Fourth Estate

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BROADSIDE AND CONNECT2MASON PRESENT

FOURTH ESTATE George Mason University’s official student news outlet

On the 50th anniversary of student media at George Mason University, Broadside and Connect2Mason are excited to announce our collaborative publication, Fourth Estate.

Read more about the new project on page 2

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Aug. 26, 2013

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Fourth estate

Student media starts new chapter with publication merger 1963 The first student newspaper, The Gunston Ledger, was founded for George Mason College of the University of Virginia.

1969 The name of the newspaper was changed to “Broadside” to better represent the politically out-spoken student body at the time. A “broadside” was a pamphlet used during the American Revolutionary War to help spread information.

2005 Connect2Mason, an online news outlet, was created to aggregated content from the various news outlets in the Office of Student Media.

2013 (JENNY KRASHIN/FOURTH ESTATE)

COLLEEN WILSON, FRANK MURACA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, EXECUTIVE EDITOR At a university that prides itself on innovation, changing names are the norm. While navigating campus with an ever-evolving map can be confusing, it is part of the Mason tradition for things to change.

When we sat down last spring to discuss the relationship between Broadside and Connect2Mason, we found that we ultimately both had the same goals, and the same frustrations, for both of our publications.

Our mission is to serve and inform the Mason community, a job with a huge scope and depth. In the past, Broadside and Connect2Mason operated separately, falling short of our full potential to work as a team, share resources and produce our best work.

When we made the decision to merge, we knew that the only way to do it well and truly come out as a new and improved publication was to rename ourselves. 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of student media at Mason, and we knew that it was time for a change.

For weeks we struggled through brainstorming, searching for a name that perfectly captured our mission as a community watchdog, a unique source for Mason news and a platform for fellow students, faculty and staff to voice their opinions .

When the student newspaper was renamed in 1969 from The Gunston Ledger, student editors chose the name Broadside as a reference to newspaper pamphlets tacked onto trees during the American Revolutionary War. The late sixties were a pivotal time in American history, and college campuses were a hotbed of political upheaval.

Finally, it hit us. Fourth Estate. Following the tradition of editors in the 1960s who renamed the paper to reflect the voice of the students and mission of the publication,

we feel that Fourth Estate sets the appropriate tone for our goals and will help to steer us in the right direction as we kick start this new venture.

Put most simply, Fourth Estate is a term and ideology that refers to the media’s role in society and government as a watchdog and extra system of checks and balances.

Obviously, our role on the scale of reporting for the university is much less dramatic. However, we do intend to be a source of knowledge, scrutiny and explanation for hard hitting issues in the Mason and surrounding local communities.

Our online editors will focus on building up gmufourthestate.com to be a resource for daily updates, breaking news and event stories.

The newspaper is changing pace to model itself more after the style of a news magazine. Our content will focus more on feature stories and investigative pieces.

Through our merger and collaboration we now have the ability to use the resources of both print and online, including creating multimedia packages to enhance print stories and developing the content of breaking news stories online into full-fledged articles featuring discussion and analysis in the paper the next week.

The overhaul of Broadside and Connect2Mason and the creation of Fourth Estate has, and will continue to, require a great deal of work. As with any new model, we expect glitches and set backs, but look forward to growing and improving as a staff and publication as the year progresses.

We strongly believe that this merger will benefit the greater Mason community and we look forward to hearing your thoughts, comments and ideas on Fourth Estate. gmufourthestate.gmail.com @IVEstate

Broadside and Connect2Mason merged to create a unified publication titled Fourth Estate. The print edition hits stands every Monday and stories are updated daily on gmufourthestate.com.

We want to hear from you!

Fourth Estate needs your help. If you are interested in writing, reporting, designing, taking pictures or working in our business office, please visit our website at studentmedia.gmu.edu and fill out the engagement form or stop by the office to introduce yourself.

As a student publication, we rely heavily on the creativity, hard work and passion that you can bring to our office.

As we begin a new era in student media with the merger that has created Fourth Estate, our hope is not only to improve and grow on the topics we already cover regularly, but to expand our reach into new areas of interest.

So, whether you are a club president, a college dean or just someone with an interesting story idea, we want to hear what you think.

We can only cover what we hear about, and on such an expansive campus, keeping in touch with the thousands of students and the hundreds of clubs and programs can be an overwhelming job.

We are available by email, Twitter or in person at the Office of Student Media located on the bottom floor of the Hub. Student media is all about giving the university community a platform to make their voice heard, so make sure you get in on the conversation.

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BROADSIDE AND CONNECT2MASON PRESENT

FOURTH ESTATE George Mason University’s official student news outlet Aug. 26, 2013 | Volume 1 Issue 1

COLLEGE TOWN

Street decals show signs of improving relationship between university and community | page 6

NIKI PAPADOGIANNAKIS

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Aug. 26, 2013

In this issue

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF gmufourthestate@gmail.com

22 (IAN MOSTROM/FOURTH ESTATE)

Old Dominion University football program sets comparable for Mason

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Sustainable practices taught through organic gardening

(STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE)

Fourth estate

Choosing a name for this new publication was a struggle, and after several rounds of brainstorming with no real progress, we decided to sit down and create a list of all the ideals we hoped our new name would evoke.

At the top of our checklist was a name that would hold strong with the tenets of George Mason the man and the university and something that would capture our goal of emerging as a media source on the cusp of modern journalism.

On page two, we go into detail about the role of Fourth Estate and how important it is to a balanced democratic system.

Unfortunately, modern media does not seem to have achieved this standard and is commonly belittled and trusted less than lawyers.

Media Research Center TV, a conservative watchdog organization, has set out to right the imbalance in the modern media by calling out what they call the liberal bias in mainstream media.

Trouble is, organizations like MRCTV are just as much a part of the problem as any of the major news networks.

Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with Dan Joseph, star of the MRCTV videos that have swept Mason social media this summer.

If you haven’t seen Joseph’s videos, go look them up. I can almost guarantee you’ll be shocked and appalled.

He seems to have spent the summer dreaming up ways to scandalize Mason students and has returned several times to cover issues ranging from the National Security Agency scandal to transgender rights.

On page 17 columnist Michael Gryboski goes into greater detail about the video on abortion, where Joseph posed as an abortion rights activist, catching students and a professor on hidden camera signing a petition for fourth trimester abortion.

If that last sentence didn’t make you do a double take, look again.

There is no such thing as a fourth trimester abortion, self evident in the word trimester, and would be equal to the murder of a newborn to three-month old child.

If Dan Joseph were to write, edit and produce this column, I imagine it would read something like, “In an interview with Fourth Estate, failed actor and admitted sensationalist reporter Dan Joseph spoke about his work with MRCTV. In a video about transgender rights, Joseph said that if trans people were allowed in the bathroom for the gender opposite of their biological sex, he would have pretended to be trans as a teenager just to see naked

women.

In the interview, Joseph referred to Mason president Angel Cabrera as a woman, calling attention to the fact that Joseph really doesn’t understand gender or sex at all.

Though he says he values visiting Mason for its diversity, another video on the MRCTV site shows Joseph shooting a black man for drinking out of a water fountain.”

But that would be a misrepresentation of the truth. Joseph was simply making a colloquial, if misguided, joke about how far the transgender laws in California could be taken.

His blunder on Cabrera’s gender was obviously unintentional and the type of embarrassing flub we all make. That last one I can’t quite explain, though.

As Fourth Estate work to bring our online and print publications together on a modern multimedia platform, I hope we can remember that not all aspects of today’s journalism world are desirable.

The process of coming together as a single publication has inherently inspired self reflection and analysis, and I hope that we can continue to grow as a resource for the Mason community.

My video interview with Joseph is currently in production, but look out for it soon on gmufourthestate.com.

(PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRAD GLATFELTER/FACILITIES)

20 West Campus construction plans show new underpass, courts, pavilion

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College of Science moves in to newly refurbished Exploratory Hall

(JENNY KRASHIN/FOURTH ESTATE)

Why FOURTH ESTATE ?

Prior to Broadside, the student newspaper was called The Gunston Ledger. It was changed in 1969 to better represent the politically out-spoken student body at the time.

A “broadside” was a pamphlet used during the American Revolutionary War to help spread information.

While Broadside has become an important part of life at Mason, we believe it no longer represents the overarching goals of student-run news.

