DOBC is a student run organization, led by Director Corinne LeVine.  Corinne is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, and began dancing at age three.  Assistant Director Honor Flannery, Secretary Annalise Sundberg, Treasurer Mary Breen, Events and Publicity Officer Karen Karnicki, Technical Manager, Amy McDermott, and Costumes Coordinators Caroline Rixey and Jackie Davis round out the list of officers.  Forty-two students belong to the organization, which choreographs their own numbers and runs their own rehearsals.

“Intrigue” was not an easy show to prepare for.  The girls rehearsed weekly, beginning in late September, sometimes with their number’s rehearsal time slated to begin at 11pm.  As the date of the show grew closer, rehearsals lasted for hours several times a week, including Friday and Saturday nights.  The girls sacrificed so much of their free time in order to produce an impressive final product, and judging from the applause each number received, they succeeded.

The show began with a Kaskade and David Guetta mashup, entitled “Cirque,” choreographed by the officers of DOBC.  Several lyrical numbers followed.  The two tap numbers, a rendition of “Mercy” by Duffy, and “Faith” by George Michael, stood out as highlights of the show.   “Americano,” choreographed by Alex Lorditch, also seemed to especially captivate audiences.  After the intermission, “Black Balloon,” by the Goo Goo Dolls, choreographed by Cassie Callahan and dedicated to Mike Racanelli, a recently deceased BC junior, seemed especially moving and poignant.

The finale consisted of an uplifting mash-up, fittingly entitled, “Intrigue,” in which each grade was singled out and applauded, and the officers were introduced at the end.  In the program, Director Corinne LeVine wrote that “‘Intrigue’ is the culmination of curiosity, imagination and creativity; it is our own unique interpretation and expression of the world as we see it.

Dance offers us the opportunity to explore sensation, music and emotion in an unconventional way.”

The girls of DOBC certainly succeeded in making the audience experience performance in an unconventional and enjoyable way.

Dana Flynn/The Observer

BC's Christmas Tree in O'Neill Plaza

Students milled around the festive scene, and some stayed the whole time.  Shortly after 6 pm, Father Leahy spoke, reminding students that Jesus was among them now, and Christmas would soon be here.  The tree was then lit, and the tall evergreen, bedazzled with Christmas lights, drew gasps and applause from the crowd.  Festivities continued until seven, until students began to return to their dorms to carry out the spirit of Christmas throughout the rest of the season.

For many trying to survive the last weeks of classes before finals, the joyous tree lighting is a welcome respite from the hectic studying and paper writing.  For Alexandra Long, a senior, “the tree lighting is something I always look forward to.  I’m really sad it’s my last BC Christmas tree lighting, it just doesn’t seem like Christmas before BC comes together and does something so fun like this.”

Senior Hannah Leary also looks forward to the tree lighting: “The tree lighting always makes me feel like a kid again.  I like taking a break from being a stressed-out college student and coming here and listening to Christmas carols.  It really makes a difference.”

As Christmas break rapidly approaches and the end of the first semester draws near, the Christmas tree lighting highlights the spirit of the holiday season, brings friends together, and provides a break from the stress of impending finals.  UGBC’s efforts do not go unnoticed at this especially stressful time!

In a clear effort to pander to young voters who may have become disillusioned with Obama’s failures, Obama announced reasons why student loan debt is a priority for him.  However, the initiatives have consequences that may in fact harm some borrowers rather than help them.

Student loan debt eclipsed credit card debt for the first time last year, and is now the number one source of household debt.  The initiatives aimed at reducing the debt included Limiting student loan payments to 10% of a graduate’s income (down from 15%), forgiving outstanding debt after 20 years (instead of 25), and allowing students to consolidate loans in order to cut interest rates. The plan essentially seems to lower monthly payments and get loans forgiven faster – both great changes at first blush.

Obama’s plan, however, is not going to help all with loans.

The Wall Street Journal exposed that many students will not reap large savings from the changes and some will not qualify for the initiatives at all.  Some borrowers will actually end up paying more in interest rates over the life of their loans.

To qualify for the new loan structure, students must take out a loan in 2012, and not have any loans prior to 2008.  Those who do qualify can reduce their monthly payment on existing loans as well as future ones.

The savings under the new program can be big on a month-to-month basis, and will fluctuate based on one’s salary and will never exceed a standard payment. However, the lower monthly payment requirements draw out payments beyond the typical 10-year schedule, increasing the amount of interest one would pay over the course of their loan.  Therefore, the amount borrowers end up paying under the plan may actually increase!

18.2 million undergrads enrolled in college last year, and 6.8 million of those used student loans to help defray the cost.

The White House has estimated that Obama’s initiative will benefit only 1.6 million of those borrowers.

While helping those 1.6 million people is commendable, the public should be aware that Obama is not the student loan savior he has made himself out to be.

He mentioned to a crowd gathered in Denver that he and the First Lady graduated with a combined $120,000 in student loans, which clearly makes people identify with him and believe he sympathizes with his cause.

But the potential drawbacks to his plan were conspicuously absent from his cliché speech.

In a time when unemployment numbers for recent college graduates are higher than ever before, overall economic growth won’t be achieved by increasing debt or loan payments for any borrowers.

The movement specifically targets awareness for men’s health issues, including prostrate cancer and other cancers that affect men.  Movember has spread worldwide, and now includes over 1.1 million participants.  These participants, termed Mo Bros, are walking advertisements for men’s cancer awareness, and serve as reminders that men suffer from specific cancers that are less advertised than more common types of cancers. Movember was launched with inauspicious beginnings in Melbourne, Australia and has grown into a truly global movement.  Formal campaigns have been launched in ten countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, and Ireland.

A former Observer Editor-in-Chief is also taking part in the cause, in order to honor his grandfather, recently stricken with prostrate cancer.  Michael Reer and his father are not shaving this month to show support for his grandfather through his trying time.  The father-son team is also attracted to the movement because it allows them to pay tribute to Michael’s grandfather’s mustache.

