The Breeze 2.22.24

The Breeze JMU’s award-winning newspaper since 1922

February 22, 2024 VOL. 102 NO.20 BREEZEJMU.ORG

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Giving Day is TODAY! Feb. 22

GIVING DAY HEADQUARTERS Write a few thank you notes and get some JMU swag.

Leeolou Alumni Center’s Great Room, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

“MAD MONEY” BOX

Ten boxes are hidden on campus, each filled with JMU swag and a special certificate so you can commit someone else’s money to a favorite Giving Day fund. If you find a box, you keep the swag and decide which college, program, or scholarship receives the donation.

COOKIE STATIONS

Grab a sweet treat and learn what makes your Madison Experience complete!

• Festival Dining, 11 a.m.

• Student Success Center, 1 p.m.

• Forbes Courtyard, 1 p.m.

• Hartman Hall Atrium, 10 a.m.

LATE NIGHT BREAKFAST

addition tuition and GIvingInDay 2024 to theme text

state funding, donations of all sizes help make JMU the place we know and love. Giving Day is an opportunity to show gratitude for members of the JMU community who “Give Like a Duke.”

UPB and the Office of Annual Giving present a special edition of LNB. Campus celebrities will serve breakfast a nd there’s a celebration of the day’s success at midnight.

Festival Lower Drum, 10 p.m. - 12 a.m.

SIGNS OF GIVING

See what past contributers have done to make a difference for today’s students.

Something BIG signs on campus mark a dozen sites.

Special stuff for you >

Vol. 102, No. 20

Vol. 102, No. 20

Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

On the cover This week’s front page story remembers the life and legacy of former JMU men’s basketball head coach Lefty Driesell, who passsed away Saturday at the age of 92.

Driesell led the Dukes to five straight CAA championships from 1989-94 and was the first coach in college basketball history to win at least 100 games at four different schools.

Former JMU players, staffers and administrators best remember Driesell for his sense of humor and genuineness.

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What’s inside...

For the full obituary on Lefty, see page 14

Thank you to our donors!

On behalf of the entire Breeze staff, we would like to thank all who donated to our organization for Giving Day. Because of you, we’re able to be the best journalists possible.

Sincerely, The Breeze

Correction

In the Derek Vander Voort story in the Feb. 15 print edition, Vander Voort was incorrectly named as “Vanderbilt Voort” in one reference.

The online version of the article has been updated.

A Harrisonburg firefighter looks up at The Hills Southview Apartments where, around 8 p.m. Tuesday, a cooking fire began in the complex, affecting two units with water damage from a sprinkler. Harrisonburg Director of Communications Mike Parks confirmed responders evaluated one person for injuries but did not transport them to the hospital. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze For more on the fire, read the story and stay tuned for any new developments st breezejmu.org.

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JMU’S AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER SINCE 1922 COVER BY: ABBY PAREDES / THE BREEZE

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COVER PHOTO: COURTESY OF JMU ATHLETICS OPINION EDITOR EVAN WEAVER

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MISSION The Breeze, the student-run newspaper of James Madison University, serves student, faculty and staff readership by reporting news involving the campus and local community.

The Breeze strives to be impartial and fair in its reporting and firmly believes in First Amendment rights.

Published on Thursday mornings, The Breeze is distributed throughout James Madison University and the local Harrisonburg community. Single copies of The Breeze are distributed free of charge. Additional copies are available for 50 cents by contacting our business office. Comments and complaints should be addressed to Grant Johnson, editor.

NEWS

EDITORS Eleanor Shaw & K. Mauser

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@BreezeNewsJMU

JMU, Sun Belt competition combat local food insecurity

Donations for the food fight are stored at The Pantry. Students can drop off donations at various locations across campus. Ella Stotzky / The Breeze

By SIXUAN WU The Breeze

A fight is taking place at JMU — but not just any kind of fight.

The inaugural Schools of the Sun Belt Conference Food Fight, organized by the JMU Pantry and running throughout February, is a competition between universities in the Sun Belt to see which school can collect the most donations to combat food insecurity.

Evan Dribbon (’22), an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) and organizer of the food fight, said he was inspired by a similar competition held between schools of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for the last three years.

“Part of my role as an AmeriCorps VISTA is trying to increase The Pantry’s presence on campus and to increase the amount of donations coming in,” Dribbon said of the on-campus resource that’s frequently stocked to provide students with non-perishable goods and fresh produce. “I came across this food fight that the SEC is doing every year, and it’s been very successful, and so I had the idea to bring that to the Sun Belt.”

Along with JMU, seven other Sun Belt schools are competing this year: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Marshall, Old Dominion, Troy, Louisiana at Lafayette and South Alabama.

To participate, food and hygiene products can be donated at select on-campus locations in exchange for points. Donations can be dropped off at Taylor Down Under (TDU), the third floor lounge in Warren Hall, the OffCampus Life office — all in The Union — the first floor of the Student Success Center, the first and second floors of the Festival Conference and Student Center, and both pantry locations in TDU and the Engineering Geosciences Building (EnGeo).

Hygiene and high-demand food products such as ramen noodles, pasta and peanut butter are worth four points, monetary donations are worth two points for each dollar and all other food items are worth one point.

Points are tallied at the end of each week to see which school is winning weekly. As of Wednesday, the pantry received 930 highdemand food items, 625 hygiene products,

1,077 other products and $963, which puts JMU at 9,217 points.

“This shows that people are really competing, which is really awesome and what I wanted,” Dribbon said. “I’m really promoting people to donate hygiene products and high-value food items. Monetary donations are also much needed. One dollar can provide somebody with up to four meals with the price that we get at the food bank, so it shows you how far just $1 can go.”

Donations will be stored at The Pantry.

Dribbon said the food fight’s goal is to increase the variety of options in The Pantry and serve the greatest number of students possible with appealing food and hygienic resources.

In a survey conducted by the Student Support Hub in 2019, before The Pantry began operating, 38.9% of JMU students reported experiencing food insecurity. When the survey was conducted again in 2023, the figure was 37.8%.

“The statistics were just shocking to me,” Dribbon said. “I had no idea there was such a big problem here on campus. It was actually right on par with the nation’s average at about 40%.”

Dribbon said he has been collaborating with other departments to promote the food fight, such as the University Program Board (UPB) and various Greek life organizations.

Junior Audrey Lupfer, vice president of the community relations panhellenic executive board, said she’s been spreading awareness about the food fight at JMU by coordinating with the community service and philanthropy chairs of all the fraternities and sororities.

“We are integrating this into our own philanthropic efforts by encouraging the competition aspect between the different schools inside the Sun Belt Conference,” Lupfer said. “[We are] really utilizing just the sheer number that we have in Greek life to make sure that this problem gets tackled.”

Different Greek organizations have been competing against one another to see which can make the most donations and earn the most points. The winner will get to pick their order to perform in April’s Greek Sing, a philanthropy event and singing competition for Greek organizations.

“It’s competitive, and that’s fun because I’m also competitive,” said MK Myers, a freshman and sister in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.

“It’s been a good experience, and in Theta, we are competitive. We like to win.”

Lupfer said she believes the best way to tackle food insecurity is for everyone to familiarize themselves with the issue, and she hopes JMU will continue to organize the food fight in upcoming years. “[Food insecurity] is an incredibly big issue,” she said. “It’s incredibly prevalent in JMU, and with the sheer numbers that we have and how much energy and thoughtfulness we can put into this initiative, I think we can make really big changes.”

CONTACT Sixuan Wu at wu3sx@dukes. jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

Watch more below!

As of Wednesday, the pantry has received 930 high-demand food items, 625 hygiene products, 1,077 other products and $963, which puts JMU at 9,217 points. Photo illustration by Daria Ausen / The Breeze

NEWS

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

SGA rejects Young Life funding request, approves parking grace period Same spring break trip’s contingency funds passed last year

Young Life is the first org to have its funding request rejected by the SGA this academic year.

The SGA approved a resolution to request Parking Services grant students a one-week grace period during the first week of classes. The resolution asks for no tickets to be issued to students who are parked in incorrect lots. Daria Ausen / The Breeze

By JOELLE MCKENZIE The Breeze

The Student Government Association (SGA) Senate unanimously approved contingency funds for the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) but rejected Young Life’s contingency funds request for scholarship money to go toward its spring break trip. Also approved in the meeting was a resolution to help students get a one-week grace period to not be ticketed during the beginning of the semester from JMU Parking Services.

Young Life funding request rejected

The S GA Senate rejected $3,0 0 0 in contingency funds to help alleviate lowincome JMU Young Life members who want to participate in its annual spring break trip.

Last year, SGA approved the contingency fund request for Young Life’s spring break trip, which was the same amount.

