The Commonwealth Times; April 23, 2018

VCU’S EXPANSIVE FOOTPRINT IN THE RICHMOND COMMUNITY

News Editor

Entering the design phase of the new Master Plan, “ONE VCU,” the university is outlining the future of its impending physical impact on the city.

“Now we’re actually starting to look at ‘okay, here are programs that need space, and here are areas of the campus that are underdeveloped or could be redeveloped,’” Eastman said. “We start to essentially move the pieces around and see what fits.”

The master site plan process, which began in October 2017, is scheduled for approval by the Board of Visitors in December of this year.

The university hired a firm, Ayers Saint Gross, to develop and manage the university’s master planning process. Prior to the design process, the university conducted studies and surveys regarding what should be taken into consideration during the plan’s development. From listening sessions,

SGA election results certified

NIA TARIQ Staff Writer

Rigged.

That was how Cameron Luster, a candidate for Student Government Association Undergraduate Vice President, described the recent election for next year’s officers.

“I shouldn’t be penalized for somebody else breaking the rules,” he said. “If I deserve to be vice president, then I deserve to be vice president. If somebody broke the rules and they cheated, they don’t deserve the position.”

Luster and another vice presidential candidate, Hassen Hafiz, filed a grievance against now president-elect Vivek Kuruvilla and vice president-elect Chris Oltorik.

“Whenever the candidates receive the unofficial results of the election, it’s like ‘just brace yourself for a sea of complaints against the winner,’” Oltorik said. “Because every year, the people that did not win just file grievances against the winner.”

Oltorik, who is part of the judiciary committee, was temporarily barred from judiciary communications pending the committee’s investigation on the grievance filed against him.

Kuruvilla ran uncontested.

Oltorik was accused by Hafiz and Luster for utilizing university student activity funding for financing campaign materials. Candidates have a strict $75 spending limit, which can only be paid outof-pocket.

Luster said his main concerns were Oltorik not being transparent with campaign financing and campaigning within 50 feet of a polling station — which also against SGA rules.

In the April 2 print edition of the Commonwealth Times, Kuruvilla and Oltorik were pictured in what the grievance described as a “large feature.” Since the Commonwealth Times is funded by a portion of the university student activity fee, Hafiz and Luster claimed the picture and article were “inappropriate promotion.”

All presidential and vice presidential candidates were mentioned in the accompanying story. All candidates were quoted, except ones who did not provide a statement for the article.

The committee found the candidates were not at fault because they did not choose the photo which was used, but that candidates in the photo may have benefited more than those who weren’t included.

“As a matter of policy and principle, we do not allow outside voices to influence any of our coverage at the paper,” said CT Executive Editor Sophia Belletti. “Anyone who reads our content should understand how rigorously we work to avoid bias or being favorable to any candidate.”

In a unanimous decision, the

SGA judiciary committee found the election results to be valid.

Oltorik said he was upset by the process because he feared nepotism within the organization would unseat him as the incoming vice president.

“There’s a lot of favoritism in SGA,” he said. “It’s been going on for a while, and it was problematic last year, it’s just been kind of a cliquey environment that isn’t that conducive to collaboration.”

However, Oltorik said he does not harbor ill will against Hafiz and Luster.

“Sure they hurt my feelings, but they’re not terrible people.”

Hafiz said he misguidedly filed the grievance and is now ready to work under the incoming administration.

“I firmly believe that they won the election fair and square,” Hafiz said. “The rules were clear in what was considered out of bounds. I misread them and assumed that the USC&A facilities were off limits. Under this assumption, I filed a complaint.”

Luster, on the other hand, said he is not entirely convinced.

“I hope he ran his campaign truthfully, but there’s no closure and it’s very suspicious. We’ve seen what dishonest processes have done by just looking at the national government,” Luster said. “I’ll be completely transparent [at the next SGA meeting]. I think what is happening is really bad for SGA. I think people don’t want to follow a dishonest process.” Hafiz said he is just ready to get back to work.

“There are some individuals in the leadership of SGA who are more concerned about the individuals who won versus the fair process,” Hafiz said. “These tyrants may dislike the individuals who won, stirring the pot and motivating members to fight the process. By no means do I believe a reelection is necessary or disqualification of any of the [presidential and vice presidential] winners. SGA will thrive under their leadership and I would be honored to be a part of it.”

Oltorik, who along with Kuruvilla will be sworn in Wednesday, said he already has plans for the next year to prevent using grievances for retaliatory purposes.

“What I want to do is change [the process] so that no unofficial results are seen by any candidate until each candidate agrees that no rules have been broken,” Oltorik said.

Looking toward the upcoming school year, Oltorik said he is happy the investigation wrapped up and he can return to his duties.

“I hope that everyone in SGA can be happy at the end of the year and next year because I don’t want there to be any problems, I just want everyone to work toward the common goal of improving the university for the student bodywhich is pretty much the sole purpose of SGA,” Oltorik said.

interviews with university leadership, student groups and public meetings, they gathered “themes.”

“Because we know we’re integrated into the city, there are also a lot of city plans, some of them transportation, that impact the university. So we have to take those into account as well,” Eastman said. “And I should also say, we impact the city as well.”

According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, VCU’s investments in capital assets, such as land, buildings and equipment, grew by 8 percent last year, and has more than doubled since 2007. The university’s wealth from assets grew from $609.3 million in 2007 to $1.1 billion by the end of June last year. The university’s last master plan, approved in 2013, laid the foundation for nearly finished projects around the city.

Gladding Residence Center

The new $96 million student housing facility, which is being

constructed across from Monroe Park, is opening in the fall of this year, after only announcing the project in March 2016. While VCU owns the land, American Campus Communities, a private developer, is paying for its’ construction. The building is expected to house just shy of 1,500 students.

The School of Allied Health Professions

The academic building is ahead of schedule and will be finished this summer. The $87.7 million building will bring together 11 programs, including nine academic departments, the dean’s office and the Virginia Center on Aging.

Engineering Research Building

The $92 million research addition to the School of Engineering on the corner of West Cary and South Belvidere Streets will be finished in 2020. Construction began

in 2015.

Institute for Contemporary Art

VCU managed the design and construction of the new Institute for Contemporary Art, which opened Saturday. The project cost $42 million and started in 2011, a part of the master plan set forth in 2004. Sitting on the corner of Belvidere and Broad streets, the 41,000-square-foot project was completed following a $37 million capital campaign and $12 million endowment campaign by VCU. The ICA is currently free and open to the public.

Virginia Treatment Center for Children

Opening this month, the $56 million, 32-bed inpatient facility on the North Side will provide psychiatric aid to children, replacing the one on the MCV campus. continued on page 3

SARAROSE MARTIN

Kuruvilla elected president; Oltorik VP Probe looks into alleged campaign misconduct

VCU advocates a greener community during Earth Week

portant to us.”

VCU Sustainability and Green Unity aren’t the only university groups working toward a greener Richmond. The psychology department’s Behavioral Health Research Laboratory has its share of eco-friendly initiatives, said Caroline Cobb, a professor in the department and the lab’s founder.

In conjunction with Earth Week, BHRL held an event April 20 to reduce cigarette butt waste. The most littered item in the world, cigarette butts made up almost 1.7 billion pounds of toxic waste in 2014, according to Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights.