Though not specifically outlined like the three branches of government, the concept of a fourth estate referred to journalism and the media as an important tenet in upholding justice and liberty through facilitating an informed public.

These historic roots coincide with the transforming industry of modern journalism.

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Fourth estate

Aug. 26, 2013

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Newsbriefs Volleyball player killed by Metro Patrick Sibley, a Mason student-athlete was hit by the orange metro line on Sunday, Aug. 18. According to NBC Washington, senior volleyball player Sibley was struck around 2 a.m. between the East Falls Church and Ballston metro stations.

Sibley transferred to Mason last year. There has been no official report as to why Sibley was on the track.

Sociology class studies Trayvon case A special topics course, Plessy to Martin: Race and Politics, will be studying the Trayvon Martin case.

According to the course description, “This course examines the issues, individuals, and groups central to the intersectionality of race, culture, and politics in American life. We will begin with the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson case which solidified Trayvon Martin case studied in course and legitimized the nation’s “separate and equal” racial policy until Brown v. Board of Education” Professor of sociology and anthropology, Rutledge M. Dennis, will be teaching the course this fall.

Cabrera speaks at MLK anniversary Many gathered in Washington D.C. on Aug. 24, 50 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, including President Angel Cabrera.

“Dr. King said injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere. I say the time to break down the barriers to education is now. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for education. The American Dream is not a destination- it is a struggle. Mucha suerte a todos,” Cabrera said on stage, along with several other leaders for civil rights for Latinos and education.

(ALEXIS GLENN/CREATIVE SERVICES)

Photo of the Week: On the steps

President Ángel Cabrera on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “March on Washington”.

What are you looking forward to this year at Mason?

“I’m looking forward to learning a new language, the programming language, and meeting new people on campus”

“Graduating definitely, trying to see exactly what Mason has to offer, and how I can leave my mark [on Mason].”

“I’m excited because the theatre department just became a school of theatre. We are up and coming.”

Han Liu Junior Computer Science

Brandon Cardwell Senior Marketing

Christine Huff Junior Chinese and Theatre

“I’m excited about seeing what the Shenandoah residents bring to the table, seeing their ideas, seeing student leaders come to pass, and building community to a bigger and better level.”

Kimberly Oludun Senior Global Affairs

Ditch the cubicle.

live, learn, and work with a community overseas.

Be a volunteer. peacecorps.gov

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Aug. 26, 2013

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FOURTH ESTATE

City of Fairfax takes steps to embrace Mason community

“

Doing something like this has been in the works for a number of years,” said Jeff Greenfield, a member of the Fairfax City Council and Mason alumni. ‘We’re the home of George Mason University.’

”

Greenfield in an article about the new Mason decals painted on the streets of Fairfax on gmufourthestate.com

(JOHN IRWIN/FOURTH ESTATE)

FRANK MURACA EXECUTIVE EDITOR As Fairfax takes steps to embrace George Mason University, questions are raised about the changing relationship between the university and the community.

When the Mason logo road decals were reported by Fourth Estate in July of this year, Jeff Greenfield, the only Mason alumni on the Fairfax City Council and the project’s facilitator, said that the designs were “one more step in furthering the relationship between the university and the city.”

Compared to other university communities, Fairfax and Mason are still in the beginning phases of establishing a college town. Many schools have had a hundred or more years to develop a culture around their institution, something that is still happening in Fairfax.

“There are these visual statements that are starting to happen,” said Traci Claar, director of Community and Local Government Relations at Mason. “Once people start to see that, we start to come together. It starts to change the perception that our culture is different from their culture…even if they were at extreme opposites at one point.”

Over the past couple of years, both Mason and the surrounding community have worked to improve communication and collaborate on projects.

In 2011, officials from Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax and Mason created the Fairfax Campus Advisory Board, a public forum where university and community officials meet to discuss issues and projects.

“We are both here to stay,” said Scott Silverthorne, mayor of the City of Fairfax.

“Therefore we better figure out a way that we can work more closely together and find more ways to partner, rather than less.”

In 2012, the advisory board was used to discuss updates with Campus Drive construction and address issues brought up by the public.

In another example of increased interaction between Mason and the community, university and local elected officials visited students living off-campus to welcome them to the community and provide information on how to be “good neighbors.”

Fairfax Mayor Scott Silverthorne has met with university President Ángel Cabrera between eight and ten times since Cabrera took office in 2012.

When asked about the road decals, university and city officials will say they represent a changing relationship between the two entities.

“I think that there is a more permanent change taking place in terms of the relationship,” Claar said.

“I believe there is a new spirit of cooperation

and partnership,” said Silverthorne. “All [the decals] really do is build good will,” Silverthorne said. “It’s a matter of spirit and pride. Those are the kinds of things that we should do more.”

But as Fairfax and Mason take steps to embrace one another, there have been increasing discussions about what exactly constitutes a college town.

Claar cited a definition of “college town” from an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education: “True college towns are places where the identity of the city is both shaped by and complementary to the presence of its university, creating an environment enjoyable to all residents, whether they are enrolled in classes or not,” read the article.

Part of the discussion behind forming a college town involves how the cultures of the two communities are shaped by one another.

According to Claar, as the city and Mason begin to embrace one another, people do not see Mason and Fairfax as separate entities.

Silverthorne said that there has been a lot of progress in how the university and the surrounding community interact, and that has had an impact on more negative aspects of the relationship.

“There have been some issues over the years that have built mistrust…that I think is both the city’s fault and the university’s fault,”

Silverthorne said. “If you can build trust, then I think a lot of the other issues will go away.”

According to Silverthorne, forums like the advisory board or projects like the road decals are important steps to building trust.

While community and university administrators have made an effort to collaborate, some say the city is a long way from being a “college town.”

“I cannot say that we created an environment that is supportive of [a college town] yet,” Claar said.

For now, city and university officials will continue to discuss how best to communicate and collaborate on community issues.

“The first word that comes to mind is a partnership,” Silverthorne said when referring to the idea of a college town. “You have to have a friendship and a trust between the city and the university.”

Read more about the We Are Mason decals in the City of Fairfax on gmufourthestate.com http://bit.ly/17SQQYb

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Fourth estate

Aug. 26, 2013

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Where renovation is tradition Construction updates from summer 2013 JANELLE GERMANOS NEWS EDITOR Summer 2013 saw the start, continuation, and completion of many construction projects on Mason’s Fairfax campus. The Fenwick Library renovation will be one of the most prominent. This construction will impact students the most, as pedestrian detours will be set up because of this project.

Other major projects include the Shenandoah Dining enhancements, which are

Housing VIIB- Rappahannock Waiting for approval $50 million Although construction for the new housing area in the Rappahannock neighborhood was scheduled to begin in July 2014, this project is currently at a standstill due to state funding issues. “This project is waiting to be approved by the state,” Endebrock said.

Housing VIII-B- Shenandoah April 2013 - June 2014 $18.8 million The residence hall will include 295 double occupancy rooms with some single and triple occupancy units.

(JENNY KRASHIN/FOURTH ESTATE)

Construction completed on state-of-the-art Exploratory Hall

Fine Arts Building renovation March 2012 - Fall 2013 $9 million The renovation added teaching studios and recording rooms in response to growing enrollment in the School of Music.

expected to begin late August. Ike’s is gone, but a new dining area should be completed by August 2014.

The Roanoke River Road expansion should be completed within the next couple of weeks and has already decreased traffic.

Shenandoah Housing VII-B construction began in April 2013 and has continued over the summer. Students can also affect changes as the Field House will be renovated this fall, and will not be completed until July 2014.

and practice needs. It is located at the Belmont campus in Mason Neck, Virginia.

Health Sciences Academic Building July 2014 - Fall 2016 $73 million This project will provide the College of Health and Human Services with academic and research space.

Potomac Science Center Oct. 2013 - Aug. 2015 $27 million This project includes the construction of a five story research and education building with a 200 car parking garage. The Potomac Environmental Research & Education Center (PEREC), Community Outreach Program and Geoinformatics Training & Research Center will be housed at this center.

Fenwick Library addition COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nothing seems to be unintentional in the newly opened Exploratory Hall, a modern new building that houses the College of Science.

DNA double helixes and seismic waves twist across the floor and modern sleek designs are balanced by earthy and industrial features.

Even the tables provided for student work space serve a double purpose. Each one shows an element and its atomic number, making them, literally, periodic tables.