Young Life is a Christian student organization with no dues and approximately 250-300 members. It was represented by senior Taylor Wilson and senior SGA President Nate Hazen, who is a Young Life college leader and acting vice president of the organization. He said this was his first time representing Young Life at SGA, and that he voted in favor of the contingency fund request last year.

The funds would have covered the $395 cost for each student’s lodging in part or in full based on individual needs. The condos on the trip are arranged by student org leaders, and groups are typically composed of friends who opted to stay together.

Junior SGA Finance Committee member Daniel Green said he voted no on the request because it “goes against everything we stand for as an organization” to fund something inherently religious, adding that he did not want to pay for another org’s “vacation” because it felt inappropriate.

Funds granted for Muslim, design orgs

The SGA Senate unanimously approved $5,000 in contingency funds for the MSA’s Ramadan banquet on March 23. The purpose of the event is to “celebrate the holy month of Ramadan,” said sophomore Heleen Mirawdali, representing the MSA, on Tuesday.

Included in the $5,000 request were $3,300 for food costs; $1,500 for speaker expenses, which would help to compensate for lodging, travel and other costs; and $200 in banquet supplies.

Mirawdali said the banquet is open to the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, not just MSA members.

“I think it’s important to have a big event, especially open to anybody from the JMU community, and also have the ability to afford a lot of food options that may not be available,” senior Sen. Zach Fox said.

The IDSA requested $2,997.40 in contingency funds for an Adobe Illustrator workshop and professional certification test, which will certify each member is proficient in using the software. As stated in a frequently asked question on Adobe’s website, the certification lasts for three years “to help ensure that Adobecertified individuals are trained and updated on new app features and capabilities.”

IDSA is an organization composed of about 55 members, and its goal is to help predominantly design students develop professionally and connect with those in the field.

According to JMU’s website, the “Industrial Design Society of America is the professional organization for industrial designers.”

The test costs $125 per person, and 35 members of IDSA signed up for it and the preparation workshop. The two IDSA members representing it said the certification allows design students the opportunity to advance in their career fields.

Since September, the SGA has passed $74,479.06 for 22 student orgs.

More data here: Abby Paredes / The Breeze

No first-week parking tickets

The SGA approved a resolution to request Parking Services grant students leniency during the first week of each semester while they figure out their schedules and parking. The resolution asks that Parking Services not ticket students for the first week of classes; alternatively, it will issue each car a warning if parked in the wrong lot.

The goal of the resolution is to benefit JMU students financially by limiting ticketing, especially for those who do not know which

parking lots they can park in.

Senior Sen. Parker Boggs authored the resolution.

“This is what we can — as SGA, as students who represent a student government — vote for,” Boggs said. “This is what students want. This is what students need."

CONTACT Joelle McKenzie at mckenzjl@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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NEWS

BoV roundup: new education program, national rankings, economic impacts on JMU community

By LIBBY ADDISON & DRAKE MILLER The Breeze

JMU has exceeded in many areas of study and student life this academic year, such as its number of admissions, research efforts and athletic success, President Jonathan Alger said in his presentation to the Board of Visitors (BoV) on Friday.

The BoV at JMU is composed of eight different committees, each focuses on different areas of student life and the university, that meeting multiple times a year to discuss both future plans and recent accomplishments.

Friday’s meeting took place in the Festival Student and Conference Center and recounted the university’s most recent successes.

The President’s Report

University President Jonathan Alger addressed on-campus developments in his report to the Board of Visitors (BoV).

Rowan Potts / The Breeze

Alger said JMU recently received “the largest cash gift to date,” which totaled $6 million and was donated by a 1949 Madison College graduate. The donor was the first woman in American history to command a brigade-sized male unit in the U.S. armed forces, Alger added.

“We’re very excited to celebrate her legacy,” he said.

When discussing admissions, Alger said the total number of freshmen applications for fall 2024 is over 40,000, a 67.5% increase from 2021. Alger added that this increase “counters” national trends, particularly for public universities, and that many colleges and universities nationwide are struggling to increase enrollment.

JMU is also recognized as a national research university, which helps attract “exciting numbers” of out-of-state applicants, Alger said. JMU’s “diverse” population is home to many first-generation students and minority groups, he said, that have been historically underrepresented. In fall 2022, 74.3% of JMU’s student body identified as white, down over 4% since 2013 but 14.5% higher than the state’s population, The Breeze reported in August.

Alger also said there seems to be an increase in the number of international applications received this year, which suggests they’re “recovering from COVID.” Transfer applications are continuing to be submitted, Alger said, with the number already over 800.

Alger also highlighted a new civic leadership minor launching in the fall, in which students focus on implementing practices of foundational leadership, civic sciences and technology, alongside involvement in community civic leadership.

“These will be great opportunities for our students, and it will certainly reflect the strategic plan of JMU in terms of high-impact learning because every student you see is going to complete an internship, some sort of research or a portfolio project related to team civic leadership,” Alger said. “Really excited to launch this minor.”

Alger also recognized the success surrounding athletics throughout the university.

Across all university athletics, JMU was the only Division I school in the nation to qualify for the NCAA men’s and women’s soccer tournaments, and it reached its first-ever bowl game. ESPN also selected JMU as the location for the network’s 30th anniversary College GameDay with a record-breaking crowd of 26,000 fans.

“This is the third time we have hosted ESPN GameDay; we are the only non-Power 5 school to have ever done this,” Alger said.

He praised JMU women’s lacrosse for its win over Virginia Tech on Wednesday, which bumped the Dukes up to No. 3 in the country, saying the team has “potential for a really special season.”

Local partnerships

Alger also noted a development for the JMU Doctor of Education (EdD) degree, which was recently approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

“These are not easy programs to get approved — it’s a long process,” Alger said, adding that the only thing JMU’s waiting on before implementing the program is an external review.

Support The Breeze and Donate Today!

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see BOV, page 8

Vol. 102, No. 20

Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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NEWS

BoV Student Affairs meeting introduces plan that Alger also said the Virginia State Board of Education approved looks to expand health services, foster belonging the JMU Lab School for Innovation and Career Exploration on from BOV, page 6

Jan. 25; it will offer new opportunities to high school students enrolled in Rockingham County Public Schools (RCPS).

“It’s a partnership with us, [RCPS] and also Blue Ridge Community College,” he said. “It will have that emphasis on career pathways and experiential learning.”

Online education rankings

Alger said JMU online programs have been nationally recognized recently.

“It’s interesting to note here, in [the U.S. News and World Report], several of our online programs are now ranked in the top 100 nationally, starting with our MBA program at No. 18,” Alger said.

JMU is also ranked 34 nationally for its MBA program for veterans, 41 for Masters in Computer Information Technology and 97 for the Masters in Nursing program.

University economic impact

JMU periodically conducts economic impact assessments, which were challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic but ultimately proved to be “powerful,” Alger said.

Despite COVID-19, Alger said fiscal year 2022 data showed JMU invested $363 million in the Harrisonburg area, $488 million overall in the commonwealth and generated $22.7 million in local tax revenue. Alger added that JMU continueds to create jobs throughout its community and for every member of the University’s faculty and staff.

“We are the largest economic engine here in this part of the Shenandoah Valley but also across the commonwealth,” Alger said. “So again, hats off to everybody who’s working in economic development.”

The BoV will next meet on April 18 in the Festival Student and Conference Center.

CONTACT Libby Addison at addisoen@dukes.jmu.edu and Drake Miller at mille8dl@dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

The Student Affairs Committee convened Thursday, the day before the Board of Visitor’s (BoV) meeting. Vice President for Student Affairs Tim Miller unveiled a five-year plan to make a more inclusive JMU community. Photos by Rowan Potts / The Breeze

By SIXUAN WU The Breeze

The Board of Visitors’ (BoV) Student Affairs Committee convened Feb. 15 to discuss a strategic plan for the department, JMU’s accessibility resources and new initiatives such as religious spaces to enhance students’ sense of belongingness on campus.

Student Affairs Strategic Plan

In his report to committee members, Vice President for Student Affairs Tim Miller previewed the Student Affairs Strategic Plan. The plan, which is designed to be implemented over five years — with updates every year based on how students’ needs change over time — covers four areas of emphasis: student learning and development, belonging, health and wellbeing, and “being the best place to work.”

The plan is still in its draft stage, and more specific content will be added as it develops to show how different university departments can work on relative strategies and actions that will lead to measurable outcomes.

Miller provided a sample of what these strategies and measurements look like. He used the University Health Center (UHC) as an example and said some of the strategies this plan would emphasize include optimizing clinic operations and expanding services to meet students' needs.

“One of the strategies is to implement HWB [Health and Wellbeing] vending machines,” Miller said. “One thing that the staff have been notified of is that students have struggled to get access to Tylenol and other things after hours — especially first-year students because they don’t have cars. The vending machines will operate 24 hours, so students can have access to them without having to wait when they are sick.”

