Broadside February 13, 2012 Issue by Student Media George Mason University

Valentine’s Day Movies Check out our guide to movies to watch with your significant other. STYLE • Page 6

Smoking Policy Redux Mason officials look to improve enforcement of existing smoking rules. NEWS • Page 3

Cradle of Life Women’s lacrosse team wins season opener against Saint Francis, 19-9. SPORTS • Page 9

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper www.broadsideonline.com

February 13, 2012

Volume 88 Issue 14

Jimmy Lange Boxing Hits Patriot Center Each Match Goes to Decision in Saturday Night Slugfest

Lawsuit Leads to Policy Change in Student Government Secret Ballots No Longer Permissible Gregory Connolly Editor-in-Chief

Photo by: Stephen Kline

Each ﬁght — including one that had to be stopped due to a cut — went to a decision Saturday at the Patriot Center. Jimmy Lange Boxing visited George Mason University with 14 boxers in tow. Lange, left, from Great Falls, topped Ruben “Modern Day Warrior” Galvan, right, in the main event, pictured above. See other photos of the event on page 11.

Mason Student Passes Away at 24 Sophomore Bridget Healy Active in Mason LIFE, Best Buddies Club Colleen Wilson

A lawsuit filed by a former member of the George Mason University Student Senate over the legality of the use of secret ballots in voting for senate appointments was shot down by a Fairfax County judge Jan. 30 due to an error in whom the lawsuit was filed against. The lawsuit was filed by Michael Jordan, whose appointment to the senate was rejected Oct. 18, 2011, in a secret ballot vote by the Government and Academic Affairs Committee in the first step of the interview process. The lawsuit named as the defendant Matthew Short, the individual, rather than Matthew Short, the chair of the G&A Committee, Short said. To be valid, the lawsuit should have been filed against Short in his capacity as committee chairman. In the lawsuit, a “petition and affidavit for good cause/for injunction of mandamus - freedom of information act,” according to a court document, Jordan asked for a writ of mandamus that would require Short to “declare all ballot votes since October 18th, 2011 null and void and require the committee to re-do the interviews in a fairer process. I [Jordan] am also asking to recover reasonable costs,” according to the document. A writ — or formal written order issued by a body — of mandamus calls for the court to force someone to act in a certain manner. A request to Fairfax County General District Court by Broadside for the transcript of the hearing was not fulfilled, as the document was not ready by the

time of this article’s printing. The court ruled on Jan. 30 in favor of the defendant, Short, according to online Fairfax County General District Court records. The issue at the heart of the lawsuit — the legality of using secret ballots within a group that is likely a public body — first came up during the Oct. 18 meeting of the G&A Committee. The meeting opened with Short introducing the “ballot voting procedure,” at which point, Senator Donald Garrett said, “Point of information, it is illegal in Virginia to have secret ballot voting,” according to the minutes of the Oct. 18 meeting. “Voting is going to be closed ballot, that is how it is going to be,” replied Student Government Advisor and assistant director Melissa Masone, according to the minutes. “I want to again make it clear that this is illegal,” Garrett said, according to the minutes. “This is how it is going to be done, end of discussion,” Short said, according to the minutes. Three members of the committee voted aye, three nay and three abstained when it came time to vote on Jordan, according to the minutes. Following the Oct. 18 meeting, there were several conversations within Student Government about the correct course of action. “Post that meeting, there was significant amount of due diligence paid to researching and trying to find out the right [voting procedure to use],” said Director of Student Involvement Lauren Long.

See GOVERNMENT, Page 2

Asst. Sports Editor George Mason University sophomore Bridget Healy passed away unexpectedly at the age of 24 on Thursday while at home with her parents. Healy was active in the Mason LIFE program, which oﬀers a university experience to students with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Friends describe Healy as loving, caring and special. “My favorite memory of Bridget was being able to see her smile everyday,” said Tommy Miossi, Mason LIFE student and buddy director of Best Buddies Club at Mason, which pairs disabled students in oneto-one friendships with other university students. In her free time, Healy enjoyed watching movies, spending time with her friends and attending Mason events. “Bridget was a great and wonderful person and a very great friend of mine. I loved her so much,” said Caitlin Donovan, historian of Best Buddies and Mason LIFE alumna. “She had such a great personality. She will be greatly missed by all of the Mason LIFE staﬀ and students.” Healy was a member of the Best Buddies Club. Each month, the club holds meetings so that all of the friendship pairs can get together for activities. “Best Buddies is planning to plant a tree on campus in her honor near the Aquia Building. This is where the Mason LIFE program is, so it seems the most appropriate

Faculty Senate Upset Over Presidential Search Wanted to Be Bigger Part of Process Justin Lalputan News Editor

Photo Courtesy of Facebook

Sophomore Bridget Healy, far right, passed away Thursday while at home with her parents. Healy, 24, was involved in Mason LIFE and Best Buddies. place,” said Alexa Rivas, senior psychology and pre-law major and president of the Best Buddies Club. “We are also going to be putting together a Best Buddies memory book to send to her family. Everyone in our chapter will be contributing, so it will be really special.” Healy grew up in Towson, Md., where her parents still live. Her brother, Tim Healy, is a student at Virginia Tech. “Bridget will be

greatly missed. She was a great role model for everybody and she loved her friends,” Miossi said. Viewings for Healy will be held at Ruck Funeral Home in Towson, Md., from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. The funeral mass will be on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Church of the Nativity in Towson, Md. The internment will be at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium, Md.

Coming Soon: Late Night Student Center ‘The Ridge’ to Fill In Morning Hours, Ensuring Study Space Available 24 Hours A Day Gregory Connolly Editor-in-Chief In an attempt to oﬀer an alternative for students who need a place to study after the Johnson Center closes its doors at 2 a.m., a new study space — open from 11 a.m. to 7 a.m. daily — will likely open in the next month. The new lounge, to be located between the Sandbridge and Blueridge buildings, will be called The Ridge and will double as a student lounge and a multipurpose space for residents of the surrounding neighborhoods. “It

will ﬁll in the space where Corner Pocket used to be before it was relocated to The Hub [Student Union Building II],” said Khorey Baker, assistant director of Residential Education for the Oﬃce of Housing and Residence Life. The project is a pilot program to see how students respond to having a space they can go to at all hours of the night, Baker said. The money for the project came from a $25,000 grant from the Auxiliary Enterprise Management Committee, said Todd Rose, the associate dean of Uni-

versity Life. “The grants are one-time ﬁnancial support for initiatives (primarily new initiatives) that have a direct impact on student life,” Rose said in an e-mail. “The grants have to be applied for and are reviewed by a committee, therefore the grant process is a competitive process.” “The hours we’re operating are a pilot based around that grant,” Baker said. “Once we see the student use of the space, we’ll decide what hours are most appropriate.” The pilot program will last at

least through this semester to give oﬃcials in Housing and Residence Life some idea of the actual demand for such a space on campus, Baker said. The goal is to have The Ridge ready to open by Feb. 27, said Student Government President Ally Bowers, who was involved with planning the new space. While that date is not set in stone, most of the pieces have fallen in place, and the opening will not be long after the deadline, if at all.

See RIDGE, Page 2

The George Mason University Faculty Senate convened Wednesday in a special meeting to address complaints and issues attendant to the recent presidential search process. Also raised for discussion were the multiple inquiries into the nature of the upcoming provost search committee, and if it would also be anonymous. The meeting was called at the request of numerous senators who believed that the Board of Visitors overstepped its bounds by allowing the presidential candidates to remain anonymous throughout the entirety of the search process. Section 1.2.5 of the Board of Visitor-approved faculty handbook states, “The search and selection process must include opportunities for the General Faculty to meet with candidates who are ﬁnalists for the presidency.” The anonymous nature of the most recent presidential search goes against the aforementioned rule outlined in the handbook, because members of the general faculty were not aware of the identities of the candidates and did not get a chance to meet them before the election of Ángel Cabrera. Many senators have voiced disapproval, and at the meeting one member even suggested a motion to ask the Board of Visitors for an apology, though the motion did not receive a second and failed to pass. “Market realities cause candidates to choose what searches they will be in based [in] part [on] if the process being used is public or conﬁdential,” Linda Monson, a

member of the presidential task force, said. “Since the mid-‘90s candidates who were sitting presidents who were looking at other presidential opportunities have had troublesome impacts on themselves and their universities.” Monson went on to say that some of those sitting presidents have lost their jobs and funding due to the fact that they were looking at other positions, therefore explaining the need for confidentiality. Peter Pober and June Tangney, two other members of the presidential task force, spoke alongside Monson, and assured the Faculty Senate that they were well represented in the search process, and their voices were heard. However, many senators were not satisfied with that answer. “It’s not about whether our colleagues [in the task force] did their best. It’s not about if you did whatever you could to represent our interests and it’s not about the asserted confidentiality that lasts until death [of the members of the task force],” said Susan Trencher, one of the faculty senate members who called the special meeting. “What it is about is the violation of the faculty handbook — that’s the subject. The concern [is] about violation of the faculty handbook, which is a contractual agreement, and where it leaves us, the faculty of the university, in the future.” Questions were raised about the legality of the faculty handbook as a legal document to which the Board of Visitors would be bound and several conflicting opinions were raised.

See SENATE, Page 4

Broadside

News

The number, in millions, of messages that Mason receives in a day.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Event Calendar Monday, Feb. 13 When the House Burns Down: Deborah Lash Johnson Center, Gallery 123 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Security Clearances Workshop Student Union Building I, Room 3400 12 - 1 p.m. President’s Day Reception Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall 3:30 - 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 14 Global Affairs Year of Africa: Tony Roshan Samara Mason Hall, Room D3 A and B 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball: Mason vs VCU Patriot Center 9 p.m. Chi Omega Benefiting Make-A-Wish Johnson Center, Kiosk C 3 - 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 15 Guess for Gas Johnson Center Atrium 1 - 2:30 p.m. Graduate Career and Internship Fair Arlington Campus, Founders Hall, Room 126 2 - 5 p.m.

Thursday, Feb.16

FFF: Friends, Food, and Film Student Union Building I, Room 1400 2 - 4 p.m. Career Services Workshop: Resume Clinic Johnson Center, Room 116 11 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Contemporary Exhibition Series: Deborah Willis and Hank Willis Thomas Center for the Arts, Fine Art Gallery 1:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 17 Theater of the First Amendment de Laski Performing Arts Building, TheaterSpace, Room 105 2 p.m. Complexions Contemporary Ballet Center for the Arts, Concert Hall 8 p.m.

