The Connector - December 4, 2018

Wellness Center struggling to meet students’ needs ► Page 3

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

December 4, 2018

Men’s basketball defeats NJIT in first Tsongas game of the season

In This Issue “Ralph� breaks the

editors

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Marcos Aguilar Connector Staff

Problems with parking at UMass Lowell

The UMass Lowell men’s basketball team (55) won their debut game at the Tsongas Center on Saturday defeating the

â–ş Page 6

Too many retired

numbers

visiting New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders (7-2) with a final score of 94-71. Redshirt junior guard Christian Lutete led all scorers with a team and season high

of 28 points and nine rebounds. “Obviously pleased with the win, the team effort [and] the defense we played, we took a step forward today,� said head

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Final River Hawk Scores Team

Score

M. Hockey at RPI

W 5-2 7-6-1

Overall Record

M. Basketball at UConn

L 97-75

W. Basketball at LIU Brooklyn

W 69-64 3-4

M. Basketball vs. NJIT

W 94-71

4-5

5-5

How to navigate snowy roads Aaron Robinson and Conor Dawson Connector Editors

As the holiday season approaches, the bad weather comes with it. Once the first snowfall touches ground, most drivers become abhorrent on the roads. Why is this? Most people from the New England area have lived here for most of their lives, so snow and ice on the ground shouldn’t have as much of an effect as it does.

On average, about 800 fatalities are reported each year due to freezing rain, sleet or ice, according to an analysis of transportation data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Auto Insurance Center.

Of these crashes, Massachusetts ranks in the top 10 states of fatal accidents every winter. “I think that one of the reasons [driving in the snow and ice] is so bad is because we weren’t taught about it in Driver’s Ed,� said Danni Warren, a senior Electrical Engineering major.

Warren’s experiences in driving school were echoed by many students, all of whom wondered why driving schools either gloss over or ignore winter driving altogether. “Driver’s Ed is expensive,� said Kasey McDonald, a junior Philosophy major. “It was

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

Junior guard Christian Lutete had 28 points against NJIT on Saturday.

â–ş See “Men’s basketball,â€? page 8

Stephen Hillenburg: A tribute to a legend Jess Kergo Connector Staff

Stephen Hillenburg, creator of the highly acclaimed children’s an-

imated television series “Spongebob Squarepants,� passed away at the age of 57 last Monday, Nov. 26. The cause of his death was a neurodegenerative disease known

â–ş See “Driving tips,â€? page 6

Sections News.............................3 Campus Life.................. 6 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 7

coach Pat Duquette. “A moment we can feel good about ourselves, that’s as good of a win as we’ve had here since I’ve been at UMass Lowell.�

The River Hawks were engaged from the initial whistle with sophomore guard Obadiah Noel coming up with a block on the very first possession. It was a competitive contest to start as the NJIT Highlanders took the lead 13-11. This lead, their only lead the whole game, would only last the visitors 10 seconds as senior co-captain forward Josh Gantz would answer with his own three.

The River Hawks never looked back. “That’s a good NJIT team coming into our building at 7-1. We still have a lot of fresh faces, moving parts, young guys,� said coach

Courtesy of the City of Anaheim

Hillenburg had a creative hand in “Spongebob� and “Rocko’s Modern Life.�

as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Nickelodeon confirmed the news in a tweet sent out the Tuesday following his death. “Steve imbued ‘Spongebob Squarepants’ with a unique sense of humor and innocence that has brought joy to generations of kids and families everywhere,� the network said in a statement. “His utterly original characters and the world of Bikini Bottom will long stand as a reminder of the value of optimism, friendship and the limitless power of imagination.�

Hillenburg’s work as both a television show creator and a marine biology teacher has touched the lives of many with inimitable creativity and whimsy.

Growing up in California, Hillenburg developed a fascination â–ş See “Hillenburg,â€? page 4

December 4, 2018

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OPINIONS & EDITORIALS My experience of “A Conversation With Oprah” Cecilia Idika-Kalu PhD Student

First, I’m grateful for Prof. Dubus who has made it possible for us to share the same space and be inspired directly by Oprah Winfrey. I celebrate what he has done for us all. This is not to mention the scholarships for students, as a beneficiary one can understand my wealth of feelings in this matter.

What a privilege.

Oprah... Professional stage owner, spot-light governor and heart thief... Yes. She walked in to applause and cheers, calmly joked, showed us glimpses from her life’s experience, charmed us for an hour stole our hearts and left us dazed in her wake when the hour was up. An hour never felt shorter since I was born. It felt like fifteen minutes. When she started answering the first question, I quietly let go of my expectations to field mine (number 11), and just focus on understanding the thoughts she was sharing. She seemed meticulous about her expression and very open too (quintessential Oprah style). Her long answers to each question reflected a need to impact us students as much as possible with each opportunity, and I greatly appreciated that. I will share some of the thoughts that will remain with me: 1. I come as one, I stand as Ten Thousand (Maya Angelou)... I represent the stories, dreams, suc-

cesses, concerns and humanity of so many others however I run my own race, incomparable to any one regardless of how similar our paths... I own my voice, it is amplified by the fact that it represents many with similar stories, I just got the opportunity and platform for expression.

