The Breeze 4.17.25 by The Breeze

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In accordance with federal guidance, the JMU Board of Visitors (BoV) dissolved the University’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) division Friday. Students, faculty and staff had assorted reactions to JMU dismantling DEI — some were pleased the university took this route, while others were disappointed or shocked.

Drake Miller & Emma Notarnicola

Dukes react to DEI’s dissolution

By ISABEL LEWIS The Breeze

In accordance with federal guidance, the JMU Board of Visitors (BoV) dissolved the University’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) division Friday.

According to a March 19 press release by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, programs may be considered unlawful if they involve a federally-covered entity making a decision motivated by an employee or applicant’s race, sex or another “protected characteristic.” Since Friday, Dukes haven’t received updates on what the aftereffects of these changes are.

Students, faculty and staff had assorted reactions to JMU dismantling DEI — some were pleased the university took this route, while others were disappointed or shocked.

“Even though JMU is a PWI [Predominantly White Institution], what made me feel safe at JMU was their big stance on diversity and inclusion,” senior Elena Ogbe said. “Knowing that there’s a committee in the university makes me feel safe as a minority student on campus. Getting rid of that just removes all that safety and security that they promoted to us as incoming freshmen students.”

Though JMU dissolved the division, interim President Charlie King wrote in an emailed campus-wide statement Friday that the BoV wants to ensure the Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS) will remain accessible for all students and will continue to receive funding.

However, the reallocation of money isn’t the same as a specific, dedicated division, Ogbe said.

“W hen you have a committee strictly for diversity and inclusion, you are hiring people who have extensive knowledge on how to protect and best support these students,” Ogbe said. “[CMSS is] not specialized in that. So it’s not going to be their top priority.

see DEI, page 8

YAF speaker Robert Spencer condemns Hamas and ‘the left’

By EMMA NOTARNICOLA, MERRICK MOCK & SARAH CESTARE The Breeze

Author and political activist Robert Spencer came to JMU as a part of the Young American for Freedom (YAF) speaker event on Monday in the Bridgeforth Clubhouse.

YAF aims to be “a leading organization for young conservatives” and assist students to “find support, promote conservatism, and take action,” according to its website. For its annual speaker event, YAF invited Robert Spencer for his speech titled “Exposing Hamas: Unmasking the Left’s Favorite Terrorists.”

Junior and YAF President Tristan Jackson introduced Spencer as the director of the Jihad Watch Program at the David Horowitz Freedom Center — an organization that advocates for the “defense of free societies,” according to its website — and a writer of the Jihad Watch blog — a website that describes its goal as ensuring, “that deeds done in the darkness for so long will not continue to be done.”

Spencer became a contentious figure within the JMU community during the lead-up to his event, with a change.org petition made advocating against him speaking at JMU. The petition said he is “a notorious anti-Muslim extremist” and “contradicts with JMU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.”

“There is a Islamic hate speech person coming to JMU, April 14 … we shouldn't be sponsoring anyone who’s going to be like that.” Harrisonburg resident Dale Diaz said. “We have a muslim community here, they're already feeling threatened.”

Sophomore and organization Secretary Kenneth Robert Loyall, Jr. said YAF hoped to “give information about what’s happening in the Middle East, between Israel and Gaza” through the event. This would allow students to become more educated on both sides of the argument and “make their own decisions about what they believe,” he added.

Some attendees, including junior computer science major Eliana Shanker said she thinks the topic has “relevance in her life” because she is Jewish.

YAF’s Program Officer for Campus Advancement Christian Calvert said the organization hopes to expose students to more “conservative values” to show the other side of the argument, especially with conservatives across the United States supporting Israel.

By sharing this argument, YAF hoped to open a constructive conversation with those who disagree with the beliefs that Spencer spoke on and discuss reasons for opposition, Calvert said.

“It’s fine if you disagree with something,” Calvert said. “However, YAF always encourages people who disagree to come to our events because we always include a Q&A portion, and they can challenge the speaker.”

Calvert said this topic has been drawing a lot of attention across the United States, so it’s something that students should care about and be interested in.

Going into the event, Shanker hoped students would come with an open mind and be ready to discuss other opinions.

“I think if people show up with their minds already made up, and they just want to cause problems, then that’s not going to be very good,” Shanker said.

Before Spencer walked on stage, Jackson thanked YAF and fellow conservatives on campus for their support before announcing YAF is “proud to stand with Israel and the Jewish community during these disturbing times,” adding, “no matter what the radical left tries to throw at us, we will always have your back.”

Spencer on Israel, Hamas

After his introduction, Robert Spencer took to the stage, beginning his speech with: “All I have to say to you is Hamas is evil.”

Hamas is an acronym for Islamic Resistance Movement in Arabic, and Spencer said ”the popular perception that many have in the West” is that Hamas is “an organization that is designed to fight oppression.” However, Spencer argued Hamas has the sole intention of destroying Israel.

According to a BBC article, Hamas is “opposed to the existence of Israel on what it says is Palestinian land” — specifically

the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

Hamas’ founding charter calls for Israel’s destruction and wants the land, including the modern state of Israel, as well as the West Bank and Gaza.

While he began his speech focusing on Hamas, Spencer shifted his attention to the religion of Islam in general. During his speech, Spencer said Muslims believe they have a divine right to this region and won’t accept a two-state solution. Spencer said this is part of why no resolution to this conflict has been reached.

Spencer didn’t mention the broken peace agreement in March of this year when Israel resumed airstrikes after a ceasefire agreement was reached in January.

“Peace has never come from any of these negotiated settlements,” he said. “Maybe it’s because they’re not dealing with the problem correctly.”

Spencer compared the several failed negotiated settlements since the state of Israel came into being in 1948 to taking aspirin for a brain tumor.

"A misdiagnosis only leads to the wrong prescription and does not cure the disease,” he said.

During his speech, Spencer didn’t say what he believes the conflict’s final solution should be.

Spencer also claimed the religion of Islam incited the Israel-Hamas conflict and quoted verses from the Quran throughout his speech to reinforce his point that Islam is antagonistic to Judaism and Jewish people.

“They thought they were going to win in a matter of weeks, destroy the state of Israel, and the Arabs would then be able to return,” he said of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. “That’s not, of course, how it worked ”

While Spencer began his speech focusing on Hamas, he shifted his attention to the religion of Islam in general. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

McClure balances Type I diabetes, nursing school while undergoing gender transition

By KASEY THOMPSON

The Breeze

It was fall 2023 when senior Chey McClure entered a lab housing monitors, mannequins, tools, a hospital bed and, of course, a camera, ready for his first nursing exam.

The exam tested his expertise in maintaining a sterile field — a test McClure jokingly compared to “hazing.” Filled with nerves, he “completely bombed it” by continuously breaking the sterile field, all logged on the camera’s recording. Due to a “lack of practice” and being “so nervous,” he picked up a cotton swab with his bare hands and let his hands drop below his waist, forgetting proper protocol.

He went to his academic adviser for guidance. To his disappointment, his adviser “told me to drop out,” he said.

As if things couldn’t get worse, failing one class in nursing school forces students to be held back an entire semester. As a Centennial Scholar, failing an exam could force McClure to pay for that extra semester of college on his own — which would only add to managing the stressors that come with being a transgender man with Type I diabetes.

After this discouraging response, McClure confided in the professor of Clinical Applications 1 class, Lisa Carmines. Part of Carmines’ job is to work with students struggling to figure out how best to go about their coursework and balance endeavors. She said that’s what she did for McClure.

After a semester of hard work, McClure passed the class and returned to Carmines saying, “I wouldn’t be here without you.”

