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THE Suffolk Journal
WHAT’S THE
HOLD UP?
SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY • BOSTON

VOLUME 80, NUMBER 18

|

thesuffolkjournal.com

|



YOUR SCHOOL. YOUR PAPER. SINCE 1936.

April 19, 2017

@SuffolkJournal

Body of Missing Man
Found in Charles River
Suffolk community questions
string of disappearances
Nick Viveiros
Journal Staff

The
parents
of
Michael
Kelleher,
a
23-year-old resident of
Southborough,
Mass.
who went missing from a
Boston Celtics game last
month, confirmed that a
body recovered by state
police Sunday morning
was that of their son.
“Sadly, Michael was
claimed by the Charles

River the night of his
disappearance,”
Mike
Kelleher, Sr., Kelleher’s
father,
wrote
in
a
Facebook post on behalf
of both he and his wife,
Lori Tavella Kelleher.
“This morning, the river
gave him back to us.”
According
to
a
Spokesman for Suffolk
County District Attorney’s
Office
Jake
Wark,
authorities
have
not

Dec. 2014

Nicole Price hired as
first Chief Diversity
Inclusion Officer

Sept. 2015
Margaret McKenna
becomes president of
Suffolk University

See MAN page 3

Former Suffolk Law
student earns jail time
in lieu of degree

Dec. 2015

Nicole Price steps
down as Chief
Diversity Inclusion
Officer.

Suffolk Journal Archives | 2010 File

Alexa Gagosz
Editor-in-Chief
Former Suffolk Law
student
David
Scher
pleaded guilty on Tuesday
afternoon in an attempt
to alter court documents
in order to adjust his
guilty finding for stealing
a laptop from a university
locker to not guilty,
according to the Suffolk
County District Attorney’s
office.
The former student
and Boston real estate
broker was sentenced
to more than two years
in jail, according to the
District Attorney’s office.
Scher had received a
suspended sentence for
the laptop theft in 2014,
according to an article
in the Boston Globe, and
was indicted just last year
of charges of tampering
with a court document,
forgery,
perjury
and
uttering a false document.
According to reports
last year, Scher “knew his
way around a courtroom”
as he had sued the City
of Boston, the City of

Newton,
a
Brighton
condo board over election
improprieties where he
failed to win a seat, the
people who rented his
condominium as well as
the bank that held the
mortgage for it, and even
his own parents after they
backed out of a promise
to sell him the family
boat.
Scher had been once
honored by the National
Association of Realtors as
one of the top 30 Realtors
under 30.
Scher’s
attorney
Richard M. Doyle Jr. did
not respond to Journal
reporters for comment
as of early Wednesday
morning.
Scher was expected
to receive a 20-year
sentence, according to
multiple news reporters
last year.
According to sources,
Scher was in his last year
at Suffolk Law when he
stole the laptop computer.

Connect with Alexa
by emailing
agagosz@su.suffolk.edu

Suffolk University’s global presidential
search continues on at an almost stagnant
pace, holding up certain progress on Beacon
Hill, including the potential birth of new
administrative positions.
By Nathan Espinal, Journal Staff

W

ith a strategic plan and a presidential
search committee set in motion, Suffolk
University plans to improve the collective
experience of those within the community, but some
of the outcomes continue to remain unclear.

July 2016

McKenna let go by
Board of Trustees,
Marissa Kelly fills in
as acting president

After this final report submission, the
Task Force will disband until further notice
is given.

Aug. 2016

Search Committee
for the next president
is announced and
“listening phase”
begins

UNKNOWN

Next president is
hired and sworn into
the university.

UNKNOWN

Position of Vice
President of Diversity,
Inclusion and Equity
created & filled

The Diversity Task Force, which was
created in February of 2016 to gather data
from the Suffolk community as to whether
the university has provided a diverse and
inclusive environment for students to learn
and for faculty and staff to work, has finally
drafted recommendations to bring to upper
administration. Having analyzed the results
from the climate survey and subsequently
holding discussions to gather community
feedback, the Task Force said they hope to
submit their final report on May 15.

Some possible recommendations the Task
Force will offer to upper administration
is creating a Vice President of Diversity
Inclusion and Equity (VPDIE) position,
or an Office of Ombuds, to handle formal
complaints made by those within the
university, across both undergraduate and
graduate levels as well as the Law School.
Whether this will translate into policies
adopted by upper administration is yet to be
known.
Director of Events at the CAS Dean’s
Office Jennifer Bonardi, also known as the
subcommittee chair of the Task Force, has
compiled a list of schools of similar ranking
and student body size to that of Suffolk, but
whom may hold Offices of Ombuds or not.
The research conducted shows that amongst
See FORCE page 4

THESUFFOLKJOURNAL.COM
SUFFOLKNEWS@GMAIL.COM

2 APRIL 19, 2017

N

New perspectives from diverse women fill Suffolk Law School
Haley Clegg
Photo Editor

A diverse group of law
students came together
Tuesday evening for an
end-of-year banquet of
“Hearing
Her
Story,”
hosted
by
Suffolk’s
Women of Color Law
School Association. The
event was Reflection of
Women on the Bench,
“Dynamic
Women
Transforming
Society.”
Tuesday’s event aimed to
give students an inside
look at what it is like to
be a woman of color in
the legal profession.
SJC Justice Kimberly
Budd, who received her
law degree from Harvard
in 1991, and Honorable
Shannon
Frison
who
received her law degree
from Georgetown in 1995
served as the panelists
for the event.
Clare Prober, a firstyear law student who
is interning with Budd
this summer had been
looking forward to the
event. “I’m excited to see
a woman’s perspective on
being a judge, especially
since it is a largely male
dominated profession. I
think a lot of women can
relate and see the value

in this event.”
Both panelists did not
foresee becoming a judge
at some point in their
careers.
“I had been practicing
for 15 years and it never
occurred to me. I took one
look at the application
process and I said, ‘No
way, I am not doing that,’”
said Budd.
Budd was inspired by
fellow college graduate
and former United States
President Barack Obama,
and developed a desire to
have an affect on the laws
of the commonwealth.
Budd said she wanted to
have more of an impact
on how cases are tackled.
“I sort of missed the
money train and that is
the only thing I regret,”
said
Frison
on
her
regrets. “I loved serving
in the Marine Corps, I
would never regret that,
but it is a challenge to
balance both fulfillment
and financial security.”
The panelists took
a moment during the
discussion
to
speak
directly to the women
of color in the room.
Budd said that women
of color must always be
the most prepared person
in the room, to leave no
room for mistakes, and
to persevere through any
and all microaggressions

and implicit bias.
“I
don’t
think
it
matters if you are black
or a woman or whatever.
What they think of you
doesn’t matter, you’ve
got to tune that out.
Merit is the only thing
that matters; you’d be
surprised how far that’ll
get you,” said Frison.
Budd also explained to
the present students that
it is important to keep
track of all the work they
do, and why it is important
to their careers. Frison
advised students that one
of the best skills they can
acquire is learning how
to be versatile in every
situation.
“Be as well rounded
as you can, both in law
and in life. The people
with the most success
are the ones who are the
most well rounded,” said
Frison. “Whatever you do,
be the best you can be.”
During the second half
of the night, the floor was
opened up for questions
from audience members.
Dorothy Franks, a first
year law student asked
the panelists about how
their lives had changed
since becoming judges.
“Socializing becomes
the hardest because you
really can’t branch out as
much as you would have
in other professions. You

project
manager
and
garage owner meet at
the garage and work on
the project. This plans
to result in the project
manager fulfilling the
need of a space to work
in, and the garage owner
is paid for their space and
service.
Bennett and Jimenez
first had the idea for
InGarage in November
of 2015, when Bennett
had to travel to Waltham,
Mass. in order to obtain
garage space. Bennett
realized that the help
he was getting could be
available closer.
“The sharing economy
is available to a lot of
different people through
the use of their phones,
the idea that there would
be people that have space,
time and willingness to
help, so we set about
trying to prove that and
develop the concept,”
said Bennett in a recent
interview
with
The
Suffolk Journal.
The
InGarage
designers see the app
as the best platform for

connectivity with the
customer and its fluidity
of
communication.
In
a
video
which
explained the future of
InGarage, Jimenez said
this marketing driven
company he hopes can
one day become more
utilitarian as the app
grows.
InGarage is based in
Watertown and Lawrence,
Mass. two locations which
have been scheduled as
test markets for the app
launch in June. These
test markets, being vastly
different from each other
in residents, will give
the company comparable
information
on
their
customers.
InGarage currently has
65 garages nationwide
due
to
personal
networking, as well as
6 more in their test
markets of Watertown
and Lawrence, Mass. and
Bangor, Maine. These
garages have provided
the
company
with
information, which have
coupled with surveys
launched on various social

Haley Clegg/ Photo Editor

Supreme Judicial Court Justice Kimberly Budd
get to socialize with other
judges and that’s about
it,” said Frison.
Because
of
how
isolating the profession
can be, having strong
connections outside of
work is essential, and
Budd said that it is

important to hang on to
the relationships with
people outside of the
legal profession.
“I want to be known
for taking the rights of
individuals seriously” said
Frison when asked about
her professional legacy.

