Operation 250 gets $1 Million grant â–ş Page 6
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
October 30, 2018
The haunted history of UMass Lowell
In This Issue
Aaron Robinson/Connector
Manifest review
â–ş Page 5
Aaron Robinson
Speedway construc tion update
Connector Editor
â–ş Page 6 WSOC quarter final
â–ş Page 8
Final River Hawk Scores Team
Score
W. Soccer vs. Vermont
T 0-0 6-8-5
Volleyball at Hartford
L 3-1
Overall Record
3-19
M. Soccer at New Hampshire
L 2-0 8-5-2
M. Hockey at Bentley
W 4-2
3-3-0
Massachusetts ballot questions 2018 Jessica Kergo Connector Staff
Midterm elections are coming up in Massachusetts and in addition to a range of state and local elections for public office, Massachusetts voters will also be deciding on three ballot initiatives. Question one is a limit on how many patients can be assigned to registered nurses in hospitals and other health care facilities. The limits imposed by the law vary based on the type of unit and level of care. For example, in psychiatric or rehabilitation units, there would be a five-patient limit per one nurse. If the law passes, facilities would be required to comply with the limits without reducing their level of nursing or other staff. Senior nursing major Margaret Berenson is concerned about the amount of time that medical facilities are being given to comply with the policy. The law would go into effect in January of 2019. “It takes a lot of time to train nurses and there’s no way we could train nurses by that time,� she said. “New nurses usually require a certain amount of training by another nurse before they can be on the floor.� The two months between election day
UMass Lowell has been around since 1894, which means it’s had a lot of time to accumulate peculiar stories and happenings. Everyone knows about North, South and East Campus, but what about West Campus? And why doesn’t anyone talk about it? UMass Lowell’s infamous West Campus, located at 278 Princeton Boulevard in Chelmsford, was originally a truancy school which housed juvenile boys from 1898 until 1973 until it was shut down after an investigation into the treatment of the juveniles was conducted. After the closure of the school, Wang Laboratories acquired the property with the intention of establishing it as its main headquarters, although the plan never came to fruition for unknown reasons. In 1984, Wang sold the property to UMass Lowell for a total of one dollar after not finding any use for the buildings in ten years. A year later in 1985, the college moved into three of the five build-
West Campus was formally the Graduate School of Education for UMass Lowell
ings (Upham Hall, Read Hall, and Gould Hall) to house the Graduate School of Education. Up until this point, the GSE was located in the basement of Dugan Hall on South Campus. The two buildings that were not in use by the college were Richardson Hall, which had been in a fire a few years earlier, and Bigelow Hall, which was in use by the Robert F. Kennedy school that housed juvenile girls. The cause of the fire remains unclear, although there
were rumors that it was either arson from a relative of one of the allegedly mistreated juvenile boys, or a fire set by the ghosts of the juvenile children themselves. In the early 2000’s, UMass Lowell Chancellor Bob Hogan deemed the buildings unsuitable to house the GSE department or host classes. Not wanting to put in the money to make the repairs to meet inspections, Hogan moved the GSE department back to South Campus in 2003 on the fifth floor â–ş See “West Campus,â€? page 6
“First Man� is only second rate Owen Johnson Connector Editor
What is needed to make a great historical drama is either an interesting figure or a fascinating event to focus on. Neil Armstrong is that figure and the space race to the moon is that event, but “First Man� still does not reach the level of greatness that it could have. Following the death of his young daughter, Neil Courtesy of The Ithacan
â–ş See “Ballot,â€? page 3
Sections News.............................3 Campus Life.................. 6 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 8 “First Man� is based around the story of Neil Armstrong.
Courtesy(Ryan of Alternative Press Armstrong Gosling) is recruited into NASA’s program to reach the moon. As he is doing this, he grapples with the loss of his daughter and the rest of his personal life. “First Man� was directed by Damien Chazelle, who has also directed such standout films as 2014’s “Whiplash� and 2017’s “La La Land.� Based on his pre-existing work, “First Man� is a letdown. Chazelle’s other films had a certain kind of engaging energy that this one does not have, and it honestly feels like a movie made by someone else. That is not to say there is anything wrong with the directing in the movie; it and all of the technical aspects are the best stuff about the movie. It just does not feel like his work, and that is a disappointment. Perhaps a movie about the Apollo 11 mission and Neil Armstrong’s life is not as fitting to have an energetic directing style the way two musicals are, but there could at least be something engaging about the movie. It focuses on both Armstrong’s life and the NASA mission, but does not focus on or develop either storyline enough to make it interesting. Armstrong is a blank slate of a character who has no discernible personality traits and faux depth. To play
â–ş See “First Man,â€? page 4
October 30, 2018
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 3
Getting Ahead
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
My Way
Winter 2018-2019 Intersession Courses Dec. 26 - Jan. 21 Choose from 27 online undergraduate courses.
$1,125 per course
framingham.edu
Register now at framingham.edu/winter or call 508-626-4755.
