The Blue & Gray Press

THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

PRESS

Clearing the air

February 23, 2017

VOLUME 90 | ISSUE 16 SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

1922

Updates on Nazi note following eventful week KELLY EMMRICH & ESTER SALGUERO

Vice President Last week The Life and News Editors for Student Affairs Blue & Gray Press Juliette Landphair published an article and President Troy Paino released titled “UMW student finds aggressive statements the day that the article was Nazi message on bulletin board on published. Landphair in an email stated Campus Walk.” In the wake of publicathat, “the UMW threat assessment team tion, there was a collective sense of panalso met to discuss this posting, as well ic felt by students, faculty and staff on as other challenges to the University’s both social media and on the campus. values of civility and inclusion.” Paino Jesse Stommel, executive director responded to the incident with a video. of UMW’s Division of Teaching and In the video Paino expressed that the adLearning Technologies, commented on ministration was working together with the experience of seeing the front page the campus police and the Fredericksfor the first time. burg police to investigate the note. “I think that my first reaction was that “I want to assure you that this note of anxiety for our students, and how that image would affect students,” Stommel is contrary to everything that UMW said. “And the students not just seeing it stands for as reflected in our statement once, but seeing it down every hallway of values,” Paino said in the video. “We really hit me.” •FOLLOW UP | 2

UMW community looks forward to Hillel House in coming years

RACHEL FINSTON Staff Writer

Alex Sakes / The Blue & Gray Press

Chief of police, Michael Hall and President Paino spoke at a forum addressing the recent events regarding the Nazi flyer found on Campus Walk to talk to concerned students and reassure security.

Bushnell Hall closing for repairs RACHEL MANNING Staff Writer

Beginning next fall semester, Bushnell Hall will be closed for maintenance, according to the University of Mary Washington’s housing selection website. It will reopen for the 2018-2019 term. To accommodate the displaced students, the third and fourth floors of Jefferson Hall will revert from single to double occupancy. The main reason that Bushnell is being closed is so that air conditioning window units can be installed. However, that is not the only change coming to Bushnell, there will

IN THIS

ISSUE

be multiple updates to appliances in the kitchens and study lounges as well. “We figured that, while we’ve got the building closed and while we’re doing this project, let’s see how much we can get done,” said Chris Porter, the Director of Residence Life. Among all of the changes happening, probably the most noticeable one will be the making over of the lobby. “It’s just not a very inviting lobby,” Porter said. “If I had my druthers, we would definitely take out the offices in the back part of the Bushnell lobby so you can see the windows, put in some

•BUSHNELL | 2

The Jewish community in Fredericksburg is relatively small compared to other cities, but the University of Mary Washington has a smattering of Jewish students who call campus home. Unfortunately, these students do not have a designated space of their own, while many other student religious groups do. However, that is soon to change. Recently, the university has stated that a Hillel house will be constructed across the street from the University Center on College Avenue. Juliette Landphair, Vice President of Student Affairs, explained that the project originated with Larry Silver, son of Carl and Maxine Silver. Silver approached the Office of Student Affairs about the project, wanting to help foster a more robust Jewish community on campus, in memory of his parents. Silver’s organization purchased the property, which was an ancestral home previously owned by the Snelling family. However, after hearing about the

prospective addition, they were happy to be a part of increased multiculturalism in Fredericksburg. The plans are currently in the works, and student affairs wants to break ground as soon as possible, with construction concluding within a year. However, before beginning work on the site, there are some bureaucratic hurdles the administration must leap. On Feb. 8, Landphair, a representative from the Silver Company, and UMW foundation director Jeff Roundtree attended a meeting of the Fredericksburg Building Commission. The plans have to go through the city to get approved, as the building would be a non-residential property. The neighbors have expressed some concern about the size of the project and parking, which is always a contentious issue on and around campus. The planning commission voted 3-2 in favor of allowing the use of the site for religious purposes, but the vote was 5-0 against allowing an exception for a

•HILLEL CENTER | 10

Schematic of Hillel Center / Fredericksburg developer Larry Silver

Step ASIDE

GAMING AWARDS

26th annual Black History Month step competition

Video game soundtracks need their own awards

Swim teams continue CAC dominance

LIFE | 6

VIEWPOINTS | 4

SPORTS | 12

SPEED OH!

NEWS THE

BLUE & GRAY PRESS

MISSION The Blue & Gray Press is published every Thursday in the University Apartments Clubhouse for our university community. The goal of The Blue & Gray Press is to produce high quality and accurate news in a manner compliant with the Society of Professional Journalists ethics code. In its coverage, The Blue & Gray Press strives to highlight the community of the University of Mary Washington, as well as deliver fair and accurate coverage on the issues important to our students.

EDITORS-AT-LARGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chris Markham

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Alex Spence

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Ester Salguero Lauren Taylor

VIEWPOINTS Tessa Cate

LIFE Kelly Emmrich

SPORTS Mikey Barnes

ONLINE Ethan Tobin

PHOTO Alex Sakes

Business Team Linda Fitzpatrick Janelle Behm

FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian

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Editors: Ester Salguero & Lauren Taylor | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

Administration responds to student concerns in forum

•FOLLOW UP | 1

“I want to assure you that this note is contrary to everything that UMW stands for as reflected in our statement of values. We respect everyone regardless of our differences, and everyone who works herE works tirelessly to create a supportive and safe environment for all members of the UMW community.” -President Troy Paino spect everyone regardless of our differences, and everyone who works here works tirelessly to create a supportive and safe environment for all members of the UMW community.” According to Chief Michael Hall, director of public safety, the Monday after the note was published on Ahad Shahid’s Twitter account, Shahid met with Dean Cedric Rucker and and Sergeant Brad Sullivan. After the meeting, Sullivan launched a formal investigation of the note. Hall also reported that the campus police are working closely with Fredericksburg police and sharing information to see if there are any patterns showing up in the general district. The incident is best classified as a Code of Conduct violation, according to Sergeant Sullivan. The investigation is currently ongoing and campus police are waiting for more information to turn up. At the moment, campus police have been patrolling several areas where students feel most at risk, such as in front of Madison Hall and around Framar House. According to Hall, Sullivan and the threat assessment team, this incident is a bias offence. Under state regulations it is not considered a hate crime. Virginia state codes and the FBI are careful in classifying incidents similar to these as hate crimes because they do not want to impede on anyone’s freedom of speech. However, the UMW community denounces these actions and recognizes that these incidents require sensitive response immediately after in order to ensure that students feel safe on campus. Three incidents similar to the Nazi letter have also been reported to the police. In addition to the note there, was a small swastika drawn in a residence hall and white supremacist CDs in the Eagle’s Nest and the University Center. Grant Raycroft, a senior English major, reported that he found a white nationalist CD on one of the tables outside the Nest on Jan. 28, 2017. According to Raycroft, his roommate, Joshua Mwandu heard that the same CDs were being distributed in the University Center. “This hits close to home,” Raycroft said. “It feels very much like Fredericksburg is my other home, and now this presence is becoming more overt. I feel responsible as a community member to speak up about this.” Paino, Rucker and Hall hosted a public forum on Sunday night, Feb. 19 for the UMW community to speak up about their concerns and for the administration to respond. Raycroft was one of the many students who went to the forum. “President Paino was very apologetic,” Raycroft said. “I think it was pretty clear at the forum that this event shook the administration.” Dean Rucker was one of the main administrators that was targeted online in the aftermath of the publication. In an interview with Rucker, he spoke about

the forum and his beliefs on the note. “[The note] was something that was offensive to me, not just as a member of this community or administrator, but as a human being,” Rucker said. “I think one of the great things about the forum was just to hear the president reinforce what we stand for. No student should be made unwelcome here. That’s not Mary Washington at all.” SGA discussed the incident on Monday, Feb. 20 at their evening meeting. A few members from SGA also got together with other clubs promoting inclusivity and diversity such as, PRISM, DUCC, the Islamic Student Association, College Republicans and Young Democrats on Monday afternoon to talk about drafting a letter in response to the recent events that will end up being placed in every classroom next to the honor code. “Our concerns are that the university community doesn’t feel safe and we want to make sure the community knows that they’re in good hands with the resource officers on campus and the administrators [that we have],” said SGA President Alex Clegg, who is also

a student representative for the Board of Visitors. UMW’s Young Democrats also posted a statement on Facebook, linked to the article, responding to the recent events and declaring that they condemn the hate speech propagated by the note. “Our organization strives to be a voice of progress, reason and inclusion, and we find attacks on those values deeply troubling,” said UMW Young Democrats. They noted that their weekly meetings are open to anyone who might feel unsafe and that those people may have a place to discuss their sentiments at their Wednesday night gatherings at 9 p.m. in Monroe room 210. The police department recommends that all students download the Rave Guardian app. Students or community members may also send anonymous tips or reports through the Silent Witness program at http://www.umw.edu/police/ reporting-a-crime/silent-witness-form/. Bias incidents may always be reported at http://diversity.umw.edu/bias/reporting-an-incident/.