According to Nancy Conwell, director of facilities planning, operations and marketing for COS, professors were polled for their

thoughts on the building’s design, which focuses heavily on displaying science in as many ways as possible.

The Exploratory Hall renovation and expansion features forward-thinking technology based classrooms and work spaces in addition to the faculty offices and traditional classroom spaces.

On the roof, greenhouses host a variety of flora and fauna for use in a horticulture class and research.

The new building brings together all of the COS departments, which were previously spread across campus.

“The vision was to consolidate to create more of a campus feeling and to become more accessible,” Conwell said.

Shenandoah Dining Enhancements Fall 2013 - Aug. 2014 $17 million “The contract should be finalized in the next couple of days and work will start shortly thereafter,” Endebrock said.

Point of View June 2013 - May 2015 $10.6 million This facility will be used by the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution for research

Nov. 2012 - May 2015 $59 million By adding 150,000 square feet to this facility, the administration is looking to re-establish Fenwick as Mason’s main research library. According to Endebrock, the project will lead to pedestrian and traffic detours. “When students return to campus this fall, the main construction project they will notice is the Fenwick Library Addition,” Endebrock said.

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Aug. 26, 2013

Mason makes careers

CLASSIFIED Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Child Care

Careers in Healthcare - Gain incredible experience through a paid internship or a part-time job working with older adults.

Companions provide non-medical, in-home assistance and transportation to help our clients maintain independence and quality of life. Send your cover letter and resume to jobs@moonriverseniorcare.com

Home and Home Office Help Needed for Vienna Author 10 -12 hours a week You’ll help keep my office (and me) organized by updating and maintaining my files of story ideas, published pieces, and materials for classes and workshops I lead.

There may be some minor proofreading. Sorting through my computer files would be great, too.Working side-by-side, we will also tackle some projects around the house. I’m looking for someone that can work during the day, although the hours and times can be flexible. No weekend work needed. High energy and a good sense of humor is a must!

Please contact me if you’d like to learn more about the position.

References required.

Cheryl Somers Aubin Aubin.mail@cox.net (703) 560-3579 www.thesurvivortree.com

Seeking babysitter for 2 young kids, Falls Church. Payment $12-20/hr depending on experience. References required. If interested, please contact Joy at pangolin703@gmail.com.

Need babysitter for after-school care for 16-year-old daughter o/a 9/3. She is autistic, but high functioning; no assistance w/ personal care necessary. Looking for a companion/friend, will help her improve her social skills, and keep her active (walks, going to the rec center to swim, library, etc.) and engaged.

Approx.

2:15-5p.m. daily, M-F. Also willing to consider a part-time person (ex.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Contact (703)232-4749 or karenjouzts@gmail.com Reopening Sully's Servers and Bartenders wanted full time or part time willling to train servers bartenders must have experience.Apply in person anytime-14512 Lee Jackson Highway Chantilly, VA. 20151 TUTOR/Academic Coach.

Looking for a Fairfax County Grad. LBSS preferred. Familiar with Blackboard to help 9th grade student . Meet for 1 hour/4 days/week. $15/hour ($60 week). thejaxnfam@gmail.com.

Flyer Distribution $7/hr Get Paid To Pass Out Flyer, Stickers, T-Shirts, etc on and Off Campus. Contact 571 426 8341.

Personal Assistant needed in Fairfax Station, VA (5-10 minutes from GM University) 5-10 hours per week. $15.00 an hour. Must have car. Flexible days and hours. Person needed to help with everyday tasks. No child care.

Call Cathy at 703-250-9278 Junior Engineers needed; full or part time contact steve@advancedgeos.com

IV

Fourth estate Each week, Fourth Estate features a student or alumni with a great internship or job to highlight the opportunities a degree from Mason can provide

After school Nanny needed for a 7-year-old girl.- Alexandria (22309). M-F, 2:30 - 5:30. Duties include: Pick up from school 5 days a week (must have reliable car), help with homework and driving to activities is expected. $10-15/hour.

For more information or questions email jenbodart@hotmail.com Looking for afternoon help to drive and stay with kids at practices in the Vienna area. The hours are 4:30 to 8:30pm, Monday to Thursday, starting immediately. Lots of time to get homework done while waiting.

Must be punctual, responsible, have reliable transportation and a good driving record. $12-$15 dollars per hour plus gas.

Please email logueboys@gmail.com if interested.

Housing

(PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY STAMM/NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM)

COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF A’Darien Johnson, a junior in the communication department spent his summer interning for the Smithsonian at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. and the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

Q. What did the job entail?

My day to day responsibilities included working at the museum’s welcome desk, where I would answer questions about the museum, exhibits, food, transportation, and other things around the city. I also managed the volunteer team, doing scheduling tasks associated with being a volunteer coordinator, and handling public correspondence emails and phone calls.

I rent basement, private entrance and bathroom, laundry in $1,000 uitilities included How did Mason help prepare you monthly, Female. for your internship?

Please contact chabelitagastulo@gmail.com if My degree track and classes helped interested. me land this position because I found out about the internship through the To place an ad, email classifiedads@broadsideonline.com communication department at the university and this internship was all or call (703) 993-2880 about effective communication skills.

I was able to apply things I had learned from various courses and my public speaking class during my interview and throughout the internship.

Q.

Fourth Estate wants you.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2013-2014 editorial staff. Interviews will be held for managing, news, lifestyle, opinion and sports editors and assistant editors.

Email cover letters and resumes to

gmufourthestate@gmail.com

Q. What was your favorite part of the experience?

The best part of my internship was the experience of working in a professional setting every day and kind of getting a sense of how it is to work in the real world. Every day I enjoyed going

to work and having a daily routine. It really inspired me to continue my path in higher education because I know I want to have a job where work does not feel like work. Also, being a part of a team and working with so many great people added to my amazing experience.

Q. What did you find most challenging?

The most challenging part of my internship was learning how to communicate with so many people from so many places who did not speak any English. I had to rely on gestures and learn how to read peoples expressions and emotions in order to assist them and address their needs.

Q. What would you say to someone pursuing similar goals?

My advice to anyone is to take advantage of any opportunity, even if it does not necessarily fit your concentration you would be surprised with the skillset you learn from any professional experience. Although I am a broadcast major, working at the museum enabled me with new skills that I can apply to my concentration and it also gave me ideas to pursue other endeavors in life that I had not considered before.

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Fourth estate

Aug. 26, 2013

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Mail services revamps operations to suit student needs NIKKI HOLDEN STAFF WRITER Tucked in the bottom floor of The Hub, Mail Services is not to be confused with the average mail room. Far beyond simply sorting through incoming cards, magazines and junk mail, Mail Services is a full-service, million-dollar per year shipping and receiving operation.

With a staff of approximately 20, Mail Services is ultimately responsible for the intake, delivery and shipping of nearly four million parcels per year.

Their volume and service offerings parallel that of the Fairfax Post Office or local UPS Store, and their customer service and commitment to the students is unique.

The supervisor of the student section, Ivan “The Mailman” Rosales is more than willing to help students learn about the services his department offers.

He has been with Mail Services for eight years, spending the four years assigned to on-campus delivery routes, and the last four as the point-man for students. According to Rosales, the best part of the job is talking to people.

“As long as they’re happy, that makes my day,” said Rosales.

The first few weeks of the school year will present some challenges. During the next few weeks the intake and distribution of shipments ranging from dorm supplies like TVs and refrigerators, to essentials like textbooks, prescription medications, and even perishable food items, contribute to an 80 percent increase in volume compared to average.

This year, for the first time, the department participated in new student orientation, giving new students a chance to set up their mail boxes before they even arrive on campus for classes. As a result, many students already have mail and packages waiting for them to arrive this week for pick up.

Students arriving to pick up packages

Students arriving to pick up packages during peak times often encounter 2030 minute waits. Rosales, acknowledges that the lines are often 30-50 students deep, but also points out that his staff members are so efficient in processing package pickups, that each transaction actually takes less than 30 seconds.

Rosales suggest that those wishing to beat the lines come in before 10 a.m. or wait until after 5 p.m. during peak times often encounter 20-30 minute waits. Rosales, acknowledges that the lines are often 30-50 students deep, but also points out that his staff members are so efficient in processing package pickups, that each transaction actually takes less than 30 seconds. Rosales suggest that those wishing to beat the lines come in before 10 a.m. or wait until after 5 p.m.

