By Mike Lovett

Although 2012 is promising to be quite the year, it’s important to focus on what 2011 gave us – whether it was the good, the bad or the ugly.

Before we move on to the entertaining subjects of 2011, it’s important to reflect on the more serious events that happened in the world: Hurricane Irene, Casey Anthony, Occupy Wall Street and Osama – U-S-A! U-S-A! As that just about does it for the real-world stuff, let’s move on to the entertainment sector.

There were two magical real-world weddings that were aired on television. One was the most beautiful ceremony celebrating the loving union of a nation’s sweethearts – Kim and Kris. The other was the union of Prince William and Kate.

But in all seriousness, both the Royal and Kim weddings reeled in millions of viewers and even more money. The Kardashian nuptials earned money through the demonstration of a noble marriage, and the only person who might be confused as to which one that was is Kris Humphries.

Now, onto the real Hollywood things that aren’t actually about real things. Let’s start with television. There were a ton of great shows on this fall season, but two shows grabbed heavy attention: The X Factor and Two and a Half Men.

In the The X Factor, Simon Cowell finally brought life to the Fox fall season schedule with a show that was eerily close to American Idol. For fans of the real deal, another season of American Idol is just around the corner. It begins with a two-day premier on Jan 18 and 19, followed by two more hours that Sunday, nuzzled between The X-Factor and Glee. Fox really has a type.

The other show that grabbed the spotlight by the throat was Two and a Half Men. Do you recall Charlie Sheen going a little crazy a few months back? Of course you do, he re-defined “winning”. Well, surprising he got fired from his role on the show.

In his stead stepped Ashton Kutcher, who has shown promise of extending the show’s life. The premiere easily reeled in a show record of 27.7 million viewers and started with a tribute to its former character. Tribute probably isn’t the right word as (Spoiler Alert!) they killed him off.

We move onto the big screen. 2011 saw the end of perhaps the biggest movie series of all time. The two-part finale of Harry Potter ended on a mountainous high note and put itself down in film history. And as if Justin Bieber wasn’t big enough, he got his own movie. He may have gotten his own baby, too, but that case is still open.

In the theater, we also saw the return of The Muppets and thankfully another Big Momma’s House. And the year isn’t even over! Sherlock Holmes returns in the highly anticipated sequel Game of Shadows, and director David Fincher (The Social Network) returns to the silver screen with his film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

2012 will also be the test of the vampire craze that Twilight started. The final movie will be released next November, and the news of who won the game between Team Edward and Team Jacob will finally be announced.

In 2012 there is good news and bad news in the sitcom world. The good news is Arrested Development is making a triumphant return to production for its fourth season later next year. It should be in the middle of production on its ninth season right now, but we won’t get into that.

The terrible, horrific news is that Community did not find itself on the midseason schedule. Though NBC says it will air all 22 episodes of the third season, it doesn’t cure the hurt. Luckily, it is being replaced by another witty comedy, 30 Rock, which at least eases the pain.

2012 is looking to be a super year for movies. Just to be clear that is a pun, I am not using “super” as an adjective for movies. Superheroes are taking over movie theaters as The Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spiderman, The Avengers and The Three Stooges will all debut in the next year. Ok, the last one doesn’t count, but it is still coming soon.

So, thank you 2011, you gave us a lot to remember. 2012, you better bring your A game. Readers: There is plenty to look forward to next year, just make sure to savor it, because the world is going to end. Happy Holidays!

By Kat Webber

Watching the news may seem like a waste of time, or you may think that you can find something better to watch. A lot of the time, it seems as though there is nothing but horrible world events being shown, but the news really is worth watching if you take the time to think about it from a competitive advantage standpoint.

Picture this: You’re sitting in an interview or wandering around the Career Fair; other than introducing yourself, giving your elevator pitch and then answering a menagerie of questions, why not bring something else to the table? Nothing perks up people’s ears and their memory like good, interesting current events.

Want to get in good with a tech company? Why not discuss the pros and cons of the new RIM Blackberry Playbook? Want to impress a publishing firm? Why not ask for an opinion on James Patterson’s new novel Tick Tock?

If you know nothing of current events, how can you relate what is happening in the market or the world to what you are learning in the classroom? How can you ask pertinent questions in an interview or class without being informed of what is happening in your own state?

Being able to take coursework and apply it to real life situations is what employers today are looking for. So, if you have stuff on your resume that can only be explained in a classroom context, they are thinking: What’s the point? You need to be able to take what you know, see it in the world around you and get out of the Bentley Bubble.

Stop thinking of the news as a chore. Instead of wasting time watching Jersey Shore or keeping Friends reruns on in the background, why not flip on the news? Leave that channel on for a change and maybe you’ll pick up something worthwhile. There’s usually a little something for everyone on the all day news stations.

Maybe watching the news is not your thing, but that does not mean you shouldn’t be paying attention to it. You can put a wiki on your desktop which receives automatic news updates from the Internet. You can set your homepage to cnn.com or foxnews.com. Something like this can go a long way in keeping you informed.

And who knows, maybe you won’t be the last person on campus to know about the tsunami in Japan or the death of the legendary Heath Ledger.

Bentley defeats defending champion Lafayette in College Fed Challenge national competition

Written by: Ian Markowitz

Bentley University’s Fed Challenge team flew down to Washington, D.C. this week and brought back the national title after their presentation to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors on Tuesday.

Composed of juniors and seniors, the eight-member Fed Challenge team beat Lafayette and Northwestern, who took second and third places in the finals, respectively. Having won the competition last year, Lafayette was poised to take first place, narrowly losing to Bentley.

The team presented in the Federal Reserve Board of Governors meeting room to the Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors Janet Yellen, to whom they presented their monetary policy recommendations for the Federal Reserve.

After winning the regional Fed Challenge competition two weeks ago, beating out teams such as Tufts, MIT and BC, the team advanced to the national competition. According to Dave Norrish, a senior on the team, the team’s victory came down to the team members.

“We’re all really motivated, intelligent people, we all really pushed each other to put forth our best effort and even with our presentation, which won us national champs, we still probably aren’t completely satisfied with it,” Norrish said.

But overall, Norrish is proud of the work the team put together. “It feels really good, because we put so much work into this,” he said. “We had two marathon weekends and spent the entire semester preparing for debates and presentations.”

Team Advisor and Economics Professor Dave Gulley shared in Norrish’s enthusiasm. “I think it shows that our students are on par with and can compete successfully against students from any school in the country,” said Gulley.

Gulley felt that this year’s team partially owes its success to previous years’ teams “This year’s team built on the foundations laid down by the teams from the previous three years. We’ve been accumulating experience on how to best compete in this Challenge and it finally paid off,” he said.

After succeeding in this year’s Fed Challenge, it will be up to next year’s Fed Challenge team to continue and build off of the success that this year’s team pioneered.

College Fed Challenge is an Economics course offered every fall which student can enroll in with permission from Professor Gulley.

Students not happy with current service

Written by: Brian Lofrumento

As part of their continuing goal of improving campus life for all students, the Residence Hall Association (RHA) recently conducted a survey to gain feedback on Bentley’s current cable setup. Students were unhappy last year when Comcast took away premium cable services on campus due to upgrades, and the start of a new school year has seen no developments or improvements.

RHA sent out a survey in early November, and the responses overwhelmingly indicated that Bentley students demand high definition and premium offerings. Nearly 900 students responded to the RHA survey, and two-thirds of the respondents indicated that they are unhappy with the current Comcast offerings on campus.

Most notably, 81 percent of the respondents indicated that they have high-definition compatible televisions, which further compounds the problem of no option for premium channels from Comcast. Furthermore, over half of the respondents indicated that they are also unhappy with the current channels offered by Comcast.

“These responses ranged from frustration to curiosity and ideas of how to improve residential cable,” said Marc Santilli, president of RHA. “Many residents voiced concerns over the quality of cable, lack of high technology options and choice of channels.”

“The general feedback was of frustration by upperclassmen,” he added. “At the same time, first year students who never had the availability of purchasing premium channels or HD for their television, as we see in the survey, are generally pleased.”

The old cable program on campus allowed students to purchase cable boxes from Comcast, giving more options and more HD channels. Less than 158 rooms, however, took advantage of those additional services from Comcast last year.

RHA is still working to find a solution for students on campus, especially as technology improves and more students get HD-ready televisions. Santilli promises that RHA will work hard, alongside administration and Comcast, to improve the situation.

“The residents should know and understand that Comcast has made this change and Bentley residents are forced to accept the changes,” stressed Santilli. “Our administrators are in constant contact with Comcast representatives to try and find a viable solution for both parties. This survey will help both parties understand what is occurring on our campus, how residents feel and feedback for the future.”

With that being said, Santilli warned that upgrading could prove costly. “It would be a very large and extensive project to upgrade all rooms on campus,” concluded Santilli.

