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April 7, 2025

Lynch Students Confront Dept. of Education Dissolution By Mei Dasgupta Editorial Assistant By Lucy Freeman Projects Editor

At Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development (LSEHD) students sit in classrooms

and learn the skills needed to someday lead classrooms of their own. In Washington D.C., top-down budget cuts and changes are quickly changing what the road ahead looks like for these teachers-to-be. “There's a prevailing narrative that education is just standing at a

chalkboard and conveying basic skills to kids,” said Maia Hahn-Du Pont, LSEHD ’26. “As education majors, we know that it's so much more than that, and the [Department of Education] being dismantled is just going to perpetuate inequities that are already present in our society.”

On March 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education (DE). If the plan is passed by an act of Congress, programs for special education, civil rights, and federal funding for low-income students and loan forgiveness all stand

to be impacted. As LSEHD students prepare for careers in education, they are now also preparing for how these changes could affect their careers and the students they aim to serve.

See Teachers, A2

Cost of Attendance Soars Past $90,000 By Nikita Osadchiy Asst. News Editor

Boston College raised its annual cost of attendance to $91,792 for the 2025–26 academic year—a 3.57 percent increase from the current academic year. The increase is the smallest in the past three years, but it is still the third-largest hike in the last decade. The University’s cost of attendance includes tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board. BC has not yet released updated indirect cost estimates for 2025–26, which factors in costs such as books, travel, and personal expenses. Undergraduate tuition for 2025–26 will be $72,180—a 4 percent increase from the current academic year. “The Board of Trustees has set undergraduate tuition for the 2025– 26 academic year at $72,180, as part of a 3.5 percent increase in tuition,

fees, room, and board, bringing the overall annual cost of attendance at Boston College to $91,792,” the University announced in a press release. To help offset the rising cost, BC will increase its total financial aid awards. The Board of Trustees approved a 7.5 percent increase in need-based undergraduate aid—an additional $13 million—bringing the total to $190 million, according

Cost of Attendance 2015-25 to the release. “Boston College meets 100 percent of demonstrated need for all domestic students, and the average

need-based financial aid package is projected to exceed $60,000 in 2025–26,” the release reads. Over 67 percent of undergraduates receive financial aid, according to the release. The University’s financial aid packages typically cover the gap between demonstrated need and the cost of attendance through a combination of grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study opportunities. Boston College ranked No. 52 in the U.S. News & World Rport 2025 “Best Value Schools” list. BC’s directly billed cost of attendance is slightly higher than that of other Boston-area schools . While it falls below Wellesley ($92,440), it surpasses the estimated preliminary costs for Tufts ($87,916), Boston University ($91,342), and Harvard ($86,926). Northeastern and MIT have not yet released their 2025–26 figures. n

SARAH FLEMING / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Women's Lacrosse Suffers Surprising Loss in Chapel Hill By Caroline Kowalski Heights Staff

No. 1 Boston College lacrosse’s quest for an undefeated season came to a crushing end in Chapel Hill on Saturday. The Eagles scored the first four goals of the afternoon, but a backand-forth game ended in favor of No. 2 North Carolina, as the Tar Heels beat BC 12–11, thanks to three fourth-quarter goals that all

came in a four-minute span. In a game that featured seven ties and five lead changes, the Tar Heels (12–0, 7–0 Atlantic Coast) capitalized on BC’s (13–1, 6–1) three fourth-quarter penalties to maintain their own perfect record while destroying the Eagles’. From the opening draw, the matchup lived up to its billing as one of the conference’s top rivalries.

See Lax Loss, A12

“Hands Off ” Protest Hits Newton Centre By Riley Del Sesto Asst. Newton Editor

Kids ran around chanting , “Donald Trump is a human dump,” while parents held signs proclaiming, “Elect a clown, expect a circus.” Cars passing through the protest—even Teslas—beeped emphatically, expressing support for the many protesters. “I think that instead of building bridges of peace across the planet, Trump is doing just the opposite,” Newton resident Laura Lester said. On Saturday afternoon, Newton residents stood out at the intersection of Beacon and Centre Street in Newton Centre as part of nationwide “Hands Off ” demonstrations. “Hands Off ” is a national protest intended to bring “everyday people together to call on President Donald Trump and Elon Musk to take their hands off the

programs the middle class and working families rely on,” national organizers told CBS News. Hundreds of other “Hands Off ” protests took place across the country Saturday, including one in Boston Common that garnered thousands of demonstrators. Needham resident Dan Schwartz held a “Stop the Steal” sign high, standing on the tip of the curb. His reason for attending was simple: “Disgust with the direction of the country and the person who is in charge of it.” Trump supporters who falsely claimed the 2020 presidential election was rigged against Trump used the phrase “Stop the Steal" to protest Joe Biden’s victory. Now, Democrats like Schwartz have reclaimed the phrase to reprimand Trump’s tax cuts for billionaires.

See Protest, A4

CATHERINE LI / HEIGHTS STAFF

'Bonnie and Clyde' Musical Kills Riley Del Sesto Asst. Newton Editor

Bonnie and Clyde took Robsham Theater hostage April 3 to April 5, immersing Boston College in a twisted version of the American Dream. The smell of fresh lumber and

the live band’s haunting rockabilly and bluesy tunes transported attendees to rural Texas. Bonnie and Clyde is based on a true story, portraying the tale of a reckless love affair during the Great Depression. After Bonnie Parker falls in love with criminal Clyde Barrow,

Arts

Three times a day, meal planbound students ask the same questions: "Where should I eat?" Staff Writer Katherine Malloure responds with a ranking.

A10

See Dynamic Duo, A11

Magazine

Elton John continues to defy expectations alongside Brandie Carlisle with their vibrant new album Who Believes in Angels?, writes staff writer Mary Kozeny.

INDEX

they commit a series of bank robberies and quickly climb their way to becoming the South’s most-wanted criminals. The play begins with young Bonnie (Bridget Ewing, MCAS ’28) belting her desire to be famous.

Op-Ed: BC's Irrational Fear of Free Speech See A9

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

NEWS........... A2 OPINIONS.. A8 NEWTON....... A4 A R T S . . . . . . . . A10 MAGAZINE.. A6 S P O R TS . . . . . A12