Committee member Michael Stoltzfus suggested adding a column for target measurements mentioned in the strategic plan so its overall goal and specific actions have aligned objectives.

“There’s a lot of value in determining at the highest level what your objectives are,” Stoltzfus said. “You can do a bottomup approach, but ultimately, you may end up with a whole ton of confusion.”

Phi Beta Kappa has sent out Invites!

Be sure to check your emails as of February 12th www.jmu.edu/pbk/

NEWS

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Both the BoV and Student Affairs Committee highlighted JMU's expanded on-campus resources at their respective meetings. The committee applauded groups focused on belonging and inclusivity, and the BoV celebrated JMU athletics, the university's nationally recognized online education programs and the university's positive economic impact on Harrisonburg.

Accessibility and inclusivity

CentralValleyHabitat.org/ReStore

Miller highlighted some on-campus accessibility and belonging resources to the committee, including the Office of Disability Services (ODS); the JMU VALOR Resource Center; Sexual Orientation; Gender, Identity and Expression (SOGIE); Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS); and various religious organizations.

“We seek to create opportunities for every student to be successful in the classroom, on campus, in the community, in their future careers and as citizens,” he said.

As previously announced in an email to JMU students, faculty members and staff on Jan. 18, Miller said Bruce Mitchell will start as the associate vice president for accessibility and belonging starting March 1. Currently, Mitchell works as the director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Northern Kentucky University.

Miller also invited a panel of five students to share how JMU’s inclusivity initiatives have impacted them. “[JMU VALOR] has allowed me to connect with other veterans and other dependents that go to JMU,” senior veteran Lucy Gallegos said.

“It’s a small community, but I was able to find

my home with people that have gone through what I have gone through.”

Freshman Noa Amar said finding a community in Hillel, a religious organization for Jewish students, was “incredible,” and she felt welcomed in the group.

“On Oct. 7, Israel declared war on Hamas, and being Jewish as well as an Israeli citizen, it was extremely hard for me,” Amar said. “My cousin and my uncle were drafted back into the war, so it was really just shocking. At the same time, you can’t really talk about it. It’s very controversial. But being able to talk to anybody who is Jewish, any faculty member, was so welcoming, and it made me feel at home.”

Miller also introduced new accessibility and belonging initiatives that are in progress, including establishing religious spaces for prayers, creating a sensory room and a serenity center to support neurodiverse students, and introducing pre-orientation programs for students to connect before classes start.

“Belonging is a central aspect of our students’ life here at JMU as they seek to find their places and people within our community,” Miller said. “We have a responsibility to identify and remove barriers

SHOP.

to involvement and belonging on campus so every student can find their place.”

SGA and student representative updates

Senior Student Body President Nate Hazen gave updates on the Student Government Association (SGA) to the committee, including contingency funds and corporate grant expenditures, recent bills that are on the Senate table and upcoming advocacy opportunities.

“When clubs and organizations come in and apply for funds and corporate grants whether it be for events conference fees, keynote speakers, they get the opportunity to display what they are to us,” Hazen said. “I can say confidently this is how we connect with the student body the most.”

Senior Student Representative to the BoV (SRBoV) Abby Cannella reported on how she used the official student representative social media accounts to share information with the student body and keep the campus and the BoV connected.

“From my experience, the general public of the university doesn’t really know all the amazing things that JMU has going on

DONATE.

You don’t have to lift a hammer to help build and preserve affordable housing in the Central Shenandoah Valley. SHOP, VOLUNTEER or DONATE at the ReStore and help families realize their dreams of homeownership.

All proceeds help to fund housing provided by Central Valley Habitat for Humanity.

behind the scenes,” Cannella said. “And if the students know what’s going on, they may see something that they are passionate about and be able to help work towards. That’s really one of my goals; for the university to grow and the students to grow.”

Cannella said she is setting the next student representative up for success by holding interest meetings and reviewing the SRBoV) handbook to add additional information and advice from previous students who have taken the role.

“The most important part is actually knowing what you are getting into,” she said. “Taking on this role was one of the most intimidating things that I’ve ever done, but because of the resources and encouragement that I received from [my predecessor] Xaiver Williams and the board members’ administration, I felt confident assuming this role, and I want to provide that team support to whoever wins the election later this spring.”

CONTACT Sixuan Wu at wu3sx@dukes. jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

VOLUNTEER.

CULTURE

EDITORS Morgan Blair & Evan Moody

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EMAIL thebreezeculture@gmail.com

@Breeze_Culture

‘The SpongeBob Musical’ submerges JMU into Bikini Bottom

By ZACH MENDENHALL The Breeze

Junior musical theatre major Carrigan Young has always had a connection to the character Sandy Cheeks from “SpongeBob SquarePants.” During her audition for JMU’s newest production, “The SpongeBob Musical,” which premieres in the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts from Tuesday to March 2, she had her heart set on landing the role.

When she went home to Waco, Texas, for Thanksgiving break, Young opened her phone to an email saying she got the part. Knowing the task ahead of her, she immediately began memorizing her lines, excited to work on the character.

“All I’m having to do is go to rehearsal and learn the things at rehearsal and apply those,” Young said. “I’m not having to come home worrying about learning my lines or learning my music.”

For Young’s previous shows, only her parents made the trip from Waco, but this year, the whole family is coming to town. She has three brothers, her grandparents, a sister in-law and her niece all visiting for the first time, and she said she’s counting down the days until they visit.

“The SpongeBob Musical” opened in 2017 on Broadway in New York City and features written compositions from artists such as David Bowie and Cyndi Lauper. Senior and theatre major Matthew McPherson proposed the idea to the mainstage season committee of the Forbes Center in the fall.

JMU is doing a large commercialized musical to help students learn how to perform in one, junior musical theatre major Aaliyah Ellison said.

“Part of going to school for musical theater is to learn how to be in big shows, and so I think a really big factor of why we’re getting ‘SpongeBob’ is so that we as performers can learn how to be in this type of musical,” Ellison said.

The 34-person cast is the largest senior stage manager Abby Kelley has ever worked with, and it’s been “wild navigating”, she said.

Kelley completes a multitude of tasks during rehearsals, serving as the “eyes and the ears” for each department, she said. It’s her job to communicate what’s happening in the show from one department to another.

“She’s keeping the ship afloat, no pun intended,” Young said. “She’s the one that sends out our daily calls, so we know what we’re doing every day at rehearsal; she’s the one keeping track of where people are on stage, what props they need.”

The musical is the fifth project Kelley has collaborated on with director and assistant professor of musical theater Kate Lumpkin. “We are in contact all day, every day,” Kelley said.

From actors’ positions to line delivery and timing, Lumpkin knows exactly what she wants to see on the stage, Kelley said.

“Kate is an incredible director,” Young said.

“She brings such an energy and fire to the rehearsal room that is just so easy to pick up on.”

Scene shop members have been building the set since before winter break. While the set shop is busy, Young works in the lighting shop and said she hasn’t felt too rushed doing her part. Cast members have also been checking off costume fittings demanded by the costume department.

“Our directors and stage managers are so well organized that there’s really not been a stressful moment in the process, even with our short

Bailey Ryon, left, and Annie Wogisch, right, perform at stage rehearsal on Tuesday. Photos

by Kailey Garner / The Breeze

Elliot Davis, SpongeBob, and Harrison Melton, Patrick, perform the song “BFF” from “The Spongebob Musical.”

timeline to get everything put up,” Young said.

The cast rehearses four hours every weeknight and on Sundays. The final Sunday rehearsal will be a 10-hour day with a two-hour break for food.

Despite the demanding rehearsal process, cast members such as Young have kept high spirits throughout. A positive environment is created backstage by the cast members, Young said, as everyone is excited to be there and eager to work.

The week before rehearsals began, cast members spent eight hours a day working on singing and getting to know one another better in what they called “boot camp,” said Elliot

Davis, a junior musical theatre major. He said he had fun getting to know everyone, as the cast hangs out plenty outside rehearsals.

Davis said he knew he would’ve loved to play SpongeBob entering the audition process but kept an open mind.

“The audition, it was actually probably one where I was the least, like, not least worried but just not super stressed about because the outcome was going to be whatever it was,” Davis said. “When I got the role … I misread it at first — I thought I’d just got in. I didn’t realize that I got, like, SpongeBob.” Between double majoring in musical theatre

and computer science, along with being a musical director for the a cappella group The Madison Project, Davis is used to having a full plate. Despite feeling “all over the place sometimes,” he said, taking on a lead role has not prevented Davis from completing his duties as a student.

“So far, it’s been pretty manageable, which has been super shocking to me,” Davis said.

He said ensuring he properly uses his voice has been his biggest challenge as an actor. It’s important for him to be conscious of how loud he’s talking when it comes to the character, he said.