Since he started in the program and worked at the hospital, Carmines said, “I think Chey’s confidence has really increased, and that’s awesome.”

One of McClure’s biggest strengths, Carmines said, is taking the opportunities to learn and grow, as well as foster a positive mindset. Since the meeting, the pair have “grown to be personal friends,” Carmines said. McClure even cares for Carmines’ dog, Tucker, when she’s out of town.

Gaining field experience

Last summer, McClure got an externship at Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital (RMH) Medical Center, which came with part-time

said “It’s not a sexy job. Grey’s Anatomy is my worst nightmare.”

Weeks said McClure’s greatest strength is his personability — a skill she said is necessary for the profession.

“People can relate to Chey,” Weeks said. “You can’t be shy. I can walk in a room and make friends with the IV pole if I have to and Chey is along that line. Chey can go in and definitely do that, go in and start talking to people.”

With this experience under his belt, McClure will complete the nursing program’s capstone in the cardiac unit at RMH and then take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) in June — a test he said is “designed to test someone on the minimum level to keep someone safe.”

“They want as many people to pass as possible because we need nurses,” McClure said.

After passing the NCLEX, McClure will complete a 16-week residency program at RMH to prepare for his post-graduate job as an RN in a medical care unit at the same hospital.

Being a nursing student with a chronic illness

McClure’s support system

During difficult times, McClure leans on Kennedy, who is also a nursing major.

“It’s like having home health care,” he said.

Kennedy recounted a night when both she and her roommate had a nursing test coming up. McClure sat them both down on the couch and pulled up a slideshow on the TV. He went through each topic and helped them study. “He’s just always so willing to do things like that,” Kennedy said.

In the same way, the pair’s medically focused degree requires this kindness.

“I think that is necessary for nursing in general if that’s what you want to devote your life to, caring for others.” Kennedy said. “But, he takes it a step further. He’s very aware of what other people need and willing to do that for them.”

Patient Care Technician (PCT) work. McClure’s tech work is currently in a primarily medicalsurgical unit.

“You’re forced to do stuff that in clinical, you can kind of be not doing,” McClure said. “It makes you interact with patients. It taught me a lot more than my second semester clinical did and gave me a lot of experience.”

Starting a job as a nurse as a recent graduate “could be scary,” McClure said. However, he will enter with experience to fall back on.

“As a critical care nurse, maybe I’ll remember a time I had a patient who went through this, and now it’s sitting in front of me, so I’ll know maybe this is what we need to do,” he said.

PCT work has not all been easy. McClure experienced a “pivotal moment,” during his first time as a one-on-one sitter for a patient as a tech. It was July 4 — he remembers, because he was getting holiday pay. McClure was assigned a patient with brain cancer. Due to his condition, the patient was disoriented, confused and aggressive. To start the shift, “he had some good boundaries,” McClure said.

“Don’t come near me,” the patient said.

“That’s fine I’ll sit over here,” McClure replied. “That is just fine.”

Just waking up from a nap, the patient told McClure he needed to get up. When McClure went to help him, “He got up, looked at me, sucker punched me,” he said — to which he wondered if this would be a “norm in nursing.”

He asked himself, “Is this something I can handle? What will I do next time?”

He later came to terms with the fact that the people he encounters on the job are “in the worst place in their whole lives,” McClure said.

Keeping this in mind, hands-on experience has contributed to McClure’s growing passion for critical care. His interest was originally sparked by a rotation in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU) at RMH, along with Clinical Applications 3 under professor Karen Weeks in fall 2024. Weeks said McClure thrived in this rotation because of its intensity and dynamic environment.

“You really have to think on your feet and think very quickly,” Weeks said.

Weeks highlighted McClure’s sense of humor and ability to make things light when the job gets heavy, especially within critical care work. She spoke to the job’s grueling nature and

Classes like Weeks’ in the nursing program have given McClure a level of health literacy. This knowledge comes in handy when managing his Type I diabetes. He not only manages it, but understands, for example, why his hemoglobin needs to be lowered or how insulin works.

“Having the nursing background really benefits my own health,” McClure said. Living with diabetes connected him to the medical field as a child.

As a nursing student with a chronic illness, McClure has been able to more deeply connect with others in and out of the hospital. Along these lines, he attends a summer camp for people with Type I diabetes that employs a team of medical professionals, dabbled in the JMU club The Diabetes Link and bonded with his First Year Orientation Guide and freshman year roommate over their shared experience with Type I diabetes.

“It connects you with people,” McClure

In this way, Kennedy said she finds it easy to support McClure. She knows her nursing experience comes in handy when helping care for his diabetes. Along the same lines, she hopes to utilize this knowledge to help McClure during his top surgery recovery.

Regarding McClure’s gender transition, Kennedy said, “It never made me think any differently about him. The only thing it changed was the gender that I saw him as and everything else was the same. It was just really easy to walk with him on that journey.”

Kennedy named McClure’s perspective on life as a tool that will carry the pair onto their next endeavors. As they were driving in the car, McClure turned to Kennedy and said, “You know what, I can control what I eat and I can control how much water I drink, but I can’t always control my blood sugar, and so I’m not going to worry about it.”

Thompson or more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the

@TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

McClure said.

As a nursing student with a chronic illness, McClure has been able to more deeply connect with others in and out of the hospital. Photo Illustration by Kasey Thompson / The Breeze

Madison Center hosts Va. state senators to discuss working together through political differences

By MORGAN BLAIR The Breeze

Thirty-two years after leaving JMU’s campus as students, Virginia state senators Scott Surovell (’93) and Ryan McDougle

Surovell and McDougle both focused on the importance of personal relationships with their political colleagues and constituents as well as how their experience as lawyers helps them navigate those relationships.

“I think the legislature is better for having attorneys that

“We may differ in where we live and which policies we champion, we’re united by the challenges we all face here.”

Kara Dillard

Madison Center Executive Director

“There are a number of things where we disagree and vote to party line, but there are a number of things where we do agree and try to work to come up with the best solution possible,” McDougle said.

McDougle said he hopes students understand the importance of talking and interacting with policymakers. The reality of policymaking isn’t the same as “how many people perceive it,” he said. He added that in Virginia, legislators on both sides often work together and that, while they often vote on party lines, they also work across parties to try and find solutions for “a number of” issues.

110th Senate endorses mental health days, allocates funds in final session

By ISABELLA DUNN The Breeze

The Student Government Association (SGA)’s 110th Senate held its final session on Tuesday, during which SGA passed the “Life Happens” resolution to give students a mental health “pass” and allocated about $4,500 to alpha Kappa Delta Phi Sorority, Incorporated and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated.

Lacroix and Herbert say goodbye

Senior Student Body President Brielle Lacroix said her goodbye to the other members of SGA. It has been “the pleasure of a lifetime” to work with the SGA, she said.

“I have loved all the groups I got to be a part of and lead,” Lacroix said. “This has probably been the biggest personal and professional thing I have gotten to be a part of in my life.”

Junior Abigail Herbert, student body vice president, followed up with similar sentiments saying that even though she is “not going anywhere,” she is “honored to be able to work alongside you and work alongside such amazing people.”

Life Happens Resolution

The SGA approved the “Life Happens” resolution — submitted by sophomore and Sen. Isabella Schrecengost and Lacroix — which gives students a pass to “allow students to take a day off from class without feeling scared or guilty,” senior and Sen. Zach Flemming said.

The “Life Happens Pass” would allow for students to send in an email stating the

original deadline for an assignment and will receive an extension with “no explanation needed” according to the resolution.

It will now be reviewed by JMU’s interim provost, Bob Kolvoord, and the deans for each of JMU’s colleges.