Student Senate Beat Wednesday, Feb. 22

The following motions have been passed by UMW Student Senate. The passing of a motion does not mean that its terms are subject to happen. The motions will be reviewed by the Student Government Association Executive Cabinet, who will then vote on the proposed motions. Student Government Association elections are coming up next week. Elections will occur from Monday, Feb. 27 to Wednesday, Mar. 1 on OrgSync. Please vote and remind your friends to vote, too.

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A motion for Student Senate to work with Campus Recreation to fix the basketball hoops and nets in the auxiliary gym was passed.

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A motion that Student Senate work with the SGA Technology Coordinator to make the SGA Constitution printable from their website was passed.

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A motion that the dining advisory committee work with Sodexo to provide wooden stirrers in Blackstone instead of the current plastic straws was passed. A motion that Student Senate form a special committee to examine the SGA constitution and recommend possible amendments to the Senate body was passed.

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A motion that Student Senate work with Campus Recreation to open the gym earlier on weekends was passed. For more information, contact the president of Student Senate, Ethan Carter at : ecarter@mail.umw.edu All motions were originated and passed in the student senate. They have not gone through approval by the executive cabinet. DETAILS PROVIDED BY JAMIE MCGUIRE

Thursday, February 23, 2017

SPORTS

UMW swim continues to dominate the CAC MIKEY BARNES Sports Editor

UMW Athletics

Winning. That’s all the members of the UMW swimming programs seem to know. Whether it is a home meet against a conference foe or they are traveling to demonstrate their talents, it is rare for UMW swimming to not come away with a victory. That success continued this weekend as the men and women teams traveled to St. Mary’s, MD., to compete for the Capital Athletic Conference championships. The Eagles departed from Fredericksburg on Thursday, Feb. 16, ready to bring the title back to UMW. The women’s team was competing for their 27th straight CAC title, as the men’s team was competing for its 17th straight and 23rd overall. The Mary Washington women’s swim team is the only program to ever win the CAC championships, which they have done so since its formation in 1990. The men’s team was the first team to win the CAC championship for men’s swimming, which they did in that 1990-91 season, but lost to former member Catholic University of America in 1993-94, ‘94-95, ‘98-’99 and in ‘99-’00. The men’s team has won every year besides those four. Winning isn’t only something very familiar to the swimmers, but also familiar to seventh year head coach, Abby Brethauer. During her tenure as the head

coach for both the men and women teams, she has won a combined 14 CAC titles between the two, has a total of 17 All-Americans, sent 25 swimmers to compete for national championships and has coached four national championships, all won by 2015 graduate Alex Anderson. On Friday, the men’s 200-yard freestyle relay of Dallas Tarkenton, Garrett Ross, Dylan Gore and Jake Schroth finished in first place with a time of 1:23.84. Tarkenton also won the 200 IM with a time of 1:52.94. Freshman Austin Farrar took second place in the 500 free and senior Tyler Gimple took third. In that same day, for the women’s team, senior Anna Corley kicked the action off with taking first place in the 200 IM. Junior Maddy Rymer took third in the event. The 200-yard relay team of Carley Vaughn, Lauren Wood, Shannon Coryell and Corley finished in first at time of 1:36.95. The Eagles finished off the night with a 400 medley relay win by the foursome of Julia Geskey, Corley, Megan Murphy and Coryell at 3:53.13. On Saturday, the Eagles and the rest of the CAC continued the action. The 200 medley relay team of Carsen Mumford, Mark Dye, Tarkenton and Ross grabbed with first place with a time at 1:33.70. Farrar finished in first at the 400 IM at

UMW Athletics

4:05.03. Fellow freshman Noah Carpenter finished in second in the 400 IM. Tarkenton grabbed another first place finish in the 100 butterfly at a time of 49:00. Junior Jake Schroth won the 200 freestyle at a time of 1:42.51. The 800 free relay team finished with a time of 6:56:53, the team consisted of Farrar, Kenyon Huber-Wilker, Gore and Gimple. The women’s swim team opened up Saturday in a quick fashion with a victory in the 200 medley relay, swam by Rymer, Murphy, Corley and Sara Dye. Corley won the 400 IM with a time of 4:28.74. Freshman Julia Geskey finished in second with a time of 4:36:63 and Murphy in third. In the 100 yard butterfly, the Eagles finished in 2-3-4-5-6. Dye won the 100 breaststroke at a time of 1:07.65. Geskey won the 100 backstroke at a time of 58:09, Rymer took second. The relay team of Wood, Miller, Coryell, and Geskey won the 800 yard breastroke. The action concluded on Sunday, with the Eagles ahead by a very large margin. Gimple began the winning ways with a victory in the 1650 freestyle. The Eagles went 1-2-3 in the 100 IM with Christian Berardo taking first, Jeffrey Leckrone taking second and Mark Dye finishing in third. The Eagles also went 2-3-4-5 in the 200 breastroke, with the places going; Huber-Wilker, Leckrone, Dye and Kleigh

Koupal. The 400 free relay of Schroth, Gimple, Gore and Tarkenton finished in first with a time of 3:06.87. Murphy began the day with the women strong, taking second in the 1650 freestyle. Corley won the 100 IM and Rymer won the 200 breastroke, with Geskey grabbing second. Carley Vaughn won the 200 butterfly with Murphy finishing right behind her in second. The 400 free relay of Geskey, Wood, Coryell, and Corley finished first at 3:31.77. Freshmen Austin Farrar and Julia Geskey were each named CAC Rookie of the Year. With their strong performances, Tarkenton and Corley will both advance to the NCAA Division III Championships in Shenandoah, TX. on March 15. Tarkenton will swim the 200 yard IM, 100 fly and 200 fly at NCAAs. Corley will be swimming the 100 free, 200 IM and the 400 IM. Both Tarkenton and Corley competed at NCAAs last year. When asked how it felt to have won a fourth CAC championship, Tarkenton said, “It’s a standard and tradition that this team strives for excellence and winning the CAC Championship is a part of that standard. It always feels great to succeed as a group in achieving that goal.”

NBA All-Star weekend brings excitment for fans RYAN BRAUCH Staff Writer

While preparing for Mardi Gras next week, New Orleans, Louisiana also got the privilege of hosting the 2017 NBA All-Star Weekend. Loaded with fun surprises, creative dunks and outrageous shots, All-Star weekend never fails to entertain the audience. The All-Star break is a great experience for all NBA players as they get to relax and unwind from their exhausting schedule during the season, while the fans get to watch their favorite players show off their skills.

The festivities began Friday night when the best young stars laced up to take the court as the USA team faced off against the World team in the Rising Star Game. Leading team USA was Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, Karl Anthony-Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves, D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram representing the Los Angeles Lakers and Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers. Headlining team World was Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76er’s, Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks, Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets and Buddy Hield playing in front of his home fans, as he represented the

New Orleans Pelicans. Team USA was off to a hot start as college teammates Booker and Towns led the high-powered offense. Despite being up late in the game, team World erased the deficit through Jamal Murray’s huge game. Along with winning the game 150-141, Murray also won MVP with his 36-point game, hitting nine three-pointers. No one expected too much of Murray coming into the game, as he came off the bench for team World. Only his team World teammate Joel Embiid predicted Murray would win the MVP, as the two joked around in an interview before the game.

