Tuesday, April 16^th: Development Day 9-4 on the Campus Green. **POSTPONED to Thursday 4/18 in order that Tuesday might be spent acknowledging the sad loss of life and injury to persons as a result of the Marathon Bombings**

Wednesday, April 17^th: Professor Boyd Taylor Coolman of the Theology Department will be speaking on his personal experiences with adoption, exploring it as a positive alternative to abortion in Stokes N215 at 5:30pm.

Thursday, April 18^th: Fr. Andrea Vicini, S.J., Associate Professor of Moral Theology at the BC School of Theology and Ministry, will be speaking on Stem Cell Research: Scientific Developments and Ethical Challenges at 3:30pm in Stokes N401.  AND, Development Day 9-4 on the Campus Green.

Friday, April 19^th: Celebrate Life Day 10-4 in the Quad.  It is like a giant birthday party for everyone!

HOSTED BY ASIAN CAUCUS CABINET

Silver is the national color for mental health, and this week, we’re all about raising awareness!

Join the movement by participating in the #BeAFriend campaign, checking out events, and taking advantage of BC’s amazing health resources!

MONDAY (2/18)

FACEBOOK & ORGSYNC

“UCS PRESENTS: THE BREAKING SILENCES PROJECT”

Where: Walsh Function Room

Time: 6:20-8:30pm

*Eligible for “Health & Wellness” training credit

We’re collaborating with University Counseling Services (UCS) to host the Breaking Silences Project, a performance group that encourages Asian Americans to speak out about mental health. 

Free food, hot cocoa, and PRIZES! Water bottles, T-shirts, journals, stressballs, bookmarks, and more! (Courtesy of the Office of Health Promotions)

TUESDAY (2/19)

FACEBOOK & ORGSYNC

“BE A FRIEND”

Where: The Quad

Time: 10:30am-4:30pm

Stop by the Quad to write an encouraging note! We’ll hang them around campus to brighten everyone’s week!

You can also:

1. Change your FB profile pictures & cover photos to the “Be A Friend” icon (available on the FB event)

2. Compete in the #BeAFriend Contest to win a BC fleece blanket! 

Instagram, Facebook, or Tweet your best example of how you can be a friend. 

We’ll announce 3 winners during Thursday’s event!

WEDNESDAY (2/20)

FACEBOOK & ORGSYNC

“KSA DIET & EXERCISE WORKSHOP”

Where: O’Neill 255

Time: 7pm

*Eligible for “Health & Wellness” training credit

Exercise decreases depression, anxiety, and stress & increases confidence and feelings of independence! Learn about how you can live a healthy lifestyle by getting fit! 

THURSDAY (2/21)

FACEBOOK & ORGSYNC

“OPENING THE CABINET: REAL TALK ON MENTAL HEALTH“

Where: Cushing 001

Time: 7-8pm

*Eligible for “Health & Wellness” training credit

We all struggle! Come out and see the presidents of the AC culture clubs talk, act, dance, and rap about trust, disappointment, addiction, and more! We will also announce the 3 winners of the #BeAFriend Contest.

Free snacks & give aways (stressballs, earplugs, etc)

FRIDAY (2/22)

ORGSYNC

“VISIT UNIVERSITY COUNSELING SERVICES”

Where: Gasson 001

Time: 3-4pm

*Eligible for “Health & Wellness” training credit

ANY Friday 3-4pm, you and your friends can visit Dr. Julie AhnAllen, a staff psychologist for University Counseling Services (UCS). She can help you design personalized health plans and answer any of your questions. 

If you’re interested in group visits, please contact Matthew Alonsozana (malonsozana@gmail.com) or Jeena Hah (jeenah92@gmail.com).

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Thanks,

Your AC Cabinet

_____

AC Co-Presidents: Matthew Alonsozana (’14) & Jeena Hah (’14)

CSA Co-Presidents: Jeffrey Yang (’13) & Josh Li (’13)

JCBC Co-Presidents: Jacqueline Fung (’14) & Greg Yang (’14)

KSA President: Minje Shin (’13)

PSBC President: Marian Manapsal (’13)

SASA Co-Presidents: Chirag Zavari (’13) & Noel Simon (’13)

SEASA President: Nicholas Lee (’13)

TCO President: Mark Chou (’14)

VSA President: Kelly Le (’13)

–

Asian Caucus of Boston College

Email: asiancaucus@gmail.com

Website: http://www.bcasiancaucus.com/

Office: 21 Campanella Way, 2nd Floor

Sign up for our listserv here!

UGBC Senate, on behalf of the student body from which it is elected, commends the sustainability standards adopted by Boston College, UGBC, and various registered student organizations. Senate recognizes the efforts which the University has put forth to make our school environmentally friendly. Recycling programs, green campaigns, water conservation in the dormitories, composting in the dining halls, a garden on Brighton campus: all of these things contribute to sustainability on campus and make us proud to be part of a green campus.

In recent years, Boston College has made much headway in increasing campus sustainability; however, there is more work to be done. Senate urges Boston College, student organizations, and each individual student to strive toward continuous improvement. Senate particularly lauds the new research initiatives taken by Policy Caucus and UGBC Cabinet’s University Affairs department which delve into the University’s sustainability measures. It furthermore encourages students to learn about how to live sustainably by reaching out to campus resources including the EcoReps program, Real Foods BC and EcoPledge.

As a part of the sustainability movement on campus, Senate encourages all students to engage in, continue, and promote sustainable practices. Students should consider supporting student organizations that focus on promoting sustainability and public health by attending those groups’ meetings and events, especially events hosted by Residence Hall Association, Real Foods BC, and EcoPledge.