Reer stated, “For me, the object of Movember is to show support for my grandfather by emulating him while raising money for a good cause.  My goal for this month is to raise $1,000 for cancer research and to get a good laugh out of my grandpa when I show up for Thanksgiving.” Therefore, Movember has become a deeply personal activity for Michael and his father, and they hope to raise $1,000 throughout the month for the cause.

You can join or support Team Reer at the Movember website here: http://us.movember.com/mospace/1766964/ or make a team of your own here: http://us.movember.com/register/.  It’s a great cause for men to become involved in and The Observer encourages all of campus to become involved! Movember helps men become more aware of the health issues they face, spreads knowledge about the types of problems that could arise, and hopefully will lead to higher earlier detection rates and higher rates of cancer survival across the globe.

The club kicks off the week with Development Day from 9am to 3pm in the quad.  The display features pictures of the human fetus in the womb in a caring and loving manner.  The club hopes to highlight the “humanity of the human child in a place that everyone can see.” Having a visual display of the humanity of the child in a way that is clear to everyone is very important to the club’s message that humanity begins at conception.

Wednesday is Adoption Day.  The club will host a speaker, Professor Coolman, who will talk about adoption as a viable and beneficial option for women who do not have the resources to provide for a child at the time they become pregnant.  A screening of the movie Juno will be shown afterwards.  Juno was chosen as a way to portray the complex emotions of being in a crisis pregnancy as a young person in a way that all campus students can relate to.  The movie portrays adoption as a viable option and a realistic route for many in a crisis pregnancy.

On Thursday, the club will host a speaker on the Death Penalty, which the Pro-Life Club also stands against.  Alan Rogers, from the Boston College History Department, will be speaking on the horrors of the death penalty and the realities of death row.  This event is cosponsored with Amnesty International, and will be held in Carney Room 104, on Thursday at noon.

Friday features Celebrate Life Day in the quad from 9am to 3pm.  On this day, the club celebrates all life of every age. The club claims that every life is important and that this event helps to remind the campus of the gift of life and how important it is to protect.

On Saturday, the club will cost an advocacy meeting at 11:30am in Gasson 306.  A speaker from the Crossroads Walk, a national pro-life organization, will come and speak about their program and how the BC Pro-Life Club can become involved.

The Pro-Life Club encourages everyone to stop by some of their events in the quad or to view some of the speakers and help encourage the celebration of all kinds of life throughout the week!

Ricci was born in Macerata, Italy, in 1552. In 1595, he and a group of Jesuit companions opened a house at Nanchang in Southeast China.  They wore scholarly garments in the house instead of the traditional Buddhist robes worn by men of religion.  This kept the Jesuits from being too closely associated with religious types and therefore allowed an open dialogue to ensue between them and Chinese academics.  This dialogue was crucial to their scholarly and evangelical successes in China.  Ricci enhanced his standing with Chinese scholars by painstakingly applying himself to learning the Chinese language and culture so as to be able to engage in Christian dialogue in culturally appropriate ways.   In 1601, Ricci was permitted to move to Beijing and take up residence at the Imperial Court, a high honor from the imperial government.  In 1610, Ricci died, and the Jesuits were given permission to bury him at Zhalan Cemetery.  The cemetery itself was a gift from Ming Emperor Wanli for the construction of Ricci’s tomb.

The exhibition honors his life by displaying the many different translations of his scholarly works.  A 1615 version of De Christiana is presented alongside a 1953 version by Louis Gallagher, SJ, a former President of BC.  A 1978 translation of the same work is also on display.  The exhibit also expands to include work by other Jesuits and Europeans about the huge cultural and religious influence the Jesuits had on the Chinese way of life.  Jean-Baptiste du Halde’s Description of the Empire of China and Chinese Tartary of 1738 is displayed in an English translation by Emmauel Bowen.  The work largely describes the intense influence Jesuits had in shaping the history of China.

A drawing of a Jesuit observatory located in Beijing is taken from the Description of the Empire of China and Chinese Tartary and magnified so observers can picture the sort of structures Jesuits were installing in China to pursue their academic endeavors.  A drawing of Ricci, and his Chinese scholar companion, Guangqi, from the China Momentis of 1667 is also magnified for exhibition viewers.  A photograph in the center of one particular display case shows the parishioners of St. Francis Xavier Church on Mission Day in Shanghai.  The 1930s picture shows a parish completely composed of Chinese citizens, smiling and ready to spread their faith, a clear reference to the pioneering efforts of Matteo Ricci almost 350 years prior.

The rest of the display has original texts filled with Chinese rites, and historical works and treatises expounding upon the intricate relationship between the Chinese and Jesuits throughout the centuries.  These histories would all seem incomplete without mention of the Jesuits.  The exhibit also makes clear that aspects of Chinese culture were also disseminated to the West, proving the exchange between cultures was a mutually beneficial one.

In an unforeseen circumstance, however, this academic year the Student Programs Office  (SPO) placed a temporary freeze on all large-scale concerts in Conte Forum due to excessive rowdiness and alcohol-related medical transports.  Upwards of 35 people were transported from the Spring Concert at Conte Forum last year and the University feels that the concerts cause more trouble than they are worth.  Therefore, the fee has risen while the cost of programming has simultaneously been lowered.

The SPO has claimed that they will re-allocate these funds, and is working on finding new ways to put the increased funding to practical use.   Many on campus, however, lament that the fee has still risen even though there is now an apparent decrease in the cost of programming for the year.

When asked why the fee continued to rise even in the face of a presumably lowered cost, Student Programs Office Director R. Darrell Peterson, Ph.D., commented that “a working group has been charged with examining the issue and will soon make a recommendation to the Vice President of Student Affairs.”

Alexandra Long, senior, feels that perhaps the “concert freeze could have been announced before the university went ahead with the fee increase again this year. In such a tight economy, I know I could have used the money for something other than other Boston College activities.”