After an exciting Rising Star Game, the action kept rolling as Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics traded remarks with the former Sacramento Kings’ center Demarcus Cousins. The two took joking jabs at each other, debating whether the guards or the big men would win the Skills Challenge this year. Thomas joined Washington Wizards’ guard John Wall, the Suns’ Devin Booker and Jazz forward Gordon Hayward as they took on Boogie Cousins and his crew. Cousins was paired with New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis, the Knicks’ Kristap Porzingis and Nikola •ALL-STAR | 3

Weekly Scoreboard women's basketball:

baseball

Feb. 19 @ Wesley (W) UMW: 66 Wesley: 41

Feb. 19 vs. DeSales (L) UMW: 4 DeSales: 8

Feb. 22 @ Shenandoah (W) UMW: 15 Shenandoah: 5

Feb. 22 @ Alrbight (L) UMW: 7 Albright: 13

women's LACROSSE

men's LACROSSE

women's basketball:

Feb. 24 vs. Marymount 7:00 P.M.

women's LACROSSE

Feb. 25 vs. Lynchburg 12:00 P.M.

baseball

Feb. 25 vs. Ursinus 3:00 P.M.

men's LACROSSE

Feb. 25 @ Albright 4:00 P.M.

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VIEWPOINTS

Grammys: Stop playing games with us COLE MASAITIS Staff Writer

On Feb. 12, 2017, the 59th Annual Grammy Awards was broadcasted live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles by CBS. Rewind to the 1950s and the first recorded video games came to life. Now fast-forward to the 1970s and we see the appearance of the first sounds implemented into games, and by the 1980s video games began to contain their very own soundtracks, these dates all following a timeline provided by an article by Glenn McDonald on Gamespot. Amongst the likes of the original Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy and plenty more examples where that came from, video game music has only been evolving since it began and has birthed some of the most iconic music in history. You’ve probably already figured out where this is headed, but by the year 2000 the Recording Academy took notice of the talent behind video game music and its composers when they began to be accepted as nominations for Grammy awards. By 2011, the song “Baba Yetu” from Civilization IV by Christopher Tin went on record as the first game music to win a Grammy award in history in the Guinness World Records, according to their website. An LA Times article by Todd Martens states that the following year, in 2012 the independent game soundtrack for “Journey”

by Austin Wintory was nominated for a Grammy as well. Martens goes on to explain that while these games have

made giant strides for video game music, the trouble is that they are nominated under a category titled “Music for Visual Media.” This means that in 2017, these soundtracks are going up against ALL other music for visual media including television and film soundtrack heavyweights. While there certainly are video game soundtracks that can easily hold their ground against film and television scores, it’s not exactly a viable concept to put them head-to-head at the Grammys. Some specific categories listed online by the Grammy website include “Best

College Republicans respond to hate speech

subcategories for video games, television, and film scores, if not entirely separated into their own categories with their own branches. Video game music has most definitely already made some headway into being recognized by the general public for a wide variety of music. From the 8-bit sound many of us remember from years ago in arcades and in our homes, through its growth Tradition Pop Vocal, Spoken Word, into making use of every genre you Roots Gospel, Tropical Latin, Region- could possibly imagine. Its genres span al Roots, Comedy albums, Traditional world music, to full-blown electronic, to sweeping orchestral scores, and yes, the list goes on. The old Super Mario theme we all know and love along with many others have been modernized in today’s game soundtracks, as well as composed as orchestral arrangements. Then we have film composer giants such as Hans Zimmer writing music for Call of Duty, as well Joe Hisaishi from the Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro also writing for video games as of recent as mentioned by Joe Hammond of Square Enix Music. On the other hand, we have composers for independent games such as the artist DisasUnsplash.com / John sting terpeace who recently R&B Performance, Instrumental or A wrote the music for the hit horror film, Capella arrangement, Producer of the It Follows as archived by the website AllMusic. Video game music has most Year, and Best Recording Package.” Just after naming a few categories, it definitely become a force to be reckseems as though dividing up different oned with in the music industry, and genres or styles of soundtracks for vi- it’s incredible to see how far it has come in 2017. sual media might be in order. Based on our evidence, there is no There is an extensive list of subcategories for pop, rap, Latin, jazz, engi- question that video game music has neered album, American roots, classi- more than earned a seat at the metacal, producer and more for artists to be phorical “big kids table,” the Grammys. While we’re at it, let’s get them nominated under. Knowing this, it would appear as their very own table. though the Recording Academy should consider a call-to-action. There should undoubtedly be at the bare minimum,

As many of you certainly know by now, on the evening of February 5th, a poster was discovered on the bulletin board outside of Madison Hall, which serves as UMW’s gender-neutral housing. The note contained a swastika, and threatening hate language directed toward UMW’s LGBT community. The College Republicans at Mary Washington unequivocally condemn this heinous act, and believe that such rhetoric has no place in our campus community. As Republicans, we embrace the values of freedom of expression and personal liberty, but never when someone uses that freedom to

attack another’s humanity. This assault was directed toward everyone at Mary Washington, straight and LGBT alike. As an organization that is welcoming to everyone, and includes several gay members, we were deeply hurt by these words, and are disappointed that someone on UMW’s campus thinks in such a reprehensible way. We stand with the rest of the Mary Washington community in condemning those responsible. Whomever posted this note does not know what love and acceptance means, and does not understand the essence of what America is.

UMW College Republicans / Facebook

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Thursday,January February 23, 2017 Thursday, 21, 2015

VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Tessa Cate | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

Pro-life stance gains following among millennials SUSANNAH TOMBES Staff Writer

It has been said that the only people who are pro-life are old, white men. This is simply just not the case. While it is true that there are many older men in Congress who say that they are pro-life, I have seen an increase in millennials switching their views on abortion and embracing the pro-life stance. I was raised in a Catholic home that held the traditional values of the Church closely and I also saw these views lived out. When I was younger, the tragedy of abortion did not affect me as greatly as it does now, mostly because there was not much for a seven-year-old to really do about the injustice. Now, I am the President of the Students for Life Club here at UMW and I have a great zeal in defending the dignity and gift of each human life. Although many religious-minded people are pro-life, the views on this are changing as well. Rachel Hodges, a freshman here at UMW is both an atheist and pro-life. She says, “As a society, we have forgotten how precious life is. Millennials take for granted everything they are given, even the miracle of a child.” I have seen a change in the pro-life movement, growing from primarily faith-based organizations to broader

spectrums. Non-profits such as Feminists for Life and Secular Pro-Life have gained a growing number of followers and supporters. I believe that this is because millennials are beginning to see how valuable life is and how the abortion issue is not

fetus parts for money. Now that is just unethical, and our generation is fed up with corruption and politicians and groups that only care about money.” Lamm shares that he is a centrist Republican, meaning that he, “takes views from all parts

a political issue, but instead a human rights one. Stephen Lamm, Secretary of UMW’s College Republicans believes, “More young people are becoming pro-life because of what we have seen at Planned Parenthood and how they reportedly sell baby/

of the political spectrum” and that there have been special cases where understands the pro-choice point of view, but he is more geared to the pro-life argument. However, the pro-life viewpoint does have flaws, and I say that as someone who has been pro-life for

Unsplash.com / Aditya Romansa

the entirety of her life. It is easy to fall into the category of pro-birth and completely forget about the stages of life after birth. An easy one to dismiss is that of refugees. Emily James, a junior in the Education program, shares that her father is an immigrant and has been a reason she has such a drive to support immigrants, refugees and their families. Personally, I have never really known any concrete ways of helping these people, but Emily provided some simple ways to start. “Listening. Working with them, talking to them. Volunteer at adult career centers to teach English, and you might end up learning their language too.” We also talked about getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. I think that goes with caring for the dignity of every human life, no matter the stage. I do not think for a second that you can claim to be pro-life, while refusing to support the mother who has chosen life for her child and is in need of emotional and financial support. I do not think that you can claim to be pro-life without showing support to the immigrants and refugees who need to know that their lives matter just as much as my family’s lives matter.

