The Daily Free Press
Year xliv. Volume lxxxvi. Issue VIII
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Wednesday, January 29, 2014 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University
BUILDING FUTURE New architectural studies program grows at BU, page 5.
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Patrick gives final State of Commonwealth address Obama promises
PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR HARTZ/GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
In his final State of the Commonwealth address Tuesday night, Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick reflected on his successes in office and emphasized the need for continuing improvement despite the progress already made. By Kelsey Newell Daily Free Press Staff
Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick gave his final State of the Commonwealth speech Tuesday, focusing on keeping issues like education, raising minimum wage and job growth at the forefront of the administration’s agenda in the upcoming year. Patrick started his speech by reflecting on all hardships through which the state has
persevered during his term and emphasized the unity the people of Massachusetts have shown. “I expected to face economic challenges, but not a global economic collapse,” he said. “I expected to find a sub-par transportation system, but not a bankrupt and dysfunctional one. I expected to face public safety challenges, but not the failure of a key water supply, a tornado or a terrorist attack. We have faced
up to these challenges, and many others, together. And it has made a difference.” Patrick spent most of the speech reflecting on past successes and how well Massachusetts citizens had come together in times of tragedy, as well as motivating the Commonwealth to work together for more progress in the future. “One of the biggest challenges for Patrick in this address is convincing the legislature and the public that he’s still relevant,” said John Carroll, Boston University mass communication professor and political strategist. “Patrick is very vocal about how he’s not going to fritter away his final year, so he wants to devote this year to assembling some sort of legacy that he’ll leave behind.” Carroll said he is critical of multiple aspects of Patrick’s legacy, and said the final State of the Commonwealth address was an opportunity for him to redeem himself. “To some degree he’s been a bit of an absentee governor,” he said. “You have a number of things where he’s come in after the fact and tried to do damage control … he’ll try to paint a picture of having achieved good things for the state and having the opportunity to do more good things for the state before he leaves.” In his address, Patrick said his term is marked with much success, including educational progress, innovation and infrastructure. He also praised the Commonwealth’s strate-
‘year of action’ in State of Union By Felicia Gans Daily Free Press Staff
In a room full of Congress members and other guests, including 2013 Boston Marathon bombings survivor Jeff Bauman and his rescuer Carlos Arredondo, U.S. President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address Tuesday night, pledging to make this a “year of action.” “That’s what most Americans want — for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations,” he said. “And what I believe unites the people of this nation, regardless of race or region or party, young or old, rich or poor, is the simple, profound belief in opportunity for all — the notion that if you work hard and take responsibility, you can get ahead.” Obama said he was committed to creating a Washington, D.C., that serves as an efficient medium for his goals and establishing a strengthened sense of trust between the government and its constituents. As gun violence numbers spike in Boston, Obama spoke about the issue, vowing to stop the gun-related tragedies that have taken nine lives in Boston since the beginning of January, a number drastically higher Commonwealth, see page 2 than it has been in past years. “Citizenship means standing up for the lives that gun violence steals from us each day,” he said. “I have seen the courage of parents, students, pastors and police offidropout rate fell from 6.4 percent to 4.5 per- cers all over this country who say ‘we are cent from 2012 to 2013. Unlike DESE, BPS not afraid,’ and I intend to keep trying, with began recording these figures in 1977, and or without Congress, to help stop more since then, this is the lowest dropout rate tragedies from visiting innocent Americans in our movie theaters, shopping malls or BPS has seen. “Graduating from high school is funda- schools like Sandy Hook.” Thomas Whalen, professor of social scimental to closing the achievement gap and starting to bridge the economic divide,” said ence at Boston University, said the issue of Boston Mayor Martin Walsh in a Monday violence prevention is an important topic for release. “While I applaud BPS’s progress, Obama, especially in the wake of the 2013 we cannot rest until all students, across all Marathon bombings. “He just wants to relay the fact that we neighborhoods, are graduating BPS prepared live in a very dangerous world,” he said. for college and career success.” Ruth Shane, director of Boston Public “That’s why the controversial NSA program Schools Collaboration at Boston University, needs to be upheld. A lot of people are upsaid this decrease in dropout rate and in- set about phone calls being catalogued, but I crease in graduation rate is due to creating a have to say that, given the circumstances of more nurturing environment in the schools. the modern world, it’s necessary to maintain Shane said faculty members are paying more national security. It’s just an unfortunate reattention to the non-academic needs of the ality.”
High school dropout rate at all-time low in Massachusetts By Kelsey Newell Daily Free Press Staff
Massachusetts reached the lowest high school dropout rate in decades and the highest four-year graduation rate ever, according to statistics released Monday by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. JC Considine, spokesman for DESE, said this success could be attributed to the educators and officials within districts who work personally with the students and have launched programs to connect even more. “The credit really belongs to the districts because they’re using their own strategies to identify and bring back students,” he said. “They’re starting a lot of opportunities and programs to keep students engaged and keep them on a pathway to graduation. It’s really about providing a more personalized approach to a lot of these at-risk students with positive behavioral support.”
Considine said the state was at its high water mark when the dropout rate peaked at 3.8 percent in 2006. Massachusetts’s statewide dropout rate then dove to 2.2 percent from 2012 to 2013. Additionally, the fouryear graduation rate reached an all-time high of 85 percent during the same time. DESE began collecting this data in 2006, Considine said. “We’re beginning to identify the strategies that are successful,” he said. “Many of those include providing alternate pathways for these students, and providing credit recovery and credit acceleration because some of them are older students or [those who] have been disengaged for awhile. It’s important to give them the confidence that they can pursue the end goal which is not only graduation, but preparation for the next step and success at the next step.” Additionally, the Boston Public Schools
Dropout, see page 2
Union, see page 2
BU Dining Services, Club GiiVE co-sponsor composting in dining halls By Taryn Ottaunick Daily Free Press Staff
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MIKE DESOCIO/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
College of General Studies sophomore Sarah Moran hands out stickers saying “I cleaned my plate” to students at the West Campus dining hall Tuesday evening as a part of Club GiiVE’s compost event that emphasizes reducing food waste.
Boston University Dining Services teamed up with Club Get Involved in Volunteer Experiences to hold an environmental awareness campaign in dining halls across the Charles River Campus Tuesday. “Composting Comes Out” encouraged students to become aware of the dining halls’ food disposal process by giving them the choice to either clean their plate or scrape their unused food and napkins into a compost barrel, said Club GiiVE Secretary Alanna Raskin . “Through composting and sustainability, we’re showing students what happens behind the scenes, because most students don’t realize that everything gets composted,” Raskin said. “They also don’t understand that when they eat half of their meal and put it on the dish belt, they’re wasting that much food.” Members of Club GiiVE were stationed at the dish belts with compost barrels. Students who cleaned their plates, thereby wasting nothing, were rewarded with stickers and asked to
tweet pictures of their empty plates with the hashtag #BUCleanPlate. “We’re hoping to get people excited,” Raskin, a College of General Studies sophomore, said. “That’s why we’re doing the competition with the pictures and Twitter. We want students to understand, and we think they’ll respond well. We’re hoping this will reduce waste in the dining hall.” BU Dining Services reached out to Club GiiVE to hold the campaign after students expressed concern for the disposal of their food waste in the Fall Dining Survey, said BU Dining Services Sustainability Coordinator Sabrina Pashtan. “This is an exercise, both in awareness of our composting efforts everyday behind the scenes and a campaign to advocate for the reduction of post-consumer food waste,” Pashtan said. “When students were asked in the Dining Fall Survey 2013 what kinds of sustainability initiatives were most important to them, the re-
Compost, see page 2
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Residents: Educators should Patrick to focus on achievement gap in Mass. not only focus on curriculum Dropout: From Page 1
students than in past years. “A lot of [this] has to do with creating systems that help students feel connected to smaller entities within a high school, connecting with advisors or with a particular group, and having guidance counselors pay more attention to them,” she said. “The idea is to try to help students who run into a problem to stay in school or return to school.” Shane said having educators focus on more than just the assigned curriculum is vital. “The newest initiatives in Boston have a lot to do with strengthening the school leadership and providing a very thoughtful performance evaluation of teachers,” she said. “If teachers are teaching more thoughtfully, they’re paying more attention to what the students are learning. Students have to be helped to set goals, and feel that people are concerned about their needs and their progress, concerning the social and emotional things that surround the adolescent expe-
rience.” Magda Spasiano, 39, of Boston, who counsels students within the LGBT community, said the educational environment needs to also be taken into consideration. “Many of the students I work with are bullied or feel like outcasts, so wanting to avoid that atmosphere may lead to dropping out,” she said. “Lack of motivation is also a problem, and the hassle of commuting, it can all make high school difficult to finish, but luckily there are a lot of alternatives.” Kevin Wiles, 28, of Allston, said high school diplomas are required to get jobs at this point, but also understood why pursuing education may seem hopeless to some. “These days, a college diploma is practically the new minimum for jobs, so not graduating high school can incredibly hurt a person’s future success,” he said. “But at the same time, with college prices being so high, making it hard to go to college, graduating high school may seem kind of pointless to some kids.”
