Thursday, September 26, 2024

The Cavalier Daily

Vol. 135, Issue 3

LEON ARCEO, ADAIRE BURNSED & HONOR WOOR | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Thursday, September 26, 2024

2 | www.cavalierdaily.com

NEWS

The Cavalier Daily

This week in-brief CD News Staff

Undecided student voters weigh in a week out from the Harris-Trump debate The first major event of the fall presidential campaign took place Sept. 10 with the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump — likely the only time these two candidates will debate before the election. Prior to the debate, The Cavalier Daily assembled an election focus group of undecided student voters to gauge their reactions throughout the election season.

Now, just over a week after the debate, among the five participants present at the focus group’s first meeting, all five suggested Harris performed better than Trump in the debate, even if each candidates’ performance did not change their voting intention.

Trump’s rhetoric was an issue raised by multiple participants. Phrases like “Trump is Trump” and “it’s hard to vote for Trump because of who he is” were used to describe his sometimes controversial statements when the participants were asked about their views of the candidates.

One female College student from the Bay Area, Calif. listed immigration as the most important issue to her and said Trump missed opportunities to attack Harris on the topic of immigration — an issue for which she has been criticized. The student said she disliked the comment about Springfield because it was disparaging to immigrants.

“I think Trump had so much material and opportunity with [immigration],” she said. “Trump is his own worst enemy … to talk about immigrants as people that are just awful, dirty things, is not the way to approach it.”

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Proposal aims to slash Student Council’s annual budget in half Student Council proposed a $231,481.75 budget for the 2024-25 academic year, a roughly 50 percent reduction from last year’s $442,843 budget, during its General Body meeting Sept. 17. According to Valentina Mendoza Gonzalez, Student Council president and fourth-year College student, the budget reduction will help increase budget utilization across its branches, better support funding for Contracted Independent Organizations and combat a potential budget deficit.

Brookelyn Mitchell, vice president for administration and fourth-year College student, confirmed that almost all branches of Student Council are receiving substantial budget cuts. Mitchell said these cuts are due to low utilization rates of budgeted funds from Student Council branches in past years, as well as concerns over a depleting surplus of Student Council funds.

While Student Council’s proposed budget for the 2024-25 academic year decreased by about 50 percent compared to last year, according to Mitchell, last year’s administration only used around 25 percent of their budgeted funds.

“Instead of over budgeting and underspending internally, we want to budget how much we will actually use so that we have a higher utilization rate internally,” Mitchell said.

According to Mitchell, over budgeting poses a problem for CIOs, as the Student Council constitution states that unspent money that has been allocated cannot be reallocated to meet other needs, such as CIO requests, until the next budget cycle.

“When [we] don’t use the entire amount of SAF that we request, it just sits there. It is not allowed to be reallocated to CIOs or anything … We really want to spend what we’re requesting.”

Mitchell also said that an increasing number of CIOs are requesting funds, placing a strain on Student Council. Last year, Student Council budgeted $856,873 for CIO allocations, but ultimately spent $887,409.

Kappa Sigma’s FOA terminated after investigation reveals hazing incidents The University officially terminated Kappa Sigma fraternity’s Fraternal Organization Agreement Sep. 10 after a months-long investigation revealed hazing took place. According to the University’s Hazing Misconduct Report, Student Affairs found sufficient evidence to support allegations that the fraternity engaged in physical, verbal and alcohol abuse of new members and initially did not comply with the investigation.

Kappa Sigma first had its FOA suspended in February after a student was hospitalized following an alleged hazing event at the chapter house. After the University suspends an organization, Student Affairs conducts an investigation into the specific allegations, which can include interviews with members or potential victims.

The allegation of hazing leading to hospitalization has now been confirmed by the report, which states that one new member was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

The report also states that Kappa Sigma did not comply with the investigation — which ran from Feb. 21 to Sept. 9 — and actively disobeyed the terms of its FOA suspension by initiating new members and holding social events.

In addition to FOA termination, individual students will be referred to the University Judiciary Committee for further investigation and possible sanctioning.

In a statement to The Cavalier Daily, Ben Ueltschey, IFC president and fourth-year College student, said that the IFC supported the decision to suspend Kappa Sigma’s FOA in February and stands by the results of the investigation that led to termination.

“Our council continues to promote anti-hazing and risk management practices to protect the health and safety of our community,” Ueltschey said.

Thursday, September 26, 2024 | 3

NEWS

University hopes to fund a culture of entrepreneurship As the University invests in entrepreneurship resources, community members debate whether these investments are worthwhile Jackie Bond and Zackary Holt | Staff Writers The Pan-University Entrepreneurship Initiative, a program that aims to to develop the entrepreneurial skills of students and faculty, is set to ramp up its programs in the coming week, with a student-oriented entrepreneurial clubhouse to open its doors Oct. 2 and an Entrepreneurship Week Sept. 28 through Oct. 4 which will hold events including entrepreneurship challenges and an escape room for students. While some professors and students say the initiative will help foster more student innovation at the University, other members of the University community — including a member of the Board of Visitors — remain skeptical about whether investing in entrepreneurship should be a priority at the University.

Established in October 2023, the Pan-University Entrepreneurship Initiative aims to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship to encourage and inspire young entrepreneurs. According to Michael Lenox, Business Administration prof. and the initiative’s chair, it will provide resources such as programming, funding, mentorship and a “clubhouse for creative types.” The program is led

by Lenox and coordinated by University President Jim Ryan and Ian Baucom, executive vice president and provost.

As part of the initiative, the University will celebrate the launch of the Foundry building Oct.2. Located at 9 Elliewood Ave, it will serve as a student center for entrepreneurship and mentorship. Previously, the location was occupied by Forge — a nonprofit organization that helps students find internships and otherwise advance their careers.

In an interview with The Cavalier Daily, Lenox said that the building will offer a central location for students to discuss entrepreneurial endeavors and receive mentorship while also providing an extracurricular meeting space for different student organizations around Grounds, such as the Darden Business Innovation & Design Club and the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Group — both student-led clubs at the Darden School of Business that engage with entrepreneurship and business practices.

“We have a number of different student organizations in this space and around Grounds. We’re hoping that the Foundry becomes their home base — the place they feel comfortable having their meetings, doing events and the like,” Lenox said. “It’s really about catalyzing and amplifying things that have already been taking place, and providing just another level of service for our students.

Lenox said that the Pan-University Entrepreneurship Initiative is

partnering with some student groups to plan a number of events during its Entrepreneurship Week. Events will include a founders fair at Newcomb Hall Oct. 1 and an entrepreneurship challenge at the Foundry. The Alumni Association will also hold an Entrepreneurship Mini-Summit Oct. 4 to facilitate conversations between alumni about creating startups and growing businesses in a sustainable way. After the week itself, Lenox said that McIntire School of Commerce will host an entrepreneurship escape room Oct. 28.

According to Lenox, the University is also working to create a wet lab accelerator — a cloud-based tool designed for conducting biological experiments using robotic controls.

Lenox said this accelerator will offer technological tools for students interested in pursuing ventures in biotechnology and life sciences. For this project, the University is partnering with the Charlottesville Biohub, a biotechnology industry cluster with over 75 Charlottesville companies.

To aid students and faculty in the patenting and licensing process, the Pan-University Entrepreneurship Initiative will also be partnering with the U.Va. Licensing and Ventures Group.

This group works with students, staff, researchers and investors to manage patents, negotiate licensing agreements and bring businesses and innovations into the marketplace.

Lenox spoke about the initiative and its goals at the June 6 Board of Visitors meeting, but some members of the Board were skeptical of its efficacy for the price tag. In an interview with The Cavalier Daily, Board Member James Murray said that the skills necessary to succeed as an entrepreneur are innate traits that can not be taught, and that the University should instead invest in other important qualities through the liberal arts.

“I think it would be fiscally prudent for us to constantly question whether this is the best way to spend money, because … most of [the best entrepreneurs] are college dropouts,” Murray said. “What’s much more important that they can learn in college are the liberal arts, the basic skills of dealing with fellow human beings, the way to debate, the way to do research.”

Murray, both at the Board meeting and in his interview with The Cavalier Daily, compared entrepreneurship to the art of music, stating that music requires natural and untaught skills and the University is just as likely to produce good musicians as they are to produce successful entrepreneurs.

At the June Board meeting, Craig Kent, chief executive officer of U.Va. Health and executive vice president for health affairs, said he agreed with Murray’s claims that there is an un-

ANNAGRACE PARMER | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Established in October 2023, the Pan-University Entrepreneurship Initiative aims to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship to encourage and inspire young entrepreneurs.

taught talent that being a successful entrepreneur requires, saying that the University needs to instead recruit students with existing entrepreneurial mindsets in order to create an ecosystem of innovation across Grounds.

In contradiction to Murray and Kent’s claims, both Lenox and Business Administration Prof. Saras Sarasvathy said that the tenets of entrepreneurship are teachable, and that investing in resources for students with passions or interests in entrepreneurship should be a priority of the University.

While Murray compared entrepreneurship to music, Sarasvathy compared it to historical perceptions of science, saying that in the eighteenth century, many argued that science could not and should not be taught to all as they said that only some people had certain innate abilities to engage with the natural world.

According to Sarasvathy, while not everyone who engages with entrepreneurship will succeed, it is still a valuable field due to the other skills it can teach students.

“The aim of teaching science is not to create Einsteins … it is to build a society capable of reason, and then people will choose to do all kinds of things with that reason,” Sarasvathy said. “Some of us then will become scientists, and some of us will make really important contributions to science, [only] a very few of us will win the Nobel Prize.”

According to Lenox, the objective of the entrepreneurship initiative

should be to encourage entrepreneurial thinking and expose students to the possibility that they can create something new and be successful.

“I think what the academic research shows us is that entrepreneurs are very much made, not born, and that anyone can be an entrepreneur.

It is a set of skills that can be learned and in some ways be inspired,” Lenox said. “What I love is this idea that entrepreneurial thinking is about giving students agency, agency to envision paths to create value and solve problems through the art and the act of creation.”

Sarasvathy said she has evidence to support the claim that entrepreneurship can be developed in students. After conducting a study of 45 individuals who she deemed “expert entrepreneurs,” all of whom had at least 15 years of experience in creating businesses, Sarasvathy developed the idea of effectuation in entrepreneurship — which she defined as a model of decision making used to manage uncertainty when starting a business.

In 2023, Sarasvathy, along with Business Administration Prof. Sankaran Venkataraman and Public Policy Prof. Chrisine Mahoney wrote a letter to the University explaining the findings of this study and encouraging the University to teach risk management for entrepreneurs through the study of effectuation.

“We need a whole new toolbox — an effectual, in addition to a causal toolbox — to build enduring organizations. Interestingly, learning tool-

boxes and developing the judgment to know when to use them is increasingly important for entrepreneurs, managers, policymakers, and others,” the letter reads. “We need to view entrepreneurship as a method … [and] develop entrepreneurship education like science education.”

