For students who enjoy sports, but are not necessarily the greatest athletes, UMass Lowell’s (UML) numerous intramural clubs and organizations are here to help. Partaking in an intramural sport allows those who choose not to play on a normal, collegiate level team a chance to enjoy themselves and to experience a definite level of competitiveness, all while minimizing the obvious stress factor that comes with joining a Division I or II team.

With nearly every Division I or II sport, there is usually an intramural mimic. Meaning, if an athlete chooses to forego the stress and limelight of higher leveled sports, a lower level intramural will be there to take its place.

Baseball is the only exception, as there is no intramural baseball league. Instead, a softball tournament, where both men and women can compete, is offered.

UML’s fall semester dodgeball tournament is one that boasts a competitive edge and garners much attention from fans and students alike. Like most other intramurals, players can choose to create their own teams or sign up as a free-agent to be placed if they have no team of their own.

Those who are interested create their own teams of six, and proceed to battle it out in a series of intense and hilarious games in pursuit of the ultimate prize: a check for $1,000.

In this competition, a wide range of skill levels will always be present, since there is no other dodgeball league on campus. A team could be a group of hardened veterans of the sport, or a couple of average Joes in search of a fun time, or profit, thus making the tournament perfect for those who may not be athletically gifted, but just enjoy the sport.

To top it all off, the final game of the tournament, where the winning team will be given its prize, is played immediately before the men’s ice hockey home opener at the Tsongas Center. Which means, yes, it is played on ice.

Other tournaments, such as the racquetball and squash tournaments, provide a less competitive edge, as the players essentially fight for personal bragging rights rather than renowned fame across campus. Most students will be unaware that the tournament is even taking place, leaving those who enjoy the sport to compete without interruption.

Racquetball and squash tournaments are held during both the fall and spring semesters, and take place in the Campus Recreation Center (CRC).

If being physically active is unappealing, the CRC offers ping-pong, 8-Ball and 9-Ball billiard tournaments throughout both semesters. Ping-pong is offered in both semesters, while 8-Ball is fall semester and 9-Ball is spring semester only.

No matter how competitive or athletic a student may be, there are plenty of intramural sports to choose from. From three-on-three basketball to co-ed softball, and from ping-pong to dodgeball on ice, UML has the ability to cater any and all needs.

Aside from educational skills, an important factor in succeeding at college life is to be physically active. Freshmen are encouraged to take up a sport or spend time at the Campus Recreation Center (CRC) on East Campus to fulfill their training or athletic needs.

In order to remain physically healthy, a student must find what they enjoy doing fairly early on so that they may build upon that skill as the years fly by. This holds especially true for people who chose not to try a sport in high school, as now they must start from scratch.

Students may find that they enjoy said sport or activity more than originally thought, and turn it into a full-time hobby, or something more, such as a job or career.

Engaging in some sort of sport is key for offsetting the effects of all the various food stops around campus (and around Lowell, for that matter), and ensuring student health is kept high.

The loved, yet dreaded, Suppa’s Pizza and Subs is a mere three minute walk from most buildings and parking lots on North Campus, and the well-trained eye of the starving studier is able to scope out the infamous pizza shop from the top floor of Lydon Library, making its threat to students all the more deadly.

Now, this does not mean that every freshman should go and try out for every Division I and II team UMass Lowell (UML) offers; far from it, actually. Intramural sports are always available, and there are plenty to suit players of all ability and competitiveness.

Located right next to Fox Hall and in close vicinity to other freshman dorms on East Campus is the CRC. Here, UML students can show off their athletic prowess in a heated pick-up game of basketball, lift free weights and use any of the many fitness machines, run around an eighth-mile track, enjoy a simple game of ping pong, and much more. As an added initiative, any CRC facilities are free to students when they present their UML ID.

Along with keeping physically healthy, partaking in sports helps to build responsible habits and time management skills, both of which being invaluable to college life. When tied in with classes, other clubs, and in many cases a part-time job, students who choose to play sports now have another activity to add to their schedule. In turn, they learn to divvy out their time and effort so that they may fill the needs of all scheduled activities.

