Issuu

November 18, 2024

Markis Recounts “Vitriol” Faced by BC Republicans

On 2WAY Tonight, Mass. College Republicans Chairman James Markis described hostility directed towards Republican students. By Jack Beckman Asst. News Editor

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS EDITOR

BC Falls to SMU

Grayson James took the reigns of the Eagles’ offense, racking up 237 passing yards throughout the team's 38–28 loss. By Luke Evans Sports Editor

Ten and a half months ago, Boston College football took down then-No. 17 Southern Methodist in the 2023 Fenway Bowl 23–14 largely thanks to former BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos’ heroics. Under center for the Eagles, Castellanos logged 102 passing yards, 156 rushing yards, and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, guiding BC to its first bowl win since 2016.

Nearly a year later, a new quarterback was the signal caller in BC’s Week 12 matchup against No. 14 SMU after Castellanos was benched on Tuesday and officially announced his departure from the team on Thursday. “Tommy’s not on the team,” BC head coach Bill O’Brien said when asked about his reaction to Castellanos’ decision to leave the team. “We wish Tommy the best.”

See Football, A11

Boston College Republicans faced hostile and unfair attacks from other students in the days after the election, Massachusetts College Republicans Chairman James Markis said during an interview on 2WAY Tonight. “What came next for myself, for members of our executive board, as well as general members of our club, were threats and statements regarding that ‘If you supported President Trump, you're supporting rape, you're supporting a rapist, we hope that your daughters get raped in the future, you don’t support healthcare, you support murdering illegal immigrants,’” said Markis, former president of BC Republicans and GMCAS ’25. “Things along these lines. Every ‘ism’ in the book.” Markis joined 2WAY Tonight—a nightly political talk show streaming on YouTube and X—on Wednesday to discuss the political climate on BC’s campus in the wake of the election and the op-ed the BC Re-

publicans executive board penned urging students to practice civil discourse. “All we decided to do was call for civil, political discourse,” Markis said. “There's no need for ad hominem attacks and calling people rapists, sexist, homophobic, or whatever.” Trump’s swift, decisive victory left many students feeling stunned and upset. Some took to Herrd and Instagram to express their disappointment with the outcome. “BC tends not to be a super political campus—compared to so many Ivies and other campuses—and then the wave of backlash to President Trump's victory on Tuesday night was stunning,” Markis said. In total, over 75 million Americans cast their ballots for Trump last week, the vast majority of which are not bigots, Markis said—a fact that most Herrd and Instagram posts seemed to ignore, he added. “There's not 75 million Nazis in America, there’s not 75 million rapists in America,” Markis said.

See Election, A2

Mail-In Blips Frustrate BC Students By Eliza Hernandez Projects Editor

The Boston College mailroom buzzed with an anxious energy as Elizabeth Healy, MCAS ’25, checked her mailbox during the days leading up to the presidential election. Many students amid the whir were expressing worries and concerns about the status of their absentee ballots, she said. Healy was concerned about her ballot as well. “It’s not like I missed the registration deadline or didn’t get my application for my mail-in ballot on time—it just didn’t come,” Healy said. Well before election day, college students across the United States and in Massachusetts felt the weight of national concerns about mail-in voting. Many navigated stricter voting requirements and complications with out-ofstate registration. Healy, a New Jersey resident, registered to vote in the midterm election and filled out her absentee application in September.

See Ballots, A2

HENRY HURD / HEIGHTS STAFF

No. 2 Eagles Fall to UConn 5–4 By Luke Evans Sports Editor

Earning the role as the starting netminder for Boston College men’s hockey as a true freshman and guiding the Eagles to a 2024 national championship appearance, Jacob Fowler is known for being even-keeled between the posts, hardly ever letting the score affect his play. But in Friday night’s matchup against UConn, Fowler let his emotions get the better of him. In the second period, after allowing

three straight goals to the Huskies in just over three minutes, the 2023–24 Hockey East Goaltender of the Year cocked his arm back and launched a punch that connected with the face of Tristan Fraser, who had given the Huskies a 3–1 lead over BC just seconds before. “I'm sure he was frustrated with how we weren't playing nearly tight enough in front of him,” BC head coach Greg Brown said of Fowler’s reaction. “You know, a guy went crashing through him in the crease. I think the combination of how the game was going and the fact that the guy made contact as

he went through, and the puck ended up in the net, it had him react not in his normal, even-keeled fashion.” Fowler immediately received a game misconduct and was ejected from the game, prompting Jan Korec to take his place in the net. The Huskies (6–5–1, 4–4–1 Hockey East) capitalized on the catastrophe that was the second period for No. 2 BC (7–2–0, 2–1–0) and ultimately defeated the Eagles 5–4, handing them their second loss of the season.

See Men's Hockey, A12

Tapping Into Gen Z Many forecasted that young voters would carry Harris across the finish line. Following an unpredictable presidential election, how do members of the BC community explain Trump’s exceedance of expectations? See A3

PARKER LEAF / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Opinions

Magazine

In her pursuit of serendipity, Columnist Scanlon Mellowes wholly embraces her surrondings, whether she's boarding a Ryanair flight or the Newton Bus.

How can you priortize mindfulness in the midst of a busy schedule? Heights Contributor Kaylee Dunleavy shares tips on how to center yourself.

Presidential Election Aftermath: Op-Eds and LTEs See A8

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

NEWS........... A2 OPINIONS.. A7 NEWTON....... A4 A R T S . . . . . . . . A10 MAGAZINE.. A5 S P O R TS . . . . . A11