The Blue & Gray Press

THE

The University of Mary Washington Student Newspaper

BLUE & GRAY PRESS VOLUME 95 | ISSUE 3

SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

Serving the community since 1922

Yellowjackets in Ball Hall cause RAs to ask for more support from the university

junior in the education program and second-year RA. “I don’t really know if what I’m saying is a true reflection of how it was before the pandemic, but if I’m basing it off of last year to this year, my responsibilities have increased. We don’t have time to do the things we need to do as people to refresh and recharge.”

On Sept. 1, the Office of University Public Safety announced on Eagle Eye, a campus news source for UMW faculty and staff, that Michael Muckinhaupt

Abigail slaughter Staff Writer

When Rachel Frantz, an undecided junior, and her roommate moved into Ball Hall this semester, they noticed yellowjackets in their dorm room and put in a work order.

“We would find a bee, and if it was dead, we would pick it up and flush it down the toilet, but if it was alive, we would cover it with one of our cups or bowls,” said Frantz. At one point, Frantz and her roommate had almost completely run out of cups and bowls to cover the yellowjackets.

Weeks after the first work order was placed, Frantz’s RA called the professional on-call because the yellowjackets were still there. The nonemergency police came and killed the yellowjackets that were in the room, but yellowjackets continued showing up after that and spread throughout the residence hall, according to an RA, who asked to remain anonymous.

Days later at approximately 11:20 p.m., Frantz was stung by a yellowjacket. Since she had never been stung before, she went to her RA as her hand started to swell. The RA alerted the professional on-call, who told Frantz’s RA to call an ambulance. Frantz was okay, but that was not the end of the yellowjacket problem.

Two weeks after the initial work order was placed, Frantz and her RA had submitted additional work orders

“Facilities assigned the work to our contracted exterminator for resolution. [Our] contractor responded the next day as issues [were] reported.”

-Nolan Akau since the yellowjackets had not been addressed. Facilities then visited multiple times and found an entire nest in the wall.

“Without Mike, we can’t proceed forward. At this moment we’re at a standstill, and standstills are not appreciated within Res Life.”

-Anonymous RA

Students noticed an abundance of yellowjackets in their Ball Hall dorm and contacted their RAs for help.

Photo courtesy of Rachel Frantz

“Facilities assigned the work to our contracted exterminator for resolution,” said Nolan Akau, Facilities Maintenance Services director. “[Our] contractor responded the next day as issues [were] reported.”

Frantz and her roommate were

“[Facilities] took care of it, but the bees just kept coming,” -Rachel Frantz relocated to Jefferson Hall while pest control treated the room. “[Facilities] took care of it, but the bees just kept coming,” said Frantz.

Frantz and her roommate were told that the nest could not be removed— they could only spray down the room.

The nest still remains in Ball Hall, according to the anonymous RA. Residence Life could not comment on this specific issue.

“We routinely work with students if a situation requires them to be relocated or if they would feel more comfortable

being relocated,” said Hunter Rauscher, the associate director for Residence Life and Housing. “I can not comment on specific students.”

Ball Hall’s yellowjacket problem is just one of the recent issues that RAs have had to respond to this year. Some RAs have said that a lack of effective communication between Residence Life, Facilities and the University Police has increased the burden on RAs and made their jobs more difficult.

According to the UMW website, resident assistants serve several roles—community leader, role model and administrator, among others.

However, exterminator is not something some RAs foresaw as one of their responsibilities.

“Our responsibilities have kind of extended to pest control,” said the anonymous RA. “It’s not a small list anymore.”

According to Akau, Residence Life and Facilities’ response times depend on the severity of the situation.

“During normal work hours, Res Life and Facilities’ response is immediate,” said Akau. “During non-work hours if emergency issues are communicated to dispatch our Call-Out mechanic

“Our responsibilities have kind of extended to pest control. It’s not a small list anymore.”

-Anonymous RA

Some RAs report having too much on their plate.

IN THIS

ISSUE

Megan Mercuro / The Blue & Gray Press

responds within one to four hours. [The] resolution and/or remediation timeline is contingent upon the emergency.”

A pattern of insufficient communication between Residence Life and some of their employees has made some RAs’ jobs increasingly difficult.

“It has become a lot more difficult and a lot harder to manage time because sometimes communication isn’t the best, and I don’t necessarily blame anyone for that,” said Kiarnan Kaleshefski, a

quit his job as Director of Emergency Management and Safety. Muckinhaupt worked with Residence Life on fire drills and emergencies and reported to UMW Police Chief Michael Hall.

Muckinhaupt could not be reached for comment for this article.

According to Kaleshefski and the anonymous RA, they have not scheduled fire drills in their respective buildings since Muckinhaupt’s departure.

“Without Mike, we can’t proceed forward,” said the anonymous source.

“At this moment, we’re at a standstill, and standstills are not appreciated within Res Life.”

Residence Life plans to keep its RAs updated on any changes.

“We continue to work with campus safety on drills as we do each semester,” said Rauscher. “As the university updates relevant policies we will adjust and make sure our staff is up to speed on these changes [in standard operating procedure],” said Rauscher.

