By AvivA LuttreLLCollegian Staff

S heena Arabesque confidently works her way across the

Diva’s Nightclub stage in Northampton, sensually pandering to the crowd as a handpicked club beat blares from the speakers. Her routine is captivating – one second she’s grinding against a speaker support, the next she’s plucking a dollar bill from the mouth of a fan standing in the front row. For nearly four and a half minutes, her voluminous, curly blonde hair struggles to keep up with the rest of her body as she dances. She wears only a black fringe bra and harem pants. Her performance is pro-vocative, fun and energetic. This is her moment, and she owns it, coming in first place in the competition at the end of the night. But it’s not who she is.

Finding a niche

If you ask Graham Stanley, he’ll tell you he doesn’t have many talents. But he’s found his niche. “I can’t draw, I can’t sing, I can’t act,” he said. “But I can lip sync and I can dress up and look good.” A 21-year-old University of Massachusetts student and Leominster native, Stanley competes as a drag queen multiple times a month. He travels across Massachusetts to perform in various venues, driving as far as Lowell to take part in a monthly show. In those circles, he’s known not as Graham Stanley but by his stage name, Sheena Arabesque. “I don’t think I’m a natu-ral performer, so it’s taken me a while to get to where I am now,” he said. Stanley started perform-

ing four years ago, even competing in an online drag competition on the microb-logging website Tumblr. He learned almost everything he knows, from how to apply makeup to performance

techniques, from his “drag mother,” Nikita LeFemme, in Worcester. His stage name was origi-nally Sheena LeFemme in homage to her, but he even-tually decided to create his

own unique character. “It was a big thing for me to create my own self that I could put Graham into,” he said. “Sheena” is a character

in a video game, “Tales of Symphonia.” “She and I share a lot of similarities … she’s a little shy, awkward, sometimes clumsy, lacking in self-confi-dence, but when push comes

to shove she is a strong character,” Stanley said. His last name, “Arabesque,” is a French word. “The idea of it is tak-ing hard shapes and mak-ing something beautiful out of them,” Stanley said. “I think that’s kind of what we’re doing. We’re playing with the geometry of our face and making things soft and beautiful, or if you want to go with the hard drag, edgy.” That transformation process can take anywhere from one to two hours, as Stanley applies multiple layers of makeup and false eyelashes, picks out cloth-ing and sometimes a wig, and prepares for his perfor-mance by singing and danc-ing in the mirror. And when he finally gets on stage, Stanley said, “It’s a rush. I don’t even hear the audience cheering at all because I’m so focused. It’s just so much fun to get up there and lip sync and dance around, and people give you money which is always nice.”

‘The physical is so changeable’

Drag means something different for everyone who does it. For some, it’s a way of life, but for others, like Stanley, it’s more of a hobby. “For me it’s more perfor-mative than identity, it’s just a fun way to entertain,” he said. Stanley first dressed in drag in the eighth grade, wearing his mom’s shirt, a skirt, fishnets and an iParty wig for Halloween. But it was “RuPaul’s Drag Race” – a reality television series about the search for America’s next drag super-star – that really opened Stanley’s eyes to what could

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Graham Stanley, who goes by the stage name Sheena Arabesque, performs at Diva’s Nightclub in Northampton on Sept. 24.

The Quarters a hub for lovers of arcade games

By ChristiAn yAporCollegian Correspondent

This article is part five in a series about local Amherst eateries. Located on the Norwottuck Rail Trail in Hadley, a unique “barcade” known as The Quarters pro-vides customers the oppor-tunity to eat, drink and play classic arcade games. With a menu consist-ing of mainly street food as well as vegan options, a bar that features original game-themed cocktails, draft beer and over 20 vintage arcade games, The Quarters offers entertainment for all ages. “During the day, especial-ly on the weekends, it’s a

family place for sure,” said Dani O’Brien, a graduate student of the University of Massachusetts. “At night, it’s more of a traditional bar.” The Quarters hosts a number of themed events where guests show up dressed for that theme. In the past, these events included “Wrestling Night,” “Hell Night” and “Star Wars Night.” The Quarters also hosts a nerd-themed trivia night on Mondays. Owners and UMass alum-ni George Myers and Greg

Stutsman opened the “bar-cade” to attract a diverse crowd of guests with its old-school feel.“We wanted a space that could speak to a pretty wide range of people,” said Myers, who is also the general man-ager. “There’s something for everyone here,” O’Brien added.

The “barcade” offers a unique atmosphere

UMass system named 91st best university in the world

By BrendAn deAdy Collegian Staff

The University of Massachusetts system was named the 91st best uni-versity in the world on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings list, marking a 41-spot jump for the University in the past year. This year’s improve-ment shows the reversal of a downward trend in the rankings for the UMass system over recent years. Between 2010 and 2011, UMass was No. 56 in the world, but competition and improvements in higher education across the globe sent the system into a decline.

According to its web-site, The Times Higher Education World University Rankings judges the world’s top research-led universities based on the core missions of teaching, research, knowledge trans-fer and international out-look using 13 performance indicators grouped into five categories. Teaching, research and citations each take up 30 percent of the overall score, while industry income assumes 2.5 percent and international outlook takes up 7.5 percent. Data is pro-vided and signed off on by the respective institutions. In order to be considered for a ranking, a university must publish at least 200 research articles a year. THE gives each eligi-ble university an overall

score averaged from the five categories. According to a statement on THE’s website from ranking edi-tor Philip Baty, these rank-ings provide a comprehen-sive and detailed insight to assist students in selecting a potential school to attend. The UMass system received an overall score of 56.1, tying with the University of Pittsburgh for 91st place. THE’s rank-ings encompass all five campuses of the UMass sys-tem. Its highest score came in the category of citations, considered by THE as the most influential of the score indicators. Citations are examined by the number of times a university’s pub-lished work is cited glob-

University jumps 41 spots this year

SENIORLEADER

Strength in NumbersStay f it with free reccenter classes

PAGE 8PAGE 5

see QUARTERS on page 2

“During the day, especially on the weekends, it’s a

family place for sure. At night, it’s more of a traditional bar.”

Dani O’Brien, UMass graduate student

‘Making something beautiful’UMass junior’s unique hobby has helped him feel comfortable in his own skin.

see STANLEY on page 2

AVIVA LUTTRELL/COLLEGIAN

Stanley applies makeup in his Amherst apartment before his performance.AVIVA LUTTRELL/COLLEGIAN

Stanley chats with other drag queens in the Diva’s dressing room.

see RANKING on page 3

be done with drag. “I didn’t think that I would ever be able to because I’m not the type to be good at things or what-ever,” he said. “I just didn’t have the confidence to try it.” Then, for his high school senior project, Stanley decided to explore gender stereotypes in Western civ-ilization through the lens of drag. “That’s what kind of got me started,” he said. That was four years ago, and he’s been performing con-sistently since. “It’s very physically transformative, and there’s an inner transforma-tive aspect to it, as well,” Stanley said. “It’s definite-ly brought me out of my own shell.” In kindergarten, Stanley was diagnosed with pso-riasis, a condition which makes his skin produce too much of itself, creating red, flakey patches on his body. “As kids grew up and we got older, kids got smarter, kids got meaner,” he said. “I was told in like middle school that I was worth-less, that I shouldn’t be alive because I was so dis-gusting. Kids would run away from me in the halls.”

Drag, he said, has been instrumental in helping him gain self-confidence. “The physical is so changeable,” he said. “Even if (the psoriasis) itself can’t be cured, I can do so much to change what I look like that the physical doesn’t matter.” “By changing the outer shell, it’s really helped me come to terms with my inner self, and I do have worth, I am worth so much.”