“We need to bring some greater awareness to how prevalent tobacco-related waste is,” Cobb said. “A lot of people think cigarette butts are biodegradable, but they are not.”

Cobb said BHRL plays a part in emphasizing sustainable efforts despite functioning primarily as a research lab. She said the work of her lab and sustainable organizations intersect more than someone might think.

Earth Week wrapped up with a yoga session Sunday morning. Despite Earth Week coming to a close, Stanforth said people still have many ways to go green.

SAFFEYA AHMED Staff Writer

VCU Sustainability and Green Unity at VCU partnered to spread campus awareness about simple ways to go green this past week. Earth Week, which was from April 16 to 20, consisted of a variety of eco-friendly events including group bike rides, recycling drives and speaker sessions featuring renowned environmental justice advocates.

“A lot of people don’t realize the importance that their own choices have on our community and on

other people,” said Kiara Walker, president of Green Unity at VCU.

“We wanted to do Earth Week as a way to get people thinking about the impact of their choices while connecting with other students.”

The week kicked off with movie screenings and a group bike ride around the city.

To promote support for ethical and sustainable brands, an Earth Day bazaar was held at the Student Commons on Wednesday so local artists, jewelry-makers and florists could sell their eco-friendly products.

“As individuals we have the most

power to make change,” Walker said. “Simply putting our wallets towards businesses that are doing the best that they can do be more sustainable is making change.”

Environmental activist, scholar and author Vandana Shiva spoke at The Depot Thursday highlighting the importance of attaining environmental and social justice through food and fashion. The university also hosted Erik Curren on Friday. The author spoke alongside other panelists about different renewable and efficient energy options.

“There are plenty of ways Mon-

roe Park could be reducing plastic use and energy use,” said Walker, who moderated the panel.

VCU Sustainability and Green Unity are implementing green initiatives across campus and throughout Richmond. VCU Sustainability director Erin Stanforth said they are working to raise awareness about consumption, environmental injustices and access to consumption alternatives.

“We have a bike loan program, recycling, composting, reusing things,” Stanford said. “Anything we can do to raise awareness about reducing consumption is really im-

“A lot of times, faculty, staff and students forget that (VCU is) an entity,” Stanforth said. “(People) will leave rooms and they leave the lights on, or they won’t put the recycling where it’s supposed to go. I know that sounds so small, but when there are 35,000 students it adds up.”

Stanforth said the Green Recognition for Offices and Workspaces program is a great resource for faculty and staff who want to reduce their consumption and waste at the university. More information about GROW can be found at sustainability.vcu.edu.

A Wilder School dean was sued for harassment. Now alumni are standing behind him.

FADEL ALLASSAN Managing Editor

The university’s alumni community is rallying behind a former school dean who was sued by former Virginia Gov. L Douglas Wilder for the harassment of his assistant.

More than 100 alumni signed a statement in support of John Accordino — the beleaguered recently-departed head of the Wilder School, who is said to have racially discriminated and harassed Wilder’s assistant — in a letter addressed to the school’s Board of Visitors, which was advertised in the Richmond Times-Dispatch last Monday.

“As Dr. Accordino’s former students and friends, we have come to know him as a kind, caring man and an extremely dedicated professor,” the letter reads. “He has always gone above and beyond to offer sound guidance, encouragement, and even tough love when it would push us to achieve our full potential.”

The letter continues: “These accusations of racial and sexual discrimination do not match the character of the man we have come to know. We have never in collective years of interactionswith Dr. Accordino heard him use any language that could be construed as reflecting any bias or disrespect for students, fellow faculty or staff. If anything, he is the one to stand up to bullying or statements of disrespect.”

According to Wilder’s lawsuit, which was filed in Richmond’s Cir-

cuit Court in March, Accordino called the assistant, Angelica Bega, “obscene names,” threatened to fire her, accused her of violating human resources rules and “questioned and insulted her intelligence.”

Accordino has denied the claims through his lawyer, James Thorsen, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He was dean of the Wilder School until the lawsuit was filed, then was removed from the position because the university found his case to be a “distraction.”

“Although Dean Accordino specifically denies allegations in the lawsuit and will defend himself against them, in consideration of the greater mission of the school and the university, he has agreed to step aside,” said VCU Provost Gail Hackett in an email to faculty and staff members.

When Wilder met with Rao, Hackett and Kevin Allison, Rao’s senior assistant, Hackett assured everyone present that Bega did not want to report the incident to the university, according to court documents. However, the lawsuit says, Bega later denied to Wilder she had ever told Hackett that and stated “unequivocally” that she wanted to move forward with a complaint to the university.

The complaint says VCU President Michael Rao refused to properly address Accordino’s actions. It says the university’s vice president and provost, Gail Hackett, conducted a “farcical and corrupt investigation” after Wilder met with her and Rao to notify them about Bega’s allegations. Rao and Hackett are both named as defendants.

An Earth Day bazaar was held Wednesday at the Student Commons. Local artists showcased their eco-friendly products.

Accordino has denied all allegations in the harassment lawsuit against him.

“Show me what democracy looks like”: Richmond high school students lead march for gun control

LOGAN REARDON

Contributing Writer

Some thousand people -- mostly in high school -- descended upon Brown’s Island and walked to the Capitol last Friday to show their support for increased gun control measures.

The event was coordinated by Douglas S. Freeman High School senior Maxwell Nardi, who is also the leader of NeverAgain Virginia, an organization fighting for gun legislation to address school shootings and other forms of gun violence.

Many who attended the event participated in the nationwide walkout earlier in the day honoring

the lives lost in Columbine.

Three of the students who participated in the walk-out — Freeman sophomores Nalani Stephenson, Jaela Jackson, and Keyana Hanley -- said the movement for gun safety is far from complete.

“I wanted change,” Jackson said.

“I got tired of waiting around and waiting for other people to do something that I feel passionate about, and I’m tired of being scared in school.”

Other students in attendance, Cole Taylor and Kennedy Daniels — juniors from Henrico High School and Glen Allen High School respectively — said they believe not enough is being done to resolve the issue of gun violence.

“My school has had recent gun threats and I really think that it shouldn’t even be a fear, so we need to do something to make sure crazy people can’t get guns,” Daniels said.

Before the march to Virginia’s State Capitol began, speakers were welcomed at Brown’s Island. TaQuan Grant, a senior and student government vice president at Thomas Jefferson High School, said the event not only highlights the importance of gun legislation to prevent school shootings, but also in preventing forms of gun violence in general.

“As a product of Richmond Public Schools and as a product of Section 8 housing and as a product of the projects, I see gun violence with

my own naked eye,” Grant said. “It’s time for us people all over the Commonwealth of Virginia to rise to the occasion, to stand for justice. Make your voice matter.”

Democratic Congressman Donald McEachin (D-4) called the student-run protests for gun control exciting.

“The Civil Rights Movements have always been lead by the young people, and so it’s exciting to see this generation step up and lead this Civil Rights Movement because believe me when I tell you that gun safety is a Civil Rights Movement,” McEachin said. “A lot of these young people are my constituents, and so I want to show them that their congressman is

with them.”

At the Capitol, another round of speakers ranging from high school students to elected officials spoke, including Gov. Ralph Northam. Northam reaffirmed his stance that gun violence is an issue that needs to be handled quickly.