2. Nothing works better than thanksgiving ... This is as a continuous, all-day, every day lifestyle, mindset and communication. Be conscious of your blessings, your being, your life and all it encompasses and be thankful for it.

3. Train yourself to be 100% present everywhere you are and with whomever you are...give your total attention and focus to that person, task or thing.

Therein is maximizing ones moments, gain and real giving.

4. Everyone needs a spiritual practice... Meditation, prayer, study.....something that works for you, just find it, commit to it daily and consistently too.

It gives strength, balance and assurance for daily living. Some kind of “centerdness” is enjoyed by this means, regardless of your preoccupation.

5. The Invictus point: I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul... (So I went back to ponder on William Ernest Henley’s Unconquerable Soul). Her point was, as co-creators of our individual destinies and lives, full responsibility is important.

6. My Grandmother, the Lennards, the Baptist

UMass Lowell is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action, Title IX, H/V, ADA 1990 University. This ad was produced at no cost to the Commonwealth.

Church and my foundations of strength from childhood from where i expanded my perception... Her grandmother helped her childhood convictions especially with being grounded in the Baptist church,.

She has expanded on her spirituality and is not religious. The Lennards where the nice white folks her grandma was a maid for, she hoped Oprah will grow to find nice ones like them to work for someday -at the time in Mississippi, it was all a girl like her could hope for.

7. Being Intentional... Do nothing without asking what is my intention, being very clear about why you want to do what you are doing. (Seat of the Soul -Gary Zukav).

The hour was over, when it felt like it just started. The anchor thanked her, representatives from the school gave her an Oprah-inscribed [hockey] jersey, more pictures were taken then she left the room. You could see how powerful the person and presence was in the fact that, even upon exit, no one seemed to want to leave. (This observation made me laugh - like I should ring a loud bell and shout party is over, to make us all snap, get up and go back to where we all came from). It was awesome.

I have a lot to think about and say, but i must stop now. I will be forever grateful for this amazing opportunity.

December 4, 2018

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NEWS

Increased reports of mental health issues spark university response Jess Kergo

Connector Staff

The UMass Lowell Wellness Center is currently struggling to meet all of students’ needs. “I think a lot of what we’re lacking right now is budget resources,” said Jacquie Keeves, a mental health counselor at the UMass Lowell Wellness Center. “There are way more students trying to access services to the point where we can’t keep up and the issues that students are reporting are much more severe.”

Prompted by the aggregate of these stories, the school has been taking strides towards improving resources to address an increasing prevalence of mental health issues throughout the campus, according to students and faculty, including adding more professional counselors and adding peer-topeer counselors as well. But counselors say that more resources are needed to help what seems to be a growing population of help seekers.

“It was really the student body who brought it to our attention,” said Undergraduate President Andre DiFilippo, who has been a member of Student Government Association since his freshman year of college.

He referenced a university wide success survey that took place last fall. In addition to a wide range of success measures, the survey included a wellness component that tried to gauge

students’ feelings surrounding stress, depression and anxiety. DiFilippo said that an unexpectedly high number of students reported feeling lonely and disconnected.

The survey prompted the university to make changes to mental health resources on campus. “We’ve completely changed how we provide counseling services,” Keeves said.

In previous years, students would have to call and make appointments with counselors and have to wait up to four weeks for an appointment.

“Now we have eight, 30-minute triage appointments in a day,” she said.

According to Keeves, the triage appointments allow counselors to give students same day care, instead of having them wait to address mental health issues. Keeves said that what makes UMass Lowell’s approach to mental health issues especially unique to other schools is its inclusion of peer to peer outreach.

Campus Advocates for Prevention Education or CAPE is a peer education group under the Office of Student Affairs made up of student advocates who are trained in discussing topics like suicide and mental illness to spread awareness. The students go through a series of training at the beginning of each semester to equip them to communicate with their peers about mental health, suicide and sex-

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University officials responded to students’ grievances of lacking support and long appointment wait times at the Wellness Center in University Crossing.

ual violence prevention and resources on campus.

CAPE hosts tables, gives classroom and student organization presentations about suicide and sexual violence prevention and educates their peers about bystander intervention.

“There’s a lot of research that shows the effectiveness of peer education,” says Marina Novaes, a senior public health major who has been a member of CAPE for the past six semesters.

There is a special significance to having peer-based resources for students, Novaes said. “Some students feel more comfortable talking to students instead of faculty.”

She also noted the importance of breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health discussions. “The fact that people can see other students care about these topics breaks the stigma that it’s somehow uncool to talk about these topics,” Novaes said According to Novaes, nation-wide reports of suicidal ideation have increased in recent years among college aged students. This, coupled with an increased awareness of counseling services on campus leaves the prevention advocate with concerns over the university’s ability to handle the growing number of students who are opting to seek help for mental health issues.

One way the university is working to address this issue is by making mental health awareness an ongoing effort and not simply an event in the background. “What we’re trying to do is start thinking about this in a wholistic way,” said Nicole Champagne, chair

of the public health department and the person in charge of UMass Lowell’s new mindfulness and wellness initiative.

