10-30-2013

Page 1

The Daily Free Press

Year xliii. Volume lxxxiv. Issue XXXIII

CHECKING IN Hotel Commonwealth discusses expansion, page 3.

[

Wednesday, October 30, 2013 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University

STARTING UP

Students pursue entrepreneurship while still enrolled, page 5.

]

TUTI-GO

www.dailyfreepress.com

Tutino excels as women’s hockey beats Northeastern, page 8.

WEATHER

Today: AM clouds, high 54. Tonight: Partly cloudy, low 38. Tomorrow: 61/58. Data Courtesy of weather.com

Lu Lingzi scholarship reaches $1 mil. fundraising goal Lawyers for friends of By Trisha Thadani Daily Free Press Staff

The Lu Lingzi Memorial Scholarship Fund, named after the BU graduate student who was killed in the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings, recently reached its $1 million goal this month, officials confirmed Tuesday. BU trustee Kenneth Feld established the scholarship fund just days after the attack on the Boston Marathon that claimed Lingzi’s life, said BU spokesman Colin Riley. The scholarship fund reached its goal through donations from BU alumni across the world and through support from Lingzi’s friends and family. “Certainly, we are appreciative of the trustees establishing it and taking the initiative to establish it [the scholarship fund] in her honor with respect to the family,” Riley said. “I think people responded incredibly to the scholarship.” Riley said the scholarship fund received worldwide support from over a thousand donors from two-dozen different countries. He said the extended support from the BU community and friends and family of Lingzi was unanticipated. “There is a lot of appreciation and gratitude, and it certainly shows the commitment of Boston University trustees to students, friends, faculty, staff and alumni who are willing to contribute in her name,” Riley said. According to the Lu Lingzi Scholarship Fund website, Lingzi, a graduate student studying statistics, was a beloved member of the BU community. BU Trustees

established this scholarship fund based on the wishes of the Lingzi family after their daughter died. “An optimist with a powerful work ethic, she had just passed the first part of the master’s comprehensive exam in statistics — an accomplishment that gave her great satisfaction,” a statement on the website read. “Along with her friends and family, we grieve at her passing.” All members of the extended BU family are invited to contribute to the Lu Lingzi Scholarship fund, according to the website. Contributions of any amount are both accepted and appreciated. The Lu Lingzi Scholarship fund will endow two scholarships for BU graduate students with one beginning in the fall 2014 semester, said Director of Advancement Communications Jeff Cruikshank. The dean of each graduate school or college may nominate one student each year to receive this scholarship, Cruikshank said. Selection will be based on the nominated student’s academic achievement and potential for success. “Each [scholarship] will provide an annual stipend and full tuition for up to two years,” Cruikshank said in an email. “International students enrolled in a full-time master’s degree program will be eligible, with preference given to those from China.” Feld, chairman of The Campaign for Boston University and initiator of the Lu Lingzi Scholarship Fund, was among one of the fund’s most notable donors, Cruikshank said. Cruikshank said according to Willis

Marathon suspect seek access to court docs. By Kyle Plantz Daily Free Press Staff

Douglas Kriner, professor of political science at BU, said debates rarely have a significant impact in the outcome of elections. “The influence of the debate probably depends on how many people are watching and how much information viewers have about the two candidates entering the debate,” he said. “All in all, my guess is that the debate will have little impact on the ultimate outcome.” Both candidates said choosing a new school superintendent and police commissioner would be the two most enduring decisions the new mayor would make, and leadership in Boston needs to reflect the wishes of the residents.