No matter what the reason, be it to get in shape, to stay in shape, or to learn irreplaceable skills, freshmen choosing to stay active on campus will only benefit in the long run.

While the sun is still shining bright in the sky, and people all across North America are getting in their last family beach trips and cook outs taken care of before the fall months arrive, hockey is just around the corner.

Although hockey historically has not fit with the summer quite as well as it has with colder ones (for the obvious reason of ice melting when it gets warm), the hockey world across the country and in the Lowell area has not been completely void of happenings. While the players, the main focal points of the game, typically spend the off-season training and conditioning themselves for another year, the summer is a time in hockey when a lot of behind-the-scenes work takes place.

Perhaps one of the biggest off-season stories for UMass Lowell (UML) hockey fans is the Tsongas Center renovation work. Beginning on Aug. 9 and set to continue through early October, there will be a variety of projects undertaken in the arena. When the puck drops on Oct. 22 for opening night, students will notice changes to the concourse, a new section of club seating and new scoreboards at either end of the arena.

The American Hockey League’s Lowell Devils, an affiliate of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils that had previously shared the arena with the River Hawks since 1998, announced on June 10 that they would be moving to Albany, New York for the start of the 2010-2011 season.

In addition to adding former UML defenseman Darryl Green as an assistant coach, head coach Blaise Macdonald has also added 10 incoming freshman to the roster. The new players will help bolster down the roster after the graduation of 11 players last season, including two senior goaltenders, Nevin Hamilton and Carter Hutton. The San Jose Sharks announced on June 1 that they had signed Hutton to a one-year, two-way contract with the club. Hutton previously saw action with the AHL’s Adirondack Phantoms last spring when he signed an amateur try-out contract with the club.

In other Hockey East news, two players from the rival Boston University, Matthew Nieto and Adam Clendening, recently participated in the NHL’s 2010 Research, Development and Orientation Camp in Etobicoke, Ontario. The camp is designed to test out possible rule changes and showcase the skills of prospects across North America, many of whom will be eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft in St. Paul, Minn. next summer. Both Nieto and Clendening will play for BU against UML in the upcoming season.

Soon the colder weather will put an end to all the summertime fun and usher in the 2010-2011 season. The River Hawks open up their season in Maine on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.

If you have ever wondered what the United States would do after a chemical catastrophe then you should know that they turn to UMass Lowell (UML), or at least a former professor of UML.

This past March, a professor from UML was nominated by President Obama to be Chairman for the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, also often referred to as the Chemical Safety Board (CSB). On July 23, he was confirmed by the Senate and placed into his position by President Obama the very next day.

This professor was Rafael Moure-Eraso.

“I am honored by this nomination by the President because it validates my life’s work,” said Moure-Eraso.

The CSB is made up of five members, each nominated by the president, confirmed by the Senate and serving five-year terms. The board’s duty is to investigate industrial chemical accidents. This in turn leads to them deciding what the underlying causes for the accidents were and making recommendations to plants, regulatory agencies, industry organizations and labor groups on how to prevent such accidents in the future.

“Dr. Moure-Eraso’s broad educational and professional experience in occupational health, chemical engineering, science policy and scientific institution management, as well as his experience on federal advisory boards, make him an ideal candidate for the chair of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board,” says Chancellor Marty Meehan.

While at UML, Professor Moure-Eraso had played an integral role in the development of UML’s work environment program. Moure-Eraso’s hard work and effort led to the program becoming the nation’s leading graduate program in creating safe and healthy work standards. His work and success within this department is what led to Moure-Eraso to being nominated by the president to serve as chairman for the CSB.

“Professor Moure-Eraso is just one example of a number of faculty in the work environment department at UMass Lowell that have demonstrated time and again their level of expertise in their respective fields. I feel lucky to be a part of such a forward thinking department,” said Jonathan Brown.

The faculty and students of the work environment program as well as the other faculty and students of UML along with the administrators and staff are proud of Moure-Eraso’s achievements and look at this as just another sign that UML is known for more than just its hockey team.