Students unaware of volume of food waste in dining halls Compost: From Page 1
duction of food waste was one of the top responses.” Swanson Ninan, a College of Arts and Sciences junior, said seeing all the food wasted each day made him more mindful of taking appropriate amounts of food for each meal. “Just finishing your food yourself or asking a friend if they want to finish your leftovers is really easy,” Ninan said. “I will definitely be way more cognizant of finishing the food on my plate and also taking the right portions, so that I’m only eating what I’m actually hungry for.” College of Engineering sophomore Akram Habibi, said although BU makes an effort to be ecofriendly, students are not entirely aware of their environmental footprint. “It’s a great idea to make people aware of what they’re throwing out,” Habibi said. “I don’t think students are that aware. BU does strive to give people the opportunity to actually help out, but I don’t think people realize how much they do waste. I actually still don’t realize how much.”
Vincenza Rico, a CAS freshman, said in a world where millions are starving, those who have enough should remain mindful of conserving the nourishment they are fortunate to have. “Food shouldn’t be wasted,” Rico said. “Composting things like that is something we take for granted when there are people who don’t have enough food. We’re just throwing away extra stuff.” CAS senior Kathryn O’Neill, who managed the compost station, said the compost campaign helped students to understand the implications of their actions on the environment. “I heard a couple people say they didn’t know food was composted, so they were really happy to hear about that,” she said. “... It kind of helped students link things they normally wouldn’t link to the environment, and now they can put two-and-two together to see that even small actions can have a really big difference when they start a pattern and make better decisions for the environment.”
Commonwealth: From Page 1
gy toward achieving this. He cited the increased time and monetary investments, teamwork and governing for the long term as reasons for the progress. Additionally, Patrick affirmed what still needed work and how he planned on beginning that work during the closing of his term. He emphasized eliminating achievement gaps, socioeconomic gaps, violence and changing society so that everyone has the opportunity to be successful. “For too many of our neighbors, the American dream is in trouble,” he said. “[We] have a solemn duty to help all our people help themselves … the single most important solution is economic growth, growth that reaches out to the marginalized [and] not just up to the well-connected. An expanding economy … needs inventors and
innovators and investors, techies and carpenters, teachers and cooks, Ph.Ds. and plumbers.” Noting the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, Patrick said he was proud of the kindness and grace displayed during the aftermath of the tragedy. “I still believe all this and more reflects the best of who we are,” he said. “These are the people who showed the world and each other what a strong community looks like. These are the people, and this is the community, for whom I have brought for the last seven years, and for whom I will bring until the very last day, the best that I have and the best that I am.” Patrick said Massachusetts must recommit to reforming education, continuing innovation, and investing in the economy through science, technology and manufacturing. “Our growth strategy is wise, our execution is collaborative,
and our eye is on the future. Let’s continue that progress in 2014,” he said. “Progress on any of these fronts, whether on legislation, on investing or on reforms, will like always take working together, and elevating the public good above all.” In concluding his speech, Patrick called on the people to do their part and said it is even more possible for them to get involved now due to the transparency of the government. “I challenge all citizens to consider what they can do to make our Commonwealth stronger,” he said. “We have put every element of the budget and the state’s checkbook on line for anyone to see. All this and more is about making government more accessible for you to shape and to strengthen — the way a democracy is supposed to work … Now is no time for valedictories. We have work to do. Let’s get to it.”
Union address highlights min. wage, education Union: From Page 1
Improvement in education, from pre-kindergarten education to graduate school, is one of Obama’s key priorities for the coming year. “Teachers and principals in schools from Tennessee to Washington, D.C., are making big strides in preparing students with skills for the new economy,” he said. “Some of this change is hard. It requires everything from more challenging curriculums and more demanding parents to better support for teachers and new ways to measure how well our kids think, not how well they can fill in a bubble on a test. But it’s worth it — and it’s working.” Obama is also designing plans to help Americans with student debt by capping monthly student loan payments to 10 percent of their income, he said. “Too many young people entering the workforce today will see the American Dream as an empty
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promise — unless we do more to make sure our economy honors the dignity of work, and hard work pays off for every single American,” he said. Minimum wage, a topic that activist groups such as Raise Up Massachusetts are pushing to place on the Nov. 2014 ballot, was another a large focus of Obama’s speech. Since asking Congress to raise minimum wage one year ago, 5 states have passed their own laws, he said. “In the coming weeks, I will issue an Executive Order requiring federal contractors to pay their federally-funded employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour because if you cook our troops’ meals or wash their dishes, you shouldn’t have to live in poverty,” he said. Following the State of the Union address, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) delivered the official Republican re-
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sponse, sharing a “hopeful Republican vision” that promises action and results. Pointing out the flaws in Obama’s plan to close the income inequality gap, McMorris Rodgers spoke of a gap in equality opportunity. “We see this gap growing every single day,” she said. “Our mission, not only as Republicans, but as Americans is to ensure that we are not bound by what we come from but empowered by what we can become. That is the gap Republicans are trying to close. It’s the gap we all face between where we are and where we want to be.” Working to close a different gap, the one between the politicians in the Congress, Obama encouraged the country to promote justice, fairness and equality. “If we summon what is best in us, with our feet planted firmly in today but our eyes cast towards tomorrow, I know it’s within our reach.”