To the registered student organizations of Boston College, Senate hopes that you will help UGBC lead the student sustainability movement by adopting and implementing University Affairs’ sustainable events checklist and certification process. Registered student organizations are the loci of social life on campus; it is from them that a precedent for sustainability on campus will be set.

Students of Boston College, let us move together toward sustainability.

UGBC Senate

October 23, 2012

As a freshman I regularly read The Observer but never really thought about writing for it until the Editor-in-Chief, Michael Reer, a student I knew from Saint Thomas More Society and other groups, suggested I consider it.  I took him up on his offer, and began writing for The Observer, and (at the editors’ request) working on building a new website, the fall of my sophomore year.

Like many writers at campus newspapers, I began writing by covering events and speakers on campus.  Armed with a notebook and voice recorder, I took copious notes at lectures and mustered up the courage to cold-call faculty members, administrators, and students for quotations in each article.

As I became more serious as a journalist with The Observer I began to realize that there are certain people with whom you should speak at Boston College if you want to know the university’s position on a particular issue.  The most important of these is Jack Dunn, Director of the Boston College Office of News and Public Affairs.

I want to thank Jack Dunn for offering his valuable time to sit down with me and discuss the important issues facing the university.  He was never unwilling to talk about a particularly sensitive or controversial issue, and he was always available to offer a comment on a story.  I appreciated his candidness and honesty, and his true love for the Boston College community.

As a senior, I had the opportunity this year to write more controversial stories.  These included “BC Club Teaches Sex Ed in Boston Schools,” “Res Hall Features ‘Support Love’ Poster,” and “National Group Launches Protest Against BC Law.”  I know some students have disagreed with the perspectives offered in these stories, but please know that they have always been written with a great love for Boston College, its students, and its Jesuit Catholic mission.

Of course, in addition to writing for The Observer, I have greatly enjoyed my time as Online Editor building and managing our website.  The writers, editors, and section heads have really stepped up and joined in the effort to make our website the best news website on Boston College’s campus.  There is much more to do, and I am confident that Ethan Mack, who will be succeeding me in this position next year, will be able to continue to build up this invaluable part of our publication.

I am forever grateful to so many men and women who made my time at Boston College, and at The Observer, so amazing.  I want to thank Michael Reer, one of the best Editors The Observer has ever had and one of my best friends, for challenging me as a freshman to become involved with the paper and for providing inspiration and support during my time here.  Thank you also to Jesse Naiman, Megan Rauch, and Allie Gallagher, the Editors-in-Chief who I served under over the last three years.  And best of luck to Morgan Chalfant as she takes over this exciting position for the coming year.

Finally, I want to thank all of those people who I couldn’t fit in this article who have been inspirations to me while at The Observer.  Editors, writers, administrators, students, alumni, friends, and family: your continued support and readership is greatly appreciated.

To our friends and donors: your continued support is what makes The Observer possible on campus.  I know my “Senior Gift” will be going to The Observer this year and for many years to come, and I hope our readers, both in the BC community and beyond, will remember the important role we continue to hold here at Boston College.

The Observer is in a unique position to hold Boston College’s administration, faculty, and students accountable to transparency, honesty, and the Jesuit Catholic tradition.

In 1984 it was The Observer that challenged the faculty for self-identifying as more pro-abortion than pro-life.  In 1989 it was The Observer that exposed abortion referrals at BC’s Health Services.  In 2009 The Observer highlighted professors’ anger when the university dared to place crucifixes in the classroom.  In spring 2010, UGBC and the ALC and GLC released line-item budgets only after pressure from The Observer.  In the fall of 2010 when BC Law defended a link to an abortion clinic on its website, it was the article in The Observer that prompted them to remove that page.

To love Boston College means to take it seriously and hold it accountable to its values.  I hope that The Observer continues to be a catalyst for positive change at Boston College as the university strives to be the best Catholic institution possible.

To conclude, and to offer some advice to current and future writers, I wish to quote one of the early mottos of this paper:

Neminem Recte Faciendo Timeas.

Sincerely,
Andrew Rota
Boston College A&S 2012

Carroll School Of Managment Sophomore Michael Gannon was found dead in his dorm on Saturday afternoon.

Boston College Public Affairs Director Jack Dunn said “The medical examiner has not found the cause of death.”  However, police do not suspect foul play.

Dunn said police have not reported anything about the condition of Gannon’s Walsh Hall dorm room, where he was found.  Dunn did rule out drinking as a factor.

Vice President of Student Affairs Patrick Rombalski asked the campus in an email to pray for Michael’s sister Michelle Gannon, a senior in the Carroll School, Michael’s many friends on campus, and Michael’s family in his hometown of Lake Forest, Illinois.

Gannon’s death comes in the wake of the mourning for Boston College student Franco Garcia, who disappeared in February and whose funeral was April 18th.

Rombalski encouraged the community to again band together in mutual support, and encouraged students to seek campus counseling and ministerial aid at 617-552-3144, available 24 hours.

Those being interviewed, however, often worry that they will be misquoted or misrepresented.  This is understandable, since they often don’t know who else was interviewed, what other facts will be brought up, or what angle the article will be written from.

To mitigate the risk of being misquoted, reporters often request to audio-record an interview in order to be certain that all quotes are directly transcribed.  Some journalists even go so far as to send the source their quotations in writing before publication. When a source responds in writing, this risk easily eliminated.

But the source might still believe they could be “misrepresented,” or the article might not be written as they would like, so some sources request that the journalist send them the article before publication so they can look it over, presumably because they might be able to fact-check certain statements or suggest other revisions of content.