Last fall, there were a total of 11,085 students on campus during the day. Eight thousand, one hundred and twenty four of these students did not live on campus. Anyone who has ever been to UMass Lowell (UML) knows there are not nearly that many parking spots.

“The parking situation is ridiculous. With a school that has as many commuting students as UML, you’d expect them to be better prepared to serve the needs of such a large group,” said Sarah Chaulk.

The entire UML community understands there is an issue regarding the availability of parking. The University itself recognizes the issue and the troubles it causes. An announcement from Joanne Yestramski stated, “At a large, spread-out urban campus such as UMass Lowell, it is a great challenge to provide enough convenient parking for commuter students, resident students, employees and visitors.”

“Every year I think they’ll do something about it and every year they prove me wrong,” said Benjamin Cullen.

The issue is not being ignored, even though some would agree it is not being dealt with as much as it should be. Last spring, UML acquired approximately 300 parking spots, which are located on Salem St., nearly adjacent to the University Ave. bridge.

Some saw these spots as a sigh of relief, especially considering that North Campus has the least parking availability among the three main campuses, but others kept in mind that the acquisition of these spots was soon to be followed by a loss of others. The construction of UML’s Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center (ETIC) led to the loss of the Standish St. and Plymouth St. parking lots, which provided over 100 parking spots for students and faculty.

“There is already a lack of parking on campus, so losing the Standish St. lot is going to worsen that problem, especially for students living on North,” said Mary-Kathryn Hazel.

The Standish St. parking lot was reserved for North Campus residents, from Eames Hall and Smith Hall. The construction of ETIC led to the demolition of Smith Hall, but even without those North Campus residents, there still are not enough parking spots available for those living in Eames Hall.

“I honestly hate it. Parking on North was bad enough as it was. Now it will be even harder,” said Jonathan Geary, a resident of Eames Hall.

However, over the summer UML took a creative approach to the lack of parking. Rather than just buying more land, UML is making better use of the land it already owns and uses. The search for two thin yellow lines with no vehicle between them will become a bit easier due to the fact that the UML parking lots will now have more yellow lines.

The creative approach taken by UML is to rearrange the parking spots so that as much space of those asphalt fields can be devoted to parking as possible. The reorganization will yield more than 150 new parking spots.

“Parking at UML is horrible; the only thing worse is trying to park after a snowstorm when the piles of snow take up their own spots,” said Cullen.

Bearing in mind the severity of the parking problem, these new parking spots may be a step in the right direction, but they are still merely a dent in tackling the issue. It should also be considered and not forgotten that Massachusetts does get a decent amount of snow.

Every city has its history, yet Lowell seems to stand out among the surrounding towns. Breaking ground by becoming one of the first industrial cities, Lowell would not be where it is today without its immigrant population. Specifically, Lowell would have not been transformed into the Mill City without the hard work of Irish immigrants.

A collaboration between UMass Lowell and Queen’s University Belfast led to the planning and execution of an archaeological dig that hoped to uncover the history of the Irish workers. The dig took place on Aug. 16 and extended throughout the week at the front of St. Patrick’s Church in the Acre, where the old Irish shanty towns were located.

The Irish came to Lowell as a result of famine and hoped to find better lives in America. Even though they were faced with discrimination, they settled in Lowell and built the first Irish church. Led by a man named Hugh Cummiskey, 30 Irishmen found work as canal diggers. Without these extensive canals, the mills never would have come into production.

Queen’s University archaeologists led the dig along with six selected UMass Lowell students: Dimitrios Booras, Jonathan Brown, Eunice Delice, Alaina Puleo, Kimberly Scarfo and Amanda Veiga. The students had to apply to the program and write essays as to why they felt the dig was important.

At the reception held at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center held on Aug.20, it was clear that it was not only the students who felt the excavation was important, but the surrounding community as well.

Dr. Frank Talty, the co-director of the Center for Irish Partnerships, said of the excavation, “it is leading the way for international partnerships in Lowell.”

Talty went on to explain how the partnership came about. The vice-provost of Queen’s University had visited the UMass Lowell campus.

“We wanted to show what was a special and unique about the campus,” said Talty.

