September 2017 Trustee Talk Student Trustee Lindy Reed addresses Board of Trustee agendas for students
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THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
September 22, 2015
Women’s soccer earns first win of the season, 2-1, in double overtime game
In This Issue
Spider-Man: Homecoming review
ss Lowell head coach Francesco D’Agostino. “It’s our third overtime game, so it can be tiring and they just didn’t quit. The subs entered really well; we scored a great first goal, [and] the tactics paid off: to not give up and continue to build, even in the last five seconds in the final third just shows that they’re growing with the season.�
Kathryn Leeber
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Connector Editor
It only took three minutes for the women’s soccer team to score their first goal of the season, but a goal late in the second half from the visiting Highlanders sent the game into overtime on Sunday afternoon. With one second remaining in double overtime, the River
Player unknown’s battleground review
► Page 5 Men’s basketball travels to Italy
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Final River Hawk Scores Team
Score
Field Hockey vs. Miami
W 2-1
M. Soccer vs. BU
W 2-0
Overall Record 2-1 2-0-0
Volleyball vs. UAB
L 1-3 1-3
W. Soccer vs. Colgate
L 1-0
1-1-2
UMass Lowell leads green scene Emma Hargraves Connector Staff
Since the Office of Sustainability opened in January 2015, UMass Lowell has received approximately 15 awards or recognitions relating to its commitment to sustainability. Just last year, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) recognized UMass Lowell as a Gold institution as a part of their Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). The STARS rating system is a comprehensive self-report tracking system that measures the sustainability efforts in over 700 higher education institutions internationally. Institutions receive ratings of either Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum that cover a variety of areas including academics, engagement, planning, operations, innovation and more. Only two institutions in the world have earned the Platinum rating. Of course, great scores in STARS is followed by many other recognitions related to sustainability. This year, UMass Lowell received the Pinnacle award for the Massachusetts Excellence in Commuter Options (ECO) for the fifth year in a row, the highest possible award
Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
Andrea Morrow’s teammates celebrate with her following her winning goal.
The River Hawks (1-0-2) started off the game with a strong string of passes, eventually resulting in the early goal. In the third minute, midfielder Rachel Morrier dodged the defense to get an open shot off. The ball curved, struck the goal post and bounced in past NJIT goalkeeper Karen David.
Hawks were able to earn their first victory of the season, thanks to a shot from midfielder Andrea Morrow, in a 2-1 matchup against New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). “They didn’t give up, it was literally the last second and they dug down and kept going,� said UMa-
â–ş See “Women’s soccer,â€? page 8
WUML speaks with Gordi about new album Christopher Romano Connector Staff
Australia visited Allston in early August when Gordi performed at The Great Scott. The intimate show highlighted songs from her debut album released on Aug. 22. “Reservoir� is the culmination of acoustic folk and synthesizers layered under vocoded vocals. On her album, Gordi emotes how it feels when close friends grow apart in a musical style that is refreshing and familiar.
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Sections News.............................3 Campus Life.................. 6 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 7
UMass Lowell only had two other shot attempts in the first half, but held most of the possession early on due to their speed. However, the River Hawks struggled to get the ball past midfield, as well as moving into the box. The Highlanders’ first look on goal was not until 15 minutes into the game when they tried to send a cross in to open players near the goal. The ball was cleared by UMass Lowell defenders, but forward Carly Berdan was able to recover the ball and get a shot off, which went wide of the net. The UMass Lowell defense continued to maintain a solid front, not allowing NJIT to get into the box as they continually picked the ball away. This led to more chances for the River Hawks to push the ball forward, but they could not capitalize in these chances. In the 29th minute, a run started by Jaymee Luke provided the River Hawks with another opportunity to score. After running up the sidelines, she sent the ball to Kristin Birgisdottir who found an open Karah Fleet in front of the net. As Fleet turned to shoot, David had her eye on the ball to make the save for the Highlanders. NJIT looked to tie the game
Courtesy of Stereogum
Gordi in her new album “Reservoir�.