While questions remain as to if the investment will yield significant results, some students have already expressed their support for the initiative. Second-year College student Tina Yao stated that she grew up wanting to create new things and start independent ventures but lacked the resources to turn her ideas into action. Yao said she thinks that it is important for the University to invest in entrepreneurship programs to allow students to embrace their creativity and pursue their passions while minimizing the barriers of funding and networking.

“I think everyone has an entrepreneurial drive,” Yao said. “[We all] want to do something and create, and there are a lot of companies that want students with entrepreneurial drive. So I think it’s really important to have [these] programs.”

The official launch of the Foundry Oct. 2 will be accompanied by a week of interactive activities from various University departments, including U.Va. Innovates and the Alumni Association, from Sept. 28 through Oct. 4.

NEWS

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First post-affirmative action class sees little demographic change Data shows minimal variation in the racial makeup of the Class of 2028 compared to the Class of 2027 Finn Trainer | News Editor Despite a 2023 Supreme Court decision banning race-conscious admissions at U.S. colleges and universities, the racial makeup of the University’s Class of 2028 is similar to the year before, according to data obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request by The Cavalier Daily. Other demographic splits — including gender, in-state and outof-state status and first-generation status — also remained relatively consistent with demographic data from the Class of 2027.

The data referenced in this article adheres to federal reporting guidelines, which categorize international students and non-residents of the United States as “Global” instead of classifying them into a racial category. These guidelines also contain a separate category for students self-identifying with two or more races.

The greatest racial demographic shift for this first-year class was among Hispanic students, increasing from 7.2 percent of the Class of 2027 to 9 percent of the Class of 2028. The number of Asian and Black students decreased slightly — Asian students represented 21.6 percent of the first-year class last year compared to 20 percent this year, and Black students represented 8.2 percent last year compared to 7.2 percent this year.

Beyond racial demographics, the Class of 2028 is 56.6 percent female and 43.4 percent male, as compared to 57.2 percent female and 42.8 percent male the year prior. The number of out-of-state students dropped from 34.4 last year to 32.3 percent this year, while the number of Virginians rose from 65.6 percent to 67.7 percent. Additionally, the number of first-generation college students rose from 17.5 percent last year to 18.8 percent this year.

The Class of 2028 was the first to apply to the University following a Supreme Court ruling on two cases last June — Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard University — that found affirmative action policies at Harvard and UNC unconstitutional, effectively banning race-conscious admission at colleges and universities nationwide.

Following the decision, the Virginia legislature voted January 2024 to end consideration of legacy status — defined as having a family relation to an alumnus of a college or university — in the admissions processes of the Commonwealth’s state schools. Children of University graduates make up 12.9 percent of the Class of 2028, a decrease from 14.7 percent in the Class of 2027.

With the Supreme Court’s decision impacting the racial diversity of colleges and universities differently, Law Prof. Kim Forde-Mazrui said that it is difficult to identify the specific reasons why the racial makeup of the University’s newest class looks similar to that of the previous year, but that there are several possible explanations.

According to Forde-Mazrui, one potential explanation is that while colleges and universities cannot specifically ask for a student’s racial or ethnic affiliation as indicated in any type of checkbox, admissions officers can still consider how an applicant’s race has affected their lived experiences, which may help their application depending on the institution’s diversity goals.

“A lot of these so-called soft factors — personal essays, letters of recommendation — had already been part of the process,” Forde-Mazrui said. “So maybe the change isn’t that significant, given that they can still consider racial experience.”

According to Deputy University Spokesperson Bethanie Glover, while the University adhered to both Supreme Court and state guidelines — restricting application reviewers’ access to information about applicants’ race and legacy status — it also added one of these open-ended prompts to its application. The prompt, first added for the Class of 2028, asks applicants to share their personal experiences

and how they would contribute to the University community if admitted.

Forde-Mazrui also said that the Supreme Court has not forbidden considering other race-neutral factors that can contribute to a diverse class, such as the number of students who are first-generation or who come from high schools with historically low college application rates. According to Forde-Mazrui, students from these populations have historically been more racially diverse than the overall applicant pool, so universities could give preference to these applicants with the intent of achieving racial diversity.

Forde-Mazrui cited Texas’ “Top 10 Percent Law,” a 1997 bill passed in the wake of a circuit court decision banning affirmative action policies in the state, as an example of this approach. The bill guaranteed the top 10 percent of high school students entry to state-funded universities, and while the bill did not technically favor any particular demographic, Forde-Mazrui said it was explicitly designed to boost admission among Black and Hispanic students.

Forde-Mazrui offered another potential explanation for the Class of 2028’s relatively unchanged racial makeup — he said that some schools have invested in outreach programs to help students from traditionally underrepresented high schools apply to higher education, citing these programs as one long-

term approach colleges might pursue when looking to ensure diversity in their classes.

At the University, Glover said outreach programs into low-income areas with historically low numbers of applications to the University helped increase the class’s socioeconomic diversity.

“The socioeconomically and culturally diverse profile of this year’s class can be largely attributed to the hard work of many partners … who ensured that we were reaching every corner of Virginia to invite applications from talented students from all backgrounds,” Glover said.

In particular, Glover said that programs such as the Virginia College Advising Corps — a division of the Provost’s Office with the stated mission of boosting the number of first-generation, low-income and underrepresented students in higher education — supported many students in the incoming class by providing them with college advising services.

According to VCAC Director Alex Johnston, while the organization’s day-to-day operations have remained unchanged in the wake of the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling, their mission has become increasingly important because they want to encourage students in what may feel like a discouraging circumstance. She said that providing students with college advisors remains central to VCAC’s work.

“College advisors are really uniquely positioned in schools [as staff members with] the capacity to think solely about post-secondary planning for students,” Johnston said. “[Advisors] help them find their voice and share their unique stories as they are going through the admissions and financial aid application processes.”

According to Glover, 271 students, or 6.8 percent, of first-year students in the Class of 2028 who have not received any prior postsecondary education received VCAC assistance during the college application process. She said this percentage was an increase from the previous two years, with VCAC-supported students making up 5.3 percent and 4.2 percent of the Class of 2027 and Class of 2026, respectively.

In addition to working closely with partners such as VCAC, Glover said that the University improved its Days on the Lawn program — an annual program allowing admitted students to visit Grounds — to offer travel vouchers and fee waivers to low-income families in order to help them determine whether the University is the right fit for their college goals.

“We’re glad to be able to offer these programs and accommodations to support students from all walks of life in the important decision on where to attend college,” Glover said.

NEWS

Thursday, September 26, 2024 | 5

University hires counsel to review faculty allegations The announcement follows weeks of discourse over a letter declaring no confidence in top administrators at U.Va Health and the School of Medicine Finn Trainer | News Editor University administrators have hired litigation firm Williams & Connolly to conduct an independent review of accusations of workplace and financial misconduct by top U.Va. Health and School of Medicine administrators, according to University Spokesperson Brian Coy. In a statement to The Cavalier Daily, Coy said that the University has worked with Williams & Connolly in the past, but did not specify when or under what circumstances, noting that the University typically does not comment on legal matters.

The announcement follows a Sept.

5 letter from 128 University Physicians Group-employed faculty to the Board of Visitors. In the letter, signatories alleged that Craig Kent, chief executive officer of U.Va. Health and executive vice president for health affairs, and Melina Kibbe, dean of the School of Medicine, Medicine professor and chief health affairs officer, have fostered a negative environment detrimental to both patient safety and faculty well-being.

In particular, the letter accused Kent and Kibbe of hiring doctors despite concerns over their integrity and

quality, as well as threatening faculty who have raised complaints about patient safety. The letter also alleges that the two administrators spent excessive amounts on executives, failed to address staffing shortages and regularly committed violations of the Board-approved code of ethics.

The identities of the letter’s 128 faculty signatories have not been publicly disclosed, which the letter says is to protect those faculty members out of fear of retaliation. The Cavalier Daily has been unable to independently verify any of the allegations made in the letter.

In the days following the letter of no confidence, University administrators released multiple statements regarding the allegations, including a Sept. 6 statement co-authored by University President Jim Ryan and Board The Cavalier Daily of Visitors Rector Robert Hardie. In the message, Ryan and Hardie wrote that the Board and the University administration took the allegations seriously and were in the process of determining next steps.

“We all share the goal of offering every member of our community the best possible place to live, learn, and

work,” the statement read. “We are grateful for the dedication of all U.Va. Health team members in making our health system one of the best in the nation.”

The following day, Ryan released a longer individual statement in which he criticized the letter of no confidence signatories’ approach to addressing their concerns. In the statement, he reiterated the University’s commitment to investigating the allegations, but stated that the letter presented many vague claims of wrongdoing while providing few details to use to investigate the allegations.

Ryan also said that he was disappointed in the signatories’ approach to handling the situation, stating that himself and Ian Baucom, executive vice president and provost, had already been meeting with small groups of faculty prior to the letter of no confidence. According to Ryan, the University had already addressed some of the concerns faculty raised in these meetings and it was working on addressing others.

“They have besmirched the reputations of not just Melina and Craig,” Ryan said. “Instead, through some of

their allegations, they have unfairly — and I trust unwittingly — cast a shadow over the great work of the entire health system and medical school.”

Following Ryan’s statement, a group of faculty who helped author the original letter of no confidence sent a follow-up letter to the Board of Visitors Sept. 12 criticizing University administrators for their response to the allegations. The statement said that recent University statements — particularly Ryan’s individual statement — suggest a lack of respect for their concerns around Kent and Kibbe’s behavior.

“The multiple communications from various University leaders and [Health System Board] members over the last six days have undermined your assertion that the University Administration was taking these allegations seriously,” the letter read. “Specifically, [Ryan’s statement] sent on 9/7/24 less than 24 hours after the respectful message he co-signed with Rector Robert Hardie has destroyed what little trust in him remained.”

In the same letter, the group of faculty refuted the notion that there is no evidence to back the allegations

leveled against Kent and Kibbe. They listed a range of specific meetings and correspondences dating back to Sept.

2021, stating that each communication was an instance in which concerns linked to the letter of no confidence were raised. This list included meetings between the School of Medicine Faculty Senate, Kent and Kibbe and University Physicians Group Board correspondences with administrators, among others.

The University’s announcement of the investigation comes amidst this ongoing discourse between some U.Va Health faculty and the University’s senior-most administrators. According to Coy, the University does not have a timetable for the investigation.

He said the firm will send the initial results of the review to Ryan and the Board of Visitors.

“The Board and President Ryan will receive the findings of this review and work with U.Va. Health leaders to address any issues that may arise through this process,” Coy said.

