The Blue & Gray Press

THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

PRESS

April 26, 2018

VOLUME 91 | ISSUE 24 SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

1922

The little non-profit with the big job: RCASA provides resources for local women

ES HETHCOX Contributing Writer

Tacked up on bulletin boards across the University of Mary Washington campus are brochures displaying a sketched tree with teal ribbons hanging from the branches. The pamphlets belong to the Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault (RCASA), a non-profit that provides various types of resources to the city of Fredericksburg and Stafford, King George, Spotsylvania and Caroline counties. While this local organization works to combat the issue of sexual assault in the nearby regions, it also provides resources to survivors of assault who are also UMW students. According to the 2016 UMW Fredericksburg Campus Crime Statistics, the number of reported sexual assaults rose by three from 2015, totaling 11 counts of forcible rape on campus. However, according to UMW’s Office of Title IX, rates of sexual violence at UMW “hold constant with the rates seen at universities across the country.” That office estimates around 20 to 25 percent of students will experience some form of sexual violence during their collegiate years. In a 2016 survey conducted by the office, 19 percent of respondents reported having experienced sexual violence in college. These numbers reflect an ongoing

issue that universities across the nation face. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), college-age females are four times more likely to experience sexual assault than the general population. In fact, the Bureau of Justice released a 2016 study showing that one in five female undergraduate students has experienced sexual assault in college. However, these numbers reflect only students who have reported their assaults. “One of the most challenging aspects of studying and addressing gender-based violence is that it is very much under-reported, for a variety of reasons,” said Marissa Miller, associate coordinator of student conduct and coordinator for prevention and advocacy at UMW. However, even though some victims hesitate to report, the UMW Office of Title IX works hard to spread awareness of the issue by hosting educational workshops and events on campus. According to Miller, these actions encourage reporting. “As students grow more comfortable and familiar with our reporting processes, we expect reporting numbers to increase,” Miller said. Typically colleges offer resources to survivors. The UMW Talley Center offers individual counseling as well as group therapy for survivors during the

academic year. However, sometimes universities cannot address the constant flow of students in need. That’s when RCASA steps in. RCASA is a small nonprofit offering a variety of resources, including educational programs and hospital and court accompaniment. One of the most popular resources is the 24/7 crisis hotline, a free and confidential phone line where people can call and report an assault or find support for previous trauma. Janet Ison has worked for RCASA for five years as the crisis service coordinator and oversees the hotline. According to Ison, the hotline has trauma-informed staff answering the lines and nighttime coverage. So at any time, a person can call and report an assault and receive immediate assistance. Similar to the Talley Center at UMW, RCASA provides individual and group therapy to survivors of assault. Some of the methods in individual therapy involve cognitive approaches to processing trauma, art therapy and educational lessons. The groups also focus on ways to heal from trauma and provide psychoeducation and support to members. Community support Even though the organization has a set staff, volunteers make up a large portion of RCASA’s workforce. According to Christina Burben,

executive clinical director, women are the majority demographic when it comes to volunteers. The staff hasn’t experienced any issues with lack of participation, even with the mandatory 40 hours of volunteer training. “The volunteer numbers have been pretty steady over the past year and a half,” Burben said. While volunteers may not be a barrier for the non-profit, lack of funding and awareness are two issues the small staff combats daily. RCASA receives its funding from federal and state grants as well as community donations. With the

Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault (RCASA) Twitter RCASA works to combat sexual assault and help assault survivors

numbers of reported sexual assaults and rapes remaining consistent the organization has a constant pool of clients to serve. In 2017, RCASA provided help to 241 female survivors of sexual assault. Due to limited funding, RCASA has a waitlist which is often six to eight weeks long for clients, making it difficult for survivors who are in urgent need of support. “We struggle to get individual donors,” Burben said. “The more funding we have, the •RSCA | 10 more services we are

Dr. Sudhir Nagaraja leaves Talley Center I never received a follow-up from Dr. Paino’s office,” he said. Dr. Paino’s Chief of Staff, Jeff McClurken, responded in a statement. Dr. Sudhir Nagaraja’s last day at “Since Dr. Paino’s arrival, the the Talley Center was Wednesday, Apr. University has made a number of 18. After five years as the university’s positive steps with regard to mental contracted consulting psychiatrist, he health, including adding staff and says that UMW can and should do creating the satellite office, all in a time more to prioritize mental health. of limited resources,” McClurken said. “Over the years, the caseload has Nagaraja says that the lack of increased,” Nagaraja said. “The accuity mental health I think has resources is gone up in the “I think [my experience at the a problem time that I was at the Talley Talley Center] has emphasized that extends beyond Center, and how little resources [there are], campus. I’m not sure if “I know the resources and a lot of times how mental that this is not and support health becomes less of a priority.” just an issue from the at University administration of Mary has been -Dr. Sughir Nagaraja Washington,” commensurate said Nagaraja. with that “I think locally, statewide and even increase.” nationally there’s a microscope on Nagaraja felt that at times his mental health. Our state has historically critiques of the university’s current not done a very good job.” mental health resources and suggested He pointed to the country’s opioid improvements fell on deaf ears. crisis as an extreme example of this “About two years ago I had sent a failure. letter to Dr. Paino bringing attention to •NAGARAJA | 2 “I think [my the staffing issues that we were having.

Kate Seltzer News Editor

IN THIS

ISSUE

SUMMER READING

Mold caused a section of one students ceiling to collapse.

Photo courtesy of Alex Sakes.

Mold issues cause concern Olivia Bridges and Lindsey Brown Contributing Writer and Senior Writer

From January 2017 to March 2018, the UMW maintenance department received 47 reports of mold and mildew in various campus buildings, according to work orders obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. An analysis of these reports shows that the cases were not resolved in a timely fashion, even when students had health concerns. In addition, response times started slowing since the summer

Econ BENEFITS

Five new books to pick up this summer.

Economics courses benefit political science majors.

LIFE | 6

VIEWPOINTS | 5

of 2017. Of the 47 reports, 19 were completed. Another 19 were assigned, which means that an employee was given the case but the work orders were not yet complete. Maintenance services at Mary Washington says the assigned, but not completed, work orders is just a problem of documentation. “I have good reason to believe that the work was in fact accomplished but we did not properly document the work performed in the •MOLD | 11

YEARLY RECAP

A rundown of UMW sports this year. SPORTS | 3

NEWS

Editors: Meaghan McIntyre & Kate Seltzer | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

UMW community members express THE BLUE & GRAY concern over potential parking changes 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 Lauren Closs

Associate Editor Ginny Bixby

Managing Editor Ryan Brauch

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Meaghan McIntyre Kate Seltzer

VIEWPOINTS Grace Winfield

LIFE Lucas Burkholder

SPORTS Jack Hagn

ONLINE Ronic Ngambwe Harry Fisher

PHOTO Cayley McGuire

FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian

Cameron Ashley Staff Writer

UMW doctor feels school could do more for mental health •NAGARAJA | 1

On Apr. 17, the representatives of Fredericksburg City’s Parking Advisory Committee held an open forum for members of the UMW community to express their concerns about a new potential parking plan. The representatives included Vice President for Administration and Finance and Chief Financial Officer Lynne Richardson, City Councilor Tim Duffy and a representative from Economic Development Authority, Joe Wilson. The committee wrote a recommendation to give to the city to deal with parking problems and is still attempting to finalize a recommendation after their previous effort was rejected. The new recommendation would have several changes to parking that would affect UMW’s students, faculty and staff. The first part of the plan is the get rid of the “No UMW Student Parking” signs that are on the streets near campus. “The committee and the city [are] committed to removing the ‘No UMW Student’ parking signs from all city streets near the campus,” said committee member Joe Wilson. “There has been a question raised about its discrimination against a certain class of citizen and I’ve learned that there are quite a few folks in the neighborhood that don’t consider it very welcoming to the students.” The second step in the plan is establishing resident-only parking permits for College Heights and College Terrace. The committee has already spoken with College Heights residents, and the neighborhood board has agreed to establish parking permits effective from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. All other times parking will be open to the public, including UMW students, faculty and staff. “The recommendation was 24/7. The residents themselves didn’t see the need for 24/7 restricted parking for a couple of reasons. One is, quite frankly, they don’t want to have to get permits for their visitors on the evenings and weekends when there is adequate parking in the neighborhoods. They wanted to focus on when there was parking from outside the neighborhood,” responded Joe Wilson. The third and final addition to the plan is to have the west side of College Avenue become residential parking, and having the campus side remain public parking. A large number of faculty and staff attended the forum. Many expressed