This is sometimes known as “pre-publication review,” that is, allowing a source to review an article before it is published.  Journalistic ethics, in general, discourages this practice for several reasons.

First, no matter how much you emphasize to a source that you are only sending them the article for preview purposes, you are implicitly allowing the source to give you some sort of approval for the article before it is published.  If the source has editorial control over the content of the article, it is no longer an objective piece of journalism – it is a press release.

Second, the source might leak the article prior to publication.  If they dislike the article, they can easily send it to a competing paper in hopes that they will write a rebuttal article or break any news before you do.

Third, if the article is particularly unfavorable to the source, they might contact advertisers or donors and petition them to drop funding unless the article is pulled.

These are all ways in which sources might exert editorial pressure over a paper if they are given pre-publication review privileges of an article.

Fact-checking does not require pre-publication review.  Fact-checking requires a rigorous check of sources’ quotes against the transcript, sources’ quotes against other sources, and fact-claims against other reliable , objective sources.  Certainly you can follow up with your source if you need clarification on a particular fact, but showing them even a slightly controversial article before publication will rarely result in anything but editorial pressure.

Does pre-publication review happen in the journalism world?  Of course.  Is it ethical?  Generally not.

When writing a story for The Observer recently, I was told by multiple sources that unless I gave them pre-publication review for “fact-checking” and “quote-verification,” they would not “contribute to or condone” the article.

The source was offering quotes via written means, thus quote-verification was, for the most-part, unnecessary.  Fact-checking, as I mentioned before, rarely requires pre-publication review.  It was unfortunately obvious, as the source made clear, that they wished to “condone” the article, or approve it.

A source does not approve an article.  It is not a press release.  The Observer, and all news sources for that matter, would be incredibly boring, uninformative, and bias if we merely published press releases.

I remember as a freshman I attended a brief introduction meeting for The Heights, where I was informed that it was their policy not to allow any pre-publication review other than simple quote-verification if absolutely necessary.  Likewise, The Observer generally follows that policy as well.  Any responsible journalist, whether they are in college or in the professional world, should adopt a similar policy as part of their personal journalistic ethics.

Sources who refuse to comment on a story because they will not be granted pre-publication review do themselves and their organization a disservice.  They prove that they are not interested in transparency or honesty; they are interested in control.

The Observer will continue to uphold its publication to high ethical and editorial standards in order to serve the Boston College community and all of our readers.

• September 20
• October 4
• October 18
• November 1
• November 15
• December 6

The Observer can be found in our marked news bins around the Chestnut Hill campus.  Subscriptions to The Observer are currently $25 per academic year.  Papers will be sent by first class mail.  Contact us to request a subscription.

The rest of my summer consisted of working as an intern for Bank of America in St. Louis, catching up with good friends from high school, taming a wild stallion, and spending a few afternoons floating on local Missouri Rivers. I enjoyed seeing my family and friends back home while forming new opinions to write about for The Observer this year. Although this summer was great I’m happy to be back in action at BC, and look forward to junior year.

On the weekends, Morgan worked as a costumed character promoting used cars for a local dealership. She portrayed many types of animals including a shark, a donkey, and a zebra. The job wasn’t always glamorous, especially since it was hot in the suit during the summer, but Morgan thinks it prepared her well for the rigors of the working life.

New Catholic Issues Editor Alex Deriso spent the summer learning that life after college won’t be as sweet.

This summer, I worked at a Hedge Fund in New York City. I was able to learn many of the ins-and-outs of the Wall Street game, which will help me in the future when I plan on embezzling from my company. The Wall Street life is a tough one, filled with 11 hour days, tons of reading, even more yelling, free lunch, crying, but especially, free lunch. We received lunch from many gourmet places, such as Carnegie Deli, Ray’s Pizza, and some organic place that only the chicks ordered from. My internship also helped me with my memory skills. This came in especially handy when I was ordered to go get the real employees breakfast and coffee. Never once did I have to write down an order, and thats something I proudly hang my hat on. Overall, it was a grueling summer, but hopefully, this will pay off in the future, when I get a job at Goldman Sachs, and am promptly fired after 2 weeks for incompetence.

Andy Rota

NOVA's office at the WGBH studios in Brighton

I continued my internship at WGBH with NOVA Online that I had begun last January.  I worked with some amazing people, including David Levin who produces many of the NOVA Podcasts and NOVA Minutes on the radio!  I was able to work on a variety of projects at NOVA with both technical and editorial aspects.  I was involved in research for the Inside NOVA blog, worked a little on the NOVA online feature, Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers, checked over transcripts of episodes for the website, wrote several PHP scripts to analyze and present data from Google Analytics, and wrote some code for a ‘coming soon’ interactive at the NOVA website.  Working at NOVA was an awesome experience and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to be even a small part of the longest-running, highest-rated, and most-watched science television series of all time!

Also this summer, I began a new job working at Charles River Canoe and Kayak as a Skyline and Boston Harbor Kayak Tour Guide!  As some of you know, I absolutely love kayaking!  Working as a guide has been an opportunity to share that love with others.  And the community at Charles River Canoe and Kayak is awesome – I get to meet, learn from, and work with some of the world’s best paddlers.  And what better job than getting out to paddle on the beautiful Boston Harbor or enjoy a spectacular view of Boston’s skyline on the Charles River!

There’s been more too, including continuing research work with Dr. Jin in BC’s Department of Communication, several web development clients, consulting for a few start-up companies, and preparing to apply for grad school!  And, of course, I’ve been developing some soon-to-be-announced features for The Observer website!

Oh and if you’re an incoming freshman at BC and you’re wondering how you might find some pretty sweet internships (i.e., National Review, PBS, GOP, Dana Farber, and more), make great friends, get involved on campus, and contribute to an award winning college newspaper, consider joining The Observer at Boston College!