“I want to be known for
upholding the rule of
law,” said Budd.

Connect with Haley
by emailing
hclegg@suffolk.edu.

Students’ start-up app promotes handy solution
Kaitlin Hahn
Journal Staff
The new start-up app
“InGarage,” set to launch
in June, was created
by
Suffolk
University
students
Alexander
Bennett
and
Marcus
Jimenez, as well as three
others, aims to enable
project managers and
garage owners. Ranging
from physical projects
such as needing exercise
equipment or tools, to
creative projects, which
can require photo or
film equipment are just
a few examples of the
possibilities this start-up
seeks to enable.
A
garage
owner,
who
has
experience
with tools, will list their
garage space on the app.
The project manager,
typically younger and
less experienced with a
specific job in mind can
then
browse
through
the different spaces and
decide which garage is
most beneficial for their
specific needs. Once the
garage is chosen, the

“The sharing economy is available to a
lot of different people through the use of
their phones, the idea that there would
be people that have space, time and
willingness to help, so we set about trying
to prove that and develop the concept.”
-Co-founder Alexander Bennett
media accounts. With this
information,
InGarage
has been able to tell what
their customers respond
to, and how the app will
work for customers on an
individual basis.
For
their
social
media launch, InGarage
is currently focused on
spreading the word of
their future app, with
hopes of getting as many
garages as possible, from
personal
one-on-one
interaction to connecting
with hardware stores in
partnerships.
InGarage
is searching for about

40,000 dollars worth of
investment to help them
get the company off the
ground.
InGarage hopes to
create an environment
where people of the older
generation will have the
resources to be able to
make extra money for
themselves, as well as help
out younger generations.
“Millennials
haven’t
had as much opportunity
to work on projects that
involve workbenches and
screwdrivers, and there’s
a lot of reasons for that,”
said
Bennett.
“We’re

not making any sort of
social commentary, but
it is true that millennials
have less of a mechanical
ability and we think that
is unfortunate. We are
operating within what we
believe to be great timing
for our concept.”
On April 20, InGarage
is doing a demonstration
along with four other
start-ups at the Venture
Cafe
at
5:30
p.m..
InGarage will attend a
TEDx event at Suffolk
University on Monday,
April 24 at 5:00 p.m. at
120 Tremont St.

3 APRIL 19, 2017

THESUFFOLKJOURNAL.COM
SUFFOLKNEWS@GMAIL.COM

N

College-aged deaths spike in recent years near Charles
From MAN page 1
yet publicly identified
the body as Kelleher’s
as “a matter of policy
that extends to all death
investigations in which
there is no evidence of
foul play.”
“The Office of the
Chief Medical Examiner
has not yet made a
determination as to the
cause or manner of death
but observed no signs of
physical trauma,” said
Wark to a Suffolk Journal
reporter in an email on
Tuesday afternoon.
The
Massachusetts
Department
of
Conservation
and
Recreation (DCR), which
manages
the
locks,
directed
a
Journal
reporter to contact the
State Police Press Office,
who in turn referred the
reporter to the District
Attorney’s office. They did
not comment further.
A Massachusetts State
Police (MSP) press release
from Sunday afternoon
stated that a body was
spotted by a passerby
around 9:10 a.m. on
Sunday in the vicinity
of the Colonel Richard
Gridley Locks, located
at the mouth of the
Charles River. The body
was removed from the
water by divers with the
nearby MSP Marine Unit
Headquarters, according
to the press release.
Massachusetts
State
Police Troop H, the
Suffolk County District
Attorney’s office and the
Boston Police Department
(BPD) are now handling
the investigation jointly,
according to Wark.
Kelleher was last seen
on surveillance footage
leaving TD Garden around

9 p.m. on March 29. A
female coworker who was
with him at the game that
night told multiple news
outlets
that
Kelleher
left during the third
quarter after having “a
few drinks.” Both Lori
Kelleher and police have
said that phone records
show Michael tried three
times unsuccessfully to
call an Uber from Paul
Revere Park, a short
walk from the Garden.
His cell phone’s signal
was last picked up near
138 Tremont St. by the
eastern edge of the
Boston Common around
11:00 p.m.
Divers
previously
searched
the
Charles
near the Garden on
April 3 without success,
according to CBS Boston.
“We get notified about
[disappearances],”
said
Suffolk University Police
Department
(SUPD)
Sergeant Jameson Yee.
Yee, a Suffolk alum who
began his tenure as a
security officer in 2008,
told a Journal reporter
in a recent interview
that the department is
ready and willing to assist
local authorities in any
investigation.
K e l l e h e r ’ s
disappearance comes just
a year after a similar case
made some believe that
there was something far
more sinister occurring in
the city.
Zachary
Marr,
a
22-year-old from Harvard,
Mass., disappeared in the
early morning hours of
Feb. 13, 2016 after he left
the Bell in Hand Tavern
near Faneuil Hall without
a coat. He was caught
on surveillance footage
outside the Boston Public
Market around 1:40 a.m.
While no other footage

was
released,
police
confirmed that they had
obtained footage of Marr
“entering the water” near
the North Station railroad
bridge - about 500 feet
from the locks, according
to multiple news sources.
His body was found on
Mar. 15, 2016, by the
area where Kelleher was
found.
Marr’s death was later
ruled accidental.
Before Kelleher, Marr’s
disappearance was the
most recent in what some
see as a troubling pattern.
Since 2001, 17 men have
gone missing in Boston
and its suburbs. The
victims, ranging in age
from 18 to 65, were all
found deceased in a local
waterway, usually the
Charles River or Boston
Harbor,
according
to
news sources.
Most of the victims
- all but two - were
under 36, and were
young professionals or
local students. Most had
consumed alcohol before
their disappearance, but
in most cases, witnesses
describe the victims as
having been far from
intoxicated. While some
disappearances
break
the trend, almost all of
them occurred between
October and March.
“The concern isn’t that
this could happen to our
students specifically, but
that it could happen to
anyone. A lot of these
disappearances
have
involved alcohol - usually
the person has been out
drinking, partying with
friends. They end up
leaving on their own,”
said Yee.
Yee advised students
to be attentive to their
surroundings,
and
added that distracted

Nick Viveiros/ Journal Staff

“The concern isn’t that this could happen to our students
specifically, but that it could happen to anyone.”
-Suffolk University Police Department
Sergeant Jameson Yee.
pedestrians are often
easy targets for would-be
opportunist criminals.
There are plenty of
other ways to stay safe
on campus as well, Yee
explained.
Suffolk’s
LiveSafe app, which allows
students to request police
escorts and report tips to
SUPD, is available for free
on both iOS and Android
devices. Even with Yee’s
reassurance,
students
differ in their feelings
about the disappearances.
“We have a strong
relationship with our
campus
agencies,
partners, as well as local
and
state
authorities
which allows us to better
help both our students
and
the
community,”
Yee said. All sworn SUPD
officers, he explained,
are
deputized
as
Suffolk County officials,

giving them the same
enforcement
powers
as the sheriff’s office.
They’ve also received
the same training as
the Massachusetts State
Police, and work closely
with BPD in both regular
patrol of city and ongoing
investigations.
Yee stressed that he
doesn’t see any reason for
“escalated concern,” but
added that all students
should heed the advice
he gives to freshmen
at
orientation
every
summer: stay in groups,
stay alert, and stay in
control.
“I’m
inclined
to
believe it’s coincidental,
but it’s intriguing that
they were all ruled
accidental,” said August
Tucker,
a
sophomore
from Portsmouth, N.H.
majoring in government.

Tucker, who resides
in East Boston near
where
the
body
of
24-year-old David Mark
was discovered in 2011,
understands why some
are concerned and said
that he believes that
college-aged students are
the “most vulnerable” to
attacks in the city.
“It’s sad for their
families, but I don’t see
anything that strange
about it,” said Matt Calise,
a freshman Politics major
from Johnston, R.I., who
has lived on campus this
year. He echoed a reality
that many in Boston are
just starting to face.
“People disappear all the
time.”

Connect with Nick
by emailing
nviveiros@suffolk.edu.

