January 23, 2014 by The Cavalier Daily

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Vol. 124, Issue 33

Obama lauds University at D.C. education conference Recent research impacts recruitment of low-income students, outreach programs Michael Drash Senior Writer

OPINION: A striking distance African-American students remain marginalized at the University Reem Hasheen Opinion Columnist

It’s 2014 and we still have to cope with blatant racial tension — something especially endemic to the University. This Monday marked a national holiday in the memory of Dr. King, a civil rights martyr, and just a week prior to it, the words “UVA HATES BLACKS” were written over the Elson Student Health sign. Bizarre, right? However, most of the University community has failed to see the absurdity of this. When I saw a picture of it taken by a friend, I immediately expected buzz — the kind of buzz that would stir up intense dialogue and critical thinking about the context in which these words were written. Much to my dismay, there was very little talk and few of my friends even bothered to read or tell others about it. In spite of the fact that the action was reported so poorly, making it seem like a minuscule issue, no one cared to reflect on the symbolism behind the words. People have instead chosen to focus on whether a white or black person

wrote the bold phrase. No matter who wrote it, or what his/her skin color is, the act expresses the reality of some sentiments toward and treatment of African-American students here. There is no scientific answer, but maybe University students are somehow disillusioned by the image and so-called “prestige” of this university, and thus get caught up in a culture that falls short of integrating people. From Greek life, to wardrobe, to student activities, many things have been racialized to either black or white. On a university level, the percentage of African-American students has significantly dropped over the years. Perhaps this is an indication that the University Admissions Office is not doing enough to draw in African-American students. What broader agenda does the University have? Why haven’t there been any serious and mandatory race/humanistic talks on grounds? People need to question these things, especially when reading a sign that says “UVA HATES BLACKS.” Why don’t we ponder the reason that the person felt so compelled to write such a thing, instead of focusing on how it is “disappointing” (as the News-

plex article covering this story suggests)? No one should pretend that racial discrimination in general (not just at U.Va.) is a myth, yet not many want to discuss why black students feel marginalized here, or why things just seem to be separated (parties, activities, friend circles, etc.). I obviously cannot speak for everyone, but as an African-bornimmigrant student, I have personally observed a striking distance between white and black students, whether it may have been deliberately created or not. My most vivid memory of racial division at the University is being turned away at a frat party on Rugby because they only allowed “hot white chicks” (yes, this was actually said to me). However, many of such experiences are lived by students on an individual/student level — not on an administration or Board of Visitors level. But there issues on the institutional level as well. I predict the Board’s recent decisions about AccessUVa will result in less diversity and fewer black students at the University.

see HASHEEN, page 4

University President Teresa Sullivan was among more than 100 college and university presidents and leaders in attendance at a higher education summit hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama last Thursday. The White House meeting was organized to discuss the underrepresentation of low-income and minority students in higher education. Two University professors, Asst. Education Prof. Ben Castleman and Economics Prof. Sarah Turner, were also invited, though only Castleman attended. Many proposals were discussed throughout the summit, but speeches by the First Lady and the President highlighted the importance of early advising and aid in attracting and keeping low-income students in higher education and reiterated their dedication to the issue. “An idea that I'm particularly excited about builds on the great work that the National College Advising Corps, including the Virginia College Advising Corps, which is based at U.Va., is doing to provide individualized college advising to low-income students,” Castleman said in an email. “I'm particularly interested in ways that we can leverage interactive technologies, video chat, document sharing, etc., to make high-quality college advising available to students regardless of where they live.” The University was directly referenced during Obama’s speech as an example of a university that reaches out to low-income applicants in novel ways. “U.Va., for example, is going [to] experiment with new ways to contact high-achieving, low-income students

see SUMMIT, page 43

The Cavalier Daily

L N

University accepts 4,590 early applicants

news

First-generation, African-American acceptance rates show 15, 22 percent respective increases from previous years Katherine Wilkin

Early Action Applications: Total number of VA apps

4,027

Total number of OOS apps

10,792

5000

In State Applicants

2,533

4000

Out of State Applicants

2,851

3000 2000

2,057

1000

920

Offers

Defers

Data Courtesy Notes from Peabody blog Graphic by Sloan Christopher

McDonnell faces corruption charges Possible convictions threaten decades in federal prison, $1 million in fines Kathleen Smith Senior Writer

Just 10 days after former Gov. Bob McDonnell’s term ended, a grand jury charged him and his wife Maureen Tuesday with fraud, conspiracy and federal obstruction in a 14-count federal indictment. Prosecutors allege the McDonnell and his wife illegally supported nutritional supplement company Star Scientific in exchange for gifts from then-

CEO Jonnie Williams. If convicted, McDonnell could serve decades in federal prison. “In terms of possible jail time and fines, the false statement charges are punishable by up to 30 years and the other counts are punishable by up to 20 years,” Center for Politics spokesperson Geoffrey Skelley said. “Related fines range from $250,000 to $1 million.” McDonnell has fervently denied his activity was illegal. While McDonnell’s acceptance of the gifts is undeniable, court proceedings will determine whether they violated federal law. Even

Senior Writer

The University sent out its first batch of admissions offers to the Class of 2018 last Friday. The University received 14,819 early action applications — 4,027 from in-state students and 10,792 from out-of-state students. Of the nearly 15,000 early applications, 4,590 applicants were accepted and 3,771 were deferred. In-state students were admitted at a rate of 51.1 percent, while out-of-state students were admitted at a rate of 23.5 percent. Although data for the year has not been completely compiled, available admissions statistics reveal some interesting trends — most notably, this year’s applicant pool showed an increase in the number of underrepresented minority applications. Specifically, the University saw a 15 percent increase in applications from first-generation students this year, as well as a 22 percent increase in applications from African-American students, Dean of Admissions Gregory Roberts said. “We visit hundreds of schools and travel with Harvard, Princeton and Yale to low-income areas of the country to recruit underrepresented students of all types,” Roberts said. Despite efforts to increase the University’s diversity, there is no expectation for a number or percentage of first-generation and minority if evidence proves McDonnell is guilty, court documents show a possible withholding of evidence by prosecutors that may acquit him of wrongdoing. “Virginia law is especially lenient when it comes to issues like accepting gifts while in office,” said Elizabeth Minneman, chair of the College Republicans and a third-year College student. “I agree with Virginia Republicans like [former Attorney General] Ken Cuccinelli who have called for ethics reform to ensure these things do not happen again, but we still cannot determine if McDonnell broke any laws without a full investigation.” Whether McDonnell is ultimately convicted or not, Skelley said the case is unprecedented in Virginia’s history. “No governor has ever been in a situation like this, and while state legislators have been accused of and have been convicted of committing crimes ... the severity of the McDonnells’ potential punishment far exceeds anything other Virginia politicians have faced,” he

students who will finally enroll in the Class of 2018.“We don’t have any quotas or targets,” Roberts said. “We’re looking to enroll a diverse class, so we’re making decisions on individual applicants. We expect that class to be extremely diverse, but it will also be talented academically.” University President Teresa Sullivan reached out this year to Virginia schools in which more than 50 percent of students receive free or reduced lunches, inviting principals to recommend their best-performing students to visit the University. The University also sends representatives directly to lower-income areas as a means of recruitment, as well as partnering with Questbridge and Posse scholarship programs to provide financial aid to lower income students. In an interview in November, Sullivan described the benefits of these philanthropy efforts. “Quest and Posse are aimed at first-generation students, public schools students in inner-city areas, kids who show great potential early in life but are not in a high income area, so we see those [programs] as helping us diversify,” Sullivan said. The University boasts a holistic review process, in which all aspects of a student’s application are considered, and no student is overlooked based on empirical data such as GPA and SAT scores. “There’s not a formula or a threshold for GPA or SAT scores,” Roberts said. “We’re looking at all

the material a student submits.” Not all admission offers will be accepted by the students and the University ultimately expects to enroll approximately 3,570 students after the second round of offers are made in the spring. The University pays close attention to the yield rate of admission offers — the ratio of the number of students that enroll to the number of offers given. During the past 10 years, the University’s yield rate has dropped 13 percent overall. In-state yield has dropped 5.8 percent since 2003, with a peak of 68.4 percent in 2005. Out-of-state yield has steadily fallen 12.9 percent in the same period. The total number of completed out-of-state applications increased by nearly 5,000 between 2011 and 2013 — increasing by almost 2,000 between 2012 and 2013 alone. Completed in-state applications barely increased by 1,000 during the same three-year period. “If applications continue to increase we can make more offers, but the offer rate could stay the same or even decrease,” Dean of Admissions Gregory Roberts said. “The trend is the result of increased competition for students and a dramatic increase in applications, which has resulted in a smaller percentage of offers.” At this point, it is difficult to say whether or not admissions rates will increase in the next few years to compensate for the decreased yield, according to Roberts.

said. New Virginia General Assembly reforms have largely focused on reform of ethics laws, which include a possible limit of $250 on gifts to individuals. “I am disappointed in Gov. McDonnell for accepting gifts during his administration, but he has made efforts to return the gifts and apologize,” Minneman said. The McDonnells will both attend an arraignment hearing in Richmond Federal Court on Friday.

McDonnell is accused of accepting expensive gifts such as a Rolex watch, golf outings, vacations and gowns for his wife Maureen. Courtesy of Gage Skidmore

NEWS

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Kaine promotes new war powers legislation Batten presentation focuses on bipartisanship, clarity in future international conflict reolution

Henry Pflager Senior Writer

Students and onlookers gathered in Garrett Hall Wednesday for a foreign policy address from Sen. Tim Kaine. Kaine focused his talk on a recent bipartisan initiative proposed by Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) and himself, which, if passed, will usurp the longstanding War Powers Act of 1973. The War Powers Act allows the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of declaring war, but should Congress disapprove of the decision, he has 60 days to start the withdrawal process and 90 days to completely remove all troops from conflict. “In a number of instances, Congress never gave the President the authority

for military action,” Kaine said. “Most recently, President Obama committed U.S troops into a combat operation in Libya in 2011 as part of a NATO mission and never sought permission from Congress and was censured by the House of Representatives for doing so.” Kaine said that this lack of a political consensus violates the rights of the men and women who serve in combat. “We shouldn’t ask men and women to risk their lives on the battlefield if there’s not a political consensus that says ‘This mission is worth it,’” he said. “And if you don’t get Congress on board with respect to military action and there’s any ambiguity at all between the executive and the legislature, then you’re doing what I would think would be the most

horrible thing of all: asking those who are willing to serve, risk their lives, risk their health when the political branches of government haven’t done the work to determine whether the mission is worthwhile.” Kaine said he and McCain came together during the summer to try to figure out a resolution to the failures of the War Powers Act. “Number one … we put a very functional definition [for war],” he said. “War is the use of American troops in combat for more than seven days.” The bill would also create a “consultation committee” with members from both houses of Congress to discuss any potential upcoming uses of military force with the president, and then require all members of Congress

to vote on any war action if the

president wants to proceed.