Dear Class of 2015,

Do you want to continue working on a newspaper like you did in high school?

Are you interested in pursuing journalism as a career?

Are you looking to try something new at Boston College and meet some great people in the process?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” join The Observer at Boston College! We are an independent campus paper that is looking for incoming freshmen who are interested in journalism, writing, politics, photography, web design, layout, and film. This fall, we will have staff positions available in news, opinions, business, Catholic issues, sports, photography, layout, web development, and video!

If you are interested, fill out the form below!

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Read the entire story here.

I appreciate greatly the time that your staff took to cover the events of CARE week, including the Nurture through Nature art exhibit and lecture.

However, I did want to point out an important mistake in the reporting on my lecture that week. The author of the article states, “She (McCoy) talked of recent trips to India and Nicaragua where she studied the natural environment and worked with native women to teach them how to sustain the land.”

In fact, the Intersections program to Nicaragua is primarily an experience in which BC faculty and staff go in order to learn from the people whom we meet in Nicaragua. In my own experience, the encounter with the women of FEM taught me a great deal about the empowerment of women, especially with respect to their own connections between sustainability and femininity. My lecture was intended to communicate some ideas I had learned from them, not anything I taught to them.

I point it out especially because there is still a cultural tendency of North Americans to privilege their knowledge over that of Central and South Americans. With respect to the topic of my lecture, the opposite is true: we as Northerners learned much more from them than I imagine that they learned from us. I am grateful to FEM for their hospitality and wisdom.

Warm best,
Prof Marina McCoy
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Boston College
mccoyma@bc.edu

The Observer appreciates letters to the editor.  They can be sent to bcobserver@gmail.com.

The Lord is risen, alleluia!

This is our passover feast,
when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.

This is the night when first you saved our fathers:
you free the people of Israel from their slavery
and led them dry-shod through the sea.

This is the night when Christians everywhere,
washed clean of sin
and freed from all defilement,
are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.

This is the night when Jesus Christ
broke the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.

What good would life have been to us,
had Christ not come as our Redeemer?

The Observer staff would like to wish you a very blessed and happy Easter!

However, mass consumers no longer believe these small changes are enough.  Now that more people are savvy with technology, it is easier for those who are unsatisfied to do something about it. Smaller companies, with less entrenched in past products, have the daring needed to think twenty years into the future. Not only can this innovation come from smaller companies, but it can come from the very consumers that are using the already-existing products.

One example of innovation at work is Tobii Technology. Twelve years ago, John Elvesjö was an engineering student who was testing an infrared sensor. Now, Elvesjö is co-founder of Tobii, and he is about to bring infrared technology to the masses. The group is working to put out mass marketable eye-tracking devices for computers. Soon, anyone will be able to open folders and scroll down pages with your eyes. This is innovation. This technology has existed for years, but Tobii Technology has been the first to make the technology accessible and affordable to the masses. Their dedication, not to their own investment, but to the advancement of technology, enabled them to develop this groundbreaking device.

Sometimes, big companies are great: they provide reliable products, and they are resources that generate supportive data and research that younger, smaller companies cannot. However, when this history of excellence begins to hinder the development of greatness, it is time for these companies to get back to the drawing board.

The problem Harry Reid has with this olive branch? It eliminates federal funding for abortion in Washington DC, the Dornan Amendment. This is not an issue of funding for Planned Parenthood, which provided all manners of contraception and birth control, as the democrats insist. Harry Reid will not allow this bill to come to a vote in Congress simply because he wants the government to continue to directly fund abortion.

Is this really an issue that’s worth shutting down the government over? Should our government even be directly funding abortions in the first place? The answer is obviously “no”. Larger and more legitimate issues like funding for Planned Parenthood and EPA carbon emission caps can be pushed to another date, there is no reason why our government should be shut down because of taxpayer funded abortion.

Without getting into too much detail—because what happened in St. Louis might as well just stay there so we can all move on and look towards what appears to be a bright future—the Eagles jumped to a quick 1-0 at the 19 second mark on the strength of a Hayes goal. It appeared that everything was just going to come easily for the Eagles, and then everything fell apart.

To spare you all the gory details (trust me on this one, I was there with the pep band and I don’t want to relive any of those moments), I’ll cut to the chase. The unheralded Tigers jumped out to a 7-2 lead after two frames. I’m sorry, as you all know by now, that’s not a typo. Unfortunately for the Eagles, they had a bad day when the stakes were high; they didn’t seem able to connect on their passes, their D was struggling to keep the puck in the offensive zone (which resulted in some devastating odd man rushes), and, overall, they just looked sloppy.

The game ended with the Eagles losing 8-4 and with Parker Milner in net. The saddest thing about this game, to this writer and avid hockey fan, was that Muse wasn’t able to finish what would have been his final game as an Eagle. It was the bitter end to an otherwise spectacular career that saw this talented goaltender backstop two championship teams.

Moving on, I think it would be far more appropriate for me to talk about this team’s accomplishments rather than their failings. In truth, they had a bad game; it’s as simple as that. It was a blemish on a season to remember. And it in no way takes away from the legacies of the three seniors who are graduating this year. Because of that, I would like to spend a moment remembering each of their careers.

Muse thrived under the pressure of big games. With a 20-2 record in post season games and an 8-0 record (coupled with 1.95 goals-against average and .930 save percentage) during BC’s two championship runs, he has been the backbone of the team and an inspiration to all the players throughout his four years here. A four-year starter who even started every game as a freshman during the 2007/2008 season, Muse has been a vital member of the team since the very beginning. Known for his knack for making the big saves, and the “Muse” cheer that always accompanied them, he will go down in history as one of the best. His leadership and talent will be missed next year, and it may prove difficult to fill his skates, but Milner, after apprenticing under this fine goaltender, will most likely be up for the challenge.