THE Suffolk Journal

YOUR SCHOOL. YOUR PAPER. SINCE 1936.
Editor-in-Chief
News Editor
World News Editor
Arts Editor
Opinion Editor
Asst. Opinion Editor
Sports Editor
Asst. Sports Editor
Asst. Sports Editor
Photo Editor
Newsroom Manager
Faculty Advisor
Media Advisor

Alexa Gagosz
Chris DeGusto
Jacob Geanous
Felicity Otterbein
Patrick Holmes
Katie Dugan
Skylar To
Brooke Patterson
Hannah Arroyo
Haley Clegg
Sam Humphrey
Bruce Butterfield
Alex Paterson

8 Ashburton Place
Office 930B
Boston, MA 02108
SuffolkJournal@gmail.com
@SuffolkJournal
TheSuffolkJournal.com

The Suffolk Journal is the student newspaper of
Suffolk University. It is the mission of the Suffolk
Journal to provide the Suffolk community with
the best possible reporting of news, events,
entertainment, sports and opinions. The reporting,
views, and opinions in the Suffolk Journal are solely
those of the editors and staff of The Suffolk Journal
and do not reflect those of Suffolk University,
unless otherwise stated.
The Suffolk Journal does not discriminate against
any persons for any reason and complies with all
university policies concerning equal opportunity.
Copyright 2016.

4 APRIL 19, 2017

THESUFFOLKJOURNAL.COM
SUFFOLKNEWS@GMAIL.COM

NEWS BRIEFS

VP position put on hold
From FORCE page 1

Design stars recognized for
innovative work

Courtesy of Suffolk University

Two of Suffolk’s interior architecture
master of arts students were recognized
for their innovative design concepts at
this spring’s International Interior Design
Association New England Chapter’s
Design Awards. Minakshi Rothawan was
awarded Best Graduate Design honors
for “Mode Couture Design School.” “My
thesis addresses the lack of Americanmade, handcrafted, custom-fitted clothing
available to clients in the United States
because the couture industry is based in
Europe,” said Rothawan. Alicia Kosasih
was awarded Best in Show, Student
Design for her design of a multipurpose,
high tech workspace for a digital branding
agency. Her concept was inspired by the
trend toward adaptable office spaces.
Alina Daragan was also recognized as a
runner-up in the design awards.

Gender diversity hits
national ranking at SBS
Suffolk University’s Sawyer Business
School is ranked fourth for having the
highest proportion of women enrolled
in fall 2016. Of the 130 schools that
provided gender-ratio statistics to U.S.
News for this survey, female students
were in the minority at 122 of them. 52.9
percent of full time students enrolled at
Suffolk are female.

CORRECTION
Last week’s article “Professor takes hard look
at Israeli journalism,” incorrectly reported
that Professor Shoshana Madmoni-Gerber
recalled one memory from her childhood
when she saw an ambulance driver take aunt’s
daughter. It was instead Madmoni-Gerber’s
father who witnessed an ambulance driver
take his sister’s daughter and then later told
Madmoni-Gerber about the incident.

the universities that do
have such an office, the
average amount of staff
members sits at two.
Whether there would be
a significant financial
difference in creating
this office, or a singular
VPDIE position, with a six
figure salary, has yet to
be researched by the Task
Force.
Boston
University,
Northeastern University
and the University of
Massachusetts
Amherst
each have Offices of
Ombuds, according to
the research conducted
by Bonardi on Greater
Boston schools.
Junior Business major
and
student
member
of the Task Force Levi
Smith spoke of the
responsibilities
that
would be entrusted to a
possible VPDIE.
“It will be someone
who
instead
works
in Human Resources,
Student
Affairs
or
Diversity Services,” said
Smith in an interview with
The Suffolk Journal on
Tuesday afternoon. “It’ll
be under the president
and will have more of a
universal role strategizing
diversity and promote
and develop a culture

N

“I’m eager to see this come to
reality, but if this doesn’t work then
[our work] isn’t worth it.”

committed to achieving
inclusive excellence and
cultural proficiency.”
Sophomore Computer
Science major Sheikh
Nasher spoke of the
cautious excitement he
has for such a position
opening
up
in
the
university.
“I’m eager to see this
come to reality, but if this
doesn’t work then [our
work] isn’t worth it. We
have been talking about
this for a year now, having
someone that works with
everyone,” said Nasher
in an interview with The
Journal
late
Tuesday
night. “Because it wasn’t
my division, I don’t
know the mechanics of
how it would work, but
when I looked at the
description I thought this
was something that could
work.”
Associate
Professor
Micky Lee, who was
appointed
Chairwoman
of the Task Force after
Frank
Cooper
took
time off from teaching
at the Law School, has
suggested the President’s
Commission on Diversity
Affairs, which was put on
hold by former President
Margaret McKenna, may
be an option to consider.
“We have not talked

about that. I did ask the
subcommittee to think
about after the Task Force
ends, ‘What would happen
if we reenact that?’ It just
seems to make sense, we
already have bylaws, but
we have not talked about
that,” said Lee.
It has been suggested
by Lee and Smith that
having a sitting president
that could make lasting
decisions would make
these
policies
are
implemented efficiently.
“Some of the changes
can
be
implemented
by
[Acting]
President
[Marisa] Kelly, and some
of the changes are bigger
like the Office of Ombuds
or the VPDIE, those are
things
that
wouldn’t
necessarily be fair to
force it upon her, it would
be the next president’s
decision,” said Smith.
Presidential
Search
Committee Chair and
university
Trustee
member John Brooks III
was unable to comment on
the status of the ongoing
search.
University
spokesperson Greg Gatlin

said to a Journal reporter
in a recent interview that
there has been no further
developments, and that
the search process is still
unfolding.
With the search for
the next president at a
standstill, the policies
and positions that the
University can fill have
also been put on hold. As
for what the Task Force
will do in their final weeks
before they disband, they
plan to gather data on
faculty and staff that
provides insight as to
whether
departments
reflect the diverse student
population at Suffolk
University.
The presentation of
the final report of the
Task Force will be done on
Friday, April 21. Lee said
the
recommendations
and concerns brought up
during the community
forums will be presented
to whoever attends.

from the flood.
A sign in the window
of
Boston
Common
Coffee on March 23 said
the coffee shop would
be closed “today and
maybe tomorrow.” In an
interview on March 28
with The Journal, Tony
Massari,
Co-owner
of
Boston Common Coffee
said business would be
returning within a “week
or two.” Now, over three
weeks later, a new sign
posted in the window of
the coffee shop explains
that they will be out of
business for an additional
amount of time.
“After a few weeks of
demo, drying and working
with our insurance co. we
are FINALLY ready to put
the cafe back together
again,” the sign said. “We
are estimating a couple
of weeks to patch all the
walls, paint and replace
some damaged fixtures.”
Calling this a “tough
time,” Boston Common

Coffee also commented in
their most recent sign on
the frustrations they had
with the vandalization of
post-it notes left on their
front door by fans of the
shop. The notes had been
encouraging in nature,
but those that had been
vandalized had to be
removed.
During this period
of disaster for a local
business still feeling the
effects of water damage,
once displaced students
are more than excited
to be back in their own
rooms again.
“I am so happy to be
back with my roommates
again, [and] everything is
back to the way it was,”
said 10 West resident
Jillian Hanson.
A point of contact
for concerned residents,
Assistant
Dean
of
Students Elizabeth ChingBush has not responded
over the last few weeks to
queries from The Journal.

Following a roughly
three-week
period
of
detachment, all four of
the residents of room
313 have returned to
their rooms. Now all of
the 46 students that had
been divorced from their
rooms will be able to
complete the remainder
of the semester, with the
added comfort of their
own beds.
As relieved students
return to a familiar
atmosphere,
in
the
interim of construction,
anxious fans of Boston
Common
Coffee
will
have to visit one of their
other two locations in an
attempt to return to a
sense of normalcy.

Connect with Nathan
by emailing
nespinal@suffolk.edu.

Sea of dormitory flooding
finally been parted
Chris DeGusto
News Editor
Kyle Crozier
Journal Staff

With repairs finally
completed, all Suffolk
University
students
that were affected by
dormitory floodings last
month have been cleared
to return to their rooms
according to university
spokesperson Greg Gatlin
on Tuesday.
Suffolk
University
Assistant Vice President
of Campus Services Jim
Wallace has not returned
communications
from
Suffolk Journal reporters
in regards to the residence
hall floodings.
While students have
returned, Boston Common
Coffee Company, located
just below the residence
halls, is still suffering

Connect with Chris
by emailing
cdegusto@suffolk.edu.
Connect with Kyle
by emailing
kcrozier@suffolk.edu

W

@theresa_may
We need an election now to secure the strong,
stable leadership the country needs to see us
through Brexit & beyond.

