Woof Summer 2017 (Issue 20)

A LOOK INSIDE WRBB Northeastern on air

WOT IN NU MEME COLLECTIVE A look at the group that’s taking over your newsfeed

BOSTON CALLING GUIDE Tips and tricks for Boston’s biggest festival

IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY Political disagreements in the Trump era

10

06

12

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Christie Macomber & Meredith Peterson

CREATIVE DIRECTORS

Erin Borst & McKenna Curtis

PRESIDENT

Brian Ambadjes

MARKETING DIRECTOR Sami Bartlett

WEBMASTER

Matt Woolsey

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Marissa Mellenthin

SECTION EDITORS

Glenn Billman, Alex Frandsen, Zoe Gregoric, & Leila Habib

WRITERS

14

12

Clair Aguirre, Jordan Bashaar, Jasmine Chan, Julia Preszler, Cayley Ross, Vivien Shao, & Adriana Yozi

DESIGNERS

Priya Aggarwal, Katie Dobberpuhl, Xochitl Lozano, Cynthia Mei, Devanshi Patel, Samantha Rose, Cayley Ross, & Nate Young

CONTENTS

PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

FRONT

Rio Asch Phoenix, Erin Borst, Meredith Fisher, Maeve Kelley-Portillo, Xochitl Lozano, & Ray Mandelbaum

04 Vacay the Cheap Way 06 Wot in NU Meme Collective 14 NEU Student Leaders: Suchira & Paulina

Cover Photography by Maeve Kelley-Portillo

06

MEDIA & CULTURE COVER STORY 08 Boston Calling Guide

10 A Look Inside WRBB: Northeastern On Air

WE’RE NORTHEASTERN’S STUDENT-RUN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE. LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? EMAIL US • NUWOOF@GMAIL.COM VISIT OUR SITE • WOOF-MAG.COM

LIFESTYLE

12 Sun’s Out, Fun’s Out: Explore Boston for $20 or Less

FOCUS

15 It’s All in the Family...

Political Disagreements in the Trump Era 18 Grad Student Union

4 • Front

Front • 5

vacay the cheap way

Budapest, Hungary Budapest is known for its rich history, intricate architecture, and romantic Danube river. You can see much of what this city has to offer walking around by yourself or on a free tour.

Get a dorm bed at Maverick Hostel for as little as $10 a night, or stay in a standard room at The Radisson’s Park Inn for around $56 a night. Points of interest include viewing the Royal Palace and the Great Synagogue or taking a dip in the relaxing thermal baths and spas. Enjoy traditional Hungarian food at the Great Market Hall, or head to the popular Kisharang Restaurant for some delicious goulash soup or paprikash.

Written by Clair Aguirre

Wanderlust is at an all-time high during college years, leaving many wondering how they can travel on an undergraduate’s budget.

Although it can be hard to escape expensive airfare, there are plenty of ways to have a comfortable, enjoyable vacation without breaking the bank. Here are a few places that offer an enriching cultural experience at a low cost.

San José, Costa Rica This tropical destination features stunning wildlife, dense rainforests, and relaxing beach scenery — along with plenty of opportunities for adventure both in the city and in the jungle. For an urban experience, try Hostel Pangea in the beautiful capital city of San José. Here, you can explore the city streets and dine at local sodas (cheap eateries) such as La Muny or Chelles. Taste a traditional Chifrijo, a delicious blend of chimichurri, rice, beans, and meat. To enjoy time in the rainforest, stay at Hotel Rana Roja, a jungle lodge located in Tortuguero. A standard room with all meals included is $65 a night.

Explore the landscape for free with hikes at Tortuguero National Park, or grab a towel and head to the beach.

WOOF MAGAZINE • summer 2017

Shanghai, China Shanghai is a thriving city. If you ever find yourself in this busy metropolis, you can easily make a cheap vacation of it! The city is filled with public parks and walks to experience local Chinese culture, including the Bund and Fuxing Park. Get to People’s Park in the early morning and maybe catch a glimpse of some locals playing instruments such as the pipa or xiao. To enjoy traditional cuisine, try Sapar Uygur Restaurant; or try the Friday Muslim Market, where meals can lost as little as $2.

The Fish Inn is an excellent place to stay when travelling on a budget, as it’s in a prime location by the Bund. You can get a standard double room for $60 per night.

Bali, Indonesia Kilimanjaro, Tanzania One of the cheapest and most spectacular ways to see Tanzania is to hike up Africa’s highest mountain: the dormant volcano Kilimanjaro. Kilimanjaro is in the East African Rift Valley, which contains some of Africa’s most amazing great lakes. You can hike up to the summit in six days while enjoying the flora and fauna of the rainforest, the Shira Cave, and lava towers — as well as the stunning views of the peaks Kobo, Mawenzi, and Shira. A tour company, such as Tanzania Escapade, will guide you up the mountain with a porter for $1,000. Although you dine frugally on this hike, it is a unique way to see Tanzania’s beautiful environment.

This small, bustling island is perfect for a combination of seaside relaxing and sightseeing. You can book a room with air conditioning and Wi-Fi at The ONE Legian hotel, which is less than a 10-minute walk from Kuta Beach — famous for its vendors, surfers, and gorgeous sunsets. Near the hotel, you can dine at Kori and enjoy an excellent three-course Asian fusion meal for less than $20. There is also plenty of street food, typically offered for under $2, such as the flavorful sate litlit, a traditional Indonesian dish of meat skewered on lemongrass. When you’re not on the beach, be sure to check out all the local sights: Ubud Monkey Temple, Mt. Batur Volcano, Uluwatu Temple, and the various coffee plantations and rice terraces.

