquette.

The River Hawks return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 31 as they play at the University of Maine.

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

Senior guard Matt Harris goes up for a shot. He had 15 points for the River Hawks.

The New England Patriots will take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 52 in Minneapolis ► Continued from front page

to play in time for Feb. 4, the Patriots will be without him.

“I think it’s going to be a close game,” said UMass Lowell sophomore Punit Motiwala. “The Eagles offense is nothing to underestimate. Nick Foles [Quarterback for the Eagles] will definitely bring a strong performance to the Super Bowl, but I think the Pats are going to win.”

The Patriots heading to the Super Bowl is nothing the league has not seen before, but perhaps Gronkowski’s concussion will prove to be more of a factor than expected. The Vikings have likewise just finished a remarkable season, with standout players such as wide receiver Stefon Diggs and quarterback Case Keenum in their lineup.

The Patriots have reached a record 10th Super Bowl appearance, while no other franchise in history has reached the game more than eight times. If they were to win this game, they would notch their sixth trophy and would tie the Steelers’ all-time record.

Brady has a record of 5-2 in Super Bowl games, and last year’s legendary 28-3 comeback caused quite a stir in New England.

With the game set for 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb 4. the countdown for the Super Bowl is ticking away and fans are left to wonder if the New England Patriots will once again repeat history, or if the Philadelphia Eagles will start a new football era.

Courtesy of thenation.com

Tom Brady and the New Englad Patriots look to win their sixth championship.