TheVol. LXXIX No. 18 @thecowl • thecowl.com ProvidenceCowl College February 26, 2015 Athlete The Importance of Transparency of the Student Congress Allocations Raise Questions in BMSA and BOP by David Toro ’16 Week: News Staff campus events Controversy has grown amongst the student body following re-allocations from Student Congress. Kris Dunn Tensions between students representing Congress, BMSA, and BOP have created false rumors concerning by Bryan Blum ’17 the allocations process, BOP’s push toward internalized Sports Staff elections, and publicly publishing budgets. However, conversations with Congress, BMSA, basketball and BOP have helped dispel rumors. Congress’s long standing goal of becoming more transparent and public The expectations were high when Kris with the student body remains at the forefront of its Dunn ’17, a five-star recruit out of high legislation. school, decided to join Ed Cooley in the Any member of any club or organization on campus Friar family. Plagued by a shoulder injury can agree that allocations at the start of each semester his first two seasons, Dunn saw limited marks a stressful time. Often, the goal of obtaining the action on the court, but now in his first necessary funds is clouded by a seemingly intricate fully healthy season, Dunn has delivered procedure that involves hundreds of thousands of as expected for the Friars. dollars, and to some, a messy process where only a few After the win over DePaul, Dunn is come out happy. averaging 15.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 7.4 apg, and Regardless of who emerges with more or less 2.8 spg. Second on the team in scoring, he money, the allocations process is heavily regulated by leads the team in rebounding, assists, and the Providence College administration. The allocation steals, but more impressively is fourth of $550,000 at the start of the 2014 fall semester was in the country in assists and fifth in the challenging, to say the least. Congress had to battle in country in steals. Quickly rising up NBA order to give every club and organization the optimal draft boards, Dunn has proven his worth amount necessary. Anticipating re-allocations, in hopefully what is his first of many Alyssa Rohmann ’15, executive treasurer, allocated successful campaigns as a Friar. $500,000 during the fall semester, and held $50,000 for re-allocations during the spring semester. DUNN/ Page 24 Suspicion has grown following an alleged decrease in BMSA’s events budget. According Photo courtesy of nbccollegebasketballtalk.files.wordpress.com to BMSA’s board, overall budgets increased, but the events budget saw a cut of $1,000. The topic of the events budget concerning BMSA has been a pressing one between both boards. From an interview with Congress, Sean Barbary ’15, senior class treasurer, has made it clear MONEY/ Page 4 UNDERtheHOOD Opinion A&E News 2 Opinion 5 Friars Club makes PC outshine Prepare to be amazed by Ryan Cox other colleges. ‘18’s interview with America’s Got Tal- Photography 11 ent winner, magician Mat Franco. A&E 13 Portfolio Page 5 Page 13 17 Sports 22 Page 2 News February 26, 2015 CEO Kevin Davis: The Key to Success by Marla Gagne ’18 was not looking bright for Bauer. News Staff However, Bauer not only survived the recession, but also took home a lectures profit every year. Today, Bauer owns a large corner of the hockey market, as seven in ten pairs of skates sold are Listen to the customer. Do not the Bauer brand. The company makes assume. Never judge. This is the elite hockey gear, has ventured into simple but effective philosophy of other sports gear, and is now opening Kevin Davis, entrepreneur and CEO its own retail stores in North America. of Performance Sports Group. The So how did a company on its last legs philosophy seems simple and mere become the dominant brand in sports? common sense, but Davis believes Firstly, it got back to its core. Bauer following these principles will bring was originally a hockey company success. turned inline skating, a sport that On Feb. 23, Providence College’s peaked in the ‘90s. Davis and his team Entrepreneurship Society hosted decided to go back to the core of the Kevin Davis to speak to aspiring company and produce hockey gear. businessmen and women about his Bauer was not only aiming to be a own journey in business. Before Davis hockey brand, but wanted to “make found success with Bauer Hockey, a people’s game better.” With this new company that currently dominates pitch, the company decided to “invest the international hockey market, he when others wouldn’t.” During the was just trying to find out what he 2008 recession, most companies were wanted to do with his life. Davis did downsizing, laying off employees, and not immediately attend college out