Whitney, the team’s captain, has, like Muse, had an impact since the beginning of his career. Also a four-year starter, he has played on the top line and helped to lead the team through good times and bad. With a knack for scoring during important games, he has left his mark on the record book as well as in the memory of Superfans everywhere. In fact, he led the entire NCAA tournament in scoring last year with 10 points (three goals and seven assists). A gritty player willing to do the little things, his impact has been felt by all members of the team. The Whitney mantle will be carried for the next year by younger brother, Steve, who seems to share with Joe an ability to score when it counts, as well as a capability to make highlight reel plays, as seen during the Hockey East semifinal game against Northeastern.

The sometimes-overlooked Gibbons, an assistant captain, deserves a great deal of credit for the team’s success as well. Also a four-year starter, he is the playmaker, wheeling off what look like impossible passes through traffic. A speedy player and a great leader Gibbons ranked second on the team last year with 50 points and first in assists with 34. He has played with some of the best: including current Sabers forward Nathan Gerbe, Bruins prospect and former captain Brock Bradford, Whitney and Atkinson. Being trusted to play with these top players points to Gibbon’s extraordinary hockey sense, on-ice vision, and unselfish nature; his playmaking ability will be greatly missed in the years to come.

Atkinson, a junior and the team’s sniper, has decided to forgo his senior year at Boston College to turn pro. A sniper and Hobey Baker finalist, he scored 68 goals (and had 124 points overall) in his three years with the Eagles, including 31 goals this season, which, at the end of the Hockey East final against Merrimack, caused cheers of “Hobey Baker” to rain down from the student section. Atkinson’s career in hockey is far from over: he has been assigned to play for the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. Although fans here on the Heights will miss his scoring prowess and his spectacular vision, The Observer wishes him well in his new endeavors.

Even though the season ended earlier than everyone expected and even though the team won’t be making another run this year, Superfans everywhere should celebrate the accomplishments of the 2010/2011 team, a team that had its trials and tribulations and rose to the top of the standings and won many times when it mattered. The Observer would like to thank the team for a great season, as well as to thank the seniors for all the memories.

Goodwin says that her fascination with the American Presidency began when she was a twenty
four year-old White House intern for President Lyndon Johnson. President Johnson became
personally acquainted with Goodwin during this time, although Goodwin assured the audience
that it was a completely “non-amorous affair that eventually led [her] to study the lives of
great American Presidents, from LBJ to JFK to FDR (the subject of Goodwin’s’ Pulitzer Prize-
winning No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War
II), and finally, to [her] favorite: Abraham Lincoln.” She related Lincoln’s celebrated life story,
addressing his destitute upbringing and his unquenchable desire to be educated and make his
mark in history. Both of these qualities, Goodwin says, enabled him to meander his way through
the morass of Illinois politics and the United States Senate. Eventually, his resourcefulness and
ability to appeal to both sides of the antebellum divide won him the Presidency, though not
without incurring the wrath of the Southern States that started to secede one by one starting in
the spring of 1861.

Lincoln’s strength as a President lay in his ability to make concessions. The title of her talk gives
an indication of this because Lincoln’s cabinet was filled with men who were “better educated,
more respected, and who each thought he should lead the country rather than Lincoln.”

Goodwin’s lecture was laced with anecdotes from Lincoln’s early life, his crucial decisions
made while President, and, most importantly, traits that defined him as a truly inspiring
leader. “Lincoln never missed the chance to force his cabinet to compromise, especially when he
and his cabinet were debating hot-button issues related to the war,” remarked Goodwin. On the
other hand, Lincoln was stern and assertive when his subordinates, particularly General George
McClellan, were not properly carrying out their duties on the battlefield. Goodwin’s discussion of
Lincoln’s death and assassination sparked the question of what he would have done had he lived
to see the end of the war and commenced his own program of Reconstruction.

Overall, Goodwin’s speech was informative, anecdotal, and wildly humorous. She concluded
with a poignant closing statement about her passion for history, which she says “allows [her] to
believe that the private people we have loved and lost in our families, and the public figures that
we have respected in history just as Lincoln wanted us to believe, can be immortalized in our
hearts and memories so long as we pledge to tell and retell the stories of their lives.”

The critical long-term issue facing the United States right now is the rapidly growing size of the government deficit, currently estimated to be $1.6 trillion for 2011, and the increased amount of government spending.

A growing backlash has mounted as fiscal conservatives contend that the rising national debt could undermine international faith in the United States and challenge the legitimacy of the dollar as the global reserve currency. These opponents of Obama’s Keynesian economic policies argue that government spending needs to be dramatically reduced to eliminate the budget deficit and reduce the national debt. This thinking follows the growing debate taking place among people of conflicting political parties over whether the massive government stimulus was actually effective. Many argue it did not work because the unemployment rate has remained persistently high and the economy has not been fully recovered yet.

Numerous Americans wonder: why worry about the deficit? The answer can be found in the lessons learned from the current plights in Greece and Ireland, which have run large budget deficits and amassed unsustainable levels of government debt. These countries have fallen into a debt trap that the United States could soon fall into too if they do not take action to reduce the national debt.

The Obama administration recently announced that by 2016 the national debt will be $20.8 trillion. The risk of a potentially weakened dollar has raised the likelihood of reduced appetite for foreign creditor nations to finance our national debt, as evidenced by recent reduced appetite for treasury bonds by the Chinese. The conclusion Hale and Peterson came to was that decisions about deficit reduction, reducing the national debt, and enacting spending cuts need to made now.