Faculty Senate hears presentation on ‘culture of fear’ Senators expressed concern with University transparency and possible future retaliation at the School of Medicine Thomas Baxter | News Editor At its most recent meeting Friday, the Faculty Senate discussed recent allegations of a retaliatory culture within the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine. Dr. Stephen Culp, chair of the School of Medicine Faculty Senate and assoc. Medicine professor, presented a timeline of faculty concerns and interactions with the administration before the senate heard updates from administrative representatives and senate subcommittees.

These allegations came from 128 School of Medicine faculty members who signed a letter of no confidence sent to the Board of Visitors Sept. 5.

In the letter, the signers demanded the removal of both Craig Kent, chief executive officer of U.Va. Health and Melina Kibbe, dean of the School of Medicine, Medicine professor and chief health affairs officer.

In the letter, faculty alleged that Kent and Kibbe fostered an environment compromising patient safety and created a “culture of fear of retaliation” by subjecting faculty who voiced concerns about patient safety to threats and harassment. The Cavalier Daily has been unable to independently verify any of the allegations presented in the letter of no confidence.

At the Faculty Senate meeting, Culp presented a timeline of concerns raised by the School of Medicine faculty to the administration in regards to Kent and Kibbe, dating back to September 2021. He said that culture issues, some isolated to select departments but others more widespread, have infringed on the faculty’s ability to conduct research and to mentor junior faculty, residents and students.

He said the issues within the School of Medicine are not new, and that the administration has known about them and not addressed them sufficiently.

“The narrative that this is a surprise or that it has been handled is completely false,” Culp said. “And the narrative that it did not reach the highest level of University administration is false. They have known about this for quite some time.”

According to Culp’s timeline, the first event relevant to School of Medicine faculty concerns over Kent and Kibbe was a U.Va. Physicians Group email to University President Jim Ryan sent Sept. 2021 claiming no confidence in Kent. The timeline said that in fall 2023, faculty sent more than four open letters to Kent and Kibbe raising concerns about the culture of the

School of Medicine, as well as changes made to primary care practices. In particular, Culp cited faculty concerns about outpatient care service One Team United on Access, which he said infringed on faculty’s ability to conduct academic research and mentor junior faculty, students and residents.

Culp said that School of Medicine Faculty Senate representatives had multiple meetings with administrators in January, including Ian Baucom, executive vice president and provost, and Maite Brandt-Pearce, vice provost for faculty affairs. Culp said that at these meetings, representatives spoke about a “culture of fear and retaliation,” which he said included denied promotions, stripped titles and forced retirements as retaliation for voicing discontent towards school leadership.

Assoc. Education Prof. Brian Pusser started a motion for the Faculty Senate to create a resolution responding to the issues within the School of Medicine and the external review into the allegations — initiated by the administration and the Board of Visitors — that will be conducted by law firm Williams & Connolly.

Though the specifics of the resolution have yet to be written, Pusser

spoke about a lack of transparency from the administration, especially considering that the results of the Williams & Connolly will not be seen by the senate nor the public. Multiple speakers advocated for the University to prioritize the American Association of University Professors’ guidelines and principles for shared governance — the idea that faculty should have influence over the direction of a university.

The motion passed, with the language saying that the resolution will be drafted “as soon as possible.” Once drafted, the senate will subsequently vote on whether to approve the resolution.

At multiple points in Culp’s presentation and the subsequent question and answers period, faculty senators and others in attendance voiced concerns about the retaliatory culture Culp alleged existed in the School of Medicine. Some said they were concerned about whether the administration would also retaliate against faculty in other schools in the event that similar issues arose. Culp agreed, saying that a resolution on the subject should seek to get a broader response from the University and not limit its

scope to the School of Medicine.

“What I fear is that this is not going to just be a School of Medicine issue,” Culp said. “What happens when another school has an issue?”

Later in the meeting, Brie Gertler, deputy provost and senior vice provost for academic affairs, spoke briefly about Williams & Connolly’s investigation into the issues at the School of Medicine. She encouraged all faculty members to be open and engage with investigators, stating that Baucom and Ryan will not tolerate any retaliations against faculty based on what they tell the law firm.

“I do want to encourage everyone to be candid and straightforward with the investigators,” Gertler said. “[Ryan] and [Baucom], have made it very clear that they will not tolerate any kind of retaliation, and I hope that you will feel comfortable talking to [Williams & Connolly].”

The senate’s executive committee will meet Oct. 4, with the full senate set to reconvene Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. in Bavaro Hall.

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The Cavalier Daily

OPINION LEAD EDITORIAL

Draw the line on University expansion A seemingly never-ending geographical expansion threatens to destroy a historically tense relationship between the University and Charlottesville community The University is planning to expand yet again — the Board of Visitors has chosen a site in the Emmet-Ivy area for student housing. If all goes according to plan, this construction aims to accommodate all second-years in onGrounds housing by 2030. To be clear, this is an admirable goal — requiring second-years to live on-Grounds can foster a sense of community, alleviate the affordable housing crisis for Charlottesville residents and mitigate the stress of finding off-Grounds housing for students. While the housing expansion may be well intentioned, the manner in which it is being undertaken belies its goals. In fact, it is part of a barrage of construction projects which push the boundaries between the University and the Charlottesville community, projects which are so constant that they beg the question — will this expansion ever end?

As a community, we have reason to believe the answer to this question is “not anytime soon.” The number of recent expansion projects suggests that this construction will be unend-

ing. The University’s new Data Science building just opened up this fall, with a new center for the Karsh Institute of Democracy, a hotel, a conference center and a performing and visual arts center to follow suit. Additionally, University Athletics is building a new football operations center and Olympic sports complex.

At surface level, these shiny expansions advance the University’s goal of becoming the best public university by 2030. But a dissonance exists between this goal and other more fundamental responsibilities of the University. For example, such expansions imperil the University’s goal of being a good neighbor for Charlottesville. Though all of the above expansions materially enrich the University student experience by offering state-of-the-art facilities, they also inevitably encroach upon the physical Charlottesville community — an encroachment which demands transparent conversation.

Indeed, the University has a historically poor record of expanding its institution at the expense of and without

input from Charlottesville communities. Charlottesville residents, especially African American residents, will no doubt remember when the University, in an effort to expand the Academical Village, razed the Vinegar Hill community in 1965 without resident input. As a result, more than 600 Black families were forcefully displaced and over 30 Black-owned businesses were closed. Even the University Health Center was built on the displacement of working-class Black communities in Gospel Hill in the 1970s. The University simply cannot allow such detrimental history to repeat itself today.

With recent decisions by administration, we cannot help but wonder which community establishment or neighborhood will soon be forced to cede to the University’s advances. To what extent will we just repeat past mistakes of excluding community voices and thereby exacerbate feelings of alienation and distrust among our neighbors in the Charlottesville community? Though some community solicitation about construction decisions

has been done, a recent decision directly opposing local support suggests that the University is an institution which prioritizes expansion — and the boost to its national rankings and prestige that such expansion brings — at all costs. These are the wrong priorities for an educational institution like the University.

Campus expansion is not unique to the University. Nor is expansion inherently a bad thing. What we take issue with is the manner in which this expansion has been undertaken.

Increased second-year housing is one solution which could alleviate the Charlottesville affordable housing crisis. However, this laudable goal should not be co-opted by the University as a means to achieve better rankings.

If the University were committed to its implicit two-pronged mission of benefiting its students and its Charlottesville neighbors, it would do more to spearhead transparent conversations that include community voices.

Through such conversations, the University can begin to mend its fraught

relationships with the Charlottesville community.

The University has moved far beyond the old plan of renovating and has instead begun implementing a sprawling expansion reliant upon shiny property acquisitions and even shinier floor plans. They have rhetorically foregrounded student experience, as defined by material objects, over a genuine relationship to both the Charlottesville community and the educational mission of the University. The University’s endless climb towards excellence will be for naught if administration continues to prioritize prestige over the welfare of local communities.

So, before soliciting requests for new building names, the University should solicit feedback from the community its construction will impact.

THE CAVALIER DAILY EDITORIAL BOARD is composed of the Executive Editor, the Editor-in-Chief, the two Opinion Editors and the two Senior Associates. The board can be reached at eb@cavalierdaily.com.

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MANAGING BOARD Editor-in-Chief Nathan Onibudo Managing Editor Grace Thrush Executive Editor Naima Sawaya Operations Manager Honor Wood Chief Financial Officer Charlie Healy

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JUNIOR BOARD

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Sports Editors Ben Istvan Xander Tilock (SA) Victoria Blankenship (SA) Michael Liebermann Arts & Entertainment Editors Delores Cyrus Delaney Hammond (SA) Leila Mohajer Life Editors Mia Tan Kate Johnson (SA) Elizabeth Parsons (SA) Grace Scott Podcast Editor Evelyn Lewis Opinion Editors Dan Freed Songhan Pang (SA) Wylie Brunman (SA) Paul Kurtzweil Humor Editor Wardah Kamran (SA) Emma Nero Cartoon Editor Sarah Elder (SA) Ada Malpani Photo Editors Leon Arceo Adaire Burnsed (SA) Alison Pike (SA) Albert Tang (SA) Tess Ginsberg (SA) Kate MacArthur

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Thursday, September 26, 2024 | 7

OPINION

The Echols Scholar Program lacks academic curiosity The honors program has overlooked the value of broad requirements, putting them at odds with other programs across the country The Echols Scholars Program is purported to be the one of the highest intellectual honors at the University. Before coming to Grounds, scholars are selected as beacons of engaged, interdisciplinary leadership. These scholars are afforded two benefits by virtue of their title — they receive priority course enrollment times and forgo the University’s general education requirements.

While priority enrollment times produce a problematic hierarchy between scholars and non-scholars, the removal of general education requirements spells hypocrisy for a program founded upon interdisciplinarity. By requiring no demonstration of interdisciplinary study, this program promotes a version of study antithetical to its mission of supporting interdisciplinary scholars.

To understand how the Echols Scholars Program has strayed from their mission, it is important to understand the purpose of general education requirements in the first place. According to the University’s policies, students should be introduced to a variety of topics beyond their academic niche. The University requires students to take two rhetorical classes, learn a language for four semesters and enroll in two

quantification courses on top of the requirement to take classes in seven disciplines.

By creating this framework, the University encourages interdisciplinarity to create students conversant in topics ranging from literature to climate change. The general education requirements are premised on the idea that a well-rounded student begets a well-rounded citizen who

or hold scholars accountable to the program’s mission.

The criteria for membership in the Echols Scholars Program further undermines the stated mission of the program. The program argues that removing general education requirements is the only way for these scholars to take advanced classes relating to their interests without obstruction. The reality is that general

by an extended discussion about a lack of career prospects. This lack of career prospects is connected to the fact that student-designed majors are a bit like student-designed grading — that is to say, they are often meaningless.