Champagne thinks that education and outreach surrounding mental health resources needs to be more of a habit and less of an event. To realize this goal, this past summer, the university has partnered with the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit that works to protect emotional health and prevent suicide.

This partnership includes a survey analysis of the students’ mental wellbeing and a self-survey to assess how the school is handling it. Then, the school will work with the Jed foundation to create a strategic plan to address the school’s weaknesses.

Champagne wants to approach the issue from a public health perspective, suggesting that the administration start looking at how they can prevent students from reaching a crisis point and promoting problem solving skills that can help students face their mental health issues.

“These are issues that are so common but sometimes we just don’t feel like we can share that part of what’s going on,” Champagne said.

President DiFilippo said he appreciated Chancellor Maloney and other members of the administration’s willingness to work with students to improve the issues they are experiencing with the University’s resources.

“At other UMass schools, there’s nowhere near the same level of collaboration,” he said.

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December 4, 2018

December 4, 2018

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Stephen Hillenburg leaves behind a legacy of optimism ►Continued from front page with both art and marine life. He was once quoted in the Washington Post describing himself as, “An ocean freak.”

In 1984, he obtained his bachelor’s degree from Humboldt State University in Natural Resource Planning and Interpretation with an emphasis on marine resources.

That same year, Hillenburg began his professional career as a marine instructor at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, California. There, he coupled his love of marine biology and animation by creating stories to help teach his students. Some of these illustrations would later serve as the starting points for many of Hillenburg’s ideas in “Spongebob Squarepants.”

“Everywhere we look we are reminded of Stephen Hilgenberg and the laughter he brought to millions,” the Ocean Institute said in a tribute following his death.

The marine instructor turned cartoonist later pursued an animation career, obtaining his Master of Fine Arts from the California Institute of Arts, according to his IMDb page.

Hillenburg’s work with Nickelodeon began in 1993 when he was asked to write and direct episodes of “Rocko’s Modern Life,” another popular children’s animated series.

Joe Murray, the creator of “Rocko’s Modern

Life,” remembers Hillenburg as, “Always striving for something better, fresher, different,” he said in a Variety article after his coworker’s passing. “He was passionate, brilliant, and tireless.”

When “Rocko’s Modern Life” ended in 1996, Hillenburg began writing, producing and directing the famed “Spongebob Squarepants”.

The cartoon features a fun-loving, intensely optimistic sea sponge along with his various undersea friends including Patrick Star, Spongebob’s dimwitted best friend, and Squidward Tentacles, Spongebob’s grumpy next-door neighbor.

Following the simple, yet pleasantly silly adventures of Spongebob and his friends, the show explores his passion as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, his good-natured love of Jellyfishing and bubbles, his consistent struggles through boating school and more.

Throughout the show, the sponge’s happy-golucky positivity is often seen contrasting a world of apparent cynicism. Hillenburg once said in an interview with the Washington Post that the message of the show is to, “Treat people the way you expect to be treated,” an unstated, yet evident value of the lovable sponge.

Spongebob’s naive innocence and fun-loving spirit has sparked adoration from viewers of all ages for years. The character’s relentless enthusiasm for the simplest of pleasures and childlike approach to everyday emotions and circumstances gives older

viewers a sense of nostalgia for the playful sentiments of childhood while providing younger viewers a character with a care free love of life.

First airing in 1999, the animated series has been a beloved part of childhoods and families for almost twenty years. In addition to being the longest running series the network has ever seen, it is also the only remaining ‘90s series on Nickelodeon currently on the air and in production.

With nearly 250 episodes and two films, the “Spongebob” franchise has been nominated for over 140 awards, including 16 Emmy Award nominations and 17 Annie Award nominations. The show won 73 of its nominations, including 15 Kids Choice Awards and four primetime Emmy Awards.

For his contributions to raising awareness of marine life, Hillenburg was given a Walk the Talk Award in 2001 by Heal the Bay, an environmental advocacy nonprofit.

He was also awarded a special Daytime Emmy Award earlier this year, honoring his, “Contribution and impact made in the animation field and within the broadcast industry,” according to the award show’s Twitter account.

Through his work, Hillenburg shared his love and knowledge of marine life with millions by educating his students and showing his fans the importance of imagination and optimism in a sometimes unpredictable world.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ and the franchise Owen Johnson Connector Editor

“Ralph Breaks the Internet” is less “Wreck-it Ralph,” and more “The Emoji Movie.” In other words, yikes.

After Ralph’s (John C. Reilly) hijinks in the Sugar Rush arcade game cause the game’s steering wheel to be damage, he and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) travel to the Internet in order to find a replacement steering wheel before the game is permanently unplugged.

For a movie that literally has the whole world at its disposal, “Ralph Breaks the Internet” is creatively bankrupt and incredibly unimaginative. The characters are literally wandering around the Internet and one of the most frequented sites is an online “Grand Theft Auto”-esque game. It is too similar to the Sugar Rush racing game from the first film to be interesting, and it raises the question of why put these characters in the Internet if their biggest location is going to be another racing game. Why not just leave them in the arcade?

