Thursday, February 6, 2025

leiGh Bailey, Kayla MOOre & CaT WhiTe The Cavalier Daily

This week in-brief

CD News Staff

Faculty Senate hears from administrators on President Trump’s executive orders

The Faculty Senate discussed the impact of recent presidential executive orders on the University and plans to protect academic freedoms under the new Trump administration.

The Senate heard from Ian Baucom, executive vice president and provost. Baucom announced to the Senate that he will step down from his position at the University immediately following the March Board of Visitors meeting, to prepare for his transition into a new role as President of Middlebury College July 1.

Pivoting to national politics, Baucom reassured faculty that the University would continue to monitor new executive orders which might affect academic freedoms. He followed this statement by affirming the University’s commitment to its core values of academic and personal freedoms, noting that these principles would not change.

“We stand for the freedom of faculty and staff and students to pursue the studies they wish to pursue, the research they wish to conduct, and the questions they wish to ask staff.” Baucom said.

After providing these updates, Baucom invited Margot Rogers, vice president for strategic initiatives, who works to address national issues which impact the University, to provide a more detailed update on the implications of several recent Executive Orders signed by President Trump.

Rogers said that the executive orders most likely to affect the University are those that will make adjustments to federal research funding, visa and immigration policies and guidelines for international travel.

“We’re trying to make sure that the people who might feel a very immediate impact, know where to go for help,” Rogers said.

Memorial Gymnasium renovations cause increased demand at other gyms

Memorial Gymnasium closed Dec. 6 for renovations, and during the first month of the semester, students have reported frustrations with wait times and difficulty reserving athletic spaces. The current renovations are targeted at improving comfort and accessibility and making necessary maintenance upgrades. Despite these renovations, outdoor recreation spaces around Memorial Gymnasium that are used for intramural sports and soccer — like the outdoor courts and Carr’s Hill Field — will remain open.

The gymnasium has a number of indoor and outdoor features, including general workout equipment and outdoor courts for basketball, beach volleyball, tennis and pickleball. Intramural and club sports practices and events, as well as University-offered fitness classes, are also commonly held in this gym.

Due to the renovations, KLPA and kinesiology fitness classes have moved to other facilities on Grounds, such as Slaughter Recreation Center, while many intramural and club sports groups have also moved to the Aquatic and Fitness Center. The University’s Division I volleyball team, which typically plays at Memorial Gym, will move to North Grounds Recreation Center for the duration of construction.

1.28

2.3

The University Judiciary Committee adjudicated 22 cases from June 1, 2024 to Dec. 31, 2024, including 19 cases against individuals and three against organizations, according to their Fall 2024 Statistics Report. 12 cases were still pending as of Jan. 20.

The figure of cases adjudicated last semester is slightly smaller than the 24 cases adjudicated in spring 2024 — but still significantly higher than the eight cases in fall 2023.

In the report, all 22 of the cases involved violations of Standards 6 or 10 — allegations related to violation of University policy or violations of federal, state or local law, respectively. 13 of the cases included violations of Standards 1 and 2 — allegations related to physical assault and threats to health and safety. Standard 2 cases continue to have many violations as those cases have risen sharply in the past few years.

With the closing of this gym, other fitness centers around Grounds, like Slaughter and AFC, have faced increased student use. Extra equipment from Memorial Gymnasium has been moved to Slaughter to accommodate the uptick in visitors. Due to more recreation space requests, Slaughter has also expanded its Monday-Thursday hours from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. to now remain open from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

In a letter to the University community, Harper Jones, UJC chair and fourth-year College student, expressed her gratitude to her Representatives and Support Officers for processing the high number of cases.

“Representatives and Support Officers continue to dedicate extensive time to this work, and I am exceptionally grateful for the service they provide to the University community,” Jones said.

Statistics reports are an effort by the Committee to be transparent with the community and are released at the conclusion of each semester. Jones wrote in the letter that the Committee looks forward to engaging with the University community during this year’s Judiciary Week from March 24 through 29.