Because the famous sights are fairly scattered throughout the island, hiring a private driver for full-day tours (roughly $50) is recommended.

Queenstown, New Zealand This quaint ski town, surrounded by a stunning mountainscape, is a thrill-seeker’s paradise. Queenstown is one of the best vacation spots for anyone seeking an adrenaline rush, with activities such as canyoning, white-water rafting, or 60 meters of free-fall on the Shotover Canyon Swing.

Value bundle options for these activities are available through The Adventure Queenstown Hostel and Chalet, located in the heart of the town. A dorm bed costs $36 a night and includes an ensuite bathroom, a deck, comfy common rooms, and a communal refrigerator to store your own food. If you choose to eat out, there are plenty of options within 10 minutes of the hostel, including the famous Fergburger and Fat Badgers Pizza. Visitors can also relax by the stunning lake or hike the famous Queenstown Hill. summer 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

6 • Front

Front • 7 to the Collective to ask Aoun for a school cancellation, with memes reading “Please Aoun, snow day soon” inundating the group.

Other issues students have memed about include the housing selection process, the struggles of being on co-op, and the lines at the ever-packed Rebecca’s Cafe.

Wot in NU Meme Collective

Despite all the fun and amusement, there has been some controversy regarding the introduction of regulatory rules in the Collective

by Agoos. This has resulted in the banning of a number of students from the group. One of the rules prohibited flat-screen and “wot in tarnation” memes, which led to an outcry that Agoos didn’t expect.

Written by Vivien Shao // Photos by Meredith Fisher

“It’s free entertainment, and because it’s about Northeastern, we find it relatable and funny.”

“We decided to ban those because it got to the point where every other meme was one of those memes. We wanted to increase the overall meme quality and diversity of the group,” Agoos said. “It was less about getting rid of that content altogether than about encouraging new content.”

First-year business administration major Luis Sanchez was banned from the group after posting a meme about the prohibition of certain meme formats.

“I [knowingly] broke the rules hoping Ella would see the humor in my ridiculously overthe-top meme and I wouldn’t get banned,” he said. “I was not happy with her administrative decisions [to quarantine the memes] and tried to use comedy to express my feelings.”

Memes flood our Facebook and Twitter feeds.

They criticize politicians, troll celebrities, and satirize the banal elements of our everyday lives; and, in one student-created Facebook group, they present content that is specifically relatable for Northeastern students. The NU Meme Collective is dedicated to the sharing of Northeastern-related memes and, with over 8,600 members, is now almost half the size of the undergraduate population. With more people being added to the group by their peers daily, the group has become increasingly prominent on campus.

Ella Agoos, a second-year student pursuing a combined sociology and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies degree, is the student behind

the Collective. Agoos, who also acts as admin of the page, was surprised by how much the group has grown.

“I love that it’s gotten so big and that so many people love it,” she said. “I didn’t think it was going to be a big thing, but it got really huge.”

“I love that it’s gotten so big and that so many people love it,” Agoos said. “I didn’t think it was going to be a big thing, but it got really huge.”

The Collective hosts an array of memes, ranging in topic from meal-swipe struggles to the staggering number of flat-screen televisions present on campus. These Northeasternspecific memes are part of the Collective’s appeal, according to first-year health science major Juliana Dinardo.

“It’s free entertainment,” she said. “And because it’s about Northeastern, we find it relatable and funny.”

Scrolling through the Collective, students will find an abundant supply of memes involving Northeastern’s president, Joseph Aoun. They express both gratitude for and frustration with the university. In anticipation of a recent snow day, for example, many students took

As a result of the banning controversy, the NU Meme Syndicate surfaced as a second meme group. However, Agoos believes that because the Syndicate contains more offensive content, as well as memes that are non-specific to Northeastern, it is less prominent than the Collective. It currently has a smaller following of 387 members.

“It was a bunch of angry people who were mad because I had banned them for saying offensive things,” said Agoos. “And there was a bunch of people who joined it, because it was another meme group. But in the end, I think a lot of people realized that the main point of that group was to post offensive content.”

Due to the setbacks she faced — and the angry messages she received — Agoos said she contemplated deleting the group. However, because of positive feedback from the members, Agoos ultimately decided keeping the group was worthwhile.

“I started getting a bunch of other messages from people saying, ‘Hey, I’m sorry you’re dealing with all this. I love the group so much. I hope this doesn’t make you want to delete the group or anything,’” Agoos said. “Knowing that I made a group that a bunch of people really liked and are into, regardless of all the trolls in the group, was really nice.”

Second-year management information systems major Dylan Gaus is happy the “fun and quirky” Collective is still present on campus.

“Because of the diversity here at Northeastern … it is much harder in my mind to form a really strong sense of community and unite students in the same way that more homogeneous

Luis Sanchez, first-year business administration major

“Because of the diversity here at Northeastern … it is much harder in my mind to form a really strong sense of community and unite students in the same way that more homogeneous schools could with ease.” schools could with ease,” Gaus said. “But with over 7,000 members, the meme collective has done a fantastic job at uniting students through humor that they can all relate to and share — even if they haven’t met each other.”