For more events and activities, check out: today.gmu.edu

Feb. 7

Feb. 6

POLICE FILES Hit and Run Lot A Vehicle 1 struck Vehicle 2 and fled the scene. Estimated damage $200.00. (38/Rourke)

Hit and Run Lot A Hit and Run. Vehicle 1 struck Vehicle 2 and fled the scene. Estimated damage $200.00. (38/Rourke)

Feb. 8

Medical Assist RAC Aided party refused Medical Attention. (48/Surber) Forgery SUB I Documents reported to be forgery. This case is under investigation. (36/Gannon) Forgery SUB I Documents reported to be forgery. This case is under investigation. (36/Gannon)

Police Files are taken verbatim from www.gmu.edu/police. Broadside does not make any changes to public records.

Student Government Modifies Code to Make Appointment Process More Open GOVERNMENT, From Front The issue was taken to university counsel for advice in the days after the meeting. “In the days following [the Oct. 18 meeting], I worked with university counsel and university lawyers to make sure. ‘Hey, explain this [laws concerning public bodies] to me so I can understand,’” Masone said. “That’s when we moved forward. Before we change the process, I wanted to make sure that it [Garrett’s point of information] was true.” Following Garrett’s point of information at the Oct. 18 meeting, the committee continued to use ballots, though they were not secret — voters were required to write their names on the ballots, which are available for anyone to see, Short said. Long said university counsel instructed Student Government to make sure everything was public. “If you put your name on the ballot, that means you are owning your vote. If all the votes are placed online, then the transparency is there and it’s public information,” Long said. The ballots with names written on them served as a buffer between the anonymous ballots and the current open roll call system, Long said. Long said there was an effort between the Oct. 18 meeting and the Dec. 1 passing of a bill to amend the code to insist on open roll call votes to make sure votes were done in a legal manner. “My staff and the students

were trying their best to figure out the best way to make changes so that they could be doing it the right way because nobody had any idea that they weren’t doing it the right way. They had a genuine desire to do it the right way,” Long said. On Dec. 1, Jordan filed the lawsuit with the hope of changing the Student Government policies that allowed for secret ballots to be used, Jordan said. “The ultimate motivation in filing this lawsuit is that the rules of Student Government would be changed,” Jordan said. On the same day, the Student Senate passed the Dec. 1 bill submitted by Short to modify voting procedures. The bill alters several sections of the code to insist that roll call voting be used, according to the bill. “I went through the code and [found] any place where we had done paper ballots before or [where] paper ballots could be used and just made it very clear that it had to be a hand vote,” Short said. “I called it roll call vote. Now, in committee we just have all those in favor say aye, and their names are written down.” Though the lawsuit was decided in favor of the defendant, leaving Jordan in a position where he could re-file, he has elected not to since the code of Student Government has been revised to prohibit secret votes from happening again, Jordan said. The decision to use secret ballots in the first place was made to protect members of Student Government from being put in a

position where they would have to openly vote against their peers. “Members of the [G&A] Committee came to me and were worried they could face retribution [because of their vote],” Short said. “If we were friends and you were coming through, I wouldn’t want to ruin our friendship if I thought ‘yeah, you’re a friend, but I don’t think you’ll be great in this organization. I don’t think it’s the right ﬁt for you.’ You could be hurt by that, and I don’t want to hurt you, so I would feel guilty and I would vote a certain way even though I don’t think that’s the best way. So [with] secret ballots, the most democratic form of voting, you vote how you feel.” Short said the Oct. 18 meeting was the ﬁrst meeting of the semester to deal with appointments. “We only used secret ballots for appointments because that was a lot more personal than a bill,” Short said. “If it’s someone on the outside, they’re also our constituent and they’re sitting in front of us, so we want to keep that respect.” When Garrett raised his point of information at the Oct. 18 meeting, Student Government President Ally Bowers said she began researching Virginia law that ties to open meetings and then shared the information she found with Masone after the Committee meeting. “I was surprised that I wasn’t given fair consideration to my claims and that they decided to go on with it — and that they didn’t care what they are doing could be illegal,” Garrett said.

Past opinions by both the Virginia Office of the Attorney General and the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council considered Student Governments to be public bodies. As such, there could have been a chance that the secret ballot vote in the Student Senate could have been ruled illegal by a court, though the question is still up in the air following the lawsuit. While Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act doesn’t specify that Student Government organizations constitute public bodies, a 1984 opinion from the Virginia Office of the Attorney General said Old Dominion University’s Student Senate is a public body since they are tasked with allocating student tuition, much like Mason’s Student Senate. The issue arose again in 2007 when Broadside asked for an opinion from the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council as to whether or not Mason’s Student Government should be considered a public body. According to the May 7, 2007, opinion on the matter, “following prior opinions of the Attorney General and this office, the Student Government [of Mason] is considered a public body subject to FOIA because it is an organization ... in the Commonwealth supported wholly or principally by public funds.” While this isn’t legally binding, it would have influence if it were to be brought up in a courtroom.

Phishing Masonlive ITU Makes Effort To Protect Students Against Online Threats Justin Lalputan News Editor On Feb. 3, many students may have noticed a phishing attempt in their email. Despite the fact that this attempt got through, George Mason University’s ITU endeavors daily to protect students from online threats. The email claimed to be from a bank and solicited students’ banking information. Within a few hours, Mason’s ITU sent out an email advising students that the email was not legitimate and was, in fact, a phishing attempt. This phishing attempt made it past Forefront Online Protection for Exchange, which is the Microsoft anti-virus and antispam protection service currently used for @masonlive.gmu.edu email accounts. “Phishing attempts are harder to detect than viruses,” said Tracy Holt, manager of the Enterprise Messaging team in the Technology Systems Division of the ITU, in an email. “Phishing messages are typically text-based

and may or may not contain links. People sending phish can vary the text and links in the message, making it difficult for the software to know that the message is a phish.” According to Holt, the specific phishing attempt that made it through on Feb. 3 was able to so do because it did not meet enough characteristics for FOPE to accurately identify it as a phishing attempt. Holt also stated in an email that although the phishing attempt was sent to many students at Mason, the email was sent in multiple small batches, and every batch was altered slightly to differentiate it from the rest. ITU believes that the emails were sent from a compromised Mason email account. “Phishers try to get a valid account and password on the system to which they are sending, as messages coming from a local user are treated with a higher level of trust than messages coming from the outside,” said Holt in an email. In addition to email, students also face threats when

browsing the Internet, but Randy Anderson, director of network engineering and technology, says that Mason’s networks are protected by several security measures. “We require users to log in with a valid Mason user account or guest ID in order to access the wireless networks,” said Anderson in an email. “Although all of our networks (wired and wireless) are physically connected, we have strict firewall rules that limit how they communicate with each other.” Anderson also stated in an email that his department monitors network traffic levels. If they see a jump in traffic, they investigate the cause. If it is found to be malicious, they shut it down. Another level of protection is the free Symantec Endpoint Protection that students are able to access on the UAC checker screen. In an email, Curtis McNay, director of IT Security, said that Mason recommends that students use Endpoint because it is recognized as a well-rated industry standard. He also said that the

ITU regularly sees many systems in the public and residential spaces that are infected, botted and participating in hacker command and control networks. “I run Symantec Endpoint on my MS Windows workstations. While it’s not perfect, malware protection in today’s environment is a necessary element of PC protection,” said McNay in an email. According to Anderson, Mason email accounts receive roughly 3 million messages a day, and up to 90 percent of those can be spam. To combat new threats, Mason is developing a more secure Internet experience for students. “We are currently developing a more secure wireless network, which we plan to start offering over the summer,” Anderson said in an email. “This will enhance security by encrypting your wireless traffic and should also improve usability by reducing the need to keep logging in all the time.” More information will be available about the new network towards the end of this semester.

The Ridge Modeled on Success of Finals Study Lounge See RIDGE, From Front Bowers said that though the space is not a 24-hour facility — something many students have expressed a desire for — it does fill in the period when the JC is closed, providing a place for students to congregate and study around the clock. This is not the first time an all-hours study lounge primarily aimed at off-campus students has been available to Mason students. For the past few years, George’s Restaurant in the Johnson Center has been converted into an offcampus study lounge during finals week, said Scott Blevins, associate director of the new Off-Campus Student Programs and Services. “The lounge was received phenomenally,” Blevins said of George’s. “We had 1,000 unique visitors in Fall 2010, 1,500 last semester. We had over 3,000 swipes to enter the lounge.” Blevins said a study space like

The Ridge is the number one demand from oﬀ-campus students. “I approve [of the new space],” said sophomore systems engineering major Amy Fitzpatrick. “Sometimes students have to work part time, so the only time they have to do homework is at night. The only place that is open 24 hours is Starbucks so they have to study at home or they have to wait until the morning to have a quiet place to study.” “I’d deﬁnitely use the space,” said sophomore communication major Christian Tevis. “I’d like computers. A lot of places with public access to computers aren’t open late, and that would be really helpful for people who like to procrastinate.” Though there is not a plan to have computers installed in The Ridge, Baker said it will have the same Wi-Fi connectivity that is available across campus. Bowers said that for years there had been discussion of a study space to compensate for the

hours the JC is closed, but a suitable location could not be located until Corner Pocket moved to The Hub. The Bistro, located on the first floor of the JC, was considered as a space, but it was ruled out since there would have been no way to keep people out of the rest of the JC at night. Fenwick Library was also ruled out due to concerns about how to staff the building at night. “We looked into The Hub, Student Union Building I, and then The Ridge came up,” Bowers said. “We like the central location it offers.” “Once it [the Johnson Center] closes, there is no place to go,” Bowers said. “A few academic buildings are open 24 hours, but it’s not the same. The comfort level of Robinson B is a lot different than the [Johnson Center].” The space will feature couches, armchairs and loveseats in the front — an area designed as a quiet study space. The back of the space will have long, rectan-

gular tables for studying and meetings. “We’re really trying to set a comfy atmosphere conducive to social gatherings as well as study,” Baker said. Bowers said local resident advisers and directors will likely use part of the space to conduct group activities with their residents. With television installations in the place, advisers and directors can hold a floor-wide movie night. While the televisions will primarily serve as data screens, they can also be used to play movies and watch TV. Baker said the maximum occupancy is likely to be in the neighborhood of 60 to 100 people, though a final number will not be known until the new furniture is installed and inspectors can examine the final layout. Baker said there will be an information desk open for the full 20 hours that the space is open each day, with a strong possibility that vending machines will be installed soon.

Broadside

News

Monday, February 13, 2012 | 3

Mason Man March Members of the Mason community took to the streets Saturday in a recreation of the 1995 Million Man March. The ‘95 march was designed to shed light on economic and social issues facing the African-American community.

