Massachusetts Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies has 'something that interests everyone'

Near the northeast corner of the University of Massachusetts campus lies a faded brick building. Set off of East Pleasant Street by a tree-lined driveway, the only indication of its presence to passersby is a small white sign.

Although it is unknown to many students and townspeople alike, the Massachusetts Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies attracts scholars from around the world. With more than 40,000 books and six gardens filled with only Renaissance-era plants and a theater, according to Director of the Renaissance Center Arthur Kinney, the center has a lot to offer to anyone who enjoys studying the Renaissance.

The 28 acres of land on which the center sits was willed to UMass in 1996 by Janet Wilder Dakin. Her estate included the house – which was built in the style of a Renaissance cottage in Shakespeare’s Warwickshire, according to the center’s website – as well as a barn and shed.

Former UMass Chancellor David Scott made the decision to transform the property into a center for Renaissance studies and it was officially opened in 1998. The barn was changed to house the Black Box Theatre, where the center holds plays.

According to Kinney, the center “subsequently has served both the campus and the community” in a variety of ways.

For example, the gardens bring together the Five Colleges and the local community. Students from Hampshire College and Smith College influenced the creation of the six Renaissance-era gardens.

All plants within these gardens can be found in “Gerarde’s Herball,” a book which was published in 1698 and is essentially an encyclopedia of Renaissance-era plants. One of the six gardens is made up entirely of flowers that were mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays.

In addition, students from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture planted an orchard on the property two years ago, according to the Renaissance Center’s librarian, Jeff Goodhind. Townspeople are also allowed to plant flowers in honor of family members.

The 40,000-volume library in the basement of the Renaissance Center attracts scholarly attention for its quality. Of its vast collection – much of which was received by donation – 1,000 books were written before 1700. A bible from 1495 is its oldest book that is fully intact.

Among the dozen Renaissance centers throughout the world, the Massachusetts Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies is set apart, according to Kinney.

“(The other centers) certainly don’t have the number of rare books we do,” Kinney said.

Although all of the books are searchable through the W.E.B. DuBois Online Library, they cannot be checked out. Because of their age, they are very fragile and the staff of the center want to keep them in the best condition possible.

During the fall semester, the center hosted a variety of scholars, including a student from Harvard University and two students from the University of Tuebingen in Germany.

Each semester, the center holds at least two conferences involving guest speakers and three concerts, which Goodhind said are almost always free and open to the public.

An Italian Renaissance Harvest Banquet is held each fall, featuring only Renaissance-era food, jugglers, flute players and more.

Each spring brings the Renaissance Festival, which is the center’s most popular event. Kinney said that as many as 650 people attended the 2014 festival, a record number for the event.

Despite rainy weather, students and community members came out to experience blacksmithing, falconry, basket weaving and theater, musical and dance performances.

“It’s one of those ‘something-for-everyone’ kind of events,” Goodhind said.

Kinney and Goodhind believe that so many UMass students enjoy studying the Renaissance due to the diversity and overwhelming importance of the period.

The Renaissance attracts English majors, comparative literature majors, history majors and foreign language majors, in particular. The Renaissance period is one of the three largest focuses of study in the English department.

“The Renaissance was art, it was history, literature (and) theater,” Goodhind said. “It encompasses everything so there’s something that interests everyone.”

By Shelby Ashline

Flashnotes.com a new form of income for college students

Across the country, college students are getting paid for doing what they normally do on a regular basis: go to class, take notes and study.

Flashnotes.com, a website that was founded in 2010 by Mike Matousek, allows students to buy and sell digital notes, study guides, flash cards and other learning aids.

Matousek, who is also the company’s CEO and president, said he came up with the idea for the site while taking a statistics class at Kent State University, a required class for finance majors like himself.

“I switched majors a couple of times and when I finally settled on finance, I had already taken a statistics class, so I understood statistics,” Matousek said in a phone interview. “For whatever reason there was just a disconnection where the other students couldn’t learn or understand the concepts from the professor’s teaching. So I started creating study guides and I sold (them for $10 each) and I made over $1000.”

Matousek’s personal experience made him consider how he could expand this friendly sharing of knowledge to all college students who struggle to understand the subject matter of their courses.

“My main vision for (Flashnotes) was to give students a voice in how they study and learn,” Matousek said. “We’re not using this for any other reason than to truly make a difference in the number of students that don’t graduate. We believe having focused, course-specific, high-quality content can actually make a difference when students are walking out of class thoroughly confused about what’s going on.”

According to Matousek, three months ago, he and his employees redesigned Flashnotes, making it easier for users to find content and providing sellers with “additional tools to help promote their content.” A significant change was the addition of a “live video component” by which students can directly pose individual questions to other users.

Backed by $11.2 million from two venture firms, Stage 1 Ventures and Cengage Learning, the site is currently run out of Boston by 22 employees. Flashnotes has over 100,000 users from 1,600 colleges and universities across the country, most of whom are buyers.

Oddly enough, what a user pays for a piece of studying material is left up to the seller. Sellers set their own prices for their work based on its quality and educational value.

Although the average is $31 per hour (meaning an hour spent either in class or organizing notes outside of class), student salaries range from $1.99 per hour to $36 per hour depending on the content’s worth in the eyes of the seller.

Sellers receive 70 percent of what buyers pay. The remaining 30 percent goes to the company.

To date, student sellers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have uploaded 323 items to Flashnotes. UMass student Kristen Sarno has sold 63 copies of the 9 items she has made available since she first started selling with Flashnotes on Oct. 28, 2014.

