NEWS A pro-marijuana legalization group leads anti-marijuana legalization groups in funding by over $2 million. p. 2
CATALYST Daly Field is the only public complex in the New England area that implements organic Geofill, which is made of 100 percent natural fibers. p. 7
57°/70° CLEAR
SPORTS Former women’s golf standout Emily Tillo was recently nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year, and discussed her childhood, BU years and career. p. 12
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY YEAR XLV. VOLUME XCI. ISSUE II.
“YES TO DIVEST”
Student’s death raises questions on campus safety BY SEKAR KRISNAULI DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
PHOTO BY BETSEY GOLDWASSER/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Members of Divest BU gather in front of the BU Castle to protest the Board of Trustees’ investment in fossil fuels.
Group rallies for fossil fuel divestment BY SOPHIA EPPOLITO DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Chanting “no more coal, no more oil, keep your carbon in the soil,” approximately 80 members of the Boston University community rallied on Marsh Plaza Wednesday afternoon, urging the university to divest funds from fossil fuels. Divest BU, a coalition that advocates for divestment movement on campus, organized the rally when they learned that the BU Board of Trustees might make a decision on
divestment this week, Divest BU Secretary Masha Vernik said during the rally. “[BU’s] infrastructure in fossil fuel divestment is ultimately corrupt,” Vernik, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said to the group. “We are here today because we know that the decision-makers we have aren’t going to make the right decisions unless we tell them to.” Throughout the rally, Divest BU volunteers handed out pieces of orange felt, the symbol of divestment, for participants to pin on their clothes.
The group of students, faculty members and alumni marched towards the BU Castle, where they believed the BU Board of Trustees was meeting. They then circled around the entrance to the Castle and placed a ballot box filled with slips of paper on the steps of the building — the goal, Vernik said, was to symbolize how participants would vote on this issue if they had the opportunity to do so. Kalman Gacs, a 2007 College of Fine Arts alumnus, said when it comes to divest CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Uber offers flat rate within select college zones BY DAVE SEBASTIAN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
College students around Greater Boston, as of this month, can travel inside designated college areas for a flat rate of $2 using Uber’s ride-hailing option uberPOOL, according to a Friday press release. Students are eligible for the uberPOOL flat rate by sharing the ride with another passenger going in the same direction. Areas covered by the program are Kendall, Harvard and Davis squares, Fenway, Kenmore, Allston, Brighton and JFK, the release stated. The program is the first of its kind among Uber’s U.S. operations, Uber spokesperson Carlie Waibel said, dubbing the Boston area as an “education hub.” “This offers a very affordable and convenient way for students to get around their campuses as well as their neighboring community,” Waibel said. “Whether it’s going to and from a restaurant, going from class,
going out in the evening, these are important things to make sure people do have that reliable transportation option.” Students around Greater Boston welcomed the flat rate program, because of the clear economic cost and convenience. Anthony Zhao, a sophomore at Boston College, said he does not use Uber to travel across his campus, but the flat rate program would be beneficial if it was expanded to include downtown Boston. “That’ll make trips so much cheaper,” he said. “I’d probably use it a lot more.” Though Massachusetts Institute of Technology junior Kyle Pina regularly uses his car to commute, riding Uber can be a practical option when finding parking space, he said. “If you know it’s going to be $2, for college students, it’s not a bad idea at all,” he said. “I definitely think it’s easier to use.” Uber, launched in San Francisco in March 2009, faces increasing competition with other companies that provide similar ride-hailing services.
Lyft, for instance, offers Lyft Line, an option similar to uberPOOL. Though special pricing has not yet been implemented, Lyft lauds itself as the first company in Boston to offer shared rides since September 2015, said Lyft spokesperson Timothy Rathschmidt. “We’re always looking at ways to make rides more affordable and efficient,” Rathschmidt said. Fasten, another ride-hailing company that operates in Boston and Austin, also serves as a price competitor for Uber. Though it currently does not have sharedride options like Uber and Lyft, Fasten’s “rates are the lowest in town,” said Fasten co-founder and COO Vlad Christoff. “The more, the merrier,” Christoff said, referring to the increasing competition among ride-hailing services. “The more companies out there, the better it is for drivers and riders because we compete for both drivers and riders.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
As the Boston University community grieves the death of a 17-year-old BU student from China, many cannot help but wonder how the university can ensure the safety of its approximately 8,500 international students, many of whom are in the states for the first time when they start classes. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Transit Police discovered a body on the tracks behind 10 Buick St. in the early morning hours of Sept. 7. Transit Police on Wednesday identified the victim as Xianhu Chen, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. While authorities cannot conclude the nature of Chen’s death at this time, preliminary evidence “shows this is a tragic, sad accident,” Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan told the Boston Globe. Although the case is still under investigation, evidence does not suggest foul play, and has not been deemed, Suffolk District Attorney spokesperson Jake Wark said. “You have probably heard that we had a student who died, and you have probably seen news reports saying that student was from China. That is true,” BU Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore told a group of Chinese students Friday during a special orientation. Approximately 200 Chinese students came to the Law Auditorium to attend a special orientation hosted by the BU Chinese Students and Scholars Association, BUCSSA President Zhibo Dang said. The unexpected tragedy stunned the Chinese student community, Dang said. Not many students had the chance to know Chen because he arrived in Boston just a week before the incident, but everyone feels for his family, the Questrom School of Business junior said. During the annual Chinese student orientation, one of the main topics was safety, Dang explained. The university’s general orientation also informed the incoming Class of 2020 on student safety, especially on BU’s cam CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
PHOTO BY ERIN BILLINGS/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The tracks where a BU student was struck and killed by an MBTA Commuter Rail train tracks sit behind Buick Street.
2
NEWS
Extreme drought warning issued for Boston BY KALINA NEWMAN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
United States Drought Monitor recently announced a Code Red for Extreme Drought warning in the Greater Boston area, an area encompassing over six million people, and Baker-Polito administration is encouraging Mass. residents to be aware of their water use. Despite Hurricane Hermine going along the East Coast last week, the US Drought Monitor has recorded abnormal drought conditions for the past five months. Malcolm Hill , a geochemistry professor at Northeastern University explained why Hurricane Hermine did not put an end to this five-month dry spell. “There’s been a shift of moisture bringing air that’s seemingly skipped over Boston and Massachusetts as a whole, bringing on days of humidity and clouds but no rain,” Hill said While the drought could have damaging ecologic effects, Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton explained in a Aug. 18 press release that Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito are working with residents of the state to combat the situation. “Extended drought conditions can have far reaching, long term environmental impacts that affect us all, making it increasingly important that we work collaboratively and incorporate water conservation practices into our daily routines,” said Beaton in the release. The Baker-Polito administration also launched an emergency micro-loan fund for family farms and small businesses for up to $1 million, according to a press release on Sept. 7, to help combat the drought’s effects on farmers in Mass. Baker urged residents to be mindful of their water usage in order to avoid waste, according to the press release. “I am asking the public to administer best water conservation practices for the
CRIME LOGS
Drought in Massachusetts = Code Red (Extreme Drought)
BY ELLEN CRANLEY DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The following reports were taken from the Boston University Police Department from Sept. 8-11.
Medical assist reported at 705 Comm Ave.
Most farmers are forced to water their plants by hand. Farmers are taking out up to $1 million in microloans to help combat the negative effects of the drought. An estimated 6,482,244 people populate the drought area.
Data from WBUR and US Drought Monitor
Officers responded to report of a male student having a panic attack at 11:10 a.m. on Sept. 8 near 705 Commonwealth Ave. The student was transported to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center.
GRAPHIC BY ETHAN PIKE/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
foreseeable future,” Baker said in the release, “Droughts can have lasting effects, and it is incredibly important that we all work together to conserve water while these dry conditions persist.” Mass. Public Safety Secretary Daniel Bennett advised the public to be careful when it comes to the use of outdoor grills, matches, or any other open flame, as fires are another concern when it comes to draught, according to the release. “We are … working with local fire chiefs to ensure mutual aid agreements and plans are in place so adequate supplies of water are available to support firefighting needs,” Bennett said in the release. While the state braces itself for an exceptionally dry fall, for now there have been adequate resources available to keep Mass. hydrated, according to the release. “We have not reached the point where demand for water exceeds supply,” Bennet said in the release. Several Boston residents said they did not know Boston is experiencing a drought, but have noticed the cloudy weather with
lack of moisture. Ben Herman, 29, of Back Bay, said the drought has not affected him at all. “I haven’t noticed anything particularly dry about Boston, which I guess is funny since we’re in an extreme drought,” Herman said. Steven Sanders, 33, of South Boston, said while he expected Boston to get some rainfall from Hurricane Hermine, he dismissed it at unimportant to the Commonwealth. “I remember not paying much attention to Hurricane Hermine earlier in the summer, since it was based in Florida,” he said. Chelsea Reynolds, 25, of Dorchester, said she was aware of the lack of rain, but trusts that Massachusetts legislatures are doing everything they can to remedy the situation. “I had noticed the past few weeks were cloudy with absolutely no rain fall from that,” Reynolds said. “Extreme drought sounds pretty serious, but I’d like to think Baker knows what he’s doing to solve it.”