Photos by Dakota Cunningham

Smoking Ban Update 25-Foot rule to be more strictly enforced Nathan Dorfman Staff Writer George Mason University officials are seeking to enhance enforcement of the university-wide smoking ban within 25 feet of campus buildings. This policy is now being enforced more strictly because of a general societal attitude against smoking. “Smoking is deemed to be unhealthy and a safety hazard,” said Dan Walsch, Mason’s press secretary. Students acknowledge the policy and its fairness. “It is a little inconvenient, but I understand why the rules are in place,” said government and international politics major Mehryar Khan, 24. “I know smoking harms me [and] also harms other people.” Khan claims that the enhanced enforcement of the smoking ban has not affected him so far. Students also note the difficulty of smoking at least 25 feet away from buildings. Non-smokers appreciate the policy’s improved enforcement. “It is nice to walk out of a building and not get a face full of smoke,” said biology major Caitlin Taylor, 21. “The friends I have who do smoke are conscientious about it and respectful to others.” Increasing policy enforcement is currently a work in progress. “We are in the process of reviewing requests from Student Government to put additional nosmoking signage around the John-

See SENATE, From Front Pober was asked by a member of the Faculty Senate if the Candidates were aware of the handbook, and if so, what their reaction was like. Pober said, “They were made aware and they did understand. They chose to sustain conﬁdentiality throughout the duration of the process. So they understood that the faculty exhibited concern, that we wanted it to be open, but all six

candidates insisted on conﬁdentiality until the end.” Stanley Zoltek, a member of the Faculty Senate, then asked if the candidates were aware that they were breaking one of the rules in the faculty handbook. Pober replied that he didn’t believe that the candidates were aware of the speciﬁc requirement stated in section 1.2.5., but they were aware that the faculty wanted an open meeting.

Pober also stated that the Board of Visitors has not spoken much about the provost task force, and the committee will most likely begin being formed in July. At the end of the meeting, Trencher inspired her fellow senators in their search for a solution and said, “In a place where, for God’s sake, everywhere we look, innovation is tradition, we ought to be able to come up with something.”

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Come find Love (and War) at the Photos by Stephen Kline

Though the oﬃcial smoking ban is within 25 feet of buildings, this sign, shown above, limits smoking within 20 feet of the Johnson Center, one of the more popular spots on campus. son Center,” said Todd Rose, asso“Smokers are usually … but ciate dean of University Life. “Due enforcement depends on how to changes in personnel, we need much resistance escalates,” to revisit this issue.” Walsch said. “There has never It is difficult to know for sure been an issue where enforcement whether added enforcement will has been taken to an extreme.” have significant financial costs. Although Walsch acknowl“Money for signs is a mar- edges that the increased enforceginal cost,” Rose said. ment has discouraged smoking Ideally, the Mason commu- within 25 feet of campus buildnity as a whole will enforce the ings, statistics cannot be cited. policy. Other state-affiliated univer“We hope everyone will take sities in Virginia have similar responsibility for enforcing it,” smoking bans. Rose said. “People don’t necessar“As a public institution ily do that well.” funded in part by public money, “In this sense, motivating Mason is part of Virginia’s policy people to comply with the policy on smoking,” Walsch said. can be a challenge. While seemMason’s smoking policy was ingly easy, enforcing the smoking enacted in June 2004 to ensure policy is difficult,” Rose said. compliance with the Virginia InThe degree of enforcement door Clean Air Act. can also depend upon whether individuals complain to authorities.

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Faculty Senate Meets Over Handbook Violation

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Broadside

Student Room Inspections

Campus Faces

Housing and Residence Staff Looking for Handbook Violations Lauren Lee Broadside Correspondent On Feb. 1, Housing and Residence Life staff began inspections of student living spaces on George Mason University’s Fairfax campus. “Every residential student space, whether it be in a traditional-style building, suite-style building or apartment-style building is being inspected,” said Zachary Pope, the assistant director of Residential Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Response. The goal of the inspections is to make sure students are adhering to fire safety standards and also to assist with general maintenance issues. Inspection teams consist of a member of Housing and Residence Life staff and a member of the Fire Safety Program. “Housing and Residence Life

staff [members] are looking for violations of the Resident Student Handbook … and to obtain maintenance requests, while Fire Safety

“Every residential student space, whether it be in a traditional-style building, suite-style building or apartmentstle building is being inspected.” -Zachary Pope, Assistant Director of Residential Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Response inspectors are looking for violations of the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code,” Pope said. As a state university, Mason’s com-

pliance is essential. Inspections are relatively quick and simple. The inspections begin as early as 9 a.m. and finish by 5 p.m. A team of two enters a residential space and looks around to see if there are any issues present. If a violation is identified, they leave a note for the residents with requests to rectify the violations In addition, they will also make a digital record of the report to pass along to Housing and Residence Life so they can follow up within two weeks, and the maintenance staff can address the issues discovered, Pope said. If there are no violations, inspectors leave a note stating that residents have passed. As long as students are in compliance with the Resident Student Handbook, the inspections should not cause much of an impact on regular residential activities.

Broadside Sits Down With the New Director of Students Centers. Hannah Smith

Photo by Stephen Kline

Asst. News Editor

Gail Sutton’s job began on Jan. 1 at the new director of Student Centers. Although she has held similar positions at other universities, this is her ﬁrst time working at George Mason University or living in Virginia. 1. Where did you go to college? My bachelor’s degree is from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. My bachelor’s degree is in computer information systems, but I was very active as a student on campus. That made me take a right turn from computer work and to have a master’s in counseling and higher education from Central Connecticut State.

2. Where did you work before you came to Mason? Most recently I was at Iowa State University as the associate director of the Memorial Union, which is their student union on campus.

3. How does one get into the business of managing Student Centers? It comes to that active student leadership role … So just getting connected to the campus environment gets you interested in working at a college campus. People dream of being a ballerina or a ﬁreman — I don’t think they dream of being an education administrator! It’s really just being immersed in that environment and enjoying the pace of working with students on a daily basis.

4. What is your impression of the Mason community in the ﬁve weeks you’ve been here? Very welcoming.

5. If you suddenly received a million dollars, would you quit your job? You know, I don’t think that I would. I love what I do ... I don’t think I would get the same feeling doing anything else.

6. What do you enjoy most about your job?

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Working with students. Absolutely, that is the high point: feeling like I have an impact on their experience beyond the classroom. Because I firmly believe that learning takes place in all kinds of places … particularly on a college campus. I think there is a lot to be said for book learning, but we also bear influence on students in terms of letting them find out what professions feel right, to test the waters.

7. Can you talk about an obstacle that you’ve overcome? Being a female administrator. In this profession, there aren’t a lot of women. I go to meetings with some [of] these construction guys, but I’m not afraid to ask questions when I’m not sure about something. It’s all about coordinating the program’s side with the facilities. Sometimes that means, sort of, going out on a limb.

8. What is the most recent book you’ve read for pleasure? “Jitterbug Perfume” by Tom Robbins. I’m a book-a-holic.

9. What accomplishment are you most proud of so far in your life?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

NEW LATE HOURS

Moving from a small school to a big-school atmosphere. The programs are similar, but on a larger scale. Wartburg was a very small school — only 2,500 students — and I’m proud of making the transition to working in a big state college. The most important part of my job is building community. I help students get involved outside the classroom. What does it mean to build community? It means having a sense of partnership. A lot of times people say, what’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is yours. People need a sense of shared community.

Sunday - Thursday until 1 a.m. Friday - Saturday until 2 a.m.

Now online at Dominos.com

@MasonBroadside

Student Conduct Week February 13, 2012 - February 17, 2012 Events and Activities Include: t Conduct Conversation Hearts t Student Rights and Responsibilities t Mock CAB Hearing t Interest Meeting

Questions? Contact the Community Adjudication Board at cabinfo@gmu.edu

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Style

The number of Whitney Houston singles that reached No. 1

Monday, February 13, 2012

Your Face, Your Voice

Mason Cable Network Brings All-New Original Programming to Your Dorm Room Jeffrey Giorgi Style Editor Mason Cable Network launched its all-new line-up on Friday. Delivering student-made media 24 hours a day, MCN is the newest place to see what’s happening on campus. “Our motto is ‘your face, your voice,’” said Ashlee Duncan, a junior film and video studies major and executive producer for MCN. Duncan and fellow executive producer JohnRoss Hawkins, also a junior film and video studies major, recently shed light on what to expect from the student-run network, which has two different categories — MCN Daytime and MCN Prime, over the coming weeks and months. MCN Daytime airs from 2 a.m. to 6 p.m daily. Programming consists of anything that ha been filmed on Mason in the past. “‘Season Pass’ is a really good show that follows the hockey team and airs during MCN Daytime,” Hawkins said. MCN Prime features all new,

original content, including shows such as “The Session,” “November” and “Rough Cut.” “It’s more of a renegade cooking show,” Hawkins said about “Rough Cut.” “Part of the storyline is that the guys break into people’s houses and cook there. In the first episode, the people actually come back while they’re cooking.” If cooking isn’t your thing, “November” is an episodic mystery about a girl who wakes up and mysteriously loses almost a month of her life. “The Session” kicked off the launch. “It’s a show that’s partnered with the music productions club and highlights campus artists,” Duncan said. “They’re actually filming Battle of the Bands. They’re really getting involved with the music scene on campus.” While MCN already has a plethora of material for its network, they are constantly coming up with new and inventive ideas. Many students will recall the toaster ban that came to pass last year. This event has inspired the creation of a brand new show.

“‘The Toaster’ is currently being written, and we’re looking to get people involved in it because it’s going to be a very campus-driven show,” Duncan said. “We decided that we’re going to have a satire news show featuring campus news, kind of like ‘The Onion’ or ‘The Daily Show.’” On top of all of the original content being produced, MCN also films student events on campus, including the recent Rock the Runway. It will air on Feb. 14 at 11 p.m. “We look at student events on campus and decide if we want to film them,” Duncan said. “The important thing for MCN is showcasing students. We want to see as many different pieces as possible from the student body.” MCN makes it easy to get your face seen and your voice heard via the all-new MCN Shout Outs. “Once a month for two days we do the Shout Outs,” Hawkins said. “We just set up a camera on the quad and people can come up and give shout outs to whomever they want.”

“Shout Outs” are filmed on the first Thursday and Friday of the month. Student organizations wanting to submit original material can do so, but should keep in mind that all submissions will go through a review process. “Our process for making shows is a little bit different,” Hawkins said. “Classes, for example, just bring us stuff. But if someone pitches a show, they have to give us a treatment, and mostly everything gets green lit. I think there’ve only been two projects where we’ve said, ‘That can’t go on the network.’” “The most graphic thing we have up there is a chicken getting its head cut off,” Duncan said. MCN airs in the dorms on channel 231. For commuter students looking to check out everything the network has to offer, MCN will be live-streamed. “Our newest content will air, and then within three weeks it’ll be online,” Hawkins said. To stay in the know, be sure to check out MCN on Facebook and Twitter at MCN231.