Sarno, an undeclared sophomore from Plainville, said Flashnotes helps her afford the expenses of living off-campus and helps her pay for college while still spending a lot of time learning her class material.

“Flashnotes lets me focus more on my classes than if I were to work 25 hours a week somewhere else,” Sarno said. “My grades have definitely improved since starting it too.”

By selling notes, study guides and flash cards for two of her classes, communications 287 and classics 100, Sarno estimated she has earned $490. She said she usually spends four to five hours preparing a piece of material for the site. One of her study guides is 30 pages long, double-spaced.

“I don’t skimp,” Sarno said. “I want people to do really well. I don’t want them to pay for something and not get a good product.”

However, Sarno said she has received mixed reviews of her work. On the one hand, some of her classmates have thanked her and asked her to put up more study materials, having noticed an improvement in their grades after using them.

“Other people get really upset that they have to pay for it,” Sarno said. “(But) if you didn’t understand the material you’d end up going to a tutor. That would cost way more than using a $10 study guide or $8 flash cards.”

Sarno said she would recommend Flashnotes to both buyers and sellers because of the site’s benefits, convenience and ease of use.

“Making an account is really easy (and) simple to do,” Sarno said. “The Flashnotes people are really nice to work with…They’re really helpful if you have any questions.”

Matousek encourages all students who have a good understanding of their class material to get involved with Flashnotes, both for their own benefit and for their classmates’ benefit.

“We always want to target the best sellers and we really encourage students that do have a great grasp (on their class topics) to join,” Matousek said. “Not only can you make the additional money, but our sellers really do make a difference for other students in their class.” 

By Shelby Ashline

Office of Emergency Management continues preparations for security drills on campus

At least twice each semester, sirens echo across the University of Massachusetts campus. Students hear a monotone voice call out over the speakers and feel their phones buzzing, with text messages and e-mails conveying the same information as the voice –“This is a test of the UMass Amherst Alerts System.”

The Office of Emergency Management conducted this semester’s first test of the UMass Amherst Alerts system last Thursday, Oct. 2, at 11:15 a.m.

Although the test may have seemed routine, Jeff Hescock, director of University Emergency Management and Business Continuity, said improvements made to the system over the summer sped up the delivery of the messages on Thursday.

“(The new system) allows us to be more streamline in the way that we send the message,” Hescock said. “Once you hit ‘send’ you’re sending (the message) to both e-mail and text at the same time versus before we had two different systems…We kind of went from having two red buttons to one red button.”

Hescock assessed last week’s test as being “extremely successful,” and said he and his staff have not run into any problems with the system that need to be addressed.

Before each test, the Office of Emergency Management staff members are positioned around  campus to act as spotters. They give Hescock feedback once the test is over regarding how well they could hear the sirens and the voice.

Hescock explained that even though there are eight strategically placed outdoor warning sirens across campus, depending on the day of the year, time and weather conditions, people might have more difficulty making out the voice’s message. All the same, hearing a warning siren indicates to the 30,000 students and faculty on campus that they should check their phones for emergency emails and texts that will provide them with more information.

“Through the years, (the sirens) have been tested so much, we really feel like we have great coverage on the campus,” Hescock said. Federal law requires that UMass test the UMass Amherst Alert system at least once per semester, according to Hescock, but the Office of Emergency Management chooses to test twice per semester and once during the summer.

Hescock emphasized that part of the purpose of testing the system so frequently is to gauge the sound quality of the sirens and voice so adjustments can be made, if necessary, in addition to combatting any potential problems with delivering the automated e-mails and texts.

“Preparedness is key,” Hescock said. “We’re always practicing before we respond (to) an emergency. We update our procedures, update our plans and update our checklists.”

Hescock and his staff’s preparedness extends beyond just the tests of the alert system. He and the Campus Emergency Operations Center Team, which consists of 18 people from different functional areas across campus, have regular meetings where they perform tabletop exercises, practicing how they would respond to mock scenarios. Additionally, the Office of Emergency Management conducts a full-scale mock exercise each year.

This year, the Office of Emergency Management, in collaboration with UMass Police Department, received a grant from the Department of Homeland Security for $106,500, which will fund an all day, regional exercise sometime during the spring semester. According to Hescock, it is expected to integrate all of the Five Colleges, campus, local and state police forces, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the Campus Emergency Operations Center Team.

However, the UMass Amherst Alert system is not only used during tests or to alert people of danger on campus. During particularly harsh winters, the system is utilized to alert students, faculty and staff when the University closes due to weather conditions.

“We probably used it a half a dozen times for school closures this past year,” Hescock said.

Although the system doesn’t need to be used frequently, Hescock is convinced that when and if an emergency situation does occur, he and the Campus Emergency Operations Center Team will be ready to respond because of their extensive preparation.

“At the end of the day…when (the Campus Emergency Operations Center Team needs) to come together, we do so effectively because we’ve trained, we’ve exercised, we all know each other…We can kind of finish each other’s sentences at some points,” Hescock said. The UMass Amherst system in turn “becomes kind of a well-oiled machine.”

Hescock encourages anyone who has not signed up for text message alerts to do so to further enhance communication of the urgent messages.

By Shelby Ashline

Hampshire College aims to launch 100 Percent Local Food Challenge

Faculty at Hampshire College are intensifying their efforts to improve the campus’ sustainability by launching the 100 Percent Local Food Challenge, whereby their aim is to get nearly all of the campus’ food from within a 150 mile radius.

