THE
BLUE &GRAY
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER
April 21, 2016
VOLUME 89 | ISSUE 23
PRESS
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE
Valuable items stolen from Hurley Convergence Center
Alex Sakes / The Blue & Gray Press
RACHAEL MANNING Staff Writer
would then lock the door again and return the key to the front desk. On April 7, it was discovered that As effective and well-thoughta PreSonus audio box had been stolen out as this plan may be, Berge is more from the vocal booth in the Multimedia focused on preserving the open and Editing Lab on the bottom floor of the friendly atmosphere of the convergence Hurley Convergence Center. This item, center. which is used to connect a microphone “Every now and then, small pieces to a computer, is valued at about $90. of equipment go missing; a mouse or “We have another one, we have a something,” Berge said. “It’s very rare few of them, but we’re waiting to make that something larger like this disapsure we have some way to secure it betpears but, that sort of thing can happen.” ter before we put it back,” said HCC Berge expressed vexation in conand Digital Auditorium manager Cartstantly having to deal with minor pieces land Berge. The vocal booth has been of equipment going missing, such as partially out of service since the audio markers for the white boards. “It’s frusbox was stolen. trating, but it is something you have to Berge plans to return deal with when you “Maybe the vocal booth to full want a facility to be operation as soon as the there should freely accessible to HCC staff can install a people,” Berge said. security cable, which be more security The HCC staff will make stealing the about who can go doesn’t want to audio box much more lock things down so difficult. This security to the vocal booth.” tightly that people cable would lock onto can’t use them. the device and then “[The audio box] wrap around something is not that expensive that’s stationary, such of a piece of equipas a table or pillar, so that the item canment,” Berge said. “It’s not that difficult not be removed from the premises. to replace.” Without this item, students have no The investigation into the way to connect high-end microphones theft is slow-going, especially since into their computers, since those microthe UMW Police were only notified of phones are designed to plug into devicthe theft on April 14. “We’ve gone to es such as the audio box and therefore, look at the records of who’s swiped in they are not compatible with USB ports. but there have been a lot of people in Students must plug lower-quality USB and out of the rooms so it’s hard to pin microphones directly into their computit down and we don’t want to accuse ers, which can diminish the sound qualanybody unnecessarily,” Berge said, reity of their project. This has been frusgarding the investigation process. trating to students, no matter whether While it is unfortunate that a they need the vocal booth for. member of the UMW community would “It sucks that people can’t be truststeal from the school, theft has not beed,” said senior communications and come a widespread problem. However, digital studies major Kimberly Carbajo. certain preventative measures, such as “Maybe there should be more security the installation of the security cable, about who can go [to the vocal booth].” must be put into practice. For now the She recommends a room reservation convergence center staff has to concensystem that would require people to go trate on ensuring that students have the to the front desk and pick up a key so necessary access to audio equipment in they can open the door. Once a student order to excel in their classes. is finished using the vocal booth, they
-Kimberly Carbajo
IN THIS
ISSUE
1922
Case prompts OCR arrival IZZY BRIONES News Editor
Free Lance-Star reported. With the help of the law office of Katz, Marshall & Banks LLP their complaint resulted in visits from U.S. Department of Education’s OCR representatives. On April 18 and 19 UMW hosted these representatives who met with students in student-only focus groups privately. The representatives of OCR also held “office hours” during which students could meet individually with them to share their perspectives on the important issues at hand. An email was sent from the Office of the President regarding these visits stating the following: “OCR has opened an investigation of [a] complaint filed against the University on May 7, 2015, alleging discrimination on the basis of sex and retaliation. The OCR has jurisdiction to enforce Title IX, federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity receiving federal funds. The University intends to cooperate fully with the OCR in its investigation of the complaint.”
On April 8, University of Mary Washington students received an email on the impending visit of government representatives from the U.S. Department of Education. The reasoning for the email, as well as for the visit of the Office of Civil Rights representatives was said to be, “regarding institutional and community response to reported incidents of sexual harassment, including those incidents stemming from social media use during the 2014-15 academic year,” the email said. In May of last year, a total of eight students including Julia Michels, Paige McKinsey, Kristine Harner, Jordan Williams and Alexis Lehman, filed a Title IX complaint against UMW. The complaint filed last year was said in the Free Lance-Star to have stemmed from threats of rape and death, in addition to cyberstalking towards Feminists United that resulted from the club’s “speaking out against Greek life and an explicit chant by the UMW rugby club,” the
•OCR | 11
New professors for two departments | 11
Brad Lamphere / Research Website
Laura Bylenok / Word Press
URBAN JUNGLE
FRESHMAN FEUD
TOURNAMENT READY
Parkour goes hardcore in campus-wide showcase
Class of 2019 Facebook page sparks disputes
Women’s lax ends regular season with momentum
VIEWPOINTS | 4
SPORTS | 12
LIFE | 6
NEWS
Editors: Ester Salguero & Izzy Briones | blueandgray.news@gmail.com
New waves of Evangelicalism across campuses
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.
ESTER SALGUERO News Editor
EDITORS-AT-LARGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chris Markham
SECTION EDITORS NEWS Ester Salguero Izzy Briones
VIEWPOINTS Tessa Cate
LIFE Kelly Emmerich
SPORTS Mikey Barnes
ONLINE
Ethan Tobin
PHOTO Alex Sakes
UMW Facebook
UMW ranked 57th among the top 100 schools that are titled as risk-reward colleges.
Thank you to our seniors! Emily Hollingsworth (far left), Sarah Grammer (top left), Della Hethcox (top, second from left)
We wish you the best in your post-graduation careers -Love, The Blue & Gray Press staff
SOCIAL MEDIA Sarah Grammer
ADVERTISING MANAGER Natalie Furman
FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian
Alex Sakes / The Blue & Gray Press
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Deborah Jian Lee has fashioned a sense of solidarity with subcultures across multiple campuses in calling herself a refugee of Evangelicalism. Despite growing up in a non-religious household, Lee found a Chinese community church while living in the suburbs of Chicago and joined its youth group. Later in her college career, she tried to continue following the same path but found that she increasingly disagreed with the foundational values of Evangelicalism. Lee shared her struggles, in what felt like a forceful separation from an identity she assumed, at Combs Hall this Monday while introducing her new book “Rescuing Jesus.” At the lecture she discussed the generational changes and progressive movements that have been shifting foundational values in Evangelicalism which she witnessed at different Christian colleges. “I was able to find these people who lived in this split world,” Lee said. The room in Combs where the lecture took place was filled with students, faculty and even local community members. Everyone listened intently to hear about the experiences that Lee wrote about in her book and how she related to Evangelicals across campuses who wanted to move away from the conservative politics that have been carried through many generations until now. Lee talked about her investigative process in interviewing leading progressive Evangelical front-runners like Rick Warren, an American Evangelical Christian pastor and author in California. She found that by talking to the leaders she was getting a regurgitation of the same story that didn’t speak to the trends she was witnessing on campus. “I started interviewing these leading progressive evangelicals but I doubted their authenticity,” Lee said. Lee said that many young evangelical members were leaving mega-churches that were holding onto old ideologies, and that in place of those students, people of color were filling their spots. A junior political science major, Carmela Mitchell, commented on seeing similar patterns that Lee talked about. “I have noticed a shift in the Evangelical community. I’ve seen more evangelical Hispanics and African Americans,” Mitchell said. According to Lee, 60 million young evangelicals leave their community church after the age of 15 in this generation. It is also true according to Lee’s research and investigations that young white lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer identifying individuals that are also Evangelical are accepting of same sex marriage. This is a huge turn-around from just a few years ago. The statistics that Lee presented spoke to the audience and impacted some students who came in with preconceived notions about people in the Evangelical community.