Photo Courtesy of MCN

MCN’s Current Lineup: 7 p.m. — Sound 8 p.m. — Ep. 1 The Session 9 p.m. — Ep. 1 November 10 p.m. — Ep.1 Cafe GMU 11 p.m. — Rock The Runway Midnight — Ep.1 Rough Cut 1 a.m. — Conflicted

Man on the Street: How Did You Find Out Whitney Houston Died?

Billy Hall Sophomore Biology —I found out on ESPN right before the Vanderbilt and Kentucky game.

Nikki Henry Freshman Nursing —My sister called me just as I saw it on TV.

Desiree Burkat Freshman Undeclared —I read about it through my sister’s tweet.

Victor Adeniji Freshman Bio Engineering —I was at the gym and saw it on the TV.

Rissaliz Rivera Sophomore Chemistry —I was in my dorm by my sink getting ready for work when my roommate came out asking me if I had heard.

Nick Doile Sophomore Comp Engineering —I read a celebrity’s tweet.

Photos by: Jeﬀrey Giorgi

More Heart, Less Business Students Share Their Stories and Thoughts on the Hallmark Holiday Krista Germanis Broadside Correspondent Valentine’s Day means something different for everyone. Some people associate it with flowers, chocolate and romance, while others call it a Hallmark holiday or look at it as “Single Awareness Day.” People have had different experiences, good and bad, that may influence their view of the holiday. George Mason University students offer a variety of opinions. “A guy in one of my classes had done some research on Facebook to find out what car I drove so he could place a single rose on the windshield, secret admirerstyle,” said senior communication major Lindsey Grathwol, “but then I ran into him in the parking garage so he ended up giving it to me right there.” As Grathwol’s experience indicates, flowers are the classic Valentine’s Day gift. According to Marie Claire magazine’s website, every flower represents a different type of emotion, with red roses being a symbol of true love. Of course, for college guys, any flower is likely a symbol of love and affection — or at least infatuation. Grathwol’s one flower may have been a small gift, but it said volumes in terms of symbolism.

Mason students have had many different experiences with gifts. “An ex-girlfriend of mine bought me a rare poster of my favorite band,” said junior Nick Frantz. “I was completely blown away because it was not the usual Valentine’s Day gift you’d expect. I still have it hanging up in my room.” Like many holidays involving

Like many holidays involving gift-giving, the possibility of putting more into a gift than the other person is not uncommon. When it’s on Valentine’s Day, though, feelings are amplified.

gift-giving, the possibility of putting more into a gift than the other person is not uncommon. When it’s on Valentine’s Day, though, feelings are amplified. “Freshman year, I was friends with this guy who I really liked and we decided to be each other’s Valentine,” said junior communication major Gabriella Gayl, “So I

bought him like 50 buck’s worth of chocolate, and he gave me a wilted balloon and free candy that they were handing out in the JC. I was so mad.” When it comes to the holiday of love, it’s often much easier for the guy to pick out gifts for his significant other than the other way around. “I got a flower and some chocolates for Valentine’s Day. It was kind of a cookie-cutter response that doesn’t translate well to guys,” said junior civil and infrastructure engineering major Aleks Schuler. “This is a holiday for women, so guys receiving things isn’t as important as women receiving gifts.” Sometimes the best gifts are the ones that make a person blush when they receive them. “A girl in high school got me a really big brown bear, and I named him ‘Eduardo,’” said junior chemistry major Hakkam Zaghmout. “I put him on my bed, and he’s still there now. I didn’t like that I had to carry him around the rest of the day, though. Everyone made fun of me.” While people may put an emphasis on material items, gift-giving is not so much about the gift as it is about the thought put into the gift.

Tips with Krista:

How to Avoid Creepers Krista Germanis

Columnist Girls, we’ve all been there ... Minding our own business when all of a sudden, out of the blue, a creepy guy comes up out of nowhere and begins to hit on you. I have compiled some “creeper repellent” tips that I would like to share with you so that you can become creeperfree. 1. Have a fake phone number memorized or give one you can remember in case he asks twice. Once, I was at a club and had been chatting with a guy for a while when he asked for my number. I felt like I had to give it to him because he had been nice and we had been hanging out for a while, so I did what any creeper magnet would and gave him a random set of seven digits. It became messy, however, when he asked me to repeat the number. I

didn’t know any of the numbers I had given him, so I panicked and gave him another set. He told me he must be hearing me wrong because he couldn’t get the numbers into his phone. Then he asked me one last time. I gave him a friend’s number that I could remember, so I would be able to repeat it. Poor Alex. 2. Create two profiles on Facebook: one for friends and one for people you don’t know well. Add your real friends to both pages so that you guys can look at the creeper posts together and make fun of them on your real page. 3. Make a separate list on your Facebook chat called “creepers” and leave that section offline at all times. This is easier than ignoring the person or telling them that you’re not free to talk every time. 4. Don’t put your relationship status on Facebook if you’re single. That’s only asking for creepers to come at you. 5. Don’t be friendly to boys. They’ll take it the wrong way and think you’re in love with them. 6. If you sit by yourself, expect to be creeped on. Have a phone or laptop out if you don’t

want to be approached. Better yet, travel with friends; it’s more intimidating and lessens the chance of someone coming up to you. 7. 703-912-1725: the rejection hot line — memorize it. This is only to be used if you have a real reason to be mean, though. 8. If a creeper approaches you, pretend to speak another language and that you don’t understand English. This is a very good way to get them to leave you alone and is a believable excuse at George Mason University, with its diverse population. 9. This tip is for thwarting the creepy guy who follows you around after class: Go to the women’s bathroom. He can’t follow you in there and will probably end up leaving. 10. Pretend someone texted you. If you have an iPhone, check out the Fake-A-Text app! Say it’s your boyfriend, and start looking around for him while talking about how he is a star football player. It may take a while for you to get used to being so direct with creepers, but you will eventually master this critical skill. With these tips, you won’t need 10 days to get rid of a guy.

Check us out on the web — broadsideonline.com

Broadside

Top Valentines Day Films Cuddle Up with Your Better Half to These Endearing Flicks Jeffrey Giorgi Style Editor

Believe it or not, Adam Sandler used to be a comedic genius. Then he made “Jack and Jill.” “The Wedding Singer” is a hilarious look at the '80s that uses the backdrop to tell one of the cutest love stories ever on film. Need more proof? “I’ll miss you, kiss you, give you my coat when you are cold. Need you, feed you, I’ll even let you hold the remote control.”

I recommend this film to any couple that has dealt with struggle and made it through to the other side. The plot follows a man after his relationship with his lover has come to an end and she mysteriously has no memory of knowing him. As far as Jim Carrey’s serious performances go, this ranks as one of the best.

If you tried to argue that the best romantic films — the ones that tug at our heartstrings the most — are as filled with tragedy as they are love, I think you’d have a pretty good case on your hands. Death is so prominent that by the end, it’s not a matter of wondering if someone will die, but a matter of wondering who. Leave it to Nicholas Sparks to take that cliché and turn it on its head.

Michael Bay on a list that isn’t about explosions? Stranger things have happened. Before you get to the mushy stuff, pop in this blockbuster that’s as full of love as it is destruction. Whether you’re super-invested in Liv Tyler and Ben Affleck’s on-screen romance is irrelevant. The real love story in this one belongs to Bruce Willis and Affleck.

City of Angels What list of romantic films would be complete without a film from Meg Ryan? Skip “Sleepless in Seattle,” “How Harry Met Sally” and “You’ve Got Mail.” Instead stick with this film that examines what it means to be human. Is the possibility of living a single lifetime filled with love worth sacrificing eternity? Bring tissues to this one.

Armaggedon

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

During the late '80s and early '90s, John Hughes was a household name. For many people, he still is. Hughes knew a way to reach young people not many others could. While “The Breakfast Club” may be the film he’s best remembered for, “Pretty in Pink” is a wonderful look at falling in love and dealing with the various stigmas that come from opposing ends of social classes.

This is the one that everyone’s mom introduced him or her to. This one is all about falling for the bad boy — the bad boy here being a leotard-wearing Patrick Swayze. This movie deserves to be seen for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which being to hear ol’ Swayze sing his heart out. Remember: “Nobody puts baby in the corner.”

A Lot Like Love It’s hard to convey the act of falling in love on film. On average, you’re given a 90minute film filled with contrived plot holes, or the ultimate copout: instantly falling in love. Following the two leads over the course of several years not only gives an excellent sense of growth in the characters but makes the resolution that much more believable.

Beauty and the Beast

It’s a “tale as old as time.” Disney recently re-released this masterpiece in theaters and it still took no. 1 at the box office for two consecutive weeks. If that isn’t a testament to the staying power of this love story, then I don’t know what is. Geek out with your significant other and sing along to every song because odds are you know all the words anyway.

9 Personally, if this movie hit an iceberg and capsized, I’d be completely OK with that. But I understand how it’s able to resonate with so many people. So much so that it’s going to be re-released — in 3-D, no less — on April 6. Guys, just make sure you don’t point out how obviously selfish Rose is at the end. Jack clearly wanted to die so that she could go on to live a whole life that she doesn’t care about.

I’m putting this on here as a warning. You may see this title and think, “Wow! Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen in the same film? Sign me up.” While it’s totally worth checking out, avoid it at all costs on anniversaries and Valentine’s Day. Trust me. Photos Courtesy of IMDB

HeadPhones On: SafetySuit

Sophomore Album Sets Alt Rockers Up For Stardom Amanda Lee

Reviewer

Photo Courtesy of Universal Records

Final Rating: Three and a half out of five stars

SafetySuit returns to us with their rocker-based, lyrically soft sophomore album “These Times.” The band originally stems from Tulsa, Okla., where the band gained a local following and was then known as Crew. After winning local band contests, the band’s popularity grew and they relocated to Nashville, Tenn., where they then signed with Universal Records, and as a result, had to change their name to SafetySuit. The band’s notable songs include “Someone Like You” and

“Stay” from their first major label debut album, “Life Left to Go,” back in 2008, when the album met with a positive reception from critics, and even reached no. 5 on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers Chart. Their song “Stay” reached no. 1 on VH1’s Top 20 Countdown and is probably the band’s most successful song to date. Since hitting the mainstream music scene in 2008, SafetySuit has toured with bands such as Seether, 3 Doors Down, Hoobastank and Parachute, to name a few. The alternative rock band stays true to their violin-infused choruses and spooked lyrics in songs such as “Staring At It” and “Believe.” Fans of Daughtry, The Fray and other piano-rock bands will enjoy SafetySuit. “These Times,” which received a 4.5-star fan review on iTunes, has that familiar feel where you can probably

relate every song to your life and therefore feel that the album is speaking directly to your meaningful little soul. Well, it’s not. But you should still listen to the album because it’s pretty damn catchy, as I found myself singing the chorus to the song “Let Go” over and over again throughout the day. I sang the song to the point where my friends told me to shut the [expletive] up. “Stranger” is another distinctive track on the album that sounds like it should be played in the background of one of our favorite '90s teenage movies as a potential relationship-anthem song. The songs on this album encompass a wide variety of moods, from the occasional upbeat song to their signature rocker-ballads, which is good because you won’t sound too emo if you blast it in your dorm. The title track, “These

Times,” is a guitar-laced loner song that can be related to many things but basically talks about getting through rough times. This song definitely grew on me after a couple of listens. But my favorite song by far is “Never Stop,” where the lyrics cleverly create a boy that every girl wishes she had. Listen to it and you’ll know what I mean. The album, which is now available on iTunes, debuted at no. 7 on the Billboard 200, and no.1 on the iTunes Top Albums Chart. SafetySuit has come a long way from its birth-town of Tulsa, Okla. and will be joining Daughtry on their “Break the Spell” Tour in March so listen up and look out for them. They are set to perform on April 18 at the Landmark Theater in Richmond, Va. Like SafetySuit on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @SafetySuit!