The resolution said that nationwide “44% of students reported symptoms of depression, 37% of students experienced anxiety, and 50% said they were considering suicide” and that a “Life Happens” pass will give students “breathing room” when they need it.

This resolution won’t force professors to give students a pass, Lacroix said, but rather provides an official way for professors who “don’t know where to start” to give to “mental-health-based academic exemption.” This policy will be similar to those adopted at other universities, including George Mason University, where Lacroix said it has been “successful.”

“I have been able to tell the difference between professors that have implemented this policy [at George Mason University] and the professors that haven’t,” senior and Sen. Rebecca McCann said. “It does give students a lot of grace in the ways that it is flexible and adaptability situation or whatever situation the students are going through.”

$4,500 to Greek organizations

The SGA unanimously allocated $2,400 in contingency funds to alpha Kappa Delta Phi Sorority, Incorporated (aKDPhi) for six sisters to attend Convention 2025 in Portland, Oregon — where members develop leadership skills through a variety of workshops and opportunities — to collaborate with other

chapters and see how they are run, as well as learning how to increase awareness of Asian culture to JMU.

aKDPhi is an international sorority that “provides women with a sense of belonging that nurtures lifelong friendships, develops self-empowered leaders and strengthens communities through service, scholarship and Asian Awareness,” according to its mission statement provided by aKDPhi treasurer and junior Sheeva Sarmadi.

The SGA unanimously allocated $2,055 to Omega Psi Phi fraternity to pay for its music, yoga mats and other supplies for the organization’s annual Crabfeast event.

Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity that “brings about a union of college men of similar high ideals of scholarship and manhood in order to stimulate the attainment of ideas and

ambitions of its members,” according to its mission statement provided by fraternity member senior and Paul Barone.

Crabfeast is a cookout on Hillside field from noon to 6 p.m. on April 26 and has a “DJ, games, and activities,” as well as events during the week leading up to it, including a workout class on Monday and Funky’s skate night on Thursday, Barone said

CONTACT Isabella Dunn at dunnie@dukes. jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

After being approved by the SGA, the “Life Happens” resolution will be reviewed by JMU’s interim provost, Bob Kolvoord, and the deans from each of JMU’s colleges. Jack O’Dea / The Breeze

from DEI, page 4

JMU’s Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Malika Carter-Hoyt — whose profile has been removed from JMU’s website — first stepped into her role in 2022 and looked to increase diversity-related initiatives. Since that time, the university has deleted webpages documenting Carter-Hoyt’s initiatives.

“I feel like it’s going to create some sort of divide between students or not going to make students feel as safe and comfortable going to the professors,” Ogbe said.

Freshman Toshura Washington was disheartened by the dissolution of DEI at first.

“It was kind of sickening. But the more research I did on the policy and the executive order, it kind of made sense why they made the decision,” Washington said.

Washington had used the Office of Equal Opportunity to point him in the directions of the Black Student Alliance, Students for Minority Outreach and Mosaic — a program which seeks to connect and aid students of diverse backgrounds during their first year at JMU. The office, which used to fall under the DEI division, will be moved to a new division, according to a joint Instagram post from junior and Student Representative to the Board of Visitors Sydney Stafford; senior and Student Body President Brielle Lacroix; and junior and Student Body President-elect Charlotte Bronaugh.

Despite concerns surrounding funding moving around, Washington still has hope.

“I do believe that JMU is going to stick to its guns and keep the diversity and all the outreach going,” Washington said.

Other Dukes feel dismantling DEI was a needed change to ensure JMU adheres to federal guidance. Junior Tristan Jackson said it made sense as a publicly funded institution to comply with federal law.

“I see this is a good opportunity for JMU to put this money to better use,” Jackson said.

According to President Charlie King’s email, the money cut from DEI will be reallocated towards Pell-eligible student scholarships, where they will support approximately 75 incoming students.

Jackson said he hopes this shift in JMU policy can go towards merit-based enrollment, rather than equity-based enrollment.

JMU should use the money cut from DEI to create programs to uplift individuals’ skills and remove race as a deciding factor in enrollment, he said.

“We should be judging individuals based on their skill, based on who they are, rather than their skin color or race,” Jackson said. “The brightest minds and strongest people in our fields today are challenged and created through adversity, but it is through adversity that we uplift these individuals.”

Jackson said he aspires for JMU to influence a more competitive and challenging environment, and he believes this could be the first step in that direction.

“We shouldn’t accept mediocrity,” Jackson said, adding that he hopes that students can challenge each other academically, regardless of race or ethnicity.

“I’m hopeful that this begins a stepping point to change JMU attitude and promote merits, to allow and promote competition,” Jackson said.

Communication studies assistant professor of intercultural and gender communication Reslie Cortes, who uses she/they pronouns, said they’re concerned with how this policy could grow or influence course curriculum at JMU.

“Ensuring that students are exposed to a variety of perspectives and lived experiences is part of what college is about,” Cortes said. “Seeing that we are no longer going to be providing avenues to ensure that we get a more diverse population is a disservice to all our students.”

Cortes said the university indicated this resolution won’t impact the courses or research at JMU, but they worry this is only the beginning.

One thing they’re concerned about is professors losing research grants from the National Institute of Health, which could have a domino effect on student’s education.

However, the students and faculty can combat the change, Cortes added. They said that some people may take to the street to protest, while others may write letters to the administration.

“To the students that could potentially be impacted: I want to tell you that there are so many faculty who are here for you and who are doing our best to challenge this in every way we can and who are here to support you,” Cortes said.

Emma Notarnicola contributed to this report

CONTACT Isa Lewis at thebreezeculture@ gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

from YAF, page 4

Spencer said that Palestinians as an identity are Russian propaganda dating back to the Cold War used to justify attacking Israelis and Jewish people.

“There are all these people at James Madison University who go out and agitate for Hamas and think they’re right and righteous when they’re agitating for a propaganda creation of the KGB in the service of an Islamic genocide,” he said. The website of the United Nations and the 1917 Balfour Declaration disagree with that assessment. The Balfour Declaration endorsed “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” following the Ottoman Empire’s collapse during WWI. This declaration predates the establishment of the Soviet Union and its communist government by five years.

Between 1917 and the end of WWII, a “largescale Jewish immigration” took place, the UN’s website reads. After WWII, the UN partitioned the Gaza Strip into two states — “one Palestinian Arab and the other Jewish,” according to the same website. The UN’s website makes no mention of the KGB or other forms of Soviet propaganda.

Spencer ended his speech by repeating his argument that the concept of a state of Palestine is propaganda and that “the left” continues to drive these beliefs

CONTACT Emma Notarnicola at breezenews@gmail.com, Merrick Mock at mockmw@dukes.jmu.edu and Sarah Cestare cestarsa@dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

The university has deleted webpages documenting Dr. Malika Carter-Hoyt’s initiatives. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

First places

Second Places

Third Places

CULTURE

EDITORS EMAIL

Isabel Lewis & Charlie Bodenstein

Oasis of Glass: How one woman’s trash is another woman’s artwork

By MAYA KOLLME contributing writer

Barbara Camph sits at her cluttered desk filled with a variety of glues, copper wires, screws and bolts, scrap paper, rulers and four Chinese takeout boxes, each containing color-coded pieces of untamed glass. Within this sea of sharp objects, plastic bags and pliers, Camph combines the miscellaneous into her life’s work — mosaics and stained glass.

She grabs a handful of already cut pieces of glass from an old cat-litter bucket under her desk and uses her mosaic nippers to snip them into even smaller pieces.