Those memes have since been allowed again, and there are currently no content-related restrictions present in the Collective. However, offensive memes such as homophobic, racist, sexist, Islamophobic, and anti-Semitic content are still not allowed in the group — and students are subject to removal if they violate these terms.

Although the creation of the NU Meme Collective has involved some tension, the group has managed to bring students together.

With a new freshman class matriculating next fall, the NU Meme Collective may be a resource to introduce students to life as a Northeastern Husky — and draw a few laughs in the process.

“I [knowingly] broke the rules hoping Ella would see the humor in my ridiculously over-the-top meme and I wouldn’t get banned.”

Ella Agoos, creator of the NU Meme Collective

WOOF MAGAZINE • summer 2017

summer 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

8 • Media & Culture

Boston is notorious for its unpredictable weather — and Boston Calling is a rain-orshine event. Here’s how to be prepared for all of the festival conditions imaginable:

Festival fashion is a huge part of the experience, but if you want to be comfortable and actually enjoy the music, think fashionable and functional. Although it may be warm and sunny in the morning, it can get pretty cold and breezy at night when crowds aren’t as packed. Dress in layers and lightweight clothing with comfortable shoes.

Stay fueled and hydrated.

It’s easy to forget to eat and drink while you’re having fun, so take advantage of the various food vendors throughout the venue. They can sometimes be overpriced, so you might want to bring snacks and your own unopened, factorysealed bottles instead.

Written by Jasmine Chan // Illustrations by Xochitl Lozano Boston Calling is essentially a city staple, considering the upcoming Memorial Day weekend music festival (May 26-28) will be the event’s eighth iteration. This year there will be some major changes that are sure to shake things up for even the most seasoned of Boston Calling veterans. The biggest one is this: After seven semi-annual festivals in the beloved City Hall Plaza since 2013, the three-day event will now take place once a year in the spring at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston. This breakdown highlights how to prepare, what to expect, and how to maximize your experience for an unforgettable weekend!

In addition to transitioning from the urban venue to a more spacious field, Boston Calling is also expanding its programming to feature a combination of music, film, comedy,

and visual art. You can find the full lineup separated by day at bostoncalling.com/lineup, but here’s a quick primer: The lineup is generally set up by starting with lesser-known artists at the beginning of the day. The performers increase in popularity and set length as the day carries on, ending with the headliners. This year’s headliners are Chance the Rapper, Mumford & Sons, and Tool, which shows there really is something for hip hop, folk, and rock fans alike.

While you may already know which major artists you’re looking forward to, don’t forget to check out the smaller bands that you paid to see too!

Some artists worth highlighting are Bon Iver, Mac Demarco, The xx, Cage the Elephant, Flatbush Zombies, and local rapper Cousin Stizz.

Returning artists include The 1975, Solange, and Tegan and Sara.

If you are looking for more layers or something lighter, check out the festival merch!

It will satisfy your clothing needs while doubling as memorabilia.

If it does rain, vendors will be selling cheap, plastic rain ponchos. However, they may run out — so plan ahead and bring your own jacket or umbrella.

Don’t forget sunglasses, sunscreen, and/or a hat! An open field has limited shade, and you may be standing for long hours trying to save your spot to see your favorite artist.

Carter Howe, first-year music industry major

A portable charger is not essential, but it’s a good idea.

During a long day of events you don’t want a dead phone to get in the way of being able to find your friends or take that front-row Snapchat story of your favorite artist!

Bring all items in a small, easyto-carry bag. Crossbody bags are a good option for keeping things close while staying hands-free during a show.

And remember: Backpacks are not allowed into this event. Do not make the same mistake that many people do — you’ll be forced to pay for the bag check outside of the venue.

Joe Ruane, fifth-year computer science major

Jason Ebbs, first-year electrical engineering major Brooke Baumgartner, second-year music industry major

WOOF MAGAZINE • summer 2017

Protip: Boston Calling has multiple stages with artists playing at the same time or back-to-back. The location and exact schedules are released a couple weeks before the festival. Be on the lookout for them so that you can plan which artists are a priority; you might have to make a tough call and miss a performer on a different stage to keep your amazing spot for your favorite artist at another one.

10 • Cover Story

Cover Story • 11

A Look Inside WRBB: Northeastern ON AIR

By Adriana Yozzi // Photos by Maeve Kelley-Portillo Alex Faust: a name, or a voice, you might have heard before. At the age of 26, he became one of the youngest commentators to ever work an NCAA tournament game. But before all the fame and glory, Faust — who graduated from Northeastern in the spring of 2012 with a degree in political science and economics — served as the voice of Northeastern University men’s basketball on the school’s radio station, WRBB 104.9 FM. As seen in Faust’s case, WRBB provides students with a platform for many forms of expression, allowing them to take their ideas and run with them. Offerring talk shows, specialty shows, and weekly news and sportscasts, WRBB caters to the broader Northeastern community. Current talk shows include “Unpopular Opinion,” which features two opinionated students arguing over unpopular discussion topics, and “Kicking Tires,” during which two students talk about the latest automotive tech and news.

Eventually the signal was reduced due to Federal Communications Commission issues; it is now restricted to inside Northeastern’s campus.

Despite the decline in coverage WRBB experienced, Lim and the rest of the WRBB staff are committed to making the station relevant once again.

You get to see a lot of different places in the country that you might not go back to. It’s always fun to go out after a game and see a new city.

According to general manager Dan Lim, a third-year business administration manager, he and the crew are giving it their all to make WRBB, and radio in general, as powerful as it was in the past. Lim says it’s now up to upcoming generations to continue to strive towards relevancy.

