Transportation changes in fall 2017 â–ş Page 3
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
April 25, 2017
UMass Lowell means business
In This Issue
University celebrates opening of Pulichino Tong building
“Dancing at Lughnasa� play review
Marlon Pitter
â–ş Page 7
“The Room� review
Marlon Pitter/Connector
Connector Editor
â–ş Page 7
Men’s Lacrosse falls short against Stony Brook ► Page 11
Final River Hawk Scores Team
Score
Overall Record
Softball vs. Stony Brook
W 10-4
17-18
Baseball vs. UMBC
W 6-4
8-4
Men’s Lacrosse vs. Stony Brook
L 12-11 3-12
Women’s Lacrosse vs. Brown
L 12-6
6-8
Fast and Furious 8: Definitely not fate Owen Johnson Connector Staff
The plot line for "Fate of the Furious" is pretty straight forward: Dom (Vin Diesel) is forced to betray his team and work with a terrorist known as Cipher (Charlize Theron). There are no hidden character agendas, no plot twists and the audience can call how most aspects of the movie are going to turn out. While the predictability and generic nature of the plot is not a huge issue, it is only made worse by the appearance of several plot holes courtesy of brilliant terrorist mastermind Cipher suddenly acting like an idiot so that Dom can scheme behind her back. This movie, and the whole franchise for that matter, is superficial entertainment, and there is nothing wrong with that. That being said, there has to be something to latch on to. This movie tries to do that, but it fails. The best way to have something to latch on to is with the characters. A bad or dumb plot line can, at the very least, be tolerated if the characters in the plot line are well written and likable, but there is none of that here. These characters are supposed to be a family, but if one were to come into "Fate of the Furious" without any knowledge of the series, the only way one would know is because they say family at least 15 times. They talk at each other instead of with each other and there is no
In an era of rapid expansion and growth over the last decade, opening new buildings seems almost commonplace at UMass Lowell. Members of the UMass Lowell community gathered on North Campus on April 20 to officially open the Pulichino Tong Business Center – the 13th new building opened by the university since 2009 – and celebrate the individuals who helped make the project a reality. Alumnus John Pulichino and his wife, Joy Tong, were among those honored on the sunny morning as they shared their excitement
Brock Johnson/Connector
Chancellor Moloney and President Meehan join John Pulichino and Joy Tong in the ceremonial ribbon cutting.
for the opening of the new home of the Manning School of Business. “This is a wonderful day for UMass Lowell,� Pulichino said. “It’s
really a special day for the Manning School of Business, and most importantly, a day for those students who will now have the opportunity
â–ş See “New Building,â€? page 4
UMass Lowell wrapping up Division I transition Marlon Pitter Connector Editor
With every road trip comes a map. With every long-term goal comes a plan on how to achieve it. With the final weeks winding down on UMass Lowell’s transition to becoming a full NCAA Division I member institution, Director of Athletics Dana Skinner sees the university right where it needs to be heading into an era of increased
growth and prosperity. While the university has opened 13 new buildings since 2009 and is set to open the newly-acquired Perkins Complex as a residence hall in fall 2017, the foundation for UMass Lowell’s Division I era has also been under construction over the last four years. The four years of the River Hawks’ ascension to Division I competition have featured a myr-
â–ş See “Fate,â€? page 8
Sections News.............................4 Campus Life..................8 A&E.............................. 6 Sports..........................10
to pursue their dreams and aspirations in a facility that is clearly second to none.� A leader in the university’s rigorous
Courtesy of Gil Talbot
Athletics Director Dana Skinner and President Marty Meehan
iad of varying results among the competing programs, who left Division II’s Northeast-10 Conference to compete in America East. The men’s cross country team led the way to UMass Lowell’s first conference championship in the Division I era, winning an America East title in fall 2015, while men’s soccer captured a regular season conference title of its own the following year. On the other end of the spectrum, both volleyball and women’s lacrosse opened their Division I eras with winless seasons in fall 2013 and spring 2015, respectively, but the latter team has since bounced back to climb above .500 this year. While the rest of the teams have fallen somewhere in between competitively, Skinner said the jump to competing in Division I had less to do with athletics and more to do with academic association with many of the schools in America
Tim Clark/Connector with athletes.
â–ş See “UMass Lowell,â€? page 10
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 2
April 25, 2017
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
A farewell letter from your editor-in-chief Dear UMass Lowell, It has been an absolute pleasure serving as the editor-in-chief of The Connector for the last two years and bringing you news for the last four. As we present the final Connector issue of the year, I want to sincerely thank you, the readers, whether this is the first or 25th issue you’ve picked up this year. I want to remind you that are the reason The Connector has been improving rapidly along with the entire campus. We comprise a more talented, engaged and driven student body than ever before that has translated from the classroom to the newsroom
and any other extracurricular venture we have undertaken thus far. From convocation to this weekend’s Spring Carnival, we have logged countless hours making UMass Lowell the most interactive environment for everyone, and those efforts have certainly been noted and rewarded. We have been an active, forward-thinking campus, challenging the status quo and fighting for what we believed in this year. We participated in the Women’s March in Boston, spoke our minds about hate speech on campus and university policies, and peacefully protested the election of President Donald Trump. Our social and po-
litical activism is a flame that should only burn brighter on a such an educated campus, and that is something to remember and celebrate. Athletically, we have put forth our best year of Division I competition turning the corner on our transition to full eligibility. We won our second America East championship as a university in as many years, putting on our best men’s soccer season in school history as one of the top teams in the nation. And who could forget the Hockey East title we claimed just over a month ago? On the field, on the ice and the hardwood, there’s nowhere to go but up. Most importantly, we continue to learn from some of the professors – industry and research leaders – who make us some of the smartest students in the area before we even hit the workforce. We have put that knowledge to excellent use this year, whether through DifferenceMaker, the America East Hackathon or anything in between. This certainly is not your parents’ University of Lowell or your grandparents’ Lowell Tech or Lowell State.