A year and a half after “Clever Disguiseâ€? was released, the two General Managers at WUML, Jess Fruth and I, were able to sit down with Sophie Payten, also known as Gordi, and talk with her about her new album. On the first single from “Reservoir,â€? “Heaven I Know,â€? Gordi sings, “I got older, and we got tired, heaven I know that we tried.â€? She said, “A lot of people would probably jump to the conclusion that it’s about a crush that didn’t work out, but a lot of them are actually about my platonic relationships like my friendships and my family relationships.â€? “I’ve often really found that [platonic relationships] are a lot more powerful to write about because you know, a guy will dump you and you’re like, oh bummer,â€? She said. Gordi went to a boarding school in Sydney and made close connections to her friends that she considered to be like family. She said that she would spend seven days a week with some of her friends over a time â–ş See “Reservoir,â€? page 5
September 5, 2017
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OPINIONS & EDITORIALS Dear Editor, In good weather on my days off, I take a stroll with my little spotted beagle and bask in the benefits of my favorite starthe sun. I watch the wind ripple through the tall grass and I marvel at the power of the sun and the wind; wondering why we’re so reliant on dirty sources of energy. We, as a nation, need to face the facts that relying on dirty fossil fuels are not forever, and that transitioning to renewable energy such as solar is a stable source of eternal energy. We could meet our electricity needs 100 times over with just solar, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
la have plans to go 100% renewable. We should follow their lead. As a student at UMass Lowell, I think we should start with Massachusetts colleges and universities. As institutions that train engineers, economists, and the civil leaders of the future, colleges and universities are well positioned to lead the effort. Sincerely, Emma Hargraves
Cities like Greensburg, Kan., Georgetown, Texas, Aspen, Colo. and Burlington, Vt. are already running on 100% renewable energy. Companies like Google, General Motors and Coca-Co-
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THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR
EDITORIAL BOARD TAYLOR CARITO Editor-In-Chief HANNAH MANNING Managing Editor KATRINA DESROSIERS MICHAELA GOSS Copy Editors
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Staff NICK BRAMANTE EMMA HARGRAVES OWEN JOHNSON CONNOR KENNEDY JESS KERGO JASON OUNPRASEUTH CHRSTOPHER ROMANO EMILY TOOMEY
Email | Connector@uml.edu Website | www.UMLConnector.com Phone | 978.934.5017 ext. 45017 Address | University Crossing Club Hub Suite #241 220 Pawtucket St. Lowell, MA 01854 General: The UMass Lowell Connector is a non-profit student public forum serving the University of Massachusetts Lowell community. The paper is published weekly and distributed to the university community every Tuesday. Business hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please be aware that members of the University community are entitled to free newspapers. Please take one! All UMass Lowell students, regardless of major, are invited to join the Connector staff. Interested students should contact an editor or manager listed above, or visit the Connector Office in University Crossing 241. Advertising: The UMass Lowell Connector advertisements reach an estimated 16,000 UMass Lowell students--their friends and families. To tap this group of
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September 5, 2017
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NEWS How major UMass System decisions are implementedAn introduction to the UMass Board of Trustees Lindy Reed Student Trustee
The UMass Board of Trustees governs the UMass system, but it includes positions for UMass students to make sure their voices are heard. This board makes and approves the major system-wide changes within the UMass system. The powers and authorities of the UMass Board of Trustees are established by Massachusetts General Law. Essentially, the Board of Trustees oversees the UMass President and the chancellors of each campus. The Board works closely with the UMass President to create and implement a long-term vision for the UMass System. Together, the board, the president and the chancellors draft strategic plans based on ultimate goals that guide the growth and development of each university. Some fiduciary board authorities include annually approving the tuition and fees for each campus, preparing maintenance and capital project estimates and requests, and regulating all university property and real estate. Some academic and student affairs related authorities include creating or managing undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs, establishing student conduct policy, and setting admission and program standards for approval by the Board of
Higher Education. Other board responsibilities include submitting a five-year master plan to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and the Massachusetts Secretary of Education for approval, creating and submitting institutional mission statements to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and the Massachusetts Secretary of Education for approval, and creating a performance measurement system in consultation with the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and the Massachusetts Secretary of Education. Other than these statutory powers, the student trustees often advocate at the state level. This past year, they worked with the UMass President’s Office to plan and execute the Impact Reception, a legislative event that showcases to state representatives the economic contributions that the UMass System provides the Commonwealth. Last year, we also collaborated with an organization called the Public Higher Education Network of Masachusetts (PHENOM) to execute Advocacy Day. This annual event brings together hundreds of college students from across the state to speak directly with legislators and representatives in their offices at the State House about the issues that most heavily impact us. The board is composed of 17 voting members who are appointed by the governor and serve five-
year terms, and five student trustees (one student trustee for each of the five UMass campuses- Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell and the Medical Campus in Worcester) who serve one-year terms and are elected by their respective student bodies. Only two out of the five student trustees have voting power on the board, and they change on a rotating basis. For the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the Lowell and Dartmouth campus student trustees had voting power. This year, the medical campus and the Amherst campus have the vote. Every fiscal quarter, the board holds committee meetings and full board meetings. Board committees include the Advancement Committee, which focuses on fundraising, the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs, the Audit Committee and the Committee on Administration and Finance. All board meetings are open to the public. Their agendas, meeting dates and locations are posted online on the UMass President’s website. Students are highly encouraged to attend meetings if they are interested. Students can reach out with questions or concerns to Student Trustee Lindy Reed’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/TrusteeReed or send me an email at malinda_reed@student.uml.edu. She also holds weekly office hours in University Crossing Room 243. They are posted outside Rm. 243 and on herFacebook page.