The expansive history of WRBB is fairly significant in understanding how the station operates today, according to Lim. In 1962, Northeastern was comprised of males students only. When the school started to change directions from male-oriented to co-ed, they changed the station’s name from WNEU to WRBB, for “Rock Back Bay.” “This was mainly because they started to broadcast on FM, which reached all of Boston and as far as some parts of Cambridge,” Lim said. “In the ‘70s, a time of civil activism, there was this huge boom in

WOOF MAGAZINE • summer 2017

the station in the fact that the voices being broadcasted were no longer just white males. R&B music and rap music started to get their forms, and WRBB was covering it.”

Northeastern has no issue financially supporting the station in its endeavors to connect with the community. As sports director and fourth-year journalism major Josh Brown pointed out, every game he and his crew attend is on the school’s dime. Brown and his crew are on constant rotation as they follow Northeastern teams around the country. Last year, Brown and a few others made it all the way to Belfast, Northern Ireland, to commentate while the NU hockey team competed in the first “Friendship Four” tournament between Northeastern, Colgate, Brown and UMass Lowell.

While not all of the locations the crew travels to are as glamorous as Ireland, the broadcasters make the most out of any opportunity to take a quick trip away from campus.

“It grows on you after a while,” Brown said. “You get to see a lot of different places in the country that you might not go back to. It’s always fun to go out after a game and see a new city.”

Both Brown and third-year data science major Justin Littman, WRBB’s respective finance director and basketball and hockey commentator, pointed out that their fellow sports broadcasters have become some of their closest friends.

“It is definitely a way to get closer with people who you wouldn’t know otherwise,” Littman said. “We come from all different backgrounds, but all share a passion for what we are doing. And I think that is really cool.”

WRBB may not get as much recognition as it used to, but that only means the broadcasters are working twice as hard to create meaningful work.

Brown is heavily involved with the station. He spends anywhere from 25 to 30 hours a week broadcasting, traveling for games, preparing for talk shows, and taking care of administrative tasks during the sports season.

When asked what makes such a commitment worth his time, Brown said it is the satisfaction of reaching out to others.

“Live feedback is one of the best parts,” he said. “The interaction we have with some of the listeners is always gratifying.”

As far as interpreting listener feedback goes, Littman knows the work he puts into WRBB is worthwhile.

“People are still interested,” Littman said. “People want to hear the student reactions. That’s the raw, emotional side of radio that people often overlook.”

summer 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

12 • Lifestyle

If you love chess: Shogi, the Japanese version of chess, is surprisingly similar to Western chess. See for yourself every Sunday at 3 p.m. — you can meet up to play shogi at the City Place food court near Boston Common. While not technically outdoors, the food court is a wide space with a lot of windows to enjoy the sunshine. Follow the group at www.meetup.com/ Boston-Shogi-Meetup/ to get updates.

If you don’t mind getting wet: For the true outdoorsmen and -women among us, Charles River Canoe & Kayak offers kayak rentals for $15 an hour. For a bit more, they also offer upright paddle boards, paddle boats, and canoes. Take some friends to paddle the hour away along the beautiful Charles River.

Afterwards, lie down and enjoy the sun on the riverbank, because face it: You just kayaked for an hour, you’re exhausted.

If you’re a beachaholic: Down in South Boston lies Castle Island, which features the M Street Beach, Carson Beach, Pleasure Bay, and Fort Independence. On top of all the fun of going to the beach, Castle Island adds a view of Southie’s enormous granite fort, and even offers tours with information about the historic site. There’s easy access to food and swimming, and the location offers a great view of the Boston Harbor.

Sun’s Out, FUN’s Out Explore Boston for $20 or Less Written by Cayley Ross // Photos by Rio Asch Phoenix After a seemingly neverending winter, spring is finally starting to poke its pretty head out of the snow. With warmer weather fast approaching, weekend options are endless — and it just so happens that Boston is full of surprises. On those beautiful sunny days when all you want to do is get out of your dorm, there are plenty of fun things to do that won’t leave you bankrupt in the process.

If you’re a (broke) connoisseur of the arts: No one wants to spend a beautiful day inside a freezing museum.

Boston Art Commission offers an interactive map of all the public art in the city. The map also provides information such as whether the art is permanent or temporary. Take your friends on a treasure hunt to find every hidden gem in the city!

If you’re low-key losing your mind: As college students, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with stress.

Meditation is a simple way to relax and clear your jam-packed mind.

Cambridge Zen Center offers free daily classes at 5:45 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. If you’re not familiar with Zen Buddhism, it also offers introductory classes every Thursday at 7 p.m., including a Q&A session afterwards with refreshments.

WOOF MAGAZINE • summer 2017

If you need a stretch break: Calling all yogis: Dorchester has got the class for you. Ester, a restaurant located at 2261 Dorchester Ave., is offering an outdoor yoga session from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on April 30th. The class is taught by an instructor from a local yoga studio and is $15 per person. What better way to spend a Sunday morning than by doing yoga outside in the sun?

Registering with the restaurant ahead of time is suggested.

If you’re just here for the view: An old favorite is the Skywalk Observatory in the Prudential Tower — and for good reason. With a student discount of $14, it provides a beautiful view at a price that won’t empty your wallet. Head up during a clear day to appreciate the city in all its glory; point out your dorm and all the most famous Boston landmarks; or watch the city lights twinkle on one by one at sunset. In any case, you’ll get a spectacular view and a memorable experience.

