Aug. 25, 2014

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FOURTH ESTATE Aug. 25, 2014 | Volume 2 Issue 1 George Mason University’s official student news outlet gmufourthestate.com | @IVEstate

KEEP AN EYE OUT

Anytime Dining utilizes optical scanning technology | page 7 (AMY ROSE/FOURTH ESTATE)

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Letter from the editor-in-chief If you kept track of this space even semi-frequently last semester, you’re probably surprised that some of the next words you’ll read are going to be positive. I think I even managed to impart some of my fatalism on the new freshmen through a brief letter in their orientation guide, so to freshmen too, this will come as a respite from the usual bile that spews from this letter.

Fourth Estate had an eventful first year to say the least. First was our re-branding into what you now know and love as Fourth Estate, IV Estate, or continued supply of paper-mache material. We lost friends and leaders to graduation and ended up under my intrepid leadership.

There was a lot of self-deprecation and making it about me from these letters last semester, and you still will see that probably more frequently than I’d like because my words by standards of dopey college publication editors are unimpeachable. However, I wanted to refocus my efforts toward making Fourth Estate about the content and how you the community engage -- or want to engage -- with what’s presented.

I want to hear feedback, positive or negative, from what’s presented to you weekly or what’s online daily on our website and various social media accounts. I want a dialogue to spawn in the comments section of our website, sharing/retweeting on Facebook and Twitter, or even just a conversation with a friend. It doesn’t even matter if the comments are about how much you think we stink, our checks still clear.

I want you to feel something after you’re done reading something from Fourth Estate. Whether that’s feeling informed by what’s going on in the Mason community, feeling like you want to know more and wanting to do your own research on a topic, or even feeling enraged at maybe an opinion piece that gets published that you go on to write an opposing piece.

With no dedicated journalism program at Mason, comes a healthy sense of creative freedom. This organization under my leadership doesn’t adhere to any strict, stuffy journalistic code because it’s no fun for us to perpetuate or for you to read and engage with.

I’m more than willing to try things that might turn out to be duds in the long-run, but at least we can say that we tried. You might have seen the long-winded discussion that my old counterpart Frank Muraca and I had online last semester about the modern journalism landscape and a status update on where we thought the Fourth Estate experiment stood.

What wasn’t explicitly mentioned there was that the experiment is still ongoing. We haven’t found all the answers. Not even close.

I said in my last letter in the previous semester that we try and bring you comprehensive and competent coverage of the Mason community and that mission has not changed in the slightest. It just might take us a little bit to get our bearings as to how to best approach that. I feel confident in the staff that I’ve assembled to help me in accomplishing that goal.

I used my first ever letter from the editor-in-chief to get a little sappy about outgoing editors and colleagues, so just indulge me a little bit to give my informal goodbye to the aforementioned Frank Muraca.

I had no idea what a Frank was when I started as sports editor at Fourth Estate last fall. I didn’t really get to know him at all through that entire semester. My first actual conversation with Frank was probably when he ‘strongly suggested’ that I apply to take over as editor-in-chief of the print side of Fourth Estate.

What always impressed me about Frank -- before I even interacted with him as intensely as the spring 2014 semester -- was how deeply passionate he was about the things he enjoyed and how many ideas he had to make those things he loved better.

One of his passions was media and specifically Fourth Estate. This was -and probably always will be -- his baby and pet project. Where as mentioned before, you probably heard a lot of moaning and groaning from me in the form of rambling writings about nothing, Frank would actually try to make a situation better rather than gripe about it too much.

He cared very deeply about Mason and being a voice for the Mason community. In his free time, he would look up statistics and information

about the underpinnings of Mason or schedule lunch with the mayor of the city of Fairfax just to chat about local happenings and how to build a better relationship between Mason and the city.

Now to be fair, you don’t undertake a lot of the rigmarole of leading an organization without some sense of seeking personal glory but Frank had the most genuine affinity for trying to make Mason better of anyone I’ve met in my time here.

I’ll miss Frank for a lot of reasons, whether it’s being able to poke fun and demean his choices in media consumption or conversations spoken only in Kanye West lyrics, but I’ll most miss his drive and passion.

And that’s where I pledge to improve as a leader and conduit to Mason for you, readers. I’ll hold myself to it, I hope my staff holds me to it, and of course you can hold me to it.

As I’ve already run in to the ground with this letter, and something that will probably be a refrain for anything you see me write this semester, engage and give us feedback about what we’re doing. It’s an honest fear of mine that every week when the school is reckoned with publishing 6,000 of these, that the text you’re reading isn’t simply going out into the void. I wouldn’t still be doing this if I didn’t care about this organization and the community that it represents.

As a bonus for those who stuck with my ramblings, go on to Fourth Estate’s Facebook page in the coming week to see 18 pounds of ice thrown on me -- and behold my impeccable lightning bolt board shorts.

IV estate Hau Chu Editor-In-Chief

Daniel Gregory Managing Editor

Niki Papadogiannakis Managing Editor

Alexa Rogers News Editor

Suhaib Khan Print News Editor

Sara Moniuszko Lifestyle Editor

Savannah Norton Print Lifestyle Editor

Amy Rose Photography Editor

Amy Podraza Asst. Photography Editor

Monika Sarker Design Editor

Jill Carter Copy Chief

Walter Martinez HAU CHU EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GMUFOURTHESTATE@GMAIL.COM @HAUCHU

Visual Editor

Laura Baker Illustrator

Kathryn Mangus Director

David Carroll Associate Director Fourth Estate operates as a publication of Broadside.

Fourth Estate is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax Community. The editors of Fourth Estate 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 Editor-in-Chief should be notified at the email provided.

Choose Where You Go. Apply in One Hour.

Visit peacecorps.gov/openings to see a list of our jobs

Search by country, project and departure date For more info, email Scott at: skumis@peacecorps.gov

Fourth Estate is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the Office of Student Media.