By entrusting scholars who are not equipped with general education requirements to design competent majors, there is no guarantee that

Tennis cannot be played fairly without a net, and not all scholars can succeed in interdisciplinary study without tangible requirements.” can better engage with the world surrounding them.

While there is debate over what to require, general education requirements exemplify the interdisciplinary study which the Echols Scholars Program purports to hold so dear. The exemption of scholars from general education requirements — which the University identifies as necessary for all other students — is suspicious. Despite the program espousing values of interdisciplinarity, scholars are not held accountable. In this way, the program fails to challenge its students

education requirements do not hinder non-scholars from double-majoring or minoring in their interests.

In short, by removing the very thing which encourages intellectual curiosity, the Echols Scholars Program has actually hindered its nominal mission of enabling curiosity.

The practice of interdisciplinarity is not lost, though, if you are an Echols Scholar with time on your hands and an unfounded belief in your ability to create a major. The program offers an interdisciplinary major which is student-designed and noticeably punctuated on the page

scholars can enrich themselves in interdisciplinary study. Tennis cannot be played fairly without a net, and not all scholars can succeed in interdisciplinary study without tangible requirements pushing them in the right direction.

Tangible requirements for an honors program are not only recommended — they are standard at honors programs across the country.

Usually, programs require a fouryear commitment on behalf of the student to take advanced general education requirements. The University of Michigan, for example,

requires students of its honors college to create a capstone project in their last two years, the product of rigorous general education requirements alongside their major. Most of these programs additionally require their students to keep their GPA at a certain level in order to retain their honors status. Expectations like this are nonexistent for the Echols Scholars Program.

The Echols Scholars Program should require a limited amount of advanced general education requirements, while also considering the benefit of a capstone thesis. Both implicitly further the interdisciplinary curiosity which is central to the Echols mission. However, the Echols Scholars Program has betrayed this mission. In rewarding its scholars with the benefit of no requirements, this program has overstepped academic boundaries and lost sight of interdisciplinarity. Ironically, the Echols Scholars Program, in refusing to take inspiration from other honors college programs, demonstrates a sincere lack of intellectual curiosity.

SCARLETT SULLIVAN is an senior opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

U.Va. should require more language education The United States is systemically behind in language education, a reality which universities must do more to address Experts estimate that half of the world is bilingual. Yet, only 20 percent of Americans speak a second language.

This disparity is attributed to insufficient investment in language education across the American system. For example, most European countries have national mandates which require students to take a world language. The United States has no such national mandate. In short, the United States’ language education program is woefully inadequate and translates to embarrassingly poor language skills.

The University has endeavored to improve students’ linguistic abilities through general education requirements. Most students are required to demonstrate proficiency in one world language by reaching the 2020-level.

This requirement is intended to “[prepare] students to interact and collaborate with multilingual communities.”

However, while the world language requirement is able to prepare students for daily interactions, it does not mandate enough hours to enable collaboration. As such, the University must require more language education.

To be clear, the shortcomings of the current language requirement are not the fault of language professors or

departments. They have been given an impossible task which erroneously implies that proficiency needed for cross-linguistic interaction and collaboration is achievable in four semesters.

Students who have completed the University language requirement will have 230 hours of language instruction.

their immediate surroundings, a competency which does not achieve the goals of the University’s requirement.

Kate Neff, director of the Spanish deparment’s language program and senior lecturer, said that students who complete the 2020-level have an elementary proficiency.

problem,” Maanaki said. “But when it comes to matters that [have] to do with politics, society at large, scientific terms … stuff like that would be hard.”

The proficiency achieved at the 2020-level is certainly important, but only amounts to survival language skills. For students to genuinely collab-

The proficiency achieved at the 2020-level is certainly important, but ultimately only amounts to survival language skills.”

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, a language certification program used to craft curricula in the United States, estimates that it takes at least 240 hours to reach “intermediate mid” proficiency.

Therefore, University students who fulfill the minimum requirement will only be able to engage in short conversations regarding predictable topics.

For example, a student would likely be able to obtain medicine at a pharmacy but might not be able to describe their symptoms to a doctor. In short, these students are only competent in language scenarios which are limited to

“[Students] can talk about very familiar topics, about very concrete topics,” Neff said. “[They] can make [themselves] understood to a sympathetic listener.”

In the words of our requirement, they can interact with multilingual groups — but only in ideal conditions.

Bilal Maanaki, senior lecturer in the Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Culture, said that anything beyond daily interactions would be challenging for students who completed the 2020-level.

“With relation to daily interaction, they will be able to interact [with] no

orate with multilingual groups both professionally and socially, they must have proficiency beyond their immediate circumstances and daily life.

In the absence of sufficient hours, language professors are left hoping that students will independently continue their learning.

“I believe the world language requirement opens doors,” Alicia Lopez Operé, director of undergraduate programs for the Spanish Department, said. “The hope is that students walk through that door.”

This is a commendable goal. In an ideal society where language proficien-

cy is valued, a university requirement which opens doors might be sufficient.

However, the current state of language learning in the United States — specifically the lack of a national mandate — means that universities have an obligation to do more than simply open doors to language. Rather, they must require language education which equips students to be able to handle complex, multilingual situations.

At the University, this means increasing the world language requirement by at least one semester. In order to avoid impeding students’ majors, this increase should equip students for a multilingual professional world.

Language departments already offer courses such as Medical Spanish and Business Arabic. These offerings should be expanded to other fields and interwoven into the current general education curriculum. In doing so, the University would uphold its responsibility to produce linguistically competent graduates and also provide these graduates with clear practical applications of their language skills.

NAIMA SAWAYA is the Executive Editor of The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

8 | www.cavalierdaily.com

SPORTS

The Cavalier Daily

Bucking history, Virginia volleyball prepares for ACC campaign The Cavaliers hold a 10-1 record as they enter the conference season Victoria Blankenship and Ben Istvan | Senior Associate and Sports Editor

ALBERT TANG | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Senior setter Ashley Le keeps the ball alive during a match against Virginia Tech in 2023.

Virginia volleyball has mired in the dungeon of the ACC for a long time. The last eight conference seasons have been marked by 25 wins, 116 losses and eight consecutive finishes inside the bottom five. The Cavaliers have looked helpless at times, and they have been disappointing during most others.

But this season seems different. As Virginia prepares to begin its 2024-25 ACC campaign Friday against Wake Forest, Coach Shannon Wells’ team is primed to stop the streak. Not since 2003 have the Cavaliers opened a season with 10 wins in their first 11 matches, a stretch during which the team has dropped just 13 sets in total. And while conference play is bound to pose tougher challenges, Virginia’s performance thus far indicates it is ready for the test.

According to Wells, the secret to Virginia’s success has been its group of seniors. After the Cava-

liers’ win over Middle Tennessee State last week, which pushed their winning streak to seven matches, Wells noted the season-long efforts of outside hitter Brooklyn Borum, middle blocker Abby Tadder, setter Ashley Le and defensive specialist Milan Gomillion. The team has six seniors in total, rounded out by outside hitter Elayna Duprey and defensive specialist Heyli Velasquez.

“We just have so many people that have a lot of experience, and [the team is] relying on that right now,” Wells said. “I just think our upperclassmen are doing a great job of leading this team.”

Somehow, that might be an understatement. Tadder, Duprey and Borum are the team’s three leaders in kills, Le is setting the pace in assists with 285 and Gomillion’s 181 digs account for almost 30 percent of the Cavaliers’ team total. Virginia’s senior sextuple is its heartbeat.

Perhaps that is why the team has shown tremendous grit during each of its five-set matches this season, the most recent of which came during the Cavaliers’ aforementioned victory over the Lightning last week. Le recorded a career-high 51 assists in that match, while Tadder posted a team-high seven blocks, which placed her inside the top 10 alltime in program history.

Wells believes that veteran leadership, along with a whole lot of preparation, has turned Virginia into a team that embraces the marathon match.

“We’ve been playing the fifth set since January,” Wells said. “I really do think that we’ve been preparing for this for eight months. Every time we’ve been in the fifth set, you just see a very composed group, and [a reliance on] our seniors in those moments to just kind of get us through with that experience.”

While the Cavaliers are 3-0

in five-set matches this year, the likes of Middle Tennessee State, Liberty and Coastal Carolina are far cries from the competition up and down the ACC. Virginia has not played a ranked team this season, but fans can be sure the Cavaliers will encounter plenty of them soon enough.

Home bouts against No. 1 Pittsburgh and No. 5 Louisville await Virginia in November. In between, it will embark on a daunting west coast road trip to play No. 3 Stanford and California on back-to-back days. The Cavaliers will also host No. 18 Florida State, No. 23 Southern Methodist and a talented Miami team that will visit John Paul Jones Arena Oct. 6.

In spite of the gauntlet her team must face, and the near decade-long history of bottom-dwelling the program has succumbed to, Wells is looking forward to the task.

“I’m really excited,” Wells said.

“I think the ACC is the best volleyball conference in the country, and what an opportunity. This is the best roster we’ve had … I’m excited for our fans to come out and help us through a really, really big finish.”

Evidently, and justifiably, Wells can not contain her excitement. In her fourth year at the helm of the program, the seniors — many of which she has coached since her debut season — are helping the team turn a corner.

It is too early to call this a defining season for Virginia volleyball, but if the wins keep piling up and the crowds at Memorial Gymnasium grow, that is precisely what it will be.

For now, though, the focus is on the present. The focus is on Friday, when Wake Forest stands in the way of Virginia’s first conference-opening win since 2015.

Thursday, September 26, 2024 | 9

SPORTS

Checking in on Virginia’s fall sports teams at the midway point Three Cavalier Daily writers assess the surprise squads and standout athletes to date Michael Liebermann, Emory Huffman, Sam Chun | Staff Writers Fall may have officially started Sunday morning, but the fall sports season has been underway in Charlottesville for more than a month. Between women’s soccer and field hockey establishing themselves as ACC contenders and volleyball putting together their best start in 20 years, there are plenty of storylines surrounding Virginia’s athletic programs.

With so much to discuss, three Cavalier Daily sports staffers are here to give you the highlights, plus a few ideas about what to watch around Grounds during the second half of the season.

Which Virginia fall sports team has been the biggest surprise?

Michael Liebermann, Senior Associate: I expected good things out of women’s soccer. But I sure did not expect this. The first few weeks of the season astonished me, frankly — the 8-0-0 start, the seemingly inexorable ascension to No. 2 in the national polls — especially after the disappointment of last season, which culminated in the program missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years and the ACC Tournament for the first time ever. This year’s team seems entirely different, even though the roster is really quite similar. Consecutive losses to Wake Forest and No. 16 Notre Dame placed a slight damper on the parade, ending the winning streak and dropping Virginia to No. 19. But this has still been a staggering start for a program that looked to be floundering at the end of last season.

Emory Huffman, Staff Writer: Undoubtedly volleyball.