Staff Ed: UMW community bounces back from act of hatred and bigotry On Feb. 15, 2017, an article published by The Blue & Gray Press shook the UMW campus, alerting students to an event that has called our safety and sense of community into question. A hateful note of the Nazi / anti-LGBTQ variety was found on campus by a student and later reported to the administration. In the days following the initial communication between the student and administrative officials, a formal response letter was issued by UMW’s Vice President for Student Affairs, Juliette Landphair, addressing the steps being taken by the administration as well as the police and FBI. UMW President, Troy Paino, responded via video message letting the UMW community know, “there is an ongoing investigation into the matter… this note is con-

trary to everything that UMW stands for as reflected in our statement of values.” “The Values that Unite Us,” as listed on UMW’s website, include integrity, dignity and respect, diversity, intellectual inquiry, responsibility and leadership. The note and the ideals it supports do not align with our values as an institution, and the administration is currently working to get to the bottom of the problem. We are grateful to the administration for their dedication to this community and their efforts to openly discuss the current campus climate with us. They are putting the time in to help fix the problem, but they cannot do it alone. There is a greater issue here – one that exists outside the bounds of College Avenue and Sunken Road. It is an issue of ignorance, hatred and bigotry. The

administration can respond with videos and letters condemning it all they want, but headway can only be made with students’ cooperation. By striving to exemplify UMW’s values in our every day lives, actively teaching each other how we are meant to be treated and refusing to put up with intolerance, we can strengthen our campus community and, by extension, the greater world community. We at The Blue & Gray Press do not condone anti-Semitic or anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. Hate speech and Nazi symbolism have no place on our campus – neither lends to a comfortable or safe environment, but instead to the heightening of animosity and the disruption of learning. Fingers have been pointed and character

called into question, so instead of letting the situation heighten, let us remember that we are all here for the same reason: learning. This unfortunate event has provided us with an opportunity to learn, simply taking a more social, hands-on form. We are poised to come out of this learning experience as a unified and cohesive community, confident in our administration’s ability provide reinforcement and sure of our duty to set a positive tone on campus. We have learned that when members of our community are targeted in a way that runs counter to and disparages the values we hold dear, it is our job to stand with one another in solidarity, provide support and help rebuild the sense of community for which UMW is known.

By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

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LIFE

Editor: Kelly Emmrich blueandgray.life@gmail.com

UMW step show sheds light on black history and culture DANIELLE HOWARD Staff Writer

the Divine Nine gather together, but local students and staff. Though high schools and middle schools as well. Mary Washington is not an The competitors performed in chronologHBCU, we do have a step This Saturday, in honor of Black ical order, showing both the evolution of team, the Alter Egos, who History Month, Women of Color and the step as a genre and the impact that it has participate in the show and Black Student Association partnered tohad on African American communities exhibit with grace that you gether with the James Farmer Multiculand culture. don’t always need to be tied tural Center Although much of the to a culture to respectfully for the 26th university’s community atappreciate it. Annual tends the step show for enThe show itself resembled Step Show tertainment, it also serves that of a typical competition Competias one of the major events by having the visiting Divine tion. on campus that introduces Nine organizations perform Recoga large number of people alongside the other invited nized as a to one of the biggest eras groups, with an intermission staple in and traditions that origiin the middle that was made African nated within black colleges to resemble the legendary American and education. As an “Stroll Off.” The Stroll is culture, underrepresented student when popular R&B and Hip Hop songs stepping attending a predominatethat are tied to memories and iconic has been ly white institution, the dances or steps are played for the Divine traditionannual step show serves Nine members to showcase themselves ally tied to Alex Sakes/The Blue & Gray Press as one of the major events and their signature calls and/or moves. fraternities that highlights an However, the and sororities that were started at Historiaspect of black act of strolling is cally Black Colleges and Universities. culture that is not not only enjoyed These organizations, sometimes called typically showby members the Divine Nine, use step as a way of cased at UMW. of the Greek passing down tradition and as a symbol During Black organizations that enables a sense of sisterhood and History Month, but also those in brotherhood between the various groups. this event and other attendance, both Each organization has their own sigprograms that shine young and old as nature routines and calls, both highlighta light on the many groups stroll to ing the distinctions between the groups, facets of black songs that have on top of their colors and Greek letters. history and culture been historically This year's competition tied well into offers a positive or presently imthe 2017 Black History Month theme of representation to portant to popular drawing parallels between the past and Alex Sakes/The Blue & Gray Press black culture. all UMW faculty, present by having not only members of

Alex Sakes/The Blue & Gray Press

“Every year I look forward to going to UMW’s Step Show because of the positive energy that is brought,” said sophomore communication and digital studies major Nancy Pham. “Having different chapters coming from different schools gives everyone the chance to see how unique and talented people really are. Going to UMW, there isn’t any Black Greek Life and the fact that we even host a step show makes it that much more exciting to attend. I’ve always loved the feeling of having the community unite as a whole and support our students of color.” The annual step show not only helps foster a sense of community, but also helps to better express belonging here for students whose cultures and traditions are not usually represented on campus.

UMW Style: transitions into spring and inspiration from Kpop and the 90s SAVARA GUNN Staff Writer

Photos by: Savara Gunn

Diana Mahmoodi, junior “Kpop, also known as Korean pop music, inspires this outfit and other outfits I wear, and since I’m a college student I want to be comfortable but also not look like a bum. I think the way you dress shows the kind of person you are, and I tend to dress friendly so that I look approachable.” Ana Leino, junior "I chose this outfit because I really like the shirt. I call it my grandpa vacation shirt. In general I like outfits that are comfortable. I typically wear oversized men's shirts. Katie Lamb, freshman I like the 90s, “Not all of the things you dislike about yourself are flaws. Some 80s ,70s and stealing clothes of them are better embraced. I want to show people the most honest version of myself, even if that version has an annoying history of befrom my ing attracted to brooding men. And trust me, it is really annoying, but mom’s closet so are small talk and conversation starters. Wearing this, I don't have as well as buying from Goodwill. I think my clothes to think of either. Most people just avoid eye contact, which is fine by show that I'm (hopefully) aware of how to dress and I me. The ones who get it are the ones I'd rather be around anyways.” know what's in style.”

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Purity Muthaa, junior “I’m from Uganda, where it’s normal to wear dungarees, also known as overalls. When I came here I was like ‘where are all the overalls?’ I lived in Uganda for four years, lived in the United States for four years, Botswana for two years and Kenya for two years. When I came to school here, I was in middle school, so at that time there’s more of a social pressure to fit in so I did switch from things I would usually be comfortable wearing in Africa to what was popular here like, crocs, Aeropostale, etc. Once I went back to high school in Uganda and then came back here for college, I realized that I prefer the clothing style from Africa. I try to fit it in different places. On my hand I have bracelets and I never take them off; one is for every different country that I go to. I usually wear an African necklace or headpiece that embraces my culture. It makes me feel like I’m home."

Thursday, February 23, 2017

LIFE

President Paino takes horseback riding lessons on Fredericksburg tour

REBECCA MELSON Contributing Writer

UMW President Troy Paino decided to explore the downtown area in his own way on Tuesday. The weather was unseasonably warm as President Paino traveled through downtown Fredericksburg on horseback. Paino, along with equestrian team member and junior Psychology major, Nikki Ferrell, received several stares as they pit stopped in popular Fredericksburg shops. This is all part of a promotional video that Paino is filming for upcoming UMW students. The soon-to-be-released video series titled, “The New Guy” will demonstrate a guided tour of the UMW area, high-

lighting some of the things that a new UMW student might want to do. Paino’s adventures include taking the train up to D.C., going to a basketball game, visiting the Rappahannock River and more. The six-part series is due to be released next month, in prelude to Paino’s inauguration. Movies are not a new thing for the new UMW president. He was formerly dubbed ‘The Coolest College President’ by former Truman State students for his previous films made to demonstrate location, activities and things that students and prospective students find important. Some of Paino’s past films include “Party with T-Pain” and “T-Pain Will Miss You.”

Ariana Garcia DuBar/The Blue & Gray Press

President Paino learns the basics of steering his horse.