What do you do?  What can you do?

If you were a janitor in a hospital and you saw nurses leaving patients unattended, would you speak up?

Would you use software that was illegally pirated if no one would find out?

Or what if you work at Burger King, and you deliberately underfill orders of french fries so that you and your coworkers can eat the surplus at the end of your shift?  “It’s just a few fries,” you tell yourself.

It is evident that integrity is a serious issue in all workplaces, from internationally-acclaimed companies to neighborhood fast-food restaurants.  Further, there are varying levels of gravity surrounding matters of integrity.  In a serious situation, a person might find it necessary to ask questions such as this:  If I had to choose between keeping my job and upholding my integrity, what would I do?

In many cases, there is no easy answer.

Integrity in the workplace begins with a sense of conscience and pride in one’s work.  It is an internal quality that one decides for oneself.  Having integrity means thinking twice before doing something dishonest, like “adjusting” numbers in a computer, taking unnecessary sick days, or breaking promises.  It means doing what is right, even when there is no one else around.

Taking unfair advantage of an employer, an employee, or a customer is unethical.  Blindly obeying the instructions of a supervisor could prove dangerous.  This seems obvious, and yet breaches of integrity happen on the job every day.

Establishing a standard for ethical behavior will prove invaluable in one’s experience at work.  Inevitably, however, issues will arise that test one’s moral compass.  When such issues do arise, you must decide if you are willing to cast aside your conscience for the sake of your job title.

In some cases, speaking up might have the power to prevent tragedy.

For this reason, always strive to act with integrity, especially in the workplace.

After all, no one likes to be gypped out of french fries.

A few readers commented on the article, taking issue with the term “pro-abortion” to describe Father Drinan, some going so far as to argue

There is no such thing as “pro-abortion”. This man is pro-choice; there’s a difference.

I would like to briefly consider this argument and examine whether or not one can be “pro-choice,” while considering themselves not “pro-abortion.”

Those in favor of the legalization of abortion in the United States generally consider themselves “pro-choice” because they say they are in favor of women being able to choose abortion based on their own personal decisions.  Many go on to argue that they are not, in fact, “pro-abortion” because they (obviously) do not think that all women should get an abortion.  Some also say they would never have one themselves, but they are still “pro-choice” because they think other women should be able to choose to get an abortion.

So, it seems, that nearly every American is “pro-choice” insofar as they support one’s right to choose to do things that are right and do not harm others.

Second, we need to examine whether “pro-abortion” is an appropriate term for someone who advocates for the legalization of abortion.  Let us look at other uses of the term “pro-” to describe political views.  For example, someone can be pro-capital punishment, which means they are in favor of the legalization of the death penalty.  It does not mean they are in favor of the death penalty for every person, or even for every criminal, but rather that they are in favor of its use in certain circumstances.

Let’s take another example.  Someone in 19th century America may have been pro-slavery.  The term was used to describe those who believed that slavery should be legal and that one ought to have the choice to own slaves if they wish.  However, someone who is pro-slavery would not advocate that all people be forced to hold slaves.

Therefore, one may be “pro-X” without believing that all people take part in X.  So let’s look at the label “pro-abortion.”  To describe one as “pro-abortion” would seem to mean, based on our previous examples, that one is in favor of abortion in certain circumstances but does necessarily believe that all people procure abortions.  Similar to the death penalty example, being “pro-abortion” would just mean that one supports the legalization of abortion in certain circumstances.

Let us briefly revisit the pro-slavery example.  If one was pro-slavery it might be a clever attempt for them to argue that they have the “choice” to hold slaves, and that anyone who thought that slavery was wrong was anti-choice.  However, most would agree that the “choice” to hold slaves is immoral and gravely wrong.  So the question is not whether one has that “choice” but whether that choice is wrong and whether there should be consequences to that choice.

Thus, Father Drinan appears to fit the “pro-abortion” label quite well.  After all, he was in favor of the legalization of abortion in certain circumstances.  He would likely have argued that the “choice” of abortion was not intrinsically wrong or evil, and thus should not be punished, just as the pro-capital-punishment or pro-slavery individual would argue that their respective issues were not necessarily evil and should not be punished.

To conclude, the term “pro-choice” is terribly undescriptive term because, indeed, most people are in favor of individual freedom of choice.  ”Pro-abortion,” like many other “pro-” labels, seems to be a fitting description of those who are in favor of the legalization of abortion.  If there is a fallacy in my logic, please point it out.  Otherwise, it seems that we are obligated to accept the terms as I have described.

Analyzing recruiting for the upcoming class is exciting because the future of the team looks bright. I predict an ACC title in 2012. The team is young, especially at the skill positions. If Chase Rettig can continue to develop, if Andre Williams can continue to trample defenders and if the white wide-outs can continue to rack up yards, Kevin Rogers should have a lot to work with. The defense also looks promising. Kuechly and KPL lead the defense looking towards next season. Those two LBs will be the core of one of the nation’s best linebacking units.