Non-conference play concluded Sept. 18 with Virginia’s record sitting at 10-1. Yes, ACC play looms large, but I’m impressed by the fight this team has shown so far. After a tough loss in straight sets against Coastal Carolina to start the Cavalier Classic in Charlottesville, the Cavaliers won the rematch 3-2 to avenge their only loss this season. Since a 2-12 campaign in 2020-21, Virginia volleyball has steadily trended upwards — the Cavaliers will enter ACC play with serious momentum, which could be a harbinger of their first relevant season in many years.

Sam Chun, Staff Writer: Though I was more optimistic than the voters who picked Virginia football to finish 16th in the ACC, I would be shocked if you told me a month ago that the Cavaliers would be 3-1 through

ALBERT TANG | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Senior wide receiver Malachi Fields elevates for the ball against Wake Forest.

four games. After losing five games by one possession last season, Virginia exorcized its demons against Wake Forest Sept.

7 when it erased a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Coach Tony Elliott and his bunch will face tougher opponents than the Demon Deacons as the ACC season gets going, but that just gives them even more of an opportunity to prove they belong.

Which Cavalier athlete has impressed you the most at the midway point?

ML: Junior defender Nick Dang has — to employ the eye-rolling pun the men’s soccer team keeps using on social media — played some pretty dang good soccer this year. The center back is the defense’s anchor, an almost gallant presence back there — Coach George Gelnovatch has called him “a warrior.” Dang came somewhat out of nowhere, too. He arrived from Lipscomb in the spring and, all of a sudden, in the first game of the season, there he was, the linchpin of the back line. Oh, and something else? He

leads the team in goals. Pretty Dang good.

EH: It’s Tyler Neville for me.

Virginia hasn’t emphasized the tight end position in recent seasons, but Elliott is certainly thankful to have Neville, the graduate transfer from Harvard.

After a slow start, he has nine receptions through the Cavaliers’ last three matchups, including a pair of touchdowns against Wake Forest. With that performance, Neville became the first Virginia tight end since 2007 to score two touchdowns in a game — look for his role to increase as the season progresses.

SC: Maggie Cagle. The junior forward was Virginia women’s soccer’s leading scorer last season and has picked up right where she left off, tallying five goals through ten games. Two of those came during a 2-1 road win over No. 3 Penn State in August, when Cagle willed the No. 21 Cavaliers back from a 1-0 halftime deficit with a dazzling second-half display. Every team wants a player they can turn to in crunch time, and Cagle looks the part with her

three game-winning goals, which are tied for second-most in the ACC. There is a lot of soccer still to be played, but the Cavalier catalyst has made an early case for ACC Player of the Year.

What is one game Virginia fans must watch in the second half of the season?

ML: This is almost too easy.

The second-ranked men’s soccer team in the country, towing all the intrigue of conference expansion, is coming to town Friday.

At Klöckner Stadium, at 7:30 p.m., No. 2 Stanford will confront Virginia. It is a titanic tilt for a couple reasons. There is the historical momentousness, the sense that this is the beginning of a semi-annual series between two of the sport’s most decorated programs. There is the novelty of the clash, the teams not having played since 2016. There is the simple fact that one of the nation’s top-ranked teams is taking the field. It all combines to make this one of the most tantalizing games of the fall season, across all sports.

EH: Virginia football takes on No. 17 Clemson Oct. 19 in Death Valley, one of the most intimidating places to play in the nation.

The Cavaliers’ road date with the Tigers has no real competition as the most challenging matchup on Virginia’s schedule. The atmosphere, as always, will be electric, and if the Cavaliers can get some momentum heading into South Carolina, a blowout might not be as inevitable as it seems.

SC: Women’s soccer will face Clemson Oct. 25 at Klöckner Stadium in the Cavaliers’ home finale of the regular season. While the Tigers have fallen out of the top 25, they entered the year as the preseason No. 5 team in the country and will be fighting for an ACC Tournament bid come October. Oh, and did I mention it’s a Sabre Rewards Game? Each student in attendance will get five Sabre Points towards the men’s basketball ticket lottery.

All signs point to packing Klöckner Stadium to watch two of the country’s premier teams duel in some mid-fall soccer under the lights.

10 | www.cavalierdaily.com

The Cavalier Daily

One-on-one with Kyle Guy The Virginia legend, now a coach, talks basketball and beyond with The Cavalier Daily Xander Tilock | Sports Editor and their families well. I’m all for it. Most of our guys are really responsible too, which makes it that much more intriguing for our University.”

XT: Now in 2024, what are you aiming to do as a coach?

KG: “You know, everyone keeps asking me if I want to be a head coach. I really just want to be really good in this role, help the team and be a part of something bigger than myself.”

XT: For those who may not know what your title means, what do you do as an Athlete Development Mentor and Special Assistant?

KG: “What I’m best at is being able to help mentor and pass on the knowledge that I have gathered from people before me, and I really enjoy it. It’s one of my passions. Even if I wasn’t a coach, I had an AAU program back in Indiana, I do camps and I really enjoy that kind of thing.

I’m hoping it will be a nice little bridge from player to coach and then the rest of it is whatever [Bennett] needs me to do.”

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Guy famously led the Cavaliers to their first national championship in 2019.

In the rafters at John Paul Jones Arena, a myriad of treasured banners hang. Retired jersey numbers and postseason appearances fill the area, but one special banner stands out — the banner of the 2019 national championship. The heroics of guard Kyle Guy were essential in that all-time program highlight for Virginia. Fast forward five years later to today, and Guy is back in Charlottesville — now part of the coaching staff. Last week, Guy discussed his journey with The Cavalier Daily.

Xander Tilock: Hi Kyle, thank you so much for joining us.

Starting off, what does it mean to be back on Grounds and with the program, and overall how are you doing?

Kyle Guy: “It’s really exciting.

I don’t think I quite realized how much I missed it until we got back. We came back for a weekend in the summer that just felt like home again and obviously I got the job, so we’re thrilled to be back.”

XT: I have to ask — what’s your go-to Bodo’s order?

KG: “That’s a good one, I get a sausage, egg and cheese on an everything bagel, with an orange juice, and then I’ll get two cinnamon bagels on the side with the cinnamon butter on it.”

XT: Also, the world needs to know — have you ever tried the Littlejohn’s sandwich named after you? What are your thoughts on that?

KG: “I haven’t tried it, I need to really badly though. I think you just made that a priority for me next week. I really want to try it, I’ve heard good things about it. I was touring the football facility and a couple of guys said they’d had it and that it was good.”

XT: Building off of that, what makes Charlottesville special for you?

KG: “I think it’s a little bit of everything. I think it’s one of those really neat and unique

towns that just has a little of everything, like the people, the sports at the University, pretty much all of them are pretty badass … or really good. And obviously the coaching staff — the people around the basketball program are just the type of people you want to be around every day.”

XT: Free throw shooting is certainly a hot topic among Cavaliers fans these days. Walk me through that 2019 Auburn game in the Final Four where you came up clutch and made three straight free throws. How did you stay cool and win the game? How will you help this year’s team improve in that area?

XT: What was it like playing for Coach [Tony] Bennett? How has he helped you become the amazing person you are today?

KG: “Free throws are two things — reps and confidence. When you put the two together, you don’t miss a whole lot. When you only have one, you’ll miss some, and when you have neither, you’ll miss a lot. I think we just continue with the reps and giving them confidence at the line, and I think that will help make a difference.”

KG: “I wouldn’t say amazing, but he definitely has helped shape me as a person. There was the whole thing — U.Va. was the last school to offer me a scholarship. They came in, in all relativity, late to the recruiting for me but Coach [Bennett] is just so genuine and he had my best interests on and off the court. I knew we were going to get along when every other coach promised me playing time and he [Bennett] said I had to earn everything, so that was what sealed the deal.”

XT: Let’s talk NIL, what are your thoughts on all the recent developments?

KG: “I don’t have too many thoughts. I think it’s great players are getting rewarded for their hard work and they will be able to represent the University

XT: This year’s team has a lot of new pieces. What do you think the ceiling is? What are some things to get excited about?

KG: “We definitely are an improved team shooting the ball, which is fun to see. There are good first years in the program that I think will be able to contribute, and we definitely have a ways to go but thankfully it’s only September.”

XT: If there’s one or two things you want our readers to know, what would those be?

KG: “Our transfers are really good, man. The people that we got in the portal will play a prominent role and help us.

This team will be dangerous in March.”

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

The Cavalier Daily

Thursday, September 26, 2024 | 11

LIFE

Top 10 things I love — ahem, loathe — about fall No, really, I enjoy the incessant coughing all around me Sam Saks | Top 10 Writer Ah, fall — that time of year when pumpkin spice is intoxicatingly inescapable and glorious sweaters migrate out of their closets.

Pools are out, and pumpkin patches are in. Crisp fall air makes for the best walks, and spooky season is ghoulishly grand throughout October. But I’m not here to talk about all of that. I’m here to talk about the cream of the crop — the absolute best that fall has to offer. For all the winning qualities of that lovely fall, look no further than this highlight reel.

1. Curveballs from Mother Nature

If you’re looking for inconsistent weather to spice things up, you’re in luck. Autumn isn’t basic — she’s one exciting, fickle-tempered diva. Refer to your friendly weather app before venturing out, and always keep an umbrella packed — autumn’s waterworks are erratic and never disappoint. Summer may even rub off on her and lead to some joyously hot days, ripe with sweat stains and a deep regret for bringing your shorts home over fall break. Anyone care for a tall glass of unpredictability?

4. Get comfy in the library

At week five of the semester, most students are slammed with homework and are likely approaching the first wave of exams. Lucky for you, there’s a place where you can pull your hair out over problem sets and perseverate on your essay word choice — the library. Whether you go to Clark, Clem or Shannon, these places have everything — dimly-lit stacks, that one pair of aggressive whisperers and study carrels that isolate you from the outside world. To passersby, these are lovely spaces, but we all know that once you spend hours in them, the aesthetics turn from academic-chic to academic-shriek.

5. Now entering our reptilian era

As the weather gets colder, you may be susceptible to the “fall tan” — dry skin, that is. As the humidity drops, so too does the moisture within your skin, leaving you with that oh-so-pleasing scaly look. “Feel the burn” has never rang more true, and nothing will phase you — not even scorching hot faucet water. Now you have the perfect opportunity to put that scented Bath & Body Works moisturizer to use.

LEXIE GAGNON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

3. Shots and soreness

Have any plans to get your flu shot at CVS yet? If you don’t, it’s time to get on that. Don’t wait to enter your sore arm era this fall season. You won’t feel immediate pain — vaccines are petty and like to give you that “slow burn” for the rest of the day. When you wake up the next morning, you’ll be in for a lovely day of wincing every time you move your arm more than 20 degrees from your torso. That definitely won’t get distracting. Getting your COVID-19 booster along with your flu shot? Double the fun for you.