The creativity that was lacking from the idea was certainly not used for the

screenplay. “Ralph Breaks the Internet” has an incredibly weak script, chock-full of blatant writing, useless characters and plot conveniences.

When it comes to the writing being blatant, Ralph’s character arc is that he has to get rid of a bunch of insecurities he has in regards to his friendship with Vanellope. In order to showcase these insecurities, Ralph is written so that he essentially complains all of the time when the two are separated or she has a different idea than he does. By the way, that is not hyperbole; a good chunk of the movie’s runtime is Ralph complaining.

For useless characters, look no further than the Disney princesses, and returning characters Fix-It Felix (Jack McBrayer) and Sergeant Calhoun (Jane Lynch). The Disney princesses are given the integral role of motivating Vanellope’s character, yet they are used for a quick gag and then reappear briefly at the end to help the main characters. In regards to Felix and Calhoun, they have a B-plot lined up for them at the start of the movie, then they disappear until the last few scenes, and the arc their story would

have had is completely figured out.

Granted, these two have a minimal role in the film, but why give them a story line if it is not going to be shown?

In terms of plot convenience, the majority of the story beats are created through sheer coincidence. For example, in the “Grand Theft Auto”-esque game, Ralph and Vanellope meet a street racer (Gal Gadot), who decides to help them get money to buy their steering wheel on eBay, right after they steal her car no less, by referring them to someone she knows who can conveniently help them with their goal. There are other examples of this and each one is as transparently lazy and groan-worthy.

The character name of Wreck-it Ralph is quite fitting, assuming the ‘it’ is referring to “Ralph Breaks the Internet.” With a bad story to deal with, the experience is made worse by Ralph’s character, who is even more annoying than the earlier paragraph makes him sound. These annoying traits are fine for a character to have, but in the case of “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” they are a detriment. Personality traits like the ones described can be a part of a

character, but should not be their entire identity. Ralph is nothing but an overly annoying and clingy person to the point where it is nearly impossible to like him.

“Ralph Breaks the Internet” is weird when it comes to its Internet and pop cultural references. The movie is making jokes that its main demographic of younger children are probably not going to get, such as the references to viral videos or pop ups, and, not to beat a dead horse, but one of the main locations is a grizzled and violent “Grand Theft Auto”-esque game.

There is even a part where Ralph goes to the dark web to buy a virus from a slug-like creature.

All of these things and more make “Ralph Breaks the Internet” similar to “The Emoji Movie” of all things. Both are poorly thought out stories that are shameless in their practice, with neither one offering up much for enjoyment due to a lack of understanding about who its target audience is and because of how annoying it is.

Final Grade: D+

V.S.

A heartfelt defense of ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ Hannah Manning Connector Editor

Beneath the sometimes pandering and relentless references to the Internet of today and the lingering feeling that this film will be almost embarrassingly dated within six months of its release, “Ralph Breaks the Internet” offers a heartfelt lesson on friendship for its younger viewers. The core thesis of the film, which reassures children that distance and disagreements do not harm truly strong friendships, will undoubtedly be buried in the wealth of groaning reviews decrying what an obvious cash grab the film was.

Yes, the film was a cash grab. That was obvious from the references to Buzzfeed, YouTube, Fortnite and the titular reference to a particular Kim Kardashian West photoshoot from 2014. The product placement was blatant enough to question how organically this Internet-based sequel to a film about arcade game characters came about. Was it truly to develop the storylines of Vanellope and Ralph, or did dollar signs dance sweetly in the heads of Disney executives when they realized how big a payday they could have off of the Internet?

These criticisms are valid. Much of the opening minutes of the film feel predictable; boring old Ralph wants to stay in the arcade where he knows what to expect while adventurous Vanellope craves excitement.

Their circumstances for exploring the World Wide Web are believable enough; Ralph breaks the steering wheel to Vanellope’s game so they set off on a mission to the universe’s equivalent of the Emerald City of Oz: The Internet.

Then they have a rollicking good time causing havoc and pointing at silly little Internet references that the audience can guffaw at. Look, Ralph is doing The Floss! Look, Ralph has to make viral videos to make $27,001 to pay for a replacement steering

wheel for Vanellope’s game! Look, that sort of famous YouTuber is in the movie for two seconds and probably got paid a lot of money to spit out one line! It is cheap, pandering and annoying at best.

At the end of the film, though, that is not what matters.

As the story unfolds, the audience is treated to a carefully crafted fable about friendship. Ralph is forced to confront the fact that it is okay that he and Vanellope want two different things. Ralph learns that he cannot hold her back from pursuing a dream just because he wants her by his side. Two people in a friendship are individuals.

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee makes a nonspeaking posthumous cameo in the movie.

It is a surprisingly nuanced subplot to sneak into such a shallow-seeming film. Yet that makes it all the more important for a significant portion of the intended audience: children. They are not old enough to understand things like this; they may assume that friendship is all-consuming, and that if they do not agree they can no longer be friends.

It is crucial for movies to include subplots like these so that children understand the value that the relationships they have with other people can hold.

When Vanellope and Ralph tearfully come to an understanding about their respective futures, each of them having one half of the “You’re my hero!” necklace that Vanellope gave Ralph in the previous film, those emotions are real.

