THE
BLUE &GRAY
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER
PRESS
January 24, 2019
VOLUME 92 | ISSUE 13 SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE
1922
Appellate court finds that UMW officials should have done more to prevent cyber harassment in 2015
KATE SELTZER News Editor
On December 19, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that University of Mary Washington should have done more to protect students from online sexual harassment. Members of the then-new Feminists United club initially filed suit against the University in 2015 for failing to protect them from and punish those responsible for violent and sexist threats delivered through Yik Yak. A federal trial court dismissed the case last fall, but the 2-1 appeals court ruling sent it back to the lower court. The school’s position going into the case was that since Yik Yak messages are anonymous, it could not, nor was it under any obligation to respond with disciplinary measures. The court ruling makes clear that the University “cannot escape liability” on these grounds, since UMW did not attempt to see if identifying the harassers was possible. “The Complaint alleges that the
University never sought to identify the students who posted the offending messages on Yik Yak, even though some of those messages were facilitated by (i.e., posted through the use of) UMW’s network,” the court opinion read. “Nor did the University ever ask Yik Yak to identify those users who had harassed and threatened UMW students.” Kelli Musick was Vice President of Feminists United from 2014-2015 and is listed as one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Currently, she works as the National Program Coordinator at the Feminist Majority Foundation in Arlington, Virginia. She said that she and other club members initially filed a Title IX complaint with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, but after being “stonewalled” by officials opted to file suit in the district court. “The University chose to permit a sexually hostile environment that negatively impacted our ability to access an education,” Musick said. “I chose to remain involved with this
“The University chose to permit a sexually hostile environment that negatively impacted our ability to access an education.”
process to ensure those in power were held accountable and to shed light on the violence inflicted upon women when we speak out against inequality.” The harassment began in November of 2014, when the club opposed the creation of official Greek life on campus, citing the correlation between fraternities and increased instances of sexual assault. After a slew of threatening messages and hostile interactions with members of the rugby
team, Feminists United reported feeling unsafe to then President Hurley and the Office of Title IX. The ongoing safety concerns and continued reports to UMW’s administration were met with “two listening circles [and] a generic email” – not enough for the school to credibly assert that it had done all it could to prevent a hostile environment. The harassment escalated in March of 2015 •LAWSUIT 10
-Kelli Musick
In 2015, Feminists United organized a rally protesting rape culture following controversy surrounding the suspension of the rugby team. The Blue & Gray Press
Campus reflects on ongoing government shutdown political divisiveness as the primary reason behind the shutdown. “It shows just how polarized politics have The United States is in the midst become,” she said. “It’s not about of its longest partial government elected officials trying to work together shutdown in history, entering day 33 at for the betterment of the states and the the time of people they publication. “You take a president who doesn’t represent. The It’s more of want to be seen as weak, you add a a popularity shutdown stemmed more conservative Republican contest, and from the only caucus and a more liberal congressional elected Democratic caucus and you get a way Democrats’ officials can and shutdown that could last a while.” get elected Republicans’ is by being inability to polarized. -Professor Stephen Farnsworth compromise That’s not on the conducive nation’s to having spending bill in regards to border elected officials sit down and work out security, specifically the Trump issues together.” administration’s plan to build a 5.7 Stephen Lamm, a senior political billion dollar border wall. science major and president of the UMW students reflected on the College Republicans, said Democrats effects of the shutdown. should vote to fund the border wall. Freshman Olivia Harrington cited “The majority of • SHUTDOWN | 11
Abigail Buchholz Staff Writer
UMW hosted the Day of Learning for federal employees affected by the government shutdown. Suzanne Rossi / University Relations
Topics at the Day of Learning included professional development and leadership philosophies to art and poetry, and Sodexo provided lunch. Suzanne Rossi / University Relations
IN THIS
ISSUE
Feminist MUSIC
Shutdown CONTINUES
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Spotify year in review highlights feminist music.
How Trump’s agenda is hurting America.
Da’ Shawn and Ra’ Shawn join UMW Basketball team.
LIFE | 7
VIEWPOINTS | 5
SPORTS | 12