‘See how it affects you’

On the night of his per-formance at Diva’s, Stanley picks up his friend Lior on the way to the nightclub. The two spend a couple of hours before the show chatting, dancing and tak-ing selfies. “My friends all love it. They think it’s the coolest thing and I’m so glad about that,” Stanley said. “They meet me and I’m like this dude and then I’m like, ‘I’m a drag queen.’” “You don’t meet drag queens every day,” he added. And when it comes to his family, Stanley said he’s been lucky, especially when he came out as gay

at 14. “I’ve had no issues in school with that or with my family or anyone,” he said. “With the drag thing, my mom is very supportive,” Stanley continued. “She’s been to a few of my shows and she always says, ‘Send me a picture of your face when you’re ready, I want to see what you look like,’ which is really cool.” Stanley said his dad “doesn’t get it,” but is still proud Stanley has found a hobby he loves. “I’ve been very lucky, but I know there are many people who have to like hide all their stuff and only do their face at night and

sneak out just to be able to do it,” he said. “And it’s really sad that it has to be that way because you know there’s so much art in it and so much creativity that people don’t understand. And to limit it that way, it’s just heartbreaking.” As a novice drag per-former, Stanley struggled to differentiate his appear-ance from how he identi-fied on a daily basis. “I felt like my actions were more masculine than normal because I was look-ing so feminine,” he said. “It was just a weird bal-ancing act of how do I feel given who I am, which is a fun way to explore the

ideas of gender and sexual-ity and character and what a man is, what a women is, and how that divider shouldn’t be so concrete,” Stanley said. “I think if you want to question gender, just get in drag some time and just see what it feels like. Look yourself in the mirror and talk in your own voice, and then try to talk in a lower voice or a higher voice, and just see what that does to your mind. See how it affects you.”

Aviva Luttrell can be reached at aluttrel@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @AvivaLuttrell.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN2 Wednesday, October 15, 2014 DailyCollegian.com

T H E R U N D O W N

ON THIS DAY...In 1969, the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam was held in Washington D.C. and across the U.S. Over 2 million demonstrat-ed nationally, and about 250,000 in the nation’s capital.

China BEIJING — Hundreds of

police used chain saws and

other power tools Tuesday

to remove barricades set

up by Hong Kong protest-

ers, continuing the govern-

ment’s slow squeeze on the

pro-democracy demonstra-

tions that that have blocked

some streets for more than

two weeks.

Several long-occupied

roadways were reopened

Tuesday in the Admiralty

and Causeway Bay districts,

but protesters were still

massed around government

headquarters in Admiralty

and holding out in the dense

commercial district of Mong

Kok.

On Tuesday evening,

police and protesters faced

off near the offices of Hong

Kong’s embattled chief

executive. Police in helmets

and equipped with batons

encountered protesters

wearing goggles and face

masks and holding umbrel-

las. Police eventually

retreated and demonstrators

erected a barricade on Lung

Wo Road, a key east-west

artery.

Los Angeles Times

Mexico MEXICO CITY — The

leader of a Mexican drug

gang suspected in last

month’s disappearance of

dozens of college students

killed himself Tuesday after

a gun battle with federal

police, authorities said.

Gang boss Benjamin

Mondragon Pereda shot

himself early Tuesday

morning after being sur-

rounded by police in

Jiutepec, a city in Morelos

state, said Gonzalo Ponce, a

spokesman for the Mexican

government.

Los Angeles Times

South Africa JOHANNESBURG — A

probation officer employed

by the defense team of

South African Olympian

athlete, Oscar Pistorius,

recommended Tuesday that

he spared prison for the kill-

ing of his girlfriend, arguing

that the appalling jail condi-

tions – overcrowding, gang

rape, violence, drugs, AIDS

and poor hygiene – would be

devastating to him.

Pistorius has been con-

victed of culpable homicide,

or negligent killing, over the

shooting of girlfriend, Reeva

Steenkamp, on Valentine’s

Day last year.Los Angeles Times

Distributed by MCT Information Services

A RO U N D T H E W O R L D

STANLEY continued from page 1

Although The Quarters is relatively new – it just opened this past January – it has been popular with locals. “It’s unique for this area, there isn’t a lot like this around here,” said Steve Orszulak, a UMass Information Technology employee. “I feel like it’s a solid location that’s rela-

tively close to Amherst, but not downtown Amherst.” On Saturday mornings, The Quarters offers an all-you-can-eat “cereal buffet,” and all-you-can-play games for $10. “We’re actually just start-ing off a Wednesday night promotion for students, where they show their student IDs, and they get

unlimited tokens for $5,” Myers said. Julia Mawdsley, a UMass graduate student, sees The Quarters as something dif-ferent from a typical bar. “I like that it’s a bar with something to do,” she said.

Christian Yapor can be reached at cyapor@umass.edu.

QUARTERS continued from page 1

CHRISTINA YACONO/COLLEGIAN

On Saturday mornings, The Quarters offers an all-you-can-eat “cereal buffet” and all-you-can-play games for $10.

Feminist video game critic cancels speech after threat

By Ryan PaRkeRLos Angeles Times

Video game critic, femi-nist and blogger Anita Sarkeesian canceled a Wednesday speech at Utah State University after the college received an email threatening violence if she lectured, school offi-cials said. Sarkeesian is a pop cul-ture critic whose series of videos under the Feminist Frequency banner ana-lyze sexism in mainstream video games. Her series has drawn death threats in the past. The university con-firmed the latest threat but would not discuss details. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the email to the university threat-ened “the deadliest school shooting in American his-tory” if Sarkeesian were

allowed to speak on cam-pus. The school announced the cancellation, at Sarkeesian’s request, about 5:30 p.m. “Anita Sarkeesian has canceled her scheduled speech for tomorrow fol-lowing a discussion with Utah State University police regarding an email threat that was sent to Utah State University,” the announcement on the university website said. “During the discus-sion, Sarkeesian asked if weapons will be permit-ted at the speaking venue. Sarkeesian was informed that, in accordance with the State of Utah law regarding the carrying of firearms, if a person has a valid concealed firearm permit and is carrying a weapon, they are permit-ted to have it at the venue.”

S h o r t l y a f t e r the announcement, Sarkeesian took to Twitter to criticize the gun policy. “Forced to cancel my talk at USU after receiv-ing death threats because police wouldn’t take steps to prevent concealed fire-arms at the event,” she tweeted. “Requested pat downs or metal detectors after mass shooting threat but because of Utah’s open carry laws police wouldn’t do firearm searches.” The threatening email, sent by a person claiming to be a Utah State student to various departments and people on campus, promised deadly conse-quences and specified weapons that would be used, the Tribune report-ed. Campus police could not be reached for com-ment.

No proof pets transfer Ebola

By kaRen kaPlanLos Angeles Times

Public health experts and animal lovers are carefully monitoring the health of a Dallas-area resident who may have had close contact with Nina Pham, the nurse being treated for Ebola virus disease at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. So far, there are no indica-tions that Bentley, Pham’s 1-year-old King Charles spaniel, has been infect-ed with Ebola or become sick as a result. Bentley is now in the care of the Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center and being quarantined at “an undis-closed location,” according to the DAS Facebook page. Workers watching over Bentley have donned full-body protective suits to make sure they don’t catch the deadly virus from Pham’s pet, if indeed he is infected. But the risk that a person could catch Ebola from a dog is exceedingly low, experts say. There has not been a single case of a dog or cat spreading the virus to people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, the CDC adds, “there have been no reports of dogs or cats becoming sick with Ebola” - not even in Africa, where the virus was first identified in the 1970s. That’s not to say that pets aren’t vulnerable to infec-tion - there is scientific evi-dence that they are. During an Ebola outbreak in the African nation of Gabon in 2001 and 2002, researchers tested the blood of 258 dogs from various parts of the country and detected Ebola antibodies in more than 25 percent of the animals from villages in the epidemic area. For the sake of comparison, they also tested 102 dogs in France and found similar antibodies in two of them, though they could have been false-positives, according to their report in the jour-nal Emerging Infectious Diseases. How did the dogs in Gabon get the virus? Probably not through casual contact, the researchers wrote: “We observed that some dogs ate fresh remains of Ebola-virus-infected dead animals