“How many more dates will we add to the calendar before we take the actions we need to take to keep our schools, churches, theaters and concert venues safe?” Northam said.

“How many lives will we lose to preventable gun violence before we take action to keep firearms out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them?”

Attorney General Mark Herring and Lieutenant Governor

Justin Fairfax doubled down on Northam’s statements and called for gun control legislation by local, state and national legislatures. “Can we honestly say we are doing everything we can to make sure it doesn’t happen again? No,” Herring said. “How many more tragedies must we endure before we actually do something?”

Fairfax said the young people who are making these protests happen are going to make change.

“We are so inspired by your example, by your courage, by your willingness to stand up and fight,” Fairfax said. “I promise you, this group is going to change the world.”

Community advocates question VCU’s plans for expansion

STEM Education Building

The university is awaiting state funds to begin construction on the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Teaching Laboratory building for the College of Humanities and Sciences. The building is set to take the place of the Franklin Street Gym and include three four-story historic town homes.

VCU receives most of its’ funding for implementation of projects from the state. It has a six-year capital request plan that sets forth priorities in each biennium. University officials submit requests in odd-number years, so requests from May last year were for projects planned for 2018.

Beside state funding, there are a limited number of sources traditionally available for capital projects, which include gifts, grants

and university funds. University funds can come from a variety of resources, such as increases in student tuition or fees.

The university may also choose to take on debt. If it’s a housing project, the debt service might be paid by revenue from students who are paying rent to live in the housing.

Because the university wants to include the projects proposed in the current master plan for the next six-year funding request, the final draft of the plan has to be completed in December. When the master plan is released, it will include a prioritized list of projects for each campus, which will be used as a guide to develop their request in the Spring of 2019.

Some people have raised concerns about the impact the university’s expansion could have on the

Richmond community. According to Eastman, the university meets with the planning committee for the City of Richmond Master Plan, local civic associations and the Office of Community Engagement, to address what is best for the university and the community.

“We know VCU has a big footprint in the city, we know we have an impact on the city and we’re impacted by the city so we want to try to work together collaboratively to figure out what’s best for the city and the citizens,” Eastman said. “We’ve been very deliberate in working with folks so we’re keeping an open dialogue.”

Young Democratic Socialists at VCU have made it a semester-long initiative to address the university’s expansion plans and the ethical impact they may have on the city.

“Everytime VCU buys another building, or every time they expand out and buy new property, that’s

property tax that’s not going to the city,” said YDSA Head Chair Nicholas Da Silva. “Housing that residents of Richmond can’t use that’s a piece of Richmond that no longer belongs to Richmond.”

University Architect Mary Patton Cox said the school’s planners are having conversations about the university’s ability to influence the development of local neighborhoods. During community outreach, they hope to determine areas of the city where both the community and university could both benefit from VCU’s expansion.

Da Silva said YDSA tries to keep track of the university’s purchasing and expansion habits to keep the student body informed.

“We’re kind of reaching the point where we want the administration to talk to us, but we recognize they don’t really agree with us, and so we’re trying to raise awareness to other students,” Da Silva said. “So

hopefully we can give a balanced point of view, so it’s not just the university saying we need to expand.”

Patton Cox said VCU’s campus is unique because of its placement in the center of a city, which means its expansion is largely determined by real estate opportunities.

The university often has to choose between expanding or staying in its property lines and increasing the density of the campus, which can have negative impacts as well.

“We do care about things like gentrification, we do try to limit our impact in that direction but the only things we could really do to completely prevent it is stay within the existing property lines and sometimes doing that is a good idea,” Patton Cox said. “So we just try to balance the decision making against the impacts.”

The Master Plan, “ONE VCU,”

is intended to be transformational, according to Patton Cox, although there are elements from the previous master plan the university intends to build on. The planners want a fresh look and to reflect the university’s new strategic plan, Quest 2025: Together We Transform, which embodies student success, appropriate teaching, learning, study and living spaces, interdisciplinary collaboration, and mobility and safety.

It ultimately seeks to unify the campus and take advantage of the university’s setting in an urban community.

“When you go from plan to plan or you’re even five years into a plan, priorities change,” Patton Cox said. “A master plan is just that — it’s a vision of the future. It’s not necessarily engraved in stone, but its built on a good solid basis.”

In the latest of a series of protests organized by youth activists, students walked out of school Friday in honor of the lives lost in the Columbine massacre 19 years ago.

Planners are in the design phase of the new Master Plan, “ONE VCU,” which is scheduled to finish in December. With approval from the Board of Visitors, VCU will request state funding.

sports

Stat of the Week

Lacrosse defeated UMASS 17-16 in OT Sunday, snapping the Minutewomen’s NCAA record 61-game conference win streak and securing VCU’s first-ever trip to the Atlantic 10 Women’s Lacrosse Championship.

Thompson flirts with no-hitter, Baseball wins 3 in wild week

Baseball improved to 26-14 last week with a Tuesday evening rout of the University of MarylandCollege Park, before taking 2 of 3 in a home weekend series against George Mason University.

VCU captured the rubber match of a three-game set with George Mason Sunday in 12 dramatic innings. The Black and Gold defeated the Patriots 1-0 behind five shutout innings from sophomore starting pitcher Sam Ryan.

Ryan was stuck with a no-decision after striking out eight and al-

lowing just two hits. Junior reliever Mac McCarty got credit for the win after three innings of scoreless relief in extra innings. Junior reliever Benjamin Dum worked four solid innings in relief of Ryan.

Sophomore infielder Paul Witt walked off the Sunday matinee when he drove in senior outfielder Haiden Lamb in the bottom of the twelth. Lamb, senior infielder Daane Berezo and GMU first baseman Trevor Kelly were the only three players with multiple hits on the day.

Senior right-hander Sean Thompson lit up The Diamond Saturday with 7.1 innings of no-hit

VCU assistant Jeremy Ballard takes FIU head coaching gig

FADEL ALLASSAN

Managing Editor

A VCU assistant coach is taking his talents to South Beach.

Jeremy Ballard, associate head basketball coach, will become a head coach for the first time when he takes over at Florida International University next season.

Current FIU head coach Anthony Evans’ contract will not be renewed after five seasons with the Panthers.

“When you work and act like him, people take notice. FIU did,” Rhoades said in a text message to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“He’s ready for this job and will do great. He is what’s good about college basketball. We will miss him but all of us will be huge Coach Ballard and FIU fans. He is family!”

Ballard is in his second stint with the Rams. He first joined the team in 2012 under former head coach Shaka Smart and left in 2015 when Smart went to the University

of Texas. He spent a year at Illinois State University and a year at the University of Pittsburgh before coming back to VCU as an assistant under Mike Rhoades last season.

He coached at his alma matter, Colgate University, from 2004 to 2007 and also at the University of Tulsa from 2007 to 2012.

Ballard has experience working with individual players. He worked closely with former shooting guard Troy Daniels in his first year, according to the athletics department. Daniels went on to set a single-season school record with 124 3-pointers and currently plays for the Pheonix Suns in the National Basketball Association.

Ballard is the sixth player from Smart’s staff to become a head coach. Smart is tied with Duke head coach Michael Krzyzewski for number of assistant coaches that took top jobs. Will Wade is at Louisiana State University; Mike Jones is at Radford University; Jamion Christian, Mount St. Mary’s; Mike Morrell, University of North Carolina.

work on just 86 pitches. Thompson K’d seven and only allowed two hits.