“The UJC remains a resource for all students, faculty and staff, and members of the broader Charlottesville community,” Jones wrote.

Students and professors adapt to no-technology classrooms

Five professors across disciplines share why and how they came to the decision to go technology-free in their classrooms

Lidia Zur Muhlen | Staff Writer

While many students use laptops and tablets for class notes, an increasing number of professors are choosing to prohibit laptop use in the classroom or embrace full no-technology policies this semester which also ban tablets. While each iteration is slightly different depending on the professor, the goal is often the same — increasing student engagement and performance in the class.

Many professors have employed no-technology policies for years, but recently, students have observed a notable increase in the number of classes which employ these policies. In the summer of 2025, the University piloted a series of no-technology courses, called technology sabbaticals. These courses aimed to encourage student focus and increase engagement, and required students to spend free time, outside of class, without technology. Since then, more professors have been using no-technology policies in their courses.

At the University, the use of technology in the classroom is up to each professor’s discretion as long as their rules fall within the University’s IT guidelines on acceptable use, privacy and security. These no-technology policies vary across different courses, but many include prohibiting the use of laptops for note-taking and some extend the policy to all technology, including tablets. Professors with no-technology policies say they felt the need to make the change to stricter technology expectations because they have noticed a lack of focus and liveliness within the classroom.

Sylvia Chong, associate professor of English and American studies, is generally a pro-technology professor, as she utilizes various aspects of technology for activities in her smaller, discussion-based classes — which involve analyzing films and commenting on Google Docs and Slides as a class. However, she recently made a change in her technology policy in her larger AMST 3180, “Introduction to Asian American Studies” class. She noticed that students were not paying attention, making it difficult to teach.

“Many students shamelessly had their computers open and would never even look up, never even attempted to make eye contact and ask a question. I would stand next to them, and they would refuse to look up,” Chong said.

This is the first and only class so far that she has prohibited laptops in due to lack of engagement. While she is not sure how successful the policy will be, she hopes it increases engagement and the quality of learning in the classroom.

“Studies have shown that taking notes by hand is better than taking notes on a computer generally, be-

cause when you type, you’re writing down literally everything that’s being said,” Chong said. “By hand, you have to think more about what you’re writing down. You have to pay attention more actively.”

Other professors have been using no-technology policies long before this semester. Asst. Public Policy Prof. Peter Johannessen began to enforce a no-laptop rule in his classroom nearly two and a half years ago. While Johannesen does not permit phones or laptops, he does allow tablets for writing notes in his classes because he thinks laptops are more distracting in large lecture-based classes.

Two things motivated him to make the change — a personal research project and a realization that students were not staying on task after seeing photos taken of his class.

Johannessen conducted his research project to evaluate how students felt they were valued in larger lecture courses at the University. Part of the project involved interviewing professors who have positive course evaluations — which students fill out at the end of each semester. Johannessen specifically focused on professors who were rated highly on a question about ability to create a sense of belonging in their courses. He found that almost all of these professors who he talked to had banned laptops in their classrooms.

“One thing which kept coming up across the interviews, which I was honestly fairly surprised by, was these professors just kept saying, ‘Oh yeah, and I’d ban laptops,’” Johannessen said.

“I hadn’t really thought of it, but the professors were fairly convinced that it was key to their courses’ success.”

Even after interviewing professors, Johannessen said he was not completely sure he would try to implement the policy in his own class. This was until a photographer came to one of his larger lectures after he won a teaching award, and he noticed, while looking through the pictures, the amount of laptops open that were not focused on classroom material.

“There was a sort of disengagement of people behind screens, looking at screens, rather than at each other or at the front of the room,” Johannessen said.

At the beginning of each term, Johannessen tends to face some challenges as a no-technology class is not something all students are familiar with — initially students tend to resist these policies as they are accustomed to using laptops for notes.

Johannessen also said that he believes the level of engagement and conversation that students have with each other is much higher than his classes from previous years. He noted that his course evaluations reflect this senti-

ment as this past semester they were the most positive they have ever been.