The rest of her studio acts as its own art exhibit, a museum of chaos and color. The walls of her sanctuary are covered with glass roses, mosaic lamps, hanging tulips, old-fashioned cars, abstract shapes and mirrors. Her studio is flooded with color and light as the sun shines through the light turquoises, sunset oranges and yellows, marble sages, pastel pinks, deep sea blues and “Barbara purples.” as she calls it. Each piece is distinctly vibrant, funky and creative, with the ability to illuminate and bring together every room it’s placed in — just like Camph.

Camph smooths out the individual pieces of glass using a scraping tool and places them along the border of her mosaic panel. She outlines her next mosaic: a rendering of Harrisonburg’s First Baptist Church, with a blue border and outlines the church with orange and white squares.

The rest of the mosaic panel remains blank, with only instructions written in permanent marker, indicating where to glue each glass shard’s color.

Once a panel is completed, she’ll display the next panel of the series, the prepped church piece, in Oasis, an art gallery downtown. She hopes locals will fill in the empty display with glue and glass to help contribute to her “Community Mosaic” project that celebrates Oasis’s 25th anniversary.

“Every community she’s a part of … she does creative things to get people involved,” one of Camph’s lifelong friends, Sarah Sikew said.

Camph, 77, is a mosaic and stained glass artist, with her work displayed at Oasis. Born in Richmond, Indiana, she grew up in Germany, went to boarding school in England and cruised around California, Portugal and Panama before ending up in Harrisonburg in 2012.

Although Camph’s mother was a painter at Oasis and her father was a German art connoisseur, Camph didn’t begin creating stained glass and mosaic art until her 20s. Camph later made it her career when she and her husband moved to Portugal in 1995, where she sold her art at craft fairs.

“We went to every single craft fair and found every art festival,” Camph said. “Over the years, I was fortunate in that I was able to join various art co-ops and organizations, even though I wasn’t Portuguese. And that was sort of a battle, but not a battle. I just had to be persistent.”

She was later invited to be part of the National Irish Craft Fair in Dublin that takes place every year.

Other than the craft fairs, Camph has used her art as a vehicle for community connection, enriching her communities with her creativity.

In Panama, Camph crafted stained glass windows for a local church, but she left the country due to her husband’s health; she returned later to finish it. While there, she also encouraged the local children to recycle creativity by making a costume out of plastic bags and parading around the community.

“She would reach out to the local community and work with them on whatever level they were to help pick up litter and help put stained glass windows in their church and things,” her younger sister, Buffy Ostlund, said. “And she would make local friends and learn the language.”

Camph has made a prominent artistic impact in the Harrisonburg community.

see OASIS OF GLASS, page 13

Camph, 77, was born in Indiana but grew up in Germany and went to school in England.

Barbara Camph is currently working on the Community Mosaic for the Guinness World Records. Photos courtesy of Barbara Camph

The 502s, Sun Room, student bands celebrate end of semester during Purple Reign festival

By CHARLIE BODENSTEIN & ISABEL LEWIS The Breeze

Dukes of all ages, majors and music tastes gathered on the Festival Lawn to enjoy JMU’s annual Purple Reign music festival on Saturday, headlined by The 502s and Sun Room.

The 502s, who have over one million monthly listeners on Spotify, is a Floridabased band that focuses on making cheerful folk music. Moving to the other side of the country, the surf rock band Sun Room hails from the shores of Long Beach, California. The bands played their top songs: Sun Room’s Sol De Sur, Sunset Garage and Clementine and the 502’s hey, honey, Just A Little While and Perfect Portrait of Young Love.

The University Program Board (UPB) organized the event, which ran from 3 to 8 p.m. It was free to all students, but Dukes had to show their JACard or MobileID and the BeInvolved app for entry. Non-JMU students were permitted to attend but had to accompany a JMU student.

The concert is held each year on the Festival Lawn to “celebrate the end of the semester with your friends,” according to JMU’s website.

When students’ ears weren’t filled with summer-y tunes, they had access to giveaways, food and inflatables. Attendees also received free t-shirts, tote bags and hats. Since the weather was chilly, UPB provided blankets for everyone to bundle up in.

“I had so much fun … I just bonded with my friends while listening to music,” freshman Polina Zubenko said. “I also liked that they had free stuff.”

While many students gathered in the pit close to the stage, others could sprawl out further back on the lawn for a more laid-back experience, enjoying snacks while basking on picnic blankets, still within the music’s reach.

This year’s headliners were The 502s and

Sun Room. But the concert also featured this year’s Battle of the Bands winners: The Billiards Dozen and Valley Depalma. Both bands won a contested showdown that took place on the Taylor Down Under (TDU) stage last month.

The headlining artists were announced March 26 during Noel Miller’s Mad Laughs comedy set, accompanied by numerous posts on UPB’s Instagram providing further details on the concert.

The first performers were The Billiards Dozen, whose set lasted from 3:30 to 4 p.m, followed by Valley Depalma’s set from 4:30 to 5 p.m.

Then, the much anticipated Sun Room came onstage at 5:30 p.m. and played until 6:30 p.m. Lastly, The 502s entered around 7 p.m., and closed out this year’s Purple Reign at 8 p.m.

Although Zubenko enjoyed the concert, she wished there was more variety in the music played.

“There were so many country bands ... they should do more diverse music,” Zubenko said.

Freshman Martin Gray echoed Zubenko.

“It’s very indie … kinda folksy, which is just honestly not what I like,” he said.

Gray, a classic rock fan, said he hopes next year’s Purple Reign features different genres such as rock or pop.

With students dressing up for the event and interacting with their JMU peers, a slice of California’s Coachella was brought to the mountain city of Harrisonburg, with Western and indie rock tunes.

CONTACT Charlie Bodenstein & Isabel Lewis at thebreezeculture@gmail.com. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and Instagram @ BreezeJMU.

A JMU alum’s journey to selling his script

By GRANT STABLES contributing writer

Buck Bloomingdale (’18), a JMU alumnus and screenwriter, sold his first featurelength script, “Riding Hurt” — a heist film with a setting inspired by Bloomingdale’s experiences growing up in Berryville where he watched bull riders at a county fair.

Teton Ridge Entertainment — an organization that celebrates the West “in modern and authentic ways,” according to its website — purchased the script for seven figures.

“When I got the call, I was just silent on the phone,” Bloomingdale said. “I’d been towards [selling a script] for six years, and then achieving it, you have this feeling where

it’s everything, but you can’t believe it’s happening.”

“Riding Hurt” was Bloomingdale’s 46th script. He began his journey as a writer by submitting a short story to an action-horror anthology book series called “SNAFU: Last Stand.” He said this first time seeing his work published boosted his confidence to explore his passion. Bloomingdale also said his JMU writing classes gave him faith in his writing before he had any in himself.

While “Riding Hurt” marks his first featurelength script, Bloomingdale made his movie debut in 2018 with “Small Town Blues” — a short film for his senior directing class about a kid drawn into a life of crime. He originally wrote the screenplay during his sophomore year for a screenwriting class taught by media arts and design professor Imelda O’Reilly — whom Bloomingdale cited as an influence on his work.

“There are no unique stories, only unique voices,” O’Reilly said. “Buck’s voice is deeply rooted in where he’s from, which is the far South. [He] can draw on that and build on that. Everybody’s unique, [they] just have to tap in that well.”

The film’s final version, available on YouTube, feels honest with a personal story; Bloomingdale incorporated this sincerity into “Riding Hurt” with his childhood memory of watching bull riders at county fairs. He

researched for a month before writing by watching and interviewing bull riders.

“‘Small Town Blues’ was my first lesson in having a voice,” Bloomingdale said. “I went off and rewrote the script, and I filled it in with textures that I experienced. Those textures of authenticity are sometimes hugely important to the story and can save you in a way when writing about a subculture.”