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR
EDITORIAL BOARD TAYLOR CARITO Editor-In-Chief
HANNAH MANNING Editor-In-Chief
ANDREW SCIASCIA Managing Editor AARON ROBINSON ANDRE RAGEL Copy Editor News Editor CHRISTINA LADEROUTE Web Manager JASON OUNPRASEUTH Sports Editor OPEN Social Media Managers CONOR DAWSON Campus Life Editor MATT DWYER Photo Editor OWEN JOHNSON Arts & Entertainment Editor ALECIA CONNOLLY Graphic Designer OPEN Comics Editor OPEN Advertising Manager OPEN Multimedia Director OPEN Distribution Manager JONATHAN SILVERMAN Advisor
Publication: Media Mate LLC Staff 43671 Job# MARCOS AGUILAR BRIGID ARCHIBALD Mechanical: mbb SERENA ARORA PATRICK CONNELL VERNON GIBBS ANDREW HAVERTY NISA HOLLEY
IO#: 43671-43671-3 JESSICA KERGO
TROY LAFOND CHRISTOPHER ROMANO ERIC SMITH DORIAN TAYLOR
Size: 10.25" x 8" Proofreader:
Notes: grsc
Screen:
October 30, 2018
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 3
NEWS
Op-250 scores million-dollar DOJ grant for cyber security education Andrew Sciascia Connector Editor
Acclaimed across the northeast as a top-of-the-line engineering and nursing school, one would never think that UMass Lowell might also be at the forefront of the nation-wide effort to combat risky online decision making and extremist grooming of American youth through the development educational programming. But a million-dollar research grant from the US Department of Justice recently secured by the educational notfor-profit organization Operation250 would argue quite the opposite. The brain-child of UMass Lowell students and faculty in the Center for Terrorism and Security Studies, Operation250, otherwise known as Op250, was named for the 250 American citizens believed to have been recruited to leave the US and join forces with ISIS at the time of the non-profit’s creation. “The goal was to stop ISIS from recruiting the next 250,” Tyler Cote, co-founder of Op250, told the Boston Herald last week. Op250’s ongoing mission, as described by the Director of the Center for Terrorism and Security Studies and associate professor Neil Shortland, is to develop an engaging and interactive curriculum centered around educating about “online safety and risky decision making” as well as avoiding cyber-grooming conducted by deviants and extremists who prey on “early to late teen audiences.” Op250’s educational model, consisting of 11 key touchpoints, is designed to take high-risk youth, or youths engaging in risky decision making online, and guide them toward more pro-social and safe behaviors on the internet. The curriculum can also be struc-
tured and directed toward parents and educators to make them aware of the strategies of online groomers and the warning signs at-risk youth may display during the grooming process. “The study of all this is just so new, and there’s this massive learning curve across the nation with how we combat extremism. We’re trying to be a part of the nationwide learning curve surrounding this topic with our grant. We just want to make that contribution to the field,” said Cote. The hefty grant the DOJ will grant will allow Op250 to, in cooperation with Harvard and Georgia State University, develop a research experiment to assess the outcomes of the Operation250 curriculum on at-risk youth. Currently in the early stages of development between Harvard and UMass Lowell is the randomized control trial that will be the focal point of the research and aid in determining the substantive impact of the Op250 curriculum on at-risk youth. “You look at how much these students have changed since their initial screening and assess the difference,” said Shortland. “In theory, the students who went through Op250 should show a significant change and be more safe than before; as well as more safe than the students in the control group.” Op250 has not always, however, been a stand-alone non-profit in the spotlight of the national discussion surrounding online safety and extremism. The organization initially formed under the tutelage of Professor Shortland, tasked to create a “counter-violent-extremism platform on the internet” for the National Institute of Justice and Edventure Partner’s “Peer to Peer: Countering Extremism (P2P)” student innovation competi-
Photo Courtesy of Neil Shortland
Operation 250 team members include, from left, Asst. Prof. Neil Shortland, director of the Center for Terrorism and Security Studies; UMass Lowell graduates Jaime Keenan and Danielle Thibodeau student Nicolette San Clemente and graduates Jonas
tion. The UMass Lowell internship team hit their stride in the second semester working toward this goal, and Op250 placed third nationally with their model. Further bettering their product, Op250 would go on to win UMass Lowell’s DifferenceMaker competition in the spring of 2017. The passion of the team to continue bettering and individualizing the model is likely what has made Op250 successful so early on. For Tyler Cote, it’s all an important part of adding to an integrated and optimized multipronged approach to combatting the impact of extremism. “The issue with countering terrorism is that most people don’t know of any other ways to counter it than boots on the ground or dropping warheads. What we’re seeing is it’s going to become a sort of combined effort between the boots on the ground and programs like ours… With all the parts in motion to the right degree, I think we’re going to start seeing a change in the way we counter extremism,” said Cote.