Another landmark found on the interactive map.

If you’re into learning on the weekend: Another old favorite is the Freedom Trail. Despite living in Boston, there’s probably a lot you don’t know about the city’s history. The Freedom Trail provides a free 2.5-mile tour of the most historic sites in the city. It begins at Boston Common and leads you all the way to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. Maps are available online and at the Boston Common Visitor Center. Just follow the red-lined road to learn more about the city you love.

If you’re a hardcore runner: The Nomadic Run Crew, which meets every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in front of Back Bay’s Janji Pop-Up Store, sponsors a five- or 10-mile loop around Boston. Not only is it a workout with a view, but the groups take new and different paths each week, and the runners always make stops to check out local street art as well. The best part? The run ends back at Janji, where everybody hangs out and buys coffee and bagels.

If you miss your pets: Take a baa-reak from studying at the Gore Place Sheepshearing Festival, which takes place from 10 a.m to 5 p.m on April 29th. Featuring shearing demonstrations, crafters, music, and art, this sheep-centered festival has been happening annually for 30 years. Enjoy embracing your inner farmer — after all, who doesn’t love warm, woolen sweaters? Located in Waltham, the festival is accessible by commuter rail; admission is $20.

One of the many statues featured on the Boston Art Commission interactive map.

Janjisummer - the meeting place of the Nomadic 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINERun Crew.

14 • Front

Section Name • 15

NEU Student Leaders:

It’s all in the family...

Political Disagreements in the Trump era Written by Jordan Bashaar // Photos from Interviewees

Suchira + Paulina Written by Matthew Woolsey // Photo by Rachel Mandelbaum

Suchira Sharma has been a part of two very different student body president elections.

“We were the first ever ticket in Northeastern history to have an actual platform,” third-year finance major Sharma said about her vicepresidential run last year with current president Elliot Horen.

When it came time for Sharma to run for the presidential role with second-year psychology major Paulina Ruiz as her running mate, she faced stiff competition. Second-year students Alex Bender and Jake Grondin entered the scene with a campaign that was just as willing to take stances on issues that could make a difference at Northeastern. In contrast to last year’s uncontested race, this year’s election has seen a much more intense climate.

“The reason why this election got so contested is because people had two things to compare, and in years past they had very nebulous ideas,” Sharma said. With the two platforms pushing 20 pages and covering everything from Title IX to redesigning myNEU, Ruiz was pleasantly surprised when many students answered her campaign pitch with, “Oh yeah, I’ve already compared both platforms.”

After hearing campaign pitches from both slates, second-year bioengineering major Jeffrey Marchioni believed Sharma and Ruiz had the stronger platform. “The girls seemed to prove their knowledge and experience while the guys just showed that they were open to listening to our concerns,” Marchioni said.

Fourth-year economics major Prasanna Rajasekaran said he found Bender and Grondin’s WOOF MAGAZINE • summer 2017

propositions regarding sexual assault to be one of the weaknesses of the campaign. “Their sexual assault and Title IX platform is outdated and not in line with Northeastern’s sexual assault response coalition,” he said.

While there was a positive upswing in interest in the election, there appeared to be a decline in political rhetoric and cooperation. “Things got out of control when they did not need to,” Bender said.

With the nation’s political climate coming to a boiling point in recent years, Northeastern had its own moments of political division, often manifesting in social media conflicts.

Both sides came under fire, and Ruiz claims that her slate “also got really dragged through the mud, but [she] welcomes that.”

“

The cause of our demerit points was not that individuals were speaking out and disagreeing on platform issues, it was that the individual that did so was a member of our campaign team.

”

The debate that broke out between each campaign’s group of supporters nearly killed the Sharma and Ruiz ticket after they were awarded two demerit points. Had they received a third, Sharma and Ruiz would have been disqualified. “The cause of our demerit points was not that individuals were speaking

out and disagreeing on platform issues. It was that the individual that did so was a member of our campaign team,” Sharma said.

The problem seemed to stem from the lack of clarity of the Direct Elections Manual’s rules on what campaign staff members can say. The manual states, “Candidates shall respect other candidates’ right to campaign and advertise,” defining “respect” as “not defacing any of the other campaign’s campaign material or producing any negative material about another candidate or slate.”

During a grievance hearing, “one of the witnesses said there is no difference between disagreement and disrespect, and that was upheld. That’s not something we agree with,” Sharma said. Bender seemed to agree that the Direct Elections Manual was flawed from the start. “In one of the grievance hearings, in my closing statement, I made a call to action for the Direct Elections Manual to be fixed … that’s not something that is a novel idea. We knew it from the beginning,” Bender said.

While the election process can seem taxing, in the end both campaigns were happy with the work they put in. “I am incredibly proud of the campaign we ran and how we ran it. It was great to see how engaged students were in this election,” Bender said.

Ruiz shared similar sentiments. “We’re so grateful that people were actively involved, and we think that’s entirely owed to the fact that there were two slates who put a lot of work into this campaign, so [thank you to] the other team for participating in this wild ride with us,” she said.

“It sucks to not have your parents agree with you on politics, especially because when it comes to certain political opinions, it’s so rooted in your morals and your core values,” said Casey Matsumoto, a fourth-year communications major. “How can I not share the same core values as my parents, you know?”

Matsumoto considers herself liberal both socially and fiscally. She and her parents — who are more fiscally conservative — often disagree on economic issues.