It is a genuinely beautiful moment and serves as great emotional payoff for the respective struggles that Ralph and Vanellope have throughout the film.

Ralph grapples with the sometimes-crippling insecurity that drives his devotion to Vanellope and realizes that in some situations, friends need to let each other go so they can both be happy. Even though they go on to live separate lives, they are still shown to communicate weekly and their friendship seems stronger for their separation. Showing the benefit of situations like that can be so helpful for kids going through the stress of similar situations, like a friend moving away.

The Internet stuff, which is beautifully constructed as a sprawling metropolis in the film, is just background to Ralph and Vanellope’s development as characters. They are fitting parallels to the children that may be watching the film.

When reviewing children’s movies, it is important to view these films through the lens of a child. They might not notice the flaws in the endless pandering to them via Internet references that will become tired before the year ends. They will just find it funny. And that is fine. The movie will not appeal to many teenagers or adults who are cognizant enough to look beyond the references and see product placement.

That is all okay. “Ralph Breaks the Internet” does just fine as a halfway decent movie made for kids.

The atmosphere in which it is set will age out of relevance almost immediately, which will doubtlessly diminish its charm, but the central theme of friendship at the heart of the movie will never grow old.

Final grade: B

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December 4, 2018

CAMPUS LIFE Conflict over university parking comes to a head Erica Ramirez Connector Contributor

There is a lot of confusion and frustration surrounding the parking policies at UMass Lowell, particularly in places where students can park only once they have a pass. The cost of the pass itself is another cause for outrage.

Administration officials say the policy exists to insure there are enough spots for everyone and to make the campus more environmentally friendly.

Given that there are three garages on each campus and many surface-lots throughout, this still limits the number of spots students can park in since there are more students than space.

Students say they would like more freedom to park and ways to reduce the price of passes.

Commuter students must pay $450 a year to park on campus, and residents must pay more. UCard, Access, and Parking Services (UCAPS) assigns one area an underclassman student can park, and if that student decides to park anywhere else, she or he will be fined.

Students say the policy does not make sense to them.

“I pay $450 to park in only one area out of the three campuses. I never understood why since I have classes on both south and north [campuses],” said Hikma Abajorga, a full-time student who has a parking permit at UML. Although parking in one area may be frustrating for many students on campus, the administration says there are good reasons for having these pol-

icies set in place.

According to Jon Victorine, director of UCAPS, if these policies were not set in stone there would be another parking crisis like in 2009.

“It got to a point where people were literally coming to campus, not finding a parking space,” he said. “We had people missing classes-- even professors were missing classes --and if they miss a class, that’s affecting twenty other people or more.”

It is vital to understand the parking policies since there is always potential of another parking crisis to occur, Victorine said. These policies were implemented in order to prevent having no spaces for those who do pay the full amount.

According to UCAPS representatives, the prices are expensive because of the cost of creating garages and surface lots. “What is important to know about building garages is that they come at a great expense. In fact the per-parking space cost of a garage is about $40,000,” Victorine said. “In order for us to build those, that means we have to have revenues in which to pay them.”

Through the increase of the cost of parking, UCAPS wanted students to take pause and ask themselves whether they really need to have their car on campus or whether it is just convenient, according to Victorine.

Victorine said he encourages students to utilize the free transportation services that UML provides or other sustainable transportation such as walking or bicycling. “We’re really try-

ing to get towards a ‘park-once’ policy, meaning we are trying to reduce carbon footprint on campus, we’re trying to avoid traffic congestion which is already so horrible in Lowell,” he said.

Since UCAPS does charge $450 for a parking pass, students would like to know whether there is a discount for those who are unable to pay the full amount but would like to have their cars on campus.

“I wish there were ways students could earn or win a parking passes,” said Jeremiah Lluberes, a student employee at UML. Lluberes works part time and is a full-time student, as many students are at UML. Lluberes’s comment sparked an idea about a reward system for students who need their cars on campus to earn a pass for free or discounted. “Students who have a 3.0 or higher, is an employee at UMass Lowell and a full-time student should be eligible to win discounted parking passes,” he said.

Victorine said UCAPS has offered discounts to help reduce cost of parking for those in desperate financial need. Students in severe financial distress are able to fill out a form at their offices and if qualified, can either pay half or even have the whole price waived, according to Victorine.

“By offering discounts or by adjusting the rates in the opposite direction [for students not in a financial crisis] it does [the university] a disservice because we have that debt on these parking garages and we would potentially be unwinding the trends of people coming to campus where we

would now have potentially more people coming to campus when we, as a whole, are really trying to push people to use the transportation on campus,” Victorine said. “These are all free services we provide.”

According to Victorine, there is a program UCAPS offers for those who can carpool, “We do offer a carpool program where students can join up with another student and split the cost of the decals,” he said. “What is cool about that is that if you’re a freshman or sophomore, you can park on north because you are promoting our green programs.”

This program not only helps the environment but also saves money by dividing the cost with another student or more.

“There’s an entire lot dedicated just for carpool parking,” he said.

Victorine said the day parking passes, which cost $8 per day for those who do not have decals, are available online too. He said he recommends not using it every single day though because that would not be “cost effective.”