brought back to the villages, and that others licked vomit from Ebola virus-infected patients.” Even so, none of the dogs displayed any symptoms of Ebola virus disease, the researchers noted. What’s more, none of the canine blood samples contained genetic sequences from the virus, and the researchers weren’t able to isolate the virus from the blood sam-ples either, according to the study. Though some of the dogs were surely infected, perhaps the virus didn’t make them sick or caused only a “very mild” infection, the researchers wrote. If a dog or cat becomes infected with Ebola, it is unclear whether the virus can then spread through the animal’s body, fur or paws, the CDC says. If a pet may have been exposed to the virus, local health officials should consult with a vet-erinarian to determine “how the pet should be handled,” according to the federal health agency. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association rec-ommends that pets exposed to Ebola be quarantined and tested. “It is possible that dogs may harbor the virus, par-ticularly in endemic areas where they may roam and have access to infected ani-mal carcasses,” WSAVA says. “However, house pets that may potentially be exposed in developed countries rep-resent a very different sce-nario.” The group chided Spanish officials for euthanizing the dog of Ebola patient Teresa Romero Ramos, a nursing assistant who contracted the virus while caring for mis-sionaries who had been sick-ened by it in West Africa. The pet, Excalibur, was not tested for the virus, WSAVA said, and it’s not clear that the dog was even infected. Ramos’ husband pleaded for the pet’s life, saying in a video that “they want to kill him for no rea-son.” Madrid’s Health Ministry obtained a court order to euthanize Excalibur on the grounds that it was the only way to be absolutely sure the dog wouldn’t spread the virus to others.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN Wednesday, October 15, 2014 3DailyCollegian.com

By HannaH allamMcClatchy Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — There’s an unintended beneficiary emerg-ing from the U.S.–led campaign to crush the Islamic State: the extremist group’s main rival, al-Qaida. Al-Qaida is no friend of the Islamic State, whose rapid expan-sion in Iraq and Syria gave it the lead in the struggle for primacy in the global jihadist movement. But the international attacks on the Islamic State also have lent urgency to al-Qaida’s appeals for fighters and cash to confront “the crusaders,” according to analysts of international jihadi groups, even as airstrikes ravage its pri-mary rival. As a militant Islamist group, al-Qaida can’t cheer on Western military intervention in Muslim nations. But analysts predict that the U.S.-led coalition’s presence will result in more cash, recruits and operating space for al-Qaida, particularly in Syria. The affiliate there, the Nusra Front, is the van-guard of a rebel movement that’s been steamrolled by the Islamic State, which also is known by the acronyms ISIS and ISIL. While al-Qaida loyalists must condemn the strikes in public, analysts say, they also recognize that the operations against the Islamic State offer the chance for a renaissance. “Their preferred outcome is that it chews up the leadership (of the Islamic State), leaves the foot soldiers and they can get the foot soldiers to come back,” said Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, who researches al-Qaida as a senior fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Gartenstein-Ross warned in a Foreign Policy article last month that the U.S.-led bomb-

ing campaign risks giving al-Qai-da “a new lease on life.” Counterterrorism specialists note that al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian-born doctor who succeeded Osama bin Laden, has issued no public remarks on the U.S.-led campaign to dismantle the Islamic State’s so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq. “He’s been neutral and above the fray,” Gartenstein-Ross said. The silence is especially odd because the first U.S. aerial attacks on Islamists in Syria hit not only Islamic State positions but also bases belonging to al-Qaida’s Nusra Front, with around 50 fighters reported killed. U.S. officials identified the target as the “Khorasan group,” a unit of senior al-Qaida figures who’d been dispatched from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Syria for the purpose of plotting international attacks. So far, that’s been the only al-Qaida target in a military effort that includes hundreds of airstrikes against Islamic State strongholds. And as long as the battle remains focused on the Islamic State, analysts don’t fore-see much in the way of retaliation from al-Qaida, despite the Nusra leader’s pledge to exact vengeance from Westerners in “the hearts of your homes.” “I have to think Zawahiri is somewhere sitting in his lounge chair, just watching all this,” said Nada Bakos, a former CIA analyst who monitored the Islamic State’s predecessor, al-Qaida in Iraq, and was on the team that hunted bin Laden. “He’s letting those guys take a beating like al-Qaida has for so many years.” Meanwhile, Bakos added, al-Qaida “can get back to business.” With the battlefield heat direct-ed elsewhere, analysts say, al-Qai-

da has doubled down on fund-raising and recruiting, shrewdly capitalizing on the Islamic State’s success at goading a reluctant President Barack Obama back into Iraq. Seth Jones, a counterterrorism expert at the RAND Corp. research institute, said recent jihadist statements signal an al-Qaida “welcoming of the U.S. engage-ment,” with reports of a ground-swell of support for the renewed fight against the Americans and their Arab and European allies. Al-Qaida affiliates also have signaled an interest in what Jones called “patching up the differ-ences,” with some loyalists even expressing support for the Islamic State’s broader contributions to jihad. Many al-Qaida trackers suspect the unification calls are less about showing solidarity with the Islamic State and more about capitalizing on the jihadist revival it has inspired. Maintaining goodwill is also important for wooing fighters into the al-Qaida fold if the Islamic State – so far resilient – loses its senior leadership. “There’s a great danger to having so much disunity in the broader movement,” Jones said of al-Qaida’s line of thinking. “The more fissures there are among jihadist groups, the more oppor-tunity there is for Western agen-cies to try to break apart those groups.” The Islamic State’s success in creating its dystopian fiefdom has aggravated tensions within and among the world’s jihadist organizations. The Islamic State has managed to peel away indi-viduals or blocs from al-Qaida-linked groups in countries that include Algeria, Pakistan, Yemen, Indonesia and the Philippines. Analysts who closely study such

groups describe the moves as dis-ruptive on the local level but not yet indicative of a collective shift in loyalties. Gartenstein-Ross and other extremist watchers say it’s still too early to gauge the overall impact of the Islamic State on mil-itant Islamists across the Muslim world. The picture is clouded by a jumble of contradictory state-ments and postings on social media, which, analysts com-plained, are sometimes translated hastily and without the nuance that better explains a group’s position. “I see this less as an example of fissures and more a recognition of the most successful jihadist cam-paign of some time,” Jones said of the complexities of how the Islamic State has been received among its ostensible comrades. Jihadist groups that unques-tionably have sided with the Islamic State include Jund al-Khalifa, made up of Algerian extremists who beheaded a French hiker last month, and Abu Sayyaf, the Filipino extremist group that’s threatened to exe-cute two German hostages unless Germany withdraws from the anti-Islamic State coalition. But loyalties aren’t as defined with most other jihadist groups around the world; analysts note that many groups appear to be gambling on al-Qaida’s longevity over the current popularity of the Islamic State. Militant Islamists in Indonesia, for example, are split, with one stream heading off to fight with the Islamic State in Syria and another urging loyalty to al-Qai-da. And counterterrorism spe-cialists have noticed a different type of schism among jihadists in Libya and Tunisia: commanders who are pro-Qaida but are now

confronted with followers who’ve returned from jihad in Syria with a softer stance toward the Islamic State. And for all the recent tumult in Yemen, where an Iranian-aligned insurgent group now controls the capital, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula’s command structure remains intact, with only a couple of senior operatives drifting to the Islamic State, Gartenstein-Ross said. The commander of Nigeria’s Boko Haram extrem-ist group seems to be hedging, praising the leaders of both al-Qaida and the Islamic State in a recent address. And rumors that the Pakistani Taliban had joined the Islamic State turned out to be greatly exaggerated; analysts say the group’s Islamic State cross-overs are few. In all this jihadist disarray, analysts said, al-Qaida senses the chance to project itself as the more seasoned, more strategic group, whose brand of jihad will outlast the Islamic State’s head-line-grabbing tactics. If the U.S.-led coalition goes after the Islamic State with no follow-up al-Qaida strategy, analysts caution, then Zawahiri’s forces in Syria could receive the gift of ungoverned ter-ritory to use for a comeback. “If you take ISIS out, what are you going to fill it with?” said Bakos, the former CIA analyst. She said the Obama administra-tion was making the same mistake as the Bush administration when it dismantled Saddam Hussein’s military and ended up with a high-ly skilled insurgency that became the precursor to the Islamic State. Once again, Bakos lamented, “we don’t have an after plan.”