WORLD

STAY TUNED:
Suffolk students work to bring TRII organization
to the university to assist the country’s immigrants

See our last edition next week!

APRIL 19, 2017 | PAGE 5

SUMUN recognized in New York

Suffolk honored with Distinguished Delegation award at U.N. conference

By Facebook user @SUMUNteam

SUMUN members earn the Distinguished Delegation award last week in New York City.
Haley Clegg
Photo Editor

Suffolk
University’s
Model United Nations
(SUMUN) club competed
at the National Model
U.N. Conference in New
York City this past week
where they took home the
Distinguished Delegation
award, the conference’s
second-highest
award
category.
This year the group
represented Kazakhstan
at the conference in
which they performed
mock exercises of the
United
Nations
such
as debating with other
nations, and drafting and
passing resolutions.
To
determine
the
winner of the awards,
committee chairs and
moderators would take
note of the countries
they
felt
were
best
represented.
After
thorough
discussion
by
the
committee
chairs
and
moderators,
the

winning teams would
be chosen, and awards
presented
during
the
closing ceremony. Last
year
Suffolk’s
team
represented Montenegro
when they took home an
Honorable Mention, or
the third place award.
Nineteen
Suffolk
students traveled to the
city to compete against
3,500 other students from
colleges and universities
across the United States.
Yazeed Abu-Ghazaleh,
the
soon-to-beinaugurated
presidentelect of SUMUN enjoyed
working alongside these
students.
“It was very cool to
meet such a diverse
group of students, these
were some of the hardest
students
to
compete
against, that I’ve ever met.
It was quite a challenge to
compete with them,” said
Abu-Ghazaleh.
Suffolk students were
constantly busy running
between mock committee
sessions, debriefings and
team activities.
“New York was a long,
exhausting,
extremely
tedious, but completely

gratifying week,” said
Abu-Ghazaleh.
Myra
Lerman,
the
club’s advisor and former
Assistant Dean of the
Undergraduate Program
and Director of the
Honors Program at the

said
Lerman
in
an
interview with The Suffolk
Journal on Tuesday.
Their hard work and
dedication paid off at the
end of the week when
the team was named the
distinguished delegation.

“I realized that everything
we work for, all the hard work,
the long nights, all of the extra
studying that goes unseen
because we don’t get a grade,
it wasn’t for nothing. It was
completely worth it.”
- SUMUN President
Omar Hernandez
Sawyer Business School
witnessed
the
hard
work the team put in
throughout the week.
“It always is a grueling
schedule, with little time
for eating and sleeping,
but everyone loved it,
they always do. They
always learn an enormous
amount. It was quite an
expansive opportunity,”

Omar
Hernandez,
SUMUN’s
current
president, felt this award
made all of the hard work
done in preparation for
this conference worth it.
“At
that
moment
when they said ‘Suffolk
University,’ and we got to
stand up and be awarded,
it was an incredibly
special moment for me.

I realized that everything
we work for, all the hard
work, the long nights,
all of the extra studying
that goes unseen because
we don’t get a grade, it
wasn’t for nothing. It was
completely worth it,” said
Hernandez in an interview
with The Suffolk Journal
on Tuesday.
On top of the award,
SUMUN experienced some
exclusive opportunities.
The team met with
Stephane Dujarric, the
spokesperson
for
the
United Nations SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres.
Suffolk’s team exclusively
attended a press briefing
and had a private question
and answer session with
Dujarric.
“It was entertaining,
insightful
and
an
experience we’ll never
forget,” said Hernandez.
The conference’s closing
ceremony was held at the
U.N. General Assembly
Hall.
“It’s always refreshing,
and there’s always strong
energy when you walk
into that room because
that’s where history has
happened and where it

continues
to
happen.
Some of my favorite
political
figures
have
stood at the podium there
and have addressed that
hall,” said Abu-Ghazaleh.
In today’s political
climate,
Lerman
said
she found the whole
experience gave her a
new hope for the future.
“What these students
do gives me hope. They
make
me
optimistic
for a better future,”
said Lerman. “I see
these students behave
respectfully
with
the
countries they conflict
with.
They
build
relationships with them
in order to solve issues.
They create solutions
to global problems in a
conscientious
manner.
That is true diplomacy.”
Despite having only
just returned, the team
is already preparing for
their next conferences,
and look to place on top
next year.

Connect with Haley
by emailing
hclegg@suffolk.edu.

6 APRIL 19, 2017

Suffolk Venezuelan
Student Union seeks to
aid troubled home country
Felicity Otterbein
Arts Editor
Chris DeGusto
News Editor
Nearly every seat was
taken in the basement
classroom of the Somerset
building last Thursday to
hear the words spoken by
current Director of the
Center of International
Development, Professor
Ricardo Hausmann.
Giving
an
hourlong lecture about the
current economic crisis
in Venezuela, Hausmann,
also a professor of the
practice
of
economic
development at Harvard
University, explained in
graphic detail how basic
economics
contributed
to the country’s ultimate
downfall.
Organized by Suffolk
University’s Venezuelan
Student Union (VSU), the
evening was intended
to educate those in
attendance about the
current
economic
situation in Venezuela.
The talk also aimed
to raise awareness of
the VSU’s charity efforts
dedicated
to
sending
medical supplies to those
in Venezuela who cannot
otherwise access them.
How
the
country
worked
itself
into
such a state is a long,
twisted
story
filled
with
corruption
and
poor
decision-making.
Traced back to 1999
and the leadership of
President Hugo Chavez,
Venezuelans fell victim
to the populist policies
put in place during his
campaign and leadership.
Chavez was able to
divide the population
into lower and higherclass sections fueling the
hatred and animosity
between the two factions.
Convinced
the
country’s
constitution
was
irrelevant
and
corrupt, Chavez dissolved
the chambers of congress
and created a nationalist
movement that segued
into the economy.
The changes effectively
ruined
any
potential
system of checks and
balances and created a
nationalization
policy
over oil and removed
any foreign countries
that were privy to such
natural resources.

“We got loans from the
Russians at undisclosed
rates and undisclosed
conditions
with
undisclosed
collateral,”
said Hausmann. “So we
have been borrowing
money we don’t have at
rates we won’t be able to
pay because we haven’t
wanted to restructure our
debt we are paying.”
According
to
Hausmann,
the
ideal
solution
for
the
Venezuelan economy is to
not go back to the market
and that the country
should instead try to
find funding within the
international community.
He said it may take
three or four years to
stabilize the economy,
and then Venezuela can
look to borrow money
to pay off loans from the
International
Monetary
Fund (IMF).
Hausmann doesn’t see
Venezuela emerging from
its current economic hole

There’s no way
of recovering
people’s
livelihoods
unless we put
the economy
back to work,
production back
up, employment
back up.”
- Professor Ricardo
Hausman
without
restructuring
its debt, and said he
believes the loan markets
have no faith in current
Venezuelan
President
Nicolás Maduro to solve
the problem.
Due
to
Chavez’s
aggressive
nationalist
tactics,
capable
professionals within the
oil industry had been
ousted or left voluntarily
to ensure their families’
safety.
This
resulted
in
an
almost
immediate
economic
collapse,
which
plunged
some
Venezuelans into poverty.
“I would say my family
is among the privileged
group of people that
can still afford to buy
food. But of course it
has affected me, it has
affected every everyone
that lives down there,”

said Student Government
Association
PresidentElect and current Vice
President Daniel Gazzani
in a recent interview with
The Suffolk Journal.
He explained how it
has affected parts of life
that are often taken for
granted.
“You know, before
you had the option if
you wanted to buy wheat
bread or white bread. But
not anymore, you settle
for what you can find,
not what you want,” said
Gazzani.
According
to
Hausmann,
people
are wasting their time
lining up to buy goods
as opposed to working
to manufacture those
goods as a result of the
tumultuous
economy
that
has
left
many
Venezuelan’s struggling
to survive on a day-to-day
basis.
“We have to stop
wasting people’s time and
put their time [toward
making] things. There’s
no way of recovering
people’s livelihoods unless
we put the economy back
to work, production back
up, employment back up.”
As
part
of
the
relief effort, Suffolk’s
Venezuelan
Student
Union has been collecting
medical supplies around
campus to contribute to
the 180 tons of medical
and food supplies from
85
other
institutions
that have already been
collected.
Pasquale
Palmisano,
a
junior
at
Suffolk
and President of the
Venezuelan
Student
Union, said in a recent
interview
with
The
Journal that part of the
problem stemmed from
people’s lack of awareness
about the turmoil in
Venezuela.
The supplies collected
at
Suffolk
will
be
shipped to Miami on
May 15 through Red
Cross, and subsequently
to
Venezuela,
which
Palimisano
said
he
expects to take about a
week.