The effort is part of the college’s Healthy Food Transition, an initiative aimed at “redefining what the college dining experience can be…by changing how food on campus is produced, prepared, served and consumed,” according to a Hampshire College press release.

“I think the goal is really to use our ability as an educational institution to educate students who will be leaders in the future and to allow them to see how food is produced,” said Beth Hooker, Hampshire College’s director of food, farm and sustainability. She also said that faculty hope to “engage (students) in not just the on-campus community but the local community and the regional community in an effort to promote regional resiliency for the future.”

According to a Hampshire College press release, the 100 Percent Local Food Challenge will be supported by a $50,000 grant from the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the production of local, healthy, sustainably produced food throughout New England.

“We chose to support this initiative at Hampshire because colleges are key levers for change in the food system,” Kendall Foundation Executive Director Andrew W. Kendall is quoted as saying in the press release. “They are able to create a meaningful impact on the production and consumption of local food through their purchasing capacity. Longer-term benefits result from the learning and engagement of students, faculty and the broader community.”

Having received the grant in December, Hooker said that the money will fund student agricultural internships as well as collaboration within the Five College system, expanding their efforts to improve sustainability throughout the region.

In addition, Hampshire received a $240,000 grant in February from the Lydia B. Stokes Foundation which supports sustainable agriculture and the development of local food systems. Hooker said the grant will fund agricultural research performed by students and faculty.

Hooker considers Hampshire’s cooperation with the two foundations to be a great opportunity that will help the college reach its goals in agricultural sustainability.

“We’re just really fortunate to have the support of these foundations whose philosophy and goals are aligned with ours and so we’re happy to be partnering with them,” she said.

Thus far, Hampshire’s efforts towards sustainability have been extensive. The 800-acre college is able to offer 200 shares in the vegetables grown on their farmland through the Community Supported Agriculture program. Once students and faculty purchase shares, they are able to pick up a box of vegetables each week at the campus’ CSA barn throughout much of the fall semester.

According to Hooker, about half the shares are sold to students, 30 percent of them are sold to faculty and the remaining 20 percent of the produce is sent to the dining hall. A share can typically feed four to six people.

The vegetable operation, which accounts for 15 acres of the college’s land –not including an additional 50 acres which is leased out to local farmers– is run by CSA Program Manager Nancy Hanson. Livestock and Pasture Manager Shannon Nichols oversees the animals and the 65 acres of pasture and hay. Animals on the campus farm include dairy cows, pigs and chickens.

Hooker explained that the pigs support the dining hall as well as a meat version of the CSA program, while the chickens provide the dining hall and the Bridge Café marketplace with eggs. She and other faculty members are working to come up with a new CSA model specifically for egg shares in time for the fall semester.

In addition, the college also operates its own sugar shack and beehive sanctuary, providing them with maple syrup and honey respectively. An on-campus greenhouse also provides the Bridge Café marketplace with lettuce and spinach to sell throughout the winter.

Although Hooker is optimistic about the 100 Percent Local Food Challenge and its future at Hampshire College, she acknowledges potential roadblocks to its ultimate success that she said need to be addressed, such as an obvious inability to grow crops during winter and discerning how to obtain food not easily grown locally.

In order to find solutions, Hampshire faculty are currently exploring a range of technologies that would aid in expanding the growing season and increasing efficiency, as well as further promoting sustainability.

“We have a grant application in to the National Science Foundation. Part of that would fund movable greenhouses that would use heat-pump technology to heat them in the winter and cool them in the summer,” Hooker said. “We’re also looking at some innovative ways of keeping squashes and root vegetables for longer periods of time after our harvest.”

Furthermore, she added that faculty members are looking to convert one of the college’s gasoline powered tractors into an electric tractor.

Regardless, there are several items that can’t be grown locally that the college must have shipped in, such as coffee and citrus fruits. They also intend to get their fish from within a 500-mile radius, according to a Hampshire College press release.

Aside from promoting regional sustainability, Hooker hopes that the 100 Percent Local Food Challenge will effectively educate Hampshire students about the food system, allowing them to see that local food is delicious and doesn’t have to be overly expensive. She believes the program is “a way that we can help begin to educate the students on what their future choices can be like and how they can be part of changing and transforming the food system.”

by Shelby Ashline

A-10 women’s lax notebook: George Mason continues win streak, SJU and GW fall

The George Mason women’s lacrosse team won its fourth straight game with a 10-9 victory over Coastal Carolina on Monday.

Senior Katie Mascolo led the Patriots with three goals, while junior Kirstin Russell finished with two.

With the score tied at 1-1 early in the first half, George Mason (4-2) followed with two straight goals by Russell.

Following a 2-1 Coastal Carolina (2-4) run over the following seven minutes, the Chanticleers then scored three straight goals to close out the first half to take a 6-4 lead.

After Coastal Carolina opened the second half with another goal, the Patriots then permanently took the lead with six straight scores.

The Chanticleers attempted a comeback behind two goals in the last 10 minutes of the game, but the Patriots held on for the one-point win.

Although Coastal Carolina finished with a slim 11-10 advantage in draw controls, George Mason held the advantage in attempted shots (21-7) and ground balls (16-15).

The Patriots play Presbyterian on Friday to wrap up their road trip before hosting Marist on Monday.

Manhattan tops St. Joe’s

Behind three goals from sophomore Kaitlyn Cunningham, Manhattan picked up its first win of the season with a 13-6 victory over Saint Joseph’s on Saturday.

