The Connector - November 3, 2015

Students look ahead to 2016 presidential election â–ş Page 8

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

November 3, 2015

No. 7 River Hawks earn 6-3 win at No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth

In This Issue Charles Hoff donates to UMass Lowell

â–ş Page 4

UMass Lowell Atheltics

Naoe Suzuki gallery

opening â–ş Page 7 Gambling After Dark

preview

â–ş Page 9

Final River Hawk Scores Team

Score

Overall Record

Field Hockey at 8 UAlbany

L 3-9 5-13

Volleyball at UMBC

L 0-3

Hockey at 6. Minn.-Duluth

W 6-3 4-1-2

M. Scccer vs UMBC

L 0-1

4-21

7-8-1

River Hawks win America East Championship!

UMass Lowell Atheltics

LOWELL, Mass. – Mission accomplished.

The UMass Lowell Men’s Cross Country became the first River Hawk team to win an America East Conference Championship, Saturday morning, as it ran to victory at the America East Conference 8K Cross Country Championship in Stony Brook, N.Y. “Our goal, ever since last year, has been to win this championship,� said UMass Lowell Head Coach Gary Gardner. “We worked so hard and this morning went out and grabbed it. Our times were phenomenal.�

The championship is the first for any UMass Lowell athletic team since joining the America East Conference and beginning the transition to Division I nearly three years ago. That was something that was not lost on the team. “We knew we were the only team that was eligible for a championship and that meant something to these kids,� said Gardner. “It was a way to reward those that had supported us. It was a way to thank Athletic Director Dana Skinner and the Chancellor for the support they have given us.�

In a sport that demands depth for team success, UMass Lowell placed five runners in the top 16 and took the top prize with a total â–ş See “UMass Lowell,â€? page 11

Sections News.............................4 Campus Life.................. 8 A&E.............................. 6 Sports..........................10

DULUTH, Minn.

-- Junior defenseman Dylan Zink (Madison, Wis.) tied a career-high with two goals and sophomore forward C.J. Smith (Des Moines, Iowa) notched a careerhigh four points (1g,3a) to lead the No. 7 ranked UMass Lowell Hockey team to a 6-3 victory at No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday night at AMSOIL Arena in the non-conference series finale in front of 5,703 fans.

With the series split, the River Hawks improve to 4-1-2 overall, while UMD falls to 3-2-2 on the season. “We are proud of the kids, they played with a lot of urgency tonight, as we tried to secure a few points on the road and we were able to do

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

C.J. Smith (center) tallied four points in a win against Minnesota-Duluth Saturday night.

that against a very good hockey team,� said River Hawks Head Coach Norm Bazin.

Smith finished the night with a game-high five shots on goal and junior forward Evan Campbell (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) went 9-for-13 (69%) in the faceoff circle.

The Bulldogs scored

twice at the beginning of the third period in just 52 seconds apart with goals by Austin Farley and Brendan Kotyk at 17:18 and 16:26. Senior forward Adam Chapie (Oxford, Mich.) added his third tally of the season with 12:39 left in the game and sophomore forward C.J. Smith (Des

Moines, Iowa) potted his second goal of the season with a wrister from the top of the slot at 13:03 to seal the win for UMass Lowell.

Zink scored two goals just 42 seconds apart in the second frame at 6:12 and 6:54, respectively.

The first goal came from â–ş See “River Hawks,â€? page 11

Adventure meets puzzles meets co-op ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes’ review Jeffrey Cullen Connector Contributor

“The Legend of Zelda� is known to many as Nintendo’s signature action adventure series. So it may be surprising that Nintendo has added cooperative multiplayer and more puzzles to the mix. On Oct. 23 “The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes� hit stores in North America. The game combines the monster slashing, rupee seeking adventure fans expect with a much greater emphasis on puzzles and problem solving.

The first thing that fans may notice is that the visuals greatly resemble those of “The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.�

The cartoon-like style returns almost unchanged with some enemy designs and various natural elements retaining their appearance.

But this look pairs perfectly with

the soundtrack. Like “A Link Between Worlds,� the music is mostly simple but varied. Players can expect the same satisfaction of hearing different twists on the game’s many tracks simply by changing their formation. The game can somehow flawlessly shift from the peaceful song of a level to the epic and upbeat thrill of a boss.

But visuals and music were not the only thing to be taken from Nintendo’s previous title. “Tri Force Heroes� has almost identical gameplay to “A Link Between Worlds.� The controls are exactly the same and the top-down camera angle is used once again. These controls worked then, and they definitely work now. The game is simple to play and it never seems as though the controls are overly complicated.

Where “Tri Force Heroes� be-

gins to deviate is in its level design.

Instead of the closed world setup of most “Legend of Zelda� games, a more structured approach is taken. Players simply go to a hub area and select a level to play rather than having to seek the spot out. Each level functions as a mini dungeon full of puzzles and tasks.

But the new features do not stop there. Now Link can change his appearance with a number of outfit changes. Ranging from Princess Zelda’s classic dress to a cactus suit, each outfit gives Link a new and unique ability. The player is tasked with gathering specific materials throughout the game in order to craft new outfits. That being said, creating most of the outfits is entirely optional but they do add a fun and new twist to the regular gameplay. â–ş See “Tri Force Heroes,â€? page 7

Noveember 3, 2015

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OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

What Am I Doing?

Benjamin St. Pierre UML Student

I’m an English major, and becoming this never felt like a choice. It was never something I even had to think about; there was never any internal deliberation about which major I’d choose, or even where I wanted to go to college. I never took the time to stress out over all that, because I have always had my sights set on only one thing: writing.

I’ve always viewed reading and writing as means of escaping an increasingly mechanized, overly orderly, money-beats-all world, and a blank page that’d soon come to store my ideas has always meant more to me than the fanciest of manmade, concrete constructs. You can walk by a skyscraper and look up in awe and

wonder about how it’s even built, but I have always found it more mind-blowing that worlds could be created, altered, or entirely destroyed on a piece of paper. That we’re all the gods of whatever existences we wish to grow in the soil of a sheet.