Mail Fourth Estate George Mason University Mail stop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030 Phone 703-993-2950

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08.25.2014

The freshman preamble included the new student convocation for freshmen and transfer students which took place in the Patriot Center

THE OFF ICE OF HOUSING AND RES IDENCE LIFE

welcomes you to

MASON! /MasonOHR L @GMUHousing housing.gmu.edu

(AMY RSE/FOURTH ESTATE)

Photo of the Week

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JC construction includes new Starbucks and Panera Bread EVAN PETSCHKE STAFF WRITER

(AMY ROSE/FOURTH ESTATE)

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1. Construction at the Johnson Center, August 2014

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2. Construction at the Johnson Center, August 2014 3. Ike’s Anytime Dining is almost finished with construction after being closed for more than a year.

4. Construction at the Johnson Center, August 2014 5. Construction at Fenwick Library

Students arriving at Mason this fall will encounter several changes to the campus.

From new dining and housing facilities to ongoing construction projects, the campus has been undergoing substantial renovations.

Construction that began on Ike’s in President’s Park earlier this year has completed and the renovated dining hall opens just in time for the start of the semester.

“Ike’s will be focused on Mediterranean food, [like] pasta and pizza, and this location will be getting some of the produce, lettuce in particular, grown in the greenhouse across from Ike’s,” said Mark Kraner, the executive director of Campus Retail Operations and Auxiliary Enterprises.

Ike’s will be open all hours of the day and night.

“The new Ike’s is going to be beautiful, said Caitlin Lundquist, the marketing director for Mason Dining. “We are really excited for students to experience this new facility.”

A new dining hall in what used to be the Mason Inn is now open as well. The Globe will have an Asian-inspired menu and will serve halal meat.

The Johnson Center has also undergone new changes, including a new Starbucks and a Panera.

Currently, construction is close to complete on the new Starbucks on the bottom floor, which is expected to open Sept. 2.

Crews have been busy working on the new convenience store as well, scheduled to open this week. This store will house an expanded Freshens, that will serve crepes and rice bowls along with their usual smoothies. The new store will also include a wider array of options, comparable to an off-campus convenience store, according to Kraner.

The food court in the JC will have a new look. The corner that housed the Simply to Go items will now provide a rotating selection of cupcakes, cheesecake and Dippin’ Dots.

Construction is set to begin on Panera in the JC after Labor Day. It is expected to open Nov. 1 and will also have an outdoor dining patio.

Sprouts and Hot Spot in the Hub are being converted into “The Cue.” This space will now serve sliders and wings, and opens this week.

Construction continues on the new freshman honors dorm in President’s Park, Taylor Hall, as well as on the Fenwick Library renovations. Taylor Hall was planned to open for the class of 2018, but is now set to open later in the fall semester.

Taylor Hall was originally planned to

house freshman honors students and about 50-60 non-honors students beginning this fall semester. Previously, honors freshman lived in Eastern Shore in the Rappahannock neighborhood.

At the honors orientation earlier this year, students were told they would be living in Taylor Hall. However, they were notified in the middle of June that the facility would not be complete in time.

“I was initially disappointed,” said freshman honors student Abigail Rubemeyer. “It’s always exciting knowing that you would be the first class to move into a new building. I had heard that the location was great and we had seen the blueprints for the building at orientation, which looked very neat. I think we were all a bit disappointed,” Because of delays in Taylor Hall’s construction, honors students are now living in The Commons, along with the other freshmen Living Learning Communities. This has resulted in some students being forced to live in temporary dorm assignments.

“As soon as Taylor Hall opens, those students still in temporary assignments will be relocated to Taylor Hall, along with incoming students in the spring semester,” said Denise Taylor, Executive Director of Housing and Residence Life.

New housing has opened this semester in what used to be the Mason Inn. Over the summer, the rooms were converted into dorm rooms.

“The hotel-style furniture was removed, some minor construction was completed, and all new furniture was brought in to give the rooms a more typical dorm feel,” Taylor said.

This facility houses Mason’s international students, Global Studies and Global Crossings Living Learning Communities and a handful of other domestic students.

The major renovations on Fenwick Library are expected to be complete in spring 2016.

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New school in CHSS to be among biggest in nation Advocates hope merger of schools will positively combine efforts and resources of previously separated political science programs ALEXA ROGERS NEWS EDITOR

The School of Public Policy and the Department of Government & International Affairs have merged to become the School of Policy, Government and International Affairs (SPGIA).

The Board of Visitors approved the merger on May 30, with the State Council of Higher Education giving their approval in July. The new school is now one of the largest schools of its kind, with 14 degree programs, including two preexisting undergraduate degrees in Government & International Politics and Public Administration, as well as master’s and Ph.D. programs.

According to Matt Green, the academic coordinator for SPGIA, the merger has been discussed many times since the School of Public Policy spun-off of the Department of Government & International Relations in 2000, but this is the first time the merger has been attempted.

Ann Ludwick, the undergraduate internship faculty advisor for SPGIA, sees the merger as a positive way to consolidate Mason’s political science programs.

“By combining our efforts, we conserve our students in a much better capacity and in a wide variety,” Ludwick said.

“What’s really neat is for the School of Public Policy, this is their first exposure to the undergraduate world, so it’s fun to integrate together in this new school and bring this undergraduate piece in a new way.”

Green emphasized the school’s ability to become more efficient and provide students with unique learning opportunities.

“We’re getting bigger, which means we’re going to be more efficient and have more resources and contacts through the School of Public Policy,” Green said.

For undergraduates, the merger will provide the opportunity to work with more faculty members with different areas of expertise and provide them with connections to the graduate school. The school is also looking into providing accelerated master’s programs for undergraduate students, starting with the Masters in Public Policy program.

Green hopes that, in gaining more access to resources and contacts through the School of Public Policy, undergraduate students can begin working with adjunct faculty to gain exposure to their desired job field.

“We’re hoping to work on initiatives where some of the adjunct faculty who work in D.C. might be able to host students and give them a look around [and give] students the opportunity from the experts in the area to get our students to be standing next to what they hope to be doing,” Green said.

According to Ludwick, the merger will also bring new internship opportunities for undergraduate students. Prior to the merger, the School of Public Policy had a formal internship program that it can now share with the undergraduates and provide a more unified approach to finding internships.