Following a game-opening score by Hawks’ sophomore Kelly Phelan, the Jaspers responded with three consecutive goals.

St. Joe’s (2-3) scored the next two goals behind senior Val Paolucci and freshman Nora McCallion to tie the game at 3-3 midway through the first half.

Manhattan scored the next six points and extended the lead to 9-4 with eight minutes, 31 seconds left in the second half.

St. Joe’s will next play on Tuesday against Stetson.

George Washington falls to No. 14 Johns Hopkins

No. 14 Johns Hopkins scored the first nine goals of the game en route to a 17-3 blowout victory over George Washington on Saturday.

The loss was the Colonials’ second-straight defeat at the hands of a nationally-ranked team, as they also lost to No. 20 Navy last Wednesday.
Michaela Lynch, Allie Rash and Olivia Boudreau each tallied a goal for the Colonials (3-3), who will host Mount St. Mary’s on Wednesday.


by Lauren McArdle

UMass seniors plan to enjoy last nine weeks

With the end of the semester and school year approaching, graduating seniors at the University of Massachusetts are looking to make the most of their time in the next nine weeks before graduation.

Some seniors have developed personal “graduation bucket lists” full of things they want to accomplish before leaving UMass. They are looking back, reflecting on their college experiences and looking forward to their futures.

Emily Messing, an operations and information management major from Townsend, said that she wants to try to eat at every restaurant on North Pleasant Street, and also try every kind of pizza offered at Antonio’s Pizza.

“I’ve probably tried at least 20 different (kinds of pizza) by now,” Messing said. She added that her task is particularly difficult because Antonio’s Pizza regularly debuts new topping combinations.

In addition, Messing said that she has started hiking mountains on the weekends.

“That’s one of the cool parts about living here, there’s a lot of cool places to go hiking,” Messing said. “I’m trying to just take everything in before I have to leave.”

Messing is currently applying for jobs within her field. She explained that her ideal job would involve working for a large manufacturing company, where her position would entail ordering the parts, keeping track of transportation for the parts as well as the finished products and charting demand for that product.

Some of the companies that she has applied to include the Pratt & Whitney aerospace company and the toy company Hasbro.

Messing said that, if possible, she’d like to continue living in Western Massachusetts. She added that she has mixed feelings about graduating.

“I’m definitely going to miss it here, but I’m also excited to see what’s next,” Messing said.

She advises underclassmen to take advantage of every opportunity that comes along.

“Enjoy every minute … Go to every party you’re invited to and go to every sporting event you can. … Talk to everyone. Join a club you would never think of joining,” she said.
Messing added, “Maximize your time here because when it’s over, you’re not going to have another chance.”

Caroline Eng, an animal science major from Westhampton, N.Y., has similar advice for college students.

“Do whatever you can on campus; involve yourself in everything,” Eng said. “It’ll be great for senior year when you have to write your resume and you’re sitting there going, ‘What did I do in the last four years?’”

“UMass is great (when it comes to clubs and other activities). It’s such a big campus—you honestly have endless possibilities in what you want to do,” she continued.

Though Eng doesn’t have a “graduation bucket list” for the next nine weeks, she said that she just wants to have fun and enjoy the rest of the semester. After graduating, she intends to move back to New York to attend the Animal Behavior College in hopes of becoming a dog trainer.

Eng explained that the one-year program at ABC will involve six months studying at home followed by six months shadowing a trainer and getting hands-on experience.

After students have completed the program, ABC sometimes places them into jobs. Eng said that she is willing to move anywhere to get a job in the field, but she’d especially like to live somewhere on the west coast.

John-Mark Unsworth, a psychology major from Hamilton, feels similar to Messing in regards to graduating. He said that he isn’t nervous, but rather, “excited, with a little bit of apprehension.”

“I feel like it’s a transition state, so there’s … new experiences to be had, new opportunities to have,” Unsworth said.

Before graduating, Unsworth would like to go zip-lining over the Berkshire Mountains.

“I learned about that, like, a year and a half ago, and I was like, ‘You know what, I really want to do that!’” he exclaimed, snapping his fingers.

After graduating, Unsworth plans to spend the fall studying for the Medical College Admission Test, which he hopes to take before next summer so that he can apply to medical school. Although he is unsure what school he will attend, he aspires to be a surgeon.

Unsworth said that he has “boatloads” of suggestions for college students.

“I think probably the most important thing that I could say (to underclassmen) would be go to see your professor during office hours … at least twice,” he said. “When you go see them during office hours … you get to meet your professor for who they really are and actually get to know them … I think that building up a strong relationship with your professors is one of the most important things you can do.”

By Shelby Ashline

UMass plans to open Springfield satellite campus

The University of Massachusetts is currently exploring the possibility of opening a satellite center in downtown Springfield, which could be open as soon as the fall of 2014.

The satellite would be used as a way to supplement the UMass experience, said Ann Scales, director of communications at UMass, in a phone interview.

“Many residents [of Springfield] wanted the opportunity to attend classes that were offered by UMass and to get a UMass degree,” Scales said. “[But] Amherst is the closest campus and there’s no [mode of transportation that would] get you there quickly.”

According to an Aug. 6 UMass press release, “the UMass system has more than 75 staffed locations across the Commonwealth that house academic and training and research programs … in addition to the system’s five main campuses.”