For me, to write is to invent a world in which no one has any say in its events besides you, and to major in English is to know that not everything is an equation, or requires an irrefutable final answer. But is to know that not everything resides on a straight line, that not knowing is knowing, and that the mysteries of life are what make life livable.

I’ve said I’ve always known that I’d major in this, but I don’t even know for sure what I want to do in my life, and maybe that’s a common criticism

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of humanities majors in general. But I don’t think anybody should even pretend to know how their life will unfold. Acting like you know how exactly your STEM major will turn out is like saying you can’t hang out with a friend on a day twenty years in the future because you’ll be at work, and you may as well tell him or her when you die so they can prepare for the funeral.

I’m never set on one, unchangeable career. I’m content with always having different ideas float through my head every day. In English, I have my set concentration (Journalism and Professional Writing), and there’s the constant (definitely appropriate) mantra about getting a job out of college for all of us, but to me, in English, I feel that I can just breathe. I feel like I’m an individual whose thoughts are important, and when I see blankness turn to fullness, with the fullness composed of my own thoughts, I know it is what I want, even if the exact job can and will change over the decades in the “real world.� I know it will, and I’m not afraid of that. I welcome it.

I’m not afraid of uncertainty, because that just means I can spend my whole life changing my methods of discovering things through the worlds I create with the words I share. I hope everybody has their unique passion, because this is something I really hope I can have and do my whole life.

It feels like we all worry so much about doing whatever it takes to get a job out of school that we push aside doing whatever it takes to enjoy our youth while we have it. In this day and age, with infinite college debt and a nerve-wracking job market, we never stop and think about why we all worry so much.

We never remind ourselves that all

our struggles are literally nonexistent outside of our own minds, and that we try to be “work ready� so much more than simply trying to be ready for each new day, and enjoying what we have while we have it. That’s backwards.

Majoring in English is an escape from all that. I don’t mean to sound pretentious or pompous, either, as maybe any non-humanities major could (fairly) shrug this all aside as unrealistic, utopian rhetoric, but I just don’t understand how somebody could hold their potential job prospects and “promised� income higher than having a job that makes you happy in nonfinancial ways.

What it often seems to come down to, most of the time, is the inescapable reality of money mattering in life.

Why, yes it does. But to me, and seemingly most English and other humanities majors, money has never been the most important thing; I didn’t come from it, and I don’t particularly want it. I want to be able to afford necessities, sure, but more importantly, to be happy every single day, helped by holding a job that isn’t a dull job, but an extension of my passions. For me, it’s writing, or perhaps teaching writing, and for you, maybe it is math, or engineering, or history, or nursing, or whatever else it is that you love.

Hopefully, you’re majoring in what you love. Into this, I’ve injected what I’m passionate about, but I hope that everybody is able to read this, substitute my passion for theirs, and major in what they love instead of feeling bound by what jobs may or may not even be available down the line, or overbearing parents, or anything else which restricts your individuality.

You have never lived before, and â–ş See page 3

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UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

November 3, 2015

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OPINIONS & EDITORIALS What Am I Doing? ►Continued from page 2

never will again after your time expires, so why should somebody else tell you how to live, or push you into something that you truly do not want to do? I know it’s hypocritical of me to ask that, while preaching about majors, but my point is that we all have to live as we want to; if you want money, go for it, but if that’s not what you’re about, and you feel pressured into what you’re doing for one reason or another, remember you only have one life. It’s never

too late to change your career later in life, but you only have one youth, and we shouldn’t stress ourselves out by holding ourselves to unattainable standards of perfection. We should all just try to be happy, and enjoy this, because this is life, and it isn’t going to last forever.

To tie this into a phrase that I often think about, I do not believe I’ll ever be truly “work, life, and world ready”… I will never know what the next day will bring. I will

never know which jobs I’ll hold in the future, and I’ll never be able to know what’ll happen in my life until everything unfolds. The world we live in is something defined by change, and all we can do every day is get through every day. What we add to the monotony is a defining characteristic of how we view the world, and what I hope we are all able to add to the world are our ideas on the individual passions we hold dear, which should never go

to waste. Don’t live without doing what you love, opening it up to the world, and being in constant pursuit of happiness. We should hold being happy above making money or being perfect.

For me, I want to be able to write and make my own worlds, and I’m ready for that to be my life’s work.

I hope it turns out that way, and I hope you can always do whatever you desire to be your life’s work.

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November 3, 2015

NEWS

Poll: After recent bomb threats to UMass Lowell, how safe do you feel on campus?

A. Very safe

If you’d like to respond to this poll, vote now at umlconnector.com.

B. Safe C. Unsafe D. Very unsafe On Monday, Oct. 26, and Thursday, Oct. 29, UMass Lowell received bomb threats, causing Olney Hall to close both times while authorities secured the building.

The UMass Lowell emergency notification system sent emails and text messages to students warning them of the threats and to stay away from Olney Hall. Later, messages were sent from the same system to assure students that the threat had been dealt with. University

Police have declined to comment on both incidents, as the investigations are ongoing.

Our website will publish information and student reactions as this story develops. If you’d like to comment on these incidents, email our news editors at samuel_linsteadatkinson@student.uml.edu or at David_Rudderham@student.uml. edu.

David Rudderham/Connector

Olney Hall (pictured) was evacuated and closed twice last week due to recent bomb

UMass Lowell alum has donated over $11 million UMass Lowell Media Relations

LOWELL, Mass. – One of the most generous donors to UMass Lowell and the entire University of Massachusetts is again making a significant gift, this time to honor two of the system’s leaders who are also alumni.

Charles J. Hoff, Class of 1966, will donate $1 million in honor of the inaugurations of new UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney and UMass President Marty Meehan.

Moloney, who was UMass Lowell’s executive vice chancellor for eight years, was selected in August to succeed Meehan, who had served as chancellor since 2007 before being appointed system president. Both Moloney and Meehan are graduates of UMass Lowell.

Moloney will be inaugurated at a ceremony at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. In addition to the formal investiture of Chancellor Moloney, the inauguration and evening gala at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center will raise funds for a newly endowed scholarship fund in Moloney’s name. More than $1 million is expected to be raised to provide both scholarships and applied learning opportunities for UMass Lowell students.