Customer service is a huge part of Mail Service’s operation. While Mail Services serves the entire university community, Operations Manager Joseph Stott said that a specific focus is put on serving the student population.

Based on the results of a university survey conducted last year, Mail Services has implemented several new changes to improve their customer service efforts.

Already the department has extended their hours of operation and hired four additional on-call staff to help during peak times.

They are also busy with renovations to expand their capacity to ensure they can serve

(MAURICE JONES/FOURTH ESTATE)

Ivan “The Mailman” Rosales has worked with Mail Services for eight years and visibly enjoys his job helping students. To alleviate stress and long lines during the first few weeks, Rosales suggests that students come in before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m. to pick up packages.

Mason’s growing student population, and plan to open two new operations windows for the spring semester, which will reduce wait times and lines.

Additionally, an automated kiosk will be installed in the Johnson Center, allowing students to purchase postage, weigh packages or letters, decide on a method of shipment, pay by credit card and drop the items for shipment in a convenient central location.

Mail Services isn’t just for dorm dwellers.

Busy, working-adult students can visit Mail Services while they are on campus to buy

learning

stamps and ship items via UPS, FEDEX, DHL or the USPS. Mail Services has even negotiated special rates with some carriers resulting in significant savings when compared to shipping from a UPS store or FedEx Online.

The mailroom is open Monday - Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Interested in learning more about the Contact: Chaplain: Campus Minister:

Fr. Peter Nassetta Catherine Horan

pnassett@gmu.edu choran1@gmu.edu

R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)

Catholic Campus Ministry

Catholic Church Info Meeting:

- Explore what it means to be Catholic - Come find answers to your questions

Monday, Sept. 9 @ 7:30 PM 4515 Roberts Rd. Chapel www.gmuccm.org

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Fall out Boy and Panic at the Disco, Patriot Center | 5:30 p.m.

Out of the Darkness Walk | 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Fourth Estate Remembers 9/11, Mason Pond | 8 p.m.

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Interfraternity Council Fall Fraternity Recruitment | 38th Annual Patriot Club Full Golf Outing | 11:30 a.m.

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gmuifc.mycampusdirector.com/register

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Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, Center for the Arts | 8 p.m.

Panhellenic Council Fall Sorority Recruitment | masonpanhellenic.com 25

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5th Annual Happy Heart Walk | 12 p.m.

Lionel Richie, Patriot Center | 7 p.m.

Prepare for the Fair workshop, SUB I | 12 p.m.

28 Laura Benanti, Patriot Center | 8 p.m.

Jim Buchanan: A Celebration of Scholarship Conference and Memorial Reception | 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. gmu.edu/centers/publicchoice/misc/buchevent.htm

Resume clinic, SUB I | 11 am. - 5 p.m.

Atoms for Peace, Patriot Center | 6:30 p.m.

News

Fourth estate

Aug. 26, 2013

11

Innovation Food Forest promotes sustainable gardening NIKI PAPADOGIANNAKIS NEWS EDITOR On the way to the Engineering and Arts & Design buildings from the Johnson Center, students and faculty can now pick up fresh fruit - straight from the source.

“Feel free to pick fruit, but I want to get these plants healthy and established before we start picking some vegetation,” said Elizabeth Torrens, project manager and volunteer for the Innovation Food Forest (IFF).

In the IFF, Mason students and faculty use sustainable practices to yield fruits and vegetables.

The group uses a method called permaculture, which was taught in a permaculture design certification course offered by the Mason Sustainability Institute.

Permaculture emphasizes sustainable and environmentally responsible agriculture techniques.

“If there’s any fruit, people are welcome to take them but it would be good to look up what’s ripe because if they pick a plant that’s not ripe it’s not going to do anybody any good,” Torrens said.

Torrens completed the permaculture course in spring 2012 and was inspired to use her new knowledge and skills on campus. “[Torrens] was so excited about it that she decided to put in a proposal to create a food forest on Mason’s campus using the principles of permaculture,” said Lenna Storm, special project manager for the Office of Sustainability and staff co-chair of the Patriot Green Fund.

Torrens said that the garden allows the campus to practice sustainability not only as a classroom lesson but also as hands-on experience.

“A lot of students aren’t involved in their food, that’s just our society now,” Torrens said. “I want people to start to recognize how much effort and value comes from the produce. One hundred years ago, they knew where their berries were coming from and that you can only get them a certain time a year but now we ship stuff across the world.”

According to Storm, food is a simple way to spark a natural interest in sustainability.

“Food is one of those things that pretty much everybody gets,” Storm said.

“When you say to somebody, you need to recycle because it’s the right thing to do, everybody understands recycling.

For the most part, they understand why.

It’s the same thing with food. When you

“When you give somebody an opportunity to have a fresh piece of fruit right from the garden, they understand the difference between that tomato and some sickly-looking thing they get at the supermarket.”

Lenna Storm, special project manager for the Office of Sustainability and staff co-chair of the Patriot Green Fund. give somebody an opportunity to have a fresh piece of fruit right from the garden, they understand the difference between that tomato and some sickly-looking thing they get at the supermarket.”

Torrens hopes that people who help with the garden at Mason will be able to take what they learn and implement those skills in developing their own (IAN MOSTROM/FOURTH ESTATE) Volunteers at the Innovation Food Forest are learning hands-on sustainability lessons in the organic garsustainable food system.

“If you come out here and help and dens around campus. The program is funded by Patriot Green Fund and hopes to teach students, faculty volunteer, you participate and just and staff more about where their food comes from and the importance of food origin. observe, then you start to feel more comfortable about it and you might take that home and do it.”

Volunteers have come from many areas of the Mason community, including classes where students are required to have volunteer hours.

Some volunteers are from departments that are less associated with a sustainability.

Lara Harmon, who works at the Center for History and New Media, heard about the garden and decided to volunteer her time and gain new skills.

Opportunities to get involved range from hands-on dirty jobs like watering and planting to management roles.

Torrens in creating a form that prospective volunteers can fill out to see what area of the food forest they would like to help with.

Another opportunity to volunteer will be during the Day of Service on Sept. 11.

Volunteers will be creating a database for the plants in the garden.

This database will then be used to create signage for each plant in the garden.

“You’ll get to learn something while doing it. It’s fun to look up plant’s information and read all kinds of random facts about all kinds of stuff,” Torrens said.

12

Aug. 26, 2013

Lifestyle

FOURTH ESTATE

Roommate rules

Seven simple tips to keep your sanity while sharing living space

1.

Take the roommate agreement seriously. Even if everything is not written down on paper, do take the time to talk to your roommate about things on the sheet.

2.

Be sure to be courteous and respect one another’s space

(GOPI RAGHU/FOURTH ESTATE)

Freshmen moved in early to meet with their roommates and acclimate to campus before classes started.

First-time roommate survival guide Advice for having a successful year on-campus MARY OAKEY ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR Many incoming freshmen now have the ability to contact their future roommates and connect ahead of time with Facebook, Twitter and even Skype .

Some connect by family friends or even through the freshmen Facebook page made for every class.

Many may even get in contact early enough with their future roommates to spend time with one another during orientation. “ I would say that I’m a little nervous about living on campus, but mostly excited about finally being away from home,” said Nicholas Zerecheck.

For first time roommates and returning dorm dwellers alike, strain and drama between dorm mates is a common occurrence, especially within the first few months of living on campus.

When not handled in the best manner, the outcome can be uncomfortable.

“I actually met my roommate at orientation and we’ve hung out once since then,” Zerecheck said “He’s a pretty cool guy and I don’t think there will be any issues honestly.”

Helena Okolicsanyi, class of 2013, spent three years working as a Resident Assistant, a peer advisor who lives and works with students in an assigned residence hall.

“A lot of times when things go wrong in the roommate relationship they immediately start writing off the relationship,” Okolicsanyi said.

In her experience working in both The Park and The Commons, Mason’s main freshmen housing facilities, Okolicsanyi wishes that students had talked to one another more to try and resolve problems.

“They would have difficulty sharing their grievances and they would come and tell me and it would be a month after the fact...People can be passive aggressive with one another, they’ll complain about their roommate to everyone, but they won’t tell their roommate.”

Okolicsanyi said.

One method that the Resident Life has developed to help students avoid strife is the roommate agreement contract. In the first week or two of the year, roommates and suite mates are required to sit down and discuss potential conflict situations like temperature settings, visiting

times and items each person can and cannot share.