Jenna Truong | The Cavalier Daily

Senator Tim Kaine was originally scheduled to speak at the University last semester. Tuesday he discussed a joint effort between himself and Senator John McCain to reform executive war powers.

Wexton wins Virginia state Senate seat in special election Inclement weather, campaign phone calls, recent redistricting in local areas causes widespread voter confusion Alia Sharif Senior Writer

Democratic candidate Jennifer Wexton claimed victory in a special election Tuesday for the 33rd Virginia Senate district in Northern Virginia, which was vacated in December when Attorney General Mark Herring won statewide office. Wexton defeated both Republi-

can candidate John Whitbeck and Independent candidate Joe T. May with 53 percent of the vote. Whitbeck received 38 percent of the vote, while May received less than 10 percent. Confusion about voting eligibility in Loudoun County and some parts of Fairfax county caused contention in the election — particularly voter cards predating redistricting in 2011, Loudon Registrar Judy Brown said.

“People were not familiar with what district they were in,” Brown said. “They were carrying old voter cards that indicated that they were in the 33rd district.” The candidates’ campaigns may also have contributed to the confusion. “People [not in the 33rd district] were reporting they were getting calls from the candidates encouraging them to vote,” Brown said.

Further complications arose because May has long represented the 33rd House of Delegates district, which overlaps, but does not align with the 33rd Senate district. Some voters in the house district he formerly represented believed that they could vote in the election. Snowfall also played a role in the the voter confusion. Because of unexpected weather conditions, schools throughout Loudoun County and Fairfax County were

closed, some of which were polling locations. The registrar anticipated confusion and sent out notices to remind the voters that the polling stations were still open. “We put out a press release and send out a text release [about] the snow to indicate that the polling places were open,” Brown said. “We should have specified that this only applied to voters in the 33rd district.”

The Cavalier Daily

HASHEEN U.Va. needs school-wide conversations about race Continued from page 1 I am well aware that AccessUVa funds many white students and students of other ethnicities and races, but if the University wants to at least act like it want to increase African-American enrollment, cutting monetary aid is indeed counterproductive.

Of course, some AfricanAmerican students believe that such statements and treatment will not be obstacles to their success. But as empowering as that attitude may be, we cannot simply be empowered without trying to harbor an environment that rids itself of a prestige-based culture, self-segregation and lack of transparency. I am truly

astonished and disgusted by the silence about the painted phrase — which can be referred to as “vandalism” — and the fact that the coverage of it misses so many vital points of discussion. I’m not sure what the solution is, because I believe that people need to have an open outlook on humanity to understand that “race” is a mere social construct. And if people

interact on a racial basis and not a pure, human basis, then mentalities are difficult to reverse. But if we stopped having small discussions that only draw in a certain crowd, and started doing school-wide, mandatory sessions on racial issues, then maybe it would be more effective. We must also keep in mind that if another similar action were to happen,

it is undoubtedly a reaction, a frustration, or an observation of some sort, and as individuals of a supposed “Academical Village” seeking continuous knowledge, we must always inquire about what drives such actions. Reem Ayman Hasheen is a third-year Architecture student.

SUMMIT Castleman, Turner influence University outreach programs Continued from page 1 directly and encourage them to apply,” Obama said. Although the University tours high schools across the country extensively and partners with many college access organizations, Obama was likely referring to the close interaction between the admissions department and faculty with regard to methods of attracting low-income students, Dean of Admission Gregory Roberts said. “I think what we did was use faculty research on communicating with low-income students to drive our decision-making [at the University],” Roberts said. The admissions department has been working closely with Castleman and Turner to improve outreach efforts, Roberts said. Turner has co-authored research exploring why many high-achieving and low-income students do not apply to selective colleges. “These students forgo the generous academic resources, increased financial aid, and better collegiate and career opportunities that selective schools offer,” according to the abstract. According to his personal statement, Castleman’s research examines “innovative strategies to deliver high-quality informa-

tion about the college-going process to low-income students and their families.” In Office of Admissions’ talking points for the summit, credit is explicitly given to Turner and Castleman for their input and influence. “The [outreach] campaign is based on research by U.Va. researchers Sarah Turner and Ben Castleman who found that sending students’ personalized, practical, simplified information and encouragement can substantially increase college enrollment rates among disadvantaged students,” according to the documents. “The campaign further draws on research by the admissions office which found that a substantial share of underrepresented students who express interest in U.Va. don’t wind up applying.” As a part of the University’s outreach campaign, Sullivan sent letters to Virginia principals of schools with a representation of low-income students greater than 50 percent, inviting them to Grounds in the hopes that the principals will encourage their students to apply, Roberts said. Gordon Stewart, interim associate dean for academic programs, said the University constantly re-evaluates its outreach campaign to better serve prospective students.

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“We ask ourselves what image we generate and project and ask ourselves what we can do to broaden the appeal of the University,” Stewart said. “We’re a public university, and we welcome mandates to broaden our reach.” In this year’s application cycle, there has been a 15 percent increase in first-generation applicants and a 22 percent increase in African-American applicants, Roberts said. Roberts also said it is too soon to tell how recent cuts to AccessUVa will affect these numbers. “Issues of cost may not be affecting where students choose to apply,” he said. Discussion at the summit also focused on what happens to low-income students once they apply and are admitted to selective colleges, especially in terms of advising. University advising is different than most schools in that advisors are teachingf a c u l t y, Assistant College Dean Beverly Adams said.

“In general we are one of the few schools of our size where full-time faculty do engage in advising — many big schools have an advising center that is not housed by faculty,” Adams said. Although recent surveys have indicated many undergraduates are dissatisfied with pre-major advising at the University, it is still unclear exactly what is dissatisfying and more questions need to be asked, Adams said. The current University fiveyear plan includes a total redesign of the advising program. In addition to the standard advising process, there is also a small, yet successful, transition program for low-income students called the Rainey Academic Program. Students are chosen from among AccessUVa recipients to spend the summer at the University to transition into a rigorous collegiate environment.

Following the program, the participants are all assigned to the same association dean. “[The program] brings in students, often first-generation or [low-income],” Adams said. “[They] academic advice and they take two classes in the summer, not watered down in any way. That program is really good.” A week has passed since the summit and it is too soon to tell what effect it will have long term. “The summit catalyzed many colleges and universities and organizations to commit to concrete initiatives that might have taken longer to materialize without the impetus of a Presidential summit,” Castleman said. “I am optimistic that there will be a sustained effort at the federal level to invest in policies and programs to support economically-disadvantaged students to succeed in college.”

Thursday, January 23, 2014

LEAD EDITORIAL

Conditions of possibility

opinion

The 124th managing board says goodbye to the paper

Comment of the day “If you really love the University, you will understand this is for the greater good. It is unfortunate for the Class of 2015 and perhaps the Class of 2016 that they will not be able to process around the Rotunda and down the full length of the Lawn, but if that procession is your greatest memory at UVa, then you have done something wrong. .”

“Michael” responding to Caroline Houck’s Jan. 15 article, “Will you walk the Lawn?”

Have an opinion? Write it down. Join the Opinion section. Or send a guest editorial to opinion@ cavalierdaily.com

When we were elected a year ago to The Cavalier Daily’s managing board — the five-person team that runs the paper — we found ourselves faced with two, maybe three, questions. One: As leaders of The Cavalier Daily’s literary, digital and financial operations, how could we produce the best paper imaginable, given our resources; and what could we do to give Charlottesville’s oldest newspaper a secure intellectual and financial footing for the future? Two: Was it possible, in 2013, to edit, publish and finance a student newspaper? And (perhaps) three: Was it possible for us, specifically, to do so? The first question we all expected. It was what we’d signed up for. We were brimming with ideas. Some were realized; others were not. Ideas we executed included the design of a twice-a-week newsmagazine to supplement our daily online content, the development of a daily e-newsletter, the creation of a mobile application and twice-a-week brainstorming sessions that brought together our staff.

The second question had flitted across our minds before we took office. These days, even the most established newspapers face the risk that their existence will become impossible — that the money, already dancing away, will disappear offstage entirely, and that the writers, editors, photographers, techies, business managers, and everyone else the paper relies on for survival will follow. Journalism’s hostile economic climate is well-known, but the question of possibility, for us, was about more than the money. The Cavalier Daily is a home for “student journalism.” But could students — bright, principled and curious; but also overcommitted, with shallow knowledge and negligible savvy — still “do” journalism? Could they nudge sources, look up statistics, lay out pages, pay bills? And could they do it every day? Which brought us to the brink of question three: even if student journalism was still possible, was it possible for us? We never asked this question out loud. We reserved it for the times when we had our heads in our hands at 4 a.m. in the base-

ment of Newcomb, when we found ourselves up against a story we weren’t sure we could crack, when we realized, again and again, that some of our most difficult decisions on the newspaper were not financial or pragmatic but rather ethical and highly personal. Now, nearly 140 print and online issues later — this edition, which you hold in your hands, is the 80th print edition we’ve produced in our term — the possibility of student journalism, for us and in general, seems to have held. The rhetoric of “love” in work is drilled into most Americans from a young age: “Do what you love.” But doing what you love sometimes sets you up to be exploited. If people are doing what they love, whether they’re schoolteachers, journalists or designers, why pay them? It wouldn’t be too much to say we loved our work on The Cavalier Daily. For us, salaries were never a question. We came back to the office night after night because we believed something important and unusual was happening there. We were right. It was that rare thing: the possible made real.