Allison Tovey / The Blue & Gray Press UMW students and faculty expressed concern over potential parking changers.

their concerns in a heated discussion. The greatest concern was the fact that parking in the adjacent neighborhoods would no longer be available. It seemed to be a general consensus that UMW faculty and staff struggles were not being accounted for. “It is not a compromise from the point of view... [of] people who work here,” said Dr. Craig R. Vasey, professor of classics, philosophy and religion. “It is not a compromise to say, ‘you can’t park there at times which you need to park there’. That’s just not a compromise.” Vasey also offered up other ideas than what the committee was proposing. He was met with firm assurance that the committee had discussed this before. Members of the UMW community are worried that the residential parking changes pose a threat to campus events. “A lot of our events begin at 5 p.m. and end around 7 p.m. so those hours wouldn’t really help us with our events,” stated Professor Jon McMillan from the art department. If the neighborhoods are not open for parking, the public who wish to attend events on campus will struggle to find spots. A primary issue for the committee is the removal of the “No UMW student parking” signs. “By taking down the ‘No UMW Student’ parking signs and not putting something in place of that, you’re bringing in a whole other population back in and actually increasing demand [for] parking so the city has to do something to protect its residents,” stated Joe Wilson. The Fredericksburg City’s Parking Advisory Committee plans to meet with the board of College Terrace on Apr. 26, which UMW students and faculty are able to attend.

“It is not a compromise to say, ‘you can’t park there at times which you need to park there.’” -Dr. Craig R. Vasey

experience at the Talley Center] has emphasized how little resources [there are], and a lot of times how mental health becomes less of a priority,” Nagaraja said. “Especially with what’s happening in the country in terms of the opioid epidemic, we don’t spend enough money on mental health treatment. That’s not just an issue at the Talley Center or at UMW; this is a statewide and a national issue that resources are not allocated the way they’re supposed to be. I think that changes when there’s a crisis. It shouldn’t be that way – it shouldn’t be a case where 50,000 people are dying from opioids every year, [and that’s when] we start spending money on it.” In his tenure since 2013, Dr. Nagaraja felt that his services were sometimes underutilized by the university. He found it strange that despite “giv[ing] talks all the time around the area,” he had “never given a presentation at Mary Washington.” Nagaraja is also an advocate for integrative holistic medicine, which attempts to address some of the limitations of traditional Western medicine including high costs and potentially negative side effects through non-traditional means. “Western medicine is great for acute care,” Nagaraja said. “I’m trained in Western medicine and I believe in it, but I don’t believe it does enough when you’re talking about non-critical, non-emergency kinds of issues. The principle behind integrative medicine is looking at things that are outside of that view, [including] nutrition, diet, exercise [and] Eastern philosophies like yoga, meditation and acupuncture.” He thought that this ideology had and has a place at UMW. “I talked with some of the folks at the Talley Center and Dr. Riley who used to be over at the Health Center about incorporating integrated holistic treatments into treatment and offering it to students, and that was met with silence,” said Nagaraja. Dr. Nagaraja cited a variety of reasons for his leaving, including the introduction of the NRA-affiliated firearms club, turnover within the Talley Center and wanting to spend more time at his private practice. Despite his criticisms, he described an overall positive experience in working at the Talley Center. He said the most rewarding part of the job was working with students. “To be able to see students over the course of a year or a couple of years grow and evolve and become adults while dealing with a mental illness, that to me was just fantastic,” Nagaraja said. In parting, Dr. Nagaraja said that the past five years have been “a wonderful opportunity.” “I appreciate the time I had at the Talley Center,” he said. “I do wish everyone there well.”

CORRECTIONS for THE Week PLEASE REPORT ANY MISTAKES SEEN IN THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS TO Lauren Closs, blueandgray.eic@gmail.com or Sushma Subramanian, ssubrama@umw.edu

2

SPORTS

Yearly recap of athletic and academic achievement

ALICEN HACKNEY Staff Writer

This past year, UMW athletics has had their spotlight shined and brightened. Collectively the varsity teams have done better this year than years previous, all while also succeeding academically. Since 2014, the women’s volleyball team has seen more wins under coach Matt Troy than previously recorded. The men’s baseball team achieved a #12 national rating in 2016, which is being followed by a strong season so far this year. Other teams with consistently high rankings include impressive records from the field hockey team, the men’s soccer team and both the men’s and women’s tennis teams. “Athletics has always had a high priority on academics and making sure student athletes are successful in the classroom,” said volleyball coach Matt

Eric Shaw drives the ball

Troy. “With our fall team grade point average coming in at 3.53, we are excited to be in position for our goal as we wrap up the spring semester,” said Troy. Troy keeps his team in academic shape by meeting and going beyond the standards of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award, which requires that teams meet an average GPA of 3.3. On average, students on varsity teams come in their freshman year as teammates and play throughout their years here. Many of them report greater success overall and an ease of the high school to college transition through the athletics department. “I had a very smooth transition,” said freshman basketball player Riley Welch. “I believe the FSEM program helped me out a lot in my first semester. As far as the athletic side, yes we have a very busy schedule; however, our coaches and the entire athletic department do a great job of emphasizing that academics take priority over athletics, so that makes it easier to balance both aspects.” On top of aiding in the transition period, the athletic department supports student athletes throughout the year by providing study hall sessions for every team and a rigorous schedule that helps students UMW Athletics keep everything on track.

“[My coach] always asks how we’re doing in our classes,” said sophomore softball player Courtney Shea. “If you are struggling, oftentimes she’ll create a study hall for you, or if it’s during season, will tell you to take a day off to focus on classes.” said Shea. “I believe that balance is exactly how it should be. I chose to play division III to have this balance, and if I wanted to put my sport above everything, Savannah Powers spikes the ball UMW Athletics this is the wrong place.” With the success both on and off the “I think [athletic life] has better playing field of choice, the visibility of prepared me from a discipline the athletic department has increased. standpoint,” said senior basketball player For instance, students noticed when Eric Shaw. “I find it difficult, now that athletic director Ken Tyler added I'm done with basketball at school, to department vehicles to use as recruitment choose to do my work because of the vehicles back in the fall of 2017. amount of free time I now have.” “I feel that, because we have been Many students have reported that their doing so well on the athletic side of daily schedule is significantly busier things, that more people are noticing during season, and throughout the year what an amazing school UMW is as a whole for some students like junior academically and athletically and Daniel Reed whose seasons on the cross are wanting to be a part of it,” said country team run year round both indoor Voketaitis. and outdoor. Prospective student athletes and Student athletes’ average in-season their families are showing interest in day consists of classes in the morning what UMW has to offer with greater until a set time. For the volleyball excitement than previously seen team, this means their classes end by according to current student athletes. 2 p.m. according to sophomore Rachel This new pull puts UMW on the map in Voketaitis. This is followed by an on a much broader way, and varsity sports average three hour practice, and then look forward to the growth of interest in two days a week there is an hour and 15 their success in the years to come. minute study hall.