perience at UMass Lowell and being involved with The Connector. Most of all, however, to every person I have had the experience to meet, collaborate or be affiliated with at this prestigious institution, I cherish that experience from the bottom of my heart. I wish my graduating class, all returning students, and everyone affiliated with UMass Lowell the best of luck in your future endeavors. As for The Connector, your news tips, comments, questions, and concerns will be in good hands with rising junior Taylor Carito taking over the paper starting in May. The future of your news, however, is in your hands as much as it is hers and the newspaper’s, reporter or not. The Connector will look for new and innovative ways to keep you informed in the future while continuing to operate from a neutral journalistic standpoint to serve the needs of this campus. Together, you will continue to make UMass Lowell better one step at a time, and that’s something you will want to read all about. Sincerely, Marlon Pitter
Matt Dwyer/Connector
Men’s soccer won the America East championship back in November 2016. THE UMASS LOWELL
I apologize if this sounds like a commencement speech, but after four years, I could not have had a better ex-
Twitter: @UMLConnector Serving the Student Body Since 1976
UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR
EDITORIAL BOARD OPEN Operations Manager
MARLON PITTER Editor-In-Chief
KATRINA DESROSIERS MICHAELA GOSS Copy Editors ELIZABETH WING Advertising Manager ALEXA HYDE DAN RAFFERTY Social Media Managers CHRISTINA LADEROUTE Web Manager MATT DWYER Photo Editor OPEN Graphic Designer
ALEX SALUCCO Managing Editor
TAYLOR CARITO ANDREW SCIASCIA News Editors HANNAH MANNING KATHRYN LEEBER Sports Editors BROCK JOHNSON MARILYN SAHA Campus Life Editors BRENDAN JACQUES Arts & Entertainment Editor OPEN Multimedia Director JONATHAN SILVERMAN DAVID MCGRAW Advisers
Email | Connector@uml.edu Website | www.UMLConnector.com Phone | 978.934.5017 ext. 45017 Address | University Crossing, Room 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
Instagram: @UMLConnector
future high-income earners, contact our Advertising Manager at 934-5017. DEADLINE for ALL advertising (TO INCLUDE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS and ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF THE UNIVERSITY) is Thursday, 12 p.m. for the following Tuesday’s publication. No exceptions will be made. Late submissions WILL NOT be accepted. Classified advertisements are free for students. The UMass Lowell Connector does not endorse, promote or encourage the purchase or sale of any product or service advertised in this publication. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The UMass Lowell Connector disclaims all liability for any damage suffered as the result of any advertisement in this newspaper. The UMass Lowell Connector reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Editorial: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words in length and may be
Facebook.com/UMLConnector www.UMLConnector.com
The Connector meets every Monday at 6 p.m. in University Crossing 242 in the Club Hub. All are welcome to join! submitted via campus mail, e-mail, or in person. All letters must bear the author’s name, relationship to the University and student body, and a phone number. The author may request to have any part of this information withheld, if published. Opinions expressed in individual columns, the Opinions Section, advertising, and/or features are those of the author, NOT of the Connector. The Opinions and Editorials section will not be edited in any way, to include spelling/grammar mistakes. Submission: The deadline for all submissions (to include Letters to the Editors and Opinions) is Friday at midnight for the following Tuesday’s publication. Submissions must be e-mailed to Marlon_Pitter@student.uml.edu, attached as a Word document (any version). Accompanying visuals must
be submitted separately; do NOT include graphics in Word file. All press releases, articles, advertisements, and photographs submitted become the property of The UMass Lowell Connector and will not be returned. The Connector reserves the right to edit or refuse all submissions for copy, content, and length. The Connector will make every effort to prevent inaccuracy, but assumes no responsibility for errors in advertisements or opinion letters. The Connector will reprint without charge any advertisement which is incorrect. Credit for errors are made only for first insertion.
April 25, 2017
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 3
NEWS
Changes to UMass Lowell bus routes to come in fall 2017 Taylor Carito Connector Editor
With the termination of students living in East Meadow Lane apartments and the elimination of commuter parking in the Ayotte parking garage, big changes are coming to UMass Lowell transportation. Beginning in the fall semester of 2017, transportation services will be eliminating the Green Line day service which originally transported students from East Meadow Lane apartments to North Campus and South Campus. There is still uncertainty about the future of the night service, but transportation services is working to incorporate a shuttle system from East Campus to North Campus with an additional, undetermined stop to balance out the route. For those who will still be residing in the neighborhood surrounding East Meadow Lane, transportation services assures that they will still be able to get to North and South campuses. “Right now, the plan is to eliminate the green line from our operation. However, we have the new LRTA program, and there’s actually an LRTA bus stop right next to East Meadow Lane,” says administrative
services director Nick Piscitello. “So any students who are living in that area will actually be able to take the bus to North Campus through the LRTA.” In addition to these changes to the Green Line, there will be a change for incoming freshman and sophomore commuters who take the Purple Line as well. In past years, freshman and sophomore commuters utilized the Ayotte parking garage near the Tsongas Center. Beginning in fall 2017, however, commuters will begin parking at 1001 Pawtucket Blvd. This is believed to be a win/win for commuter students, according to transportation. Ayotte parking garage is also shared with Lowell High School and many other businesses, which was making it harder for students to secure a parking spot. In addition, since the garage is on the other side of the Merrimack River, the traffic the Purple Line was sitting through during certain times was so great that the bus route was ineffective for students. “I’m okay with not parking at the Tsongas anymore. It can be difficult to find a spot at times,” says freshman business major Nathan Klosowski. This new route, however, is now
on the same side of the river, which will help the shuttles avoid traffic and make the bus route more time efficient. Whether or not this will be more effective has yet to be determined. Freshman and sophomore students are weary that this change is actually beneficial. “This lot seems like a last minute temporary solution,” says Klosowski. “It’s at least twice the distance from North Campus than South is.” The Purple Line will still only go to North Campus, and transportation hopes to make North Campus more of a hub for commuter students by providing easier access to all other campuses and University Crossing.