A one-out single broke the nohit bid in the eighth inning. The hit devolved into a three-run inning for GMU highlighted by a bases clearing triple by Michael Smith.

VCU never trailed, and took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the third frame. Lamb singled to lead the inning off, then advanced to second on a balk. Freshman utility man Hogan Brown singled in Lamb, then came around to score himself on an RBI single from Witt.

VCU’s 4-5-6 hitters Witt, sophomore infielder Steven Carpenter and senior infielder Mitchel Lacey each collected a pair of hits

on the day. McCarty collected his 14th save of the season in relief of Thompson.

Baseball started off its weekend series against GMU on the wrong foot, as the Patriots routed the Rams Friday night 11-3.

Berezo led the way offensively for VCU, collecting three hits including a pair of doubles. Lacey, sophomore infielder Brett Willett and sophomore catcher Josh Simon each had a pair of knocks.

Mason got the scoring started early, as they put two up in the first inning. GMU broke the game open with four runs in the top of sixth to take a commanding 8-2 lead. The

Rams mustered 12 hits but left six runners on base.

Sophomore starter Connor Gillispie took the loss and fell to 6-2 on the year. This game was a blip on Gillispie’s otherwise stellar 2018 campaign. The sophomore hurler struck out nine Patriots in five innings of work, but allowed four runs on eight hits.

Brown led the way offensively for VCU, going 3-5 with three RBI to contribute to the Rams’ 14-3 shellacking of the Terrapins at College Park Tuesday night.

Lamb, Lacey, Witt and Carpenter each had a pair of VCU’s 13 hits. Junior infielder Zac Ching

frequented the base paths as well, as he drew three free passes. Ryan got credit for the win, his fourth on the season. Ryan tossed four innings of three-run ball, striking out two Terrapins and allowing four hits. The foursome of Dum, sophomore Hayden Moore, and redshirt sophomores Garrett Pearson and Tanner Winters combined to work five scoreless innings in support of Ryan.

VCU returns to action Tuesday at home against Longwood University. First pitch at The Diamond is set for 6:30.

ZACH JOACHIM Sports Editor

Senior outfielder Haiden Lamb is raking this year — VCU’s leadoff man is hitting .324 with 12 RBI and a staggering 30 runs scored. The speedy centerfielder has also swiped 19 bags.

Jeremy Ballard (center) has coached at Illinois State, Pittsburgh, Colgate, Toledo, VCU and now FIU.

GMU (3)

GMU (2)

GMU (1)

MARYLAND

Track and field: Virginia Challenge, CNU Classic

JESSICA WETZLER Staff Writer

The VCU track and field teams divided up last weekend, attending both the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville and the Christopher Newport University Captains Classic in Newport News.

VIRGINIA CHALLENGE

At the Virginia Challenge, three women placed in the top 10 in the 400 meter invitational.

Sophomore Kayla Smith led the way for the Black and Gold, placing third with an overall time of 54.91. Junior Candice James followed Smith shortly after with a time of 55.66 and behind James was junior Taylor Watkins with a time of 55.81.

For the men’s team, senior Kareem Payne hit a new personal best, finishing at 48.80 and coming in ninth place. Senior Bigal Harrison finished in 15th with a time of 48.36, coming in two spots behind senior Devon Thompson at 48.63.

Senior Taylor McCormick had a strong performance in the triple jump, coming in fifth place with a mark of 12.13 meters. Right behind McCormick was freshman Aliyah Newman with a mark of

12.10 meters, placing sixth in the event.

Sophomore Makayla McGowan placed sixth during the women’s discus event, hitting a new personal best with a 48.22 meter mark.

In the 800 meter, sophomore Ashley Brown hit a new personal best with a time of 2:13.20. Junior Jamik Alexander placed ninth in the 100 meter with a time of 10.88.

CNU CAPTAIN CLASSSIC

Moving on to the CNU Captain Classic, sophomore Samantha Yankson won the hammer throw event for the second time this season, hitting a mark of 47.01 meters. Senior Latasha Williams earned third with a mark of 42.33 meters in the same event.

During the women’s javelin, sophomore Lauryn Reese placed third with a personal best of 30.56 meters. Freshman Jacob Greenless recorded a new personal best in the hammer throw event for the men, hitting a mark of 49.26, finishing second overall.

Track and field returns to action Saturday, May 5 in Fairfax for the Atlantic 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The NBA’s silent diversity disappearance

SOPHIA BELLETTI Executive Editor

The other week, I watched another basketball movie about another young, underprivileged Black protégé who is swooped away by another elite White basketball coach. In these scenarios, the coach attempts to connect with the player on a personal level, but only one similarity connects the two parties — their love for the sport.

At the start of the 2014 season, NFL surveys revealed the league was approximately 68 percent Black and about 28 percent White.

According to racial equality activist Richard Lapchick, the NBA in 2015 was composed of 74.4 percent Black players, 23.3 percent White players, 1.8 percent Latino players, and 0.2 percent

Asian players. Currently, five of the 32 head coaches in the NFL are Black. One, Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers, is Hispanic.

At the conclusion of the 201617 season, there were eight Black head coaches in the NBA. This doesn’t seem to add up. Almost every current NBA coach played, at the minimum, at the collegiate level. If over half of NBA coaches played ball, and over half of players are Black, where are all the Black head coaches? Why is it so rare that those players rise in the ranks?

This has not always been the case. The causes for the decline in Black coaches are hard to pinpoint. But the trend is startling.

From 2001-2014, the NBA averaged 11 black head coaches per season — easily the most diverse era in league history. On opening

night in 2012, half of the NBA’s 30 head coaches were people of color, including 14 Black coaches, an all-time high.

The NBA has long been the most progressive of the major North American sports leagues, setting the standard for both racial and gender diversity and, as such, has earned some benefit of the doubt. No one advocated an NFL-style Rooney Rule — the edict that requires teams to interview minorities for head coaching vacancies.

The rule, established in 2003 and named after the chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dan Rooney, who was the chairman of the league’s diversity committee, came about after the firing of two Black head coaches in 2002, Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay and Dennis Green in Minnesota, prompted an uproar.

The best way to label this problem is as a snapshot in time, but with heavy examination.

Some academics blame age-old racial dynamics, in which Whites mostly socialize with and hire Whites.

Some coaches blame teams’ embrace of analytics — This theory suggests Black coaches are perceived as either less intelligent or less willing to adapt.

Some Black coaches feel they simply do not get the same support and trust from team executives that their White peers enjoy. That could mean fewer opportunities to become a head coach, and shorter tenures for those who do.

Over the last 10 years, White head coaches have lasted 3.2 seasons, on average, while Black coaches have lasted just 2.85 seasons, according to a study of coaching tenures by Bleacher

Report. That’s a difference of 29 games but coaches view it another way: It’s the difference between getting fired in the middle of your third year versus starting a fourth season — after another round of roster moves and a training camp.

In other terms, it means White coaches generally get more time to prove themselves, and fix flawed rosters, than Black coaches do.

A trend toward turning to college coaches would automatically be skewed, as nearly 87 percent of Division I coaches are White (not counting historically Black universities), according to Richard Lapchick, of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport.