Free Tickets for Mason Students! METROPOLITAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA

Visual Voices Series

THE VISUAL MADE VERBAL Joel Snyder, speaker Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Free HT

Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. $20 $32 $40 CH ppd FreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 14

Theater of the First Amendment

The Vision Series

CAN’T SCARE ME, THE STORY OF MOTHER JONES Feb. 17 & 19 at 2 p.m. & Feb. 17 & 18 at 8 p.m. $30/adu. $15/stu. TS LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 7

COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET

BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DE ANTIOQUIA, COLOMBIA Mar. 3 at 8 p.m. ff $23 $38 $46 CH ppd LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 21

NORDWEST DEUTSCHE PHILHARMONIC

BEFORE TONI MORRISON AND ALICE WALKER: THE FORGOTTEN FICTION OF ANN PETRY Keith Clark, speaker Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. Free CH

MASON JAZZ COMBOS Mar. 6 at 8 p.m. Free DL

Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. $21 $34 $42 CH ppd LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 7

Faculty Artist Series ANNA & FRIENDS Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. Free HT

THE “ALL NEW” ORIGINAL TRIBUTE TO THE BLUES BROTHERS

Mason Players Studio Series THIS IS OUR YOUTH Mar. 1-3 at 8 p.m.; March 3-4 at 2 p.m. $12 adu., $8 stu./sen TS LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 21

Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. $24 $40 $48 CH ppd LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 7

Walnut Street Theatre PROOF Mar. 2 at 8 p.m. $20 $32 $40 CH ppd FreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 21

SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. $22 $36 $44 CH ppd FreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 7

ppd

=Pre-performance Discussion

=Family Friendly

BB=Black Box

CH=Concert Hall

703-993-8888 or cfa.gmu.edu/students

Center for the Arts FAIRFAX

Eugene Tzigane, conductor; Amit Peled, cello Mar. 4 at 4 p.m. $25 $42 $50 CH ppd FreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 21

MFA Thesis Exhibition BROOK MARCY, SUZANNE DE SAIX Mar. 6-23 Free FG

MASON WIND SYMPHONY AND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Mar. 7 at 8 p.m. $15 adu., $10 stu./sen. CH LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 28

CEDAR LAKE CONTEMPORARY BALLET Mar. 10 at 8 p.m. $21 $34 $42 CH ppd LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableFeb. 28

DL=de Laski Rm. 3001

GTIII=Grand Tier III

HC=Hylton Center

HT=Harris Theater

TS=TheaterSpace

7 0 3 - 9 9 3 - 7 7 5 9 o r h y l t o n c e n t e r. o r g / s t u d e n t s

Hylton Performing Arts Center PRINCE WILLIAM

Broadside

Style

Opinion Monday, February 13, 2012

Broadside

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper

Thumbs up to BracketBuster on Saturday. Thumbs up to all the great guys doing nice things for their girlfriends so that they can get laid.

Gregory Connolly, Editor-in-Chief

Cody Norman, Managing Editor Jacquelyn Rioux, Copy Chief Justin Lalputan, News Editor Hannah Smith, Asst. News Editor Rebecca Norris, Opinion Editor Jeff Giorgi, Style Editor Cody Norman, Sports Editor Colleen Wilson, Asst. Sports Editor Stephen Kline, Photography Editor

Benjamin Shaffer, Copy Editor Priya Pansuria, Copy Editor Shannon Park, Copy Editor Michelle Buser, Designer Dylan Hares, Staff Reporter Janelle Germanos, Staff Reporter John Powell, Collegiate Athletics Liaison Jacques Mouyal, Business Manager Kathryn Mangus, Faculty Adviser David Carroll, Associate Director

The letters, columns and views expressed on this page are solely those of the writers. They do not reﬂect the views of Broadside or its staff, unless otherwise noted. Broadside is a weekly publication printed each Monday for the George Mason University and surrounding Fairfax community. The editors at Broadside have exclusive authority over the content that is published. There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the editorin-chief should be notiﬁed at the information given above.

Thumbs down to Whitney Houston dying at age 48. Thumbs down to guys doing nice things for their girlfriends and not getting laid.

Power of Efficacy is Understated Increasing Legitimacy Among Small Factions of People with Similar Beliefs WILL ROSE

Broadside is a free publication. Limit one copy per person. Each additional copy is 25 cents.

Valentine’s Day: The Day of Love or a Sham The Evolution of Valentine’s Day from Ancient Rome to Hallmark Clara Everett

Columnist Let’s talk about Valentine’s Day. This is a difficult subject to write about, considering I don’t want to be put on hit lists by either bitter, single girls or lovebirds who hold February 14th near and dear to their hearts. I am almost entirely indifferent to Valentine’s Day, however I’m going to go ahead and put it out there: This holiday is a sham. Now, hold your horses, everyone. To the pathetic girls clutching cartons of Ben & Jerry’s who are feeling validated right now, don’t get ahead of yourselves. You’re still dismal human beings, and I am absolutely not condoning your sad practices. And to the couples who are deeply in love and feeling aghast that I would bash their favorite holiday, you should know that you, too, have misinterpreted my intent. I’m not here to pass judgment on Valentine’s Day or the traditions people hold for it. Just kidding — that’s exactly what I’m here to do. But first, let’s delve into the history of this holiday. In the very beginning it was an Ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia, beginning on Feb. 13 and ending two days later, which celebrated fertility. For the pagans who observed this holiday, apparently the best way to

celebrate was to sacrifice a goat, skin the animal and use strips of the goat’s skin to slap young women, thus bestowing them with the gift of fertility. Sounds fun, right? When Christianity took hold, a Pope made efforts to turn the festival into a more “Christian” tradition and changed it rather drastically. It became a memorial for one St. Valentine, who was a fabled martyr of love. As the story goes, St. Valentine continued to secretly marry young lovers even after marriage was outlawed by Emperor Claudius. When Claudius learned of St. Valentine’s defiance, Valentine was chucked in prison to await punishment and was eventually put to death. So let’s recap. Basically, Valentine’s Day originated as a pagan holiday, during which women were whipped with goat skin. Through its evolution, it has grown to include the celebration of an executed priest, obscene amounts of chocolate, multiple forests being clear-cut for the creation of millions of cheesy Hallmark cards and the deaths of thousands of roses. Honestly, the whole thing is an elaborate façade in which card companies make millions of dollars and happy couples are able to effectively make the rest of the population feel bad about their lonely lives. The whole thing only succeeds in making February, which is already the absolute worst and most miserable month of the year, even more wretched. Nonetheless, Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

CALLING ALL WRITERS! Broadside is looking for intrepid young reporters to step up and get involved. Visit our oﬃce in Student Union Building II, known as the Hub, for more information. News and Sports reporters only, please!

Columnist The power of efficacy is almost always understated. People look at our government as an absolute. They see Democrat, Republican, three branches, federalism, and George Washington. When people think about American politics, they almost always see it as a set of memorized facts and certainties and as paradigms that are used to explain what’s doable and what isn’t. However, the reality of the situation is that this is a democracy, and though we have one vote, we also have various freedoms such as speech, press and assembly. You can guarantee that you’ve got at least five friends who are openminded enough to change their minds about something. And if you’ve never changed your mind, pinch yourself — you might be dead. The Arab uprisings, to a degree, aren’t so different in nature from the tea party or Occupy Wall Street. While the tea party and OWS movement are two very different movements in form, they aren’t so different in ideology.

“restore” America back to pre-industrial principles. Soon after, there was the One Nation rally which was pretty one-sided, since it had what seemed like half of the more-liberal part of the nation. Then there was the Rally to Restore Sanity, which had hundreds of thousands of people. It seems like from that point on, we started seeing an increase in the legitimacy of small factions of people in America who shared similar beliefs. It’s almost as if those few rallies marked a distinct beginning of what was to come nationwide. Today, I look at the tea party and OWS as “good things” that have come from organized protest. Putting my liberal opinions aside, there are obviously people from both sides with whom I’ve disagreed. It seems like an unprecedented number of people are really pissed off about how our government is being run in general. From the right side of the aisle, yes, states do have rights that are often infringed upon. From the left, they’re right — corporations are not people, and if they were, a vast number of the banks and other financial institutions should be in prison. The tea party and OWS have been beneficial in that now, when banks say, “I will charge you this fee for having a debit card,” people respond with “No, you won’t.” And they won’t; that fee disap-

pears in a newfound rage in American politics. No more fees for using Verizon’s online bill pay is a result of this newfound organized efficacy, as is this recent domino effect of states legalizing same-sex marriage: People in favor say, “Oh, we can’t do it federally? OK, then we’ll see that every state does it individually.” I think that the new standard for communicating opinions has become more aggressive than it has been in the past, and I think that can be attributed to our generation. Three-fifths of the total historical output of human civilization has been produced within the last 30 years. We’ve grown up with unprecedented access to information and have grown to demand answers to questions in an instant. You can probably cite many examples of our generation saying, “It may have been that way for you, but this is how it will be for us.” Societal problems are being combated by straightforward people — whether we’re talking about protesters physically tearing down city barriers and intruding on property or something as simple as “Glee” producers deciding to air a gay kiss on network TV. Politics is becoming more direct, and there is power in numbers. Thankfully it’s starting to surpass the power of wealth. You may have one vote, but your voice is a lot bigger than that.