Riverhawks weigh in on election ballot questions ► Continued from front page
and the effect date are not long enough to train new staff that will be hired to comply with the law, according to Berenson. For Junior nursing major, Kelsey Hammond, the benefits that the patient limits will have on nurse stress levels far outweigh any consequences. “I went into nursing because I wanted to help people and I think passing question one will help increase patient safety and decrease nurse burnout and stress levels. Hammond is aware that this law would force hospitals to spend money hiring new staff. “Hospital executives have been kind of caught up in their own greed and they know they’re going to lose money” she said. “They’re going to have to hire more nurses and that’s the point.” The second ballot initiative would establish a 15-member commission on limiting election spending and corporate rights. The committee would consider and recommend potential amendments to the United States constitution to establish that corporations do not have the same rights as individuals and that campaign contributions and expenditures from corporations should be regulated. The committee would be required to create a report by December 31st 2019, that analyzes the state of corporate and other entities’ political spending within the state.
The governor, secretary of the commonwealth, state attorney general, speaker of the house and senate president would each appoint three members to the commission. Any Massachusetts resident who is also a United States citizen can apply to be appointed. Coordinator of Community and Government relations and adjunct professor in the political science department, Christopher Wilkinson, is very much in favor of question two. “The current state of campaign finance should embarrass and disgust voters” Wilkinson says. “Without financial contribution limits on these groups, we’ll see political dynasties rooted in corporate and moneyed interests.” Wilkinson’s support for the commission stems from his firm disagreement with the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court case which ruled that restrictions on corporate expenditures in elections violate freedom of speech. The commission would essentially be aiming to overturn this decision. I believe this was a major step in the wrong direction and the only way to correct this is an amendment to the US Constitution” he said. Sophomore economics major and WUML intern for the Thursday Morning Drive By, Jonathan Meister, agrees that the Supreme Court decision should be overruled. “It would get money out of politics,” he says.
Should the research funded by the DOJ grant affirm Op250’s educational model, Shortland and Cote believe the sky is the limit. Their ambitious glances five to ten years into the future see a multinational network of educators facilitating the development of Op250 in their respective school systems to make the world a safer place. With any luck, Op250 may just put UMass Lowell on the map in yet another growing academic field: that cyber-security and combatting extremist grooming nationwide. Shortland believes the implications are even larger, indicating that Op250 could be not only a model for how the US and other nations could combat extremism through educational means but also an example of the amazing progress that can be made through the funding of student ideas, research and businesses. “If you just take an 18-year-old and you let them build something – within a year they build something superb you never would have thought of. For me it’s a lesson in trusting our students with solutions,” said Shortland.
However, Meister does not believe that the establishment of a commission is the correct way to go about doing so. “A constitutional amendment is extremely hard to get put in place and would seem like a waste of resources,” he says. The third and final ballot question is a referendum on a current Massachusetts law that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in public places. The law requires that, in places with separate areas of use for males and females, such as bathrooms and changing rooms, individuals be allowed to choose which area is consistent with their identity. A yes vote keeps the current law the same while a no vote would repeal the provision. The law also directs the state Attorney General to issue regulations on legal action against anyone who falsely asserts a specific gender identity for inappropriate purposes. Associate Director of Residence Life and CoChair of the LGBTQ Resources division of student affairs, Marshall Greenleaf, says that the division wants students to be aware of all aspects of the proposed law and its implications. “We want people to understand what the law is and what the issue is so that folks can make informed decisions,” he says. “We want all members of our community to feel safe and included and like who they are is important.”
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 4
October 30, 2018
October 30, 2018
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” is crazy underrated
‘First Man’ barely makes its landing
Troy Lafond
►Continued from front this character, Ryan Gosling just keeps a stoic expression through the whole film. In all fairness to Gosling, though, he has a surprising amount of range as an actor and the failure is more likely on the paper-thin interpretation of Armstrong and not on him. It makes sense why the NASA storyline is not as important to the movie because the focus is supposed to be Armstrong with the NASA mission acting as a backdrop for him. Since Armstrong is not interesting, though, this backdrop is where the audience will search for something else to be invested in, and it will also give them nothing to work with. The focus on this element is brief and the timeline jumps around too much for the audience to get much out of it. When it comes to historical dramas, it is not unusual for the timeline to jump between events to
keep things moving. A good example of this is David Fincher’s film “Zodiac” about the Zodiac killings that rocked California in the late 1960’s. What Courtesy of Universal Pictures
“First Man” has made $60 million at the box office.