Written by: Isaac Potvin

At 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 13, after receiving a route map and the first cultural clue, 11 teams of two people each excitedly embarked on “The Amazing Race: Bentley Edition.”

This great race took place right here on campus as part of Culture Fest Week. Just like the actual television show, participants journeyed from “country to country” (the countries were designated by classrooms in Smith and Jennison) in the hopes of finding and solving 16 clues based on international culture and geography.

Along the way, the teams also had to complete five detours and two roadblocks, which ultimately hindered their pace.

With a detour, a team had a choice to complete one of two tasks, such as getting a signature from any Bentley professor or taking a photo with a residential assistant on campus.

Only one team member was allowed to complete a roadblock, which involved several tasks.

For example, one such roadblock read: “One team member must figure out which television network hosts the television show The Amazing Race.

Then, access Morningstar Investment Research Center database on a computer and print out this publicly listed company’s ‘Quote’ page.”

After completing the detours and roadblocks, the teams went back on their way to discovering their next clues and destinations.

The last cultural clue, which asked, “In which country was the first skyscraper in the world built in?” led the contestants to their final location, the United States of America.

Although it was a tight race, the first team to cross the finish line, in an impressive time of only one hour and 15 minutes, consisted of Keith DeBenedictis and Aly Glavin.

For their winning effort, they received a 50 dollar Dunkin Donuts gift card and, most importantly, pride in becoming champions in the first annual Amazing Race: Bentley Edition.

Yashika Mody, the organizer of The Amazing Race, explained that she created this event because she thought it would be a fun and exciting way to learn about international cultures on campus.

She said, “The goal of Culture Fest 2010 is to promote diversity and international cultures on campus, and I really wanted to organize a fun and engaging event that was still culturally enriching. A lot of people watch or have heard of the show, and the idea of racing around the world sounds like a fun way to learn about the world while being part of a competitive, game-type environment.”

Overall, Mody thought the event was successful because she noted that all the teams displayed an enormous amount of energy and competitiveness during the race. She said, “I was really pleased with how eager the teams were to play and win early on a Saturday morning! Teams were sprinting around from classroom to classroom, they were frantically Googling answers on their phones, they were strategizing about how to complete detours – it was really great to see them all in action!”

These observations led her to really believe that the contestants “would all do amazing on the real show!”

Written By: Alanna McGuiggan

On Saturday evening, November 13, the Bentley Fashion Consultants put on their fourth annual Fashion Show in the LaCava Executive Dining Room. Sponsored by TJMaxx, Lasell College and the New England Institute of Art, this event combined clothing and compassion, with all proceeds donated to the International Mesothelioma Program. The Fashion Show featured a variety of upcoming designers from the New England area, resulting in a vast range of styles that kept the packed audience guessing about what would be on the runway next.

While the designs featured in the Bentley Fashion Consultants’ event were compelling on their own, the incorporation of the Bentley community into the show made this evening even more special. All of the models were Bentley students, which added to the excitement of onlookers as they waited to see their friends on the runway.

In addition to fashion, audience members had the chance to win an iPod shuffle, a gift card to Coach and a gift certificate to Jathar Salon and Spa. With raffle funds being donated to the International Mesothelioma Program, which has been credited with many of the most significant advancements in research and treatment of this cancer, audience members were able to enjoy an inspiring night on the Bentley campus while still committing a charitable act.

One of the designers featured in the show, Lindsay Habetz, is a current Fashion Design student at Lasell College. Habetz, who has been commuting to New York City since she was 14 years old to intern in the Fashion District, is most inspired by nature and many types of architecture. The result of these inspirational sources: A beautiful collection titled “Modern Classics,” featuring a number of traditional pieces such as the trench coat and the little black dress, staples perfect for any business student’s wardrobe.

Another designer featured in the show, Kinda Touma, was born and raised in Syria. Touma said she is “transfixed by the elegance of draped evening gowns in silk taffeta,” and she displayed a collection that was “dedicated to a modern, self-confident woman.” An inspiration for the many female business students in the audience, Touma’s collection added a powerful aesthetic to the Bentley Fashion Consultants’ annual show.

Zöe Johndrow, a 2010 graduate of Lasell College, was yet another designer featured in the show. Johndrow, who became interested in fashion because of its creativity and relevance to everyone, presented a collection that was based on classic pieces, such as suit jackets and pencil skirts with twists like bright colors and oversized pockets. Johndrow’s collection added fun to typically business-oriented articles of clothing, and was thus even more appealing to interested Bentley students in the audience.

A 2004 graduate of Lasell College, Eileen Apelian also displayed her collection in this year’s Fashion Show. A current clothing designer for the United States Navy, Eileen’s collection exemplified her creativity to design beyond uniforms. Eileen, who “designs for the woman who wants to stand out in her own subtle, ladylike way,” presented a collection that was vintage-inspired and incredibly well received by the audience.

Similarly to Apelian, featured designer Julie Kontos is also a Lasell College alum and United States Navy clothing designer. Kontos, who describes her style as “classic with an edge,” challenged herself to make a line of attention-grabbing yet wearable dresses for her current collection. Kontos’ collection did just that; her experimentation with volume and different silhouettes paid off to result in an interesting collection that added a unique aesthetic to this year’s show.

Yet another collection was presented by Stacy Longo and Tyler Pruyn, who are the creators and collaborators responsible for S & T. Both are graduates of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and the School of Visual Arts (SVA), and their line was both edgy and wearable. Designed to be sustainable apparel, the comfortable yet fashionable S & T t-shirts and jeans could be worn anywhere, from classes in Jennison to a night out in Harvard Square with friends.

Lauren DiBartolomeo, a current Fashion Design student at Lasell College, closed this year’s Fashion Show with a strong-structured blazer and flowing skirt. Symbolic of the power and confidence required to succeed in the business world, DiBartolomeo’s outfit was the perfect conclusion to a fashion show that was inspiring on many levels.

The show was an incredible success, and will surely continue to grow in popularity in the future. Look out for information on next year’s Fashion Show, and be sure to stop by other events held by the Bentley Fashion Consultants this year.

Written By: Lacey Nemergut

On November 10, the Center of International Students and Scholars and Multicultural Center sponsored Show What You Got, a dance and singing competition featuring artistic routines of different cultural origins. Sophomores James Germain, Brianna Morrissey and Gunveen Chadha organized the competition as part of Culture Fest.

The two trophies went to the declared winners of the event, the Fire Step Squad and A Capella, who dazzled the judges with their impressive synchronization and performance quality.

Though this was the sponsors’ first time hosting this event, the committee welcomed great success.

“The turnout was amazing. We had 110 people,” stated President Gunveen Chadha. Entertainment for this sizable audience included the Jazz Band, a presentation for Project Pakistan and a competition of both talented dancers and singers.

Singing competitors included A Capella, Katie Auger, who performed In the Meantime, and Nedret and Alysha, who performed The Coolits.

The dance portion of the competition featured Ritika Beltala, who performed Kathak, The Fire Step Squad and Never Out of Moves, who performed Breaking the Spell of Lucifer.

The judging panel for the competition was composed of two students and two teachers, all artistically inclined. The panel ranked the performers based on coordination, level of innovation in their performance, how the group captured the audience, their use of the stage and their song choice.

A Capella performed a combined remix of contemporary songs, incorporating their own audibly pleasing variations. For example, they creatively altered a fast-pace song to a slow song. The Fire Step Squad, motivated and inspired by variations of traditional African dance, performed a flawlessly synchronized step routine.
“You could just watch them forever,” described Chadha.

Chadah strongly feels that the committee owes part of their success to the efforts of their freshmen liaisons, who successfully advertised the event with crafted posters and flyers.

“It was amazing because it was the first time they did something like that, and we couldn’t have done it without their help,” stated Chadha.

After successfully hosting Show What You Got, the committee hopes to make it an annual event.
“We hope to have more performers – five for music and five for dance,” he continued. Chadha also spoke of expanding the event to welcome an even larger audience. Currently, the committee is considering hosting an additional after party for the event.

Written By: Sindhu Palaniappan

After being rechartered to become the Bentley Speech and Debate Society (formerly the Bentley Debate Society) decided to host the Democratic Republican Debate last Wednesday, November 10, at 7 p.m. in the Back Bay.

This debate is an annual event which was stopped in the past because of the passion and rowdiness of its opposing Democratic and Republican crowds. Previously, crowds used to get angry and shout at each other across the invisible divider. Students would even yell at the debaters themselves, and the debates weren’t properly moderated.

This year, Bentley’s Speech and Debate Society revamped the event, making it more organized and civil. Both the Republican and Democratic teams were asked to present debaters, and the moderators from BSDS came up with topics to discuss. The questions spanned from job loss and ideas to create new jobs in the United States, to whether public healthcare was a viable option.