Although teams are still hiring head coaches from the NBA assistant pool, most of the recent hires in that category are also White and never played in the NBA.

To put it simply, if you are

Black, an NBA playing career is almost a prerequisite for landing a head-coaching job. If you are White, it is not essential.

It’s impertinent to pinpoint any single cause. The NBA is composed of 30 independent teams, led by 30 different owners and 30 front offices. Each lead with their own style, personality and vision.

But there is one broad trend that partially explains the racial shifts: NBA teams, now more than ever, are seeking unconventional hires — college coaches, first-time coaches, foreign coaches, broadcasters, former video coordinators — and turning away from the standard pool of former players-turned-coaches, a pool that is predominantly Black.

Closely contested races mark debut of “Richmond Raceway Reimagined”

ADAM CHEEK Staff Writer

The two premier series of NASCAR visited historic Richmond Raceway over the weekend, and fans were treated to two races with nail-biting finishes, culminating with Joe Gibbs Racing sweeping both events at the iconic D-oval.

After an offseason of renovations, the Raceway debuted a new, reimagined experience for fans. VCU’s student radio station, WVCW, also held an event with live music and tailgating for college students, while prominent actor Michael Rooker, of “Days of Thunder” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” fame, piloted the pace car prior to the race.

Tennis squashes Spiders

NILE MCNAIR

Contributing writer

Women’s tennis put their 13-5 record on the line against the Spiders of the University of Richmond Wednesday. The Black and Gold defeated UofR 4-3 in a back-and-forth affair.

VCU claimed victory in two out of the three doubles matches to take early control of the contest. Junior Anna Rasmussen and sophomore Kanako Yano dominated their opponents Emily Dunbar and Kiana Marshall, winning the match with a final score of 6-1. Freshman Paola Exposito

Diaz-Delgado and sophomore

Noumea Witmus followed up on their teammates’ victory with one of their own, defeating Lyndell Giffenig and Adrienne Haynes of Richmond by a score of 6-4.

The six singles matches were hotly contested, coming down to

the very last match to determine who won on the day. Through four singles matches the Spiders led 3-1, with their wins coming from Emily Dunbar, Dessi Zlateva and Lea Owens.

The Black and Gold started the comeback with Yano’s singles match. Yano won with ease in two sets, ending 6-1 and 6-3, respectively. The final singles match decided it all, with Sofia Sualehe of VCU coming through in the clutch.

Sualehe pulled out a victory in a very competitive three set game, winning the match over Richmond’s Adrienne Haynes 6-1, 5-7 and 6-3.

The Black and Gold return to action in the A-10 conference tournament, beginning Thursday, April 26.

WVCW also hosted an event marketed towards the Black and Gold student body that held both live music from local Richmond bands and tailgating prior to Saturday night’s race. The inaugural “Jorts and Tanks” event sold almost 200 tickets, bringing in Richmond fans of both music and NASCAR. Local bands and artists including Don Fredrick, Deau Eyes, and Space Koi appeared to both promote and play, as the latter recently premiered a new album. Held from noon to six, the event gave Rams an opportunity to enjoy music during the day and NASCAR racing at night.

Richmond Raceway Reimagined broke ground shortly after the 2017 September race weekend, and opened to fans on Friday after construction ceased for the spring events. Most notably, the garage layout in the infield had been altered, providing a fan experience like no other. A long walkway extended the length of the area between the garages and haulers, allowing spectators with certain passes to witness crews at work on the cars, and fans also have the chance to interact with drivers.

The pedestrian tunnel bridging the stands and the infield was also moved back, allowing fans to enter through the concourse and travel directly to the pits and garages. The renovations also were apparent to the drivers. Veteran Elliott Sadler mentioned that, although there was a noticeable bump in the track where the tunnel was rebuilt, it helped him place mental markers as to where to brake and accelerate going into the turn.

Saturday’s Monster Energy Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 was decided within the final few laps, after Penske Racing driver Joey Logano had swept the first two stages. Logano’s car, along with several of the night’s frontrunners, faded as the race stretched on, with green-flag laps taking their toll on the weaker cars. The two major incidents of the race came within the final 60 laps, collecting less than five entries each.

As the race wound down, Joe Gibbs Racing mainstay Kyle Busch found himself in the lead, after starting 32nd and running only around the top five for most of the race. After several late-race cautions, Busch emerged victorious for his third win in a row, returning to victory lane at one of his historically best tracks. The driver of the #18 Toyota Camry tied Buck Baker for 15th on the all-time wins list with his 46th checkered flag, while Daniel Hemric, an Xfinity Series driver, made his debut in a third Richard Childress Racing entry, finishing 32nd.

The ToyotaCare 250 took place on Friday evening for the Xfinity Series drivers, and featured just as many battles, on-track strategy, and close calls as the Cup Series race. As a “Dash 4 Cash” event, the race awarded the highest-finishing eligible driver a $100,000 check, and Elliott Sadler walked away with the payout Friday night after a third-place effort.

Noah Gragson was promoted from the Camping World Truck Series for three races, and impressed a number of his NASCAR compatriots with his performance on Friday night. Gragson’s #18 Toyota ran in the top half of the field most of the night, using pit strategy to climb several more spots into the top five. With around 75 laps remaining, the rookie was passed by teammate Christopher Bell for the lead. However, the entirety of the rest of the race saw Gragson continuously close on Bell, lap after lap, using backmarker traffic to cut the gap between the two cars.

The 19-year-old made several attempts at a pass, but was unable to pull off a stunning upset, as Bell cruised to his first win of

the season. Gragson became only the 12th driver to finish in the top two positions in his debut, while Bell notched his second win of his career, finally scoring a victory after several weeks of disappointment. Gragson pilots the #18 Toyota Tundra in the Truck Series for Kyle Busch Motorsports, and when asked about his performance, Busch detailed his impressions of his driver. “I thought Noah did a phenomenal job,” Busch said. “I was really impressed with his run in second. (He was) there beating on Christopher’s back bumper trying to get a win for himself. Did a great job.”

Richmond,

Richmond Raceway Reimagined is a 30$ million development project by International Speedway Corporation.

Freshman Paola Exposito Diaz-Delgado hails from Almeria, Spain. She won her singles match Sunday 6-4, 6-1.

On this day James Baldwin’s social commentary drama, “Blues for Mister Charlie,” opened in New York on April 23, 1964.

Worth the hype? The CT Staff reacts to ICA opening

The VCU Institute for Contemporary Art opened on April 21, paired with a block party, following years of

“WOMEN Words” by Betty Tompkins. Figure 2. Tompkins compiled words and phrases used to describe women superimposed over small paintings combined in a large grouping.

Jacque Chandler, Staff Illustrator: First thought, it seems to be kind of like labels and almost their antithesis to what they shouldn’t be. It’s seems like a collective amount of just phrases that someone might hear often that might be discriminatory — or even empowering. It seems like everything is in a pot.

Jacob Medley, Contributing Photographer: I love this work’s bluntness and how unapologetic it is to the viewer. There’s a clear sense of the artist’s hand as well as their emotional and physical labor in the work. I think the text in this work is a great access point for viewers and serves as a way in which the work can contextualize itself in the world and mind of the artist in a way that translates to viewers in a really thoughtful way.