THE CAVALIER DAILY CAVALIER DAILY STAFF Editor-in-chief Kaz Komolafe, @kazkomolafe Managing Editor Caroline Houck, @carolinehouck Executive Editor Charlie Tyson, @charlietyson1 Operations Manager Meghan Luff, @meghanluff Chief Financial Officer Peter Simonsen, @peetabread Assistant Managing Editors Matthew Comey, @matthewcomey Andrew Elliott, @andrewc_elliott News Editors Emily Hutt, @emily_hutt Kelly Kaler, @kelly_kaler (S.A.) Joe Liss, @joemliss Sports Editors Fritz Metzinger, @fritzmetzinger Daniel Weltz, @danielweltz3 (S.A.) Zack Bartee, @zackbartee (S.A.) Michael Eilbacher, @mikeeilbacher Opinion Editors Katherine Ripley, @katherineripley Denise Taylor, @deni_tay47 (S.A.) Alex Yahanda Focus Editor Grace Hollis Life Editors Valerie Clemens, @valerietpp

Julia Horowitz, @juliakhorowitz Arts & Entertainment Editors Katie Cole, @katiepcole Conor Sheehey, @mcsheehey13 Production Editors Mary Beth Desrosiers, @duhrowsure Rebecca Lim, @rebecca_lim Sylvia Oe, @sylviaoe16 Photography Editors Dillon Harding Jenna Truong, @jennajt21 (S.A.) Marshall Bronfin, @mbronfin Graphics Editors Stephen Rowe Anne Owen Multimedia Editor Claire Wang Online Editor Peter Simonsen, @peetabread Social Media Manager Greg Lewis, @grglewis Ads Manager Kirsten Steuber Marketing Manager Anna Xie, @annameliorate (S.A.) Allison Xu Business Manager Matt Ammentorp, @chitownbeardown Financial Controller Claire Fenichel, @clairefeni

The CD

The Cavalier Daily is a financially and editorially independent news organization staffed and managed entirely by students of the University of Virginia. The opinions expressed in The Cavalier Daily are not necessarily those of the students, faculty, staff or administration of the University of Virginia. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the managing board. Cartoons and columns represent the views of the authors. The managing board of The Cavalier Daily has sole authority over and responsibility for all content. No part of The Cavalier Daily or The Cavalier Daily online edition may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the editor-in-chief. The Cavalier Daily is published Mondays and Thursdays in print and daily online at cavalierdaily.com. It is printed on at least 40 percent recycled paper. 2014 The Cavalier Daily Inc.

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OPINION

The Cavalier Daily

A worldly education The new global studies major will be useful given today’s globalized world Opinion Columnist

Last Friday, the University held a meeting to discuss a draft proposal for a nascent global studies major. The proposed major aims to idea of the major is essentially to “bring together knowledge from across disciplines,” and to help students prepare for a “world where cultures, ideas, histories, vulnerabilities, environments, and human needs are increasingly interconnected,” according to the draft proposal. Students would be required to take classes on global culture, global history and global thought, in addition to classes on “global diagnostics,” or assessing “complex global phenomena.” This proposed major should be enthusiastically supported in all corners of the University, and the University should do its best to implement the program as quickly as possible. I argue this because of the new major’s interdisciplinary nature, its focus on globalization and the opportunities it affords for travel and

exposure to different cultures. The University has increasingly tended toward interdisciplinary degree programs. The Political and Social Thought (PST) major, and the Political Philosophy, Politics and Law (PPL) major, to name two, pull together scholars from history, politics, economics, anthropology and many other departments. This affords students a more well-rounded education, in my opinion, than a

must possess knowledge of medicine and biology, but also global health trends, the economics of health and the history and culture of Africa. Facing the AIDS epidemic from the standpoint of a single discipline is insufficient; this problem, like most of the world’s entrenched problems, requires an interdisciplinary approach. Increasing the offerings of interdisciplinary programs at the University helps to prepare students to meet worldwide issues in a more effective manner. The program also recognizes that problems and opportuniAll effective 21st-century citizens will need some ties often transort of global awareness, not just those who plan scend national boundaries. careers abroad. Globalization, for better or traditional major program. It also for worse, has been a relentless demonstrates an awareness that force. Technology has increased the world’s problems are not con- the connections and relationfined to one discipline, and must ships between countries and the be approached from a variety of people living within them. Enangles. For instance, those who gaged 21st-century citizens must address Africa’s AIDS problem be prepared to confront a world

“

John Connolly

outside their own countries. The most important issues of the 21st century are not confined to a single country, and increased global awareness will help those who seek to solve problems of energy security, population explosion, food and water supply and many others on a transnational scale. The proposed global studies program, with its emphasis on the world as a interconnected place, has the potential to prepare students to become true citizens of the globe. Perhaps most importantly, the global studies major has the potential to impact all students at the University, not just those in the major program. All effective 21st-century citizens will need some sort of global awareness, not just those who plan careers abroad. An architect, for example, might find himself working with foreign design companies. Nurses will, I am sure, find themselves dealing with a higher percentage of foreign patients, as borders break down and global migration increases. Even if students outside of the major are restricted from taking the major’s core

seminar courses, they still could use other facets of its curriculum as a guide towards enrolling in a variety of global history, culture and economics classes. And as the program expands, it might increase its course offerings at the University, or offer additional, supplementary learning experiences both on Grounds and abroad of which eager students might take advantage. Those who care deeply about the educational offerings of this University should enthusiastically support the proposed global studies major. It has the means to graduate more multifaceted citizens, is innovative in its interdisciplinary approach, and has the potential to increase educational opportunities for all students on Grounds. The University will surely need to fine-tune some of the minute details of the program, but the proposed framework represents a potential academic boon. John Connolly is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. His columns run Thursdays.

A dream deferred We should remember Martin Luther King Jr. for his views on not just racial inequality but also economic inequality Opinion Columnist

We are all familiar with Martin Luther King Jr.’s status as a national hero. With a federal holiday commemorating his birthday and celebrations each year praising his vision, King is as much a secular saint as any in our nation’s history. For many, he is inseparable from his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech, in which he dramatically calls for an end to racism in the United States. Simple and unthreatening, the phrase “I have a dream” has come to represent King’s thoroughly uncontroversial public legacy: the inspirational African American who peacefully led the charge against the evils of racism. This month, the University will hold its third annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. Bestselling author, scholar and cultural critic Michael Eric Dyson will give a keynote address entitled “Dr. King in the 21st Century.” Dyson is the author of the 2000 book “I May Not Get There Without You: The True Martin Luther King, Jr.,” which discusses King’s radical views on economic policy. The

title of this year’s address suggests we can expect a more controversial (and politically relevant) discussion of MLK’s legacy — and this perspective stands in sharp contrast to the public’s simplified and sanitized King. The MLK who famously spoke to 250,000 people on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial also held strong convictions about American economic policy. Out of his concern for racial injustice grew a preoccupation with the roots of poverty and unemployment. An unsparing critic of the Vietnam War and American capitalism, King saw a need for a “radical redistribution of economic power.” He advocated a number of progressive and socialist causes, including a guaranteed income and universal health care. We cannot forget that the full name of MLK’s famous 1963 March on Washington was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. King’s opinions prompted William Sullivan, head of the FBI’s domestic intelligence division in 1963, to name him “the most dangerous Negro in the future of this Nation from the standpoint of communism” (for the record,

King advocated a “higher syn- tin Luther King Jr.’s — the intethesis” that “combines the truths grationist of 1963 and the radical of both” capitalism and commu- democratic socialist of 1968 — we nism). In the months before his challenge ourselves to recognize 1968 assassination, King shifted the extent to which our national his focus to decidedly democratic socialist causes, organizing a massive Poor People’s Campaign to pressure the gov- By rejoining these two Martin Luther King Jr.’s — the ernment into ecointegrationist of 1963 and the radical democratic nomic reforms beyond those of socialist of 1968 — we challenge ourselves to Johnson’s War on recognize the extent to which our national hero’s Poverty. famous “dream” remains unfulfilled.” Dyson points out that MLK’s current public image is misleading and inaccurate. hero’s famous “dream” remains “In the last thirty years we have unfulfilled. Adopting the “real” trapped King in romantic images legacy of MLK forces us to make or frozen his legacy in worship,” he connections that he saw 50 years writes. With King’s intellectual and ago. King, as usual, says it best: moral brilliance so widely recog- “questioning the whole society … nized, Americans should critique means ultimately coming to see and apply his thought — economic the problems of racism, the probas well as racial — even if it takes lem of economic exploitation, and us to uncomfortable conclusions. the problem of war are all tied toInstead, we hold him up as a (often gether. These are triple evils that self-congratulatory) reminder of are interrelated.” how much we’ve improved. Perhaps most representative of By rejoining these two Mar- King’s convictions on the interre-

“

George Knaysi

latedness of racial and economic injustice is his Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s demand for an “economic and social bill of rights” which includes rights for a job, a decent house and an adequate education. The letter proclaims that “[i]t cannot take two more centuries for it to occur to this country that there is no real right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for people condemned by the accident of their birth to an existence of hereditary economic and social misery.” Unfortunately, to adopt a realistic view of Martin Luther King Jr.’s political philosophy would likely demote him from sainthood in many Americans’ eyes. But it’s safe to say that King would prefer that. If Dyson’s prior work is any indication of his keynote address this Thursday, he will attempt to convey a more complex, politically relevant MLK. But if King’s radical legacy is to affect political influence, it must spread beyond the academic sphere. George Knaysi is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. His columns run Tuesdays.