Cast members such as Davis have had their talents pushed to the limit throughout the rehearsal process, as he said he’s not much of a dancer. “So You Think You Can Dance” contestant and choreographer Beau Harmon led the show’s dance numbers during the first week of the semester.

“I think people are being challenged in a really good way,” Young said. “Everyones really growing as performers, which is awesome.”

Auditions were not smooth sailing for every cast member. Ellison said they “stressed me out like no other.” The room felt less scary, she said, after her teachers and directors made it seem warm and supportive.

Ellison’s role of Pearl is considered a “princess track,” meaning she is not on stage often, but she has a big impact when she is.

Her role includes a song titled “Daddy Knows Best,” which is a duet with Mr. Krabs, and she said it’s the hardest song she’s had to sing on stage.

“Rather than using your head voice of your register, I have to bring the vocal technique that I use singing lower notes, but up at the top of my register,” she said.

Cast members above exhibited plenty of creative freedom, as they don’t simply want to make a “carbon copy” of the Broadway production, Ellison said.

Davis said the process has been a “whirlwind,” saying he’s still trying to come to terms with the fact he’s SpongeBob. It has yet to make sense to him, he said, and probably will not until after the show. He said he’s done his best to pay respect to a yellow sponge.

“This show is something that JMU has never done, and I don’t think we’ll be doing again for a while,” Davis said. “It’s just something special, something that can resonate with everybody — adult or kid.”

CONTACT Zach Mendenhall at mendenzl@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

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CULTURE

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Student artist, professor weigh in on TikTok-Universal Music Group battle

By CAMPBELL WOOD contributing writer

In 2024, the only place you won’t find Taylor Swift is on TikTok. Because of Universal Music Group’s (UMG) recent decision to pull its music from the short-form social media platform, a multitude of popular songs from top artists were removed.

On Jan. 31, UMG released a statement toward TikTok, stating its contract had expired after “pressing them on critical issues.” The statement also included warnings about the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) in the music industry. Following the statement, TikTok confirmed it had removed UMG’s music the next day, silencing millions of TikToks already using those songs. Artists such as Drake, Olivia Rodrigo and Rihanna had their music erased from the app.

Junior media arts and design major and music industry minor Grace Lastova said she didn’t believe UMG would pull its music from Tiktok. After brushing off a few videos that claimed the music would be pulled, she said she was “shocked” from when the moment finally came.

Lastova, who released six singles independently, said the platform’s a major factor in exposing audiences to music and that TikTok is “the best way to get to listeners.”

In UMG’s statement, the music corporation accuses TikTok of attempting to “bully” it into what it said was a “less fair deal” and claims TikTok proposed compensating its artists with “a fraction” of what it typically gets paid by major social platforms. UMG also emphasized the detriment of removing the music of lesser-known artists who rely on TikTok’s viral nature to boost their streams and notability.

TikTok put out a similar, yet short, statement about the decision, saying UMG “put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.” “[It] is their right,” JMU music industry professor David Cottrell said. “UMG has been in negotiations with TikTok for a while now with no resolution and the expiration of their contract. No license, no tracks.”

One of the crucial reasons UMG decided to let its contract expire with TikTok is the app’s use of AI and its authorization to have AI-generated recordings “flooding” the platform. These recordings of popular songs have gained traction on the app, such

as fake vocals of Frank Sinatra singing Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” and Radiohead’s “Creep.” This prompts content that UMG regards as “diluting the royalty pool for human artists.”

Lastova said she has seen “many positives” with AI’s integration into the music industry, such as having generated recordings from artists that may have never collaborated or covers from artists who probably won’t ever record them.

Still, Lastova said there are concerning areas of AI in music, such as issues with copyright infringement.

Using one of UMG’s biggest rappers on April 4, TikTok user @ghostwriter977 uploaded a self-written and -produced song using AI and Drake’s voice called “Heart on my Sleeve.” Prior to the upload, UMG had just requested that Spotify and Apple Music bar AI companies from using its music. Following the release of ghostwriter977’s AI parody, UMG filed for removal of the song from all streaming platforms. This was one of the first of many attempts from UMG to block the use of AI and UMG’s music.

Since its transition from Musical.ly in 2018, TikTok has gained massive popularity with its short-form video style through comedy, niche interests and dancing, all with a backbone of a song or sound. Through viral videos and trends, certain sounds gain prominence and reusability as more and more people feature the songs in their videos.

Songs from smaller artists such as Pinegrove have amassed a following with the use of its 2015 song “Need 2,” in which content creators participate in a dance appropriately titled the “Pinegrove Shuffle.” With the removal of UMG’s music from the platform, viral trends using Lana Del Rey’s “Let the Light In” and Sophie EllisBextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor,” which gained popularity from the movie “Saltburn,” are unusable.

Some musicians have taken to the app itself to vocalize or make fun of the contract expiration. Folk artist Noah Kahan, whose song “Stick Season” appeared in thousands of videos on TikTok, described his concerns with the removal of his music.

“I won’t be able to promote my music on TikTok anymore, but luckily I’m not a TikTok artist, right?” Kahan said, teasing how some of his fame is attributed to his TikTok fanbase, in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio. Indie artist beabadoobee

One of the early conflicts between UMG and TikTok started after rapper, Drake’s voice was used to produce an AI song on the app. Tribune News Service

poked more fun at UMG by posting one of her songs, “Talk,” at 2x speed to avoid copyright infringements.

The failed negotiations have smaller artists represented by UMG at a loss, as TikTok is a substantial platform to promote music and gain traction through algorithims. Some of today’s biggest names in the music industry obtained a reputation when their songs went viral on the app. A prominent example is Doja Cat, whose song “Say So” was choreographed to a viral dance trend in 2020.

“It’s going to have a huge impact on the smaller artists under that label,” Lastova said. “TikTok is such a massive platform to get new listeners for music.”

However, the catalog removal led to celebrations of independent artists using TikTok to promote their songs. With a major corporation such as UMG erasing its cornucopia of music, indie artists are hoping this will lead to more exposure and boost streams.

“Now is the time for them to promote their music,” Lastova said of independent artists.

With the removal of UMG’s music from the platform, some content creators have made memes and TikToks about the situation. One video references the constantly memed noncopyrighted music of Kevin MacLeod, implying that TikTok’s viral dance trends will succumb to using these royalty-free songs.

Another content creator and “Swiftie” Chris Olsen “took matters into his own hands” by rerecording Taylor Swift songs using his own voice. Users in the comments joked it was “Taylor Swift (Chris’s Version).”

The removal of UMG’s music from TikTok may signify how AI will affect social media and bring attention to the controversy of streaming services compensating artists, as stated in UMG’s open letter. Warner Music CEO Robert Kyncl said to Billboard that he believes TikTok and UMG will reach a mutual deal in due course.

Evan Moody contributed to this report.

CONTACT Campbell Wood at wood2cw@dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

Junior media, arts and design major and music artist Grace Lastova said UMG’s removal of their music from TikTok will have “a huge impact.” Photo courtesy of Grace Lastova

Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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CULTURE

By AVERY GOODSTINE The Breeze

“A Spark of Light” by Jodi Picoult is unlike any book I’ve read before. From the subject matter to the characters to the timeline of events, it’s a beautiful and haunting narrative that I’ll think about for a long time.

On the first page, readers are immediately thrown into the heart of the conflict: an active shooter in an abortion clinic. Despite knowing this was the subject of the book before beginning, I wasn’t prepared for such a jarring start. This absolutely has the potential to intimidate readers, but it did just the opposite for me. I was addicted to this book and often thought about it when I wasn’t reading.

This novel is also intriguing because of the

way the timeline of events is unveiled. Rather than moving forward after the initial climax as one might expect, Picoult unravels the events in reverse chronological order. After reading reviews of the book, a lot of people hated this, but I thought it was really interesting. I’ve never read a book written in this way. I also think it’s a creative method to bring all the characters together and show how they ended up in the horrible situation together.

My favorite thing about this book is the relationship between Wren and her dad, Hugh.

He’s the hostage negotiator on this case, and Wren is one of the shooter’s hostages in the clinic. Hugh doesn’t immediately know his daughter is a hostage, and when he finds out, he’s consumed with questions about why Wren is there in the first place. It’s revealed that Wren is there for birth control pills, but her father

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Column | Jodi Picoult’s ‘A Spark of Light’ electrifies from beginning to end s de are P y Abb

never knows that.

Both Wren and Hugh battle their own internal struggles while also dealing with the active shooter. Wren regrets not telling her dad she was going to get the pill and wonders what he thinks of her now that he knows she’s there, and Hugh grapples with the reason he thinks Wren

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is there: to get an abortion.

Through Wren and Hugh’s individual storylines, Picoult highlights their relationship, which is clearly very special. They are both the center of each other’s world.

A few parts almost brought me to tears as I reflected on my close relationship with my dad.