of playing the market safe while Bauer high school, opting instead to go into invested more money in its product. the workforce, but eventually enrolled Davis said when you have a vision, at the University of Massachusetts you have to go for it and not be afraid Lowell as a nuclear engineering major. to “take calculated risks.” Before graduating from UMass Lowell, Another key strategy of Davis’ is Davis dropped out once and, upon his to do the common sense things that return, changed his major to finance most people overlook. In any industry MORGAN PEKERA ’15 / THE COWL and accounting. based on the consumers buying a Kevin Davis shares his business ideaology with PC business students. Davis worked for various companies product, it is important to listen to in the followingyears, but found his the customer. Most people assume was a huge time commitment. To solve savvy tips, his philosophies can help true success at Bauer. However, the what others want without actually these problems, Bauer took over four anyone working with people and journey was not easy. Bauer, a hockey asking. In Canada, a country greatly cities and made shorter, less expensive trying to achieve their goals. Davis says company that Nike turned into an associated with hockey, nine out of hockey programs. The results led to 72 we must never judge someone based inline skating business, had reached ten children at the hockey playing age percent of hockey players returning on his or her looks—do not assume. its peak and was quickly deteriorating. do not play hockey. Bauer conducted for another season, an unprecedented Make sure to allow people you work The company was losing money every surveys asking kids and families why number in Canada and America. The with to do their job and treat them like year and had four CEOs in the six years they do not play Canada’s favorite expansion of the game was based on actual people. And, most importantly, before Davis assumed the position. sport. The results showed hockey was listening to the potential customers Davis encourages everyone to pursue So, when the world faced a global not viewed as fun, it did not appeal to and what they wanted. their passion. “Life is too short—do economic collapse in 2008, the future the non-traditionalist Canadian, and it While Davis has many business something you love.” Love Is in the Air at Alumni and Family Weekend this Earth for a purpose,” said Harrity. by Sabrina Guilbeault ’18 “I really felt that Providence College Staff Writer was going to help me define what that purpose was in my life.” family weekend She also spoke about how members of the faculty at the College were often On Valentine’s Day weekend, love like second parental figures. “I always was definitely in the air for a vast felt at Providence College that so many majority of people, and that love was people were your extended family,” for Providence College. Forever a she said, which goes along well with family, forever a home, and forever a another theme of the weekend that at Friar was the overall theme during the PC, we are one family. She specifically 2015 Alumni and Family Weekend. mentioned Father John Peterson, The weekend was centered on loving O.P., as “a second father who helped PC, as current students’ families and support and guide me through the alumni were welcomed back to the process of Providence College.” College with open arms. As the 2014 National Teacher of Although the weekend’s many the Year, Harrity gave her story about events were cut short due to snow how her high school turned around in on Sunday, there were a multitude just eight years, drastically decreased of events offered on the Friday and dropout rates, and excelled in Saturday. A dinner with Dominicans, becoming a Blue Ribbon School. Also, an alumni a cappella concert, and a bus last year President Barack Obama Families and Alumni share the love during Valentine’s weekend. PHOTO COURTESY OF PC ALUMNI RELATIONS tour of Providence were just some of gave the commencement speech at her the many events offered this weekend. school’s graduation and also handed gathering in McPhail’s, and the student of participation with the audience. On the Saturday morning, Father out the diplomas to the students. and club reunions were a big hit. At the All in all, the weekend was a success Brian Shanley, O.P., ’80, College She gave a story about when she reunion, Alumni had the opportunity for those who attended it. Since it was president, kicked off the weekend met a senator while in Washington as to reunite with clubs or organizations on Valentine’s Day, it was a fitting time with a welcome during a continental a finalist; the first thing she mentioned that they were once involved with on to show how much current students breakfast.