The Commonwealth Times; October 9, 2017

BEST SMALL, NON-DAILY —2017 Virginia Press Association The independent press of Virginia Commonwealth University

SPORTS Men’s Soccer• 6

SPECTRUM Strange Matter History • 8

OPINIONS Saudi Arabian Women • 11

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH HUMPHREYS

NEWS Sexual assaults • 3

October 9, 2017 • Vol. 59, No. 7

Makin’ money moves Volleyball wins 16th straight game, garnering the nation’s longest active win-streak

The Rams were led by the sophomore outside hitter Vicky Giommarini, who finished with 12 kills.

Volleyball (19-2, 5-0 A-10) With 41 kills to La Salle’s 23, LA SALLE hosted the University of Maryland VCU led offensively and achieved - Eastern Shore (14-6) on Tuesday, VCU extended its win streak to a .307 hit percentage. Sophomore Oct. 3, Duquesne University (7-12, 16, the longest of any collegiate vol- middle blocker Jasmin Sneed, se2-3 A-10) on Friday, Oct. 6 and La leyball team in the country, by de- nior outside hitter Alicia Kandler Salle University (10-10, 1-4 A-10) feating the La Salle Explorers, 3-0. and sophomore opposite hitter DANIEL PURYEAR Contributing Writer

on Sunday, Oct. 8. The Rams lost one of ten sets.

Fake news with a hilarious twist: Meet Virginia’s satirical news writers ago after a couple months of planning. Now there’s about 20 people involved, ranging from editors to The Peedmont proclaims it- group editors to an art department. self “Virginia’s most-trusted satiri- We’ve got big things on the horizon cal news source.” Its growing staff, as well. including editor-in-chief Matt Daniel, senior group editor Sar- How has that been, starting from ah Rose and copy editors Julian the ground up for the past year?

May and Rachel Marsh describe it as “a labor of love,” being that Matt: It’s been quite a learning exthey work on the site part-time and perience because I don’t have any still run the site without profits. Ar- background in journalism or comticles on the site are geared towards edy, satirical comedy or web design.

Virginians and bounce through an I just think I’m way funnier than extensively collaborative, creative I probably really am. Some people process before being published. on our team have more experience than I have, they’ve been really Members of The Peedmont staff helpful. spoke with The CT about the details behind the site and its satirical I’m curious to know what kind of content. background is required to be a satirical writer Can you tell us about how The Peedmont came to be?

Rachel: I’m a writer by trade, but most people here are not. I think Matt: I started The Peedmont with just having a background in being a few friends. It was just kind of an able to write and being in any way idea that I had in my head and a funny is helpful. few other people got on board with it. We launched a little over a year continued on page 7

Gina Tuzzolo recorded seven kills each. Sneed leads the team in hitting at 70 percent.

Sophomore setter Dajah Ard led the team in assists at 24 and leads the team in assists-per-set at 6.1.

After the 3-0 win (25-15, 2517, 25-19) over the Explorers, the Rams moved to 19-2 and into a tie

with Dayton University for first Rodgers secured her 500th career place in the A-10 at 5-0 in confer- win. ence.

Rodgers is 500-234 (47 percent) in 21 seasons of coaching and 94DUQUESNE 54 in her five years at VCU. Giommarini and Tuzzolo had The Rams sealed their 15th 10 and 11 kills. respectively. win in a row against Duquesne in straight sets, while coach Jody continued on page 5

OPINIONS

Segregation still rampant in Richmond, study shows

After Las Vegas, it’s time for Americans to end our bond with guns

GEORGIA GEEN Staff Writer

Sexual assault reporting on campus continues upward trend See page 3

ILLUSTRATION BY JACQUE CARTER

KATIE BASHISTA Opinions Editor

SIONA PETEROUS Spectrum Editor Despite increased diversity in the Richmond-metro, the area is still racially segregated by lines of housing and education, according to a report published on Sept. 25.

The number of non-White students in Richmond-metro area public schools increased between 2010 and 2014, but funding for academic programs and extracurricular is still prioritized toward mostly White student populations.

According to the report White students are a minority of Richmond public school system at 48.2 percent. For example, of the 9,300 students who reported taking at least on AP course during their

education across Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and Richmond only 455 were in Richmond public schools where most students are Black or Latino.

Between 2010 to 2014 schools in the Richmond-metro area had a 0.6 percent increase in the enrollment of Asian students and a 2.3 percent increase in the enrollment of Latino students while the enrollment of White students decreased by 2.4 percent and Black student enrollment decreased by 1.6 percent.

Most White students go to schools that are 64 percent White even though they are not the majority in the community. Meanwhile, Black and Latino students are statistically overexposed to same-race and same-income peers.

I was 10 years old when the Virginia Tech shooting occurred, the first American “deadliest mass shooting” of my lifetime. I was 19 years old when I experienced my second with the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando.

Sixteen months later, I am almost 21 years old and I’ve just experienced my third, and what I fear will not be my last, in Las Vegas at the Route 91 Festival.

It was the right time to talk about gun control laws then, and it’s the right time to talk about them now. Supporters of gun rights consider it inappropriate, suggesting we should just focus on the victims first.

Fox News host Sean Hannity ranted on his show the day following the Vegas shooting about how “shameful” it is of the left to discuss gun control laws so soon after a mass shooting.

“You can’t resist the urge for one night. Put aside your radical left-wing policies,” he said.

There is not a more appropriate time to talk about regulations that could’ve saved 58 people and counting than right now. The majority of the right doesn’t want to talk about gun control because

the NRA funds too many of their politicians, even if not talking about it means more deaths.

In 2015, NBC News reported the U.S. firearm and ammo industries made $42.9 billion that year.

Dan Hodges, a British journalist, tweeted after the Orlando shooting in 2016 that the U.S. gun control debate ended after Sandy Hook.

“Once America decided killing children was bearable,” he stated. “It was over.”

He’s right. Time and time again, Americans are killed by domestic terrorists and the government suggests nothing can be done about it. Your “condolences” and your “prayers” do not do anything. How many more times do we have to watch the president make a speech about how “horrific” this event is and not do anything to prevent it from happening again?

CNN says the gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, purchased 33 firearms last year.

Police found 47 in his hotel room and his homes, 12 of which in the hotel had been altered to function like automatic weapons. continued on page 9

news

The Commonwealth Times

CRIME LOG

Study: segregation in housing reflects in Richmond schools

Monday 10/2 Theft 700 W. Marshall St. Pending Simple Assault 1200 W. Marshall St. Pending Burglary 804 W. Broad St. Outside Agency Alcohol Violation ABC 1217 W. Broad St. Outside Agency Alcohol Violation ABC 1217 W. Broad St. Outside Agency Alcohol Violation ABC 1217 W. Broad St. Outside Agency Alcohol Violation ABC 1217 W. Broad St. Outside Agency

Tuesday 10/3 Disorderly Conduct Starbucks 301 W. Cary St. Closed Trespassing West Broad St. Deck 1111 W. Broad St. Closed Hit and Run Bowe St. Deck 609 Bowe St. Pending Larceny 900 Park Ave. Pending Theft 300 Hancock St. Pending Shoplifting Kroger 901 N. Lombardy St. Outside Agency Alcohol Violation ABC 1217 W. Broad St. Outside Agency Alcohol Violation ABC 1217 W. Broad St. Outside Agency Alcohol Violation ABC 1217 W. Broad St. Outside Agency Alcohol Violation ABC 1217 W. Broad St. Outside Agency Motor Vehicle Theft 1600 W. Cary St. Outside Agency Theft 300 Hancock St. Outside Agency Wednesday 10/4 Destruction of Property Cary St. Deck 1101 W. Cary St. Pending Alcohol Violation 500 W. Grace St Closed Obstruction of Justice 400 W. Franklin St. Pending

Thursday 10/5 Destruction of Property 1 S. Morris St. Outside Agency

ILLUSTRATION BY JACQUE CARTER

the projects dates to 2013 during a joint conference between VCU and U of R. “We wanted to keep the conversation going and since one of us had been involved in a series of dialogues around the 2010 census we decided to create something like the education equivalent of those maps,” Siegel-Hawley said.