Kim Peters, SMC Designer: That one says ‘light of my life,’ and the other one says ‘bitch from hell.’ I guess I don’t see the connection between the paintings and the actual words themselves. The execution, I don’t know, I don’t think it’s particularly great. I feel like it being on a small canvass and a helvetica or a sans serif font is kind very high school coffee shop art.

“Storm in the Time of Shelter,” by Paul Rucker. Figure 3. Rucker examines the Klu Klux Klan’s history and impact in this collection of robes designed with different patterns and colors, contextualized by a collection of the hate-group’s artifacts.

KP: I think it’s a good example of how artists are historians in a way. How they become interested in something and in order to have a powerful piece, you have to be invested in the history. I think it’s important to provide historical context behind these things. By framing it in this context, it provides interpretation to the work itself.

JC: We know what these people looked liked, let’s see what they do. It’s just tying the parts together, how they looked and what they did. Definitely at first glance you can get a strong misconception about what’s going on. Just looking at it now, it looks like they’re donning certain cultures. I wonder if that’s a link to taking control or destroying it.

JM: I love this work because of how provocative, political, thorough, and urgent this work is. I have a real appreciation for work like this because I think there’s always a need to make work that’s immediate, unavoidable and confrontational toward a viewer.

“Untitled” by Felix GonzalezTorres. Figure 1. Created decades ago by Gonzalez-Torres, who died in 1996, the work prompts viewers to choose between two messages printed on stacks of paper: “Nowhere better than this place.” and “Somewhere better than this place.”

JM: I’m a little biased here because Felix is one of my favorite artists of all time, so this had to be one of my favorite works in Declaration. The work is political, inviting, giving, honest and I think Felix had a real knack for shaking up a viewer’s understanding of what an artwork can be. This work is in the ICA right now, but it’s also with everyone who took a poster or two home with them, and I think that says a lot on how democratic and non-elitist exceptional art can be.

KP: I would pick the “Nowhere better than this place.” I feel like I try to make home wherever I am and home is the people around me. I like this piece because by taking it you’re voting. It makes you think and art is supposed to make you think. It did a successful job, it’s effective to start a conversation.

JC: Oh, man. There will always be somewhere better than where you are. You’re never going to be happy until you start appreciating where you are, assuming your place isn’t full of hostility. This thing is so psychological. It’s hard, it’s hard [to decide which one to pick]. It says so much about your character.

“The Mending Project” by Lee Mingwei. Figure 6. The piece invites viewers to bring in items of clothing in need of mending and have a conversation with a volunteer. Lee arranged approximately 1,200 spools of thread on the walls of the ICA’s third floor, which connect to mended items of clothing left on the table.

KP: It really just makes you think about the human connection, almost our inability to have conversations.

JC: This looks like going back to just the base of production. I have this sketchbook in my hand and normally I’m never thinking about how it was made, I’m never thinking about the binding and the stitching. I’m always just using it.

“Forced Out of Frame” by Titus Kaphar. Figure 4. Four oil and tar panels illustrate frames from a video showing the moment Sandra Bland was pulled from her car by a police officer during a traffic stop.

JC: It just seems straightforward. It’s about police brutality against Black people or just people of color not being cared about. The brutality against or just the interactions with police of people of color are more brutal than others. This is just a representation of how this person’s life was just ended after what was a really quick and for some people even unnoticeable cycle of events that just happen so often, particularly in America. This person was taken, dragged away from the camera itself. You can’t infer anything after the darkness, there’s nothing to be read and that’s exactly the point.

Overall Impressions:

JC: I think it was really just a warm experience. Seeing a bunch of these artists come together, they had a lot of things to say. It was just a really good gathering spot. I’m interested to see what the ICA is going to do in the future, what events they’re going to host, what we’re going to do for the public.

JM: It’s so important to me that I can see contemporary, current work in person rather than in photographs. I think that the ICA has the potential to really reach out and to help every single part of our community grow through the arts and education. There was a wonderfully high standard of community and dialogue that I saw them set for themselves today at the opening

KP: I thought the space was really nice and light. I thought they did a good job with the architecture and having the ability to go in and out of it. I’m really looking forward to go to the coffee shop and sit there. I think this was a good start for them. I think it’s a good opening and hopefully they can bring more people here.

Staff Favorites: “Forced Out of Frame,” “Untitled” and “Storm in the Time of Shelter.”

The ICA offers free entry in addition to events like a mindfulness session, artist lectures and tours centered around specific works and topics.

“Declaration” comprises 55 works, made up of more than 1,000 individual pieces.

fig 1

fig 2

fig 3

fig 5

fig 4

PHOTOS BY JACOB MEDLEY

GEORGIA GEEN Spectrum Editor

construction and a director change.

The ICA’s inaugural exhibition, “Declaration,” centers around art’s transformative political power. A conglomeration of works by renowned local, national and international artists, the exhibition attracted a large crowd to the three-floor Markel Center, the building housing the ICA.

Members of the Commonwealth Times’ creative staff provided their reactions to the exhibition’s highlights.

Local vinyl shop celebrates Record Store Day

QUENTIN RICE

Contributing Writer

This year, vinyl record store Steady Sounds commemorated the 11th annual Record Store Day with special releases, DJ sets and a live performance from Virginia rapper Chance Fischer.

Vinyl enthusiasts around the country hop from store to store in the hopes that they’ll score an exclusive release from their favorite artists for Record Store Day. Every year, musicians of every genre prepare special exclusive releases to be sent out to record stores in limited quantities on one Saturday in April.

The list of releases features famous established acts like David Bowie and Lil Uzi Vert, as well as smaller, underground acts like Phoenix and Robert Glasper.

The event is also an opportunity for record store owners to have musicians perform at their shops. Artists like Metallica, Beastie Boys and Wiz Khalifa have all performed at stores for Record Store Day in the past.

Marty Key, the owner of Steady Sounds, described Record Store Day as “a celebration of all things vinyl.”

Key, who has owned and run Steady Sounds for about eight years, says he spent more time digging for records than attending class during his time as a student at VCU.

“Sometimes I’d leave class to go straight to Plan 9, or one of the thrift stores,” Key said. “After doing various things like odd jobs and touring with bands, finally Plan 9 asked me, ‘do you want a job here? You’re here every day.’”

It wasn’t long before Key was running his own record shop.

Key said Record Store Day was probably started to bring attention back to small record stores, which were dying off 10 or so years ago. In the last decade, vinyl has exploded in popularity.

Steady Sounds featured Record Store Day exclusive releases from The Stooges, Sun Ra, Raekwon, J Dilla, The Vaselines and Tom Waits. Like other stores, it also had more used records on display than usual.

While he definitely still enjoys Record Store Day and the

DJ OlNuBi, whose real name is Armando Munoz, said he enjoys doing Record Store Day sets more than other sets. He said these sets are usually shorter, giving him the opportunity to play more of the music he wants to play, rather than having to entertain for hours on end.

“I can just hit the highlights as opposed to having to create a vibe for the whole night,” Munoz said.

DJ OlNuBi said he likes to play a lot of world music and funk music in his sets. One of the Record Store Day reissues he picked up was from a Brazilian funk musician, Marcos Valle. He played it for his set, too.

Record Store Day also brings in a more casual crowd of music and vinyl lovers.

Caleb Bogdan heard about Record Store Day on the radio and decided to take a detour on the way to the beach with some friends.