OPINION

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Pre-kindergarten or pre-president? Gov. Cuomo’s refusal to support Mayor Bill de Blasio’s tax propsal indicates his selfish motivations Opinion Columnist

Bill de Blasio, the newly inaugurated mayor of New York City, has made creating a universal prekindergarten system one of his top priorities. His program will be contingent on raising income taxes for the most affluent New Yorkers — those who make more than $500,000 a year. His main roadblock to implementing this tax program — and therefore universal pre-K — is the disapproval of current New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Gov. Cuomo, who is more fiscally conservative than de Blasio despite being a fellow Democrat, has promised to lower taxes across the state; because of a projected surplus in the state budget, he recently announced a plan that gives $2 billion in tax relief to New Yorkers. It is very unlikely that Cuomo will grant de Blasio the legislative approval he needs to implement his NYC-specific tax hike.

Cuomo supports the idea of uni- universal pre-K is practically unsusversal pre-K not just for NYC, but tainable without raising taxes. Since for the whole state of New York; Cuomo didn’t mention the cost of however, he doesn’t support de Bla- this new program or really address sio’s tax plan and claims the money how it would be funded given his for pre-K will be found somewhere proposed tax cut, it’s hard to take in the existing state budget. De his support seriously. If anything, Blasio has mentioned that carving Cuomo is just appeasing the base of money out of the budget for education also means that that money can be reallocated by leg- New Yorkers did not elect Cuomo in order to supply islators later him with a stepping stone toward higher office. on, whereas once de BlaThey elected him to serve their interests, and one sio’s proposed way he can do so is by enhancing early childhood tax is in place, education programs. it would not, like the budget, be contested each year, making the Democratic Party. Cuomo faces universal pre-K a somewhat more reelection this year, so he needs to protected program. maintain support from within the This alone shows that Cuomo’s party, as well as support from modsupport is theoretical at best. Given erate-to-right upstaters. So he can’t Cuomo’s expertise as a politician, reject a progressive plan like unihe should know that a program like versal pre-K, but he also can’t veer

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Dani Bernstein

too far left by increasing spending. But more importantly, it is widely speculated that Cuomo has ambitions for the presidency — perhaps not as soon as 2016, but eventually — and he can’t come off as an overly progressive New York liberal in a national election. Tax cuts are generally more popular than tax hikes, so Cuomo’s new tax cut could serve him well in a national campaign. Politicians sometimes work not in the best interests of their current constituents but in the best interest of their next campaign, and that seems to be what Cuomo is doing. He’s sacrificing a good and reasonable agenda purely for the sake of politics. The tax hike de Blasio is proposing is specific to New York City’s wealthiest residents and would have no effect on New Yorkers who can’t afford to have their taxes raised or on noncity residents. The only consequence of this tax — besides perhaps some grumbling from the one-percenters — would be a universal pre-K system for city residents, something that, as Cuomo himself has noted,

would be extremely beneficial to children of the city. But, ever aware of how raising taxes negatively affects electability, Cuomo would prefer to serve himself rather than his state, which is grossly unfair to his electorate. New Yorkers did not elect Cuomo in order to supply him with a stepping stone toward higher office. They elected him to serve their interests, and one way he can do so is by enhancing early childhood education programs. The benefits of the tax hike are obvious and there are no significant drawbacks for the citizens of New York City — just potentially for Cuomo’s future election plans. But Gov. Cuomo’s job-title is not yet president of the United States, it’s governor of the state of New York. His work should reflect this title, not his own ambitions. Dani Bernstein is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. Her columns run Tuesdays.

Providing for the future Social Security should be reformed to minimize wasted government funds Opinion Columnist

Americans’ perceptions of where tax dollars are spent are notoriously wrong-headed. According to a 2011 CBS/New York Times poll, only 9 percent of Americans can correctly ascertain that the federal government devotes less than 5 percent of the budget to foreign aid (the actual figure is 0.6 percent). Most wildly overestimate the amount. Twentyone percent of Americans could identify the range of welfare spending within 10 percentage points — and only a quarter could do so with Social Security funding. These misperceptions are significant. Although the vast majority of Americans claim to support spending cuts to reduce the budget deficit, only 38 percent can name a program they would be willing to cut. The “bloated government” theory holds great sway over the voting public. Just where this bloat occurs is less clear. If we wanted to start the process of cutting back on government spending, where should we look? How about the largest program on the books: Social Security. At 22 percent of federal spending, Franklin Roosevelt’s signature program consumes more tax dollars than any other program, including defense, welfare and health care spending. It is thus reasonable to

direct our criticism at our national pension scheme. But the program’s size alone is not a sufficient reason to start making cuts. Perhaps Social Security deserves every dollar it gets. Then again, perhaps not. The program is based on shaky theoretical grounds. For the past 70 years, it has been accepted that the state has a legitimate interest in requiring working Americans to pay their entire lives for the benefits of retirees (through the payroll tax), whether they support Social Security or not, in order to receive their fair share by the time they reach their late sixties. But it is not at all self-evident that mandatory, subsidized income from the government is an integral feature of the modern state. Yes, saving for retirement is good. But at a certain point we must question whether the self-sufficient citizen the Founding Fathers had in mind is compatible with a policy that assumes semi-dependence on the government as its default position. Government bureaucracy is no replacement for prudence and common sense. Certainly, some seniors need financial assistance. But Social Security, in its current form, is not need-based. Indeed, it’s more an expression of an underlying political philosophy — one that would prefer to take choices out of citizens’ hands in order to minimize poor decision-

making — than a pension program. product of longer life spans), it beThe logic behind the eight-year-old comes more and more of a burden initiative demonstrates a funda- on the rest of the country to support mental mistrust in the ability of its (beloved) senior citizens. EvenAmericans to responsibly save for tually, the burden becomes unbeartheir retirements, as well as an unable. All reserves will be dried up, founded fear that careless seniors and Social Security will be unable to will grievously hamper the econo- meet its obligations. my if they haven’t saved enough. The Depressioninduced panic that inspired Social Security is understandable, but it’s high time to The Depression-induced panic that inspired Social replace RooseveltSecurity is understandable, but it’s high time to era ideologies replace Roosevelt-era ideologies with ones more with ones more suited to our po- suited to our political tradition of individualism and litical tradition of responsibility. individualism and responsibility. In the end, however, it does not matter what There are generally two ways to theoretical justifications Social Se- approach this problem. One way curity may or may not have. The is to raise taxes to continue to pay reality is inescapable: according to benefits at the current rate. Another current estimates, by 2037 the pro- is to start cutting back on benefits gram will become insolvent, unable or reform the program entirely. to pay for the benefits of retirees. The second option shows more The reason is simple. Social Security promise. It is rarely wise policy to is a pyramid scheme. The money increase the tax burden on workcollected from the working popula- ing individuals in order to shuffle tion’s payroll taxes is not invested or cash to another segment of the grown in any way — it goes directly population, especially one that may into the pockets of current retirees. have private retirement accounts As the ratio of working population of their own. And we should insist to retired population decreases (a and expect that individuals shoul-

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Russell Bogue

der the responsibility of saving for their retirement. As unpalatable as it may seem, we should accept the freedom of citizens to choose how and when to spend their money. Finally, full or partial privatization of Social Security, should we feel compelled to keep some form of the program, would involve investment rather than simple transfers of wealth, in turn generating more economic growth and growing the pot of available benefits. It is beyond the scope of a single article to fully explore all the alternatives to the current form of Social Security. All I can reasonably hope to accomplish is to point out the unsound theoretical justifications for the program and the urgent need for reform. Proposals to raise the retirement age — or otherwise slightly reduce the current burden — are merely temporary fixes that fail to address the root issue: massive transfer schemes are inefficient and inexcusable wastes of government resources. The nearly $800 billion that our government spends on Social Security is better spent on infrastructure, education or even other — more targeted — welfare programs. Russell Bogue is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. His columns run Thursdays.

OPINION

The Cavalier Daily

The Comstock lode Barbara Comstock is the ideal candidate to represent Virginia’s 10th congressional district Opinion Columnist

Virginia Republican Barbara Comstock is currently a state delegate, but there may be a Congressional seat in her future. Comstock announced her candidacy last Tuesday for Virginia’s 10th congressional district seat, one currently held by Rep. Frank Wolf, a Republican. Comstock’s opponents include Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust and attorney Richard Bolger on the Democratic side, and Tareq Salahi, famous for crashing a White House state dinner with his wife in 2009 while filming for “The Real Housewives of D.C.,” on the Republican side. A female candidate is an anomaly in the 10th district, which has only had male representatives. And while these are three powerful men with some impressive achievements, two of which are lawyers and one of which is well known for his stint on a Bravo television show, it is important to recognize how qualified Comstock is, in addition to being a female and a

mother of three. Many see female leadership, in terms of advocating for female rights, as solely a Democratic platform. However, Comstock is the exception of that misconception. Her “common-sense conservatism” goes well with her advocacy for legislation that improves things such as birth control availability and the rights of those who suffer from human trafficking. Republicans are often seen as backwards in terms of women’s rights, yet Comstock is not blindly following a Republican platform, and instead is allowing her gender to help form her stance. Comstock has worked to get women’s birth control to be sold over-the-counter, without a prescription. This is not a common Republican position, but Comstock realizes the importance of over-the-counter oral contraceptives. Some worry this will make women less likely to go to the doctor for checkups, if the pills are no longer prescription only. But that is not a likely consequence, because it is wellknown that these pills do not protect against STDs and STIs

like condoms do. If these women gressive stance and is a biparticare enough about themselves to san solution that could end the take a birth control pill and pro- debate over birth control. actively work to avoid unwanted Comstock’s progressiveness conception, then there is a good does not end there, though. She chance they care enough about also has worked with the probthemselves to go for an annual lem of human trafficking and is checkup to make sure they are not afraid to face difficult issues not dealing with sex related health problems or any other female health issue. Oral contraceptives are the A female candidate is an anomaly in the 10th easiest and most district, which has only had male representatives. successful form of birth control. Currently, 43 million American women are at such as this one. risk of unintended pregnancy. She has supported legislation For many, raising a child is not fi- that makes the abduction of a nancially possible if a pregnancy minor intended to be used in in unintended and unprepared child pornography or prostitufor. An abortion, on the the Re- tion a Class 2 felony. She also has publican platform, is ,undesired, supported laws that require the so it makes sense to at least al- Department of Social Services to low oral contraceptives to be sold develop a plan to help victims of over-the-counter to women who human trafficking, such as assistmay not be able to get to the doc- ing victims of human trafficking tor or who may not have health with applying for benefits and insurance. Making birth control services to which they may be enpills over-the-counter is a pro- titled. In addition she has worked

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Meredith Berger

to make the soliciting a minor younger than 16 years of age a Class 5 Felony and any person who solicits prostitution from a minor 16 years of age or older is guilty of a Class 6 felony. She has addressed the serious problem of human trafficking, and the growth of gang-operated prostitution rings in Virginia, and has brought to light a very relevant, but underacknowledged issue. With her work improving Virginia’s economy, protecting women’s rights and helping victims of human trafficking Barbara Comstock has proved herself to be progressive and a strong female leader. Her gender should not be a handicap in this race, but rather — is one of her best qualities, as it gives her a unique and different perspective from past leaders of the district. Hopefully voters are able to see her as the qualified candidate she is and make her the first female representative Virginia’s 10th district has ever had.

