Campus & City Campus Crime Logs Stop, Drop & Troll
Hyper-parenting causes depression, study suggests Brown, Menino of the Journal of Child and Family dedicate opening studies. “Our data suggest that an inappropriate level of parental behavioral of fitness center
By Robin Ngai Daily Free Press Staff
The following reports were taken from the Boston University Police Department crime logs from Feb. 13 to Feb. 19. An unknown suspect discharged a fire extinguisher at 90 St. Mary’s Street at 12 a.m. Thursday morning, activating the fire alarm inside the affected building. The Boston Fire Department arrived on the scene and cleared the building shortly thereafter. Soundproof, but not theft-proof A student reported to police at 5 p.m. Thursday that his iPhone had been stolen. He told police he left his iPhone in a practice room located in the basement of 855 Commonwealth Ave. Upon returning about an hour later, the student found his phone had been stolen. We gon’ find you Friday at 8:45 p.m., an unknown suspect stole a coat and a set of keys from a locker in the Fitness and Recreation Center at 915 Comm. Ave. BUPD officers believe they will soon be able to identify the perpetrator using information and footage from a surveillance camera located near the locker. My RA is dope, dude A Warren Towers resident assistant found marijuana in a student’s dormitory room Friday at 11 p.m. It was handed over to BUPD. The student will be cited for possession of marijuana. Home beat home At 12 a.m. Saturday, a female student reported that a family member assaulted her over the weekend upon the student’s arrival at her home. When she returned to campus, she reported the incident to BUPD. BUPD officials took a report and urged her to call the Lexington Police Department. Party crashers BUPD responded to a noise complaint Saturday at 11:30 p.m. and discovered the source of the noise was an apartment party at 722 Comm. Ave. All students in the apartment were underage and will be charged with being minors in possession of alcohol upon being summonsed to Brighton District Court. C’mon, steal the coat, pledge! A student reported her coat was stolen at 12 a.m. Sunday morning to police. She had left her coat unattended at 97 Bay State Road while at a fraternity party Saturday. The student’s wallet was stolen from her coat at some point during the night.
Wednesday , February 20, 2013
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY HEATHER GOLDIN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
College-aged students with “hover parents” are more likely to be depressed, a recent study suggests. By Kristen Gloss Daily Free Press Contributor
Over-controlling parents may cause depression and other negative psychological effects in college students, according to a recent study. Boston University faculty said this trend of “hovering parents” and its repercussions could be tied to the cost of college. “On a societal level, it could be partly the rising costs of college education,” said Julian Go, a BU sociol-
ogy professor. “Parents are rightfully thinking of education as an investment. It pushes parents to be more concerned, or intrusive, in their investment.” Researchers studied about 300 college students between the ages of 18 and 23 at a public liberal arts college and found those with overactive parents reported significantly greater depression and a lesser sense of fulfillment, according to a study released in the February 2013 issue
control is associated with negative child outcomes,” the study stated. “Specifically, we found that helicopter parenting behaviors were related to higher levels of depression and decreased satisfaction with life.” Hovering parenting is defined as a highly involved, intensive and hands-on method of parenting, according to the study. Parents’ over-involvement affects students when children feel their autonomy and competence have been compromised, according to the study. Students surveyed who felt they have a lack of control were more likely to feel symptoms of depression. Prescription drug use among college-age students can also be linked to hovering parents, the study found. Go said the negativity surrounding hovering parents is an American phenomenon. “In certain other cultures it wouldn’t be seen as a problem,” he said.
Parents, see page 4
UMass gears up for ambitious year of fundraising By Zoe Roos Daily Free Press Staff
As federal and state funding for the University of Massachusetts system is uncertain pending future budget cuts, the UMass system has started to enhance its fundraising capabilities, striving for $103 million within the 2013 fiscal year, according to UMass officials. UMass President Robert L. Caret said the UMass system depends heavily upon Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick’s budget reform plans in order to maintain funding. “It [the proposed budget] is a fair and equitable approach and is the key to providing our citizens with a higher education option that melds quality with affordability,” he said in a statement Friday. “We need this to keep UMass affordable for Massachusetts citizens.” About 75 percent of UMass research and development spending comes from federal grants, according to a UMass press release Friday. The UMass system stands to lose $32 million if congress goes forward with the sequestration budget cuts, according to UMass officials.