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CULTURE

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Hugh is struggling dealing with the guilt of her new independence, and how it will affect her dad.

All the relationships between the characters feel extremely real and deep. Even with characters like Izzy, a nurse at the clinic, and her fiancée, Parker, I was rooting so deeply for everyone’s happiness.

In the last few pages of the book, two major plot twists are revealed regarding the true nature of two relationships. Looking back, these surprises seem obvious, and I probably could’ve guessed them, but I was so enthralled with everything else going on that I didn’t expect a plot twist at all. When it happened, though, I audibly gasped, and my jaw was on the floor. There wasn’t even any time to process because it happened right at the end of the book.

Another striking part about “A Spark of Light” is the way Picoult approaches such a heavy subject with nuance. I imagine writing a book about an anti-abortion activist shooting up an abortion clinic is extremely difficult, but Picoult did it with grace.

Picoult’s own political views about abortion are obvious throughout the book, but she makes a good effort to explore and present differing perspectives. It’s evident she conducted ample research to support the story with factual information, including consulting with others about their views on and experiences with abortion.

I do think it’s important to note, though, it’s not Picoult’s job to present us with both sides. She’s a fictional storyteller, not a journalist.

The only reason I rated this book four stars instead of five is because, although entertaining, the plot twist felt a bit rushed and random. I also wish there was more to the epilogue outside of what happened to Wren and Hugh. I want to know if Izzy and Parker get married and the fate of other characters. Besides those small things, I was thoroughly entertained and impacted by this book.

Picoult’s prose is certainly not something to write home about. It’s simplistic and to the point, but it packs a punch. With this being my first Picoult novel, I’m excited to dive more into her repertoire. If this is anything like the rest of her books, I’m absolutely hooked.

CONTACT Avery Goodstine at thebreezeweb@gmail.com. For more bookish content, stay tuned for the “Bibliomania” column and follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture

Author Jodi Picoult unfolds the events of “A Spark of Light” in reverse chronological order. Smithsonian Associates

The ending of the novel features two major plot twists that reveal the true nature of two relationships. Amazon

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SPORTS EDITORS Kaiden Bridges & Jackson Hephner

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EMAIL breezesports@gmail.com

@TheBreezeSports

Lefty Driesell was introduced as JMU’s men’s basketball head coach in April 1988. He coached the Dukes for the next nine seasons, winning 159 games, five CAA regular season titles and the 1994 CAA tournament. Courtesy of Lawrence Jackson

‘His legacy will live forever’

Former players, staff, administrators remember hall of fame coach Lefty Driesell

By JACKSON HEPHNER The Breeze

In high school during the 1985-86 season, William “Billy Coles” Otey saw the man he would one day play for at JMU — Lefty Driesell.

The men’s basketball head coach, who passed away Saturday at the age of 92, was in his 17th and, unbeknownst to him or anyone else, final season at Maryland. Otey, a Hampton, Virginia, native and longtime U.Va. fan, was well aware of the ACC legend.

“I just remember Lefty walking towards me as he was exiting,” said Otey, who played forward and center at JMU from 1989-91, “and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Lefty Driesell.’

And I realized he was as tall as he was. It freaked me out because on TV, you don’t know.”

Standing at 6-foot-4, Driesell had come to watch Otey’s AAU team in the hopes of recruiting his teammate, J.R. Reid, who went on to play at North Carolina. But as he passed Otey, he patted him on the shoulder.

“Not that he was interested in me,” Otey said, “but just he saw a kid that just played, and I just thought that was the greatest thing ever.”

Otey went on to begin his collegiate career at Chowan, a junior college in North Carolina, where he played from 198689. After scoring 1,000 points in just two seasons, Division I programs took interest in him, including North Carolina State and Boston College. So when his junior college coach, Bob Burke, told him JMU was interested, Otey was confused why

he would pick a mid-major over his high-major offers.

But JMU had Lefty.

JMU President Ronald Carrier hired Driesell in 1988, two years after his resignation from Maryland following the death of his recently graduated player, Len Bias. Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding his departure, then-Vice President for Advancement Don Lemish described JMU as “euphoric” over the hiring.

“There was just tremendous excitement that Lefty Driesell was coming,” Lemish said, “and everything that followed for quite some time kept the fanbase very enthusiastic.”

Driesell went on to expand his basketball legacy during his nine years with the Dukes. Under his leadership, JMU won five straight CAA regular season titles from 1989-94 and the conference tournament in 1994. He finished his career as the first head coach to win more than 100 games at four different programs — Davidson, Maryland, JMU and Georgia State — leading each team to at least one NCAA Tournament.

But those who played and worked with him knew a man who managed to stick out among other big name coaches in the sports.

The person behind the legend

When exploring schools to transfer to, Otey was recruited

by NC State’s Jim Valvano and U.Va.’s Terry Holland, as well as the staff at Boston College. He grew accustomed to being driven in nice cars and shown expensive watches, but Driesell was “the exact opposite.”

When he found out Otey wanted to major in psychology, Driesell introduced him to every professor in the department.

Driesell, a Norfolk native, would also bring seafood to Otey’s family in nearby Hampton. He even sent Otey a stick of gum taped to a postcard that read, “Billy, I’m sticking to you.”

“Other players, we saw that person and then that’s why we signed the dotted line,” Otey said. “It wasn’t just that you’re playing for Lefty. You’re playing for a person that’s genuinely a good human being.”

It wasn’t just players who felt that genuineness. Lefty’s last head student manager, Peter Johnson, recalled a time when he, Driesell and his son, Chuck, took a trip to Johnson’s hometown of Danville, Virginia, to watch one of his former players from when Driesell was an assistant coach at George Washington High School.

While in town, Johnson asked Driesell if they could stop by his home so he could check on his parents. He agreed.

“Coach goes in, and 45 minutes later, he is still talking to my parents like he was recruiting me to play ball,” said Johnson, who attended JMU from 1986-88 and 1994-97. “That’s the way he was. He could recruit anybody.”

Along with his knack for recruiting, Driesell was known for his high standards and honesty as a head coach.

“He had high expectations for everyone,” former guard James Pelham (1994-99) said. “He had a big name, but he carried a big stick and he wanted everybody to know that, and as players of course, it wasn’t always easy. So he made sure he got the best out of everyone just by pushing them to their limits.”

SPORTS But amid his brutal honesty and lofty expectations as a coach, his personality shined through.

Larry Huntley, a former facilities manager at the Convocation Center, recalled Driesell smoking cigars in the arena, and how his ears would twitch when he laughed. Otey remembered Driesell responding to a heckler at William & Mary by saying he knew how to box. Johnson remembered a banquet featuring Driesell, then-Louisville head coach Denny Crum and VCU coach Sonny Smith that was “like a comedy hour.”

“Lefty was Lefty,” Huntley said.

With his personality came success and, following the Dukes’ fifth-straight CAA regular season title, an iconic moment: Kent Culuko’s buzzer beater to beat Old Dominion in the 1994 CAA championship. The moment is now simply referred to by fans as “The Shot.”

“It’s like, ‘Where were you when John Kennedy was shot?’” Lemish joked. “Where were we when Kent Culuko made that shot?”

Johnson recalled how the Dukes trailed by 19 with 13:04 to go but stormed back to secure the win. After the shot went in, Johnson couldn’t contain his excitement.

“I’m screaming and hollering, and my mother came out like, ‘What is going on?’”

Johnson said, “and I’m like, ‘You don’t realize what just happened!’ And that’s March Madness. I mean, that’s true March Madness.”

However, as the years went on, Driesell’s lack of conference tournament championships became a source of

contention. When it came time to extend his contract at the end of the 1996-97 season, Lemish said negotiations stalled, and after another loss to Old Dominion in the CAA championship, Carrier decided to not renew his contract.

“Dr. Carrier, he even told me, ‘Yeah, probably shouldn’t have fired coach [Driesell]. Wasn’t one of my better days,’” Johnson said. “They had always had a good relationship, but, you know, those things happen in college athletics.”

As a final parting gift to the facilities workers, Huntley said Driesell told the equipment manager to let them pick out whatever gear they wanted.

“He was a joy to work with,” Huntley said.

Driesell finished his career at Georgia State, leading the Panthers to an upset of No. 6-seed Wisconsin in the 2001 NCAA Tournament, his final appearance before retiring two seasons later.

In 2018, Driesell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, an honor that Lemish, Pelham and Johnson all said was long overdue.

“His legacy will live forever,” Pelham said.

“Good, bad, it doesn’t matter. He was a great man.”

Kaiden Bridges contributed to this report.

Driesell poses next to Shelia Moorman, the head coach of women’s basketball from 1982-97.

Photos courtesy of JMU Athletics

CONTACT Jackson Hephner at breezesports@ gmail.com. For more men’s basketball coverage, follow the sports desk on X @TheBreezeSports.