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September 5, 2017
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Underrated Classics: ‘Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind’ Jason Ounpraseuth Connector Staff
Studio Ghibli has touched the lives of many film fans over the past 30 years with its breathtaking animation, wonderful characters, and thought-provoking stories. Director Hayao Miyazaki is at the forefront of this animation studio’s rise and fame with classics like “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Princess Mononoke” and “Spirited Away”. What sometimes gets lost in the discussion of best Miyazaki films is his first original feature before Studio Ghibli was an official studio “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind”. “Nausicaa” was released in 1984 and is based on the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Miyazaki himself. The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where the Earth has been ravished by war and infected by a toxic jungle along with giant mutant insects called the Ohm. The protagonist, Nausicaa, is the princess of the Valley of the Wind, one of the Courtesy of Disney
“Nausicaa” is based on the manga of the same name.
last few places on Earth unaffected by the poisonous jungle and the Ohm. One night, a cargo plane carrying an embryo of the Great Warrior, a devastating weapon that is the main cause of the destruction and pollution of Earth, crashes onto the Valley. Soon after, the nearby kingdom of Tolmekia invade the Valley to seize the Giant Warrior for themselves and take Nausicaa hostage, forcing a struggle between the Tolmekians and the people of the Valley of the Wind. “Nausicaa” has a powerful anti-war and environmental rhetoric that still holds true today, and these themes are best illustrated through Nausicaa herself. She is, for the most part, a pacifist, until her hand is forced to use her cunning and skills to help her people and the Earth from dangerous enemies fueled by power and greed. Nausicaa is the embodiment of the ideas of understanding one another, standing up for one’s own beliefs no matter the cost and being compassionate towards a stranger whether they’re friend or foe. These themes are further expressed through Princess Kushana, the film’s main antagonist. Kushana, and by extension the Tolmekian people, are motivated by fear of the unknown, whether that be neighboring kingdoms or the Ohm themselves. In response, they try to conquer and gain power to try to alleviate those fears, even if their conquests only serve to make things worse overall. Admittedly, this does lead to Kushana herself largely being a onenote villain, but the audience at least understands her motivations enough for her to act as a decent counter-point to Nausicaa. The animation of “Nausicaa” is fantastic and features impressive background art that captures
“Nausicaa’s” success led to the founding of Studio Ghibli.
the bleak and desolate Earth and the astonishing Valley of the Wind. There is room for some minor nitpicks, mainly that the color choices of some of the characters’ costumes is a bit suspect and does not really make them standout. This leads to some characters looking strange rather than blending in with the background. The use of color does pay off during the film’s ending, and without spoiling what happens, the ending of “Nausicaa” is an awe-inspiring piece of cinema that may not be for the faint of heart. Nevertheless “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” stands out as a timeless masterpiece that could arguably be Hayao Miyazaki’s best films ever. Final Grade: A-
Connector Staff
There is some stuff in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” that is OK, but it fails in almost every way. Get ready, this one is pretty bad. After his tour of duty with the Avengers in “Captain America: Civil War,” Peter Parker (Tom Holland) returns home to New York where he must balance being a high school student and his alter-ego Spider-Man, all the while pining for another chance to fight alongside the Avengers when a new threat known as the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges. For the most part, Marvel’s formula has been to have a bad to lackluster origin movie followed up by a fairly decent sequel once all the pieces are in place. Whether through seeing the earlier Spider-Man movies or through osmosis, Spider-Man’s origin story is well known and did not require repeating, so they skipped it. This incarnation of Spider-Man was also established in “Captain America: Civil War.” The pieces were in place and everything was ready to go, so how was “Spider-Man: Homecoming” the end result? There are two locations that Spider-Man is based in that the movie focuses on: his high school life and him swinging around New York City stopping crime. Neither one works.
In high school, he is surrounded by potential conflicts that could be caused by him being Spider-Man, whether its his inability to have a relationship with the girl he likes (Laura Harrier), or being unreliable for his
movie is intolerable and boring. The crime fighting aspect also lacks stakes until the final act when Parker’s actions actually result in something happening, but until then it’s more boring scenes where nothing of much
Courtesy of Sony Pictures
“Spider-Man: Homecoming” will be the first of a trilogy of new “Spider-Man” films.