“I’m able to learn from a new model and have a new approach to internships and that will then, in turn, open the door for more opportunities as well,” Ludwick said.

Green also mentioned that SPGIA has started working with INTO Mason and hopes to develop a pathway program that would allow more connection with international students.

Emily Pellen, a senior and Government and International

Politics major, is excited for the opportunities that the merger will provide for students.

“I think that the department will have more to offer to its students, and I think I will have more opportunities to learn in a diverse field while also focusing on government and politics,” Pellen said.

A lot of this opportunity, Green emphasized, comes from Mason’s close proximity to Washington D.C. “There’s no real reason not to go here if you’re interested in international politics or American government because we’re right next to all of that,” Green said.

Green also added that Mason’s tuition prices, even for out of state students, is still competitive compared to the other universities with access to Washington D.C. “We have as good or better [programs], but you don’t have to pay for as much for it,” Green said.

According to Ludwick, this merger opens a lot of opportunity from growth and change within SPGIA. “I hope that it continues to grow and support student interests in political science for Mason students and prospective students…we have a strong backbone on [the Government & International Politics] program now,” Ludwick said. “We would like to see it grow and continue the traditional political science-type program.”

As a student, Pellen also hopes to see SPGIA grow to become a competitive school within the university.

“Our department will be a more sought-out field and will offer so much more to its students,” Pellen said. “I am excited to see how this merger plays into effects now and in years to come after I have graduated. I expect great things.”

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University Mall’s facelift nears completion The long-awaited renovations to the University Mall will be open to students and the Fairfax community this November.

The construction is updating existing storefronts and adding new businesses, a large outdoor courtyard and a community gathering room.

According to a presentation by University Mall Owner Richard Wolff, the new businesses will include a Tropical Smoothie, an ABC store and a new branch of a Virginia restaurant chain, featuring mostly Italian entrees.

According to Rosemary Ryan, a land use aide, the mall’s owners led the drive for the renovations.

“By and large, the communities that surround the Mall, with the exception of Mason, were staying pretty stable,” Ryan said.

“But the growing and changing needs of the Mason students caused the mall owners to realize they needed to really do some major updating and so this was their initiative.”

While the construction has been going on for almost two years, there have been some delays due to environmental precautions and inclement weather.

According to Ryan, Giant Food’s slow decision to renovate also delayed the process. The decision finally came after Braddock District Supervisor John Cook wrote a letter explaining that the existing Giant was undersized and poorly serving the students.

“Finally, when Giant looked at the demographics of Mason, they decided that it really did fit their profile,” Ryan said. “But then the two-story addition that they originally looked at, which had elevators in the building and had lots more storage for goods in that store itself, came back way too expensive.”

(AMY RSE/FOURTH ESTATE)

REEM NADEEM STAFF WRITER

While most of the mall will be completed by November, Giant will not begin construction until 2015.

“I don’t think they were aware of the fabulous economic opportunity that focusing on the Mason students and that campus community would have for their business model,” Ryan said.

During the process, some of the mall’s businesses experienced difficulties with the ongoing construction. An inconvenience for customers and business alike was loss of parking spaces, University Mall Theatre owner Mark O’Meara said.

Though many customers found their way around the construction to use the theatre, some periods were more difficult than others. According to O’Meara, construction used the theatre parking lot during University Mall Theatre’s popular $2 Tuesdays, which negatively affected customer traffic.

The renovations to the Theatre will include a larger front door entrance area and three more bathrooms near the entrance.

Despite some financial inconveniences, including raised rent and a necessary digital upgrade to theatre equipment, O’Meara said he’s optimistic about the effect of the renovations on business.

“I don’t like having pressure on my prices. I like to be a bargain house and family oriented and thrifty,” O’Meara said. “But I’m the optimist. I think it’ll be better.”

Local restaurant Brion’s Grille experienced the loss of some regular customers due to inconvenient conditions in the parking lot, Manager Jordan Doss said. Despite the difficulties presented by the construction, Brion’s Grille is also updating the restaurant interior and gaining an outdoor seating area.

“Our thought was it’s going to be a new facade,” Doss said.

“We’re going to have this new, great looking exterior, a new sign to bring in some people and people are going to say ‘hey, Brion’s got a facelift, let’s come on in,’ and we want to show them something.”

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08.25.2014

Optic technology grants access to Anytime Dining

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(AMY ROSE/FOURTH ESTATE)

New system for incoming freshmen aims to reduce previous fradulent use of Mason ID cards to gain dining access RAQUEL DESOUZA STAFF WRITER

Beginning this fall, Mason Dining is reducing their reliance on Mason IDs, which had previously given students access to Mason’s gyms, housing and dining.

This summer, all incoming freshman with meal plans will have their eyes scanned, specifically their irises, in order to enter dining halls.

According to Mark Kraner, the executive director of Campus Retail Operations, these new iris scanners are a quick, noninvasive way to identify someone, preventing anyone from using a stolen or borrowed Mason ID card for Anytime Dining.

Anytime Dining, the only meal plan offered to this fall’s incoming freshman, is a new meal plan that offers unlimited usage of Mason’s dining halls. In the future, Anytime Dining will be the only meal plan offered for all Mason students.

“So it’s a system designed to build a community in residential dining, so that students have access to the residential dining hall at any time,” said Storm Paglia, deputy secretary for Dining Services and chair of the Student Dining Committee. “It’s designed for student flexibility and designed to work with students’ busy schedules.”

According to Kraner, bringing Anytime Dining and the Iris scanners to Mason has been in the works for the past year and a half. Mason Dining evaluated both of these new ideas by looking at the success of similar programs at other east coast universities, such as University of Georgia and University of New Hampshire.

Kraner said that most universities that had an Anytime Dining program abandoned the campus ID and replaced it with a noninvasive scanner. Mason chose the Iris scanner over a fingerprint or a handprint methodology.

“The light will be red and as soon as you’re

8-10 inches away, the light will go green and then you’re done,” Kraner said. “You don’t touch anything, you just look in.”