Collectively, Caleb and his buddies Alex Harman and Belinda Nelson picked up records from Hank Williams and Marty Robbins as well as a collection of John F. Kennedy’s speeches. Nelson said “we’re gonna torture ourselves by playing 126 kid’s songs,” pointing to a record of just that.

kind people and new releases that come with it, Key said it has become more commercialized in recent years.

“I wouldn’t say that it’s outdone its usefulness, but I would say it’s definitely more like Christmas than it used to be,” Key said. “It’s a little bit of a cash grab, but at the same time I’m really glad it’s around. I think it’s great.”

Steady Sounds featured DJ sets from Area Woman, DJ OlNuBi, DJ Valient Himself and DJ Aaron Bushman.

According to DJ OlNuBi, some of the best stores in Richmond to visit on Record Store Day are Plan 9, Deep Groove and BK Music, though “Steady Sounds is the best,” he said.

Key said Record Store Day leftovers usually last for a few weeks after the event, so there are definitely still some vinyl treasures to be found for any record enthusiasts that missed the big day.

Panel reveals significance of mushrooms

GEEN Spectrum Editor

Mushrooms are simple to produce, but have vast ecological, physical and spiritual benefits, according to members of a panel discussion on fungi at Champion Brewing Company on April 20.

The fungi are food first and foremost, said Megan Jones of Host Defense, a mushroom supplement company, but many types have been shown to have health benefits.

A National Institute of Health study found the consumption of a Turkey Tail mushroom supplement significantly improved the immune systems of breast cancer patients following chemotherapy.

“Different mushrooms correspond with different systems of the body,” Jones said.

The Lion’s Mane mushroom has been shown to improve neurological function, while Chaga mushrooms benefit the body’s soft tissues, Jones said.

Though the superfood label — which nutrition scientists have denounced as misleading — is

thought of as relatively new, Jones said the idea has been around for much longer.

“But they have been a really great way for us to connect with new customers and get over the mycophobia [fear of fungi] in this country,” Jones said. Mushrooms also have ecological benefits, Jones said, citing their use as a way to counteract the high rate of bee Colony Collapse Disorder, which occurs when there is an absence of worker bees, rendering the hive vulnerable and unproductive. Factors such as the prevalence of the invasive Varroa mite, pesticide use, changes in habitat and diseases damage a bee’s immune system and are potential causes of Colony Collapse Disorder.

“Not only are mushrooms really important for the immune systems of people, we’ve found they’re really important for bee immunity, too,” Jones said.

Chef Douglas Andrae discussed how the Metarhizium fungus can be used to target the Varroa mites that contribute to Colony Collapse Disorder.

Mushrooms can also be used in

place of fertilizers like chemical nitrogen, which is harder for plants to absorb, Andrae said.

“If we use certain kinds of fungi to remediate the fields, we’re doing a much more fertilization,” Andrae said. “We can use less than a tenth of the product and still get better uptake for the crops.”

Andrae spoke on the history of human cultivation of mushrooms, citing the discovery of “Ötzi,” a 5,000-year-old mummy with a pouch containing fungal fragments discovered in the Swiss Alps, as evidence for the earliest European use of the fungi for medicinal purposes.

“He also had 61 tattoos, so he probably would have fit in in this room pretty well,” Andrae said at Champion Brewing Company.

Former Protestant minister and theologian Ian Wesley spoke on his research on the use of psychoactive mushrooms in the ancient world, particularly in terms of their religious roles.

“There were drugs all over the ancient world,” Wesley said. “We have artwork, we have archeology unearthing all these mushroom to-

tems on every continent.”

Wesley has done linguistic studies of religious documents, “figuring out what did they really say before they were translated” several times over, he said. These studies have supported his belief that psychoactive mushrooms played a role in religion texts like the Bible.

Animist cultures — those who believe all things have a “soul” — were particularly avid users of mushrooms for religious purposes. The whole of humanity followed this model before the concept of hierarchy was established, Wesley said.

Drugs like marijuana and psychoactive mushrooms are not conducive to a hierarchal society, Wesley said. For this reason, governments and religious entities started to regulate the substances.

“It’s demoralizing to an army to suddenly feel for their enemy,” Wesley said. “Somebody who’s making the beyond accessible to the common man [with drugs] has to be stopped.”

SAMUEL GOODRICH

Writer

Staff

For years now, women in media have been trying to promote messages of self-love and care. One of the more promeinentant faces of this movement is Amy Schumer. Ever since the release of the critically and commercially successful “Trainwreck,” Schumer has remained popular for her honesty in terms of sexuality and body image, which many people have found empowering. Schumer tries to tackle this message of inner beauty in her new comedy “I Feel Pretty.” While the film’s heart is in the right place, it fails to bring the laughs or fully consider the implications of its premise to make this an interesting or inspiring movie.

The biggest problem with the film is Amy Schumer, more specifically it’s how she plays her character Renee. We see in the beginning she is obsessed with looking like the models she sees in magazines, leading to her self-consciousness and lack of confidence. When she bangs her head after falling off an exercise bicycle, Renee sees herself as one of the models she aspires to be, when in reality she still looks the same as she always has. From here, most of the comedy centers around Schumer confidently interacting with people, who respond with mean-spirited looks and comments. This premise is meant to parody transformation movies like “Freaky Friday” or “Big,” the latter of which actually inspires her wish to be beautiful. The problem is that Re-

nee is such an obnoxious and ugly person that it’s hard to watch any scene where she overconfidently flaunts her looks.

Most scenes involve Schumer talking an awkwardly long time, hiding her annoying behaviour behind her newfound confidence. These moments go on for so long they soon become grating. It was clear Schumer and company were halfheartedly ad-libbing instead of working with a fully fleshed-out script.

This makes it difficult to sympathise with her character, since she and the situations she finds herself in are so unrealistic. Her newfound confidence turns her into a stuck-up rude person, defeating the purpose of the inner-beauty message the film is striving for.

At times, it seems like her rude

personality seems intentional, playing into the parody of transformation movies. The point could be that Renee is only changed physically and not mentally or emotionally, but not enough is done with this idea to make it subversive or effective. In the end, it’s clear that the audience was supposed to like Renee from the beginning and feel bad for her when people call her out on her rude behavior.

The only thing that saves “I Feel Pretty” from total obnoxiousness is the supporting cast. While most characters are reduced to simply reacting to Renee’s antics, essentially making fun of Schumer’s supposedly ugliness, two supporting characters played by Michelle Williams and Rory Scovel bring some heart and funny moments to the overall dull affair.

Williams runs the fashion company Renee works for, and her bizarrely high-pitched, quiet voice leads to many hilarious moments that I will admit I’m not sure were meant to be intentionally funny.

Scovel on the other hand plays Renee’s love-interest, a fairly average guy she meets by assuming he’s flirting with her. Their relationship takes up a bulk of the middle of the film and is genuinely sweet.

The strength in these scenes is that Scovel grounds Renee’s character in reality, giving way to Schumer’s skill in comedic banter.

One of their dates is to a seedy bar where a bikini contest is being held. While Renee doesn’t win the competition, she does win the respect and admiration of the crowd. The guy running the contest even

tells Scovel’s character that Renee is a real keeper and has a lot going for her beyond looks.