“We used to park there three or four years ago. That was where our freshmen would park. Now we have this opportunity to go back there,” says Piscitello. He believes that this will greatly decrease the travel time for commuter students. Aside from the Green and Purple Lines, the Red and Blue Lines may also change greatly in the upcoming year. Transportation services has been told that the Broadway canal bridge, that has been under construction for over three years, is expected to be completed in early fall 2017. With this completion, shuttle commutes to South Campus from North and East will most likely decrease.
Courtesy of UMass Lowell Red Line shuttle picks up passengers at UMass Lowell’s South Campus.
Accelerate Your Degree This Summer With UMass Lowell Courses Online or On Campus Summer is a great time to accelerate your progress towards a degree, or to catch up on a required course that you could not take during the regular school year.
HUNDREDS OF COURSES ARE AVAILABLE THIS SUMMER ONLINE OR ON CAMPUS INCLUDING:
SUMMER COURSES START
May 15, 2017 QUESTIONS?
Call 800-480-3190 VISIT US ONLINE
continuinged.uml.edu
• Legal Issues in Nursing
• Introduction to World Religions
• Introduction to Public Health
• Strategic Management
• Basic Electrical Engineering Laboratory I & II
• Nutrition and Health
• Psychology and Law
• Economics I & II
• The Short Story
• Chemistry I & II
• Monsters, Apes & Nightmares
• Introduction to Logic and Critical Reasoning
• Children’s Literature
• Psychology of Personality
• Human Anatomy & Physiology I
• Website Design
• Physics I & II
• Art Appreciation
• Dynamics
• Introduction to International Relations
• Western Civilization I
• Statics
• Introduction to Business Law
• World Civilization I
• Thermodynamics
• Introduction to American Politics
• Fluid Mechanics
• Introduction to Information Systems
• Gender, Race and Crime
• Circuit Theory I & II
• Introduction to Philosophy
• Strength of Materials
• Introduction to Ethics UMass Lowell is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action, Title IX, H/V, ADA 1990 University. This ad was produced at no cost to the Commonwealth.
• General Chemistry I & II
• Management Precalculus • Calculus I & II • And Many More
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 4
April 25, 2017
NEWS
UMass Lowell opens 13th new building since 2009 ►Continued from front page
development during his tenure as UMass Lowell’s chancellor from 2007 to 2015, UMass President Marty Meehan expressed gratitude to both Pulichino and Tong for their efforts as benefactors to the campus. “I thank you not just for the extraordinary generosity, but I also thank both John and Joy for their commitment to excellence,” Meehan said. “There are a lot of other things, a lot of other universities that they could contribute to, but they’ve looked at the mission of this institution and they’ve come to the conclusion that this is something worth investing in.” Manning School of Business Dean Sandra Richtermeyer added to the festivity with her own speaking segment before the ribbon-cutting by Pulichino and Tong. “Anytime we have the opportunity to bring students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the community together, we have a reason to celebrate,” Richtermeyer said. The Pulichino Tong Business Center welcomes the Manning School of Business with a state-of-the-art, real-time trading room, a live stock market ticker, technology-enabled classrooms, faculty offices, meeting spaces and other features.
Courtesy of UMass Lowell
Newest addition to Manning School of Business emerges on UMass Lowell’s North Campus to replace Eames Hall.
“It’s an inviting, vibrant space that will promote innovative collaboration and learning between faculty and students, which, to me, is what UMass Lowell is all about,” said business stu-
Northern Essex
Community College
SUMMER Get AheAd Before You KicK BAcK for the Summer Summer is a great time to catch up on your credits from last semester or get ahead for next semester. With an NECC summer course you can: • Transfer the credits to your college or university. • Save money on tuition (a typical three-credit course costs less than $700). • Take classes days, evenings, Saturdays, online, or as hybrids.
Choose from three convenient sessions and more than 100 courses including: Calculus I & II Economics English Composition I & II General Chemistry I & II Introduction to Computer Science
Introduction to Biology I & II Principles of Marketing Psychology Sociology and much more!
reGiSter todAY! For more information, visit
www.necc.mass.edu/summer17 or contact NECC Enrollment Services at 978-556-3700.
AT NECC
dent Rebecca Foley. The addition of the Pulichino Tong Business Center contrasts with previously existing buildings but adds to the physical upgrading of the campus, joining the North Campus parking garage and the Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center as the third new university building opened in the last five years north of the Merrimack River. “When you can take the Lowell Textile Institute building, Southwick Hall, that was constructed in 1897 and combine that with the other structures, this building does that beautifully, as does the Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center,” Meehan said. “The other trick is, you want a college campus where, even though the buildings are different generations, they come together in a meaningful way, and I think this building … does that.” For UMass Lowell students, the development of the Pulichino Tong Business Center offers a unique collaborative experience across North Campus disciplines, Meehan said. “There are plenty of business schools in the country, but they don’t have the connection we have to engineering and to sciences, and I think that’s really important,” he said. For Pulichino, today’s student demographic reminds him of the blue-collar campus he graduated from in 1967 – the Lowell Technological Institute at the time – but he says UMass Lowell students are more engaged and diverse than they were when he was a student. “There’s a different kind of energy level I see here in today’s students, just in general in terms of their generation, how they feel about themselves and what they’re doing,” said Pulichino. “Back then, it was more about ‘Yeah, I’m going to school. Not sure what
I’m going to do.’ Today, kids really have pretty good understanding of what it’s all about and what they want to do.” Meehan said the opening of the new home of the business school comes at a time when college students will need better financial literacy more than ever. “We’re going to have a whole generation of young people who are going to retire without defined pension benefits, so students really need to get educated in finance, on retirement, and I think this building is going to help people better understand how mutual funds work, how stocks work, and that’s going to make their lives better, particularly in retirement,” he said. Pulichino credits an influx of dedicated and talented students, alumni returning and getting involved, and the leadership of Meehan and current Chancellor Jacquie Moloney in his desire to remain connected to the university. “When you see the kind of engagement, not only by alumni but with the state and the faculty… that kind energy level excites people…” Pulichino said.In her address to the crowd, Tong spoke about the struggles she faced as a Chinese woman coming to the United States 50 years ago. Tong said she hopes now that UMass Lowell business students will be more prepared to be judged based on their merits rather than their heritage. “We are in an era of change,” said Tong, “and within the walls of this new business center, dedicated faculty and educating business leaders of tomorrow, creating a strong pipeline of amazing talent to ensure that competence will always take precedence over race and gender.”