Kenny Brooks (left) played for Driesell at JMU from 1988-91. Brooks became JMU women’s basketball’s head coach from 2002-16.

Louis Rowe (left) also played for Driesell at JMU from 1993-95. Rowe went on to become JMU men’s basketball’s head coach from 2016-20.

159 786 13 wins at JMU

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

total career wins

NCAA Tournament appearances

41

seasons as a head coach

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

SPORTS

Analysis: Five takeaways from No. 3 JMU lacrosse’s undefeated start

By HAYDEN HUNDLEY The Breeze

JMU lacrosse started its season on fire after upsetting then-No. 3 North Carolina in a 19-18 overtime thriller. The last time JMU beat the Tar Heels, in 2018, the Dukes won the national championship. Since the Feb. 10 win, the Dukes have jumped three spots to No. 3 in the ILWomen/IWLCA polls after two convincing wins over ACC opponents and a tight 15-14 victory against No. 24 UConn that went down to the last second.

Here are five takeaways from the Dukes’ exciting start to the season.

JMU's attacking trio could be best in nation

So far this season, no attack trio on a ranked team has more combined points (46) than sophomore Maddie Epke, sixth-year Kacey Knobloch and senior Isabella Peterson.

2023 Tewaaraton award finalist Peterson — who broke JMU’s record for points in a season last year with 114 — has six more points in the first three games than last spring.

Knobloch, after missing the entirety of the 2023 season with a knee injury, has put up 15 points while managing to turn the ball over only once and has yet to have a shot saved. And Epke, who had the luxury of moving to a more comfortable role on the offense because of Knobloch’s return, is already just six goals shy of her mark from all of last year (17).

It’s fair to mention that Northwestern’s trio of 2023 Tewaaraton Award winner Izzy Scane, ILWCA First Team All-American Erin Coykendall and Big 10 Freshman of the Year Madison Taylor, have had a slow start to their season after playing No. 7 Syracuse and No. 2 Notre Dame, but will probably increase their production when the quality of opponents on the Wildcats’ schedule levels out. Notre Dame’s vaunted trio of 2023 IWLCA AllAmericans Jackie Wolak, Arden Tierney and Madison Ahern have also impressed, but the Dukes' crew still has more points despite the Fighting Irish playing an additional game.

Boden proves herself in goal

If there was any doubt about sophomore goalkeeper Caitlin Boden being the starter

in the cage this season, she answered the bell in the Dukes’ 15-14 win over UConn on Saturday. On Monday, Boden was named the AAC Goalkeeper of the Week.

Her 15-save performance was the most by a JMU goalie since former four-time allAmerican Molly Dougherty’s (2018-22) 15 saves against North Carolina in 2022. Game stake matters, too, as two of Boden's saves came in the final 23 seconds from pointblank range.

It takes a lot of grit to be a starting goalie for a top-ranked program — Dougherty had it, Kat Buchanan (2019-23), who set the record for wins in a season by a JMU goalkeeper last year (19), had it, and Boden may just have it, too.

Dukes have to be more creative at the draw control

The draw control was the Dukes’ achilles heel in a couple of their biggest games last season, as they were outworked 12-7 — 3-0 in the fourth quarter — in their 8-7 loss in the AAC Championship to Florida and 15-9 in their season-ending 13-7 loss to Syracuse in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

To add insult to injury, JMU's all-time leader in draw controls, defender Rachel Matey (2019-23), graduated last year, and the Dukes didn’t bring in any new personnel for the job this year, as Epke and Peterson have taken all the draws. To be clear, Matey rarely took draws for the Dukes, but her ability to get ground balls off the draw made her a key component to that part of the game.

Experimenting with different players in the draw circle could be beneficial for JMU. In the Dukes’ three games this year, they lost the draw control battle 52-44 and 18-7 in the fourth quarter, and with the Dukes being a higher-scoring team this year, it’s important for them to win in the circle so they don't give teams back possession after scoring.

JMU will be able to coast by the majority of its regular season opponents just fine, but mediocre play at the draw will hold the Dukes back if they want to make a run for a conference and national championship.

Sophomore attacker Maddie Epke has 11 goals through the first three games this season, six away from the number she scored in 2023 (17). Photos by Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

SPORTS Shearer has hit stride as OC after inconsistent 2023

Assistant coach Colleen Shearer’s first season as the offensive coordinator last year was a mixed bag. The offense got off to a slow start with nine- and eight-goal performances against North Carolina and Virginia Tech.

JMU hit its stride in games against Richmond when it dropped 20 points, and Johns Hopkins when it scored 17, but tapered off again with a 10-goal performance against Temple, eight against Florida in the AAC championship and seven against Syracuse.

So far this season, JMU is averaging 17 goals and eight assists per game — double the number of assists it had at this point last year. In the Dukes’ best and worst offensive performances last spring, Peterson commanded the unit while the rest of the offense mostly stood stagnant.

What’s encouraging about this year is the offensive scheme is more free-flowing, yet Peterson’s production has still increased.

So far this year, 61.3% of JMU’s scoring has gone through the trio of Epke, Knobloch and Peterson, with a splash of production from junior attacker Katelyn Morgan and senior midfielder Taylor Marchetti. Expect more from junior attackers Savannah Derey and Olivia Mattis as the offense balances out throughout the season.

Growing pains for the defense

Whenever a team graduates two allAmericans — in JMU’s case, Mairead Durkin (2018-23) and Matey, as well as Buchanan and the loss of senior defender Carolyn Thistlewaite to a knee injury — it’s expected to have a few setbacks.

The Dukes’ defense let in 18 goals in their win over North Carolina. A few were self-inflicted, a couple Boden would probably want back, but chalk the majority of those goals to the Tar Heels’ excellence rather than JMU’s lack of prowess.

The majority of concerns about the unit

Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org were evident in the win over UConn, when JMU self-imploded with four yellow cards in the fourth quarter. Reigning IWLCA Outstanding Assistant Coach of the Year Kateri Linville’s aggressive zone scheme has been a staple of JMU’s defense since she joined the program in 2021. With two defenders starting who came into the year with zero starts in freshman Ava Bleckley and sophomore Courtney Quirk, it may be best to move to a more conservative approach as they develop.

Bleckley, who came into the season ranked as the 20th-best incoming freshman by Inside Lacrosse, has been encouraging so far, while Quirk has flashed. Freshman defender Maddie Weybrecht, who’s only appeared in a game for a short duration in the Dukes’ 17-5 win over Virginia Tech, and junior Hazel Gardner, who’s been sidelined so far this season due to injury, could make a push for the fourth defender spot if the inconsistencies continue.

It’s only February, and it’s far too early to know all of JMU’s strengths and flaws, but it’s fair to say the expectation that the Dukes’ offense would be the stronger part of their team is panning out. Peterson, Knobloch and Epke are all on pace for career years, while defensively, senior captain defenders Nicholle Marshall and Lizzy Pirisono and freshman Bleckley have been trustworthy 1-on-1 defenders. However, learning how to work together when defending off-ball is a different story, as JMU is tied for fourth worst in the NCAA with 37 goals allowed.

The Dukes’ next three matchups are all winnable games against Towson (1-1) at Sentara Park on Thursday at 5 p.m., Albany (0-4) on Sunday at Sentara at noon and at Furman (1-1) on March 2.

CONTACT Hayden Hundley at hundlehf@ d u k e s . j m u . e d u . Fo r m o r e s p o r t s coverage, follow the sports desk on X @TheBreezeSports.

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Senior attacker Katelyn Morgan, running to join Epke and sophomore midfielder Brianna Mennella’s celebration against North Carolina on Feb. 10, offers JMU extra offensive production outside of its main goal-scoring trio.

Peterson, No. 17, has six more points in the first three games this season than she had at this time last year.

OPINION EDITOR Evan Weaver

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EMAIL breezeopinion@gmail.com

Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.

A “kudos” pat to JMU grad Jim Acosta who has been a weekend news anchor for CNN and is moving to the weekday 10 a.m. slot as news anchor.

From an avid fan.

A “low-battery” dart to JMU parking for restricting the electric vehicle charger on Driver Drive to “Service and Emergency Vehicles Only.”

From someone who has nowhere to charge their car on East Campus.

A “that-space-isn't-foryou” dart to the students who pull onto the train tracks to wait to turn into the Warsaw Parking Deck.

@Breeze_Opinion

More buyback options at the bookstore would reduce textbook burden LACEY SIRBAUGH | contributing columnist College students spend between $339 and $600 on textbooks per year, according to a 2023 report from Education Data Initiative.

For many, that’s at least $1,300 on textbooks over the course of four years. In addition, 25% of the students surveyed worked extra hours to pay for their textbooks. Some students wait until the last minute to get their books or don’t buy them at all, making them unprepared for class.