It is not uncommon to disagree with family members, especially over politics. There are articles all over the internet giving suggestions on how to navigate political conversations at family gatherings. And plenty of outlets, such as Saturday Night Live, have parodied the awkward conversations that may result from such clashes.

Jess McHugh wrote an article for Travel and Leisure titled “Five Tips For Not Ruining Your

Thanksgiving Dinner With Politics.” This, and many other pieces, implies that bringing up politics over family dinner is often considered impolite.

Unfortunately, this rhetoric creates a stigma surrounding productive or open conversations about politics, and it can result in interactions that are either dismissive, explosive, or completely nonexistent. And when drinks are involved — as they are at many family gatherings — this can become even more complicated. “[My friends] don’t like talking about it because it makes them uncomfortable,” said Nafisa Kabir, a first-year computer science and criminal justice major from Miami.

Kabir identifies as Republican. She is also a Bengali Muslim. During the primaries, she supported Jeb Bush, but eventually went on to support Donald Trump. Kabir even worked on his election campaign, which didn’t sit well with her friends or family, especially due to Trump’s immigration ban.

“I started noticing some of my friends kind of distance themselves from me. Or they would mention something and forget that I was there and then immediately recant,” explained Kabir.

“It was almost like politics in general was a taboo, which was completely new for my friend group.”

She said that her mother even stopped inviting her to parties due to her controversial opinions. Kabir and others close to her engaged in a different strategy — they’d talk about it once, get mad at each other, and never speak again.

Margaret Whittier-Ferguson, a fourth-year sociology student from Ann Arbor, Mich., often experienced dismissive attitudes when she discussed politics with her brother.

“He would always sort of cast me off as too radical, too idealistic, too utopian, things like that,” Whittier-Ferguson said. “And that would sort of shut down any sort of conversation that I would then have with him.” summer 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

16 • Focus

Focus • 17

block out of the Jenga tower. You know that it’s not stable, it’s weird. At least for us.”

time to get that way — there definitely have been more emotional moments.”

Vergara’s father is Mexican. This past election has caused a major strain on Vergara and his family, particularly between his father and his mother’s parents, who voted for Trump.

Parrish talked about the evolutions of these conversations and how it took some butting of heads for her and her mom to sit down and really hear each other.

“My dad, once this happened, was horribly offended that they could even do that,” Vergara said. “I was [visiting my grandparents] in February, and he literally gave them a handshake when he saw them. That was very weird to witness, when they’ve been hugging and kissing for years.”

In 2017, political ideology has become almost synonymous with one’s own social identity and personal experiences. It is one of the reasons why seeing the other side can be so difficult: “Core values and political values are very related,” said Matsumoto.

“That’s one of the defining parts of this election,” explained Kabir.

“Everyone’s been stuck in their own bubbles, and I’m guilty of that myself.”

Margaret Whittier-Ferguson and Mother Whittier-Ferguson identifies as a socialist and is an active member of Socialist Alternative at the Northeastern and Boston branches. Her parents and her brother are liberal, as are many of her friends.

Tension often rises surrounding politics, especially in the context of the 2016 election.

Whittier-Ferguson often talks with her father about politics. While they agree on many things ideologically, during the 2016 election he was drawn to the “lesser evil” vote — the idea that you vote against who you want to lose, not necessarily for who you want to win. Whittier-Ferguson, however, voted for Jill Stein.

“He said multiple times, ‘You shouldn’t be doing that, you’re throwing your vote away,’ things like that,” Whittier-Ferguson said. “Which obviously is incredibly hard to hear. And I’m used to hearing it.”

It’s not easy to argue with people close to you — whether it’s with your parents, your friends, or your significant others. So, what’s the solution to differing political opinions during a time when politics are everything?

“I just don’t talk about it with my family, because a lot of times it ends in arguments or debates,” said Matsumoto, who is from Honolulu. “And I’m home so rarely that I feel like that’s not how I want to be spending my time with my family: arguing over politics.”

However, there’s a certain privilege in being able to avoid talking or thinking about political differences.

For some, one person’s vote is a hit on another person’s identity.

“It does make those interactions with your family that love you seem kind of hollow on the inside sometimes,” said Jake Vergara, a fifth-year chemical engineering major from New Jersey. “It’s like you’ve taken a

WOOF MAGAZINE • summer 2017

Polarization is present everywhere, and it comes both from the tendency to believe subjective experience as broad truth and from news media that is profiting off of the clash.

“If you ask me how often I watch Rachel Maddow, or MSNBC, or even the Young Turks — never is the answer,” said Andrew Proctor, a thirdyear supply chain business major from Houston. Proctor, who identifies as Republican, said he watches Fox, Bill O’Reilly, and Tomi Lahren instead. “People are so engraved in their views, and these commentators and talking heads [in the media] make it look like the other side is the devil.”

While he’s lost some friendships due to his political beliefs, many of his discussions stay light-hearted.

“I live with 12 guys, so [politics] comes up daily,” Proctor explained. The roommates regularly share articles from various platforms and point out their views. “In our group chat, one of us will post something very inflammatory knowing it’ll bust the balls of someone else.

“It has only served to make me smarter,” Proctor said. He estimates that his friends who are liberal outnumber his conservative friends 8 to 1.

It’s comfortable to stay in your bubble, but it’s often beneficial to see other points of view. For Proctor, exposing himself to a completely different atmosphere than that of the place he grew up in has expanded his views.