Paino sat nobly on his horse outside of the Hyperion coffee shop, located on Princess Anne Street, and gracefully greeted customers. “They gave me a gentle one!” said Paino, affectionately patting his Ariana Garcia DuBar/The Blue & Gray Press Paino starts riding down campus walk. horse. “I This was also the first time have not that Ferrell was able to ride one of the ridden a horse in any of the other schools horses to the downtown area. that I’ve worked in, this is the first time.” “We are out talking about the shops, Paino and Ferrell had already made and things you can do. We stopped here, stops at the City Dock, the train station, [Hyperion] to get some coffee, because the Fredericksburg Visitor Center, and this a hoppin’ place for UMW students,” were on their way to Carl’s for some ice Ferrell said. cream. The purpose of the video is to market Ferrell, who has been a member of the school to prospective students. Howthe UMW equestrian team for the past ever, the fun and light information that is three years, also enjoyed the chance to conveyed within these films, accomparide the UMW horses through the downnied with President Paino’s comical and town area, helping in the narration of the genuine nature, allows all UMW students new film. to partake in the fun and help them build “At every school, [Paino] makes community as they attend UMW and videos. This is kind of like a storyline,” reside in the Fredericksburg area. Ferrell said. “Today I am taking him on a tour of Fredericksburg, on horseback.”

How one student found a gluten-free alternative for homemade cookies KAITLYN WIEDMANN Staff Writer

When I was little, I used to love the months leading up to Christmas because it was the time of year everyone undusted their baking supplies and made up enough sweets to last through the whole winter. While I never learned to bake things like gingerbread or rolled cakes, I jumped at the opportunity to make as many batches of chocolate chip cookies as my family and I could eat. They were one of my favorite parts of the season by far. However, a few years ago, I became gluten intolerant. I could no longer eat any of the cookies I made, and while it seems silly, it felt like a part of my childhood had been taken from me. I scoured books and the Internet for alternative gluten-free recipes, but being new to gluten-free baking, all of the best-reviewed

recipes were more intimidating than I was prepared for. In order to mimic the taste and texture of wheat flour, I found out I would need to mix four or five different flours in precise ratios along with several ingredients I had never heard of. Xanthan gum? Arrowroot powder? I still can’t tell you what those are. Experimenting with recipes was an expensive, time-consuming and ultimately disappointing process. More often than not, the cookies would turn out oddly grainy, crumbly and unappealing. For a long time, I gave up on ever having good homemade cookies again. Then, one day, I found a cookie recipe in a place I wasn’t expecting: the back of an oatmeal bag at Trader Joe’s. At first I thought nothing of it, but when I read it over again, I noticed something about it that was different than every other gluten-free recipe I had seen to date. It had no flour in it whatsoever. Of course

All Global Recipes/Facebook

Rachell Miller/ Flickr

you can’t fail to mimic wheat flour if you avoid flour altogether. It was the kind of simple genius that made me feel like a fool for never considering oatmeal before. I tried the recipe out that very day and it was a resounding success. For the first time in years, I had a homemade cookie that, well, wasn’t exactly like the ones from my childhood, but was just as delicious in its own way and just as simple to make. Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar* 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 cup peanut butter 3 cups gluten free rolled oats 1 12oz package chocolate chips *Use light brown sugar for a more

peanut buttery flavor, dark brown sugar for a more typical chocolate chip cookie flavor. Cream the butter and both kinds of sugar together in a large bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla and baking soda and beat well. Beat in the peanut butter then stir in the oats one cup at a time. Then, stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the dough and place in the refrigerator to chill for several hours. Roll dough into 1 ½ inch to 2 inch balls (don’t press them down) and place 12 per cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, turning the tray around about halfway through. Cookies are done when their edges are just starting to turn golden brown. This recipe makes between four and five dozen cookies. Original recipe by Trader Joe’s, modified (nuts removed, some quantities altered) by me.

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Faculty member expresses concern with front page image

Opinion Editorials Alum responds to hate incident on campus Jeremy Thompson ‘13

“Die you b****.” These are the words I woke up to find written on the front door of my Eagle Landing suite when I was a student at the University of Mary Washington in 2013. Months earlier, I had been elected the first African-American student body president in our school’s one-hundred-plus year history. But as I read those big red letters that were written on my door over and over again, I was reminded of the fact that no progress comes without setbacks. This is the story I thought about first when I heard the news that darker forces once again reared their ugly head on our campus in the form of a vulgar, hate filled letter. In many respects, the University of Mary Washington is one of the most progressive schools in the Commonwealth. Our university instituted gender-neutral housing in the face of political opposition in Richmond. We placed sexual orientation alongside racial discrimination in our Statement of Non-Discrimination. One of our university’s most popular events is the Multicultural Fair, which takes place under the watchful eye of Dr. James Farmer, a civil rights hero and one of our most iconic professors. But despite incredible strides, too many students on campus continue to feel the painful sting of hate and intolerance. Instead of understanding, some students in our community have fallen victim to racism, sexism and other –ism’s that threaten to divide us. And while the minority student population now stands at roughly 25 percent of the student body, only 16 percent of faculty members are from minority communities. Earlier this year, President Paino took the positive step of creating a campus wide Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion to tackle many of these issues. While we still have a lot of work to do, one thing that gives me hope is our university’s ability to come together around complex challenges. How we react in difficult times defines our special community and makes our campus such a special place. As a university, we must live up to our core values. We must remind our fellow Eagles that they matter. If you’re walking on campus, look a stranger in the eye and smile. Be the light that drives forward progress and casts away hate. And in our time of crisis, let’s bond together and show that we respond with unity as one Mary Washington. Jeremy S. Thompson Alumni Board Member, Class of 2013

Dear Chris and Blue & Gray Editorial Team, I wanted to reach out to express concern about the story on the front page of [last week’s] Blue & Gray. It is really great that you are reporting on this. In moments like this, I don’t think we should ever be silent. I worry, though, that a large front-page reproduction of the note posted on campus can do incredible damage to vulnerable people in our community. As a gay man, I feel incredibly shaken by the fact of this note. I feel more shaken by the fact that the note, and it’s message, have now been reproduced on the cover of our campus paper. It is indeed important to report the news, for people on campus to know if and how our community might not be safe; however, it is not necessary to wallpaper campus with reproductions of the note. That act contributes to the dissemination of hate, rather than just reporting on it. The word “vulgar” seriously understates this hate crime (which includes a veiled physical threat), and blurring the word “faggot” but not the swastika symbol complicates this by erasing LGBTQ people while essentially promoting the hate. As someone who has been the editor of a school paper, I know how hard the work you do can be – and how much harder it becomes in times like the one we are now in. -Jesse Stommel, Ph.D. Executive Director, Division of Teaching and Learning Technologies

Want your voice to be heard through The Blue & Gray Press? Submit an opinion editorial on behalf of you or your club and be published • All Op-Eds must be sent to blueandgray.press@gmail.com by Sunday night at 9 p.m. to be in that week’s issue

LIFE

Ideas for creative care packages to show love to friends COLLEEN SULLIVAN Staff Writer

While at college, it may seem difficult to connect with old friends from home, especially when maintaining a busy schedule. Texts and phone calls, though efficient, can be impersonal and rushed. To show a friend that distance doesn’t change a thing, sending a care package is a simple gesture that will brighten someone’s day. The highpoint of creating this gift is that it doesn’t necessarily have to be filled with store-bought baubles; there are many easy crafts one can do to create a personalized and unique care package. A basic component of any care package is delicious food. The process of deciding which snacks to include in the box can be simplified by fulfilling categories, such as: sweet, salty, crunchy and “to-go” foods. For example, cookies, popcorn, pretzels and granola bars are

some of the many possible combinations. Be sure to bear in mind your friend’s preferences. Also, coupons are great to keep costs down when shopping for this part of the package.