SOLUTION ON PAGE 4
CaMpus & CiTy CiTy CriMe LOGs Jan. 20 TO Jan. 26 By Mina Corpuz Daily Free Press Staff
The following crime reports were taken from the AllstonBrighton D-14 crime logs from Jan. 20 to Jan. 26 Suspect breaks in through kitchen door, steals items On Jan. 20 around 5:27 p.m., officers were called to 89 Chester St. for another breaking and entering report. According to the victims, unknown persons might have entered the apartment through the kitchen side door on Jan. 18. Jewelry, laptops, gift cards, a checkbook, U.S. currency and Taiwan currency were stolen. Electronics and other items stolen from apartment At 8:36 p.m. on Jan. 20, officers received a call to 116 Tremont St. for a report of breaking and entering. Unknown persons had entered the victim’s apartment through a patio door. The victim reported two MacBooks, two iPads, jewelry, clothing and suitcases stolen. Damage done to restaurant property Around 11:06 a.m. on Jan. 23, officers were called to Fin’s Restaurant at 354 Chestnut Hill Avenue for an attempted breaking and entering. According to the victim, unknown persons damaged the restaurant doors and ripped out the outdoor speaker wires. The suspect did not end up entering, however. Contents of packages stolen Officers responded to a call reporting stolen property around 7:37 p.m. on Thursday. The witness said she noticed three USPS boxes, two of which were opened with the contents taken at 26 Waverly St. She also noticed a man leave the laundry room holding something. The owners listed on the packages were notified. Drunken female claims to have a gun Officers were called to 252 Western Ave. for a reported assault by a dangerous weapon around 10:41 p.m. on Friday. According to a victim, a female suspect claiming to be a “cop” reached into her coat and said she had a “gun.” No firearm was displayed. After the bartender refused to serve the female and male suspects, the female suspect became angry, started to yell and threw a beer bottle at the victim before leaving the bar. Oil stolen from pipes Officers received a report on Saturday about 8:00 p.m. from a victim who had bought a house at 39 Surrey St. On Jan. 20 the victim had checked the oil and the tank was three-fourths full. When the victim returned to the house on Friday, the pipes were frozen. The victim said unknown people must have taken oil, causing the pipes to freeze.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
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MBTA to hold forum to prep for corporate bids High school quality affects During a pre-proposal meeting on Feb. 3, officials at the Mascollege GPA, sachusetts Bay Transit Authority will speak to interested clients study states about the new MBTA Corporate By Felicia Gans Daily Free Press Staff
Sponsorship Program in hopes of selling opportunities to rename MBTA stations. The program, which is part of a transportation bill signed into effect by Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick last spring, will allow corporations and businesses to place their names on MBTA stations for $2 million. “It’s a standard meeting that is held as part of every competitive bidding process conducted by the [MBTA],” said MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo. “MBTA staff will be on hand to answer any questions from potential bidders.” The deadline for companies to submit bids is Feb. 27. Pesaturo would not say whether any companies had submitted Requests for Proposals or Requests of Interest. Boston University spokesman Colin Riley said BU is aware of the program but has chosen to not submit a proposal because there
By Rachel Riley Daily Free Press Staff
sic level, it’s causing people to talk about it more about pedagogy and effective pedagogy, about teaching and learning in a way that may not has been as central recently.” One of the courses will cover sabermetrics, or an advanced form of baseball statistics, said College of General Studies senior lecturer Andy Andres. After teaching a similar course in person at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he adapted a MOOC version for BU. Andres said adapting the class to an online program was challenging. “Because of the [online] format, I cannot rely on face-to-face interactions,” he said. “I have to really think about how to teach this well right from the start.” One of the primary benefits of MOOCs is their accessibility to students who may not have the opportunity to attend the university, thereby removing an education barrier, Andres said. “I would say it [the use of
A new report suggests that the quality of a student’s high school education is likely to affect his or her performance in college, and Boston University students agree that high school is key to preparing students for higher education. The study, conducted by researchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research, examines the relationship between high school quality and academic performance in early college years using data from the University of Texas at Austin. “High schools can prepare students through a curriculum that follows the structure of a college curriculum or through assignments that mimic the college type of assignments,” said Noah Lattanzi, a College of Arts and Sciences sophomore. Of the students who participated in the study, those who attended a high school with a higher socioeconomic status, more experienced teachers, a greater college preparation system and less budget pressure from students in need tended to have higher grade point averages during their freshman year of college. Marissa Conti, a Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Services sophomore, said while high school performance may be an indicator of college performance, students entering BU may find making higher grades particularly challenging. “People who work hard in high school usually get into more competitive colleges and they usually keep up with that,” she said. “BU is really hard academically though. It’s harder to do well at BU than it is to get into BU ... Not every high school student going to college is like that — BU is just harder than other schools.” CAS junior Renee Gaillard said high school and college are difficult to compare because they are so different, so high school quality may not be the best indicator for college performance.
mooCs, see page 4
hiGh sChool, see page 4
ALEXANDRA WIMLEY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The MBTA will hold a public meeting on Feb. 3 geared toward potential clients interested in the agency’s new corporate sponsorship program, which will eventually allow companies to pay for branding space on T property, including the Boylston Street station.
are already three Green Line stops with BU’s name: Boston University East, Boston University Central and Boston University West. Tony Fusco, director of Fusco and Four, a marketing and public relations agency that has been operating in Boston for 35 years, said public transportation should not depend on selling sponsorships to raise money.
“It’s an insult to the city of Boston,” he said. “It’s the selling out of our public transportation system. It’s not going to close the budget gap for the MBTA. The budget gap is much larger than that. All it’s doing is some kind of window dressing, and it’s confusing to the public.”
mBta, see page 4
DLI official lectures on Massive Open Online Courses By Sebastian Alamo Daily Free Press Staff
Officials from Boston University’s Digital Learning Initiative held a lecture Tuesday highlighting the impact of Massive Open Online Courses on the changing world of online education. DLI Associate Director Romy Ruukel discussed BU’s plan to expand its online teaching curriculum in the next school year, when BU’s first MOOCs will be available on the platform edX. “Decades after the personal computer and the internet, we are still talking of educational technology so much of the time as either good or bad versus how has it changed the world,” Ruukel said. “As an educator, which information age are we preparing our students for: the one that we know or the one that they will know?” During the lecture Ruukel said she hopes to see MOOCs venture into the global realm in order to provide students across the world with the benefits of online education. “I would like MOOCs to move
out of only being largely in English and offered by western universities,” she said. “I am hoping to find the multiplicity of narratives and maybe a discovery of pedagogies that are lying dormant right now.” Online education is become a growing presence in the educational world as the number of full time students is fast decreasing, Ruukel said. “If we look at the student in the United States alone in the year 2013, less than half of them could be considered full-time students,” Ruukel said. “They are now in the minority.” Ruukel said the MOOCs developed by DLI officials for the Fall 2014 semester will prove the effectiveness of the intriguing new innovative method of teaching and promote conversation about alternative styles of education. “Certainly the four — or hopefully five — MOOCs that will go up this year are a proof of concept in some way, and conversations of what happens after that are evolving,” Ruukel said. “At a very ba-
Job market stable for graduates in religion fields, study suggests By Alyssa Ciofani Daily Free Press Staff
Students majoring in religious studies at institutions of higher education such as Boston University will likely face more job prospects than they would have in the early 2000s upon graduating, according to a recent report. The report, conducted by researchers from the Society of Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion, established that the religion job market is significantly more stable now than it was in 2008. “The study shows that the number of positions in 2011 significantly increased from 2010 but plateaued in 2012 at 20022004 levels,” said SBL Executive Director John Kutsko. “The typical position is a full-time tenuretrack appointment at a U.S. private not-for-profit institution in a
traditional field of study such as New Testament or theology with a yearly course load of four to six.” Researchers used data from job openings posted with SBL and AAR in order to produce the report, Kutsko said. These numbers do not necessarily reflect the total amount of job openings in academic fields. From 2001 to 2012, the greatest number of positions were available in the fields of New Testament, Christian Origins, Ancient Christianity, Hebrew Bible and Religions of the Ancient Near East, Islamic Studies, History of Christianity and Church History and Jewish Studies, the report stated. The results of the report indicate that students studying within the field of religion should attend
reliGion, see page 4
GRAPHIC BY MAYA DEVEREAUX/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
A report conducted by the Society of Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion says faculty jobs in religion fields were relatively stable in 2012.