Meredith Berger is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily.

The Cavalier Daily

Point proven

sports

Freshman Perrantes plays like veteran, proves able replacement for Evans Zack Bartee

Senior Associate Editor

Kelsey Grant| The Cavalier Daily

Freshman point guard London Perrantes dished out eight of his career-high nine assists Monday in the first half of Virginia’s 76-61 win against North Carolina.

Top-ranked Virginia begins title defense

One of the biggest questions lingering throughout the Virginia men’s basketball team’s offseason was who would fill the void at point guard left by now-graduated Jontel “Bub” Evans. Evans was a fixture in the Cavaliers’ backcourt dating back to the 2009-2010 season, playing in 120 of his team’s 129 games during his four years at Virginia and starting 92. He appeared in every game during his first three years on the team, before missing the beginning of his senior season to heal a stress fracture in his right foot. Just two days after Evans returned to John Paul Jones Arena to watch his former team take on Florida State, Evans’ heir apparent had his coming-out party. Freshman point guard London Perrantes, making his 15th start of the season, facilitated an offensive onslaught against North Carolina. He dished out a careerbest nine assists — eight in the first half alone — while turning the ball over just once. Perrantes also recorded eight points, shooting a perfect 2-of-2 from long range, and nabbed two steals in the 76-61 win. “It’s nothing new,” Perrantes said. “I knew I could do stuff like this — I don’t think other people

did.” Though many people may have been caught off-guard by Perrantes’ breakout performance — one reporter asked the freshman where he played college basketball before Virginia — Perrantes’ confidence has never wavered. His “Cali Swag,” as his teammates refer to it, particularly during conference play, is what they believe makes him so effective. “A lot of people say, a freshman coming into the ACC, you can get bug-eyed a little bit,” senior forward Akil Mitchell said. “But that’s just who he is. He’s very steady, very even-keeled and we expect him to do that every night. I saw it when he came, when he visited. You meet somebody, and I knew he was a point guard.” It’s almost as if Evans never left the court at all. “He’s similar to Jontel in that aspect because Jontel always kept his calm,” sophomore guard Justin Anderson said. “A lot of people looked at, maybe Jontel wasn’t able to shoot the ball as well, things like that, but people don’t realize how calm Jontel had us out there … London is a younger version of that, and if you get that at that young an age, the sky's the limit for him.” Without a true veteran point guard on the roster to learn from, it may surprise some that Perrantes has been able to adapt

so quickly to the rigors of ACC basketball. And while he credits fellow guards such as redshirt sophomore Malcolm Brogdon, sophomore Teven Jones and freshman Devon Hall with pushing him in practice, Perrantes points to someone else as his primary mentor. “Coach [Tony] Bennett,” Perrantes said. “That’s one of the reasons why I came here, because he played point guard at the highest level. He’s always in the back of my head. He expects a lot from me because he played this position, but he’s definitely a huge mentor for me.” Like his predecessor Evans, who ranked second last year in the ACC with 5.3 assists per game during league play and fifth with a 2.0 assist-turnover ratio, Perrantes has proven he is highly efficient handling the ball. Averaging 3.7 assists per game for the season, Perrantes has elevated his play during ACC play, upping his average to 4.8 dimes per contest during Virginia’s last six games. Perhaps even more indicative of his early success, Perrantes ranks third in the ACC with a 4.1 assist-turnover ratio during conference play. And just like Evans, who was a two-time All-ACC Defensive

see BASKETBALL, page 163 Senior captain Alex Domijan seeks to lead the No. 1 Cavaliers to their fourth consecutive NCAA Championship match.

2013 NCAA Champions open spring season Friday, host ITA Kickoff Weekend at Boar’s Head Sports Club Peter Nance

Senior Associate Writer

The No. 1 Virginia men’s tennis team begins the defense of its 2013 NCAA Championship this weekend as it hosts the first four matches of its season, all at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. Up first is a Friday bout with Elon, followed by a Saturday match with either Indiana or Samford as part of the ITA Kickoff Weekend, which leads up to the ITA Indoor Championships. Virginia then faces Boston College and Navy Sunday in a pair of regular season matches.

“It’s going to be a tough weekend,” junior Mitchell Frank said. “It’s not like competing in individual tournaments. It’s definitely going to be a different feel, and I think the guys are excited to get going, but we’ll definitely be tested right off the bat.” The Cavaliers have made the ITA Indoor Championships their second home in recent years, winning five out of the last six titles, including last year when they defeated USC 4-2 in Seattle. The lone exception came in 2012,

see TENNIS, page 163

Jenna Truong | The Cavalier Daily

SPORTS

The Cavalier Daily

Cavaliers host final meeting against ACC rival Lady Terps Women’s basketball plays fourth-consecutive ranked team tonight, looks to stay hot after upsetting No. 17 Florida State Sunday, 85-68 Kristen Cauley Senior Writer

Jenna Truong | The Cavalier Daily

Sophomore guard Faith Randolph leads the team with 12.9 points per game despite coming off the bench for the Cavaliers. Randolph scored a careerhigh 26 points Sunday, leading her team to an 85-68 upset win against No. 17 Florida State.

After blasting No. 17 Florida State 85-68 Sunday, the Virginia women’s basketball team hosts No. 6 Maryland Thursday night looking for an upset. The game will be Virginia’s fourth in a row against a ranked opponent. The Terrapins (16-1, 4-0 ACC) are on a 14-game win streak, with a 1-1 record against ranked opponents — No. 1 Coannecticut served Maryland its only loss Nov. 15. Though the Cavaliers (9-9, 2-3 ACC) were 0-2 against Maryland last year, they have competed well this season against tough teams such as No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 11 Tennessee and Florida State. To defeat Maryland, Virginia must find a way to shut down a Terrapin offense that nationally ranks seventh in scoring and is very similar to that of No. 3 Duke, who clobbered the Cavaliers 9055 Thursday. Coach Joanne Boyle hopes the loss to the Blue Devils proves valuable in Virginia’s preparation for the Terrapins. “As a coaching staff we’re going to learn from the Duke game,” Boyle said. “[Maryland is] big in the paint, so they’re similar to Duke in terms of size inside.” The Terrapins boast senior forward Alyssa Thomas, a Preseason AP All-American and ACC Player of the Year. In 16 games, Thomas has 14 double-doubles and two triple-doubles. Thomas’ averages of 17.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game place her seventh and

second in the ACC, respectively. “They’re big,” Boyle said. “They’ve got a lot of All-Americans. [But] you’re always going to be in a game if you give your best effort.” Although she typically plays off the bench, sophomore guard Faith Randolph has played an important role in the Cavaliers’ success, leading the team in scoring with an average 12.9 points per game. “That sixth man is your most important player on the team,” redshirt senior guard Lexie Gerson said. “Faith has been doing an unbelievable job coming off the bench and being that spark.” For a team shooting an ACCworst 38.2 percent from the field, Randolph provides a vital offensive spark as a reserve. “When I go in, I just try to feel the flow,” Randolph said. “It’s sometimes hard coming off the bench because you don’t know how the game is going when you’re actually in it. I just try to be patient when I’m on offense, and when I see looks, I just take it.” This game marks the last regular-season meeting between Virginia and Maryland before the Terrapins move to the Big Ten next season. Although the longstanding ACC rivalry will come to an end, the Cavaliers claim they are not approaching this matchup any differently than they otherwise would. “It’s pretty much [an] ACC opponent,” Boyle said. “One time at them, and we’ll take our best shot.” Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Changing the subject Have you heard of Richard more time outlining the Sherman Sherman, the selfcontroversy — for that proclaimed best you can look to Fritz corner in the league? Metzinger’s excellent Of course you “Three Angry Men” or have. His interview to your social media after sealing the outlet of choice, where Seattle Seahawks’ NFC you and your friends Championship win can happily tear each and Super Bowl berth other to shreds over is about all anyone is the issue. But for those talking about these of you who may have days. Sherman is a said, “Great play. Bad KERRY MITCHELL polarizing figure, interview,” and then SPORTS COLUMNIST to say the least. To moved on from the one side, he is an whole spectacle, I overconfident, self-absorbed empathize. Thus, I present to you disgrace to the game. To the a bunch of other interesting and other side, he is a hardworking, non-Sherman related sports news misunderstood, rags-to-riches to arm yourselves for the next two hero who was provoked by a worse weeks. Happy distracting! offender and simply caught in the First, the Virginia basketball heat of the moment. team neatly dismantled North To everyone else he is … a Carolina on Monday — let’s football player. relive that one again, please. The I’m not going to spend any Cavaliers seem to be hitting their

stride in conference play, now 5-1 against ACC opponents, and will host hapless instate rival Virginia Tech this weekend. By all logic, the game should be a drubbing, but if that’s not enough to entice you, Saturday’s halftime show features the most exciting event in all of toddler sports: the Diaper Derby! In case you’re suffering from baseball withdrawal, there’s always the latest in A-Rod drama to distract you. The much-reviled third baseman is suing the players’ union and Major League Baseball itself to overturn his 2014 suspension, but should he return to the MLB he’ll have a whole different enemy to face, as other players apparently want him kicked out of the union. That’s not actually allowed, so instead they’ll have to settle for a little chin music to lay down the law. In warmer climates, the 2014 Australian Open draws to a close