separates the two is that “Zodiac” developed the story and characters so that the audience could witness how the events developed and the characters
changed as a result. In the case of “First Man,” the jumps in time hinder development of anything and just act to show the most notable events that transpired during the Apollo 11 assignment. What is impressive about “First Man,” though, are the technical aspects and the visuals. The sound design is fantastic, the look of the props is wonderful and there are some beautiful camera shots, especially when Armstrong finally reaches the moon, littered throughout. All of these details are nice, but they are not capable of lifting the lackluster elements up, and no amount of gorgeous cinematography is a worthy or satisfying climax to a two hour film with very little going for it. “First Man” is a technical marvel with great sound design and imagery, but the lackluster portrayal of Armstrong and the weak story causes the movie to fizzle in the atmosphere as it shoots for the moon. Final Grade: C+
Charles Hayden Planetarium stages virtual music series Ben Wharram Connector Contributor
On any given night, the Charles Hayden Planetarium at Boston’s Museum of Science is likely playing host to a space exploration through the Milky Way or a story of constellations and how the world came to be. But on Friday, Nov. 2, the unique theater will set the stage for two thrilling virtual music adventure experiences, playing back to back starting at 7:30 p.m. Leading off the highly anticipated event is The Radiohead Experience followed by The Rihanna Experience at 8:30 p.m. Rarely an opportunity is made available to experience a mainstream artist’s hit music while enveloped in a professional animation and light show. However, since 2016 the planetarium has been featuring these weekend music shows in their schedule, and as a result there is a high de-
mand for the shows of big name artists when they are added into the rotation. This past summer, the planetarium experimented with several music show endeavors and plans to add a few of these shows to their regular selection in the coming weeks. “We tested [the shows] in the summer and we’ve had them on catalog,” said Jason Fletcher, an associate producer at the planetarium. “But every show is a little different. Even those who might have seen the show of an artist before would notice some changes.” Fletcher says this is because each show is like a performance, with new clips being added regularly and a team of professional animators queuing lights and images according to the setlist. Staff members say there has been plenty of excitement circulating around the museum for some time now, and for good reason. “We are
gearing up for a whole bunch of really great events happening throughout the [fall],” said Carrie Nash, manager of media and public relations. “The music shows are a perfect example of the innovative thinking that is behind the museum’s approach.” While the masterminds behind the planetarium magic are somewhat limited to what music they can choose from, most of the graphics are made in-house by a team of skilled animators, according to Fletcher. These graphics are made in coordination with the set-list being played through the planetarium’s powerful acoustic layout. “It’s a lot of intensity for the music shows,” Fletcher said. From the consumer’s standpoint, the museum offers not only a variety of modern science exhibits, but also a source of wholesome entertainment for a wide range of audiences. “I think they’ve done a great job keeping
new shows running all the time,” said Samantha Robitaille, a cashier at the museum gift shop. She said tickets are selling quickly. “I saw the Beyoncé [show] when it first came out and I like can’t wait to see [the Rihanna Experience],” said Robitaille. Along with their dedication to hosting a variety of fun and entertainment, the Museum of Science is also offering a student-friendly admission fee to the planetarium at just $10 per show. “It shows our commitment to keeping young minds interested in science,” Nash said. Fletcher said that the museum focuses on youth involvement in the science community. “We definitely pay close attention to the interests of the college and young adult age groups,” said Fletcher. “So we hope there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”
Check out Wilderado as a favor to them Christina Laderoute Connector Staff
Just four dudes. That’s how the Los Angeles based band, Wilderado, describe themselves. Named after a small town in Texas, Wilderado radiates an eclectic energy, and they have got the sound to hold up to their presence. Classifying themselves as alternative rock and roll and having been compared to Kings of Leon by Sound of Boston, Wilderado’s music definitely fits the bill to be an up and coming group to watch. “Two of us grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and two grew up in Texas, and we all met up in [Los Angeles]. I was in love with their two voices and then the drummer came and we wanted to start a band that was about singing songs together and not so much being excellent musicians all playing the same tune, not different parts,” said front-man Maxim Helmerich. Originally named Bird Dog (changed due to copyright reasons), the alternative rock-and-roll band has spent the last two years touring, “Pretty relent-
lessly,” said Helmerich. Having toured with artists such as Ryan Bingham, The Wild Feathers, James Town Revival, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, Blossoms and now currently on tour with Sure Sure, Wilderado certainly has a lot of experience under their belt. Although only being active for two years, the Oklahoma and Texas natives just recently played at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas. Their newly released exclusive preview, “Favors,” features their new single, “Sorrow.” With coffee-house vibes, the melody tends to hang around in the back of one’s head, leaving them wanting more. The EP does not disappoint. It includes three other mystifyingly beautiful tunes called “You Don’t Love Me,” “Siren,” and the title track “Favors.” If he could duet with anyone dead or alive, Helmerich instantly stated “Miley Cyrus.” His reasoning? “I love her voice, and I think our voices would sound good together. I love the way she sings and the amount of twang in her voice and how low
Page 5
and round it is.” Let us cross our fingers and keep an eye out for a Wilderado and Miley Cyrus collaboration in 2019. Speaking of new music, Wilderado expects to have a new release in the Spring of 2019. They do not know exactly what it will be, only that there will be new music coming out. People should stay tuned, keep their ears peeled and go listen to Wilderado’s new EP, “Favors,” on Spotify.
Online Exclusive: Christina Laderoute’s photos from Wilderado’s concert at umlconnector.com
Connector Staff
On October 12, 2015, The CW premiered the first episode of their new romantic musical comedy, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” By the end of its first season, it was the least watched show not only on the channel, but on the entirety of broadcast television. Despite this, it was nominated for, and went on to win, multiple Emmy Awards for editing and choreography as well as a Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy series. Hoping that these awards would turn the fate for the series, the show was renewed for a second season despite its lack of success. Season two only slipped further, remaining the least watched show on broadcast television. However, it defied the odds and was renewed for a third season, and then a fourth, which just began a few weeks ago. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” follows the life of Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom), a lawyer at a major firm in New York who suddenly decides to uproot her life and move to California after running into a summer camp crush from 10 years ago in an attempt to win him over. With this title and premise, it is not particularly hard to begin to understand this show’s initial lack of success. It sounds incredibly generic and fluffy, like a soap opera from past eras. In promoting the show,
however, the show runner’s held their cards close, hiding what it was truly about. Upon moving to California, Rebecca Bunch begins to lie, manipulate and do basically anything to win over her love, Josh Chan (Vincent
time, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” changed from the most generic-premised show imaginable to an essential story that is not being told anywhere else on television. Often times, when shows depict mental illness, it is done discreetly or
Courtesy of CBS Television Distribution
Season four of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” will be the last season of the show.