Gender Binary Norms Set the Stage for Disapproval Similar Advertisements Gain Opposite End of the Spectrum Feedback Recently, the mass media has brought the idea of gender identity to my attention. The matter of gender roles is a very sensitive subject in America. Opinion Gender roles are an Editor important mediator of human experiences and of the way individuals interact with each other and their physical environments. Many people question the validity of gender binaries in youth as compared to in adulthood. I find them to be questionable in general. As soon as the umbilical cord is cut and the sex of the baby is determined, social expectations are activated. Suddenly, there is an agenda for a whole array of developmental experiences that will influence that person throughout his or her life. Over the past year, the Ad Council and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, in conjunction with the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, has been running ads for the Take Time to Be a Dad Today campaign, which ostensibly aims to provide advice on being a good parent. Many of the ads center on a father catering to his young daughter by playing dress up with her, letting the girl paint his nails or engaging in other feminine activities. Similarly, in April 2011, the popular clothing label J. Crew published an ad adorned with a little boy getting his nails painted fluorescent pink. Remarkably, these two sets of ads depicting such similar acts generated widely different commentary from viewers. Rebecca Norris

Want to share your opinion? Submit your letter to the editor or artwork to: opinion@broadsideonline.com

Note: Letters to the editor are welcome and are printed on the basis of space, quality and timeliness. All submissions are the property of Broadside and may be edited for brevity, clarity and grammar. Material containing libel, racial slurs, personal attacks or obscenities may be edited or rejected. The author’s name, class year (and/or title where appropriate), major and daytime phone number must be included for veriﬁcation of authenticity. The deadline for submission is Thursday by 10 p.m.

Both are anti-corporatism, and both want to see accountability in their government. Uprisings come from suppression. Although in America we haven’t experienced the brutal suppression of authoritarianism, thuggish regimes and repressive institutions, we have experienced the political powers of money, and we have seen a growing feeling that there is a disconnect between the people and their government. We’ve seen how “super” political action committees can influence campaigns and how the richest of the rich have the money to lobby for their own interests. We’ve seen how presidents have the power to sign vastly unpopular legislation into law. All of these things are problematic and exemplify reasons for rebellious movements, which result from anger that has long been culminating toward institutions both in the United Sates and in the Middle East. Having seen such organization among groups of people with common beliefs, I think now is an exciting time to study the relationship between domestic and international politics. I remember when I went to the District with some friends during my first week of school . We visited the Restoring Honor rally. I didn’t think it was particularly honorable, but it did seem to be pretty accurate in wanting to

Not only did the Take Time to Be a Dad Today ad campaign not meet with any negative feedback on the Internet or TV talk shows, President Barack Obama’s participation in the campaign suggests that the White House approves of it. Any man is capable of being a father; however it takes something special to be a dad. Therefore, taking the time to earn that title is very important in our society. In fact, it is so important that full-grown men are encouraged to play dress up, to attend imaginary tea parties and to braid their little girls’ hair. What’s so ironic is that these actions, when performed by a grown man, are anything but unordinary. Instead they are considered to be endearing and a reminder of just how dedicated those men are to being the best fathers that they can be. Shockingly, commentary regarding the little boy delving into his inner diva and enjoying the iridescence of his nails was anything but favorable. Rather, many conservative reporters voiced opinions that the painting of his nails would later add to confusion in his future. “This is a dramatic example of the way that our culture is being encouraged to abandon all trappings of gender identity,” said Keith Ablow, Fox News psychiatrist. Erin Brown of the Media Research Center went so far as to claim that the ad blatantly celebrated transgendered youth. Well, Mrs. Brown, if that is the case, then why have I not seen your thought-provoking comments pertaining to ads that show men engaging in female activities? The answer is simple: You merely have to open your eyes in society and you will uncover the truth for yourself. In the 21st century, it is completely acceptable for adults to comply with opposite gender practices, considering they may be parents, aunts, uncles or what

Editorial Board: Gregory Connolly, Editor-in-Chief Cody Norman, Managing Editor Jacquelyn Rioux, Copy Chief Rebecca Norris, Opinion Editor

have you. Little girls are even encouraged to become acquainted with sports, a love of nature and other primarily male interests. However, it will not be tolerated for little boys to engage in female activities in a favorable hierarchy of their interests, for that may lead them to become transgendered or gay. God forbid. The morals of our society seem more corrupt on a daily basis. We are supposed to be the nation of equality and individuality, yet we are held to a gender binary that clearly separates males and females. Some people act as though these boundaries are only in place during our youth so as to ensure that we adopt the gender identity that corresponds with our biological sex. But truth be told, our society seems to have never grown out of relying on the boundaries that separate our population. The gender binary gets stronger every time the media airs gender stereotypes. Sure, some of them may be funny, but all they do is point out the assumed differences between genders, thus creating an impenetrable barrier within society. It is essential that we break away from this ugly trend of picking and choosing who is allowed to identify themselves with certain activities, clothing and objects. Surely we share different anatomies, but that should not necessitate that we lead entirely different lives. Diversity and variation are fundamental attributes of our nature. They are concepts that allow us to become adaptable and successful. Therefore, it’s important that all people have the opportunity to fill whatever gender role they see fit. That choice has the potential to change peoples lives for the better, thus ensuring their ability to pursue happiness as they see fit.

All unsigned staff editorials are written to represent the view of the Broadside staff, a diverse set of opinions determined by the members of the editorial board. Letters to the editor, columns, artwork and other commentaries strictly represent the opinions of the authors and do not represent the ofﬁcial opinion of the newspaper.

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New Housing Selection Policies Pander to Underclassmen Seniority No Longer Ensures the Best Housing on Campus As those of you who live on campus Kristin Janiero probably already know, the housing selection process is drastically changing this semester. From this point forward, seniority is no longer the determining facColumnist tor for where you stand in the selection line-up. Instead, your ability to strategically group yourselves will determine your chances at optimal housing. In a statement on the housing website, George Mason University claims that the changes in housing selection, namely the shift of priority based solely on seniority to priority based on grouping, will lead to “improving the ability for friends to live together, increasing the variety of rooms available during selection, and ensuring that students earlier in their academic career do not have to deal with the stresses of being on the housing waiting list.” Is this policy shift really what is best, though? As far as Mason’s purported goal to make it easier for friends to live together, I’m totally on board with that mission! But was it really that difficult for friends to live together before the implementation of this new policy? In my experience, the answer is no.

In my years here, I don’t think I’ve heard a single tale of a group of those who previously held priority in the housing selection process — that is to say, upperclassmen — not being able to get a suite together. What I have heard about are groups of underclassmen who don’t get their way. So what I’m seeing here is that the new housing policy is not fixing a problem, but rather shifting a problem that previously plagued younger students onto the shoulders of the upperclassmen. This truth reared its ugly head as I read through the new policy and discovered that if more groups of underclassmen than upperclassmen are vying for the same number of suites, priority will go to the underclassmen. Of course there will be more groups of underclassmen! There are more of them than there are of us, and I’m sure they’ll be champing at the bit to lay claim to housing that was previously out of their league. If we step back and look at the effect of this new policy, the groups of upperclassmen who lose out to the groups of underclassmen will be forced to break into different-sized groups or enter the individual applicant pool. If an upperclassman does fall into the individual pool, the housing policy states that he will most likely end up in a double-bedroom housing situation, sharing a bedroom with another unlucky and embittered soul. For upperclassmen who most likely are accustomed to enjoying such features as private bedrooms, semi-private bathrooms and kitchens in their former accommodations, this is cruel and un-

Man on the Street What do you get a guy for Valentines Day?

usual punishment. This also begs the question: What’s the point of fostering community and reducing stress for younger students when they will just have to look forward to broken-up groups and increased stress in future housing selections? Mason is removing incentives to remain on campus and thereby forcing upperclassmen to off-campus apartments. Upperclassmen have given more to the university than underclassmen and should be the first to reap the fruits of the institution, not be sent to the home like poor grandma. Moving on to Mason’s claim that the new policy will lead to a greater variety of available rooms, one must ask: for whom? As a senior, I was looking forward to the greatest variety possible and my best shot at getting the housing that I wanted in this upcoming selection. Variety was not a concern for me. Prior to this change, it was a concern for underclassmen. The policy is not looking to offer greater variety to students in general; it is looking to offer greater variety specifically to underclassmen. They have even made it impossible for me as an upperclassman to retain the space where I have proven to be a courteous, respectful tenant and proverbial cashcow for this institution for the past few semesters. They are practically ripping it from my hands and presenting it to groups of underclassmen on a silver platter. Finally, Mason hopes to ensure that underclassmen do not have to worry about getting housing.

Whoa, hold on a second! As a senior who will be losing my long-term roommate next semester, I find myself in the worst possible position for housing selection when, just last semester, I would have had it made in the housing arena. I’m sorry, but if someone is going to have to worry about getting a place to live on campus, it should never be a senior. Seniors have devoted more time and money to this institution and should be rewarded with housing priority regardless of whether they are entering the housing pool as part of a group or as an individual. To me, this whole policy reeks of blatant pandering to the underclassmen. Mason is admitting more students than it can house, and the institution does not want to have to step up and explain to the underclassmen that they might not have access to on-campus housing. Mason needs to either physically expand faster or break it to incoming students that, due to the institution’s irresponsibility, there is not enough room for them to live on campus. By failing to do so, they risk ostracizing the donors of their precious future alumni funds. I realize that I may come off to some of you as a bitter, disgruntled senior. But let me just state that seniority has long obliged respect and priority in most major institutions throughout history — such as universities. Now, get off my lawn!

Birth Control Mandate For Employers in New Health Care Law Catholic Church Views Provision as an Assault to Religious Liberty

Brittany Richardson, sophomore, kinesiology “I would probably say either a CD of their favorite band or tickets to a concert or sporting event.”

Paul Panasiuk

Matt Smith, sophomore, Economics

Columnist

“Silence.”

Sara Bannach, freshman, global affairs “Um…that’s a hard one. Probably a gift card to a store, maybe GameStop or a restaurant, or something.”

Rosalio Nieto, senior, health, fitness and recreation resources “I would want a couples spa and massage. Now I just gotta find a Valentine.”

Stephanie Hickey, sophomore, nursing “I’m taking my boyfriend to dinner and a movie…I have to pay for it all!”