after a fortnight of surprises. No. 5 Agnieszka Radwanska toppled two-time defending champ and No. 2 Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals, and will face No. 20 Dominika Cibulkova, who downed No. 3 Maria Sharapova. Fourteenth-seeded Ana Ivanovic eliminated No. 1 seed Serena Williams in the Round of 16 this past weekend. On the men’s side, No. 8 Stanislas Wawrinka ousted three-time defending champ No. 2 Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller en route to the semifinals, topping off a whirlwind of upsets that should suffice for an interesting conversation. At the very least, you can amuse yourself by trying to say “Agnieszka Radwanska” 10 times fast. Here’s the best diversion yet. The Jamaican bobsled team, thanks to a million Internet users with a love of the underdog in their hearts and probably too much

money in their pockets, will head to Sochi for the Winter Olympics! Really, you don’t need to know much about bobsledding to root for this story, and it seems unlikely that anyone will ever argue it. Ever heard of anyone who hated “Cool Runnings?” Didn’t think so. And as hard as it may be to believe, there are still other football players we can talk about. Notably, Peyton Manning, one of the best quarterbacks of all time, is closing in on one of the best seasons of all time, and he’ll be matched up against read-option master and sophomore standout Russell Wilson. Plus, the teams backing each man are powerhouses in their own right. Throw in some frigid New Jersey weather and a few bizarre Old Spice commercials, and Super Bowl XLVIII should provide plenty of conversation beyond Sherman’s post-game antics.

SPORTS

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Swimming heads to Duke, North Carolina No. 7 women, No. 18 men prepare for legendary Tar Heel rivalry meet Chanhong Luu Senior Writer

The Virginia swimming and diving teams continue their seasons on the road this weekend against ACC opponents Duke and North Carolina. The Cavaliers were impressive last weekend in Christiansburg, Va., capturing five of the six dual-meets. The No. 7 Virginia women’s team improved to 7-1 with wins against Miami, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin, while the No. 18 Virginia men’s team defeated No. 24 Harvard and Wisconsin but lost to Virginia Tech, bringing their record to 4-3 on the season. “We unfortunately lost [to Virginia Tech], and we know that it was the first time in a while since they had beaten us,” junior David Ingraham said. “It certainly was a wake up call to lose to them. But I think we saw more positives in that meet than negatives.” The Cavaliers will travel to both Duke and North Carolina to compete this weekend, and although it is unusual to swim at two different pools during one road trip, coach Augie Busch is not worried about any issues of

Courtesy Virginia Athletics

Junior David Ingraham won the 400-yard IM last Saturday in Christiansburg, Va. The No. 18 Cavalier men defeated No. 24 Harvard and Wisconsin, but fell to Virginia Tech, 217-153.

fatigue. “It’s going to be a pretty easy trip up and back in both directions,” Busch said. This is also the first time in recent memory that the men’s and women’s teams will combine for a united score in the North Carolina meet. “It’s always been separate meets, the male and the female,” Busch said. “That will make it easier logistically too.” The Cavaliers battle Duke first, a team that was not impressive in its last away meet two weekends ago against South Carolina. In Columbia, the Blue Devils lost both the men’s and women’s competitions. “They have gotten a lot better over the past few years, but they serve as kind of a nice mental prep and rehearsal for the big day on Saturday,” Ingraham said. That “big day on Saturday”

is in Chapel Hill against North Carolina, historically Virginia’s fiercest swimming rival. Virginia’s men’s and women’s teams have each claimed the last six ACC championships, with the men claiming a staggering 14 of the last 15 — but since the ACC Championship meet began, North Carolina men and women have combined to finish in the top three 59 out of 60 times. “It goes without being said, but this is a legendary rivalry,” Ingraham said. “We lacked passion when we swam in Christiansburg last week, but that will not be lacking this weekend ... because we’re cognizant of it and ... because it’s North Carolina, and the passion is always there. We’ll be riled up and hopefully revenge the loss to them two years ago in Chapel Hill.” The Tar Heels swept their last matchup two weeks ago against

Navy. The No. 9 North Carolina women (7-1) won all 16 of their events, while the No.14 North Carolina men (4-2) had the top times or scores in 12 of their 16 events. The most intriguing match of this weekend will be between Virginia freshman Leah Smith and North Carolina senior Stephanie Peacock in the distance freestyle events. Smith, who specializes in the distance freestyle, was named ACC Female Swimmer of the Week after her performance last week. She won three individual events – the 1,650-yard, 200-yard and the 500-yard freestyle – and swam the first leg of Virginia’s victorious 800 freestyle relay. Peacock continues to show that she is one of the best distance freestylers in the nation. In North Carolina’s last meet against Navy, she won both the 200-yard and

500-yard freestyle. Both swimmers’ times are neck and neck in the 500 free, with Smith having posted a mark 0.11 seconds faster. “They have the best distance swimmer in the country on their women’s team [in] Stephanie Peacock,” Busch said. “So with Leah, who knows? That will be a great challenge.” On the diving side of the pool, junior JB Kolod will lead Virginia against Duke senior Nick McCrory and North Carolina freshman Jack Nyquist. Kolod won the 3-meter diving event and placed second in the 1-meter diving event at Virginia Tech. Both McCrory and Nyquist swept their respective diving events in their last competition. The Cavaliers start competition against the Blue Devils 5 p.m. Friday and will compete against the Tar Heels 12 p.m. Saturday.

Virginia football releases 2014 schedule, will face 10 2013 bowl teams In approximately 10 months, eager consumers around the nation will swarm retail stores on “Black Friday” to gobble up favorable discounts. The Virginia football team, on the other hand, will be shopping for something unavailable on the shelves of Wal-Mart: a Commonwealth Cup. For the first time since 1996, the Cavaliers will play Virginia Tech the day after Thanksgiving next season. Per Wednesday’s release of the full 2014 football schedule, Virginia will need to weather a daunting slate of opponents to enter that game with a respectable record. The Cavaliers will face a whopping 10 opponents this fall who

earned bowl berths in 2013, including a road tilt against defending national champion Florida State and home dates with UCLA and ACC newcomer Louisville. A year after playing a record eight home games, Virginia will play only seven this fall. A season-opening three-game homestand begins against UCLA Aug. 30. Led by ballyhooed quarterback Brent Hundley, the Bruins — who dismantled Virginia Tech 42-12 in December’s Sun Bowl — are expected to compete for Pac-12 and national championship honors in 2013. Virginia will visit UCLA in 2015 as part of the schools’ homeand-home agreement. After hosting Richmond — the

school Cavaliers coach Mike London led to an FCS national championship in 2008 — on Sept. 6, Virginia will play new conference foe Louisville for just the third time ever and the first time in 25 years. The Cardinals have sported a 23-3 record the past two seasons and won the 2013 Sugar Bowl with now-departed head coach Charlie Strong and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. The grueling starting stretch continues for the Cavaliers with a Sept. 20 trip to Provo, Utah, to face Brigham Young. Virginia edged the Cougars 19-16 in 2013’s season opener, the team’s lone win against an FBS opponent. Kent State, a team the Cava-

liers have never played, visits Scott Stadium the next weekend, before Pittsburgh invades Charlottesville for the first time as an ACC rival Oct. 4. Following the Oct. 11 bye week, Virginia travels to battle its recent bugaboo, Duke. Fresh off an ACC Championship game appearance and a 10-win season, the Blue Devils will aim to knot the all-time series with the Cavaliers at 33 with their fifth win in six tries. Virginia hosts North Carolina, whom it has yet to defeat under Mike London, Oct. 25. Next, a road clash with Georgia Tech awaits Nov. 1. The Cavaliers will then visit a Florida State team who is widely

expected to begin 2014 ranked No. 1 and returns reigning Heisman Trophy winner quarterback Jameis Winston. Although the Seminoles have dominated the all-time series 14-3, Virginia did snatch a thrilling 14-13 victory at Doak Campbell Stadium in 2011. Following their final home game of the season against Miami Nov. 22, the Cavaliers will conclude the season at Lane Stadium, yearning for their first victory in the rivalry with Virginia Tech since 2003. Virginia endured one of its worst seasons in program history in 2013, finishing 2-10 and failing to win a single game in ACC play. —compiled by Fritz Metzinger

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BY THOMAS LYNCH

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, January 23, 2014

Crossword ACROSS 1 Cool dude 4 Woo 11 A train? 14 Times column: Abbr. 15 Canceled 16 Falstaff’s quaff 17 Org. that usually meets in the evening 18 Living room fixture since the ’50s 19 Born 20 Food wrap 22 Light for Aladdin 24 Asks in public, say 27 Flight simulator 29 Makeup of les Caraïbes 30 Extreme 32 A pride of lions? 33 Great finish? 34 Chicken for dinner

35 Founded: Abbr.

67 Taking care of business 68 Kind of wave 69 Send 70 Sold (for) 71 Brine 72 Bulldozed 73 Wakeboard relative

36 Incompatible 44 Cow, perhaps 46 Together 49 Sch. with a campus in Providence 51 Shrinking 52 Soother of an aching joint 53 Computer key 54 It may come in loose-leaf form 55 Poetic paean 56 Alfred Hitchcock title 57 Env. contents 58 Quarter or half 60 “L’chaim,” literally 62 1960s British P.M. ___ Douglas-Home 63 Either the top or bottom half of this puzzle, figuratively speaking

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE B U B B A A R O A W A R D E P B S A A H S S H A P A W A D I S M E M T A P A R E A L I G L A N A A G E D

A W N A D O F E P E S I R E S E Y W I E E R L L A A L S S H T I I R P E

A N D E T T U T T H E S T N H A D S O C A P E P U S E B Y T H W O R E X E R A T S B U S G A S H E N T H E D A E A G T S R E