Debaters were also asked to discuss the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell military policy, and the military operations in Afghanistan in regards to U.S. withdrawal of troops. Another hot topic that was debated was decreasing the federal deficit in order to get national spending under control.

“The dialogue stayed very civil this year, but questions from the audience were pretty entertaining,” said John Karakelle, president of BSDS. The democratic side was on the left side of the room and the Republicans were on the right side. After fighting for the microphone, both sides launched pointed questions at the debaters.

Karakelle said that normally, audience members are expected to ask general questions for each side to respond to, but this year the crowd asked keen questions to the opposing side in order to cut them down a little.

The debate consisted of five questions in total, and was run in a formal debate format, which allowed both sides to express their positions on the issue and encourage competition between the two sides, not that there wasn’t enough already. For this reason, groups were given three minutes to respond to the actual question, and then five minutes for cross examination, with the debate consisting mostly of back-and-forth discussion.

BSDS already has a staple annual event called How to Ace Your 301 Presentation. When the Debate Society became the Speech and Debate Society, they did so with the intention of helping Bentley students out with their spoken skills, communications and other speech-related areas. This led them to help out with 301 presentations, since every Bachelor of Science student from the Class of 2012 and previous classes at Bentley is required to take GB 301.

BSDS draws professors from marketing, operations management and finance to speak to students about what they’re looking for specifically in these presentations. This allows students to see a more diversified view and approach to presenting their 301 projects. In the future, BSDS is looking to have a more interactive student body and hold more events to advance rhetorical skills on campus.

BSDS is getting more involved on campus with their new rechartering. On the topic of the debate, Karakelle said, “It was a good example of organizations coming together to have a constructive dialogue on contentious issues. And it was civil.”

Grad School’s technology secures top ranking in campus facilities

Written by: Brenna O’Connell

The Princeton Review recently named Bentley University’s McCallum Graduate School of Business as best in the nation for its campus facilities. This notoriety did not develop overnight, and the school has no intentions of slowing down.

The top ranking of McCallum’s campus facilities most certainly results from the state-of-the-art technology found here, on campus. Heikki Topi, associate dean of Graduate and Executive Programs, emphasizes the utilization of this technology that separates McCallum from others.

Over the past several years, the link between technology and curriculum has been strengthened.

“[We have] paid systematic attention to developing facilities in a way that supports education,” said Topi. The McCallum Graduate School of Business is continuously working on quality improvement in terms of course content and how each field is impacted by technology.

“Regardless of one’s field of study, technological capabilities are increasingly important,” said Topi. At McCallum, programs are developed around the students’ needs and the needs of their respective fields. “I believe the Master’s programs will continue to find innovative ways…to strengthen a concrete connection between the world of commerce and the world of academia,” said Topi. With roughly 1,400 graduate students – of which only about 150 received their undergraduate degrees here at Bentley – the McCallum Graduate School of Business is gaining the reputation of quality education across the nation.

Some changes that can be expected in the future include the restructuring of the Five-Year Program. The Five-Year Program, as it has been termed, is now moving in a direction that truly demonstrates its purpose. Now called the Master’s Candidate Program, students are prepared at the undergraduate level for their graduate school experience.

In addition, the evening MBA program will not be available, starting with this year’s incoming class. Topi instead recommends the day MBA program, for it has “elements specifically designed for MBA students with relatively little work experience.”

Demonstrating this theme of forward thinking and innovation, McCallum offers a hybrid online learning approach. Using Saba Centra Virtual Classroom, students have the ability to take courses without the inconvenience of relocating from their home or full-time job. Currently, students specifically in Texas and California, are taking advantage of this feature.

“One of the key goals is to make sure the world understands the quality of education at Bentley University on all levels – we need to tell the story to the world,” stated Topi.

Winners in Forest decrease their electricity usage by 9.7 percent over four-week span

Written by: Lacey Nemergut

Last week, it was announced that Forest Hall won the month-long Blackout Challenge sponsored by the Bentley Sustainability Club, consuming 9.7 percent less electricity compared to their baseline amount measured before the competition.

The competition, a campus-wide sustainability awareness event, involved Bentley’s 18 residence halls and challenged each individual student to make a conscious effort to practice a sustainable lifestyle. In recognition of Forest’s victorious efforts, the residents will be receiving customized t-shirts and a banner to display in their hall.

The Bentley Sustainability Club, led by President Rikki Lee Larson and advised by Bentley’s Manager of Sustainability, Amanda King Navarroli, is incredibly pleased with the results of the challenge. Navarroli explained, “[I’m] more excited about what the real result is: Having more students on campus aware.”

The main goal of the club is to encourage students to lead a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Larson said, “That’s the goal – make habits during the month that will carry out for the rest of the year.”

Last year’s Blackout Challenge, formally known as the Battle of the Bulbs, served as an excellent learning experience for the club, allowing it to largely expand upon its earlier effort. “I think they had a more organized effort this year,” stated Navarroli. “[They] really laid out their plan for the semester very well ahead of time.”

The Sustainability Club focused a majority of its time on marketing strategies to promote their event and awareness for their cause. Navarroli stated, “[It’s] tough with a four-week competition to keep people engaged.” The Sustainability Club hosted various events during the month including the party on the Greenspace to kick off the event, in addition to giving away free glow bracelets and sunglasses.

A major issue that the Sustainability Club currently faces is marketing. Navarroli explained, “[It’s a] huge challenge trying to communicate to faculty and staff what we’re doing without flyering the campus.” Using an excess of paper to promote an event would prove counterproductive for a club striving to promote sustainable use of resources.

The Sustainability Club has high hopes for next year’s Blackout Challenge. Larson stated, “Next year, we will try to do a campus-wide Zero Power Hour… Everyone comes down from their room and turns off the electricity for an hour…coordinated during the third week [of the] competition.” The Club even expressed an interest in conducting a year-long competition, releasing results monthly instead of weekly.

Club hopes to become recognized shortly after Thanksgiving Break

Written by: Kristin Tomasi

The Nonprofit Society, a pending organization, held its first informational meeting on Wednesday, November 3, in the Back Bay.

At the meeting, the organization’s e-board provided those in attendance with an overview of its goals and introduced three speakers.

Katie Baker, the organization’s head of Media and Advertising, explained that the goal of the Nonprofit Society is to “help people explore the nonprofit aspect of business and raise awareness” about nonprofits around campus.

Professor McNulty talked about his experience with starting his own nonprofit business, Nick Darsch discussed Bentley’s participation in the City Year program and Professor Pasciuto, the society’s faculty advisor, explained the new Nonprofit minor that will be available to Bentley students in the fall of 2011.

“[Nonprofits are] something that a lot of Bentley students consider, but never follow through with due to the lack of resources on campus,” said Jacky Yen, president of the Nonprofit Society. “We want the NPS to be used as a resource for those students.”

The Nonprofit Society hopes to accomplish its goal by forming three committees. Baker explained that the fundraising committee will raise money to support other sectors of the club by applying for grants. The workshop committee will bring in people from nonprofits to talk about their experiences and inform students about how to write and apply for grants.

According to Ashley King, the organization’s liaison, the Nonprofit Society hopes to hold one workshop per semester that will be open to all students and will serve as a “great networking opportunity.” Finally, King explained that the grant committee will help “students apply for grants to participate in activities such as Bentley’s faculty-led programs.”

King noted that the Nonprofit Society “hopes to be a recognized organization shortly after Thanksgiving break,” and that it has a great opportunity for growth because it appeals to “people who are interested in becoming actively involved” during meetings.

Currently, the Nonprofit Society is focusing on obtaining recognition and establishing its committees. Yen “would love to have at least 10 active members on each committee” by April of next semester.

Furthermore, Yen hopes to “branch out and network with local nonprofits” in order to form a nonprofit network that members of the organization can take advantage of in the future. She hopes to accomplish this by “getting the word [about Bentley’s Nonprofit Society]…out to nonprofits in the area.”

Written By: Chad Arrendell, Raymer Maguire & Katie Cavanaugh

Hot to Trot
Last Wednesday afternoon, a scatterbrained student did the unthinkable. She locked her keys in her car while it was still running. Bentley officers arrived to meet the distressed student, but they were unable to do anything to remedy her problem. AAA was called and they diffused the situation.

I Will Survive
On October 31 at 12:07 p.m., an officer stumbled upon a female student struggling to survive on North Campus. Apparently, she was having an allergic reaction to a small amount of peanut butter that somehow positioned itself exceptionally close to the student’s meal. Even though the female student didn’t have direct contact with any nuts that morning, she still ended up having a severe allergic reaction that couldn’t even be controlled by Benadryl or an EpiPen shot. The officer responded quickly and had the student taken to the hospital before her throat completely closed up.

