
My assistants tell me that BC is working out a solution with the vendor. The problem, apparently, has to do with replacing a part to make the machines compatible with card readers. I’ll update you when and if I hear more.

Answering questions at Boston College O’Neill Library

Crowther is an American hero. After his death in the 9/11 attacks, his parents started the Red Bandanna Project, which sells bandanas emblazoned with his BC lacrosse jersey number (19). Boston College was a large part of Welles’ life (he lived with other BC grads in New York), so it makes sense that BC honors his sacrifice while the charitable organizations started in his honor fundraise, in part, on his connection with BC. The world is more complex than simple “monetary gain and capitalism” – it’s a symbiotic relationship between BC and the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust. The Red Bandana 5K raises money for the Trust, and BC is a sponsor of the race (thus making their association with him a financially “losing” prospect in this instance). BC alumni are more likely to give money to both BC and the Trust due to their mutual association. Sometimes, everyone really does win – the Trust gets more money to develop its programs (see http://www.crowthertrust.org for more info) and BC is associated with exactly the type of person that the University aims to graduate into the world.

Yes! Check it out: bit.ly/bc-reservoirs. And the history is here: bit.ly/bc-lc

I sent one of my helpers out to listen for the 1 PM bells. The chimes (bit.ly/ChimesSound) sound before the hour strikes, of course, but the 1 o’clock bell struck at 1:59:47 according to my helper using time.gov. Are you gonna ding them for 13 seconds…?

Not really an O’Neill secret, but lower campus used to be wetter. Before my time, fortunately. bit.ly/bc-reservoirs

I recommend talking to the Office of Student Involvement (bc.edu/osi), who oversees student organizations.

Short answer: it’s not just BC. See this report by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health: bit.ly/ccmh-2017. There’s been a huge increase in anxiety, depression, and threat-to-self rates in college students nationwide that has been increasing demand at counseling centers faster than they can respond. Perhaps you can get your student representatives (ugbc.org) to pressure the administration to do more.

Beautiful Gargan Hall in the Bapst Library may be just the ticket for you; not nearly as bright as O’Neill. You may want to try our study animal quiz (library.bc.edu/animal) designed to help you find your perfect study space.
![Why is BC Dining so awful!?!? [response: Agreed.]](https://library.bc.edu/answerwall/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/aw101818-5-300x298.jpg)
Ponder what you find awful, and send them feedback about it: bit.ly/BCDiningComment. Maybe they’ll make some changes. My own answer: is it? I’ve had a number of people write about stuff they really like at various dining halls. Maybe it’s a matter of finding the options you like. Or maybe you just needed to vent? At times like these, I’m reminded that I’m glad I don’t eat anything but post-its. It must be so hard finding agreeable food!

Oh, dear. If any of you think it’s cold now, just wait until January/February. (Or do you already know and are anticipating?) Prepare now; get your layers of clothing in order. Think about the good parts of winter: hot chocolate and snowball fights. And complaining … New Englanders always talk about the weather. Remember, though, you will always have a warm reception here in the library! (You are welcome to flex in your Canada Goose if you can; sometimes they are very bulky.)

Assuming you mean the US News & World Report rankings, BC has been shooting up the rankings for years, but, according to BC News, it “fell six places as a result of a major shift in the survey’s methodology which, analysts say, benefited large public universities this year.” For more discussions see: bit.ly/BCUSNWR

According to Facilities Management, the project “was a pedestrian access project more than a landscape improvement project.” The landscape improvements were incidental to the project of creating a connecting sidewalk to Voute so that students were out of the street. IOW, the “second half” was never part of the project.

Tuition is high, for sure. But let’s think this through. Practically, tuition pays for lots of things, including resources BC makes available for students to share. If enough students did this, BC would have to raise tuition to cover replacement costs, or stop offering those kinds of resources. Legally, grand larceny is a felony in Massachusetts and is defined as stealing something worth more than $250. bit.ly/bc-larceny. Morally, if you’re looking for a justification for doing something, you already kinda know it’s wrong, don’t you?

An open mic night sponsored by SLAM! and The Laughing Medusa will be at the McMullen Museum on October 11 6:30-8:30pm. BC Music Guild hosts open mics every other Thursday at the Chocolate Bar, and Jammin’ toast every other Saturday. More music guild info: bit.ly/bc-mguild. If you’re looking for off-campus events, try openmicboston.com/

According to the BC Factbook 2017-2018, the total square footage of all Boston College properties (including in Dublin, Ireland) is 7,263,288 square feet (bit.ly/BC1718Factbook)

You could take the lightest possible course load and keep changing majors so that you never quite satisfy the requirements of graduation & yet remain in good standing… but that could get really, really expensive. I recommend instead that you focus on enjoying the present moment. Right now, that’s your social and intellectual world at BC. Later, it will be other things, and if you focus on the present moment then, you’ll enjoy those things, too. And you’ll be able to come back to BC as an alum and enjoy a present moment of reminiscing with old friends, and maybe even meet new ones.