Rodriguez III). In doing so, the show begins to reveal the actual premise. As is referenced near the end of the third season, the show never really is about Josh Chan. In reality, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” is about Rebecca’s multiple mental illnesses and how she attempts to live with them. This is a slow reveal as the series goes along, but an extremely satisfying one to witness. Over a very short amount of
in side plots. Not many shows take a head-on approach with its main character as a running theme throughout the series like “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” does. Additionally, many shows tend to skirt around the heavier aspects or handle them distastefully, especially in regards to suicide or suicide attempts, but this show covers all of its bases in both addressing these topics in a realistic way and properly addressing all
of the fallouts. Rebecca does not just experience these issues in a plot line that is wrapped up neatly by the end of the 45 minutes; she constantly has plot lines that deal with her therapy, medication and her family’s responses. Now, when reading about a show that sounds this blatantly heavy, it may come as surprising to some that it is also a musical. However, this is not a musical in the traditional sense, where characters are springing to song and dance every other second as a way to progress the plot. There are usually about two to four songs of a length around three minutes that traditionally serve as a punchline. Even for someone who does not inherently like musicals, there is something to love for anyone who enjoys musical punchlines. Many of these songs also tend to highly satirize the characters’ actions or current situations, serving those who appreciate meta jokes especially well. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” is a mustwatch television show for a variety of reasons. It is hilarious, heartbreaking, satirical, insightful and just about everything that a viewer could want in a television show. The fact that it has managed to fly so far under the radar on the television landscape is, while understandable, extremely disappointing.
‘Manifest’ review: It is just plane good Taylor Carito Connector Editor
Do people who fear of flying ever think about the possibility of having really bad turbulence and landing five years after they took off ? Well, maybe they will start thanks to “Manifest.” An interesting premise combining planes, trains and automobiles, “Manifest” is a supernatural drama that centers around the survivors of this outright bizarre tragedy. Premiering Sept. 24 on NBC, “Manifest” has five episodes released and has received a lot of confusing, lauding and interesting remarks since its start. The main character, Michaela Stone (Melissa Roxburgh), steps off the plane to find her fiancé married to her best friend, her mother passed away from cancer and herself not aged a day. She was accompanied on this plane by her brother and nephew, who also have not aged. The readjustment into 2018 after leaving in 2013 is a rough one. Many of the passengers no longer have jobs or homes, and people who collected life insurance policies now owe the money back – even though it is highly unlikely the companies had a clause for people who disappeared on airplanes for half a decade. And to make the show even more thought provoking, the passengers start hearing voices and seeing angels that are connecting them together. Stone’s nephew, Cal (Jack Messina), appears to be a focal point for the series so far, and it will be interesting to see how he ties in. Cal, at the time the plane took off, had advanced leukemia and would probably not have survived to 2018 with the treatments that were available. The plane incident actu-
ally saved his life because a fellow passenger was a doctor doing leukemia research and helped him get this new treatment. What a coincidence. What the doctor found while treating Cal only adds to the mystery of flight 828. In both his and her blood, there was a protein that is only found in a person who has had a fatal stroke. Wasn’t there another show where everyone got on an airplane and Courtesy of Compari Entertainment
The first season will have sixteen episodes.