“I think it’s a good experience for me,” he said. “I could’ve gone to Texas A&M where it’s like 99 percent conservative … A lot of my friends in Texas still have a disdain towards gay marriage. I think that’s ridiculous.”

Emma Parrish, a fourth-year psychology major, disagrees with many of her family members on a vast array of issues; however, she actively tries to talk to those close to her. She’s especially close with her mom, and despite their disagreements, they have open discussions.

“I think as I’ve gotten older I’m able to have more well thought-out conversations,” Parrish explained. She said that particularly in the past year she’s been learning to “talk about the issues more in-depth to get her perspective and get her to understand my perspective. It’s taken

For many, it’s hard work. And sometimes, staying quiet is just easier. But when is it time to speak up and defend your own views? And when do you take the opportunity to defend the experiences of people who aren’t there to defend themselves?

“There’s a difference in disagreeing with someone, having a difference of opinion, and for someone else to be saying things that make other people genuinely uncomfortable,” explained Matsumoto.

There are moments when many typically brush off a comment from a parents or extended family members that might make them uncomfortable, but there are also times when talking about the issue is the only way to help see another side to things.

Parrish says she tries to avoid politics, but engages when she hears something that could be hurtful.

“Say in my extended family someone made a comment about people who are gay,” she said. “That’s when I’ll be like ‘Hey, not cool.’”

These discussions, while sometimes messy, are vital for acknowledging different perspectives.

Crafting a deeply informed opinion comes from multiple sources and sides of an issue.

Whittier-Ferguson, someone who consistently engages in political discussions, is always trying to navigate whether or not to talk it out when someone says something she disagrees with.

Emma Parrish and her family Vergara talked about how his mother tries to convince her dad to reconcile with her parents despite their political differences.

“She can understand why he’s hurt and betrayed and everything — but she expects him to do that for her,” Vergara said. “I have a hard time asking myself if that’s fair.”

Political views and moral stances have the potential to weaken relationships depending on the content of these views. But every so often, productive conversations and some understanding can be had. Family is still family, after all. “[Disagreements with family] can get super heated in the moment, but then it always kind of comes back to a more joking, more copacetic atmosphere,” said Proctor.

“Because it has to, because it’s family.”

Vergara agreed with the idea that family ties can be of more value than political opinions.

“Knowing the distinction is difficult,” WhittierFerguson said. “Oftentimes I’ll get into the middle of a conversation and go, ‘Oh shit, this is one of those ones that I should’ve just disengaged [with].’”

“I don’t want to say we should put these issues behind us and let bad things happen, because we shouldn’t forget about them, that’s for sure,” he said. “But at least with your family, in order to reconcile, at least try not to come from a place of anger when talking about it.”

Although it’s important to hear opinions that challenge yours, when other points of view are detrimental to one’s mental health or an insult to their identity, it’s okay — and sometimes crucial — to walk away.

It takes time to get into a healthy state of mind when talking to people you love about things you vehemently disagree on, but there are

ways to navigate these conversations so that they don’t end up in turmoil.

“Instead of starting it as a debate, start a difficult conversation with one person presenting what they believe, telling the entire story,” suggested Parrish. “Ask questions for clarification, and then switch.”

And despite vast differences in political opinion, it’s common for people, no matter their place on the political spectrum, to recognize the importance of bipartisan conversations and attempting to understand different perspectives. However, it’s also agreed upon that that’s much easier said than done.

“People who are Republicans aren’t bad people and people who are Democrats aren’t bad people,” Parrish said. “Either way, they’re just people who have a worldview that’s shaped by their own experience, and you have to take that into account when you see what they believe.”

Going into a conversation with a mindset of “this is inherently the best way” is counterproductive, according to Whittier-Ferguson.

“I think it’s through disagreement, and through battling out through those ideas, that we can come to the best conclusions [about] how to make positive change,” she said.

summer 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

18 • Focus

Focus • 19

grad students organize to

STAKE THEIR CLAIM Written by Julia Preszler // Photos by Ray Mandelbaum

When President Donald Trump instated the travel ban, graduate international students at Northeastern University became worried. The new rule essentially meant that international students from banned countries could not go back home; they would have no way to come back to Boston, where they study and conduct research, if they did. Their families could not come visit them. The affected students needed a place to turn to for support.

In response, securing support for international students has now increased in urgency. A group of Northeastern graduate students has been trying to unionize to bring about higher pay and improved benefits, such as transportation subsidies and child care, for international students working for the university.

The year-long effort is spearheaded by a group of about 20 graduate students who would like to create a union for Northeastern graduate and undergraduate students who

WOOF MAGAZINE • summer 2017

work as research assistants (RAs) or teaching assistants (TAs). According to Alex Ahmed, a third-year personal health informatics PhD student who works as an RA, the organizers were inspired by the success of a group of humanity graduate students who fought with the Northeastern administration to address a pay discrepancy between students within the same department.

“They saw that things could change,” Ahmed said. “They saw that if grad students organize together, they can push for changes that make our work conditions better.”

An August 2016 ruling by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) declared that student assistants working at private universities are covered by the National Labor Relations Act, meaning that they are able to unionize. This decision opened the floodgates for students

at Boston University, Harvard, Boston College, and other universities to begin unionizing.

“We think the wages can go higher. Boston is very expensive, especially for students who have a family,” said Ashkan Ghanbarzade, a third-year mechanical engineering PhD student and union organizer.

