Panel discusses fake news, media ethics â–ş Page 3
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
April 4, 2017
Chancellor’s Forum panelists address student academic, financial success
In This Issue Sheeran impresses with ‘Divide’
Andrew Sciascia
â–ş UMLConnector.com
Connector Editor
Students discuss masculinity through ‘Pulp Fiction’
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Bazin nominated for Penrose Award â–ş Page 8
Final River Hawk Scores Team
Score
Overall Record
Softball at Hartford
W 6-0
8-13
Women’s Lacrosse at UMBC
L 18-7
6-3
Men’s Lacrosse at UMBC
L 10-6 2-9
Baseball at Maine
W 3-0
12-10
Hawkapella transcends eras with ‘Hatched’ Kathryn Leeber Connector Editor
Hawkapella, UMass Lowell’s premier allmale a cappella group, recently released their first studio EP. Titled “Hatched,� the collection consists of six covers of songs from various genres. The first song and lead single is a cover of Fall Out Boy’s hit “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light ‘Em Up).� Hawkapella beautifully captures the various elements of the song all while utilizing only their voices. Christopher Kelleher provides the lead vocals for this track and does a stellar job of mirroring Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump’s vocal style in the original song. The supporting vocals and beats add energy and a distinctive tone to the song. The speed of the track is impressive, with the beats gradually picking up the pace. The next track slows things down with a calm and emotional rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.� Gabriel Paradis provides impressive lead vocals and the supporting singers follow the typical a cappella layered style to give the song a classic feel. Panic! At the Disco’s “This is Gospel� features lead vocals from Luis Enrique Diaz and John Kelley. The tone is slow at times, but the contrasting vocals do a great job of reflecting the pace of the supporting sounds. The vocal
Following a half-hour of mingling and dining shared among members of student leadership, the student body and UMass Lowell administration, Student Affairs administrators took the microphone for the Chancellor’s Open Forum that happens once a semester. On Tuesday, the four-person panel, alongside UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacqueline Moloney, addressed the student body directly in Moloney Hall on all matters pertaining to various topics, from advising to textbook pricing and much more. The Chancellor’s Open Forum was first introduced in September 2015 as a means of allowing
Courtesy of Student Government Association
Associate Vice Chancellor Larry Siegel speaks at the Chancellor’s Forum on Tuesday.
the chancellor and her administration to establish a direct line to communicate the on-going process of improving the student experience at UMass Lowell. It also allows time for students to openly bring
about their concerns and question the administration on what is being done to address them, or whether administration knows about them at all. “The purpose is to connect the students to the administration.
â–ş See “Forum,â€? page 4
River Hawks look to future at season’s end Brock Johnson Connector Editor
The River Hawks ended their season with a loss to Notre Dame in the Northeast Regional Final on Sunday, March 26, finishing with a 27-11-3 record overall. UMass Lowell will be bidding farewell to an accomplished senior class that will surely be missed on and off the ice. The class
includes defensemen Dylan Zink and Michael Kapla along with forwards Joe Gambardella and Evan Campbell. Zink and Gambardella were just named to the New England Hockey Writers All-Star team following the season. “[The seniors] helped strengthen the culture of success and to continue they had a hell of a
â–ş See “Hawkapella,â€? page 6
Sections News.............................2 Campus Life..................5 A&E.............................. 6 Sports........................... 7
A lot of times Student Government Association is seen as the middle man between the students and the administration. This forum gives the students the opening to ask direct questions to
Matt Dwyer/Connector
Tommy Panico, Tyler Mueller and John Edwardh celebrate a River Hawk goal.
legacy‌ Over their four-year career they had 11 trophies and that’s a heck of a testament to the type of character there is in that class. They’re all going to graduate on time and three of them are over 3.5 students. You can’t ask for better kids,â€? said UMass Lowell head coach Norm Bazin. “We’ve won a lot of games here and we have had a lot of success, but most importantly being able to have a good time and enjoy each other. I think it’s been a really fun ride,â€? said senior captain Michael Kapla. Along with winning the Hockey East regular season title, the River Hawks went on to win their third Hockey East playoff championship in the last five years. They also added their fifth Alumni Cup in a row and another trophy in the Ledyard Bank Classic. The River Hawks finished their regular season at 14-7-1 in Hockey East, a conference at the upper echelon of college hockey. â–ş See “Hockey,â€? page 8
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THE UMASS LOWELL
April 4, 2017
Twitter: @UMLConnector Serving the Student Body Since 1976
UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR
EDITORIAL BOARD OPEN Operations Manager
MARLON PITTER Editor-In-Chief
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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
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NEWS ‘Beyond Headlines and Memes’ tackles fake news Jason Ounpraseuth Connector Staff
The accelerating change in media has had many news outlets put on task to present themselves as credible, especially with the term “fake news” being thrown around. This dilemma has left consumers wondering how they should consume their media in today’s age of the 24-hour news cycle. On Wednesday, Omicron Delta Kappa presented Beyond Headlines & Memes in Maloney Hall. The panel featured Dr. Jonathan Silverman, Dr. Jenifer Whitten-Woodring, journalism student Adeja Crearer and WBZ News Radio anchor and reporter Karyn Regal. English major Abby Crossley played a moderating role. The panel was split into four topics: How do reporters decide what to cover? Is it okay to get news on Facebook? How do reporters get our attention?