academic decathlon team. None of these conflicts ever feel like they hold any actual weight or stakes to them. Throw in a bunch of comedic relief characters that are not funny and are so annoying that Jar Jar Binks would fit in with them, and this half of the
Gordi speaks to WUML about new album ‘Resevoir’ ►Continued from front page
consequence happens. Then the one moment that actually had stakes to it is undercut by how easily it could have been avoided if Peter’s mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) actually acted smartly and talked to him. How both parts of the film are han-
made close connections to her friends that she considered to be like family. She said that she would spend seven days a week with some of her friends over a time span of about six years! Its no wonder that her lyrics detail the emotions she goes through when friends become distanced. In a time when technology allows people to communicate so much more easily, the growing apart of close friends somehow still occurs. Gordi, being a 24 years old medical student, understands the emotional pain of friends moving far away. “It’s not like a big cataclysmic breakup, it’s the slow tragedy of ... you can see yourself drifting apart from someone else.” She said, “A lot of the record is about that. It’s about wanting to be able to communicate that, but saying, well at the end of the day I’m probably still going to prioritize what I want to do over compromising that to maintain a relationship, which is a bit of a hard thing to come to terms with.” She said that her closest friend in her life moved overseas, and the relationship that they had had soon became impossible to maintain. This relationship appeared in a dream she had where 20 years had passed and the two no longer were in contact. This is where “Heaven I Know” stemmed from. After all the years had passed and they tried to keep the relationship alive, they ended up moving on
with their own lives in other directions. If you listen to Bon Iver’s “22, A Million,” you’ll find similarities to the two groups’ music. Blazing horns and saxophones, underlying vocoders make their way onto both artists’ albums. Songs “Heav-
Courtesy of Jag jaguwar
Gordi recently toured with Icelandic artist Asgeir.
en I Know” and “Myriad” easily could have been included on Bon Iver’s “22, A Million” album released last year. Gordi said she finds inspiration from Bon Iver and was in their backing band for their performance
on Jimmy Fallon. “I’m a pretty hard-core fan,” she said. Her EP was sent to the band, and after hearing it they wanted her to sing in the choir when they performed on Jimmy Fallon’s show. After this performance, they asked her to open for a show they were headlining. At Primavera Sound Festival, Gordi watched Bon Iver’s performance and said that she had tears rolling down her face while listening to “715 Creeks.” The song has vocals with heavily mixed vocoder and Gordi’s inspiration from the band clearly shows on her song “Myriad” with a similar effect. She said that she wants to create music that evokes that kind emotion for other people too. “Reservoir” shows inspiration from “22, A Million,” but it should be made clear that this album takes place in its own canonical world. The album has 11 tracks that are all written by Payten and features one song from her debut EP. The song that sticks out the most is “Better Then Then, Closer To Now.” Keeping a similar folktronic feel to the rest of the album, its one of the only songs, if not the only song, with an electric guitar. Seemingly magically, Gordi makes acoustic guitar mesh beautifully with electronic sounds and synthesizers. “Reservoir” was released on Aug 22, 17 on Jagjaguwar. For more information on Gordi, follow her on twitter at @GordiMusic or head to her website, www.gordimusic.com.
‘Battlegrounds’ raises the bar for competitive shooters Brendan Jacques Connector Editor
dled showcases the biggest problem with “Spider-Man Homecoming,” which is its tone. The movie is about a kid getting in over his head and having to overcome his failures to save the day, topped off with romantic angst and a dangerous villain. Throughout all of that, though, it feels like the director gave every actor the order of, “Be goofy every three seconds.” Comic relief moments are okay, but a half drama, half obnoxious comedy is not. The diamonds in this unbearable ruff of a superhero movie are the actors and the villain. While most of the cast is immeasurably annoying comic relief, everyone at least play their parts well, especially Holland and Keaton. Keaton’s Vulture is, by far, one of the best villains that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has produced. If only he were in a film that made better use of him. “Spider-Man: Homecoming” had a lot of potential, but along the way almost every ball they had was dropped. Final Grade: D
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Courtesy of Disney
‘Spider-Man:’ Coming Home Disappointed Owen Johnson
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First, some context: “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” is a multiplayer third-person shooter that takes inspiration from “battle-royale”-style fiction such as “The Hunger Games”. At the beginning of each match, one 100 players are parachuted down onto a gigantic island map with no equipment other than the clothes on their backs. From there, players are left to scavenge the island’s various towns, military complexes and landmarks for weaponry and armor with the ultimate goal of killing every other player until only one remains. Granted, this is not the first time the “battle-royale” genre has been adapted to video games, but what “PUBG” brings to the table that helps it rise above its contemporaries is that it keeps the emphasis on player-to-player competition over pure survival. The primary way that it accomplishes this is with The Circle, a massive electrical field that begins encircling the entire island. Over the course of the match, the Circle slowly constricts around a random point on the map, damaging any players that fail to stay within its borders. Not only does this force players to stay on the move, since staying in one place for too long risks getting caught out of bounds and taking avoidable damage, it also means that players will be naturally pressured to fight each other as their room to maneuver slowly decreases. It’s inclusion also goes a long way towards keeping the game’s only map from getting boring in the long term,
since its randomized position on the island forces players to fight in different areas in each match. That said, the game’s focus on combat would be wasted if that combat was not fun, but thankfully it is. Gunplay is tight and responsive across the board, with every gun available being strong enough to down opponents in
own is exhilarating, the genius of this system is that it leads to matches feeling less like immediate competitions and more like self-contained survival stories. Because enemies could be watching from anywhere on the map, there is not a point at any time during a match where it feels okay to slack off. Every movement, every building
Courtesy of Bluehole Studios
“PUBG” was developed by Bluehole Studios with Brendan Greene, otherwise known as PlayerUnknown, as the lead director.