Scott Eckman, junior, ﬁnance “Ooh. What would I want for Valentine’s Day? I guess I would want company…really good company.” Photos by Rebecca Norris

The Obama administration is taking heat this week as a new provision from the Affordable Care Act of 2010 kicks in, requiring all employers to provide free birth control and contraceptives to employees. Businesses will now be forced to provide all Food and Drug Administrationapproved birth control devices including condoms, cervical caps, the pill, implants and the morning after pill. The Roman Catholic Church has led the uproar claiming the act as an assault on religious liberty because it will force Catholic employees and employers to violate their religious beliefs. One Catholic leader insisted that Christians would go to jail unless the law is changed. Administration officials claim the rule contains exemptions for churches, synagogues and other religious institutions. Although this is true, the exemptions are extremely narrow and organizations will be forced to pass a stringent test. The employer must be a non-profit organization, have a religious purpose or set of values, employ people who share its religious values and only serve those who share its religious values. Places such as Catholic television channels, Catholic schools that accept children on merit instead of religion and even church hospi-

tals that serve everyone in the community will be forced to providing free birth control. With the costs of health care today, you can imagine the financial strain this will create not just for organizations trying to serve the community, but for millions of small local businesses that simply cannot afford an increase in costs. So what is so wrong about providing free birth control? Shouldn’t wealthy employers be forced to pay for their employees’ birth control and condoms? The problem is that the hidden economic costs not only to the employee but to the employer, insurance companies and even future employees. These products are not cheap. The law mandates that employers offer these services without charging a co-pay or deductible. Either a business’s health insurance costs will skyrocket or the employer will be forced to cut more essential health insurance coverage. If an employer cannot afford these additional insurance costs, they will have no choice but to go bankrupt or to raise their prices, which will in turn cause consumers even more financial strain. Businesses will have to pay employees less, hire fewer employees, fire unnecessary employees or simply hire no one at all. This imminent distortion in the marketplace will only continue to hurt those socioeconomic sectors already suffering from disproportionately high unemployment rates, such as minorities, teenagers and young adults entering the workforce. If this sounds depressing or affects you in a negative way, do not be disheartened. An increase in government regulation will

surely be coupled with an increase of government bureaucracy and, therefore, an increase in hiring government employees. Many will be needed to spy on religious institutions claiming an exemption, as well as those needed to enforce the law. Who hasn’t dreamt of becoming a spy? There is obviously a problem with access to contraceptives and birth control for those who demand it. The solution is not to force every employer in the nation to offer them for free, but rather to allow the free market to function without interference. A simple fix would be to provide full tax incentives up to the penny for all health insurance costs from employees. Businesses don’t want to see their employees without health insurance, but if a small business had to choose between going bankrupt while offering free birth control and offering a smaller health insurance plan, I’d think they would take the latter option. If our compassionate legislators really have something against tax incentives for businesses that offer health insurance, then they could always do away with FDA-imposed limits on health care competition. These limits often cost companies hundreds of millions of dollars to develop, produce and push their products through years of drug pipeline bureaucracy. With no FDA, companies would be directly accountable to the people to provide safe products. Consumers would find not only better, more innovative products, but also decreased costs.

Time Flies Once You Get Accepted to College Childish Carefree Mentality Drifts Out as Assignments Pile On When I was a tiny tot, I remember really living the good life. Regardless of all the family and financial circumstances, I still found a way to fulfill myself. I used Columnist to come home after school, skip to the swing set and enjoy those five minutes before the older kids started kicking me off. Those five simple minutes of bliss brought me all the calm and happiness any little kid could ever desire. Then I would leap around the park until it was time for the ice cream man. Yes, the infamous ice cream man who graced every child’s neighborhood with Hala Numan

his carnival-like music and his melted ice cream cones. We didn’t care. We loved Mr. Ice Cream Man We didn’t have watches to calculate his ETA. All we knew was the sun is in this part of the sky so he’s coming. Shortly after, his music would jingle across rooftops and reach our hearts. All the kids would run around like a tribe circulating the truck. One dollar would buy us wonders when we were kids, and some kids would even run tabs with Mr. Ice Cream Many kids secretly believed that he came in the summer so that we didn’t miss Santa too much. I would swing around, play, run and laugh hysterically until my sides burned. That taught me one thing: I understood the value of this precious commodity. See, I never used to understand those guys in suits around me saying, “Time is money.” “How can time be money?” I used to wonder. Time is the most precious commodity in this world. It doesn’t

care if we use it or not — it still runs wild. We are never able to hold and cuddle it. It’s like a giant clock that runs away while laughing maniacally. But the reality is time is not money. Time is not love. Time is time and the only thing we are able to do in relation to time is satisfy our craving for life by enjoying every last bit of it. Sadly, all we do now is figure out how to not sleep at work and school. We have so many pages on our mental to-do lists that we don’t even know what our names are. We’ve forgotten how to smile at our peers and professors. We don’t know how to relax and socialize. We don’t understand how to drink a cup of coffee for the sake of drinking it, feeling the heat warm our bodies. We don’t care to sit and watch the sun set as we gently close our eyes and feel the light slowly diminish. We don’t study and read because we desire to fill our minds with vast quantities of knowl-

edge that are so easily accessible. We don’t sit to gaze into a friend’s eyes and empathize. We just run frantically for about 30 years until one day we realize we’ve aged and the day has come when we are to fade away with time’s memories. We didn’t enjoy the coffee, the sun’s light, the great words and the friend’s heart. We chase after time as its maniacal laugh echoes in the wind. Sometimes, we need to slow down and stop. Breathe. Drink our coffee slowly. Watch the sun rise. Eat our fresh fruits. Laugh from our hearts when a friend tells a silly joke. Read till our eyes hurt, while our minds crave more. Feel every moment in its present mood. Lastly, we should smile at time because we have been afforded the opportunity to be blessed with a life and we shall never go hungry again.

Broadside

Opinion

Sports Monday, February 13, 2012

Pearson of the Year Senior Forward Playing His Way into Player of the Year Consideration John Powell Staff Writer Fans in Fairfax were shocked when the Preseason Player of the Year votes were tallied and their senior forward was not at the top of the list. How could Ryan Pearson play second fiddle to an injured Kent Bazemore to open the season? Bazemore finished last season scoring 12.3 points per game, but added 98 assists and 76 steals to his game as a swing man. The CAA is known as a defensive league — perimeter players can steal the ball in the blink of an eye — but after winning the postseason tournament, the Monarchs fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Pearson was coming off the best season of his career. With nearly seven rebounds and 14.2 points per game, he anchored the Patriots’ frontcourt. His consistent play propelled Mason to finishing at the top of the regular season standings and into the NCAA’s Round of 32. Not even a coaching change could hold back what this player would unleash in his senior year. “It was difficult. Different coaches have their different styles, coaching styles. His style, I want to say, is more free,” Pearson said. “We just do what we know to do. He tells us what he wants from us and he knows how he wants it done.” With fellow upperclassman Andre Cornelius benched for the first ten games of the year, it was up to him to step up his game. So the forward who throws up awkward shots accepted the role. Humbly, of course. “I’m just looking to get better,” Pearson said. “Right now, I’m just trying to focus on what we have to do as a team to win out the rest of the games.” Three of the team’s first four regular-season games went into overtime, and a clearly upset Pearson wanted to take responsibility when his team lost. The rough non-conference schedule set them up nicely heading into winter break. Since the Patriots’ matchup against Manhattan, the team has won 13 of their last 15 and are looking once again to the NCAA Tournament, riding the hot hands of Pearson. In nine of the team’s last 12 games, Pearson held either the team rebounding high or the scoring high to improve his record-chasing numbers to 8.5 rebounds and 17.7 points per game. Those numbers stand at fifth and third in the conference rankings, respectively, he is sailing up the ranks of the George Mason record books. “He’s having a big season. He’s very difficult to guard. I don’t know what coaches say on the scouting report to handle him,” fellow senior Mike Morrison said. “He scores from the outside, mid range. It’s difficult to defend the man. He’s having a very good season.” Meanwhile, everyone else from the preseason list has fallen off. The only claim to fame Bazemore has is his second-place spot on the steals list. Drexel’s Samme Givens is fifth on the percentage list. Those at the top of the statistical lists are looking more like one-trick ponies while Pearson is dominating the conference. “Everybody else I think on the list, you know how to defend him. It’s

Photos by: Stephen Kline

Senior Ryan Perason walks through the Patriot Platoon after the team’s Homecoming win against Old Dominion University. Pearson, a leader on and off the court, has helped propel the team to another hopeful NCAA Tournament bid. not too difficult to defend them,” said Morrison when asked what other contenders lacked. “I think he just has that all-around game where he can score from anywhere, any type of shot from any angle. There’s no definite place to stop him.” The team will need him to be unstoppable if they want to avoid another fall in Richmond. After having quality teams fall short in the past, the team’s seniors long for the championship. It’s their last chance. “We’ll be relying on him a whole lot. But we’re relying on the whole team,” Morrison said. “He can rely on us too, just like we’re relying on

him to put up the numbers he has and carry us on in times where we need him to.” According to coach Paul Hewitt there is only one thing that could make it a lock. “Win the rest of the games,” Hewitt said. “The only reason why I think he’s Player of the Year is because he’s had us in ﬁrst place the whole year.” And it is hard to argue with success.

Women’s Lacrosse Starts With Fast Break Team Opens Up Season With Win Against Saint Francis James Ho Staff Writer On a frigid, snowy Saturday afternoon, the Mason women’s lacrosse team opened their season at home with an impressive 19–9 victory over the Saint Francis University Red Flash. The Patriots were led by a balanced offensive attack that saw three different players score four or more goals. “We’ve worked a lot with our attack,” said head coach Lauren Hay. “Coach [Jaclyn] O’Leary has the attack, and we’ve really worked in the offseason as far as having a balanced attack, and we really feel like the girls showcased that today, so we’re excited about that. It’s not just one person. We have that balanced attack, and everyone is going to be a threat for us.” Mason opened the game with a 3–0 lead that began with junior midfielder Caitlin Formato scoring the first of her five goals, followed by scores from seniors Emily Ellisen and Mary Schwartz who each scored four on the day, with Schwartz also contributing two assists. SFU’s first goal was quickly answered by a 4-0 Patriots run that saw Formato, Ellisen and Schwartz each add their second scores, while sophomore attacker Katie Mascolo scored her first of two, off of an assist from junior midfielder Allie Hilderbrandt. The Red Flash were able to keep things a bit closer toward the latter part of the first half, giving up six goals, but scoring three of their own. The two teams went into halftime

with Mason leading 13–5. SFU came out in the second half firing on all cylinders, scoring two consecutive goals and stopping three consecutive Patriots’ shots. But the possibility of a comeback for the Red Flash came to a halt when sophomore Rachel Obregon found Schwartz for her third score of the game. Midway through the second half, heavy snow and wind began to pick up, but it didn’t phase the Patriots, who went on another 4–0 run to bring the score to 18–7. “It’s something that’s going to happen when you’re an outside sport, but we still had to make sure that we maintain possession, and I thought we did a better job with that,” Hay said. Formato capped off the game for the Patriots with her fifth tally. Mason proved they had scoring threats all over the field with nine different players registering points. “It was awesome that a whole variety of people on our attack scored,” Formato. “I never hesitate to pass the ball to anyone. Everyone is equally as powerful on attack, so it’s awesome to have that balance.” The Patriots’ monstrous offensive output can be largely attributed to their dominance in the middle of the field. They controlled 21 of 30 draws and scored on several fast breaks, which is something they focused on in the off-season. “We worked on that a lot, and going into the future, it’s just being aggressive

Photos by: Stephen Kline

Senior Midﬁelder Emily Ellisen cradles the ball Saturday in a game against Saint Francis University. The Patriot Women beat STU 19-9 in their season opening game. on our draw controls and making sure Mason also played stoutly on de- on Saturday at 1 p.m., against Johns Hopthat that ﬁrst possession is huge for us,” fense, allowing only 17 shots and causing kins at George Mason Stadium, as they Hay said. seven turnovers. Senior defender Kiersten continue their six-game season opening “We worked a lot on getting that im- Jauschnegg led the way with four caused home stand. mediate possession to be able to get it into turnovers. our attackers’ hands.” The women look to build on this win

Interested in pursuing a career in sports writing? There is no better place to get your start than Broadside. Stop by the Student Media in SUB II or email Cody Norman at cnorman2@masonlive.gmu.edu.