What is media bias? Regal spoke on her personal experiences covering many stories in the New England area. These types of stories were what she called subsidies that target a specific demographic. Dr. Whitten-Woodring described the basis of news as “something unusual happening.” She said reporters have the responsibility to choose what to cover in an event. Crearer brought up her experience at the inauguration in January and said she was shocked to see the violent riots take the headlines, even though they only occupied a small part of the protests. The panel viewed this decision as part of the 24-hour news cycle that tries to be first to a story before getting all the information. Crossley brought up the issue of consumers getting all their news on Facebook and the danger of getting information that is like their own and in
sync with their point of view. Dr. Silverman said he does not see a problem in getting some of your news from Facebook, but did make clear that “getting all of your news on Facebook is a problem.” He said he encourages curation in how consumers get their news by going to different outlets, like newspapers and radio, to get news. Dr. Whitten-Woodring said she agreed with this view point and added in that the “context will be different” if consumers go to different places and hear different points of view to truly get a sense of what is going on in the news and the world. In response to the question of how reporters can get the attention of consumers, Regal said: “Good clear writing and good honest reporting...if you do a good job with the basics, people will stick with you.” Crearer built on Regal’s points by talking about how it is important for the media to be honest. She mentions how media is a business and that headlines help grab a reader and build a first impression. The balance of honesty and business is for reporters to build credibility. Dr. Silverman said he found complication in media bias citing the history of mainstream media being called out for being biased and finding themselves caught in a trap. He touched on how readers are interested in objective truth, but Dr. Whitten-Woodring also said that reporters are under pressure to tell a good story while also trying to be credible and unbiased. “When I know both sides are angry, I know I’ve done a good story,” Regal said on the topic of the politically ideologies. “Everyone wants their story to be told,” said Crearer on her experience covering political events. “People put aside their hate for the media because they want their story to be told.” Crearer and Regal said that it is their job and goal to tell stories, and they are just out there to tell the best possible story despite personal feelings towards a subject or audience. The panelists expressed their concerns and discrepancies with current media practices, but they offered counterpoints and ways consumers can guide themselves in the current media landscape.
Taylor Carito/Connector
From right to left: Dr. Jenifer Whitten-Woodring, Karyn Regal, Adeja Crearer and Dr. Jonathan Silverman.
Sheila Angelo speaks about working political campaigns Taylor Carito Connector Editor
UMass Lowell alumna Sheila Angelo graduated in 2015 with hopes of entering the political field. Little did she know how successful she would be by 24 years old. She is formerly a White House staffer for President Barack Obama and Senator Bernie Sanders’ campaign staffer. In an event organized by the UMass Lowell College Democrats, on Tuesday Angelo spoke to students about her experiences in the political field. While an undergraduate at UMass Lowell, she obtained an internship with Jim McGovern from “The Hill,” and from that point on she worked up the political ladder. After McGovern, she interned for Rep. Niki Tsongas and eventually obtained her first job in advance for Sanders. “I just applied for a Bernie Sanders
gig in Las Vegas as a field organizer, and I didn’t even know what a field organizer was,” says Angelo. From that gig in Las Vegas, she was hired under Sanders’ advance primarily as the press lead. Her job as the press lead was to
“UMass Lowell helped me a lot.” help organize rallies, keep an eye on the press during campaign events and arrange a designated and secure spot in case of overflow. Sanders, despite the lack of security, always likes to address the overflowed crowd that could not make it in. In addition to this, Angelo also
organized off-the-record appearances and was part of his motorcade in Washington D.C. After Sanders lost the primaries, Angelo lost the job in his advance. However, almost immediately following Hillary Clinton’s victory, Obama started being a surrogate for her campaign. Because of this, Angelo was asked to join the POTUS advance team to help Obama until the election. “Interning for the White House is a really interesting thing,” says Angelo. She traveled all across the country doing campaign events and was even invited to the White House Christmas party for all the staff members. However, after the presidential election, Angelo again found herself without a job in the political world. “[It’s] such a hard thing,” says Angelo, “Especially as a woman in politics, it’s double as hard. I’m super discouraged about it.”