Captain Mark Sandor of the Department of Police and Public Safety will serve in Muckinhaupt’s place for the time being.

“When someone leaves, then we put someone else in place to oversee it,” said Hall. “We’re actively searching [for] a replacement,” said Hall.

UMW Police officers work with Residence Life and may step in during emergency and some non-emergency situations in residence halls.

“Any time that the RA, or anyone for that matter, feels uncomfortable or concerned and they don’t understand [the situation], then it becomes our [responsibility],” said Hall. “[If] a law enforcement officer knows that it’s clearly not a law enforcement situation, then they’ll call the lieutenant or either call the professional-on-call or the next level.”

The anonymous RA hopes for more support •BALL HALL| 7 from other

indoor dining

food co-op

SPORTY FASHION

UC re-enforces loss prevention policy

Community grocery offers locally sourced food.

Athletes dress up for Met Gala.

VIEWPOINTS | 3

LIFE | 4

SPORTS | 8

NEWS THE

BLUE & GRAY

PRESS

MISSION The Blue & Gray Press is published every Thursday in the University Apartments Clubhouse for our university community. The goal of The Blue & Gray Press is to produce high quality and accurate news in a manner compliant with the Society of Professional Journalists ethics code.

In its coverage, The Blue & Gray Press strives to highlight the community of the University of Mary Washington, as well as deliver fair and accurate coverage on the issues important to our students.

EDITORS-AT-LARGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jess Kirby

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Bernadette D’Auria Cosima Pellis

BUSINESS EDITOR Erin Matuczinski

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Scotti Mullen Josephine Johnson

VIEWPOINTS Norah Walsh

LIFE Josephine Good

Editors: Josephine Johnson & Scotti Mullen | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

Wi-Fi issues on campus are leaving some students feeling concerned SARAH KHALIL Staff Writer

Many students are encountering internet connectivity issues in the first few weeks of classes.

Husna Shinwari, a junior chemistry major, said she had trouble with connecting her device during her classes.

“On the first day of classes and it’s still happening, the school Wi-Fi doesn’t connect to my laptop,” she said. “Sometimes when it connects, it will disconnect by itself shortly.”

Shinwari lost her internet connection in

“I lost my internet connection in the middle of the activity. I tried to restart my phone and try to reconnect it again, and when it finally connects, the activity is already done by then, and I’m left behind because I can’t keep up with my work on time.”

-Husna Shinwari class when trying to do an activity on her phone.

“In the beginning

Internet connection issues have left some students worried about getting their assignments done.

Free-Hotspot.com / Unsplash

of class, we do online activities,” she said.

“I lost my internet connection in the middle of the activity.

I tried to restart my phone and try to reconnect it again, and when it finally connects, the activity is already done by then, and I’m left behind because I can’t keep up with my work on time.”

However, Edward Gray, a co-manager of IT support services with 21 years of experience at UMW, explained that he has not seen an increase in technology help requests this semester.

“There are no widespread issues that I can recall,” he said.

“I checked through our ticketing system; I

didn’t find any tickets related to that. But that’s not to say there weren’t any issues.”

In some parts of campus, there is no service signal either, which creates an even bigger problem when the Wi-Fi is not working.

“My phone loses its signal at Jepson when I’m on the first or second floor, and sometimes when the Wi-Fi is not working properly I don’t have any other option to stay connected to the internet,” said Shinwari. “What if there is an emergency and my family is trying to reach out to me, but they can’t because my phone doesn’t have any signal? It really worries me.”

SPORTS Victoria Percherke

ONLINE Cameron Delean Maggie Mae Young

PHOTO Emily Warren

FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian

The university always has a spike in technology requests around the beginning of the semester.

Mike Van Der Bos / Unsplash

Aishah Wahedi, a senior biology major, also experienced issues with Wi-Fi stability in Jepson and around campus.

“I did experience difficulties with trying to connect to the Wi-Fi in Jepson in the first two weeks of the semester, but it has been improving lately,” said Wahedi.

“On the first day of classes, I was at Combs and I wanted to check my syllabus

“I don’t think the Wi-Fi problem was this bad in my past few semesters,” -Aishah Wahedi for the room number of my next class, and the Wi-Fi wasn’t working. I spent 20 minutes trying to get it to work, but it wasn’t connecting at all. So, I went to the University Center to try [to] access my syllabus and I had the same problem there too.”

Wahedi’s attempts to resolve this problem were not successful.

“I tried to restart my laptop and reconnect; I still had the same issue,” she said. “I even tried using my phone to connect to the Wi-Fi to access my courses and it didn’t work too.”

Wahedi believes

the Wi-Fi is worse this semester than in the past.

“I don’t think the Wi-Fi problem was this bad in my past few semesters,” she said.

“I did notice at the start of this semester, the Wi-Fi connection was terrible. The Wi-Fi will get disconnected all of the sudden or sometimes it will connect but it will be very slow,” said Wahedi.

The internet issues have had a great effect on students’ ability to stay connected during class time.