Racial disparity in UMW varsity athletics MILEN MEHARI Staff Writer

Black students at the University of Mary Washington are disproportionately represented in the athletics program. This is clear to see when glancing at some varsity sports rosters. Take for instance the UMW men’s basketball team; more than half of their roster is ostensibly Black. In contrast, Black students make up 6% of the student population. As a Black woman raised in the United States, I am keenly aware of the racialized nature of many spaces, and sports are no different. While it is easy to assume that a disproportionate racial presence in sports is a sort of “advantage,” I would argue that is too simple of a conclusion. Sports do not exist in a vacuum, rather, they are part of the social systems and dynamics that afflict our society. When I see Black UMW athletes, I cannot help but think about the racialized nature of sports. Sports, music and entertainment are occupations that are often promoted to young Black kids. Racism, and anti-Blackness specifically, has been intertwined with America since its inception. Thus, it is not ridiculous but rather diligent to explore the ways in which exploitation may be at play when

Men’s Basketball

it comes to Black bodies. Some Black UMW athletes such as senior biochemistry major and rugby player Bernice Kear recognize the social pressures pushing Black children onto the athletic field. “I think in general, sometimes students of color, especially Black males, think that it will be easier to attain wealth, attain fame, attain all the good things in life through athleticism compared to through academics,” said Kear. But she also acknowledged that “there is the flip-side of the school and sports sector in general pushing more men of color to [play sports].” The commodification of Black bodies is best illustrated by Division I Universities that rake in millions of

dollars yet do not pay their athletes, opting instead to pay for their education. While the conversation of paying college and high school athletes is a highly debated topic, we ought not forget the racial and socioeconomic standings of many UMW Athletics of the athletes that are kept from the financial gain their bodies produce. The experience of UMW athletes is unique because the University is a Division III school and does not explicitly provide scholarships for athletes. Jason Ford, a sophomore political science major and track and field runner, is a Black athlete that resonates with this unique experience. “Being a school on the smaller side, interest in attending can be very specific… With Mary Washington not being a culturally-centered school, attendance from Black or multicultural students will usually center around specific areas rather than the all-around culture of the school,” said Ford. In

regards to being a student athlete at a Division III school, he argued it “is playing for the love of the sport,” as opposed to being here for “a scholarship to attend the school.” Eric Shaw, a senior communications and digital studies major, shared some of Ford’s sentiment. “Most Black students don’t have a reason to come to UMW other than to play sports. There’s really not much going on here other than sports involving our [Black] culture,” said Shaw. In regards to the culture of UMW women’s rugby, Kear stated, “this semester we’ve had the most people of color on the team, and it’s really exciting… I can make certain jokes and they can get it and I don’t have to explain it… I’m excited to see these girls not letting the fact that they’re going to a majority white school stop them from participating in stuff and that they’re out playing rugby.” For marginalized groups, like Black UMW athletes, the presence of other Black people in their roster is a source of joy and comradery. Even in the midst of problematic social conditions, Black people find joy in their coalition with one another.

Choice of the writer to capitalize Black.

Weekly Scoreboard baseball

Men's lacrosse

Apr. 21 @ Frostburg St. (L) UMW: 4 FSU: 8

softball

Apr. 21 @ Southern VA (W) UMW: 5 SVA: 1

Men's Lacrosse

Apr. 21 @ Marymount (Va.) (L) UMW: 7 MU: 15

Apr. 24 vs. Southern VS (L) UMW: 12 SVA: 16

women's lacrosse

women's lacrosse

Apr. 21 vs. Marymount (Va.) (W) UMW: 18 MU: 6

Apr. 25 @ Catholic (W) UMW: 15 Catholic: 12

Men's Tennis

Apr. 22 @ Swarthmore (L) UMW: 4 Swarth: 5

Woman's Tennis

Apr. 20 @ Salisbury (W) UMW: 8 Salis: 1

3

VIEWPOINTS

Students pay the price for the poor allocation of UMW tuition funds HANNA LUGO Staff Writer

As graduation rolls around the corner, many students are prepared and thrilled to get into the ‘real world’ to officially start their lives. College is also very expensive. Students either pay for college themselves through student loans, are offered scholarships or are able to have a family member pay for tuition. The high and ever-rising college expenses contribute to overall tuition, housing and meals, but sometimes it seems the University uses these funds in areas that are unnecessary to students. Meanwhile, students are faced with additional fees for important events like graduation. Many colleges differ in how they charge their tuition money. Tuition rates at Mary Washington have significantly increased since the 2013-2014 school year. According to the UMW website, in this year, full-time in-state undergraduates paid around $18,782 for tuition, fees, room and board. In 2014-2015, this figure was $19,682, whereas between 20152016 the prices rose to $20,764, a 5.5% increase. Out-of-state full-time undergraduates were paying $32,968 in the years 2014-2015, which rose to $34,928 in the years 2015-2016 with a 5.9% change. According to the Financial Aid website, the estimated cost of tuition, fees, room and board for in-state students in 2018-2019 will be $23,872 and for out-of-state students, $39,806. Many wonder where money goes when things like a bigger gym could be built or

there could be more options on campus for students to eat. During my experience as a freshman, I was able to explore options in the Nest that still had the wingery hot spot and the sandwich deli. I remember the Nest was always flooded with hungry students between classes, especially around noon during lunchtime. Now that the University Center has opened, with a cost of about $56 million to construct, the dining options have changed, which is an issue when students are charged so much for meal plans. “I felt as though I had more options to eat my freshman year then I did my senior year. The University Center is a great building, but the old dining hall, Seacobeck Hall, had more varieties of food and I always loved to eat there because every room had a different layout. The Underground also had more flexible hours, whereas now they are only open after 5 p.m.,” said senior Abigail Hunt. Now that I’ve been here the past four years, I see how much the food options have changed. The only options that are really available are Qdoba, Vocelli’s, Blackstone and the University Center. Most students get sick of eating the same types of food everyday and would like a broader range of options for their money. The University of Mary Washington has students pay in advance for their cap and gown to make sure that students receive them in time. A couple of students have voiced their opinions on how they feel about having to pay extra, per se, for the cap and gown. “I think that it is ridiculous that

Graduation caps and gowns are $35 to rent, $80 to purchase.

graduating seniors are required to pay for their cap and gown. If they rent it, it’s around $35 but if they buy it, it is upwards of about $80. I personally don’t understand that how after 5 years of progressively inflated tuition..., how the administration didn’t put any money aside in order to pay something that the graduating seniors were actually working towards,” said senior Rachel Lynch. But some students feel as though it is okay that they need to pay more money to receive this achievement. “Personally, I think the cap and gown is pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things,” said senior Rachel Dacey. “But, I feel as though with the rise in tuition prices, we’re not really seeing a lot of developments that actually impact the students. For example, parking lots, garages for students and faculty, dorms/ apartments for upperclassmen and that kind of thing. It seems that much of the new things on campus funded by rising

Caleb Woods/Unsplash

tuition are things that don’t heavily affect student experience.” The University currently is putting money towards the Willard renovation, which is something that is benefiting future students by supplying somewhere for them to live. However, there is some questionable spending around campus. The school doesn’t need to pay extra money to purchase several plasma TVs that are hanging all around the University Center. Half the time, none of those TVs are on or a majority of students don’t pay attention to them. With the amount that the school spends on unnecessary things like this, there should definitely be a huge change in what they put their money towards. Students would thrive off of innovations such as a newer gym, better food options and more options to live on campus. These kinds of additions could also attract incoming applicants by seeing what Mary Washington has to offer.