The agreement is meant to be taken seriously, something that good friends or upperclassmen even struggle with.

“A lot of people don’t take the roommate agreement seriously, but for upper classmen I’d be cautious of rooming with your friends,” Okolicsanyi said. “It can become quite a problem and really ruin a good relationship.”

The line between friend and roommate relationships is often a delicate one to balance.

“People have this idea that they have to be best friends with their roommates, but that’s not necessarily true,” Okolicsanyi said.

The important thing to keep in mind when dealing with your new housing situation is to respect one another.

“I encountered a piece of advice before moving in that greatly influenced how I dealt with my roommate and all the people I interacted with at Mason,” said Samer Masterson, a current sophomore.

“You’re not at college to make enemies.”

3.

If an issue occurs, be sure to talk to one another about it.

Talking to others and not addressing the root of the problem will get you nowhere.

4.

Cleaning will have to take place no matter how long you might put it off, so be sure to discuss a schedule of who will clean/take out the trash each time.

5.

Everyone is different and has different opinions so be sure to respect one another’s opinions and lifestyles, especially when there are disagreements.

6.

Review each others’ schedules for the semester so that you know when the other goes to class or may need the room to study for an exam.

7.

Talk to an R.A. if there seems to be a dispute or disagreement that cannot be solved. They are there to help and can set up a meeting to discuss the issue and come to an agreement or a compromise.

Lifestyle

Fourth estate

Aug. 26, 2013

13

Road trip: farmers market COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Summer may be over for students, but the last bounty of the warmer months is still thriving at local farmers markets.

Take the initiative to wake up early on Saturday morning to explore one of these markets and marvel at how different fresh, local and homegrown food can taste.

Did you try our road trip this week? Share it with us @IVEstate

Frying Pan Park, Herndon Why we love it: Located on an actual farm, this market has more of an authentic feel.

When is it: Wednesday mornings 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through Oct. 30 Make sure not to stand downwind of the barn or the smell of fresh baked pastries may mingle with the scent of ripe piglets and other newborn farm animals. After picking up some fresh peaches and a homemade apple turnover, make sure to go visit the chickens, cows, horses and goats to get the full farm experience.

Fairfax City (PHOTOS BY JENNY KRASHIN/FOURTH ESTATE)

Why we love it: The market is just a short walk from the Fairfax campus and is a great alternative when Southside starts to feel stale.

When is it: Located in the parking lot just behind the courthouse, this smaller market offers the full spread of traditional farmer’s market fare. Make sure to visit the booth selling olive oil for a taste of authentic Greek olives. It may not be local, but it is homegrown and the vendor will passionately share stories of his family’s olive farm in Sparta.

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Old Town Manassas Why we love it: This market square is located just a short distance from the Prince William campus When is it: Year-round from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays, Tuesdays 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

After you finish your grocery shopping, make the trip a fullday experience by exploring the quaint shops and historic areas of Old Town Manassas.

Courthouse, Arlington Why we love it: This market does not limit itself to fruits and veggies. Turn the corner past the long line of vendor tents and the street opens up into an open-air flea market with enough hidden treasures to keep occupied for hours.

When is it: 8 a.m. to noon April-Dec. and 9 a.m. to noon Jan. - March Arlington is certainly lively late into Friday night, but while some sleep the rest of the day away, dozens of vendors crowd in to show off their bounty. Bring reusable bags - between the produce and the fun finds at the flea market your bags will overflow.

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ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION @ Fairfax Campus Rideshare

Student Carpool Program

Join a carpool and save up to 40% on the parking permit. http://transportation.gmu.edu/studentspool.html

Zimride

Have a car? Need a ride? Check out http://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 athttp://zipcar.com/zipgmu.

Bike Programs

Mason has over 1000 bike parking spots on campus, bike pumps, and was recently awarded the title of Bicycle Friendly University. To find out more about bicycling to campus, please visit http://bike.gmu.edu.

Bicycle Registration

Register your bicycle at http://bike.gmu.edu and receive a free U-lock, registration sticker, and coupons to bike shops. Registering your bike helps to prevent theft.

Prince William Shuttle

Shuttles & Rail

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

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

Visit http://NextBus.com to find out when the next shuttle is arriving.

NextBus uses GPS to track shuttles in real time.

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

Mason to Metro Shuttle

Gunston’s Go-Bus

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 – 2:30am 8:00am – 11:00pm

Monday – Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Metro Express

The shuttle runs TWICE per hour between Rappahannock River Ln, Fairfax Circle (at Lee Highway & Circle Woods Drive) and Vienna Metro.

7:20am – 8:20pm No Service

Monday – Thursday Friday – Sunday

CUE Bus

All City of Fairfax CUE Buses are FREE with Mason ID. The CUE Bus picks up on Fairfax campus at Rappahannock River Parking Deck and can take you to various places in Fairfax with all routes winding up at the Vienna Metro Station: http://www.cuebus.org/.

Follow us…

@MasonShuttles @MasonParking

Monday – Friday Saturday – Sunday

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.

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

Monday – Friday Saturday – Sunday

George Route 3:00pm – 9:00pm

Monday – Sunday

Late Night Route No Service Monday – Thursday 10:30pm – 12:00am Friday – Saturday No Service Sunday

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: http://wmata.com/rail/maps/map.cfm.

MasonParkingTransportation

Fourth estate

Lifestyle

Aug. 26, 2013

15

Clear desk clutter with a DIY organizer

(KAYLA COHEN/FOURTH ESTATE)

Use modge podge, paint and a little bit of creativity on leftover supplies from around the house to create personalized desk organizers.

KAYLA COHEN STAFF WRITER With the explosion of Pinterest, DIY projects are becoming more and more popular. Over the past year, my craft board on Pinterest has continually grown, collecting numerous DIY projects as the weeks go on. When spring semester let out, I was determined to tackle all of the crafts I wanted to accomplish.

But before I knew it, July was here and the only things I had successfully completed were the Gossip Girl series and draining my bank account. Scattered around my room were various crafts I had attempted and failed at, like turning a playpen into a dog bed, adding glitter to makeup brushes, and up-cycling old containers.

Halfway down my craft board, I stumbled upon a DIY desk organizer made mostly from items I already had, like Pringles cans, toilet paper rolls, and empty crayon boxes. After a quick trip to Michael’s I had all my supplies and was ready to begin.

I picked up a large box, Mod Podge, paint, and scrapbook paper for less than $9. Mod Podge can run about $6 but can be used on virtually any craft project. The box was on clearance for under a dollar and the scrapbook papers were less than a quarter each. When I returned home I grabbed containers that would be useful, like Pringles cans, toilet paper rolls,

contact solution boxes, Jell-O boxes, and paper cups.

The first thing I did was cover the large box in a thin layer of Mod Podge, put scrapbook paper on top of it, and then apply another thin layer of Mod Podge.

Then, I took half off my boxes and rolls and painted them.

While they dried, I took the remaining boxes and covered them in scrapbook paper, using the same process I did with the large box. I then took the painted boxes and rolls and applied a thin layer of Mod Podge.

When everything was done drying, I attached the boxes and rolls to the lid of the large box, using a thin layer of Mod Podge. I tied some ribbon I had laying around to a couple of the boxes and I was done.

I was able to put my pens, pencils, highlighters, markers, and paper clips on the top of the box and on the inside I could store my flash drives, note cards, tape and other items.

It was a simple and easy project that can be used to store many things. I have a couple of them in my room that hold school supplies, makeup, and now one for my craft supplies.

Instead of buying a box, a shoe box works just as well. A piece of wood or a tissue box even work, there just won’t be inside storage.

My new DIY desk organizers help keep my workspace clean and stylish, without depleting my bank account.

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Fourth Estate is on Twitter Follow along @IVEstate for the latest news and notes around Mason

16

Lifestyle

Aug. 26, 2013

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Overcome challenges non-residential students face with tips from a pro

NATHAN AMMONS LIFESTYLE EDITOR We have all heard the rumors about Mason - it’s a commuter school. Many locals who have only driven by the campus naively assume that Mason’s student body of almost 30,000 just drives back and forth from home every day.

Little do they know that hidden within the veil of trees is Virginia’s second largest residential campus; Mason is no commuter school.

In fact, in its three neighborhoods- Aquia, Rappahannock, and Shenandoah- are housed over 6,000 students and faculty.