•Evangelicalism | 10 Thursday, April 21, 2016
SPORTS
Love him, hate him, you can’t help but respect him RYAN BRAUCH Staff Writer
LamontTyson/ Youtube
HoopXpress/ Youtube
Kobe Bryant. A name known very well in the sports world and that will not change anytime soon. From his first few games up until his very last, Bryant, also known as the Black Mamba, was a star on the court and has proven to be one of the more fun players to watch. Unfortunately, Bryant’s time on the court came to a close last Wednesday, April 13, as he and the Los Angeles Lakers topped the Utah Jazz 101-96 on Kobe’s 60-point game. This is a Lakers team that has struggled all year to get wins with a record of 17-65, but more importantly Kobe has struggled with just staying on the floor due to injuries and general body soreness. The NBA season is hard on the body, especially if you have played for 20 years like the Mamba. Many times throughout the season, Bryant was forced to sit out or play very limited minutes as he watched his career come to an end. Fortunately, Kobe was able to muster up the strength to put on a show in his last game where Kobe was just Kobe. Bryant concluded a spectacular career in which he was a five-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, an 18-time NBA All-Star and is also the highest scorer in Lakers history. Throughout the season, Kobe said farewell to every city as he played his last games in each arena. He also said goodbye to multiple respectable
players in the game such as Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Steph Curry, Chris Paul and more as he passed on the torch to the younger NBA stars. One thing that was very evident when watching Kobe throughout his last year in the league, is that he finally loosened up. Bryant has always been so serious when playing the game, only focussing on winning and carrying his team. But in his final year we saw Kobe laugh and smile while on the court as he appeared to just be happy to be there. Within the last few games we even saw Kobe laughing at his mistakes instead of beating himself up over them. Taking his last stop in New Orleans as the Lakers took on the Pelicans, Kobe made a nice move to get past his defender but ended up missing the lay up and all he could do is laugh. Watching Kobe relax and soak up all of his remaining time on the court was special for all NBA fans as we got to see him have fun for a change instead of getting so carried away with it all. The Black Mamba recorded 60 points in his final game in a Lakers uniform as he dazzled the fans in the Staples Center. Kobe gave Lakers fans a night to remember as he paid tribute to his city who has stayed faithful to him and the organization regardless of the record they had. This was the first time that the Black Mamba
had at least 40 points all season, as his season high for scoring before was 35. During the course of his career, Kobe has been criticized for not passing the ball and taking the game into his own hands. For his last game his teammates told him not to pass the ball so Kobe did just that, he shot 44 percent in the 50 shots he took against the Jazz and still managed four assists. Bryant also played a season high 42 minutes as he soaked up his time on the court. Kobe made sure that his last “hurrah” was a memorable one. Now that Kobe’s days in the NBA are over, what is next for the future Hall of Famer? Will he take a coaching position, or will he join ESPN in the studios for basketball analysis where he and former teammate Shaquille O’Neal could trade jabs. As Kobe Bryant enjoys a well-deserved retirement, he awaits an induction into the NBA Hall of Fame and for the number 24 to be raised to the rafters as he gets a rise out of the Staples Center one last time. Kobe has been in the game for what seems like forever, and will always be remembered for all of his achievements and dedication to the game. He will also be considered one of the best to ever play. Thank you, Kobe.
Slew of good games begin NHL playoffs CJ CUMMINGS Staff Writer
This week the Philadelphia Flyers and the Detroit Red Wings will be fighting to stay alive in the National Hockey League playoffs. The Flyers will have home ice on Wednesday as they try to stop the Washington Capitals from sweeping them in the best-of-seven series. The Flyers will be doing this without their forward PierreEdouard Bellemare, who was suspended one game for hitting Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov from behind during Game 3 of the teams Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Orlov will also be out due to his injury from the hit. On the other side of the Eastern Conference playoff bracket is the series between the Detroit Red Wings and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Despite the fact that the Detroit Red Wings have set a record for having the most playoff appearances with 25 straight years, they have only won it all four times. They will be on
the road Thursday as they try to keep the series alive. The Pittsburgh Penguins have a 2-1 lead in the series over the New York Rangers. In Game 3 of the series there was a lack of communication between defenseman Keith Yandel and defenseman Dan Boyle that led to the Penguins scoring the go-ahead goal in the third period. Meanwhile the Florida Panthers have a 2-1 lead over the New York Islanders. In the second period of the Game 3, a disallowed goal for the Panthers was enough to get the crowd and the Islanders back in the game. After a review for offsides went the Islanders way and also nullified the Panthers third goal, it lit a fire underneath the whole Islanders team. The Islanders went on to score three goals in the second period alone. The game went into overtime where the Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey came away with the winning goal. In the Western Conference, the Ana-
heim Ducks tried to mix it up by switching goaltenders from John Gibson to Frederick Anderson. The team is going to the goaltender that has more experience in hopes that they will play better as a team. The Nashville Predators have a 2-1 lead on the Ducks. Another series to keep an eye out for is the Chicago Blackhawks vs. St Louis Blues. The Blues have one of the best goaltenders in the league. A big advantage for the Blues is that they have outscored the Blackhawks five to one in the third period and overtime of any regular season game played in Chicago. Do not count the Blackhawks out because they are a team that will fight you till the final horn sounds. The Minnesota Wild finally showed up to play on Monday when they went on a 4-0 goal run and closed out the game by beating the Dallas Stars 5-3. Still, Dallas controls the series as they are up
2-1. If the Wild show what they showed on Monday night they will be able to turn this series around. As the San Jose Sharks enter Game 3, they are looking for all four of their lines to be contributing. They do not have their lines running as smoothly as they want. As a result their top line with Joe Thornton is running the whole show. They are carrying too much weight of the team, if the other lines can start putting up some stats, they might be able to go far in this postseason. Make sure to stick by your televisions and stay updated, as the remaining NHL teams continue their journey for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Weekly Scoreboard softball:
BASEBALL:
Apr. 19 vs. Lynchburg (L) UMW: 1 Lynchburg: 3 (W) UMW: 6 Lynchburg: 5
Apr. 16 vs. York (Pa.) (W) UMW: 21 York: 9
(L) UMW: 5 York: 3
Upcoming: WOMEN'S TENNIS: Apr. 23 vs.CNU 12:00 p.m. CAC Tournament Championship
WOMENS lACROSSE: Apr. 23 @ St. Mary’s College of Md. TBD
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VIEWPOINTS
Class of 2019 Facebook page: Friendly group or warzone?
JACOB ATKINSON Staff Writer
When I was accepted to the University of Mary Washington, I was very excited to meet new people and get to know my classmates, seeing as how I knew very few people from my high school that would also be attending. Not long after receiving my acceptance letter, I got a notification on my Facebook page that I had been invited to join the Class of 2019’s Facebook group. It was a relatively exciting moment, though I didn’t think I would learn much about my classmates through a computer; even so, I was looking forward to the opportunity to talk with everyone. For anyone who is not familiar with this particular Facebook group, let me explain my experience with it over the course of my freshman year. Prior to coming here, I would click on a Facebook chat and not expect much. However, after this school year, I now know to click with caution. When I do join one of these groups, I come prepared with armor and quick responses at the ready. This group was most likely
Google / iasoftgroup.com
intended to bring students together, serving as a platform for constructive ideas to be shared and potential friendships to be made. In some respects, it has, but it has also caused an unbelievable number of online fights that just seem senseless. The school year started out uneventful – it was a normal Facebook group that you didn’t really check unless you lost your
Graduating seniors make plans to move back home despite social stigma
EagleOne card and wanted to ask if someone had found it. However, it has transformed into a warzone of petty arguments that give readers immediate flashbacks to high school. By scrolling through the page, you can find complaints that would be better off registered with a staff member or administrative official, not whined about on a Facebook page. It’s a place
where more often than not, you will end up being bombarded with feedback, both good and bad, as a result of speaking your mind; but either way, it leaves you regretting posting anything at all because of the absurd number of notifications you receive as a result and are continuously reminded of each time someone likes or comments on your post. Now, I find that the only positive thing that comes out of the page is that it’s a good medium through which to look for a new roommate. I imagine that the feedback on the page, regardless of the constant flow of nonsense that composes the majority of it, is still helpful to the administration when gathering students’ thoughts and opinions. Regardless of how irritating it is to see these useless fights on the page, it most likely still serves a strong enough purpose for the administration to keep it in place, but perhaps there is a better alternative. Surveys that are given to students could be a more concise way of getting feedback without having frustrated teenagers battling out their differences, yielding no positive result.