The 2010 national census data is presented in several ways which include a report and an interactive series of diagrams maps. Similar to the national census, this report actively uses maps and diagrams to show the correlation between segregated housing leading to segregated education.

In addition to Siegel-Hawley, the experts on the project included: Taylor Holden, John Moeser and Tom Shields, all from U of R, and Brian Koziol, director of research and consulting services at HOME of Virginia.

The findings didn’t surprise the team. The correlation between poor education and unfair housing practices is referenced in discussing policies of of race, education and poverty in cities throughout the country.

The authors intentionally wrote the report an easy to read and easy to access fashion. They want to create a link between housing policy, education and poverty in a more localized format unique to Richmond and in the process make sure people could read it and offer their own solutions.

“Particularly we’re hoping the public and public officials will see education, housing and poverty as issues that should be tackled together, and regionally in order to unequal,” the report states. “Stud- have the largest impact,” Holden continued from 1 ies tie high levels of racial isolation said.

The report, titled “Confronting and socioeconomic disadvantage to The team has already started to School and Housing Segregation in schools with larger class sizes, less present their work to local school Richmond Region,” is a collabora- qualified teachers, high levels of boards and boards of supervisors. tive effort between Housing Op- teacher turnover, and inadequate Their biggest goal is the report portunities Made Equal (HOME) facilities and learning materials” has any level impact but Siegelof Virginia, VCU and the UniverGenevieve Siegel-Hawley, an Hawley worries that lack of politisity of Richmond. education professor at VCU and cal will get in the way.

“The fact is, schools today are one of the several authors on proj“If we do nothing, if we don’t act still separate and continue to be ect, said the initial conception of with intention to stabilize diversi-

fying communities then segregation and inequality are very likely to intensify across the metro,” Siegel-Hawley said.

The report establishes a historical connection as to why Richmond, Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico struggle with housing and education integration. It is a legacy tied to Richmond becoming the second-city in the national legalize state protected racial segregation in 1911 to its continued struggle to integrate the metro-Richmond area in both in housing and education.

“In the Richmond region, the legacy of failed city-suburban school desegregation can be seen in the high concentrations of high poverty Black and Hispanic schools are in the city of Richmond,” the report says.

The implementation of housing red tape laws created legal barriers to stop Richmond’s Black populations from moving outside of Richmond city during the desegregation process. At the same time, White populations fled to the suburbs to avoid integration in a phenomenon known as White flight.

The report found that this led to the public funding that the city of Richmond did receive being utilized solely towards the design of public housing instead of education.

This in turn lowered property value and lessened quality or access to education in communities of color.

“School segregation flows from residential segregation,” the report states. “When school officials draw attendance boundaries around the neighborhoods closest to a school, existing segregation in those neighborhoods will likely be replicated in schools.”

While White flight fed the long-term decimation of Black communities in Richmond City, the report hints that there may be a reversal in trend as White residents move from the surrounding counties back into the city.

Since 2010, the White resident population in Richmond increased by 2.1 percent and the poverty of White residents in the city also

dropped by 1.2 percent. During the same time period, the Black resident population in the city decreased by 2.5 percent. In Henrico, 27.3% of new residents were Asian.

In Chesterfield, 27.2% of new residents were Latino and both counties gained 8,000 Black residents, accounting for 43% of all new residents.

Daryl Fraser, an assistant teaching professor in VCU’s School of Social Work and one of the founders of community organization Richmond ReVisited, said that the White flight reversal doesn’t necessarily mean that education will get better or that housing practices will get fairer.

“The value of homes are based off the funding received by schools,” Fraser said. “If housing is getting more expensives in places like Southside and Churchill that people can’t afford to live there than it justs that this time they move out to suburbs where they are still isolated and not getting funding because the educational value is based off the people who live there.”

For Siegel-Hawley this reversal could be a chance to ensure there is more equity across the board.

“I think what these findings underscore is how dynamic metropolitan areas are. People move all the time, every six years or so on average,” Siegel-Hawley said. “The current shift presents a real opportunity to harness the dynamic in a way that creates more high opportunity areas for everyone.”

The report offers 30 solutions to address the disparity between housing and education in Richmond. This includes creating a new state housing tax credit that is tied to schools or mimicking programs in other states like the use of magnet schools in Connecticut to ensure education can cut across the red tape of housing zones which dictate where students can go to schools.

VCU students voted at higher rate than nation in 2016, report says HIBA AHMAD News Editor According to a new study, more than half of VCU students voted in the 2016 presidential election, a 4.7 percent increase from 2012.

The National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement by the Institute of Democracy and Higher Education at Tufts University measured civic engagement from more than 1,000 campuses around the United States from 2012 - 2016.

Charles Klink, senior vice provost for the Division of Student

Affairs, commended VCU students for their active participation in the election process.

“I can think of a time no more critical for student engagement in the democratic process when we look at how local, state and federal politics are shaping the contours of current societal issues and challenges,” Klink said.

Voter turnout rates among college students rose roughly 3 percent from 45.1 percent in 2012 to 48.3 percent in 2016. Women and certain minority groups — in particular, Asian and Hispanic students

— voted at a higher rate. However, Black students cast less votes in 2016 than in 2012.

Keith Zirkle, a representative of VCU SGA, stated in an email political engagement at any level could steer students to become more involved on campus as well.

“Given current political tides and events, engagement is important to both safeguard current institutions and ensure societal progress in other matters,” Zirkle stated. “I think it also shows potential for students to get more involved in university matters that may affect them more

immediately and close to home.”

The study also broke down voting habits across various fields of study as well. It showed students studying humanities and social sciences had a significantly higher turnout rate than students in STEM-related fields, who turned out in lower rates in the two most recent presidential elections.

Universities and colleges in the Northeastern region like New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts had steady increase in turnout at the polls between the two years.

Georgia, Wisconsin and Missis-

sippi had the largest decline.

“I interpret through these numbers, and in talking with students, that they are concerned about policies, practices, issues and impacts that are influenced by elected officials and want their voice and perspective represented,” Klink stated.

With the Gubernatorial Election a little under a month away, VCU SGA is holding a VCU Votes Activity Hour on Oct. 30 to encourage students to register and vote.

Forgery/Counterfeiting 929 W. Broad St. Outside Agency Drunkenness 300 W. Grace St Outside Agency Theft 1418 W. Marshall St. Outside Agency

Download the VCU LiveSafe mobile phone app to report crimes anonymously.

To contact the VCU PD: (804) 828-1196.

For an on-campus emergency: (804) 828-1234.

For an off-campus emergency: 911.

INFOGRAPHIC BY RYAN RICH

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www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, October 9, 2017

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Sexual assault reports double on campus Number of reported rapes at VCU in recent years

15 5 2014

8 2015

faculty.

“For instance, the implementation of mandatory reporting, awareness campaigns and required Title IX training in recent years are just a few of the important resources that have likely changed attitudes,” Mancini stated. “I would argue again that VCU with its innovative resources and policies,

VCU

In the last 2 years, all rapes were reported as having occurred in residential housing.

More than 90 percent of sexual assault victims on college campuses do not report the assault.

Between 1997 and 2013 the rate of sexual assault nationally decreased by about 50 percent.

2016 serves as a model for other institutions of higher learning.”

At the state level, Virginia enacted a mandatory reporting law in 2015, requiring public colleges to report alleged sexual assaults to police within 24 hours of notification.

According to the National Violence Research Center, 90 percent of sexual assault victims on college

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 1 in 5 women are sexually assaulted while in college compared to 1 in 16 men.

campuses do not report their assault. Mancini said sexual victimization is the least reported crime nationally. Only one-in-three victims disclose these incidents to police.

