Connector 9:29 by The Connector

Disable the Label expanding impact Club hosts events educating students about disabilites, promoting positive body image

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THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

September 29, 2015

PokĂŠmon expands further into mobile world

In This Issue

Jeffrey Cullen

UMass tuition freeze ends

Connector Contributor

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Drake, Future mixtape review

â&#x2013;ş Page 5 Bradyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NFL revenge tour

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Final River Hawk Scores Team

Score

Overall Record

Volleyball at. Sacred Heart

L 0-3

2-13

Field Hockey at New Hampshire

L 1-2

5-3

W. Soccer at Dartmouth

L 1-4 2-7-0

M. Soccer vs. Bryant

W 3-2

5-3-0

ICC unveils renovated dining hall Hannah Manning Connector Staff

A woman at the door carried a plate of hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres and offered one to anyone coming to swipe in. Balloons hung from the stations. Clearly, the Inn & Conference Center (ICC) dining hall staff were eager to put on a show for its inaugural meal. Last Monday, the ICC opened its new dining hall to the students of UMass Lowell. Previously, any hungry students would have to go to the junior grand ballroom on the second floor and pick their food from makeshift stations. While this was not a bad way to eatâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; the workers there were extremely nice and the food choices were limited but goodâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it simply could not sustain all of the students living at the ICC. Meals in there were quick and eerily quiet; many students went to Fox Hall to eat dinner. This new addition has seemingly changed that. The new dining hall is much larger than one would expect it to be; seating is on two levels in a room that utilizes every inch of space. It also encourages patrons to stay a little longer than they normally would. There are three TVs in total: two placed above the bar on the first level, and a rather large one on the second level. An improvement is that there are now

For anyone wanting to catch PokĂŠmon in real life, your dream may have just come true. About two weeks ago, Nintendo and Gamefreak, the creators of the PokĂŠmon franchise, announced their new project partnering with Niantic Inc. titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;PokĂŠmon GO.â&#x20AC;? Slated for a 2016 release, the main idea behind â&#x20AC;&#x153;GOâ&#x20AC;? is that it is a location-based, free-to-play, augmented reality game for mobile devices, already confirmed to be on both Android and iOS. Essentially, the world around the player is the game. As users travel through the real world they will be able to encounter various species of PokĂŠmon depending on where they happen to be at the time. In addition, players can purchase the â&#x20AC;&#x153;PokĂŠmon GO Plus,â&#x20AC;? a wearable Bluetooth accessory that notifies players when a PokĂŠmon or fellow trainer is nearby. Niantic Inc. is no stranger to

this augmented reality format of game. The Google startup released its game â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ingressâ&#x20AC;? in December 2013 on Android, which also utilized player-specific location, but focused on landmarks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;PokĂŠmon GOâ&#x20AC;? will go much further, using the entire world as the gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stage, so it will be interesting to see how Niantic Inc. approaches this.

Courtesy of Nintendo

â&#x20AC;&#x153;PokĂŠmon GOâ&#x20AC;? is set to bring the franchise to a new level.

The idea of being able make every day a true PokĂŠmon adventure is thrilling, but what was seen in

have any plot or any of the gamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; traditional features is shrouded in â&#x2013;ş See â&#x20AC;&#x153;PokĂŠmon,â&#x20AC;? page 4

Gui is the man in River Hawksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; massive win over Bryant Kyle Gaudette Connector Editor

To say the River Hawks menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soccer team deserved to win their 3-2 overtime bout against Bryant University on Wednesday night would be an absurd understatement.

A couple of questionable calls by the officials turned what should have been a two-goal cushion into a one-goal deficit late in the second half for the home team. The River Hawks controlled play for the majority of the contest. To their cred-

it, Bryant, who had won the previous two matchups between these teams by one-goal margins, refused to let UMass Lowell build any sort of scoring momentum. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always a tough group that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen over the years even before the

â&#x2013;ş See â&#x20AC;&#x153;ICC,â&#x20AC;? page 6

Sections News.............................3 Campus Life.................. 6 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 8

the trailer leaves a slew of questions before that excitement can really sink in. Firstly, no actual gameplay has been seen yet. The trailer featured everyday people catching and interacting with computer generated PokĂŠmon in their everyday lives, but it did not feature any look at how the app actually works. Whether the game will