Bearing this in mind, attending Mason as a commuter student can seem very overwhelming for first timers.

How will I make friends? How can I manage my finances? Where on earth do I park?

Luckily for newcomers, veteran commuters have all faced these challenges and have come out victorious.

Now, they pass their wisdom to you. For those of you who have chosen to go home at the end of the day, here is how you conquer commuting.

The first thing you should know about being a commuter student is that you do not have to be a loner. Just because you are not bound to your peers with a housing contract, does not mean you can’t make life-long friends while here at Mason; all it takes is a little initiative.

On campus students sometimes struggle with this too, and the solution is universal: get involved.

Mason has over 250 student organizations, 36 Greek letter organizations and on campus events almost daily that are meant to help students mix and mingle.

The only person stopping you from making friends is you, so go to getconnected.gmu. edu/ and do your research!

Knowing how to spend your money wisely is probably the most important aspect of being a commuter, so important that it warrants sub points: Bring your lunch to school. I know, the

thought of it brings back memories of soggy brown bag lunches in middle school, but when you look at the numbers mom’s lackluster peanut butter and jelly will suddenly begin to make sense.

According to a survey of 1000 working Americans by Accounting Principles, more than $2,000 a year is spent on eating out for lunch.

Giving up one Chick-fil-a chicken sandwich a day could help save enough money to buy your textbooks for the next four semesters. Suddenly PB&J doesn’t sound so bad, huh?

Take advantage of public transportation, such as the CUE Bus. The CUE Bus is Fairfax City’s bus line, and is free to all Mason students. Mason also has shuttles to and from Vienna metro station.

Try teaming up with your fellow commuters by carpooling to campus. Parking Services has a student carpool program that allows two or more students to share one discounted parking permit.

Getting a job to help pay for living expenses is a no-brainer, but if you are going to get one it’d be wiser to have it on campus.

Having an on campus job will cut down on travel costs because work and school will all be in the same place.

Be careful where you park. Be cognizant of which lots belong to whom, and know the limitations of your parking pass. General parking passes are the most common, so general parking lots are often the most packed.

You do not have to default to Lot K, Rappahannock and Shenandoah have general parking as well, but to get these hot spots it’s best to get on campus between the hours of 8am and 10am.

Being an off campus student can present a few challenges, but the overall benefits far outweigh any trial. Off campus students do not live on campus, but rather bring the campus back home with them.

It is the Patriot spirit that unites all Mason students, so if you feel this article did not answer all your questions, feel free to reach out to one of your classmates, or to the Office of Off-Campus Student Programs and Services.

Not only will they work with you to help resolve your problem, but will motivate you to become the best student you can be.

FOURTH ESTATE Colleen Wilson Editor-In-Chief gmufourthestate@gmail.com

Andrew Stevenson

Opinion

Video shows students, faculty signing mock abortion petition

Niki Papadogiannakis News Editor

Janelle Germanos News Editor Lifestyle Editor

Mary Oakey Asst. Lifestyle Editor

Will Rose Opinion Editor

Hau Chu Sports Editor

Danny Gregory Asst. Sports Editor

Jenny Krashin Photography Editor

Walter Martinez Design Editor

Jill Carter Copy Chief

Kathryn Mangus Faculty Advisor

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 listed above.

Broadside 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

17

Students generalized by watchdog group

Managing Editor

Nathan Ammons

Aug. 26, 2013

MICHAEL GRYBOSKI COLUMNIST Back when I was an undergrad, I was involved in student government. When we would occasionally do survey work to see about certain projects, it was believed that a decent sample space of the Mason student body was about 200 people.

When gathering signatures to be on the ballot, we were expected to get over 100 names. In order to win a presidential election, one had to get hundreds of people to vote for one’s ticket if one wanted to represent Mason’s student body before the powers that be.

However, for MRC TV satirist Dan Joseph the total number of people needed to represent the diverse opinions of George Mason is about 14.

In an online video shot during summer semester, Joseph went to the North Plaza of the Johnson Center and was able to get 14 students to sign a petition to legalize fourth trimester abortions. The candid camera approach was fairly entertaining, as a small number of students apparently unknowingly signed a petition calling for the legalization of the murder of newborns.

The narrative being advanced by Joseph was obvious: public university students are hopelessly liberal, to the point where they will blindly support stupid things in the name of their progressive views.

This angle is unsurprising for those familiar with the Media Research Center, umbrella organization for MRC TV. Back in 2008, I interned with the MRC under its CNS News division. My experiences were largely positive and I learned much on

What do YOU think?

how to be a journalist.

Compliments aside, what cannot be denied is that the MRC is conservative. Its leader, L. Brent Bozell III, has conservative credentials all his own and also familial ties to notable conservative intellectuals. Bozell’s uncle was the late William F. Buckley Jr., founder of the distinguished right wing publication The National Review.

Buckley himself authored the best seller “God And Man at Yale”, where he bemoaned the apparent apostasy found at elite college campuses. Bozell’s father ghostwrote “The Conscience of a Conservative” for 1964 Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.

MRC has a narrative, one that looks down upon most public universities due to the belief that they are bastions of liberal indoctrination.

Their views are not without merit as polls have shown college students and their professors tend to be more liberal than the general population.

Yet Mason should not be dismissed so quickly. Mason is the academic home of Dr. Walter E. Williams, noted black conservative columnist and libertarian economist. Our economics department as a whole adheres to libertarian views on the market.

Then there is the sample space of Joseph’s satirical petition. 14 students is a very tiny representation of a campus community well over 30,000 students.

To appreciate how much Joseph’s video misses out, consider that overwhelmingly pro-life and socially conservative entities like College Republicans and Catholic Campus Ministry far outnumber those oblivious enough to sign his petition.

GMU CCM has over 800 likes on Facebook and the CRs have over 300. While obviously including alumni, these numbers still account for far more people than the 14 signatories.

Joseph was uninterested in providing a good representative sample of the campus community; he was here to prove a narrative.

It’s telling that he could only get 14 people to

sign his petition.

In his video he claims that more would have signed if MRC TV did this during the regular academic year, but that is mere speculation.

Joseph should be commended on some points. In both the fourth trimester video and another petition his cameraman showed students opposed to the supposedly liberal underpinnings of his petition and mentioned students including liberals being aware of his satirical agenda.

Ultimately what was Joseph’s point? That there are liberals out there who will sign on to stupid ideas because of knee-jerk ideological biases?

Does he seriously believe the reverse could not also be found? Is he not employed by an organization that constantly denounces generalized portrayals of conservatives in news and entertainment just so he could generalize Mason students in his online videos?

Imagine if Joseph or his MRC peers had come across a viral online video showing conservative students unknowingly signing a satirical petition pushed by a liberal. Joseph et al would likely argue that the petition did not accurately represent the full spectrum of conservative students who would know better.

Had hundreds signed on to his satirical activism, Dan Joseph’s experiment would be far more telling of what the Mason student body is like ideologically and intellectually.

However Joseph did not get such major numbers. Until he does, his work however clever it may be lacks factual legitimacy.

Watch MRCTV’s fourth trimester abortion video here http://bit.ly/1c3zCKI

In our Sept. 29 issue, editors and columnists will discuss private funding and the impact it has on the university. Get in on the discussion by emailing 400-800 words on the topic to gmufourthestate@gmail.com by Sept. 2 and we will consider it for publication.

18

Opinion

Aug. 26, 2013

Fourth estate

(MAURICE C. JONES/FOURTH ESTATE)

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Campus scenery disrupted by construction work

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MARIAM WAQAR COLUMNIST When thinking of the grandeur of a college campus, or the nostalgia that alumni feel when recalling their old stomping grounds, landscape and architecture play a pivotal role. UVA has its rotunda, Virginia Tech has Burruss Hall, and Mason had its majestic forest.

As a freshman I can recall my first trip, coming through the main entrance, and getting a feeling as if I were going away to some disconnected part of the world. And like its distinction as the #1 Up and Coming University in the U.S., the giant forestry at the made Mason seem like a hidden secret, that only Patriots were in on.

However, we are part of a campus where construction is tradition, and with the expansion of our coveted entrance, many of the trees were taken down. Upon seeing this, I and many other patriots were disheartened and felt a hollow absence.

Being able to clearly see the J.C. while

driving up wasn’t an option before, and now, I have to say that I almost feel as if the University is “exposed,” blending into its surroundings, losing it’s natural bounty of a boundary.