The incoming class has addressed a few needs and added strength to already deeply talented positions. BC has lacked a dominant pass rusher since Mathias Kiwanuka. Alex Albright was an above average rusher but he was often sidelined with injuries. Max Holloway showed sparks last year as a sophomore and could break out in 2011. However, Spaziani and McGovern were able to bring in a few blue chip recruits at DE, bolstering the pass rush. The coaches tapped into their NJ pipeline and persuaded Connor Wujciak to come to the Heights. Wujciak is a 4 star DE from Seton Hall Prep in NJ. Wujciak is 6’ 3”, 250 lbs and will likely be asked to put on weight. He picked the Eagles over Notre Dame, Pittsburg, Rutgers and Michigan State. They also brought in Medhi Abdesmad a 3 star Canadian d-end who enrolled in January. Early enrollment has been beneficial to many players in the past, most recently KPL and Rettig. Recruiting analyst Mike Farrell said that Abdesmad is an intriguing prospect. He is huge, 6’ 6”, but very raw. Farrell said he has Kiwanuka upside but could take a few years to develop. They also brought in Kieran Borchich and Brian Mihalik. BC could ask a few of these players to step up and supply the much needed pressure next fall.

Spaziani was also able to lure in a few highly sought after local prospects. Albert Louis-Jean was one prospect the coaches desperately wanted. ALJ initially signed a letter of intent to play for Randy Shannon at Miami but switched his LOI once Shannon was given the boot at the U. ALJ was a jack-of-all trades at Brockton High in Mass., but the 4 star Mass player of the year is expected to play d-back at BC. Spaz also brought in Brian Miller who is the highest rated offensive player in the state of Massachusetts. The Andover high product should provide depth behind Chris Pantale at the TE position.

Massachusetts is not a hot bed for recruiting which makes it especially important to lock up the few top notch recruits. The infamous Coach Jagodzinski said that he found it vital to “lock up a fence” around New England, and Spaz has done a decent job at that.

The coaching staff utilized another important pipeline, that of St. Xavier High School in Cincinatti. St. X’s gave us Albright and Kuechly, and is giving us Steven Daniels. Daniels is another 4 star LB who will play alongside high school teammate Kuechly. The Eagles brought in Daniels’ H.S. teammate, Sean Duggan. St. X players have always been productive at BC, so if the past is any indicator, these two linebackers will be solid contributors either immediately or down the road.

College coaches have realized the importance of stock piling the QB position as there have been too many cases of “stud QB” recruits who have been total busts. They brought in Christian Suntrup from Chamindae in St. Louis to challenge Rettig. Suntrup is the 17th ranked pro-style QB and has good size. Farrell said that he could see Suntrup being a solid ACC QB. He toyed around with the idea of going to other BCS schools to get immediate playing time, but he stayed true to his commitment and will be here in the fall. The coaches got him a few targets in the class, notable Curt Evans from Hollywood, Florida. I’ll take any wide-out from the Sunshine state who had offers from Michigan, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Evans is added to the list of young, promising wide-outs on the Eagle offense.

This class started out a bit slow but steadily gained momentum throughout the winter. It closed out strong and is a solid overall class. It isn’t exceptional but figures to have a few players who will make their mark and help the Eagles get over the 8 or 9 win plateau that has plagued the Eagles.

After glancing at the newly released 2011 schedule, the Eagles should get out to a 5-0 start and be ranked in the top 25 in early October, heading into league play. I’m quite glad I’ll be studying abroad in the spring, as the fall could be a special one in Chestnut Hill.

While Donahue’s résumé was solid, it seemed as though some of the players were less than impressed. Junior forward, team leader and defensive standout Rakim Sanders bolted for Fairfield upon the firing of Skinner. Sanders was shortly followed out the door by sophomore big man Evan Ravenel to Ohio State, highly-touted freshman Brady Heslip to Baylor, as well as heralded recruits Kevin Noreen (West Virginia) and Papa Samba Ndao (St. Joseph’s), who would’ve undoubtedly been a fan favorite based on his name alone.

With just eight players left on the active roster, many Eagle diehards could be found aggressively Googling current linemen and wide receivers to see if any of them had dabbled at power forward in high school. Others could be seen working on their twelve-footers on the Plex courts, hoping that the Eagles would have no choice but to call an open tryout. And yet, while times seemed desperate, Donahue found great talent in the unlikeliest of places.

Between lightly-recruited freshman guard Gabe Moton, walk-on-turned-starter Danny Rubin, graduated baseball reliever Chris Kowalski, and women’s practice squad stud John Cahill, Donahue hasn’t just found diamonds in the rough. He has discovered an entire mine.

The maroon and gold have navigated a very tough out-of-conference schedule, with quality wins over Texas A&M and Cal. While the Eagles have had their ups and downs in conference play, they are in a good position to make the Big Dance. Donahue has replaced Coach Skinner’s stagnant, painfully boring flex offense, and has implemented the same high-flying, three-point offense that brought great success at Cornell.

Junior Reggie Jackson has emerged as one of the most electrifying guards in the college game. Joe Trapani has been the model of consistency in his last year as an Eagle. Unlikely heroes such as Biko Paris and Corey Raji have found their touch from beyond the arc and have played a key role in BC’s success.

As the Eagles prepare to play the four enormous games left in the regular season, Donahue has proven that BC has the ability to play with anyone. And while they also have the potential to lose to any team on a given night (Yale, Harvard), the players have bought into the system. The enthusiasm on the bench following a key play is something that has been absent on Eagles teams for years.

The moment Rakim Sanders transferred last spring, Eagles fans all but dismissed this season as a rebuilding year. Donahue has changed all of that. If there’s anyone that can make a Cinderella run in this year’s NCAA tournament, it’s this Eagles team. Give Donahue a couple of years to recruit some sharpshooters, and the future of BC basketball looks bright.

This is could not be further from the truth. Indeed, Drinan is notoriously remembered for publically supporting abortion legislation not only during his tenure in Congress but also in his writings published while he taught at Georgetown University Law Center from 1981 to 2007. Drinan’s politics never failed to support the legality of abortion, and he published extensively on the subject.