Analysts fear who benefits from war on IS

RANKING continued from page 1

ally. Higher frequency of citation for a university’s research demonstrates its contribution to the sum of human knowledge, accord-ing to THE’s website. The UMass system has seen the most signifi-cant scoring declines in teaching and research. Since 2011, both categori-cal scores dropped over 20 points. The scores are largely determined by an invitation-only opinion survey of 10,000 people that judges the excellence and prestige of a univer-sity’s research and faculty. However, this year’s rankings show improve-ment in all five categori-cal scores. The decline in scores does not necessar-ily demonstrate a decline in quality, as 93 percent of faculty hold the highest degree in their respective fields at UMass. Research associated with UMass has also been credited with billions of dollars of economic activity in the past decade, according to a report by the Isenberg School of Management. The fluctuation in rank-ings can be attributed to increased competition across the globe. Europe is still America’s main rival in public higher education, but Asia saw four more of its universities included in the top 200 this year, and now has 24 compared to 74 American institutions. According to a UMass system press release, this makes the 41-place advancement all the more impressive. “This accomplish-ment is perhaps made more impressive by the fact that the University of Massachusetts has risen further up the table this year against a backdrop of falls for many of the USA’s universities, and against mounting compe-tition from rising stars in East Asia which have been enjoying strong financial support,” Baty told The

University. According to a press release from UMass, THE’s World Ranking system is considered to be one of the most influential and authoritative international ranking systems of higher education institutions. UMass system Director of Communications Ann Scales believes the Time’s Higher Education World Ranking system is a moti-vator for the UMass cam-puses. “The rankings are higher education’s gold standard, they’re the most prestigious rankings in the world,” Scales said. “They motivate us to continue in our wide-ranging research and improve all areas of the education we provide.” “Along with encour-aging us to continually improve, these rankings are an affirmation of the quality of education the UMass system provides,” she continued. “UMass seeks to be the best uni-versity it can be and these rankings demonstrate this goal and qualify our efforts to get there.” UMass’s improvement over last year places them 19th in the nation’s top pub-lic universities and sixth best university in New England, a global hub of higher education. UMass surpassed notable colleges such as Boston College, Dartmouth College and Brandeis University in this year’s rankings. “Massachusetts is a leader in education, and its public research uni-versity is recognized as a leader in higher education worldwide,” UMass Board of Trustees Chairman Henry M. Thomas III said in a UMass system press release. “We are grateful for this recognition of our achievements and the com-mitment we make to prog-ress each and every year.”

Brendan Deady can be reached at bdeady@umass.edu.

By lilly FowlerSt. Louis Post-Dispatch

ST. LOUIS — The rain pounding the pavement made no difference to those urging repentance. With or without umbrel-las, a gang of clergy from various faith traditions marched to the Ferguson Police Department on “Moral Monday,” the last day in a weekend of pro-tests dubbed Ferguson October. Clergy advanced on South Florissant Road determined to force one question on a commu-nity of officers: Will you repent? They gathered in the parking lot of the police station and created a memorial to Michael Brown, the unarmed teenager fatally shot by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, by drawing a chalk outline of a body on the pavement. Candles were lit. A line of police officers quickly formed a perim-eter around a crowd of hundreds who had come in support of the clergy. Some guarded the police department’s side door. Officers soon changed into riot gear, equipping them-selves with shields and batons. Then, in the midst of the unrelenting rain, one protest leader cried that officers would be given the chance to confess their sins and repent. One by one, clergy approached the officers on guard, ask-ing them to – for at least a moment – forget their duties and reflect instead on American’s system of racial injustice. There were signs of ten-derness and understand-ing, such as a rabbi hold-ing hands with an officer. Others, however, said the protest reflected a

more fire and brimstone kind of theology, with some in the crowd yell-ing “In the name of Jesus, repent!” – which sounded less like an invitation and more like a threat. Sgt. Tim Harris of the Ferguson Police Department, who has been an officer for almost 30 years, was on the front-lines of the protest. Harris said although he tried, he had a difficult time hear-ing some of the pastors who spoke to him because of all the shouting. “You could tell some of them were trying to be sincere, but this isn’t the place,” Harris said. “They wanted to force this on us. “If they respected us, they wouldn’t have come at us the way they did.” Harris said one rabbi approached him with a “face scrunched up like I was disgusting.” When he pointed it out, he said she apologized and that in the end, they were able to have “an OK conversation.” David Greenhaw, presi-dent of Eden Theological Seminary, who partici-pated in the protest, says he, too, could have done without that part of the demonstration. It was “dramatic but unrealistic to think that a police officer would offer their confession,”

Greenhaw said. “You know, I wasn’t crazy about that. I didn’t think that was the best element.” Repentance, Greenhaw said, isn’t “coercive, I think it’s invited, and there was a coercive ele-ment.” Greenhaw said the protest reflected a doctri-nal divide in the theology of repentance. Others say the call to repentance wasn’t meant as a condemnation of any one individual but of American society as a whole. Before the march to the police station, clergy themselves were asked to repent for their complic-ity in a system of racial disparity that continues to hurt African-Americans. Rabbi Susan Talve of Central Reform Congregation said the offi-cers are “part of the sys-tem that use young black people as an ATM,” refer-ring to the disproportion-ate number of traffic tick-ets and fines inflicted on African-Americans. But Talve also admitted clergy have been part of that structure for too long. The protest, she said, was one step toward earning “the trust back of a gener-ation that feels like we’ve neglected them, not heard them, and betrayed them.” The Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of the Christian

magazine Sojourners and a spiritual adviser to President Barack Obama, said that despite the noise, he managed to have an intimate conversation with a 36-year veteran of the police force – a fellow Christian – who described the last two months as the hardest of his life. Wallis said although he does not believe every offi-cer is engaging in brutal-ity, “You can’t say you’re not a racist if you accept and support systems that are. “There’s no doubt that racialized policing is occurring.” One officer even seemed to confess as much. “My heart feels that this has been going on too long,” Ferguson Officer Ray Nabzdyk told the clergy, according to The Associated Press. “We all stand in fault because we didn’t address this.” Wallis said repentance isn’t about saying you’re sorry or feeling guilty but about change, which he has yet to see in the police department’s policies. The faith community, Wallis said, won’t rest until that change comes. Greenhaw said his hope is “that we put a cork in it, but repent in the best sense of the word, actually do better as a community.” “Repentance is not about the police officers,” he said. “It’s about all of us. Repentance is to rec-ognize where we are is wrong.”

Some involved in march were arrested

Clergy calls for police to repent

MCT

Police arrest protesters who tried to enter a fundraiser for St. Louis County.

“My heart feels that this has been going

on too long.”Ray Nabzdyk,

Ferguson police officer

Opinion EditorialEditorial@DailyCollegiancomWednesday, October 15, 2014

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

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Nobody wins, except special interests, on the gas tax vote Across Massachusetts, voters will take to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 4 to decide on

the issue of repealing the automatic increase of the Bay State’s gas tax to agree with inflation. Arguments can be made for both sides, but this vote is indicative of how sly political engineer-ing from massive Political Action Committees (PAC) campaigns can dilute the voting process even for something as democratic as a ballot question. Those who favor repeal have challenged the eco-nomic argument made by state legislature, which probably doesn’t under-stand the issue. The basic argument made by the con-servative grass-roots group, Tank the Gas Tax, is that tax revenue will increase with inflation even without an increase in the tax rate. Inflation leads to more con-sumption, in this case of gas, which should lead to more revenue, even if rates stay as they are. Opponents of the repeal, in other words, supporters of raising the tax, are pri-marily those who benefit from the tax. The No on One Committee is a politi-cal action campaign com-