Angelo still remains hopeful about remaining in politics. Recently she helped out with the Our Revolution rally in Boston where Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sanders spoke. She gives a lot of credit to where she got her start with politics. While an undergraduate at UMass Lowell, she was a political science major and a member of the Student Government Association (SGA). By her senior year she had become vice president. “UMass Lowell helped me a lot,” says Angelo.
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NEWS
Sanders and Warren campaign at Our Revolution rally Chris Romano Connector Staff
Despite being a stormy night with a mix of rain, snow and hail, Senator Bernie Sanders’ organization, Our Revolution, held a rally at the Orpheum Theater in Boston. The rally, held on Friday, was meant to highlight local activist groups as well as campaign for Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s reelection as Massachusetts’ U.S. Senator. As Warren took to the stage, the supporters in the crowd chanted her name. She began her time on stage with a story of how she met Sanders at a dinner in Washington D.C. She said, “Bernie Sanders fights for what is right and he fights from the heart. That’s how we win,” when referring to the 2018 election. Warren knew how to get a reaction from the crowd. Before she could finish her sentence about defeating the American Health Care Act that was introduced to replace the Affordable Care Act, the crowd exploded with applause. She mentioned that President Donald Trump said he would repeal Obamacare on day one of his presidency, but that he did not do it. There was another roar from the crowd. The main message she offered was that the people of America must continue to fight back against Trump and the Republicans. She mentioned several times that Trump was not the only en-
emy. Instead, she said that Trump and all the Republicans were the peoples’ enemy. Trump is merely a distraction. She said: “We can’t shoot at everything that moves,” after reminding the crowd that Trump says obscene things to distract from actual issues. Most of Warren’s speech focused on a progressive agenda. At times there were digs against Donald Trump, but she seemed to hone in on campaigning for reelection in 2018. She praised public school teachers and unions. “Unions built America’s middle class,” she said. She finished by mentioning climate change, Black Lives Matter, believing in science, pay equity for women and that Wall Street needs more regulation. Sanders took to the stage
and immediately began praising Warren. He said, “Our job is to make sure she wins and that she wins big.” The crowd began chanting his name. After the crowd settled, Sanders
“It wasn’t that Donald Trump won the election. It was that the Democratic Party lost the election.”
hit all the big talking points from his 2016 presidential campaign. He talked about the top one percent of the billionaire class and making an
economy for all Americans. He said of the billionaire class: “Their greed is destroying the country.” Next Sanders tackled the Walton family, who owns Walmart and is America’s wealthiest family. He said the Waltons are the largest welfare recipient in America because their employees are on food stamps and other federal aid. He told the Waltons: “Get off of welfare. Start paying your workers a living wage.” He then said: “52 percent of all new income is going to the top one percent.” The crowd booed. Sanders briefly mentioned his run for president of the U.S. He thanked the people of Massachusetts for their support. The major point of
Chris Romano/Connector
Bernie Sanders speaks to hundreds at Our Revolution rally in Boston.
the speech was Sanders’ take on the 2016 election. However, before making his remarks, someone shouted: “Bernie 2020!” There was no response from the senator, but a huge roar from the supporters in the crowd. After the interruption, he said: “Some people think that the people who voted for Trump are racists, sexists, homophobes and just deplorable folks. I don’t agree.” He then said the most memorable line from the rally: “It wasn’t that Donald Trump won the election. It was that the Democratic Party lost the election.” Before Warren and Sanders spoke, many local organizations gave opening remarks. Among the groups that appeared on stage were Raise Up, Jobs not Jails and Fight For 15. Some of what Raise Up works on is public school funding, earned sick time and increasing the minimum wage. Jobs Not Jails aims to end mass incarceration. Lastly, Fight For 15’s mission is to raise the minimum wage up to $15 an hour. The weather was not too unbearable, as the Orpheum was filled with people. At around 7 p.m., performers, the grandchildren of Woodie Guthrie, began to sing politically charged songs along with other songs. Before leaving the stage, they sang what has become as Sanders’ anthem, “This Land Is Your Land.” Senators Sanders and Warren are both up for reelection in 2018.