Connect with Felicity
by emailing
fotterbein@suffolk.edu.
Connect with Chris
by emailing
cdegusto@suffolk.edu.

THESUFFOLKJOURNAL.COM
SUFFOLKWORLDNEWS@GMAIL.COM

Commentary:

W

Spicer’s speeches scream incompetence
C’mon Sean,
just picture them all
in their underwear

Claire Schneider/ Journal Staff

Amy Koczera
Journal Staff
Just
last
week
during Tuesday’s White
House press briefing,
Press
Secretary
Sean
Spicer compared Syrian
President Bashar Al-Assad
to Adolf Hitler. Ultimately,
Spicer’s
blundering
remark
branded
him
an
incompetent,
undeserving excuse for
a press secretary and an
embarrassment to the
American people.
In response to alAssad’s chemical attack
on
innocent
Syrian
civilians, Spicer claimed
even Hitler was not “evil
enough” to use chemical
weapons against his “own
people.” Seeing as Hitler’s
regime
exterminated
millions
of
innocent
Jews in gas chambers,
many
were
confused
and uncomfortable with
Spicer’s statement.
According
to
The
Washington Post, Spicer
stated, “We didn’t use
chemical
weapons
in
World War II. You know,
you had a — someone
as despicable as Hitler
who didn’t even sink to
using chemical weapons.”
Regardless of Spicer’s
feelings toward al-Assad’s
actions, it is rarely a wise
choice to bring Hitler
into a briefing meeting
-- especially as the press
secretary.
When
questioned
about
his
statement,
Spicer
ignorantly
defended
himself
by
clarifying that he was
referring to battlefield
uses of chemical weapons.
However, to say Hitler
did not use chemical
weapons is far too serious
of a statement to be
considered a slip of the
tongue on Spicer’s part.

Bringing Hitler into
any public speech enters
a dangerous area of
discussion.
Chemical
weapons are chemical
weapons, and they cause
mass destruction. In this
case, it seemed Spicer
was trying to identify
the lesser of two evils
in
an
inappropriate
environment and ended
up
making
a
false
statement that spun him
into a position of harsh
criticism.
The Holocaust was
an horrific crisis that
shaped our world into
what it is today. Those
who hold position in the
White House must have a
thorough understanding
of
World
history
-specifically history related
to mass genocide.
When Spicer gets in
front of the camera, he
always seems to make
a fool of himself in one
way or another. Whether
it’s his word choice or
historical
references,
his
speeches
almost
always leave his audience
members
feeling
uncomfortable.
His word choice in
particular is often his
demise. According to The
Washington Post, while
responding to the press
during Tuesday’s briefing,
Spicer said, “I’m not
looking to quantify this
in any way.” Presumably,
Spicer was searching for
the word qualify and said
quantify instead.
Perhaps he was trying
to quantify the amount
times he has made errors
in historical and political
references on camera.
Nonetheless, if he is
going to speak in front
of a crowd, Spicer should
consider
sharpening
up
his
public
mass
communication skills. No

one is asking Spicer to
reach a groundbreaking
acclamation
about
genocide or chemical
weapons.
All he needs to do
is perform his duties as
press secretary by acting
as a spokesperson to the
executive branch of the
U.S. government. Spicer
should not say anything
the
U.S.
government
administration
would
not say themselves. He
is merely a vessel of
communication.
In just a few months
as press secretary, Spicer
has already acquired a
humiliating
reputation
that will stick with him
for the next several years.
He made an unforgivable
mistake
by
dragging
Hitler into a briefing, and
he continuously makes
himself look foolish by
assaulting the English
language on a daily basis.
Asking
Spicer
to
communicate
clearly
and effectively is merely
asking him to do his job
properly. For U.S. citizens
to get the right messages
from the administration,
Spicer needs to be hyperaware of everything he
says and does, and how
it can be interpreted. If
there is any kind of glitch
in the system, it fosters
distraction from his main
point and can deliver the
wrong message.
Unless
Spicer
drastically
improvemes
his
public
speaking
skills,
he
will
only
serve as an obstacle in
communication between
the government and the
people for the next four
years.

Connect with Amy
by emailing
akoczera@suffolk.edu.

A

HERES WHATS NEXT

Rampage Show Choir’s “Cabaret”
& The Common at The Hardrock.
Watch out for next week’s edition

ARTS & CULTURE

SEE THE COLLECTION
Rainbow Alliance events “Drageoke” &
“Navigating Kink within Oppression.”

sjuncoveredwithflash.wordpress.com

APRIL 19, 2017 | PAGE 7

Kink about it; working against oppression
Kyle Crozier
Journal Staff

Contributors:
Elvira Mora, Journal Staff
To Ignacio Rivera, a
prominent LGBTQ+ artist
and activist, the dictionary
describes a kink as, “a
colloquial term used to
describe unconventional
sexual
concepts
and
practices.” To Rivera, this
definition focuses on a
kink as something that
is inherently different or
strange. This is a common
feature
of
criticism
people face with kink,
Rivera explained they
believe that instead, “kink
is everywhere, it connects
to a wider sexuality.”
Suffolk
University’s
Rainbow Alliance invited
Rivera to discuss what
their experiences have
been with oppression
in kink. The workshop

“Kink is
everywhere,
it connects to a
wider sexuality.”
-Ignacio Rivera
LGBTQ+ Activist
had
explained
how
navigating some primary
obstacles of acceptance
that members of this
community face. Rivera
explained that providing
people with information
was the best thing they
could do, that, “if you
have proper information
you can therefore choose

to or choose not to
[participate].”
These are issues close
to Rivera, who identifies
as
two-spirit,
BlackBoricua Taíno, queer,
activist who prefers the
gender pronoun ‘they.’
Rivera has traveled

Kyle Crozier / Journal Staff

LGBTQ+ artist Ignacio Rivera during their speech
at Suffolk University’s Rainbow Alliance discussion
on kink oppression.
See KINK page 8

8 APRIL 19, 2017

THESUFFOLKJOURNAL.COM
SUFFOLKARTS@GMAIL.COM

A

LGBTQ activist, artist attempts to dispell kink stigma
From KINK page 7

across the country
to
groups
providing
guidance in areas such
as
sexual
education,
ending
child
abuse,
sober sex, polyamorous
relationships,
sexual
liberation
and
understanding desires.
The
workshop
highlighted the many
facets
of
oppression
in kink by working in
groups to define them.
The factors discussed
were
heterocentrism,
the gender binary, white
supremacy, the patriarchy,
adult
privilege,
body
normativity
and
capitalism.
Together,
these
issues
were
explained as creating
discrimination in some
kink groups.
Rivera
has
been
involved
with
the

Kyle Crozier / Journal Staff

community for a long
time, both as an organizer
of events to create the
spaces people need to
explore and practice their
kink, and as a member
wanting to connect with
others.
As Rivera explained in

a post-workshop interview
with The Suffolk Journal,
their initial passion for
the subject came from
their past
“All of this is very
much connected to my
survivorship, I am a
survivor of child sexual

abuse and rape, and I
really took a long time to
get comfortable with my
body,” they said.
Rivera went on to
discuss
the
journey
they took to become
comfortable with sex,
their body and their

sexuality after the abuse
in their childhood, and
that the journey, “opened
up a new world to me, it
fascinated me, so I wanted
to delve into that world.”
Partly in order to
better understand how
they should move forward
from their experiences
in the past, they entered
into the world of kink,
as Rivera described, a
world that, “demands
negotiation,
consent
and boundary setting”
and that, “especially as a
survivor that really makes
a lot of sense to me. I
know who I am in that
configuration.”
Rivera said they have
worries
that
without
proper sexual education,
many people will never
begin to learn more
about sexuality as a
whole. Regarding the lack
of education, Rivera said
that “it is a disservice” not
to hear a broad spectrum

of ideas.
According to Rivera,
“information is a tool of
knowledge, knowledge is
power.”
For
the
public,
Rivera said being able
to have unstigmatized
conversations
in
the
public is a goal of theirs.
They said that “the
media always boils it
down to whips, chains,
and
dungeons.
That
something is really wrong
with someone if they’re
engaging in this, that
something must have
happened to [them].”
“We don’t want to
take over the world, we
just want to show that
we want to break out of
the very strict framework
that has been given to
us,” Rivera said.