UMass-Amherst faculty and staff are involved in over 120 programs from various fields of study in Springfield. They also conduct research, teach and work in administrative capacities in the area.
Springfield, however, was identified in a study conducted by the UMass Donahue Institute as an area with “unmet need.”

The study, conducted at the request of UMass President Robert L. Caret, “identified Springfield as a prime site for a satellite center in part because UMass-Amherst … already has a significant presence there,” according to the press release. Because of its prominence in Springfield, UMass-Amherst would take the lead in overseeing the satellite center.

“One possibility is that [UMass-Amherst] would offer the ‘lion’s share’ … of the programs … and [would provide] lots of administrative support,” Scales said.

However, classes could potentially be provided by several, if not all five, of the UMass campuses, the press release said. Scales further explained that the University hopes to involve other community colleges and institutions in the Springfield area as well.

“UMass-Amherst will be intimately involved in helping run the satellite center and it will be offering particular degrees, programs [and] classes there … [But] I think that the goal and the hope is that we would work with other colleges in the area who may also be part of offering various classes,” Scales said.

The satellite would likely offer onsite classes as well as classes through UMassOnline, according to the press release. The center may offer two-year associate’s degrees that could lead to bachelor degrees.

At this stage in planning, however, there is still much that is not known about the satellite center, including its probable location.

In the initial request for proposed locations for the satellite issued in early August, UMass said it was looking for “25,000 square feet of space suitable for classrooms, faculty offices and other uses, with the option of doubling the amount of space at a later date,” according to the press release.

Though proposals were due Sept. 3, it is not yet clear where the proposed locations for the satellite are or which locations are the most promising.

“There’s a committee that’s been set up to review the proposals,” Scales said. “They’re working with UMass Building Authorities and a realtor with knowledge of Springfield to figure out … if any of the [potential] places are suitable.”

It is also not clear yet where the funds to create and operate the satellite center will come from, or whether new staff will be hired to operate the facility or pulled from other campuses and locations in the UMass system. These are some of many aspects of the satellite center that, according to Scales, are still under consideration.

“We’re sort of taking it one step at a time … We have to find out whether or not we have a suitable location,” Scales said. She added, “We’re [also] looking at what programs we might potentially offer there and what staffing might be available or what … staffing might be required.”

Although there is still much to figure out, UMass and Springfield officials have been talking about creating a satellite for nearly two years, following Caret’s statewide bus tour in October 2011. Caret found that “business and civic groups in various regions across the state that are somewhat distant from UMass campuses expressed interest in seeing UMass expand its presence.”

“We very much want to open a satellite center in Springfield because an essential aspect of our mission of service to the Commonwealth is working to build better lives and futures for people and communities, which is what this would represent,” Caret said in the release.

Henry M. Thomas III, chairman of the UMass Board of Trustees and a Springfield resident and civic leader, also said that the project “would enhance the University’s ability to apply its many strengths in ways that help spark the revitalization of this region. It would be a win-win for the University and for the city.”

By Shelby Ashline

Monkey Bar regains liquor license

The Monkey Bar and Grill, a local restaurant and bar located on North Pleasant Street, regained its liquor license on Oct. 1 after a month-long suspension.

The suspension was the result of a “license violation,” according to general manager Rasif Rafiq, who declined to say more on the violation.

During the 30-day suspension, which was effective throughout the whole month of September, the location did not close. Instead, business focused around Bistro 63, the restaurant portion of the establishment.

“Most … places usually close when they lose their liquor license,” said Rafiq, who has worked at The Monkey Bar for five years in various positions. “We did not close because we have a restaurant, a very successful restaurant, and that is the basis of this business.

“While the month of September was difficult for us, (because) we didn’t have the club nights … we did stay open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, serving dinner to our loyal customers,” Rafiq continued. “We had a lot of support during this time.”

Rafiq also said that it’s not an uncommon occurrence for a bar to temporarily lose its liquor license, especially being in a college town.

The Monkey Bar has had four “prior incidents” since its opening in October 1999, according to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. Records indicate the bar has previously experienced liquor license suspensions, each for varying periods of time.

Prior to the most recent incident, the last suspension on record that was issued by the Commission began Oct. 5, 2011, and lasted for 12 days. This occurred after two 20-year-old women gained access to the bar using fake identification on April 7, 2011.

Another suspension, which began April 20, 2011, held for nine days and was the result of a similar incident on Dec. 3, 2010, when three 20-year-old women gained access to the bar using fake IDs.

According to Rafiq, The Monkey Bar has been implementing changes that will improve its security during club nights, which begin after 10 p.m.

According to Rafiq, there is a new ID detection machine which has the ability to detect fake IDs. New infrared camera systems have also been installed.

“We’ve really invested in equipment,” Rafiq said. “We try to have eyes and ears everywhere.”

Rafiq has also employed “double the amount of security,” which equates to seven or eight people watching the numerous entrances.

“Usually we’d have a bouncer checking IDs, (but) now myself or the owner (Mauro Aniello) … are at the door every single night,” he said.

On Oct. 1, when the bar was reopened, The Monkey Bar employed a “Booze for Boobs” theme as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The bar donated a portion of its revenue from the night to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The bar is planning another themed night, called the First Annual Midnight Masquerade, for the evening of Nov. 7. Customers will receive masks at the door to wear until midnight.

The Monkey Bar and Grill also “really (tries) to engage the (University of Massachusetts) community,” Rafiq said. The bar uses student promoters to spread the word about upcoming club events and sponsors some of the UMass sports teams. The bar also accepts UCard Debit.