Halloween Leakage
Late night on Saturday, October 30, a report was called in regarding a large mass of vomit found in Elm Hall. In a strange and coincidental series of events, another report of vomit came from Fenway, then Oak Hall and finally yet another report from Elm Hall. This mess of bodily fluids seemed to spread like wildfire. The night culminated with a disturbing discovery that someone peed in the Copley South elevator.

As the Falcon Flies
On Saturday, October 30, at approximately 10:20 a.m., Bentley Police were notified by Belmont Police of some unruly, off-campus students. The night before, Belmont Police had been dispatched because of an assault as well as a noise complaint. Police had previously been sent to the same location over a taxi fare dispute. The victim who was questioned by police had no visible signs of assault, though he claimed to have been punched in the face. Both off-campus Bentley students will be charged with a violation of University rules, which is common for any student who gets into trouble off campus.

Down But Not Out
Police received a call on October 30 at 3:04 p.m. to report an incident of an assault in Orchard South from the previous evening. When blood was found on the wall by a third party, the observant student knew there had been trouble afoot, and felt that justice should be served. After convening with the injured party, officers noticed visible injury to the right temple and cheek. The suffering student reported that he had also been insulted and sworn at. Even after the victim had been knocked down, the offending party continued to kick, knee and punch him. The malicious hooligans, all identified as non-Bentley students, dashed down the stairs following the beating. After picking himself up, the injured student went to bed, and his concerned roommate brought him ice packs. If only he had been there to back him up, but better late than never.

Paper or Plastic
On the eve of October 31 at 12:51 a.m., an unidentified Bentley student alerted the officer on duty of a messy situation in Maple Hall.

When the officer and student reached the scene of the incident, a female, non-Bentley student was found vomiting into a plastic bag. In between upchucks, the student managed to say, “I’m not OK. I feel like I am dying. I think I need my stomach pumped.”

As if blatantly spilling the beans was not enough of a clue, the responding officer could tell the young lady was severely intoxicated due to a strong odor of booze emanating from her. After the puker was taken to the hospital, her host ended up taking one for the team and was charged with a guest misconduct and alcohol violation.

Cat & Mouse
At 12:05 a.m. on Saturday, October 30, a Bentley officer was flagged down by a rent-a-cop in distress. According to the hired help, there was a group of six males causing a ruckus in the Copley circle.
Once the officer and rent-a-cop approached the scene and announced their presence, the majority of the males scattered like ants under a magnifying glass.

However, one of the misbehaving males didn’t manage to put much distance between himself and the officer, and a high-speed chase ensued. The officer pursued the male suspect through three floors of Copley North and two floors of Copley South before losing sight of him.

Much to the student’s chagrin, he found himself in handcuffs on the first floor, despite having eluded the grasp of the pursing officer. It didn’t take long for the student in question to attempt to weasel his way out of trouble by explaining that the ruckus was not his fault since he was punched in the face before the officer was on the scene. Unfortunately for the student, he received another painful blow, this time judicially.

He was documented for underage consumption of alcohol, public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and being uncooperative with administration, and he was given some time in protective custody courtesy of the Waltham Police Department.

Written By: Phillip St. Pierre

Red Sox owners John Henry and Tom Werner, with their business associates, have made great strides since the acquisition of the Red Sox in 2001, as the club has earned two World Series titles, and made it to the postseason in eight of the years since.
The president of the Red Sox is making another big splash in the sports and entertainment industry, except this time it has nothing to do with baseball. Henry and his partners, who own a group called New England Sports Ventures, have recently purchased the soccer team known as Liverpool FC for a cool 480-million dollars.
For those of you who haven’t heard of New England Sports Ventures, the business owns a very large portion of Boston’s baseball market. The company was created back in 2001, when John Henry and Tom Werner joined forces to create a sports investment company that would end up becoming one of the largest sports, media and entertainment businesses in the world.
Henry and Werner, the founders of New England Sports Ventures, went on to acquire the Boston Red Sox in 2001, and now own 100 percent of the club. They also own 80 percent of New England Sports Network, a cable broadcasting network, along with having partial ownership in a few other Fenway subsidiaries.
On October 6, New England Sports Venture agreed on a contract that would give them ownership of Liverpool. Although there were a few legal disputes with the previous owners, the deal became set in stone on the 17th.
This will not be an easy task for Henry and Werner, as Liverpool, a member of the English premier league, is in desperate need of change. Liverpool FC is currently 453-million dollars in debt and financially instable, so Henry, Werner and the rest of NESV hope to turn the club around.
The biggest hurdle the Red Sox owners will likely face is finding ways to generate revenue for the Liverpool organization. Anfield, the soccer club’s stadium, currently seats 45,000 fans. Previous proposals for a new stadium have been declined, but it will be interesting to see how the new ownership handles that situation.
Liverpool is similar to the Red Sox in many ways, as Henry is once again taking over a club that is in the midst of a rebuilding period. Fans are dissatisfied with the way things are going for Liverpool, which would partially explain why the previous owners were voted out.
Like the Red Sox, Liverpool has a rich history and a very large fan base, so a new stadium has the potential to sell more tickets for the organization. On the other hand, Henry has to make sure that a new stadium wouldn’t destroy the deep traditions that exist in the Liverpool community.
Considering the popularity of soccer in Europe, Henry and Werner will also look to strengthen the brand image of Liverpool, who are currently seen as the bottom feeders of the league. In a soccer enthusiast’s country like England, the Red Sox owners should have plenty of opportunities to restore the excitement that Liverpool once had.
The Red Sox owners did an excellent job reaching out to the fan base known as “Red Sox Nation” through their networking programs, such as NESN, and this increased fans’ interest in the struggling baseball club. New England Sports Ventures could use a similar networking strategy to reach out to discouraged Liverpool fans and bring them back to the stadium.
We seem to be seeing more and more of multinational sports ownership lately, and the cross cultural aspect of the Liverpool acquisition could be an advantage on both sides of the transaction. Red Sox fans could gain interest in Liverpool through NESN and the Red Sox, as well as baseball in general, could become more popular in Europe.
John Henry and his associates have the opportunity to showcase why they have been so successful in the sports and entertainment industry, as New England Sports Ventures is a multibillion-dollar company that is still growing before our eyes.
With a net worth of over one billion, Henry is the perfect example of how careful and timely investing can lead to prosperity. Henry has made millions in his efforts to rebuild the Red Sox and made them into a contender just a year or two after he took them over.
If Henry can gain back the tradition, excitement and dominance that Liverpool has seen in the past, he has an opportunity to increase his wealth even more. There is a lot of risk involved taking over a debt-ridden team, such as Liverpool, but New England Sports Ventures is taking on this risk in hopes that they will benefit from the returns in the long run.

Written By: Eric Ndung’u

Charity begins at home – this adage encompasses the driving force behind Red for Africa.
The vision of Red for Africa is to raise money to help educate people in Africa about HIV/AIDs and also support the Mmofra Trom foundation in Ghana.
A brief history check of this marvelous drive reveals that its inception was the brainchild of Vinay Gokaldas, a Ghanaian Bentley alumnus from the Class of 2010.
Funds are raised by selling custom apparel bearing a varied Red for Africa design made by talented Bentley students.
Those who purchase the apparel are encouraged to wear their apparel and “go red” on December 1, which marks the World AIDs Day.
To continue the legacy set forth by Gokaldas, the Red for Africa baton was handed over to the Bentley African Association.
This year, Red for Africa was held in conjunction with the STANDfast on November 8 at the Pub where two speakers, Gabriel Bol Deng and Dr. Leigh Swigart, graced the function. Gabriel is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, and Dr. Leigh is the director of Programs in International Justice and Society at the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life at Brandeis University.
Based on their diverse experience, the presenters spoke about issues affecting the general African community such as war, gender inequality and illiteracy, to name a few.
Gabriel gave the audience more insight into the plight faced by the southern Sudan refugees and how he has been able to build a school there thanks to generous support from well wishers.
During the event, this year’s Red for Africa apparel was unveiled, where a good number of students and some members of staff grabbed the opportunity to purchase the merchandise.

The items on sale include sweatpants, organic hooded sweatshirts, beaded bracelets, dog tags, long- and short-sleeved t-shirts, the prices being $20, $25, $5, $5, $10 and $5 respectively.

The limited edition beads were hand-crafted by children at the Mmofra Trom orphanage, and the rest of the apparel was made locally in the U.S. The sweatshirts are eco-friendly, as they are made from organic material which goes hand-in-hand with the current push towards environmental sustainability.
The attendees hosted dinner, where they had a chance to socialize while listening to some soothing African music in the background. The event was concluded with a PowerPoint presentation about HIV/AIDs.
As mentioned earlier, all the proceeds will go towards garnering more awareness about the plight HIV/AIDs has brought to Africa.
The Red for Africa apparel is on sale during weekdays from 11:20 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Student Center, Smith and LaCava.
Sales are projected to continue till the end of November, but termination may occur as soon as the current stock of items runs out.
All are encouraged to purchase the merchandise which will support a great cause that is spear-headed and run by Bentley students for a greater calling.