In a Breeze Instagram poll, 76 out of 100 respondents said they do not use all of their textbooks. In the same poll, 82 of 96 respondents said buying textbooks is a struggle in some way — time wise or financially. The JMU Bookstore should rework its textbook system so that students can save money and feel encouraged to buy books for their classes.

Sophomore Emma Craddock said she always has one or two textbooks she never uses and feels that the others are rarely touched or worthless.

“Almost every time, I wait until I make sure I really need it before I buy it,” she said. “A lot of the time, I feel like [professors] just assign them because they have to assign a textbook.”

Sophomore Elizabeth Bruening had a similar experience; she said she spends around $200 on textbooks per semester and feels she doesn’t get

her money’s worth using them in class. Bruening uses the JMU Bookstore as her last resort and usually seeks out cheaper options online first.

So, if JMU’s most convenient resource isn’t used by some students, is it really a good one?

Some online services are becoming more prevalent due to their cheaper options and guaranteed money for book sellers. BookScouter is a service that lists all the sites buying or selling a specific textbook. Some of the highest-rated sites are BooksRun and Empire Text. Although those services are less convenient than the JMU Bookstore because they require shipping, some students prefer non-JMU services because they can save money or at least earn some back.

Another reason why people aren’t using the bookstore is because there are two large community-run JMU Facebook pages with students buying and selling textbooks, including “JMU undergrad book exchange” and “JMU Book Buy/Sell.” With “JMU undergrad book exchange” having around 14,500 members, it’s unclear how many people view the JMU Bookstore as their primary source for textbooks.

First off, the bookstore’s textbooks aren’t cheap, and many textbooks only have one purchasing option. For example, the bookstore has rent, buy new, buy used or ebook options with all different prices, but they don’t apply to every book. Some only have purchase options.

From someone who remembers my drivers’ education training and knows trains can be dangerous.

An “I-hope-I-tookgood-notes” pat to my professor for making part of my exam open note.

From someone who wouldn’t pass otherwise.

A JMU Bookstore employee puts textbooks into a bag for customers. If a textbook is in good condition and is requested by a professor for the next semester, the bookstore will buy back up to 50% of its initial value. Kailey Garner / The Breeze

Editorial Policies The Breeze 1598 S. Main Street Harrisonburg, VA 22801

The Breeze welcomes and encourages readers to voice their opinions through letters and guest columns.

The Breeze reserves the right to edit submissions for length, grammar and if material is libelous, factually inaccurate or unclear.

The Breeze assumes the rights to any published work. Opinions expressed in this page, with the exception of editorials, are not necessarily those of The Breeze or its staff.

Rose Library does have a wide selection of textbooks to borrow; however, there are a limited number of copies of each textbook, meaning only a few students could save money in a class of over a hundred. With limited copies at Rose and with Carrier Library under renovation, students have minimal resources for more affordable options.

Another issue is when students are finished with their textbooks, they’re usually useless tools.

In other words, they don’t earn anything back. So, is it smarter to buy an expensive textbook that could potentially be resold over a rented textbook that wouldn’t reimburse the consumer?

The bookstore does have a buyback process but is picky about the books based on their demand and popularity among classes. The bookstore won’t buy back looseleaf or coursepacks and never reimburses 100% of a purchase. According to the JMU Bookstore’s buyback conditions, the value of a book increases based on the instructor’s demand, making it between 30%-50% of the original purchase price.

The purchase process should be treated like a deposit system. Students should be able to buy the book they choose — ebook, used or new — and pay full price when they check out.

However, when they return it at the end of the semester, they should get reimbursed based on the condition of the book.

If the book is brought back in bad shape, then the bookstore could keep their money or give them a small amount in return. If a student brings back a book in perfect condition, they would receive a majority of what they spent.

This allows students to receive some money back based on their responsibility but doesn’t prevent the bookstore from earning some money.

Another improvement to the system could be to lengthen the regular return process to be longer than seven days. With some professors being unclear about books, a student could purchase one too early in hopes of being prepared, and then not have a chance to return it for their full refund.

Besides a few options such as the buyback process, rentals and rare gift card giveaways, the JMU Bookstore isn’t very helpful with assisting students with something that’s such a big chore.

Even their sales and discounts often exclude textbooks. They’re crucial to college students who shouldn’t be punished for trying to succeed.

CONTACT Lacey Sirbaugh at sirbaula@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and X @Breeze_Opinion.

Letters and guest columns should be submitted in print or via e-mail and must include name, phone number, major/year if author is a current student (or year of graduation), professional title (if applicable) and place of residence if author is not a JMU student.

OPINION

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Twilight transportation JMU and the Harrisonburg Department of Public Transportation (HDPT) used to operate a night bus that ran late through the morning. Following the growth in popularity of platforms like Uber as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, the night bus was discontinued. April Weber / The Breeze

Reinstating the night bus would improve campus safety and provide additional job opportunities for students MAYA SKURSKI | contributing columnist It’s 3 a.m. on a Saturday morning, and it’s a good 30 minutes past when you should’ve gone home. You check your phone to call a ride — it’s dead.

You have no idea where you are; you have no idea how to get home; and you have no phone to call from. Five years ago, you could’ve moseyed your way to the closest bus station and hitched a ride to campus.

But now, you’re out of luck.

This exact situation happened to me my freshman year at JMU. Luckily, I slept in my residence hall that night, but things could’ve easily gone wrong. It made one thing clear: Transportation during late hours when it’s dark needs to be advertised, used and upgraded.

It’s no secret that university students around the world have some very late evenings. As young adults, our goal is to figure out the world around us. Sometimes that means we end up in pretty sticky situations. What students need is assurance that, regardless of the choices that evening, they’ll make it home safe.

For many years, before JMU students consistently started using Starships, Birds and Uber, for transportation relied on campus shuttles. As technology evolved, so did students’ modes of transportation; however, the one thing that stays consistent is students’ need for rides during non-operating hours. JMU, working with the Harrisonburg Department of

Public Transportation (HDPT), used to have a night bus that ran uninterrupted throughout the eerie, late-evening and early-morning hours. When apps like Uber became more popular, students slowly used the JMU night bus less, but it wasn’t until 2020 that it was eradicated.

“The key turning point was actually the pandemic,” HDPT Transit Superintendent Elliot Menge said.

Another thing taken from us by the COVID-19 pandemic: The night bus was a helpful tool that nowadays most students know nothing about. Reinstating it as a part of the Inner Campus Shuttle (ICS) schedule would give JMU the opportunity to enhance students’ safety, facilitate an accessible campus during twilight and promote responsible social behaviors by creating a campus that allows students to enjoy their evenings safely and freely.

However, it’s not as simple as just restoring the night bus to what it once was.

“In order to bring [the night bus] back, we would need to see a need or demand for that ridership,” Menge said. “A demand isn’t a vocal request — although that can be an indication of it — it’s that maybe the 9 to 10 o’clock hour of our night route is starting to get really busy, maybe we need to extend our night routes.”

While there may or may not be a demand right now for rides at 11 p.m. when the buses stop running, senior SafeRides Team Leader Marcus Rand suggests there's a clamor for rides after.

“If we’re picking up five people and dropping them off at home, we count that as five rides because we’ve given five people rides, so by that metric, we average probably around 200 a night,” Rand said.

Two hundred students calling between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday for a free ride is a demand, and that doesn’t include the students who use Uber or other forms of transit or walk home.

While students may rely on more popular transportation methods, there are still quite a few — maybe stuck in dangerous situations — in need of a free, reliable and available ride.

Menge suggested that the issue of bringing back the night bus doesn’t fall on a lack of demand — there’s a transportation issue nationwide.

“Every area of work that needed drivers was already actually starting to have a bit of a driver shortage before the pandemic happened, and so the pandemic occurring actually only exacerbated that issue dramatically,” he said.

JMU’s campus shuttles are not running at the levels they were before COVID-19.

HDPT doesn’t have the drivers available to restore the routes to their full potential, and while a large part of that is out of its control due to the pandemic, it also falls on a recent lack of student drivers.

“One of the things that I am very proud of with HDPT as a department is our diversity,” Menge said. “You name it, it’s probably represented here, but the one

demographic that has decreased especially since the pandemic is the number of JMU students that actually work for us and drive buses like myself when I started.”

Before even considering implementing a night bus, HDPT would need to see the JMU routes and staff fully capable of performing the way they were before COVID-19. There are probably quite a few students in need of a job, and many already driving during these hours of the night who could work for HDPT and help the bus return.

It’s been four years since the pandemic.

Slowly, we have to find a way to go back to the way things once were or evolve into something better. Transportation, particularly nighttime transit for JMU students, should be at the top of that list.

Options such as SafeRides and Uber are amazing tools and undeniably should be used more. But as college students, sometimes we can’t afford an Uber, and it’s not always weekends when we are in need of a nighttime ride. If a night bus could return for students, Harrisonburg would be more secure than it's been in a long time.