“This has impacted me by trying to access my courses, trying to get my assignments done and using the internet for research,” said Wahedi.

According to Gray, there are common issues that occur at the start of every semester, including network connectivity issues.

“From movein through the first week of classes, there is always a surge in tickets such as password resets, network connectivity and courses not showing up on Canvas,” he said.

“That’s typical for every semester, more so the beginning of every fall semester.

During spring semester there is an uptake but not as severe as during the fall semester.”

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

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Thursday, September 16, 2021

VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Norah Walsh | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

UC should allow students to eat outside

NIYAH YISRAEL Staff Writer

The cushioned chairs and balcony outside the top of the UC dining area should be open for students to eat during mealtimes, not only because there are more students on campus, but also because it allows for COVID-conscious spacing and easier conversation between individuals.

In previous years at the top of the UC, students were able to bring their food to the cushioned chairs and balcony outside the crowded dining area. While this is not a new policy, many students have never experienced it being enforced until now.

“They’ve never allowed outdoor seating with their utensils. It’s not new,” commented CJ Porter, the director of transfer and off-campus student services, on the Class of 2022 Facebook page.

However, in years past, students have sat outside the main dining area with utensils. Now, due to the enforcement of this policy, students are forced to eat inside where it is crowded; they can barely hear the person sitting next to them, and they only have 45 minutes to eat. The 45-minute rule was put in place this year to limit the number of people in the dining hall at a time.

When eating in the dining hall, students have their masks off, which eliminates the barrier that usually exists to block respiratory droplets that can transmit COVID. “The addition of COVID also hurts, making it more stressful to eat inside around all the people without masks, which makes me even less happy and likely to even go to the UC unless I must,”

said Braden Roberts, a senior double majoring in English and religion.

According to the CDC, on-site outdoor eating with tables six feet apart is a safer option than eating indoors. Therefore, UMW should change their policy and allow students to eat outside or in more spread out areas, like the indoor seating area surrounding the dining hall, for the sake of safety.

If students were allowed to sit outside on the balcony, they would be less likely to spread COVID-19. Additionally, if the indoor chairs by the stairway or the smaller enclosed eating areas on the sides were available, they could not only space people out more, but also allow more people a place to sit and eat their food.

anymore. I think we were there for 15 minutes because all of us were frustrated. There was no point in being there if we couldn’t even hear each other.”

Other students fondly remember sitting outside the dining area.

“Outside seating at the top of the UC was always my preferred location,” said Roberts. “Not only is it quieter and comfortable, my friends and I can carry a conversation without feeling like we can’t hear each other. Before this year, I had never seen any enforcement of this, and my friends and I had eaten there every day.”

They’ve never allowed outdoor seating with their utensils. It’s not new.

--CJ Porter In addition to the COVID-safe benefits, some students just prefer sitting outside the main dining area.

“I like eating outside when the weather is nice,” said Amber Brown, a senior double majoring in communication and digital studies and political science. “It also feels nice to get fresh air away from being crowded in the UC.” Ashley Vaughan, a senior biology major, finds dining indoors at the top of the UC frustrating.

“The last time I was in the UC, you could not have paid me to stay longer,” said Vaughan. “I couldn’t hear anything [my friends] were saying, and when some of them put their masks back on after eating, I couldn’t even rely on lip reading

For the sake of loss prevention, students cannot eat with UC dining utensils outside of the dining hall.

Erik Mclean / Unsplash

Flawed two-party system polarizes country MASON GODEK Staff Writer

The citizens of the United States are more divided than ever, and this issue can be attributed to the two-party system. This massive polarization only yields negative effects for our country, illustrating that the U.S. needs to leave the twoparty system behind in order to fully represent all voices.

“Currently, our two-party system, which consists of the Democratic Party and Republican Party, exists in a context where party members—candidates, officeholders and sometimes voters—are highly polarized from one another,” said Dr. Rosalyn Cooperman, a political science professor at UMW. “This polarization makes it difficult to find common ground and consensus to move forward and work collaboratively on issues.”

This polarization can be seen everywhere on social media, as the ability to argue has been moved to our fingertips. Mironline uses the term “echo chambers” for those who seek to amplify their beliefs by interacting with other like-minded individuals.

As a result, individuals argue heavily online when encountering an opposing echo chamber. The Mironline article also said this leads to an increase in social anger and fuels negative partisanship.

According to theintercept.com, political identity has led to a team mentality that, in comparison to sports teams, divides the citizens

Thursday, September 16, 2021

of this country. This division has led to massive public distrust and creates hatred and violence between Americans over issues that can be compromised. Problems with our democracy then occur with this political polarization.

According to Brown University economist Jesse Shapiro, this polarization has been on the incline for several years. In 1978, when Americans were asked to rate their parties on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being no negative feelings toward the opposing party, the average American rated their own party 27 points higher than the other party. As of 2016, the average American now rates their party 45.9 points ahead of the other party.

Shapiro suggested this polarization is caused by parties starting to only represent certain ideologies rather than float around opposing party ideals in order to look for compromise.