posed of special interest groups who benefit directly from the tax. Specifically, the donors who have already spent over $900,000 in advertising against the issue consist of state contractors such as the Massachusetts Aggregate & Asphalt Paving Association and Suffolk Construction Inc. as the top contributors. These groups, and the oth-ers in the PAC, receive state construction contracts that are paid for by the gas tax. Rest assured, some arguments being made from the opposing side are grounded in reality and not the pockets of inter-est groups. The official campaign website does a good job of justifying the increase: “Massachusetts residents should vote NO on Question 1 because this ballot measure would elim-inate a key part of the fund-ing that has been set aside by the state Constitution to pay for transportation projects across the state. It would jeopardize $1 billion in transportation improve-ments over the next decade – putting our public safety at further risk.” The dreadful state of public infrastructure in Massachusetts and around the nation is a cause that anyone can get behind, but

let’s take a look at some of those arguments. The campaign suggests that roads will crumble to a useless state without this funding. What it really says is that the legislature used the passage of the gas tax increase to pay con-tractors more money to do more construction around the state. The legislature is suggesting that because it passed a tax increase that

is so unpopular that it is currently under attack by referendum, it is too late to do anything about that mistake on account of the legislature investing the money already. But that too is a hol-low argument, because the money hasn’t already been spent, and while the state-ment tries to hide this fact, it fails to do so completely. “It would jeopardize the $1 billion in transporta-tion improvements over the next decade,” the state-ment reads. So the money has not yet been spent, it

has simply been set aside to be spent over the next decade. If that’s the case, then not only is it totally possible to repeal this law and relieve the middle class of a tax burden without harming the current state of Massachusetts’ roads, Gov. Deval Patrick and the state legislature are trying to pull the wool over the public on those facts. I’m not calling for

Massachusetts Daily Collegian readers to stand up and repeal the state’s gas tax increases. As a Vermont resident, I won’t be voting on this issue and I don’t care if this motion pass-es or fails. Judging by the recent Student Government Association election turn-outs, I have no confidence that the University of Massachusetts student body will make a differ-ence, and more important-ly, I don’t care about the result of this ballot ques-tion. I’m more concerned

about the disgusting state of politics not just in Massachusetts, but in the entire United States. Let’s peek behind the blinders and take this vote at face value. What we have is a corrupt administration trying to fight a popular movement against taxation with big money and big misinformation. The fact that roads need work is not a justification for publish-ing misleading economic arguments that the public by and large cannot com-prehend, and then using those arguments to raise taxes now and give contrac-tors a raise later. The previously men-tioned No on One Committee has outraised its opponents by a factor of nearly 20-1. The Tank the Gas Tax effort, whether you find it virtuous or mis-informed, is a grass-roots small donor’s campaign without the backing of big business. And that cam-paign, the last flickering candle in a democracy on life support, is being deci-mated by special interests and their allies in the state government, all of whom stand to gain politically and financially from increasing tax rates. State contractors are donating to help the state

campaign in a not-so-subtle deal that will help them turn guaranteed profits for a decade on the backs of taxpayers. This issue would have massive public sup-port, if the opposing cam-paign had enough money to educate the voting base. Instead it’s falling by the wayside as the least inter-esting option on the bal-lot because of a media and advertising whitewashing that was paid for by those who care about their pay-checks and not the issues that middle class folks deal with every day. Ballot questions are the most democratic pro-cess possible. Voters who are affected by the issue, and thus those who should understand it, must weigh the higher tax rate against infrastructure benefits and make an informed decision. That’s an impossible task when corporations can buy the electoral process, from advertising and campaigns to the legislature and even the governor himself.

William Keve is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at wkeve@umass.edu.

Between the swift acqui-sition of the Crimea and

the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russia’s recent burst of aggression in Eastern Europe has left many in the West confused as to why the country’s leadership would act so impetuously. Though the cause of Russia’s direct intervention may seem sim-ple, that being the protec-tion of Russian economic and political interests, the execution of the annexa-tion was not. Interestingly, Putin’s strategy is actu-ally very reminiscent of a time when Russia was just emerging on the global stage as an empire. In 1762, Russia’s influ-ence in Eastern European politics was reaching its zenith under the very capable rule of Catherine the Great. Due to the recently finished Great Northern War, most of the other states around Russia were significantly weak-ened. Of these, the most apparently disorganized was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Since its inception in 1569, the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania was one of Europe’s most politi-cally complex, largest and commercially vital nations. Its power derived primar-ily from its economic base — wheat production. The

massive nation encom-passed what is known as Europe’s “Bread Basket.” In modern times, this area is almost complete-ly controlled by Ukraine. Interestingly, the eastern Ukrainian provinces (the ones in conflict) were among the most prosper-ous in the nation. Elections for the new king of Poland-Lithuania were held in 1764. Russia seized this opportunity to install its own ruler

by paying off impover-ished electors within the Polish nobility. The new king, Stanislaw II August, was a former lover of Catherine and openly sup-ported Russian interven-tion in Commonwealth politics. As a result of his policies, Russian ambassa-dors began to exert more influence in the Sejm (Parliament) than any of the nobility or even the king himself. This situation is much like that of Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Though technically separate from the Russian Federation, the new coun-try of Ukraine was still eco-nomically dependent on its former controller. Because of this, Russia only sup-

ported Ukrainian leaders who would cooperate with them rather than Western Europe. The recent 2013 uprising in Kiev (sometimes even referred to as a revolu-tion) was a reaction to the Russian-bound leadership of Ukraine. Protestors and the parliament agreed that the state should join the European Union, therefore limiting its economic ties with Russia in favor of those in the West. However, for-

mer Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych vetoed all of the proposals and chose to fight the opposi-tion. This eventually led to his removal from power and the establishment of an interim government that Russia viewed as ille-gitimate. Although the disput-ed legislation was differ-ent, the situation and the outcome in the 18th cen-tury were the same as the events of this past year. Despite a budget surplus in the 1760s, the Russian faction within the govern-ment vetoed almost all military investments pro-posed in the Sjem. By 1768, this tension boiled over and the Polish nobility that remained loyal to the state

created its own private army known as the Bar Confederation. The rebel-lion caused by the devoted elite gave Russia and the countries surrounding the Commonwealth an excuse to invade and subsequently seize most territory cap-tured. The same strategy of provoking the constitu-ency and then grabbing territory was applied in the Crimea in March. After the ousting of Yanukovych, Ukraine was together, but ethnic ten-sions were boiling. This became the excuse for unmarked “rebels,” who were later confirmed by multiple news sources to actually be Russian troops, to quickly capture the key institutions in the pri-marily ethnically Russian Crimea. Shortly after-wards, Crimea declared its independence from Ukraine and was annexed into Russia. Though the times and political institutions may be very different, the gen-eral strategies employed by Russia in the 18th cen-tury can be compared to those observed this past year. Situations such as this are a stark reminder that if history is not closely observed, then it just might repeat itself.

Eliot Decker is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at ecdecker@umass.edu.

“Voters… [must] make an informed decision. That’s an impossible task when corporations can buy the electoral process, from advertising

and campaigns to the legislature and even the governor himself.”

William Keve

Eliot Decker

“Situations such as this are a stark reminder that if history is not closely

observed, then it just might repeat itself.”

History repeats itself in Ukraine conflict

“Milk is for babies. When you grow up you have to drink beer.” - Arnold SchwarzeneggerArts Living

Arts@DailyCollegian.comWednesday, October 15, 2014

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Challenge yourself with intensive group fitness classes

By Matthew hladyCollegian Correspondent

When I set out to dis-cover what the Recreation Center had to offer for group exercise, I attended three sessions: the 30 min-ute body, insanity and car-dio kickboxing. If you’re looking for great cardio, muscle toning and body-weight exercises, these classes are for you. They were somewhat challeng-ing, but I felt ready for more after five minutes of rest at the end of each class. On a difficulty scale of one to 10, one being that you might as well sit in a hot classroom and 10 being the legend-ary workout, from “300,” I would rate these three courses at around six. Each uses energetic music like hip-hop to keep people focused and in time with the exercises. Furthermore, the instruc-tors are enthusiastic about the struggle that the stu-dents subject themselves to. Even the instructor, who was recovering from the “UMass plague,” sounded perky. Many of the class-goers chat before and after, so these courses could be good social events for those looking for new friends.