This is not a retinal scan, which requires a much closer examination, usually done with a microscope.

“The machine had a very robotic voice that told me to move backwards and move forwards quite a bit due to how it has to scan your eyes,” said freshman Caden Reiman. “It was definitely a cool experience though and will be interesting to use. Never have had to scan my eyes for anything before.”

Kraner said Mason Dining will not store thousands of pictures of its students’ eyes into a database.

“A number is stored. So when it takes a picture, it will identify certain points on your eye. Then it will take that and generate a number,” Kraner said.

He said that the chance that this technology would pull up a wrong number is rare. The accuracy of iris identification is more accurate than using a fingerprint because the details of an iris change only if the shape of the eye is altered.

“It’s a handless system,” Paglia said. “So there is no germ transfer or anything when coming in for food.”

Each scanner cost about $1,500.

“We have two scanners at Southside, two at Ike’s, one at Pilot House, one at the Globe, plus a couple at the card office to register people,” Kraner said.

All of the funding for these scanners came from the standard Mason ID budget.

Returning students can register at any of these locations or at the Mason Card Office located at SUB 1, room 1203.

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Lifestyle

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Summer Internships: What did you do over the summer?

Mason students who were hard at work in making connections at home and abroad

Senior Alena Beasley interned for International Quality and Productivity Centre Exchange Worldwide in London this summer. IQPC Exchange Worldwide is a company that plans international events to help develop industry contacts.

For two months, Beasley was able to experience life in Europe while gaining experience in her Events Management major.

Beasley started her day by heading into the office every morning and starting research for upcoming events.

“I was in charge of looking up the stories we were going to use for contacting different companies,” Beasley said.

Beasley would then be able to talk to the CEO of these companies through LinkedIn. They were able to plan events in Amsterdam, Scotland, Germany, Australia and England.

Beasley cites the opportunity to be internationally published as one of her favorite accomplishments while interning.

“It was an incredible opportunity for me,” Beasley said. “My

face was actually published on it and it got sent all over the world.”

She also created a content piece that was used for advertising for an event.

“I used the interviews I got to have with people, then I wrote stories and sent it off to a designer to get pictures on it,” Beasley said.

During her free time, Beasley was able to travel to other European countries.

“I lived in England, but I got to leave the country a couple of times,” Beasley said. “I went to Paris and saw the Eiffel Tower and took some tours in Amsterdam and Belgium.”

Beasley also enjoyed living in London during the World Cup this summer.

“Being in Europe in general for the world cup was incredible,” Beasley said. “It was such a sense of the country’s pride. They would broadcast the games everywhere for everyone to see.

People would even get off early from work to watch.”

Beasley is grateful for the opportunity to intern overseas.

“I had a great time experiencing other cultures and just

seeing how different the rest of the world is from the United States,” Beasley said. “It’s a great job experience and it’s great I can say that I worked in another country.”

Bailey discovered the internship opportunity through Mason’s study abroad office.

Photo Courtesy of Zarah Miral

SAVANNAH NORTON PRINT LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Alena Beasley poses in front of the House of Parliament in Westminister, England.

Bumgarner commuted from her Fairfax home to arrive at her job in Alexandria every morning.

“I just drove up 495 every day,” Bumgarner said. “I felt like I was in the real working world.”

Bumgarner says she interviewed with several places before getting the internship with Monument Wealth Management, and encourages other students not to give up when looking for an internship. She found out about the internship on a website called internmatch.com.

Baumgarner was recently offered the opportunity of working for the company part time in the fall.

Photo courtesy of Brittany Kaschak

Senior Kasi Bumgarner served this summer as a video production intern for Monument Wealth Management, a financial advisory firm.

A normal day in the office for Bumgarner, who is a film and media studies major, would consist of producing videos for the company’s YouTube channel. Bumgarner would often sit down with one of the employees and interview them about things going on in the office.

“I have never really had a full professional job before as a college student,” Bumgarner said. “Being in an office environment was really different.”

Bumharner was also featured in a video, where she was able to film herself as an intern for one of the segments.

While Bumgarner has her own YouTube channel that she updates regularly for fun, she said she has always wanted to work with film professionally.

“I just enjoy it so much,” Bumgarner said.

She said she was happy to not only have experience with making fun videos with her friends, but now have experience “making videos with purpose.”

Video Production Intern Kasi Bumgarner filming a video tour of modern office space in the Monument Wealth Management studio.

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Why am I paying so much for a cup of coffee?

HANNAH MENCHHOFF ONLINE LIFESTYLE EDITOR

A new trend is taking over Northern Virginia: local, specialty coffee shops.

Small cafes that serve specialty roasts, such as 29th Parallel Coffee and Tea in Fairfax, are popping up across the region to challenge larger-scale retailers like Starbucks. The new wave of coffee drinking focuses on quality over convenience or price. Amir Khalil, the owner of 29th Parallel, insists that there is a notable difference in taste, quality and process between buying coffee from Starbucks, Folgers or Maxwell House and buying coffee from specialty roasters.

According to an article for Bloomberg Businessweek by Joel Stein, sales in specialty coffee have continued to grow, even while overall commodity coffee sales have remained flat.

Specialty roasted coffee tends to be above the 80 point range in cupping protocol, explained Seth Cook, the director of coffee at Northside Social in Arlington.

According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, cupping protocol evaluates the quality of the coffee, giving roasts a numeric value after an assessment of fragrance, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, sweetness, uniformity and defects. The higher the rating, the better the coffee.

These factors are impacted by the type of the coffee bean and the roasting of the coffee itself.

Specialty coffee is roasted by specialty roasters, which may include individual roasters or national companies. Several of the bigger coffee roasters can be found at shops in Northern Virginia. 29th Parallel sells PT Coffee, while Northside Social uses Counter Culture Coffee, Dolcezza brews Stumptown Coffee and Angelika Café serves Intelligentsia Coffee.

Whenever possible, these roasters trade directly with the coffee farmers. They send employees to coffee farms around the world to work with the farmers to come up with ways to improve production and decide on a price.