In regard to the issue of polarization, Cooperman said, “Our system is structured in a way to produce winners and losers and make it harder for candidates and their parties to come together and work collaboratively to problem-solve.

And, when parties are so polarized from one another, those incentives to collaborate and build consensus are even harder to come by.”

This lack of compromise from representatives reflects heavily on the people and is the reason behind distrust among the public. Evidence of this distrust can be observed in the way our representatives publicly

instigate each other.

Democratic and Republican politicians have also stirred up distrust between citizens in order to seek political gain. This proved evident in the 2020 election, even in instances where policy was not being discussed.

In fact, according to Pew Research Center, “supporters of Joe Biden and Donald Trump believe the differences between them are about more than just politics and policies.” Beyond politics and policies, these differences were based in core American values.

Politicians point out the individual shortcomings of opposing party politicians, whether they may be ethical or practical. There is no effort to compromise between the representatives. As a result, the public starts to feel as though their vote is less significant than promised by their chosen representative.

There will always be disagreement between individuals about policy.

However, it is up to the elected representatives to compromise for both sides of the political spectrum.

Results of this political distrust lead to a fault in democracy, as there is less active political participation by individuals.

“Is the two-party system in the U.S. flawed? Yes,” said Cooperman.

“But it reflects the structure of how we elect people to represent us and how voters view the choices available to them.”

When asked how they felt about the two-party system, some UMW students agreed that it is flawed.

“I would say our two-party system

is flawed because we are faced with two extreme sides of government,” said Mauricio Argote, a junior geography major. “The fact that our government works in two absolutes has shown us that we argue with each other on live TV and constantly on social media. With all this debate and arguing, no work is getting done to solve these issues.”

Nina Sacco, a junior historic preservation major, agreed that the two-party system is contributing to polarization.

“The two-party system creates a divide and lack of representation of all political parties. I feel like many Americans will only vote Democratic or Republican because they believe their vote is wasted on a third party.

As a voter, I have previously agreed with the views of a third party but settled for a Democrat because I thought my vote would be more useful. The two-party system divides U.S. citizens, especially in recent elections,” Sacco said.

The two-party system in the U.S. creates polarized opposition between Democrats and Republicans.

Visiuals / Unsplash

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LIFE

Editor: Josephine Good | blueandgray.life@gmail.com

New Food Co-Op offers healthy shopping to students

ARIA JANELLO Staff Writer

As of July 2021, after many years of planning, the store is open to everyone—no membership needed.

Senior math major Rory Black has been waiting many years for the store to open.

“It’s really nice to see the food Co-Op in action after quite a few years,” said Black.

“The project was still a work in progress when I came to UMW as a freshman.”

Instead of shopping at grocery superstores like Giant or Walmart, senior math and computer science major Saraid Satterfield prefers the Co-Op for her groceries.

“The prices are around the same, and knowing your food is locally sourced adds a nice touch,” said Satterfield.

The Fredericksburg Food Co-Op is not a chain; it is one of a kind. By shopping there, students are directly helping the local economy while getting the food they need.

“It’s important to support local farms and business owners,” said Satterfield.

Senior biology major Abbey Vorsteg supports the Co-Op because it allows her to branch out.

“The food co-op makes grocery shopping more fun for me,” said Vorsteg. “There are so many brands that I haven’t previously come into contact with, and it’s fun to try new snacks while also feeling good about being environmentally conscious and helping out the community.”

The Fredericksburg Food Co-Op works with local businesses and farmers to sell locally-sourced, environment-friendly food and products, according to their website.

Some students frequent the new Co-Op and have had positive experiences shopping there.

The Fredericksburg Food Co-Op sells locally-sourced products.

Emily Warren / The Blue & Gray Press

The Co-Op, which opened in July, is a community-owned grocery store located on Jefferson Davis Highway. It is an option for students who want to eat healthily, care for the environment and become involved in the community at the same time.

According to their mission statement, the Co-Op is dedicated to creating “a gathering place for people and ideas” and “sharing best practices in nutrition, wellness, and the benefits of a healthy diet.”

The Food Co-Op is located on Jefferson Davis Highway.

Emily Warren / The Blue & Gray Press

Black has spent her past three years at UMW going to the farmers market with friends downtown on Saturdays. Instead of waiting for one day a week to shop, the Co-Op opens up her shopping opportunities.

“The food co-op allows me to access local produce and food any day of the week,” said Black.

For students who have dietary needs or restrictions, the Co-Op has options with gluten-free baked goods, vegan meat substitutes (locally sourced tofu from a farm in Woodbridge for example) and dairy-free products.

The Co-Op also hosts a variety of events, like live music and classes, for free. Some of the classes have covered cooking, meeting community leaders and learning about the environmental aspects of food.

For example, earlier this summer, the Fredericksburg Food Co-Op hosted an event titled “Let’s Do Brunch.” At this event, Co-Op employees gave lessons on how to cook healthy breakfast and brunch recipes.

The Co-Op is a community-owned grocery store.