Alexandra went on to comment that “as a senior, I would want a concert for my last year, but if I can’t have one I’d rather have refunded money in my pocket.”

The Student Activities Fee is used mainly to support BC athletics, intramural sports, late night programming and school-wide events like the Fall and Spring Concerts.

The activities fee is still scheduled to rise again next year, to complete the 3-year program to increase revenue from the activity fee.

Dana Betts

One of the paintings on display in the library

Most of the pieces were art for art’s sake alone, like Jaclyn Case’s Danse Macabre.  Several prints, looking almost as if they were x-rays, depicted skeletons in the dance of death that is featured in the classical musical piece by Camille Saint-Saëns in 1874.

Jaclyn explains that the song was a favorite of hers as a child, contributing to her desire to pay tribute to the composer through artwork of her own.  In the item description, Jaclyn  explains that she used Photoshop to produce the finished product.   She began by scanning several pieces of skeleton and arranging them in different positions in order to produce the effect of movement through dance.

She composed the images frame by frame and then animated the skeletons in iMovie.  The prints are stills produced at the end of this long process.

Another project, by Michaelia Ruhl, depicted a red dinosaur sculpture. In her item description, Ruhl describes, “dinosaurs are a great source of interest and inspiration to me.” The sculpture is one of many that the artist envisions being placed in cities around the world.  Ruhl explains that “When [her] project is realized, [she] hopes that the dinosaur sculptures will invoke in people the ability to see the brevity of our time here as humans, and provide them with a new appreciation for the natural wonders the natural world has create on its own, since the beginning of time.”

Another artist’s work was functional art, an innovative way to use recyclable materials to construct house walls.  A substantial section of wall was on display in the collection, and it featured beer and soda cans crushed and then arranged strategically to create a stone wall-like structure.

The materials used are those found on campus, and the artist envisioned his project to prove that “anybody could create a structure – for themselves or for others.”  He hopes to help others imagine how one man’s trash can become another’s treasure, and prove that affordable recyclable construction can be accomplished.

The exhibition is a stunning example of student talent at BC.  The Art Club, according to its website, is a student effort at Boston College to celebrate creativity throughout campus.  They hold exhibitions, creative events, and film festivals.

The club produces a website, which is an extension of the organization.  The website features a blog, and pieces on culture, fashion, and design.  The club as a whole is an impressive way to get involved with arts on campus, and students should look at the exhibition while on a study break at Bapst.

Anthony Russo/The Observer

On a recent evening, Superfans assembled to celebrate the upcoming Ice Hockey and Basketball seasons at Ice Jam.  The event was hosted by Bob Costas, an NBC sportscaster who announces the Olympics, and sponsored by the joint efforts of the Boston College Athletics Department and the Undergraduate Student Government of Boston College.  Ice Jam was held in Conte Forum, the floor of which was half ice and half basketball court.  Four Boston College teams were featured in Ice Jam: the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams.

The event kicked off with a video explaining the historical tradition Ice Jam hails from.  BC purchased land from the Lawrence family in the mid-19th century, who initially held large galas during the late fall. Ice Jam, which hasn’t been held at Boston College in over a century, is in the tradition of the Lawrence Family galas.  The video illustrated that prior to this year’s Ice Jam, a secret book, left by the Lawrence’s, of how to conduct and prepare an Ice Jam, was found by a Paul Gallagher, BC’s beloved zamboni driver.

Ice Jam then began with the introduction of women’s ice hockey. The audience learned that many BC team members were also Olympic team members.  Kelli Stack and Molly Schaus each displayed a gold and silver medal, respectively.

The women’s basketball team was then introduced, and after a short interval of free throws, they had a dance off with AeroK, a dance group on campus.  The dance group was clearly victorious, but the basketball players put up a great effort.  Sylvia Crawley, head coach, then took to the court to teach the audience “how to dougie.”

The men’s hockey team then came out, and the audience met the 2009 – 2010 National Championship team.  Four players, three from the men’s team, and one from the women’s ice hockey team, competed in a shot speed contest.  Tommy Cross, senior caption, won the competition with a 99 miles per hour shot.

The men’s basketball team took the floor next, with team members dunking and free throwing during the introductions.  The team had a special surprise for the Superfans and for their new coach, Steve Donahue, when they introduced Vanilla Ice to the floor and the rapper gave the audience a rendition of “Ice, Ice Baby.”

The rest of the night progressed through a series of competitions, from ice hockey trick shot goal tournaments to a free throw competition, all judged by BC legendary hockey coach Jerry York, Doug Flutie, and Vanilla Ice, among others.  Bob Costas narrated the competitions, and the judges generally gave the contestants high marks.

Give-aways were handed out at the door, but there was a lack of t-shirts because they had run out well before the event officially began.  BC foam flames, and Ice Jam posters were also given away to lucky fans.  Ice Jam filled a real void for kicking off the basketball and ice hockey season and was generally enjoyed by all.

Because Boston College events commemorating the day may be slim (or even nonexistent, by my knowledge), I encourage you to go to a mass on campus after the football game, and pray for the lives that were taken, and the loved ones who were devastated by the attacks. Nine years later, life still does not have to stop every September 11th, but something should be done, by each and every American, no matter how small.

Never forget.

Ben Mezrich, in The Accidental Billionaires, provides the reader a complete picture of the story behind the founding of Facebook.  He writes of Mark Zuckerberg, the sophomore Harvard undergrad who dreamed up the revolutionary site in 2004, and his whirlwind journey from a geeky, socially awkward computer genius to the youngest self-made billionaire on the planet.

Mezrich writes that Zuckerberg “knew he was on top of something huge. This Mark Zuckerberg production was going to change the world. Like Napster, but bigger – Facebook was all about freedom of information. A truly digital social network. Putting the real world onto the Internet.”  At times, it seems that Zuckerberg had trouble distinguishing between the real world and the Internet, during the days when Facebook was just a new website, with merely a few thousand users.