“The first year the crops that came in from Rwanda, Burundi, and Congo were all fine, not great; not spectacular,” Cook said. “Then we worked with them the next year, it was better and this is our third year working with them, and their coffee is spectacular.”

These coffee roasters emphasize ethical trading practices in which the farmer receives all of the profits instead of a middleman. The roasting is also a different process that underscores the right amount of roasting and freshness.

“Starbucks roasts to the point of a very dark roast, so the darker the roast you will lose most of the attributes of the flavors that are attached to the bean,” Khalil said.

Khalil explained that specialty roasters roast to a unique point. Roasters will choose to emphasize certain aspects such as flavor or body of the coffee.

This is in contrast to commodity coffee chains that may over roast coffee to a point where the coffee is undrinkable.

The specialty coffee industry also faces unique challenges.

Coffee is best produced in a limited region of the world, between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, over which there is growing competition for limited farming land. As a result, there are not enough coffee yields for a growing market.

Additionally, coffee grows at high altitudes, where it is hot during the day and cold at night. As temperatures increase with climate change, farmers are forced to move up the mountain where there is less land, creating an issue of space.

The types of plants required to craft specialty coffee are more difficult to grow and harvest. They do not always produce a lot of coffee beans at once and they are often disease-prone.

In Northern Virginia, specialty coffee shops often lack awareness. Locals are often unfamiliar with specialty coffees, causing problems for vendors with respect to maintaining the integrity of their ideal coffee.

“It is a little challenging because [awareness is] not there yet and as I said the whole experience of the specialty coffee has to be there, you know the training, the special coffees, the freshness,” Khalil said. “So all three have to blend together in a perfect formula, which is really difficult unless there is awareness of these great places.”

Despite the difficulties, specialty coffee awareness is growing in the area. An increasing number of people are flocking to coffee shops to enjoy a good cup of coffee, sometimes for the baristas themselves.

“When this place opened and I started the process of working with coffee farmers and being in the midst of buying and becoming responsible for the coffee, the people behind it become so much more important to me,” Cook said. “We, as baristas, are the final link in this chain of massive numbers of people.

And these farmers especially, if we don’t do our job and represent this coffee well, if we don’t make coffee great, all the work they’ve done is for nothing.”

Photo Courtesy of Chelsea Nagel

Dolcezza Address: 2905 District Ave. Fairfax, VA 22031 Coffee: Stumptown Coffee Roasters

(HANNAH MENCHHOFF/FOURTH ESTATE)

Angelika Film Center & Cafe Address: 2911 District Ave. Fairfax, VA 22031 Coffee: Intelligentsia Coffee

(HANNAH MENCHHOFF/FOURTH ESTATE)

29th Parallel Coffee and Tea Address: 10160 Fairfax Blvd, Fairfax, VA 22030 Coffee: PT’s Coffee Roasting Company

Photo provided by Northside Social

Northside Social Address: 3211 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22201 Coffee: Counter Culture

COLLEGE AD

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08.25.2014

Opinion

An Absent Requiem of Peace One of the greatest films of the mid-to-late twentieth century is Gillo Pontecorvo’s “Battle of Algiers.” The 1966 film told the story of the Algerian war for independence from colonial French rule.

Gritty, realistic, and potently violent, Pontecorvo’s masterpiece had an interesting artistic decision. For certain scenes depicting suffering, Pontecorvo had the same haunting music playing in the background, taken from the St. Matthew Passion by JS Bach. Whether it was Arabs pulling their dead from a bombed out home or French pulling their dead from a destroyed night club, the same music played in the background. Occupier and occupied suffered as one.

There does not appear to be a single song of requiem for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict playing in the backgrounds of social media and the overall online public sphere. During the most recent violence in Gaza between Hamas and the IDF, it seems people from without the warzone have appealed only to their chosen side’s victims.

On Twitter, Facebook and elsewhere one can find plenty of pro-Palestinian folk posting updates on purported death tolls due to Israeli airstrikes. One can also find plenty of Pro-Israel folk posting updates on the estimated number of rocket attacks upon Israel Proper. One will be hard pressed to find in the 140-character world of Twitter people who bemoan both those attacked by Israeli planes and those attacked by Palestinian rockets.

As with so many modern trends, there is historical precedent. I can remember back in the winter 2008-2009 outbreak of fighting the constant status updates on Facebook. Back then, the world’s largest social media outlet showed all friends’ updates rather than only selected ones.

So I could see, page after page, pro-Palestinian friends showing the latest tally of airstrikes and pro-Israel friends showing the latest tally of rocket attacks. In all the updates, I never once recalled a single status charting both. There was no single song of mourning, no common music played for the victims.

A good example close to home of this one-sided mourning can be found with George Mason University’s Students Against Israeli Apartheid chapter. While most student organizations, including Mason groups more sympathetic to Israel, took the summer off, SAIA was actively campaigning for their cause. On their Facebook page, SAIA uncritically posted articles from blatantly pro-Palestinian sources and photos from various sources online. They held rallies demanding the usual end to occupation and demonization of Israeli politicians and soldiers because of the actions or words of a few.

Equally of note were the crimes of omission courtesy of their projected outlook on the conflict. Little mention was made of the three Israeli teenagers murdered that kick-started the latest violence. Even less mentioned by SAIA were the Arab leaders who have agreed with Israel that they must destroy Hamas, a terrorist group that for some reason never seems to garner much or any criticism from SAIA, despite their abysmal human rights record.

This one-sidedness is telling since it is coming from a group that believes a one-state solution should exist for Israeli-Palestine, which they claim will foster equality. How do they really expect equality to exist when they make no apparent effort to denounce Hamas’ horrid actions or mourn Israeli victims of Palestinian violence?

Perchance it is because SAIA views the Palestinians are less culpable due to being an occupied group. As the old cliché goes, “when people are occupied resistance is justified.” Then again, the whole apology for perpetual violence reminds me far more of the viciously satirical Twitter handle @ThisIsPalestine, which once tweeted: “I will do anything to end the occupation … except make peace.” For surely the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Archbishop Oscar Romero would agree with the approach of meeting violence with violence, right?