Emily Warren / The Blue & Gray Press

COVID-19 DASHBOARD

4

46

384

6

Total cases since Sep. 14, 2021

Total tests administered Sep. 3 - 9

Positive student health center test

13

11

33 of 38

Active cases

Positive tests returned Sep. 3 - 9

Isolation spaces available

0.57

156

82 of 82

7-day average cases per day

Student health center tests

Quarantine spaces available

Thursday, September 16, 2021

LIFE

Ask Gabby: Your guide to building a strong relationship

GABBY CARRION Senior Writer

Having a relationship between two people can be rewarding and fun. However, building the foundation of that relationship is super important to make sure your relationship lasts and that you completely trust each other.

Trust, communication, and transparency are crucial for a relationship.

Bhuvanesh Gupta / Unsplash

By foundation, I mean trust, communication and being 100 percent yourself. It may be hard to do any of these if you have never had a relationship before, but this is your how-to guide to answer any questions you may have.

Trust. The main pillar in any relationship. You need to be able to confide in your partner and let them have a social life outside of your relationship.

If you are hesitant to trust them at the beginning, the relationship will have issues very quickly. You need to have enough trust in them to say to yourself, “They chose to be in a relationship with me, and I need to take a breath.” You are hot stuff, and if they can’t see that then they’re not the one.

Communicate with them. If your significant other is doing something that is bothering you, it needs to be said. Whether it’s as simple as “chew with your mouth closed” or “I want you to spend more time with me,” communicating your feelings is super important. Another big part of communication is having a conversation with them about anything and everything. If you disagree on politics, music or even soda flavors, it’s important to hear them out. There is no problem with disagreeing with them, as you should have differences in your relationship, but be open to listening to their side as well.

Another thing you can do to build a long relationship is to be yourself. I wasn’t myself in my first relationship, or even in my friendships, because I was scared of being judged or laughed at. We all have our insecurities and things we want to hide. It’s totally okay to be shy at first and hide. Learning to overcome these insecurities is a part of growing up and being proud to embrace who you are. One of my

best friends is completely, unapologetically herself in her current relationship and it makes me so happy to see her so comfortable.

Direct message @theblueandgraypress to send your questions to Gabby.

Gabby Carrion / Instagram.com

These aren’t the only pillars of starting a strong relationship, but they are super important. Once you have the foundation built, the rest is easy and you can take your relationship to the next level.

If you have any questions or need advice on relationships, friendships or just life in general, direct message @theblueandgraypress on Instagram and I will answer them in the next post!

Personal Essay: Experiencing freshman year as a sophomore SAMUEL CREEMER Staff Writer

Like every other sophomore here at UMW, there was much of the first-year experience that I was unable to attend due to COVID restrictions. Even once we were able to come back to campus, the school was like a ghost town. This gave many of last year’s freshmen a uniquely isolating experience. Unlike most of my classmates though, I was able to recover much of this experience this year as an FSEM peer mentor. It was nice to have this opportunity through my job, and experiencing these events and a full campus for the first time after the past year gave me a very interesting

From left to right: Sasha Poletes, Faith Jones, and Samuel Creemer celebrate incoming freshmen at Eagle Gathering.

Samuel Creemer / The Blue & Gray Press

perspective on them.

The first of these events was the President’s Welcome, which took place on the first day of new student arrival, Aug. 18. It was a hot day, and the event was outside, but there was still an air of excitement at the event. Melissa Jones, associate dean of student involvement, was the first speaker and introduced University President Troy Paino. This event was the first

Thursday, September 16, 2021

time that I had the opportunity to hear Paino speak in person. Seeing him in person, among all the freshmen, was revitalizing after the separation and isolation of the last school year. As a sophomore, finally getting to be at a big speech in person was a great symbol of the excitement that a new, more normal year could hold.

The next day, I was able to experience Glowzone for the first time. I had never attended a campus event like that before, so I didn’t know what to expect. The music went late into the night, and the crowd stuck around for much of it. It was nice to finally go to a campus event like this, but it also made me think back on all of the similar events that we all missed out on last year. It is hard to replicate the impact and sense of community that large events can create, so it was great, but slightly surreal, to finally be able to see a big group of students interact freely.

Later that night, I partook in one of our campus’s most famous traditions: jumping in the Monroe Fountain. The water was quite cold and the walk back to my room was not the most pleasant. Still though, it was fun to do, and it felt exhilarating to be able to participate in a tradition that wasn’t possible last year due to construction on the fountain.

A couple of days later, I attended the ice cream social at President Paino’s house. It was a fun event on an extraordinarily nice evening. It was great to see the President’s house, and getting ice cream with my friends was a treat. During the event, I even had the chance to talk with the President quickly and take a picture with him.

The last event of New Student Arrival was the highlight for me. Because the University allowed sophomores to attend, I got to experience Eagle Gathering. At 7:45 p.m. everyone met at Jefferson Square.

People were visibly excited to be there, and that only increased as we lined up and waited for it to get dark.

Once the bagpipes started and we began to walk, it became clear that it was going to be a special event.