Mezrich admits that he “employs the technique of recreated dialogue” throughout the narrative. Although, Mezrich does clearly take some very obvious liberties with the truth in his story, his dramatizations and fictionalizations only add flavor to an already exciting, and in Zuckerberg’s own favorite term, “interesting” story.  Mezrich avoids the technical, computer programming aspect of the story and focuses on the sexier side of the story, such as the tense, sometimes feuding, relationship between the friends and founders, how Zuckerberg managed to involve the fledging site in an expensive legal battle before it was even a fully incorporated company, and the scores of “hot chicks” that came the founders’ way when the site started to grow.

Facebook is the brainchild of Zuckerberg’s own obsessive computer hacker personality, and his failed attempt at his first, Harvard-based social network called FaceMash.  FaceMash was Zuckerberg’s attempt to universalize and streamline Harvard’s individual residence hall Facebooks. The site got him into a lot of trouble with the University and its students as FaceMash was a comparison site, essentially asking students to judge female undergrads and voting for the “hotter” girl.  Facebook, or thefacebook.com as it was originally termed, was Mark’s attempt at recovering his image as a programmer who could create a site that the Harvard student body would love.

After spending months creating the code for the site, and inviting his best friend at the time, Eduardo Saverin, another geek at Harvard with slightly more social connections than Zuckerberg, to be the CFO and finance the start up costs of the site, thefacebook.com went live.  It exploded at Harvard within the first few days, and Zuckerberg and Saverin expanded the site to other schools, still relying on the $1,000 Saverin initially invested in the nascent site.

The site’s growth was impressive, and Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard, and moved to California with two “interns,” fellow undergrads who dropped out with him, to take advantage of what Silicon Valley has to offer, in terms of Vested Capital, in order to bolster the site’s fast-depleting financial resources.  Saverin attempted to continue to run the business side of Facebook from New York, but was phased out of the company when Sean Parker, a notorious Silicon Valley bad-boy, and founder of Napster, teamed up with Zuckerberg and turned Facebook into the 15 billion dollar valuated company it is today.

Mezrich writes that Facebook “would always be, at its heart, a college experiment gone viral.”  Facebook seems to be the most far-reaching college experiment ever, one that affects all of our lives, sometimes dozens of times a day, depending on how many times we log in.  Mezrich provides a highly entertaining account of Zuckerberg’s rise from obscurity to fame as the man who revolutionized socializing.

The Institute attempted to answer the question, “If earning a bachelor’s degree does not significantly impact civic knowledge, what impact does college have on civic life?” ISI polled 2,508 respondents, asking whether they strongly agreed, somewhat agreed, were neutral, somewhat disagreed, or strongly disagreed with thirty-nine propositions that covered a broad range of American public issues.

The ISI used multivariate regression analyses to compare the “independent influence that earning a college degree, acquiring more civic knowledge, and other factors in a person’s life exert of their views on some of the perennial controversies of our age.”

The Institute’s first major finding expresses that, “While college fails to adequately transmit civic knowledge, it influences opinion on polarizing social issues.” The report showed that a college graduate would be more likely than a non-graduate to favor same-sex marriage and to favor abortion. They would be less likely to believe anyone can achieve the “American Dream,” favor prayer in public schools, and believe in the authority of the Bible.

The report’s second finding, “Compared to college, civic knowledge exerts a broader and more diverse influence on the American mind,” contrasts American history taught in college with true civic literacy, with the latter emerging as the stronger. Acquiring civic knowledge influences an American mind on four times as many propositions as attending college, and it is also proven to produce a more independent frame of mind.

Thirdly, the report finds that “civic knowledge increases a person’s regard for America’s ideals and free institutions.” The person with true, complete civic knowledge, rather than the college graduate, is more likely to believe in American ideals, its founding documents and free enterprise. The civic literate person will be less likely to: believe that America corrupts good people, agree that the Founding documents are obsolete, agree that global capitalism produces few winners and many losers, and to agree that the Ten Commandments are irrelevant today.

The Institute had one last additional major finding: “how college teaching alters the public beliefs of professors.” The report proved that being a college professor alters one’s views on propositions involving “education, economics, religion and America.” College professors are more likely to believe that America corrupts good people, the 10 Commandments are irrelevant today, raising the minimum wage decreases employment, educators should instill more doubt in students, and homeschooling families neglect their community obligations. Interestingly, legislators should subsidize a college in proportion to its students’ learning about America.

In its conclusion, the report emphasizes its opinion that “Colleges that can produce graduates without having a significant impact on whether those students believe America’s Founding documents remain relevant are not fulfilling the civic purpose that [George] Washington and [Benjamin] Franklin had in mind for higher education.” The fact that American students can gain a college degree and not gain true civic knowledge, and in some cases lose civic knowledge, will severely detriment future generations of American Students.

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Given the immense significance I gave to my own experience of college tours while I was applying almost two years ago, I can say that a student’s perception of a school may come mostly from the tour, and perhaps a perusal of the school’s website.

After attending a tour this past week, I was quite impressed, and it appears to be unchanged from when I took my BC tour as a high school senior. My tour guide was efficient, spoke loudly, and could effectively answer some of the more ridiculous questions asked by parents.  But, there are several instances when I thought perhaps the guide was forced into talking points that neither he/she nor the tour group cared about.

For instance, the tour guide spent a few minutes describing the Master Plan.  While the plan is interesting to current students, as they can accurately imagine the extent the changes will have on the existing model of the campus, it is because they are familiar with the current layout.  But the Master Plan does not effect the prospective students or their parents, since they will presumably be graduating in 4 years and not see the plan actualized in 10.  Instead of harping on the $1.6 billion in improvements BC feels it has to make, why not capitalize on the positive aspects of the existing buildings?

The most major flaw I find with the BC Tour is its failure to show the groups a residence hall room.  First year college students spend an immense amount of time in their rooms, and not showing them one puts BC at a disadvantage.  In the BC Student Admissions Program’s Tour Guide Handbook, it cites the reason for not showcasing a dorm room as a “liability issue.” I distinctly remember seeing dorm rooms at Villanova, and even Rutgers, when on my college tours.  BC should perhaps find a way to overcome the liability issue, as clearly these schools have, in order to make their tour experience a complete one.

