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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Student fondly remembered as Colleague: Menino ‘determined’ to beat illness valuable community member Menino: From Page 1
Montes: From Page 1
“He loved Mexico and was part of his country,” she said. “That’s why he wanted to be treasurer — to create more connections between Mexico and BU and have events here to represent his country.” Montes was also a valued source of positive inspiration to his friends in the BU community, said his friend Michael Behme. “He was always a guy that would have a kind word for somebody,” Behme, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman, said. “I know that’s a cheesy thing that anybody could say, but he really would take time to say ‘hey, how are you, how was your day.’ He was always cheerful.” BU spokesman Colin Riley said the school community should remember Montes for the contributions he made during his time as a student. “It’s a terribly sad tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and classmates,” Riley said. “That’s why we want people to recognize all the wonderful contributions and the great life he had and the things he stood for. He was someone who was obviously really
supportive of his friends and the things he was involved with.” To memorialize the loss of Montes, Mexas at BU dedicated a Catholic mass at Marsh Chapel to him on Sunday, which was largely attended by Montes’s friends from BU and the Boston area. “The mass said it all. It was a beautiful moment,” said Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, university chaplain for international students. “Lots of students came out to celebrate his life and the impact he made on BU, even just during his short time as a freshman. He made a difference on so many lives and will be missed by all these people he impacted.” Devani said Montes remains in his memory as a personal inspiration for his determination to use his American education to serve his beloved home country. “He just made it so much more clear what we need to do as international students,” he said. “We both came from places where what mattered was who your family was. Then we came here, and it’s more about what you learn and your education. He was learning that more and more everyday. He will be the reason I wake up every morning and want to make a difference in the world.”
Resident: Any program aiding disabled people ‘worthwhile’ MBTA: From Page 1
they’d have the opportunity to navigate through the station with little to no difficulty.” Some residents said this program would be beneficial but difficult to carry out throughout Massachusetts. “Anything to make it easier for people with such a disability is worthwhile,” said Sherry Racine, 32, of the South End. “But it seems like it will take a while to put throughout all T stations, especially since the testing won’t even begin for a year.” Michael Bird, 49, of Jamaica Plain, said this may be a costly project but worth the money. “It will definitely be a tough project to put into all the MBTA
stations,” he said. “But we can’t just neglect these people. They already have a huge disability, we should do all we can to help them.” Jim Holevas, 67, of Dorchester, said the MBTA and the government should make this a focus on a much wider scale. “I’m surprised we aren’t assisting the blind much more,” he said. “We give a lot of attention to so many other disabilities, making everything wheelchair accessible, and we pay attention to so many other issues … but there should be much more help given to visually-impaired people. I can’t imagine being independent and getting around without my eyesight.”
he looks forward to the continued partnership. “We haven’t discussed [his medical condition] in detail, but I do know that he will be determined to carry on with energy and enthusiasm. He’s very enthusiastic, gracious, very personable, very easy to work with. It’s been a fabulous experience.” John Guilfoil, who served as the deputy press secretary for Menino for his last two years in office, wrote a blog post Monday in which he addressed Menino’s announcement and spoke about his respect for Menino, as a politician
and a Bostonian. “It always seemed as if no obstacle was too big for Mayor Menino, and that’s why I’m confident that he will face down this latest challenge,” he said. “Mayor Menino is a strong man in more ways than one, and I am praying for him and his wonderful family.” Several residents and students said the news of Menino’s cancer is disappointing, especially in the wake of his new position at BU. Jasmine Little, 23, of Brighton, said Menino spoke at her BU graduation ceremony in 2013, and her experiences through college were often defined by Menino’s actions as mayor. Although his
illness may limit his involvement with Initiatives on Cities, she said BU and Menino will bounce back. “BU always makes things happened, so I’m sure whatever they have planned, they’ll do it,” she said. “[But] I’m sure it’ll have a huge effect of the identity of the city in general.” Katie Robidoux, 23, of the South End, said Menino’s fight against cancer will be an example of Boston’s fighting morale. “We’re fighters in Boston,” she said. “It will be an example for everyone as he fights on and continues his fight against the disease to show us all not to stop.”
Financial aid to increase with rising tuition Tuition: From Page 1
high-quality education and will continue to address the challenges of balancing quality and cost that go with this commitment.” Brown said the university expected to provide financial aid to 51 percent of BU students in the coming academic year, and that building endowment to support financial aid is a major objective of the BU Campaign, designed to raise over $1 billion for the university. Victoria Liquori, a junior in Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, said she
was unsurprised by the increased cost of attending BU. “Sometimes BU has that connotation of squeezing every dollar they can out of you,” she said. “Everything I get is in loans, so I just have to keep paying more and more back, and it’s a lot on my parents that they have to pay because they have to make up the difference. It just sucks, but I wasn’t shocked when I saw it.” Riley said the rates of tuition and room and board increased not only due to enhanced amenities. “The improvements in facilities is just one thing, but the qual-
ity of the faculty has improved,” Riley said. “With it, we’ve seen an increase in the caliber of the student body, the applicants and continued interest in and reputation of Boston University.” CAS junior Gagan Gautam said he felt the increase was unfair. “I’m still waiting for the email that says we’re going to keep it the same, instead of increasing it every year,” he said. “I feel like it’s not in my control, but hopefully it eventually reaches a bubble because students can’t be paying that much.”
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