Walking by all of the upperclassmen, many of whom I knew and worked with, with their candles was really heartwarming. Once we arrived at Ball Circle, several members of the faculty, staff and student leadership spoke, and upperclassmen lit our candles. After that, we sang the Alma Mater, and that was when the impact of the moment truly hit. Standing by my friends, many

of whom I lived in the same building as last year but didn’t meet until this summer due to COVID, I was hit with a sense of home I hadn’t felt last year. I realised that I was in a time bursting with new opportunities surrounded by the people that I care about, and no matter what I had to go through to get here, it was all worth it.

As disappointing as it was to miss Eagle Gathering my freshman year, going through it after a year at the

From left to right: Samuel Creemer, Sasha Poletes, Chenin Guber, and Faith Jones at Glowzone.

Samuel Creemer / The Blue & Gray Press

school was incredibly impactful. Even though things were so different last year, my first year of college was still a positive experience. Being on campus meant so much to me last year, and finally being able to see and celebrate it at its best has been wonderful. Experiencing Eagle Gathering as a sophomore, I was able to celebrate not only the hope and excitement that the freshmen felt, but also the sense of home that I already felt after living here through such a challenging year.

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Staff Ed: Professors should speak up about incorrect masking As we pass the year and a half mark of the pandemic in America, it should be a surprise to no one that wearing a mask below the mouth or nose is ineffective in preventing the transmission and spread of COVID-19. Yet, even after campus cases have jumped in the first three weeks of classes, some students continue to improperly wear their face masks indoors.

UMW’s face covering and mask policy explicitly states that “Acceptable cloth face coverings and disposable masks should cover the mouth

Thursday, September 16, 2021

THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

and nose.” The policy encourages students to remind their peers to wear a mask properly. However, many students may not be comfortable confronting a peer about safety violations. Those who want to avoid confrontation should not be expected to enforce the policy on their own. Additionally, many students may not even feel comfortable getting close enough to someone who is not properly wearing a face mask in order to remind them. While faculty and staff are also encouraged to

participate in “bystander intervention,” encouragement is not enough.

Professors are authority figures in the classroom, and they should speak up to protect themselves and their students.

All faculty and staff need to be enforcing the mask policy in its entirety, particularly professors in their own classrooms. Students who do not comply should not be allowed into class and are subject to referral to the Office of Student Conduct and Responsibility (OSCAR). Stronger enforcement of the

masking policy is essential to diminish our case numbers. It is unfortunate that this issue has even come about; we are all adults that are capable of understanding and following through with necessary safety precautions.

Everyone on campus is being put at risk by those who selfishly do not follow COVID-19 policies and guidelines. While all students have the right to keep one another in check, those with authority also have a bigger responsibility to protect the greater good of the university community.

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NEWS

CRIME COLUMN Yellowjacket nest remains in Ball Hall, JOSEPHINE JOHNSON & SCOTTI MULLEN News Editors

spreading insects throughout building

Vandalism On Aug. 25 at 10:30 a.m. there was a case of vandalism at Palmeiri Fountain. This case is pending.

Stolen Property On Aug. 25 at 5:30 p.m. there was a case of stolen property on Ball Circle. This case is pending.

Poss. of Marijuana On Aug. 26 at 7:50 p.m. there was a case of possesion of Marijuana in Monroe Hall. This case is pending.

On Aug. 26 at 11:29 p.m. there was a case of possesion of Marijuana in the UMW Apartments.

This case is pending.

On Aug. 27 at 10:42 p.m. there was a case of possesion of Marijuana in the UMW Apartments.

This case is pending.

Petit Larceny On Aug. 27 at 3:03 p.m. there was a case of petit larceny in Arrington Hall. This case is pending.

On Sept. 9 at 3:27 p.m. there was a case of petit larceny in Pollard Hall. This case is pending.

Trespassing On Sept. 10 at 12:24 p.m. there was a case of trespassing at Eagle Landing. A notice was served.

Thursday, September 16, 2021

When the students found the yellowjackets they would cover them with bowls and throw them away.

Photo Courtesy of Rachel Frantz

•BALL HALL| 1 think, ‘Man, I’d like some back up right now’ or ‘I would like to not have to jump through all these hurdles,’” they said.

When asked why they think their responsibilities have increased, the RA said, “The reason that it’s not simple anymore is

because the cooperation of the UMW police, facilities, maintenance … is just not effective anymore. It doesn’t provide a level ground of support for RAs, so we’re now kind of thrown into a pool of ‘you need to just figure it out as you go’ type of thing.”

Kira Flinn, a fifth-year student in the education program, is experiencing her first semester as an RA. “I think [an RA’s experience] really depends on where they’re placed,” she said. “Other people have a lot more incidents that they have to deal with.”

Despite her job’s challenges, Kaleshefski said she enjoys working with Residence Life.

“I enjoy the fact I can have more of a leadership role in the community

and be able to reach out to students who may not feel like they have a place,” said Kaleshefski.

Flinn was recently in the

“The reason that it’s not simple anymore is because the cooperation of the UMW police, facilities, maintenance … is just not effective anymore.”

-Kira Flinn hospital and said she feels that Residence Life has been helpful and supportive.