George DeLuca/Connector

Sophomore midfielder Federico Ferre eyes the ball against a Bryant defender.

transition,â&#x20AC;? said UMass Lowell Coach Christian Figueroa. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They grind out results, and we knew that we needed to come out here and want it more than they did.â&#x20AC;? Bryant came into the matchup with a clear intent to slow the pace of play. The River Hawks, however, were unfazed. It was a dominating first half performance for the home team, as the squad displayed their superior athleticism. It seemed as though the River Hawks were first to every loose ball and they continuously blew by Bryant defenders to set up numerous cross chances. The night, however, belonged to Gui Rodrigues. With 5:50 remaining in the first overtime, Rodrigues gained control of a long pass and dribbled his way to the middle of the field. He had running â&#x2013;ş See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soccer,â&#x20AC;? page 8

September 29, 2015

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OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

Question of the week:

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR

EDITORIAL BOARD MARLON PITTER Editor-In-Chief REGINA ALONGI Operations Manager KATRINA DESROSIERS Copy Editor NINA PETROPOULOS Web Manager MICHAELA HYDE ZACHARY ZUBER Social Media Managers EVANTHIA TULLY Photo Editor KELLY FREITAS JENNA FREITAS LISETTE PEĂ&#x2018;A Graphic Designers ARI LAZARINE Advertising Manager OPEN Distribution Manager

DAVE RUDDERHAM SAM LINSTEAD-ATKINSON News Editors KYLE GAUDETTE Sports Editor SHANE FOLEY Campus Life Editor JEN DESROSIERS BRENDAN JACQUES Arts & Entertainment Editors GRYPHON LAYNE Comics Editor

If the proposed tuition increase of 7.9% is approved for Fall 2016, where would you like that money to go first? - Parking - Student housing - Food quality - Transportation - Other Vote online at umlconnector.com! Twitter: @UMLConnector

NICHOLLES KLEVISHA Multimedia Director JONATHAN SILVERMAN Advisor

Facebook.com/UMLConnector

Staff CHANDLER CAMERATO MELANIE CASE GEORGE DELUCA COLE FITZGERALD HANNAH MANNING

MICHAEL PAIGE BENJAMIN ST. PIERRE HENRY ST. PIERRE EMILY TOOMEY

Email | Connector@uml.edu Website | www.UMLConnector.com Phone | 978.934.5017 ext. 45017 Address | University Crossing Club Hub Suite #241 220 Pawtucket St. Lowell, MA 01854 General: The UMass Lowell Connector is a non-profit student public forum serving the University of Massachusetts Lowell community. The paper is published weekly and distributed to the university community every Tuesday. Business hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please be aware that members of the University community are entitled to free newspapers. Please take one! All UMass Lowell students, regardless of major, are invited to join the Connector staff. Interested students should contact an editor or manager listed above, or visit the Connector Office in University Crossing 241. Advertising: The UMass Lowell Connector advertisements reach an estimated 16,000 UMass Lowell students--their friends and families. To tap this group of

Instagram: @UMLConnector

future high-income earners, contact our Advertising Manager at 934-5009. DEADLINE for ALL advertising (TO INCLUDE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS and ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF THE UNIVERSITY) is Tuesday, 12 p.m. for the following Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

www.UMLConnector.com The Connector meets every Monday at 6 p.m. in University Crossing room 241 in the Club Hub. All are welcome to join! submitted via campus mail, e-mail, or in person. All letters must bear the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

September 29, 2014

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NEWS

Tuition, fees and the end of the price freeze Students may be forced to deal with rising prices to attend UMass Lowell David Rudderham Connector Editor

Last spring many changes came to the UMass schools, especially to UMass Lowell. Marty Meehan became president of the entire UMass system while Jacqueline Moloney took his old position as Chancellor of UMass Lowell. And of course, over the past eight years or so, the UMass schools have expanded and built new buildings; these buildings now serve incoming students, especially as the number of freshmen increase throughout the years. But one change happened last spring much to the protest of students and their governments: the tuition and fee price freeze ended. Amanda Robinson, the current president for the Student Government Association (SGA), was not a trustee at the time the vote on raising fees took place, but she says she “would have voted against it.” Then-SGA president, Phil Geoffroy, was present and did vote against raising tuition costs and fees. Prior to last spring, a price freeze