apparently died and it took viewers years to figure it out? It is shocking how many parallels the show shares with “Lost,” and it will be interesting to see how they will overlap in episodes to come. This is
not to mention the religious ties that both shows seem to have. Still so many unanswered questions about the plot as a whole, there are a lot of character development questions that still need some big answers as well. Stone’s brother, Ben (Josh Dallas), came back to a wife and daughter who had moved on and had a new man in their lives, only to be ripped out of the picture as soon as 828 touched the ground. Tensions are thick between many characters who are very conflicted and confused by their new lives, and they don’t understand what happened to them. The government thinks it is a national security issue, but it appears to have more to do with the individuals than the country as a whole. Another peculiar twist in this show is that the plane blows itself up in the earlier episodes. Something beckons a selected 20 survivors to the airport, only to watch it explode before their eyes. Someone or something did not like the government searching for answers, and the survivors seem like pawns to something far greater. The show could be described in many words, but one that keeps it as vague as its plot is “interesting.” It is compelling, the acting is good overall, and the plot leaves questions that make the audience want to stay until the end. “Manifest” is surely going to be taking a lot more twists and turns as the season progresses, and how they are executed will definitely make or break this show for a second season if the questions people have are not soon answered and some minor plots do not come together. “Manifest” airs on Monday nights at 10 p.m. on NBC. Final Grade: B+
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 6
October 30, 2018
CAMPUS LIFE
The turbulent history of UMass Lowell’s forgotten campus ►Continued from front page
of O’Leary Library, although this was only supposed to be a temporary stay. In 2013, Read Hall caught on fire and as a result, the building was demolished. In response to the fire, Massachusetts Senator Michael Barrett drafted a bond, which became a bill in 2014, to fund the demolition of the rest of the campus, but the buildings have remained untouched to this day. After the fire in 2013, speculation among students ran wild. Many theorized that the fire was the juvenile boys ghosts again, trying to burn down the campus one building at a time. Since the fire in 2013, UMass Lowell has added a “No Trespassing” sign to the outside of the entrance to the campus and refuses to talk about it, which has led to many break-ins to the campus. Since the move of the GSE from West to South was so sudden, many of the classrooms remained untouched, and a majority of the rooms that were not used by UMass Lowell are filled with children’s toys and games, which means the rooms used for teaching during the truancy school days were also left untouched. The Campus itself is remarkable. The long driveway past the chained off “No Trespassing” sign stretches around most of the campus, and the tall trees around the campus provide a good amount of shade. The grass
has been unkempt, growing to knee length and many weeds protrude from the ground. Tons of bushes of thorns are also scattered around the campus intermittently, some so thick that nobody can see where they end, or where they go to. Many students who have entered the campus say they thought they saw eyes stare at them through the bushes, and some have even heard growls and snarls. West Campus is a bit of a maze. The layout between the buildings is quite cyclical, but buildings themselves were cornered into this circular landscape by the trees that encompass them. The buildings are in total shambles. Broken glass is scattered across the staircases to enter the buildings, and there are boarded up windows with slits just big enough for eyes to look out, but not in. On top of each building are security cameras that were put up there by Wang Laboratories, and there is much debate on if the cameras even work. Renee Mallet, author of “Haunted Colleges and the Universities of Massachusetts” believes that the stories she has heard from UMass Lowell’s West Campus are by far the most horrifying in New England. “People told stories about getting lost inside, and not being able to find their way out,” Mallet said. “They had feelings of being followed, and elec-
tronic devices suddenly didn’t work.” Richardson Hall is most associated with the creepiness. The building that caught fire in the 1980’s houses most of the unique stories that come from those who break into the building. Michael Everett, a Chelmsford resident who has lived on Princeton Boulevard for over 50 years, said that he’s seen many enter the campus only to sprint out screaming a little while later. “One of the best ones was this group of high schoolers that banged on my door a couple years ago,” Everett said. “One of them said he felt a hand on his shoulder, like a kid’s hand. The second one said he got lost in a room because the door disappeared on him and he heard a little boy giggling. The last one didn’t talk at all. White as a ghost! Maybe he saw one. Or a few.” Others who explored the campus have said they couldn’t even go inside because of the things they heard and saw outside of Richardson Hall. “There’s this huge plank, maybe about five feet high,” said Brittany, a UMass Lowell alumna. “Since all of the entrances are boarded up and blocked off with police tape, we thought it was a dead end, there was no way in. But you can move the plank.” The plank, spray painted with the words “Hear No Evil,” is placed against the building in a seemingly in-
auspicious way. However, if the plank is moved, an entrance about one foot wide and one foot tall is revealed, with the words “Do Not Enter” spray painted on the brick in small font above it. The only way in is to crawl through. Once in, many intruders are greeted with stuffed animals strewn across the floors, ripped up bible passages and test papers, and more graffiti. Phrases like “I Don’t Belong Here,” “Be Happy, Be Dead Like Us!” and “Wanna Play Hide N Seek? We’ll Find You!” are written on the walls, on chalkboards, and carved into the desks. Cell service goes down the further you travel. Some doors are locked, and some doors aren’t. The doors that are locked allegedly reverberate more loudly than the other ones, and some have said they’ve heard the lighting of matches and the temperature rising. Sofas and pieces from sinks are placed on the floors of stairs. “I swear I heard a little boy yell my name in one of those classrooms,” Brittany said. “And as soon as I felt something on my shoulder, I bolted out of there. There is absolutely no way I would ever go back to that place. It’s terrifying.” Disclaimer: Please do not trespass onto this private property without proper permission from the owner. Trespassing is illegal.
