The late Hugh Hefner founded Playboy Magazine in 1953. (Jae C. Hong/AP) Jack Healey Connector Contributor Everybody knew of him as the misogynist, male chauvinist pig who took advantage of women to grow his millions. You’ve seen him plastered on billboards in his red velvet robe with women less than half his age wrapped around…
Student expectations of university dining are unreasonably high
Andrew Sciascia Connector Editor For years it has been said, by employers, alumni, faculty, staff and the student body alike, that one thing that truly sets UMass Lowell apart from other world-class centers of higher education is the unentitled attitude of its students. The Open Forum on Campus Dining this past week was, however, an…
Tax Reform should help the needy, not the greedy
The proposed tax brackets for 2017. (Courtesy of kitces.com) Alex DePalma Connector Contributor For the past 50 years, America has been suffering from an increase in economic inequality; the wealthiest individuals are accumulating a greater share of the national income and capital assets than at any time since the 1920s. The median wage has not…
Discussions, donations and hard conversations: How many more until we solve gun control?
After the Las Vegas shooting, many are questioning gun control laws and are advocating for change. (Courtesy of iStock) Alex DePalma Connector Contributor I am only 25 years old, but I am already too familiar with the cycle of discussion after a mass shooting. The initial confusion and absence of answers opens a vacuum for…
What it means to be a River Hawk
For the 2017-18 academic year, university administrators have begun to focus in on what it means to be a River Hawk. (Courtesy of UMass Lowell) Kelly Skelton Connector Contributor Ah, the almighty question: What does it mean to be a Riverhawk? This is a question that every UMass Lowell student can answer. Though, I’m sure…
How hockey saved me
Managing Editor Hannah Manning credits hockey for helping her get through hard times. (Hannah Manning/Connector) Hannah Manning Connector Editor On New Year’s Eve 2014, I would have traded my college education just to see the United States beat Canada. In hindsight, judging by the state of mania I was in I’d say I came pretty…
Outlook on the abnormal weather around the country
Eleazar Saints Connector Contributor This year has been extreme with varying weather patterns across the country. Depending on where you were, the weather has been either good or bad. Here in New England, mother nature spared us in terms of an overall bad winter. Two years’ prior multiple snowstorms buried Massachusetts over seven feet. California,…
The beginning of the end: My first week of senior year
Alison Marc-Aurele Connector Staff As I walked through campus on the first day of my senior year, I caught myself thinking back to my first day as a senior in high school. I remember walking into the building like I was royalty and feeling absolutely invincible. In college, however, there is no ‘king of the…