“I know people who work to pay for school—I think for them it’s really hard.” had been effective for two years, acting as a constraint for the trustees to abide by while they engaged in the other usual issues that face higher education. But the issue of state funding higher education has become such an issue that President Meehan actually penned an op-ed about it for the Boston Globe titled, “States must do more to help UMass prosper.” “[President Meehan] has been fighting for students the whole time,” says Robinson, citing the article Meehan wrote as an example. In the article, Meehan cited the Delta Cost Project reports on the price of colleges and their state funding. The statistics are damning to Massachusetts, with state funding for public research universities dropping from $10,983 per student in the 2001 fiscal year to $7,902 in 2011. In these same years, tuition rose from $5,556 to $9,194. President Meehan explains that the cost has risen for students in all schools and says public funding can not only help alleviate these costs but also make the University more efficient and spend more efficiently. “Looking at the data, we see a story that reflects well on public higher education and may surprise those who reflexively believe ‘public’ always

translates into ‘less efficient,’” says Meehan in his op-ed. The data in question, from the Delta Cost project report, comes from the American Institutes for Research out of Washington D.C. But specifically, how much will our tuition costs and fees rise? Students are already aware of a possible 7.9 percent rise in tuition costs and fees that had been cited in a Lowell Sun article. According to Robinson, that number might not be fully accurate because the state budget has not come out yet and “it’s too early to tell what the budget will reveal.” However, she also says that the rise in fees was voted on possibly because of a missing 10.9 million dollars that the state promised UMass but never delivered. “The state was supposed to give UMass schools 10.9 million dollars,” says Robinson. “They haven’t been giving us what they promised.” However, her spirits are not broken: “We’re hoping to freeze fees again for another year.” Students’ spirits have not been broken either with protestors organizing at UMass Boston, dedicated to fighting against the new costs. Also, according to Robinson, right before the vote with the Board of Trustees, there is a day of student advocacy, usually taking place in early March. Criticism is not lost on the students either. “They’re using funds to make more aesthetic changes rather than administrative or structural changes,” says student Daniel Rodriguez. “They’re changing the appearance, not the experience.” Another student, Emma Morrison, has more apathy to the rise in fees due to the fact that she is on scholarship. However, she acknowledges the prices can be too high for others. “I know people who work to pay for school—I think for them it’s really hard,” says Morrison. Decreases in state funding and the

“We’re hoping to freeze fees again for another year.” rising cost of higher education could potentially price students out of a University that, according to Meehan, used to be able to be paid for by the student. Today, many families are forced to financially help their children attend UMass Lowell. “Usually people go to public universities because it’s more inexpensive than private universities, so the fact that they raised it by...7.9%—that’s a lot to raise it, especially just in one year,” says first year student Lily Gillette. “My parents can barely pay

Above is a graph that shows the increase in costs to attend the flagship school, UMass Amherst. The recent vote to raise tuition and fees will impact all of the UMass schools. UML students have expressed concern of cost inflation and how it could affect them.

[for tuition and fees] now.” The burden of higher fees and tuition is especially felt by international and out-of-state students. But with the fee increase, all students and their families will be affected in some form or another. According to student Rasec Vargas, this burden can follow the students for a considerable portion of their lives. “You know, they wanna talk about life-ready and work-ready?” says Vargas. “Well, if you’re gonna need to afford an apartment and put [money] away for your 401K, how are all these things even feasible if you’re paying off school loans for thirty years?” Coverage of this story is ongoing. If you have any information or comments regarding this article, contact the writer at david_rudderham@student.uml.edu Samuel Linstead-Atkinson contributed to this article.