For context, Mancini said, the number of people who report aggravated assault in the general population is nearly 60 percent. In

INFOGRAPHIC BY RYAN RICH

violence on campus.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice The number of reported rapes Statistics, sexual violence declined almost doubled at VCU last year, across the nation between 1997 according to the campus police’s and 2013 — the rate of rape or annual report. sexual assault dropped by about 50 There were 15 reported rapes percent. in 2016, eight the year before and “Survivors may now feel their five in 2014. In the past three years, allegations will be taken seriously almost all of the reported rapes oc- and so are more willing to come curred in dorms. forward and seek assistance,” ManVCU Police shifted the process cini stated. “This situation would for handling sexual assault in 2010, make it appear that sexual vicaccording to Corey Byers, public information officer for VCUPD. Detectives have been trained in trauma-informed interviewing when working with survivors of sexual assault.

Any measure to In 2016, VCU PD implemented the “You Have Options” program that gives survivors three reporting increase reporting options and changed interviewing practices. The police department among this populanow has two rooms designated for tion is the first step victims in their headquarters.

“VCU Police officers want to establish trust and rapport with sur- ... to reduce and vivors and want them to know they will be supported when they come prevent sex crimes. forward,” Byers stated. “We believe individuals come forward because they feel comfortable reporting to Christina Mancini VCUPD. Awareness and education Assosciate Professor is a key part in communicating to the community.” timization has indeed increased, According to Christina Man- when in actuality, we are seeing cini, associate professor in the L. greater confidence in institutional Douglas Wilder School of Govern- accountability and trust in law enment and Public Affairs, the spike forcement.” in reporting may be because more The increase in reports at VCU students feel comfortable coming occurred following the Obama Adforward about their experience. ministration’s guidelines to collegShe said the statistics could be es on handling sexual assault under indicating a change in attitude re- Title IX, a provision in the Educagarding how sexual assault is han- tion Amendments of 1972 which dled on college campuses. addressed gender-based discrimiMancini recently worked with nation in publicly-funded schools, a team that published a study base Mancini noted. In addition to the on the findings of the 2016 Com- administration’s “It’s On Us” cammonwealth Education Poll, which paign to end sexual assault on colfound that two-thirds of Virgin- lege campuses. ians believe university adminisVCU also enforces the “Not trators should create policies that Anymore” Title IX training proaddress sexual victimization and gram, required for students and SARAROSE MARTIN Staff Writer

contrast, only 20 percent of college students will come forward about an assault.

“Any measure to increase reporting among this population is the first step in developing effective policies and campaigns to reduce and prevent sex crime,” Mancini stated.

Going back to what my original purpose was, I really just want to serve my community Riqia Taylor

PHOTO COURTESY OF RIQIA TAYLOR

Senior, African American Studies

When I think of a human rights commission, I think of community.

We go to VCU, live in VCU’s campus and we stay in this VCU bubble, neglecting the fact that you live in Richmond. You’re being welcomed here, so giving back to the community around you really is what’s most important.

What I would like to see is college students serving on the commission. I believe that their voice at the table is needed. Our peers really just need to stay up to date and stay educated on everything going on in the city. Everyone at this university has something amazing to offer to this city and this community. So do just that, serve. Make sure you’re going out into the community and serving in some capacity.

Virginia Human Rights.

One of the things we were passionate about was having more than Have there been any outstandjust the opinions of the [commis- ing instances of discrimination sioners]. We conducted a citywide that you have discovered so far survey and held two forums where from the task force? we invited residents of Richmond to learn about what we were doing and The Code of VA Human Rights share whether they thought Rich- has protected classes: race, color, mond needed a human rights com- religion, national origin, sex, pregmission. nancy childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status or For those who don’t know, what disability. Gender, sexuality, crimidoes a human rights commission nal record, and immigration status do? are not included. Those aren’t protected classes. The survey helped Different commissions do differ- us see discrimination according to ent things. In Newport News, for gender and sexuality and racial disexample, if a person was being dis- crimination in housing and public criminated against, they could come accommodations. to the commission. They would file a report and we would do one of two What do you envision your things: resolve the issue within the future in the commission to be and commission or point them toward the future of the commission as a the correct procedure to help them. whole?

We recommended that the Richmond human rights commission I would like to serve as a memwould be investigatory, education- ber if the commission is something based and a resource broker; some that is put into action. Going back people just don’t know their rights to what my original purpose was, I as it relates to the VA Human really just want to serve my comRights Code. munity

The task force for human rights is housed under the Richmond City Council.

Robertson and said I was looking NIA TARIQ to join a human rights commission.

Contributing Writer I knew Richmond previously had a human relations commission, but Riqia Taylor, 21, is a senior African no human rights commission, so I American studies major at VCU. She is asked her who to talk to about startalso the the chairwoman of a task force ing one. striving to organize the first human The next Monday, we had a plan rights commision in Richmond. Other for getting a task force together. She commissions currently exist in other and Councilman Parker Agelasto major Virginia cities like Charlottes- patroned the ordinance for a task ville, Norfolk and Fairfax. force, and I was encouraged to apply to be a member. I became the chairAs a civilian, how did you know woman and we were working from that Richmond had an issue with there. human rights?

Over the months we did research on other commissions, such When I came to VCU I wanted as Charlottesville, Alexandria, How do you think college stuto join a human rights commission. Fairfax, Prince William, Virginia dents in particular would benefit There wasn’t one.

Beach and Newport News. We from Richmond having a human In 2016, I met Councilwoman also heavily looked at the Code of rights commission?

PHOTO BY JACOB MEDLEY

Student chairs first human rights task force in Richmond

Three reported cases of property damage were reported to VCUPD on the night of Oct. 1.

3 charged after pellet gunshots fired at school buildings EMMA GAUTHIER Contributing Writer VCUPD charged three people with various felonies after shots were fired outside of the VCUarts Depot located on the 800 block of West Broad Street the evening of Sept. 30.

The pellet gun was fired from a car at three large windows, shattering the exterior glass — the shots did not enter the building itself.

Several minutes after the first shooting, two similar incidents were reported. The first from VCU’s Laurel and Grace Place and the second was a car parked outside of West Grace Street South Student Housing with a window damaged in the same fashion.

Corey Byers, public information officer for the VCU Police Department, stated in an email police officers were able to confirm the incidents were related and the individuals were not VCU students.

“It definitely looked like someone had intentionally thrown or swung something into the window because of the single spot where the shatter started,” said

Veronica Gomes, a VCU art student. “I was confused because I hadn't heard anything about it so I assumed it wasn't a big deal.”

Byers explained VCUPD didn’t issue a text alert “because the shots were not directed at any persons in the area.”

Shawn Brixey, dean of the VCU School of the Arts, sent out an official statement to alert students of the incident, including an excerpt from the police report.

The statement included that the individuals in the car were identified and are pending charges.

“As an art student who frequently uses the building that was shot at, I'm a little annoyed that I didn't get an alert,” Gomes said. “Especially since I receive so many alerts on campus that have no affect on me whatsoever.”

In response to criticism, VCUPD released a revised draft of their crime alert policies titled, “Timely Warning/Crime Alert and Emergency Notification, Response, and Evacuation.”

The draft outlined what types of events around campus warrant notification.

The drafts are now open for public comment from staff and students until Oct. 19.

4

sports

The Commonwealth Times

Stat of the Week Freshman Kristian Tannum Donaldson led golf with a -6 at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate tournament this past weekend.

Press Box

Performance over character Vick’s Hall of Fame induction indicates Tech’s priorities ZACH JOACHIM Sports Editor

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSE DAVILA

Virginia Tech announced that it would induct Michael Vick — perhaps the greatest athlete to ever represent Blacksburg — into its athletic Hall of Fame in August. Vick was subsequently honored on national television in the Hokies’ home loss to Clemson University on Sept. 30.