“I know firsthand that a UMass Lowell education is an invaluable one. I have been fortunate to be able to assist so many talented students who have followed in my footsteps at Lowell and throughout the system.

Now, it is my great pleasure to also support the inaugurations of two of the university’s most esteemed grad-

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Media Relations

From left to right: Marty Meehan, Charles J. Hoff, and Jacqueline Ma-

uates and leaders, each of whom has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to the success of UMass and its students,” said Hoff, who earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial management at Lowell Tech, one of UMass Lowell’s predecessor institutions.

Hoff ’s previous contributions to the university over the past 25 years total more than $10 million. They include a 2007 gift that was used to create the largest privately financed scholarship program in the university’s history. Hoff ’s giving has focused on need-based scholarship and creating access for the most disadvantaged students. Scholarships have gone to recent immigrants, homeless students and others with extreme obstacles.

The students who benefit from the program, known as “Hoff scholars,” represent some of the best and brightest UMass students.

Last year, UMass Lowell named its

new alumni center the Charles J. Hoff Alumni Scholarship Center in recognition of Hoff ’s legacy of giving and his leadership on major fundraising efforts.

“Charlie Hoff ’s support for this new scholarship fund is truly an honor,” said Moloney. “Through this gift and others he has made to UMass Lowell, he has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to meeting financial need for students, making him one of the greatest contributors to the success of our students and the excellence of our university.”

Meehan’s inaugural ceremony will be held on Thursday, Nov. 12 at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, located on the campus of UMass Boston. Meehan has set a separate goal of raising $1 million for student scholarships. The portion of the Hoff gift earmarked for the Meehan inaugural will fund

student scholarships throughout the UMass system.

“Charlie Hoff is one of the most generous donors in our university’s history and his focus has always been on helping students realize their full potential and achieve at the highest level,” Meehan said. “Charlie’s appreciation for the university’s statewide mission caused him to create scholarship programs on all five campuses, a truly remarkable act that will shape countless lives and make our Commonwealth a better place. I am honored that Charlie has chosen to support the upcoming inaugurations in this fashion. It will make available to future students the UMass education that made such a crucial difference to Jacquie, Charlie and to me.”

Originally from Medford, Hoff now lives in York, Maine and Naples, Fla. Today, Hoff manages Hoff Family Associates, which makes equity investments in growing companies around New England and in local real estate projects. He is also chairman of the Hoff Foundation, which supports charitable organizations and education.

His career also includes serving as a senior vice president of operations for Bausch & Lomb and senior management positions with Wang Laboratories, Polaroid and Gillette. From 1983 to 1986, he was president, CEO and owner of ARL Analytical Instruments Co., which generated more than $100 million in worldwide sales and later was the owner, chairman and CEO of Universal/Univis Inc., a group of designer eyewear companies.

November 3, 2015

ng happeni What’s us on camp th?! this mon SUNDAY

1

CAMPUS CALENDAR

NOVEMBER MONDAY

2 Super Smash Bros. Tournament $5 to enter, benefits St. Jude Hospital UCrossing 2nd Floor 7-9 p.m.

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TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

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Liberty in North Korea Info Session UCrossing 260A 7-8:30 p.m.

Liberty in North Korea Info Session UCrossing 260A 7-8:30 p.m.

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

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6

7

12

13

14

Disabilities Awareness Panel USuites 106B 6-8 p.m.

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Art Student Union Paint Night Cumnock Hall 7-9 p.m.

Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Day Meet at North Campus bus stop 8 am - 3:30 p.m

Calendar listings are FREE when space is available. To better ensure your listings placement, get your information in two weeks in advance by e-mailing Marlon_Pitter@uml.edu

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November 3, 2015

November 3, 2015

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

‘Axiom Verge’: Getting their ‘Super Metroid’ on Shane Foley Connector Editor

Being a Metroid fan is tough these days. While Nintendo’s other franchises are frequently updated with new material, such as Pokémon and Zelda, the Metroid franchise has been stagnant for five years. The 3DS will see a new Metroid title named Federation Force, but it has earned much ridicule from fans. There is a petition to try to stop the game’s release. The last home console release was 2010’s “Metroid: Other M,” a polarizing game that did not live up to fan expectations. A once revered name in gaming almost seems to be neglected as Nintendo focuses on their other areas.

Many Nintendo fans wonder if a classic Metroid-style game will ever be released again. So an indie game company took care of it.

Thomas Happ Games took everything good about classics like “Super Metroid” and Metroid Fusion and put it into their latest feature, “Axiom Verge.” Available on the Play Station 4, Play Station Vita, PC and Steam, the game is a side scroller in 61 bit graphics that are meant to emulate the Super Nintendo

look. The similarities from this game to “Metroid” range from the graphics, to the environments, to the many weapons available in the game, to even the soundtrack.

“Axiom Verge” is also a “Metroidvania” game. This means that, as you obtain new weapons in the game, previous areas you could not reach before now become accessible. “Axiom Verge” brags a large, long list of new weapons and even allows you to explore after you have completed the main story.

To beat the game in general is an accomplishment, but it is even harder to do a 100% run through because of all the upgrades and the size of the map.

Beyond standing on its own as a title, “Axiom Verge” may have just shown Nintendo the future of “Metroid.” “Axiom Verge” being a successful game means that a side scrolling Metroidvania game can survive in today’s gaming market.

Of course, a return to a classic “Metroid” game was what “Metroid: Other M” was supposed to be. The game incorporated new elements that were not to the fans’ liking.

While “Metroid: Other M”

was mostly side scrolling, albeit in 3D, there were points in the game that prompted the user to switch to first person to commit an action, like shoot a missile. This at times would be problematic since the camera would then focus in on what Samus, the main character, has her line of sight on, not necessarily what you are looking at. Movement was also suspended in first person, so players had to move the sights around until they found the enemy or target they needed.

The game also received much criticism for its plot. The gameplay would be frequently broken up with long cut scenes. A big objective of the producers of this game was to explain the origins of Samus and draw her out as a character, since no other Metroid game had done so. These cut scenes, therefore, served as filler, rather than pushing the current storyline the player is engaging in at that moment.