Crafts and DIY projects are an important part of any care package. The time spent creating things for the box can also be used to unwind

danni /Flickr

Michael Seery /Flickr

from external stress. Crafts do not have to be perfect, after all, it really is the thought that counts. One simple idea is to create a map depicting the two cities occupied by friends. For example, one friend may be in Blacksburg, VA, so one could print out a map of Fredericksburg and Blacksburg. From there, it’s just a matter of cutting the maps into the shape of a heart and then mounting them onto a decorative sheet of paper. Another fun craft to include is a photo collage. These are incredibly simple to make, even on a smartphone. One app that works particularly well is, “A Beautiful Mess.” It allows you to arrange multiple photos into an appealing collage as well as place words or sketches on to the final product. Photos are a great me-

mento to have and can help add a little bit of cheer to a dorm room. The inside of a packing box can be quite drab. With the help of a printer and creative thinking, a lackluster interior won’t be an issue anymore. Try lining the inside of the box with an activity your friend enjoys, such as coloring pages, Sudoku, connect-the-dots or maybe crossword puzzles. A strong adhesive isn’t necessary for this; a single piece of tape for each activity should do the trick. By doing this, the care package also serves to encourage a friend to take some time for his or herself. As with any gift, creativity is a must. There is no precise blueprint for creating a care package, but hopefully the above description will spark an idea or two.

VA Vibes: spring break playlist for getting in the mood for spring ESTHER HEATHCOX Contributing Writer

Spring break is just around the corner for Mary Washington, and students are eagerly counting down the days until they can enjoy a much-needed rest. But pulling yourself out of the winter gloom can be tough, so here is a spring break playlist to lift your spirits and transport you to spring. #1: Tegan And Sara: Stop Desire Any Tegan And Sara can pump you up for spring break—but Stop Desire takes the cake. #2: The Cranberries: Just My Imagination

Not only does the music video for this song have copious amounts of butterflies in it, the beat provides you with the perfect warm weather feel. #3: Five for Fighting: 100 Years Sometimes old school is the best route to take when trying to channel some relaxation. Nostalgia is good to experience, because life was way easier before you went to college. #4: Brandon Flowers- Still Want You Flowers is fantastic choice for a spring break artist. His songs can have so many different emotions mixed in, while still causing you to tap your feet. #5: Arcade Fire: Wake Up

The Cranberries/Facebook

It is impossible not to sway to

the chorus of this Arcade Fire song. How can you not feel happy while listening to this song? #6: Paolo Nutini: New Shoes Follow Paolo’s advice; put on some new shoes Michael Bublé/Facebook and experience everything feeling right…because spring break is almost here. #7: Michael Bublé: I Believe in You Who can resist some good old Mr. Bubbly? Michael Bublé recently released his new single, I Believe in You. Not only is this song great to dance to, it’s nice to know Bublé believes in you as finals approach. #8: Lord Huron: She Lit a Fire

She Lit a Fire by Lord Huron is a must need for your spring break playlist—this song is summer incarnate, and you won’t be able to resist feeling like you are in the middle of your spring break. #9: Zara Larsson: Lush Life Lush Life was a summer hit back in 2015, and it can definitely be the hit of your spring break. #10 Kodaline: Ready Whether you are in the car on your way to warmer destinations or simply relaxing at home with family this spring break, this playlist will get you in the mood for warmer weather. Have fun and do not forget to relax.

Zara Larson/Facebook

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NEWS

POLICE BEAT LAUREN TAYLOR News Editor

Assault On Saturday, Feb. 18 at 8:30 p.m., assault and battery occurred at Randolph Hall. The victim declined prosecution and one administrative referral was given.

Sexual Assault On Friday, Feb. 3, attempted sexual assault occurred at the Campus Rec Field. The case is pending.

Jewish Student Association excited about shared space •HILLEL CENTER | 1

larger building. The next step will be Landphair and her team appearing before the city council. The sooner that these problems get resolved and plans are finalized, the sooner they can get to work on the facility. David Rettinger, professor of psychology and the faculty advisor to the Jewish Student Association, has similar sentiments regarding the project. “If this building is built the way it looks like it will be, this will be a night and day difference,” he said. Rettinger pointed out that Jewish students do not tend to get involved in Jewish life on campus because they think that there’s nothing here for them. The food at the University Center and other dining facilities is not kosher,

and candles cannot even be lit on campus for ritual purposes. Rettinger emphasized the importance of creating infrastructure for Jewish life on campus, in order to make Jews feel welcome. He believes that the Hillel center will be a great place for religious education, for Jews and non-Jews alike. Rettinger also speculated on recruitment opportunities for the future. “Jewish students are rightfully concerned about anti-Semitism,” Rettinger said. Having strong support from the administration and a house would contribute to making Jews feel comfortable on campus, and more likely to choose UMW. Rettinger further said that the Jewish Student Association has always had

strong ties to the rest of the multicultural community on campus, with as many Muslims as Jews attending JSA events. Rettinger also concurred with Landphair that a year is not an unrealistic time frame for the project. In a best-case scenario, that would put the center opening to be in Jan. 2019. Rettinger said that he is looking forward to having a Jewish professional on campus, as the house will include an apartment for a Jewish educator. Having the house staffed by someone with Jewish ritual expertise will certainly be a big change for the JSA, which is mostly student run. In the future, Rettinger hopes that the center will be a part of making Fredericksburg a more welcoming place for Jews.

Students have mixed sentiments about renovations

Alcohol On Sunday, Feb. 12 around 2 a.m., underage possession of alcohol occurred at Mason Hall. One administrative referral was given.

Vandalism On Monday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m., vandalism of an exit sign occurred at Eagle Landing. The case is pending.

Petit Larceny On Monday, Feb. 20 between 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., petit larceny of a bicycle occurred at a University Center bike rack. The bicycle was recovered by UMWPD on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The case is pending.

CRIME COVERAGE POLICY The Blue & Gray Press will publish the names of students who are formally charged by the University of Mary Washington Campus Police or the Fredericksburg Police Department to have committed acts of xtreme violence against members of the UMW community or pose a large threat to that community, when names are released to the public. The Blue & Gray Press will publish names and write articles about criminal acts on a case-by-case basis according to the aforementioned parameters. The information was compiled with assistance from UMW Police Manager James DeLoatch and Fredericksburg Police Department Public Information Officer Sarah Kirkpatrick.

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•BUSHNELL | 1 area seating, see if we can do something creative with carpet tiles and make it so that it’s more like a living room and less like you’ve walked into the waiting room of a doctor’s office.” However, some Bushnell residents seem perfectly happy with the lobby. “In Bushnell you will see people talking to each other in the lobby,” said Bushnell resident and sophomore history major, Darby Libka. In fact, according to many Bushnell residents, there is nothing at all wrong with the building. “This is my home... I love it, I talk about it all the time. It’s so great [with] the large windows and the big rooms,” Libka said. “I definitely don’t think this should be a top priority, especially when you have buildings like Alvey with black mold... It’s really not in their best interest to keep those buildings open when people are getting so sick they have to move out, and then close a perfectly functioning building like this one.” The sentiment that Bushnell is in no need of repairs isn’t unique to Bushnell residents, either. Junior English major Rachel Finston, who is a member of the UMW paint crew, spent two months painting Bushnell over the summer. “I’m genuinely surprised that they are closing it instead of putting in the AC units over the summer and opening it up again,” Finston said. “Our crew spent a

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little under two months working on it, and it’s probably in better shape than a lot of the other dorms right now.” While the proposed changes have certainly shocked students, many were unaware of the repair plans, as the information did nor circulate well. “ResLife gave us no information about it at all... I actually heard about it just as a rumor,” said Jefferson resident and junior English major Gracie Foust. “They haven’t held a hall meeting about it, they haven’t given us any information unless we actively sought them out and asked them about it.” Students were supposed to learn from the website that their hall was closing or that their floor would no longer have single rooms. The rationale for this was that students already get so many emails, and many of them don’t read those emails in their entirety. “When we sent the emails, we said ‘for homesteading, please see the pre-processing portion of our website, so all that information was kind of driving them to the website,” said Hunter Rauscher, the associate director for housing and operations. “We didn’t want all that information to get lost in the emails.” “Everything is spelled out on our webpage,” Porter said. “So, I guess my question for them would be, how do they want us to get the information out?”