Vick, who was sentenced to 23 months in prison in 2007 when it was found he facilitated a “cruel and inhumane” dog fighting ring, is obviously a controversial figure in Virginia Tech lore.

His induction has sparked mass hysteria among Hokie Nation — more than 82,000 people have signed a petition to rescind the honor.

In addition to his criminal background, detractors cite the fact Vick did not graduate the institution as another mark against his induction. Vick attended VT from 1998-2000 before moving on to the NFL without a degree.

Tech released a statement last week defending its decision.

“In considering Mr. Vick’s nomination to our sports Hall of Fame, the criminal activities in which he engaged, his subsequent conviction and time he served for his crime were considered, and it was informed by the remorse he has shown since that conviction, the work he is currently engaged in to advance animal welfare issues, as well as his efforts to help our current student athletes, based on lessons he’s learned in his own life, make positive choices as they begin their adult lives,” the statement reads.

The question of Vick’s place in Virginia Tech history prompts a deeper discussion about the very nature of student-athletes and their relationship with academia.

One would think members of a

university’s hall of fame reflect upon the character of said institution. Yet, that is certainly not the message the Hokies are sending here. Interestingly, their Hall of Fame website makes no claims to the contrary.

“The Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1982 to honor and preserve the memory of athletes, coaches, administrators and staff members who have made outstanding contributions to athletics at the university,” the hokiessports.com/ halloffame home page reads.

Michael Vick undoubtedly made an outstanding contribution to athletics at Virginia Tech.

It would not be overindulgent to go so far as to say he and Frank Beamer together put Hokie football on the map.

If the criterion for admittance is simply “outstanding contributions to athletics,” Vick’s should be the first and highest bust in Blacksburg.

The implications inherent in this decision making process, however, must be accepted to avoid hypocrisy. If this is Virginia Tech’s criterion for honoring its athletes, so be it. But don’t push the cliche’ assurance you’re fostering the young adulthoods of these student-athletes, because their performance is clearly more important to you than their character.

Let’s be honest with ourselves, people. Did any of us ever really believe these multi-million dollar programs care more about the human being they produce for society 20 years down the road than the player they produce on Saturday afternoon?

“College sports definitely don’t want to hear that,” said John Solomon, editorial director of Aspen Institute’s Sports and Society Program. “But when you have billion-dollar deals and multimillionaire coaches, you have these players only to go to make this stop in college to play football. Absolutely a degree is incredibly important, but it’s not always how the players do it.”

So if Tech feels Vick is too important to their history not to honor, that’s totally understandable. He is probably the most influential athlete to ever compete in Blacksburg.

Zach Joachim, Just be consistent. Don’t talk Sports Editor about his remorse, efforts to “advance animal welfare issues” or The question of his induction, educate others based on his mistherefore, comes down to wheth- takes. Don’t put on the facade er you believe it is the university’s that this is what makes your athprerogative to limit their preser- letes important to you because, vation of athletic contributions with an animal abuser who didn’t to those originating from good finish his degree at the front of people. your athletics Hall of Fame, it’s This feels idealistic and jaded. just blatantly not the case.

If this is Virginia Tech’s criterion for honoring its athletes, so be it.

Men’s soccer exacts revenge, wins fourth straight; women split conference pair Men’s soccer pushed its winning streak to four games last week with a pair of conference victories over Fordham University and Davidson College. The Rams gained a measure of revenge for last season’s heartbreaking loss to Fordham in penalty kicks in the A-10 title game with the win over the other Rams. Women’s soccer split a pair of conference matchups with Saint Joseph’s University and George Mason University.

was their calling card in this game, only allowing Fordham to get one shot on goal the entire game.

With his third clean sheet in four games, freshman goalkeeper Mario Sequeira moves to 5-0 on the season when put in the starting lineup. With the victory VCU remains unbeaten in conference play at 2-0, good for third in the A-10.

MEN’S V. DAVIDSON

In their first A10 conference matchup of the season, the Black and Gold defeated the University of Davidson Wildcats by a final of 4-1 Wednesday night at Sports Backers Stadium.

MEN’S V. FORDHAM The scoring got started early A showdown between teams with a goal from senior midfielder who are top 5 in the A-10 and Luc Fatton in the 4’ minute. undefeated in conference play reFatton would go back to back sulted in a road 1-0 victory for the with another goal in the 21’ minute Black and Gold over the Rams of off an assist from Rafael Santos.

Fordham University. With the win, The Black and Gold would head VCU gained a measure of revenge into the 2nd half with a 2-0 lead for last years heartbreaking penalty over the wildcats. shootout loss in the A-10 title game.

Davidson closed the gap with a The game was very physical due goal from Jaylen Thompson in the to the sides familiarity with one 58th minute to make it 2-1. another. Both teams committed VCU would retaliate with back a litany of fouls, as VCU finished to back goals just minutes apart. with 8 and Fordham with 7.

First a ripper from far out scored by The lone goal of the match sophomore defender Ryo Shimawould occur in the 1st half, with zaki in the 64’ minute, followed by Francesco Amorosino scoring in Fatton netting a hat trick on the the 32’ minute for the good Rams. night with his score in the 65’ minThe Black and Gold’s defense ute, blowing the lead up to 4-1.

The win moves VCU to 1-0 in A-10 play.

WOMEN’S V. SAINT JOSEPH’S The Rams would look to defend home turf in a Thursday night date with the Hawks of Saint Joseph’s University that ended in a hard fought, 1-0 VCU win.

In a very low scoring affair there were a combined 11 shots on goal between the two teams.

VCU redshirt junior goalkeeper Audrey Sanderson would pitch a shutout by going 4/4 on her save opportunities. The match was scoreless heading into halftime.

The only goal of the game would come in the 78th minute from sophomore midfielder Alyssa Tallent -- her third of the season. The Hawks were unable to tie the game up late despite a slew of chances..

With the win, women’s soccer improved to 6-3-3, 2-1-2 in A-10 play.

Women’s soccer fell to George Mason University 1-0 on Sunday in Fairfax.

The ladies (6-4-3, 2-2-2) return to action at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12 at the University of Richmond.

Men’s soccer (5-3, 2-0) will be back at it Wednesday, Oct. 11 at home against Saint Louis University at 7 p.m.

Redshirt-senior midfielder Francesco Amorosino has scored three goals this season.

PHOTO BY JACOB MEDLEY

NILE MCNAIR Contributing writer

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, October 9, 2017

5

Ram in action: Jailyn Maddox

How was last season for you?

Last season was a bit up and down. At the beginning I didn’t see the court that much but I definitely learned a lot from our seniors in practice. After I came back from my concussion is when I started to find minutes and it went basically up hill from there.

How would you describe the transition from playing basketball in high school to playing in college?

In college people are definitely a lot faster and a lot stronger so that was one of my goals of this off season, to get a little bit stronger and get a little bit faster and be more efficient with my movements.

Were there things that you noticed last season that you wanted to work on?

I wanted to be more efficient

Last season, you received recognition for your performance in a game against UMass in January where you had a career high 15 points. How did it feel in that moment to become athlete of the week and rookie of the week?

I liked it a lot. I was a bit shocked by it. My teammates texted me in the group message and then there was a picture of me and I was like ‘Oh shoot that’s me.’ But yeah, I was a bit surprised by it but it felt really good.

I just want us to be able to be comfortable playing with each other and then go from there.

Jailyn Maddox, Sophomore shooting guard Did you train during the summer?

Probably defense.

What made you want to play basketball?

I don’t know, I just kinda saw people playing it. My dad used to take me to all the Hoover games which is my high school and I just liked the atmosphere and I liked the game and I just kinda fell in love with it.

What are your personal goals for this season?

Personally, I want to be one of the top offensive rebounding guards in the conference. I want to be a leader for the team this year.