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Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Students better prepared by quality schools Marketing CEO: MBTA plan could ‘oversaturate’ advertising hiGh sChool: From Page 3
“The coursework in college wasn’t anything like high school,” she said. “I went in expecting that I was going to get As again, and then I got my first C on a paper, and I realized [college] has a different kind of standard with different expectations. It definitely was a bit of a shock.” Assignments are more manageable in high school, Gaillard said. “The homework was very simple, just things like ‘learn these key terms,’” she said. “When you were preparing for tests, they told you exactly what would be on them. The teachers you had for pretty much all four years so you really go to know them, compared to professors in college who change every semester.”
Sydney Zeldis, a CAS sophomore, said while her high school prepared her for the amount of work she would have in college, it did not prepare her for competition at the college level. “College is a whole other realm,” she said. “You’re competing against other people ... I was prepared for the workload. I wasn’t prepared for curves that would ruin my grade or make my grade go lower ... You’re fighting against everybody in your classes for an A.” SAR sophomore Antonia Calcaterra said while high school performance is sometimes an indicator for college performance, some students don’t acquire the study schools they need in high school. “I know a lot of friends who did really well in high school but
didn’t learn how to study in high school because it was so easy for them,” she said. “They didn’t know how to prepare for the college workload.” While a student may attend a prestigious or notable high school, the most important determinant of success in college is work ethic, Lattanzi said. “If a student has a good work ethic, that carries over regardless of the [quality of the] high school,” he said. “If they’re invested in their high school work, they’ll probably be invested in college, too. If the student is talented and interested in learning, there’s always ways they could go to professors more and seek out things that will help them get better grades.” Taryn Ottaunick contributed to the reporting of this article.
Professor: Religion job market seeks Ph.Ds reliGion: From Page 3
graduate school, Kutsko said. “The report focuses almost exclusively on academic employment, since this is the nature of the vast majority of positions that are advertised with us,” he said. “The data show that hiring institutions require a doctoral degree almost across the board, which means that undergraduates looking to this report for guidance will have to pursue further study.” Frank Korom, a professor of religion and anthropology, said there is plenty of room for religion majors in the working world. “The market is stable for religion majors because there are a lot of religion departments out there that need good teachers,” Korom said, “As long as students keep taking religion classes, there will always be a need for people to teach them.” Professor of history and re-
ligion Deeana Klepper said the large number of students pursuing graduate degrees in religious studies puts students in religious fields in a similar position to student studying the humanities. “There are more people pursuing doctorates than there are full time teaching positions,” she said. “In that regard, religion is in much the same place other humanities disciplines are. But there are certainly many people being hired every year, and that obviously has to do with undergraduate interest in religious studies and the need to staff those classrooms.” Graduates with religious studies degrees have the option of entering multiple fields once they graduate, Klepper said. “Most religion majors go on to do other things that engage their knowledge of diverse religious cultures without specifically working in the field,” she said. “They work in a range of nonprof-
it organizations dedicated to humanitarian causes, they become lawyers, they work in education, they go on to medical school, et cetera.” College of Arts and Sciences senior Abigail Clauhs, a religious studies major and president of BU’s Interfaith Council, said the stability of the job market for religion majors depends on what students want to do with their degrees after graduation. “One of the beautiful things about a degree in religion is that you can go many directions with it,” she said. “... There are quite a lot of possibilities, so it is difficult to talk about job stability. I will say that as the world becomes increasingly more globalized and connected, and as this leads to more people of different religions encountering each other, religious knowledge is an important tool to have.”
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mBta: From Page 3
Fusco said the Corporate Sponsorship Program will add to the abundance of advertising already affecting the public. “We are bombarded with advertising, all day, from all sides,” he said. “There’s already advertising on the T. They already advertise in the cars and on the subway platforms. There’s already advertising that wraps the buses in elaborate advertising. There’s already plenty of advertising on our public transportation system. I just think this is over the top.” Jeremy Mays, the CEO of a marketing firm named Transmyt, said the program could lead to an oversaturation of corporation advertising, but the increased revenue brought in could be beneficial for MBTA riders. “Anything that they can do to make up lost revenue and close their budget shortfalls is good for the MBTA, which also hopefully is ultimately good for the riders of the MBTA and the consumers provided that they pass those earnings along in the form of better service, reduced time between fare hikes and overall expansion of services to the MBTA,” Mays said. Several residents said the MBTA is taking steps in the right direction in effort to raise revenue, but they should re-think some aspects of the Corporate Sponsorship Program. Katie Bever, 23, of Brighton, said while she understands the MBTA’s need to raise money, the MBTA should use other advertis-
ing techniques, rather than changing the names of stations. “More advertising for those companies around the stations wouldn’t be a problem, though,” she said. “The MBTA needs to make money somehow, so if [adding more advertisements] is the way they need to do it, I don’t see anything wrong with it.” Douglas Upton, 46, of the South End, said changing the names of stations will be confusing for the public and is not a worthwhile way for the MBTA to raise revenue. “There are other ways to fund a transit system than selling station names,” he said. “I remember they were trying to call Downtown Crossing “Citizens Bank”. But who’s going to refer to a Citizens Bank Station? That doesn’t even make sense. There’s Citizens Banks everywhere. I don’t have a problem with the ads, per se, because I understand that they need money, but that idea [to rename stations] is definitely a little stupid.” Kym Murray, 31, of Back Bay, works in fundraising and said the program is a smart way for the MBTA to begin raising money. “As a resident, who pays a lot of money and taxes, I would go for it because clearly they’re struggling and we need a lot of improvements,” she said. “People will get used to the name changes. This seems like a good way to start [making more money]. It’s money that the state needs, so why not go for it?”
Comprehensive online courses developed, coming to BU in fall mooCs: From Page 3
MOOCs] is part of the democratization of learning,” he said. “Students who would normally not have the chance to take a class at BU or anywhere now can take this course. That is a huge part of just general access to education, which I am very much in favor of.” Liliane Duséwoir, a senior romance studies lecturer at BU’s College of Arts and Sciences, said
she attended the lecture in order to gain more knowledge for developing MOOCs within her discipline. “The Romance Studies Program is considering MOOCs and involving itself and committing itself to online education,” Duséwoir said. “... I was really interested on how BU is committing to itself to it, and I was really interested to learn that there are four courses that are going to be offered this fall.”
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Newly renovated architecture program draws in new students Stacy Schoonover Spotlight Editor
S
tarting as an independent concentration of two students and then transforming into a major with between 45 and 50 students, architectural studies is one of the new, growing academic opportunities at BU. “We launched the program in 2012 when we thought there might be a few more people interested,” said Keith Morgan, director of the architectural studies program. “We didn’t anticipate it would be as popular and successful as it has become.” The curriculum is collaboration between the department of history of architecture, the College of Fine Arts’ visual art and drawing courses, painting, sculpture and photography. Students are able to take various classes around the university in what they see appropriate for their own professional development. “It’s important to understand that it’s not a school of architecture, and it’s not pretending to be,” Morgan said. “We are trying to prepare students to enter graduate programs.” The program is still developing and there are some new courses in the works. Later this semester, Morgan will be talking with CFA about developing a new course that will serve as a design studiolike experience for those interested in architecture and landscape architecture. Not only is the faculty excited about the major, but students in the architectural studies program are also very passionate and excited about the new program and the opportunities it provides. “My favorite part of the program is the fact that I can shape my degree in terms of what I want to do,” said Alexandre Mecattaf, senior in the architectural studies program and president of the BU chapter of Global Architecture Brigades, an organization for global health and sustainable development. “I have learned a lot, and it’s also allowed me to branch out into different areas that are of interest to me. I’ve managed to double major in anthropology and minor in biology.” Elise Liu, an officer of BU’s U.S. Green Building Council, said she also likes how she can apply what she learns in class to her interests outside the classroom. “There are so many opportunities to be involved both on and off campus in the forms of lectures, clubs and exhibitions,” Liu, a sophomore in the architectural studies program, said. “The city of Boston is truly an ideal city to study architectural design in because of its merging of traditional and modern architecture.” Matt Zapson, the current president of the Architecture Club, thinks the program is great for students interested in careers in architecture, architectural history and perseveration, or urban planning and design. “It’s a great pre-professional program for students,” Zapson, a senior in the architectural studies
BU’s Global architecture brigades poses in front of a structure they designed and built in Honduras.