Editorial: The Blue & Gray Press reflects on past year, says goodbye to seniors and welcomes new staff
SHAWNYA PETERSON Staff Writer
You’ve just graduated, diploma in hand and ready to begin life in the real world. Now, the first step is… to move back into your childhood bedroom at your parents’ house. After four years of living more or less on your own, moving home after graduation can feel like a step backwards, in no small part due to the social stigma associated with it. In fact, when one types “moving home after college” into Google, the first suggestions that pop up are “depression” and “no friends.” When asked about moving home after college, Jada Steward, a junior English and communications and digital studies double major, talked about the negative associations that come with it. “The stigma surrounding moving home is an undeserved product of the trap that is a college education—if you don’t get one, you’re screwed; if you do get one, you’re screwed. It is a viable option for those who don’t want to start their lives in debt.” Steward continued with her post-grad plans, touching on the difficulties many students encounter with their newfound independence. “I am personally refusing to move home after college, which requires careful planning on my part if I want the start of my post-college life to be manageable.” After college, recent graduates have their hands full with graduate school applications, apartment hunting, landing a job and financing all of the above. Making the move back home can give them a chance to return to their roots and, in this time of transition, offer some much needed stability. The familiarity of a parent’s home combined with the presence
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of loved ones can help ease the stress of post-grad life. Even so, stability can come from many sources, and not every college student’s family is willing or able to welcome them home after they finish their education. “I think it is important for those who are welcome back at home to remember that this is a privilege not all of their peers can enjoy,” Steward said. For example, aside from providing a familiar setting post-graduation, living at home can also be a way to save money while you find your footing. Even if your parents decide to charge rent, chances are that your old bedroom is a cheaper option than leasing an apartment. While it may seem like an unnecessary step backwards, the money saved will allow you to get a head start on your student loan payments and start building your savings, all while kick-starting your career. Despite the stigma, there’s no shame in returning home. It is what you make of it, and can be an opportunity for growth just as much as starting out on your own. Moving back home doesn’t mean you’re taking steps backwards. It simply means that that you’re stepping out into the world with your supporters around you rather than behind you.
This week’s issue marks the last of The Blue & Gray Press’ for the semester. As we welcome in our new staff and wish our outgoing staff the best of luck in the future, we take time to reflect on this year and our experiences in our roles. The turnover in staff from last year was enormous. Coming into this academic year, only two of the 10 editors stayed on the staff, due to graduation. As a result, a crop of new, eager, yet unexperienced staff members came into our office as we all worked together to learn how to do our jobs along the way. There’s a certain comfort in doing a job that you know the person next to you is new to as well, and that is what helped this staff grow together. What many do not understand is the amount of time these roles take from our daily lives. There is something to be done every day of the week and nearly a whole day of production is set aside for the paper. We do this not for money, or credit, or any other form of compensation. We do it because we love it and are proud of what we put out every week. This paper has a long, storied tradition at the University of Mary Washington and our goal is to continue to build upon what those before us have built. Like any group, many of us were strangers to each other at the beginning of the
year. As the year wore on, we grew closer as a group and now consider one another good friends. Even if members of this staff do not continue their career in the field of journalism, the building of friendships is something that cannot be undervalued in the college experience. Working with people who are passionate about what they do is truly a great privilege. None of us were forced into our positions – we are here because we want to be and love what we do. Seeing that enthusiasm and dedication week-to-week is something not many people get to do in their career. But now, we welcome in our new staff members who we hope to be equally as passionate as the editors before. Their enthusiasm for what they do is what will drive this paper to new levels. Every year’s staff has its own personality and strengths. I truly believe that this year’s staff was a special group of people who will go far in life due to their passion for what they do. To our outgoing editorswe wish you the best of luck and have the utmost confidence in your futures and to our new editors- you have some large shoes to fill, but we have full faith you’ll get the job done.
By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD
Thursday, April 21, 2016 Thursday, January 21, 2015
VIEWPOINTS
Editor: Tessa Cate | blueandgray.views@gmail.com
Students need experience, not general education requirements
SARA TILLEY Staff Writer
Is a liberal arts education all that it’s cracked up to be? There is no doubt that I have received a great education during my time at the University of Mary Washington, but I cannot be sure that it will help me during my job search after graduation. I have seen countless posters titled “16 tips for class of 16,” listing tips regarding the seniors’ post-graduation job search. They seemed to be simple things that should have been done long before a student’s senior year, like creating a LinkedIn account and resume. While these tips are helpful to some, the best way to land a job is through past experience. My main qualm with the liberal arts education that makes me question if it really helps students land jobs comes down to the fact that students take required classes, known as general education courses, simply because they have to. Though I cannot speak for everyone, I can personally say that I began viewing classes as “oh, this checks off the quantitative reasoning requirement,” rather than as interesting and worthwhile uses of my time. There are so many memes circulating on social media that use humor to point out the fact that people don’t know how to do taxes, but do, in fact, know that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. Though these memes are meant to
Flickr / Alan Light Recent graduates face new challenges and move home as they enter the work force.