In addition, my tour guide seemed to quickly breeze by the academic curriculum of the school, as if it were a filler between interesting historical anecdotes and trivia facts about the campus.  As I mentioned before, these stories are interesting to hear and laugh about once, but they are not what will become the deciding factor in a wavering prospective student’s mind.  For example, there should be attention given to the strength of BC’s academics, with explanation of a seemingly extensive and constrictive core curriculum that actually allows a student generous freedom in choosing many classes to fulfill the Core.

While that point is in the tour guide handbook, I did not hear it stressed.  And while these little facts are funny, students will not pick the school with the quirkiest history, but with the most solid chances of succeeding in their academic program.

In an e-mail circulated by the Student Recruiting office, Grassroots Campaigns explained that they were “teaming up with advocacy groups and progressive organizations to tackle the unprecedented problems facing our nation.” These advocacy groups, past and present, include organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the Democratic National Committee, and the League of Conservation Voters.

It is important, however, to understand the beliefs of the progressive movement in the United States.  It began as a movement to cure the ills of society produced by the Industrialization of the late 19^th century.  Progressivism was founded on the belief that man had the power to cure the all the evils of society.   They believed that government should play an important role in bringing about equality for all members of society, which is a belief that Progressives still hold.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a leading progressive, and he is mostly attributed with making Progressivism a separate movement in the minds of the general public, instead of being associated with general the liberal movement. Progressives today are considered to be more liberal, or self-admittedly, socialistic than traditional liberals.

Much like the classic progressives in the last 100 years, Grassroots, in an effort to motivate students into attending their interviews, explained that, “We have the opportunity to remake America, but it will be up to us to ensure that President Obama and our leaders in DC work to restore our civil and human rights, build a clean energy future and work towards ending global poverty.”

The groups Grassroots is involved with represent a certain left-leaning viewpoint, which angered some more traditional students.  Many felt that a group intimately partnered with an organization such as Planned Parenthood should not be permitted to recruit on a Jesuit campus.

When faced with a question about diversity in the groups and viewpoints the Career Center hosts, Jessica Chance, an Assistant Director at the Career Center, responded that they try to represent diversity as best they can, by attempting to accommodate students with differing beliefs.  Chance also mentioned that the Center works to make certain that the organizations they host are “not leaning towards one direction.”

The Career Center does not list a future recruitment by conservative organizations in order to represent diversity amongst the groups it hosts.

Members of the DOBC gave a quote revolutionary performance this last weekend in Robsham

The Dance Organization of Boston College premiered their annual showcase, “Revolution,” this past Thursday, Friday and Saturday night in Robsham Theater. Over 40 talented girls danced in 24 numbers, ranging from tap, jazz, lyrical, and ballet to hip hop. The music for each number was taken from popular culture, chosen by each of the choreographers for the specific meaning the music and dance, which, when paired, could portray the message to the crowd.

Maggie DiPasquale, Director of DOBC, explained the meaning behind the title in the event program. She explains, “Revolution is the change in our bodies as we improve. It is the introduction of new members into our community. It is the fouette turns we master during rehearsals. However, the power and confidence behind the term is what revolution has fully come to embody for the dancers.”

However, this revolution is not easy for the dancers to attain. The girls rehearsed weekly, beginning in late September, sometimes with their number’s rehearsal time slated to begin at 11p.m. As the date of the show grew closer, rehearsals lasted for hours several times a week, including Friday and Saturday nights. The girls sacrificed so much of their free time in order to produce an impressive final product, and judging from the applause each number received, they succeeded. Taylor Wagner, a sophomore DOBC member, stated, “Rehearsals were long, difficult and sometimes very late at night. It’s hard to have to finish homework and then have to run to dance. But performing the show made it all worth it.” Taylor went on to say that many of the girls felt the same way.

DOBC is a student-run organization, with executive officers and members. Members choreograph their own dances and run rehearsals. Costume costs are partially covered by club funds, and partially covered by the members themselves. Members have a flat due of $35.

DOBC was founded by Allyson Olewnik ’98 for a diverse group of girls who simply wanted to dance, without the pressure of auditioning for the other dance groups at Boston College. It began as a group of five girls showcasing a fifteen-minute show in Gasson 100. The group barely had the time or space to rehearse, and would meet in random places on campus in order to choreograph and perfect their dances. Girls could be found rehearsing in the McElroy stairwells, and other seemingly incongruent locations for a dance rehearsal. The club slowly grew, and DOBC is a strong club that now rehearses in the Brighton dance studio. 2001 was the first year that the club showcased on the Robsham stage and it now is one of the most anticipated shows of the year, with club member’s friends coming to Robsham in droves in order to support them. Clearly, the club has revolutionized itself from its inception, and the title of this year’s show is a testament to the strides it has made.

That Eagle’s Nest piano kid, Dennis Carr, performs at Music for Mark, held in McElroy Commons.

McElroy echoed with the  sounds of Music for Mark, a 9.4- hour music marathon in honor  of Mark Herzlich, the now famous BC linebacker diagnosed  with Ewings Sarcoma. The  length of the marathon refers to  Herzlich’s number on the team  – 94.

Eleven different BC performance groups and individual  artists, including Ayla Brown, a  BC student and semi-finalist in  Season 5 of American Idol, per-  formed in the event.  Each hour, on the hour, a different group or  performer was featured, from  11 a.m. to 8:40 p.m. The performances were connected by the  piano playing of McElroy’s own  piano man, Dennis Carr.  Carr  also coordinated and managed  the entire event, and proposed  the marathon to the event sponsors – the Emerging Leader Program, BC Dining Services, and  UGBC.