Pro-marijuana legalization group leads funding BY ALYSSA MEYERS DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
One pro-marijuana legalization group has raised over $2.4 million in 2016 alone, while the largest opposing campaign has raised less than $400,000, according to state financial reports filed Friday. The pro-legalization group, YES on 4, began in the summer of 2015, and by that fall had a ballot initiative with 105,000 signatures. The group’s main purpose is “to establish a system for regulating and taxing marijuana for adult use in Massachusetts,” according to its website. The Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act will appear as ballot question No. 4 on Massachusetts’ November ballot. Many of YES on 4’s donations have come from individual supporters of marijuana legalization, including some out-ofstate supporters. However, the largest contribution came from a Washington, D.C. based organization, according to YES on 4 spokesperson Jim Borghesani. “The majority of our money came from a foundation called New Approach,” Borghesani said. The New Approach PAC contributed over $2.1 million to YES on 4, according to the campaign finance receipts. The organization, founded in 2014 as a nonprofit, supports pro-marijuana reform laws across the country, contributing to Oregon’s legalization law and California’s upcoming legalization election. The largest opposition group, the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massa-
CAMPUS
$2 million
}
$1 million
$500,000
$400,000
Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts (anti-legalization group)
$2.1 million funded by New Approach PAC (a national prolegalization organization)
YES on 4 (pro-legalization group)
SOURCE: THE MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF CAMPAIGN AND POLITICAL FINANCE
GRAPHIC BY RACHEL CHMIELINSKI/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
chusetts, has raised significantly less money than its counterpart, according to the finance reports. On the campaign’s website, the main screen features text reading, “Wrong for kids. Wrong for Massachusetts. Oppose the creation of a billion dollar marijuana industry.”
Jacket stolen from Fitness and Recreation Center A student reported Sept. 8 at 6:06 p.m. that her jacket was stolen from the women’s locker room at FitRec.
Male student reports Facebook extortion A male student reported Friday at 9:11 p.m. that he had exchanged nude videos with an unknown female on Facebook. The female told him that she wanted $400, or she would send the video to the victim’s friends on Facebook.
Officers arrested a man not affiliated with the university who was passed out in the bathroom of Hotel Commonwealth at 3:08 p.m. on Sunday. He was in possession of a syringe and a bag of heroin.
$2.4 million
$1.5 million
A female student reported Sept. 8 at 11:33 a.m. that her bike was stolen from 52 Buswell St. It was originally secured to a bike rack with a cable lock.
Drug possession at 500 Commonwealth Ave.
Money raised by advocacy groups in anticipation of marijuana legalization ballot question $2.5 million
Bicycle stolen from 52 Buswell St.
The campaign lists supporters of the campaign, including Massachusetts lawmakers Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Boston Mayor Martin Walsh. Although YES on 4 has raised over $2.4 million up to date, Borghesani said the coalition have yet to reach its fundraising CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Intoxicated male student found at Basho Express Officers responded to a call at 12:51 a.m. on Saturday for an intoxicated male student who passed out in Basho Express at 700 Commonwealth Ave. He was transported to the Boston Medical Center for treatment.
Medical assist called at Warren Towers An intoxicated female student was found on the ninth floor women’s restroom of 700 Commonwealth Ave. on Sunday. Officers responded at 12:43 a.m., and the student was transported to the BMC for treatment.
NEWS
3
Myles residents weigh pros and cons of construction BY MAISIE GUZI DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Soon after Claire Linden moved into her room at Myles Standish Hall two weeks ago, she knew the days she could sleep until noon were long gone. “My room was right up against the construction,” the College of General Studies sophomore said. “I would wake up every day at 6:30 a.m. from the voices of the construction workers, and they would start drilling and hammering right outside my bedroom window at 7 … I barely got any sleep, and my allergies were flaring up really badly.” As Boston University launched its 30-month plan to renovate the 90-year-old building, the school announced that the western side of the Myles Standish Hall would be under construction during the 2016-2017 school year. Linden is among the 405 students living in either the east side of Myles or the Annex during construction. After “begging” BU Residence Life to move her anywhere else on campus, Linden still lives in Myles Standish, but her room no longer faces the construction. The university is not blind to how construction noise impacts student life. Students who chose to remain in Myles were offered a 50 percent discount in their room and board costs for the year, said Marc Robillard, executive director for auxiliary services. “We were concerned about noise. We want the contractors to be careful of what they do but we didn’t want to slow them down because this is on a really tight
PHOTO BY BETSEY GOLDWASSER/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
A construction worker stands on a crane in the construction zone for renovations at Myles Standish Hall.
timeline,” Robillard said. “We figured that the best way to deal with this one is to tell people upfront that it was going to be a noisy construction site, and provide them some relief on the room rate.” Alex Quinlan, a resident assistant in Myles, said so far a few residents on her floor have complained about the noise, but no one has filed an official complaint yet. The students just looking for someone who understand their plight, she said. “I had parents during move in that were really upset,” the Questrom School of Business junior said. “One of the moms came up to me and was like ‘I can’t believe my son is living here. I’m not happy with this,’ but he chose to live there [anyway].”
While living next to a loud construction site is unpleasant, several students said they don’t regret choosing Myles and Myles Annex because the price is too good to pass on — a standard double room in Warren Towers costs $9,810 for the 201617 academic year, while a double in Myles costs $4,905. “If I had the chance to go back, I would probably still pick Myles,” said Olivia Dorencz, a sophomore in the College of Engineering. “Price was definitely one of the biggest reasons for me choosing to live here, but I genuinely prefer living in East Campus.” Robillard said the university considered closing down the entire building dur-
ing renovation, but there are two challenges — it would be more difficult to find 753 beds to replace Myles and Myles Annex, and there is a higher risk that the construction wouldn’t be done on time. “Hospitals renovate while they’re operating, hotels renovate while they’re operating, [so] we figured we could renovate while we’re operating,” Robillard said. “… We wanted to be able to accommodate students and we wanted to mitigate the risk of schedule.” By next school year, constructions on the western side of Myles Standish will be complete and the area will be put into operation, Robillard said. While the eastern sides undergoes construction, students will be able to live in the new air-conditioned rooms. The university leased the 180-unit apartment building at 1047 Commonwealth Ave. for two years as a temporary replacement for the beds lost during the Myles renovations, Robillard said. “We offered 1047 up as part of room selection. You didn’t have to live in Myles to live in 1047, and there was no priority given to Myles residents,” Robillard said. “We have a two-year lease at 1047, and when that lease is up, we won’t renew it. We will open up Myles, which will be brand new, and it will be fantastic.” Rob Bonigli-Hinson, a sophomore in Questrom, said he needs to get up early for class, so the construction noise does not impact him as much. Plus, he said, the reduced price is “a great opportunity” to save money and ease financial burden. “If I could pay the extra $5,000 without any problem, then yes, I would pay the money to live in 1047,” he said. “[But] every situation has its pros and cons.”
Uber launches uberPOOL $2 flat rate on college campuses UBER, FROM PAGE 1
Christoff said Fasten has a “Boost” option, which allows riders to bid a higher fare in times of high traffic; unlike Uber and Lyft, Fasten does not automatically implement surge pricing during high-demand hours. Despite their growing prominence, ride-hailing services have been entangled in sexual assault cases. Alejandro Curiel, a freshman at Northeastern University, said he does not feel comfortable using ride-hailing services due to safety concerns. “I don’t sometimes feel that safe,” he said. “I don’t know how the drivers are hired. Anyone can do it.” Yet for others, Uber serves as an alternative to public transportation during the night. Hannah Davies, a sophomore at Suffolk University, said she finds Uber conven-
ient at night. “I would feel safer taking an Uber after dark than taking the T because … it brings you to and from exact locations instead of having to find your way from the stations,” she said. “I have never had any issues with Uber. Granted I have never taken an Uber by myself, I’m usually with a group of friends.” Waibel, the Uber spokesperson, said Uber provides riders with various data to ensure safety, such as the driver’s photo, license plate number and a GPS tracking system that can be shared with the rider’s acquaintances. “Safety is absolutely a priority for us at Uber — for riders and our driver partners,” she said. “All drivers right now have to go through a background screening process that is done through a third-party background check vendor.”