Rafiq estimates that approximately 80 percent of The Monkey Bar’s total business is made up of UMass students and faculty.

UMass students and faculty also occasionally hold private events at The Monkey Bar, where a 131-inch screen television is available for use in presentations, according to the business’s website. A large banquet room is also used for a variety of events, including small weddings and birthday and holiday parties.

Rafiq hopes that the business will continue to grow now that both the bar and restaurant portions are operating again.

“We’re going to be bigger than ever, not only in terms of the restaurant, but in terms of the club as well,” he said. “In the future … I would like (The Monkey Bar) to be open until 1 a.m. seven nights a week.”

By Shelby Ashline

Blue Wall to undergo renovations

Students who frequent the Blue Wall for meals will soon be forced to find alternatives as the University of Massachusetts plans to undergo renovations of the dining area after the end of this semester.

The transformation, which is expected to be completed by Aug. 15, 2014, will include a redesign that is hoped to provide better, more efficient service to its customers and become a more inviting space, according to UMass Director of Retail Dining Services David Eichstaedt.

Though the new design of the Blue Wall has not yet been finalized, Eichstaedt said it is likely that self-sufficient stations will be set up around the perimeter.

“We’re changing our way of thinking (regarding) the quality of the food and the preparation,” Eichstaedt said, “and this new design will allow us to do that.”

There is expected to be a larger variety of seating after the renovations with increased space for dining. In fact, according to Eichstaedt, the plan is to increase seating enough so that it will be feasible to close the Hatch, consolidating the Hatch, Blue Wall and the Marketplace into one organization.

Designers will be creating a “more open, free-flowing space” by removing the concrete walls in Blue Wall, according to Eichstaedt. The layout will also allow for traffic to flow quicker, according to Ken Toong, executive director of Auxiliary Enterprises.

The opening of the new academic building next to the Campus Center was “a big contributing factor” in deciding to renovate the Blue Wall, Eichstaedt said.

“We knew that we had to increase the seating and increase the number of food service venues to get people through fast enough,” he said. “We’re over capacity now, and when that new classroom building opens, it’s going to be even worse.”

Eichstaedt and Toong estimate that the renovations could cost anywhere from $14 to $19 million. Some of the funding would come from “state bonding through UMass Building Authorities,” Eichstaedt said. The rest of the money would be taken from what the university has reserved, according to Toong.

Bruner/Cott Architects and Planners, which is based in Cambridge, has been put in charge of designing the layout for the new Blue Wall, while Lee Kennedy Co. Inc. out of Quincy will head the actual construction.

During the renovation, accommodations will be made for Blue Wall and Market customers.

“We’re going to set up temporary feeding stations throughout the Student Union and Campus Center to help support the displaced customers,” Eichstaedt said. “We’re going to use the Student Union Ballroom as overflow seating for lunch Monday through Friday.”

There are also plans to have two food trucks parked as close as possible to the Campus Center to compensate for the loss of the Blue Wall, and the Hatch will have extended hours. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

When the Blue Wall reopens, it will be “more sustainable,” Eichstaedt said.  The compostable paper products such as plates and cups that are currently in use will be replaced by china plates and cups for the students that intend to stay at the dining area to eat.

Toong suspects that the Blue Wall will be so busy after its reopening that it will offer more jobs for the students as well.

The rest of the Campus Center will also experience changes. According to Eichstaedt, the Reading Room, which currently hosts meetings, is going to become “a quick-serve market,” similar to a Grab-N-Go.

After renovations of the Blue Wall have been completed, Worcester Dining Commons will be the next dining area to undergo renovations, followed by Franklin Dining Commons.  Renovations of Worcester and Franklin will likely occur in 2016 and 2018, respectively.

Toong’s goal for the restorations is to bring the next generation of retail dining to campus. He hopes to make the Blue Wall “the best retail location in the nation.”

By Shelby Ashline

UMass holds 'Amazing Race' competition

Cheers of encouragement rang out from spectators as dozens of students and faculty of the University of Massachusetts ran frantically around the Durfee Garden, waving flashlights in search of a plastic cup.

This semester’s Amazing Race, which is similar to a scavenger hunt, had 19 teams participating in 10 challenges across campus which would test them both mentally and physically.The pressure was on for each team of no more than three people to find the one cup that had their team’s number written on it. Only then could they receive their first clue and embark on the fifth biannual Amazing Race competition, which was held Friday evening.

Oscar Collins, associate director of Academic Support at the Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success, explained that the Amazing Race was originally planned in the fall of 2011 to create a fun activity that students would want to participate in.

The event also allows students to work with the UMass Police Department, which is in charge of coming up with all of the challenges. Police officers as well as UMass staff members man each of the stations where competitors complete their challenges and receive their next clue.

“For CMASS, our goal is really to work with a campus partner that students don’t always have a positive experience with,” said Collins.

“The other goal is really to have students see as many different parts of campus as possible, especially places they might not be aware of or have not frequently visited,” Collins added.

Team check-in and registration began at Wilder Hall at 7:00 p.m. At 7:30 p.m. the teams gathered outside of the building on Stockbridge Road to listen to UMPD Lieutenant Tom O’Donnell explain the rules of the race.

O’Donnell began by saying that running was not allowed during the competition. Skateboards, bicycles and cars were also prohibited. However smartphones could be used to help competitors solve riddles.

Teams were expected to use crosswalks when crossing streets and were asked to be respectful of others. Sabotaging other teams’ success in any manner was forbidden as well.