From there, meetings had taken place both in both Lowell and Belfast. On Aug. 20, 2009, a partnership was announced. An agreement was made that would allow for a two-week program for the students. The first was the excavation in Lowell. The second will take place in the fall over in Ireland.

Many felt as though the excavation was a success. Congresswoman Nikki Tsongas attended the reception and spoke about the positively of the dig.

“Lowell has been the repository of immigrant history…it is important that we treasure the past,” said Tsongas.

Dr. Colm Donnelly from Queen’s University was the final speaker. He explained the excavation process, digging two trenches in front of the church. There the students found such items as rosary beads and a clay pipe. Now, the task ahead is to analyze the results of the dig, survey the Cummiskey homestead in Ireland to learn more about the man who lead the workers and hopefully initiate another dig at St. Patrick’s.

Donnelly emphasized the importance of archaeological excavations not only for historical purposes but because they “generate friendships for a lifetime.”

The new world is a “do it yourself and get it done yesterday” kind of place. Ideas and influences blitz people at alarming rates these days and sometimes it is hard to filter what is big news amongst the ocean of information we get at any given moment. For college students, it is easy to fall behind in terms of what is a hit and what is a miss amongst a full college workload and concentration on their future. Highlighted here are some of the biggest upcoming releases in technology set to be released.

Hoping to catch the eye of the so called casual gamer that has given the Nintendo Wii unparalleled success in the gaming market, Sony and Microsoft both introduced motion detecting hardware at the recent Electronic Entertainment Expo conference for the press and gamers in attendance. Sony’s entry, the Playstation “Move” is expected to be released on September 19 for $49.99. Microsoft’s answer, the “Kinnect,” is expected to launch November 4 for the same price. Both are add-ons to their respected existing consoles. Also highlighted by Sony was full three-dimensional televisions that work with special three dimensional glasses with support for upcoming Playstation 3 games. Nintendo, meanwhile released information on its new handheld gaming machine known as the 3DS, boasting full three-dimensional playing without the use of glasses.

Hoping to cash in on recent Facebook privacy concerns, the new social networking site Diaspora has been receiving lots of attention with an upcoming release date of September 15. It was created by four students from New York University. The project boasts complete control over all the information you share, the ability to pull your information from other social networking sites and cull it together into your own personalized area, the ability to use said information to avoid tedious sign ups in a process known as Openid Integration, the ability to make calls to other Diaspora users similar to Skype, and an instant messaging program. It will work by integrating into a personal own websites and culling an individual’s information into the program. A sign up service is expected to follow.

Also expected to launch in September, the fourth generation Apple iPod Touch is coming soon, with large amounts of speculation. Supposed leaked prototypes in China have shown that the new model will include a camera to support the popular Apple iPhone application, “Facetime,” which is a video calling service for the Apple iPhone, through email and instant messaging services. The new model is said to also include a flat backing made of aluminum.

With a very exciting amount of emerging advances in technology moving forward in the near future, it is important to keep up with what may be impacting life on campus over the coming months. These new technologies could revolutionize the way students interact on campus, whether it is video calling someone on an iPod touch to simply enjoying a video game as a student passes another’s room.

Roommates come in all shapes and sizes. Part of the experience of college is meeting new people and adapting to new situations with familiar problems to overcome. Room assignments, especially for freshmen, are matched in a very odd manner that does not always give way to a successful working environment. Sometimes roommates can have some really rowdy friends who come in at strange hours of the night. In the case of personal space, this can become a hassle. Setting boundaries, guidelines, and communication is important, but saying the right thing so as not to offend a roommate and start things off in the right environment can make the difference between a good year and a bad one.

For starters, communicate that there are things that simply should never be touched, like certain cabinets and drawers. These are places to put important belongings and a proper understanding is very important for their safety. Tucking smaller items towards the back of drawers and in other places never hurts. Keeping a very organized draw can help to store valuables in a place safe enough that is easy to keep track of, while having a draw so messy that other people are as confused if they did not know where to look is another solution.

A total lock-out of another person is never an advisable situation, as it seems cold and unfriendly. With proper courtesy in living engagements, there is an expected amount of sharing that has to take place. If a roommate needs to use something, then understand it is okay to use things when asked with a text or a call. Trusting a roommate with keeping the room contents safe is going to be an essential test of how well a person interacts with people outside of a school environment.