According to Victorine, the policies are not to frustrate any students but to enforce a better system for those who pay for decals to ensure they will find a spot to park. “We don’t do it arbitrarily,” Victorine said.

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Meetings every Monday

Important tips for driving in bad weather this winter ► Continued from front page

a few hundred [dollars] for me and I learned nothing in the classes about driving in bad road conditions. I failed my road test in the winter because I wasn’t prepared to handle my car on [icy] roads.”

Multiple Driver’s Ed schools in the Lowell area are trying to incorporate more driving techniques and protocol to follow in different road conditions for learners. Boreth Sim, owner of Sim’s Driving School in downtown Lowell, says that his instructors typically spend at least one whole day of class on driving through a variety of road conditions.

“Winter is bad for all people, not just [young drivers],” Sim said. “We do our best to teach the kids about hydroplaning or sliding on ice in the class so they’re prepared.”

Sim also said that there are a few tips he tells new drivers when they’re learning to drive in bad weather.

“Always have half a tank [of gas], make sure you have gloves and blankets in case you break down and make sure that the vehicle is okay to drive. So, no clogged pipes and [the car] isn’t frozen before you leave,” said Sim. “When you’re actually driving, most people drive too fast. It’s easy to slide, so go slow.

But you also shouldn’t stop unnecessarily, because that’ll make traffic. And if you’re sliding on icy roads, you have to remember to turn the wheel into the slide and don’t brake. Too many people make the mistake of breaking, and that makes sliding worse.”

AAA also has tips for people stuck or stranded in the snow. Stopping for accidents or stranded vehicles is not recommended because stopping increases the dangers of drivers in the rear. Avoiding streets with hills is also something AAA stresses.

“The laws of physics are unforgiving!” AAA’s website states. “If you attempt to tackle a steep enough incline, there is nothing you can do to stop gravity from taking its toll. If you have to go up a hill, maintain a steady speed, just make sure not to go to quickly and to not have to slow down.”

Sim also believes that driving schools should have special classes for safe driv-

ing practices in the wintertime. With these classes, drivers of all ages and experience levels can get more experience driving in harsh climates.

“I’d absolutely [take a class],” Warren said. “It should probably be mandatory in New England.”

“It’s definitely something that I wouldn’t mind,” Sim laughed. “And maybe the city traffic will be better because of it!”

The easiest way to avoid possible accidents is to drive as little as possible.

UMass Lowell’s shuttles ensure that students can still get from campus to campus and minimize the traffic on the streets.

“I love to drive, but I’m taking the shuttle in the snow,” said McDonald.

“There’s no way my car could handle the icy roads here. My car is [unreliable].”

QUOTH THE RIVERHAWKS The day before that was due I accidentally got drunk in the middle of the day.

- O’Leary Library

This school is so stupid I hacked its server last week.

- Fox Elevator

These streets are brutal.

- Fox Dining Hall

Something stupidly male which is a bit redundant anyway…

- Dugan Hall

Of course, I’m a feminist dude! I’m a modern man!

- North Campus Bridge

Those hint of jalapeño chips mess me up right!

- South Dining Hall

December 4, 2018

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

Page 7

SPORTS

Tom Garrick: The patient, strong head coach that women’s basketball needs and deserves Hannah Manning Connector Editor

The way that UMass Lowell women’s basketball coach Tom Garrick sees it, coaching is a lot like parenting.

“I approach coaching the same way as I approach raising children.

I’m consistent every day, and I am demanding. But I’m not inflexible,” said Garrick. “I try to be what the kids need on a daily basis, try to help them understand that they are valued and they’re worthy and that they have self-esteem.”

The new coach does not look at winning so much as he does personal development of his players; Garrick remembers that his players are human and aims to build their confidence with his even-keeled approach to coaching.

Garrick is the team’s eighth head coach in program history and arrives after the team’s first postseason appearance in its Division I era. His inaugural season at UMass Lowell has had its successes and challenges.

In an interview with The Connector conducted in mid-October, Garrick stressed that the season results are not a giant focus of his.

“The bottom line for coaches is, if you win you keep your job. If you lose you get a chance of not keeping your job. And that’s a tough position to be in if that’s the way you look at it every day. I don’t feel that way,” he said.

He recognizes that he arrives at UMass Lowell at a very special transitionary period. He said that he was initially drawn to the school for the opportunity it offered him, and as a New England native he was happy to take a head coaching job close to home.

“I left Boston College to come here.

I think [UMass Lowell]’s in a great position, being in transition from Division II to Division I,” said Garrick.

He previously served as the Eagles’ assistant coach in women’s basketball.

Garrick says that he believes he can use his experience as both a coach and a player to help UMass Lowell succeed. His even-tempered nature may come in very handy for the River Hawks as the season goes by and tensions rise as it tumbles to postseason play.

He is prepared to be patient for change.

“You have to have a high level of expectation for yourself and your program. And patience, because it takes time to get there,” Garrick said. “It has to be every kid, every coach, every manager, everybody playing the same direction at the same time. You have so many different moving parts, you have to have patience, [and] flexibility and even temperament.”