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LEXI PLINE/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
UberPOOL is now offering a $2 flat rate for passengers driving within designated campus areas.
International student’s death likely accident, community in shock SAFETY, FROM PAGE 1
pus and in the City of Boston. BU Police Department Deputy Director of Public Safety Scott Paré spoke at “Citizen Terrier,” an orientation activity that was specifically designed to address pedestrian safety. “I talked about being aware of [one’s] surroundings and taking out earbuds and putting phones away,” Paré recounted. “With the music so loud, sometimes you can’t hear … vehicles traveling.” Anthony Perry, a junior in the College of Engineering, said the jaywalking culture he experiences on campus is distinctive to Boston, and he understands how it might be difficult for students from other countries to get used to. “When I was [studying] abroad in Spain [in the Spring 2016 semester], no one ever jaywalks,” the Boston native said. New international students may ex-
perience cultural differences that pose additional challenges for them, Paré said. However, domestic students who are from small towns might share the same sentiment, he said. “Commonwealth [Avenue] is a unique place where before you cross, you really have to look both ways for a bike, and then cross two lanes of travel, and then watch out for trains coming both ways and then do it all over again,” Paré said. When it comes to keeping students safe outside of BU’s campus, Paré said, rail tracks behind the university are surrounded by fences — people would need to climb over the fences to get to the rails. However, the rail tracks and its direct surroundings belong to the City of Boston, not BU, Paré said. “We try to work with government affairs to address concerns [relating to the tracks],” Paré added. “But that’s not
an area where any pedestrian should be out on. There’s really no reason to be out there.” In addition to having speakers introduce safety regulations and precautions for living on a hybrid campus like BU’s, the university also had orientation programs that allowed freshmen to experience life on both BU’s campus and in Boston before school started, Director of Orientation Shiney James said. The mandatory program “Common Ground” took groups of freshmen into the city to get to know their peers from different colleges, while the special event “City Excursions” gave freshmen the opportunity to explore different neighborhoods of Boston, James said. Sally Kim, an orientation leader, said she made sure students took precautions and used common sense when they were in the city.
“Most of the time, Common Ground was happening during rush hours,” the CAS junior said. “There were a lot of other people trying to get to different places, so I also let them know that it was absolutely imperative for them to stick together. It’s also for their benefit so they don’t get lost in the middle of the city. Kim said she led student groups in all eight orientation sessions, and the groups could be as big as 25 freshmen. She added that making sure the 3,500 freshmen in the Class of 2020 were “really having a good time and are doing well in terms of transitioning into the university and their safety” was the biggest priority for her and her colleague. BU has a safe campus, Paré said. But, “things can happen. Some of these international students, they feel a sense of comfort here, but they forget that they’re in a large city,” he added.
4
NEWS
YES on 4 receives $2.1 million donation from PAC in 2016 MARIJUANA, FROM PAGE 2
goal, and they have until October to do so. “Our goal is to raise $3 million, and we really have to do that by the end of October or the middle of October, because anything raised after that doesn’t do much good in the campaign,” Borghesani said. While the campaigning has not started in earnest yet, Borghesani said the majority
of the money will go toward paying for media expenditures such as television advertisements. Boston residents had varying views in regard to the legalization of marijuana in Massachusetts. Joshua Vanderhoof, 24, of Allston, said although he’s never smoked, he thinks the sale of marijuana should be legal. “We have alcohol legalized, that was il-
legal back in the day during the prohibition times, and marijuana has less dangerous effects than alcohol that we know of, so I don’t see why it can’t be legal,” he said. Theresa Suber, 41, of Dorchester, does not support pro-legalization groups, saying the legalization of marijuana would have negative effects on the Commonwealth. “I think if they legalize marijuana the city would get worse,” Suber said. “The
crime would be worse.” Douglas Benton, 44, of Dorchester, said marijuana legalization comes back around and results in positive effects for the government. “It could really save the economy if they just found a way to actually use it properly and get legal money out of it,” Benton said. “It’s not really a harmful drug, and it has medicinal uses.”
Community hopes Board of Trustees takes stand on divestment DIVEST BU, FROM PAGE 1
ment from fossil fuel, BU is lagging. “It’s really pertinent that we do something about climate change, and currently, unfortunately BU, in a lot of ways, is on the wrong side of this issue,” he said. Vernik said the university should take a moral stance on the issue of climate change by divesting from fossil fuels. “When we take our money out of fossil fuel, it morally discredits [fossil fuel companies],” Vernik said. “We’re saying we don’t want to give you money because what you’re doing is morally abhorrent.” Members of BU Student Government also took a stance during the rally — Jane
Dimnwaobi, the SG vice president of internal affairs, said it is important for the Board of Trustees to know what students want. “If we didn’t come here today, the Board of Trustees may not have considered student input, and that’s wrong,” Dimnwaobi, a CAS junior, said during her speech at the rally. “This decision affects us all. We know it does. Some people here have always known, but today the Board will know as well.” Dimnwaobi said poor people and people of color tend to suffer more from environmental disasters, and board members are less likely to be affected by the effects of climate change.
“I’m sorry, but the majority of the Board of Trustees are excluded from these honorable [poor people and people of color],” she said. The BU community’s effort toward fossil fuel divestment can be traced back to 2014, when a delegation of 245 professors from nearly all of BU’s school and departments submitted their petition for fossil fuel divestment to President Robert Brown, The Daily Free Press reported Sept. 10, 2014. Nathan Phillips, an earth and environment professor, said he is impressed by how many students supported the rally. “This group of people and the energy that’s in this crowd is bigger than I’ve ever
seen at BU,” he said. “And it’s only going to grow. This movement is unstoppable because it’s on the right side of history. I’m just so proud and honored to be part of it.” Desmond Molloy, a sophomore in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, said BU should consider investing in other businesses. “A lot of people will say that climate change is an issue for the future, but it’s really happening now,” Molloy said. “There are a lot of other industries that BU could potentially invest in. There are other prosperous fields of industry that we could be putting our investment money into [and] don’t cause as much harm as fossil fuels.”
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FEATURES
5
MUSE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
Dee Jay Silver creates eclectic remixes from country music BY REBECCA ZENG DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Generally, the banjos and the fiddles and the crooning about country roads and pickup trucks rarely give the impression that country music can be remixed by a professional deejay. However, Dee Jay Silver, a Nashville-based recording artist known for his eclectic remixes, challenges that idea. He mixes country music with house, hip-hop and rock. The result can be chill with a good beat, as in Silver’s remix of Alabama’s “Dixieland Delight,” which mixes the nostalgic vocals of the band’s lead singer, Randy Owen, with the hip rap of Nappy Roots. On the other hand, Silver can inspire a full-out dance party, like with his remix of “Aw Naw” by Chris Young. Currently on tour with Jason Aldean, Silver stopped in Boston to play at Fenway Park Friday and Saturday as a supporting act, and at The Greatest Bar in Boston for his own headlining show. In a phone interview with The Daily Free Press, Silver described his collaboration with Aldean as a “perfect 1-2 punch.” “It’s a good energy, it’s a good setup,” Silver said. “We both have
PHOTO COURTESY MITCH SCHNEIDER ORGANIZATION
Dee Jay Silver hosted a show at Greatest Bar Friday night after performing at Fenway Park.
the same goal, and that’s to throw the biggest party that we could possibly throw. Every night we try to take it up a notch, try to give the crowd something that they’ve never seen.” A Texas native, Silver lived a childhood not only “full of football, baseball and stuff like that,” but also full of country music.