Bloomingdale nodded toward his handson experience at JMU as a major step in preparation for the entertainment industry. O’Reilly’s screenwriting and directing class allowed working on projects like “Small Town Blues.” Bloomingdale and his friend, Harrison Draper — who is now a creative advertising producer in Los Angeles — would workshop ideas together outside their classes. They later joined the JMU in L.A. study abroad program, which gave the pair further experience in the industry.

“We were sitting in a restaurant, and we were talking about a script that we wrote in 10 minutes,” Draper said. “I got my friend to film this little thing on a whim one day, and I love that. We didn’t even put it out anywhere, we just did something for the two of us.”

Buck Bloomingdale was a media arts and design major at JMU. Photo courtesy of Buck Bloomingdale

This year’s headliners were the 502s and Sun Room. Ashley Dondes / The Breeze

Persistence is a running theme of Bloomingdale’s journey to becoming a screenwriter. He and Draper moved to L.A. together in 2019. There were a few times in which he and his team came close to selling a script; however, it was only after six years that one was finally sold.

Throughout those early years in L.A., Bloomingdale and Draper encouraged each other while Draper worked as an editor at an advertising firm while Bloomingdale continued to write. Years after they originally moved to California together, they stayed in touch, with Draper even texting Bloomingdale a link to a Variety article announcing “Riding Hurt”’s purchase.

“I told my family and wife, and we were all blown away,” Draper said. “Not many people get to do this, and to think it’s some guy from Berryville, Virginia, that turned out, it’s exciting.”

Hollywood is a highly competitive industry. The COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes have all made Bloomingdale’s success more remarkable.

One Deadline article reported a staggering 42% drop in screenwriting jobs for television during 2023 to 2024.

“It’s highly competitive and highly rare that a script would sell for this much in this time in history, which makes it only more outstanding,” O’Reilly said. “I hope it inspires other JMU students to follow in that path.”

While a stereotypical image of a screenwriter is someone sitting alone at a desk, Bloomingdale said the process is far more complex — it’s a collaborative process during which writers develop ideas with the producers. Now that the script is owned by a studio, the cooperation will continue.

“Everything is a partnership, so it was continual conversation, but I never once felt stymied,” Bloomingdale said. “Oftentimes, those people bring ideas you’re not seeing because you’re too close to the project. It’s been a collaboration, but at the same time, I felt creatively fulfilled.”

Bloomingdale said a massive part of building those connections was through JMU and its programs. From switching his major to media arts and design to entering

Join us on Join us on Thursday, April 29 Thursday, April 29 from 5 to 8pm for a from 5 to 8pm for a book sig ning at our book sig ning at our local Harrisonburg local Harrisonburg Bojangles! All Bojangles! All proceeds will be proceeds will be going to the Promise going to the Promise of Tomorrow of Tomorrow Scholarship Fund. Scholarship Fund.

the JMU in L.A. study away program, he found connections for after college.

These connections led him to a birthday party, where he was introduced to aspiring producer AJ Bourscheid. One year later, they would reconnect, with Boursheid later becoming a producer of “Riding Hurt” once the script was sold.

“It’s a bizarre, surreal thing, but it’s how life works,” Bloomingdale said.

CONTACT Grant Stables at stablegm@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X @ TheBreezeJMU and Instagram @BreezeJMU.

While a JMU student, Buck Bloomingdale directed student films including ‘Small Town Blues’ (2018). Photo courtesy of Buck Bloomingdale

from BUCK BLOOMINGDALE, page 11

from OASIS OF GLASS, page 10

When she discovered there were 60 different languages spoken in Harrisonburg schools, she immediately thought, “How can we honor that?” To do just that, she went to the high school and had each student write “love” in their native language for a mural that now hangs outside Oasis.

She has been seen at times lying on her stomach outside Oasis, where she is creating a mini mosaic by filling in the cracks of the sidewalk on the corner of West Water Street and South Main Street with glass, grout and the road’s rubble.

Her small art projects led Oasis’ landlord to create a clause in the building’s contract that prohibits adding anything else to the outside of the building, which the community calls the “Barbara Clause.”

Currently, Camph is working on the Community Mosaic, intending to break the “Guiness Book of World Records”’s record for the most people contributing to a mosaic. She has been preparing mosaic panels by outlining the subjects of the panels in glass and leaving the rest empty for others to fill in.

The panels are displayed in Oasis, making them accessible for residents to contribute one or more pieces of glass and sign their names. Once she gets 2,000 people to work on the different panels, she’ll combine them into one large, worldrecord-breaking mosaic.

Camph also recently finished her “Newtown Before Urban Renewal” exhibit. It highlights the vibrant lives of the Northeast neighborhood, a traditionally Black neighborhood in Harrisonburg in the late 1940s and ’50s, before it was renovated and destroyed during “urban renewal” projects.

“She brainstormed that she wanted to document through mosaics local Black history and therefore the neighborhood history,” Ostlund said. “It came totally out of her head.”

From old photographs and interviews, she created 20 mosaic panels that represent the history and liveliness of the neighborhoods during that time.

“It’s intimate in the way the community was intimate,” said Joanne Gabbin, the owner of the 150 Franklin Street art gallery and host of the Newtown exhibit.

Camph hopes the 20 panels will find a home outside or in the Harrisonburg City Hall so more people can learn about the history of the city’s Black residents of the past and present.

At her studio, Camph collects her 20 panels and glass-filled Chinese boxes and heads downtown. Her presence is scattered far and wide across South Main Street to 150 Franklin St., where one of her exhibits temporarily sits. Her other project waits to be worked on a quarter mile away in Oasis.

There’s a spot at Oasis’ entrance that waits for Camph. Her presence is known by her dangling earrings and the unique silver necklaces that fall down her chest. It’s known by her lingo, calling customers “poopy” when they don’t contribute to the Community Mosaic. It’s her smile that reflects countless stories and the way her laugh echoes. It’s what she’s done for the community and what she has accomplished.

It’s also her sparkly, purple hair.

CONTACT Maya Kollme at kollmemh @dukes.jmu.edu For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU .

Barbara Camph moved to Harrisonburg in 2012 after living in Panama. Photos courtesy of Camph

Camph sometimes calls customers “poopy” if they don’t contribute to her mosaic.

SPORTS

EDITORS Preston Comer & Gavin Avella EMAIL breezesports@gmail.com

Community, companionship helps Ayo Adeyi make football comeback

By PRESTON COMER

The Breeze

After four carries against FCS Gardner Webb, now-redshirt senior running back Ayo Adeyi hyperextended one of his toes, tearing three ligaments underneath it.

But Adeyi didn’t immediately go to the sideline or locker room. He stayed on the field for another snap and attempted to play through the injury.

“My first instinct was to get up, next play,” Adeyi said. “The next play, I was doing my pass protection and tried to get out on a route. When I started running, it didn’t take very long before I noticed something was off.”

After realizing the injury was too much, Adeyi went to the sideline before heading into the locker room for X-rays, revealing nothing was broken. He got his toe taped up, put his cleats on and attempted another go on the field.

“I tried to move around, and it didn’t feel normal,” Adeyi said. “I felt like if I went back out there, I was going to hurt the team rather than help it.”

The day after his injury, Adeyi went for an MRI to figure out what his exact injury was and what the recommended next steps would be.

Other than Adeyi, two people were in the know about his MRI — head coach Bob Chesney and head athletic trainer Tyler Webb. The three didn’t receive “the best” news, per Adeyi’s words.

“The doctors mentioned surgery,” Adeyi said. “We reached out to a few experts, and they all said the same thing.”