In the 1992 documentary “Pontecorvo: The Dictatorship of Truth,” it was mentioned that Pontecorvo had considered remaking “The Battle of Algiers,” putting it in the context of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. Ultimately, Pontecorvo never made such a film. The documentary, which was appropriately enough narrated by Palestinian nationalist and academic Edward Said, never gave an explanation for why the project never got off the ground.

Filling the vacuum with speculation, a possible reason for the absence of this remake may have been the simple yet tragic fact that for too many people observing and commenting on the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, there is no one song of requiem for them. There is no haunting melody in the background that shows the outside world that they all suffer as one.

MICHAEL GRYBOSKI COLUMNIST

IV estate

A Letter to President Cabrera

Dear President Ángel Cabrera, As college students of the 21st century, we are well accustomed to budget shortfalls and financial uncertainty. Undoubtedly, the fiscal pressures of running a reputable institution such as Mason must be ten-fold compared to those we face as young adults.

Seeking financial contributions to help support the research, departments and programs of a university is certainly a hefty and necessary responsibility of any administration hoping to grow and expand its institution, especially at a place such as Mason where “innovation is tradition.” Receiving this financial support, however, should not come at the expense of an institution’s academic freedom.

The Charles Koch Foundation (CKF) is the largest donor to Mason, having contributed over $23 million since 2005 and millions more in years prior. The Institute for Humane Studies and the Mercatus Center, both hosted on GMU’s Arlington campus, are also heavily Koch-funded and still governed by current Koch Industries executives. Charles Koch has served as the chairman of IHS for decades, and Mr. Koch is a founding director of the Mercatus Center. From 2007 to 2012, donations from CKF managed to make up 15% of the George Mason University Foundation’s total incoming grant revenue, according to IRS tax filings, causing the university to be criticized as being a subsidiary of Koch Industries.

Indeed, outside financial contributions are imperative in keeping a university afloat. The problem occurs when the campus community remains unaware of whether or not the donations of a private entity, such as CKF, come with strings attached that may jeopardize the academic freedom of its professors and students.

Charles Koch has a history of using donations from the CKF to manipulate educational processes, limiting perspectives that are taught in departments Mr. Koch funds. Florida State University, the second largest recipient of CKF funds, was expected to give CKF veto power over the hiring processes of certain faculty and provide the foundation with undue influence over curriculum and teaching. Recent reporting confirms that, despite re-negotiating with the Koch Foundation, FSU still promotes a narrow range of disciplines favored by Charles Koch in the programs he funds. Considering the Kochs have known and significant ties to professors, departments and the administration at Mason, it is reasonable to question whether or not

corporate interests are similarly undermining the educational processes of our university as well.

To examine these concerns more thoroughly, we submitted a Freedom of Information Act request last semester in hopes of gaining access to documents that would demonstrate whether or not the $23 million that Mason has received from CKF came with any restrictions. Days later, we were told that all financial donations are funneled through the GMU Foundation, which does not have to respond to our FOIA request as a distinct private entity. Expecting the university to be willing to work with tuition-paying students, we approached the Foundation directly with a similar request for documentation but were again denied.

With a precedent already set by CKF’s involvement with colleges like FSU and the lack of transparency at Mason, the campus community has the responsibility to question Mason’s commitment to academic freedom. Students, faculty, alumni and even prospective students and faculty are being denied their right to know who may be influencing the education being provided by our public university.

Considering these legitimate concerns and our previous experience of being stonewalled when asking questions about financial contracts, we ask that the university take steps to increase transparency. This is necessary in order to demonstrate that an education from Mason is not being unduly influenced by private interests and Mason’s academic credibility is not being used by thinktanks, such as IHS and the Mercatus Center, to advance the business interests of certain donors.

To begin working toward this goal of transparency on campus, we would formally like to request a meeting with you, President Cabrera,

by Oct. 24, 2014 to further discuss this matter and outline corrective measures that need to be taken to maintain Mason’s reputation as a credible institution of higher learning.

SAMANTHA PARSONS & COLIN NACKERMAN GMUTRANSPARENCY.ORG

Opinion

IV estate

08.25.2014

13

Neutrality is Complicity One of the biggest lies we’ve been fed about the way the world works is the idea that there are two sides to every issue. From our elementary school teachers attempting to resolve disputes to pundits on cable news, this mantra has been so exhaustively entrenched in the way we think about the world that it’s become difficult to take a step back and ask: should this really be the way the world works?

In Ferguson, Missouri, many Americans insist that a police officer overreacted when a black youth charged at him after robbing a convenience store – by the officer’s account. Both sides are to blame, never mind the fact that one is dead after being shot six times.

In America’s discussion of historic Palestine, Israelis are bombarding the Gaza Strip while Hamas fires rockets into Israel in a seemingly never-ending dispute. But these two have been killing each other forever, so they’re both to blame, never mind the fact that over 2,000 besieged Palestinian men, women and children are dead compared to two Israeli civilians.

Let’s take it back further. America’s War on Iraq was bad, but leaving them to their own devices resulted in the nihilistic cult that is ISIS, which can’t be our fault, of course. In apartheid South Africa, a vulnerable white minority simply wanted to ensure their safety in the face of the disgruntled, disenfranchised black majority. Slavery was terrible, but it was about economics, guys. Not race.

When you pay taxes to a government whose military has been responsible for the destructions of Iraq and Afghanistan, carries out extrajudicial assassinations in Pakistan and Somalia and funds the occupation forces of the ethnocracy of the Israeli state, you do not have the luxury of being neutral or apathetic.

Pretending like there are two equally blameworthy sides ignores the imbalances of power that are apparent in every political and social issue. Conflict does not occur in a vacuum, and once an issue is historicized and contextualized, there is always a clear aggressor asserting dominance over a weaker party. When we look at history, this imbalance is generally understood, but it never seems to apply to our understanding of conflict today.