“All my dad listened to was country music, and all he played was country music,” Silver said. “That definitely ... put a twist on who I would be later.” Silver started to deejay in college in order to make extra income. He was self-taught and learned by watching other deejays. He said his key influences
include Z-Trip and Bad Boy Bill. “[I’m inspired by] people who were doing something different than most people, playing the same music in a different way that you’ve never heard,” Silver said. In addition to having played at high-profile venues and music festivals, Silver recently released
his first original single, “Just Got Paid” featuring Austin Webb. Silver attributed his success to hard work and refusing to take no for an answer. His biggest struggle, he said, was convincing people that it is possible to deejay for country music. “I wanted a record deal as a deejay for country music, and they told me I was crazy,” Silver said. “I went in with my manager and we had a record deal, and we got several offers and we signed with Sony Music Entertainment. That’s where we’ve been ever since.” As a result, Silver broke barriers for deejays, becoming the first deejay to perform at the Academy of Country Music Awards and the American Country Awards. Things have changed for country music deejays, Silver said. “If you had told someone five years ago that you wanted to deejay country music, they would look at you like you’re crazy,” Silver said. “[Now] they see what you’re talking about. We’re not talking about lowly women and country dogs. It’s fun, it’s party, it’s drinking, having a good time. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
INBUSINESS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
“Real” app encourages friendships founded in social activism BY YASMIN YOUNIS DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
What if we began to swipe right on personality, instead of on pictures? While applications like Tinder and Bumble dominate the digital social scene, 19-year-old entrepreneur Ocean Pleasant said she believes creating long-lasting connections should be about more than just passion surrounding physical appearance. At a place as large as Boston University, however, it is easy to resort to superficial means. And while it may be intimidating and overwhelming to go up to someone on Commonwealth Avenue and strike up a conversation, Pleasant said she doesn’t believe it is impossible. Thus, she created an app called Real. “Real is a simple way to meet new friends without sexual pretense or gender bias,” Pleasant said. She said the app’s innovation in a sphere of mainstream socializing applications comes with a different approach and target audience. In 2015, Pleasant was given a $100,000 grant to develop and create the app, under the Thiel Fellowship program. The grant has helped her network with other young entrepreneurs, Pleasant
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The “Real” app allows users to connect with compatible people nearby with no gender bias or sexual pretense.
said. In the past eight months, she was able to make Real a reality based off one of her younger projects, Real Teen Mag. The Real brand has its roots in raising awareness for social causes. Unlike dating apps, Real is designed to make and establish strong friendships rather than romantic relationships or one-night stands. It was created with the intention of uniting people for social change. “You’re swiping on personality instead of appearance,” Pleasant said. Based on user interests, people can unite under community
causes such as recycling initiatives or lobbying for a new park. “Real is a way to make new friends and also have the opportunity to make an impact,” Pleasant said. “[Real] partners with organizations in any city we launch in and provide[s] access to people who would be interested in volunteer opportunities, internships or cool things going on in the area.” Pleasant said her passion for social awareness began during her childhood. “I was raised by a single mom who was also a conflict journalist until I was about 13,” Pleasant said. “I was raised in roughly eight
different countries … I lived in a slum outside New Delhi … and volunteered.” With Real, Pleasant incorporated her passion for social good and united her experiences into one app. “There is so much activism and there are so many things going on, especially around feminist issues, in major cities — like Boston, like New York,” said Susanne Sreedhar, a BU philosophy professor. “Having an app like this that puts people in touch with each other will give them someone to go to with to these activist events. It will help people get together for issues, and it seems like a good thing for activism in general.” As a student, Pleasant said she recognized the necessity of integrating volunteering with natural socializing. “I think it’s a good idea,” said Erin Myers, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. “If I were starting to use it, I would start with other friends … without doing it by myself, to experience it.” Real has officially launched in New York City, and according to Pleasant, it plans to launch in Boston next. The founder chose Boston as a great place to expand the app because of the number of diverse, young people in the area,
Pleasant said. In the meantime, students are invited to download the application to get comfortable with the interface. “[Real] has six main filter topics we use to filter the most compatible personality,” Pleasant said. “With the amount of students, there are an abundance of interests BU students have … [Real] opens up the opportunities and possibilities to connect with people you wouldn’t normally stop in the street and talk to after class.” Pleasant is not alone in her beliefs. “Boston University would have some sort of population definitely interested in using [Real],” said Jenna Quinn, a sophomore in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Even while students may be interested in Real, marketing the app to BU’s population is what will make the Boston launch more successful. “I like it when [companies] hand out stuff [at the George Sherman Union] … like a 4-by-6 flyer with all the product information on it,” Quinn said. Myers suggests Real markets with promotions such as Starbucks gift cards for coffee shop meetups. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
6
FEATURES
IMPACT
DESIGN CREDIT: POKEMON
GRAPHICS BY SHIVANI PATEL/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
Pokemon Go tour motivates, unites mobile game enthusiasts BY SAVANNAH WU DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The hour-long “Poke Tour” walk embarked on its first trip Saturday afternoon in front of District Hall in South Boston. The group of about 10 chattered away excitedly about the teams they were on and the Pokemon they hope to catch on the tour. “We all have grown up, have our jobs, but what Pokemon Go touches is that wish that we could have gone out there in the real world and caught Pokemon,” said Sagger Khraishi, founder of the Poke Tour. He first came up with the idea in London while working as a game developer and UI/UX designer. Khraishi moved his startup from the UK to Boston after the price of working with tour buses in London became too high, he said. Adam Wallek, a coordinator for the Poke Tour, quickly joined with Khraishi to collaborate and create content for a Boston-based tour. With a background in business development and marketing, Wallek said, he agreed that the new app encourages some groups of people to relive their youth through the game. “Anything that takes you out of your 9-to-5 office to go out or away to unwind is a must,” Wallek said. “I like how Pokemon Go also takes you outside and has you interacting with strangers, not just co-worker or clients.” According to the duo, Boston, a city with over 500 PokeStops, was the ideal place to lead Pokemon Go players as they hatch eggs and catch Pokémon while visiting historical sites and tourist destinations. At the beginning of the tour, the guides handed out screen-printed shirts and maps of historical sites that marked PokeStops containing rare Pokemon, which stretched from North Station to South Station. The Poke Tour map was created from information gathered by Niantic Inc.’s video
PHOTOS BY BRIAN SONG/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
TOP: Young Pokemon Go enthusiasts gather at District Hall to participate in a Pokemon Go-themed tour of Boston. BOTTOM: “Poke Tour” coordinator Adam Wallek looks at a map to catch Pokemon while riding the T.
game Ingress as well as Reddit posts of sightings. At one point on the tour, the group posed next to three seals
at the New England Aquarium as they swiped to catch Sealeo Pokemon on their phones. The participants captured several
Magikarps, Psyducks and Dratinis along the harbor. Tour-goer Nicholas Eden-Walk-
er, 39, of Jamaica Plain, said he downloaded the app after seeing it on the news and uses it as incentive to go outdoors. “If people could get incentives to go on a detour, that could alleviate traffic,” Eden-Walker said. He said he believes playing Pokemon Go “has the power to change behaviors.” Alexander Pei, a sophomore in the Boston University College of Engineering, started the Facebook group “Pokemon Go BU” in June, and it has now garnered 182 members. “I created the group for players to connect on the BU campus, and to also post about rare sightings of Pokémon and strategies around the BU campus,” Pei said. “When I first started playing, I made an effort to walk around a lot more.” It proved to not only be a good source of exercise, but also exploration, according to Pei. “From my week of playing Pokemon Go when it was first released, I explored Boston more than my whole first year at BU,” Pei said. The game has continued to push players to expand their comfort zones in more ways than exercise. Wallek noted that Pokemon Go prompted him to take more photos around Boston. He said he started an Instagram account to post pictures he took of Pokemon sightings in various locations, and expressed his hope that the game’s photography capabilities will improve in the future. “Our goal is to create a unique customer experience which leverages AR gaming,” Wallek said. The Poke Tour group has plans to form future tour groups into their respective battle teams and to reach out to more college students. Khraishi said he hopes the tours will “eventually becomes a platform to connect small businesses with tourists and locals looking for a revamped experience of their city.”
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FEATURES
7
CATALYST THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
Simmons sports complex reopens, prioritizes eco-friendliness BY NATASHA MASCARENHAS DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The Brighton High School football team has not played a home game at their own field in over 25 years — until Friday night, when the team tiptoed onto a shiny, organic solution: a refurbished, environmentally-friendly Daly Field athletic complex, located at Simmons College. Since the late 1980s, Daly Field had been unusable due to a lack of funding and interest, according to Jeremy Solomon, a spokesperson for Simmons. Teams had to resort to playing at Cassidy Field in Cleveland Circle, which limited the team’s capabilities, according to a press release from Simmons. The new seven-acre complex, according to the release, has a variety of uses, including a NCAA Division III soccer field, six NCAA standard doubles tennis courts, a quarter-mile two-lane walking track, public restrooms and a bicycle and walking path along the Charles River. Additionally, it will be the first home field for Simmons College athletic teams like field hockey or softball. The excitement over a state-of-the-art athletic complex comes from more than just having a home-field advantage, Solomon said. Daly Field is the only public complex in the New England area that implements organic Geofill, which is made of 100 percent natural fibers, according to its website. “It’s really quite remarkable,” Solomon said. “We are using synthetic turf, and it doesn’t require any water [to maintain].” The field poses an interesting question re-
PHOTO BY MADISON GOLDMAN/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Daly Field at Simmons College celebrated its grand opening on Friday after undergoing a makeover where it went from unusable to state-of-the-art.
garding the environmental and health impacts of regular athletic fields, according to Solomon. He said the turf infill is made out of 90 percent coconut shells and 10 percent cork. The unique composition reflects concerns with traditional turf rubber being carcinogenic, Solomon said. He added that while the issue is still under federal investigation, the creation of Daly Field was designed to prioritize the health and safety of athletes. A water filtration system was also put in place to address runoff in order to protect the
"CUT IT OUT!"