But Adeyi was reluctant to accept that reality. He and Webb tried rehabilitating the injury for a few weeks before deciding surgery was necessary.

“I didn’t even feel 80% at that point,” Adeyi said. “The best course of action was to get surgery.”

His mother, Taiwo Adeyi, watched JMU face GardnerWebb on Sept. 7 from her home in Texas, when Ayo’s dad had noticed that he wasn’t going back in the game.

“[Ayo] knew if we don’t see him going in, we will be concerned,” Taiwo said. “So whenever he was able to get to

his phone, he sent a text to us to tell us not to worry, that they’re checking him out. That gave us some peace of mind.”

When Ayo and his family realized he would need surgery, Taiwo left their home state of Texas and headed to Harrisonburg to support her son during recovery.

“Spending time with him was wonderful, I wouldn’t exchange it for anything,” Taiwo said. “Of course, if he didn’t have to have surgery that would’ve been better. He’s such a sweet person to be around, whether during surgery or not, he’s such a sweet kid.”

Ayo underwent surgery during late September, and from that point, his life was different. He described the time after surgery with one word: “slow.”

Ayo couldn’t put weight on his foot for eight weeks, meaning he couldn’t walk. If Ayo wanted to move around, he had to use a scooter.

“I’ve had a few injuries, but this one kept me off my feet for about six to eight weeks,” Ayo said. “Relying on a boot, scooter, crutches for a few weeks of your life, not being able to wear two pairs of shoes for essentially two months, it was slow.”

Despite Ayo’s life slowing down, he said the injury and this significant shift in his daily routine happened so fast that it took him a while.

“I didn’t have any emotions until the day of surgery,” Ayo said. “When I got out of surgery, seeing life go on and the season go on, it was really frustrating not being able to help the team. A lot of negative emotions happened.”

Ayo said during those two months when he was nonweight bearing, he “trusted God in the process.”

Taiwo said “faith plays the biggest role” for the entire Adeyi family.

“Our family, we’re followers of Jesus Christ,” Taiwo said. “He’s the author and the finisher of our faith. We lean solely on our faith, when things are good and not good.”

JMU redshirt senior running back Ayo Adeyi suffered a season-ending injury during the Dukes’ second game of the season vs. FCS Gardner Webb on Sept. 7. Photos by Annabel Dewey / The Breeze

Best flicks from JMU’s spring game

Annabel Dewey / The Breeze

April Weber / The Breeze

Annabel Dewey / The Breeze

Cali Legzdin hits the ground running in first year at JMU

By MADI PERINI The Breeze

Freshman utility player Cali Legzdin said she hasn’t just “found her family” during her short time on JMU’s softball team, but she’s also found a spot in this season’s starting lineup. Legzdin, a Pennsylvania native, committed to JMU in the fall of her junior year. During high school, she was a foursport athlete, serving as softball captain all four years while also competing in track & field, basketball and golf.

One of seven true freshmen on the Dukes 2025-26 roster, Legzdin has made her presence known all over the diamond. She turned in one of her standout performances of the season during the Lakeside Book Company Tournament early March, hitting .400 over five games with four hits and six RBIs, while showing off her speed, successfully stealing three bases in as many attempts.

“She’s hard-nosed and just confident in her at bats,” JMU head coach Loren LaPorte said. “I feel like she’s hard to pitch to right now.”

From coaches to teammates, everyone speaks highly of Legzdin for her impact both on and off the field. During games, you’re likely to see her pouring every ounce of emotion into her teammates.

“I’m going to do anything in my power to get my team a win,” Legzdin said. “If I can get them fired up, and I can get their energy up, then we’re going to be a hard team to stop.”

That fiery energy has translated into palpable results, with the Dukes winning seven of their last eight games, including a sweep of Georgia State and a doubleheader against Georgetown.

Graduate outfielder Reed Butler credited Legzdin and the other younger players on the roster for bringing an energy valuable to the team.

“They’re just new and fresh and bring a lot of energy to the team that we need,” Butler said.

JMU softball has long emphasized team relationships and chemistry — a factor that Legzdin said played a major role during her recruitment process and attracted her to JMU, referring to her teammates as sisters.

Legzdin also emphasized the impact her relationship with senior infielder Jasmine Hall has had on her in all facets of being a player.

“At the very beginning of the year, I was very much struggling with performance,” Legzdin said. “[Hall] was probably one of the first people to reach out and check on me — she’s someone I can just rant to.”

Despite all she’s already accomplished during her true freshman season with 38 games under her belt, Legzdin is just getting started. She’s set ambitious goals for herself and carries full confidence in her ability to reach them.

“I want to hit in the .300’s [this] season and steal as many bases as possible,” Legzdin said. “I feel with my aggressive side, I know that I can.”

With ten regular-season games remaining, she holds a .309 batting average and has tallied 16 stolen bases — two short of tying the freshman single season record. On April 15 against George Mason, Legzdin matched the program record with four stolen bases during a single game — last accomplished in 2016. She will be looking to add to and increase both numbers as the Dukes round out their regular-season conference play.

“Cali is what JMU is about,” LaPorte said. “The grit and just finding [her] way.”

CONTACT Madi Perini at perinimr@dukes.jmu.edu. For more softball coverage, follow the sports desk on X and Instagram @TheBreezeSports.

JMU freshman utility player Cali Legzdin has a .309 batting average with four home runs. Adam Tabet / The Breeze

from ADEYI, page 14

Ayo said he felt “very helpless” at moments, so he prioritized his mental health by relying on God.

“I had all that time in the world just to get closer to God, just sit there and talk,” Ayo said. “That was me getting in my word every day and hearing a message. I needed to rely on someone bigger and stronger than myself.”

While Ayo was stuck at home, his teammates and coaches would come by to check in and spend time with him.

“They stopped by, some stayed for a couple hours to watch some games with him,” Taiwo said.

Taiwo said one day when his teammates were visiting, she made a big pot of Jollof rice — a dish originating from Nigeria. One of the teammates who was with Ayo and tried the rice was former JMU running back Tyler Purdy.

“His family is so nice,” Purdy said. “When his mom came up she even cooked all of us dinner, made us one of her signature dishes. It was something I never tried, and I love trying new things, and that was amazing.”

Purdy and Ayo both transferred to JMU before last season and immediately began forming a friendship as weight room partners.

“As we continued to get to know each other, we started to branch out and go to meals together as running backs,” Purdy said. “We’d watch film with each other outside of practice and do extra work with each other, get extra lifts.”

Whenever Purdy’s family visited Harrisonburg, Ayo would always be invited to dinner with them. Purdy said his parents consider Ayo a part of their family.

“We always had an extra spot for him just because of how much my parents

and I enjoyed his company,” Purdy said. “He’ll definitely be at my wedding, that’s just special to grow that relationship with someone just over a short period of time. I can’t say enough nice things about him and he’ll be a friend forever.”

Even though he was injured, Ayo is grateful for the time he spent bonding with Purdy, and said that it strengthened their relationship.

Four weeks after his surgery, Ayo stopped using a scooter to get around. He was still in a boot for about four more weeks. Around the time of the Boca Raton Bowl in December, Ayo put two shoes on for the first time since his surgery.

Adeyi “started pushing it” as soon as the boot came off.

“Once I got out of the boot, I was progressing as I felt comfortable,” Ayo said. “I was really wanting to come back as fast as possible. The moment we got back in January we started hitting the ground, I was running, cutting. Now it feels like I never even had surgery on it.”

Ayo was able to fully participate in JMU’s spring practices and got reps during the Dukes’ annual spring game.