New group aims to supply flood relief

Written By: Lacey Nemergut

Bentley students, led by Campaign Manager Khazana Butt, have founded Bentley for Pakistan, a new charitable campus organization to raise money for flood relief in Pakistan. This past summer, monsoon rains flooded the Indus River basin affecting 20-million people in the regions of Khyber Paktunkwa, Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan.

The United Nation Security General, Ban Ki-moon, has requested 460 million dollars for emergency relief. However, only 50 percent of these funds were received as of August 15, 2010. Pakistani officials have estimated the cost of damages to total around 43-billion U.S. dollars.

“My team is really good, and our main goal is to get awareness,” stated Butt. Butt was involved in relief efforts this past summer, sending 45 trucks containing 600 bags and supplies each to affected areas. When he arrived back in the States, he was determined to take action and raise awareness. “Initially in the summer [we] spoke to the [Allocation and Internal Audit Committee] AIA and when we got here we had to give the application to AIA as well as Bentley itself. The CCA really got everything and told us what to do,” explained Butt.

AIA is the student organization which is able to allocate funds to officially recognized Bentley organizations. The Council of Charitable Acts (CCA) was founded last year after relief efforts were organized for Haiti. Bentley for Pakistan received 500 dollars for startup costs, which they are currently using to generate profits for the flood victims.

The Bentley for Pakistan Campaign is selling awareness packages until November 21. The packages include glow-in-the-dark wrist bands, ping pong balls and a flyer about the relief effort for five dollars in the Bentley Bubble, Smith and Jennison.

“Everyone has t-shirts and sweatshirts,” articulated Butt. “We want to do something different.” The items each have a small picture printed on them, designed by a Berkley student, of a rickshaw falling into a flood. Bentley for Pakistan adopted this emblem as its official logo. “[We] bounced around a lot of ideas,” stated Butt. “[The] rickshaw, in a way, is a symbol of Pakistan.”

Though Bentley for Pakistan doesn’t have any official affiliations, they have friends supporting their cause at Boston University, Brandeis and Babson. This past Thursday, when Bentley for Pakistan held their first charity event, they raised around 2,500 dollars thanks to this local support.

“We contacted their offices… and told them to tell everybody to come. That was one of the main reasons why first night was such a success,” concluded Butt.

To face Southern Connecticut after overtime win against New Haven

Written By Robbie LaBrie

Bentley Men’s Soccer has quietly been one of the hottest teams in the NE-10 and in the entire East region. They will get their chance to match up with another blazing hot team, Southern Connecticut, on Friday in the Northeast-10 semi finals after a big win over New Haven in the quarters.

It was a matchup of the three and six seeds in the Northeast-10 Tournament, and it took more than the 90 minutes of regulation to find a winner.

Freshman Cody Osgood and sophomore Weston Zeiner each found good looks at the New Haven goal in the first half, but they were unable to capitalize and the game went into halftime knotted up at 0-0.

Graduate student Bill Nussdorfer saw his free kick from 25 yards barely sail over the cross bar early in the second half that could have put the Falcons on the board.

New Haven got a good look early in the second as well, but saw their shot clank off the crossbar harmlessly.
In the 71nd and 72nd minutes, the Falcons let two more great chances slip through their grasp as Brennan DaCosta ripped a beautiful shot in the box that barely flew over the crossbar, and junior Ryan Miamis took a shot off a well-played cross that just went over the bar as well.

Falcon fans thought they were witnessing a New Haven goal in the 75th minute when New Haven crossed the ball in from the right wing and took a beautiful shot that beat Bentley’s star goalie Mike Nikiforov, but nailed the crossbar and bounced away, keeping the Bentley dream alive.

The Falcons did not give New Haven another good chance to score for the rest of the game, and when the contest went into overtime, Bentley wasted little time finishing off the Chargers.

Only about five minutes in, DaCosta fed Zeiner on a beautiful corner and Zeiner flawlessly headed it past the New Haven goalie to give the Falcons the victory.

The Falcons got six shots off compared to only one for New Haven, controlling much of the game. The shutout marked the sixth in a row for Nikiforov, who has proven to be one of the top goalies in the NE-10.

The Falcons have not lost a game since October 9 and they haven’t given up a goal since a 1-1 tie with the number-one team in the country, Franklin Pierce, on October 12.

Unfortunately, that last loss came against Southern Connecticut, the team they will be playing on Friday, in the two teams’ only meeting of the regular season.

The Southern Connecticut Owls received votes in the last NSCAA National Poll, but they were not ranked and neither were the Falcons. The Owls come into this game having not lost since October 2. They defeated Stonehill in a matchup of the two and seven seeds in the NE-10 Tournament to reach their game against the Falcons.

The Owls finished the regular season with a 9-2-2 record in Conference play and a 13-2-2 record overall, while the Falcons ended up with a record of 7-1-5 in Conference and 11-2-5 overall.

The matchup of the three and four seeds seems as if it will be a close game on paper. The Falcons’ foundation is built on solid defense, while Southern Connecticut is built around consistent play. Both teams have given up only 11 goals all year, and the Owls have only scored two more goals than Bentley all year.

Whoever wins this game will most likely go on to face Franklin Pierce, the number-one team in the nation. The Ravens boast the 2010 Northeast-10 Men’s Soccer Player of the Year in defenseman Tom Reilly and will be tough for anyone to beat, nevermind anyone in the NE-10.

In fact, Franklin Pierce would have an unblemished record in Northeast-10 play this year if it weren’t for their tie with the Falcons. Bentley has already proven they can keep up with the Ravens, and that could give them a mental edge should they make it to the Conference finals.

The first order of business for the Falcons, however, is to take care of business against Southern Connecticut. The game will be on Friday at Southern Connecticut and the finals will be held on Sunday, regardless of who is playing.
Watch for a tight game on Friday and if this young team can play great defense and generate the kind of opportunities they found against New Haven, watch for them to put up fireworks.

New furniture and printers adorn second floor and Bubble

Written By: Brian Lofrumento

Bentley is always hailed for its state-of-the-art facilities, and students have been delighted to see the new furniture and improvements around the Student Center. Last week, the Student Center got a makeover with all new furniture, and already the feedback has been positive. The improvements are part of a new five-year plan to continually improve the hub of student life.

“When I started back in 2003, I was asked to create a five-year plan for furniture replacement in the Student Center,” said Paul Stanish, the associate director of the Student Center. “The building was only a year-and-a-half old then, but we knew furniture wasn’t going to last long so we completed the first five-year plan in 2008. That included everything from media equipment to pool tables, public furniture, tables and chairs, etc. We then started a new five-year plan, and this is year two of that five-year plan.”

Many Student Center-related changes in the past have come about from student survey groups and student feedback, and Stanish believes this is a key component of making the building a place that all students can be proud of.

“A couple years ago we conducted focus group surveys with students to see what people wanted, and that’s why we installed TVs in Seasons,” said Stanish. “We also look at how students use the current furniture. In the Bubble we saw how students wanted furniture facing each other, so we got movable furniture that people can setup in any way for a small or big group format.”

Another big change for the Bubble is the introduction of another group working space. A conference table has been added to the space, and a TV will be placed there in the coming weeks, similar to the existing setups in the library’s group study rooms.

The final major change in the Bubble is the printing system. Because of an initiative started by SGA a few years ago, the library printing service is now being brought to the Bubble. While it was too expensive when SGA proposed it, another department on campus volunteered to cover the costs of the new printers this year, and once the licensing issues are resolved the library printing service will be available in the Bubble.

“We are not taking away free printing from student organizations. The current printer students use to print for free will still be available behind the Bubble desk for student organizations to use when the time comes,” Stanish stressed. “We are going to keep free printing for student organizations, and that was also feedback we received from SGA.”

“The new printers should make printing easier for students when they are not on the academic portion of campus and also help reduce the lines waiting to print at the library in between class periods,” added Chris Hayes, SGA’s vice president for Student Affairs.

Hall Councils aim to to represent residents and create a unified, interactive community

Written By: Kristen Tomasi

Marc Santilli, the president of Residence Hall Association, stated that the mission of RHA is to “create a unified and exciting campus,” and explained that this mission is accomplished “on three different levels: Campus-wide events, policy reform and Hall Councils.” This year, members of each residence building’s Hall Council were elected in order to hold these members accountable and to get residents excited about changes in their residence hall.

“Some residents may not know it, [but] everyone is a member of the organization,” Santilli said, and residents are encouraged to attend all Hall Council meetings. Ashley King, Kresge RHA secretary, echoed these statements by explaining that these meetings allow residents to “voice ideas and concerns” and give residents an “opportunity to change things around their dorm.”