April 25, 2017
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 5
CAMPUS LIFE WUML hits airwaves in renovated studio Hannah Manning Connector Editor
Up until a few weeks ago, WUML broadcasted from a tiny room beside their office for 24 hours a day. The closet that held some of the radio station’s extensive music collection had an irrigation system that spurted water mere weeks after they moved. Radio staff and interns sent out their programs over the airwaves on equipment out of storage with a board that looked straight out of the 1980s. Every day from last May to late March of this year, WUML had to make do with their temporary home, crowded into the small, white room. Unable to turn on the air conditioning lest the noise be heard on the broadcast, the staff toughed it out through the sweltering summer. “It wasn’t ideal,” said Kyle Clapper, one of WUML’s chief engineers. “We tried to personalize it the best we could.” Since March 20, WUML has settled back into its original home, albeit with some new perks: a clean, well-decorated lobby and a state-of-theart renovated studio. UMass Lowell paid for the upgrades that WUML made to its studio and provided furniture on top of other accommodations. Clapper, who worked on the renovations, said that he and WUML were incredibly grateful to the university for helping the process. “The university was very kind in that they had to kick us out of our space for so long. They got us new paint, new carpet, new lighting,” said Clapper. And the studio is not even all of the way finished yet. Clapper refers to the return to the original studio a “soft opening,” saying that WUML is still actively working on the space to optimize and decorate it to their liking. The lobby has crimson carpeting, and posters from events in WUML’s past adorn the white concrete walls. The room is clean and impressively designed, incorporating the station’s history and updating it for an ultra-modern studio. The station waded through its archives to find items to hang on the walls, things from the time that WUML was WLTI and later WJUL. Tapes from old shows, an
interview with Arlo Guthrie dating from 1982 and a letter from a fan in Poland hang in the entryway, giving weight to the station’s legacy. Clapper found it awe-inspiring to wade through the archives during the decoration process. “It was surreal, to me, to find transmitter logs from 9/11 and big events like that. It’s weird to think that the radio station was a thing back then. You wonder what it was like for them,” he said. WUML moves into modernity with its renovated studio. The room boasts improvements such as three computer monitors, more studio space, new sound reflectors and a brand-new sound board. The renovations have made broadcasts much easier and better for the WUML crew, said Clapper. “It was incredible for us to get to do this. We were a fantastic radio station before this, and we’ve always been incredibly blessed. The university is incredibly kind to us. But with this upgrade, it basically means that we are on par with all radio stations of the 21st century,” said Clapper. New mic arms provide hosts with better sight-lines so they can see their musical guests better in the post-show interview, which makes for a much more personal conversation, which leads to a more engaging show. Machinations in the new studio are much more simplified. In a system that Clapper referred to as “idiot-proof,” lights on the mics flash red when the mics are on air, blue when the station receives a call and white in its resting state. With a more user-friendly environment that will prove helpful in training new interns, WUML looks to future broadcasts in the new studio eagerly with new equipment that will last them for at least a decade. “Our station is blessed and is probably one of the best college radio stations in the country because we have so many wonderful tools at our disposal,” said Clapper.
All photos by Hannah Manning/Connector
Top: WUML DJ Connor Summers logs the playlist for Live from the Fallout Shelter from the renovated studio. Bottom: WUML’s home from last May to March 20.
lowellministorage.com
*while inventory lasts
April 25, 2017
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 6
CAMPUS LIFE ACE presents Spring Carnival over weekend Marilyn Saha Connector Editor
With the spring semester coming to an end, it is time to kick back and relax before the dreaded finals week. The Association for Campus Events presented this year’s Spring Carnival Friday night and Saturday afternoon featuring a performance by The Ready Set. The carnival and concert, originally planned to be on the same day, spanned over two days, beginning Friday night and ending Saturday afternoon due to inclement weather. The concert took place in the campus recreational center and began at 8 p.m. on Friday night. Daisybones opened for the Ready Set and set the mood for the rest of the night. The crowd was smaller than expected, but was nevertheless a good experience. Glow sticks and beach balls were in everyone’s hands as they sang along to The Ready Set’s hit
“Love Like Woe.” Following the concert, students were able to meet The Ready Set and take pictures. They also got free t-shirts, courtesy of ACE. The carnival took place the next day from noon to 4 p.m. on the South Campus quad. Students enjoyed carnival games and free food. Some of these carnival games included inflatable twister, hungry hungry hippo, as well as a high striker and water gun games. Food wise, there was every type of food a carnival should have. There was fried dough, various types of popcorn, corn dogs and dippin’ dots. Students also received a free towel and t-shirt. There were mixed reviews on the spring festivities. Nathan Weidman did not enjoy it as much. “The concert wasn’t as great as other schools concerts. I don’t even know who The Ready Set is but I heard they were famous
like seven years ago. The carnival was nice, but nothing special.” Nicole Jimenez on the other hand, had the total opposite opinion. “The concert was amazing. He [The Ready Set] is such a good performer. I thought it was really nice of him to stay after the show ended to have a little meet and greet.” Noel Shay attended both the concert and the carnival. When asked what her favorite part of the carnival was, she said, “I was really hoping there would be fried dough, and there was. My favorite game though was the inflatable hungry hungry hippo.” Mackenzie Hogan, who attended with Shay, seconded this. She said, “I really liked the high striker and inflatable twister game too.” Even though the weather did not feel like spring, students, for the most part, enjoyed the celebration.