poke fun at education or the lack thereof, they make an interesting point. General education requirements provide us with knowledge, but not necessarily the kind that we need. Elena Zitzman, a senior English major, explained that though the requirements are helpful, they may not be enough. “I took Chinese and knowing Chinese is helpful, but four semesters isn’t enough. I don’t know if I can put it on my resume because if I do, my employer will proba-
bly think I’m fluent.” Similarly, Brianna Costache, a senior psychology and English double major, said she “studied French which was helpful, since [she] studied abroad. But some of [her] friends from others schools take culture classes rather than having a language requirement and [she] thought that could be a good alternative.” While the intentions behind the requirements are good, such courses may not be very useful to recent graduates as they
Facilities Services fails students, loses credibility
example. A while back, Lambert and her roommate realized the shower in their suite bathroom wasn’t draining properly. It would take several hours to dispose of Facilities Services needs to get their act small amounts of water. They submitted together. At least I think they do. Since a work order and were quickly notified starting at the University of Mary Washthat the problem had been solved. But the ington this past fall, I’ve been amazed by next time one of them went to shower, the the number of work request horror stories water didn’t drain. Upon calling Facilities I’ve heard from friends, and it’s gotten Services, the pair discovered that workto the point where I don’t know a single ers had gone to the person who hasn’t had at least one “I’VE HEARD TOO MANY BAD wrong room, found no problems, and bad experience STORIES TO CONSIDER THESE marked the work with Facilities request as resolved. SMALL COINCIDENCES.” Services. Hearing Lambert remarked so much negativ- Elizabeth Brantley that though she is ity in such a short typically satisfied with work order comtime is a big red flag. pletion, she found, “the fact that they went For those of you not aware, Facilities to the wrong place [to be] concerning.” Services are the people that deal with evFurthermore, there’s the case of Sarah erything from icy sidewalks to broken toiHeisey who lives in the UMW apartments lets. The idea is that when something goes with her two roommates. Last fall, the wrong in your dorm, you submit a work three discovered that one of their toilets order request to get things fixed within a didn’t work so they, of course, submitted a day or two. It’s an important service we work order. Their request was ignored for receive here at UMW and shouldn’t ever several days, so they submitted another be taken for granted. However, due to its that was ignored as well. Eventually, Faimportance, I think it’s necessary to look cilities Services claimed to have dropped at it with a critical eye now and then in order to make sure everything is still oper- by and fixed the toilet even though it was clear they had not. To this day, the three ating smoothly. That being said, certain roommates still share one bathroom, much evidence points towards flaws within to Heisey’s annoyance. “We were promFacilities Services. ised two bathrooms when we signed up Take the case of KT Lambert as an
search for jobs. The purpose of a liberal arts education is to create a well-rounded student. UMW “produce[s] graduates who are critical thinkers prepared to succeed,” as it states on its website. The College of Arts and Sciences, which has nearly 30 majors, is the largest of the three Colleges at UMW. Its mission statement reads, “through problem solving, research, and creative work that takes place within a diverse community, students learn to analyze critically, value social responsibility, respect diverse viewpoints, communicate effectively and thus prepare for leadership in rapidly changing environments.” However, only one course is required to fulfill the “Experiential Learning” section of the school’s general education curriculum. Nowhere do the course guidelines state that this “experience” must pertain to a student’s major or desired career, meaning that the only experience students are required to have may not even contribute to their knowledge of the subject they have chosen to study. Personally, I believe that internships should be stressed more than they currently are and should be able to take the place of a general education requirement.
Letter to the Editor:
ELIZABETH BRANTLEY Staff Writer
Flickr / velacreations
to live in the apartments,” she said, “and now we have one.” When asked to comment on these issues, Facilities Services Associate Vice President John Wiltenmuth said that his department handles “between 13,000 and 15,000 work requests in a typical year,” and that “any process may experience occasional aberrations,” but personally, I’m not convinced. Miscommunication and occasional issues are one thing, but checking the wrong room? Essentially lying about work completed? I’ve heard too many bad stories to consider these small coincidences. At the end of the day, it’s not about bratty students who want more than they need. It’s about basic services being denied to students who require them as well as denying that there’s any kind of problem at all. I hope that this might serve as a wakeup call for students to voice their concerns and for faculty to take note.
I was amazed by the outpouring of support from the Fredericksburg community for the University’s Guinness World Records attempt last week. All who gathered, including faculty, staff, community members, alumni, students and sports teams, seemed to thoroughly enjoy the event. What a shame we couldn’t have garnered more participation from UMW students for this fun and uplifting event. Heartfelt high-fives and thanks to the many committed volunteers and participants, especially our extraordinary emcees, Dean Rucker and Mikey Barnes. Appreciation also goes to Harvey Signs and to our prize donors, Blackstone, Sugar Shack, Vocelli’s Pizza and Home Team Grill. It was a valiant effort in honor of a valued member of our community, President Rick Hurley. Signed, Anna Billingsley Associate Vice President for University Relations 5
LIFE
Editor: Kelly Emmrich blueandgray.life@gmail.com
Parkour Club turns campus into a giant jungle gym
KELLY EMMRICH Life Editor
UMW Parkour Club members met on Ball Circle around noon and began their warm-up for the day. The members went through a series of exercises; first arm circles, then head circles, hip circles, knee circles, ankle circles and then jumping jacks. Around 12:30 p.m. five or six free-runners from University of Virginia came to join in the warmup rounding the total to about 20 participants. When everyone had arrived, they all proceeded to their first jam location, Trinkle Hall, where they flipped over the railings, climbed trees, leapt over steps and did standing backflips in the grass. After an hour, they moved on to their second location. “Personally, I most enjoyed doing parkour by the UC,” said president of the parkour club and host of Carson Meadows/The Blue & Gray Press the parkour event Carson Meadows. for James Bond films. The University of Mary Wash- “By then, everyone was warmedington Parkour Club hosted its up, hyped and itching to do some first annual Parkour Day on Sat- big stunts. The area itself has good urday. The event was an all-day walls to jump, climb and flip on. event and took place in different The rails are fun to play on as well areas of campus. Even with hun- as the tables, and the steps in front dreds of prospective students mill- are a perfect size to leap over.” Meadows has been doing parking around on campus walk for Accepted Students Day, it wasn’t our on his own for several years, and he has worked and trained hard to spot the Parkour Club. Jim Halpert once said on “The Office” that “The goal is to get from point A to point B as creatively as possible. So technically they’re doing parkour as long as point A is delusion and point B is the hospital.” Even though Michael, Andy and Dwight couldn’t do parkour very well, that doesn’t mean that the 2004 internet sensation is reserved
Carson Meadows/The Blue & Gray Press
many skills ranging from landings, vaults, walls, rails and more.” When he started the club he was the sole instructor and he had to build up the team from there. “The inspiration for starting the club came from when I saw some skateboarders doing some tricks,” Meadows said. “They were pretty good, but I noticed that their landings when they bailed were horrendous. Part of my goal here is not just to teach cool parkour moves, but to really stomp out these awful habits people have. Done right, three-story drops can be walked away from like EveryDrake Dragone/The Blue & Gray Press nothing.