program, said. “The concentration is still developing, but I think it’s heading in the right direction.” Zapson showed great interest in the Architectural Drawing class, a crash course in design principles and computer and hand-drawing skills. He said it adds variety to the courses offered, as many focus on the theoretical and historical side of architecture, which is an important foundation. While the program is still relatively new, students feel confident in the progress and success of the major. “I think of it as a work in progress,” Mecattaf said. “It’s very functional and gives us more than enough background to get into programs in the best schools around the country, which at the end of the day is what any undergraduate program aims for I think.” Mecattaf also shared his passion for the architecture profession. He explains how architecture is more than just creating buildings. “It’s creating spaces where people can grow, learn and live,” Mecattaf said. “My goal as a future architect is to play a part in shaping the world of tomorrow into a better place.” Liu also said she believes architecture can make a difference in the future. She said it holds a significant role in defining the environment and is unique in its feature of permeability. “To me it’s quite apparent that architecture is one of the tangible expressions of human culture and society,” Liu said. “It has the unique capability to integrate new technologies into daily life and is thus an important setting for sustainability.”
Students of the program, like Mecattaf, Liu and Zapson, are ambitious and feel that what they’ve learned has helped prepare them for a bright future. “My goal is to merge all of what I’ve learned and create a new sub-field in the field of architecture which involves using architecture and architectural knowledge to make the world a better place,” Mecattaf said. Zapson plans to enter the job field of urban planning. He said he feels understanding how people interact with their environments is still vital. “The way people feel in a place is highly dependent on the place’s massing and design,” Zapson said. “As a planner it’s important to be able to be able to knowingly make decisions regarding urban composition.” The hard work and passion of the architectural studies professors and directors to make the program successful has not gone unnoticed by the students. “Professor Morgan plays an immense part in the success of the program,” Mecattaf said. “He is always open to students’ opinions and he always manages to find a way to merge students’ desires and major requirements.” Liu added that very insightful individuals head the department, and what she learns in class is readily applicable to her surroundings makes the program such a success. Outside of the major, there are a few architecture organizations and opportunities on campus including the Architecture Club, the Global Architecture Brigades and the BU Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. Clubs such as these give students the op-
portunity to practice what they’re learning outside of the classroom and in non-school-related environments. Members of these clubs are not just concentrators, but also students who are just interested in architecture at large.
The Architecture Club
BU’s Architecture Club is the first club dedicated to enjoying and learning more about architecture. “We’ve led multiple walking tours of Boston, department and club meet and greets and building competitions,” Zapson said. The club also acts as a resource for students interested or currently enrolled in architecture programs by providing seminars on furthering education and portfolio development.
BU Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a non-profit organization that focuses on sustainable design and construction. The student group aims to bring sustainability into the spotlight. “Evidently BU has been very active in implementing more environmentally friendly initiatives, however we believe that we can raise more awareness and also offer students the opportunity to become more involved,” Liu said. Liu also said bringing the USGBC to campus also further promotes interdisciplinary interaction, seeing that sustainability is a non-exclusive field that inherently involves the joining of many facets of society and academia.
Global Architecture Brigades
The Global Architecture Brigades is part of the world’s largest
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEXANDRE MECATTAF
student-led health and sustainable development organization called Global Brigades. Each year, Global Brigades mobilizes thousands of university students around the world to participate in nine different skill-based programs to improve the quality of life in underresourced communities. “During Architecture Brigades we work hand-in-hand with engineers, designers and community members in the goal of alleviating needs in health and education through the design and hands-on construction of schools and health centers,” Mecattaf said. They also work with communities to identify construction knowledge and practices that are lacking in order to provide training by skilled masons and students.
Interested?
“It’s become quite a substantial and exciting process to be involved with,” Morgan said. “The major is designed to ensure that students have the kind of preparation that graduate schools in architecture, landscape architecture, city planning and historic preservation expect.” Morgan said they have already had great success with graduates of the program. Many former students now attend graduate programs in architecture, planning or historic preservation at Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University and the University of Notre Dame, to name a few. “It’s been a lot of fun to be involved with,” Morgan said. “We feel as though the major has hit a level where it’s a substantial presence, but we are always eager for other students who might be interested to know about it.”
6
Opinion
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
The Daily Free Press
The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University
Winter break
44th year F Volume 86 F Issue 8
Sarah Kirkpatrick, Editor-in-Chief Brian Latimer, Managing Editor
Rachel Riley, Campus Editor
Alice Bazerghi, City Editor
Andrew Battifarano, Sports Editor
Trisha Thadani, Opinion Editor
Heather Goldin, Multimedia Editor
Maya Devereaux, Photo Editor
Brooke Jackson-Glidden, Features Editor
Emily Hartwell, Layout Editor
Tate Gieselmann
Shakti Rovner, Office Manager The Daily Free Press (ISSN 1094-7337) is published Monday through Thursday during the academic year except during vacation and exam periods by Back Bay Publishing Co.,Inc., a nonprofit corporation operated by Boston University students. No content can be reproduced without the permission of Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright © 2013 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
Funding the future
Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled his 2.9 percent budget increase last Wednesday, which sets the state’s total budget at $36.4 billion. This plan includes increased spending on the state’s education system — a $100 million increase, to be exact. Massachusetts’ K-12 students will reap the benefits of the budget increase, receiving $25 million, with an additional $15 million toward early education programs. Based on this spending plan, you could say Patrick is adamant on closing the gaping achievement gap between minority and white students in Massachusetts. Funneling tax dollars into education is a very strategic political move. Increasing state funding for education is a hard point for taxpayers and opponents to disagree with. On the other hand, if Patrick decided to allocate that additional $15 million into the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority or state health care programs, the city’s naysayers would erupt. But when it comes to funding education, nobody wants to be that guy who denies an underprivileged 3-year-old the means to learn that “elemeno” is not the letter that comes before “p” in the alphabet. No one can deny the magnitude of difference education makes in a society. According to a 2009 longitudinal study by the National Center for Education Statistics, only 45 percent of 4-year-olds who live in poverty were proficient basic arithmetic, compared to 72 percent of their peers living above the poverty line. Aside from teaching children basic academics, pre-school is often the first time kids leave Elmo’s World to learn how to respect people other than their parents. And like most lessons in life, one cannot learn respect and love without doing it — no matter how many times they babble Barney’s, “I love you” towards the TV screen. In his State of the Union Address on Tuesday night, Obama said this year his administration will invest in new partnerships with states and communities for early childhood education. In his address in 2013, he similarly claimed childhood education is the key to absolving the world of its greatest issues such as pregnancy and violent crime. Obviously we
A Semester in Shanghai
are not teaching toddlers how to put on a condom or how to avoid joining a gang, but early education lays a foundation for reasoning, stability and tolerance during a child’s most impressionable age. The extra millions Patrick plans to channel into childhood education will make this basic right accessible to more students, which in of itself is a huge feat. However, although putting millions of extra dollars into the early education system will standardize the availability of education in Massachusetts, it still will not ensure each student is receiving the same quality of instruction. Just as preschool sets the foundation for future achievement, it is precisely where the wide achievement gap in our society begins. But, in reality, the key to early education is that it is available and adequate, and this is one of very few instances where quantity can be prioritized over quality. Therefore, such additional funds do not need to be put towards improving the quality of these programs. If Patrick took that excess $15 million and funneled it into our MBTA, we would have happier commuters and our youth will still learn how to color between the lines before they enter the real world 20 years down the road. However, that is not to say money should be taken out of the early education system. This additional money could rather be allocated to existing programs such as NurseFamily Partnerships and the Baby College in the Harlem Children’s Zone, which teach good parenting skills — the backbone behind a stable childhood. Or this money could be put toward programs that teach sustainable social and emotional development strategies to children. Unfortunately there is no right answer as to what the best technique to educating a child is, as every child is different. The Massachusetts children receiving the $15 million dollar increase in their education program are serving as guinea pigs for how effective this increased funding to early childhood programs really is. And if it doesn’t make a substantial difference, prepare for the backlash from angry parents when the government tries to take this money away from this program.