Forum hosted by SGA addresses student concerns on campus ►Continued from front page
the administration. It improves transparency and communication,” said Student Government Association (SGA) President James Christopher of the forum. Following a series of successful forums, with faculty and administration unveiling countless plans to improve the university experience, the topic at hand Tuesday was complicated and branched off into multiple parts of the student experience: student success. “Student success may sound like a broad topic, and that’s because it truly is. There are many facets and metrics that go into measuring it,” said Christopher. To kick off the forum Rob Callahan, junior senator of SGA and criminal justice major, addressed the room to the results of a survey conducted amongst the student body to analyze student feelings toward the current advising process. The findings were varied, with the majority students found to be satisfied, but approximately one in five students were “very disappointed” in the process. “It’s critically important that we continue to work
with administration on improving advising, helping students graduate on time [and] making sure students are taking the classes they need to be taking,” said Callahan. The concerns brought about by Callahan’s survey and the student body through SGA resulted in a massive re-evaluation of processes surrounding financial wellness, textbook costs and advising. “I want you to know, as students, that we are fast at work right now… Your voice is heard, we are partnering with you to create a new system,” said Kerry Donohoe, dean of Student Success. With the remainder of the 90-minute block, each panelist discussed a plan in their part of the comprehensive solution for improving student success. One measure administration was taking to fix dissatisfaction with advising was to create a system under which each student would be assigned a professional advisor that would help them create an eight-semester degree-path plan. This professional advisor would be supplemented with a faculty advisor who would act as a “mentor” aiding the students and finding internships in what interests them in their field. Other major plans covered in the forum ranged
from training professors in ways to find cheaper, high quality source material and even create textbooks using open source material, to linking advising in with financial advisory to keep students in good financial standing on the way to their degree path. “I appreciated that they took the time. That they would re-evaluate policy and I could get contact information that allows me speak with someone about how my concerns could be addressed going forward,” said junior public health major Marina Novaes. Students seemed pleased with the answers and information granted to them at the forum. Many came away confident that the programs being implemented in the coming years would improve student success dramatically, as was SGA confident in the Open Forum reaching its goal of establishing a dialogue between students and administration. Provost Michael Vayda made one thing certain in his time at the mic: his office would be there in the coming semesters to work for the students. “Your success is our reason to be here at UMass Lowell. That’s why we’re here: to help you succeed.”
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CAMPUS LIFE
“Our students deserve this and so much more” Dr. Bob Forrant of UMass Lowell speaks on the reform of public education Hannah Manning Connector Editor
“We can’t allow UMass Lowell to become so expensive that we become Boston University on the Merrimack.” Dr. Bob Forrant, a professor in the UMass Lowell history department and awarded the prestigious title of Distinguished University Professor, spoke to a room full of UMass Lowell faculty and students about the need for accessible higher education. Chancellor Jacquie Moloney, Provost Michael Vayda, and UMass President Marty Meehan were all in attendance for the lecture, which was held at the Junior Ballroom in the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center. Forrant delivered his lecture in conjunction with his nomination as Distinguished University Professor, and used his years of experience as a professor studying labor, technology and economic and social development to assess the future of the public university. In a talk infused with both passion and light-hearted humor, Forrant made a call to demand support that public universities, UMass Lowell in particular, need to continue to provide education for students. “I love UMass Lowell,” Forrant said, “though the place makes me angry sometimes.” He said that the distressing trend of budget and funding cuts to public universities leads to a higher financial burden on students.
“As budgets are cut and expenses to students rise, we must collectively demand the support we need,” said Forrant. As Forrant expanded upon in his talk, such changes to the public university model closes off education to students in middle to lower income households and actually goes against the original purpose of the public university. Forrant brought up how the United States historically believed that an educated public was necessary for a smoothly-run democracy which led to initiatives that prioritized higher education such as the GI Bill. However, in the past decades, public education has become commercialized, a trend that troubles Forrant. “We rob all of our futures by making public education inaccessible,” Forrant said. In the lecture, Forrant criticized the amount of focus placed on business growth and job creation in public education. As students head to school like automatons preparing for work, something more meaningful is lost in the process. The drive to learn and the life-changing experiences had in university are undermined by education’s focus on churning students out like new models of cars. Forrant traced the history of UMass Lowell which intertwines with the economic struggles that the city of Lowell experienced in the 1980s. He
argued that the creation of UMass Lowell improved the local economy and stressed the importance of collaboration between the city and the University. “In a public university setting, I am confident it should, the sum of the work stimulates me to think how the arts can convey messages of beauty and hope. How the humanities and social sciences might inform our continuous political discussions,” said Forrant. Forrant, in his closing remarks, suggested a program to give to humanities students what the science, technology, engineering and mathematics students already have: entrepreneurship opportunities. “We need a Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (FAHSS) version of the Innovation Hub. A place where we can think critically and collaboratively about what it means to be a
growing public university located in this time and space,” Forrant said. He cited a quote from Sarah Bagley, an advocate for women’s rights and a warrior for labor laws in Lowell: “Truth loses nothing upon investigation.” These entrepreneurship opportunities would lead to an increased collaboration with the city of Lowell and development of the students involved. By expanding the public university’s resources to accommodate for this kind of research and student involvement, there stands potential for UMass Lowell to reach the ideality that the U.S. once believed in so fervently. As for the resistance to becoming the Boston University on the Merrimack River, Forrant has faith in UMass Lowell. “Our river and our hockey team are better anyway,” he said. Courtesy of The Lowell Sun
Courtesy of Art Student Union
Bob Forrant, named a Distiniguished Professor instructs one of his classes.