Christina Laderoute/Connector
The lead singer of The Ready Set performs at the Campus Recreation Center Friday night as part of Spring Carnival.
Complete a course in just 3 weeks!
NEW!
session
May 22-June 9 Classes meet 5 days per week, in Bedford & Lowell and online. No class meeting on Monday, May 29th.
Get a QuickStart on your education this summer at Middlesex CoMMunity College!
Other Summer Schedule Options
DAY SUMMER SESSIONS
ONLINE/EVENING SUMMER SESSIONS
Classes meet 4 days per week, in Bedford & Lowell
Classes meet 2 evenings per week, or online
May 30 - June 29 or July 10 - August 9
June 5 - Aug. 1 or June 19 - Aug. 15
To learn more, call 1-800-818-3434 or visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/summer
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 7
April 25, 2017
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Underrated classics: A ‘Room’ full of strange joy Amanda McCarthy Connector Contributor
These days, it seems no discussion of “so bad it’s good” films is complete without mentioning 2003’s “The Room.” It seems every film buff has seen the memes and heard the jokes. Those jokes can only begin to describe what a beautiful mess this film is. At first glance, the premise of this film is not unique. It is a drama about a successful San Francisco banker who misses the warning signs that his fiancée is cheating on him. So just what goes so wrong, and why is this film beloved among those who love watching movies that inspire snide remarks? Starting with the script, it is full of sloppily written lines that have become classics in their own right. There is no bad-movie moment more iconic than when Johnny throws his arms up and shouts half-heartedly, “You are tearing me apart, Lisa!” There are plenty of other examples, either written in broken English or simply nonsensical. What exactly does Mark mean by “leave your stupid comments in your pocket”? And what adult says, “I like you very much, loverboy,” the way Lisa does? Occasionally “huh” is added to the end of a sentence for no apparent reason. There is no logical reason for why such lines are there. The audience is too busy laughing at the ineptitude of the script to take the film seriously. The main plot is centered around blindly love-struck banker Johnny (Tommy Wiseau). He is convinced that his fiancée, Lisa (Juliette Danielle), is faithful. When he is not around, she fools around with his best friend, Mark (Greg Sestero). Things seem to be going great for Johnny at work as well until the audience learns
that his boss has failed to give him his promised promotion. Even the main plot surprises viewers with its inconsistencies. One minute Lisa is talking back to those who criticize Johnny, and the next she is talking about how boring he is or even claiming falsely that he has hit her. She even tricks Johnny, a non-drinker, into getting drunk to increase the odds of him hitting her, and he still does
ny not find out quickly that she was lying in that scenario? Good luck following such a plot; it is harder than it looks. The viewer is never sure just which way the relationship is going to go. Worse still are the numerous subplots that pop up out of nowhere and have no resolution at all. What Claudette’s (Carolyn Minnott) real estate problems have to do with the rest of
Courtesy of Wiseau Films
“The Room” was filmed with a budget of $6 million. Director Tommy Wiseau insists that he funded the film entirely by importing and selling Korean leather jackets.
not, but she says he has. Mark constantly forgets that he is having an affair with Lisa. Whenever she tries to seduce him, he expresses utter confusion. He asks her during one attempt, “The candles, the music, the sexy dress… what’s going on here?” A grand total of four sex scenes take place, but they appear to just be for the sake of showing sex scenes. Without them, the audience would still have no trouble understanding that Johnny is in love with Lisa and Lisa is in love with Mark. Later on, Johnny announces that Lisa is pregnant, but she immediately reveals that she faked the pregnancy “to make it interesting.” Would John-
the movie is beyond comprehension, and the audience never learns how her breast cancer treatment goes after she announces that she has the disease. Denny (Philip Haldiman) is a college student who randomly tries to get to Lisa, but he is too young for her, and as soon as Johnny brings up the unseen character of Elizabeth midway through the film, Denny changes his mind instantly. He owes money to pistol-wielding drug dealer Chris-R (Dan Janjigian), but the audience never learns what becomes of Chris-R or the debt, and Claudette somehow assumes that Denny was selling the drugs to Chris-R. One would think that an aging woman like Claudette
would have long understood how the dealer-user relationship works. Lisa’s best friend, Michelle (Robyn Paris), and her boyfriend, Mike (Scott Holmes), do everything at Johnny’s home, and Mike’s idea of a tragedy is when Claudette walks in on them and embarrasses him in front of Lisa. This is to say nothing of the two unexplained scenes in which all the male characters except Chris-R throw footballs around. Those are not even all of the useless, unresolved subplots. None of these subplots add anything to the film other than confusing the audience even further. Sure, they lengthen the running time, but is that really more important than clarifying the main plot? Adding more subplots is not a suitable replacement for explaining what is going on. So why do people still watch this movie 14 years after its release? For whatever reason, some get a thrill out of watching what was supposed to be a high-art drama descend into chaos. It appeals to the cynic in everyone because there is simply so much to make fun of. The sloppy dialogue, the ill-constructed plot, the weak acting of the lead: it is a modern-day equivalent of a freak show. People’s sense of irony makes it so one just cannot help laughing at and remarking on the many, many flaws of the film. The viewer knowingly gets over themselves by watching it and it keeps them coming back for more. If one is up for that sort of thing, by all means. Just do not waste time trying to make sense of it. When an unnamed character remarks, “I feel like I’m sitting on an atomic bomb just waiting for it to go off,” it is hard not to agree.