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September 29, 2015

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Indie spotlight: ‘Undertale’ game review Brendan Jacques Connector Editor

In my opinion, the best pieces of art are the ones capable of defying genre and expectation. When people are trying to determine the worth of a particular form of entertainment, there is often a need, by the creators or the consumers, to categorize it within set genres, and most of the time that is fine. For the creator, it is always important to know the focus of your work and what demographic it is aiming for, so conforming to a particular genre is an effective way of accomplishing that. But in my mind, a story that can make you laugh just as well as it can make you cry is more valuable and affecting than a story that can only do one or the other. Not many pieces of entertainment can accomplish this, and many probably should not try, but it should be appreciated when something comes along that is capable of striking that balance. “Undertale,” a little-known indie game I had not even heard of before last week, is one of those genre-defying works, and it is one of the best games to be released this year. The story of “Undertale” starts off simply enough: thousands of years ago, there was a war between humans and monsters that resulted in the monsters being sealed away in a vast underground city, never to be seen again. That is, until one day when our unnamed protagonist falls down a hole while playing in the woods. From there, he is told by a kind sorceress named Toriel that in order to escape, he must travel across the underground kingdom to reach the magic barrier keeping the monsters underground and pass through it, all the while trying to avoid falling into the clutches of King Asgore, who is searching for a human soul that he can use to destroy the barrier and free his people. What makes the story of “Undertale” so great is that, while the plot has a degree of darkness to it that gets more pronounced as the story goes on, it never gets bogged down by character drama for long enough to get tiring. It knows when to make

its story serious and when it needs to lighten up, and it accomplishes this thanks to a sharp and oftentimes unconventional sense of humor, which left me giggling from start to finish. That said, when it does choose to focus on the drama of its characters and setting, it does so with flying colors. Most of the monsters that populate the game’s world are more interested in living peacefully than getting

Courtesy of Toby Fox

“Undertale” was originally funded on Kickstarter in 2013.

in your way, and the ones that do are driven more from a desire to escape their underground prison than out of a blind hatred for humans. This goes a long way towards humanizing the usual group of RPG enemies, thus feeding into the game’s themes of non-violence and influencing the game’s central mechanics. These mechanics refer to your character’s action and mercy abilities. For the most part, “Undertale” plays similarly to a standard turn-based RPG, with the player exploring different areas of the underground, fighting monsters and leveling up. However, while you can fight enemies the traditional way, it is also possible to examine enemy behavior to determine a monster’s personality and respond to it accordingly. Doing so can grant multiple different bonuses in battle, but it can also be used to convince your enemy to give up the fight, allowing you to

spare them and walk away with a clear conscience. While this feature does make the game considerably harder, as you cannot gain experience from monsters you do not kill and cannot level up as a result, it also means that the player can get through the entirety of the game without killing anyone, which is not only fulfilling in its own right, but also greatly impacts how different events play out later in the story, including how the game eventually concludes. This also makes the game surprisingly re-playable, as the most innocuous of choices early in the game can have massive repercussions as the story progresses. If there is one thing that may keep people from giving “Undertale” a chance, it is the graphics. While it is by no means a bad-looking game, its somewhat simplistic backdrops and black and white portrayals of every enemy, while fitting the game’s NES role-playing game aesthetic, could be a turnoff for some. That said, the art direction for the game is strong across the board, and the game is more than capable of looking great when the need arises. Any problems posed by the graphics however are countered by the game’s audio, with some excellent sound design and a soundtrack that has quickly become one of my favorite retro themed soundtracks ever, right next to “Shovel Knight” and “Hotline Miami.” “Undertale” may just be one of the best RPGs I have ever played. At no point during the eight hours it took me to beat it was I ever bored. When it was not entertaining me with its biting humor or giving me pause with its cast of well-developed characters, it was making me think on my feet with its unusually energetic combat system and fun puzzles. It is everything independent games strive to be and if you are at all interested, get this game right now. You will not regret it. “Undertale” is available on PC for $10. Those interested can also play a free demo available on the game’s website.

► Continued from front page mystery as of now, so it is unknown if the franchise’s signature turn-based battling system will carry through. Next comes the question of in-app purchases. It has already been confirmed that the game will support them but no one knows how important they could be to the game’s quali-

ty. Earlier this year Nintendo released “Pokémon Shuffle,” a free to play mobile game, where the in-app purchases were minor to say the least, with the player never necessarily needing them. It is safe to assume that most fans would love to see this sort of attitude return so that Pokémon obsession won’t break the bank.