“Anything that promotes the safety of JMU students, is something that I consider a win,” Menge said.

CONTACT Maya Skurski at skurskme@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and X @Breeze_Opinion.

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

OSASG celebration beautifully recognized Black History Month As I took the stage as emcee co-host alongside Khole Nash at the Ole School Alumni Scholarship Group’s (OSASG) Black History Month celebration on Feb. 8, I found myself immersed in a whirlwind of honor, pride and celebration. Having had the privilege of standing in this role last year, it always holds immense reward and significance.

The OSASG stands as a beacon of support and empowerment for JMU students like myself and the others it supports, carrying out its mission across various pillars that include recruitment, mentorship, scholarships, internships

and job placement. It was such an empowering feeling to glance out at the crowd and see students, both familiar and unfamiliar, united in celebration and recognition of Black excellence. Among them were numerous “New Schoolers,” individuals who, much like myself, cultivate meaningful connections within OSASG, each contributing to their own distinct journey here at JMU. It was a personal honor to recognize and introduce President Jonathan Alger, the sixth president of JMU, who has led with distinction since 2012. His remarks were eloquent and impassioned; — I

remember speaking to students afterward and reflecting on the motivating emotions it left with us. This moment was a great symbol of the alignment between leadership and the values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

This year’s event honored two remarkable individuals: Vice President for Access and Enrollment Management Donna Harper and Co-Chair of JMU’s Task Force on Racial Equity Deborah Tompkins-Johnson. I can confidently attest that these women are extremely hard working and such exceptional role models. Being a part of this day with them was very inspiring for me.

Donna Harper’s introduction, gracefully delivered by Associate Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Art Dean and David Owusu-Ansah, illuminated her contributions and achievements, and Deborah’s tribute, led by Katrina Hayes Peerman (’92), offered a poignant glimpse into her life and immense impact.

One of the impactful takeaways of the evening was the charge forged by Tompkins-Johnson. She implored us all to gear our collective minds to think about “What is the next biggest thing for JMU?” after the monumental collective accomplishments and success with such initiatives as renaming buildings on campus.

The celebration was beautifully co-organized by the African, African American, and Diaspora Studies Center and the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Engagement. It embodied a vibrant tapestry of culture, history and artistry through the stirring performances of the JMU student saxophone quartet, Invicta, to the captivating dance routine of The

OPINION Virginia Dance Repertory Company, all seamlessly transitioned by soulful music produced by Sean Ayers, aka DJ Immaculate.

The element of Black History Month holds a profound significance on our campus and beyond. I personally take it as a time to reflect on the enduring journey toward equity, justice and growth, knowing that it isn’t only about honoring the past but also about empowering future generations to continue the legacy of progress and resilience.

In assuming the role of emcee co-host, I caught a glimpse of how I was able to be a part of the bigger picture of Black history in the making, standing on the shoulders of those who came before me and, frankly, those who were sitting before me as I spoke. I’m reminded of the responsibility we all share in shaping a future where every voice is heard and every story is valued. That’s what happens at the annual Ole School Alumni Scholarship Group Black History Month celebration.

Sincerely, Alana Galbert JMU junior, Khole Nash JMU freshman

MULTIMEDIA

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Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Village revamp

Ikenberry Hall, a first-year residence hall located in the Village, was demolished in May and is under construction. The new building is set to open in fall 2025 and will be able to house up to 459 students. Photos by Kimberly Aikens / The Breeze

This week on Breeze TV Top Stories “The SpongeBob Musical” brings the Forbes Center to the Bikini Bottom JMU basketball teams enter the final run of their 2023-24 seasons The Cinderella Project, a non-profit, provides formal wear for those in need Weekend weather forecast

For more photos of the Ikenberry construction, view the full gallery online at breezejmu.org/multimedia.

Tune in to Breeze TV LIVE from the Alison B. Parker Studio every Friday at 3:30 p.m.

CONTACT

Kimberly Aikens at aiken2km@dukes.jmu. edu. For more multimedia content, visit breezejmu.org/ multimedia.

Scan the QR code to view our YouTube livestream.

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Vol. 102, No. 20

Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 19, 2024

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol

2/19/24

By Janice Luttrell

4 Space race initials 5 Heroine in Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” novels 6 Word after dental or Mental 7 Just a handful of 8 Nine-digit ID 9 Sinks 10 Kindle download 11 Dress with a triangular silhouette 12 Electrical circuit component 14 Contempt 17 Buckwheat noodle similar to udon 20 Old West outposts 21 Free-for-all fight 22 “Judy” Oscar winner Zellweger 24 Clairvoyants 25 “House of Cards” actress Kate 27 Roam (about) 30 “Oh no, not __!”

31 TiVo precursor DOWN 1 Available sans Rx 32 Not in time to be useful 2 Feel awful 33 Fragrance 3 Workout 34 Up and about accessories that keep sweat out of 36 Whitlock Jr. of “Da 5 Bloods” the eyes

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

stumpe

find the answers online

d?

ACROSS 1 Island northwest of Molokai 5 Inseparable pals, briefly 9 Grizzly, for one 13 Fastens, as shoelaces 14 Monica who won nine Grand Slam singles titles 15 Not all thumbs 16 Disruptive student 18 Garden dirt 19 Slobbers 20 “Killing Eve” actress Shaw 21 Short “I need a short break” 23 Cocktail with rum and vodka 26 Carter’s successor 28 Body parts studied by otologists 29 Actress Chlumsky 30 Turn away 32 Sheep bleat 35 Wilson/Vaughn comedy with the tagline “Hide Your Bridesmaids” 39 “__ Misérables” 40 Flies like an eagle 41 Most of the time 42 Apple’s virtual assistant 43 Italian sub meat 45 Time for a final bow 50 Roofing stuff 51 “Ok, sure” 52 Nobody in particular 54 Ibuprofen target 55 Mastermind, and what the first word of 16-, 23-, 35-, or 45-Across can be 59 “Three and out” football play 60 Country shaped like a boot 61 Clever tactic 62 Hoppy brews 63 Mexican sauce made with chocolate 64 “Auld Lang __”

www.breezejmu.org/ site/crossword_ answers/

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

37 Sushi seaweed 38 Linden who played Barney Miller 42 Daredevil’s feats 43 In a wily way 44 Succulent with soothing gel 45 Brit’s spot of tea 46 Company with orange-andwhite trucks

2/19/24

47 River through western Germany 48 Panama waterway 49 Point of view 53 Siestas 55 Lip of a glass 56 “Who am __ argue?”

57 Countless lifetimes 58 Manhattan liquor

Vol. 102, No. 20 DUKE DOG AUTO ALLY LOCAL AUTOS FOR SALE

Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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MADISON MARKETPLACE Madison Marketplace is open for business, and all text-only listings are FREE! Post job listings, announcements, rentals and more using our online placement tool.

Ads run two weeks online and in two print editions.

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HOMES FOR RENT

Do you want to utilize your organizational and administrative skills to plan, organize, coordinate, implement, and supervise all varieties and aspects of the City’s athletic programs and sports activities? If so, consider applying for the Parks and Recreation Department’s Athletic Program Coordinator position! Find out more/apply online: https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.

Seasonal Job Opportunity - Park Grounds Maintenance Laborer Are you looking for a seasonal job that allows you to work primarily outdoors and utilize your maintenance skills to upkeep various park grounds? If so, apply to the City of Harrisonburg’s seasonal Park Grounds Maintenance Laborer position! Find out more/apply online: https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.

Seasonal Job Opportunity - Recreation Aide (Youth Services) 3br, 1.5 bath ($1575/mo) for rent 3br, 1.5 bath Updated Kitchen & Bathroom Rent: $1575/ mo (Term 1yr) Available Aug 1 1341 Devon Ln Harrisonburg, VA 22801 Please contact John Tel: 240.388.5507

Do you want to have fun at work while also providing a safe and engaging environment for youth? If so, the City of Harrisonburg’s seasonal Recreation Aide - Youth Services position may be the right job for you! Find out more/ apply online: https://www.harrisonburgva. gov/employment. EOE.

Are you seeking a career in a collaborative environment that allows you the opportunity to use your transportation planning skills to benefit the local community? If so, apply to become a Transportation Planner with the City of Harrisonburg Public Works Department’s Planning Division! Find out more/apply online: https://www.harrisonburgva.gov/ employment. EOE.

Career Opportunity - Athletic Program Coordinator Are you looking for a seasonal position in a friendly golf course environment while working on a variety of projects at the course? If so, consider applying for the City of Harrisonburg’s seasonal Golf Course Maintenance Laborer position! Find out more/apply online: https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.

STUDENT JOBS

Vol. 102, No. 20

Thursday, February 22, 2024 | breezejmu.org

TT BAELUS EA V

JMU

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