Connect with Kyle
by emailing
kcrozier@suffolk.edu

Rainbow Alliance encourages safe expression with “Drageoke”
correct
Halaina Carol conforming to gender
roles and cis-normativity,” optional.
Journal Staff

Suffolk
University’s
Rainbow Alliance has
made strides in the
LGBTQ+ community by
opening up conversation
to help educate those who
may have misconceptions
about
drag
culture.
Last week, the group
held a drag workshop
to
perform
tutorials
for
people
interested
in learning more about
drag makeup and culture.
This week, the group
put those tutorials to
the test at their annual
“Drageoke,” a mash up of
drag and karaoke, as an
appreciation of drag as an
art form.
This occasion creates
a
safe
environment
for people to express
themselves freely without
fear of retribution. All
the performers, especially
those who were wearing
make-up opposite their
gender’s typical external
portrayal, made sure to
take off their makeup
before leaving because
the blurring of gender
lines can make people
uncomfortable and react
in unknown ways, so the
performer’s safety could
be at risk if they remained
in full make-up.
“It [drag] opens the
LGBTQ+
community
to discussions on not

said Rainbow Alliance
Treasurer-elect Michaela
Hallion in an interview
after the show. “As well
as being a base where
we can break traditional
gender roles and have a
light-hearted, fun space
for LGBTQ+ people.”
When it came to
performing,
in
drag
or not, people were
encouraged to choose a
Drag Queen or King stage
name to perform under.
This ranged from Tequila
Mockingbird
to
Hot
Poodle Lover to Charisma
Valentin. Everyone who
got on stage took on a
sense of their name, and
sang and danced through
the tables of the Somerset
Cafe to their hearts
content.
All
received
cheers and applause from
the audience who were
excited to take on these
new
personaes.
Pink,
glittery eyebrows, beards,
dresses, high heels, and
wigs galore enhanced
these personae and put
the performances over
the top as the performers
jammed out to their
favorite songs. Although,
it was the interaction with
the crowd that elevated
the night. All who did
not want to perform
still got to participate
as the microphone was
passed around during
performances;
singing
was
encouraged,
the

lyrics

were

Attendees who chose
to dress in drag could
choose to be either a Drag
Queen or a Drag King. Drag
Queen makeup and dress
are used to accentuate
feminine features. This
would include contouring
that creates the illusion
of higher cheekbones, a
thinner nose and a more
prominent arch in the
performers
eyebrows.
They can also make
their voice sound higher
to further take on this
femininity, and change
the way they walk.
Drag King makeup
does
the
opposite,
it
accentuates
more
masculine features. This
can include darkening
and thickening eyebrows,
contouring to create the
illusion of a wider nose,
and adding more facial
hair to the chin region.
These participants can
also speak in a deeper
voice to take on a more
heightened masculinity as
well as take on a different
walking posture.
“I’ve always had fun
watching other people
take on different sides of
themselves,” said senior
environmental
studies
major, Sophie Kaufman.
Kaufman has attended
Drageoke every year she
has been at Suffolk and
performed
“Faith”
as
George Michael two years
ago.

The
stand
out
performance of the night
was by the glamorous
Tequila Mockingbird. In a
faux fur sweater and near
floor length skirt, Tequila
Mockingbird strutted on
to the scene in five inch

heels, ready to woo the
crowd with a rendition of
“Your Makeup is Terrible”
by RuPaul’s Drag Race
contestant,
“Alaska
Thunderfuck.”
“I like to walk the line
of the glamorous and

the uncomfortable,” said
Rainbow Alliance Vice
President Ben Shopper.
“Anyone can do pretty.”

See photos online at
thesuffolkjournal.com

O





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OPINION

A closing statement from Journal seniors and
what they have to say about Suffolk’s changes.

Check out thesuffolkjournal.com

See our last edition next week!

San Bernardino:

APRIL 19, 2017 | PAGE 9

An act of violence sheds light on greater idea
Patrick Holmes

Opinion Editor

Gun
violence
has
voraciously spread across
the country and in the
past few years, has been
the center of media
attention yet, it seems
that very little has been
done to prevent it.
Although
school
shootings are not new,
they have grown in
frequency,
with
the
latest
occurrence
in
a San Bernardino, CA
elementary school.
The “domestic” attack
littered media sources for
multiple hours.
Earlier this month, two
adults and two children
were shot in a special
education
classroom
where only one child
survived the domestic
attack,
according
to
multiple media sources.
At first, the coverage
of the incident was
immediate
and
omnipresent until the

intrusion was categorized
as an act of domestic
violence.
Then, the broadcast
coverage of the tragedy
largely disappeared.
Behind closed doors,
this type of violence
can happen frequently.
However, once brought
into
the
spotlight,
broadcast media barely
reported the fact that the
incident was domestic
violence. If it were a
“terror attack,” it would
have
gained
more
attention, possibly given
a remembrance day and
other countries may have
shown their respects.
The ex-husband of
the teacher entered the
classroom with the intent
of murdering her, a
motive that was unknown
at the beginning of the
incident.
Once the situation
was confirmed, the act
of misconduct was swept
out of the spotlight and
into the subconscious of
citizens who have been
conditioned to normalize

domestic violence.
Two innocent people
were
murdered
and
another harmed, yet very
few will recognize the
severity of the loss of life,
including the politicians
backing extreme pro-gun
rights.
But the shooting itself
holds more power lost



A shooting is allowed
coverage while a
women’s suffering is
hidden.
in the subconscious: it
was an act of domestic
violence against a woman.
Politicians and citizens
who are pro-gun rights
will argue that if everyone
carried a gun, they
would be able to defend
themselves.
But guns should never

Misguided messages leave
some wanting more
Mainstream media portrays mental illness inaccurately
Katie Dugan

Asst. Opinion Editor

Mental illness is not
often taken seriously,
even by those who have
the power to influence
change.
Filmmakers,
celebrities and power
figures alike could do a
better job at advocating
for those suffering.
Last month, Netflix
released
its
muchanticipated series, an
adaptation of Jay Asher’s
young
adult
novel,
“Thirteen Reasons Why.”
The overarching message
of the show, how words
and actions can deeply
impact someone’s mental
health,
is
portrayed
through a teenage boy,
Clay Jensen, who finds a
box of mysterious cassette

tapes left at his doorstep.
The tapes were left
behind by his classmate
and crush, Hannah Baker,
who committed suicide a
few weeks earlier. On the
tapes, Hannah recorded
the thirteen reasons why
she decided to end her
life.
Although the creators
tried to stay true to
the original novel and
message, the show lacks
any realistic depiction
of the young woman’s
downward spiral resulting
in suicide.
The way the show
addressed mental illness
reflects
the
stigmas
toward
the
subject.
Not once is depression
or anxiety mentioned
throughout the Netflix
series, while in a few
scenes hinted at it, the
show never delved into

be involved with violence
because
it
will
just
exacerbate the situation,
including
domestic
violence.
Now,
arguably,
an
intrinsic part of the
United States culture,
gun violence has reared
it’s ugly head into the
lives of many but is rarely

the topic of mental health,
but danced around it.
Within
the
series,
Baker hardly conveyed
symptoms of depression.
People
with
suicidal
ideation
and
severe
depressive disorder often
cannot get out of bed
and experience drastic
changes in their sleeping
patterns, appetite and
hygiene habits; Baker
showed none of these
symptoms.
A few episodes hint at
a possible mental illness
for Jensen, but again, it
is easily forgotten and
not
addressed
again
in the series. The only
sign of mental illness in
Baker was one episode
in which her grades were
beginning to slip.

See REASONS page 10

correlated with domestic
violence even though gun
violence and domestic
violence often intersect.
There
could
be
similar incidents that
did not happen in an
elementary
school,
which have succumbed
to
the
gatekeeping

decisions by major media
organizations.
This allows us to sweep
these
circumstances
under the rug and pretend
they don’t exist.
Domestic
violence
hides behind black and
blue arms, “I fell,” and a
subtle cry for help in the
hollowness of eyes filled
with sorrow. But often as
a society, we hold a gun to
the victim’s head and say
“shush,” because we’re
too afraid to encounter
issues that are difficult to
control.
Just like that, the
aftermath of a major
attack is hidden because
we don’t want to talk
about the reality.
Karen
Smith
was
murdered in an act of
domestic violence that
disappeared
once
it
was labeled as such.
A shooting is allowed
coverage while a women’s
suffering is hidden.
So, where do we go
from here?
We must talk about
the issues that make our

skin crawl, that make us
want to shut out the rest
of the world and hide.
Discussions
are
inherent to stop the acts
of domestic violence and
other internal incidents
that affect many people
across this country and
others.
It is necessary to hold
the media accountable
for its decisions on the
amount
of
coverage
certain acts of violence
receive.
Although, the media is
not solely responsible. As
citizens of this country,
it is imperative that we
continue the conversation
against violence, including
domestic violence.
We cannot let it
be
hidden
among
the everyday acts of
misconduct by others.
Domestic
violence
cannot hide if you do not
let it.