He says that prior to being hired, he paid no mind to the team’s previous record. Continually referring to this season as a “blank slate,” he seems to look forward to blazing new paths with a new team.

“We can only go forward now,” he said. “We’re starting from a new foundation and we’re trying to go forward from there.”

Each player will earn their spot on the team with their play. Garrick coaches fairly; he says that he will give each player who gives effort the benefit of the doubt, and any player failing to do so may find themselves dealing with what he refers to as the “disciplinarian side” of himself. His best interest lies in his players and how they

are feeling. If they feel fulfilled and valued as basketball players, then he believes that the rest will come.

“You can build anything as long as people feel like you care about them and that you want them to excel,” said Garrick.

Garrick is a soulful man, and although he has only been head coach for a few short months, he feels attached to and validated by UMass Lowell.

“I feel that God has put me here for a reason. This is where He wanted me, and I’m going to do the best I can,” he said.

His interest in UMass Lowell came from the devotion that people like former Athletic Director Dana Skinner, current Athletic Director Peter Casey and Chancellor Jacquie Moloney felt towards it.

“Chancellor Moloney spent her

whole life here basically and has built this thing from ground level,” said Garrick. “Any time someone’s invested that much, you know that it’s worthy of your time and your effort. That’s what I’m trying to give to UMass Lowell as well.”

Garrick says that his main goal this year is to establish a culture of self-esteem, which he hopes will convince people on the outside that UMass Lowell women’s basketball is a team worth watching.

“I want people to respect us and I think people will because we’re going to play hard, we’re gonna play disciplined, and we’re gonna play with passion,” Garrick said. “But that has to start from within. How people see us from the outside is only going to change when we change how we see ourselves.”

Hannah Manning/Connector

Garrick hopes to change the team from within to build respect.

River Hawks Fend Off LIU Brooklyn to Snap Skids UMass Lowell Athletics

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Katherine Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind.) led the way with a career-high 19 points as the UMass Lowell women’s basketball team snapped a three-game skid with an exciting, 69-64, victory at LIU Brooklyn.

In a game that the visitors led throughout, Smith was one of four River Hawks (3-4) in double-figures as Ren’Cia Rolling (Lansing, Ill.) also set a personal best with 16, while Linda Svenne (Riga, Latvia) and Bri Stiers (Denver, Colorado) chipped in 12 and 10, respectively.

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

The River Hawks return home for a two-game home stand.

The win also ended UMass Lowell’s 13-game road losing streak as the team came out on top away from Lowell for the first time since last season’s comeback at Saint Peter’s.

“It was a tough road game, second in three nights during what has been a tough road-swing for us, but a productive one,” commented Head Coach Tom Garrick. “I thought our kids showed some fight, grit and the requisite competitiveness to win the game.”

LIU Brooklyn (0-7) was paced by Jeydah Johnson’s 16 points, while Brandy Thomas picked up a double-double with a 12 point, 14 rebound effort.

After trailing by as much as 14 points late in the first half, the Blackbirds (0-7) closed the gap to one point multiple times in the final quarter, but the River Hawks were able to respond each time and pull away down the stretch with a 9-0 run.

Behind a strong start and a stifling defense, the River Hawks jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the game’s opening 5:05. Rolling (Lansing, Ill.) scored the first five points of the night, as the visitors forced LIU into a pair of quick offensive fouls.

Before ending the run, LIU went 0-for-6 from the field and was forced into four turnovers, as well.

After Svenne extended the lead to 14-2 with three free throws, the Blackbirds closed the quarter on a 6-2 run to head into the second facing a 16-8 deficit.

LIU continued the spurt into the next period and clawed back within 16-13, but the River Hawks responded with a 10-0 run, sparked by Stiers’ play on both ends of the court. With the visitors holding on, 17-13, the junior drew a charge and followed that effort with an acrobatic offensive rebound and put back in a span of 17 seconds.

Facing its largest deficit of the contest at 29-14 with 67 seconds left in the half, LIU had trimmed the lead down to 29-21 before Rolling capped off the opening 20 minutes with a buzzer-beating three from just across half court for the 32-21 halftime advantage.

The Blackbirds did not go away in the third period, and twice brought the game within three points.

After taking a 47-44 into the final frame, UMass Lowell built a 51-44 edge with 8:38 to play on a Stiers bucket.

Later in the frame with the visitors holding on to a 53-52 advantage, Kharis Idom (Orlando, Fla.) connected on a three-pointer to extend the gap, but once again LIU battled back and had it back to one point at 58-57 with less than five minutes to play.

The River Hawks open December and conclude their five-game road swing with a Sunday matinee matchup against Holy Cross.

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

December 4, 2018

Page 8

SPORTS

Op-Ed: Too many numbers Aaron Robinson Connector Editor

Rick Middleton’s “iconic” number 16 was raised into the rafters of the TD Garden Thursday night as the Boston Bruins beat the New York Islanders 2-1 in a shootout.

Middleton had a great pro career, but it wasn’t anything that was truly exceptional. Sure, he scored a bunch of points, but it was an era where scoring was prolific and 100 points a season didn’t mean as much as it would mean now.