Pulp Fiction and its connection to race and masculinity Marilyn Saha Connector Staff
In the third installment of the Philosophy and Film Series made possible by the philosophy department, students, faculty and Lowell residents made the trek downtown to watch “Pulp Fiction” at the Luna Theater. The Theater was packed more than ever. Students sat on the staircases, while others stood for the entire duration of the three-hour movie. “Pulp Fiction” follows Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega who are two hit men out to retrieve a suitcase stolen from their employer, mob boss Marsellus Wallace. Wallace has also asked Vincent to take his wife Mia out a couple of days later when Wallace will be out of town. Butch Coolidge is an aging boxer who is paid by Wallace to lose his weight. The lives of these seemingly unrelated people are intertwined together resulting in a series of hilarious and bizarre incidents. The Theater was relatively silent as everyone watched, except for the very frequent sound of laughter and the crunching of popcorn. Just like the other Philosophy and Film Series screenings, “Pulp Fiction” was followed with a discussion lead by Professor Christa Hodapp. The discussion circled around the idea of masculinity and race as portrayed throughout the movie. “The gentleman/beast tension for these two characters is fairly obvious throughout the film. In fact, before entering Brett’s house, Jules tells Vincent, ‘Let’s get into character,’ making it clear that in some respects the two are consciously aware of os-
cillations in performative identity,” she said. Jules and Vincent would comedically shift back and forth form acting like gentlemen philosophers to being brutal gangsters. Hodapp also pointed out the role, or lack thereof, of women in the movie. “The ‘gentleman’ mode is often not for the benefit of women – in fact, women are absent from most scenes involving Jules and Vincent together. Women are merely references or potential problems,” she said. Emily Turcotte, a student of UMass Lowell, came to this viewing and said she thoroughly enjoyed it. She said, “The movie is pretty long, but the plot of it made it go by really quickly. It was amusing seeing how Jules and Vincent would go from talking
about super deep meaningful ideas to going back to talking like gangsters.” Student Nicholas Schickle also said he attended this showing. “This is my first movie in the Philosophy and Film Series. ‘Pulp Fiction’ is one of my favorite movies and watching it all over again was great. I also enjoyed the discussion that followed it. I never thought about the movie in that deep philosophical sense so it definitely made me view this movie differently after the discussion.” The next and final installment of the Philosophy and Film Series will be on the last Monday of April at the Luna Theatre at 7:30 p.m. “Being John Malkovich” will be shown, and a discussion with Professor Luis Oliveira will follow.
Tim Clark/Connector Connector/Marilyn Saha
Luna Theater located in Mill No. 5 has one more film to show in the Philosophy and Film Series.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Hawkapella releases studio EP “Hatched” ►Continued from front page percussion elements from Graham Allen are so detailed that it is hard to believe the sounds were all created vocally. Another slower track, a cover of Sam Smith’s “Lay Me Down,” is stylistically similar to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in terms of the backing elements. It is fairly simple, yet still full of emotion and strength. Almost halfway into the song, some beats and backing vocals are added to bring more energy to the song. “Jessie’s Girl” utilizes the fantastic beats found throughout the EP. Although there is nothing too detailed about this song, it is still a solid example of the group’s skills.
A sixth bonus track, a cover of Dexys Midnight Runner’s “Come on Eileen,” is included on the EP. Again, it is not the most complex track, but it is still enjoyable and features excellent vocals from Allen. With songs from various generations, Hawkapella does an excellent job of utilizing the talents of all its members, which is evident in the arrangements of the tracks. While the more current songs tend to be a bit stronger, the older ones are just as pleasing. The vocal percussion beats are some of the best features of the EP and the supporting vocals harmonize well with the lead vocalist to create an astounding set of songs.