“I’m just glad that my bosses and everyone else that has been involved have been really understanding and [have been] there when I need it,” she said.

Students lose scholarships due to reinstated housing requirements JEAN MONDORO & SCOTTI MULLEN senior Writer & News Editor

This semester, UMW is returning to many pre-COVID regulations, including the requirement to live on campus to retain merit-based scholarships. This requirement was waived for the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, but with in-person classes resuming, the housing requirement is in place once again.

Senior math major Ingrid Dizon is one of the students that lost a scholarship due to this change.

“I’m a senior now and I lived off campus my junior year since we found out that it would be cheaper than living in Eagle Landing,” she said.

“Due to COVID, they let us keep the scholarship. However, for this school year, I got an email from the Financial Aid Office that they will be canceling scholarships for those that do not meet the housing requirements, so I will be losing mine during this week.”

On Aug. 11, less than two weeks before move-in, the University sent an email about this change to students with merit-based scholarships that had not registered for on-campus housing. The email was also sent out after students were billed for the semester. Of UMW’s approximately 4,400 students, 1,583 of them live offcampus, according to Anna Billingsley, associate vice president of University Relations.

Emily Landry, a sophomore biology major, lost her scholarship due to the housing requirement.

“I have received a merit-based scholarship (I have the Blue and Gray as well as the Presidential),” she said.

“This scholarship does require me to

live on campus, and I just lost it this year since I’m now a commuter student. I had to really convince my parents in order for me to live offcampus because I lost a lot of tuition money when I did.”

Back in 2013, In the 2021-2022 school year students are once again required to live on campus when the merit- in order to keep their scholarships.

Micheal Longmire / Unsplash based scholarship Junior music major Hailey Amick program was disagrees with the rule. started, the rules stated that there would “It impacts students’ financial be a requirement to live on campus. needs,” said Amick.

“You should be “We know that a residential able to live off-campus if you are experience leads to greater success in getting a scholarship that is based on the classroom and higher retention/ your GPA from high school.” graduation rates,” said Director of Sophomore communication and Undergraduate Admissions Melissa digital studies major Mary Marcell also Yakabouski. “We want to provide [an] does not agree with the rule. incentive to live on campus.”

“I think there need to be more According to Yakabouski, waiving reasons as to why you need to be living the on-campus housing requirement on campus to keep the scholarships was not intended to be a permanent when the person worked hard to change. receive it,” said Marcell. “You’re “UMW leadership made the decision still attending the University of Mary to pause this renewal requirement Washington, even if you’re not living during the summer of 2020 at a time of on campus.” incredible uncertainty,” she said. “We Some students feel that this rule were unsure if we would be able to should not be in place. return to campus and what that would “It doesn’t really make sense look like if we could. We recognized to me why they would take away that given this uncertainty, students and the scholarship due to housing their families needed flexibility to do requirements,” said Dizon. “COVID what was best for them, which included is still very present in the community the option to remain at home with and some professors are still choosing virtual learning. We know students and to teach over zoom or do a hybrid parents appreciated the flexibility. It lecture.” was clear, though, that the exception would be for the 2020-21 year.”

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SPORTS

Editor: Victoria R. Percherke | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Inside the mind of a cross country runner VICTORIA R. PERCHERKE

Running long distances on a daily basis affects to keep me distracted. Sometimes I’ll count & BERNADETTE D’AURIA cross country runners’ mental and physical to myself or sing in my head or mentally Sports Editor & Assoicate Editor wellbeing throughout a season. plan out the rest of my day. If it’s an easier “It’s therapy for me,” said English major and run then I’ll talk with whoever I’m running senior cross country runner Amber Zipfel about running. “It helps with!” me think through my personal problems and my relationships.”

Zipfel also regularly finds herself planning out her day while Zipfel also said that while she is running the 6k for her team, she runs. she affirms herself by restating in her mind that she is capable of “I think about what I am going to drink after and eat,” she said. completing the race in front of her. “I can and I will” and “I am “I also think of what I am doing after my long run. I also focus on strong, healthy, and courageous” are two phrases Zipfel restates in my form and the things around me. I like to go for scenic routes.” her head.

Zipfel finds this line of thinking especially helpful for her Zipfel’s positive mindset is supported by psychology. A study because she prefers to run done by the journal of clinical sports psychology found that longer distances. When she “Runner’s high is “positive self-talk allows athletes to feel more confident in their feels like she is struggling, pretty rad.” performance.” especially during races, she “Distance running is something you always have to be working finds herself mentally tackling -Nolan Miller on, not running for a few days could mean you start to lose your schoolwork and picking out the fitness, so it’s hard to take time off between seasons,” said junior competition. cross country runner and business administration major Webb Nims.

“One time I planned out my entire paper on Beowulf while I According to Runner’s World, a runners’ magazine, patience was in a race to keep my mind occupied,” she said. within the process of training for a cross country race takes a lot of Even outside of competitions, running is a good way to relieve time and consistency. stress for the cross country team athletes.

