By: Eleanor Hildebrandt

The AHANA Leadership Committee (ALC) is putting on its first-ever themed ball to be held at the Westin Copley Hotel in downtown Boston on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. the next morning. The ALC Ball is the second of the committee’s two major programming events of the school year, following the fall’s ALC Boat Cruise, and is both larger and more formal than the cruise. The theme of the ball this spring is “Masquerade,” and the planning committee intends to hand out masks at the event-as well as unveil a larger surprise.

By: Eleanor Hildebrandt

Senator John Kerry, BC Law ’76, was confirmed Tuesday as the next United States Secretary of State. Kerry will take over from current Secretary Hillary Clinton as she leaves the position following the conclusion of President Barack Obama’s first term.

By: David Cote

In light of the recent death of ex-IRA member Dolours Price, Boston College recently filed a motion in the United States First Circuit Court of Appeals arguing that the legal case surrounding the Belfast Project subpoenas should be closed.

By: David Cote

Biology professor Marc-Jan Gubbels was recently awarded a four-year, $720,000 grant from the American Cancer Society (ACS)-but his research isn’t on cancer.
Gubbels and his team are investigating Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that has already infected 20 percent of Americans.

By: Eleanor Hildebrandt

Around 4 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 26, sprinkler heads on the fourth floor of Boston College’s Yawkey Athletics Center burst, leading to significant flooding in the building. According to Boston College Director of Facilities Michael Jednak, the burst was due to pipes frozen as a result of the recent spell of cold weather.

By: Eleanor Hildebrandt

The Office of Residential Life at Boston College is in the process of filling several key administrative positions. Catherine-Mary Rivera, former director of the Pathways program, was recently promoted to associate director for education, a spot that had been vacant since current Director of Residential Life George Arey left the position in October 2010.

By: Eleanor Hildebrandt

The office of Lambda, Boston College Law School’s GLBTQ coalition, was vandalized over the three-day MLK weekend. Words and phrases including “gay bukkake,” “gangbang,” “frig,” “MILF,” and “bean flicker” were written in capital letters on the wall of the office, which was left unlocked over the weekend.