The notion that both sides are to blame doesn’t just indicate the ignorance of the American millennial, but the harboring of a more sinister atavistic prejudice. When we support fighting terrorism with state-sponsored terrorism, we view the lives of our victims as being worth less than our own. When we maintain that both sides are to blame in the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, we casually brush aside the lives of 2,000 Palestinian civilians in accordance with our inherited tradition of anti-Arab racism.

Although nothing could have justified an unarmed 18-year-old being shot six times and left in the

street for four hours, when we make excuses for the officer, we are drawing upon our ancestors’ antiblack racism that still pervades our consciousness.

As Americans, we have an ethical obligation to stand on the side of justice when our government is responsible for so much destruction around the world. We can’t afford to be neutral in these issues, because our neutrality is our complicity. “I don’t care about politics; this is why I don’t follow the news,” mantras of apathy and detachment that our generation is so fond of, are actually not detached at all but forceful political declarations siding with the aggressor.

Most of us have read Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” in public school. When I read it with my ninth grade English class, we collectively saw the town of Maycomb as a distant relic of white supremacy over which we held the moral high ground. The jury that indicted Robinson and the white townspeople who stood idly by couldn’t bear any resemblance towards us. I reread the novel this summer around the time of Michael Brown’s murder and found myself hearing the same uneasy neutrality towards Brown’s murder as the fictional residents of Jim Crow Alabama had been towards Robinson. Except this time, Brown was not on trial for his alleged actions as Robinson had been. He was dead.

There’s a certain disquiet that comes with knowing that wherever and however white supremacy manifests itself, whether it’s in America’s Jim Crow South, 21st century Missouri or occupied Jerusalem, Americans are able to fall back and absolve themselves of any ethical responsibility.

SUHAIB KHAN PRINT NEWS EDITOR

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For more information contact goarmy.com/rotc/enrollment

To reach the local ROTC office call 703-993-2706 or visit them on the 2nd floor of the RAC. ©2008. Paid for by the United states army. all rights reserved.

Sports

IV estate

08.25.2014

15

New athletic director hired over summer PHOTO COURTESY OF MASON CABLE NETOWRK VIDEO)

!!!GMU STUDENT SPECIALS!!!

(Valid for Carry Out with GMU ID or Delivery to GMU Fairfax Campus Only)

One Large 1 Topping Pizza…

$7.99

(tax and delivery charge not included, $9 Minimum Delivery)

MORE STUDENT VALUE DEALS! One Medium 1 Topping Pizza…$6.99 each Choose any Two (or more) items…$5.99 each Small 10” pizza w/2 top / Sandwich / Pasta tin / 8pc Chicken (Code 9181)

3 Mediums w/ 1 top each…$5.55 each (Online only Code 9116)

One Xtra-Large Cheese…$8.99 (Online Code XL) 2 (or more) Med pizzas w/2 tops each….$5.99 each (Code 9193) (online code items good for both on & off campus delivery) (Remember some deals are not available online.

Pan & Brooklyn crusts additional) Must mention special when ordering. Offer can’t be combined with other offers or specials. Prices do NOT include sales tax. Delivery areas may be limited to ensure safe driving and excellent service. Pan & Brooklyn crusts are additional. Delivery charges may apply. Drivers carry LESS than $20.00 MINIMUM DELIVERY is $9.00

HOURS OF OPERATION during GMU School Year…

Mon-Thurs 10:30am until 1am and Fri-Sat until 2am (Summer and Mason school break hours we close at 12mid Mon-Thu and 1am Fri-Sat)

(703) 352-0990

10649-A Braddock Rd (University Mall)

DANIEL GREGORY MANAGING EDITOR

On June 9, President Angel Cabrera welcomed new athletic director Brad Edwards before a room full of faculty administrators, media and student athletes.

Edwards, 48, is the fifth athletic director in Mason’s history, and he succeeds Tom O’Connor who held the post for 20 years.

Edwards comes to Mason after serving as the athletic director for Jacksonville University and Newberry College, but perhaps local football fans will remember him from Super Bowl XXVI where he intercepted 2 passes off Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly earning him Super Bowl MVP runner-up honors as a member of the Washington Redskins.

In addition to his Super Bowl ring — which adorned his finger during the press conference — Edwards also brings an extensive history of successful fundraising from his past athletic administration positions. He raised $3 million during his two years at Jacksonville University while also overseeing a $28 million growth while serving as the chief financial officer for the University of South Carolina, his alma mater.

While his strength on paper is in fundraising, Cabrera feels that Edwards has all the skills necessary to lead the Mason athletic department.

“I think when you’re looking for someone to fill a position like this you look for a combination of capability, passion and principle,” Cabrera said. “With Brad, you have all three in spades.”

Edwards is very familiar with the area and the university thanks to his time spent in the area when he played for the Redskins. Edwards and his wife Marlana would take their three children to events at the Patriot Center when they were younger. Even after leaving the area, Edwards continued to follow Mason athletics.

When answering questions from the media after statements from Cabrera and Edwards, both men were asked about the potential of football at Mason. Here, Cabrera fielded the question.

“With the cost of education at an all-time high, we can’t add something that puts affordability at risk for students,” Cabrera said.

The press conference ended on a light-hearted note with Cabrera suggesting an impromptu fundraiser by passing the hat given to Edwards as he was announced.

Post originally appeared on gmufourthestate.com on June 9. Fourth Estate’s one-on-one interview with athletic director Brad Edwards is forthcoming.

TRANSPORTATION Options

@ Fairfax Campus

SHUTTLES & RAIL SHUTTLE.GMU.EDU

Need help with planning your commute? Email us at transpo@gmu.edu or call 703.993.2828.

Visit shuttle.gmu.edu for updated shuttle schedules and to learn more about green transportation options which save you $$ and help decrease CO2 emissions.

Visit NextBus.com/GMU to find out when the next shuttle is arriving. NextBus uses GPS to track shuttles in real time.

NEW ROUTES with FREE PARKING BURKE CENTRE VRE SHUTTLE

The shuttle runs between Burke Centre VRE train station and Sandy Creek shuttle stop on the Fairfax Campus. Free garage parking is available at the train station.