only a few shots. However, because each player is only given one life, they are kicked from the match upon death and items for recovering lost health are fairly rare, this quick time to kill forces players to take on a more stealth-focused playstyle than they may be used to. This leads to gunfights that are won not through twitch reflexes, but through careful planning and being able to not just parse out where the opponent is hiding, but how to defeat them whilst preventing them from turning the tables. While this approach to combat on its
entered and every shot taken is a tactical choice that if not properly considered could be the difference between survival or defeat. And the variety of different strategies the game’s systems allow for, from running foes down in vehicles to finding a sniper rifle and camping in the woods, makes every match feels distinct and memorable whether the player ends up winning or losing. And being able to remember every close call and struggle along the way makes the eventual wins all the sweeter. “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds”
may get plenty right on its first attempt, but there are still a number of drawbacks. As is standard with Early Access games, the title is plagued by performance issues ranging from textures failing to load, semi-regular frame drops and the occasional hard crash. While such issues are somewhat excusable due to the game being unfinished, what is not as forgivable is the game’s embrace of loot box culture, with a promise of placing all cosmetic options available behind an overpriced paywall upon official release. This is not a deal-breaker by any means, as the items gained from these boxes do not grant any advantage in game and can actually be found ingame, but it is unfortunate. It should also be noted that the community surrounding the game can be surprisingly toxic, with the public chat before most matches left ripe with profanity, though this is easily solved by muting the public chat entirely. Despite these issues, “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” is still easy to recommend to anyone looking for a more intense multiplayer experience than they may be used to. It may have some blemishes and will not be for everyone, but for those who are open to it, there is nothing else in its genre that can match it. The game is available on PC for $30, and will be arriving on Xbox One later this year for the same price. Final Grade: A-
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ng happeni What’s us on camp th?! this mon SUNDAY
CAMPUS CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER MONDAY
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10 A Capella Auditions 4:00p.m.-8:00p.m. Durgin Hall Fisher Recital Hall
TUESDAY
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WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
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South Fest by ACE 1:00-4:00p.m. Ice cream, games, events, prizes
UMass Lowell Convocation 10:00a.m.12:00p.m. Tsongas Center
Commuter Breakfast 7:00a.m.-10:00a.m. North Campus Riverside Lot
Kayaking 3:00-7:00p.m. Bellegarde Boathouse
Engagement Fair 12:00p.m.-2:00p.m. Student club info
Lowell Spinners Game 6:30p.m.
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Study Abroad Info Table 9:30a.m.-11:30a.m. O’Leary Library Lobby
Let’s Taco ‘Bout Sex (free tacos) 12:00p.m.-1:00p.m. McGauvran Student Center (Room 311)
Patriot Day
Zero Shades of Gray
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September 5, 2017
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UML Mindfulness Project 1:00p.m.-2:00p.m. UCrossing Room 382
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Let’s Taco ‘Bout Sex 12:00p.m.-1:00p.m. McGauvran Student Center (Room 311)
13 Study Abroad Info Table 12:00p.m.-1:30p.m. O’Leary Library Lobby
Sunset Yoga East Rec Center 5:00p.m.-6:30p.m.
14 Up ‘Til Dawn Info Table 5:00p.m.-7:00p.m. UCrossing Room 100
FRIDAY
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SATURDAY
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Cosmic Bowling 9:00p.m.-12:45a.m.