A lawyer for Azamat Tazhayakov, one of the college friends of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev who allegedly disposed of evidence during the aftermath of the bombings, argued in the U.S. District Court in Boston on Tuesday that a protective order against making court documents public should be lifted because prosecutors did not make a compelling case for the continued confidentiality of the materials. Nicholas Wooldridge, Tazhayakov’s attorney, said the protective order has given federal prosecutors the power to say what they want to the public about the case. “The government is the only one who has been able to comment on some of the discoveries in this case,” he said in the courtroom. “They are the ones who have been able to create a public record by filing a complaint, cherry-picking certain parts of discoveries and putting that in their criminal complaint as well as their indictment. The defendants have basically been muzzled.” Tazhayakov, 19, pleaded not guilty to obstruction of justice and conspiracy charges on Sept. 13. None of the friends appeared in the courtroom on Tuesday. Prosecutor John Capin said lifting the protective order would be inappropriate. “The basis of the order is to protect the litigants, most especially, the defendants, from adverse pre-trial publicity,” he said. “That’s why the order is in place.” U.S. Magistrate Judge Marianne Bowler said she would take the defense’s argument into advisement. Lawyers for Dias Kadyrbayev and Robel Phillipos, both friends of Tsarnaev, said they are working with the prosecution on an agreement that would loosen restrictions of the order so the defense and family members of the suspect could have more access to the materials. The men became friends with Tsarnaev while they all attended the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Prosecutors said Kadyrbayev, 19, texted Tsarnaev on April 18, three days after the bombings, telling him that he looked like

Debate, see page 2

Marathon, see page 2

PHOTO COURTESY OF MENGHAN HU

The Lu Lingzi scholarship fund, which was established after Lu Lingzi was killed in the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings, recently reached its $1 million goal.

Wang, vice president and associate provost from global programs, the Lingzi family is grateful for the support the scholarship fund has received. Wang was the intermediary for the Lingzi family when they came to BU for their late daughter’s memorial service in April. “The family [Lingzi] is proud and appreciative of the scholarship,” Cruikshank said. “For BU, the scholarship symbolizes a strong community coming together in the wake of a terrible tragedy.”

Candidates discuss city official appointments in final mayoral debate By Alice Bazerghi Daily Free Press Staff

In the final debate of the mayoral race before the election on Tuesday, City Councilor John Connolly and Mass. Rep. Martin Walsh talked about some of the most important decisions they would make as mayor, including selecting a new superintendent for Boston Public Schools and a new police commissioner for the Boston Police Department. R.D. Sahl, journalism professor at Boston University, moderated the debate hosted by the Boston Media Consortium, and opened up the proceedings by asking

the candidates about their campaigns this election because both Connolly and Walsh agreed to run a positive campaign. “Tens of thousands of negative flyers were mailed out that came from an outside group, but Walsh opened up this kind of thing when he said he would take outside money,” Connolly said. “Marty couldn’t stop [unions] from sending out negative flyers. They’ve spent $2 million on his campaign, so it raises legitimate questions on whether or not he can display the independence needed as mayor.” As mayor, Walsh said he would work with unions, but not be influenced by them. “When I found out there was a negative flyer on John, I asked the group to stop,” he said. “This race shouldn’t be about negative campaigning.”

Michael Nichols uses research, legal experience to move ahead in District 8 City Council race By Felicia Gans Daily Free Press Staff

JUSTIN HAWK/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

City Councilor candidate Michael Nichols (left) speaks to Boston University students Oct. 15 at the Boston University Student Government office in the GSU basement.

This is the third part in a series of profiles about the candidates facing off in the Nov. 5 election. In addition to the mayoral election, the District 8 race for City Council is also in full swing. Attorney Michael Nichols is running against lawyer Josh Zakim to fill former mayoral candidate Michael Ross’s seat, with his campaign focusing on using his policy research to their advantage. Nichols worked as a chief of staff for the State House, and currently serves as the research director for the City Council. Nichols said this experience in legal and policy research has prepared him for the responsibilities to be a city councilor. “I’m actually the only one left in the election that has any city government experience or state government experience or civic association experience,” he said. “I think that something that District 8 has long shown is a desire to have people who

know the intricacies of public policy and work to make people’s lives better for it.” Nichols said he plans to begin with a focus on public education, late night public transportation and affordable housing. “Not just low income affordable housing, not just middle income,” he said. “No matter what amount of money you’re making, or if you’re not making any money at all, you should have access to affordable housing in Boston.” Suzanne Schlossberg, Nichols’ campaign manager, said that if elected, Nichols plans to cater to multiple parts of the district at once so there is constant progress and development. Because of the mayoral election, voter turnout was low in the District 8 primary on Sept. 29, but Schlossberg said this election is important because changes in city government will impact residents’ lives. “City services are often overlooked, so

Nichols, see page 2


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