You can also use oth-ers to measure your pace while you are spurred on by the fear of looking like a lethargic slug. However, as packs of women filed into the first class, I began to realize that I was the only guy in attendance. The 30 minute body rou-tine began with a decent stretching session. As a guy, the legs and back portion proved difficult while the women seemed to breeze through it, however the opposite held true for the upper body work. The emphasis on the lower body, with slow and controlled movements, lying down constantly and curved motions akin to yoga ori-ented the class toward women. While everything tired the muscles, few of the participants were actively sweating and our energetic instructor had enough breath throughout to speak to us. That she was able to walk around and encourage us while doing the workout herself indicates its simplicity and relative ease. The only demanding aspect was the lack of breaks. Regarding difficulty, I would rate this as a five. While not chal-lenging to anyone in good shape, the atmosphere was suitable for anyone, wheth-er you are out of shape or

maintaining your current level of fitness. The insanity workout is wonderful for cardio training. However, I should mention that almost every-thing involves the calves, though most other muscles were utilized as well. While I can see how the cardio, leg and toning work appeal to women, I recommend it to men too. The class is dif-ficult enough to challenge many people at all fitness levels. There is flexibility for going at your own pace

and, while you could slow, the group environment will push you to try your hard-est. Overall, I would give this a six and a half on the difficulty scale and recom-mend it to people in good shape or anyone trying to get there. To clear up the rare misconceptions that I’ve heard, cardio kickboxing is not a combat-oriented class. The class descrip-tion makes no pretense of that and nothing that they do has any use in terms

of self-defense. This is just a workout that imitates fighting if you stretch your imagination, as it referenc-es strikes and no technique is involved. It was not ter-rible to do nor was it easy and you could choose your own pace. T h e i n s t r u c t o r announced that the par-ticipants may rest or grab water whenever they felt it was necessary. Just by stat-ing this, the participants are given an out and this

will demotivate them. If someone has a condition that requires rest, they will know when to stop and hopefully warn the instructor beforehand. The instructor gave the class members an excuse to give up early. Furthermore, I was horrified to see that when the students were throwing roundhouse kicks, they failed to pivot on their feet, which can cause permanent damage to their knees by strain-ing or tearing their joints. However, the instructor assures me that the issue is being remedied and, as a yoga instructor, she is aware of the dangers. At the end of the day, I would give this workout a six, just mind your legs. I was anticipating gen-ders to mix and to have per-haps one class of guys being shouted at and abused into killing themselves in the workout. These courses are not like that in any way. They are good for car-dio and lower body work. I would recommend insanity for anyone and the 30 min-ute body for people looking for a light workout. Push yourselves through them to make yourself stronger and stay fit.

Matthew Hlady can be reached at mhlady@umass.edu.

Rec Center coursesrenew your regimen

H E A LT H & F I T N E S S

There’s more to life than fries

By elena lopezCollegian Staff

For some students, Berkshire and Hampshire Dining Commons are not the easiest eateries to access, due to high traffic, distance or motivation. That leaves the lovely Franklin Dining Commons (Frank), because Worcester Dining Commons is just plain awful. The issue many students find with Frank, as lovable as it may be, is that the options aren’t nearly as healthy as they could be. Among the fries, stir fry, mass produced grilled cheese and the like, it’s hard to find the leafy greens that used to make us dread dinner time at home. Now, as health-conscious and mature, college-aged adults, it’s in the hands of the stu-dents to get a little crafty and creative with what fuels our bodies. Sophomores Tess Stirling and Shelby Duckworth both found their own ways to make meals well-rounded and delicious. One of Duckworth’s ideas includes the burrito bar, minus the actual burrito shell. Most of the time, the tortilla breaks and creates a mess. So rather than deal-ing with that, she suggests making a Chipotle-style bur-rito bowl. Using the rice, let-tuce, pico de gallo, cheese, guacamole and sour cream available, with chicken or beef for the meat lovers, a delicious burrito bowl is born. By using the ingredi-ents provided in a slightly different style, it adds to the limited number of options in any of the dining com-mons. Stirling shares the cre-ativity related to making Frank food mouthwater-ing that many of us lack, but she shares a few of her

go-to plates when Frank just doesn’t cut it. She includes mixed greens from the salad bar, cucumbers, carrots, bean sprouts, brown rice, walnuts, sunflower seeds, broccoli, green beans, pep-pers from the gluten free bar, alfalfa sprouts and adds some protein in the form of lean grilled chicken. A light vinaigrette of olive oil and balsamic vinegar serves as a perfect complement to this dish. A little bit of patience goes a long way when decid-ing what concoction to make next. The chicken can be replaced with kidney or black beans for a vegetar-ian or vegan option, making it accessible to all types of dietary needs. The Mediterranean bar has a few hidden gems if you look close enough. One of Duckworth’s go-to meals is a hummus-based plate, an excellent source of protein to maintain her vegetarian diet. On top of a bowl of hummus, Duckworth adds black beans, kidney beans, red onions, brown rice, pep-pers, tomatoes, cheese and guacamole to create a bowl of succulent and healthy food, much more filling and conscious than heaps of stir fry. The dreaded “freshman 15” and even greater weight gain can become very real if

students aren’t conscious of what goes on their plate. The University of Massachusetts does a fantastic job of offer-ing healthier dining options, but it wouldn’t be campus food if there weren’t piles of pizza, pasta and fries avail-able every day. All of these carbs can form a quick habit, and what was once a daily salad turns into a monthly bite of lettuce before going back for more fried potatoes. It’s often easier to get these ready-made meals because that’s what the din-ing commons are for, but a little bit of patience and thoughtfulness can make for palate pleasing plates as both Stirling and Duckworth have found. These dishes are simply suggestions to get the culi-nary juices flowing, don’t be afraid to experiment a bit because if it doesn’t work out, endless plates await you to try again with no extra cost to your meal plan. As winter draws nearer and the gym seems further and fur-ther away, one of the few ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle among the stress of college is to eat carefully and with your body in mind.

Elena Lopez can be reached at aelopez@umass.edu.

Creating healthy meals at Frank DC

H E A LT H Y E AT I N G

Progressive dance music shakes its way to NoHo

By adria KellyCollegian staff

The first time I heard Papadosio’s progressive psychedelic jam music, I was mid-brush stroke on an art piece I had been strug-gling on for weeks. The minute its ethereal sound flowed into the room, I was hooked and quickly com-pleted my painting, which wasn’t hard to do with the incredible vivacity its music brings into a room. Papadosio has tight drum-beats, profound lyrics and unique synth work that are an inspiration for artists and people everywhere. The quintet met in Athens, Ohio but now call Ashville, North Carolina home. Both cities are thriv-ing creative areas and inspire the group to delve deeper into the world of music and sound. Anthony Thogmartin fronts the group as the singer-song-writer, producer and gui-tarist. He is balanced out with Mike Healy on drums and Rob McConnell on bass. Brothers Billy and Sam Brouse, who help give indi-viduality to the sound with their masterful synth, two-headed keyboard and pro-gramming skill, fill out the group. Papadosio has cease-lessly toured the country since the release of its critically acclaimed album “Observations” in 2009. As it travelled, the band con-tinued to write and after its second record “To End the Illusion of Separation (T.E.T.I.O.S.)” was revealed, it was obvious the group had experienced a shift of sound and of mental-ity. “T.E.T.I.O.S.” is a call to arms of sorts. It asks people to refuse to conform to the stereotypes and syn-thetic obstacles of society.