When I was in high school, winter break was a time of excitement and freedom. After months of full-time schooling, organized extracurricular activities and obligations, winter break was a time to finally relax. I fondly remember spending hours during winter break when I was younger bussing to the skate park and skateboarding until the sun would go down — only to bus home and begin the same routine the next day. At that age, winter break was a welcomed taste of freedom. As a college student, winter break is a different experience. Although I used to love the freedom afforded me by winter break, coming home from college has not always been an easy transition. This recent winter break started as a breath of fresh air. I hung out with my good friends and family, ate well and enjoyed the warm California weather. I traveled around to a few towns on the coastline, began preparing for my semester abroad in Shanghai and even passed my drivers license test after three years of procrastination. The lack of responsibility was a needed respite from the stress of the four final exams I had just taken. As my seemingly never-ending break has persisted, I have become less and less enchanted with the ‘freedom’ I used to associate with winter break. My friends, who are mostly college students, already returned to their campuses earlier this month. At a certain point in mid-January I sadly realized that I was the only young adult left in Tiburon, Calif., with almost a month until I headed to Shanghai. In an attempt to productively allocate my copious amounts of free time, I planned a daily schedule for myself. I wanted to continue studying Chinese, work on my writing, practice playing the piano, apply for summer jobs and exercise every day. I thought that if I put my time towards worthwhile endeavors, I would at least have something to show for my endless month at home. Thus, I made flashcards, opened up my computer and began to form a habit. For the first couple of weeks, my dedication paid off — I felt productive and accomplished. Though I occasionally spent a few hours playing video games or watching TV, I mostly used my time at home on activities that I deemed “productive.” Unfortunately, the effort such an organized schedule demanded eventually wore on me. I didn’t leave the house for a few days in a row, slept in much later than I wanted to and began to dread the time I had decided to spend on being productive.
As any college student returning home can attest to, I began to feel somewhat boxed in. The environment set up during my childhood is not necessarily compatible with my life as a young adult, and oftentimes the discrepancies will lead to tension between the rest of my family and myself. Much to my roommates’ chagrin, I have a habit of not always washing my dishes when I am finished eating. Though my roommates are willing to accept some of my flaws, any time that I have let this happen while staying at home I am in serious danger of getting chewed out by a family member. As minute an offense as it may seem, I understand the majority of the conflict that arises between my family and me when I return home for break is a result of my own failure to conform to the rules of the house. Regardless of whether or not I agree or disagree with the rules in my childhood home, I am bound to obey them. I consider myself lucky to be able to return to California over break and sleep in my own bed. I often don’t even have to worry about food while I’m at home in California; to be honest, I’m even a little bit spoiled. However, that doesn’t mean that the transition from life in college to life at home is always easy. I have gotten myself knee-deep in arguments with my dad only to realize he was right all along. After a month at home in California, I’ve begun to accept that the late-torise, late-to-bed lifestyle that I tend to follow is not the common choice for most people. So, I have decided to turn things around and gotten myself into the habit of washing all of my dishes, taking our dog Katie out for her daily walks and occasionally even cooking a meal or two. For the past month and a half I’ve felt like I was returning to the past, echoing a lifestyle I lived before Boston University was ever even a thought in my mind. I returned to the same skate parks, crossed the same bridges and hung out with the same old friends. But in reality, Winter break is now more of a break from the fun of school than a break from its stress. After two months of a monotonous winter break, I can finally see the horizon — in less than two weeks I will be on a flight to Shanghai, China.
- I can’t wait!
Tate Gieselmann is a College of Arts and Sciences junior studying abroad in China. He can be reached at tateag@bu.edu.
The opinions and ideas expressed by columnists and cartoonists are their own and are not necessarily representative of the opinions of The Daily Free Press.
Terrier Talk Reflections
Following a week full of gun violence and sensless crimes in the news, The Daily Free Press wanted to hear how safe Boston University students really feel on campus. Here’s what some of them said. INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOS BY NICOLE BOARDMAN
CONOR RAULT
STEPHEN HOTTA
“I feel safe. I don’t know why, there is just a sense of security on campus.” -CGS freshman
“I feel pretty safe because... BUPD is always on the prowl... I’ve had some experiences where I had to be hospitalized for a medical condition and they were here in about five minutes.” -CAS freshman
ANIRA FIGUEIRA
“I feel pretty safe on campus. I mean, we do live in an urban environment so the safety is a concern with the gun-related crimes. But for the most part, I don’t feel like my life is in danger.” -SHA sophomore
RODERICK ESKEW
“Coming to a big city, I was nervous about being safe but the security guards are always very attentive and I’ve never felt like there has been any risk to my safety in any of the buildings around campus.” -SMG junior
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
7
McKay: McDermott college phenom, not most NBA-ready player McKay: From Page 8
especially impressed with his achievements playing against the likes of Bradley University and Drake University and that’s somewhat understandable. But Creighton moved into the Big East, traditionally a basketball power conference, prior to this season. Many would expect McDermott to falter against the superior defensive play in the Big East. But falter he has not. This season he’s averaging 24.3 points per game, second in the nation only to Niagara University’s Antoine Mason. He’s shooting nearly 50 percent from the field, 43 percent from beyond the 3-point arc and just under 90 percent from the free-throw line. Those are absurd percentages, even when you consider McDermott’s line from the 2012-13 season: 55 percent from the field, 49 percent from the 3-point line and 88 percent from the charity
stripe. He has a chance to finish with 3,000 career points, which would make him only the eighth player in NCAA history to reach that milestone. Pete Maravich (Louisiana State University) is first overall, with 3,667. Of course, he did it in three years. I’m not comparing McDermott to Pete Maravich. McDermott is a 6-foot-8 small forward. He’s not the fastest guy around, nor is he the most athletic. He’s not even a great passer or defender. But, he has a lethal shooting stroke from mid-range and 3-point distance alike. Most NBA mock drafts have McDermott going in the middle of the first round, which is probably a good place for him. With his relatively limited athleticism, he’s not ready to lead a team right now. Teams have gotten much smarter about drafting in the last couple years. Hell would freeze over before Adam Morrison got drafted in the top-three like he
did in 2006. McDermott, at this point, can be compared to spread-the-floor pure shooters like Mike Dunleavy or Wally Szczerbiak. Is it depressing to compare the possible Wooden Award winner to Mike Dunleavy? Maybe. I’d much rather have McDermott take the J.J. Redick route. That is, it would be ideal, in my opinion, to have McDermott drafted onto a team where he could be a role player coming off the bench, learning the ropes of the NBA, and gradually work on his game so that he can be a starter. Redick has accomplished that, and now is a major cog on a championship contender. I don’t think McDermott will ever be a star in the NBA. I’d like to see him try and pull out his Dirk Nowitzki-style step-back jumper against LeBron James. But how far would James swat it into the crowd? Third row? Fourth? It just wouldn’t work very well. McDermott represents a common phenomenon in
college basketball right now: The best player, the Wooden Award winner, is often someone who peaks in college. It’s similar to the Heisman trophy. I thought that quarterback Johnny Manziel was the best college football player in the country this year. I think, that if you put Jameis Winston on Manziel’s Texas A&M University team, that the Aggies wouldn’t have won even six games. But the voters gave the Heisman to Winston, in part because they think he’s better equipped for success at the next level. This is unfair to players like Manziel and McDermott, who might very well be solid (maybe excellent) professional athletes. If either Embiid or Wiggins wins the Wooden Award this year, it’s robbery. Doug McDermott is the best college basketball player alive. He might not look or even play like a future NBA star, but the NCAA isn’t the NBA and McDermott deserves every award that he’ll get at the college level.