UMW demographics do not reflect message of Multicultural Fair KOTY BOWEN Staff Writer

If you happened to stroll down Campus Walk on Apr. 14, you were greeted with loud music and a crowd of people varying in ethnicity and nationality. The music ranged from Southern Bluegrass to traditional African song, with vendors and stages lined from George Washington Hall to Monroe Hall. This was the 28th Annual Multicultural Fair. This celebration brings together varying cultures, bringing the campus to life in a collection of music and festivities with the goal of “exemplifying UMW’s commitment to enhancing multicultural awareness.” Organized by the James Farmer Multicultural Center and Multicultural Student Affairs, this event draws an average of 5,000 to 6,000 people every year, ranging from students here at campus to the local Fredericksburg community. While the fair may be organized to promote diversity, the

University has a long history of being a predominantly white school Representation is key, and UMW lacks that in bounds. It lacks it so much, that many students have nicknamed the school “University of Mostly Whites”. This alone shows the students on campus are aware of the lack of diversity and the administration needs to take action in addressing this. According to CollegeFactual, a website that ranks and displays varying aspects of universities across the nation, UMW is almost three-fourths white. This is very ironic when the University goes above and beyond in hosting an event dedicated exclusively to diversity. Another troubling fact is that the faculty and staff has an even more abysmal rate when it comes to ethnic diversity, standing at 84 percent of faculty and staff members being white. A troubling observation is that while many of the professors are white, the University Center cafeteria staff are almost all

The Frederickburg community enjoying the annual MC Fair.

Shyan Murphy/Blue and Gray Press

minorities of some sort. So, while the professors and higher-earning positions are held by predominantly white people, the hands-on, low-paying jobs are held by people of color. These statistics juxtaposed against the University hosting this fair is irony at its finest. According to the University of Mary Washington website, the privilege of having a vending spot is priced, ranging from $100-$140. This makes people who want to display culturally diverse stands wary because the entertainment and services they provide are free, thus giving them no profit to use to pay for their spot. Groups like Avon or vendors who actually sell items are more likely to afford this fee, making the fair a pay-toplay event. This also creates the issue that the University may hold this event for other reasons besides enhancing multicultural awareness. It can give off that, due to the pricing in reserving locations at the festival, that maybe the University is using this as another source of income. This would be carrying on a long tradition in American society of profiting from what seems to be diversity with no return to the minority groups the fair is supposed to represent. The vendors and performances themselves demonstrate that even the fair was lacking in diversity as well. There were three stages set up but only two had non-white performances. The venders were even more disheartening in cultural diversity. Many were just poster and clothing vendors that are on campus routinely, and even worse, beauty cosmetic vendors. Yes, Avon and Mary

Kay were there for all your makeup needs. If you walked all the way down Campus Walk to the very end point of the fair in front of Monroe Hall, you would notice the only two vendors set up for LGBTQ+ people. One was the LGBT Democrats organization and the other was the PRISM club from the University. There were no LGBTQ+ performances, even though a performance would have been spectacular; culture flourishes from this community. Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community myself, it was disheartening to see a lack of representation. Though it is extremely important to focus on ethnic diversity, which is what the university should practice while it preaches it, gender and sexuality are large factors of identity and diversity. By placing emphasis on only ethnic diversity, the University is cutting out other large manifestations of diversity. The fact of the matter is, the Multicultural Fair is a façade of diversity that the University of Mary Washington is putting up. Yes, promoting multiculturalism is a great thing. What is wrong is how the diversity of the University is lacking, and when it is present, it is economically stratified. The fair itself can be seen as an economic gain and just using the profitability of multiculturalism. The vendors can only share their cultural heritage if they can afford it. The University could stand to learn a few things from its own mission statement about cultural awareness.

Thursday, April 2018 Thursday, January 21,26, 2015

VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Grace Winfield | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

Facebook users should take responsibility for their own content KYLE CLARKE Staff Writer

Olga Delawrence/Unsplash

Political science majors should be required to take economics KELLY EVANS Staff Writer

There has been controversy over required courses at the University of Mary Washington for years, specifically with the foreign language and general education requirements. However, the lack of economic courses required for the political science major should be a topic of concern as well. While economics may not be an easy class for everyone, it is an important subject everyone should have a basic knowledge of. Economics allows us to apply its study to everyday life decisions. I was fortunate enough to learn the basics of economics in high school. In 2009, the Virginia Department of Education started requiring students to complete at least one credit in Economics and Personal Finance in order to graduate with a standard or advanced diploma in the state of Virginia. According to the Department of Education’s website, “The Standards of Learning for Economics and Personal Finance also help students develop thinking skills that include analyzing real-world situations, economic reasoning, decision making, and problem solving.” This requirement truly benefits students and it would be great to see a similar graduation requirement in college, specifically for political science majors. Studying the basics of economics will help people in the long run with everyday life events. At UMW, political science majors are required to take 36 credit hours with only one economic class requirement, International Political Economy. The only prerequisites for the course are Intro to Political Science and Intro to International Relations, rather than an introductory economics course. While this course

does focus more on the political aspect of economics, it does not make sense to me to for this course to be offered without requiring Principles of Macroeconomics and Principles of Microeconomics as prerequisites. Political science majors have just as important of a role in the economy as economics majors do. This is because political science majors are likely to become politicians and government officials and they will be the ones who regulate the laws in the economy regarding domestic and international trade. Being a political science major myself, it baffles me that some of my peers do not understand the difference between an open and mixed economy, for example, and these people could be regulating economic laws in future. Healthcare, unemployment and minimum wage are just a few examples of these policies that impact everyone, providing another example of why political science majors should have a basic understanding of economics. Whether you realize it or not, we all have an impact on the economy one way or another, especially with social issues.The amount of times I have heard my out-ofstate friends stress that they wish they had been required to take an Economics and Personal Finance class in high school makes me wonder why the VDOE requirement is not a national requirement for high schools or colleges. Overall, Political Science majors at all schools, not just at UMW, should be required to take introductory courses in macroeconomics and microeconomics as these students may one day have control over the regulations of the economy; and, it is important for everyone to know the basics of economics.

Staff Ed: 2017-18 editors sign off as The Blue and Gray Press greets new staff members This week marks to learn our jobs and By THE BLUE AND GRAY PRESS the last issue of The thrive in our roles. EDITORIAL BOARD Many people do not Blue & Gray Press understand the amount of for the school year. time staff members pour into the producAs the end of the semester approaches tion of the newspaper. From providing and clubs are transitioning their officers, story ideas and approving pitches, to we at The Blue & Gray Press are doing editing articles and laying out the newsthe same. Going into next year, only five paper, there is something to be done every of nine editors will be remaining on staff, day of the week and nearly a whole day of due to the seniors graduating. All five of production is set aside for the paper. We us came onboard the Blue & Gray Staff at the same time last year, along with two do this not for money, credit or any other of the graduating seniors. Throughout this form of compensation. We do it because academic year, we have worked together we love it and are proud of what we put

In the past couple of weeks, Facebook has come under extreme scrutiny for allowing the unauthorized sale of user data to Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm, targeting political ads at specific users during the 2016 election cycle. Most of these ads contained false information and were designed to spread deceitful lies about specific political candidates. CEO and creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has even had to go to Congress to explain the company’s mishandling of user information. The New York Times reports that nearly 87 million users had their data collected and seized by the firm Cambridge Analytica for political targeting purposes. “It’s clear that we didn’t focus enough on preventing abuse,” Zuckerberg said when asked about the disgusting breach of personal security. He went on to say, “we didn’t take a broad enough view of what our

it is. Any social media platform that allows an open spread of information is susceptible to false information being spread amongst users. The only way to prevent actions such as this would be to fully monitor and control each users account, which would be an even more egregious act than what Facebook has already done. Facebook has however, already committed a good portion of their

“If a quote or article posted on Facebook seems a little farfetched, it’s probably because it is.” -KYLE CLARKE

resources and time trying to perfect Artificial Intelligence, or AI, to stop the circulation of false information.

Facebook was recently involved in a data breach.