When we turn our clocks back an hour on the first Sunday of November, darkness will descend even earlier in the evening. Huzzah! Finally, no more dealing with that big ol’ sun in the sky past 7 o’clock at night, whose brightness forces you to squint to determine if the person walking toward you is someone you know. Personally, I will not rage against the dying of the sunlight — rather, I will celebrate. Vitamin D deficiency, here I come.

8. Guessing with layers

Fall gives us the perfect opportunity to play everyone’s favorite game — Guess How Many Layers You Need Today. This seasonal delight allows you to look at the weather for the day — as it varies from a high of 70 to a low of 45 — and plan out how many layers you will wear to stay comfortable all day long. Don’t forget to factor in the constant AC blowing in study lounges and the natural sweat that beads on your brow as you speed walk to your next class. Picking an outfit becomes quite a challenging game to play.

LEXIE GAGNON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

9. Service to the pests

2. Cue tissue season

As the temperature starts trending downward and we enjoy the cold weather on walks to class, you’re going to get the best natural glow up — a runny nose — courtesy of fall.

Now, if you’re not into that attractive look, you can easily wipe the snot away with some tissues — or did you forget those at home? Not to worry — there are really rough paper towels in the bathrooms that definitely won’t leave you with a chapped nose.

7. Goodbye, Mr. Golden Sun

LEXIE GAGNON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

6. Slippery slopes

It’s a joy to get caught in the fall rain — but it’s even more fun to try to walk outside after it rains. Everything is covered in water, so everyone who’s going somewhere in a rush now has an automatic speed booster. Life becomes a real-world video game. Both tactile paving by curbs and wet leaves will get you moving in no time. And if you’ve got the finesse, you’ll look pretty cool as you slide to class.

Good news — the colder fall weather will allow you to rake in some volunteer hours. This season, you’ll undoubtedly be a good samaritan by housing a variety of pests. Ladybugs, stink bugs and mice will call your room home as they escape from the cold outdoors to the warmth of your space. They are quite mischievous house-guests, and you may just have to play tag with a silverfish before getting into the shower. A can of Raid will likely become your best friend this season.

10. A sick 4D experience — literally

There are no sounds I love more than deep coughs and violent sneezes. The emergence of fall brings with it a beautiful soundscape of hacks and achoos everywhere you go, from the sidewalk to the dining hall. Even better is when the sickness enters the fourth dimension for a thrilling immersive experience. Is there someone coughing behind you in lecture? Now you can hear the phlegm in their throat and feel their cough droplets on the back of your neck, too. How exhilarating.

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LIFE

Two professors’ pups make the classroom feel like home With their steady presence and unconditional love, Breccan and Thistle have captured the hearts of hundreds of students Maddie Shaw and Mia Tan | Feature Writer and Life Editor Drop in on a philosophy class at the University, and you may find a border collie or two curled up in the lecture hall. Breccan and Thistle, the beloved dogs of philosophy professors Elizabeth Barnes and Ross Cameron, act as a service dog and service-dogin-training, respectively. While the dogs’ primary focus is to aid the faculty couple, their impact spreads to the student body as well. The canine companions provide comfort and emotional support to their human peers, helping to make the classroom feel a little more like home.

Breccan started working as a service dog with Barnes and Cameron when they adopted him in 2017. Over the past year, the couple has been transitioning Breccan into retirement and training Thistle to be a service dog. For now, Breccan continues to act as a service dog if needed and attends classes with Cameron while Thistle accompanies Barnes. Barnes expressed her gratitude for the positive influence the border collies have on

the classroom.

“I do love the impact that it has on my [class],” Barnes said.

“That is one of my favorite things about having an animal that works with me. I think it creates a more relaxed atmosphere.”

Although he is retiring as a service dog, Breccan maintains a stellar attendance record. The couple said the elder dog especially gets a kick out of participating in class. He often gets up in the middle of Cameron’s lectures, soaking up the attention of students and enjoying applause for group presentations that he believes is meant for him. “[Breccan] loves [class]. He absolutely feeds off it,” Barnes said.

“I was, in a way, sad that he needed to retire, but … he just loves getting to know the students, and he loves being seen, and he loves being made a fuss of.”

In fact, Cameron said his students have grown so accustomed to Breccan that his absence would cause a stir. Cameron said he has even noticed a few students from the next professor’s

class arrive early just to greet Breccan. Whether he sees his own students cuddling with Breccan in office hours or other students approaching Breccan, Ross said he appreciates those giving the border collie their love.

“Students always love seeing Breccan there. I wouldn’t say that was what initiated [us bringing him here], but I think at this point, if we didn’t show up with the dogs, they’d be disappointed,” Cameron said.

Meanwhile, 18-month-old Thistle is just starting her journey as a service dog. Still in her “puppy phase,” she is working on a few key goals this semester — namely, keeping still, ignoring distractions and concentrating until the end of the class — not too far off from the responsibilities of her human peers.

But once she is off the clock, Thistle freely welcomes affection from students, and her excitement has a ripple effect on the class. Third-year College student Anika Agarwal said Thistle’s mere presence motivates

her during Barnes’ 8 a.m. PHIL 2820, “Philosophy of Health and Health Care” class. She said the soothing, non-judgemental support from a pet is enough to boost students’ moods. “[When] we’re going through our day-to-day life, it’s nice to see something that is just happy being there and happy to love you,” Agarwal said. “It makes me more excited to go to class.”

Agarwal said Thistle and Breccan’s presence in the classroom is a testament to the close relationships between University students and professors. Particularly in college, where students may feel distanced from their professors in large lectures, she said seeing her professors share parts of their personal life with the class makes her feel more connected to them.

“Professors feel more real because they are doing these things, like bringing dogs to class — it makes them feel more approachable,” Agarwal said.

Cameron also explained how the dogs bring him and Barnes

closer to their students. Every year, when he and Barnes inform their classes about the dogs ahead of time, he said students always give Breccan and Thistle a warm welcome. Ross said the attitude of these students speaks to the good nature of the University community.

“It’s really fantastic that U.Va. has the kind of atmosphere where this can be a thing. Everyone takes such joy from the dogs being around,” Cameron said. “[U. Va.] has that general welcoming, friendly feel.”

There’s no place like Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie The sweet and savory pies from this family-owned restaurant are worth the drive Lizzy Goldstein | Food Writer Upon returning to Grounds last month, my friend Lily, a Charlottesville native, invited me over for dinner one evening. For dessert, she retrieved a plastic container with a slice of Peanut Butter Pie from her family’s favorite restaurant, Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie. After the first bite, I was smiling ear to ear — I knew that I would have to visit the restaurant for my next food review. And I’m glad I did — while I visited Dr. Ho’s with my heart set on the desserts, it’s a perfect food stop for a variety of different food items, serving up salads, sandwiches, burgers and, their speciality, pizza.

Lily, three of our friends and I packed into my car and ventured 20 minutes off-Grounds for the highly-anticipated meal. The pizza restaurant is located in Albemarle County south of Charlottesville, just off of US-29, and I can attest that the restaurant is worth the drive. Dr. Ho’s is open to diners from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Dr. Ho’s was founded in 1998 by

Gerry Danner, who had previously run a number of restaurants in the Charlottesville area. Intending for the space to emulate the comfort of his living room, Danner and his co-owner Ian Wren converted what was once a hair salon into Dr. Ho’s. With the restaurant, Danner aimed to serve customers excellent food without the fuss — hence the latter half of the restaurant’s name, “Humble Pie.” In 2007, chef Michael McCarthy and his wife Nancy took over Dr. Ho’s, interested in continuing the restaurant’s mission to serve simple, delicious food. Dr. Ho’s has been in their hands since.

When we arrived, the five of us were seated at a spacious booth.

Given that it was getting late, the restaurant interior was dark but well-lit with large hanging light bulbs. The establishment felt cozy and personal, the walls covered in a collection of items from Danner’s living room.

Given her familiarity with Dr. Ho’s, we deferred the ordering responsibilities to Lily. To satisfy everyone’s cravings, we decided to

order one salad, one appetizer and one pizza — and as many desserts as we could stomach after dinner.

To start off with something light, Lily ordered us the Southwestern Shrimp Cobb Salad. A bed of spinach and romaine lettuce cradled a variety of toppings — roasted corn salsa, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, a sliced hard boiled egg and a scoop of guacamole. Catering to the preferences of the table, we ordered the house vinaigrette and the shrimp on the side. The tangy dressing and creamy guacamole contrasted nicely with the garnish of crunchy tortilla strips and welldone bacon. I was pleasantly surprised that there was more than enough for everyone to enjoy a sizable portion of the salad.

We had high expectations for our next dish, the Fat and Sassy — which the menu not-so-humbly dubbed “the best garlic cheese bread ever.” The base was doughy with a crisp crust, and the middle bursted with an impeccable blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese.

The bread was served with a side

of marinara sauce and house ranch dressing — the latter of which we enjoyed for its light consistency.

This certainly lived up to its description and is a must-try for visitors.

Per Lily’s suggestion, our main dish was the restaurant’s specialty pizza, the Humble Pie. Unlike the crust on the Fat and Sassy, this crust was thick and charred. The earthy flavor profile of the vegetables — green peppers, mushrooms and caramelized onion — complimented the hearty meats — Italian sausage and pepperoni. A heavenly melt of mozzarella and cheddar cheese brought the toppings together in perfectly savory bites. The pie easily ranks among the best pizzas we’ve ever had — the table unanimously agreed the best word to describe the pie was “showstopping.”

After taking a few minutes to digest our dinner, we placed our dessert order. I could hardly wait for the waitress to bring out our old friend, the Peanut Butter Pie. Essentially layered magic, the pie featured a crisp Oreo crust,

whipped peanut butter filling and a dark chocolate ganache topping.

The Oreo base evoked the nostalgia of a classic childhood cookie, and the airy filling almost melted on the tongue. It was just as wondrous as I remembered it to be.

We also ordered the Caramel Ice Cream sandwich — because you can never go wrong with more dessert. Portioned into four even slices, their homemade vanilla ice cream infused with salted caramel served as the perfect bridge between two double chocolate chip cookies. The sandwiches were topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle, elevating the dessert experience beyond words.

I highly recommend venturing to Dr. Ho’s to add a touch of home to your Charlottesville dining experiences. It is a great spot to visit with family or friends, and it’s best enjoyed with an appetite, as there is much of the menu to be explored. Although it’s a bit far, every minute of highway driving is rewarded with a meal that is as simple as it is delectable.

The Cavalier Daily

Thursday, September 26, 2024 | 13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A guide to U.Va.’s abundant live music scene From rock bands to symphonies, there is no shortage of variety when it comes to live music in Charlottesville Carter Horner and Delaney Hammond | Staff Writer and Arts & Enterta

Not a week goes by without one exciting music-related event or another — from rock house shows to jazz concerts, the University’s student body is full of talented performers and countless bands that wow audiences of all sizes. If you are interested in immersing yourself within the flourishing live arts scene in Charlottesville, read on for a crash course in getting the most out of the local happenings in live music.