Middleton never was considered an elite scorer; he only had three seasons when he scratched the top ten of any specific offensive or defensive category. Granted, Middleton scored just under a point a game for his career (988 points in 1005 games played), but he never had the “It” factor that pushed the Bruins over the hump to a championship.

The crux of this argument is that the Bruins didn’t think that Middleton was a truly elite player either.

It’s been 30 years since Middleton retired, and now the Bruins want to retire his number? Hall of Fame worthy players don’t wait 30 years to have their numbers enshrined and the Bruins have too many numbers retired that the enshrinement doesn’t mean anything anymore.

Fans and ownership often confuse longevity and consistency with greatness. Cam Neely is not worthy of having his number retired but number eight is hanging from the rafters. Terry O’Reilly has his number retired? What a joke. Most fans couldn’t even tell you what his most iconic moment is, if he even had one. But because they were Bruins for

a long time, fans delude themselves into thinking these players were the best at their position.

David Krejci is a single point away from tying Neely’s career point total. Should the Bruins ring up number 46 next? What about Marchand’s 63?

Don’t get me wrong, these were good talents.

Good, not great. But when Middleton’s 16 has been worn by scrubs like Jozef Stumpel, Peter Douris, Andy Hilbert, or even the Dog-man himself, Kaspars Daugavins, the Bruins didn’t consider number 16 untouchable.

This speaks to a larger problem across all pro sports; there’s too many numbers retired. The Celtics have retired 22 different numbers and the Yankees will soon pass them by inexplicably retiring another number. Why do teams overvalue their own players? Isn’t the team hall of fame enough of an enshrinement? Bernie Williams’ number 51 needed to be retired? What about the Celtics number 31 Cedric Maxwell? Tom Sanders’ 16 or Don Nelson’s 19? What did any of these players actually accomplish?

I tend to rely on the eye test and stories I’ve heard about these players. Were these players ever considered to be one of the best at their position? How much did they win? How long were they here? And, most importantly, did they make the players around them better? I can’t say that for Middleton, O’Reilly, Maxwell, Sanders or someone like Williams in New York.

There are talks about retiring Kevin Garnett’s number five and Ray Allen’s number 20 down the road for the Celtics. Both were in Boston for a

Lutete has a career high 28 points vs. NJIT ► continued from front page

Duquette. “That was a commanding win. We were ahead of the whole game. We played with poise [and] with a lead, which young teams don’t do and this was our best defensive effort.”

The defensive effort caused the Highlanders to shoot 32 percent from the field and an abysmal 20 percent (2-10) from three-point range in the first half.

Freshman guard and Lowell native, Alex Rivera, came off the bench and produced instant offense for the hosts. After the Gantz three, he would tally the next eight points for the River Hawks. The momentum carried on with sophomore guard Obadiah Noel as he forced the visiting guards into turnovers. Turnovers that turned into back to back slams for Noel as the Tsongas Center erupted. He gave the River Hawks their biggest lead in the first half at 16.

A late Highlanders run would see the hosts with a lead of 37-26 at halftime.

Senior co-captain guard Ryan Jones would get the River Hawks right where they left off with a mid-range jumper to begin the second half. But his most important bucket of the game would come via three-point range as the Highlanders had cut the lead to 10 with 16 minutes to go in the game increasing the River Hawk lead to 13.

Those lucky enough to sit at half court could just see and hear the type of swagger the hosts were beginning to play with. Guards Lutete and Rivera came out firing finding good shots through the River Hawk’s impressive ball movement.

As the hosts increased their lead, they lead by as much as 25 at one point in the second half, their intensity did not escape them. Some highlight effort plays included senior guard Jones saving a loose ball and freshman guard Rivera chasing his missed three-point shot. Both plays came with the River Hawks leading by at least 20 points.

The River Hawks finished the game outscoring the opposing bench 21-14 and having five players in double digit scoring. The hosts held the ball as the game clock ticked double zeros to give them an impressive 94-71 over the NJIT Highlanders.

The River Hawks will continue their season this Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. as they visit the Boston University Terriers. The River Hawks will return to home play on Friday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Tsongas Center as they host Maine Fort Kent

U P C OM I N G

River Hawk Games Tuesday, Dec. 4

7 pm

Wednesday, Dec. 5

7 pm

WBB vs. Colgate

Friday, Dec. 7

7 pm

MBB vs. UMFK

Friday, Dec. 7

7:30 pm

Saturday, Dec. 8

1 pm

Saturday, Dec. 8

7 pm

MBB at BU

Hockey at BU WBB vs. Providence Hockey vs. BU

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

cup of coffee and while instrumental in winning a championship, nobody would recall either player strictly as a Celtic. It cheapens the meaning of retiring numbers when Bobby Orr, Ray Bourque, Kevin McHale, Tommy Heinsohn and Larry Bird have to share immortality with undeserving talents.

There is a reason why there is a separation between the team hall of fame and retired numbers.

The Bruins have 53 players or staff in their hall of fame, which is fine. Put O’Reilly there because Mark Recchi is there too, despite only having three seasons in Boston.

It is probably time to start unretiring numbers.

Something, anything, to make retirements feel special again. Oh, and congrats to Rick Middleton.

Northern Essex

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