Witt strong in net for Northeastern Men’s Hockey: From Page 8
4. Northeastern University – It might be time to finally start buying into Northeastern’s success this season. Goaltender Clay Witt is making a case for himself as a Hobey Baker Award candidate thanks to his incredible .943 save percentage and 2.04 goals-against average. A crew of dynamic young scorers featuring sophomore Kevin Roy (14-17-31) and freshman Mike Szmatula (10-18-28) lead the Huskies offense, but its 35.31 shots-against per game is the second-worst in the league and could come back to bite them in the butt this postseason. 5. University of Notre Dame – Notre Dame has the best special teams in the league (plus-17) and the best shot differential in the league (plus-8.88 shots per game), but it has been inconsistent in Hockey East play. The Fighting Irish have at least one loss or tie against every Hockey East team it has faced this year, losing to the likes of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and tying Merrimack College. There is not much separation between the fifth-best and second-best teams in Hockey East, though.
MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Junior forward Evan Rodrigues looks to help the men’s hockey team in his return to the ice.
Follow us on Twitter: @DFPsports
6. University of New Hampshire – UNH is right in the middle of the pack in terms of scoring offense and scoring defense, so it finds itself right in the middle of the pack of these power rankings, too. What separates UNH from teams like Maine and Vermont is the fact that it doesn’t beat itself, as it has the fewest penalty minutes per game in the league. 7. University of Vermont – Vermont is a top-heavy scoring team that relies on captain Chris McCarthy (13-14-27) and freshman Mario Puskarich (11-12-23) to lead its offense. Its big veteran squad gives it the ability to stay in any game with any team, but it may not have the depth and skill to be a serious contender come tournament time.
8. University of Maine – Boston University knows better than anyone that Maine has the ability to put lots of goals on the scoreboard, as it scored seven times in each contest against the Terriers. Goaltender Martin Ouellette has come into his own and has performed like a top-level goalie this year, maintaining a .930 save percentage and a 2.08 goals-against average this year as well. Sophomore Ben Hutton leads the league in defenseman goals (nine) as well. 9. Boston University – The Terriers’ shot differential woes (minus-10.38 per game) have been well documented and the team has lost eight of its last ten games, but the return of junior forward Evan Rodrigues to the lineup could help BU pull together a couple more wins as the regular season comes to a close. Injuries and youth have put BU among the worst teams in the league this year, and fans should not expect much change once the Hockey East Tournament comes around. 10. University of Massachusetts-Amherst – UMass has the most losses in the league (16), and for good reason. It is tied for the most goals allowed (82) on the season and does not have much going for it in terms of dynamic scorers. The fact that it only has one player with a positive plus-minus rating is representative of how little success it has had this season. 11. Merrimack College – Forwards Mike Collins (8-10-18) and Brian Christie (4-7-11) have double-digit points, but nobody else on Merrimack’s roster has more than nine points. Merrimack’s goaltending has not even been that strong, as Rasmus Tirronen only has a .915 save percentage in 17 starts. The Warriors just split the weekend with Amherst, showing that there is not much distance between the bottom two or three teams in the league.
Terriers look for strong defense, rebounding New BU starting unit begins to click Men’s Basketball: From Page 8
coach Joe Jones. “It was a character win. I had no doubt that we were going to play well on Saturday, there was no question in my mind. I know these guys. When you catch their attention, they perform. “My job is to catch their attention, keep them focused. When they’re focused, they’re very good. For 34 minutes we played very good basketball. Then we lost our focus and they took it to us. But it was a great character win, on the road, in probably the toughest venue to play at in the conference, sold out arena, after getting blown out, seven-hour drive, it was a bigtime win.” Watson and Morris have been stout for the Terriers all season. Between the two, they lead BU in points, assists, rebounds, steals and field goal percentage. On the defensive side of the ball, the Terriers will not only have to look out for Wilson, but also have to keep an eye on
sophomore Kevin Ferguson. The Berkeley Heights, N.J., native is ninth in the conference with 5.3 rebounds per game, second in shooting with a field goal percentage of 60.9 percent and second in blocks with 1.9 per game. Jones insisted that there are multiple areas in which the Terriers have to focus on in order to win. “I think the big thing is we have to play with unbelievable confidence ... because [Army] plays hard,” Jones said. “They really, really compete. We’re one of the top teams in defensive field goal percentage. We’re one of the top schools in rebounding. If we can defend and rebound [Wednesday] night, everything else will take care of itself. “The other thing we have to do is consistently take care of the basketball and get the shots that we want. If we do a good job of that, we’re going to be in great shape. [Army] is very good, they are talented.”
Women’s Hoops: From Page 8
needed stability in the Terriers’ starting lineup, as she has been a vital part in the last three games. During the stretch, the junior has averaged 13.3 points per game and 7.6 rebounds a contest. McKendrick has been part of a BU lineup including Agboola, Scannell, Callahan and freshman guard Sarah Hope that has gone 2-1 as unit on the floor. Greenberg said the Terriers will likely stick with the lineup throughout the rest of the season, barring major injury. “I think we’ve got our starting five with Mollie and Clodagh starting and [senior forward Whitney Turner] coming off the bench,” Greenberg said. “Which is great because Whitney’s our big presence and we’ll stick with the rotations we’ve been doing and just play possession basketball.” Not only will the starting lineup have to continue to work well together, but getting good opportunities will be essential for the
Terriers as well. The Black Knights have held opponents to a 36.7 shooting percentage from the field, posing a problem for BU, which is shooting just 37.2 percent on the season. “We just have to move the ball and get our open shots and hopefully knock them down,” Greenberg said. With inconsistencies this season, the Terriers have not often had much success stringing together victories, winning two straight games just once, with consecutive wins coming against the University of New Hampshire and the University of Vermont. However, for Greenberg, the focus is not on the wins, but on what the team can do to improve. “From day one, from the Northeastern [University] game we’ve said, ‘lets just learn from the game and learn from the experience and clean up whatever we didn’t do so hot in,’” Greenberg said. “That’s the key.”
“
“
Quotable
When you catch their attention, they perform.