William Ivan/Unsplash

responsibility is.” This comment begs the question, is it Facebook’s responsibility to protect users from false information? Facebook was started as, and continues to be, a social media device used to share personal information from one user to another. Many people use it as a platform to share various family photos and the current events of their daily lives to their Facebook “friends”. Only just recently did it become a political news machine, used to spread various persons’ and organizations’ individual agendas. While this may be a cause for concern for any children using the website, it should not be the responsibility of Facebook to make sure what users are seeing is 100% true information. Facebook was not built to be a reliable news source. This comment should not come as a surprise to any users, aside from those who are gullible enough to believe otherwise. If a quote or article posted on Facebook seems a little far-fetched, it’s probably because

Scientific American reported that Facebook AI has, “already deleted 99% of terrorist propaganda” from their website. This effort has gone unnoticed by lawmakers and critics alike, who consistently bash Facebook for its so called “unwillingness” to rid itself of harmful, false information. There are still over two billion users currently on Facebook, who don’t seem to be too worried about the website’s recent mishappenings. The USA Today reports that only 8% of Facebook users have said they would stop using Facebook in light of this recent event. “I don’t think we’ve seen a meaningful number people act on that,” Zuckerberg said about the possible profile declination. While the media will try to inflate this story until they can fully diminish the credibility of Facebook, I don’t find this issue to be worrisome enough to fully rid myself of Facebook. Facebook doesn’t need to be attacked for this.

out every week. For this last issue of the year, our new staff is taking over and we are saying farewell to several seniors. Former Editor-in-Chief Kelly Emmrich, Online Editor Es Hethcox, News Editor Izzy Briones and Photo Editor Kyrstiane Urbaniak are all graduating. We are grateful to them for all of their contributions to the newspaper and wish them the best of luck in all their future endeavors. The returning editors are excited to welcome our new section editors: Kate Seltzer for News, Lucas Burkholder for

Life, Grace Winfield for Viewpoints, Jack Hagn for Sports and Harry Fisher and Ronic Ngambwe for Online. Our new staff comes from a variety of different majors and are involved in a variety of different clubs and activities around campus. We know they will be good additions and will contribute to the personality and strength of the new Blue & Gray Press Staff. We will have some large shoes to fill, but with a dedication to sharing campus news with student views, we are confident that we will succeed.

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LIFE

Editor: Lucas Burkholder blueandgray.life@gmail.com

Summer reading: top five new books to get hooked on over break GARY KNOWLES Senior Writer

With the semester coming to a close, students’ schedules will be opening up to do things with their free time. For me, that means I get to read whatever I want to, instead of what professors have assigned. I have a problem though with the limitless options of books every summer. We can only read so many, right? This is my attempt to sift through some of the new and recent book releases to find out what books are worth our time this summer. I hope you find something here that speaks to you. (Note: The order in which these appear is arbitrary.) “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership” by James Comey Comey’s memoir is great for lovers of politics, or people who still wonder how we got here as a country. Comey takes the time to share his experiences in our government over the course of his career. He takes an exploratory tone on topics such as ethics, leadership and what makes up sound judgement. As the former FBI Director and a former U.S. attorney, Comey’s background is sure to make for an interesting read.

“You Think It, I’ll Say It” by Curtis Sittenfeld From established author Curtis Sittenfeld comes a new collection of short stories about class, relationships and gender roles. People who enjoy breaking down barriers that seem to divide us will love Sittenfeld’s new collection. Sittenfeld has a knack for portraying completely original and interesting women who all have a lot in common, but are haunted by their own ideas and pasts. The Boston Globe said, “[Sittenfeld] is a master of dramatic irony, creating fully realized social worlds before laying to waste her heroines’ understanding of them.” Her book is highly anticipated and was released on Apr. 24.

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“The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror” by Mallory Ortberg Ortber takes a feminist approach to classic fairy tales and folk stories in her new collection of stories. She adds elements of psychological horror to children’s stories and fairy tales in her new book. These stories will make the reader question the stories we know by turning them into something new and unfamiliar. Despite these retellings, Ortberg tries to stay faithful to the original story and

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adds in her own nuance and perspective. People who like to read fairy tales, or something a little more fantastical will enjoy these collected stories. Feminist readers will also enjoy Ortberg’s feminist critique of the fairy tales of years past. “The Vain Conversation” by Anthony Grooms Grooms creates a historical fiction mystery in this novel, where he takes a fictional account of a group of murders that happened in 1946 Georgia. Grooms pays attention to our assumptions and actions that surround our never-ending discussion on race. The story follows a victim, the prime suspect and a witness. Grooms’ portrayal of the 1946 lynching of two different black couples will leave readers questioning their own lives in relation to the race conversation. This conversation is still important today and needs to be talked about. Grooms does a great job presenting it within an interesting novel that will haunt the reader after they finish. “Tomorrow Will Be Different” by Sarah McBride For readers who enjoyed LGBTQ+ centered books like the recently spotlighted “Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda” or “Call Me By Your Name,” this book will be an instant favorite.

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Sarah McBride was the first transgender person to speak at a political convention in 2016. Her nonfiction book talks about the fight for equality of transgender people in America. As one of the nation’s top transgender activists McBride constantly aims to have the government give equal rights to everyone. She even focused on the transgender bathroom debate not too long ago. McBride’s story includes ideas about love, loss and equality in contemporary America.

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Plugged In Playlist: Songs for Graduation 1. “Good Riddance” by Green Day, submitted by Lucas Burkholder 2. “Float On” by Modest Mouse, submitted by Grace Winfeild 5. “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, submitted by Ginny Bixby 6. “See You Again” by Charlie Puth, submitted by Ryan Brauch 7. “Congratulations” by Post Malone, submitted by Ryan Brauch 8. “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack, submitted by Ginny Bixby 9. “Read All About It, Pt. III” by Emili Sande, submitted by Lauren Closs 10. “Carry On” by Fun, submitted by Lauren Closs 11. “Rivers and Roads” by The Head and the Heart, submitted by Jack Hagn 12. “Out of My Mind” by The Killers, submitted by Jack Hagn 13. “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion , submitted by Harry Fisher 14. “We Will Rock You” by Queen, submitted by Ronic Ngambwe

Thursday, April 26, 2018

LIFE

The Rock’s “Rampage” bursts into nearby movie theaters

HARRY FISHER Senior Writer

In 1986, the company Midway Games released one of their most famous arcade games, “Rampage.” In the game, the player has the choice of one of three giant monsters to take control of and uses him or her to smash buildings, eat people and fight the military in each level. The monster cast includes a gorilla similar to King Kong named George, a Godzilla-like dinosaur named Lizzie and a giant werewolf named Ralph. The game is pretty entertaining, especially because of how silly it is. The monsters all have amusing animations and exaggerated expressions, and when the player dies, their monster turns back into a human and shuffles awkwardly off the screen. Like a lot of other games from its time period, the game has aged surprisingly well, and even though it’s no masterpiece, it can still be fun to play today. The game has received renewed public interest now that Warner Brothers has just released the movie “Rampage,” which is based on the original 1986 arcade game. I recently went to see the movie and while I was expecting it to be terrible, it was actually fairly decent. It has a very different tone than the games, but on its own, it can be a rather entertaining movie. The movie stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a primatologist who befriends George, a rare albino gorilla. George ends up becoming the victim of a gene manipulation experiment and starts mutating into a giant monster, along with a wolf and a crocodile, who are the movie’s versions of Ralph and Lizzie. When George begins to go on a massive rampage alongside the other two monsters, Johnson’s character has to try to break through to his old friend so that they can take down the other monsters together. It doesn’t surprise me that Johnson plays the protagonist in this movie. In fact, considering the