Theatre Arts program presents ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ Jason Ounpraseuth Connector Staff
Dancing at Lughnasa’ delivered a story of a dynamic family that was brought to life thanks to a great cast and their wonderful chemistry. The Theatre Arts Program presented the play “Dancing at Lughnasa” at the Comley-Lane Theatre in Mahoney Hall to a sold-out crowd. It was directed by Jennie Israel, a founding member of the Actors’ Shakespeare Project in Boston who has previously directed productions at UMass Lowell. “Dancing at Lughnasa” was written by Irish playwright Brian Friel and was published in 1990. The show is set in a fictional town in Ireland in the 1930s. It tells the story of five sisters, their brother whose memory is fading and their young nephew as they struggle to make ends meet. It is a memory play told by the nephew, Michael, when he is an adult as he recalls what life at his mother’s and aunts’ house used to be like during this time. The strongest aspect of this play was the lived-in atmosphere of it. The set design was incredible and helped the aesthetics of the play and gave the impression that the actors were living in this home in 1930s Ireland.
The actors’ chemistry also helped make the play lived-in, and it helped establish the bond the family shares especially the sisters. Most of the play follows the five sisters of the family: Chris, Maggie, Agnes, Rose and Kate. The actresses do a great job at establishing their characters and establishing the hierarchy of the family. The family dynamics show Kate’s conservative attitude that clashes with the free-spirited natures of the other members of the family. Each moment and conversation the sisters share help build their characters effectively throughout the play. The relationship between Gerry and Chris is one of the bigger one-on-one relationships that is explored throughout the play. Gerry is Michael’s father, and Michael, being the protagonist, views his father as a happy-go-lucky man who always as his family’s back. The true revelations of Gerry were predictable and cliché, but the actors sold it well enough to show how Michael is affected by his parents’ relationship. One of the highlight characters was Jack. Jack’s loose memory and his experiences in Uganda help humanize a character that brings a lot of laughs to
the play. Jack is a very bombastic character but is played with enough subtly that helps keep the tone of the play and keep the audience in a scene. The one problem of “Dancing at Lughnasa” is that there are moments where scenes waver from time to time. Not every scene is engaging and there a few scenes that fell flat. This is a minor complaint since these scenes are important to the play because they further help build characters and relationships. “Dancing at Lughnasa” is an interesting memory play told from the viewpoint of young Michael that keeps viewers engaged with the relationships in the play thanks to the amazing chemistry from the cast. Final Grade: AConnector editor Michaela Goss contributed to this article.
April 25, 2017
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 8
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Father John Misty returns with ‘Pure Comedy’ Christopher Romano Connector Staff
The last time Josh Tillman released a Father John Misty album was back in 2015. “I Love You, Honeybear” delved into Tillman’s idea of love and his impressions of humanity. Now, on “Pure Comedy,” he picks up where he left off on songs like “Bored In The USA” and “Holy Shit” to discuss humanity, capitalism and religion. Opening with its title track, “Pure Comedy” informs its audience that the album will be tackling “the comedy of man.” Though humans are selfish, he ultimately believes that “they’re totally obsessed” with religion. He questions if the people in power who claim to be religious are lying to themselves because “they build fortunes poisoning their offspring.” Big tobacco, for example, poisons millions of people in America, and people who smoke around their children are poisoning them as well. Tillman has commented numerous times on religion on all of Father John Misty’s albums, but this time it is one of the focus points alongside humanity’s current state. “When The God of Love Returns There’ll Be Hell To Pay” is not only the most pleasing moment on the album, it is also one of the darkest. Tillman describes what he would say when God returns to judge all that live on Earth. Instead of humanity having “Hell to pay” for all their sins, God will have to take a tour of how humanity has created its own Hell. Referring to the Book of Revelation, Tillman mentions that a pale horse upon which Death rides “looks a little sick” because humans have already done Death’s work. Hell already lives on Earth, so
humanity “[did not] leave a whole lot” for Death to do. This concept is brought up again on “Two Wildly Different Perspectives.” While analyzing the current state of humanity, Tillman also envisions a science fiction type of future. “Total Entertainment Forever” somewhat Courtesy of Bella Union
“Pure Comedy” is the third album by Father John Misty.
scandalously opens with: “Bedding Taylor Swift / Every night inside the Oculus Rift.” He is imagining a future when any creepy guy can see themselves in bed with any celebrity they want. Towards the end of the song, Tillman paints an image of future historians finding our generation being “plugged into our hubs” with “A Frozen smile on every face.” The song is a warning for humanity becoming too fascinated with virtual reality. Going in the total opposite direction of “Total Entertainment Forever,” “Things it Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution” pro-
vides an insight into a future where the answer for fighting global warming is giving up all that makes life so convenient in 2017. Tillman tells stories of empty cities that came about because “industry and commerce toppled to their knees.” Though civilization fell apart, the world solved climate change. Tillman wonders how much humanity would give up to continue to inhabit Earth. Tillman also could not go without criticizing himself on the 74-minute album. “Leaving LA” is self-described in the song as a “10 verse, chorus-less diatribe.” He goes on to poke fun at the online music blogs that constantly report on his every action, but still admits he enjoys it. Throughout the 13-minute epic, Tillman describes his thought process of starting Father John Misty. He did not want to be “another white guy in 2017 who takes himself so goddamn seriously,” but still wishes for critical acclaim. Though Tillman has received great reviews on all Father John Misty releases, he predicts that his “college dude” fan base would leave because of “Pure Comedy.” He thinks the new album would make them hate him. Musically, Tillman has paid more attention to instrumental sections. “So I’m Growing Old On Magic Mountain” features a five-minute instrumental section based around two chords. There are several occasions throughout “Pure Comedy” that have digital bits coming in and out of each song. He has tried many new tactics to his songwriting on this album, and they totally work. It is safe to say that “Pure Comedy” is pure gold. Final Grade: A-
‘Fate of the Furious’ review ►Continued from front page amongst them. Even Dom’s reason for helping Cipher does not work because the reason why he is helping her does not justify what he is doing for her. It is important to note that the people most at fault for this are the director and the screenwriter, not the actors. Every actor, whether they are likeable or not, did their job to the best of their abilities and did what they were told to do. These actors had inappropriate orders on how to deliver certain lines and act, while forced to speak dialogue that was trying too hard to be either funny or emotional. With a plot line that has plot holes and no investable characters or motivations, the only thing that the movie has left to offer is the action. This movie does have some pretty good
ideas for action scenes that would have been a lot of fun and exciting if there was any reason to care about the characters in the scenes. Since there is nothing like that, it all equates to a bunch of cars getting tossed around and exploding on screen. For anyone who has seen a “Fast and the Furious” movie or knows the basics of the franchise, this movie is exactly what they would expect. If one loves these movies, they will probably enjoy this one. If not, do not bother giving it a chance. Final Grade: C-
Tufts Summer Session 2017
Explore. Prepare. Achieve.
