THE
BLUE &GRAY
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER
PRESS
October 13, 2016
VOLUME 90 | ISSUE 6 SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE
1922
Basketball courts fall victim to townies due to security issues JONATHON MYERS Staff Writer
“Townies,” or residents of the local area who are not enrolled at the University of Mary Washington, have been playing basketball at the Goolrick gyms and interrupting team practices, in some cases some even refuse to leave when told. The thought that complete strangers can wander onto campus at their leisure and use our facilities is a scary reality to some. The crux of the security complaints is essentially that Goolrick’s front doors are not very secure, according to Athletic Director, Ken Tyler. “The doors in Goolrick Hall are original to the building and present challenges,” Tyler said. “On occasion, we have had non-UMW students in the building.” The validity of the reports seems to be confirmed by Tyler’s admissions of these incidents having happened before. However, senior English major and president of the club women’s basketball team Gabrielle Clark does not seem worried about it. “It is posted in several places that anyone playing in Goolrick must have the proper identifications,” Clark said. “This could possibly be a potential safety concern if people that intended to do harm learned how to enter the gym without anyone being aware. I have noticed in the last couple of practices more of [a] police presence in Goolrick, which would help keep unwanted people out of the gym.” Non-students are prohibited from using the athletic facilities on campus and there seem to be many measures in place already to ensure that it stays that way. Although reports of recent increased police presence would imply an increased need for them to be there, such as strangers wandering into the gyms perhaps but Clark was unconvinced that there was any need to worry. “I am not aware of any of these reports of “townies” [playing basketball] in the gym or using the facilities,” said Clark. “There have been no issues with Women’s Basketball and non-students. All of our players, and the people that come out to play with the team, are students and have completed the necessary paperwork in order to be eligible to play.” Members of the club women’s basketball team have been able to avoid these encounters. However, the club
•TOWNIES | 2
IN THIS
ISSUE
UMW Archives
Image of a female student studying on a brick wall in front of Seacobeck Dining Hall 2003-04
Anna DeMarr / The Blue & Gray Press
Anna DeMarr /The Blue & Gray Press
Future Seacobeck could house College of Education SHAWNYA PETERSON Staff Writer
Seacobeck Hall has been an integral part of the University of Mary Washington since its doors opened in 1931. As UMW’s primary dining hall, generations of students have passed through its doors, and it is home to countless fond memories for thousands of students. For the past year, however, it has remained desolate with no students or faculty using its facilities. However, Seacobeck will be getting a facelift, though it is no stranger to remodeling. Over the years, it has undergone several renovations to better accommodate students’ changing culinary needs over the 80-year history in which it has been open. This time, however, the renovation is not to install more seating for meal times, but to transform the 43,000 square foot space to provide a new home for the College of Education. While the renovation of Seacobeck Hall has long been in the works, it has only recently come closer to becoming a reality. “UMW was founded as a teacher’s college, and the program is thriving at the present time,” said UMW Provost
KAYNAK BAGPIPERS
Dr. Joseph Levin. “It will be important to ensure that we’re delivering a stateof-the-art education program, utilizing state-of-the-art classrooms and technologies and utilizing space to enhance the sense of community among education students.” Levin continued, “I believe that the renovated Seacobeck will be a point of pride for students, not only those in the College of Education, but also those who will use the building for the other academic purposes that the building will serve.” When asked about the changes that will be made to the building, Levin said, “The basic structure of the building won’t change, but we will explore ways to use the space creatively, in service of our academic programs. It’s a wonderfully distinctive building, and I think the right architect will come up with some very innovate ideas.” Levin also discussed the importance of maintaining the building’s historical integrity throughout renovations. “The building was preserved, in part, because of its historical significance. We will work with our own historical preservation team, including professor Michael Spencer, as well as with those charged with overseeing
RACE RELATIONS
these issues on the state agency side.” Madeleine McCullough, a sophomore history major, expressed excitement over the upcoming changes. “I think it’s a good thing, having our own department [building] would be cool,” McCullough said. “More space for programs would be great.” Indeed, space is a significant factor in the renovations. The plans outlined in the university’s six-year plan discuss transitioning the building from an “auxiliary space” to classrooms for the College of Education. When asked about the renovation start date as well as the budget for the project, Levin admitted that it was “far too early to say,” and that the renovation budget, outside of the fees needed to “support the planning process,” is currently unknown. Despite the many uncertainties, Levin estimates that once it starts, possibly “within another year or so,” the renovation will be “an 18-month process, give or take a few months.” The renovations are in such an early stage of being carried out, many students that are new to the Education Department have not yet heard the news. “I hadn’t even heard of that happening,” says Emma Jones, a sophomore
•SEACOBECK | 10
RISING UP
UMW hosts traditional Bulgarian bagpipers
Colin Kaepernick takes a knee for progress
UMW volleyball rises to No. 14 in the country
LIFE | 6
VIEWPOINTS | 4
SPORTS | 3