Wealth, class and ideology set aside, Papadosio wants individuals to come togeth-er for humanities sake and this immense double-album shows that desire clearly. Following “T.E.T.I.O.S.” came “Night & Day,” which is a live album released this year. Papadosio’s music encompasses “themes of conservation, tolerance and mind-expansion.” Using dynamic beats inspired by Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Fleet Foxes, Ott, Boards of Canada, Claude Debussy and many more, it pushes the audience toward a pro-gressive future of accep-tance. Papadosio’s sound has a beautiful meld of organic movement and technological grit. It’s a mixture of folk, dance, jam and electronica and mas-terfully blends these genres into a unique and intrigu-ing sound. Papadosio will be per-forming at Pearl Street Nightclub this Thursday as a mid-tour stop on a three-month excursion across the country. It will be jam-ming with Twiddle, an equally impressive group which originated from Vermont. Twiddle began at Castleton State University in the fall of 2004, when Mihali Savoulidis and Ryan Dempsey realized their matching devotion and unmistakable rapport. After recruiting Brook Jordan and Billy Comstock, the band’s original bass-ist now replaced with the mastery of Zdenek Gubb,

they grabbed listeners’ attention and managed to tour the Northeast, com-piling a collection of origi-nal works before gradua-tion. Its 2007 debut album, “The Natural Evolution of Consciousness” exhibits the band’s multifarious inspi-rations, incredible lyricism and spot on musicality. The record “delves into the human spirit, speaks to our ambition, grief and love.” Twiddle’s sound is a beautiful mixture of jazz, bluegrass, classical, reggae and funk. Its songs come across as improvisation, but in reality are compli-cated and in-depth arrange-ments that will “never fail to leave the crowd lusting for more.” The band brings a dynamic energy to every show, making it impossible to stand still and drawing the audience in. Papadosio and Twiddle will be joined by Honeycomb, an artist that brings great energy, rhythm and rhyme to any stage. With these three brilliantly creative groups in one venue, this show would be a shame to miss. Artists and music lov-ers from all over Western Massachusetts will flock to Pearl Street Nightclub on Thursday to jam with some of the most progressive musicians of today. The doors open at 9 p.m. and tickets are $15 online and $20 at the door.

Adria Kelly can be reached at akellysu@umass.edu.

M U S I C

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

Exercising in groups is an excellent way to stay motivated and push yourself to do your best.

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

Franklin’s vegan station is a great place to look for some healthy options.

Papadosio has tight drumbeats, profound lyr-ics and unique synth work that are an

inspiration for artists and people everywhere.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN6 Wednesday, October 15, 2014 DailyCollegian.com

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You eat that apple, in class. You eat it. Nice and slow.

Wondermark By david malki

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Off–white out

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN Wednesday, October 15, 2014 7DailyCollegian.com

Green, and fifth win in the last six games overall. In that six-game stretch, the Falcons are averaging over 37 points per game. Bowling Green will return to action Saturday against Western Michigan.

Akron wins third straight over Miami

Facing in-state rival Miami (Ohio), Akron pulled away in the fourth quarter on its way to a 29-19 vic-tory against the Red Hawks Saturday. After taking a 5-0 lead through one quarter (with scores coming off a safety and field goal), the Zips (4-2, 2-0 MAC) entered halftime with a 15-13 lead. But two second half touchdowns – including a 10-yard run by Jawon Chisholm with five

minutes left in the game – allowed Akron to pull away late. Chisholm was a work-horse for the Zips. He ran the ball 17 times for 102 yards and two touchdowns to pace the Akron offense. For Miami (1-6, 1-2 MAC), quarterback Andrew Hendrix led the way with 352 passing yards and three touchdowns, but it was not enough to keep the Red Hawks close late in the game. The Zips were relent-less in their pursuit of Hendrix, sacking him nine times throughout the game. Nordly Capi, Jerome Lane and Justin March recorded two sacks each. Akron will go on the road this Saturday, as it looka to extend its winning streak to four games against Ohio.

Central Michigan downs Northern Illinois

Central Michigan used a punishing ground attack Saturday after-noon to defeat Northern Illinois 34-17. Running back Thomas Rawls was spec-tacular for the Chippewas, carrying the ball 40 times for 270 yards and two touch-downs. Central Michigan (4-3, 2-1 MAC) used its running game to control the tempo of the game, and nearly dou-bled the Huskies in time of possession. The Chippewas took a 21-7 lead into half-time and milked the clock in the second behind Rawls’ incredible afternoon. For Northern Illinois (4-2, 1-1 MAC), it was an afternoon of frustration. The Huskies scored on their

first possession of the game (a 20-yard pass from Drew Hare to Jewa Brescacin), but punted on their next five drives. They were 4-of-14 on third downs and never led again after surrender-ing an early 7-0 lead. In the third quar-ter, Hare connected with Brescacin for the second time in the end zone to pull the Huskies within two scores of Central Michigan, 31-17. Unfortunately, the Chippewas ball possession in the second half proved too much for the Huskies, and they would not score again. Central Michigan returns to action Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against Ball State.

Nick Souza can be reached at njsouza@umass.edu

MAC continued from page 8

played with older girls so I’m used to it,” Kreusch said. “I have respect for the older girls and learn a lot from them, but I’ve been playing with older girls since I was young so I’m used to it.” One source of stability for the freshmen has been senior captain Lauren Allymohamed. As an All-American and an inter-national student herself, Allymohamed has helped Hawkshaw and Kreusch both on and off the field. “They’re both play-ing really well,” Allymohamed said of the two freshmen. “They’ve both settled into the team really well and they’re definitely developing.” The Minutewomen will need Kreusch, Hawkshaw, and Allymohamed to be

at the top of their games as they approach the final five games of their season. Three of the five will be conference games, starting with a matchup at home against Davidson on Friday, and ending with the season finale against Saint Louis Nov. 2. “Last five games, it’s just critical that we close out conference play well, make the A-10 tourna-ment, and continue to improve,” Tagliente said. “If we can continue [to play well] we still stand in a good position to push for the NCAA tournament.”

Jamie Cushman can be reached at jrcushman@umass.edu.

FRESHMEN continued from page 8

@MDC_SPORTS Sports@DailyCollegian.comWednesday, October 15, 2014

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

BGSU, Akron keep win streaks alive

By Jason KatesCollegian Staff

After nearly four years of hard work and patience, Massachusetts hockey player Zack LaRue is finally see-ing his efforts pay off. Prior to the season opener versus Boston University, the senior was rewarded for his leader-ship and commitment to the program by being named an alternate captain along with fellow senior Oleg Yevenko. “First of all, it’s an honor to be assistant captain for this school,” LaRue said. “It’s been easy following in the footsteps of (captain Troy Power). He’s been a great leader and a great roommate. He’s helped us all and led the way for us.” LaRue, an Ontario native, played in every game for the Minutemen last year and recorded four points. UMass coach John Micheletto - who has coached LaRue since his sophomore year - praised the forward for his dedication to becoming a better player. “I’ve been impressed for the two-plus years that I’ve been here that Zack just does things

the right way,” Micheletto said. “If not the hardest, he’s among the hardest working guys we have. He’s physically very fit and he takes his train-ing in the offseason equally as diligent as he does when some-one is watching him here.” Micheletto also commend-ed LaRue on being a player who cares about his team-mates and is always conscien-tious about helping out others, regardless of his own perfor-mance. “If they need a tap on the shin guards and a positive word he’s there for them,” Micheletto said. “That, com-bined with his work ethic, has really garnered the respect of his teammates.” As a senior on a UMass team that has 15 underclass-men, LaRue was already viewed as a leader, and that role will only increase now. “(The underclassmen) have made it really easy for me,” LaRue said. “All of these guys come from either winning programs or leadership roles back at their junior teams, so they know what it’s like. If they have questions, I’ve been here for three years so show-ing them the ropes hasn’t been difficult at all.”