Speedway closed: where to get gas? Aaron Robinson Connector Editor
It was always there… until it wasn’t. The Speedway gas station located on South Campus has been closed for most of the semester, and many commuters are asking “What am I supposed to do now?” 68% of UMass Lowell students commute each day and the Speedway located on the corner of Wilder and Pawtucket was the most frequented gas station by South Campus commuters, yet it closed down unexpectedly for assumed renovations. When asked if the closure of the gas station was affiliated in any way with the city, Lowell City Manager Eileen Donoghue and Lowell Mayor William Samaras could not be reached for comment. In the meanwhile, where will commuters get their gas or chow down on wonderfully delicious and cheap junk food? Thankfully, Lowell is home to more than one gas station. For most South Campus commuters, the closest gas station would be the Mobil that is located on Middlesex street about half a mile from South Campus. However, most students might prefer to head to another gas station as Mobil tends to be more expensive than most other brands of gas ($2.94 at the time of this writing). Plus, the snack choices do seem a bit lax. Tristyn Mitchell, a senior studying Legal Studies, said “They have the worst snacks. I bought a bag of off brand chips the other day and they were expired. They had maybe five different things to choose from and the drinks were wicked expensive.” For those students who are open to traveling a bit further from South Campus to save an extra ten cents per gallon, Haffner’s gas stations in downtown
Lowell offer $2.80 per gallon. These gas stations, located on Dutton street and Appleton street, have limited pumps (about three) and are also in highly condensed and trafficked areas, which could make a trip a few minutes longer than it should take. What about students who live in the Centralville or Pawtucketville? And the North Campus students? The Gulf station located on Lakeview avenue is the cheapest gas station in the city, a gallon goes for a measly $2.76. This station only has four pumps, and the inside service can be slow, but it seems to be a popular choice for most students. This gas station also sells instant-coffee, which the owner, Shiv Patel, says is a “top seller.” Some students have decided to stop driving altogether in response to the Speedway closing. Anthony Diaz, a Public Health major, said that he’s walking to class each day from his apartment on Shawmut avenue because of the lack of quality gas stations across the city. “It’s gotten crazy expensive to drive to school every day,” Diaz said. “I’ve got to be putting in at least $40 a week for gas because I’ve had to drive further and pay more depending on where I go. I’m at least lucky enough to be able to walk to school; I know others don’t have any other choice.” Indeed, most of UMass Lowell’s commuters are from outside the city. Sophomore Joshua Quentin, a Theater Arts major who lives in Townsend, says he’s taken up carpooling with other students who live near him. “It’s just one of those things that you don’t really think about until you’re nearly out,” Quentin said. “I’ve got a longer commute, and by the time I arrive [in Lowell], I’ve used a significant amount of
gas. And now that the Speedway is down, I’ve got to find another [gas station] in this city? I get lost all the time and waste even more [gas]. It’s much easier to hitch a ride with a friend and pitch in some dough.” Yet even though the usually dependent Speedway will be closed for the foreseeable future, students like Quentin see it as a blessing in disguise. “I think it’s a better situation than people think,” he said. “It’s forcing students to explore the city a little bit and not just relegate them to a small section of the city. Lowell has a lot to offer, and students can see more of the city even if they are only going to get something trivial, like gas.”
QUOTH THE RIVERHAWKS [Sing-song voice] “Shout out to string-chesse.”
I hate myself, but it has nothing to do with being Jewish. – Fox Dining Hall
– O’Leary Second Floor
Student 1- Where is the good food at? Student 2- Not here… – Fox Dinning Hall
Every Night is like our own personal rave... Except the music and lights suck. – Fox Hall Fire alarm #2
October 30, 2018
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 7
SPORTS
Lethargic River Hawks suffer disappointing loss against Northeastern Hawks were a nonfactor against the Huskies. Connector Editor Sodergren’s goal, which bounced The UMass Lowell River Hawks up and behind the pads of standout put the Tsongas Center to sleep with Northeastern sophomore goaltenan uninspiring effort against the der Cayden Primeau, imbued a brief Northeastern Huskies on Friday, Oct. sense of life and enjoyment into the 26. After 60 minutes of mostly uneven crowd at the Tsongas Center. play on the part of UMass Lowell, 26 seconds later, the audience their first Hockey East matchup of would fall silent again as Northeastthe year ended in a bitter 4-1 loss that ern packed away a top shelf goal over only a fraction of the crowd remained the shoulder of River Hawks’ junior to see to its dying second. goaltender Tyler Matt Dwyer/Connector Wall. Just as quickly as life and fire had come, it was lost. The River Hawks then dawdled around the neutral zone, tailing the Huskies more than playing against them. UMass Lowell was outplayed by Northeastern’s deUML will look to rebound in their double-header vs. Maine fensive savvy and aggressive offensive pressure throughout “We made a little push in the third, the first and second periods. Where but it certainly wasn’t enough,” said UMass Lowell dallied, Northeastern Head Coach Norm Bazin. “We need attacked. Where the River Hawks to play better.” passed, the Huskies shot. Besides some flashy plays and an “We need to generate more ofelectrifying goal from sophomore fense,” Bazin said. “You can talk forward Connor Sodergren midway about offense all you want but I through the third period, the River thought [Primeau] saw the puck way Hannah Manning
too much. Nobody’s in front [of the net]. We made it too easy… we need to be tougher to play against.” The second period was emblematic of the River Hawks’ offensive and defensive woes. During a sequence late in the period where the River Hawks were awarded two straight power plays on a gilded platter, the River Hawks hesitated where they should have struck. They allowed Northeastern to clear the puck several times and even had a shorthanded chance. Wall was the River Hawks’ saving grace. Coming off a solid junior year start that now stands at 2-2, Wall kept his head among immense pressure from Northeastern attacks. He made 23 saves behind a team that did little to help him. Bazin spoke warmly of Wall’s effort, calling it one of the “positives” of the night. “I think both goaltenders played very well,” said Bazin. “I thought our penalty kill was 100 percent. From that standpoint, that’s a positive. Tyler was a positive… I think Tyler continues to have a rebound year.” Beyond that, however, there was much that the River Hawks needed to improve. Northeastern’s senior forward Patrick Schule opened the scoring at 6:54 in the first period with a sneaky wraparound goal that just eked be-
hind Wall. The defense around Wall did not make an impact throughout the night, and they certainly did little to make themselves known threats to Northeastern’s offense on that goal. Much of the first period consisted of back and forth play between UMass Lowell and Northeastern. Although UMass Lowell gained higher possession times as the period went on, they had a difficult time keeping the puck away from the Huskies’ clever stickwork. Perhaps what might have stung the most in messy game by the River Hawks was how quickly they gave up after Northeastern’s third goal. Northeastern’s final goal, an empty netter scored with just under three minutes remaining in regulation, signaled the end of the game for not only the dejected fanbase but for the team. The numbers and individual results of a hockey game hardly mean anything. Hockey is a game of constant chances, wherein bounces can go one way or another. An individual loss, especially one that comes so early in the season, is a nonfactor at the end of the season. “Regardless of the final score, it’s one game,” Bazin said. “You move forward. It’s the first game of Hockey East. We’re gonna work on some things.”