Another issue is a roommate’s friends. Rowdy bunches that like to party all night are fun for a night, but it can be frustrating to people to put up with them permanently. Confronting them as a group is never an advisable situation; even winning an argument against a group still raises its own controversy. Ideally, having a one on one talk after the dust settles is a good way to handle the situation and set some boundaries.

Sometimes communication just is not enough. If a roommate is difficult and things are not meeting at an even level after a few weeks, it may be time to explore other possibilities, like changing roommates or applying for a different room. To start this process, go to the head of the residence hall and have a talk about changing rooms or roommates. It is not always ideal, but the situation will get solved.

Remember, in these situations, the ideal solution is always communication. Working through adversity is an important part of life and one of the first lessons of college. Finding the balance between privacy and being an honest friendly person may determine success with personal relationships.

Around UMass Lowell, at any moment there are always a multitude of options of places to dine at. Options are important, as meals tend to get bland when the multitudes of options are forgotten. These options can be broken down into three categories: meals, points and cash.

Arguably the most valuable places to eat are the places where you use meals. These are mainly broken into three dining halls, located on South Campus across from Weed Hall, the second floor of Fox Hall and the ICC ground floor. These dining halls are buffet style areas that offer unlimited food. These dining halls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday. On the weekends, they are open more selective hours. However, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. they serve breakfast, with lunch and dinner slowly taking over as the day goes on. The difference between the dining halls is Fox Hall offers a vegetarian options station, the South Campus dining hall features a sautéed personalized pasta station, and the ICC offers smaller, more self serve meals.

Along the same vein as meals are the places where points are used. When freshman students come to UMass Lowell, they are given 14 meals a week and 125 points. Each of these points is worth one dollar. These can be spent at a small convenience store by the Fox Hall dining area. New to campus is Subway, located where Broadway Grill was located by the main entrance to The McGauvran Student Union. Replacing Mahoney’s at Night is Taco Bell, located on the first floor of Fox Hall. Finally, on North Campus is Southwick Food Court; this area offers a wide variety of foods and is very popular with students on the go.

There are also places where students can spend cash. These include the various take out and delivery restaurants, as well as other restaurants that are all within walking distance. Many of the restaurants for delivery leave menus within the lobby of student living halls for easy access to their wares. Restaurants close to campus include the Eggroll Café, Dunkin Donuts, Suppa’s Pizzeria, all near North Campus; Beer Works near East Campus; Broadway Pizzeria by South Campus; and multiple restaurants and cafes by the ICC, located conveniently at the heart of Lowell. These places tend to be a drain on the pocket, but guarantee a change in menu from the every day drawl of the dining halls.

However at the end of the day, the best way to decide where to eat is to go out and explore the options a student has at any given time. Sometimes the best option is to just eat whatever food packed away in a student’s room. Other times it’s worth it to splurge for a night and grab a bite from somewhere else after a good night out. The comfort in the meal plans at UMass Lowell is knowing the options students have open to them and making smart decisions.

As the summer fades away, students are making their way to UMass Lowell (UML), ready to start a fresh academic year. When living in a busy city such as Lowell, there is literally an endless amount of things to do. One of my favorite things to do in my time as a student here has been to follow the diverse and always exciting local music scene. The city has given bands a wide variety of venues to play at nearly every night, and the music program at UML has guaranteed a constant stream of talented musicians in the area. Today, we are going to look at six well-established bands all with UML ties that are constantly performing in local halls, bars, and basements. Each of these bands has a unique sound but share the same passion for sharing their art.

The Dead Beats: If Rock n’ Roll is dead, someone forgot to send this trio from Lowell the memo. Sporting a striped down sound straight out of the rock and punk clubs from the late 1970’s The Dead Beats came to party and are hell bent on taking you for the ride. In an era of self-indulgent bands that care more about their image then their music this band is a breath of whiskey scented fresh air. The Dead Beats just released their first EP and are gaining more fans and recognition every day. Check them out at www.facebook.com/deadbeatsrock. Let them know what you think, are wearing, or any other random musing by calling their hotline at 617 830 2565.