Are there any professional players that inspire you?

What are your goals for the team?

Not so much inspire, but I feel like I can compare my game a lot to Seimone Augustus.

I know we want to improve our chemistry and we want to be able to talk more with each other and win the A-10 championship.

Why did you decide to come and play basketball for VCU? When I came on my official [visit] I really liked the team that was here. They were really welcoming and I like the diversity and the city and campus.

What does the team look like with the new 2017 class coming in?

We are definitely a lot more competitive this year. We are definitely young, but even when we might not know what we are doing, we are still going hard at it. I think that really fun about it.

When we get into competition drills, you can see the competitiveness come out of everyone.

What are your predictions for this season?

A-10 championships. That’s what I am hoping for.

Are you hoping for a certain record like wins over losses?

What type of role do you see yourself playing this season?

Not really, I mean I want to have a winning season but right now I just want us to be able to be comfortable playing with each other and then go from there.

I think I am definitely going to have to step up in a leadership role, more of a scoring role and improve on my defense this year.

O

In her first year as a Ram, sophomore shooting guard Jailyn Maddox made a name for herself. Last year in her freshman campaign, Maddox scored a career-high 15 points against the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Minutewomen in January, earning herself Virginia Lottery Student Athlete of the Week and A-10 Rookie of the Week honors.

Although a concussion interrupted her time on the court, Maddox looks at her 2016 season as a success. With training officially underway for the 2017 season, Maddox is ready to get back on the court.

in driving, finishing around the Yes, of course. I trained with basket and then three point per- the team and trained with my centage. I wanted to make sure buddy to get stronger. I also that went up a little bit. went to South Africa.

What do you consider to be your biggest strength on the court?

CT FIL E PH OT

JESSICA WETZLER Contributing Writer

Offense and rebounding.

What would you consider to be your weakest?

Maddox shot 39.7 percent from the field last year.

If there was anything you could tell your freshman self, what would it be?

Just got into games with more confidence. You have the skill, just be more confident in yourself.

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH HUMPHREYS

Volleyball secures three home wins, nation’s longest active streak

Senior libero Rebekah Strange (middle) recorded 32 digs against Maryland - Eastern Shore and earned A-10 Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Junior middle blocker Tori Baldwin was able to keep up her tradition of reaching more than 100 blocks per season after nailing seven against Duquesne. Sneed also got over 100 blocks on the season and Tuzzolo was right behind Baldwin with six.

The Rams led the way until the third set where Duquesne pushed

them to 20-18, and it appeared as if VCU was in danger of losing their second set of the week. Luckily, Tuzzolo and Giommarini killed it and brought the Rams back to tie it at 21 and eventually reclaimed the set.

VCU out-blocked Duquesne 10-1 and swept the Dukes (25-17,2521,25-23) at the end of the night.

The Rams moved to 4-0 in the A-10,

while the Dukes fell to 2-3.

MARYLAND - EASTERN SHORE The Black and Gold suffered its first lost set on Tuesday since a 3-2 match against Seton Hall in the VCU Invitational on Sept. 16.

VCU pushed through and won the match 3-1.

Giommarini marked 19 kills and a .341 hit percentage while Kandler and Tuzzolo notched 11 each.

The A10 Co-Defensive Player of the Week -- senior libero Rebekah Strange -- was on fire with 32 digs and two aces. Strange’s two aces pushed her past the 100 mark on the season.

The Hawks kept it close in the

fourth set. Eastern Shore had VCU caught at set point, but kills by Tuzzolo and an ace by Strange tied it at 24. Sneed blocked a few shots from the Hawks and the Rams won the final set 27-25.

VCU beat out the Hawks with 10 aces to 13 service errors and won the match 3-1, (25-19,1825,25-17,27-25).

Volleyball will look to keep the streak alive in a pair of conference road matches when the Rams head up I-95 to George Washington University (6-14, 2-3 A-10) on Friday, Oct.13 and George Mason University (5-13, 1-4 A-10) on Saturday, Oct. 14.

6

The Commonwealth Times

Field hockey rights ship after string of defeats to put any shots past VCU senior goalkeeper Chessa Kownurko.

Kownurko faced one shot from the Tigers’ offense all afternoon as VCU’s defense put up a stellar performance against the host team.

Tossone opened the scoring for the Rams less than six minutes into the first half, accompanied by an assist from junior midfielder Jessica Mays. Tossone then added her second goal of the game just over 12 minutes in, assisted by junior forward Emily McNamara.

McNamara followed that up with a goal of her own over four minutes later, unassisted, off of a rebound. VCU outshot the Tigers on goal 11-1 and outshot the team by a total of 15-3. VCU also led on penalty corners, 10-5, dominating Towson in all facets of the game in VCU’s second consecutive away match.

ADAM CHEEK Contributing Writer Field hockey finished the weekend at the .500 mark over their two games, as the Rams were defeated 4-2 by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, but bounced back to beat the Towson University Tigers by a score of 3-0.

The team finished off the week with a win and a loss, bringing their record to 9-4. Senior midfielder Spencer Tossone notched two goals over the two-game span, and VCU outscored their opponents 5-4.

The Black and Gold handily defeated the Towson Tigers early Sunday afternoon, tallying their third shutout of the season and improving to nine wins on the year.

Towson struggled throughout both halves of the game, unable

CT FILE PHOTO

TOWSON

Junior forward Emily McNamara (9) led the Rams with nine shots Sunday. She scored one goal and recorded an assist.

UMASS The Rams fell by a score of 4-2 to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Minutewomen on Friday, as the defense was unable to hold the host team and A-10 favorite back.

Junior forward Lauren Kaup netted a goal for VCU in the 14th minute to take an early 1-0 lead -one of her two shot attempts over the duration of the game. Senior defender Natalie Bohmke netted a goal on her only shot attempt.

Freshman midfielder Maite Sturm had a team-high three shot attempts, including two on goal.

Kownurko made six saves in goal for the Black and Gold.

After Kaup’s opening goal, the Minutewomen tied it up at one goal apiece. VCU took the lead less than a minute later, but UMass tied it up again prior to halftime.

Knotted at a score of 2-2 at half-

time, UMass took a 3-2 lead less than four minutes into the latter half of the game, and then tacked on an additional goal to solidify the final outcome.

The Minutewomen also outshot the Rams by a total of 18-10, and 10-6 in shots on goal. UMass also possessed a 3-2 advantage in penalty corners over the Black and Gold, but VCU fought tooth and nail to remain in the game.

The Black and Gold will next host the Davidson College Wildcats on Friday, Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. before hosting the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels at home on Sunday, Oct. 15, with the opening faceoff scheduled for 1 p.m.

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On this day

On Oct. 9, 1967 controversial Marxist revolutionary, Che Guevara, is executed by C.I.Abacked Bolivian forces in La Higuera, Bolivia.

Virtual reality exhibit shines lines on the school-to-prison pipeline GEORGIA GEEN Staff Writer

Everybody in this room is part of the school to prison pipeline and they can be a positive or negative part of that.

Mark Strandquist

Youth Self Advocacy Through Art creative director The guards wore realistic uniforms, distinguished by the message on the sleeves’ crests, reading “Prisons don’t work. Free the youth. Justice Advocate.”

Artwork, videos and statistics were displayed in the front part of the gallery where visitors waited for their inmate numbers to be called, sometimes on a megaphone, so they could enter the virtual reality segment.

Strandquist said the teens who participated in the summer program acquired valuable skills.

“They’re learning a ton of different ways to tell their story but also building confidence and connections to other mentors and peer support systems,” Strandquist said.

“When they leave our programs in the summer, we connect them with jobs and opportunities and programs.”

The exhibition is interactive, prompting visitors to reflect upon their experiences within the virtual reality session. After filling out a sheet of questions, visitors to the opening reception were photographed and their polaroid pictures placed on a wall along with their answers.