A proceeds table was located in the lobby outside of  the Chocolate Bar. One hundred percent of the proceeds  collected were donated to Uplifting Athletes, a non-profit organization dedicated to cancer  research.  Even without a card  machine allowing students to  donate eagle bucks to the cause,  the event resonated with them,  and the fundraiser managed to  raise over $1000 to the cause in  loose cash donations.

Additionally, for every $5  donation, donators earned a  chance to win an autographed  Matt Ryan helmet.  In order to  win the helmet, the donators  had to be present at the end of  the night when the drawing was  held.  Lucky freshman Trevor  Morris won the helmet.

Heavy Feather, a rap group  on campus, kicked off the event  at 11 a.m., and were followed at  12 p.m. by the Madrigal Singers, an acapella group who sang  Renaissance-period music and  Christmas carols.  Voices of  Imani performed at 1 p.m., singing Christian songs, in keeping  with their commitment to faith-  based music.  A quartet from BC  bOp!, a jazz group, continued  the music at 2 p.m.  An emerging artist and freshman, Connell Driscoll, performed next,  and was followed by the Dance  Organization of Boston College dancing to “Silent Night”  and “All I Want for Christmas is  You.”

Taylor Wagner, a sophomore, felt that “the DOBC dances really got the people watching into the Christmas spirit,  and stopping by Music for Mark  was a great way to spend the  day.”

Swingkids followed, socially dancing to their favorite music.  The Bostonians followed,  and sang some of their set, along  with an apparent crowd favorite  – a Lady Gaga medley.

Ayla Brown then performed  at a little before 8, impressing  the crowd with each song.  After  performing her first song, entitled “Know You Better,” from  her CD, she performed “Unwritten,” by Natasha Beddingfield, a song she sang on American Idol.   She then sang a Jessica Andrews song, entitled “Who I Am.”  Ayla then prompted the room to give  Dennis Carr a standing ovation  for all of his hard work, recognizing the magnitude of the  event and his dedication to the  cause.

The second half of Ayla’s  set concluded with “Where are  you Christmas,” during which  her mom started crying, “I  Quit,” from her CD, and “Ain’t  No Mountain High Enough,”  the song she auditioned with for  American Idol. Ayla announced  that the event had raised over  $1000, drew the winning ticket  for the Matt Ryan helmet, and  ended the night.

The proceeds from the  marathon will benefit Uplifting Athletes, a non-profit organization of college football players,  which raises money for research into rare diseases.   Dennis Carr, the brains behind Music for Mark, plays the piano in-between group performances.

Christmas Tree at Boston College

BC celebrated the start  of the holidays with Holiday  Week, sponsored by UGBC. Last  week had its share of holiday  fun, and students turned up in  droves to bask in the Christmas  spirit.  Although the weather  was a little warmer than usual,  students delved into the traditional holiday spirit as if a White  Christmas were just around the  corner.

UGBC filled the week  with events, including a tree  lighting on Tuesday, Breaking  the Barriers Ball on Wednesday, ice skating in Conte Forum on Wednesday and Thursday, an Off-Campus Pub Crawl  on Thursday, and sleigh rides  around campus on Saturday.

The  festivities began on Tuesday –  the first day of Advent – with the  lighting of the Christmas tree in  O’Neill Plaza.  From 5 p.m. until  around 6 p.m., students enjoyed  Christmas music, hot chocolate,  and pictures with Santa as they  anxiously awaited the lighting  of the tree.  Student clubs displayed small, individual Christ mas trees, which they each  decorated, along the sweeping  steps of O’Neill plaza.  The trees  stretched all along the back of  the plaza and can now be seen  lining the center walkway of  the Dustbowl.  Shortly after six  o’clock, Father Leahy reminded  the attendees that Jesus is present in the crowd, and we should  be “mindful that soon Christmas  would be with us.”  The tree was  then lit, showcasing thousands  of multi-colored lights, and the  crowd applauded. Attendants  enjoyed the event until around  seven; the tree can be seen every  night in O’Neill Plaza.

On Wednesday, the Breaking the Barriers Ball, which  was held in Gasson, combined  the spirit of Christmas with the  spirit of inclusivity and togetherness.  Tickets cost $10 each,  and the event allowed students  to mingle with each other and  faculty while enjoying live entertainment, raffles and refreshments.  BC’s piano man Dennis  Carr, along with BC bOp!, provided the music.  Sophomore  Jill Long spoke of the importance of reaching out to other  races this holiday season.  The  ball also included a surprise visit from Father Leahy.

On Wednesday and Thursday night, students could rent  skates and go ice-skating in  Conte Forum.  From 9:45 pm to  1:00 am, students enjoyed free  skating in Kelley Rink.  Lines  were over an hour long, even if  students arrived early, but everyone seemed to believe the  skating was worth the wait.   Skaters were permitted twenty-minute intervals on the ice, and  enjoyed hot chocolate and giveaways.  Students appeared in droves; a few people even came  dressed as Santa.

On Thursday night at 9  o’clock, free transportation was  provided for of-age students  who wished to attend UGBC’s  off-campus pub night.  Students  headed out to the Wonder Bar  on Harvard Ave.

Sleigh Rides, and the promise of candy canes, brought students to Linden Lane (by Bapst  Library).   A horse-drawn carriage gave students a traditional  Christmas experience as it car-  ried them through middle campus on Saturday night – even  through the snow!    The events of Holiday  Week are becoming beloved  traditions, clearly evident in  the student turnout for the tree  lighting and, of course, ice skating.   Holiday Week is becoming  an integral part of BC’s Holiday  season.

The event begins at 11:00 am and runs until 8:30 pm.  A donation table will be set up outside of the Chocolate Bar, which will be accepting loose donations and donations for song requests during the second half of every hour.

Nine BC musical groups will be performing:

11:00 am – Heavy Feather
12:00 pm – Madrigal Singers
1:00 pm – Voices of Imani
2:00 pm – BC bOp!
3:00 pm – Acoustics
4:00 pm – Connell Driscoll w/ Tomy Y
5:00 pm – Dance Organization
6:00 pm – Swingkids
7:00 pm – Bostonians

The event will conclude with a performance by Ayla Brown from America Idol at 8:00 pm.