Each Hall Council must host three events per semester, including a social event, a sustainability event and an awareness event. Santilli explains that the goal of holding these events is to “create an exciting and unified community… and to strengthen the bonds” between residents. For example, Kresge RHA recently organized a “Zero Power Hour” in support of the Blackout Challenge, during which residents gathered in the Kresge lounge to eat ice cream, play games and win prizes after turning off their lights, resulting in a significant decline in electricity use for the building.

In another example of the Hall Council’s effort to promote sustainability, each elected Eco Rep creates bulletin boards for his or her dorm to inform residents about green initiatives. Furthermore, the Eco Reps recently offered larger recycling bins to each room, suite and apartment on campus.

King explains that in addition to weekly Hall Council meetings, Town Hall meetings are held once a month during which the e-board of each residence hall comes together to discuss happenings on campus. She noted that this meeting provides a “forum for issues to be discussed at a higher level,” such as the recent vandalism in Fenway, messy hallways and elevator issues.

Santilli concluded saying, “Everyone who is in the organization is really passionate about not only making a change in the residence halls, but also impacting their respective buildings.” This excitement is reflected by RHA’s presence on campus and its emphasis on creating a community in which all residents feel represented.

Written By Katie Cavanaugh, Raymer Maguire,  Andrew Vanderploeg & Leah Liebler

Fading Fast

On October 26 at 10:25 a.m., a female student who had complained of feeling nauseous passed out in a classroom in Jennison. Staff indicated that said student began to walk to the door to get a drink when she immediately collapsed to the floor, where officers found her. When she came to, she indicated that she had been diagnosed over the weekend with pneumonia and was promptly taken to the hospital for further treatment.

Bike Cop, Fresh Crop

On Tuesday, October 26, a bike officer smelled an aroma that resembled the distinct scent of marijuana. Looking to confirm his suspicion, the officer looked for a culprit. He noticed smoke rising above two parked cars. When he approached the cloud, a student quickly tried to hide the joint behind him. At first, the student denied smoking, but eventually decided to admit to his crime. The student was overcome by guilt and vehemently apologized to said officer. He will be judicially charged with possession and use of a controlled substance as well as drug paraphernalia.

Suds

On October 16 at 10:34 p.m., a staff member called in to report a problem with flooding in the laundry room of Elm Hall. Facilities were notified. The culprit of these potentially irresponsible laundry practices has not been found, and the case has been closed.
 
Should’ve Called Boston DD (617-652-0233)

On the night of October 22, a Bentley student was arrested by Waltham Police for operating a vehicle under the influence at the corner of Beaver Street and Lyman Street. Said student failed a breathalyzer test and was advised that a report of his actions would be passed on to University Police. A further operation of vehicles is impossible due to his license suspension. The student will be judicially charged, and was also found guilty of state vehicle violations.

No Paint for You

On Monday, October 25, officers were called to Jennison by a professor that complained of an unwanted recruiter. This male did not have permission to be on campus, but this did not stop him from trying to recruit students to be summer painters. When officers arrived, the evasive recruiter was not to be found. However, he was later found and politely told that he was violating campus policy and was asked to leave.

Cashin’ and Dashin’

Officers determined that a student had personal items stolen when they were left unattended in a study room. These items consisted of a purse and two cellular phones. After later returning to the scene of the crime, the purse had mysteriously reappeared, though without the 170 dollars in cash that had originally been inside it. With no leads, the student was informed that a report would be on file, but unless further information is discovered, this case would unfoirtunately be closed.

Party At The Bridge

Throughout the course of Bentley Homecoming, an officer was on patrol at the foot of the walking bridge. The officer repeatedly stopped students and alumni who had open containers of alcohol. All suspects presented identification and verified that they were of the legal drinking age. The officer simply instructed them to pour out their drinks, and no judicial violations were sanctioned. A total of nine people were stopped throughout the day.

Nighty Night, Sleep Tight

On October 24 at 12:19 a.m. officers were performing a building check in Fenway. When officers arrived on the fourth floor, they found a male passed out in a study room. He was laying face down on the floor next to a large puddle of regurgitated upchuck. The individual was unresponsive to the officers, and once aroused, was solely focused on returning to his state of slumber. Since the male was unresponsive, officers were forced to shake him awake. Officers determined that the detained individual was in fact not a Bentley student. The individual was unable to walk and then attempted to go back to sleep for the second time. Officers moved the sleepy visitorinto a chair. He had difficulties sitting in the chair by himself. As a result, he was taken to the hospital and placed under protective custody.

It’s Raining Pumpkins

On October 24 at 2:23 a.m., officers were alerted of a peculiar pumpkin incident. According to the report, some unruly Collins residents were taking the liberty of throwing pumpkins out of a window. After an investigation of the area, the officers were unable to reveal the identity of the pumpkin-dropping bandits and no sanctions were delivered.

New alcoholic energy drink gains popularity at Bentley, despite major health concerns

Written by: Jon McColgan

Following a national trend, the new alcoholic energy drink concoction, Four Loko, has become a popular alcoholic beverage for Bentley students, according to a recent poll conducted by The Vanguard.

Four Loko, a fruit flavored malt beverage available in 9 different flavors ranging from fruit punch to lemonade, comes in a 23.5 oz can and has a 12 percent alcohol content, translating to around 5 alcoholic drinks.

The drink also contains the caffeine of your average cup of coffee, at 135 milligrams, providing a powerful stimulant drug and depressant chemical all in one drink.

Of 758 undergraduate respondents, 89% of the students surveyed noted that they had heard about the beverage, while 71% responded that they had tried the beverage, and 64% enjoyed the experience enough to purchase a Four Loko again. Only 8% of those who purchased a Four Loko reported they were very unlikely to purchase a Four Loko again.

“I just think it’s a great way to economically get drunk,” noted a senior female in the survey’s comment section, while a male freshman said, “I don’t think the drinks are the problem. I think people at Bentley just don’t know how to drink.”

“I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the drink too much, but I wanted to try it after hearing all the hype,” said a male sophomore. “I’ve definitely had better drinks, but Four Lokos were quick and cheap.”

Other Bentley students mentioned the taste as being “too sour”, “horrible”, and a “dealbreaker”, with another male freshman stating “I had one and while I might buy one again, it only has to with price and nothing to do with the awful taste.”

When asked for the main motivating factor in purchasing the drinks, Bentley student respondents noted the price of Four Lokos an overwhelming 51 percent of the time, with alcohol content, social factors, flavor availability and taste scoring 19%, 13%, 10% and 7% respectively.

The drinks, which are generally sold for $2.49 in most retail liquor stores, have become so popular and have been accused of causing so many alcohol-related issues on campus nationwide that universities and governments are taking action to remove Four Lokos from their campuses and stores. The major issue has been increased numbers of emergency situations involving dangerous levels of alcohol poisoning.

“Many people don’t realize how much alcohol is in one can nor the dangers of mixing alcohol with high levels of caffeine,” said Jessica Greher Traue, assistant director of Wellness and coordinator for Alcohol & Other Drugs Education. “Residence Life professionals have expressed concern about students consuming [Four Lokos] and I myself have spoken to [Bentley] students who have done so and had bad experiences.”

Since 2007, two studies have been conducted at Wake Forest University and the University of Florida respectively that have examined college students who consumed alcohol mixed with energy drinks compared to students who consumed regular alcohol, and came to very similar conclusions: the mixture of caffeine and alcohol led students to consume more alcohol than they thought they were, and health problems as well increased aggression were noted at far higher levels than those for the general college student consuming regular alcoholic beverages.

“Essentially both studies found a higher prevalence of significant risk factors/consequences in the group who mixed the two—enough that 18 states attorney generals and the FDA have gotten involved,” continued Greher Traue.

Ramapo College in New Jersey and Central Washington University in Washington state have become the latest schools to see students transported to emergency rooms due to Four Loko-induced alcohol poisoning. Meanwhile 18 attorneys general have asked the Food & Drug Administration to investigate the safety of the drinks, as the agency has never examined the concept of adding caffeine to alcohol in terms of health concerns.

According to Greher Traue, “So far companies like Coors/Miller and Anheiser Busch have either removed their alcohol/caffeine beverages from production or reformulated the drinks to mitigate potential harm” in response to the FDA inquiry.

“Clearly, health professionals from around the country are very worried about these beverages and with good reason,” said Andrew Shepardson, dean of Student Affairs. “At Bentley, we want students to make smart, informed choices that are consistent with the law and their wellbeing.  I encourage students to investigate the concerns, take care of themselves and to take care of each other.”

Donation to directly benefit undergrad. women leadership programs soon

Written by: Alicia Maillet

Bentley University Alumni Steven and Christine Manfredi, class of 1973, recently presented Bentley with a generous 2-million dollar gift. This donation will be used to improve and develop leadership programs for female undergraduate students at Bentley.