with Urban Evolution, an established parkour gym in Virginia. “Essentially, parkour, to me, is a style of movement that can be employed to traverse an environment in a safe and efficient manner,” Meadows said. “I aim to teach
UMW Day of Silence, PRISM fights against bullying
KYRA KETCH Staff Writer
in which students across the country vow to take a form of silence to call attention to As the Bell Tower struck noon on Friday, the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying April 15 students and faculty across cam- and harassment in schools. Since the first pus made their way to Ball Circle. Decked Day of Silence event held at University out in brightly colored shirts and smiles, of Virginia, thousands of middle schools, friends greeted and embraced one another. high schools, colleges and universities Then, without skipping a beat, all who had commemorate the day each year. gathered joined hands and formed a circle. According to the organization Stomp Out In the center stood the President of PRISM, Bullying, 9 out of 10 LGBT students reRachel Tiemann, who thanked those who ported being harassed and bullied last year. had come and explained what it was they The same study showed that over onewere gathered there for. third of LGBT students were physically Day of Silence is a national day of action assaulted and about 2/3 of LGBT students reported having been sexually harassed at school because their sexual orientation or gender identity are different than those of heterosexual students. In honor of the LGBT youth who have been affected by this bullying, those who had joined the circle were asked to participate in a moment silence. Emily Bostaph/The Blue & Gray Press of After a short
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yet somber 60 seconds, Tiemann invited everyone to join PRISM for their annual Breaking the Silence barbeque. What is unique to PRISM’s Day of Si-
means to her. “To me, it’s a way for the community and those who support us to come together in protest and solidarity to make sure that, in years to come, others like us don’t have to.” Crandall said. “It’s been so many years of the f-slur and homo used as insults, of queer children committing suicide, and of physical abuse at the hands of those who refuse to be accepting and we are trying to change Emily Bostaph/The Blue & Gray Press that.” Junior Sarah lence is the focus on breaking the silence Heisey has been a member of PRISM since rather than recreating it. The club turns the her freshman year. day into a celebration of LGBT culture and “It’s important to me that at UMW we time to feel accepted by one’s peers. hold a moment of silence for people afLeise Crandall, a first-year student and fected by anti-LGBT bullying, violence, club secretary experienced her first UMW and harassment, but also take this day to Day of Silence last week. end the silencing faced by our community. “I’ve only ever participated in high We celebrate who we are, loud and proud,” school day of silences which were much Heisey said. smaller in scale and we were often belitDay of Silence is an important event here tled.” Crandall said. “Here, most members at UMW; it is a day of unity and pride, a of the campus community were supportive day that welcomes students, faculty and and kind and it was pretty empowering to community members alike to call UMW be a part of.” home. Crandall also shared what Day of Silence
Thursday, April 21, 2016
LIFE
UC recipes: making waffle tacos and ice cream floats
RIPKEN SMITH Staff Writer
the honey onto both sides of the waffle. After putting the butter and With the end of the spring semester honey on the waffle, add a little bit of coming in just a week, eight days and syrup on the waffle and then cut it up counting, now is the time to use up your and enjoy. remaining meals, flex and guest swipes. Another fun breakfast option is The dining hall on the fourth floor of to make is a waffle taco. Taco Bell the University Center has several food released the waffle taco last year, but options. However, sometimes the food with several customer complaints is bland or not very appetizing. For any about the small size, the waffle taco students who want to make the UC food has been taken off the menu. Even better or though Taco just try Bell doesn’t something have the waffle new, here taco on the are three menu, students Stephanie/Flickr recipes. can still enjoy The taco waffle with eggs, bacon and sausage. A fun having a waffle a Dr Pepper float. Sadly, the UC doesn’t desserts, so head on over to the UC and breakfast taco at the UC, have root beer at the UC and Dr. Pepper option that and at a larger is the next best thing. the UC size. In order to make one, you just need offers is All you need to ice cream and Dr Pepper. First grab a a waffle do is make a regucup, go to the ice cream machine and but if you lar full size waffle, pick your ice cream flavor. Fill it up think they a plate of eggs, halfway or a quarter of the way and are pretty bacon, sausage and then go to the drink machine. Be careful bland then shredded cheese. when filling the rest of the cup with Dr you can Put the toppings Pepper because it tends to bubble up and make your on the waffle, fold overflow. So it doesn’t cause a mess, it very own Edsel Little/Flickr it like a taco and would be best to get a separate cup and honey but- Honey butter waffle dipped in syrup. dig in. fill it up about halfway with Dr Pepper. ter waffle. With the weather Gently mix the ice cream and the soda Start by making a regular waffle. warming up, there is more of a demand together, and your float is ready. While the waffle is cooking, place honey for cooler drinks and ice cream. The UC Even though the end of the semester margarine on your plate. Once the waffle offers ice cream, gelato, soda and water, Joy/Flickr is fast approaching, there is still time is done cooking, place it on top of the but after a long day the best thing is to Dr Pepper ice cream float. to make all of these tasty meals and margarine. Spread the butter and squeeze combine ice cream and soda and make
ResHall Recipes: finals week comfort food
CAITLIN WILLIAMS Staff Writer
From burnt popcorn to forgetting to add water to easy mac, college students are historically not the best at cooking. During finals week students are even more tired and forgetful than any other time of the semester. How-
ExarchIzain/Flickr
Julia Frost/Flickr
Tuna Noodle Casserole This is a soft comfort food meal quick and easy to prepare. This is perfect for the struggling student who needs a quick warm meal to get through studying. ● 2 cups pasta - any pasta ● 2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup ● 2 cans of Tuna- doesn’t matter what brand ● 1 can peas ● (Optional) Cheese - Any kind though Cheddar or a mix thereof is recommended ● (Optional) Bread Crumbs 1. Preheat oven for 350°F 2. Boil pasta until soft then strain. 3. Mix Cream of Mushroom Soup, Tuna, and Peas 4. Add pasta to casserole mix 5. Spoon mix into a greased casserole dish
Richard Carman/Flickr
Pizza Sandwiches Here is a sandwich that is both easy to make and easy to eat. ● 6 Hoagie Rolls ● 1 jar of pizza sauce - doesn’t matter the brand ● Sliced or shredded cheese - Mozzarella recommended but other cheeses work 1. Preheat oven to 400°F 2. Half Hoagie rolls and place on ungreased cookie sheet 3. Put however much pizza sauce on each half- you can never have enough let’s just be honest about that 4. Put desired cheese on each roll - again, you can never have too much 5. Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes or until bread is crunchy to the touch 6. Turn the oven to broil for 1-2 minutes***WATCH CAREFULLY***- you only want the cheese to melt a little more on the top. If it stays in too long, it will burn extremely quick
Apple Dumplings This is a delicious dessert to end the night after a long day of studying. ● ● ● ●
2 large apples of any color 1 tube of crescent rolls 1 16oz bottle of Mountain Dew Cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 375°F 2. Slice apple into wedges 3. Unroll the crescent dough until flat irregular triangles 4. Put a slice or two or apple and roll them in the crescent dough- just as you would normal crescent rolls (hopefully you know how to do that- if not, use common sense.) 5. Place the rolls into a 13x9 greased pan 6. Top each roll with cinnamon- however much you feel is necessary 7. Soak them in Mountain Dew- you should only use about 1/3 of the bottle 7
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LIFE
UMW alumni illustrate the highs and lows of the acting world
KELLY EMMRICH Life Editor
“Solid 8” is a witty, intelligent and startlingly real depiction of the dog-eat-dog w0orld of acting. The webshow follows the early beginnings of the acting career of Nicki Shannon, played by co-creator, Magan Carrigan, as she tries to break into the New York acting scene. Several University of Mary Washington alumni have been working on “Solid 8” including 2012 graduate Peter Mumford, 2010 graduate Maggie Baucha, 2011 graduate Taylor Williams and 2011 graduate Carrigan. A handful of other UMW graduates have done smaller jobs on the show. “It was really cool employing so many people from UMW because it was like a fun friendship activity as well as a professional project,” Carrigan said. “Taylor and I talked early on about how we wanted to consistently cast and hire from our alumni pools because supporting our community is a huge deal to us. These communities helped us and taught us and gave us a place to call home. You gotta pay it forward, you know?” The webshow, addresses the real, uncensored fears that every actor just starting their career has. The character Nicki is this spunky, likeable actress who is at a crossroads.