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OMA Paint Night 5:00p.m.-7:00p.m. Cumnock Hall
Back 2 Campus Party 9:00p.m.-1:00a.m. Cumnock Hall
Dining Info Table McGauvran Student Center
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Study Abroad Info Table 12:00p.m.-1:30p.m. Fox Hall Lobby
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Dining Info Table McGauvran Student Center
MASSPIRG Kickoff Table 4:00p.m.-6:00p.m. Campus Rec Center
UMass Lowell recognized for sustainability improvements ►Continued from front page
... in its category. The Massachusetts ECO Awards celebrate employers and colleges/universities that encourage and support sustainable and affordable transportation options, such as biking. The American League of American Bicyclists recognizes UMass Lowell as one of the five universities in the state that is bike friendly. The Office of Sustainability works with the UMass Lowell Police Department, the Office of Residence Life, the Campus Recreation Center (CRC) and Transportation Services to ensure that students, faculty and staff have convenient and sustainable methods of getting around the community. One sustainable transportation program UMass Lowell offers is the FreeWheelers Bike program. FreeWheelers allows students to use free bikes from five convenient locations around campus after registering online once. Another great way for River Hawks to get around Lowell is the recent collaboration with the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) and Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA) so that anyone with a university ID can use the services for free. Also this year, students worked in Toxics Use Reduction (TURI) laboratory to test and reevaluate the bike cleaners used in the campus bike shop on East Campus. As a result, the bike shop switched bike cleaners to safer, more environmentally friendly products using their findings from the lab. UMass Lowell takes pride in positive collaborations that have positive results. For example, the efforts to connect UMass Lowell with the Lowell community to ensure healthy urban forests. For the seventh year in a row, the university has been recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree Campus USA member. The conservation and
education foundation is the largest nonprofit membership organization devoted to tree planting. There are various new programs at UMass Lowell thanks to the Office of Sustainability. This is the first year with the $10 waivable sustainability fee that helps fund student-focused projects directly on campus. A portion of the fee also goes into the Sustainability Engagement & Enrichment Development (SEED) Fund. Last year, the SEED Fund awarded $50,000 to sustainability projects around campus. Another new program this year is the Leaders in
Environmental Advocacy for the Future (LEAF) Learning Living Community (LLC). LLCs group students together that share interests in the residential halls, connect students to opportunities within these interests and hold related events. LEAF is a sustainability and environmental focused LLC. LEAF will be hosting public events throughout the school year. UMass Lowell’s sustainability efforts, which began in 1989 with a recycling program, continue to advance with a climate neutrality target date of 2050. UMass Lowell
Constructed in 2012, The UMass Lowell Community Garden greenhouse grows fresh produce.
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September 5, 2017
SPORTS
Men’s basketball plays in three-game exhibition trip Kathryn Leeber Connector Editor
The men’s basketball team recently traveled to Italy for a 10-day exhibition tournament where they played three games against professional teams, while also taking some time to explore Rome, Florence and Lucca. The River Hawks finished their trip with a 1-2 record. The team first took on BC Silute of Lithuania, but unfortunately fell flat with a final score of 82-77. With one minute remaining, BC Silute scored six points to take the lead and the River Hawks were unable to recover. Junior Ryan Jones and redshirt-senior Jahad Thomas led UMass Lowell with 21 and 20 points, respectively. The team tied the game eight separate times, but aside from scoring the first initial baskets, the only other lead came in the second quarter. UMass Lowell had three days of rest and travel before taking on the first of two teams in the Italian Basketball League System on Aug. 23. The River Hawks captured a victory against the Pino Dragons, 95-65, with senior Matt Harris scoring four threepointers to contribute to his team-high 18 points. Thomas also led the team in rebounds, with 11, to aid in the win. Much like their first international game, the contest was tied on multiple occasions including four times in the first quarter. The group pulled away from the Dragons in the second quarter and the Florence-based team could not come back.
The third and final game against Fortitudo Agrigento ended in a nail-biter as the River Hawks came back from an 11-point deficit in the final minute and a half, adding nine points to make it a two-point game. Ultimately, UMass Lowell fell by one point in a 92-91 matchup. Jones again led the team with 31 points, and it was his last three-pointer that made it a one point game. Thomas similarly battled for the River Hawks, as he contributed 22 points and seven rebounds. With four new members joining the River Hawks this year, the trip was certainly a learning experience and time for the team to prepare for the start of their upcoming season. UMass Lowell completed their previous season with an 11-20 record, making it their fourth consecutive year with double-digit victories. Thomas led the team in scoring with 567 points, 322 of which came during conference matchups, and in both offensive and defensive rebounds with 71 and 209. Jones followed with 414 points, including 56 three-pointers for the 2016-2017 season. He also tallied 93 assists. Former senior Tyler Livingston graduated last May, but was an integral asset to the River Hawks last winter. Like Thomas and Jones, Livingston started in all 31 games and added 409 points overall. He had a team-high 13 blocks for the season. Based on their international trip, the team will forge ahead and rely on their offensive scorers
Freshman Evingson selected in NHL draft Hannah Manning Connector Editor
a trend of taller players suiting up for the River Hawks in the past two seasons. His point total may stand out most to fans, and with defenseman Dylan Zink’s graduation in May, some fans may be wondering where UMass Lowell’s next scoring defenseman is. If Evingson adapts well to the collegiate game and sees a lot of ice time, these fans may not have to look further. Evingson is one of seven freshmen to join the River Hawks this season and one of eight new players to be introduced to fans this season, as redshirt junior Keith Burchett is now eligible to hit the ice. Last season the River Hawks made the UMass Lowell fans
proud, winning the Hockey East championship on the backs of stellar performances by the freshmen and seniors. Although the roster has taken hits with the departures of Zink and fellow stars like forward C.J. Smith, forward Joe Gambardella and defenseman Michael Kapla, it reminds fans that college hockey is a cycle that brings in promising players as seasoned veterans graduate or move on to the professional ranks. Evingson and his fellow freshmen point to an auspicious beginning for UMass Lowell hockey, and fans will have much to look forward to as the leaves fall.