At a trustees meeting held Feb. 13, Norman Peters, chairman of the advancement committee, said the financial future of UMass looked bleak. “We’re being cut in all directions,” he said. “The state, we’re down to 41 percent of our total budget state reimbursement, so we’re looking for alternative sources of money. Fundraising is a great resource.” Within the first half of the 2013 fiscal year, the UMass system has already managed to generate 58 percent of their goal funding, according to UMass officials. UMass announced that Lowell has raised $11.3 million and Dartmouth has raised $1.4 million so far. Ann Scales, director of communications at UMass, confirmed that all projected revenue is accurate and is expected to grow. While the UMass system is in the middle of a massive fundraising expedition, UMass students said they are mostly in the dark about the efforts. Sean Fidler, a sophomore at UMass Amherst, said he was surprised to hear about the fundraising. “I was personally not aware of
any fundraising,” he said. “Normally they send emails about these things and I haven’t even gotten an email about it.” Nathan Feshback-Meriney, a sophomore at UMass Amherst, said he was also unaware of the fundraising, but said he was pleased to hear the school was trying to generate more revenue. “I really haven’t heard much about it,” he said. “I know prices are rumored to be going up so more funding wouldn’t hurt.” Feshback-Meriney said Amherst could benefit from greater funds. “They are working on new dorms for about 800 people,” he said. “We also have plenty of buildings that need to be renovated or just completely redone, so the money would really help.” Amy Wood, a junior at UMass Boston, said she hadn’t heard about the fundraising efforts, but speculated that, if fundraising goals were met, tuition might decrease. “I hadn’t heard about it at all but I don’t spend that much time on campus,” she said. “If the fundraising lowers tuition then that would be pretty great.”
By Rachel Riley Daily Free Press Staff
Officials for the City of Boston and Boston University dedicated the opening of a new fitness center, designed to create healthy opportunities especially for young people, at the Boston Center for Youth and Families in Blackstone Tuesday. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and BU President Robert Brown spoke at the grand opening of the BU Fitness and Wellness Center at BCYF, a center BU created in collaboration with the city of Boston to provide access to physical training, nutrition counseling and wellness programming to families in the South End. “This partnership speaks volumes for our approach to creating a healthier city,” Menino said during the ceremony. “It’s all about engaging young people and families in the community close to home for the resources they need to get active and stay healthy.” Menino said the new center supports his Boston Moves for Health initiative, a program intended to make healthy living resources more accessible to Bostonians. “I’m hopeful that this unique program will be the starting example for other organizations to partner with us to promote health and wellness for children and families throughout our city,” he said. “Fighting obesity and making Boston the healthiest city in the country is a team effort.” Boston Public Health Commission, BCYF and BU have worked together to designate more than $1.5 million over the next five years to combat obesity, Menino said. The center is run by multiple departments of BU, including the Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Department, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, the School of Medicine, the School of Social Work and the School of Public Health, according to a Tuesday BU press release. “The center brings together
Fitness, see page 4
Boston real estate sales stay strong amid economic depression By Lee Altman Daily Free Press Contributor
Boston real estate agencies are feeling the increase in demand for condominium sales and recognize that for many people, the best time to buy is now, agents said. “Newly renovated suites in the South End, Back Bay and Beacon Hill are very attractive to buyers,” said Eden Edwards, real estate agent at Metropolitan Boston Real Estate. “The opportunity to purchase is greater because it is an investment.” Frank Carroll, principal of BostonRealtyNet.com Inc., said condominium sales are increasing and many people are willing to pay cash. “Condo sales in the Boston area have been increasing now for the last year,” he said. “The market is very busy with many international buyers paying cash for Boston condos in addition to
Americans.” Carroll said the demand of condominiums in the area has led to a decrease in inventory to sell to buyers. “There is a very much reduced inventory of available properties for sale, which is leading to bidding wars and condos selling for over the asking price,” he said. Despite the worst economy in years, condominiums and apartments continue to be a driving economic force that contributes to the economic recovery of the nation, according to a survey released Feb. 12. “By bringing apartment homes — and the residents who live there — into local communities, the apartment industry is building the economies of small towns and large cities across the country,” according to The Trillion Dollar Apartment Industry report. As a result of the large increase in apartment construction,
more than 3,600 jobs were created in the greater Boston area to meet the demand of new apartments and build new units in the upcoming months to deal with the shortage in apartment supply, according to the report. “The Boston metro area is experiencing its strongest job growth in three years,” the report stated. “This economic growth is fueling apartment demand in the urban core, as well as outlying areas, as people seek more affordable housing options. Construction activity is ramping up considerably to meet demand.” Michael Albano, president of Metropolitan Boston Real Estate, said the current housing bubble has not extended to low-income areas such as Chelsea and Lynn, which have faced many foreclosures and short sales in the past year.
Construction, see page 4
MADISON FRANCOIS/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Apartment construction in the Greater Boston area is on the rise.