“I want to help them as much as I can and I’m happy if they feel comfortable com-ing to me whenever they need something.” Micheletto said that LaRue was an important leader for the team, but rejected the idea that LaRue had to step up. Instead, Micheletto said that the alternate captaincy was a result of the qualities LaRue had shown before being given the “A”. “How he deals with other guys and the concern he has for his teammates won’t change now that he’s got a letter on his shirt, and that’s that beauty of it,” Micheletto said. “These guys have really embraced being leaders, even without (being alternate cap-tains) prior to last weekend.” During LaRue’s first three years with the Minutemen, UMass failed to record a win-ning season. It’s something LaRue would like to change, especially as a senior in his final season. “It means everything to me. This is the last time I pull this jersey over me, so I want to go out with a bang,” LaRue said. “I unfortunately haven’t had a winning season since I’ve been here and I plan on changing

that. I expect big things from this group.” Like Micheletto, Power complimented LaRue on his ability to do things the right way, and do them efficiently. “Zack is a prime example of a guy who comes in every-day and does things the way they should be done,” Power said. “He’s a hard worker, is a vocal leader, and also leads by example. It’s very deserving that him and Oleg both got assistant captain.” Finally, Micheletto comple-mented LaRue on his consis-tency. “What Zack does is very consistent. He’s going to get up and down the wings, he’s going to utilize his speed in all situations, and will funnel pucks to the net in the offen-sive zone whenever he gets the puck on his stick,” the said. “In the last two years he’s embraced that role, and has been really good at it,” Micheletto said. “This year we’re hoping he can expand his role a little bit more, and know he is capable of doing so.”

Jason Kates can be reached at jkates@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Jason_Kates

LaRue earns role in senior season

‘It means everything to me’H O C K E Y

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

UMass senior Zack LaRue was named alternate captain by Minutemen coach John Micheletto on Oct. 10, hours before UMass’ season opener.

By Jamie CushmanCollegian Staff

The Massachusetts field hockey team’s season could be best described as up and down. The Minutewomen struggled out of the gate and man-aged just a 2-7 record through their first nine games, but recently have responded with a four-game winning streak. That inconsistency is due in part to the youth-ful composition of the team. With 15 underclass-men, including 10 fresh-men, UMass coach Carla Tagliente recognizes that this abundance of young-er players has led to some of the team’s inconsistent play. “We’re young and we have kind of ridden that youth rollercoaster a bit,” Tagliente said. “We’ve had some excellent perfor-mances against top rated teams and some average performances against lower ranked teams.” Two freshmen in partic-ular, Melanie Kreusch and Sarah Hawkshaw, have carved out roles for them-selves. Both international students, the freshmen have been a constant fix-ture of the Minutewomen squad. Both players have started all 14 games for UMass this season. Kreusch joins the Minutewomen from Brussels, Belgium. The defender/midfielder pro-vides steady play for the Minutewomen in the backfield and also leads the team with five goals. “She’s stepped up into a big role,” Tagliente said. “I don’t think she’s come out of the game much, so to have her in and gain-ing that experience and performing how well she’s performed has been great.” Despite playing as a defender and a midfield-er, Kreusch still finds a way to contribute to the UMass attack, thanks to her role in penalty corner situations. Kreusch has

tallied five goals this sea-son, including a hat-trick against Saint Francis on Oct. 5, when all three goals came off penalty corners. Hawkshaw came to Amherst by way of Dublin, Ireland. A midfielder, Hawkshaw has quietly shined as a top player for the Minutewomen this season. “I don’t think the sta-tistics quite reflect the impact she’s had on the game,” said Tagliente. “She has an involvement in the majority of our goals.” Tagliente was quick to point out the offensive prowess of Hawkshaw’s game. “She can shoot from anywhere in the circle. She’s always a threat,” Tagliente said. Hawkshaw has tallied four goals and two assists in her first season with the Minutewomen. In addition to her skills on the offensive side of the ball, Tagliente gave high praise to Hawkshaw for the role she has played on defense for the Minutewomen. “She is probably one of the best defensive strik-ers in college hockey,” Tagliente said. “She’s very disruptive up front.” Both Hawkshaw and Kreusch have been unfazed by the transition to college field hockey. “That doesn’t bother me too much because I’m used to playing with older girls,” said Hawkshaw. Kreusch echoed similar sentiments. “Since I’ve been playing field hockey, I have always

Pair of freshmen take bigger rolesUM’s Kreusch and Hawkshaw praised

F I E L D H O C K E Y

UMass upping its game in A-10 play

By FranK CoronaCollegian Staff

Considering that the Massachusetts women’s soc-cer team has only played three games against Atlantic 10 opponents, it’s still too early to start drawing conclusions. However, based on their play so far, the Minutewomen are showing that they can be a serious force in conference play in the upcoming weeks. During its past three matches, UMass (3-6-4, 1-1-1 A-10) earned four points – three in a win against Saint Joseph’s and one in a tie against George Mason. That leaves the Minutewomen tied for sixth place along with Rhode Island, Duquesne and George Washington. The Minutewomen had a chance to break away and separate themselves in the

standings in their most recent match against the Colonials. But their comeback fell short, and UMass fell to George Washington 2-1. Still, there’s been a sig-nificant improvement in play from the UMass team from earlier this season to the team that emerged in the past few weeks. To start, the defense has been very consistent and has kept the Minutewomen in games as of late. Led by junior defensemen and co-captain Rebekka Sverrisdóttir, and with the emergence of fresh-man Cassidy Babin in goal, the team has only allowed more than two goals in one match this year. In conference play, UMass has been just as stin-gy defensively, as it has only allowed four goals in three games. Babin’s started five games this season, including all three so far in A-10 play. She ranks third amongst A-10 goalies in both save percentage (.833) and

goals against average (.870). She also ranks eighth in saves per game (4.17) during her six overall appearances this sea-son. The other co-captain – junior Jackie Bruno - has led UMass all season on the offensive side of the ball. Although Bruno has seen limited minutes in A-10 play due to a foot injury she sus-tained a few weeks ago, she has still made her mark for the Minutewomen, scoring two goals in conference play including a game winning cor-ner kick against St. Joe’s. Bruno and sophomore Megan Burke have paced UMass offensively this sea-son, combining to score seven goals and 15 points in total. Bruno is eighth in the Atlantic 10 in shots per game, despite recording the fewest num-ber of games played amongst those in the top ten. Burke is part of an under-classman group that has been vital to the Minutewomen

this season, as they have only three seniors on the team. Sophomores Daniela Alvarez and Julia Weithofer elevated their production as the season has progressed. Sophomore Alyssa Fratarcangeli and freshman Natalie Perussault have also emerged as contrib-utors on the offensive end. With a consistent defense, an emerging goalkeeper and an offense that has produced capably despite battling key injuries, it comes as no sur-prise that coach Ed Matz was so excited about A-10 play. “We just want to get into the top eight and we know good things can happen,” Matz said earlier in the season. As long as the Minutewomen can avoid fall-ing into holes early in the game, like they did against George Washington, they have the pieces in place to surprise people in the A-10.

Frank Corona can be reached at fcorona@umass.edu

Minutewomen eye conference success

W O M E N ’ S S O C C E R

By niCK souzaCollegian Correspondent

Bowling Green jumped out to an early 14-0 lead over Ohio and never looked back, as the Falcons won 31-13 in a Mid-American conference matchup Saturday afternoon. Bowling Green (5-2, 3-0 MAC) started quickly. After the Falcons scored a touch-down on the first drive of the game, the Bobcats (3-4, 1-2 MAC) fumbled on the ensuing possession, and Bowling Green quickly capitalized to take a 14-0 lead less than three min-utes into the game. Similar mistakes would haunt Ohio all afternoon. The Bobcats

accumulated 513 yards of total offense, but fumbled twice and took 16 penalties for 153 yards. Meanwhile, Bowling Green benefited from a balanced offensive attack. Quarterback James Knapke threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns, with his pri-mary targets being Roger Lewis (six catches, 100 yards) and Ryan Burbrink (five catches, 77 yards, one touchdown). The 260-yard performance moved Knapke to 15th in the coun-try in passing yardage this season. On the ground, Travis Greene led the way for the Falcons, rushing 10 times for 50 yards and a touchdown. The win marks the third victory in a row for Bowling

Rawls’ effort fuels Chippewas in win

M AC F O O T BA L L

see MAC on page 7

see FRESHMEN on page 7

“They’re both playing really well. They’ve both settled into the team really

well and they’re definitely develop-

ing.”Lauren Allymohamed,

UMass captain