First-year College student Megan Catlander is currently in Johannessen’s LPPP 2200, “Introduction to Public Policy” class. She said that this is the first no-technology class she has ever taken at the University. While not a fan of the policy initially, she quickly found the experience to be transformative and after a few classes technology-free, she now plans to start going technology free in her economics class on her own volition.

“I found it to be a lot more collaborative … and we do a lot more face to face conversations which I learn the best in,” Catlander said. “I think everyone should take a technology free class.”

Still, the technology-free format may not be applicable or effective in all subjects.

First-year College student Claire Clark had a more negative experience in a technology-free art history course, ARTH 2451, “History of Modern Art.” This class was different from Johannessen’s as students were not allowed to use any type of technology, including tablets. Clark was frustrated, characterizing art history as a visual course, and often students like to take notes with a picture on either a tablet or a laptop.

“It’s hard to make everything handwritten when people need to have a visual comparison up for reference,” Clark said.

While some students find no-technology policies challenging for certain classes, several professors, even those in fields where technology is used more often, still believe these policies have been beneficial for their students.

Asst. Media Studies Prof. Anna Clay continues to have a positive experience with a laptop-free classroom — even in a more technology-based subject like media studies.

Clay began a no-laptop policy in her classes nearly two years ago. She teaches three to four classes each semester, with 20 to 30 students. According to Clay, her classes are mostly discussion-based, and she noticed that laptops were a convenient way for students to become distracted and not be present in class.

Similar to Johannessen, some reactions were not initially positive. The first semester Clay established the policy, she had around six people drop her MDST 2690, “Sports Journalism” class, which was higher than the typical one or two students who drop the class, according to Clay.

Clay knows that students are already using technology frequently outside of the classroom. She believes that being at a liberal arts school is a great opportunity to learn and absorb information without technology. Clay

No-technology policies vary across different courses, but many include prohibiting the use of laptops for note-taking and some extend the policy to all technology, including tablets.

said that she sees her class as an opportunity where students can be free of distraction for 75 minutes.

“It’s not that I don’t think the students are capable of learning. I just want to help them in the learning, in discussion, and in the processing,” Clay said. “Part of helping us all learn and grow is eliminating some of that distraction.”

Adjunct Politics Prof. Mary Kate Cary has also been a proponent of no-technology classes in both of her smaller speechwriting seminars and larger lecture-based classes since she started teaching at the University five years ago. She feels that laptops allow students to avoid human engagement and interaction in class.

While she is opposed to laptops in the classroom, she believes students should be able to use tablets to write because it has the same effect as writing on paper. According to Cary, when writing down notes as opposed to typing, students better process what they are writing, which more deeply engages the brain.

Cary explained that speechwriting is a collaborative and interactive class, saying she does not want her students to try and avoid being with each other by using technology.

“I had to keep telling students you cannot bring a laptop to the podium to deliver a speech, because then you are putting a shield up where the screen is between you and the audience,” Cary said.

To address concerns that some students with disabilities may struggle to keep up with notetaking without technology, Johannessen allows accommodations through the Student Disability Access Center, which promotes access for students with disabilities. According to Johannessen, some students with accommodations cannot record information in class by hand as quickly as they can on their computer. Students who have these accommodations can use their computers in class but in areas towards the back of the lecture hall that do not distract other students. SDAC also coordinates a program through which students can upload their notes for the class so that students with accommodations can access them.

Despite some students’ objections to no-technology policies, many have had positive experiences with moving towards handwritten notes. Catlander shared that she has adapted quickly to her professor’s no-technology policy and now appreciates putting away her laptop and phone during class.

“I initially was very surprised, and I didn’t want to do it, because I’ve been very used to taking notes on my computer,” Catlander said. “But after the first class, it’s actually so much better. It’s become my favorite class here at U.Va., and I actually pay attention so much better ... so I love it a lot.”