Courtesy of Nintendo

Gameplay for “Pokémon GO” has yet to be revealed.

“Pokémon GO Plus” is a huge factor as well. In its description, the device is made out to be a small addition to the game that is mainly used to send notifications. The device itself is slightly reminiscent of the Pokéwalker, the mostly useless accessory packaged with “Pokémon HeartGold” and “SoulSilver.” That being said, as long as the Plus device does not try to accomplish as much as its predecessor, then it will hopefully perform much better. Finally there is the prospect of location based events. The trailer points to these being in the future of “GO,” showing a possible event to catch series character Mewtwo in Time Square. Pokémon is no stranger to this type of marketing, with events being held at specific stores and locations since the franchise’s early years. The big difference here is that the trailer hints that these events will have multiple players working together in order to accomplish one goal. Whoever shows up to the designated place at the designated time will be able to participate.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die release ‘Harmlessness’ Emily Toomey Connector Staff

There is certainly no doubt about it, The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die has one of the most unique musical styles in the alternative music scene. Having almost as many members as the words in their name, it was no surprise every track on their latest release sounded vastly different from the others. For those who have not heard or listened to The World is a Beautiful

Courtesy of Epitaph Records

‘Harmlessness’ continues the band’s penchant for unusual album covers.

Connector Staff

Whether or not this will go well ties into the main factor determining the fate of this whole project: participation. If a huge number of fans can get behind this new concept and take part in it fully, “Pokémon GO” could quite possibly be the future of the Pokémon brand itself. But if the fans do not put their support behind this then it could flop very quickly. If not enough people show up to location based events, then those events will become fewer and far between, and if fans are not pleased with the distribution of species, then they may be less likely to play consistently. Success or fail, “Pokémon” is about to jump in a radically different direction than many of its fans are used to. Should it succeed, a huge new branch of games could be created that could really change the way the gaming community views mobile games.

Place, they pride themselves on being an indie-rock emo band. Some would even compare their sound to artists such as Moving Mountains and Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate). “Harmlessness” debuted only about a week ago and has already received great praise from listeners. The World Is a Beautiful Place has a distinct emo-revival sound, however “Harmlessness” shines light on a softer side of the band that we do not normally get to see. The first single to be released off the record is titled “I Can be Afraid of Anything.” This track really hones in on the album’s softer sound and melody, by almost completely dropping their familiar screams and harsh vocals. Certainly, this track can be seen as one of the more powerful ones on the album. Lyrically, this track takes you on an emotional journey from feeling hopeless, to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The first line of the song, “I’m carrying a heavy bucket back from the well. Trembling hands and losing water, losing my will,” starts off the track with a slow, spaced-out sounding melody. In a way, the person is feeling trapped and hopeless, but by the end of the track he says “I really did dig my own hole but I’m climbing out, left in dust to carry myself out.” All of a sudden the listener is taken into a new world of hope and light. Opener “You Can’t Live There Forever” has similar melodies to their first record “Whenever, If Ever” and sticks to their roots of emo-revival but more acoustic sounding. This track features a sim-

ilar style to band Moving Mountains. Without a doubt, this track is a strong opener as it gives the listener a taste of the beautiful melodies and vocals to come on the record to come. “And we think that the world is alright well that’s a lie.” Essentially, the listener can be in a state of acceptance. We all just want to feel okay. “Mental Health” however is definitely one of the strongest tracks off the record. Nick Kwas’s exceptional violin playing mixed with Katie Lynne’s vocals sends chills down the listener’s spine. In a way, the listener can just close their eyes and wander off into a new realm with this track. “Look around you stop crying, you are normal and healthy to forgive yourself.” Everybody just needs to let go sometimes, and this track can help the listener do so. The slower melodies on this track really help the listener to absorb the incredible lyrical content written for this track. Overall, this record is certainly unlike anything The World is A Beautiful Place have released before. This record is not so much a concept album as it is to a theme of just accepting life exactly as it is. The band has completely evolved themselves from an “angsty basement” band to a full-blown masterpiece. This record shines light on their many members and talent – it needs to be heard. Support the local music scene and pick up a copy today or even give it a listen, this record is anything but a disappointment.