Exercise, such as running, has been linked to decreased feelings “Running for me has been a great way to destress and take my of anxiety and increased calmness within the athlete. According mind off things like class and homework,” Delean said. “I also to a recent Hopkins Medicine article, this feeling of calmness that love to compete so it’s been a great way for me to let out some of runners experience after that competitiveness in a way that benefits me physically as well.” a run is referred to as a Zipfel said she feels similarly.

“It helps me think through “runner’s high.”

“It helps me relieve stress when times are tough,” she said. my personal problems and Junior computer science “Especially when the workload is heavy. It helps me think through major and member of problems through personally and relationships.” my relationships.” the men’s cross country However, despite the positive effects of running for an athlete’s team Nolan Miller, has mental health, it can also be a source of stress.

-Amber Zipfel experienced a runner’s high.

“Before races, especially ones we travel for, I can get all “Runner’s high is pretty rad,” said Miller. “It happens when I wrapped up over how fast I need to run all my splits at or what to really need it to, like in the middle of a hill repeat workout or at the and not to eat and spend all my time worrying about qualifying,” very end of a race … just suddenly not feeling tired and like any rust said Miller. in your legs is just gone.”

The stresses associated with the competitive aspect of cross Senior sociology major Cameron Delean is a member of the country are very real for the athletes on the team. However, Nims women’s cross country team. She said that a runner’s high puts her believes the payoff is worth the hardship. in a good mood.

“It’s happens often that a race goes bad, you just have to learn “To me, a runner’s high is just a happy and relaxed feeling I get from the experience, adjust your race plan, and try again,” said after doing a hard workout, long run or race,” she said. “When I’m Nims. running for a long time, I try to find different things to think about Rajai Walton contributed to the reporting for this article.

Athletes and celebrities take sports to Met Gala BERNADETTE D’AURIA Associate Editor

With the return of the Met Gala, Andrew Bolton, the Wendy Yu Curator in Charge of the Costume Institute, chose the theme “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” Many attendees showcased American fashion trends through the years and took inspiration from staples of American culture. One of the most popular facets of American culture on display was the nation’s dedication to sports. Among the attendees were professional athletes, from American basketball stars Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry to Olympians Simone Biles and Allyson Felix. Some athletes and attendees took direct inspiration from different sport disciplines when collaborating with their designers.

University of Mary Washington Fall Sports Schedule and Scores

Men’s Soccer (3-1)

Sept. 8 W @ Shenandoah (2-0) Sept. 11 L @ John’s Hopkins (0-1) Sept. 18 vs. Roanoke Sept. 22 vs. Lynchburg Sept. 25 @ N.C. Wesleyan

Women’s Soccer (1-3)

Sept. 8 W vs. Randolph-Macon (1-0) Sept. 11 L vs. Messiah (0-1) Sept. 18 @ V.A. Wesleyan Sept 22 @ Washington and Lee Sept. 25 @ Bridgewater (Va.)

Men’s Rugby (0-1)

Sept. 18 vs North Carolina Sept. 25 @ Southern V.A. Oct. 2 @ Maryland Oct. 16 vs. Virginia Tech Oct. 23 vs. Mount St. Mary’s

Cross Country

Sept. 4 @ Richmond Sept. 18 @ Christopher Newport Sept. 25 @ Shenandoah Oct. 2 @ Bridgewater Oct. 16 @ Hood

Field Hockey (1-3)

Sept. 4 L @ Messiah (1-6) Sept. 11 L vs. Franklin & Marshall (2-3) Sept. 15 L vs. Shenandoah (4-5) Sept. 18 vs. V.A. Wesleyan Sept. 22 vs. St. Mary’s (Md.)

Men’s Tennis

Sept. 17 @ Navy Sat. 18 @ Navy Sept. 19 @ Navy Sept. 24 @ St. Joseph’s Sept. 25 @ St. Joseph’s

Women’s Tennis

Serena Williams wearing a silver and pink Ciara Harris wears a Super Bowl inspired dress.

Nia Dennis posing in her gymnast inspired dress. body suit.

Instagram / Serena Williams Instagram / Ciara Harris Instagram / Nia Dennis

Serena Williams, professional tennis player and 23-time Grand Slam singles winner, graced the Met Gala red carpet in a “superhero-inspired” outfit. Athletes were not the only individuals who were embodying American athletics at the event. American singer, songwriter, model and businesswoman Ciara Harris attended the event in a lime green sequin dress. The dress was themed after the jersey of her husband, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Nia Dennis, a 22-year-old gymnast and former member of the United States women’s artistic gymnastics team, attended the event adorned in a sparkly, bright blue Adidas by Stella McCartney bodysuit, which she later topped with a blue diamond net layer. When making her debut onto the red carpet, she performed a gymnastics routine that included switch leaps and a cartwheel-back handspring-back layout.

Thursday, September 16, 2021

Sept. 10 @ Navy Sept. 11 @ Navy Sept. 12 @ Navy Sept. 17 @ St. Joseph’s Sept. 18 @ St. Joseph’s

Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletic’s webpage Schedule not listed above.

Bold indicates home game.

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