I’ve had injuries before, but this one was different,” Ayo said. “Having to miss the whole season sucks, but I had teammates, friends, family — God put them in my life to help me and lift me out of that situation.”

CONTACT Preston Comer at breezesports@ gmail.com. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X and Instagram @TheBreezeSports.

JMU redshirt senior running back Ayo Adeyi used a scooter to get around for four weeks following his surgery. Annabel Dewey / The Breeze

OPINION

Caroline McKeown EDITOR 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 “gimme-back” dart to the girl I lent my book to a few weeks ago.

From a person who is presenting on that book next week.

A “thank-you-MyMadison” pat for letting me get all the classes on the first try.

From a senior who is finally starting to win.

A “we-gotta-go-bald-myboy” dart to the boy who got a bad haircut before graduation.

From his girlfriend who has to be in pictures with him.

A “the-deposit-isalready-down” pat for the trip I planned and payeed for while in a episode.

From a girl who probably needs more Zoloft.

Students need more security

CALI GILMER | Contributing columnist

Security concerns in student housing have raised questions about student safety. Due to the number of security incidents, including theft, break-ins and other suspicious activity, students may feel unsafe in the student housing options in Harrisonburg. To better protect students and create a safer living environment, JMU and off-campus student housing should increase security camera coverage.

Over the past 60 days, nearly half of the reported incidents in the JMU crime log were related to security concerns such as theft, burglary, vandalism and trespassing. This highlights the pressing need for improved surveillance in and around where students live.

While students may have experienced stolen items, destruction of property and break-ins in student housing, two instances exemplify the worst side of this issue.

Junior Russell Dolleris wasn’t the victim of bike or package theft — instead, his car was stolen right from the parking lot outside his apartment in The Harrison.

“When I noticed it was really missing and not just a fault of my misplacement, I immediately reached out to my housing office and asked what they could do for me,” Dolleris said. “They said their options were limited, and the most they did was to spread my message and description of my car to see if anyone witnessed anything suspicious.”

Recovering stolen property becomes nearly impossible without surveillance footage to provide evidence of theft, leaving students feeling vulnerable and frustrated.

“They said they only had a few cameras and none that showed my parking lot or apartment building, which made me feel a bit unsafe,” Dolleris said.

Tamara Wolfe, the assistant general manager at The Harrison, confirmed this limitation and said The Harrison’s only cameras are in the clubhouse and common areas.

Dolleris’ experience highlights a growing concern among students about the lack of effective security measures to combat theft in student housing.

For some students, the concern isn’t just about stolen belongings — it’s about intrusions into their homes. A second instance demonstrating security issues students face is that of Jimmy Norris (’24), whose off-campus Pheasant Run apartment was broken into over the summer.

Norris said his home was trashed and left with drugs, weapons and personal belongings stolen.

“On July 4 or sometime around there, we got a noise complaint and then a week later, my roommates came back, and the house was absolutely trashed. There was like heroin, tin foil everywhere, holes all over the place, guns, and someone left a switch and brought their own TV,” Norris said. “We think the way they got in was because one of my roommates didn’t lock a window on his way out.”

Norris’ story highlights not just the damage to his property, but also the unsettling security violations rendered both his home and other homes in Pheasant Run vulnerable to burglary, per Norris’s understanding from the police investigation.

However, the landlord’s response to the event was anything but comforting, adding to the overall security concerns of off-campus housing. As Norris recounted, when he and his roommates raised security concerns with the landlord after the break-in and requested the return of his security deposit, “they didn’t really seem to care about the security too much and they thought that some of the damages were us.” A seemingly dismissive attitude from the landlord further exacerbated the feeling of insecurity following the break-in.

When reached for comment, a representative from the Pheasant Run Housing Office declined to speak on this specific incident but said the complex encourages residents to lock their doors and their cars as well as install security doorbells.

“We’re in communication with Harrisonburg Police Department, and if anything looks suspicious, we have them do extra patrols to the property and they’re excellent about that,” the representative said.

The representative confirmed that there are no security cameras on the property beyond those installed by residents.

Dangerous incidents have occurred not only in off-campus housing but in JMU residence halls. Sophomore Quinn Worley, a resident adviser (RA) in the Village, has witnessed on-campus housing’s security challenges, specifically unauthorized individuals entering residence halls.

“There have been issues with people following residents inside, assuming someone will hold the door for them,” Worley said.

While residence halls use JMU Access Cards (JACards), unauthorized people can still slip in, creating potential safety risks.

Additionally, during high-traffic weekends like Halloweekend or Homecoming, incidents of vandalism and trespassing become more common than otherwise.

“Since all the dorms have security measures in place, safety issues are not regularly present,” Worley said. “But during times when partying is more dense, issues with vandalism and trespassing are apparent.”

These security gaps make it difficult for RAs to effectively address incidents.

“Currently, we can only handle security issues if someone tells us who the trespasser is,” Worely said. “If no one sees the person or is willing to tell us, there’s nothing we can do.”

With limited ways to hold intruders accountable, students and staff lack effective solutions to prevent repeat offenses.

Due to security issues in student housing, increasing the number of security cameras can go a long way in discouraging potential thieves, intruders and vandals from targeting residence halls and offcampus apartments. Camera evidence can, in the event of a breach of security, be utilized to identify suspects for victims and help authorities to take corrective action. Without proper camera surveillance, many crimes are left unsolved, and students don’t feel safe in their own residences.

to Dukes on campus.

Photo illustration by Annabel Dewey / The Breeze

Editorial board

The editorial board represents the official stance of The Breeze on major issues.

ELEANOR SHAW Editor-in-Chief

ALEXA BONILLA Breeze TV News Director

SIXUAN WU Online Managing Editor

MORGAN BLAIR Print Managing Editor

After

DEI cuts, JMU needs to be transparent, now more than ever

On Friday, JMU became the latest Virginia university to dissolve its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) division and has since scrubbed DEI-associated language from its online presence.

The Board of Visitors (BoV) voted to immediately dismantle JMU’s DEI initiatives last week, and since then, most of JMU’s related web pages have been removed. If you search “JMU DEI,” almost all university-affiliated links will lead you to either an error or the website’s main page.

However, there are links here and there that lead to the College of Education’s “Commitment to Inclusive Excellence,” the College of Science and Mathematics’ “Inclusive Excellence Statement” or the College of Arts and Letters’ “Inclusive Curriculum” — each of which upholds a dedication to diversity, equity and engagement.

It’s unclear whether JMU’s dissolution of its DEI division includes DEI initiatives within departments or colleges. Even the title of Friday’s press release on DEI’s dissolution, “University leadership affirms values amid organizational changes,” is vague.

JMU said the “immediate change” was the elimination of four positions, while the Title IX Office and the Office of Equal Opportunity moved to a different division.

These changes seem limited, only impacting four jobs while leaving other resources for underrepresented students untouched — including Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity

& Expression (SOGIE) and the Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS), all of which fall under the Student Affairs Department.

However, the resolution passed during the Friday meeting indicates this won’t last for long:

“[The elimination of DEI] includes, but isn‘t limited to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, administrative support, housing, graduation ceremonies and all other aspects of student academic and campus life, [and] ensures there are no efforts to circumvent prohibitions on the use of race by relying on proxies or other indirect means to accomplish such ends, and to ensure there are no third-party contractors,” it reads.

The resolution itself is broad, which makes it difficult to infer hos much or little this change will impact the JMU community.

This begs the question: What changes have yet to be implemented?

What are this decision’s lasting impacts?

Even though some organizations are currently untouched, how long will that last?