“I know that they’re not experiencing the real thing, but I want them to have a feeling,” member of RISE for Youth Kidaya Wright said.

For the exhibition, ART 180

partnered with RISE for Youth, which had a table of informational pamphlets and copies of its Performing Statistics newspapers.

Strandquist said individuals like activists and lawyers were present at the reception so that visitors had a “way to tap in [to]” the issue.

“We don’t want somebody coming in here and having a passive experience where they can pat themselves on the back and say, ‘I did that,’” Strandquist said. “Everybody in this room is part of the school to prison pipeline and they can be a positive or negative part of that.”

The exhibition will run until Nov. 22 at Atlas ART 180’s center for teens located at 114 W. Marshall St. Upon leaving Atlas, “My Reality” will travel to other venues in Richmond, including police stations. The exhibition will be used to train all new police recruits in Richmond, Strandquist said. “[Police] are not only learning about statistics, about youth incarceration and poverty and all those root causes that lead to youth incarceration, but also relating to the teens on a human level,” Strandquist said.

PHOTOS BY CASEY COLE

Welcoming a large crowd to partake in the simulation of the experiences of incarcerated youth, ART 180 held an opening reception for its virtual reality exhibition, entitled “My Reality” on Oct. 6.

All elements of the exhibition, which include poetry, photography, immersive audio and the virtual reality segment, were created by youth impacted by the criminal justice system in conjunction with artists who specialize in the different mediums. The program runs during the summer and helps youth discover ways to work to end the school-to-prison pipeline.

“We find ways to really connect their voices and ideas with a ton of different people and the virtual reality is the newest way that we’re doing that,” aid Mark Strandquist, creative director of ART 180’s Youth Self Advocacy Through Art program.

It allows us to really transport people into the lives and experiences of the youth in the [criminal justice] system.” Participants were allowed into the building in small groups and asked to fill out a form,

which had their assigned “inmate numbers.” Volunteers acting as prison guards, who are members of various local youth organizations, according to Strandquist, maintained a mostly-stern demeanor which made the experience more powerful for visitors.

ART180’s “My Reality,” is an interactive exhibit created by youth affected by incarcernation and runs at the gallery until Nov. 22.

Behind-the-scenes at The Peedmont:

the making of satirical news

You said earlier that you think the reason people read your articles is because they’re local, why do you think that draws people so much?

Matt: We’re actually at a point now in The Peedmont where we are really talking about that. What started out as a funny joke between friends and other people on the team is now something serious so we’re trying to monetize it. We’re working on merchandise that we’re hoping to start selling soon, eventually we would like to venture into ad revenue. In the long run, we want to be able to keep doing what we’re doing, of course. We want to provide entertainment to the community and hopefully get paid just a little bit to do it.

S

Matt: Yeah, obviously we don’t want to just tell the joke over and over again, but we’re always brainstorming, looking at current events going on, things that are happening that we could play off of. Basically anything that we think people of Richmond and the rest of Virginia could relate to on a more personal level than stuff that maybe, The Onion would put out.

Sarah: How it starts, in our brainstorming, we don’t throw out story ideas, we throw out headline ideas.

All of the ideas for the stories are in headline format and then it’s up to the author to shape what that story will look like based on the agreed upon headline. This goes back to one the earlier questions about how it’s different to write satirical versus journalistic. People will read it [news] because they are interested in the topic but with satirical news they need to be entertained. The only reason they’re clicking on us is to have entertainment, so we need to have a headline that is catchy, that’s gonna have people clicking on it. Starting off as a catchy headline is very important for our process.

What kind of aspirations do you guys have as far as growth for The Peedmont?

D U FF U

So it’s almost like a bunch of regional inside jokes that you build off of?

What is the process for starting a story?

Matt: I would say for the most part, it is true. Politics are obviously important, but we try to stay on a local level with our politics much like we do with the rest of our content. Rather than just talking about Trump and Clinton and Putin, we would rather talk about Terry McCauliffe or Joe Morrissey or Levar Stoney.

B Y IA IN

Sarah: I think we are a bit different that we’re really focusing regionally. That’s not something you see often and it makes it harder for us to write because we can’t pull from just anything that’s going on.

We have to have a more focused area.

There aren’t many political pieces on the website, is it not as popular?

ATI O N

Is that something that other satirical sites do, have such a strong regional focus?

Matt: I would say it’s just one difference aI would say it’s just one difference about us. It’s what makes us unique and I think that’s the selling point. We honestly see it in the results of what we’ve done so far because every now and then, there’s something big in the news on a national level and we’ll take a stab at it. But it’s never as popular, we never get as much web traffic when it comes out. We could do a piece about an archaeologist finding a parking space in Carytown and it’s a smash hit.

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spectrum

The Commonwealth Times

PHOTO BY DESIREE CHOE

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Strange Matter hosts local artists throughout the spectrum of music genres and is open seven days a week from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Strange Matter inherents the legacy of 929 W. Grace St. MADELINE WHEELER Contributing Writer On 929 W. Grace street, amid a sea of VCU logos, is a black building oozing gritty aesthetics reminiscent of 1990’s golden era of punk-rock with red and blue graphic lettering spelling out Strange Matter.

Strange Matter is an all-encompassing music venue, bar, restaurant and vintage arcade game dreamland.

The venue books shows ofmostly local artists to perform almost every night of every month.

On nights when there are not live

performances, the venue also hosts events like karaoke night and trivia nights and has an ongoing movie night in partnership with Movie Club Richmond. Many of these events are free to the public.

Though shows at the venue aren’t necessarily free, the tickets are extremely cheap. Attending a concert at Strange Matter costs between $5 - $20, which is a steal for many frequent gig-goers.

Strange Matter was founded in 2011, but in many ways is just continuning an inherited legacy of showcasing local talent largely in whatever is considered alternative or underground music at the time.

929 W. Grace St became an epicenter of underground music, mainly metal and rock, in 1970’s when a bar called Hubaba’s opened on the block. The 1980’s came to close and Hubaba’s closed down with it in 1988 and by the 1990’s Twisters took it’s place.

It continued to be a recuse for the burgeoning punk-rock and screamo genre and is where one of the most well known screamo bands, Lamb of God, found its start. There is also a local urban myth that Richmond’s nickname, “RVA,” originated during this time period when a metal group called RVAskins were hosted at Twisters.

Twisters eventually closed and the location through a rough path in early 2000’s as it transitioned through various cafe’s and failed music venues until Strange Matter’s founding in 2011.

Strange Matter’s co-owner John Downing pushed for Strange Matter to book shows every single night so locals would always have a place to be exposed to new sounds.

“I think the appeal of Strange Matter is that it’s literally on campus so you can just walk down the street and go to a concert whenever you want,” said VCU freshman and Strange Matter attendee Julia Sachs. “Booking local artists

also benefits the community’s local culture and gives artists a chance to reach new audiences, especially with the university being so close.”

Promoter Mark Osborn, a 29-year-old with a big name for himself already in the Richmond music scene, books artists to play at Strange Matter, The Camel, The Broadberry and other venues in the city.

“People come to a show here and say, Aw I want my band to play here! and Marc’s got such a big name for himself that I think everyone [local musical artists] know to go to him [to get booked at Strange Matter],” said Ash Van Eijk, a bartender at

Strange Matter. “He’s the backbone of all of the events. He’s been booking shows for years.”

“I think it’s really cool to give people that kind of opportunity here. We’ve watched a lot of bands when they started and seen them improve so much. I love the fact that a bunch of locals get to perform here.” Van Ejik said. “Honestly, we love all of you guys that come to our shows and keep this place alive.”

With opening of research institute, VCUarts seeks to expand on academic mission

Sam’s Take: “Blade Runner 2049” is not a replicant, but an evolution SAMUEL GOODRICH Staff Writer The original “Blade Runner” is an indisputable classic in the science fiction genre. It revolutionized the way sci-fi films looked and the themes they played with. It was a subtle exploration of existence with a simple plot disguising the discussion points.