River Hawks triumph over UVM in nail-biting America East Quarterfinal Andrew J Sciascia Connector Editor
Fans were on the edge of their seats Thursday night at Cushing Field as the women’s soccer team climbed to victory over the Vermont Catamounts in penalty kicks for a 0-0 (4-3 PKs) America East Quarterfinal result. “It was a long day. A long game. The team was so excited to be in this game. It was evident from the first minute – they got after it. They were hungry to score. They wanted to win it,” said UMass Lowell head coach Mira Novak. UMass Lowell labored through a whirlwind October to close out the 2018 regular season for a chance at the America East Championship. The River Hawks clinched their first America East playoff bid in program history. Their stellar late-season performance resulted in a 6-8-4 record in the regular season and brought them to a strong 4-3-1 conference record. Thursday’s game may have appeared close on the scoreboard, but the River Hawks’
veterans and freshman alike contributed to a clinical performance. UMass Lowell controlled possession for the majority of the 90-plus minute overtime nail biter and dominated shot attempts by a jarring 35-3 margin when all was said and done. “I was really proud of the team and how they responded. It was just a different energy about the team today. They didn’t want to waste a shot, and I don’t think they did,” said Novak. Yet, for their efforts, UMass Lowell could not find the back of the net in regulation. Copious scoring opportunities for the River Hawks seemed destined for the crossbar. Of 18 shots in the second half, many found the pipes; among the players denied by the posts were senior captains Katelyn Vieira and Rachel Morrier. Regardless of aid from the posts, both goalkeepers appeared phenomenal with breath-taking saves at key moments. Despite making only three starts on the year, Catamount
freshman goalkeeper Lydia Kessel kept Vermont in contention with 14 saves on the night – just three less than her regular season save total of 17 – and keeping the River Hawks off the board in regulation and two overtimes. “Julia just turns into a different player when it comes to high-pressure situations. She showed that today,” said Novak. UMass Lowell senior goalkeeper Julia Schneider made the save of the game redirecting the shot of Catamount senior midfielder Savana Yurick into the post to give the River Hawks a chance to walk away with the quarterfinal match in penalty kicks. All of UMass Lowell’s shooters found the back of the net in penalties, and among them were sophomore midfielder Kristin Birgisdottir, freshman defender Dunja Mostarac, Vieira and freshman midfielder Kristina Bartsch. UMass Lowell had to battle through a tougher look from UVM in the second half of regulation to push things into
overtime and win in penalties. Following a lackluster start, the Catamounts came out of intermission at full speed. They possessed the ball for several of the opening minutes and managed two shots on net. “For [UVM] after that first half they really had to do something. They came out really strong in the second. I give them credit for changing a few things and trying to catch us,” said Novak. The Catamounts’ renewed vigor resulted in a scrappy closing act, but the officials kept the whistles in their pockets for the late part in the quarterfinal matchup. Morrier was met head on with the aggressive Catamounts style of play. Often double or triple teamed, she was brought down in the 82nd minute with an injury to her left leg. Morrier, who lead the team with 10 goals and 26 points in the regular season scorer, was aided off the field in a lengthy injury timeout. The veteran midfielder did return to play still finding herself at the cen-
ter of many offensive efforts. “It’s not all Rachel. It definitely helps, she creates a lot of space and draws a lot of attention. It created space for other players. She was a warrior, and the players just wanted to do it tonight – not just for Rachel but for all the seniors,” said Novak. The River Hawks were quick to rally around their veteran players, introducing an even more aggressive offensive style in the closing 28 minutes of play. Coach Novak did indicate that despite their inability to find the back of the net and end things in regulation, he was incredibly proud of the team’s responsiveness, grit and overall performance on the night. Novak felt the young River Hawks team learned a lot from a hard-won victory in their first ever Division 1 playoff match, and they will look to build on their success as they move forward in the America East Tournament.
October 30, 2018
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
SPORTS
Page 8