Its times like these when construction really strikes the wrong chord among students.

When beloved aspects of our University get uprooted in the name of utility.

I never understood students being upset with the constant construction because having to walk through mazes of bulldozers and hardhats never really bothered me.

But seeing those trees being uprooted made it all that annoyance seem legitimate, because I watched a part of our tradition get brought down and carted away.

And, though many new trees have been planted where the old ones stood, Biology is a discipline that cannot be sped along.

So, it will unfortunately be many years before our University goes back into natural hiding.

However, if the University were to take a lesson from this, it would be to consult student opinion before making drastic grounds changes.

Holding open, and well publicized forums like this will help students allay their strong emotions over losing key campus features.

Sports

FOURTH ESTATE

Aug. 26, 2013

19

(JENNY KRASHIN/FOURTH ESTATE)

(Above) Tom O’Connor, athletic director, said the move to the Atlantic 10 will benefit the university as a whole. (Right) An A-!0 ball was spotted on the Mason pond this summer.

A-10 move provides new opportunities for athletics HAU CHU SPORTS EDITOR After Mason made the transition from the CAA to the Atlantic 10 for the upcoming year, many questions were abound about the move, including how it affects Mason athletics as a whole and the timing of the conference switch when rumors were prevalent about a move to the A-10 as early as last year.

On paper, the move makes sense for Mason as the A-10 is a larger conference than the CAA and has more lucrative television and partnership deals that Mason will benefit from both financially and in terms of visibility.

“It will benefit the university as a whole because it gives us visibility,” said Tom O’Connor, athletic director. “One of the attractions of the A-10 is the television package for both men’s and women’s basketball and the reach there to be able to tell the story about Mason in many different ways through athletics is important.”

The A-10 men’s basketball conference alone sent five teams to the NCAA Tournament and three to the National Invitational Tournament.

Just last year, the A-10 inked a eight-year deal with ESPN, NBC Sports Group and CBS Sports

Network for television and media rights beginning this year.

This enhanced exposure and revenue stream for Mason raised questions as to whether basketball would be the only beneficiary of the increased revenues or if all of Mason athletics would see some more funding come their way.

“The funding that we get from any source goes into a pot to fund the entire program so any money coming in is part of the budget process and we do not earmark it for a particular sport. So we do not really look at it that the money coming in goes back to basketball, rather, the money coming in goes back to a revenue pot and then to our strategies for improvement and our goals or objective planning into how we use the money,” O’Connor said.

The elephant in the room regarding the conference switch concerned the rumors that Mason was going to the make the jump from the CAA to the A-10 last year along with Virginia Commonwealth University.

With more time to reflect on the move, O’Connor boiled lack of a move down to timing.

“Everything is timing. The timing just was

not there at the time, but that is past history,” O’Connor said.

The timing O’Connor was referring to, one could infer, was another longstanding rumor about the non-move last year in which former president Alan Merten declined to make the switch.

The timing of the conference switch, of course, coincided with the first year of president Angel Cabrera’s tenure. Cabrera’s approach to athletics and view of the conference switch was only of what was on the table and not influenced by any past history or relationships.

“I think President Cabrera for the entire university is a dynamic thinker, he wants to move the university forward in many ways. In our discussions with him [about the conference switch], we could see that it was more than just an athletic issue, it was a university issue. So, the discussions we had with him and the Board of Visitors members as well as the committee we put together was all positive,” O’Connor said.

Mason has had a long, tenured history as a member of the CAA and was one of the charter schools of the conference.

In fact, O’Connor has not hidden the fact

that he has some longstanding relationships and friendships with some CAA officials.

“It is a bittersweet day. There is a lot of sentiment involved, a lot of personal relationships involved. But we have to move on, and we have to move on with business,” O’Connor said in the A-10 introductory press conference.

With the changing landscape of the collegiate athletic world in terms of conference realignment, O’Connor believed that there was nothing really the CAA could have done to keep Mason in conference.

“There is no professional regret on my part.

But moving out of the neighborhood sometimes is difficult, but you know that you still want to remain friends and we have remained friends and will remain friends,” O’Connor said. “So there is always the fact that when you separate from the neighborhood, there is some emotion there, but professionally no.

We made the right decision. The CAA is a good conference, but the A10 is a great conference and we felt that all the things that were in front of us with the A10 superseded what was there with the CAA.”

20

Aug. 26, 2013

Sports

Fourth estate

(ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF BRAD GLATFELTER/FACILITIES)

(MAURICE C. JONES/FOURTH ESTATE)

(Top left) Once completed, an underpass for Route 123 will connect the main Fairfax campus to West Lot with a continuous road and walking path. (Above, left) Construction has begun on West Lot to renovate recreational facilities, add two courts and a pavilion.

(MAURICE C. JONES/FOURTH ESTATE)

Construction on new fields, pavilion continues on West Campus ALEXA ROGERS STAFF WRITER As another school year begins, students and staff can expect to see orange construction cones lighting up Ox Road and Campus Drive, as efforts to reconstruct West Campus are finally taking shape.

The construction is a part of the West Campus Connecter project, a city and statewide effort to reduce university traffic at the intersection of Braddock Road and Route 123.

As a result of the connector project, the university has made renovations to some of the recreational facilities on campus. The six tennis courts located near the RAC will now be moving to West Campus and gaining an additional two courts. According to Lee Ann Houston, Assistant Director of the RAC and Skyline, these courts will continue in their capacity for practices and competitions for

men and women intercollegiate teams, club teams, and free play.

Other additions to West Campus will include a pavilion, which will have covered shelter with picnic tables, snack machines, and restrooms. It will also contain small storage area with intermural athletic equipment for students to use on the fields. A lighted promenade will be built in October with both bike and golf cart lanes will circle the athletic fields.

Project Manager and former Mason student, Brad Glatfelter, said the underpass will also help open up West Campus to future developments, citing the possibility of a super field to be built in additional field space.

According to Glatfelter, a project to connect the two sides of campus has been proposed since the 1980s; however, the plan was not considered until 2011. The university worked with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the City of Fairfax,

and Fairfax County to put together a working plan for the connector project. The plan for the underpass was officially proposed and put into action in July 2012. The underpass was projected to open in December, but will now open closer to spring break.

The project is being funded by a $15 million grant from VDOT. The university contributed about $2 million, with a total project budget of approximately $17 million.

The entire project is expected to be complete

by July 2014. Once finished, according to the university’s building website, traffic at the intersection of Braddock Road and Route 123 is expected to improve by as much as 30 percent.

Houston believes that the underpass will positively impact recreational activities on campus.

“We think the exposure of the recreational fields we have for students will increase

because students will drive by those fields and see that we have something for them to use,” Houston said.

Students will also be able to travel more easily between East and West Campus, hopefully boosting participation in recreational activities.

Glatfelter also cities the underpass as a way to reduce traffic after big events at the Patriot Center, as well as providing connectivity between campus’ on a safer route.

Returning to school, Glatfelter expects students and faculty to notice that Patriot Circle has been reopened after a three-week construction period. He believes more visual changes to campus will be seen following winter break.

To say updated on West Campus construction, visit: recreation.gmu.edu.

Sports

Fourth estate

Aug. 26, 2013

21

ODU shows path to success in football debate Part one of a three-part series on Old Dominion University’s path to reinstate a football program

(STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE)

(Above) Mason’s current club football team has existed since 1993. (Right) Old Dominion University’s football program was brought back to life in 2009.

(PHOTO COURTESY OF TINA PRICE/OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY)

PAT CARROLL MANAGING EDITOR For decades, the Mason community has discussed bringing a varsity football program to the university. The words “George Mason University” and “football,” when used together strike an emotional chord with the school’s students and alumni. Meanwhile, the polarizing topic hasn’t made it passed the early stages of planning.

Mason is the second-youngest university in the state of Virginia behind Christopher Newport University—which hosts a Division III football program—and, alongside Virginia Commonwealth University, it is one of two public Virginia institutions enrolling over 20,000 students without a football program.

Despite resentment between the Mason community and the administration for dismissing the idea of football at Mason, administrators claim the “price has never been right” for the school to realistically pursue this expensive endeavor. Many factors, including funding, the location of a stadium and the move to the Atlantic 10 conference—where football is non-existent—make installing a program at Mason that ever less likely in the near future.