BC Athletics has donated 12 ticket as giveaways during the event!

Check out the facebook group for more information:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=185151942459&ref=mf

Don’t miss it!

Eight questions, two per issue, became the crux of the discussion.  A two-minute primary answer and one-minute thirty second rebuttal were allowed of each of the debaters.   After these questions had been exhausted, the moderators collected questions from the audience, written on index cards.  Four audience questions were chosen.

The first question posed by the moderators involved ways to better reconcile economic growth and protecting the environment.  Debaters were asked to comment on the Waxman-Markey Bill and their thoughts on how the bill might accomplish this goal.  The Waxman-Markey Bill was passed by the House of Representatives and includes emission cuts and the institution of a cap-and-trade system.

Lamorte answered positively, stating that some economic fallout from a bill of this magnitude is to be expected, but the problem of not capping-and-trading is far worse.  Reer was more critical of the bill, citing the high number of job losses, estimated to be in the millions, which will occur as companies leave the US and relocate to countries with fewer environmental restrictions.  Reer felt it was still possible to reduce taxes, ease the economic burden, and still protect the environment irrespective of the bill.

The debaters then tackled the issue of education in the United States.  The moderators questioned how the debaters viewed the state of American schools, and what role value-based education, such as sex education, should play in government-funded schools. Lamorte was in favor of sex education, arguing that abstinence-only education fails.  She cited the rise in teenage pregnancy under the Bush Administration in correlation which its abstinence-only policy. Reer answered that value-based education should take a back-seat to focusing on the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic, much more pressing issues in American schools.  Reer felt that federal school vouchers are a good way to better educate children who are being failed by failing schools.  The debaters then had a heated exchange: Lamorte objected to Reer’s answer, saying she did not address the issue of abstinence-only education; Reer rebutted that the question was not about abstinence.

The third set of questions focused on the state of the healthcare debate in the United States, and the debater’s views on the healthcare reform bill passed by the House. Lamorte felt that the plan, including a public option, would be largely beneficial, especially to women, who are the largest group of uninsured people in the country.  Reer had two main problems with the public option: the federal government would be in competition with private companies, inevitably driving the private interests into bankruptcy, and the public option would increase costs for the government, increasing the rate of entry for everyone.  Lamorte cited France, England, and Canada as countries with single payer systems, acknowledged they had problems, but stated that the US had a “lot to learn” from how these countries handled universal healthcare. Reer scoffed at the idea of emulating these countries in any way regarding healthcare, and argued that there is still a lack of equality in those countries, because wealthier people simply employ doctors outside of the government system.

The fourth and final set of questions focused on U.S. involvement in the War on Terror in Afghanistan and whether/how Obama should proceed with this involvement. Lamorte began by praising Obama for the time he has devoted to thinking about the issue, and hoped he would shift American aid given to Afghanistan in a more humanitarian direction, rather than give more military aid.  Reer countered that Obama has met with General Stanley McChrystal, Commander of the U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, for thirty minutes on a plane, and has spent more time with Oprah.  He has been in office for over a year, repeatedly ignoring the General’s requests for more troops.  Reer felt it was imperative that the U.S. “either to play to win in Afghanistan, or go home.”

The audience contributed questions involving U.S. foreign aid to third world countries, the US relationship with China, whether government-run healthcare is a constitutional right, and the limits to government involvement in the banking industry.

Annie Orlowsky, a sophomore, felt the debate was engaging, but was critical of Lamorte’s answers.  She felt that Lamorte “should have focused on the present more, instead of mistakes made in the past, which can’t be changed.”  Describing herself as a political moderate, she “had problems with things both debaters were saying, but on the whole, felt they each had good points.”

Generally, the debater’s answers were characterized by considerate disagreement; Reer even conceded a bonus rebuttal he won because Lamorte spoke out of turn.

The exhibition, while representing the sheer number of chaplains from BC, also explored the stories of five chaplains more deeply.  The tales and memorabilia of Rev. John Ignatius Foley, Fr. William J Leonard, SJ, Rev. William J Kenealy, SJ, Rev. John L. Bonn, SJ, and Rev. William M. Stinson, SJ are given special attention in the exhibition.

Rev. Leonard was chaplain of the 9^th Ordinance Battalion and served in New Guinea and Manila.  The exhibition features his mass kit, and a sign that hung on his chapel door.

Rev. Kenealy served as Lieutenant Commander on the USS California.  He kept letters from the men he served with and their loved ones.  The letters thanked him profusely for the extraordinary comfort he had proved to be to the men on the California.  Letters from mothers, reproduced for the display case, featured phrases such as, “I’m so glad you were with Jimmie in his last moments,” and “I want to thank you over and over again for everything you have done for my boy,” proving just how well Rev. Kenealy performed his duty.

Reverend John L. Bonn, SJ taught dramatics at BC in the 30s and 40s; there is a performance space in Robsham named for him.  His shoulder board from the US Navy Reserves is displayed in the collection.

Reverend Stinson, SJ, was librarian at BC from 1924 – 35.  His collection of French postcards, amassed during the time of the WWI, show the devastation of the Battle of Verdun.

Addlebury explained that the next display coming to the current events case will be entitled The Jesuit Martyrs of El Salvador: The 20th Anniversary Commemorative Exhibition and will featured beginning November 30^th.

Arguing for the negative were senior Michael Stork and sophomore Brendan Benedict. Sophomore Ryan Folio and senior Ryan Malone argued the affirmative. After a show of hands by the almost full audience in McGuinn 121, Director of Debate John Katsulas determined that the negative team had won.

The debate consisted of four brief speeches, two from each team, and a short cross-examination after each one. Then the audience was allowed to participate and ask questions during a five minute question-and-answer period. Afterwards, one concluding speech from each team effectively ended the debate.