Charles River. According Simmons College’s website, a part of the community’s collective mission is to begin “enhancing landscaping and providing storm water management to a neglected area on the banks of the Charles River.” In other words: when it rains, it will no longer flood. “I know building anything large like this can take a toll on the surrounding environment, but it makes me feel a lot better that the field is so good for the environment,” said Meghan Fontaine, a sophomore at Simmons and field hockey player for the college. “It plays really well.” Additionally, underneath the turf is a Brock Pad system, which officials hope will reduce the occurrence of concussions by 50 percent, according to the press release.
“[The field] is focused equally on conservation and recreation,” Solomon said. While praise over the field’s eco-friendly characteristics were abundant, one Boston University professor questioned the effects of the construction of the field on its natural surrounding ecosystem. “I thought it peculiar that a project of this nature, which touts its environmental assets, didn’t mention at all that it’s next to the Charles River,” said Biology Professor Leslie Kaufman, “because anything you do so close to the river has to take into account either avoiding harm to the river or enriching the value of the river.” Members of state and local governments also expressed their pride at the Daly Field transformation. In the press release, State Representative Kevin Honan called the project a “public-private partnership.” “The collaborative effort ... [has] transformed Daly Field from an unusable patch of dirt and weeds into an environmentally-sound public space that will benefit the people of Brighton, Watertown neighbors and the Commonwealth for years to come,” Senator William Brownsberger stated in the press release. Boston Mayor Martin Walsh said he owes the environmental success of Daly Field to the effective partnership between government partners and state entities, according to the press release. In that vein, Solomon said, the success of Simmons’ ground-level approach of eco-friendliness can truly inspire future collaborations between these two groups. “We felt that at Simmons, we wanted to further our investment to maintain the Boston community,” Solomon said. The Brighton Bengals beat their opponents, the O’Bryant Tigers, 28-20 on Friday. The cheers continued with fervor as the players walked off the field, Solomon said. “It’s a big win for Simmons … for this city,” Solomon said.
Nashville-based Dee Jay Silver challenges country music traditions in remixes DEE JAY SILVER, FROM PAGE 5
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Once people put the two together and use a little common sense, it goes a long way and they see that it works.” Although he calls himself a country music deejay, Silver strives to connect to as many people as possible. “I try to keep it as vast as I can, because ... [Jason Aldean]’s got the country crowd, and when we go to Vegas, it’s a younger, late night party crowd,” Silver said. “I want to do a little something for everybody, where everybody leaves with a memory of the show.” As for future plans, Silver has a variety
of activities lined up for the rest of the year. Aside from touring and making music, Silver is also the producer of a syndicated radio show called “The Country Club with Dee Jay Silver,” which plays upbeat remixes from different country artists. For his Boston fans, Silver has a special shout-out. “I love Boston. I spent a lot of time up here,” Silver said, as he reminisced about playing a cover of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” at Fenway Park. “Are you kidding me? We’re playing two days at the greatest place on Earth, Fenway Park.”
Compatibility app produced by 19-year-old entrepreneur to launch in Boston soon 145 Ipswich Street Boston, MA 02215 (617) 437-0300 www.jilliansboston.com
REAL APP, FROM PAGE 5 Both Myers and Quinn said they think the best way to attract students is to avoid bombarding them with too much information and instead focus on giving them an incentive to download the app. The two also believe that the more popular and normalized the app is, the
more likely it is other students will catch on. “The fact that the creator of Real is 19 years old makes me more intrigued to download the app,” Myers said. “[Pleasant] understands where we’re coming from and thinks this is a good idea, so maybe it is.”
OPINION
8
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
J.D. Capelouto, Editor-in-Chief Christy Osler, Managing Editor
t h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t u d e n t n e w s pa p e r a t b o s t o n u n i v e r s i t y
46th year | Volume 91 | Issue II The Free Press (ISSN 1094-7337) is published Thursdays 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 © 2016 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
Weihua Li, Campus Editor
Paige Smith, Editorial Page Editor
Shivani Patel, Layout Editor
Lexi Peery, City Editor
Kaitlyn Locke, Features Editor
Candice Lim, Blog Editor
Nick Neville, Sports Editor
Maddie Malhotra, Photo Editor
Shakti Rovner, Office Manager
Better rankings only affect those who are coming or who have gone Applications and acceptances into Top-50 universities have become more selective each year, in part due to a decreased number of admitted students from previous years. The average SAT score of
Boston University has been an acclaimed higher education institution for many years, but another trophy for the case never hurts. U.S. News and World Report ranked BU 39th in its 2017 National Universities Rankings Tuesday, moving it up two spots from its previous ranking. “[U.S. News and World Report] recognized all the new laboratories, classroom space, academic support and new student residences,” BU spokesman Colin Riley said in an Daily Free Press article. Though the editorial board obviously chose to study at BU for one reason or another, the value behind a higher ranking is debatable. More publicity about an improving institution can’t be a bad thing, but it also is not earth-shattering. An employer is not likely to comment to a recent grad on the recent two-spot jump from No. 41 to No. 39. However, it will be interesting to see in the future if a degree from BU will be worth more as universities become more and more competitive. Employers know quality workers when they see them, and if BU continues to rise in the rankings, then degrees will simply become more valuable. It is a common saying that once you’re admitted to Harvard University, you never need to worry about a job. BU is still far from No. 2 in the rankings, but an improvement in ranking can only help.
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hose most affected by the 39th-place rank are those who have not yet entered BU or have already left Commonwealth Avenue behind. A lower ranking really only matters for stakeholders, not students.
the BU Class of 2020 was 1913, with an average GPA of an A-. Rankings and reputation, and when they change for better or worse, have a bigger impact on students coming in than stu-
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COURTESY OF MIRROREYES.COM / CROSSWORD ANSWERS AVAILABLE ON bit.ly/2cGkSe5
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lege, Questrom is ranked as the nation’s 29th best business school by Bloomberg and the School of Medicine is ranked the 29th best medical school by U.S. News. The students that come to these schools
have already decided on a profession and are career-minded. They would rather look at the strengths and rankings of their specific programs than the ranking of the school overall, proving the shift from 41 to 39 to be irrelevant. Rankings do matter greatly to those who cannot visit the schools before applying, particularly international students. With little knowledge outside of rankings, these are important considerations when selecting a home for the next four years. Studying abroad is also a higher cost for international students, and a higher ranking promises higher recognition and a higher chance of scoring employment following school. These things do matter. Parents and alumni are also huge cheerleaders for the change, as evidenced by the comment sections on the BU Today article announcing BU’s climb in rank. They are paying for a child to attend BU, or have already attended themselves, so a bump in rank validates their financial investment in the university. Good marketing simply appreciates the value of an investment. For alumni in particular, the better ranking gives BU another opportunity to solicit money from its benefactors. Those most affected by the 39th-place rank are those who have not yet entered BU or have already left Commonwealth Avenue behind. A lower ranking really only matters for stakeholders, not students.