Ironically, this scene does a better job at conveying an inspiring message than anything else in the film. Renee’s character and her antics are so obnoxious that when she has to give an inspiring speech at the end, it falls flat on its face.

While “I Feel Pretty” has good intentions, the generic plot and boring execution mixed with Schumer’s obnoxious performance and the mean-spirited humor ultimately muddle the message. While it’s difficult for me to say if this film is harmful, I can say it is a waste of two hours.

GEORGIA

“I Feel Pretty” needs more inner beauty

I can just hit the highlights as opposed to having to create a vibe for the whole night.

Armando Munoz

opinions

TPUSA makes me worry for academic integrity in campus politics

Dear Editor,

The internationally renowned and undeniably powerful youthbased conservative political organization known as Turning Point USA has made headlines for a myriad of reasons. As students, we are likely familiar with them as an organization or through those we know who are members. Whether it be collective activity or activity of the leaders of the movement, TPUSA has achieved the level of success that is observed perhaps most because of how the group advances their ideological and material interests through a systematic approach.

The target of their approaches toward college campuses is not limited to organizational activity outside student government, but TPUSA leaders, Executive Editor Charlie Kirk, boast about success in electing their members to student government. Now, this of course in itself warrants no problem — a free and fair election is generally ubiquitously encouraged and given authority over any transfer of power, no matter the scale. If anything ought to catch the attention of college students it is not uniquely the methods this conservative group utilizes, but what backdrop the methods fall against.

TPUSA has notoriously published a running list of hundreds of professors who are known to be liberal, and members are encouraged to investigate, mainly through enrolling in a professor’s course or by attending meetings of student organizations/clubs which the professor sponsors or may support, and report professors to this list. In essence, this is their registry of the “anti-American.” It is where “crazy radicals” can be exposed in the name of credibility.

Engaging in and perpetuating this “watchlist” is an affront to the values that institutions of higher education are founded on. Curricula design and the design of colleges and universities themselves are intended to produce critical thinking, diversity of thought and a better holistic lens through which to understand the nuances of the world.

The implication which one is left with is that members of TPUSA who indulge in this self-fetishizing reportage believe and promote the notion that non-conservative

ideology, whether it be liberal or leftist, inhibits the professors quality of teaching, the validity of their credentials and the worth of a course itself.

Perhaps more important is the methods TPUSA uses to achieve its goals. The New Yorker published an original expository piece

on TPUSA, exposing anti-Black rhetoric throughout campaigns by the organization’s leaders and illegal election funding to elect members on student government. While college campuses have always been hubs of political discourse, perhaps the most famous instance of this notion in practice

is the Port Huron Statement. Anyone disturbed by the concept of an organization’s condemnation of diversity of belief ought to read the Port Huron Statement written by the Students for a Democratic Society in 1962. This important work of student activism is considered a non-ideological call for sensible,

honest, participatory democratic practices.

This political work deserves a marked importance in the discussion of how political organizations ought to act on college campuses.

TPUSA is often quick to characterize dissidents as snowflakes and anti-American, and yet the orga-

nization orchestrates the publishing of works of alienation toward professors who are likely far more prepared for any dialectical debate. It remains that the leading figures of TPUSA condemn the thought of leftist sentiments being taught in a classroom, while ignoring not only any merit of the deposed arguments, but more prominently, the importance of critical thinking in ideological development.

Not every member of TPUSA engages or assents to this behavior, and we ought to distinguish the group itself and its political interests from members who merely engage with the organizations principles in pursuit of an enlightened political understanding. However, an obvious refutation must be addressed: shouldn’t professors present material without bias? And if people see professors feeding students leftist ideology which lacks a dialectical nature, what should be done? This is difficult as there only exists vague litmus tests for what one considers liberal or leftist ideological points, many of which are contingent on an understanding of classic philosophy and 19th century political theory to adequately make these distinctions with academic integrity. One comfortable within these disciplines would not be so careless as to consolidate the nuances of contemporary politics into such a contentious, binary system, and I hold that, nearly unanimously, students in higher education are smart enough to determine bias from leftist/liberal/conservative views and divorce it from corroborated fact, without the political tool of a watchlist for contrary opinions. If this is taken to be true, TPUSA need not change its ideological foundations, but only review its responsibilities toward the students they seek to appeal to. Critical thinking is the cornerstone of political discussion, and if TPUSA wants to have a respectable voice in the discourse its members and nonmembers alike should compel the leaders of the group to divert its attention to inflammatory, directionless weaponization of political disagreement and adopt methods of outreach based in substantiated evidence of the merit of its own ideology.

-Tripp Wiggins

An ode to self care

Staff Columnist

Is there a perfect time of year to fall in love? What about a time of year when people tend to fall out of love? If you believe they exist, please explain.

Well, I do know for a fact chronobiology can tell you the best time to fall in love based on your physiological and cyclical rhythms — look into it. However, outside of all that, I do believe people tend to fall in love most during the spring and summer time. I think the warm weather and lack of clothing tends to put people in the mood. I don’t think there’s a proper time for someone to fall out of love. People can be in a relationship and be growing apart a vast majority of the time but fail to realize it as life tends to go.

I’ve broken up with 90 percent of the people I have been with. What’s most likely the issue? Should I feel like there’s a central problem?

It sounds like you’re looking for something and time and time again you’re finding that the people you have chosen to be with don’t have it. There is a central problem here and it might be time to face the mirror and realize the problem might reside with you. I would take time and look back on who you’ve been with and why it really ended. Hindsight is 20/20 and I would highly encourage you to look back at yourself and see if there was more to your relationships at first glance. Introspection is painfully necessary to make most relationships work.

Do you believe people manifest/ create most of the issues they experience in love and relationships?

Oh, without a doubt. The trick here is to be completely cognizant of these issues and to be able to willingly talk through and address them with your partner. People nowadays carry so many anxieties and traumas to the point where they can be blinded by them and these things act slowly as an insipid poison to our happiness. Dating

Jackson, Staff Columnist

is more or less waiting at baggage claim in an airport. Look around — everyone is carrying baggage. It’s about finding the baggage that goes with yours.

How do you forgive someone?

First and foremost, you have to want to and be ready. One of my

lovely psychology professors said it to me in a way that has stuck with me for a long time: “Sorry is something you say for someone; forgiveness is something you do for yourself.” In life you have to come to terms with the fact that anyone worth knowing, anyone worth having in your life, is going to hurt you from time to time. Though they may or may not mean to, how you choose to heal and move on from those instances are going to be what really matters. Forgiveness, in certain regards, is quintessential to your happiness. Grudges are as horrendous as they are pointless. You can’t drink poison and expect someone else to die, can you?

If you’d like to send Shaun a question you can submit them via email at Jacksonsk@commonwelathtimes.org or anonymously at Lascivious-Witch.Tumblr.Com/Ask.

Quote of the week

“Shouldn’t professors present material without bias? And if people see professors feeding students leftist ideology ... what should be done?” — Tripp Wiggins

SHAUN JACKSON

People nowadays carry so many anxieties and traumas to the point where they can be blinded by them and these things act slowly as an insipid poison to our happiShaun

ILLUSTRATION BY IAIN DUFFUS

Turning Point USA is a conservative, non-profit, grassroots organization which promotes “freedom, free markets and limited government.”

Professor Egghead #3 by Ian Crovella

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