More than 30 years later, Denis Villeneuve, the acclaimed director of “Arrival” and “Prisoners,” brings us an unexpected sequel “Blade Runner 2049.” Hopes were high with Villeneuve in the director’s chair, one of the original writers returning for the script, and Harrison Ford coming back as Rick Deckard.

But many wondered if this sequel could recapture the lightning-in-abottle magic of the original.

Taking place thirty years after the first film, “Blade Runner 2049” sees replicants -- outlawed robots used for slave labor -- returned to prominence after a wealthy creator invents new models that are safer.

That is to say, they are less likely to realize their existence and turn on their enslavers.

One such replicant is K, who works as a bounty hunter that tracks down older models and “retires” them. After one job, K discovers evidence toward a secret that could change the fate of society and the importance of replicants within this future. However, the creator of these new replicants wants this secret as well, leading to the hunter

becoming the hunted as K tries to find answers.

The most surprising aspect of “Blade Runner 2049” is how it works as a true sequel. It manages to maintain the gorgeous visuals and mattified atmosphere of the 1982 original, but also evolving the universe and exploring what these changes mean.

The visuals are some of the best I’ve seen in years. The style is impressive in its grittiness, looking like a 1980’s dystopian future plausibly mixed with 21st century sensibilities. The cinematography is immersive, managing to suck the audience into this world with its vibrantly muted color pallette. These elements work to immerse you into the world, just like the original was able to do with practical effects.

The new technologies brought into the futuristic world feel like they fit right in. One such element is Joi, a holographic A.I. that acts like a real woman, similar to 2013’s “Her.” It’s an interesting expansion on the concept of replicants, exploring the effect digital intelligences can have on humans, or those who perceive themselves as humans.

Despite having cliched moments, the plot in “2049” is full of engaging characters and interesting moments. While straightforward in the beginning, the story manages a few twists that I honestly didn’t see coming, with the major twist set to confuse and anger many audiences.

Yet, this twist isn’t meaningless.

Just like it’s predecessor, this sequel has conversation-starting themes on existence, the future of artificial intelligence, and the toxicity of a society immersed in technology.

These themes are not too subtle, but they are explored in fantastic scenes that manage to fall in line with the overall plot.

“2049” isn’t concerned with banking on the audience’s ability to recognize nostalgic sounds and imagery. It is instead aiming to reintroduce socially-aware and intelligent sci-fi into the blockbuster genre. It’s a film concerned with making the audience question not only the future we are building towards, but also what it means to exist and what factors dictate what we consider to be “real” To explain further would spoil the joy of watching this film. Just know that Villeneuve and company have crafted a beautiful looking and sounding cinematic experience. It’s intelligent, while trusting the audience to be interested during the nearly three hour runtime. The slower pace and silence filled scenes shows that the filmmakers trust the audience to engage with the film on a thematic level most films wouldn’t even dare.

Once “2049” was over, all I wanted to do was wait in my seat for the next showing, excited to see how the movie changes the second time around. This is easily a contender for film of the year, and you’d be doing yourself and the film industry a disservice if you miss out on this while it’s in theaters.

The VCUarts program held the grand opening of the VCU’s Arts Research Institute (ARI) at the VCUarts Depot Oct 2.

The ARI was created to be a resource specifically to help VCU school of the Arts faculty with research development. This includes finding funding for research, building partnerships and collaborations that allow them to expand their work and develop interdisciplinary work.

Salem Tsegaye, the Assistant Director for the ARI, said that the Institute is a place where artist also can engage more with their environment and in turn create an open discussion about various ways art can impact people’s lives.

“My experience taught me that raising fund for any project is always challenging no matter what discipline but I think for artists in particular time is so precious,” Tsegaye said. “Our faculty are artists as well as professors with loads of time consuming administrative work so we want to help carry the burden [of funding research] and let them do their creative work.”

Currently, the ARI features eight VCU faculty: Michael-Birch Pierce, Guadalupe Maravilla, Pamela Lawton, Bob Paris, Susanna Klein, Nicole Killian, Gaynell Sherrod and Sasha Waters Freyer.

The work of these artists incorporate several art mediums including interactive multimedia films, kinetic image, fiber based sculptures, fashion, graphic design and dance.

“We’re going to try to rotate the faculty we showcase every semester but we’re starting out with just try-

ing to rotate it annually,” Tsegaye said.

Tsegay joined VCU’s initiative to create the ARI in June 2016. Previously, she worked at the New York Community Trust where she managed the New York City Cultural Fund which supports arts advocacy and cultural policy and equity.

“We want to forge new partners with departments in the university that are non-art so we are trying to work with education and health fields and create large scale proj-

Being a public urban university we are accountable to the issues around us and so what role does the artist or designer play in this?

Salem Tsegaye ARI Assistant Director ects,” Tsegaye said.

The ARI’s open-concept office and exhibit space was created by the Institute’s’ inaugural research fellow Debbie Quick and VCU interior design faculty member Roberto Ventura. It features large, floor-to-ceiling posters in the center of the room.

Each poster has a photo of the artist or designer taken as they

About 100 guests attended the ARI opening ceremony.

work on their specific branch of art and is accompanied with a quote on how they define research.

Throughout opening night of ARI around 100 guests roamed around the gallery and actively interacted with the various arts mediums shows in the exhibit space.

Majority of work featured was created by the ARI’s inaugural batch of featured faculty — just as the artists and their form of mediums range in the diversity, the types of art present at the ARI was diversified as well and included paintings, hung installments, films and forms of kinetic imaging.

An exception to this is the ARI’s Living Lab which will be given to VCU faculty on a more regular basis. Currently, John Freyer’s exhibit, Free Hot Coffee’s the exception. The piece is an active art project in collaboration with Rams in Recovery where John Freyers gives free coffee on campus and uses the communal aspects of coffee-making to show how community can help people struggling with addiction.

The ARI has been in the works for a couple of years. Sarah Cunningham, Director of the ARI and Executive Director for VCUarts Research, independently worked with VCU arts faculty width of helping them find research funding and work collaborations. In many ways the ARI is an extension of Cunningham’s work.

“We want to bring our artists and designers into the world in more socially engaged ways,” Tsegaye said. “Being a public urban university we are accountable to the issues around us and so what role does the artist or designer play in this?”

PHOTO BY STEVEN CASANOVA

ILLUSTRATION BY IAIN DUFFUS

SIONA PETEROUS Spectrum Editor

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Monday, October 9, 2017

opinions

9

ILLUSTRATION BY ALLISON VERJINS KI

“There is not a more appropriate time to talk about regulations that could’ve saved 58 people and counting than right now.” –Katie Bashista

How a moment of feminism in Saudi Arabia is distracting from crisis SRITEJA YEDHARA Staff Columnist In the wake of new legislation in Saudi Arabia allowing women to obtain a driver's license — after a thirty-some year ban on female drivers — the question being overlooked is: why now?

The Independent’s Jess Staufenberg reported just over a year ago, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, 32-year-old Mohammed bin Salman, said he was “not convinced about women driving.” So one must wonder what has changed in Saudi Arabia’s politik to lead to such a drastic change in narrative on this issue. Has the three-decade-long fight by women’s rights activists finally come to fruition? Is the new

crown prince pushing his project for modernization for Saudi Arabia he calls “Vision 2030?” The Washington Post’s Stéphane Lacroix warns against creating a positive narrative around this new legislation, asking the public not to mistake this measure as democratic reform.

Lacroix states “domestically, [there was] no mention of the hundreds of female activists who campaigned [...] for [this] right,” further stating doing so would imply the government of Saudi Arabia was giving into social pressures such as the women’s rights movement and this would ultimately only lead to further dissent in the country.