‘What a Time to be Alive’ review Benjamin St. Pierre

The ‘Pokémon’ series sets its sights on mobile

Page 5

When rumors of a possible Drake and Future collaborative release began circulating the Internet, fans of both artists, and fans of rap in general, were obviously excited, and rightfully so. The worldwide icon working with the Autotune-happy Atlanta native was sure to result in an array of club smashes and chart toppers, and combined with the momentum of Future’s recent critically-acclaimed and commercially-successful album “DS2,” or “Dirty Sprite 2,” the two artists were looking to bounce off and capitalize on each other’s success. “What a Time to be Alive,” released Sept. 20 on Apple Music and iTunes, is the project born of their ideas of shared greatness, and in a lot of respects, it hits the mark, but in others, it falls short. The obvious fact that needs to be kept in mind when listening to Future, or even Drake, for that matter, is that these two are not rappers whose lyrics are meant to be superb. They are not meant to be technical, or especially deep, or to tackle issues with a ‘hip hop conscience’ like Kendrick Lamar would, for a contemporary example. Instead, they are meant for parties, for clubs, and for playing with your friends rather than to be pon-

dered over. You are supposed to bump it and be impressed with the beat and bass; the lyrics are merely gloss over an otherwise finished, yet attractive, product. That is not to say that it is not enjoyable to listen to Drake and Future’s

to than something to get actively engaged with. Songs like “Live from the Gutter,” which is my personal favorite, and “Big Rings,” “Plastic Bag,” “Diamonds Dancing” and “Jumpman,” to name a few others, keep your attention, and Drake and Future’s back-

Courtesy of Getty Images

“WATTBA” was released on Sept. 20, 2015 on Cash Money Records.

rapping; of course it is. But their voices act more as another instrument within the beat, like the hi-hats or snares, than a container of lyrics that need to be constantly examined. Everything in “WATTBA,” thus, is more like something to sit back and relax

and-forth over the mostly-mellow beats maintains an interesting, almost haunting, daunting dynamic. This dynamic, though, would be a lot more interesting if there was a greater variety of production. Metro Boomin’, a renowned producer based

in Atlanta, made sure his presence was felt all over the mixtape, but that also leaves a lot of it with a repetitive feel. Some songs sort of blend together, and it would be a lot better of a whole piece of music if there were a larger range of music, as the mellow style becomes not boring, but easy to anticipate. A shared release by Drake and Future should have the most premier production possible, and the producers in the track listing were certainly capable, but I feel like there was too much stagnation, staying in one comfort zone, instead of trying out some insane beats to better test their unique voices and flows. Overall, “What a Time to be Alive” is not as bad as mediocre, and not as good as great. It is not the greatness that everybody expected, either, but that is not their fault. A lot of hype preceded the release, and even a stellar track listing would have had some holes. To any fan of Drake or Future, this is absolutely a mixtape to check out; there will be songs you like, or even love. But to anybody whose cup of tea is not trap-inspired club hip hop, this will not impress you.

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September 29, 2015

CAMPUS LIFE Disable the Label growing in number and impact “Since there was so much interest in the first one, we will be looking into

Shane Foley Connector Editor

Disable the Label may end up being one of the most popular clubs on campus. Their events, including Sign Language Bingo on Wednesday, are drawing big crowds and getting their message out. “Disable the Label is a club where we educate about personal disabilities, visible and invisible disabilities, and we try to end the stigma behind them,” said Mackenzie Carr, who ran Sign Language Bingo with John Romano, both E-board members. “We really like to advocate for those disabilities, so a lot of our events are focused on that.” Wednesday was actually the second Sign Language Bingo that was held this semester. The program was held in the first floor of University Suites and every chair filled. Participants played traditional Bingo with the same rules, using colors instead of numbers. The only other difference was that every direction was given by Romano and Carr in sign language. While the club is concentrating on other events for the moment, Disable the Label plans on doing more with sign language bingo in the future.

respect for one’s body. Activities at the event included face painting, t-shirt Shane Foley/Connector

Sigma Beta Rho helped sponsor Sign Language Bingo with Disable the Label.