Connect with Patrick
by emailing
pholmes2@suffolk.edu

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FAST!
FREAKY
GOOD!
®

WE DELIVER!
TO FIND THE LOCATION NEAREST YOU
VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM
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SUFFOLKOPINION@GMAIL.COM

10 APRIL 19, 2017

Editor’s Word
Now in the early
stages of a new executive
administration, the United
States of America has found
herself falling rather short
of the once great-promises
and principles championed
by admired leaders and
patriotic citizens. This
nation is not as formidable
and credible as it used to
be, and that has critical
impact across the globe.
America has stood as
the backbone for freedom
and democracy, but lately
has developed into an
international laughing stock
as we grapple with political
strife amongst our citizens
and representatives, as well
as sit back idly while this
country’s leaders condone
irresponsible actions.
Instead of a model, we
are a target, an example of
a regime in decline. Can
America truly become
great again? Of course she
can-- but it starts on the
forefront of our core values
systems, and in the offices
of the figures that govern
this land. We are supposed
to be one nation indivisible,
but in our quest for justice,
have lost sight of what it
means to epitomize liberty,
let alone for all.

Trump’s retaliation
against Syrian
chemical attacks
could be justified
Patrick Holmes

Opinion Editor

Timi Ogunabjo

Journal Contributor

On Apr. 6, President
Donald Trump launched
a
seemingly
justified
military attack on the
Shayrat
aircraft
base
in Syria. This airstrike
was a response to the
chemical weapons used
by the Syrian government
that killed 80 innocent
civilians,
including
women and children, but
was meant to deter the
self-proclaimed
Islamic
State (ISIS). The response
from Trump attacked the
same airbase where the
alleged chemical weapons
were launched.
This would not be
the first time chemical
weapons were allegedly
used on Syrian civilians by
their President Bashar alAssad. Al-Assad used these
attacks as a fear tactic to
keep the population from
supporting
opposing
parties, according to the
New York Times. By being
able to strike fear in the
eyes of Syrians, al-Assad
portrayed how the other
nations cannot keep them
safe from him.
Trump has criticized
former President Barack
Obama for intervening in
foreign combat and had
warned him via Twitter to
not be involved in Syria.
But it now seems that
Trump has had a change
of heart and better
understood his duties

as president. Hopefully
Trump had made the
order for the airstrike to
advocate for the Syrian
people and to denounce
al-Assad.
It could be possible
that al-Assad’s use of



By being
able to
strike fear
in the eyes
of Syrians,
he portrays
how the
other
parties
cannot
keep them
safe from
him.
chemical weapons against
ISIS could be justified but
the continuous killing
and injury of innocent
civilians is unacceptable
and contradictory to the
purpose of the chemical
weapons and whom they
are meant to harm.
The evidence points
to al-Assad being the
initiator of the attack but
his allies and supporters
have spoken out to deny
the accusations, once
again, even though alAssad’s regime maybe
the only source powerful

O

Degrade the
North Korean
economy
Letter to the Editor
President Trump has
pointed out the strong
linkage between China
and North Korea, and
he
correctly
assumes
China
can
influence
North Korea’s weapons
development
program.
We must work with
China on resolving this
situation, and also on the
Chinese
encroachment
in the South China Sea
and the trade deficit
imbalance.
At this juncture, the
North Korean nuclear
missile program is of
primary concern. China
can bring pressure on
North Korea to stop its
development of these
weapons
systems
by
reducing its trade with
North Korea.
One area of trade
that is the large quantity
enough to accomplish
such an attack in the
country.
Even
with
the
denial, Trump ordered
tomahawks to target the
Syrian aircraft base.
This is the first military
action the U.S. has taken
in a foreign country since
Trump was inaugurated
and, according to the
U.N. Ambassador Nikki
Haley, it may not be the
last form of action by
the U.S., since the U.S.
government is beginning
to realize the severity of
al-Assad’s rule, according
to the New York Times.
Due to Trump’s close
relations with Russian
President Vladimir Putin,

of coal China imports
from North Korea. It is
estimated this amounts
to 22 million tons per
year, which is 40 percent
of North Korea’s coal
exports.
A reduction in the
importation
of
North
Korean
coal
would
significantly impact the
North Korean economy,
and could force change
of position on arms
development.
The United States has
large quantities of coal
available
for
mining,
which could be sold to
China, if cost effective, to
fill its coal importation
needs. This would help
our trade imbalance with
China, boost our coal
mining industry and put
our coal miners back to
work.
Donald Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH
it would seem that he
wouldn’t have conducted
any retaliation toward alAssad due to the alliance
between Syria and Russia.
The U.S. must take
stronger action against
al-Assad if any Western
powers of democracy
have any hope that the
chemical weapon attack
will cease or that ISIS
will be defeated. So far,
Trump has taken the first
step in the right direction
toward these hopes and
other
nations
should
follow suit.

Connect with Timi
by emailing
oogunbajo@suffolk.edu

Representation matters and Netflix fell short
From REASONS page 9 episode,
Instead
of
characterizing
Baker’s
mental decline, she was
constantly berated by
her classmates as being
too emotional, dramatic
and asking for attention.
While that is certainly
a stereotype for people
with depression, the show
focused solely on and
could have spent more
time focusing on Baker
when she was alone.
In
the
very
last

the guidance
counselor, Mr. Porter,
said, “We don’t know
what was in her mind
or in her heart.” Perhaps
this was the writer’s way
of showing the audience
that a mental disability
is not something you can
physically see, and there
is shame associated with
it.
We mostly saw Baker
when she was interacting
with
her
classmates
and
family,
however,
throughout the series, she
was incredibly secretive

about her emotions. So
what about when she was
alone? Was she taking
care of herself? Was she
eating? Was she sleeping
at night?
Many of the side
effects
of
depression
happen when no one is
around.
Baker’s suicide became
a blame game of whose
tape was worse, for
example, “Have you heard
YOUR tape yet?” was a
line spit out by just about
every character.
This way of giving

reason as to why Baker
killed
herself
is
a
repulsive simplification of
a complex mental illness.
I think “Thirteen Reasons
Why”
phenomenally
depicted
controversial
topics into scenes such
as rape and homophobia,
but for its main priority
of encapsulating mental
illness for all that it is,
fell short.

Connect with Katie
by emailing
kcdugan@su.suffolk.edu

THESUFFOLKJOURNAL.COM
SUFFOLKSPORTS@GMAIL.COM

11 APRIL 19, 2017

Rams rally through season
Hannah Arroyo
Asst. Sports Editor
The Rams are more
than halfway into their
season and they have
been taking care of
business so far. Suffolk
University’s baseball team
fell short in just two of
their last 13 games to
Eastern Connecticut State
University and Western
New England University.
On March 29, the
team had a 7-5 win
against
Salem
State
University, which was
the start of a seven-game
win streak. The streak
was broken on April 12
after an 11-5 defeat to
Eastern Connecticut State
University.
Head Coach Anthony
Del Prete said in an
interview with The Suffolk
Journal on Tuesday that
in order to keep winning
games, he expects his
team to give quality
starts on the mound and
offensively earn at least
seven runs.
Suffolk currently has
a record of 16-8 and a
perfect Great Northeast
Athletic
Conference
(GNAC) record of 8-0.
This conference record
is the second best that
Head Coach Anthony Del
Prete has accomplished
since his first season with
the Rams when his team
achieved a 9-0 GNAC
record.
“I think it’s really
just we’ve done a better
job of focusing and our
attention to detail has

been better the last
thirteen games compared
to the first ten,” said Del
Prete. “Each day it’s a
different challenge and
guys have to be ready to
answer those challenges
and compete at a high
level.”
So far in the month
of April, the Rams have
scored a total of 163
runs and have won three
games in which they have
notched more than 20
runs.
In a double header
versus Anna Maria College
on April 15, the Rams
finished the first of their
two-game series with a
score of 30-8. Suffolk
had a total of 27 hits and
junior outfielder Seth
Coiley went 3-for-3 with a
triple and a homerun.
The second match
resulted
in
Suffolk
recording 36 runs, the
most the team has ever
tallied under Del Prete.
Sophomore
pitcher
Kevin Sinatra went seven
innings, allowing only
two runs in six hits.
“I just went out on the
mound and competed,”
said
Sinatra
in
an
interview with The Suffolk
Journal on Tuesday. “It’s
a team sport and my team
produced.”
The
Rams
set
a
program record for 12
doubles in one game
and at least one hit was
recorded from 12 out of
the 16 players. Suffolk
also finished the game
with 36 hits, the most
for a National Collegiate
Athletic
Association
Division III team this

The Rams currently hold a winning record
of 16-8 and are first place in the GNAC.
season in one game.
“It definitely helps to
have a little confidence
booster
day
where
everyone
has
success
at the dish,” said senior
infielder Sean Cameron
in an interview with
The Journal on Tuesday.
“It was just business as
usual.”
In
this
game,
sophomore
infielder
Kevin Higgins became
the first player to hit a
grand slam at the Rams
home field in East Boston
Memorial Park.
“Anytime you have the
opportunity to contribute
to the team, whether
it be hitting or fielding
it is always a good
feeling,” said Higgins in
an interview with The
Journal on Tuesday. “I am
just happy that I was able
to do it for the team.”
Suffolk pitchers have
also had an impressive
season so far and stand at
the top of the league with
a combined earned run
average (ERA) of 4.09.