action movies he’s been staring in lately, he’s pretty much become the new Arnold Schwarzenegger. Like Schwarzenegger, I find Johnson to be entertaining, especially when he’s in an over-the-top action movie like this. The rest of the cast does a fine job as well, but the movie’s story isn’t all that interesting. It’s not the worst I’ve ever seen, but I honestly wasn’t as interested in the human characters as I was in the untamed monsters. The action scenes with the monsters are very well done, with some pretty good CGI, and they’re easily the best parts of the movie. In fact, I would say the movie is worth seeing just once for the monster scenes alone. The movie is kind of like the game in the The orignal “Rampage” game from 1986. sense that the most entertaining part is watching the monsters eat people, trash the military and cause mass destruction. However, the drawback is that most of the human scenes aren’t as entertaining, and you have to deal with watching them in between watching the monster scenes. Of course, the movie does have some decent performances and funny lines, but I feel like it could have benefitted from a more interesting and well-written plot to add more depth to the human characters. Another thing I think this movie could have benefitted from is a slightly sillier tone. I feel like the movie takes itself a little too seriously, given how cheesy and ridiculous its source material is. For one thing, the monsters in the movie are just mutated animals. They’re not humans who mutate into giant The Rock faces his foes. animals like in the game. Because of this, George is the only monster in the the wolf can glide like a flying squirrel. movie who has any character, since Why not give weird traits like that it’s shown early in the movie that he to the other two monsters? Why not has a human-like sense of humor. The have George breath fire, or have the wolf and the crocodile just behave crocodile shoot spider webs out of its like generic giant monsters who want mouth or something? I think that if this to smash stuff. It would have been movie wanted to be more faithful to the more interesting if they all had human video games, there are many ways like characteristics, and were pointing and this that could have made it more silly laughing at each other while they were and cartoon-like. There are a few silly beating each other up. Also, it’s revealed moments in the movie, but overall, I at one point that think the movie is a little too serious for

The original “Rampage” game poster.

The “Rampage” movie poster.

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The cast of “Rampage” on the red carpet.

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its own good. Of course, it’s still an entertaining monster movie, and even though it could have been better, I would say that it’s still a decent way to spend a Friday or Saturday night. I would also recommend checking out the game, which you can actually play on the movie’s website for free. Overall, the movie “Rampage” may be different from the game, but they’re both still dumb yet surprisingly entertaining.

geekdad.com

imdb.com

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LIFE

How seniors spend the dead week before graduation

T’KEYAH JONES Staff Writer

As we near the end of classes for the spring semester and begin studying for finals week, everyone is ready for a getaway. Students, seniors in particular, will be looking forward to the week after finals, graduation week and all the excitement it will bring. During that week, seniors will go to the graduation ball and participate in commencement rehearsal before they finally get to walk across the stage at graduation. However, the festivities for the graduating class of 2018 do not officially begin until Thursday, May 10. This time between the end of finals and graduation events is commonly referred to as “dead week” by students because campus is so quiet for most of it. So what do seniors do during the beginning of the week as they wait patiently for Thursday? Seniors have about five days of free time to decompress and ease their minds after taking finals exams and moving out of their residences. Many hope to use this quick break to vacation and then be back in time to attend graduation ball. Some choose to stay at home and relax

UMW graduation in 2016.

as well as using that opportunity to make plans with friends. For seniors that aren’t commuters, finally being back home and sleeping in your own bed is all you need to put your mind at ease, but for some, taking a much needed mini-vacation is the answer. After a spring break that was Myrtle Beach is a popular vacation destination for dead week. technically still in the winter, students haven’t really had they finish finals. “We got a beach house the chance to vacation at many of the off of Airbnb for Saturday through places they wanted to. A popular place Wednesday, so we can be back in time for seniors looking for a relaxing time is for grad ball,” said Ricks. the beach. Senior Purity Muthaa, an economics “Nine friends and I are going major, also has plans to vacation to South to Myrtle Beach,” said senior Carolina. “I’m going to North Myrtle for beach week from the fifth to the tenth,” communication and digital studies said Muthaa. major Alexis Ricks. She and her friends Not all seniors are traveling to Myrtle decided to rent a place to stay for when Beach for beach week; some are finding other fun ways to enjoy themselves. Senior Mallorie Harnish, a communication and digital studies major, plans on spending her time not far from the area. “I’m going to Lake Anna with some friends for a few days,” said Harnish. Lake Anna is almost an hour away from campus and has a lot of activities available. “We’re going to go on my friend’s boat and go to restaurants and wineries down there,” said Harnish.

There are many different things seniors can do during the time. For a lot of seniors, the main reason for taking trips that week is to have a good time with friends. As this may be the last opportunity to spend time with some of the friends you have made throughout your years at UMW. So what better way myrtlebeach.com to spend that time than to spend it together? “I plan on spending dead week by hanging out with my friends before graduation,” said senior English major Kiana Smith. “As of now our plans are to do day trips to the [North Virginia] area and we’re currently planning a weekend trip to either the beach or D.C.,” said Smith. Senior communication and digital studies major Stefanie Chae plans to spend time with family and friends. “I’m going to be going home to watch movies with my family, my friends and I might go explore southern Virginia for some swimming holes, and I will be meeting with clients for my videography business that I run,” said Chae. Chae said, “I am ecstatic for all that is planned because it’s a week where I don’t have any real responsibilities, and I can spend that last week with friends before everyone goes their separate ways.”

University Relations.

UMW students search for internships over the summer KYLE LEHMANN Staff Writer

welcomes tons of visitors each day,” said Erpenbach. “Both are very different in the experience that I will have, but I look forward and am thoroughly excited for either of them.” An alternative for many students at UMW is the option to create your own

Summer is approaching fast and Mary Washington students will be soon returning to their lives back home. For many college students, especially upperclassmen, summertime means finding internships. While many UMW students may intern with family members, this is not the case for all. Sophomore historic preservation major Sasha Erpenbach is pursuing a more traditional style of internship. She has interviews lined up for two potential internships for the upcoming summer. The first one would be as an education and collections intern at George Mason’s home, Gunston Hall. The second one would be as an advancement and development intern at UMW students meet and greet at the Job Fair. the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. As a historic preservation internship. Mackenzie Hard, a junior major, Erpenbach said that she is excited American studies major in the secondary for either internship, despite how education program, is pursuing this path. different they are. Hard heard of this opportunity from “Gunston Hall is a small house her academic advisor. She found the museum while VMFA [Virginia Museum application form on the UMW website of Fine Arts] is a large museum that and is trying to turn her annual summer

work in Colonial Williamsburg into an internship for credit. “My plan is to research women in historic 18th century trades and talk to other women working in trades,” said Hard. “My hope is to find out who was working and what exactly they were

Career and Professional Development. This form indicates a standardized procedure that any student could follow should they decide to pursue this approach to internships. However, just like any traditional internship, the createyour-own-internship track requires substantial effort. Carina Martin, a junior biology major, is also choosing an unconventional path with her internship. Currently, she is in the process of trying to intern with a national securityoriented think tank called TechINT, which is located only a short distance away from campus. “I found out about the internship at the Summer Job and Internship Fair,” said Martin. “I am excited because it would be for a research analyst position and would help me in my future research-focused career.” Her work, if she is selected, would focus on artificial intelligence and Alex Sakes / The Blue & Gray Press. drones. While this is not doing. I’ll eventually use some of this the route she expected to take per her research for future classes and my senior biology major, Martin is “interested in thesis.” the opportunity” because “[she wants] to The form required to pursue the protect people.” option of creating your own internship “I am excited to try something new. is provided by Bianca Hightower, the It’ll be a good opportunity for me to get Assistant Director of the Center for experience,” said Martin.

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NEWS

POLICE BEAT MEAGHAN MCINTYRE & KATE SELTZER News Editors

Petit Larceny On Monday, April 16 at 11:49 p.m., an incident of vandalism and petit larceny of vending snacks occurred at Mason Hall. This investigation is pending.

Between Friday, April 20 and Tuesday, April 24, a bicycle was stolen from Monroe Hall. This investigation is pending.

DUI On Monday, April 16 at 6:13 p.m., a first offense DUI was charged on William Street. One arrest was made.

Vandalism On Monday, April 9 at 11:22 a.m., a fire extinguisher in Eagle Landing was vandalized. This case is pending.