Courtesy of UML Hawkapella
From left to right: Janson Borowko, Anthony Plueo Jr and Zenon Nieduzak singing Hawkapella at the ICCA Quarterfinal Performance at Tufts University last February.
The Fall Is... releases “The Moment That We Shared” Timothy Clark Connector Contributor
Lowell-based alternative rock band The Fall Is Shorter Than You Think released their second EP, “The Moment That We Shared,” on March 24. This record, bringing in aspects from jazz and rock alike, is a unique twist on the usual alternative rock repertoire that is put out for the world to hear. Varying drum-grooves and driving bass-lines are topped tastefully with dissonant harmonies in the guitar to create a perfect backdrop for the emotionally driven lyrics and vocals. The first track on the EP sets the tone immediately with an atmospheric chord that quickly denatures and morphs into a chaotic wave of heavy fuzz. The groove sets in, backed by a brooding organ and the guitar playing rhythmic arpeggios filled with tension and release quickly follows it. The mass of sound thins and in come the vocals singing a verse of troubled thoughts. Only when the chorus comes do things pick up, with lead vocalist Phil Cambra screaming, “I need to get out of here this box confines, I wanna feel the/breeze/and clear out
my mind.” This sense of being caged and yearning to break free shows up several times throughout the project, though rarely in the same form. The second track of “The Moment That We Shared,” titled “Perception,” is the most aggressive of the bunch. The song opens with a heavy poly-metric beat and fiery guitar riff. The energy is kept up through a verse filled with slick guitar licks and tight bass-lines. It comes to a climax at the chorus with voices belting, “Lift me above, above the surface, and change my perception.” Again, the theme of moving past a barrier in life arises. A quick instrumental section with a strong, tension-filled cadence leads into the next verse, which is half the length of the first. Instead of continuing with the verse at the halfway point, the band quiets and leaves open space for the moving harmonic lines. In comes a crooning, “You are you are who you are” to bring the outro: a tight drum break ending on a reverberant rim-shot. This empty space is the resolution to the chaos that was “Perception.” Track three, “Silence Never Solved
Courtesy of The Fall Is Shorter Than You Think
“The Fall is Shorter Than You Think” pictured above performing at the UnchARTed Art Gallery.
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A family in four weeks: ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ Michaela Goss Connector Editor
With only four weeks to cast, direct and design an entire production, the UMass Lowell Theatre Arts Program has put a lot of time and effort into becoming a family both on and off the stage. The Theatre Arts Program will be presenting the play “Dancing at Lughnasa” at the Comley-Lane Theatre in Mahoney Hall from April 19-22 at 7:30 p.m. and April 23 at 2 p.m. It is directed by Jennie Israel, a founding member of the Actors’ Shakespeare Project in Boston who has previously directed productions at UMass Lowell. Cast and crew members have said that only having four weeks to put the production together has been stressful, yet they feel it will be rewarding in the end. “It’s been fun. I mean, that’s kind of what you do in the real world, so it’s definitely preparing everybody for the real world theatre,” said Michaila Cowie, the stage manager of the show. “It’s also stressful… it’s kind of like a full-time job.” Cowie said that the entire cast and crew has been great about helping each other out and putting in the hard work that is necessary to make a show in a short amount of time. As the show takes place in Ireland, cast members would interchangeably speak in Irish and American accents when they were not rehearsing scenes in order to improve. Israel is also a very hands-on director. She would join the cast in speaking in an Irish accent, and she
is always on her feet when telling cast members exactly what she wants from them in scenes. “You’re giving a lot, so I’m just going to keep asking for more,” she said to one of the show’s actors. Cowie said she is proud of all the hard work that Courtesy of Michaila Cowie
“Dancing at Lughnasa” won the 1992 Hugo award for best play.
“I’m definitely looking forward to the finished product,” said Cowie. “But also seeing all these relationships grow between the characters and even just the actors themselves and the production team. And getting to know everybody and just growing as a family.” “Dancing at Lughnasa” was written by Irish playwright Brian Friel and was published in 1990. The show itself takes place 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. “This is the way the dysfunctional family originated,” said Israel. Tickets for the upcoming performances can be purchased at the door for $10 for general admission and $5 for students, seniors and military. As there is limited seating, it is recommended to reserve tickets online before the show. To do this, email umlplaytix@gmail.com and leave your name, number of tickets and the show date. “It’s a play about human relationships,” said Israel. “That’s why I adore it.”
everyone is putting into the show and how much of themselves and their time they are giving to the production. She also said that she is eager to see how it will all come together.