Players would be stopped in the middle of a mission with a long scene about Samus’ past that was irrelevant to the mission at hand. The storyline also made Samus look weak as a person, as her item upgrades cannot be used un-

til she is authorized by Adam Malcovich, her former commanding officer. They meet in the game with Samus as an independent bounty hunter, not under any authority to Malcovich, but throughout the game she “chooses” to follow his orders.

What is odd about the criticisms of “Other M,” though, are that it has very little to do with gameplay. The plot may have been unappealing, and certain controls were hard to

figure out, but other than that, it was deemed an enjoyable experience. It received an 8.5 rating from IGN. So, perhaps Nintendo should not wipe their hands of “Metroid” altogether. Perhaps they should just give us what “Axiom Verge” did: a side scrolling Metroidvania game. If it is a bad idea for Nintendo, then there would be no reason why anybody would pick this indie game up.

Courtesy of Thomas Happ Games

“Axiom Verge” is currently available for PS4, Steam, PS Vita and Microsoft Windows.

‘Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension’ review Owen Johnson Connector Contributor

When I saw “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension,” I picked what seemed like the most appropriate time to see it: a 10 p.m. showing that would get out close to midnight.

What speaks volumes about this movie is that when the movie was over, I was able to walk the one hundred feet between the theater doors and my car without angst.

When a family discovers a box in their house filled with old VHS tapes and a customized camcorder, they begin to notice strange activity happening around the house. Among these strange activities includes a strange object that only the camera can pick up moving around the house, and the family’s young daughter, Leila played

by Ivy George, talking to an imaginary friend named Toby. While looking through the VHS tapes, which contains footage of the two sisters from the other “Paranormal Activity” movies, the family learns that Leila is an important part to a witch coven’s plan.

The movie is more of the same stuff we have seen before. It is another one-dimensional, personality-lacking family who seems to think their lives are so interesting that they need to be

filming every second, even before the ghosts show up. Then, when the ghost shows up, there are a bunch of cameras set up around the house in the middle of the night to catch some sort of

it is obvious that the crew either did not know or did not care about one of the biggest rules of horror: what we see is not as scary as what we did not see. It is scary to know that a demon is

Courtesy of Paramount Films

“The Ghost Dimension” is the sixth film in the “Paranormal Activity” series.

ghost activity.

The big marketing gimmick for this movie seems to be, “For the first time you will see the activity.” This is done through the use of the customized camera that the family finds which can pick up on ghosts. While it is finally a new aspect to the film series,

lurking somewhere in the house, and it might scare you when the demon reveals its position by moving some furniture. It is not scary when you not only know where the demon is, but that it either looks like a figure made out of black goo or a comical-looking vampire.

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UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

While jump scares and loud noises reigned galore in the previous sequels to the franchise, the gimmick has been noticeably toned down when it came to this movie. With the introduction of the visual demon, the audience did not need a swiveling chair or an opening door to show them where the demon is. Though, that is not to say those lazy scare tactics are not present and overused in this movie.

The only scary part of the movie is the ending because it leaves it open to the possibility of another sequel.

While the movie’s producer, Jason Blum has said that this sixth installment will be the last of the franchise (1), the movie ends feeling like it is moving onto a new chapter of the “Paranormal Activity” franchise that could go on even longer.

If you have seen any of the “Paranormal Activity” sequels, then you have seen this movie already. Jump scares and loud noises take the place of craft and building a scary atmosphere, and cameras sit around, boringly filming flat shots of rooms waiting for something to happen.

Final Grade: D-

New University Gallery exhibit focuses on environmental issues Jacob Boucher Connector Contributor

It seems like every day there is more news about California. The droughts they are enduring are the worst in over one thousand years, and more and more often the issue of water scarcity is brought up because of it. But this is not solely a Californian, or even American, issue. All over the world clean, drinkable water is either disappearing or being squandered. Activists are concerned about this and are trying to influence policies in Washington, D.C. and around the world, but here at UMass Lowell there is an opportunity to get a unique perspective on this issue through art.

In the University Gallery in Mahoney Hall there is an exhibit titled “In Solidarity” by Naoe Suzuki focusing on the issues of pollution and water scarcity. The exhibit shows selections from a number of her collections and features the unveiling of an interactive element which she hopes to carry across.

Suzuki was born in Japan and moved to the United States as a young adult. As an artist, she became interested in the issue of water mistreatment after visiting the location she now calls her second home, the Blue Mountain Center in the Adirondacks. “I call that place paradise… and that’s where I felt the healing energy of water. But at the same time I started really thinking about terrible conditions of water.” The past four years she has devoted herself to art concerning these issues,

making collections studying everything from pollution to scarcity to simply admiring water’s inherent beauty.

Suzuki is very passionate about both her message and her art and said, “I hope that my artwork will kind of trigger their mind if they haven’t thought about it, but I also want them to enjoy the beauty of the work even if they’re not interested in water.” All of her work is beautiful, none intentionally disturbing or off-putting for the sake of her message. This does not mean her point is not made. Rather, the work combines the intrusive qualities of things like wires, trash, even human remains with flowing, soothing colors and designs that still appeal to the eye. “I was always drawing about water, but weird things started floating in that water,” she said.

The methods used in her art are just as interesting and well thought-out as the message and really add dimensions to her pieces. Depending on the work she will use anything from mineral paints to pen to tea staining. The paints in particular are of just the right consistency and makes the water look as though it flows across the page and creates soothing tones of blue. For some of her work, however, Suzuki used an interesting method: laser-cutting. Her “Water, is Taught by Thirst: WHITE” employs this method, creating cleanly cut yet slightly singed and tinged edges mirroring the geographies of Great Boston, the Adirondacks and Greater Florida.

“Originally I didn’t even think about laser-cutting… It’s not about how well I can cut, it’s not about the craft of it… I didn’t want people to come up and say ‘oh I can’t believe she cut this by hand.’” The pieces cut from this series were then employed in other works like “Over and Out,” “Your Mate,” “Charles and In Solidarity,” and “Your Pal.” There is one participatory piece in particular, however, which is exceptionally interesting. In the back of the gallery is a typewriter which attendees can use to answer the question, “What is my relationship with water?” on provided paper. These pieces hang on the wall to their right. When their response is typed, their answer will go on the wall and the question will be given to them to take with them. Suzuki not only wants people to engage with this question, one she has pondered continuously herself, but by giving them paper to take home she hopes that the visitor too will continue to ponder and think about water and what it means to them.