According to Porter, the students were supposed to have floor meetings with their RAs to discuss the changes. According to Libka and Foust, though, this did not happen in either Bushnell or Jefferson. “I would have really appreciated it if they had held some sort of meeting to talk about it, to come face-to-face with us and say ‘this is what’s happening, this is why it’s happening’ rather than just try to send us off to a website,” Foust said. “To hear it by rumor just felt really impersonal, like they didn’t care about how we felt,” Foust said. The worst part of all of this, according to Libka, is the loss of the hall that has become a second home to her. “I’m definitely feeling sad to lose my home, and I don’t even know whether I’ll be able to come back to it in my senior year, because it’ll have the air conditioning and I don’t know whether I’ll be able to afford it... So this will probably be goodbye to a place I love very much and spend a lot of time in.” While there might not be anything quite like Bushnell, Porter is optimistic that students will feel at home in their new residence halls. “We have a lot of great housing options, and when Bushnell reopens, it’s going to be a lot cooler,” Porter said. “I mean that both literally and figuratively.”

Thursday, February 23, 2017

NEWS

Commuters upset over fewer available parking spots on William Street

STEPHANIE COOK Staff Writer

Many University of Mary Washington students struggle with the lack of available parking, but recently the university has taken steps to address this issue. Last fall parking management began taking steps to find more spaces for UMW students to park. Parking management noticed that the William Street lot often boasted around 50 empty spots, and decided to take action and allow for some UMW resident students to park there. Last month, parking management re-designated 23 parking spots in the William Street lot as UMW resident student parking. The 23 re-designated spots sit adjacent to Sunken Road, and are marked with yellow signs to signal to campus residents that they are now permitted to park in these spots. The William Street lot now contains 83 spots for apartment residents, 84 for commuters and 23 for campus residents. The notion to create residential spots in the William Street lot first passed through Business Services before ultimately being approved by the Vice President for Administration and Finance. Parking management plans to monitor the usage of these spots in the coming months, as they are always looking for ways to improve parking. The reactions to allowing commuters and residents alike to park in the UMW Apartments lot are mostly ones of surprise, as many students did not even know non-UMW Apartment students were allowed to park in the William Street lot. An e-mail was sent out to students from parking management and director of media and public relations Marty Morrison, noting this change on Jan. 11, but most students still had no idea the change had occurred.

The change appears to leave apartment residents with mixed feelings. While some students have expressed concern for the large number of commuter spots taking up space in a residential lot, many appear to feel indifferent about the matter. While some apartment students have noticed commuters parking in the lot, it seems almost no one noticed the campus residents were using the lot as well. Additionally, students who do not move their cars during the day, say they really have not seen any significant change in residential or commuter students parking in the lot, and find open parking in the William Street lot quite easily. Meghan Suess, a junior accounting major, was surprised to hear changes had even been made to the parking lot, and remarked that the William Street lot often has many spots open, just that the “parking spots in front of the apartments are usually full.” Grace Howie, a junior communications and digital studies major, shared a similar perspective, saying, “Honestly I didn’t realize that this change was made and I park my car there every day.” Howie expressed concern for the commuter students, and said she believes the change affects them more than it does the residential students. Commuters who park in the William Street lot may still have to walk across campus to get to their classes, and as many commuter students during the mid-day are coming from traffic-heavy situations or work, it is harder for these students to get to class on time during the week if they have to spend time searching for parking. Commuter parking spots along College Avenue often fill up early in the morning, and stay occupied until late at night. Similarly, many campus parking ar-

On Jan. 30, the University of Mary Washington’s Executive Cabinet voted to pass a motion for a sauna to be added to the fitness center. Senior political science and Spanish double major, Ben Purdy was the senator who introduced the proposal about a week earlier at a student senate meeting. Purdy was speaking in favor of sophomore psychology major, Audrey Williamson, who came up with the proposal, but had not yet been inducted into the senate. She said she believed the sauna could benefit students because of a variety of health reasons. “I originally got the idea because I have a sauna at the gym I go to at home and it really helps with a speedier recovery of my muscles,” Williamson said. “My sister has one at her school [in JMU] and she says she’s uses it a lot and so do many other students... I think it would be a great addition to our rec center, and could really benefit our schools’ athletes as well as everyone [else].” Though all the details have not yet been finalized, Williamson went to the senate meeting prepared with thoughts about how the school could financially afford to create the sauna. “Since saunas cost around $2,000 to 4,000, I think we could perhaps look for donations from alumni or anyone involved with athletics, and then get students to pay the rest,” Williamson said.

“It is then brought to Dean Rucker, ing to Theodosios MEAGHAN MCINTYRE “For example, a stuwho hands the motion off to the party Zotos, Student SenStaff Writer dent could pay three responsible for fulfilling it,” Carter said. ate Vice President, dollars in Eagle A policy that makes it through the once it passes in One for a 30-minute session. And then SGA is not guaranteed to be passed until the senate it goes to the SGA cabinet students could continue to pay for this it receives the green light from adminwhere its logistics are analyzed. If the service to cover the maintenance costs.” cabinet passes a motion it is then disistration. Williamson was passionate about her cussed by Carter and Dean Rucker, who “Administrators have an active voice proposal but was still surprised to hear in how to implement or not to implehave weekly meetings. that it was passed. ment the motion,” Zotos said. “There After administration is made aware “Honestly, I was a little shocked, just is a lot of red tape and bureaucracy to of the motions that have made it through because normally the motions we pass overcome after the motion passes both both the student senate and the Execuare much more serious than a sauna,” the SGA and Student Senate.” tive Cabinet, they take the needed steps Williamson said. “But I think it’s a good to put it into action. idea and I guess others agreed.” The idea of adding a sauna was Message from The Blue & Gray Press widely accepted by students. Prior to publication of last week’s article regarding the Nazi letter, one of our “I wasn’t surprised that it passed writers attempted to reach out to Dean Rucker for comment, who later received student senate, but I was surprised that criticism for his role in the story. The email reaching out to Dean Rucker was never it passed the executive cabinet,” Purdy sent and this error was not made aware of until Monday, Feb. 20th. We deeply resaid. “It seems like a solid idea and is gret this mistake and ask that students do not judge the character of Dean Rucker. something future students could enjoy.” This was not proper journalistic practice and we sincerely apologize. Student Government Association Vice President, junior accounting major, Ethan Carter recognized the positives involved in the sauna proposal. “I am in favor,” Carter said. “Many PLEASE REPORT ANY MISTAKES SEEN IN THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS TO other schools have saunas and I think it’s something that students would enChris Markham, blueandgray.eic@gmail.com or Sushma Subramanian, ssubrama@umw.edu joy… Also, I can’t speak as to why individuals voted for the motion but several In last week’s issue the piece titled, “Underground brings back beer, wine, names Fred health benefits were explained in the Red UMW’s signature beer,” it was reported that UMW’s new signature beer will be called Fred Red, when just its type (ale) will be the actual UMW beer. discussion.” Once a motion is put forth at the stuIn last week’s issue the piece titled, “UMW 2017 Commencement Speakers” incorrectly identified the speakers. The top photograph showed Edward L. Ayers and the bottom dent senate level, there is a process that featured John D. Burrow. it goes through to be accepted. Accord-

Andrew Boswell / The Blue & Gray Press

eas fill up quickly and tend to stay full, including the Marshall Lot, and the few spots behind Randolph Hall. The push for parking management to allocate more room for residential students is one that has been increasing over the years. Tykasia Gaskins, a junior sociology major noted that she did not like the lot being composed of mostly commuter spots, saying, “[Apartment residents] barely have anywhere to park during the week, and the commuters already have the main street to park on, plus the big parking lot behind Alvey.” Gaskins shared the same sentiment as Suess, claiming that finding parking in front of the apartments is very hard during the week. Commuters, campus residents and UMW Apartment residential students all pay the same amount of money each year for a parking decal. All commuters,

apartment residents and campus residents pay $225 a year for a decal, while Eagle Landing residents pay $375 a year for a decal. Any student that chooses to bring their car to school is required to purchase a decal from parking management in Lee Hall and place the decal on the back of their vehicle. This allows parking management to confirm whether or not a student is parked in the right place and whether giving a ticket is warranted. Residential students are marked by a yellow decal, UMW Apartments residents are given black decals, Eagle Landing residents are issued a green decal and commuters all have red decals. The Parking Management Department is recruiting for a Student Parking Advisory Committee should any students be interested in giving their opinion about campus parking.