After each team had found the cup with their team’s number on it in the Durfee Garden, they received the first clue: a map of the counties in Massachusetts with question marks over Hampshire County, followed by a photograph of fruits and vegetables.

The teams set off to Hampshire Dining Commons, where each group had to carve a pumpkin that they would carry throughout the remainder of the race.

After two hours of traveling back and forth across campus and completing various challenges, the first teams began to return to Wilder Hall. At 10:45 p.m. the official winners were announced.

The winning team had named themselves “Pink Fluffy Unicorns.” In second place were “The Spookys” and “Team IDX” came in third.

Members of the winning team received $50 gift certificates to local businesses, second place team members received $40 gift certificates and third place team members received $25 gift certificates.

All competitors also got to enjoy pizza and wings together upon returning to Wilder Hall.

After coming in first place, “Pink Fluffy Unicorns” freshman team member Justin Chow said he felt both “exhausted” and “ecstatic.”

“I feel proud of my team. It’s such a team effort,” he said.

All of the teams seemed to have different opinions regarding which physical and mental challenges were the most difficult, though the majority agreed that they would want to compete again next semester.

“The letter scramble at the library took us a long time,” said Chow. Freshman teammate Weiixen Fam found sprinting at the Mullins Center to be the most physically demanding challenge.

In the future, Collins said he would love to see more participants.

“I think it would be fun to have more staff teams,” Collins continued. “The staff members who have come out in the past…they’re coming out just to connect with students [and] you get to see them in a different sense.”

The only faculty team that competed this semester named themselves “Cool Chicks Play Hard” or “CCPH,” which also stands for the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health, where the team members all work.

“CCPH” team member Linda Scott called the Amazing Race “a wonderful event for stress management.”

“I think it’s a really great opportunity for all of the different parts of UMass to interact,” Scott said. “We tell [students that there are] a lot of great things to do on campus, and we have to go out and show them that it’s true.”

By Shelby Ashline

Amherst institutes parking ban

An overnight parking ban will be in effect throughout Amherst from Dec. 1, 2013 to April 1, 2014, according to Amherst Chief of Police Scott P. Livingstone.

The parking ban, which will be in effect from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. every day will make it easier for the Department of Public Works to keep the roads clear of snow, according to Captain Chris Pronovost of the Amherst Police Department.

Pronovost explained that different cities use a multitude of tactics to keep the roads clear for plows.

“We find (the parking ban) to be the most efficient way of doing that in (Amherst),” he said.

The ban will be in effect throughout downtown Amherst as well as on the outlying streets in the town’s more rural sections.

Residents who normally park their vehicles on the street outside their homes are not exempt from the rule. There aren’t any special accommodations for handicapped people either.

According to a Nov. 12 press release, overnight parking will be allowed in the lower level of the Boltwood Parking Garage, although it is necessary to pay the meter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. six days a week.

People can also park in the Pray Street Lot, where meters are enforced from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, according to the press release.

The Amherst Police Department will issue a warning for a first offense.  A second offense will result in a $25 ticket.  After a third offense, the vehicle will be towed, at which time the owner will have to pay upwards of $100 to retrieve the vehicle, as well as another $25 fine.

If a person receives their third offense, the vehicle will be towed no matter what the weather is, the press release stated.

In the case of a snowstorm, the warning provisions will not be followed.

“If the DPW sees that there are cars, they’ll call us to get them out of there first before they attempt to plow,” Pronovost said. “(Otherwise) they have to … change their whole pattern of where they’re plowing or they have to make a large swoop around (the vehicle) and it just makes a mess.”

The parking ban is nothing new to longtime Amherst residents. Pronovost estimated that the ban was originally instituted in the 1960s or ‘70s.

The parking ban was voted in as a town bylaw long ago. Today the Amherst select board can vote on and make revisions to the law, and the Amherst Police Department enforces it.

Pronovost said the police have had fewer and fewer problems with violators of the parking ban in recent years.

“We’ve actually seen a decline in the number of actual fines issued and vehicles towed,” he said. “I think that decrease is probably because we’re doing a better job getting the word out (about the ban).”

The last week of November, police officers start putting warning tags on vehicles to alert owners to the parking ban before it begins so that they can make arrangements to park elsewhere.

Residents of Amherst can also view announcements made by the Amherst Police Department online. Information about the parking ban can be found at www.amherstma.gov, as well as on its Facebook page.

For students living off campus, Pronovost suggests they try to work with their landlords to come up with alternative places to park.

If that proves unsuccessful, “then unfortunately (students) have to try to work into their schedule moving the car to the lower level (of the parking garage) or to the Pray Street lot, and then getting back there in the morning to move it back out,” Pronovost said. “I know that can be really difficult.”

“I’ve heard of people trying to locate parking places from other private places but that’s difficult too because it’s at a premium around here,” he continued.

Pronovost believes residents and students can successfully avoid violations of the parking ban if they develop a plan where they routinely move their vehicles.

“Say you move (your vehicle) at eight o’clock at night,” he said. “You’re probably going to find a space in the lower level (of the parking garage) and you can still catch a bus back to wherever you’re trying to get to because the buses are running. … Then in the morning before you head to your class you have to make a detour and go move your car. It’s a pain, but it’s doable.”

Pronovost is hopeful the Amherst Police Department will not have many problems with violators this year due to raised awareness of the parking ban and is “hoping that people will find a good alternative.”