In The Catholic Review, Cardinal John O’Connor wrote to Drinan, “You could have raised your voice for life; you raised it for death. Hardly the role of a lawyer. Surely not the role of a priest.”

The Observer and Catholics around the world could not agree more with this statement. As a politician and a public figure, Drinan had the opportunity to set a moral example regarding the controversy of abortion. What is the Catholic Church if not a beacon of morality? What are its clergy if not the embodiment of the values of the Church?

Therefore, I, Megan K. Rauch, editor-in-chief of The Observer at Boston College, will not apologize for or retract the headline and article calling Father Drinan out on his pro-abortion stance and specifically labeling him as such.

First, a disclaimer: I used to be very anti-Greek myself.  In fact, I considered the fact that Boston College did not have Greek life to be a plus when I was doing college applications as a senior in high school.  I thought Greek life was nothing but a bunch of spoiled [insert synonym for “unpleasant folks”] who did nothing but get drunk off their parent’s money, while simultaneously bullying and humiliating newer members of the group, known as “pledges”.  “Where’s the brotherhood in that?” I thought.  It sounded miserable.  That is why, when my friend showed me a flyer he’d received advertising a meet and greet at Roggie’s back in January, I initially had serious reservations about even looking into the sole Greek community on campus. You may have heard of them.  They’re called Sigma Phi Epsilon, or SigEp for short.  I had heard minor details about this fraternity before, but had never taken it seriously.  How could it be a real fraternity? This is Boston College, we don’t have those! It turned out I was very wrong.

My reservations regarding the SigEp chapter here at BC were all wrong.  I was greeted by a group of guys who all seemed to be very diverse in their interests.  No label could be attached to the group.  This was not a bunch of jocks, academics, or business fanatics.  Each member of the fraternity that I met seemed to bring something to the group that gave it a dynamic.  Not only that, but every one of them gave off a vibe that they liked to have a good time, but could take care of business as well.  This intrigued me because that is both a quality and an image I have been striving to obtain my entire life.  As the evening wore on, I found myself realizing that this was not just something I wanted to do, but something that I needed.  A few weeks and several other recruiting events later (none of which featured a drop of alcohol), I received a bid to join SigEp.  I can honestly say that joining may be one of the best decisions I have ever made.

It is because of this that I find other students’ criticism of Greek life offensive. Criticizing something you do not fully understand is doing yourself a disservice.  Many people think being in a fraternity means nothing but drinking to excess and acting like a douchebag, even when not drinking to excess.  What SigEp actually does is hold you accountable many different things, including your GPA and how you carry yourself, not just as a member of a fraternity of brothers, but as your own well-rounded and balanced man.  Standards such as showing up on time to chapter meetings, dressing in proper attire, and socializing properly with people of other social communities (be it other sororities or just clubs) are not skills simply for making the most of your fraternity experience.  They are skills for life.  Being on time and dressing properly? Sounds appropriate for a job interview, not just chapter meetings.  Another big part of fraternity/sorority life is philanthropy.  For those of you who think all Greek members are nothing but spoiled and selfish brats, keep in mind that SigEp sends several members each week to help at a local soup kitchen.  Also keep in mind that this is completely voluntary.  We are currently figuring out how to start up a sponsorship for a military unit overseas in order to send them packages of small gifts, just to show that we care.  SigEp is also very involved in Relay for Life as well as several other fundraisers.  If you are the type of person that loves to give back to the community, then there is an entire facet of Greek life waiting for you to indulge.

And speaking of community, one of the biggest problems people have with the idea of Greek life at BC is that it will “segregate” our own community of students here.  I’d hate to burst your bubble, but from the perspective of a freshman guy here at BC it will not create any more segregation than what already exists.  If you are a freshman guy here at BC, it is a little bit different than being a freshman girl, who gets a free ticket into any party; any time, anywhere.  And if you are not on a sports team, be it varsity, club, or even intramural, your options for having a social scene are limited even further.  Sure, being in a club helps, but what if your club doesn’t do much besides have meetings and attend the occasional rally or something along those lines? And who honestly wants to spend every weekend either hanging out in their dorm or roaming the mods for a party you won’t get into.  Greek life gives people, especially freshmen, not just a place to go, but something to do and get excited about.  As a freshman guy, my first semester before joining SigEp (or at least the first 2 and a half months of school) seemed boring and unfulfilling.  I actually did not feel a part of the BC community at all, simply because I had no real affiliation to anything for a while.  But SigEp has shown me that there is something to be excited about on weekends.  Students in Greek communities on other campuses are generally happier because they belong to something.  They have a sense of identity.  And the best part about SigEp is that no one has to conform their identity to everyone else’s.  We just ask that you don’t be a jerk.  And everyone is happy to oblige.

My point is this: when it comes to Greek life here at BC, forget what you know.  Animal House, Greek, Glory Daze, yes they are all entertaining and amusing depictions of what is considered to be “typical” Greek life.  But they are also simplistic and do not fully represent what it means to be in a fraternity or sorority.  Fraternities and Sororities differ from school to school, and at BC they can be different. SigEp already is.  We do not “buy” our friends.  We do not have toga parties or chant “Toga! Toga! Toga!”  We don’t even “pledge”.  Yeah, okay, so I had to go shovel one of the other member’s car out of the snow.  That is a minor inconvenience, and in no way humiliating or belittling.  So the next time you read Totalfratmove.com, go ahead and laugh because it is funny, but leave the imagery associated with it to the website.  Instead, if you know one of us in SigEp or see someone in a SigEp shirt, ask us about what Greek life is like.  I can personally guarantee no one will look down on you, or call you a GDI. Just ask us. We’re more than willing to share.