Incoming freshman defenseman Croix Evingson became the third player on the 2017-18 men’s hockey roster to be drafted by the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25. But looking past that, there is even more to Evingson to be excited about. Selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the seventh round with the 211th overall pick, Evingson joins sophomores Ryan Lohin and Tyler Wall as an official NHL prospect on the River Hawks. Lohin and Wall were selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers, respectively, in the 2016 NHL Draft. Evingson, an Anchorage, Alaska native, lit up the North American Hockey League (NAHL) in the 2016-17 season, having scored 12 times and assisted on 40 goals. His 52 points in 59 games for the Shreveport Mudbugs led all NAHL defensemen in that season. For his scoring prowess, Evingson was named NAHL Defenseman of the Year and was also selected to the All-NAHL and All-South Divisional Teams. Evingson stands at 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 214 pounds, which is just what the River Hawks need: size on the blue line with a scoring flair. He will be the tallest River Hawk on the roster this season, but he only has two inches on Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics five other players. This points to Croix Evingson joins teammate Tyler Wall as an official NHL prospect.
to build upon the momentum of last season. The men’s basketball season kicks off on Nov. 10 at UMass Amherst, and their first home game will be Nov. 12 against UMass Boston at the Costello Athletic Center.
Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
Jahad Thomas had 20 points for the River Hawks in the team’s first international game.
River Hawks Prevail in 2-1, Overtime Thriller at Miami UMass Lowell Athletics
OXFORD, Ohio – Junior Torrie Huk (Milford, Del.) found the back of the cage in the final seconds of overtime to lift the UMass Lowell field hockey team (2-1) to a 2-1 victory at Miami (Ohio) on Friday. “This was a great team performance today and quite possibly the biggest win in our Division I history,” said Head Coach Shannon Hlebichuk. “Miami was a very skilled and structured team, but our team defense, with an outstanding performance by Eva Berkhout, kept us in the game by staying organized and composed. Winning in overtime is always the best feeling, and we have been working hard and smart to win a big game like this. I am super happy for this team. They truly earned this win.” Following four shots for each side through the first 14 minutes of the overtime period, Huk and senior Christa Doiron (Worcester, Mass.) broke into the circle, taking advantage of a 2-on-1 situation that allowed Huk to redirect a pass on target and earn the closely-contested decision. The game had been tied since the 37th minute when sophomore Anouk Lalande (Brussels, Belgium) beat two players at the top of the circle before firing a shot on goal. Huk kept the pressure in the offensive end during the period with shots on goal in both the 45 and 47th minute, although Miami’s Maddie Passarella was there to make the stops and keep the score knotted at 1-1. The Redhawks started the scoring early on their home turf when Paula Portugal converted on a penalty corner in the 13th minute of the contest. The home squad controlled the pace of play for the remainder of that half, taking an 11-0 edge in shots into the break. Huk finished the day with seven of the River Hawks’ nine shots. Sophomore goalkeeper Eva Berkhout (Amersfoort, Utrecht, Netherlands) tallied a season-best 10 saves to earn her second win of the year.
September 5, 2017
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SPORTS River Hawks capture first win in overtime matchup ► Continued from front page
the game minutes later when Katrina NguyenDeMary sent the ball towards the goal, but UMass Lowell goalkeeper Julia Schneider grabbed it. The Highlanders maintained this pressure for the remaining minutes of the first half, but the River Hawks defense was unwavering. This resulted in some corner and free kicks for NJIT, but the crosses were all cleared. Starting the second half, NJIT kept the ball in front of UMass Lowell’s goal due to numerous corner kicks. The first came in the 57th minute after defender Alexandra Guzman slid to clear the ball from the feet of Highlander forward Christine Conaghy. Jennifer Callahan followed with a shot minutes later, but Schneider dived to make the save. At the end of regulation play, Schneider finished with four saves, while David had two for the Highlanders. UMass Lowell struggled to find their pace in the last half and did not see a chance to extend their lead until the 68th minute. The ball was crossed in from the side of the goal, but David snagged it in the air. Berdan gave the Highlanders the goal they needed to tie the game at 1-1 in the 76th minute when she dribbled up the field and scored without much
interference from the River Hawks’ defense. “We made some changes in the back line to give some people a break. It was warm, and it’s not that it broke down necessarily; we just got away from playing and we started going a little bit more direct, which we’re not really trying to do, and kind of fell into that hole a little bit and came back out if it later,” said D’Agostino. UMass Lowell had a chance to retake the lead in the 86th minute following a pass from Morrier to midfielder Olivia Crema, but the shot went just wide of the net. Morrier ended the afternoon with a game-high five shots on goal. With a tie game, an additional 10 minutes of overtime were played. NJIT had a shot right out of the gates, but Schneider made the save. Elle Cooper attempted a shot from distance for the River Hawks, but it was easily saved. The game went into a second and final overtime, as neither team scored another goal. NJIT utilized their corner kick opportunities and placed the ball close to the net, but any shot was cleared or saved by Schneider. The River Hawks did not create any chances to get near the goal until the last minute when they were awarded a free kick. The ball went wide of the net, but it was not until the very last second when
U P C OM I N G
River Hawk Games Thursday, Sept. 7
12 p.m. WSOC at St. Bonaventure
Friday, Sept. 8
7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 8
11 a.m.S
FH vs Georgetown WVB vs Houston Baptist
Saturday, Sept. 9
10:30 a.m.