Courtesy of Honest Face Records
The Fall Is... has released two EPs since their debut in September 2014.
Anything,” begins with the rhythm section groovin’ hard. Fat bass hits are splattered with an array of wavy guitar notes that send the song into motion. The tune moves between a straight ahead beat in the verse to a more relaxed Latin-style groove in the chorus, outlining the change in mindset as the song progresses. The verses focus on all of the little problems the lyricist is experiencing and the chorus sums it all up in one easy sentence, “I wish I wouldn’t turn away and hide from you.” “Moment,” the final and longest song on this project, constantly changes and evolves. It starts with solo guitar to set up the harmonic structure of the piece then rapidly brings on the rhythm section and vocals. After only a few lines, the drums cymbals grow louder and the song teems with energy. This energy is quickly shifted to a laid-back pre-chorus with a beautiful vocal harmonies and wide open guitar
chords. The form becomes complete with a rocking out chorus of, “And during this time honesty is shared/And during this time honesty is shared/ True listening occurs and love exists/ It’s the most beautiful thing.” The song and EP wraps up with a breakdown section where the trio is playing very precise stop-rhythms. The energy is built up again with shredding guitar and crashing cymbals that land on a chilled hit to bring the EP to a close. This album brought forth a unique style that is accentuated by the group’s musicianship. A variety of feels, meters, textures, chord qualities, and rhythms invite the listener to stay attentive and entertained throughout the four tracks. “The Moment That We Shared” is a sonically pleasing, full-bodied work. Well-written songs and ear-perking music are combined to create this fantastic EP.
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
April 4, 2017
Page 8 UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
SPORTS
Hockey team reflects on season ► Continued from front page
“I am very proud of this group… the 22-game regular season is brutal in Hockey East and anybody can beat anybody,” said Bazin. Outstanding play from the top line contributed to the great season. Juniors C.J. Smith and John Edwardh paired up with Gambardella accounted for 59 goals and 140 points, about 35 percent of the team’s offensive output. Gambardella came in clutch all season, tying Kory Falite for the school’s single season Division I record of seven game-winning goals to go along with his team-leading 52 points. His efforts this season earned him the Walter Brown Award awarded to the best American-born player in New England, a first for a UMass Lowell player. Gambardella signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers that will take effect in the 2017-18 season. Smith also recorded over 50 points with his 51-point season. The River Hawks will lose Smith as well this off-season as he has signed an entry-level contract with the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres. Looking towards the future, River Hawk fans can place their faith in freshman goalie Tyler Wall. Wall had an outstanding season for a freshman goaltender, recording a .918 save percentage along with a Division I River Hawk record of 26 wins. Wall earned himself Hockey East goaltender of the month in the all-important month of February. He also made the Hockey East all-tournament team for his play in the River Hawk’s championship run. Freshman forward Ryan Lohin had 29 points this season and showed his skills during the NCAA Northeast Regional. Scoring three points in the two games, Lohin earned himself a spot on the All-Tournament team. Look to see Lohin move up a line or two as he returns for his second year in blue. Freshman defenseman Mattias Göransson also put his offensive talent on display by scoring five goals and 23 points total.
The Slottsborn, Sweden native showed poise and confidence for a freshman all season long. With talent in each class, the River Hawks will look to continue their success next season. After an adversity-packed season of ups and downs, the team will be ready for anything come October. The River Hawks took home the Hockey East Championship, but barely missed out on their second trip to the Frozen Four as a Division I program. “I felt that the group inside that locker room was good enough to be the best team at the end of the year,” said Bazin.
BALTIMORE, Md. – The UMass Lowell women’s lacrosse team saw their six-game win streak halted at UMBC, 18-7, in the team’s conference opener on Saturday afternoon. The win streak marked the longest in history for the program, as they now fall to 6-3, 0-1 AE, on the year, while UMBC improves to 8-4 overall and 1-1 in conference play. Sophomore Rebecca Idson (East Atlantic Beach, N.Y.) became the first player in program history to eclipse the single season 20-goal mark, with her tally at 16:45. After splitting a pair of defenders, the attacker blasted one home for her career-high 20th goal of the season. Classmate Jane Dudley (Duxbury, Mass.) paced the squad with three points (1g, 2a), recording her seventh multipoint game of the season. A heavy offensive first half swayed in favor of the Retrievers who carried a comfortable 11-4 advantage after 30 minutes of play. UMBC was lead by Lauren McDonald and Sam Nolan who each picked up hat tricks in the first frame, while the River Hawks saw four different scorers contribute to the scoring. UMass Lowell was outshot 25-7, as goalkeeper Courtney Barrett (South Burlington, Vt.) was forced to go to work early and often to keep her squad within seven. The Retrievers opened up the tilt scoring five early goals, after a pair of UMass Lowell fouls left UMBC with two, man up advantages. With back-
River Hawk Games Tuesday, April 4
7 p.m.