This week’s crossword puzzle is brought to you by Howard Marget
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dents leaving. Students that have already chosen BU have done so for a reason, but it’s primarily based on a specialized choice. BU’s journalism department is ranked fifth in the nation by USA TODAY Col-
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1. Analogous 5. Expletive 10. Breezed through 14. Carryall 15. Come together 16. Fizzy drink 17. Agitated 19. Prompted 20. French for “Water” 21. Not earlier 22. Ringworm cassia 23. Spits 25. Legumes 27. How old you are 28. Lodgers 31. Knowledgeable 34. Somewhat 35. Not high 36. Not we 37. Be in a rush 38.South American weapon 39. Charged particle
40. Plank 41. Muscular 42. Pleasing visual images 44. Pull 45. Part of a stair 46. Bouquet 50. Advances (money) 52. Not cool 54. Put clothing on 55. Blind (poker) 56. Party pooper 58. Bit of gossip 59. Drink garnish 60. Desire 61. Musical finale 62. Type of cap 63. Ale
1. Pains 2. Canoe 3. Put out 4. Mesh 5.Neuromuscula r blocking agent 6. Pieces 7. Type of cereal grass 8. The right side of a ship 9. Snake-like fish 10. Go up 11. Attorney 12. Biblical garden 13. 20th-century art movement 18. Mournful poem 22. Indian dress 24. Not straight 26. Not difficult 28. Covered with protective barbs 29. Somersault
30. Go to and fro 31. Anagram of “Ties” 32. Greeting at sea 33. Revered 34. Increase fourfold 37. Sharpen 38. Insects 40. Low in pitch 41. Belches 43. Movie house 44. Commode 46. A herb 47. Love intensely 48. A deep ravine 49. Go in 50. Nonclerical 51. Savvy about 53. French for “Black” 56. Weep 57. Tavern
OPINION
9
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
On films, soundtracks: a relic of the past
BY MICHAEL LAUNGJESSADAKUN COLUMNIST
I watched a YouTube video the other day called “The Marvel Symphonic Universe” that discussed Marvel’s inability to produce memorable soundtracks for their films, and thought back to the night Boston University hosted a movie drive-in showing “Captain America: Civil War.” It was perhaps the third time I had seen the film, and apart from feeling really grossed out about Captain America’s creepy relationship with his 100-year-old dead girlfriend’s niece, my only other vivid memory of the film was, as it is with other Marvel films, Stan Lee’s predictably unpredictable cameo. In the YouTube video, people were asked to recite the music in films such as the Harry Potter, Star Wars and James Bond series, with great success, but, like myself, were unable to do the same with any Marvel movie. The term “temp music” is used to describe scores from previous films that are temporarily incorporated into movie scenes supposedly so that the composer could have an idea of what type of music the director wanted. This technique is frequently used in the development of movies like the “Transformers” series, “300,” and many other Marvel films. The result, however, almost always comes off pastiche. Over the course of the summer break, at least once a week, my friends and I would spend most of the day in town, coasting malls and cinemas. Due to the amount of free time we had, most of this time was spent watching randomly chosen movies back to back. To this day, the latest film I could recall that had any form of a memorable or noteworthy soundtrack was probably “The Neon Demon,” which gave
off an electronic-noir drive that aptly captures the film’s heavy content. “The Marvel Symphonic Universe” demonstrated that much of the music used in many films are either disregarded when appropriate, or nonessential to the viewer’s interpretation or response to the film. I could not imagine doing the same to that of “The Neon Demon’s.” It would be unfair to talk about film’s notable soundtracks without mentioning Hans Zimmer, who is responsible for some of contemporary film’s most recognizable work over the course of his career. A couple months ago I was surprised to learn that Zimmer had produced soundtracks such films as “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Sherlock Holmes,” films with theme songs I can also hum from memory. I had gotten used to his collaborations with Christopher Nolan and have frequently gone back to his films just to hear the soundtrack juxtaposed with the context of the films themselves. In recent years, the prominence of films’ soundtracks has waned, especially within the realm of contemporary blockbusters. They have been increasingly pushed into the background or replaced with pre-existing pop music, such as in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and the more recent “Nerve.” I am not vilifying the use of pop music as part of a film’s soundtrack; both “Reservoir Dogs” and “Guardians,” for example, uses Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling,” despite being used for entirely different purposes. There is a difference between using existing music successfully and using successful music poorly. At the end of the day it all comes down to the producer’s ability to make us engage in, and enjoy, the music and story. It is a shame that directors often choose to emphasize visual content rather than the auditory, often using sound to restate what is already being seen on the screen. You often know when you come across a great film with a great score. It’ll most likely seep its way into the deepest, darkest corners of your mind only to resurface as a tune during a shower. That is probably the only reason I have seen “The Dark Knight Trilogy” two-and-a-half times. That, and Heath Ledger.
It is time to Kriticize the Kardashians
BY SARAH BURSTEIN COLUMNIST
When “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” first premiered on E! in 2007, I cannot imagine that anyone thought it would become the behemoth it is today. Whether you like them or not, the Kardashians arguably redefined what we consider to be entertainment. For almost a decade, they have been unavoidable presences on our TV screens and Twitter feeds, and with their show in their 12th season (not including the spin-offs; “Rob and Chyna” just premiered on Sunday night), it seems like they’re not going anywhere any time soon. What I find most interesting about the Kardashians is how opinions on them are endlessly divided. I’ve rarely heard of someone being indifferent about the Kardashians; you either love them or you hate them. I, however, am incredibly confused about my own feelings about the Kardashians. As a reality television fiend, I think the show’s concept is genius. I cannot even count how many times I’ve sat down on the couch, procrastinating an assignment, promised myself I would only watch one episode and then ended up watching six. My internal conflict, however, arises from whether or not we think the Kardashians fit with our progressive values. Sometimes I even wonder if the Kardashians could become some of our modern day feminist icons. Off the bat, I do believe the Kardashians’ success in business is something to be admired. Kendall and Kylie Jenner have their Topshop clothing line. Kim, Khloe and Kourtney have their own range of beauty products, Kardashian Beauty. Kendall is perhaps one of the most iconic faces of fashion today, starring in countless runway shows and ad campaigns for brands like Calvin Klein and Estée Lauder. Kylie and her Kylie Cosmetics empire have been extreme-
ly successful in the past year (yes, I do have a lip kit). And let’s not forget the apps. Besides their business successes, Kim has made open statements addressing police violence against people of color following the shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling this past summer, and has, along with some of her sisters, supported families who have lost loved ones to gun violence. Kim has also endured what is, in my opinion, senseless slut shaming countless times during her career. She made headlines last year when she posted a nude selfie, to the criticism of what seemed like the entire Twitter universe. I do want to support the Kardashians, backed by these reasons. I think their impact is undeniable and that some of the criticism (or kriticism, if you will) they receive is unwarranted and based in sexist ideas. However, I do think the Kardashians deserve some criticism for other things. Most of the time, these things are not what they do, but what they do not do. The whole Kardashian phenomenon was originally based around following the lives of a very rich and entitled family. The Kardashians are just as wealthy, if not incredibly wealthier, today than when they were first introduced to us. They are lucky enough to be exposed to resources and education that not many people are. Thus, if they make a mistake, as all humans do, they have absolutely no excuse for why they should not educate themselves on their mistake and apologize. Take Kylie Jenner for example, who has been accused of cultural appropriation multiple times, and has never attempted to learn from her mistakes. Or, we can talk about Kim’s notorious “Paper Magazine” cover that was based off of racist ideas about black women. Kim never apologized for that either. So while I admire the Kardashians in the sense that they have successfully redefined what it means to be a celebrity, and I do not think sexist attacks on them are ever justified, they have quite a long way to go before I believe we can consider them true progressives or feminists. They must acknowledge and apologize for insensitive actions they have committed, make a real effort to educate themselves on why they’ve offended people and not continue to make the same mistakes again and again. After all, they have nothing stopping them.
Interrobang College student Sam Crowder held up a sign requesting beer money on an episode of College GameDay at Bristol Motor Speedway, with a link to his Venmo account, netting an unknown sum in anonymous donations. We here at the ol’ Free Press want to know — what would BU people ask for money for? COM: Our lawn back
BU Dining: More of those bowls that are weird halfway bowls
West Campus: Something to hold back their hair
BU Academy: A map of BU
South Campus: An exterminator
StuVi: Glare-free windows for the Insta
President Brown: No. 38
FreeP: Sunlight
10
SPORTS
Women’s soccer seeks first win against Northeastern BY SHELBY REARDON DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The Boston University women’s soccer team will continue the search for its first victory of the season against Northeastern University on Thursday at Nickerson Field. This will be the last game for the Terriers (0-8) before Patriot League play begins this Sunday, Sept. 18 at Bucknell University. The Huskies (3-4-1) are off to a solid start, but are coming off the heels of a heartbreaking double overtime loss to Boston College Sunday afternoon. The Terriers, on the other hand, may be winless, but there are certainly some positive takeaways for the team after the first eight games of the season. Although they have only scored twice this season, BU has gotten better at creating offensive opportunities, as the team has put up more than 10 shots each in three of its last four games. BU head coach Nancy Feldman said her team is going to stayed focused on making improvements day in and day out. “We want to continue to grow our ability to maintain possession, and continue to do better under pressure,” Feldman said. “It’s important to maintain our poise under pressure.” One of the areas Feldman needs to see her team improve in is generating offense. Plenty of Terrier players have the ability to be goal-scoring threats, but it hasn’t shown up on the scoreboard yet. Feldman, now in her 22nd season with the Terriers, considers senior forwards Er-
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/ DFP FILE PHOTO
Sophomore Julianna Chen was named to the 2015 All-Patriot League Team, and should be a force for BU moving forward.