The crux of the affirmative’s argument rested on increasing competition within the healthcare market in order to lower costs and provide healthcare to a larger percentage of the American population. The healthcare market is “too stable” and the competition a public option would bring to the market would be greatly beneficial. In Folio’s opening argument, he called for “transparency and accountability in the market,” benefits that the public option would surely force the private sector to provide. The public healthcare plan would be on a level playing field with private, even though they would have lower administrative and, therefore, lower actual costs.

The negative, first argued by Michael Stork, contended that the affirmative dramatically overstated that lack of competition in the markets. As the affirmative had stated that over 95% of markets had a single seller controlling 30% of the market share, the negative cited the sheer number of private sellers – over 1,300. In addition, Stork argued that 30% is not even close to the percentage required to constitute a monopoly. Over 75% of Americans are happy with their private insurance. Th e negative argued that the costs are not rising because of a lack of competition, but because of the rising costs of innovation.

Ryan Malone, for the affirmative, then answered that competition was not a “pre-existing” condition in the healthcare market and he then quipped that the public option “will only kill monopoly… and old people.” Sarcasm aside, he then addressed arguments that stated that a single-payer system was the only possible outcome of a government-subsidized public option. People will still have the right to choose between public and private; the public option will never replace the private sector.

Brendan Benedict answered for the negative, saying that the public option will only be able to off er lower prices because of government subsidies, and “everything the government runs, it runs into the ground.” He explained how the demise of the private sector was inevitable, and the short steps the government would need to take turn the system into a single- payer one. Benedict also predicted the collapse of innovation in a system that included a public option.

The concluding speeches summarized the preceding arguments, and then the audience voted. Afterwards, Ryan Folio told The Observer that preparing for the debate is a “week-long process,” and that healthcare was chosen because “it’s contentious today.” He argued for the affirmative view, which is his true view on the issue. Brendan Benedict however argued for the negative, despite being pro-nationalized healthcare in reality.

The Fulton Debating society was established soon after BC was founded, and acquired its name in 1890. The team travels to tournaments several times a year, and holds debates at BC around 3 times each semester. On November 16th, they are debating the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.

GOP State Senator Scott Brown talks to the College Republicans.

Senator Scott Brown of the Massachusetts State Senate and Representative Karyn Polito of the Massachusetts House of Representatives were special guests at the College Republicans’ first meeting of the year this past Tuesday. Ninety-five members of the club were privileged to hear two of Massachusetts’ most influential elected officials sound off on issues like healthcare, the upcoming gubernatorial election in Massachusetts, our country’s fiscal crisis, and Senator Brown’s decision to run for the US Senate to fill Ted Kennedy’s vacant seat.

When introduced as the man who decided to undertake a massive Senatorial race for Senator Kennedy’s open seat, Brown rolled his eyes in feigned exasperation. He continued to joke that he was “nuts” for wanting to take on the challenge and headache that running for Senate entails, but more seriously contended that his determination to “lead by example” is his motivation to run. Senator Brown feels that leading by a good example is lacking in government today, and he feels his campaign is fueled by the desire to provide his example and ideals to the American public.

Senator Brown then went on to describe his belief that Conservatism is a “big tent,” in which all levels of conservative may fall. As a conservative, Senator Brown believes in good, efficient government, controlling illegal immigration, and protecting the environment – ideals that he feels are universal goals for the country. He went on to say, “I’m a Republican, and I love the environment. Why does the environment have to be a liberal issue?”

He voiced his opinion on President Obama’s healthcare proposal, believing that a government or public option would essentially “dumb down” the American healthcare system and make healthcare professionals less competitive.

Regarding the race, Brown said it would be “me against the machine. I’ll be outspent and outlobbied. But I’m doing it because there’s a real need for balance, fiscal responsibility, and social conscience in government.” Senator Brown feels that a race centered on a return to the issues at hand, and one that is led honestly, will be successful.

Marie-Claire Bartmess, a sophomore member of the College Republicans, felt that “Senator Brown was good at getting people excited – he made me want to help with his campaign!” Matthew Vigliotta, treasurer of the College Republicans, was very happy to have Senator Brown and Representative Polito at the first meeting, saying, “Scott Brown is an intelligent and down-to-earth speaker and having him speak at our meeting was inspiring. It’s easy to see why he is so popular here in Massachusetts.”

Earlier in the evening, Representative Polito spoke first, exuding excitement about the number of young people involved in politics at Boston College. As a Boston College grad in the class of 1988, she admits to remembering no more than five Republicans among her circle of friends, and was thrilled to see the College Republicans so large in number.

Her tone then immediately changed as she expressed her dismay at being one of only sixteen Republican members of the House of Representatives in Massachusetts, as opposed to 144 Democratic members. Most would be disheartened to be in her position, but Polito is clearly an optimist. This is soon proved by her commitment to the idea that the Republicans have the opportunity right now to turn the tide and increase their numbers in the next election. She feels that the people of Massachusetts and the rest of the country are disappointed with the corruption and lies that pervade Democratic leaders, and would jump at the chance to elect Republican leadership. She maintains this optimism by maintaining her sense of duty to the people, feeling that “if [she] quits, what then?” She explains that a sense of duty keeps her in the legislature.

She laments the fact that the Democratic Party in Massachusetts is extremely corrupt, as three within the system have been indicted recently. Representative Polito attributes this corruption to the concentration of power at the top, with the most influential officials possessing too much authority over others who are essentially minions.

She later told of the electronic voting in the Massachusetts House of Representatives that features lights on the wall showing which stance each member took on the issue. Polito explains that the Republicans submit their votes in a timely fashion, the Democratic speaker then submits his vote, and then the rest of the Democrats mimic the speaker’s vote. Representative Polito ended by saying, “I can sleep well at night; I don’t wait for anyone’s light to tell me how to vote.”

The Boston College Republicans are featuring many other events throughout the upcoming year. On September 22, 2009 Professor Harold Peterson will speak about the economic bailout and on October 6 they will be debating the College Democrats.