She questions her life choices, how to start her career as an actor and if the struggle is even worth it in the end. In the first episode, the most relatable pilot that I’ve ever seen, is shot in Nicki’s bedroom. She makes the devastating mistake of searching “how to be Solid 8 Productions an actor” on The Solid 8 cast and crew at the premire at Videology Bar and Cinema in Brooklyn, N.Y. Google. As a vulnerable in the movie ‘Obvious problem was funding. result, she spirals down into a pit Child,’ feeling under representaThe “Solid 8” team started an Inof despair that many college stution of our generation’s particular diegogo campaign. In just 45 days, dents and struggling artists can restruggles and worldview, and a de- with no PR or marketing team, late to. sire to create something relatable they raised more than $15,000. The idea for “Solid 8” came to and funny.” With that money they have shot, Carrigan and Williams in their secIn the beginning, Williams and edited and released the first three ond to last year of grad school at Carrigan had a protagonist, Nicki. episodes. In order to make the rethe Actors Studio Drama School. They ran with the character and maining seven episodes of the seaThey, like many others, were startdeveloped her into a hapless ac- son, they need more funding. ing to kick around ideas of what tress in NYC who is trying to start When at UMW, everyone on the they would do after they graduather career but has no idea how to. “Solid 8” team was hungry for ed. This project was originally sup- any theatre opportunity they could “The idea came from a confluposed to be pretty small, but one get their hands on. Whether it was ence of events,” said co-creator script turned into 10 and soon af- acting on the mainstage, directing and writer Williams, “seeing Jenny ter they had Emily Marquet, a DC Studio 115 plays or taking every Slate being absolutely fearless and producer on their team. The only theatre class offered, these gradu-
Hang 10: hammock spots rated across campus
JASMINE PINEDA Staff Writer
It’s that time of the year again when the weather is beautiful and students are more inclined to be outside. Between playing corn hole, tossing a Frisbee on Ball Circle and lounging in the grass, there is another popular activity on campus; hammocking. Here are a few hammock loving students’ favorites spot for hammocking, least favorite spots and general tips on the art of hammocking. Freshman Sean Bermingham hammocks whenever the weather is nice enough. His favorite spot to hang his hammock is by Russell Hall and Brent House because his friends walk by and stop for a chat there. This spot earned a rating of 10/10 for Bermingham. Bermingham would love to try the top of a tree or somewhere high off the ground because he feels like once he got over the fear of falling it would be like floating. On the other hand he wouldn’t ever want to try, any spots that weren’t supported by two trees. “Anything else never seems stur-
dy enough,” Bermingham said. Bermingham avoids hammocking in the forest. This is because, in the woods, leaves are always falling on him and the only sunlight that got through was aimed right at his face. Any forest spot earns a rating of 4/10 in his book. “Sitting in it for a second is nice but taking a nap and sitting in it for a few hours is how you really get the feel for whether or not hammocking is for you,” Ber-
mingham recommends. Freshman Kylie McLendon likes to hang her hammock around three to four times a week because she needs time to relax and relieve stress. Her favorite spot on campus is a popular hammocking area in the small trees in front of Randolph Hall and Mason Hall. This spot earns a 10/10 for McLendon. Her least favorite spot is next to Russell behind Randolph because it’s a little bit too private. For
McLendon, this spot got a rating of 4/10, but for those looking for a more secluded area away from Campus Walk traffic; this could be an ideal spot. An area of interest for McLendon is the spot with trees across from Trinkle where people stack four or five hammocks on one another, “Some spots are just better than others,” said McLendon. McLendon also recommends going over to Alum Spring Park or down by the Rappahannock River. “Be aware of the spot you are trying to hammock. Even if it’s a cool spot, but it might seem a little sketch don’t do it,” McLendon warns. Freshman Jose Araujo likes to hammock twice a week if the weather is nice and his schedule is clear. Jose also enjoys the area by Randolph and Mason and gave it a rating of 8/10. “I like to hear what’s around me,” Araujo said. Because of this he avoids hammock spots anywhere near a busy road or UMW Registrar/Twitter construction site. 9
NEWS POLICE BEAT IZZY BRIONES News Editor
Hit and Run A hit and run occurred at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center on Friday, April 15 between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. The case is pending.
Vandalism Vandalism occurred at Eagle Landing on Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. The case is pending.
Vandalism occurred at Eagle Landing on Friday, April 15 between 7:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. The case is pending.
Vandalism occurred at Eagle Landing on Sunday, April 17 between 1 a.m. and 1:30.a.m. The case is pending
Larceny Grand larceny from a vehicle occurred at the 1300 Block of Parcell Street on Friday, April 15 at 3 p.m. The case is pending under the Fredericksburg Police Department. Petit larceny occurred from a vehicle on the 1300 Block of Grove Avenue on Friday, April 15 at 11 p.m. The case is pending under the Fredericksburg Police Department.
Petit larceny occurred at Jefferson Hall between Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16 between 10:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. The case is cleared and the items have been returned.
Underage Possession Underage possession of alcohol occurred at Bushnell Hall on Saturday, April 16 at 10 p.m. Two administrative referrals were given.
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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Mobilization within Evangelical community •Evangelicalism | 2 “Lee opened my eyes to a different part of Evangelicalism,” Mitchell said. “Before her speech, I believed that evangelicals were strict and did not tolerate others but Lee taught me that religion and toleration of others should not be mutually exclusive.” Lee also talked about differing perspectives from new members that are beginning to change many foundational values which have been a part of Evangelicalism for a long time. For example, with a large number of people from the black community joining these communities, some groups are starting to focus on social justice issues.
“BEFORE, IN THE PAST, WHEN PROGRESSIVE E VA N G E L I C A L S TRIED ASSERTING T H E M S E LV E S , THEY WERE JUST DROWNED OUT BY THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT BUT TODAY BECAUSE OF DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES THEY HAVE A VOICE.”
-Deborah Jian Lee
With the increasingly Hispanic Evangelical membership Lee has found that churches are beginning to form immigration coalitions to support the population of undocumented people in America which she has connected to a result of personal ties within the community. “Pastors are looking into their congregations and they see undocumented immigrants there and suddenly the immigration issue is no longer this abstract Republican versus Democrat thing,” Lee said. “It’s a real person in their pew that they love and they want to protect and that they include in their community.” For Lee, writing her book and doing research on the issues within the Evangelical community drove her out of the Evangelical world but she has also been able to see the changes that people on the margins of this community are starting to take in moving towards a progressive direction. “I was able to explore how people on the margins are really challenging that power [conservative views],” Lee said. “Before in the past, when progressive Evangelicals tried asserting themselves, they were just drowned out by the religious right but today because of demographic changes they have a voice.” As of now Lee has a few things on the burner for upcoming projects that may be related to her new book but that is still a piece of work in the making.
Author Deborah Jian Lee/ / Eagle Eye
UMW ranks as second most cost effective school in Virginia EMILY DALY Staff Writer
On March 6, 2016, LendEDU revealed that the University of Mary Washington ranked 57 out of 1,004 schools in their 2016 College Risk-Reward Indicator study. In the study, LendEDU divided the average student loan debt per graduate by the average salary of graduates with 0-5 years of experience. LendEDU used the Institute for College Access and Success’ Project on Student Debt and Payscale’s College Salary Report for 2015-2016 to conduct their study. According to LendEDU’s website, UMW placed in the top 100 for having an average student loan debt of $17,460 per graduate and an average early career pay of $44,800 per graduate. Compared with the average college debt of $30,000 that will follow most individuals graduating in 2016, the University of Mary Washington placed as a lowrisk school. UMW was one of four Virginia universities that placed in the top 100. Others included were Hampton University, ranked 7th, the University of Virginia, ranked 87th, and Washington & Lee, ranked 90th. The Institute for College Access and Success’ Project on Student Debt from 2014, which was used as a basis for LendEDU’s survey, revealed that on average, 48 percent of the University of Mary Washington graduates will have debt. The 2013-2014 total cost of attendance was estimated to be $24,076 by the Institute for College Access and Success’ Project on Student Debt. LendEDU states that calculating