Whether it is fracking or the commercialization of water, Suzuki is outspoken about her beliefs and ardent in her speech. And there is a good deal for her to be incensed about. It is predicted that “by 2025… 1.8 billion people will be forced to live under acute water scarcity, and then 2/3 of the world’s population will live under water stressed conditions.” Suzuki has stories, examples, and evidence to spare on these issues, equal

parts astounding and disturbing. In particular she dislikes that something so necessary, so important to well-being, is commercialized. She talks of Detroit, and how people who cannot pay for water are not given access to it. “Water and air are free, that’s what they used to say, but not so anymore… That’s denying them most basic human rights.”

In particular, Suzuki admires activists. Oftentimes she has pondered whether remaining an artist is acceptable given how much she cares for water and how desperately she wants to help it.

But while she does not consider herself an activist, she feels that through her art she can still do something for water. When asked if she was an activist, or considered herself one, she said, “In a way I am… but I’m also an artist.

My artwork, it’s not didactic.”

Ultimately, she thinks the best way to tackle this issue is to institute laws and sew loopholes in government. “Sometimes I

do feel frustrated… I really admire activists who are out there and trying to change the policies. We have a Clean Water Act. But there’s lots of loopholes… I really think we need to change the policies.”

Suzuki thanks in particular the Blue Mountain Center and Pollock-Krasner Foundation for their help and support in making these projects a reality. It is also worth noting that this month a catalogue of Suzuki’s will be coming out, entitled, “Be Water, My Friend.” The catalogue will also feature essays by curators and the Executive Director of Food and Water Watch. She intends to take her art and especially the interactive component to cultures and countries across the globe, getting the perspective those in impacted countries have about water and its scarcity.

Photo courtesy of Jacob Boucher

Suzuki’s exhibit will be at University Gallery until Nov. 25.

‘Tri Force Heroes’ review ►Continued from front page

The biggest new addition, though, is that the player is now controlling three units, not just one. This means that three different versions of Link, green, blue and red each, must work together to complete each stage. On top of this, all three units share one health bar, meaning a mistake made with one Link will impact the other two. This is where there is a fork in the road for this game. The player has the option to fly solo and control all three by themselves or they can venture into the world of co-op play, available in both online and local varieties.

The multiplayer is quite straightforward in its design. Players are connected to two other users in their region, each of them is given control of one Link and they venture into the stage together. The major downside of this is communication. No text or voice based means of speaking with online partners is given. All the player has are eight picture icons that can be sent to teammates. For simple

challenges, this works fine, but these do little when trying to solve anything complicated. The messages trying to be sent end up very cryptic and strange and are misinterpreted far too often. A throw icon, cheerleader icon, and disappointment icon do not exactly combine for a clear message for “throw me up on a ledge, now go press the button.” In all frankness, the multiplayer feels like it would be worlds less frustrating if all three players were in the room.

Luckily, local multiplayer is available. A silver lining in this is the on screen update system used to inform the player when a partner finds something of value or is taking damage. This way the player can easily tell which teammate is the one messing up the most.

But sometimes the stars align and three players who are synced well come together and really do a good job, but it is all luck up to there.

The single player option has its quirks as well.

While switching between which Link is being con-

trolled is quite smooth and easy, the problem comes with solving a few certain puzzles along the way. In a few spots it becomes clear that the levels are more geared toward multiple people being involved rather than just one. In these few cases the player’s reaction time needs to be swift, and luck needs to be on their side in order to get through. While this is aggravating, these portions are few and far between.

Overall, “The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes” is a big shift from what fans are used to. “Tri Force Heroes” certainly has its quirks that will make it memorable in a now extensive franchise. The game is fun, different and creative, and is a great game to play with friends.

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November 3, 2015

CAMPUS LIFE Connector Editor

Many UMass Lowell students often talk about getting pets because although students are allowed to have fish, watching Bubbles swim in circles for hours on end can get pretty boring. Students joke about sneaking cats into the dorms (there have been students living in Riverview Suites who have successfully done it, according to rumors circulating around), but some are serious about getting a furry, four-legged friend to keep them company in their apartment but do not know how to go about doing this.

Before preparing to adopt . an animal, students must take many factors into consideration such as whether or not they will have enough time to spend with their new pet, how their roommates, if they have any, feels about having an animal and if having a pet will work out for them even after they graduate college. Along with this, students must also consider the costs of having a pet such as buying food and veterinary expenses which as both hard to afford on a college budget. Professionals have their own views on college students and pets and whether or not the two are a good fit together.

Northeast Animal Shelter, . located at 347 Highland Avenue in Salem, Mass., is the largest no-kill shelter in New England and a popular choice for Massachusetts residents

when adopting pets. While they have a pretty standard process for animal adoptions, college students have a slightly different process to undergo, due to their hectic schedules and the hours of commitment a new pet needs, said Julie Whitney, Adop-

the day, the student would also be asked what their hours are like throughout the day and how much time they would have to spend with their new pet, she said. Plans upon graduation are very important as well, according to Whitney, because since many

Gambling After Dark 3.0 to be better than last year Lowell Humane Society, located just within walking distance from UMass Lowell’s South Campus at 951 Broadway Street, believes that students should choose pets suited for their lifestyle, that is if they even have time for a pet at all. “For instance, a puppy

not their apartment will even allow pets, something that the representative also touched upon by saying, “Students also tend to live a more transient lifestyle. They haven’t necessarily planted their roots yet...They need to consider whether or not their future home will allow for pets.”