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Over 170 Courses Day, Evening, and Online Courses Affordable Tuition Outstanding Tufts Faculty High School, University, and Professional Options
Courses Offered May – August Additional SHORT COURSES and WORKSHOPS running throughout the summer!
Sign up today at go.tufts.edu/UML The film had the biggest global opening in history, making $500 million in two days.
Page 9
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
April 25, 2017
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Underrated classics: ‘Paterson’ deserves more attention Eric Smith Connector Contributor
Jim Jarmusch’s “Paterson” follows the life of Paterson, an aspiring poet. Paterson (played by Adam Driver) lives with his wife Laura (Golshifteh Farahani) and his dog, Marvin. Paterson works as a bus driver in the town he lives in, ironically named Paterson, New Jersey. Every Monday through Friday as he drives the bus, he observes and listens to the conversations occurring between the passengers. After work, he walks home to be with his wife, and after dinner he goes out to the bar where he visits his friend Doc. This is his daily routine and he does all of this while writing down his own poetic thoughts into his secret notebook. The film is quiet, calm, touching and of course poetic. Paterson finds poetry in almost every encounter during his daily routine. However, his routine is not too mundane. Throughout the week of his life that this film shows,
he meets many people that he has small connections with, including an aspiring rapper looking for the right words, a lonely man who cannot con-
lives of others and how everyone is struggling with their own dreams. Laura, Paterson’s wife, is an essential character to the
design is as unique as Paterson’s sense of poetry. It is an interesting comparison to see her desire to be famous and well known, while Paterson
Courtesy of Amazon Studios
The film stars Adam Driver, best known for his performance in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
vince the love of his life to love him back, and a young girl who also has a secret notebook in which she creates poetry. These small human interactions remind us of the
story. She desires to have her dreams known around the world. She dreams of being a country star, a professional baker and a successful fashionista. Her sense of style and
simply wants to be a poet for himself. Driver’s performance as Paterson is just as the film is: quiet and poetic. He spends most of his week taking in the
life around him rather than speaking. He observes those around them and somehow understands what they are all going through. Driver delivers this perfectly and gives us a clear understanding of his character. Why is this film overlooked? After its release in November, it bombed at the box office making a gross of only $2,141,423 in the United States. It is one of the great films from 2016 that barely anybody went to see. It received zero Oscar nominations and deserved at least a nomination for best original screenplay. While it would not have beaten “La La Land,” “Manchester by the Sea” or “Moonlight” as one of the best films of the year, it still deserved much more recognition than it received. Final Grade: A-
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
April 25, 2017
Page 10
SPORTS East.
‘You are who your friends are’ “First and foremost,” Skinner said, the university’s goal was “to affiliate with our peer institutions, public research universities in our geographic footprint.” Competing on and off the playing surface with University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont, Stony Brook University and more, Skinner said UMass Lowell is “in the right place.” However, according to Skinner, UMass Lowell found itself in Division I earlier than expected. When the university decided to join America East in 2013, the university had recently begun evaluating its Division II athletic program with a five-year plan to increase its funding and then “explore Division I.”’ Shortly after UMass Lowell initiated its self-study, Boston University – now a member of the Patriot League – announced its departure from America East, leaving a viable and geographically desir-
able mid-major conference slot immediately open for the River Hawks. “The question was, ‘Do you wait the five years to elevate your programs, or do you just take advantage of the opportunity that was right in front of you?’” Skinner said. “We decided that you never know if there was going to be another opportunity to go to Division I, so we decided to jump right in with both feet.” From the conference’s perspective, America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen said the league was not in a rush to replace Boston University and would have been content with eight schools. Instead, UMass Lowell was the perfect mix of geography, academic and athletic prowess that fit the identity of the America East conference. “If a school like UMass Lowell hadn’t appeared, we wouldn’t have added anyone,” said Huchthausen. “They were the right fit for America East, not just filling a spot.” The jump has resonated with a student body already excited about its Division I
hockey squad. Senior business major Tim Fougere said he is happy with the attention the leap to Division I gives the university regardless of the timing. “It’s given off more a prestigious feel for the school knowing that we’re a D-I team across the board,” he said. “It definitely brings this sense of accomplishment that the school has.”