For student bands — hit up a house show The first form of local live music most students will likely come across is house shows. These performances are typically hosted near the Corner, a popular cluster of shops and restaurants around University Avenue, or in off-Grounds and fraternity houses.

Several of the University’s own musically-centered Contracted Independent Organizations — Indieheads, WXTJ radio and University Records ­— host these events. The organizations plan the shows from top to bottom — members of the CIOs will scout venues, book bands, create promotional flyers and set up equipment. Many of the shows require an entry fee — around seven to ten dollars — in order to cover costs and raise money for each organization.

Taking place on weekends throughout the semester, these hard-hitting, boisterous and electric nights showcase the University’s student bands, both new and old. House shows are not only great ways to catch live music, but also to get to know other music fans.

Brian Tafazoli, president of Indieheads and fourth-year College student, recommended that students interested in learning more about the University’s live music scene attend these shows. According to Tafazoli, it is an opportunity not only to hear great music, but also meet other students.

“Indieheads puts on house shows typically twice a month,” Tafazoli said in a written statement to The Cavalier Daily. “Going to shows and establishing friendships with musicians is the best way of keeping up with the University music scene.”

While a raucous rock-and-roll performance at someone’s home might sound messy or too loud, house shows remain a staple of the Charlottesville music scene because of their ability to foster community among music lovers.

Any students interested in attending are welcome, and more information on house shows can be found on

the Instagram pages of WXTJ, Indieheads and University Records.

For impressive ensembles — attend a Department of Music concert For a more formal concert experience, one might consider attending one of the various official events put on by the Department of Music throughout the year. These shows take place in formal performance spaces like Old Cabell Hall and are overseen by faculty.

The Jazz Ensemble — led by John D’Earth, senior lecturer and director of jazz performance — hosts a show each semester in Old Cabell Hall where they play a host of jazz songs.

The incredibly talented brass, guitar, piano and rhythm players spend all semester preparing for these shows, and they are nothing short of an incredible experience. These concerts are more orthodox in their genre and structure than a house show — however, they are just as enjoyable.

“These official concerts are slightly more formal,” D’Earth said. “People can expect to hear big-band jazz across the spectrum of historical big-band music.”

In the spring, the University gathers nearly one hundred student musicians to rehearse for its annual concert band performance. The expansive wind ensemble plays a longer and more diverse set of music from various genres, including standard band tunes, pop music and concertos.

Students eager to hear orchestral music should look no further than the Charlottesville Symphony. Composed of faculty, students and community volunteers, the group performs several times in Old Cabell Hall throughout each semester, including two holiday performances.

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of all the exciting offerings of the Department of Music. A complete list of the department-affiliated performance groups can be found on the Department of Music’s website. For students interested in staying up to date on these performances, there is a music department newsletter filled with information about events hosted by the department. D’Earth said that University-produced concerts are free to students, as long as they reserve tickets in advance.

To see big names — take a trip to a large venue In addition to concerts found on Grounds, students can attend larger-scale concerts at John Paul Jones Arena, a stadium used for basketball games that also regularly brings in

MACKENZIE BULLOK | THE CAVALIER DAILY

If you are interested in immersing yourself within the flourishing live arts scene in Charlottesville, read on for a crash course in getting the most out of the local happenings in live music.

chart-topping artists. For instance, pop star Sabrina Carpenter will perform at JPJ Oct. 20, followed by concerts by Jelly Roll, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Brooks & Dunn this academic year.

While JPJ offers an invigorating indoor stadium atmosphere, music fans also have access to Ting Pavilion, a larger outdoor venue located on the Downtown Mall, a bustling pedestrian mall in downtown Charlottesville with a host of shops and restaurants.

Situated under a huge canopy, the stage frequently hosts nationally touring artists, including upcoming acts Vampire Weekend and Thee Sacred Souls.

If you are not interested in paying for tickets to see nationally-renowned artists right now, fear not — the University Programs Council, a body of students that plans various events across Grounds, hosts concerts at large venues like JPJ and Ting Pavilion each semester with no cost for students.

The Wahoo Welcome concert and Springfest concert — hosted at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters, respectively — bring in big-name artists like rappers Swae Lee and NLE Choppa at no cost to students.

Sunny Singh, director of PKG for UPC and fourth-year Commerce student, said that these concerts are specifically tailored to the tastes of University students. According to Singh, UPC conducts surveys to see which artists students are most interested in

seeing, then researches the top artists to see if they are a good match for a University audience.

While students of all years are welcome at these shows, Singh said that Wahoo Welcome is perfect for newer students who may not be familiar with live music outlets in Charlottesville.

“If you’ve never been to a concert before, it’s a great way to introduce yourself to the scene,” Singh said.

To get up close and personal — head to a small venue If you are looking for a more intimate space away from Grounds, Charlottesville is home to a wealth of smaller live music venues. The Southern Cafe & Music Hall, a venue also located on the Downtown Mall, is one of the most popular music spots in Charlottesville, hosting both nationally renowned performers and local favorites who play anything from bluegrass to alternative music.

Tessa Saporito, fourth-year College student and employee at The Southern, said the space is perfect for bringing audiences and performers closer together.

“What I really like about The Southern is that it’s small enough that you’re having some sort of intimate connection with the artist,” Saporito said. “Especially because the room is set up [so that] you can see the artist from any angle, and that you feel up close and personal anywhere that you are in the audience.”

In a similar vein, Miller’s Downtown hosts live music every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, boasting musicians from a variety of genres.

Here, audiences can listen to live tunes for free, making it a fantastic and consistent venue to see live acoustic performances in the downtown Charlottesville area.

For those looking to stay closer to Grounds, there are a handful of venues that bring live music to the Corner.

Crozet Pizza at Buddhist Biker Bar, a spot on Elliewood Avenue, frequently hosts bands late into the night on weekends. Recent student bands who performed at the venue include Name Game, Krispies and Loose Leaf. Right next door, Ellie’s Country Club also fills the open air with outdoor performances each weekend.

Fourth-year College student Anagha Chundury said she enjoys the vibrant and energetic atmosphere that live bands bring to bars on the Corner.

“I think it’s really fun when [local bars] have live music,” Chundury said.

“A lot more people are dancing and like actually paying attention to the music, which I really like. And I also think it feels more like being in a college town when the bars have music that’s played by students.”

Whether you are looking for small, intimate venues or larger-than-life arena shows, there is no shortage of events in Charlottesville to fulfill the desire for live music.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

‘Hoos Producing’ spotlights music production on Grounds The new club closes a gap in the University music scene, creating a space to appreciate the previously neglected art of music production Grace Scott | Senior Writer The University music scene is known for its popular fraternity bands, its well-attended house shows of Indieheads — a student-run music organization — and its cult-like a cappella culture. However, one crucial aspect of the music industry is missing from this picture — music production.

Noticing that there was no dedicated space to appreciate this artform amongst the University’s plethora of extracurricular offerings, fourth-year College student Lennon Newsom and third-year College student Owen Larson took it upon themselves this fall to start Hoos Producing, the University’s first music production club.

Music production describes the behind the scenes facet of the music creation process, including composing, editing, arranging and mixing audio to make a song. Newsom and Larson first bonded over their love for the craft at an Indieheads show, when Larson recognized Newson from their physics class as the kid who shared “I make electronic music” as his first day of class fun fact. After finding someone with a similar passion for produc-

tion, Newsom said he suggested the two start a club.

As a physics major, Newsom said that most of his time has been dedicated to managing his very quantitative-heavy course load. Because he spends so much time with numbers and theorems, he said he has found music production as an outlet to express his more creative side. Newsom said it is this personal experience with the art form that made want to create a club for students at the University who also see music production as an artistic refuge.

“Ever since my first year walking around the activities fair I was very disappointed that there was no music production club,” Newsom explained.

“So I finally had the time this semester to start it.”

Still in its infancy, Newsom said that the club has had two meetings in New Cabell Hall so far, hosting over 15 enthusiastic new members with different majors, music tastes and experience levels in music production.

Since the club is still getting itself off the ground, the meetings haven’t con-

sisted of testing skills just yet, but instead have been spent letting members get to know one another and listen to each other’s music. Newsom said that they hope that future meetings will include a variety of activities like music competitions and skills workshops.

Larson also shares this hope, stating that the students who have attended these first two meetings have made him confident that the club will only get better as they continue to cement themselves.

“The students who’ve joined so far have demonstrated so much passion and have given us many great ideas,” Larson said. “Lennon and I are very optimistic about what the future holds for Hoos Producing.”

Newsom said one of the most useful parts of this new community is that it provides a place for music lovers to receive informed and useful feedback on the beats and songs they produce.

Newsom said that this collaborative aspect of the club is particularly beneficial, sharing that this kind of critique typically can be hard to get from family and friends.

“A lot of these people in the club so far have never had people that could provide genuine feedback before on music that they’ve made, because they’re sharing it with their friends and family, people that don’t have production experience,” Newsom said. “So now we have a network of people that know how that was made [and can] give you advice on specifics.”

While this club provides a place for existing fans of music production to help each other out in this way, its founders encourage people with no background experience in the craft to join as well.

Newsom said that while one common obstacle for new music producers is the high cost of equipment — like a MIDI controller or audio interface, which can be anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars — he wants to assure students that buying equipment is by no means a requirement to join Hoos Producing. In fact, he said he thinks some of the best music made has been produced using the cheapest equipment, like the free GarageBand app.

“You can make the best music in the world and it can be free,” Newsom said. “You’d be surprised about the songs that you would recognize that were made on an iPhone.”

After consistently meeting throughout this semester, the club hopes to gain Contracted Independent Organization status in the spring.

This status would afford them more funding from Student Council to expand the offerings of the club and better support its members.

“Right now, you could think of Hoos Producing as a close-knit group of students who love making, sharing and collaborating with each other on music,” Larson said. “We’ve really only scratched the surface in terms of what we imagined this club to be.”

Whether you are an experienced music producer or totally tone deaf, the club offers judgment-free space for all Hoos to explore the art of music creation with a group of similarly passionate peers.

‘Holly Wright: Vanity’ showcases introspective photography The exhibit featuring the work of a former University professor explores the ways communication ‘confuses’ and ‘captures’ Rea Pillai | Staff Writer Striking tones of black and white images illuminate the walls of the Fralin Museum of Art as the exhibition titled “Holly Wright: Vanity” sits in its new temporary home in Charlottesville. First opened at the Fralin Aug. 31, Holly Wright’s photography series — which brings together selections from three bodies of work, “Final Portraits,” “Vanity” and “Poetry” — dissects the intricacies of communication and the impermanence of life through closeup and full-length stills of the human body.