Junior right hand pitcher
Mark Fusco has recorded
one of the best stats in
the conference with a
number one ERA of 0.78.
“I’ve got a bunch of
good defensive players
behind me so it’s kudos to
them for helping me keep
[my ERA] where it’s at,”
said Fusco in an interview
with The Journal on
Tuesday.
In the month of April
the Rams have a total
of 11 games left, six of
those being conference
matches.
“The goal every year
is to win the conference
championship,” said Del
Prete. “I think with the
leadership and experience
that we have on roster
there’s no reason why we
shouldn't win it. It’s just
a matter of going out on
the field and taking care
of business.”

Connect with Hannah
by emailing
harroyo@suffolk.edu

Boston paced 121st marathon

of
women’s
physical
ability and help redefine
their economic roles in
traditional
cultures,”
Switzer wrote according
to The New York Times.
This year, McGrath was
one of the many women
to run the marathon, as
13,698 females officially
entered
according
to
the official website of
the
Boston
Athletic
Association. From 1972
to current day, Switzer’s
perseverance helped to
provide all women an
equal
opportunity
to
participate in marathons.

From MARATHON Page 12
prepare - this is the
hardest part. Do these
things, and you'll be
successful.”
Not only was this
year’s race a memorable
feat for McGrath, but was
a historic milestone for
one of the Marathon's
most
notable
figure,
Kathrine Switzer.
Switzer was the first
female to enter and
complete
the
Boston
Marathon in 1967, before
women could officially
enter in 1972, who had
entered the race under
the name “K.V. Switzer.”
Switzer ran it again
this year, marking a 50year anniversary of her
heralded accomplishment,
having ran the marathon
at 70-years of age.
Switzer
completed
the 2017 marathon at a

Amanda McGrath
time of 4:44:31, her first
Boston race since 1976,
just over twenty minutes
slower than her original
time.
“In 1967, few would
have
believed
that

Softball duo ca rrie s
high school succe ss
to the dia mond
Brooke Patterson
Asst. Sports Editor

Courtesy of Suffolk Athletics

marathon running would
someday attract millions
of women, become a
glamour event in the
Olympics and on the
streets of major cities,
help transform views

Connect with Skylar
by emailing
sto2@suffolk.edu
Connect with Chris
by emailing
cdegusto@suffolk.edu

S

From what was known
as “some of the best
years of [their] lives”
to a college experience
in the city, two softball
players
from
Central
Catholic High School in
Lawrence, Mass. have
continued their diamond
skills together at Suffolk
University.
Juniors Devlin Frost
and Dylan Parsons started
their softball careers at a
young age, and eventually
found
themselves
as
teammates in high school.
The two played four years
on the various teams that
Central Catholic had to
offer such as freshman,
junior varsity and varsity.

The
center
fielder
and first baseman were
not always by each
other's side when they
transitioned from playing
in high school to college.
With a friendship that
started in their teen
years, the adjustment
to a college atmosphere
was not perfectly smooth
explained Parsons.
Parsons,
although
a
junior
at
Suffolk,
has been a part of the
softball program for two
years.
The
Methuen,
Mass. native transferred
from the University of
Massachusetts Dartmouth
her sophomore year.
“It
was
difficult
adjusting
to
a
new
environment with an old
friend,” said Parsons. “I
was a transfer, so I was
adjusting to a new school
and place while she was

“Our roles on the team don’t
overlap that often, but when I’m
playing I can always hear [Frost]
cheering for me and know that she’s
one of my biggest supporters.”
- Junior Dylan Parsons
“I met some of my
greatest friends playing
for Central Catholic and
some of my greatest
memories are from then,”
said center fielder Frost
in a recent interview with
The Suffolk Journal.
The
duo
has
contributed to the success
of the Lady Ram’s winning
record of 14-12. Frost has
an overall batting average
this season of .348 where
Parsons holds a current
average of .250.
Parsons has a goal
during games to move
runners around the bases
while forcing the opposing
team to make a play, she
said. Frost said she sees
herself as a consistent
player for the team and
strives to have a positive
attitude on and off the
field. Regardless of the
statistics and numerical
values of the game, the
Central Catholic alumni
continue to support one
another.
“Our roles on the team
don’t overlap that often,
but when I’m playing I can
always hear her cheering
for me and know that
she’s one of my biggest
supporters,” said Parsons
in a recent interview with
The Journal.

already settled here. It
took some adjustment,
but we have a strong
friendship, and it’s one
I would never want to
lose.”
Frost, a Tewksbury,
Mass. native, has been
involved with the Lady
Ram’s for the past three
years and said when
Parsons joined the team,
things felt a lot better.
“Knowing there was
someone else on the team
who really understood me
and had my back was a
great feeling,” said Frost.
As the Lady Ram’s
continue their season,
Frost and Parsons hope to
remain successful in their
last 14 season games, as
well as the remainder of
their softball careers with
one another.
“This season I believe
my team has the heart,
the drive and the skills
to come together in
the
postseason
and
finally get this program
a
[Great
Northeast
Athletic
Conference]
Championship that we
deserve,” said Frost.

Connect with Brooke
by emailing
bpatterson2@suffolk.edu

S

@gosuffolkrams

RECAP I @NWE_GoldenBears Senior student-athletes reflect on
final spring season.
Roll Past Baseball
See our last edition next week!
#RamNation #d3b

SPORTS

APRIL 19, 2017 | PAGE 12

FINISHED
WICKED
STRONG
Skylar To
Sports Editor
Chris DeGusto
News Editor

Crossing the finish
line at the 121st annual
Boston Marathon was
like no other feeling for
Amanda McGrath-- it was
emotional.
McGrath,
an
Assistant to the Dean of
Students in the Office
of Student Affairs at
Suffolk University, had
just completed her first
marathon on Monday
and said it was the “best
feeling in the world.”
“Marathon
Monday
has always been one of
my favorite days of the
year,” said McGrath in
an interview with The
Suffolk Journal on
Tuesday afternoon.
McGrath began the
race at her alma mater,
Lasell College in Newton,
Mass., at mile marker 17
and ran toward the finish
line at Copley Square in
Boston at 26.2 miles.
She was granted
a bib by John
Hancock
to
help raise money
for
the
Lasell
College
Scholarship
Fund and in Memory
of her fellow alumnus,
Dennis “DJ” Simmonds,
making
her
number
30,364-- an honorary
runner to the 30,074, who
officially participated.
“My experience was
amazing,” said McGrath.
“I didn't finish as fast as
I wanted, but I finished,
and that was the best
part. I was able to cross
the finish line with my
best friend and husband.”
Simmonds graduated
in 2008 at Lasell, and
lost his life in April
2014 due to the injuries
he sustained in the
April 2013 Watertown
shooting with the two
marathon bombers. The
shooting happened just

STAY TUNED:

four days after the two
bombing attacks occurred
at the 2013 117th Boston
Marathon. The marathon
bombers
placed
two
handmade bombs near
the finish line that
killed three people and
injured several hundreds
of others. He was the
Boston bombing’s fifth
victim.
Simmonds was
only 28-years-old and had
worked for the Boston
Police Department for six
years.
Besides long runs and
various shorter jaunts
throughout the weeks
during the year, McGrath
said that she practiced
running the route in
her head and read
“everything”
she
could to prepare for
her first marathon.
F o r
f i r s t -

time runners looking
to participate in their
first marathon, McGrath
recommends to runners
to try to relax the
morning of the race.
“There's a lot of
emotion, but just let
it
happen,”
said
McGrath. “Mentally
See MARATHON Page 11