A representative from Scituate Animal Shelter, located in Scituate, Mass., recommends that college students should not make the commitment of adopting an animal at all because of their schedules. “If your housing allows pets, fostering a cat/ dog for a shelter can be extremely rewarding if you want a pet in your life but you don’t have a backup plan of what you would do if after college you don’t have housing that can allow you to have an animal.” According to the representative who was interviewed, at Scituate, many of the animals were Courtesy of Mark Taylor given up because the ownA pair of kittens might be considered a good addition to an apartment. ers, including many college tions Supervisor at Northeast students move back in with is not going to be a good idea students, cannot find places Animal Shelter. their parents after graduating, for a single person that is gone that allow pets, which is why .According Whitney, North- making sure that bringing the 8-10 hours every day, but an they suggest that college stueast’s adoptions supervisor, pet home would be okay with adult cat or a pair of kitten dents consider fostering an the first steps a student would their family is a must. might be a fine choice,” said animal instead of making the have to take would be to ask “Being a college student of- a representative from the shelcommitment of adoption. their landlord for permission as well as check with their roommates to see if owning a pet would be okay with them as well.

Because college students have many classes through

ten involves an active social life,” says Whitney, “so it is very important to consider how much time you actually have to spend with a new pet.”

Much closer to home, The

ter over Facebook messenger.

Because college students are still figuring out what they want to do with their lives and haven’t planted their roots yet, they must consider several factors including whether or

Hit the ballots, young America Shayna Vigliotta Connector Contributor

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Presidents are selected, not elected.” .Our thirty-second president of United States made a good point–we have that power and privilege to vote. .Some students argue that their lack of voting is because they feel it will not make a difference when the young adult population makes up a portion of the voting demographics. President Obama has said young adults’ action to vote is important in his blog post on Median when he said, “One of the reasons I’m so confident about America’s future is that I’m confident in you.” .Science major Chloe Castellano believes voting is important. “You may think that your specific vote may not directly influence the decisions that are made, but they will help make a decision based on who you truly think will be the best fit for running our

country with the nation’s entire population in mind,” she said. .Young adults say they are increas-

“Education is the most important issue to me because I am terrified of putting off the rest of my life after college because of student loans,” ingly becoming more aware of the presidential debate in decision of who their preferred candidate is, and candidates seem to understand that reaching them through social media may be a good strategy. Accounting finance major Christa Mixon feels more involved in the campaign be-

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CAMPUS LIFE

Four-legged inclusive housing Jen Desrosiers

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

cause of the candidates’ social media presence. “It’s a main source of where we get a majority of information on current topics,” said Mixon. .Students are voicing their concerns of issues they hope to be addressed by the next president of the United States. “Education is the most important issue to me because I am terrified of putting off the rest of my life after college because of student loans,” said Meaghan Roche, a psychology major.

“When life does continue, I’m scared my kids will go through this twice as bad if the cost of education rises.” .Although student loans are a major concern for college students, they also connect their worth of education to other relevant issues. “Candidates have been promising to cut back on student loans, but we need someone who will help the economy, increase job opportunities and create a better and more reliable welfare system,”

said Marissa McLellan. .For many college students, the 2016 presidential election would be the first time in which they are old enough to vote. Four out of five students had said that they would vote for the next president. Castellano said she feels strongly about young adults’ involvement in politics. “Students should absolutely be involved in the campaign because we are the ones that are going to have to live by the standards and laws put in place by the candidates being voted for,” said Castellano. .Other students, however, admitted to having interest in the issues covered in the presidential debate rather than its own candidates. “I am probably not going to vote in the next election because I am uneducated in politics and don’t see myself becoming knowledgeable anytime soon,” said Dalton Richards, a business administration major.

LASA and Healthy Hawks help co-sponsor event find at a professional casino. The twist is that it doubles as a sexual education “I can see that our numbers have program. grown,” said John Romano, execuOn that night, many informational tive board member for LASA, who booths will fill Moloney Hall. They hosts the annual Gambling After Dark will be providing information on sexevent. “Everything about it has grown. ual health, so not only can you get a It’s going to be better this year than couple hands of poker in, but you can it was last year, because we’re gonna learn about the latest statistics and how have the room set up very nice, we’re to stay sexually healthy. gonna have a bunch of different things Last year, Gambling After Dark there, we’re gonna have a new game as was a huge success, attracting a huge well, and we’re definitely working on crowd. This came as a huge surprise to its workers, since it started out as a very small program, put together by several resident advisors in 2013.

“It started off as the DifferenceMaker pitch at reslife training, and it exponentially took off, because people love it. It’s a great event, it’s fun, and it’s something the student population didn’t know it was going to be as liked as it was.

People look forward to it, people asked me questions about it at the start of this year; it had interest right away,” said Romano.

Some of the booths that will Courtesy of LASA be at the event Last year’s description is still accurate, except the date. will be run by the casino style feel which people like, cosponsoring organizations. LASA because they don’t get that from other will be providing a booth speaking events on campus.” about Relief Day, another program Romano, with the help of a very soon to come. Healthy Hawks will large E-board, will help run the third also be there with other resources on installment of Gambling After Dark, sexual health education. In addition an event that has grown to earn inclu- to these on campus supporting orgasion amongst the most popular events nizations will be the It’s On Us camon campus per year. The basic premise paign, a national initiative to stop of the event is turning Moloney Hall sexual violence. into a casino, with poker, roulette, Due to the presence of these and other games you would normally booths, Gambling After Dark may Shane Foley

Connector Editor

“To people who’ve been to a casino, it feels like being in a casino,” said Romano. “It’s a nice atmosphere; it’s really electric.”

be the opportunity to ask that question you have been dying to have answered but too embarrassed or shy to ask it in public. “It’s a space where people are having fun, but not necessarily looking at what you’re doing, so you can go up to Healthy Hawks and ask them a serious question and not feel like you’re going to be ostracized, because people are busy looking at other things,” said Romano.

To top off all of the entertainment and education, there are prizes as well.

These prizes come in the form of various sex toys, to fit the theme of the event. They will be providing other unrelated prizes as well, such as a VISA gift card and two pairs of headphones.

“Some people don’t feel comfortable, so we wanted to reach out to everyone that could come out to the event and make sure there is a prize that everyone would want to get,” said Romano.

Gambling After Dark has become a program so popular that not only do people enjoy attending, people enjoy working the event. Romano, who has worked the event since it was originally pitched in 2013, has seen a heavy

spike in volunteers and hands on deck in general.