By Shelby Ashline

PVTA holds 'Stuff the Bus' campaign

The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority’s annual “Stuff the Bus” food drive began this year on Nov. 18 and will continue through Monday. All PTVA buses contain donation bins for non-perishable food items, which will be given to help “food insecure community members,” according to a press release.

The food drive was originally planned four years ago because the PVTA wanted “to do something to serve the community,” said PVTA Administrator Mary MacInnes.All food collected on buses operating out of the PVTA’s garage at the University of Massachusetts will be donated to the Amherst Survival Center. Food collected on buses from the Northampton and Springfield garages will be donated to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

“The other part of it too is many of our riders are low-income themselves, so it’s conceivable that our own riders will benefit from this program,” she added.

Last year the PVTA collected around 2,000 pounds of food during the campaign and MacInnes hopes to top that number this year.

“[The campaign has] been very successful in the past,” said MacInnes. “And [the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts] where we deliver the goods for the southern area and the Amherst Survival Center up north are always very appreciative of the donation.”

The area within which the PVTA operates includes 44 bus routes within 24 communities.  This includes anywhere between Sunderland in the north and the Connecticut border in the south, as well as between Westfield in the west and Ware in the east. Food donations come from within these 24 communities.

Donations are also accepted at the PVTA terminals in Springfield and Holyoke, as well as at the customer service office and the administration office, both located in Springfield.

According to MacInnes, the PVTA has conducted other drives in the past aside from the “Stuff the Bus” campaign, such as a winter coat drive, though they are not necessarily held annually.

“We also work with the United Way at the beginning of the school year for donating school supplies,” she added.

MacInnes said the PVTA will definitely continue to hold the “Stuff the Bus” campaign in future years.

By Shelby Ashline

Proposed off-campus student housing development sparks controversy

Concerned about the effects of developing a new housing complex in the woodlands of Amherst, an organization called “Save Historic Cushman” has brought together community members in opposition of the potential construction.

Landmark Properties, working out of Athens, Ga., is considering buying 146.6 acres of woodlands in Cushman, on which they would construct multi-bedroom cottages primarily geared toward students. A total of 175 units were proposed, which could house approximately 641 residents, according to the Amherst town website.

According to Jack Hirsch, president of “Save Historic Cushman,” safety is a primary concern.  Hirsch said that Landmark Properties asked the town to modify the roads that would be constructed throughout Cushman as a result of the development.

“All of those modifications basically make the roads less safe,” said Hirsch, adding that the roads would potentially have “narrower turning radiuses” and “steeper grades than the town allows” in order to save money during construction.

The organization is also concerned about the population of spotted salamanders, which are native to Massachusetts. They worry that Landmark Properties will use harmful pesticides on the lawns of the cottages, or that the salamanders will be harmed during the construction itself.

Members of the organization also appreciate the traditional building patterns of the old mill town and its preserved historical aspects, and fear that the entire atmosphere of rural Cushman could be changed as a result of the development. The project would more than double the area’s population.

Residents of Cushman also fear their property values could decrease as a result of the development. However, not all of the 200 members of “Save Historic Cushman” actually live in the village; concern is felt by “citizens from other parts of Amherst and further afield” as well, according to the organization’s website.

Hirsch feels the ideal outcome would be to have the land put in a conservation trust and for construction to be avoided.

However, Landmark Properties is interested in developing in Cushman to accommodate student needs.

“The Town of Amherst has a shortage of rental housing,” said Jason Doornbos, senior vice president of development at Landmark Properties in an email.

“There has been very little new housing built over the past several decades to keep up with demand in Amherst,” Doornbos continued. “Our product type fits within the current zoning of the Town, is open to any member of the community who qualifies and allows us to offer a variety of features that address concerns we have heard from the community, such as property management and maintenance.”

The process by which Landmark Properties would receive approval for their construction is lengthy.

First, Landmark Properties submitted a Preliminary Subdivision Plan application to the Amherst Planning Department on Oct. 28. The application outlined the proposed layout of roadways and lots on the Cushman property.

According to the Amherst website, they proposed to divide the acreage up into a roadway and 136 lots, 123 of which would be developed as house lots.

The Planning Board is holding a public hearing on the Preliminary Subdivision Plan for Landmark Properties’ development, which they call ‘The Retreat,’ on Dec. 4, according to the Amherst website. Amherst residents are welcome to voice their opinions at the hearing.

The Planning Board then must file its decision, along with any recommendations for improvement of the plan, with the town clerk by Dec. 13.

The Conservation Committee will also be involved. Landmark Properties must file a Notice of Intent, showing where all of the elements of the project are located in relation to streams, wetlands and other bodies of water.

The Conservation Committee will issue an Order of Conditions explaining exactly what steps the developers must take to minimize impact on the environment.

Then, Landmark Properties will be asked to formulate a Definitive Subdivision Plan, which is expected to incorporate the recommendations made by the Planning Board. It will be necessary for the company to conduct extensive study of the environment in order to determine where construction is feasible and how the property might need to be changed to support the development.

In addition, the company must file a Site Plan Review Cluster (SPR-C) application with the Planning Board. This plan would be more detailed, outlining the specific locations of buildings as well as any proposed planting, paving, drainage, etc.  Both plans must be approved, and public hearings will be held throughout the process.

Finally, Landmark Properties must file a Building Permit application with the Amherst Building Commissioner. Because construction can only be started after the company has worked its way through this complex system of regulations, is it difficult to say how long it will be before construction can commence, if at all.

By Shelby Ashline