doing a repeat of this along with some more advanced aspects added to it,” said Romano. Disable the Label also sponsored the Color Me Beautiful event at University Suites on Friday. The event was centered on the human body and

making, and several boards where attendees could write something they like about themselves. Participants were allowed to wear either as much, or as little clothing as they desired, provided they were not nude. Disable the Label is looking to fill

the months of October and November with events as well. “So the goal of this club is that every week when we meet as a general body, we’re going to be introducing people to new topics and we’re going to be introducing them to new facts and things that would actually incite them,” said Romano. “So, we ask the general body what they would like to hear, and we go from there.” One of these upcoming events will be a Scavenger Hunt on South Campus. Participants will have a number of items to collect, but they will either have to use a crutch in replacement of one leg, use a wheelchair, or be blindfolded for the duration of the program. “Scavenger Hunt, that’s to kind of show people that this is an obstacle, but it is possible as well,” said Carr. Disable the Label will also be holding a panel in the beginning of November to discuss people with different limits on their abilities. “There’s one person who is legally blind, there is one in a wheelchair, [and] one with obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety,” said Carr. All of the upcoming Disable the Label events can be found online.

River Hawk’s best friend: Paws to Play brings dogs to campus Henry St. Pierre Connector Staff

Everybody knows that a dog is a man’s best friend. Well, a dog is also a River Hawk’s best friend. Healthy Hawks UMass Lowell sponsored a therapy dog event, Paws to Play, on Sept. 23, and four adorable, fuzzy, fourlegged friends were treated like celebrities in Fox Common from 6 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. and in Leitch Hall from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. In Fox Common, the four pooches had a gravitational pull as strong as the sun’s as students orbited

around the canines. The dogs and their owners were happy to see students relieve stress, play with the dogs, and just have a good time. One dog was a gentle giant named Truman. Truman is a male black Mastiff the size of an adolescent woolly mammoth, and he looked as if he could have eaten Fox Hall itself. He had a couple instances of wayward saliva escaping his Grand Canyon-sized mouth, and some nearby students were struck. However, they were okay, and Truman, the affable dog he is, was re-

warded with gentle back rubs. Otis is a black Spaniel Mix who showed up to the party clearly looking to make a scene, as he wore a dashing bandana around his doggy neck. His owner said that Otis may even have some Lab in him, and he eagerly paced between the many students, hunting gentle hands that could provide a quality behind-the-ear scratch. Tufi is a Swedish Vallhund who is short in stature but tall in character. Tufi accepted the plenty of pats students were happy to give with a

calm warmth. Tufi navigated around the circle of humans with the aura of a Viking, as the Vallhund is believed to originate from Sweden during the age of the Vikings. Last but certainly not least is little Tilly. Tilly, half miniature poodle, half rat terrier, is a gentle little pup who sat comfortably on the Fox Common floor and calmly took in her surroundings. She appeared to perhaps be a bit overwhelmed by so many people being around, but hey, that is college. Paws to Play was quite

popular, with many students coming to the event, as the line reached out of Fox Common and out the door of Fox Hall. Students had to wait in line so the dogs did not have a hundred students reaching for them at once. The event was for a great cause, to promote wellness and to reduce stress among students, and nearly every human being on Earth loves dogs. Nearly every human being, and just about every River Hawk.

ICC finally gets dining hall ►Continued from front page

more utilities, including a juice dispenser and an ice cream machine. It is worth mentioning that the entrées are basically the same as they were in the old dining hall. There is a hot soup section, a salad station, rotating hot entrées, and a made-it-yourway section. The interior may appear to be set for a high-school based sitcom: it is neat and compact, and aesthetically very lovely. Sculptures of fruit align one of the walls, and the walls are bright and modern. There is a bar for stu-

dents to sit down at, eat their meals and watch some television. All of the entrée choices are contained on one structure, much like a high school lunch station, except, of course, the food is more extravagant here. On to the side are desserts, cereal, and drink options. The design is efficient and user-friendly. Here is a little pro-tip: from 9 p.m. to midnight, students can come into the Rowdy Zone where they can order food from a menu and pay with River Hawk Dollars. Though the wait can be long, it is certainly worth it! The ICC is encouraging people to hang out in