“Chris and I believe deeply in the importance of developing the talents of our female students,” stated Steven Manfredi in a recent press release.

The programs generated by this donation will focus on developing confidence, learning to balance personal and professional life and increasing the number of female executive officers and corporate directors.

In a statement on behalf of Bentley Women’s Center released by Edith Kwok, chair of the Women’s Center, they believe, “The opportunities that open up from this donation will improve the Bentley experience for female students.”

“This donation is setting a precedent that the advancement of women is important to the University and those who sit on the Board of Trustees; this will instill confidence in the women students who attend Bentley,” said Kwok. “With this money there is also opportunity to increase awareness of women’s issues in the workplace.”

Some students are pleased with the generous donation from the Manfredi family. “I think this donation is a great thing and will provide some real opportunities for us Bentley girls,” shared a female sophomore.

Male students at Bentley may feel disadvantaged upon hearing about this donation. However, this donation will provide programs for male students as well. The focus of these programs will be to provide Bentley men with a deeper understanding and a better sense of support for the development of women as coworkers and potential business leaders.

“It’s nice to see that a program is being developed that benefits both men and women at Bentley and is going to help us work towards a common goal,” said a male junior.

The idea that the student population at Bentley is 60 percent male may eliminate potential undergraduate applicants due to fear of unequal opportunity. However, this donation proves just how dedicated Bentley and alumni are to making sure unequal opportunity is not an issue.

The Women’s Center claims that “if any incoming students have any fear of unequal opportunities because of the 60-40 proportion, the Manfredis’ generous donation will help discourage any concern.”

Written by: Lacey Nemergut

The Bentley Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team has finally received club status after waiting anxiously for a moratorium placing a limit on the number of official Bentley club teams to be lifted. After two years of efforts from the unofficial organization’s e-board, led by President Karalyn Spadaro, the team can now enjoy the benefits of hiring a coach and officially competing under the Bentley name.

Ultimate Frisbee, though not a commonly practiced sport, requires an intense level of dedication and planning. “It’s a combination of football and soccer. Pretty much there are seven girls on the field at a time… And your goal is to throw the Frisbee down the field to cross the goal line on the other side,” explained senior Ryan Olson, a dedicated player on the newly established club team.

Establishing this aspiring club team can also be used as a recruiting tool for Bentley to attract high school seniors interested in playing Ultimate Frisbee.

“One benefit is that we can now hire a coach,” said Coleen Flinn, a member of the e-board. “[The coach] can help with tournaments and practices and can plan out strategies.” In addition to scouting for a coach, the girls are enjoying other perks of Bentley recognition which include guaranteed field time and needed funding.

Despite their newly acquired status, the Bentley girls are no strangers to the game. Their practices already included laps, experimenting with different Frisbee techniques, scrimmages and reviews of various defensive and offensive formations. The Women’s Frisbee team has been in competition with other New England schools, playing teams from Stonehill College, Brown University, Northeastern University and Boston University. Last year, the team went to Nationals in Wisconsin.

With a previous roster of approximately 20 girls, the Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team is hoping that their newfound club status will help attract new players to the field.

New Service Learning program serves to educate young children about the effects of bullying

Written by: Katie Spinello

While studying abroad in Australia last semester, senior Sarah Benson began an anti-bullying initiative designed to spark conversation and change how people respond and react to bullying. Now, she is starting the same program, known as “One Goal, One Community: Moving beyond bullying and empowering for life,“ at Bentley and in its surrounding community.

The program has two components. The first is a community-wide initiative which was developed to initiate conversations about bullying. “Our goal is to get 10,000 community members’ signatures,“ said Benson. “When you sign the petition, you receive a wristband that symbolizes your commitment to end bullying. It changes the direction of bullying and how we talk about it.“ 

The second component revolves around presentations to children, young adults and parents through afterschool programs. The presentations include a description of bullying, the devastating effects that it can have, how to respond to bullying and skills for life.

“Bullying doesn’t only happen in schools,” explained Benson. “It happens everywhere – in the workplace, as an adult, throughout life. It even happens here on this campus.”

Bentley students have strongly supported the various anti—bullying initiatives on campus, which include the October gathering Stand Up to Bullying.

“I think it’s great that students are trying to raise awareness,” said Julie Bourgeois, a sophomore. Jori Layton, a senior, echoed her sentiments. “With everything going on in the media right now, it’s very timely,“ she said.

Stephanie Kendall, a psychologist in the Office of Counseling and Student Development, said that she is also impressed by students’ efforts to stop bullying.

“The consequences of bullying can be really severe,” said Kendall. “In college, it’s so easy to access people through technology like Twitter, Facebook and Blackberry Messenger. Everything is public. Everyone can see what happens, but people don’t do anything to stop it. People think it’s just online, but it translates to real life.”

“Our goal is to set up a sustainable program which the Service Learning Department can continue in future years,” said Benson. “I’m not an expert on bullying; I’m just trying to get the conversation started.”

Written by: Katie Cavanaugh, Raymer Maguire,  Andrew Vanderploeg & Leah Liebler

Dude, Where’s the Beer?
On Thursday, October 21, Waltham Police contacted Bentley Police regarding a student and his fake ID. Officers used surveillance footage to determine that the student’s getaway car was registered to a Bentley student. Apparently, a student borrowed his roommate’s car to use a fake ID that wasn’t even his. But due to some fine detective work, this half-baked scheme did not work. The guilty student will be visiting Waltham Court and will be charged judicially with underage alcohol use and possession of a fake ID.

Just Popped In
On October 20, around 9:55 p.m., officers were alerted that a fire alarm had been set off in the Orchard residence halls. A student had forgotten the strategic amount of time to prepare a bag of popcorn, resulting in enough smoke from the burning snack to set off the alarm. Fire trucks were dispatched from the local Waltham station. Unfortunately, in their haste to arrive, they did not notice that the gate between Beaver St. and the Lower Campus walkway had been prematurely lowered, and the large truck plowed straight through it. No report as to whether the campus, the fire station or the hungry student will be covering the cost of these damages.

Hitting the Streets
Early on the morning of Wednesday, October 21, Waltham Police found several Bentley students laying in the middle of Beaver Street. The officer was obviously concerned by this strange behavior and approached the students in the road. As the officer got out of the car, all but one of the students ran away. When the officer asked the remaining boy laying in the street what was happening, his response was that they were “just goofing around.” The student called his friends back and they came out of hiding from the bushes. The group’s explanation for their behavior was stupidity. They were not judicially charged.

Ghost Ridin’
At 6:20 p.m. on October 19, a vehicle parked on Lower Campus, which was believed to be in park, was in fact in neutral. As a result, the car rolled forward approximately 30 feet and hit the fence of the Baseball Field. After the incident, the owner drove the vehicle off the grass and parked the vehicle in the Farm Lot. The bumper of the vehicle sustained light damage, and the fence pole was moved slightly but suffered no real damage from the collision.

Tower of Terror
The unpredictable antics of the Collins elevators were rampant again last Monday evening, October 18. Around 9:15 p.m., officers received a report that there was a group of students stuck in limbo between the third and fourth floors. Facilities was notified of this dangerous situation, but reports indicate that their arrival on scene was quite delayed. After some uncomfortable waiting, another group of concerned students tried their luck at freeing the ill-fated group. Luckily, they managed to get the fickle machines to settle on one floor, and the students were safe on solid ground before Facilities had a chance to perform a daring rescue.

BP Part Deux
A little past noon on Sunday, October 17, University Police were called by a AAA driver who reported a gas leak on the Miller deck. The fire department was notified and was soon on their way. When they arrived, they found a red Jeep with a large gas stain under it. The owner of the vehicle was called and stated that it had in fact been leaking for quite some time. The student was asked to start her car, causing gas to leak profusely onto the pavement. The fire department cleaned the area with Speed Dry and coned off the vicinity.

Sleepin’ it Off
A worried student called Bentley Police concerned that a male walking to his car might try to drive. This person was obviously intoxicated and was seen entering a Ford pick-up truck. When officers approached the truck, they found the male sleeping in the back. This non-Bentley student stated that he could not drive due to intoxication. The underage male was placed into protective custody due to his unstable condition.

Light Lunch
The afternoon of October 15, at 2:53 p.m., a call was made to Bentley Police reporting that a Sodexo employee had fainted on the third floor of LaCava. When officers arrived, he was found sitting in a chair, appearing flustered. The employee said he had been looking for his uniform when he felt dizzy, and sat on the floor, which helped him feel better. Officers questioned whether he had eaten, suspecting dangerously low blood pressure, but he had recently enjoyed lunch, so the cause of fainting is still unclear.