“RA’s want to come and volunteer,” said Romano. “We don’t need to make it an in service; we don’t need to make it required for RA’s to come because we have enough help off the bat. That’s great because that means people want to come, tell their residents about it, people tell their organizations, whether they’re sponsoring with us or not, people like to send people here because it’s a fun event.”

The event will be held in Moloney Hall on November 30th, 2015. Set your calendars.

“To people who’ve been to a casino, it feels like being in a casino,” said Romano. “It’s a nice atmosphere; it’s really electric.”

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UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

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November 3, 2015

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November 3, 2015

SPORTS

Fantasy Corner week nine: Who to start and who to sit Tyler O’Keefe Connector Contributor

Its week nine in the National Football league, but more importantly, its make or break for some of our fantasy teams.

Some of us are three and five, four and four, five and three, six and two, and all have something in common; we need a win. Certain teams need wins more than others, but it’s always nice to get a win in fantasy regardless of your team’s record.

Your boss, coworker, friend, sibling, girlfriend, or someone you don’t even know might be your opponent this week. This might make you want to win even more depending on the opponent you face this week. Fantasy football can be won and lost in the Courtesy of sportressofblogitude.com same minute. One minute you’re winAaron Rodgers has been a consistent starter in everyone’s fantasy league. ning, and the next your down.

It is a game of stats that has nothing Aaron Rodgers are all players on your matchup on the road against Tampa to do with the outcome of the actual team that, regardless the matchup, Bay. Tampa ranks in the top five for NFL games scores. Players who stay you are starting in your lineup with most points allowed against opposing hot will be the ones who take you to no hesitation. This column is based fantasy quarterbacks this year. the promise land in your leagues. It on suggestions for players that will Expect a big game from Manning. is important to have consistency on exceed expectations, or struggle than Start him this week with confidence. your team, because without it in the previous games based off the matchup Monday night football this week is playoffs, a bad week will knock you for this particular week. the San Diego Chargers at home verright out. You want players who week With the likes of Russell Wilson sus the Chicago Bears. Both quarterin and week out are highly involved in and Carson Palmer on a bye this backs have very good matchups in this their teams offense. week, quarterback help is definitely game, but the one you should start is Enough simple advice about fanta- something everyone could use. Eli Phillip Rivers. The guy is on pace to sy football, let’s get to who you want Manning has been up and down all break the passing yards records if the to start and sit for this week. Le’veon year long, but this week will be one way he is playing continues. Start RivBell, Adrien Peterson, Tom Brady and of his up weeks. Manning has a sweet ers in week nine.

A deep sleeper option is Ryan Fitzpatrick if you own Wilson or Palmer and are struggling for a quarterback.

Sit Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater this week. Both have bad matchups, and will not have productive fantasy games.

For running backs, Giovanni Bernard and Jeremy Hill have been driving owners somewhat crazy this season. It seems like one or the other will be better each week, but no one knows which. To make things easy for you start both! The Browns are terrible against the run, and this Thursday night game has fantasy implications for the Bengal’s all over it.

Doug Martin is a sleeper option this week. Get him in your lineup with Forsett, Chris Johnson and Marshawn Lynch on bye. Sit Eddie Lacy this week along with TJ Yeldon. Both have terrible matchups this week.

For the wide receiver position this week, start Rueben Randle, Eric Decker and Kendall Wright. All guys who will be great fill ins for Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown, Steve Smith, Megatron and Deandre Hopkins. Sit Allen Robinson, Donte Moncrief and Mike Wallace.

Start Delaney Walker and Martellus Bennett at tight end. Sit Jason Witten and Kyle Rudolph this week.

Good luck this week. Go out and get that win.

SPORTS

Brady and the Patriots keep rolling Tyler O’Keefe Connector Contributor

The 2015 “revenge tour” stopped at Gillette Stadium this past Thursday and, like the prior six games this season, it ended with another win for the home team. The Patriots stomped the Dolphins 36 to 7 to remain undefeated.

Brady had that look in his eyes that he has had all season long. He is taking out his frustration on his opponents to show the people who believe the Patriots are “cheaters” that they are wrong. It is hard to believe at age 38 he is playing arguably the best football of his career.

Courtesy of Forbes.com

Tom Brady can’t be stopped this season.

A letter from a Celtics fan: What is going on in L.A.?

Kyle Gaudette Connector Editor

With the pile of garbage that is the Eastern Conference, there is no question that the Celtics should be competing in the playoffs.

There is simply too much depth on this roster to not finish in the top eight.

This is the first time since the big-three era that one can look up and down this Celtic team and expect consistent basketball.

The same can not be said,

however, for the lowly Lakers of Los Angeles.

The hated rivals from across the country started their 2015 campaign with a 112-111 loss to the we’renot-good-but-we’re-gettingthere Minnesota Timberwolves. It was a home loss for the Lakers, and one that had to have left a sour taste in the mouths of frustrated of Los Angelians.

The Lakers held a 16 point lead midway through the third quarter; however,

Courtesy of larrybrownsports.com

Kobe Bryant began season 19 of his iconic NBA career.

the fact that they eventually blew that is not the real concern. On the final play of the game, down one, longtime journeyman Lou Williams, not Kobe Bryant, took and missed the potential game winner.

In case you missed that, let me spell it out in a whole new paragraph. Bryant did not have the ball in his hand for the final shot in the Lakers home opener!

What are you doing L.A.?!

Yes, Bryant has suffered injuries and has not been the same superstar the league was accustomed to watching year after year.

But the dude is still the Black Mamba!

Bryant could be a 65-yearold coach in a wheelchair and I’m still giving him the ball in crunch time.

Besides Michael Jordan, there has probably been no greater closer than Bryant; all Bryant has done in his career is make big plays.

But Lou Williams? If

the Lakers had landed big man free agent LaMarcus Aldridge over this past offseason and he was the one to take that last shot, that would have been perfectly acceptable.

Now, Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell are fine young players, but they are not ready for big time moments like that. That was both their first game in the NBA. You look up and down that roster and you see Kobe, and that’s about it. So why Lou Williams?

In the NBA especially, you win games by giving the ball to your best player in clutch moments. This is not hockey where a fourthline bruiser can luck upon the game winning goal; you win professional basketball games off the back of your best player, plain and simple.