B O A T E L

O R T E G A

N E E S O N

D R E S S A G E

S O X R E T S R K I E D Y

DOWN 1 ___ America 2 It gives Congress the power to declare war 3 Séance phenomena 4 Jumps back 5 Tic-tac-toe loser 6 Blanc who voiced Bugs Bunny 7 Foofaraw 8 King Harald’s land: Abbr. 9 Director’s cry 10 Cry at an unveiling 11 Fruit or nuts 12 Fourth pope 13 Crimson 21 “All That Jazz” director 23 Treated, in a way, as a lawn 25 Big band member 26 Camera type, briefly 27 Numero di R’s in “arrivederci” 28 ___ avis 31 Lightly scented perfume

Edited by Will Shortz 1

34 37

No. 1219

32 35

43 50

53 56

57 60

67 70

PUZZLE BY GEORGE BARANY AND MICHAEL SHTEYMAN

36 Final maneuver

43 Opera texts

37 Seattle Center Coliseum, since 1995

45 Cyclist’s stunt

38 Rebel yell 39 London gallery 40 Razzes 41 Rio ___ (Amazon feeder) 42 Silhouettes

47 Wee one 48 Two- or fourseater, maybe

61 Ideal condition in which to ford a stream 64 Yellowhammer State: Abbr.

50 Snitch

65 Longtime Red Sox nickname

59 Restaurant freebie

66 Somme summer

For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information. Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

BY EMILIO ESTEBAN

Thursday, January 23, 2014

A&E A stunning ‘spectrum’

Courtesy winlights.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

University theater group anticipates increasing prominence, appeal

Jamie Shalvey Associate Editor

As University students, many of us are familiar with the annual performances of “The Vagina Monologues” and “Voices of the Class.” But Spectrum Theater, the organization that puts on these shows, is less well-known. Spectrum has broken from its traditionally minimal schedule this semester though, with a full spring set of productions in the works — starting with a performance of “The Arabian Nights.” The group’s last full-scale production, Avenue Q in the spring of 2012, drew in large crowds, said Spectrum Artistic Director Stephanie LeBolt, a fourth-year College student. But even though the show

was popular, people didn’t connect the success with Spectrum specifically. “The show was really successful,” LeBolt said. “But, everyone knew Avenue Q and they didn’t necessarily know who or where it came from.” Another problem with Spectrum’s success had to do with membership. “In the past, people had done a show with Spectrum, but they didn’t consider themselves to be a member of Spectrum,” LeBolt said. “We want people to feel like they’re part of a community, it just takes a while to build that sort of thing.” LeBolt and Spectrum Executive Producer Lauren Lukow, also a fourth-year College student, were the primary people involved with the organization last semes-

ter. This semester, however, they brought on an entire executive board of 12 people. The board includes publicity, technical and business positions to help make the organization a success. As the organization expands, its identity and particular appeal have become increasingly important., LeBolt said. “It’s called Spectrum, and that’s a great name — in the past it has been seen as the ‘spectrum’ of theater,” LeBolt said. “It’s not [First Year Players]—it doesn’t do big-scale musicals, and it’s not Shakespeare on the Lawn — it doesn’t do Shakespeare. So it has kind of been defined by what it wasn’t. Our mission this year is to try to figure out who we are — we provide opportunities for

A whale of a tale Katie Cole A&E Editor

At a very young age, I fell in love with killer whales. Sounds oxymoronic, right? But killer whales, also known as orca whales, are historically friendly, gentle and loving creatures that live with their families for the entirety of their lives. When in the wild, they have blissfully swum alongside humans, with no whalehuman violence ever reported in the wild. But I stress the word “wild.” Magnolia Pictures’ documentary “Blackfish” takes a grimmer look into the lives of present-day killer whales, noting that these wild, gentle creatures can turn violent toward humans when kept in captivity. The documentary depends on eyewitness accounts from fishermen who captured the whales and former SeaWorld whale trainers, as well as real-life footage of killer whale attacks, sparing the audience only some of the gore. Even the gore that is included, however, is not the point. Even while creating a vivid representation of how killer whales can live up to their name, “Blackfish” does not focus solely on how dangerous these creatures in captivity can become. Rather, the film identifies why these animals lash out so aggressively at their human trainers. The true villains in “Blackfish” are not the animals themselves, but the organizations that would prefer

dead trainers to losing whale entertainment revenue. Tilikum, the “Blackfish” protagonist, is a prime example of a gentle animal turned killer by captivity, as portrayed by the film. “Blackfish” follows Tilikum from his capture in Iceland to his short time spent in a small carnival-like aquarium where he killed a young female trainer. Tilikum is later documented during his time in SeaWorld where a man wandered into his tank and met his death, and finally when a female veteran trainer was horrifically murdered while performing with him. The documentary explores the abuse Tilikum faced from other whales, showing the scars covering his body, as well as his abuse in captivity, displaying the small pen where he was left for hours at a time. Tilikum is the film’s tragic tale, as trainers who previously worked with Tilikum explain that they pitied the whale, whose brain shows that he experienced similar emotions to those of a human, and that SeaWorld kept this extraordinarily large male whale mostly as a breeding animal, in order to literally birth more revenue. While other entertainment organizations are addressed, SeaWorld comes out as the most prominent whale dealer. Despite years of insisting trainers are safe in the whale tanks as they perform impressive jumps and dives, “Blackfish” displays just the opposite. The documentary incorporates a scene where a veteran

students to create challenging and provocative work that enhances the Charlottesville and University communities.” This season, Spectrum is collaborating with Sustained Dialogue through the group’s “Breaking Grounds” reading series. The series aims to build on a legacy of thought-provoking and topical productions among Spectrum’s output. Spectrum’s full-scale spring production, “The Arabian Nights”, is a modern adaptation by Mary Zimmerman of “A Thousand and One Nights”. “It’s not a musical,” LeBolt said. “It’s a play with music and dance and improv in it. The different stories have different elements in them. The nice thing is that everyone doesn’t have to be able to

trainer is repeatedly dragged underwater by the whale he was, only moments ago, performing with. It even includes stomach-turning footage of a well-loved trainer’s final few minutes with Tilikum before being killed by the whale she had worked with for years. The documentary even includes her gruesome autopsy. It becomes very clear, after seeing this footage, that SeaWorld is not telling the whole truth. SeaWorld declined to contribute or comment in the film. Though the documentary was released in U.S. theaters in July 2013, its popularity grew recently when it was added to Netflix’s Instant Play. It has also been shown repeatedly throughout the year on CNN. As the film gains popularity, SeaWorld takes more hits in its stocks and ticket sales. While SeaWorld insists the decline was a result of weather changes and poor holiday timing, it seems plausible that the continued downward spiral is a result of the film. Large bands, including the Barenaked Ladies, have announced that they will no longer play at the venue, saying the film contributed to their decision to cancel the February tour date. While the buzz surrounding “Blackfish” has reached a new height this month, this is not the first time the public has piped up in opposition to orca whale captivity. The 1993 film, “Free Willy,” which launched my love with this endearing creature, spurred a flurry of concern for the massive, family-focused whale. Keiko, the whale who played Willy in the movie, was released into the wild via the Free WillyKeiko Foundation and lived for five

do all three; you can kind of bring out or bring down the different elements that you really want to emphasize.” LeBolt only hopes for growth of the organization in the future. In five years, she would like to see Spectrum Theater as “the thirdpillar theater group on grounds.” By adding underclassmen to the organization’s board, she hopes future generations will be able to pass on the knowledge and enthusiasm of the organization. This semester, “The Vagina Monologues” will be taking place in the Student Activities Building from Feb.13-15, and “The Arabian Nights” is also in the SAB from April 3-5. The “Breaking Grounds” reading series will take place three times this semester: Jan. 27, Feb. 17 and March 3.

years in the wild before his death. However, this movement occurred in a time before social media and online petitions. Many have now demanded a boycott of SeaWorld, some even calling for the release of all whales currently held in captivity. I doubt that this is the end of the battle to save the killer whales, but “Blackfish” certainly gave them a good start.

Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Cavalier Daily

Bend it like Beckett Candace Carter Senior Writer

If there’s one thingcollege students across the nation need, it’s hope. We hope that we didn’t do as horribly as we think we did on that final. We hope for a miraculous explosion of motivation so we can complete all of our readings. We hope that Runk dining hall will serve something other than hamburgers for dinner. Hope is central to our lives here at U.Va., which is the message that former The Academy Is… frontman William Beckett brought to the University this past Sunday. His performance served as a fundraiser for the University chapters of To Write Love on Her Arms and STEP UP!, two on-Grounds organizations that work to support community members dealing with mental illness, addiction or

abuse of any form. Both University chapters have expanded their membership and outreach efforts in recent years, factors which greatly contributed to their ability to have such a large-scale fundraiser. Beckett has worked with TWLOHA at various levels extensively in the past, including appearing in the national organization’s tent at the popular summer music festival Vans Warped Tour several times. He credits his interest in groups such as these to a relatively bumpy childhood. “Being the new kid every year or two was tough,” he said, referencing his family’s frequent moves from place to place. His sister also found the instability quite difficult to manage — she dealt with depression and anxiety for a time. After witnessing her struggles, Beckett sees participation in events

like the University fundraiser as a way of “supporting what I believe in.” Beckett said he looked forward to performing in Charlottesville, mentioning how special a show can be for the performer and audience members alike when there is an atmosphere of shared experience, feeling and emotional investment. Beckett also emphasized the specialopportunity provided by more intimate shows like Sunday’s, where is able to perform as a solo artist. In the past several years, his “perspective has widened quite a bit,” and these individual performances allow him “to continue to grow” as an artist. “I’m just honest,” Beckett said when asked about the process of infusing his feeling and emotion into the music. “I don’t really think about it as persona strategy.”