debt and comparing it with early career compensation is important because the early years of joining the workforce are the most crucial to paying back college debt. Postponing paying off college debt can easily lead to low credit scores and issues with getting loans. In addition, students need to consider college debt while choosing their university because on average, college costs $19,548 a year, leaving 7 out of 10 students in debt by graduation LendEDU’s website states. “Students should consider the risk-reward of attendance before choosing an institute of higher education to attend,” UMW stated in its March 28 newsletter March. UMW’s Director of Media and Public Relations Marty Morrison says that UMW’s ranking “validates that UMW is a great value, especially when considering average student debt UMW students incur in comparison with the average starting pay its graduates earn.” “That’s surprising seeing how small our school is, but perhaps I set my expectations too low for this university,” said freshman Kyle Welty. When asked if she was surprised about the school’s ranking Marty Morrison replied, “Not at all. The ranking validates what we’ve known all along.” LendEDU, specializes in assisting students in managing and lowering their college debt through allowing them to access scholarships and lenders. Their website offers tips on personal finance and tools for assisting students with payment plans.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
NEWS
UMW brings in new professors ASHTON FERNEYHOUGH Staff Writer
UMW Relations
Students facilitate random acts of kindness ELIZABETH BRANTLEY Staff Writer
Last week, University of Mary Washington students were encouraged to “Pay it Forward” during a week of kindness and generosity created by the campus organization. From April 11 through April 13, COAR organized multiple activities to get students to spread love and learn about the pay it forward movement. On April 11 and April 13, students from COAR spent their lunchtime in the University Center for Pay It Forward Week. Not only did they give away coffee to pep up students as finals near, but they also accepted donations of canned food items and toothbrushes that were donated to a local homeless shelter. These sweet and simple gestures helped to emphasize what this week was really about for COAR. Paying it forward is all about trying to, “encourage random acts of kindness, when we can,” said junior economic major and COAR member Kelly Mason. Furthermore, “it’s about doing something without expecting something in return,” said sophomore accounting major Reina Datta. The sentiments of these two students
were highlighted in the big event of Pay It Forward Week where UMW alumni Rich Specht spent Tuesday evening speaking about cultivating kindness. In the presentation, Specht told the audience about his personal journey towards becoming a kinder, more loving person and how his foundation, “Rees Specht Life,” helps others to achieve the same. To begin his presentation, Specht let students into his world and shared the story of a tragic event that catapulted him into the Pay it Forward movement. In October of 2012, the day before Hurricane Sandy hit his Long Island home, Specht’s 22-month old son Rees drowned in the pond in Specht’s backyard. Then, the hurricane hit and destroyed the lawns of everyone in Specht’s neighborhood and affected the lives of countless others. In the aftermath, Specht described a stranger coming to his door. This stranger had heard about what happened to Rees and wanted to help in any way he could. Despite Specht trying to turn him away, the man decided that he and his landscaping business would not only clear Specht’s lawn of debris from the storm, but also make it nicer than it was before and fill in the backyard pond. All
of this was done without pay and with kindness. From that point on, Specht knew his calling in life was to do for others what that stranger did for him. So, he started up the Rees Specht Life Foundation, named for his son. This foundation is dedicated to the simple idea of working together to create a better world for everyone without asking for anything in return. “Value is in the act itself…There’s no dollar value to kindness,” as Specht puts it. The Rees Specht Life Foundation regularly has food and toy drives, do presentations across the country to people of all ages and have, so far, provided 11 scholarships to high school seniors. The foundation also distributes small cards which contain a challenge for those who receive them, reading, “this card is a solemn promise to pay it forward and perform a random act of kindness…” As of the talk last week, Specht said his foundation has distributed around 360,000 of these cards worldwide. For more information on COAR or to get involved in future events such as these, visit COAR’s page.
OCR meets privately with UMW students • OCR | 1 Another email from the university stated that students would not need to provide their names to the visitors, and that OCR would not share the names of participating students with the university to maintain privacy. “The complaint [alleged] that UMW condoned and ratified a sexually hostile environment by permitting the ongoing gender-based cyberstalking and cyber assaults [through the use of Yik Yak] of Feminists United members...Attorney Debra Katz said the messages numbered more than 700...The complaint claims that in failing to take any action, UMW violated its legal obligations under Title IX,” the Free Lance-Star reported. Kelli Musick who graduated from UMW in 2015 and was a part of the Feminist United Club now works for Feminist Majority and was one student behind the complaint. “When you’re a student, your university has a legal and moral obligation to protect you...when [the] environment becomes hostile, the administration is obliged to do something about it... Feminists United - as both a collective and individual members - were targeted last year with in-person and online
Thursday, April 21, 2016
harassment, as well as online threats of physical and sexual violence. The actions - and inaction - that allowed that to happen cannot go uncorrected,” Musick stated. She hopes that OCR will listen to the university’s students and take into account those who were affected by last year’s events. “I hope that OCR [recommends that the]... University addresses the patterns of harassment against women who speak out against gender-based violence...I hope the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights will hold members of the administration accountable for their roles in permitting that harassment and provide a structure to prevent other students from facing what members of Feminists United had to endure last year.” In addition, Musick criticized an open letter that President Hurley wrote to Feminists United President Ellie Smeal, in which Hurley stated that the complaint filed by Feminist Majority Foundation was “recklessly publicized” with “unsubstantiated claims and misinformation.” This was due to the fact that the Feminist Majority Foundation had scheduled a press conference which
Hurley said was to seek media attention when the university had scheduled a meeting to discuss the allegations beforehand. Hurley continued by discussing the complaint which stated that, “UMW ‘ignored’ students’ concerns regarding comments made on the social media app Yik Yak,” an allegation Hurley called, “demonstrably false.” “UMW is obligated to comply with all federal laws – not just Title IX. The First Amendment prohibits prior restraints on speech, and banning Yik Yak is tantamount to a content-based prohibition on speech,” Hurley said. Hurley continued by discussing the death of Grace Mann, who was a member of the Feminist United Club. He said it was irresponsible to claim that Mann’s murder was related to the rise in, “explicit and offensive comments on Yik Yak” “Pursuing a media campaign based on speculation is likely to undermine FMF’s and UMW’s mutual goal of affecting positive change...UMW is committed to fostering a supportive, safe and positive environment for all of our students – men and women alike,” Hurley said.
For the fall 2016 semester the biology department, along with the English, Linguistics and Communication department, will be welcoming in new faculty members. The biology department will be welcoming Dr. Bradley Lamphere, a specialist in fish ecology and evolutionary biology. The ELC department will be gaining an assistant professor, Laura Bylenok who will be teaching creative writing courses. Dr. Lamphere received his doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina. In the upcoming semester he will be teaching animal ecology, vertebrate zoology, biology of fishes, and other courses that fit under the core requirements for the biology major. “I have animal ecology with Dr. Lamphere next semester,” said junior Zoie Patrick. “Although I don’t know much about him, I’ve heard he’s a good professor so I’m excited to take his course.” However, the biology department will not be offering any new courses in the fall 2016 semester. Dr. Bylenok did her undergraduate studies at the University of Washington, completed her Master of Fine Arts at Johns Hopkins University and received her doctoral degree in English Literature and Creative Writing: Poetry, from the University of Utah. Dr. Bylenok was a graduate teaching assistant and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University from 2009 to 2012. She will begin teaching two creative writing courses which are two sections of ENGL 304: Creative Writing: Poetry. For the rest of her teaching experience she has been at the University of Utah. She has also published some original works, two books, one of poetry and one prose. Dr. Bylenok has published poetry anthologies as well and has won various fellowships. “The English department is very excited about the new creative writing poetry department and I am really hoping to take one of her classes in the spring semester of 2017,” said junior Kate Chisholm. Dr. Gary Richards, associate professor of English and chair of the department, has said that there will be new courses offered in the fall semester for the ELC department. “As far as new courses, there are only a few new special topics courses,” Dr. Richards said. “Professor John Morello will offer COMM 370Q: Communication and the 2016 Presidential Campaign, a speaking-intensive course examining that promises to be one of the most unique elections in recent national history.” Professor Jon Pineda, assistant professor of English, will be teaching an eco-literature class that is writing-intensive and focuses on writing about ecological issues. Another new course will be offered by Shumona Dasgupta, she currently teaches a course on the global issues in literature and she will be in charge of a new course on her expertise in post-colonial theory and literature.