Written By :  April Gammal

Question: One of the first things I do in the morning after I shower is put on my makeup. I usually use eyeliner, mascara, eye shadow and foundation. I’m starting to worry that I’m going to ruin my skin by using all of these products. However, I don’t think I can just stop wearing makeup, so do you have any suggestions?

Well, I have some good news and some bad news for you. The bad news is that the chemicals in the majority of makeup products can damage your skin. A study carried out by the British Skin Foundation discovered that the average female applies 175 various chemicals to her skin each day. Unfortunately, many of these chemicals have also been associated with cancer and hormonal conditions.

But there is good news! There are many natural or organic makeup brands on the market that are a lot better for your skin. A few that are good to look into are Boots, Bare Escentuals and Physician’s Formula.

Unlike other brands, the great thing about these brands is that the makeup comes off easily and does not clog your pores. The foundation and concealer will cover any blemishes you may want to hide. Another nice thing about using these products is that they build a sunscreen into the foundation and concealers so you can also protecting your skin against sun damage. I know that many people stay away from sunscreen because they want to tan, but tanning is the number-one culprit when it comes to aging and wrinkles! I don’t know about you, but I don’t want wrinkles any sooner than normal, or sunspots or cancer for that matter.

I’ve tried each of these products and I like Boots and Bare Escentuals the best. The end result is definitely a more natural look. The mascara will certainly enhance your eyelashes but not look as though you have raccoon eyes. If you do want a more dramatic look, especially if you are going out, then all you’ll need to do is apply more layers.
I’d definitely recommend trying these brands if you tend to use makeup on a daily basis. Each brand offers starter kits, which I recommend you get. Bare Escentuals has some of their products in the makeup store Sephora, and there are usually people there who will be happy to help you. Physicians Formula can be found in CVS, Target and sometimes Walmart. Of course, any of these products can be found online.

A good website to look at is cosmeticsdatabase.com/. This website allows you to do a search on any ingredient in your product and it will rank it from 0-10 on a hazard scale. You can also search a brand and it will do the same for their various products.

If you type in Bare Escentuals, you’ll notice that most of their product ratings typically fall between 1 and 5. However, if you type in CoverGirl, you’ll notice that the ratings fall between 5 and 8. If you click on a specific product, you will be shown the ingredient list and which products are not so good for your skin and why.

I hope this helps! You may be saving your skin from damage by not using certain products. Try giving the healthier products a chance and see how you like them.

Written by: Kristin Tomasi

October is the month of the Blackout Challenge at Bentley, where dorms compete to conserve the most energy.  The project compares each dorm’s energy usage for the week to its average energy usage from September.  The focus is on reduction rather than total energy use in order to make the competition fair.

No building has an advantage over another because in order to win, a dorm simply needs to decrease its energy usage by the greatest percentage.

Each week, students are emailed an update to see where their building stands.  The winning building’s prize will be a custom t-shirt that will include the dorm’s name.  Also, a celebratory banner will be hung in the dorm’s entrance.

The Blackout Challenge was originally called the Battle of the Bulbs.  Its name changed last year when, as explained by Amanda Navarroli King, Bentley’s Manager of Sustainability, there was “more of a concerted effort toward communication” with the student body about the project.  Rikki Lee Larson, a junior at Bentley and president of the Green Society, explained that the emphasis placed on creating “more of a buzz” for the Blackout Challenge is largely due to the collaboration of all of the green initiatives on campus.

These green initiatives include the sustainability group of SGA, the Green Society, and RHA’s Eco Reps.  King credits the “amazing cross-collaboration” between these three groups with allowing them to accomplish more together than each could have done individually.

This collaboration has also resulted in increased marketing efforts for the Blackout Challenge this year.  For example, a banner was recently signed by many students pledging to do their part to conserve energy.

Larson explained that while the project was “not as well known in previous years,” there is more awareness this year and students have been receptive of the project’s message.  Jacky Yen, a sophomore, explained that she has “definitely heard a lot more about the Blackout Challenge this year” and that she feels it has been “advertised a lot better.”

Amanda Benoit, a freshman, said “the flyers around the school really help… I participate by shutting off electronics when they’re not in use, especially in the rooms we share as a floor, like the bathroom, common room, and laundry room.”

King also stressed how the project is cultivating a “community feeling” because each dorm needs to work together in order to be successful.

This competition provides an incentive that gives the project “staying power.”  This sentiment was echoed by Larson, who explained that if people participate in the challenge “for one month, they may change their habits” for the rest of the year.

Larson explained her desire to “eventually make the Blackout Challenge a year-long initiative” with larger scale prizes.

King would like to expand the challenge to include faculty and academic buildings by collaborating with the new Faculty-Staff Eco Rep program.  In an effort to further increase awareness, she trained this year’s Orientation Leaders on recycling this past summer to show new students that going green is “part of the Bentley culture.”

Comedians Christian Finnegan (and Chris Hardwick) in fall show

Written by: Sindhu Palaniappan

The Campus Activities Board (CAB) is throwing its annual Comedy Show on Saturday, October 16 this year, and it’s promised to be a hit! Pat Maguire, a sophomore, is the Comedy Chair on CAB this year and has worked with a committee to put the show together. He noted, “For a show like this, you’d need to pay a lot outside at a club or venue.” But it’s free for Bentley students to come check out the two comedians they have lined up.

Christian Finnegan is a stand-up comedian by profession who occasionally appears on television and writes for fun. He was one of the original cast members in VH1’s Best Week Ever. He has also appeared on the Chappelle Show as Chad in The Mad Real World sketch. Not only did he have his own special on Comedy Central, Comedy Central Presents: Christian Finnegan, but he also frequents the network often. He has dipped his foot into movies as well, and he has produced a CD and a DVD with Comedy Central and Warner Bros, respectively. Two for Flinching and Au Contraire have both been huge hits.

Chris Hardwick is also a professional stand-up comedian and a self-proclaimed nerd. He hosts channel G4’s Web Soup and Attack of the Show. He also writes for Wired Magazine. He is a wildly popular blogger for Nerd.com and holds one of the top ten spots on iTunes’ comedy podcasts. Some might recognize him for Just for Laughs or Coachella, and he performs some of his stand-up routines at comedy and music festivals alike.

After frequent YouTube visits, website checks, heavy reviewing and some deliberation, Maguire and his committee chose these two comedians because they were sure to put on a good show and had plenty of experience in the comedy field, especially in stand-up performances. CAB wanted to change it up a little this year by having both comedians be professional stand-up comedians, as opposed to television or movie comedians who tend to not do as well on stage when it comes to stand-up. Each comedian is expected to perform at least a half-hour set with a lot of audience interaction.

The doors open at 7 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. on October 16, so head on down to the Koumantzalis Auditorium for some laughs! It’s free for students and $5 for nonstudents, but the auditorium always fills up fast so get there early!

Dept. looking for new Sgts. & Officers

Written by: Kunaal Lachmandas

This semester, Bentley University Police is understaffed and is looking to hire more sergeants and Police officers to fill the 36-member staff. Students have expressed concern over these staffing issues and are questioning why University Police is experiencing them.

Lieutenant Bill Williams has confirmed that University Police is experiencing a lack of officers and two additional sergeants. He indicated that the recruitment process is underway for hiring more Police officials, stating that they have “interviewed seven candidates out of a pool of over 100 people.”

Lt. Williams couldn’t confirm how many openings there were, but explained that the lack of staff is mostly due to labor migration. “People will leave here to go work for their hometown Police departments,” said Williams. He added that relo-cation is fairly normal in the University policing business.

Internal promotions have also played a role in the diminishing of the force’s labor. By internally promoting several individuals, more vacancies have inevitably been created.

While Williams suggests that there is no reason for concern, as all staffing issues will be solved “in the very near future,” some students are quite apprehensive towards this staff shortage.

“I’ve always felt very safe at Bentley,” said one sophomore when asked about the staffing issues. “But now when I hear that Campus Police is short on staff, I’m definitely more fearful for my own security.”

Other students were much more livid than concerned. “For the amount of money I pay to come here, the least I expect is for the Police to be always equipped with enough manpower to protect me and everyone else,” said another freshman.

However, a few students were elated with the news of labor issues. They saw the shortness in staff as a mechanism at which to undermine the Police’s authority and strength. As one student happily exclaimed, “Police being short on staff means I can get away with so much more stuff.”

Despite the myriad of views expressed by Bentley students, Williams remains confident that the current shortness in staff will not affect the Police’s authority, and ability, to protect the Bentley community.

Even though they have been understaffed for these first few weeks of the fall semester, Lieutenant Williams has called this “a normal transition into the semester,” with all issues of vandalism and security – whether minor or major – being handled effectively by Campus Police.

Lieutenant Williams, along with the entire Police force, remains enthusiastic and content with protecting Bentley, proudly declaring that they have only been seeing “improvement after improvement” each and every year.