BB vs. Rhode Island
Wednesday, April 5
5 p.m.
WLAX vs. UNH
Saturday, April 8
11 a.m.S
Saturday, April 8
1 p.m.
Saturday, April 8
2 p.m.
MLAX vs. Vermont
Saturday, April 8
3 p.m.
SB vs. Albany
WLAX vs. UAlbany
SB vs. Albany
For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com
Norm Bazin a finalist for Spencer Penrose Award UMass Lowell Athletics
Matt Dwyer/ Connector
Senior forward Joe Gambardella hoists the Lou Lamoriello trophy.
Women’s Lacrosse falls to UMBC, 18-7 UMass Lowell Athletics
U P C OM I N G
to-back goals by Idson and Dudley at 16:45 and 14:18, respectively, UMass Lowell was able to get themselves on the board and cut the deficit to 5-3. The River Hawks went on to find the back of the net two more times in the first half. Freshman Hana Caster (North Attleboro, Mass.) netted her third of the year, after splitting a pair of defenders, before junior Taylor Sokol (Hopkinton, Mass.) rounded out the squad’s first half scoring with a laser past the UMBC goalkeeper. Caster picked up the helper on Sokol’s goal, marking her second straight multipoint game. The home team finished the opening half on a three goal run, as the squad was able to provide an 11-4 edge. The second half continued to play in favor of the home squad, as UMBC posted seven goals in the final 30 minutes, outscoring the River Hawks 7-3. Junior Kaylan DiModugno (Deer Park, N.Y.) broke open the second half scoring for the River Hawks with a free positon goal at 19:07, before classmate Austin Trasatti put one home to cut the Retriever’s lead to 13-6 with 14 minutes remaining. Sokol later wrapped up the River Hawks scoring with her second marker on the day, for UMass Lowell’s seventh and final goal Despite battling back, UMass Lowell couldn’t catch UMBC, as the Retrievers offensive continued to work and run away with the 18-7 victory. UMass Lowell continues conference play, as the squad will welcome New Hampshire to Wicked Blue Turf on Wednesday, April 4 for a 5 p.m. contest.
WAKEFIELD, Mass. – UMass Lowell Hockey Head Coach Norm Bazin after guiding the River Hawks to 27 wins, a third Hockey East Tournament Championship and fifth trip in six years to the NCAA Tournament has been named a finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award as the Division I Coach of the Year. There are ten finalists for the award. The nominees represent any coach who won or shared Coach of the Year honors in his conference this past season, along with coaches whose teams have advanced to the Frozen Four. Of this year’s finalists, four, including Bazin, are past recipients of this award. The winner will be announced by the American Hockey Coaches Association at the Frozen Four on April 5. Bazin, who won the Penrose Award in 2013, was named the 2017 Bob Kullen Award winner as the Hockey East Coach of the Year. It was the third time in a six year period that Bazin was honored by Hockey East as the conference coach of the year. Bazin received the Kullen award in 2012 and 2013. Bazin led the UMass Lowell hockey club, picked to finish fourth in the pre-season Coaches’ Poll, to a regular season first place tie and the Hockey East Tournament Championship. The team closed out the regular season with seven straight wins to earn the top seed in the conference tournament. They went on to take the Hockey East Tournament with wins against New Hampshire, Notre Dame and Boston College. The River Hawks defeated Cornell in the NCAA Northeast Regional semifinal, 5-0, before an overtime loss in the regional final ended the season. The River Hawks finished the year with a 27-11-3 record and ranked in the top ten in both national polls. The 27 wins were one short of matching the program’s Division I record. It was the team’s sixth consecutive 20-win season the longest such stretch in program history. The AHCA honored Bazin in 2013 after his team won 28 games and earned a spot in the Frozen Four. The only other UMass Lowell coach to win the award was Bruce Crowder who was honored in 1996. The Spencer Penrose Award is named in memory of the Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first 10 NCAA championship hockey tournaments. The actual award will be presented at the AHCA Coach of the Year Banquet in Naples, Florida, on Wednesday evening, April 26. The AHCA Coach of the Year Awards are chosen by members of the American Hockey Coaches Association.