-BU coach Joe Jones on his team’s performance against Bucknell University.
paGe 8
Foul Shots McDermott: The best in NCAA hoops
Patrick McKay
Ask a fan or even an analyst who they think the best college basketball player is right now. Chances are, they’ll give you the name of the player in the college ranks that they think is the most ready for the NBA. In the past, the answers to these two separate questions might be the same. Take the example of Blake Griffin in 2009. He was considered both the best player in the NCAA and the most NBA-ready, evidenced by his NBA Rookie of the Year award and countless highlight-reel dunks. But sometimes the answers are different. In 2011, the John Wooden Award, presented to college basketball’s best player, was given to Brigham Young University’s Jimmer Fredette, who averaged nearly 29 points per game. But Fredette was just the 10th pick in the subsequent 2011 NBA draft, and was the fourth point guard drafted. As it turns out, the scouts were right about Fredette. He has struggled at the professional level to make a consistent impact. Who’s the most NBA-ready player in college basketball this year? It’s a bit of a toss-up. Many mock drafts have Kansas center Joel Embiid going first overall, followed by heralded freshmen Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker. But who’s the best player in college basketball right now? Is it Oklahoma State University guard Marcus Smart, or maybe University of Kentucky power forward Julius Randle? In my opinion, it’s not any of the players that have been listed above. The best player in college basketball, for the most part, flies under the radar. His name is Doug McDermott, and he is a senior who plays for Creighton University in the Big East Conference. Part of the reason that McDermott doesn’t get the hype that Embiid, Wiggins, Parker and others do is because he plays for Creighton, a small school in Omaha, Neb., with just over 4,000 undergraduates. Until this year, Creighton played in the Missouri Valley Conference. As such, college basketball pundits weren’t
mCKay, see page 7
Sports The Daily Free Press
M. Basketball vs. Army, 7 p.m. W. Basketball @ Army, 7 p.m.
The BU men’s hockey team places ninth in this week’s power rankings, P.7.
[ www.dailyfreepress.com ]
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Men’s basketball prepares for Army Eagles lead
Hockey East power rankings
By Alex Rozier Daily Free Press Staff
After two tough road contests, the Boston University men’s basketball team is preparing for its return to Agganis Arena where the Terriers will face off against the U.S. Military Academy Wednesday night. The Terriers (14-7, 7-1 Patriot League) are hoping that their 6461 win against Bucknell University last Saturday will be the start of a new winning streak after its sixgame unbeaten run ended with a loss to Patriot League leader American University on Jan. 22. The Black Knights (10-9, 6-2 Patriot League), who sit behind BU at third place in the Patriot League, will aim to rebound after a 84-74 loss to the first-place Eagles (12-7, 8-0 Patriot League) this past Saturday. Army brings in a strong offense, leading the conference in scoring at 74.1 points per game. The Black Knights demonstrated how proficient its offense is against American, hitting 45.2 percent of their shots in the second half. While the Eagles lead the league in total defense, conceding 60.8 points per game, the Black Knights managed to score 44 points against them in the second half alone. Army guard Kyle Wilson had 27 points, shooting 7-for15 from the floor, and 4-of-5 mark from 3-point range. Wilson leads the team and is second in the conference in scoring with 19.2 points per game. The Black Knights were also lifted by the play of forward Tanner Plomb, who contributed 12 points and 7 rebounds. American made up for its subpar performance on defense on the other end of the floor, where the Eagles converted 10 3-point attempts. Four of those came from guard John Schoof, who finished with a team-high 22 points. American also excelled near the basket, where senior Tony Wroblicky had a strong outing, finishing with 19
By Kevin Dillon Daily Free Press Staff
1. Boston College – The Eagles are looking for better goaltending, but their offense is so good that it should not matter too much. BC (4.48 goals per game) averages more than a goal per game more than the next-best Hockey East team (Notre Dame, 3.28) thanks to the work of its first line. Forwards Johnny Gaudreau (22 goals, 28 assists 50 points), Kevin Hayes (1926-45) and Bill Arnold (8-28-36) are the top-three point scorers in the league. Throw in one of the best defensive units in the Hockey East as well as some solid secondary scoring and BC should have no trouble winning the conference’s regularseason title. 2. University of Massachusetts-Lowell – Coach Norm Bazin’s squad had a bit of a rocky start, but it has used its league-best team defense (1.96 goals against per game) to return to its form from a year ago. A balanced scoring unit led by senior Joe Pendenza (12-9-21) has been good enough to help the best goaltending tandem of senior Doug Carr and sophomore Connor Hellebuyck to the second most overall wins in the league (16).
GRACE DONNELY/DAILY FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO
Senior forward Dom Morris continues to shine in his final season at BU.
points, eight rebounds and five blocks. On the same day, sophomore guard Maurice Watson Jr. and senior forward Dom Morris led the Terriers over the Bison (9-10, 4-4 Patriot League). Watson had 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Morris scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. BU dominated most of the
game and at one point led by 20 points, but Bucknell scored ninestraight points in the final few minutes to make the contest close. However, sophomore guard John Papale made crucial free throws at the very end to seal the win for the Terriers. “It was a big win,” said BU
men’s BasKetBall, see page 7
3. Providence College – Providence started the season as the team to beat in Hockey East, but it has cooled off as of late. Losses to Northeastern University, BC and Lowell in the past month, as well as the slowing down of leading scorer Ross Mauermann (four points in his last seven games after scoring 27 in his first 19) have been a part of that cooling. Still, Mauermann and goaltender Jon Gillies are among the best players in the league and are capable of carrying the Friars deep into the postseason.
men’s hoCKey, see page 7
Women’s basketball sets sights on 2nd straight PL victory By Michael Joscelyn Daily Free Press Staff
The Boston University women’s basketball team will look to win its second straight Patriot League game Wednesday night when it takes on the U.S. Military Academy. The Terriers (8-13, 3-5 Patriot League) will be traveling to West Point, N.Y., where the Black Knights (14-5, 6-2 Patriot League) are a perfect 9-0 at home. “We can’t be happy that we got a big win over Bucknell [University],” said BU coach Kelly Greenberg on moving on to the next game. “We have to figure out what we did well in that game, improve on it and then figure out what Army brings. Then if we can combine what we’re doing well and limit
Army’s strengths then we’ll be fine.” BU is coming off of an 86-58 win against the Bison (10-8, 5-3 Patriot League) where senior forward Rashidat Agboola had 25 points, pushing her into the 1,000-point club for her Terrier career. The Terriers are led by Agboola and senior guard Danielle Callahan, who are both averaging double-digit points per game. Callahan is second in the league in assists, while Agboola is fifth in rebounding and blocked shots. To counter the BU attack, in Army’s main weapon in its arsenal is sophomore Kelly Minato. She is averaging 20.2 points per game, good for first in the Patriot League. Greenberg said she is aware of the kind of scoring threat that Minato
poses. “They have a really good point guard,” Greenberg said about Minato. “She’s a big time scorer and 20 points a game is a lot. We’re certainly going to be aware of where she is on the court.” Army also leads the league in defensive rebounds and rebounding margin with two players within the top 10 in the league in the rebound category. With BU towards the bottom in the rebounding department in the Patriot League, a full team effort will be needed to stop the Black Knight inside game. “We talk about rebounding every game because it’s just so important,” Greenberg said. “The last several games we feel like our guards, especially [sophomore
guard] Clodagh [Scannell], have stepped up and helped with rebounding so we’re going to focus on that.” Scannell has been strong on the boards lately, grabbing 12 and seven rebounds in her last two games, respectively, after grabbing just 45 in the previous 17 matchups of the season. Not only has Scannell improved on the boards, but she has also been a potent offensive weapon for the Terriers. She had 15 points in a win over Colgate University Jan. 15 and scored a career-high 17 points against Loyola University-Maryland Jan. 19. Coupled with Scannell’s resurgence, junior forward Mollie McKendrick has inserted some much-
Friday, Jan. 31
Saturday, Feb. 1
Sunday, Feb. 2
The Bottom Line
Wednesday, Jan. 29
HOCKEY LEAST
Thursday, Jan. 30
No Events Scheduled At Super Bowl media day Tuesday, several players and coaches were asked interesting questions...
M. Hockey @ UMass-Amherst, 7:30 p.m. W. Hockey @ UConn, 7 p.m.
M. Basketball vs. Lehigh, 1 p.m. W. Basketball @ Lehigh, 2 p.m. W. Hockey vs. UConn, 3 p.m.
women’s hoops, see page 7
No Events Scheduled Pete Carroll was even asked if the Super Bowl was a “must-win” game for the team. It’s the Super Bowl.