On Thursday, April 12 at 9:04 p.m., an exit sign in Eagle Landing was vandalized. This case is pending.

On Saturday, April 14 at between 4:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m, a cell phone was vandalized in the Economics House at 1004 College Avenue. This case is pending.

Hit and Run On Sunday, April 15 at 11:11 a.m., a hit and run car accident which left vehicle damage occurred in the Monroe South parking lot. This investigation is pending.

Local businesses unite with RCASA

•RCASA | 1

able to provide for survivors.” The solution to lack of funding lies in spreading awareness. Because of this, RCASA reaches out to the community for help. In an event called “Paint the Town Teal,” Fredericksburg businesses and restaurants aid RCASA in raising awareness of sexual assault by creating dishes that sport the color teal. Throughout April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, restaurants in downtown Fredericksburg coat the city teal with awareness themed treats. Katora Coffee in downtown Fredericksburg created a teal latte, and Sugar Shack designed teal iced doughnuts to raise awareness and funds for RCASA. Both businesses donated the money raised for these treats to the organization. In addition, UMW Dining Services served teal desserts to raise awareness among the student body. While these acts may seem small, they help RCASA in big ways. They actively spread awareness of the issue of sexual assault and inform community members of a local resource to which they can donate. Those individual donations could help reduce the client waitlist and expand RCASA’s resources. “If we had more resources, more funds, we’d be able employ more counselors and provide more services in a timely fashion,” Burben added. Impact of the organization While RCASA faces the challenges that many non-profits face, the organization has seen their services significantly impact the lives of survivors. According to Burben, clients at RCASA progress through three stages of growth, from victim to survivor to thriver. This growth is a slow process, but Burben said she has seen many victims leave RCASA’s programs as thrivers.

On Sunday, April 22 at 3:54 a.m., there was an incident of underage intoxication at Eagle Landing. One administrative referral was given.

Attempted Larceny On Monday, April 16 at 4:08 p.m., an attempted larceny of shoes occurred on the 1100 block of William Street. This investigation is pending.

Possession On Sunday, April 15 at 10:22 p.m., there was an incident of possession of marijuana outside Marye House. One administrative referral was given.

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“You are not alone, and you don’t have to do this alone.” -Janet Ison of our clients.” Burben explained that the entire community benefits from this kind of healing process. “Not only does that individual become more stable, but our community becomes more stable as well,” Burben said. “It’s less of a burden on the community when individuals are thriving.” “When we see that happen we know we are making an impact,” Burben added. One individual who has benefited from RCASA is Angele, a survivor who benefited from the various resources available. Before coming to RCASA, Angele had attempted processing her trauma on her own and with other

organizations and therapists for 14 years. Sadly, nothing had worked out. “I was at my lowest point when I found RCASA,” Angele said. “I was barely holding it together, barely functioning and had made very little progress.” That changed during her time at RCASA. Angele recalls the counselors taking the time to work where she was in her healing process and even tailoring programs to meet the specific needs she had at the time. “[Because of RCASA] for the first time in my life I am functioning on my own,” Angele said. How to support Although donations and support are vital to organizations like RCASA, combating the stigma of sexual violence begins with letting survivors know of the resources available to them. Ask anyone at RCASA what should be said or done when helping a survivor, and the answers are simple. Ison explained that it is vital to tell survivors they are supported and in control. “You are not alone, and you don’t have to do this alone,” Ison said. “The choice, whatever that may be, is yours.” “You have to meet them where they are,” Burben said. “A lot of times someone—who is trying to be helpful— might try to say, ‘Why don’t you do this? Why don’t you press charges?’ and that’s not what the survivor wants to do. Let them make their own decisions.” “Believe them,” said Ileana Negron, RCASA’s case manager. For more information regarding services provided, call the RCASA office at 540-371-6771. For more information about volunteering, email volunteer@rcasa. org or call 540-371-6771.

Students for Leadership and Social Justice group call for change to downtown slave post plaque Kelsey Sheffer Staff Writer

Intoxication

“Perhaps when you go through the doors of the hospital, you’re a victim, but then you begin to process things and see yourself as a survivor,” Burben said. “Then you start to go outside our support groups here and start to do things on your own. That’s what we see with a lot of our clients.” Burben explained that thrivers are those who process their trauma and achieve stability. Many go on to volunteer for RCASA, supporting other survivors, even after their own treatment is done. “We’re not like a lot of other mental health agencies,” Burben said. “Once you’re done with our services you can return—after a period of time—and volunteer and give back to your community. We see that with a lot

On Apr. 11, UMW students attended a forum about the slave post located in Downtown Fredericksburg. The event took place at the Thurman-Brisben Center, where two students from Professor Kim Gower’s Leadership and Social Justice class spoke on the subject of the slave post, which has been a source of controversy in the Fredericksburg community for the past few years. The students who attended and spoke during the forum were junior Zack Johnson and senior Matt Skiba, both business majors. While the Leadership and Social Justice class has over twenty students, seven decided to form a group to engage in advocacy efforts in the community. The Students for Leadership and Social Justice (SLSJ) , as the group calls themselves, attended the meeting to argue for an update of the plaque in front of the slave post that currently reads “Auction Block, Fredericksburg Principle Auction Site, in Pre Civil War Days for slaves and property.” The students argued that the new

message should incorporate a message of progress for the city and their efforts in memorializing the atrocities of slavery. In a statement released by SLSJ, students expressed their dissatisfaction with some of the rhetoric at the forum. “A member of city council expressed that it is important to remember the history ‘so that it is not repeated,’” the statement read. “However, this intent is never expressed on the block and its plaque. It simply states that slaves were sold there. [There are] no mentions of regret, or shame, or unity.” The students from SLSJ also felt that the current placement of the slave auction block was inappropriate. “As it is currently represented, the block is defaced on a weekly basis and has become an eyesore,” their statement said. While the group felt that the auction block “is a key element of the history of the town,” they disagreed that it belonged in the center of downtown. “While that history might be palatable for the members of city council, it creates a gut-wrenching reaction for people of color,” they said.

When attending the meeting, the group felt that it was more of an echo chamber of City Council ideologies since the majority in attendance were either City Council Members themselves or employees of the City of Fredericksburg. “We found out about the meeting by accident because we contacted the mayor’s office directly about the block,” said the members of SLSJ. “A room of 30 people where 15 are part of local government does not strike us as a full community communication.” The students also referenced a powerful story from “an older AfricanAmerican gentleman” and lifelong resident of Fredericksburg named Thomas, who also attended the forum. “When he was a young boy, locals would pay Thomas a quarter to take a picture of him standing on the block. As white college students, there is no way for us to understand what that feels like. We only know that we can’t understand what that is like.” As a result of this forum, a decision has been made to keep the block located downtown. As for the plaque, there has been no further discussions.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

