By: David Cote

Since August, residents in Hardey-Cushing have experienced a new type of interaction with their Resident Assistants (RAs) as part of the Pathways Initiative. Developed by the Office of Residential Life, the program aims to foster community growth and development in smaller resident communities.

By: David Cote

Junior Senator Scott Brown (R-Mass.) has come under fire from college students at both of his alma maters regarding his recent comments on federal student aid.

Earlier in 2011, Brown voted with his party in support of the Republican budget plan. Among numerous other proposals, the plan would have cut average Pell Grant funding to college students by $700.

However, on multiple occasions, Brown has commented on his struggles in paying for college and the opportunities afforded him by federal aid when he attended two private institutions: Tufts for his undergraduate degree, and Boston College Law School.

By: David Cote

Although the Boston College football team has struggled with a 1-4 record this season, the gameday experience remains an integral part of many students’ typical fall weekend. The traditions and celebrations associated with gameday continue to fill the stands of Alumni Stadium with hundreds of Superfans each Saturday afternoon.

By: David Cote

Though hundreds of Boston College students walk down College Road every day, far fewer of them examine the cozy, homely buildings which line it. Manresa House, at 58 College Road, for example, is as unassuming as the buildings which surround it. A smallish, three-story, brick home, with a short set of steps and a welcoming doorway.

By: David Cote

Troy Davis was executed at 11:08 p.m. last night by lethal injection. The execution of Davis, who was accused of killing an off duty policeman in Georgia in 1989, was delayed for four hours last night by the United States Supreme Court. The execution could have been postponed for up to one week.

The family of MacPhail were present in the front row of the execution.

By: David Cote

The execution sentence of Troy Davis, who was accused of killing an off duty policeman in Georgia in 1989, was delayed last night by the United States Supreme Court. The execution will be postponed for at least one week.

Davis was scheduled for execution at 7 p.m. Wednesday night, but the Supreme Court granted a temporary reprieve after considering arguments by Davis’ legal team and the state of Georgia.

Davis was indicted for the murder of Georgia policeman Mark MacPhail on November 15, 1989. In April 1990, Davis pleaded not guilty. In a hearing in November 1990, the judge excluded evidence from the case, stating that Davis’ mother did “not freely and voluntarily grant the police the right to search her home” to look for the evidence.

In August of 1991, the district attorney serving the state of Georgia sought the death penatly for Davis’ case. After ensuing arguments, a jury composed of 7 blacks and 5 whites found Davis guilty of murder in under two hours. On August 30, 1991, Davis was sentenced to death.

By: David Cote

As the new school year kicks off, the College Democrats of Boston College (CDBC) and the Boston College Republicans (BCR) are beginning a new semester of recruitment and events.

By: David Cote

It would be difficult to find a person more drive by questions than Chris Sheridan, A&S ’12. The recent recipient of the Barry M. Goldwater scholarship, awarded annually to students for outstanding excellence in science, has been following questions for as long as he can remember.

By: David Cote

The communication department has announced that beginning in the fall of 2012, a number of advertising and public relations classes will be offered as general university courses. This change follows the movement of journalism classes out of the communication department beginning in fall 2011.

By: David Cote

I think Osama bin Laden’s death matters. It seems obvious, doesn’t it? How could it not?

But just days after his death, news agencies, political analysts, terrorist experts and all number of well qualified people have said it might not matter as much as we, as Americans, all want it to. They say that bin Laden had lost his central role as leader of al-Qaida. They say his money will move on without him. They say that there are any number of people to take his place, and he was already struggling with health problems due to an enlarged heart anyway. All of these things might be true, but there are still reasons to disagree with the experts.

For 10 years, the United States has been fighting in Afghanistan. Unlike previous wars, this war doesn’t have a very tangible enemy. There aren’t Nazis, Vietcong, or North Koreans. There is al-Qaida, yes, but when Hitler died in World War II, it essentially ended the war in Europe. Bin Laden’s death won’t win us the War in Afghanistan. In fact, we could probably remain in Afghanistan another 20 years without “winning” the war. So why are we there?