ica Kosienski, sophomore McKenna Doyle and junior Christina Wakefield some of the more formidable offensive weapons in her arsenal. She also named junior midfielder Jesse Shreck and sophomore midfielders Julianna Chen and Dorrie Varley-Barrett among the top finishers on the team. “They are all attackers who have the
ability to score,” Feldman said. “We also have newcomer [freshman midfielder] Ann Marie Jaworski. She’s a talented attacking player.” Although Varley-Barrett and Doyle are the only Terriers to find net so far, Feldman said she believes her team has a lot of offensive depth. “We aren’t built around one kid,” Feldman said. “We have multiple threats.” One of the more difficult tasks for BU on Thursday will be getting one past Husky sophomore goalkeeper Nathalie Nidetch. She’s stood strong in net for Northeastern, having played every single minute this season. The Hewlett, New York native has two shutouts to her name and a 0.817 save percentage. “She’s a tall player,” Feldman said. “We face a lot of good goaltenders. Our team doesn’t change. We really make it about how well we can play into the final third and getting shots closer to the goal.” While the Terrier offense works on converting shots to goals, the defense will handle the task of shutting down a few superior athletes on Northeastern’s side. Sophomore Hannah Rosenblatt leads the Huskies with three goals and two as-
A team-by-team outlook for the upcoming World Cup of Hockey BENEDYKCIUK, FROM PAGE 12
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sists thus far. She’s definitely an offensive threat, as two of her goals have been game-winners. Redshirt junior Taylor Caparo also has three goals, and four other Huskies have found the back of the net. Despite only averaging 1.5 goals per contest, Northeastern is an aggressive team. They put up an average of 15.3 shots a game compared to the Terriers’ 10.6. Junior defender Alivya Wimmer and senior defender Rachel Bloznalis will be among those tasked with shutting down the Huskies’ offensive attack. They both have a strong presence on the field and often minimize opportunities for the other side. Sophomore defender Chelsea Churchill has also stepped up. Not only has she been a potent defender for the Terriers, but she has also stepped up and contributed on the offensive end as well. The Carlsbad, California native has one assist so far this season. Despite their less-than-stellar start, the Terriers must show up confident and prepared in order to take down a solid Northeastern team and tally their first win Thursday night.
The Swedes will be a force in this tournament, and are considered the favorites to win Group B. Team USA took a slightly different approach when creating its roster. Rather than simply selecting the most skilled overall players available, the Americans selected a team that would maintain a certain level of grit and toughness. For example, despite scoring 22 points in 24 postseason games leading up to a Stanley Cup Championship, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Phil Kessel will not be on the U.S. roster. However, Detroit Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader, who has 174 points in 480 games, (many fewer than Kessel) will be on the team. This American plan won’t work. Their forward corps is not deep enough to snub a key player like Kessel. Also, the roster would look better featuring Kyle Okposo, a power forward with a scoring touch. While the Americans have a stellar defense and equally stellar goaltending, their offense will not be strong enough to carry them to WCOH glory. Team Russia boasts possibly the most skilled set of forwards in the tournament. Russia’s first line will most likely look something like Ovechkin-Malkin-Tarasenko. For perspective, those three players combined for 117 goals last year. So, Russia’s forwards may wreak havoc on its opponents. However, Russia has a much weaker defense than the Swedes, Canadians and Americans. With such a potent offense, the Russians will never be counted completely out of a game. But, if Russia wants to win big, it may rely on some superb goaltending from Semyon Varlamov and Sergei Bobrovsky. Team North America should excite every NHL fan. The future of the NHL — players we’ll be watching for the next 15 to 20 years — will play side by side for a chance to steal a World Cup win and announce to the league that they’ve got what
it takes to win now. Connor McDavid, who unfortunately missed much of his rookie season with the Edmonton Oilers due to injury, can now showcase his abilities and prove himself to be a bonafide superstar. Meanwhile, former Boston University Terrier Jack Eichel will have the chance to prove he’s every bit as good as McDavid, who has been deemed a notch above Eichel since last year’s draft. Team North America’s defense, led by Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers, will be poised despite the players’ youth. The defense will have a special offensive flare to it, provided by Toronto Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly and Philadelphia Flyers’ Shayne Gostisbehere. Unfortunately for Finland, the Czech Republic and Europe, they simply do not have the depth to make a real championship push. There’s no way they can beat Sweden, the United States and Canada en route to a title. In the final, Canada will defeat Sweden and be crowned the 2016 WHOC Champions. Canada is the host nation. They’ve got the deepest roster and the best goaltending. They’ve superior leadership, and they won’t be stopped.
PHOTO COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby looks to be a leader on Team Canada.
SPORTS
11
Field hockey earns first top-10 ranking in 20 years BY GREG LEVINSKY DAILY FREE PRESS CONTRIBUTOR
Already having its best start in program history, the Boston University field hockey team moved up four sports in this week’s National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I Coaches Poll to obtain the No. 9 ranking nationally. This is BU field hockey’s highest mark in the polls since 1996, when the team finished eighth in the season-ending poll. They are coming off a two-game sweep at home this past weekend versus the No. 20 University of Maine and the University of California, Davis. BU head coach Sally Starr said she is proud of the Terriers’ efforts and hopes to see them continue when Patriot League play begins this Saturday at New Balance Field against Colgate University. “This team has worked really hard and I think that’s a deserving rank for us how we are
JUSTIN HAWK/ DFP FILE PHOTO
Senior forward Amanda Cassera leads the team in points with 10.
playing right now,” Starr said. “We are a talented team lead by a talented group of seniors.” The eight-person senior class that Starr is referring to includes forward Amanda Cassera, who leads the team in points with 10, and midfielder Hester van der Laan, who has put up the second most shots on the team thus far. BU is one of six remaining undefeated teams left in college field hockey. The Terriers share this honor with five top-10 programs, which include No. 6 University of Louisville, No. 5 University of Connecticut, No. 4 Pennsylvania State University, No. 2 Duke University and top-ranked Syracuse University. The Terriers’ perfect record will be tested against these big-time national competitors in the coming weeks, as they will play host to the Huskies (5-0) and the Orange (6-0) on Sept. 25 and Oct. 23, re-
spectively. BU will travel travel to Durham, North Carolina on Oct. 2 for a matchup against the Blue Devils (6-0) as well. Despite the strong lineup of formidable opponents in the the Terriers’ way, their home turf has been a successful place for them this season as well as last — the team won eight consecutive contests at New Balance last season. Additionally, Starr’s side has already taken down two ranked opponents, No. 15 Northwestern University and Maine (5-1). This high ranking does not change the team’s attitude or preparation, though. “Anytime you walk undefeated onto the field, the other team wants to knock you off,” Starr said. “We take it one game at a time with our season mantra: respect all, fear none.”
Cross Country opens fall season with success at Nassaney Invitational Men’s Cross Country
Nassaney Invitational - Men’s 8K
Paul Luevano Brett Davidson
25:51
Freshman, 3rd Overall
Johnny Kemps
26:04
Sophomore, 5th Overall
Greg Pelose
26:05
Freshman, 6th Overall
Golf opens fall season at William & Mary Invitational The Boston University golf team opened its fall season this past weekend at the William and Mary Invitational in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Terriers finished in eighth place at the 54-hole tournament. Freshman Zhangcheng Guo led the field in par-3 scoring at -1 for the weekend. The Beijing native competed individually, and finished the tournament with a threeday total of 225, tying for sixth place overall. Junior Phyllis Tang finished in a tie for 11th in team scoring with a score of 227. Senior Adela Cejnarova finished in a tie for 16th place, leading BU and tying for second overall with 10 birdies. Making their collegiate debuts, Abby Parsons and Saeros Oskarsdottir completed their first collegiate tournaments with a 241 and a round under 80, respectively. Sophomore Megan Carter scored a 248 after opening the first round with a 79. The Terriers will continue their season at the Dartmouth Invitational in New Hampshire on the weekend of Sept. 24-25.
25:17
Freshman, 1st Overall
Runners
The Boston University men’s and women’s cross country teams had successful debuts this past weekend, opening their 2016 fall season on Saturday at the Nassaney Invitational. For the men, freshman Paul Luevano led the Terriers to victory, crossing the finish line in 25:17 and claiming first place. The Los Angeles native was one of five BU runners to place in the top 10, including all four newcomers. Freshman Brett Davidson also had a fine day, finishing third with a time of 25:51. He was followed by sophomore Johnny Kemps, who placed fifth in his Terrier debut with a time of 26:04. Freshman Greg Pelose followed Kemps in sixth place, finishing in 26:05. Senior Ethan Homan finished in 10th place at 26:24, while classmate Cullin Burdett followed at 11th place with a time of 26:29. Sophomores Alexander Seal and Zachary Prescott rounded out the top 20 at 16th and 18th place, respectively. The Terriers finished first out of all five teams, scoring 19 points. The second place team, the University of Rhode Island, finished with 64 points. On the women’s side, freshman Abigail Gugel, making her NCAA debut, led the way. Gugel finished in second place with a time of 18:19, and was followed by sophomore Courtney Breiner, who placed third with a time of 18:23. BU finished in third place overall with 64 points, following the first-place University of Rhode Island, who finished with 61 points, and second-place Brown University, who claimed 62.