Many Dukes have these questions in mind and are searching for answers. Without them students are left feeling a myriad of feelings — as has been expressed on social media after the announcement of this change. It’s disheartening to see the administration intentionally or unintentionally curtailing Dukes’

CAROLINE MCKEOWN Opinion Editor

efforts to become informed when it comes to such a contentious decision made by the BoV and upheld by the university. This leaves many students understandably mired in confusion.

It’s difficult to receive clarity on these issues because JMU has refused to make its people available to discuss the university’s next steps, even after The Breeze reached out for interviews following the BoV‘s decision on Friday.

Students, faculty and staff want to be aware of major university changes before they’re made, not find out after the fact through a Breeze article — but being involved is challenging when the university isn’t more specific and transparent about reasoning behind its decisions and how they will impact the JMU community.

The University must be transparent, now more than ever. Many Dukes are confused, angry and scared. The university can set the record straight with explicit communication on its next steps.

Dukes have a right to, at the very least, know what changes are being made at their university.

The Breeze’s Editorial Board represents the official stance of the paper on important issues such as this one. For more information, contact Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Shaw at breezeeditor@gmail.com

Virginian and American flags wave in front of Wilson Hall. Breeze file photo

A note should be made that there are possible privacy issues students may have with more security cameras, particularly in residence halls, which are intended to feel like home. To weigh safety against student privacy, cameras should be positioned in open areas surrounding both on- and off-campus student housing where the risk of security threats is greatest, including building entrance points, parking lots and exterior common areas.

Despite some security presence, coverage across these areas remains limited and varies significantly across campus and student housing. Disclosure regarding the locations of cameras and their purpose to increase safety can alleviate students’ fears that they are intended for student surveillance.

Compared to other universities, JMU’s existing security measures depend more on JACard access and campus police rather than cameras. Many universities in urban areas with higher crime rates, such as Virginia Commonwealth University and Columbia University, have installed broader security camera footage, lessening the potential dangers students are exposed to. The enhanced surveillance systems these schools have in place allow for fewer theft and unauthorized entry cases, with cameras serving as a deterrent and an investigation

tool. By increasing its camera security, JMU and off-campus housing would be able to provide students with greater peace of mind and a secure environment.

The need for additional security cameras at JMU and off-campus housing is clear. To combat safety concerns, university administration and off-campus housing complexes must invest in improving surveillance systems across campus and surrounding areas. In this respect, they can provide students with a safer environment and improved ways of preventing and reacting to crimes like theft, vandalism and illegal entry.

One potential on-campus solution would be to allocate funding from student safety initiatives, such as the student activity fee, to help with security camera installation and maintenance costs. To create a strong surveillance system, connections with the local police departments could be made to share surveillance feeds and pool resources, creating a sound and responsive security network. In doing so, both JMU and local authorities can ensure that the security measures are effective and cost-efficient, benefiting the entire community.

Read the full article at Breezejmuorg.

CONTACT Cali Gilmer at gilmersc@dukes. jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

Julia Tanner/ The Breeze

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The Breeze

Editorial Staff

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eleanor Shaw breezeeditor@gmail.com

NEWS EDITORS

Drake Miller & Emma Notarnicola breezenews@gmail.com

COPY EDITORS Kayla Katounas & Joelle McKenzie breezecopy@gmail.com

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR Morgan Blair breezepress@gmail.com

CULTURE EDITORS Isabel Lewis & Charlie Bodenstein thebreezeculture@gmail.com

PHOTO EDITORS Kailey Garner & Landon Shackelford breezephotography@gmail.com

ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Sixuan Wu thebreezeweb@gmail.com

SPORTS EDITORS Preston Comer & Gavin Avella breezesports@gmail.com

AUDIENCE EDITORS Ella Warren & Madeline Buynak thebreezesocials@gmail.com

OPINION EDITOR Caroline McKeown breezeopinion@gmail.com

ART DIRECTOR Julia Tanner thebreezeartdirector@gmail.com

TV NEWS DIRECTOR Alexa Bonilla jmubreezetv@gmail.com

Stories YAF hosts Robert Spencer to speak on

How JMU helps students find postgraduation direction. Entrepreneurship students create merchandise business in class. Stay tuned for this weekend’s weather forecast.

Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti

Varol

By Jeanne Breen

MADISON MARKETPLACE

NOTICES

Jon Foreman In Bloom Tour with Jordy Searcy

Jon Foreman IN BLOOM tour at 7 PM on Friday March 7 in Harrisonburg! Jon, lead singer of the Grammy Award winning band Switchfoot, will also be joined by singer-songwriters Jordy Searcy & special guest Graham Jones. Tickets are available at songsforvalley.org.

NOW HIRING! Dance Teachers

Wanted - Fall 2025 to Spring 2026

Seeking teachers with extensive dance training, performance experience and love of teaching! Send your resume to dancecompany@gmail.com and call 540-810-3631 to begin interview process Interviews begin in March - Dont wait! Call Now!

HOUSING

2 Bedroom Townhouse - Close to JMU campus!

2 BEDROOM - Two bedroom townhouse for rent starting in August 2025. The townhouse is 0.5 miles from the JMU campus. Contact me at (540) 435-7861 if you are interested.

Downtown Harrisonburg

one-bedroom loft available for sublet August 2025 – January 2026

1BR/1.5BA loft in downtown Harrisonburg available Aug 1, 2025 –Jan 30, 2026. $1,600/month. Must be employed, no pets, lease required. Includes parking. Beautiful, modern, well-lit space. Serious inquiries only – email vivianvk17@gmail.com with your details and availability to meet with the tenant and landlord.

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.

JOBS SERVICE

Help Wanted in Church Nursery

Mt Olive Brethren Church seeks a Nursery Care Provider during the hours of 8:45am-12:15pm each Sunday. For more information, contact Laura Waldron (540-820-7235, laura@ mtolivebrethren.org)

Career Opportunity - Police Recruit - $10,000 HIRING INCENTIVE AVAILABLE TO NEW OFFICERS

The City of Harrisonburg is currently accepting applications for non-certified individuals interested in joining HPD, which offers a rewarding career plus an excellent benefits package, including enhanced hazardous duty through the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). $10,000 HIRING INCENTIVE AVAILABLE TO NEW OFFICERS* ...

*Find out more/apply online: https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.

Career Opportunity - Public Works Planning Manager

Are you searching for your next career move with an organization that values your subject-matter expertise while leading strategic transportation planning efforts? If so, consider applying to become the Public Works Planning Manager with the City of Harrisonburg! Find out more/apply online: https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.

Storage Services

SUMMER STUDENT STORAGE SERVICES. Going home for the summer? Leave your belongings in storage We will pick them up, store them and deliver them to your new place in August. Call 540-810-1196, email MikePackett@aol. com or check out www.Adventures-NTravel.com for details. Local business and competitive.

SwiftHaul: Your Affordable Moving Solution for JMU Students!

Hey JMU Students! SwiftHaul Moving Services makes your move easy and affordable! From dorms to storage, apartments, or home, we’ve got you covered with the best prices and friendly, reliable service.

SERVES MORE THAN JUST CHICKEN SERVES MORE THAN JUST CHICKEN

Bojangles is a proud and active part of the JMU community and the official Tailgate Sponsor of JMU Athletics.

Join us for the Bojangles Book Fest , where up to 150 FREE books are given to the community. Each event doubles as a Fundraiser Night for local schools , featuring a local author and supporting education.

On Thursday, April 29th from 5 to 8 pm, a book signing at the Bojangles in Harrisonburg with the proceeds going to The Promise of Tomorrow Scholarship Fund.

The Bojangles Promise of Tomorrow Scholarship is here to help brighten the future for students in Augusta County. The scholarship supports hardworking individuals pursuing their dreams, with a commitment to education and community. Apply today by scanning the QR code