There is no one on that roster worthy enough to take that final shot other than Bryant. It could be a

fade-away jumper over a triple-team, but I would still take that over Lou Williams. If the Lakers want to make any noise this season, they need to realize that Bryant has just aged; he is not dead.

One could only imagine the conversations that went on in the locker room after the Laker’s home-openerloss. Coach Byron Scott is for sure going to be under fire from the Laker faithfull.

The preseason projections had the Lakers on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. If that prediction is going to be proven false, however, then Lou Williams needs to learn his place on that roster.

As a Celtics fan, however, it will be oh-so-nice to sit back and watch this Laker team implode.

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Patriots fans are not surprised, as the team is fully healthy besides a few offensive linemen, although Brady seems to make it work with whoever is blocking for him. It’s a little early to be calling for a perfect season, but when you look at the schedule, who is going to beat them?

Brady on the season has 2410 yards passing with a 115.8 passer rating. He has thrown 20 touchdowns to only one Julian Edelman dropped interception. It is very difficult to stop this offense with weapons like Edelman, Dion Lewis, Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola and Brandon Lafell.

They spread defenses out and make them look silly.

On the road in Denver or in the Meadowlands against the Jets could be scares, but the reality is that the Patriots should be favored in those games.

The front seven of the Patriots has looked absolutely amazing over the past few weeks. They are constantly putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks and making them very uncomfortable in the pocket. It seems that linebackers Jamie Collins and Donte Hightower have made the leap to being elite stars in this league. They are playing at a very high level, which spells trouble for the competition.

Questions concerned Patriots fans before the season with how the secondary would play without Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Kyle Arrington and Alfonzo Dennard. Those concerns have slowly faded with the secondary constant progression towards a high level.

After making one of the craziest plays in Super Bowl history, Malcolm Butler was expected to be the Patriots best cornerback for this season. Butler is following number-one receivers around all game long and is doing it very well. He has been matched up with studs like Antonio Brown, Ty Hilton and Brandon Marshall on the season and has played all

UP CO MI N G

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of them very tough. He is not somebody that teams can expose every week, as he is a very good cornerback with a lot of upside.

It definitely helps when All-Pro safety Devin McCourty is looking over your shoulder. The longtime Patriot is also having a very good season, per usual.

The fact of the matter is that the Pats offense is a well-oiled machine that won’t be stopping anytime soon barring any key injuries. Brady is on a mission this year, making statements week in and week out. Teams on this “revenge tour” are in for a rude awakening if they are not prepared when they play the Patriots.

If this defense can keep up their solid play, the Patriots will be the heavy favorite to represent the AFC in Super Bowl 50. If they do get there, then the result very well could be Brady and Bill Belichick winning a record fifth title together.

River Hawks split series against Minn.-Duluth

First AE trophy for UMass Lowell

► Continued from front page

► Continued from front page

the high slot and the second goal came on an off-angle wrister from the right circle. Joe Gambardella (Staten Island, N.Y.) also added a goal with 1:36 left in the second period for his second marker of the season.

Sophomore defenseman Tyler Mueller (Regina, Sask.) opened the scoring the game at the 14:43 mark of the first period with a slapshot from the left point that beat UMD goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo high glove side. The Bulldogs tied the game with 19.2 seconds left in the period on the equalizer by Kyle Osterberg to close out the period.

Minnesota-Duluth held a 9-5 shot ad-

vantage in the first period.

Senior goaltender Kevin Boyle (Manalapan, N.J.) totaled 25 saves on the night in his fourth victory of the season, while Kaskisuo recorded 13 stops in the contest in 40 minutes of play. Matt McNeely came in relief in the final 20 minutes and registered 12 saves for the Bulldogs.

UMass Lowell finished the night 2-for-5 on the power play and went 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.

The River Hawks return to action for a two-game Hockey East road series beginning on Friday, November 6 at Vermont. Game time from Gutterson Fieldhouse is 7 p.m.

George DeLuca/Connector

The River Hawks look to create traffic in front of the net.

of 42 points, (2, 3, 10, 11, 16 - 29, 39.)

The River Hawks had been targeting this race ever since finishing second, three points back, a year ago. The host school Stony Brook was second with 74 points. Defending champion Binghamton garnered 78 points, good enough for third place.

Gardner, Assistant Coach John Molvar and the staff was honored as the “Coaching Staff of the Year.”

“One through eight or nine ran great,” said Gardner. “They ran their best races when it mattered most.

The top five were phenomenal, they ran with the lead group for the entire race. They were in the lead group at one-thousand meters and they were in the lead group at eight-thousand meters.”

Robert Allen (Cranston, R.I.), running what may have been his last race in a River Hawk uniform, was the top UMass Lowell finisher grabbing second place clocking in at 24-minutes, 48.81-seconds. Sophomore Paul Hogan (Burlington, Mass.) had run with Allen in the lead pack all race long and finished third in a time of 24:50.69. UMBC’s Hassan Omar was the individual champion finishing in a time of 24:43.21, but his team finished fifth, behind Maine, with 107 points.

“They pushed it from the very start, but didn’t overdo it” said Gardner. “They ran a very smart race.”

For Allen, it is the first team championship he had ever been part of and earlier in the week he’d it was an “honor” he’d hoped to experience.

Senior Zachary Ganshirt (Walpole, Mass.) was the third River Hawk scorer, finishing tenth, in a time of 25:32.61. Sophomore John Abraham (Lowell, Mass.) was 11th, finishing just two-seconds behind Ganshirt Allen, Hogan, Ganshirt and Abraham earned All-Conference honors.

Sophomore Dhahran Velasquez (New Britain, Conn.) wrapped the River Hawk scoring with a 16th place finish in a time of 25:51.11.

Junior Connor Doyle (Swansea, Mass.) and Freshman Chris Skelly (Pepperell, Mass.) finished 6th and 7th among River Hawk runners and displaced opposing runners taking 29th and 39th respectively with times of 26:16.28 and 26:36.20.

The America East Championship ends UMass Lowell’s cross country season although some runners may take part in the IC4A Championships on November 21.

Page 12

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

November 3, 2015

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