The Terriers, who were picked to finish third in the preseason Patriot League polls, received conference honors for both the men’s and women’s teams this week. Gugel and Luevano were recently honored as Patriot League Rookies of the Week on Tuesday. Both teams will look to build on this success in their next meet at the New England Championship at Franklin Park in Boston on Oct. 8.
Ethan Homan
26:24
Senior, 10th Overall
25:00
25:30 Time
26:00
26:30
(in minutes)
Women’s Cross Country
Nassaney Invitational - Women’s 5K
Runners
BY RANYA MUFTI DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Abigail Gugel
18:19
Freshman, 2nd Overall
Courtney Breiner
18:23
Sophomore, 3rd Overall
18:00
18:30
Time
(in minutes) GRAPHICS BY KYLER SUMTER/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Tillo talks NCAA Woman of the Year nom, BU, next steps TILLO, FROM PAGE 12
Just five days after she received her degree from BU, Tillo started working full time as a communications associate for the PGA Tour. She is back home doing what she loves while covering the sport that she loves, eager to see where her career takes her within the golf industry. “They’ve supported me a lot,” Tillo said of co-workers. “They definitely be-
lieve in me, and they’ve encouraged me to keep getting better.” And it’s hard not to support her. Tillo has the demeanor and instinct to strive to be the best at her craft — her efforts don’t go unnoticed. In the past year, she received multiple accolades including 2015-16 BU Woman of the Year, the Patriot League Woman of the Year, the Patriot League Sportsmanship Award and, most notably, the NCAA
Woman of the Year nomination. Sometime within the next few months Tillo will discover whether or not she is crowned the NCAA Woman of the Year, but regardless of the outcome, she feels she has already won. She is surrounded by a support system that extends well beyond her experience in the classroom and the golf course — she is a part of the BU community wherever she goes, and for that, she is incredibly grateful.
“I’m a self-motivated person, but you have create a community of people and community of supporters that take it up a notch, and that motivate you to do even more than you thought you could ever do,” she said. “That’s what BU gave me — the curiosity to learn, the curiosity to improve myself, and to always keep getting better.”
Sports
Quotable “That’s what BU gave me – the curiosity to learn, the curiosity to improve myself, and to always keep getting better.” -Emily Tillo of women’s golf, p. 11
The Blue Line Beware Canada in World Cup of Hockey
Bunch of Starrs BU field hockey is ranked in the top 10 nationally for the first time since 1996. p. 11
Thursday, September 15, 2016
NCAA Woman of the Year nominee Tillo found community as a Terrier BY NICK NEVILLE DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
BY MIKE BENEDYKCIUK DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The biggest news in the world of American sports right now is the start of the NFL season. Six Week 1 matchups were decided by two points or less, which shows that the level of competition this year may be much higher than in recent years. Several rookies, including Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller, made impressive NFL debuts as their respective teams each started the season 1-0. Additionally, ESPN’s fantasy app crashed and burned — as did both of my fantasy teams. While this football season is shaping up to be exciting week after week, there is another exciting sporting event starting this Sunday. The World Cup of Hockey, featuring all the best and brightest NHL players, should be an excellent appetizer for the regular season. The tournament will feature the “Big Six” countries of the previous World Cups of Hockey — the United States, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Russia and the Czech Republic. Team Canada is the heavy favorite entering the tournament. The Canadian roster, led by Sidney Crosby as captain, is both the strongest and deepest of the eight teams. Forwards include Jonathan Toews, John Tavares and Claude Giroux; defensemen include Shea Weber, Drew Doughty and Alex Pietrangelo; and the team’s three goaltenders are Corey Crawford, Braden Holtby and the presumptive starter, Carey Price. Since they have the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner (Crosby), Norris Trophy winner (Doughty) and Vezina Trophy winner (Holtby) all playing for alongside each other, it is hard not to consider Canada the favorite. Team Sweden, coming off a silver medal performance at the 2014 Winter Olympics, looks to challenge the Canadians. Their roster is a smooth blend of experience and athleticism, with the Sedin twins and Nicklas Backstrom leading the forward corps, Erik Karlsson and Victor Hedman anchoring the blue line and Henrik Lundqvist cleaning up in net. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
If you had told recent Boston University graduate Emily Tillo four years ago that she would be nominated for one of the most prestigious collegiate awards in the country, she would have thought you were crazy. Yet, on Sept. 7, that’s exactly what happened, as Tillo was named one of the 30 student athletes nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award, which encompasses all conferences across all three divisions. “I’m just so honored and so blessed,” Tillo said. “So thankful not only to God, but to the BU community and my family. I think it’s just a testament to how much they believed in me.” Tillo distinguished herself in the classroom and on the course — she graduated in May with a 3.94 GPA and averaged a score of 78.14 in 95 collegiate rounds during a sterling career on the BU golf team. She’s not your typical golf phenom, though, and she’ll be the first person to tell you that. Tillo, who grew up, and now works in, Jacksonville, Florida did not pick up a golf club until she was 12 years old. Growing up, she was always playing sports, whether it was competing in swimming and diving events or playing basketball. In the sixth grade, Tillo did not make the volleyball team and instead turned her focus to golf. “I was kind of really upset,” Emily said, “because I’m pretty tall. I’m 5’9’’, and I was pretty tall in middle school, and I consider myself to be a pretty good athlete.” One could say athleticism runs in the Tillo family — Emily’s sister Lizzie is currently a sophomore on the BU swimming and diving team — but it was actually her younger brother TJ who started going to a golf clinic with Emily after she missed out on the volleyball team. Not only has her family helped her succeed athletically, but also academically. Tillo attributed her decision to attend BU to her older sister Carolyn, who was a BU graduate student when she was a high school senior. “I just loved the vibe of the city and I wanted to get out and adventure,” Tillo said. “I knew I wanted to get out of Florida. I was kind of ready for a change, ready to try something different … I definitely took the Florida winters for granted.” She was so drawn to the school that while moving her sister in the August entering her senior year, Tillo reached out to BU golf head coach Bruce Chalas. “And then I get this random phone call in October, and [Chalas] asked me more questions, and he was like, ‘This is Bruce Chalas, head golf coach of BU, and I’d love to meet with you and connect,’” Tillo said. “What we ended up doing is — he is from North Carolina originally and I’m from Florida — so we met halfway. This is Thanksgiving time, and he just watched me hit balls on the range.” And the rest is history.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE TURESKI
BU golf’s Emily Tillo was recently nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
She then came to BU, where she had an illustrious career academically, on the course and in the community. Emily made the most of her time on Commonwealth Avenue, graduating summa cum laude from the Questrom School of Business while minoring in journalism within the College of Communication. Throughout her time in Boston, Tillo served as one of the leading members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, which serves as the voice of student athletes on campus. She worked closely with athletes across all Terrier teams, and cited her time on the SAAC as one of her fondest memories at BU. When reflecting upon her BU career, one thing came to mind — community. “I’m going to miss the community at BU so much,” Tillo said. “Not only the athletic community, but the communities I had at each school, like Questrom and COM and all the classmates. I’m going to miss walking up and down Comm. Ave. to class, I’m going to miss the little things.” She cultivated this community on the golf
team, where she helped lead the Terriers to their first-ever Patriot League championship as a junior. This led to a trip to NCAA Regionals in Texas, where she and her teammates got the chance to compete with the best collegiate golfers in the country — something she said she’ll remember forever. This past spring, the Terriers travelled to Boulder City, Nevada to play in the Battle of Boulder Creek where the team made history. Tillo shot a four-under 68, the lowest round in program history, and was one of five BU golfers to shoot under 80 in the second round, the first time in the BU golf’s history that this occurred. This sense of community was also present through her coursework, where Emily was inspired by a number of her professors. She was able to combine two of passions, business and journalism, and pursue a career in the sport she loves post-graduation. CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
BOTTOM LI NE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
Jimmy Garoppolo may have won
Men’s soccer @ Princeton, Women’s soccer vs. Northeastern, 7 p.m
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Women’s soccer @ Bucknell, 1 p.m.
in his Patriots debut Sunday, but
Women’s tennis @ Columbia
Women’s tennis @ Columbia
can’t win a date with Gisele. Brady
Invitational, all day
Invitational, all day
doesn’t even play and he wins.
5:30 p.m.
despite multiple attempts, he
Field hockey vs. Colgate, 1 p.m.