Long-term investment The benefits of immediately elevating and beginning the transition process were met with equally substantial drawbacks to surpass, mainly financial hurdles. UMass Lowell operated on a budget suitable for its Division II status in 2013 but was left shorthanded by forgoing its fiveyear fundraising plan, said Skinner. The River Hawks, instead, have had to compete and steadily increase their athletic budget on the fly, affecting everything from recruiting and scholarship offers to team travel and coach salaries. Until UMass Lowell offi-
cially completes its transition, the university will also miss out on revenue sharing from the NCAA, Skinner said, which can be instrumental in kickstarting the athletic program. Without the scholarships and resources that its conference rivals possess, UMass Lowell has still been able to bring in and develop talented players to compete through the transition. Star players like men’s basketball forward Jahad Thomas, men’s soccer forward Wuilito Fernandes, and women’s basketball guards Shannon Samuels and Jasmine McRoy have helped the River Hawks keep pace early in the teams’ Division I eras. As full Division I membership and postseason eligibility approach for UMass Lowell, however, Skinner said the teams should be able to recruit “difference makers” who would have otherwise gone elsewhere to have the chance to compete for championships. “Those individuals that can make the kind of plays you
need to get over the hump, they’re heavily recruited,” he said, “and in order to convince those student-athletes to come to your institution, they need to know that they’re going to have an opportunity to be on the highest stage.” Huchthausen said she commends UMass Lowell for meeting America East expectations with so few resources to begin its transition. The university upgraded its field hockey playing surface, Wicked Blue Field, in time for its first season of Division I competition, added men’s and women’s lacrosse in the second year of the transition and has rounded the out the final year by meeting the conference’s initiatives to stream home basketball games on ESPN3. “It wasn’t just talk,” Huchthausen said. “[UMass Lowell is] committed to action and being a successful Division I program and not just thankful they got here.” This is an abbreviated version. Visit umlconnector.com to read the whole piece.
This summer earn credits toward your degree Maymester: Session 2: Session 3: Session 4:
April 25, 2017
SPORTS
UMass Lowell looks to future as full Division I school ► Continued from front page
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 11
May 22–June 9 (3 weeks) June 13–July 13 (5 weeks) June 19–August 8 (7 weeks) July 18–August 16 (5 weeks)
For a list of courses, and to register –
umassd.edu /summer Undergraduate or Graduate Online or On Campus 508.999.9202 | extension@umassd.edu
Men’s lacrosse falls to Stony Brook 12-11 in overtime loss Kathryn Leeber Connector Editor
The men’s lacrosse team was defeated by the Stony Brook Seawolves, 12-11, in their last home game of the season. The conference matchup went into overtime play following a comeback by the River Hawks to tie the game in the fourth quarter. The game honored the four seniors
from UMass Lowell, defenseman Chris Litchfield, goalkeeper Giles Ober and midfielders Nicholas Pino and Martin Winter during Senior Night at Cushing Field. Senior midfielder Alex Corpolongo scored five goals for the Seawolves, leading the team to their victory. With four consecutive goals in the second quarter, Stony Brook took the
All photos courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
The River Hawks’ four seniors were honored before the game on Friday night.
UP CO MI N G
River Hawk Games
lead of the game, but Tuesday, April 25 3 p.m. BB at Boston College UMass Lowell was able to make a large comeWednesday, April 26 7 p.m. BB vs. Harvard back in the fourth quarter to tie the game and April 27-29 All Day XCTF at Penn Relays send it into overtime. “The conference is Saturday, April 29 12 p.m. MLAX at NJIT just so competitive, we knew that coming in, Saturday, April 29 12 and 3 p.m. BB vs. Hartford but I really would’ve loved to get this for the SB vs. UMBC Saturday, April 29 1 and 3 p.m. seniors,” said UMass Lowell head coach Ed For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com Stephenson. The Seawolves were countered with two goals from Corpoable to take an early lead with Cor- longo. These would be his last goals polongo scoring the first goal of the of the night, but he led the game with game four minutes in, with an assist five goals. from senior attacker Ryan Bitzer. The River Hawks were able to tie Within minutes, midfielder Owen the game with three consecutive goals Daly stretched the lead to 2-0 for from Cozzi, junior attack/midfielder Stony Brook. The River Hawks, how- Sean Tyrrell and Phillips, respectively. ever, put an end to the Seawolves’ Stony Brook held most of the posscoring opportunities in the first quar- session at the end of regulation time, ter with their first goal from sopho- but could not seem to get near the more attack/midfielder Austin Lane goal. With seven minutes remaining, in the 10th minute. neither team was able to score and the Midfielder Jon Phillips followed game went into overtime. with another goal, and with six secThe four-minute overtime began onds left fellow midfielder Daniel with the Seawolves winning the faceCozzi added a goal to take the lead off, as they had most of the game. 3-2. UMass Lowell goalkeeper Grant UMass Lowell found most of their Lardieri had some major saves, as scoring chances without driving in Stony Brook held onto the ball and near the goalkeeper, but rather staying continually tried to score. on the perimeter. It was not until the last minute that The second quarter began much Stony Brook freshman Connor Grippe like the first with more of the pres- scored, giving his team the win as they sure coming from Stony Brook. The rushed onto the field. River Hawks were only able to score “We’ve got one more game to go, one goal in this quarter, while the Sea- so we’re excited about that. It’s a hard wolves had five. one to swallow when you come up The lone UMass Lowell goal came short,” said Stephenson. from junior midfielder Sam KlingThe River Hawks fall to a 3-12 oversporn in the fourth minute. Even with all record and 1-5 America East, while more shots from both teams this quar- Stony Brook moves to 7-5, 3-2 Ameriter, there were just as many saves. ca East. UMass Lowell takes on New Stony Brook’s Corpolongo had two Jersey Institute of Technology on the more goals this quarter to contribute road for their last game on Saturday, to the win. Within seconds of his third April 29. goal of the game, freshman Harrison Matsuoka added a goal to take the lead 5-4. Going into the second half, the Seawolves had a strong lead with a score of 7-4. UMass Lowell tried to make a comeback in the third quarter with three different goal scorers. Less than 30 seconds into the quarter, junior attack/midfielder Matthew Balter scored. Just as the rain really started to pour down, the Seawolves reciprocated with a goal from junior Jake Sheets. Freshman Wayne White added a goal with an assist from Bitzer, his fourth of the night. Pino kicked off the River Hawks’ comeback in the ninth minute, bringing the score to 9-6. UMass Lowell continued this momentum into the fourth quarter, with Balter’s second goal of the game pro- Sophomore goalkeeper Grant Lardieri tallied nine saves against Stony Brook. pelling them forward. The Seawolves