Ghanbarzade, who has served as both an RA and TA during his time at Northeastern, said he would also like to see better health care and dental coverage programs for international students, who often wait to change their glasses or go to the doctor for yearly check-ups until they return to their home country, where care may be cheaper.

RAs and TAs are given an 11 percent discount on MBTA transportation by the university. Ghanbarzade said he wishes this number was higher — closer to 25 percent.

Many international RAs and TAs see the union as a mouthpiece to advocate for issues facing international students, according to

Ghanbarzade, who is from Iran. Iran is one of the countries that falls under both Trump’s first and second travel bans (Iraq was the only name removed between the first and second iteration of the ban).

“We think that if, as a group, all of the domestic and international students are united under this same umbrella, everyone will feel more protected,” Ghanbarzade said. “Since internationals are not citizens here, they do not have much freedom to take action. With citizens backing us, we feel safer.”

Ahmed, who came out as transgender while at Northeastern, hopes the union will allow students to affect how faculty is trained about transgender issues; for example, faculty should know how to address transgender students with the proper pronouns.

“Whatever is being trained to faculty in this area is not enough,” she said.

The organizers are currently in the first step of the unionizing process: collecting cards of support from eligible students. Each card is signed by a student who shows interest in voting in favor of a union. Students also check off the issues that are most important to them on the cards. The organizers use the cards to gauge their chances of winning an election.

If members of the unionizing group are confident that they will win, they will file for an election with the NLRB. Steps towards initiating an election will then take place. A list of eligible voters — in this case, those working as an RA or TA at the time of the election — will need to be supplied by the university.

If the issue is brought to a vote and over half of voters vote in favor, the union will be officially created. At that point, research and teaching assistants will begin to draft and vote on a contract to bring to a bargaining process with the university.

“It’s a very democratic and official process,” said Ghanbarzade. “It has many elections until we get to a contract, so that’s the goal of the union: to have a contract in which all the demands and requests of the students are listed and somehow responded to.”

The students are working with the United Auto Workers (UAW), a national union that represents all kinds of workers, from manufacturers to medical professionals. The UAW represents 40,000 graduate students in the United States, more than any other union.

Ahmed said the union estimates that they have collected cards of support from over 40 percent of eligible graduate students.

The organizers estimate that 1,300 students

work as an RA or TA, but they are working on finalizing their numbers.

As the organizing body has reached out to student workers, they have found that most people have been supportive. Some, however, have expressed concerns. Reservations include: fears that their supervisors would be upset with them; fears that strikes may occur; and fears that they will not be able to opt out of the union, which automatically includes all RAs and TAs once formed. Others are concerned about the yearly union dues they would need to pay, which amounts to 1.44 percent of their yearly salary. Organizers say that they hope to achieve raises that would more than cover the cost of the dues.

Organizers say opposition from the administration has come in the form of foreboding emails. In a Feb. 17 email sent in response to Trump’s travel ban, Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Education Phil He wrote an email to graduate students that read: “It is unfortunate that the Autoworkers are seeking to exploit student fears and use the campus immigration protests as a means to leverage support for a graduate student union. I ask that you treat the Autoworkers’ presence on campus with the same skepticism that you might view any unknown organization that could have a substantial impact on your graduate experience.”

University spokesperson, Matt McDonald, said in an email, “The email message to graduate students was intended to provide factual information about the resources currently available to students, and to underscore the considerable efforts the university has taken to safeguard international students in the wake of the administration’s recent travel ban. Our goal is, and will continue to be, to share factual, accurate, and timely information — and to combat misinformation — so that our graduate students are able to make an informed decision that is in their own best interest.”

According to Ahmed, He tried to paint the union as an outside organization by calling them the “Autoworkers” in the email.

“Every single unionizing campaign has opposition,” Ahmed said. “That opposition is always from the employer because active unionizing is equilibration of power. The employer has to give up power. That never goes easy.”

The Harvard Graduate Student Union (HGSU), which is also organizing with the UAW, has faced its fair share of obstacles.

Students held an election in November 2016, though the results of the election are still indeterminate, as the number of contested ballots is greater than the margin between yes and no votes.

The HGSU said that the university provided a flawed list of eligible students to the NLRB

for the election, leaving off many of the students in Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.

“We’re arguing that this should not be considered a fair election and we should be able to do it again with the proper eligibility in place,” said Aaron Bekemeyer, a third-year history PhD student at Harvard and an HGSU member.

Both the HGSU and Harvard University have presented at hearings with the NLRB to explain their side of the story. The HGSU is still waiting to hear if November’s election will be counted, or if students will be granted a second election with a different eligibility list.

Once a union is recognized by the NLRB, employers are legally required to bargain with the union. The university would not be required to give in to any of the unionizers’ demands, but the students feel optimistic about the ability of unions to create change.

“Strong and meaningful contracts do come out of this process,” Bekemeyer said, pointing to the success that students have had at other universities, such as the University of Connecticut and New York University.

Ghanbarzade said Northeastern’s union originally intended to file for an election by the end of the spring 2017 semester. But, he said, they will delay this step until they have time to reach out to more eligible students.

Ghanbarzade said he may graduate before the union is officially instated.

“Because the process is long, I might not be able to actually benefit from the things we are going to bargain for,” Ghanbarzade said.

“But mostly I’m doing it for my friends.”

summer 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

NORTHEASTERN’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE DOESN’T END HERE. WWW.WOOF-MAG.COM