6:10am – 8:30am 2:45pm – 7:35pm

Monday – Friday Monday – Friday

I-95 COMMUTER SHUTTLE

The shuttle runs between Sandy Creek, Fredericksburg, Stafford, PRTC Transit Center, and Woodbridge/ Occoquan.

Free parking is available at each pick-up location. Mason ID is required to board the shuttle.

METRO RAIL The closest Metro stop in Fairfax is Vienna Metro station on the Orange Line. The Orange Line also goes to various locations in Washington, DC. To visit the Arlington campus, take the Orange Line to Virginia Sq-GMU Metro station.

Metro Rail Map: wmata.com.

NEW Silver Line on Metro Rail

The Silver Line is a new MetroRail line traveling fom Tysons Corner to East Falls Church. To get to Mason’s Fairfax Campus, take the Silver Line to East Falls Church, transfer to the Orange Line and exit at Vienna, then take the Mason to Metro Shuttle to campus. You can also use the Metrobus 15M to travel between Tysons Corner, Vienna Metro and Mason’s Fairfax Campus.

MASON TO METRO SHUTTLE The shuttle runs between Fairfax Campus and Vienna Metro station. On the weekend, the shuttle also stops at Mason Townhouses (at Chain Bridge Road & West St.) and Fairfax Circle (at Lee Highway & Circle Woods Drive).

Schedule 6:00am – 11:00pm 6:00am – 3:00am 8:00am – 3:30am 8:00am – 11:00pm

Monday – Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

METRO EXPRESS SHUTTLE The shuttle runs every 20 minutes between Rappahannock River Ln, the Commerce Building, Fairfax Circle (at Lee Highway & Circle Woods Drive) and Vienna Metro.

7:15am – 10:35pm Abridged Service

Monday – Thursday Friday

WEST CAMPUS SHUTTLE The shuttle runs every 20-30 minutes between the West Campus/ Rapidan River Road, the Field House, Rappahannock River Lane, Presidents Parks and Sandy Creek.

7:00am – 3:00pm No Service 2:00pm – 12:00am

Monday – Friday Saturday Sunday

PRINCE WILLIAM SHUTTLE The Prince William Shuttle runs seven days a week between the Fairfax and Prince William campuses. There is also a stop at Manassas Mall. On Mon-Thu, the shuttle runs every thirty minutes during the day.

Schedule 6:30am – 10:15pm 8:00am – 7:00pm

Monday – Friday Saturday – Sunday

GUNSTON’S GO-BUS The Gunston’s Go-Bus picks up at Sandy Creek shuttle stop and provides service from Fairfax campus to University Mall, Fair Lakes Center, Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax Corner, and Old Town Fairfax. From Reston, take the Fairfax Connector Route 605 and transfer to the shuttle at Fair Oaks Mall.

Schedule Mason Route 7:40am – 10:30pm 3:00pm – 10:30pm

Monday – Friday Saturday – Sunday

George Route 3:00pm – 9:00pm

Monday – Sunday

Late Night Route No Service 10:30pm – 12:00am No Service

Monday – Thursday Friday – Saturday Sunday

BIKE PROGRAMS Mason has over 1000 bike parking spots on campus, new bike pumps, and was recently awarded the title of Bicycle Friendly University. To find out more about bicycling to campus and to see a map of all facilities, please visit bike.gmu.edu.

Bicycle Registration Register your bicycle at bike.gmu.edu and receive a free U-lock, registration sticker, bike lights, and a coupon to a local bike shop.

RIDESHARE Carpool Zones in Lot A and Rappahannock Carpool to campus and park in the Carpool Zone in Lot A or at the Rappahannock Parking Deck level 1. The carpool zone is available 6am-11am on Mon – Fri and available to anyone with a General Parking Permit. transportation.gmu.edu/lota Student Carpool Program Join a carpool and save up to 40% on a reserved parking permit. transportation.gmu.edu/studentspool

CUE BUS All City of Fairfax CUE Buses are FREE with Mason ID. The CUE Bus picks up on Fairfax campus at Rappahannock River Lane and can take you to various places in Fairfax with all routes winding up at the Vienna Metro Station. For more info, visit cuebus.org.

Zimride Have a car? Need a ride? Check out zimride.gmu.edu for information on ridesharing.

Zipcar Need a car? Cars on campus by the hour or day. Gas and insurance included. Get special rates at zipcar.com/zipgmu

Parking 101: Some Tips to Help Get You Started

 Parking lots fill up fast, allow extra time to find a space.  Tuesdays and Thursdays (including the evenings) are the busiest days on campus.  On the busiest of days, it is recommended that those arriving to campus later in the morning park at the Field House, a 15 minute walk to the Johnson Center, as the lots on east campus will often fill. Also, don’t forget that general lot permits are valid on Levels 1-2 of Rappahannock River Parking Deck but not in the visitor area.  Parking permits are required to park in any lot on Mason property.  Always read the signs to know if a lot or area is restricted to a certain type of permit. Never park in reserved, service/repair, state vehicle, faculty/staff and administrative spaces.  Parking lots are enforced all year round, including the 1st week of classes and even when classes are not in session. Don’t believe the myths and rumors about a grace period.  Check the parking website parking.gmu.edu for the latest information regarding hours of enforcement and other important news affecting parking on campus and even when classes are not in session.  Visitor parking is available in Mason Pond, Shenandoah, and Rappahannock River Parking Decks as well as metered lots.  Pay attention to your Mason email as students are often emailed about temporary lot closures. Also, check building.gmu.edu for updates on events and construction.  Information about permit sales and online citation appeals and payment options is available online.  Find out where the next shuttle is at any stop using the NextBus system – you’ll never have to ask where the bus is again! Visit NextBus.com/GMU or click the transit icon on the Mobile Mason application (gettheapp.gmu.edu).  Always contact Parking Services if you have questions or concerns! We’re located in the Parking Services building next to the Shenandoah Parking Deck. You can also visit us online at parking.gmu.edu, call us at 703993-2710 or email us at parking@gmu.edu.

@MasonShuttles @MasonParking

MasonParkingTransportation