Student Senate and SGA pass motion to install saunas in Fitness Center

Thursday, February 23, 2017

CORRECTIONS for THE Week

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SPORTS

Editor: Mikey Barnes | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Despite negative reviews, NBA all-star break brings entertainment to New Orleans •ALL-STAR| 3 Jokic. Following several rounds of intense competition, only Porzingis and Hayward remained as they duked it out in the final round. As the two weaved between cones, Hayward initially beat Porzingis down the court for the layup portion of the course. Porzingis then quickly made his way down the other side of the court to nail a huge three-pointer beating Hayward and taking the Taco Bell Skills Challenge trophy. Saturday also held host to the threepoint competition as reigning champ Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors looked to earn his second straight title. Thompson had his work cut out for him as he would be facing some tough competition. Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Nick Young, Eric Gordon, Kyle Lowry, Wesley Matthews and CJ McCollum were all looking to knock Thompson off the throne. To the crowd’s surprise, Thompson was eliminated in the first round as he missed shot after shot. After numerous rounds, the competition narrowed to just

Irving, Walker and Gordon. Irving set the tone in the final round, hitting 18 threes. Gordon, a former Pelican, was playing to his old crowd as he hit a string of shots and matched Kyrie’s 18. As the two went into overtime, Kyrie looked impressive as he put up another 18 makes, but Gordon was hot. He finalized his victory by hitting 20 shots to knock off Irving. Concluding Saturday’s events, was the beloved dunk contest. This year’s dunk contest participants included last year’s runner up and Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon, Los Angeles Clippers’ center Deandre Jordan, Indiana Pacers’ forward Glenn Robinson III and the Phoenix Suns’ Derrick Jones Jr. Each of these four players has rightfully earned their spot to compete as they have continuously provided us some magnificent, athletic and powerful jams all season long. Gordon and Jordan were the first two to be eliminated, as their initial dunks lacked the “wow factor,” despite being creative. That left Robinson and Jones as the final-

Men’s basketball season comes to end as women prepare for CAC tournament THEODOSIUS ZOTOS Staff Writer

The University of Mary Washington men’s basketball team finished off their season with a 98-79 win over Wesley College last Saturday to end their season. After suffering four losses out of their last five games, the Eagles triumphed over the Wolverines to end their regular season with an overall record of 12-13 and a Capital Athletic Conference record of 8-10. Junior forward Eric Shaw led his fellow teammates to the victory Saturday night with 28 points and nine total rebounds. The first half was relatively back-to-back competition and shots between each team, but the Eagles managed to maintain their lead throughout the first half and were up 46-39 going into halftime. After halftime the game was filled with intensity, each team having the drive to end their last game of the regular season with a win. With standout performances from Shaw, John Lutkenhaus, Emerson Burk and Johnny Cronin, the Eagles managed to find themselves with a cushioned ending score of 98-79 sealing the win and capping off the season. The men’s team started off the season a strong 4-1, but despite the strong start, struggled to continue their success or completely re-grasp it. Of their 13 defeats during the season, seven of those losses came by five points or less. This goes to show the potential this program has, notably by how youthful it is, with captain and leading scorer Shaw, being the only rising senior for next season. On the other hand, the University of Mary Washington women’s basketball team finished their regular season with a record of 22-3 and Capital Athletic Conference record of 15-3. The Eagles are set to enter the CAC tournament as the second seed with a semifinal matchup against the Marymount Saints on Thurs-

Thursday, February 23, 2017

day, Feb. 23. The Eagles team ended their regular season on a positive note as well with a comfortable 66-41 win over the Wesley Wolverines. Standout All-American candidate senior Brianne Comden led the Eagles Saturday night making 9-16 shots from the field and scoring a total of 22 points. In addition, Megan Greene, Elizabeth Dofflemyer and Taylor Barton all had outstanding performances as well. The Eagles battled it out against the Wolverines throughout all four quarters but maintained a sizeable lead throughout. The first half however was rough for both teams to put points on the board leading to a low scoring first half of 28-15, the Eagles being on top before the start of the second. Although momentums switched due to various scoring drives, such as Comden’s nine point third quarter, the game eventually came to a victorious halt capping off the Eagles’ regular season. If the ladies are to win their matchup against Marymount University, who defeated Salisbury Seagulls 58-44 to advance to the semifinal game on Thursday, they will be set to take the court on Saturday, Feb. 25 to compete for the CAC Tournament Championship against the winner of CNU and York. The No. 20 ranked Eagles will look to win the CAC Tournament championship, with the intent of an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. If the Eagles lose during the tournament, they will have their fingers crossed for an at-large bid during the NCAA Tournament selection show on Sunday, Feb. 26. The Eagles’ semifinal game against Marymount is at 7 p.m. in the Ron Rosner Arena on Thursday, Feb. 23 and is a white-out, as the Eagles will hope to take full advantage of home court in this pivotal playoff game.

ists, as the two would give the crowd one dunk before deciding who would be the champion. Jones Jr. went first and made the crowd go crazy with a between the legs windmill, that no one expected from the rookie. Following Jones Jr., who had just received a perfect score, Robinson silenced the crowd with a dunk that went over the heads of teammate Paul George, a mascot and a cheerleader. Although he only needed a score of 44 to win the contest, the Pacers’ forward nailed it by getting a perfect score to become the next NBA Dunk Contest Champion. Finally, All-Star Weekend came to a close as two teams of the league’s best suited up to play in the 66th annual NBA All-Star game. Lebron James, Kyrie Irving, Paul George, Demar Derozan and Giannis Antetokounmpo headlined the Eastern Conference team. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Anthony Davis led the Western Conference team. The game was amazing, as both teams showed off their

insane offensive skills, but the players did not forget to have fun along the way. Many players, such as Steph Curry, made sure to keep the game fun as he jokingly hit the deck in an effort to get out of the way on an intense Antetokounmpo dunk. During the exhibition game, we saw old teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook bury the hatchet after months of silence and an aggressive rivalry. This All-Star game also out-scored last year’s game, making it the most high scoring All-Star games in history and extremely entertaining for the fans. Although All-Star Weekend was an unforgettable experience, nothing was more surprising to fans then what immediately followed. After the game, the Sacramento Kings announced that they had traded franchise player Demarcus Cousins to New Orleans in exchange for rookie Buddy Hield, veteran forward Tyreke Evans, and two draft picks. As the NBA trade deadline approaches, this will likely be by far the most impactful move of the season.

Putting the ‘Student’ in Student-Athlete TAYLOR OSTROM Staff Writer

The saying, “all work and no play” does not apply to the abundance of student athletes around the world. In fact, playing sports while in college has a positive impact not only on students’ academics, but their personal life as well. College is a stressful experience without sports, so suggesting that sports helps students better succeed sounds absurd. However, according to the National Council of College Athletics, 420,000 college students play a college sport, and a great majority of them lead successful academic careers. Playing college sports equips students with skills that can help them better survive the college experience. Although it can be challenging to balance sports and academics, it’s not impossible. This very balancing act is what offers advantages to students. College sports help teach students how to manage their time, improve their social skills, and lead healthy lifestyles. These are all key components when trying to thrive in college. Between the massive workload and never ending practices college athletes are faced with each week, time is of the essence. Athletes are forced to learn how to manage their time, and they do just that. Whether that means skipping out on a party or studying more on the weekends, they find ways to get their tasks completed. With more demanding schedules, athletes may have to study and sleep more and bar hop and drink less, but these sacrifices only help keep them

focused while increasing their chances of success. Playing sports in college also improves students’ social skills. College is a place to make friends, and this is accomplished much easier when a student can easily socialize with his/her peers. Being apart of a team is an amazing experience. Teammates become family and a great support system when the inevitable stress of college reveals itself. Joining a sports team can prevent students from feeling excluded and depressed. Being apart of a team gives students a sense of purpose and their own niche within the college world. Believe it or not, staying healthy in college helps students academically. College athletes must stay in shape in order to perform well during games. When fit, people tend to feel better about themselves and much more energized. This energy is useful when cramming for finals, writing research papers, and completing projects. Doing schoolwork, and looking good while doing it has never hurt anyone! So a word of advice to students looking to develop effective skills that will help them survive college...check out the sports offered here on campus, whether it be a varsity sport or club sport. It just may change your college experience for the better!

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