Wright, who taught photography at the University from 1984 to 2000, was one of the pioneering forces behind establishing a photography collection at the museum. Though her work has been displayed at various institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Yale University Art Gallery, this is her first solo exhibition to be featured at the Fralin.

Fittingly, the exhibit was made possible through the funding and support of one of Wright’s former students, Tom Osborne.

The exhibit’s preoccupation with expression, particularly self-expression, through the lens of photography can be understood best through the titular series “Vanity,” a collection of

zoomed-in images of Wright’s hands.

Dr. Kristen Nassif, curator of collections at the Fralin, said this focus adds a level of abstraction to the collection’s examination of the human body, with visuals that are initially somewhat difficult to decipher.

“She called the series ‘Vanity’ because she thought it was really vain to turn the camera on herself and photograph herself,” Nassif said. “But I think that she found a really kind of creative and effective way to take these abstracted images of her body.”

Through the thematic exploration of expression, Wright explores the challenges of understanding identity by choosing to focus her lens on overlooked aspects of the human experience. This is especially evident in the second series of photos titled “Poetry,” in which Wright captures the mouth of her husband — Charles Wright, a retired English professor at the University who also served as the 20th Poet Laureate of the United States — in the act of reciting a poem.

The images in this series are organized in a grid, creating a pictorial narrative that visually represents the poetic prose. Each image connects with the previous, actualizing the unconfined movement of speech. When seen as a

whole, the collage asks viewers to focus on the architecture of the mouth, rather than the words being said. Through this focus, Wright reframes the significance of how individuals choose to convey meaning beyond language — through the nuances of articulation.

Given the significance of the “Poetry” segment’s presentation of its message, it should come as no surprise that Wright played an active role in curating the exhibit. Nassif said she enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with Wright during this process.

“When Holly came on site, she helped us kind of arrange them into this flowing rhythm of panels, which I think is really beautiful because it kind of mimics inflections and sentences and the pacing of sentences,” Nassif said.

In the third series, entitled “Final Portraits,” images of couples and individuals lying flat on their backs populate the Fralin’s octagonal gallery room. What sets this series apart is the question guiding the models’ poses — “if you could take one photograph before you passed on, what would it look like?”

According to an installment of the Fralin’s Writer’s Eye Spotlight Talk series, Wright’s vision for this series

stemmed from the phenomenon of wealthy individuals who commission portraits of themselves to be included at their final resting place. In positioning the models in similar stages of mortality, viewers are encouraged to ask themselves the same question and reflect on their own relationship with death and legacy.

The Fralin currently displays the paintings on the gallery walls, but Ariel Ankrah, curatorial assistant at the Fralin and Class of 2023 alumna, said that while drafting the design of the exhibit, Wright initially wanted to have her photographs laid out on the ground to make the arrangement more interactive.

“One of the concepts Holly wanted to have when we originally started talking to her about the exhibition is she wanted people to be able to walk on the final portraits, like [to] have them on the ground,” Ankrah said.

“Sort of like you’re walking on the body of a loved one, or like if you were in a cemetery.”

While this idea never came to fruition because of limitations in the Fralin’s layout, its concept speaks to Wright’s overall desire for the exhibit to engage viewers with the ideas of mortality and discomfort, which she

achieves through variation with representations of the models and experimentation with levity and depth in each image.

When viewed as a whole, “Vanity,” “Poetry” and “Final Portraits” work together to ask questions about the nature of humanity and the meaning of human connection. Nassif said that each series is designed to build upon the previous one, with the goal of pushing the limits of photography as a medium.

“I think she’s really interested in playing with what photography can do,” Nassif said. “So both [the] literal representation of people, but also, [the] abstracted representations of the body.”

More broadly, Wright’s work speaks to the intricacies of life — from exploring the self in “Vanity,” to unsaid communication in “Poetry,” to confronting death and connectivity in “Final Portraits.” Through “Holly Wright: Vanity,” the Fralin honors a major contributor to the arts at the University.

The exhibition, which is open to all art enthusiasts, will continue to run in the Fralin Museum until Jan. 5. The museum’s hours can be accessed on their website.

15| www.cavalierdaily.com

The Cavalier Daily

HUMOR

‘Run With Jim’ goes awry, Ryan departs Charlottesville CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Students and staff were shocked early Wednesday morning when University President Jim Ryan went on what initially appeared to be an impromptu “Run With Jim” before exiting Charlottesville entirely. Ryan is currently passing through Culpeper County and does not show any signs of stopping.

The Virginia Athletics Foundation has dubbed this run the “Journey With James.” According to a University spokesperson, this is a “fundraising event” which will continue until the Dishonor the Future campaign goal is reached.

At 7 a.m. Wednesday, Ryan started on a jog down McCormick Road.

Although the run was unannounced, students began to jog alongside the president.

First-year Engineering student Dan Taylor joined the president as he passed the Newcomb dining hall. Taylor said that Ryan was uncharacteristically irritable that morning.

“Honestly, I was looking for an excuse to skip my Ethics of Automatic Toilets engagement,” Taylor said. “I heard that they usually give out free T-shirts at the end of these runs. When I asked [Ryan] if they were doing shirts this time, he just grunted at me so I went to Newcomb for a Tundy waffle.”

While The Cavalier Daily has been unable to confirm what precisely prompted this event, suspicions have been running rampant. Ryan’s family claims that his viewing of the film “Forrest Gump” this past weekend had a profound impact on him.

“By the time we got to the scene where Bubba was killed, it felt like something had clicked in James,” Katie Ryan said. “I knew he was really troubled by something.”

While Ryan’s run normally ends at Madison Hall, it became apparent that the president was pursuing something more ambitious when he continued northeast along Route 29. Many observers have since pointed out similar-

ities between the route Ryan has taken thus far and Forrest Gump’s trek.

It appears that many students have opted to join Ryan on his “Journey With James.” A majority of these students are prospective applicants to the McIntire School of Commerce.

Benjamin Buford, prospective Commerce major and second-year College student, agreed to speak to The Cavalier Daily over the phone as he shadowed Ryan.

“Jimmy’s gonna crack any minute now, I just know it,” Buford said.

“I know they’re inflating the comm school acceptance rate, and I’m not resting until he owns up to it.”

Ryan was spotted in Culpeper County this morning when he approached local dog walker and University alumnus Miles Furlong before asking him where the nearest dining hall was.

“I didn’t recognize him,” Furlong said. “He was out of breath, and by the time I’d even registered what he asked,

he was running off saying that he’d ‘rather have Bodo’s anyway.’”

Bodo’s Bagels does not yet have a location outside of Charlottesville.

Since he left Grounds, many have urged Ryan to reconsider running. At the very least, many alumni have called for him to name one of the University’s vice presidents to serve in his place.

When pressed for comment on the issue, Ryan reportedly said that he was “thinking about Jenny.” It is unclear whether he was referring to University Vice President Jennifer “J.J.” Wagner Davis or the “Forrest Gump” character.

Despite the unusual circumstances, the Board affirmed their faith in Ryan in a statement Wednesday evening.

“We have faith in Jim Ryan to continue his duties as president while away from Grounds,” the Board said.

“As long as he continues to raise money, we have no plans to fire him.”

The Board refused to comment when asked if student interns within the Office of the President were

managing the majority of the decision-making processes.

Ryan is projected to pass through the Northern Virginia area Tuesday morning. Numerous high school seniors from the area are expected to join him.

“I just want to run my application essays by President Ryan,” prospective University student Runa Afar said, who plans to join the president as he runs along Route 29.

As of this publication, Ryan has remained largely unresponsive to questions, passing drivers and student journalists. He refuses to explain when he will return to Grounds but has been very enthusiastic when asked to discuss running.

“I’ve been doing these runs with students since 2018,” Ryan said. “I just felt like running.”

OWEN ANDREWS is a humor columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at humor@cavalierdaily.com

CARTOON & PUZZLES Forever Faithful to the Flop

Hoo’s Spelling

Blake Maguire | Cartoonist

Isabelle Tindall | Puzzle Master

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CROSSWORD Quinn Connor | Puzzle Master ANSWERS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE DITIGAL VERSION OF THIS PUZZLE WHICH IS PUBLISHED AT WWW.CAVALIERDAILY.COM ACROSS: 45 ____ Field: Home of the 6 High tennis shot 1 Some gaming consoles New York Mets 7 “Prince ___”: song from 5 Landmark to remember 46 “Lord, is ___?”: Last “Aladdin” 10 Bills with Jefferson Supper question 8 Some tiki bar orders 14 Lab safety org.?

47 Disaster site of 79 A.D. 9 Make a Father 15 Like some panels 50 What “team” has, 10 Item commonly smashed 16 Chile, e.g. proverbially at Buffalo Bills tailgates 17 NBA player nicknamed 51 Sleeping place for a child, 11 Activity that may take “The Process” often place during a wake 19 Bingo call often followed 53 ____ Guy: UVA Corner 12 Kitchen fixture by “like a heart!” staple 13 Email button 20 “Donut” for “doughnut”, 55 More strange 18 Sunrise direction e.g.

57 Prefix for stop and 22 Fireplace 21 Last part starter 23 Very enthusiastic 23 Gets older 58 It covers nearly 9% of 24 Writing on the wall?

25 One might judge at the Earth’s surface area 25 K-pop group sharing a bench 59 Public speaker’s name with a file ending 27 2022 film that sounds like concern...or a phonetic hint 26 Basketball hoop part seal chatter to 9 answers in the grid 27 Lines in a pie chart 28 Getting to the gate 65 Talk in an uncontrolled 29 Batteries in some remotes 30 Music genre originating fashion 31 Michael of “Batman” and from Jamaica 66 Mario’s dinosaur friend “Birdman” 33 “The Wealth of Nations” 67 Workplace safety org.

32 PC character format economist Smith 68 Sound of relief 34 Body of eau 35 Small fortune tellers?

69 Spanish 101 verb 37 Booze, for short 36 “Great” quintet 70 Kristen of “Bridesmaids” 39 Speedy 38 Not quite rejects, in 40 CBS show followed by college decisions DOWN: “Miami”, “Vegas”, or “NY” 40 Gluten intolerance 1 NYT competitor 42 Fertilized eggs 54 Being hauled disease 2 NYSE debut 43 Large primate 55 Big conflicts 41 Prefix with “structure” 3 Rocks, in a bar 44 It’s on 78% of world flags 56 Actor Morales or 44-Down 4 _____ Regina University 48 Polyphemus feature 57 Black ____: “The Boys” 42 Prominent features for 5 YouTube genre involving 49 Has the stage character with a redundant Dumbo whispering 52 Rage name

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60 Superlative ending 61 When repeated, a dance 62 “___ was saying…”

63 X on a fraternity house 64 Playground game