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Following Your Heart

Taleia Moton Playing Key Role in Women’s Success John Powell Staff Writer It was 2009. Taleia Moton, a sophomore guard, was enjoying a successful campaign at Radford. She led her team in scoring, averaging 16.9 points per contest and tied for ﬁfth on the school’s singleseason steal mark by taking the ball 88 times. Even with the head coach that recruited her, Jeri Porter, leaving to rebuild at George Mason, Moton was en route to having one of the most successful careers of any player in the Big South Conference. She joined a team heavy with upperclassmen and performed well, working wherever her coach needed her. “That helped her to settle into what college is all about,” Porter said, “and that’s not really having to be the one that scores every night, even though that has become her role for us this year. I think she’s comfortable in several diﬀerent roles.” When Debbie Taneyhill resigned at Mason and Porter came to take the job, Moton was left as an established underclassman who didn’t want to start over with a new coach. “I was a sophomore. I already had a lot going on at Radford,” Moton said. “I didn’t want to leave at the time. She mentioned, of course, that she would love for

me to come with her, but she wasn’t really pushy. She left it up to me.” She felt a tie to her recruiter. She took well to the offensive scheme, took well to the coach’s personality, and took well to the school. Both even had home ties to Maryland. So when the Radford Highlanders brought in Tajama Ngongba to coach the team, Moton did not take well. “I wanted to see what kind of coach they would bring in to the Radford system. If we clicked, of course, then I would stay,” Moton said. “The new coach they brought in, we didn’t get along that great. And her system was different from Coach Porter’s. I would just rather finish out my college career playing for Coach Porter, to be honest.” It was a difficult decision to stay for the guard, but it was not the first time a coaching change forced the point guard to move. “I was originally supposed to, already committed, to go to Mount St. Mary’s, but the coach from Mount St. Mary’s left,” Moton recalled. “And her and Coach Porter were really good friends. … Coach Porter and I basically just clicked and we met and I fell in love with the university, the team, the coaching staff and it was a great experience.” Moreover, she fit in with the rest of

the team. It was easy -- the team was made up of underclassmen -- so she was forced to take on a leadership role. Coming back to the system and closer to her family was like coming back home. The required year of sitting out was tough on Moton. “Well, I think it was difficult in that she wasn’t playing on the floor for the first time in quite some time,” Porter said. “At that point, it was just giving her an opportunity to get really comfortable at school, making sure she stayed on track. “Then beyond that, it was taking that year to improve in some areas of her game that she felt she didn’t have the time.” Her already tough play improved and she formed the backbone of Mason’s offensive structure. She knew the offense before Porter sat on the bench at the Patriot Center. The transition came with ease, and her numbers show it. “Specific to offense, pretty much, she doesn’t have much structure. She lets you play your game,” Moton said. “So that fit me to the ‘T.’ I like to run, I like to play defense.” She leads the team with 20.9 points per game, putting her in the national rankings, and manages to lead the team with 55 steals on the year. She knows how to make noise in the home stretch.

Local Rivals Club Hockey Team Faces Oﬀ with NVCC

Photo by: John Powell

Redshirt Senior Taleia Moton goes for a layup against Virginia Commonwealth University. Moton followed Coach Jeri Porter from Radford to Mason in 2009. She has enjoyed a solid ﬁnal season with the team.

Return to the Top Track and Field Team Works for NCAA Title Colleen Wilson Asst. Sports Editor

Photo Courtesy of Matt Ricciardi

In the last home game of the season, the George Mason club Ice Hockey team will face Northern Virginia Community College on Friday at 9:40 p.m. at the Prince William Ice Center. Both teams play in the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference, which represents 24 ice hockey teams in D.C., Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. Though the teams share the Prince William arena for practices and games, NVCC will play host for the game. A large crowd is expected to cheer on the opposing team. On Saturday, the team will travel to play the Christopher Newport team for a BRHC exhibition game. The CNU team is currently ranked eighth in the southeast by the American Collegiate Hockey Association.

After a rise to the top in 1996 with an NCAA championship, the George Mason track & field team entered a downward spiral. In the past several years however, Mason has turned the program around, helping it to work its way back up to its former status. The team comprises approximately 100 athletes who compete in different events. “I think we’re getting back to where we were,” said Andrew Gerard, the director of men’s and women’s track & field. “Back in the mid-'90s, Mason was at the top levels. We’re getting back there. When we line up at meets, we’re starting to get that respect back. Mason’s not messing around. On paper, we’re probably one of the best teams in the east.”. For the past two years, the men’s team has taken home the CAA title. “Our goal is to elevate the whole program, so we’re expecting to compete at the conference level and beyond that,” Gerard said. “From a GMU standpoint, we’re looking at NCAA, but there are some kids who can compete at Olympic level.” This year, Gerard hopes to see the men easily take the CAA title and then focus on regionals and the NCAA. For the past two years, the women’s team has taken second at the CAA.

“Having the CAA at home two years ago is what pushed us over the edge to win,” Gerard said. “With us hosting the meet at home again this year, the goal is to keep up the men and start the women.” Rivalries for Mason track & field exist at different levels. For the CAAs, William & Mary and UNC Wilmington are the two top competitors for the men. The women’s team has been a steady fixture at second place for the past two years, with different teams alternating between first and third. Gerard considers their top competitors to be JMU, Delaware, William & Mary and Georgia Tech. In the NCAA competition, there are 22 event scores that are added to determine the team’s final score. “It’s a little bit artificial to talk about a team score at the NCAA,” Gerard said. “If you advance two kids and win two titles, that’s a great day. They’ve done their best, but you’re probably not going to win the team title.” During the indoor season, the team has meets nearly every weekend in locations scattered across the eastern United States. “It’s just a matter of where we can find the appropriate level of competition,” Gerard said. “In the NCAA men’s, there are only a handful of teams that give us a level of competition we need.”

IC4A and ECAC Qualifying Marks Valentine’s Invitational Feb. 10-11 in Boston, MA

Men’s: John Jones (200 m) 22.24 Cody Raphael (800 m) 1:53.64 Everett Hackett (3,000 m) 8:18.68 John Holt (5,000 m) 14:45.44 Women’s: There were no qualifying times for the women’s team. Spire’s Invitational Feb. 10-11 in Geneva, OH

Men’s: Adrian Vaughn (200 m) 21.58 Nick Vaughn (200 m) 21.76 LaVell Handy (60 m hurdles) 8.09 (Long Jump) 7.10 m David Verburg (400 m dash) 46.39 Ja-Vell Bullard (400 m dash) 48.00 Rachaunn Ruﬃn (200 m) 21.74 Travaughn Baker-Johnson (200 m) 22.13 4x400 relay squad (Nick Vaughn, Ja-Vell Bullard, George Empty, David Verburg) 3:08.40 Women’s: Cierra McGee (400 m dash) 54.82 Daianna Barron (400 m dash) 55.89 Crystalyne Clark (200 m dash) 25.01 4x400 relay team (Taylor Wheaton, Dominique Graham, Daianna Barron, Cierra McGee) 3:41.40

Sports

Knock Out Northern Virginia local athletes Jimmy Lange (top right), Tori “Sho Nuﬀ” Nelson (lower left), and Todd “White Lightning” Wilson fought live at the Patriot Center on Saturday night. All three won their ﬁghts by unanimous decision.

Broadside

Monday, February 13, 2012 |

Broadside

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Section 124 A View from the Platoon

Best Chance at a Bid Daniel Zimmet Patriot Platoon Member With a win this past Saturday at North Carolina-Wilmington, Mason basketball clinched a top-four seed in the CAA Tournament, earning an automatic advance to the second round. The other three seeds will most likely consist of VCU, Drexel, and Old Dominion. Of course, I’m hoping for Mason to grab the No. 1 seed. But looking at the diﬃculty of the schedules down the stretch, we are certainly not on the easy end of the spectrum. Half of our games here on out are against VCU. Drexel has the easiest schedule at the end of this season. They are currently sitting on a 13-game winning streak, and their remaining conference games include William & Mary, James Madison University and ODU. Over the course of this season, they only had one matchup with each of VCU, ODU and Mason. It is more than likely that they are going to win out. My top-four seeding pre-

diction is Drexel, Mason, VCU and ODU — in that order. If we are the No. 2 seed, we will play the winner of the No. 7 and No. 10 seeds, respectively. If the season ended right now, that would be a game between Northeastern (who we will already have faced in the second-to-last game of the season) and William & Mary. After winning that game, we will most likely go on the face the No. 3 seed in the semi-ﬁnal matchup. The toughest part about the conclusion to our schedule is that we play in Richmond on Feb. 25 and have to go back down there less than a week later for the tournament. Recently, we’ve played very well in the Siegel Center, but we have not enjoyed any sort of success in The Richmond Coliseum. I have always been against the CAA games being played in Richmond. VCU essentially gets all home games for the entire tournament. All tournament games should be played in a neutral arena. Luckily, we travel very well both as a team and as fans -- just not to the CAA Tournament.

We have one, maybe two ways to get into the NCAA Tournament this season. The second conference loss to Delaware really hurt our chances to get an at-large bid. If we win the CAA Tournament, it’s simple and we’re in. If we don’t win to get an automatic bid, our only other option to get in is by ﬁrst winning the rest of our regular season games. Failing to accomplish that, we can easily kiss an at-large bid goodbye. If we can make it to the championship game and lose to the No. 1 seed, then we still have an at-large shot. It would really be helpful for that No. 1 seed to be Drexel because they also picked up an early loss to Delaware in their ﬁrst conference game of the season. Essentially, it’s very straightforward. We need to either win the CAA Tournament or make it to the championship and lose to the No. 1 seed. However, for now let’s just take it game by game, starting with this week against VCU at home, as well as our Bracketbuster against Lamar.

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