their dining hall, so students may as well take them up on their offer. Students stepping in for the first time were amazed by how much work was done in such a short time. “It seemed like the construction crew just showed up last week and now it’s done!” one student remarked. A crew was parked on the first floor near the check-in every day for about two weeks, working tirelessly. It is extremely impressive to consider the quality of work that they did in such a short time. The atmosphere in there is infectious: people talk, smile and laugh

more than they did in the other dining hall. Although the quiet in the previous hall was very nice, it is a lot less lonely in the new dining hall; the ICC has done its student population right with this addition. Even though it was not done on time, the benefits given to students in the meantime made up for it. Hopefully, more students will come in and take advantage of the opportunity they have been given. ICC residents’ friends might even come to them for dinner instead of the other way around.

September 29, 2015

Page 7

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

CAMPUS LIFE Yik Yak Attack, second edition Svl Food’s Harvest Bowl Henry St. Pierre Connector Staff

If you do not use Yik Yak, do you even go to UMass Lowell? The social media app has a tether on the wings of every River Hawk. Posts on Yik Yak are often funny, disturbing, or just flat-out weird, and the UMass Lowell community has helped form a Yik Yak scene that is definitely our own. I had the eyebrow-raising, chin-scratching job to sift through Yik Yak this week and pick out posts that were especially entertaining. Of course, we cannot publish anything too extreme, so get your head out of the gutter. Revel in your anonymous, Yak-induced fame if you see your post here. “*sneezes six times* *cute girl sneezes once* *she gets at least 5 bless yous* *professor stops the lecture to bless her* *the projector brings up a Skype call with the pope to bless her*” “As a guy, you have your close circle of bros, and then like a hundreds of dudes who you’re on a ‘sup man’ basis” “When you’re not sure if your roommate died or if he’s been sleeping for 16 hours” “if you try to say you don’t check yourself out in the oleary windows as you walk by, you’re lying” “Quick S/O to my most trusted professor, Yahoo Answers, for getting me through yet another assignment” “Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was 8. I’m 19 and have to rehearse what I say to the deli lady 5 times before I order a sandwich.” “My roommate gets weirded out when I

ng happeni s ’ t a h W us on camp th?! this mon SUNDAY

check under the beds for monsters. I’m just looking out for us dude.” “Yawning is our bodies way of saying that we have 20% battery left” “I wear a shirt with ‘Umass Lowell’ on it just in case I get lost so someone can bring me back here.” “Remember in Mario Kart when you thought you were kicking a$$ and then realized you were looking at the wrong screen and you’re actually spinning and crashing into walls? That’s college.” “To the kid publicly wearing pajamas at almost 4 pm: You have my utmost respect” “I wish I had as much guts as the kid walking around fox dining hall in just socks” “S/O to the dude who just walked into the stall wearing a go pro on his helmet. I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish, but you have my full support” “Woke up from my nap to my roommate a$$ naked playing the air guitar to 1985 by Bowling for soup and eating a pizza hot pocket. Don’t know if I should be weirded out or ask if he has more hot pockets.” “Is it socially acceptable for me to wear my blanket to class today?” “When the teacher says the test scores ranged from 30-109 and you get a 28.” “Assert dominance by calling your roommate by their student ID number” “Then who keeps turning off Eduroam? Nosferatu!”

What you need: - A BUNCH of leafy greens (I just want you to eat your vitamins, ok?) - 1/4 cup chopped red onion - Quinoa: for ease, I used Dr. McDougall’s microwave pistachio quinoa (it is like the ramen noodles of the health food world), but you can also make your own (it is not that hard) - Tahini dressing/any sort of dressing you fancy - Toppings: raw nuts and seeds of any sort (you may be called a squirrel for this; get used to it) Method: - Massage greens with dressing (laughed as I wrote this) - Place cooked quinoa on top of greens - Top with raw nuts and seeds It is as easy as that! For more recipes and vegan food, you can find Chander on her blog, svlfood.tumblr.com, and on Instagram at @chancamerato.

SEPT/OCT MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

6 Five Finger Death Punch w/ Papa Roach Tsongas Center 6:15 p.m.

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Iranian Nuclear Deal: Challenges and Controversies

Moloney Hall, University Crossing 7 p.m.