Richard James: Who said music had to stay within a single genre? Local scene veterans Richard James effortlessly blends equal parts rock, funk, and blues into a compelling mix of thoughtful and curious jams. The band describes their sound as “piano driven rock, fusing together tight guitar jams and funked out horn lines. We take the jammy aspects of The Allman Brothers and mix it with songwriting reminiscent of The Beatles.” Big shoes to fill but their execution is pitch perfect. Listening to Richard James makes you want to sing, dance, and think all at once. They are a perfect mix of introspective and entertaining, and they are gearing up for what is thus far their biggest show yet. Richard James is headlining “The Hard Rock” in Boston on Sept. 18^th with “Turkuaz” from Brooklyn NY, and “Fungus Amungus” from Providence, R.I. Richard James can be found online at www.richardjamesband.com or on Myspace and Facebook.

The Carrier: Often times, people dismiss hardcore music as simple, overly aggressive and not possessing the same level of artistry as other genres of music. The Carrier takes an axe to those stereotypes. Their latest EP, “No Love Can Save Me,” is a destructive symphony, telling of a man’s journey out of society and into a dystopian world where all traces of society have eroded. The band is already signed to local hardcore record label Deathwish Inc. and boasts an impressive tour record that includes several stints in Europe and a trip to the west coast and back. This band plays live with considerably more heart and energy than most other bands. The Carrier is in the process of finishing up their first full-length album since landing a record deal and can be checked out at www.myspace.com/thecarrierhc.

Bearstronaut: UML’s own Bearstronaut is different in all the right ways. Blending genres at will for our dancing pleasure, Bearstronaut takes a dash of 80’s electro-pop and mixes in pinches blues, funk, and rock. A quick glance at their website finds an advertisement for their summer tour that reads “Dance and sweat with Bearstronaut this summer.” This sentence perfectly describes what Bearstronaut is all about. Listening to their music wants to make you stand up and move, regardless if you are listening from your dorm room, cubicle, or the dance floor. Bearstronaut was formed at UML and has been playing in the area ever since, you WILL see one or many of their stickers on campus. Bearstronaut’s latest single, “Shannon,” is available for free download at www.myspace.com/bearstronautmusic. Check them out if your willing to get your proverbial groove on day or night.

A Wanted Awakening: With so many bands striving to conform to whatever new trendy sub-genre is in style at the moment, it is heartening to see some bands still just want to play fast, hard, and intense metal. A Wanted Awaking has roots in both Florida and Albany NY, but has since relocated to unleash their blazing fast riffs and ear piercing screams on the population of Lowell and the Greater Boston area. The five musicians in A Wanted Awaking are classically trained and are razor sharp both live and in the studio. The level of musicianship exhibited in every detailed note and chord is what separates this band from countless other metal pretenders. A Wanted Awakening has two big shows coming up near UML, Sept. 24^th at the Brewery Exchange and Sept. 25^th at the Campus Recreation Center. Be advised only attend if you are the type of person who would not mind having their face melted. Check out A Wanted Awakening at www.myspace.com/awantedawakening.

The Venetia Fair: If life is a show, then in The Venetia Fair we have all found our rock n’ roll ringleader. TVF mixes music and theatrics effortlessly in what amounts to a wickedly good time both on stage and in your headphones. The Venetia Fair has blown up since their beginnings in 2007 and has been relentlessly touring ever since. Their efforts have landed them a record deal on Red Blue Records, a music video posted on Comcast’s On-Demand, and fans stretching from coast to coast. This band is going to be huge one day, and you will want to tell your friends you remember them “back in the day.” One reason for The Venetia Fair’s success is their level of interaction with their fans. Searching quickly on Google finds The Venetia Fair all across every social network and web based promotion site imaginable. All five members interact with their fans via Twitter constantly. It is nice to see despite all of the attention this band is receiving, they have not become too big for their fans. Currently, they are taking a break from touring to write and record their next album, expect big things from this band soon. Check them out at www.myspace.com/thevenetiafair.