Though it is important to note decades of work by fearless feminists in Saudi Arabia has per-

haps indeed paid off in the form of this ban being lifted, many are skeptical because the explanation to the question of “why now?” may have an answer in an unlikely place: Yemen.

Since civil war broke out in 2015, Yemen has been at the center of the largest humanitarian crisis facing our world, surpassing even Syria, according to the United Nations.

Al Jazeera explains at the core of this civil war is a divide between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Yemen. Saudi Arabia, a Sunni majority country, already neighbors two Shiite majority countries — Iraq and Iran. If Yemen, yet another Saudi Arabian neighbor, were to join that list of Shiite countries in the area, Saudi Arabia’s stability

would be at risk. This is what drove Saudi Arabia to join the war in Yemen.

According to The New York Times’ Mark Mazzetti, the United States, under President Barack Obama, provided billions of dollars worth of aid to Saudi Arabia through money, weapons and intelligence. Ultimately, Mazzetti says this “gives [the] U.S. [a] direct role in [the] Yemen conflict,” because the U.S. provided resources to a force that furthered the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The reason this is all important to the issue of a woman’s right to drive in Saudi Arabia can be explained in a single tweet by foreign policy analyst Rula Jebreal. Jebreal wrote: “Saudi Arabia announces

it may allow women to drive, in a [Public Relations] distraction two days before [United Nations] vote on Saudi atrocities in Yemen.”

ThinkProgress’ E.A. Crunden helps illustrate that it would be foolish to entertain the idea that the lifting of the driving ban and the U.N. Human Rights Council meeting on Saudi Arabia’s involvement in Yemen are two coincidental events. This legislation frames the Saudi Arabian government as being open to and capable of social change and human rights progress — both values the U.N. has historically withheld when considering Saudi Arabian politics.

At a point in time when Saudi Arabia’s human rights values are about to be under scrutiny by the

United Nations, it is troubling that the country is willing to reverse a decades-old narrative to distract from the United Nations probe.

Further, the most disturbing facet of this ordeal may come to light if the United Nations probe goes ahead as planned. If Saudi Arabia is convicted of having committed war crimes in Yemen, this may ultimately be a matter of concern for the United States, who possibly funded those acts.

Though it would be exclusionary to neglect the significance of the lifting of the driving ban, it is as imperative not to fall into the false narrative of progression and liberalism that Saudi Arabia’s leadership is so cunningly putting forward at this time.

The unbreakable bond between guns and the U.S.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The simple reason the free market won’t work in healthcare In late September, the Senate decided it will not bring the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill to the floor for a vote — dooming its future after failing to get enough Republicans to commit to voting for the bill.

The failure to pass GrahamCassidy marks the fourth failed attempt from congressional Republicans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Previous attempts include the American Health Care Act (ACHA), the Better Care and Reconciliation Act (BCRA) and the Health Care Freedom Act (Skinny Repeal).

The Graham-Cassidy proposal was met with public backlash. According to a poll released by Public Policy Polling, only 24 percent of Americans approved of the Graham-Cassidy repeal effort. This is largely because the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) stated that the bill would result in “millions” of Americans losing coverage as a result of the bill.

The CBO’s poor scoring isn’t the first negative review to be given to a Republican healthcare bill. Past repeal and replace attempts, the ACHA, BCRA and Skinny Repeal, were projected by the CBO to increase the amount of people uninsured by 23 million, 15 million and 16 million, respectively.

The gameplan for Republicans seems pretty straightforward: Create a plan that will lead to more people being covered, not less. If they can do this, their repeal and replace efforts will be a success. But they’ve tried and failed four times. Why? It’s simple: Republicans have been trying to repeal and replace Obamacare with plans that resemble a more free market structure.

But the free market doesn’t work in healthcare.

ILLUSTRATION BY GRACE HUNSINGER

To the Editor:

Think about the purpose of capitalism. In capitalism, the ultimate goal is to maximize profits as much as possible for yourself and the establishment you work for. Using profit as an incentive is a very good thing in most scenarios. Profit incentives increase competition and increased competition leads to not only lower prices, but also a wider range of options for the consumers to choose from.

But applying the profit incentive to healthcare is ineffective and dangerous. Simply put, the goal of free markets is to make money, but sick people are very expensive.

Insurance companies make money by pooling their customers’ money together in the form of premium payments and deductibles. They use some of that money to share the costs of their customers’ health expenses and keep whatever they don’t spend as a profit. The insurance company can only generate a profit if they don’t spend everything they collect on health care payments.

This creates a system that treats sick people worse. If someone wishes to purchase an insurance plan they become very unattractive to insurance companies if they suffer from a serious medical condition. This is because insurance companies would likely be spending a lot of their money making payments on that patient’s health care ex-

penses, cutting into their profits.

To avoid this, insurance companies face a few options. One option is to make that person pay a higher premium, as well as a higher deductible and lower the copay amount. Or, they could reject that person altogether, and prohibit them from purchasing a plan. If someone is faced with the first option, they’ll need to be earning continued from page 1 a relatively high salary to manMachine guns have technically age the expenses. If they’re poor, been illegal since the 1980s. Acthey’d resort to just not purchasing cording to the Bureau of Alcohol, a plan at all. If someone is faced Firearms and Explosive, Paddock’s with the other option, that person guns were legal. The modificawould be forced to pay all of their tions he made to his AR-15s aphealthcare expenses out of pocket, pear to use a “bump stock” which which would be extremely difficult allows the stock to rebound while for most incomes. the shooter has his finger on the Ultimately, the United States trigger, unleashing several shots. needs to go down a more simple, This technology can be bought obvious route. If you take a look online and is not technically illeat the best healthcare systems in gal, however, the NRA released a the world, you’ll find that they statement in the wake of the Las are some form of universal system. Vegas shooting in support of placAnd a quality that they all share ing tighter restrictions on “bump is that government plays an active stock” technology. roll in two things: Sen. Dianne Feinstein intro• Providing generous financial duced a bill the week following the assistance for every person’s health shooting that would ban the buying care expenses, and and selling of bump stock equip• Being heavily involved in the ment and other technology that can process of setting the prices of alter a semiautomatic weapon into health services and prescriptions. an automatic one.

Until we adopt a system that reCBS News estimates about flects those qualities, we won’t be 176,000 fully automatic weapons able to cover everybody. are currently in private hands.

We need gun control laws, they —Taylor Nguyen need to be specific and they need to

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be strictly enforced. Until the Las Vegas shooting, Congress planned to bring a bill to the floor that would make it easier for people to purchase gun silencers. They would be treated as a regular firearm, requiring only a federal background check, instead of a special license like it’s required right now. Speaker Paul Ryan has said the bill is halted for now because they’re focusing on getting the budget passed.

Caleb Keeter, guitarist for The Josh Abbott Band, released a statement after the shooting of which he and the band were present. He took to Twitter to post a message taking his previous support for gun rights back and urging the government to implement stricter gun control laws.

“My biggest regret is that I stubbornly didn’t realize it until my brothers on the road and myself were threatened by it,” he stated.

It’s encouraging someone can change their perspective on this topic, but it’s discouraging that it often takes a direct personal impact to change someone’s mind.

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It doesn’t start and end with stricter background checks or special licenses. The buying and selling of certain weapons and any technology that can create an automatic weapon must be stopped. The NRA and the government officials that profit from it need to reexamine the laws currently in place.

Vox puts the U.S.’ relationship with guns in perspective stating the U.S. makes up 4.4 percent of the world’s population, yet makes up nearly half of civilian-owned guns around the world. On average, there is more than one mass shooting for each day in the U.S. States that have stricter gun laws have less gun related deaths and those with fewer gun laws have more. Police are more likely to be killed in states that allow more access to guns.

I don’t see how someone can look at what took place last Monday and still want to fight for gun rights. This problem is bigger than you and it’s bigger than me.

Put your guns down, the time to surrender is long overdue.

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