But, perhaps if the circumstances were right so that the opportunity to field a football program at Mason were a foreseeable option, what comparable examples could the university use as a framework?

To find a successful model for a football program, Mason would need only to look roughly 197 miles south to Norfolk, Va.

In 2009, Old Dominion University reinstated its football program after a 70-year hiatus and is entering its first season of FBS Division I-A football this Fall. The university has become a model of how the proper leadership, planning, support and fortunate circumstances, can make a football program a reality.

Garnering Support Unlike Mason, ODU once touted a football program in the 1930s when the school was a member of Norfolk Division for the College of William & Mary. Though the program’s existence was short-lived, the legacy football continues to have in the Hampton Roads region has only been strengthened in the years following the program’s demise after the 1940 season. The impact of World War II along with In the interim years, students and alumni attempted to bring the program back to Norfolk numerous times, most seriously in the late-1980s. However, issues with the president and most importantly cost were to blame for the program’s continued absence.

That was until 2004 when then-ODU president Dr. Roseann Runte, after much discussion among students and alumni over football, made the goal of bringing football back to the school as a rallying point for both the university and the entire Norfolk community.

“I was asked about football shortly after my arrival at Old Dominion in 2001,” said Runte, in an email. “It actually took quite some time to raise the funds and make all the necessary plans to bring the program back. It was a significant effort on behalf of the entire administration, the students, faculty and alumni.”

Before any fundraising or financial plans

could be put in place, the student body and alumni had to express their desire for the reinstatement of the program. The Alumni Association hosted a poll on their website that attracted over 6,700 responses. Of those who completed the survey, 90 percent of them were supportive of reinstating a football team at ODU. The resounding support for a new football program indicated to ODU administration and the athletic department that football was in high demand. The administration believed that the well-established alumni community in the Hampton Roads region would donate to the program.

In order to gain financial support, ODU used the Big Blue Club, the fundraising branch of the athletic department, to encourage alumni and community members to donate to the football enterprise.

After the announcement of football’s return to ODU, an outpouring of support from alumni, of which there are over 100,000 in the Hampton Roads region alone, attributed to over $5 million in donations within the year.

The Eight Million Dollar Question Funding was once again the biggest roadblock to reinstating a football program at ODU. When it comes to extensive projects, money is always the end-all, be-all.

President Runte and the Board of Visitors finally green-lighted football and the university established three requirements for proceeding with the football program.

First, a Price Waterhouse Coopers community report was conducted to get a better idea of anticipated support from members of the

community with regards to season ticket sales, premium seating and donations.

Second, new land was purchased from the city of Norfolk for an athletic facility. To comply with Title IX requirements, ODU added women’s field hockey, women’s lacrosse and later, women’s crew to reach an equal number of scholarships between both men and women’s sports.

But, the third prerequisite of raising roughly $8 million in pledges was by in large the singlemost important aspect of the entire process.

ODU Football Today As far as revenue goes, Old Dominion has fared well since football was reinstated.

“In our case, we’re doing well for ourselves,” said Debbie White, the senior associate athletic director of external relations at ODU. “I have been at the university for over 30 years and there has been no greater change than adding football. It’s incredible and it has brought the entire campus together, including students, alumni, faculty and the surrounding community.”

White also had a message for schools who were considering establishing a football program: Take a serious look.

“Every case is unique but we are in a major metropolitan area with no professional teams in the area and a large stadium on campus,” White said. “It has been a phenomenal thing.”

“Football provides entertainment options and is great for the campus community, prospective students and alumni,” said current ODU athletic director, Dr. Camden Wood Selig. “It also gives the community something to follow, not just ODU alumni.”

22

Sports

Aug. 26, 2013

Fourth estate

Workout of the Week: Bicep dumbbell curls DANNY GREGORY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR These four positions allow you to work out the entire bicep muscle using dumbbell curls. When performing bicep curls of any kind remember to extend the elbow past 90 degrees.

Then contract the muscle by moving the weight up toward the bicep. For the most effective movement, try to isolate the bicep completely.

Avoid using your legs or back to help complete the repetition. For a difficult workout combine all four curls into one set.

For the set perform one curl from each while alternating arms. Perform that so each arm gets 10 to 15 reps at each position. This is a great way to end a workout.

(JENNY KRASHIN/FOURTH ESTATE)

DONT STOP WITH THE LUAU. WE’RE HERE EVERY THURSDAY. Thursday night supper: 4 p.m Confessions

4:30pm Rosary 5 p.m Mass 5:30 p.m.

Dinner +Fellowship +Great Speaker

Mass times: Saturday

Robert Bellarmine Chapel 4515 roberts rd.

5:30pm

Sunday

(*Student Mass)

11 AM 8 PM 10 PM*

Catholic Campus Ministry www.gmuccm.org

Sports Award-winning women’s volleyball coach reflects on 29 seasons at Mason Fourth estate

DANIEL GREGORY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Pat Kendrick might be the most decorated women’s volleyball coach in CAA history. Over Kendrick’s 29 seasons as head coach, she led the Mason women to 8 CAA championships while being named CAA Coach of the Year 8 times in that same span.

Although Coach Kendrick has achieved great success, a younger version of her likely would not have predicted she would end up in her current position.

Before compiling her impressive coaching resume, Coach Kendrick graduated from Mason where she starred in both volleyball and track. In fact, she won Mason’s first conference championship in track and field in the 100-meter hurdles.

While in school, Kendrick compiled that impressive resume. The resume is even more impressive considering she wanted to play basketball in college.

“I initially tried out for a basketball scholarship at University of Maryland,” said Coach Kendrick, a Lorton native.

“When that didn’t work out, my father suggested Mason because it was close by.

I had never even heard of George Mason.”

Upon arriving at Mason in the fall of 1978, Kendrick still wanted to play basketball at the collegiate level. In an effort to stay active during the fall, she began playing volleyball. Although Kendrick was new to the sport, her quickness and jumping ability translated well to volleyball.

“I had never seen a volleyball match before,” Kendrick said. “I remember sitting on the bench during my first match and thinking ‘Whoa.’”

Although Kendrick did not play in her first match, it did not take long for her to learn the game and begin contributing regularly. By the end of the season, Kendrick decided to skip basketball and focus on indoor track during the winter.

Kendrick said, “Basketball can be very physical. I liked having a net between me and my opponent.”

Kendrick took to volleyball. After four years excelling at both track and volleyball, she prepared to graduate. Here, her journey took another unexpected twist.

While searching for a job, the head coach of the women’s volleyball team at the time, Kim Sears, approached Kendrick about an assistant coach position.

Aug. 26, 2013

23

After she agreed to take the position, Kendrick went on to become one of the most decorated coaches winning 5 consecutive CAA titles in the mid-nineties and 3 in the past decade.

Kendrick had never considered coaching, but she agreed to help her coach and friend. When Sears decided to move on, Kendrick expected to stay on in her role as an assistant.

“At that time the pay wasn’t great. When they couldn’t find someone to fill the head coaching position, they offered me the job,” Kendrick said. “It was a difficult job because it was part-time pay for a full-time job.”

After she agreed to take the position, Kendrick went on to become one of the most decorated coaches winning 5 consecutive CAA titles in the mid-nineties and 3 in the past decade.

When asked about her feelings toward the unexpected series of events that led to where she is today, Kendrick smiled and said, “Everything happens for a reason.”

Now Kendrick and the women’s volleyball team will leave the CAA and try to build a new legacy in the Atlantic 10 conference. Leaving the CAA does bring Coach Kendrick some sadness. As an original member of the conference tied with the most titles in history, Kendrick remembers the CAA fondly.

Although the teams are different, the opportunity for new competition in the A-10 excites Coach Kendrick. The team enters a conference where several teams have a history of being nationally ranked. A-10 teams have even received at-large bids to the NCAA tournament without winning the conference tournament. A CAA team never achieved that accomplishment.

“I think we’ll be in the mix this upcoming season. As far as goals, we want to make the conference tournament,” Kendrick said about the upcoming season. The preseason rankings for the A-10 have the Patriots finishing 7th out of 9 teams, one spot outside the conference tournament.

(PHOTOS COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON ATHLETICS)

Women’s volleyball coach Pat Kendrick was first introduced to the sport at Mason as an undergrad.

Though she originally hoped to pursue collegiate basketball, Kendrick fell for the sport and has been at Mason ever since.

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