XCTF at Dartmouth
Saturday, Sept. 9
5 p.m.
MSOC at Northeatern
Sunday, Sept. 10
12 p.m.
FH vs Pacific
For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com
midfielder Andrea Morrow took the shot from the top of the box after gathering a pass from Morrier to win the game for the River Hawks. “I saw Rachel [Morrier] with the ball and she did such a good job to draw in the defenders and I knew with only a few seconds left we had to commit everybody forward, so as soon as I saw her do that, I just ran in,” said Morrow on the game-winning shot. “I listened to the clock for three seconds and then I just put my head down and ripped the shot and it went in.”
Homero Morais continues to shine in National Premiere Soccer League Kathryn Leeber Connector Editor
Not all student athletes are fortunate enough to continue their playing career after college, let alone in a professional league. However, that is exactly the case for former UMass Lowell soccer star Homero Morais, who currently plays for Boston City FC in the National Premiere Soccer League (NPSL). Morais grew up in Somerville, Mass. where he was a standout player at Somerville High School. Starting all four years on varsity, he had 98 goals throughout his career and was a three-year captain of his team. In his biographical video on the UMass Lowell athletics’ website, Morais says that the proximity of the university to Somerville was his primary factor in choosing the school. He was able to see his family frequently and still showcase his talents on the field. From the very beginning of his freshman year, Morais often started in games. He played in 17 matches, 15 of which he started, and tallied five goals in his first year. Three of those goals were game winners. As his career at the university continued, Morais continued to improve and started all 22 games his sophomore year and had 13 goals for the season. During both his junior and senior years, Morais earned honors from America East and was named to their All-Conference Second Team. During his final year at UMass Lowell in 2014, he was also named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (now known as United Soccer Coaches) All-East Region Second Team. Morais then signed with Boston City FC, one of the Northeast region’s teams in the NPSL, in 2016 after attending their tryouts. The league, founded in 2003, was the successor to the Men’s Premiere Soccer League which was originally just a regional league on the West Coast. The NPSL is commonly recognized as the fourth tier of men’s professional soccer, although the league is not officially affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation, which is the governing body of professional soccer. However, it is acknowledged by
the United States Adult Soccer Association as a top amateur league. The league has 96 teams that span 14 conferences, which are further divided by region. Boston City FC competes in the “Atlantic-White Conference” along with five other teams. The team played in their first season just last year, and they came in second place in the conference. After trying out for the team, Morais proved to be a powerful presence in the midfield and as an attacker. He tallied seven goals in just 11 games which allowed the team to reach the playoffs in their inaugural season. This was also the most goals scored by any player on the team. This past summer, Boston City FC won seven games and tied three in their 15 games. Morais played 872 minutes and missed only two games due to injury. Just like UMass Lowell, the NPSL seeks to develop players’ skills and help grow the game. Morais
continues to do just that by taking his experiences at UMass Lowell and putting them to use to assist his teammates on Boston City FC. While Morais has certainly impressed higher leagues, he is not the only UMass Lowell alum to play at a more advanced level. This past semester, while playing in his senior year for the River Hawks, Wuilito Fernandes became the first soccer player from the school to be drafted by a Major League Soccer (MLS) team. He was selected by FC Dallas in the third round of the 2017 MLS draft. Additionally, Fernandes was called up to the Cape Verde national team this past march. UMass Lowell’s men’s soccer program continues to improve. They went 13-1-2 last season and won the America East regular season championship for the first time in program history. They earned the number one spot in the America East Preseason Coaches’ poll for the 2017 season.
Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
Morais battles for the ball in one of his final games as a River Hawk.