11
SPORTS
Editor: Mikey Barnes | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com
Season for rugby programs come to end
NBA playoffs set up to be one to remember MATHIEU WETMORE Staff Writer
UMW Women’s Rugby
ELIZA MAY Staff Writer
Over the weekend, the men and women rugby programs concluded their seasons. For the men’s team, the season started with the addition of two new coaches, Hennie van Zyl and Augustin Oulton. For the women’s team, they were cautiously optimistic after losing the conference finals in the fall. The men’s home opener, a double header against VCU and William and Mary was moved to Richmond due to field conditions. After coming out on top for both games, they were forced to cancel their next game due to single-digit temperatures but came out on top the following weekend, shutting out York 60-0. After spring break, the team hosted the Capital 7s tournament for high school teams in the region. Mother’s Rugby beat Georgetown the following weekend 26-22. Unfortunately, Mother’s Rugby was unable to end the season on a high note, suffering a 98-0 defeat against Mount St. Mary’s in Fredericksburg on Saturday. “We played individually and not like a team,” said sophomore Ryan Iskowitz. “They saw us getting angry and that let them really rip the game open. If we want to compete with them next year, we need to get stronger mentally and physically.”
The women’s team came in to the spring season with a bit of adversity. After losing to Salisbury in the Capital Conference Championship at home last November and losing close to 15 members in addition to the 13 seniors that graduated last May, they were forced to cancel their first two matches due to field conditions and freezing temperatures. By the end of February, the weather started to calm down allowing for practice to resume on a normal basis and they were able to defeat Rappahannock at home 50-15 before going on Spring Break. Once they returned, the season really got underway, coming out on top against UMBC, Catholic University, American University and George Washington over the next month. Thanks to a successful spring season and with their only loss of the year coming from Salisbury in the conference championship, the Mary Washington women’s rugby team was awarded a bid to compete in and host the USA Rugby DII Nationals Round of 16. UMW women’s rugby came out on top after the first day, defeating the highly favored South Carolina Gamecocks 25-19, to move on to the Elite 8. On Sunday, in a rematch to rival, and conference champion Salisbury, they were unable to pull off
the upset, losing to a very good SU team 48-14. To close out the season, the women’s team elected to participate in the DC Furies’ Ruggerfest this past weekend. In a major comeback, ending the first half down 12-0, UMW was able to pull out the victory, beating UMBC 19-12 in the first game of the tournament. Their success continued into Saturday afternoon when the women defeated NC State 26-19, earning a place in the semi-finals. The women’s team was unable to progress to the finals, losing Sunday to the University of Pittsburgh 49-7. Pitt went on to win the tournament, defeating GW that afternoon. “It was nice to have a post season tournament where all we had to worry about was having fun,” said president Jaclyn Sherman. “It was a great way to end the season and get rookies some game time.” All in all, the women’s team had a great season, making it to the Elite 8 for the first time since they won nationals in 2014. “It was sad to play my last tournament with the graduating seniors. It was emotional. We knew this was going to be the last time this team would ever play together,” said junior Lani Budi.
Women’s lacrosse ready for CACs BRITTNEE HAYNES Staff Writer
The University of Mary Washington women’s lacrosse team honored its three seniors – Ashlyn Dacey, Jamie Dillon and Paige Thumel – with a win on Saturday, April 16 at the Battleground Athletic Complex. With a 13-10 win over Marymount University, the Eagles close out their regular season play improving to a 13-3 overall record. After giving up two goals to Marymount, the Eagles went to work scoring two unanswered goals. Dacey struck first with 16:52 remaining in the first half. Sophomore Holly Hudson followed with a goal to tie the score 2-2. In the last 10 minutes of the first half, Mary Washington scored four more goals, two of which came from Dacey. At the end of the first half, the Eagles had a 6-3 advantage. In the beginning of the second half, Dacey added to the Eagles’ lead with two more goals. Freshman Mackenzie Maguire also scored, giving the Eagles a 9-3 advantage. Exactly 30 seconds later, Dacey scored another goal to extend the lead to 10-3. Hudson scored her second goal of the game and freshman Julia Albert followed that with a goal of her own. Dacey went
Thursday, April 21, 2016
on to score her seventh goal of the game with 5:20 left in the game. Marymount was able to score a few more goals, but not enough to win. “I had a lot of family in town because it was senior day so I was just happy that they got to see a good game,” Dacey said. “The best part of my senior game was getting to share it with the other two seniors, Ashlyn Dacey and Jamie Dillion. We’ve been through a lot over the last four years and being able to celebrate all the hard work we’ve put in together was very rewarding,” Thumel said. Dacey is also the Capital Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week for her impressive 11 goals during CAC play. In addition to her career-high seven goals against Marymount, Dacey scored four goals against No. 15 ranked Christopher Newport in a decisive 12-4 victory earlier in the week. The win is due to, “all of the hard work we’ve put into this season so far, and all that’s left to do on game day is show up, trust yourself and your teammates and let everything else just fall into place,” Dacey said. The Eagles carry their momentum from
a win on senior day into the Capital Athletic Conference tournament. “We have some really good competition coming up, but in the four years that I’ve played for this team, I think this will be our most successful CAC run yet,” Dacey said. “We have very high expectations for the CAC tournament with the hope to play and win the championship on April 30,” Thumel said. In CAC play, the win over Marymount lifted the Eagles to a 6-2 conference record, which earned them the third seed in the tournament. The No. 14 ranked Eagles host Marymount again in the first round of the CAC tournament. “Playoffs are like the beginning of a brand new season and that gives us an edge because we know that every other team we’re going against is working just as hard as we are so that keeps us focused and makes us continue to push ourselves that much harder each and every day,” Dacey said. According to Thumel, the team watches film, studies scouting reports and practices extra hard in preparation for each opponent.
Golden State Warriors (1) vs. Houston Rockets (8): A week ago, most people had the best NBA team in history, record wise, beating Houston in the first round. This belief was confirmed after an impressive Warrior victory in the first game. However, this highly anticipated playoff series has become more interesting with MVP front-runner Steph Curry’s ankle injury, forcing him to miss Game 2, which the Warriors still won. We will see how much time the MVP misses. LA Clippers (4) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (5): Every win is going to count in this series. After a commanding Clippers victory in Game 1, the Blazers must out-rebound the four-seed from LA to win, especially since Chris Paul was determined to assert himself as the alpha guard early in this series. Oklahoma City Thunder (3) vs. Dallas Mavericks (6): Some might wave it off, but the Mavericks stunned the Thunder in Game 2 to tie up their Western Conference playoff series at 1-1. Fans are already looking forward to Game 3 in Dallas on Thursday night, as well as another danceoff duel between Russell Westbrook and Charlie Villanueva. San Antonio Spurs (2) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (7): The Spurs recently set the record for home game victories in an NBA single season. They are set to cruise past the Grizzlies in this series, especially since all-stars Mike Conley and Marc Gasol will be watching from the bench due to injuries. Cleveland Cavaliers (1) vs. Detroit Pistons (8): The Cavaliers are out for revenge this year, after their loss to the Warriors in the Finals last summer. The Pistons will need to maintain their high shooting percentage they demonstrated in Game 1, if they hope to rain on LeBron’s parade this series. Atlanta Hawks (4) vs. Boston Celtics (5): This series will be the most even matchup in the Eastern conference. The Hawks almost blew a 19-point lead to the Celtics in Game 1, but ended up winning by one point. Miami Heat (3) vs. Charlotte Hornets (6): The Heat routed the Charlotte Hornets 123-91 on Sunday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. Miami outrebounded Charlotte 42-28, and outshot the Hornets 58 percent to 43 percent. Toronto Raptors (2) vs. Indiana Pacers (7): The Raptors’ defense won Game 2 to tie up the series at 2-2; the Pacers shot just 41 percent. In Game 1, the Raptors played solid defense, but Paul George was able to do just enough damage to sneak the Pacers by.
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