Matthew Leon Staff Writer

Wigged out? Former Pavement frontman unloads solid, unspectacular solo album

Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Stephen Malkmus, former lead singer and guitarist of Pavement, is at it again with his new album “Wig Out At Jagbags.” Frequently cited as one of the most influential indie bands of the ‘90s, Pavement was formed by three University graduates in the early 1990s and went on to release five incredible albums. Since Pavement’s disbandment in 1999, Malkmus has released six albums with his solo vessel, The Jicks. Though Malkmus’ work with The Jicks sounds quite different than the sound found on his noise-laden lo-fi Pavement masterpieces “Slanted and Enchanted” and “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain,” Malkmus

has consistently been able to churn out indie-rock gems without the rest of Pavement. “Wig Out at Jagbags” kicks off immediately with a fuzzy, relentless groove on “Planetary Motion.” Layered, harmonizing guitars weave in and out of each other in overlapping solos, creating a psychedelic jam that lives up to Malkmus’ sparkling reputation in the indie rock community. Every song has a perfect balance of distortion and sweet harmony. The album is filled with catchy pop tunes paired with Malkmus’ distinct sardonic voice, trippy psychedelic jams and horn sections. Many of the songs seem like they could have been recorded on later Pavement albums like “Terror Twilight,” but still have a distinctly different taste than the typical Pavement sound. As soon

Courtesy deviantart.com

Courtesy altpress.com

as one of his tracks gets a tiny bit monotonous or boring, he adds an attention-grabbing turn or riff to jerk the listener back into a state of musical bliss. His sarcastic but sharp lyrics make clever puns about punk rock on “Rumble at the Rainbo.” But even as each songs hits the perfect mix of catchy and interesting to listen to, they are nowhere near as innovative or groundbreaking as his work with Pavement. No, what makes this album stand out from the rest of the indie-pop jargon around these days is Malkmus’ witty lyricism and urge to always add some weird twist to his songs. As different as Malkmus is, however, he and listeners alike realize he’ll never change the music landscape. But, then again, why change something that works?

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Courtesy BillBurr.com

Burr fits the ‘bill’

James Cassar Associate Editor

Comedian Bill Burr has far outgrown amateur night. He’s had a handful of comedy tours explode in popularity, with standout stops including sold-out performances at Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House. He’s recently dabbled in debauchery on-camera, appearing alongside Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy in last year’s “The Heat,” and in a smattering of episodes of the wildly popular “Breaking Bad.” Besides all this, his “Monday Morning” podcast is one of the most-frequently downloaded audio comedy programs on the Web. What’s next for Mr. Burr? On Feb. 20, the Paramount hosts his latest (currently untitled) routine. A&E had the chance to talk with the man himself to get inside the mind of a surefire funnyman. Arts & Entertainment: You’ve been doing standup for years now, with past recorded specials being fan favorites on Netflix. What was it like to make the transition from the stage to the screen? Bill Burr: It was definitely a nervewracking experience, because I had never done work in front of a camera before. I was over-prepared because I was nervous I’d get fired. But after a while, I got to know people’s names, and the whole process became part of a second home. When it’s all over, it was easy to get sad because I’d never see these people again.

AE: What was it like being on “Breaking Bad?” I know you’re set to be alongside Kevin Costner in an upcoming film this year, but I’m sure your stint on the show was a definite career highlight. Burr: It was really surreal, like the time I was on the air with Howard Stern. I was a fan of the show from the start, and three episodes in I was begging my agent to get me on the set. It’s definitely [an] amazing feeling being where they make a show I’m really invested in. Sometimes I watch reruns of episodes I’m in and I always get this chest jolt and take a 30-second timeout to take care of how overwhelmingly unbelievable the whole experience was.

AE: You sold out a number of huge venues recently. That must be incredible! What was going through your head, right next to all the excitement from your role on “Breaking Bad”? Burr: There’s no way in this business to predict stuff like that happening. I haven’t thought about it much, to be honest, but I know I was completely dumbfounded that people were there to hear me tell jokes.

AE: Tell us more about your “Monday Morning” podcast. It’s undeniably popular, and it’s a diversion from your other work. What’s in store for someone that hasn’t yet plugged in to its mass appeal? Burr: It’s a lot different from standup routines. I started slowly, making it up as I went along. I created early podcasts in my car as I drove around through a phone number that recorded my whole schtick. Other episodes had me making fun of people in the airport, and soon listeners sent me in segment ideas and questions, or asked me for advice. It’s definitely overthe-top, and perfect for Monday morning because no matter how much you like your job, Mondays suck.

AE: What would an episode of the podcast be like if Howard Stern made a guest appearance? Burr: Amazing. It’d be an easy interview, and I’d probably just listen to him tell stories about his long radio career. He’s been around since before cable TV started, and the fact that he’s sustaining his listener base through all this new technology is unbelievable. Because of this, it’d be cool to hear his take on the new direction of the entertainment industry.

AE: Charlottesville is certainly on a smaller scale than some of your past shows, but the Paramount is a great venue for comedy, judging by some of past comedians’ specials there. What will we expect on the 20th? Burr: I can’t control people’s opinion of my comedy, but I know that I’ve developed my best 90 minutes of material yet. Comedy’s really no different than being an athlete or playing an instrument. You’re always stepping up your game. I just hope to give people their money’s worth and make people laugh.

Bill Burr sets out to achieve his goal of making people laugh on Feb. 20 downtown at the Paramount Theater. No word on if new “Breaking Bad” material will be revealed or not.

SPORTS

The Cavalier Daily

BASKETBALL Freshman point guard heats up during ACC play Continued from page 9 Team selection, Perrantes can lock down opposing guards. The freshman has recorded 23 steals this season — good for second-best on the team — and matched up on North Carolina sophomore guard and leading scorer Marcus Paige for much of Monday’s game. Paige, who entered the tilt averaging 17.2 points per game, finished with just nine. “He sees things that most guys don’t see,” Bennett said. “He was

very complete. He was pretty good to start, but I think with the experience of playing and being in these settings he’s shown what a lot of people out West missed on him.” Perrantes, who hails from Crespi Carmelite High in Los Angeles, Calif., received offers from Pac-12 teams Southern California, Arizona State and Washington State, as well as Illinois and various smaller California schools. However, the Trojans’ coaching situation was in flux at the time, and UCLA — the state’s premier basketball powerhouse and the of-

fer he truly wanted — didn’t show much interest. “It motivates me,” Perrantes said. “We watched the UCLA game the other day and it kind of frustrates me. But then again, God has a plan for all of us and this is where he wants me to be. I’m going to take it and go with it.” It didn’t start out this way. Perrantes began the season adjusting to the college game, as his shooting, particularly, was not up to his expectations. But after beginning the season shooting just 24 percent, Perrantes believes experience, as well as his extra work after

practice with Jones, has been paying dividends. He has been on a scoring tear recently, making 50 percent of his shots from both the floor and 3-point range in conference games. Perrantes appears to be the shooting threat at point guard the team lacked in Evans, as well as the Cavaliers’ second-most reliable free-throw shooter, averaging 81.3 percent from the charity stripe. “I feel like I was thinking about it too much for my first couple of games,” Perrantes said. “It’s a big stage — a whole lot different

than my little high school, we had the smallest gym. But I feel like I stopped thinking about [it] and just started going out and playing.” Despite his overt confidence, Perrantes admitted he’s still a little surprised by his sudden rise to prominence. “I mean you always have the dreams of coming in as a freshman and wanting to start and play big time minutes,” Perrantes said. “I just wanted to be able to come in and help the team win, even coming off the bench a little bit. But it’s escalated quickly and I feel like I’ve responded to it.”

TENNIS Cavaliers must replace program superstar Jarmere Jenkins Continued from page 9 when Virginia was upset by Ohio State in the semifinals in Charlottesville. The opening match this year could pose a bigger test than usual, as No. 46 Elon is coming off an upset of then-No. 7 Duke. The winner of that match will advance to play the winner of No. 56 Indiana and No. 65 Samford on Saturday evening, with the losers also facing each other. As the reigning national champions, coach Brian Boland’s players enter this season with a big target on their backs. But rather than stepping back from the challenge, the players say they are actually looking forward to it. “It’s a good thing, because we have the confidence that we’ve done it and we can do it again,” senior Alex Domijan said. “I think everyone feels that pressure, but we’re going to go out and try to do it again.” The most difficult task for Virginia this year looks to be replacing superstar Jarmere Jenkins, a 2013 graduate. Jenkins almost became the fourth player ever to win the NCAA Tennis Triple Crown — Singles, Doubles and Team — before falling in the Singles final. “I don’t think you can really replace someone like Jarmere Jenkins,” Frank said. “He’s one of the

greatest players in U.Va. history. But I think there’s no doubt in our minds or our coaches minds that this can be the best team in U.Va. history, so it should be exciting journey and we’re excited to get started.” Leading the team on and off the court will be the three captains — Frank, Domijan and senior Justin Shane. The trio have a collective eight appearances in NCAA Finals, a level of experience that could prove invaluable as the Cavaliers try to make it a fourth straight NCAA Final. Frank and Domijan are two of the best singles players in the country, combining to win the last four consecutive ITA All-American Championships. They’re already impressed with the commitment their teammates have shown to maintaining their status as the best team in the nation. “We’re off to a great start, and all we need is competition,” Domijan said. “This is the most disciplined team I’ve been on. We take care of ourselves off the court better than any team I’ve been a part of. That’ll help us down the road and makes our jobs easier as captains.” The veterans will be helped out by an excellent incoming group of freshmen. Rated as the best recruiting class in the nation by the Tennis Recruiting Network, the

quartet of Thai-Son Kwiatkowski, Luca Corinteli, J.C. Aragone and Jordan Daigle could contribute immediately for the Cavaliers. This is the second top-ranked class in a row to come into Virginia, with now-sophomores Ryan Shane and Mac Styslinger proving exceptional additions last year. “We’ve got a lot of first-years that we think are going to make a big impact on the team right from the start,” associate head coach Andres Pedroso said. “ The y’ve shown that they can compete with pretty much anyone in the c o u n t r y, based on their fall results and what they’ve shown in practice. We’re looking for them to play an in-

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tegral role in our team right from the start.” Though Virginia finally got the monkey off its back by winning the program’s first national championship last year, the expectations are no lower this year. The coaches and players fully believe this team can make it back to another title, and finishing any lower would likely be considered a dis-

appointment. “I think this is probably the deepest team we’ve ever had,” Pedroso said. “One of the things that Brian has done with this program year after year is always give us a shot at winning a national championship. They’re as well prepared as they’ve ever been, so we’re expecting a lot of great things from these guys.”