NEWS

Freedom of Information Act request reveals frequent cases of mold in dorms

•MOLD | 1

current work management system. I came aboard UMW Facilities Services last fall and am now implementing a new work order management system for Facilities Services which should be “live” by Fall 2018. The new system will provide improved documentation of status and completion,” said Nolan J. Akau, director of Maintenance Services in an email. But students complaining about mold have a different account. In at least one case a student claimed to have reported mold in their dorm three times before receiving a response from maintenance services. The student’s identity is unknown because of the Family Education Right and Privacy Act, which voided all student’s names from the FOIA. “This is the third work order request we have submitted to have someone remove the black mold that covers 1/3rd of the ceiling in our dorm room. It has been there since we moved in Fall 2017, however, no one has come to look at it,” said an unnamed student living in Alvey Hall according to the work order filed on March 18, 2018. The remaining nine reports of mold were rejected. In many cases, they were told that cleaning would take place in the summer. In the meantime, students were expected to live with mold until the end of the semester. This was in spite of the fact that many were experiencing health problems. For example, an anonymous student who filed a report on April 10, 2017 had a work order rejected because it was filed at the end of the semester. The identity of the student is unknown because it was blacked out on the work order received with the FOIA. “I haven’t been able to sleep in my room because it affects the way I breathe and it’s right under my bed,” said the unnamed student living in Virginia Hall according to their work order. There were a variety of other reasons for rejection. One of the work orders from November 12, 2017 was rejected because the student living in the University of Mary Washington Apartments reported mold on the university-provided shower curtain liner. “Housekeeping does not supply replacement shower curtains; curtain should be cleaned or replaced by the

residents,” according to the work order rejection reason. But in an email from Akau explaining maintenance procedures to remove mold, he stated the university does not clean the shower curtains. They replace the curtains instead. While the university did not replace the student’s shower curtain from the November 12 work order, the university did replace a shower curtain in Mason Hall, according to a different work order filed January 23, 2018. In the 2017 to 2018 calendar year, the work order requests that were completed received a response time within an average of four days. This average does not incl ude assigned work orders or the ones that were rejected. But since August 2017, the response times have been greatly lagging. Many of the reports of mold have been assigned, but not addressed. Of the 24 work orders filed between August 28, 2017 to March 18, 2018, only seven of them were closed and two were rejected. The other 17 work orders were assigned, but not completed. Out of the 47 reports, 13 of the cases were reported from Alvey Hall, which has more reports of mold than all other university housing and buildings. Eagle Landing has seven reports of mold, while the University of Mary Washington Apartments and Marshall Hall have reported four cases of mold each. Akau said in an email that when a

Buildings across campus have experienced issues with mold.

currently has 30 maintenance employees and 30 housekeeping personnel working for facility services. Additionally, the university uses over 50 outside contractors. The outside contractors occasionally address mold in university housing and buildings. According to a study conducted in 2003, “Effects of Toxic Exposure to Mold and Mycotoxins in BuildingRelated Illnesses” exposure to mold can cause a variety of health problems. The study consisted of 61 females and 39 males, a total of 100 subjects who all had mold in their homes. The results showed that 64 patients exhibited respiratory problems. Out of

Graph by Olivia Bridges

school knew about the problem and the moldy building is still standing,” Attkisson said. “I think all past and present students who lived in the building while there was an active mold problem should be offered housing refunds and an apology.” 21 year-old Brooke Talkington, a Spanish major who graduated in 2017, had encountered mold in university housing. The incident with the mold occurred from September to October 2017. At the time Talkington lived in the UMW Apartments in building seven. “In our experience the apartment above ours had issues with their shower draining, causing water to pool in our ceiling where mold grew and a section of the ceiling eventually collapsed,” said Talkington in an email. Talkington and her roommates filed a work order. However, they did not receive a response after three days and went to their RA who submitted another work order and contacted the area coordinator. “The shower in the apartment above us was fixed within days but it took about 3 weeks for maintenance to come replace our ceiling. My roommates and I were understanding that they are busy and there are other people on campus with issues, but we felt that it took a really long time considering the fact that mold is a health issue,” said Talkington. The Blue & Gray Press published two stories on the topic of mold in dorms back in 2015. One article was based on an incident in Alvey Hall and the other was about Eagle Landing. As a result of these articles, the newspaper received several other complaints from students who had experienced mold in their dorms. The paper did not follow up on the issue until now. According to Akau’s email, the University of Mary Washington is currently searching for options to improve preventive measure to reduce mold issues in the future. The university also plans on renovating the older buildings. “UMW is evaluating additional repairs for Alvey this summer,” said Akau. “However, while, occurrences may be reduced, complete prevention is not a realistic expectation.”

“It’s incredibly dangerous to put people in a mold-infested building. The school knew about the problem and the moldy building is still standing.” -Sarah Attkisson work order is placed by a student, it is then “reviewed by the work control technician and/or shop supervisors and assigned to one or more trades or divisions.” The general procedure to remove and clean mold off of walls, floors, windows and AC vents is to first clean the affected area with Hill Manufactured Mildew Stain remover and a microfiber cloth. After the surface is dry, maintenance then sprays the surface with the stain remover again. They then apply Anabec, which is an antimicrobial to seal and protect the surface from mold in the future. The University of Mary Washington

Mold has been found in academic buildings and residence halls.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Graph by Olivia Bridges

the 100 patients, 70 exhibited shortterm memory loss and dizziness, these symptoms are associated with neurological symptoms. All of the patients exhibited immunological symptoms such as hypersensitivity to molds, foods and chemicals. Some students have mold in their dorms and do not even know of its existence. For example, senior Alex Sakes, a political science major and business administration minor, found black mold next to his bed on move out day of his junior year while he was living in Arrington Hall. Sakes only discovered the mold after he removed the poster it was growing under. Sakes believed the mold grew because his walls regularly leaked and the mold was near his AC unit. “Little did I know the entire year I was sleeping next to an entire wall covered with spores of black mold,” said Sakes. After discovering the mold, Sakes filed a work order. The following academic year Sakes’s friend, 22 yearold ancient civilization major Sarah Attkisson, moved into his old dorm. Attkisson graduated in 2017. According to Attkisson in an email, there was a lot of mold in her room which was difficult to clean and always came back due to the heavy moisture in the building. Attkisson lived in Arrington from 2014 to 2015. “It’s incredibly dangerous to put people in a mold-infested building. The

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SPORTS

Editor: Jack Hagn | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Mary Washington club softball rising to new heights

DYLAN BURKETT Staff Writer

At 8-1-2, UMW’s club softball team has had their best season this year since being founded in 2012. Elizabeth Haas, who became president of the team last semester, said that this season has been, “a rebuilding season, as only five girls returned from the year before.” Being almost a whole new team paved the way for new and stronger bonds between the girls on the team. One of the most memorable points in the season for the team was the “whole tournament at UVA," according to sophomore Alyssa Wenklar. "It bonded us tightly as a team and is one of the factors that is attributed to our success.” Other memorable moments besides the UVA tournament include a game with a team against whom they usually struggle. The game against Longwood University, which ended in a 6-6 tie, proved that the club was able to, “compete with another very good team,” said Wenklar. Freshman Bryanna Lansing stated that on top of the Longwood game, “having fun at practice and getting to know each other more” are other moments that she enjoys from being a part of the club. Coming down from such an intense season is hard to do but both Lansing and Wenklar stated that being in the club allows them to, “destress, stay active and take mental breaks from finals and

papers.” Longwood, William and Mary, Virginia Haas stated that one of the biggest Commonwealth and Loyola in Maryland. differences between club and varsity Haas says that the team will face these and is that, “Club softball offers the ability more schools in the coming fall semester to play on a competitive softball team such as the University of Maryland as but without the time commitment and well. intensity of varsity softball. We welcome Coming off of such an extraordinary players of any skill level and practice only season, the club softball team has shown three times week.” Lansing said that having the same desire to, “play competitive ball without the added stress of the varsity level” is one of the main reasons that she enjoys being a member on the team. She also said that everyone is “so supportive,” which makes for an even better atmosphere. While the team has been practicing and playing together since last semester, Haas said that, “it wasn’t until this semester that we were able to really come together as a team.” When asked how it felt stepping in as club president and ending up with the most successful season in club history, Haas said, “I am extremely proud of how the team performed this semester. They’re a great group of girls, who not only support each other but learn from each other. The reason I love being club softball president is because of their hard work and Club Softball team picture dedication.” Games this season included George Washington, George Mason,

Sarah Prunty throws a ball

Bessa Haas fields a ball

Alyssa Wenklar pitches

Thursday, April 26, 2018

that they are a force to be reckoned with, even without putting forth the time dedications and commitments as that of being on a varsity team. The team looks forward to having another season just as wonderful as`` this one in the coming fall semester.

Michael Haas

Susie Haley

Susie Haley

Susie Haley

Bryanna Lansing makes a play from center feild

Susie Haley

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