CAT WHITE THE CAVALIER DAILY

Contemplative Commons prepares for April grand opening

The Commons piloted programing throughout the fall semester and is working to balance various types of student activities in

the building

Grace Little | Staff Writer

The Contemplative Commons, a space dedicated to integrating themes of nature, art and technology, piloted its diverse programming this past semester following its soft opening Aug. 26, 2024. The grand opening of the Commons, set for April 4-6, will celebrate and promote the growth of the space in the University and local community.

After roughly three years of construction beginning in November 2021, the Commons welcomed students and community members into its doors this past fall for academic courses, research initiatives and dropin programs, such as writing workshops and yoga classes, among other events. The building is also available as a study space for students from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The 57,000 square-foot building overseeing the Dell Pond cost $67.1 million and was a gift from alumni and donors, according to Contemplative Commons Director Nicole Thomas.

“The [donors] wanted to give the University a space to all come together ... as [students] are discovering different parts of their identity and figuring out what they might want to add to their life toolkit,” Thomas said.

As a building intended for student-use, the Commons also employs students, with 12 Contemplative Commons Student Advisors. These advisors help strategize and implement programs encouraging contemplation for their peers and assessing the programs’ effectiveness by measuring turnout and student satisfaction. Third-year College student Asia Leslie began working in this role in January 2024.

“It’s been really fun — I really enjoy learning more about this building and helping other students learn more about it, and therefore kind of integrate wellness and mindfulness into their lives,” Leslie said. “Contemplation is a skill that you can build ... [to] flourish beyond the classroom.”

Further publicizing this space to students is a priority according to Leslie. The grand opening, for example, will host Zac Brown Band with special guest Maggie Rogers at John Paul Jones Arena, with a portion of the proceeds going towards the Contemplative Sciences Center.

Leslie also noted that social media and word-of-mouth notably drive an increase in student engagement in the buildings’ programming.

“A lot of [what will] get a lot of students [interested] is social media.” Leslie said. “I worked tirelessly over the summer [on social media]. On Instagram every week, we’ll say exactly what we’re holding here for students.”

Student advisors also run workshops in the Commons, ranging from

reflective meditations to writing workshops. According to Leslie, the Commons is currently working to partner with different Contrated Independent Organizations.

“We try to bring in students from different groups and backgrounds,” Leslie said. “We try to have a different theme each week — mixed media, journaling, creative journaling ... all kinds of things. We try to be unique and innovative.”

First-year College student Cecilia Sherman enjoys using the space to study. Sherman said the location of the building is especially convenient between her classes and dorms. She also takes a yoga class in the Commons for University credit two times per week.

“The yoga class is really nice. It’s very chill and not [too many people],” Sherman said. “It’s also really nice because I’m a first year and I live [nearby]. So it’s so close [and] perfect to come here in between classes.”

The Commons also hosts a research initiative known as CIRCL — Contemplative Innovation + Research Co-Lab — an interdisciplinary group of research faculty dedicated to investigating practices and experiences of human transformation. CIRCL convenes teams across the humanities, sciences, arts and technology to advance research on contemplation. These innovative activities drive the core themes of the building. According to Thomas, nature, one of the three core themes, is tightly in-

terwoven in the architecture and decor of the building to contribute to a grounding experience. Natural aspects include a pond featured in the inner courtyard, floor to ceiling windows to provide natural light and outdoor walkways connecting rooms.

With art as its second central theme, the building features an art gallery, with installations from local artists which have been commissioned for the building. According to Thomas, research shows that a feeling of awe, sometimes inspired by art, can open students up to new experiences.

“We also like to think of the building as a work of art itself,” Thomas said. “When your mind is able to be [awestruck], you are able to be more more open to things that are different … the more that we can create spaces that elicit this feeling of being awestruck, the more we’re priming folks for being open to contemplative experiences.”

Thomas said that the third core theme, technology, has been integrated throughout the building to enhance experiences. One of several art installations incorporating technology is NINFEO, an immersive experience displayed on the first floor of the building that uses data from a sensor in the Dell Pond to trigger a responsive sound and light system integrated into the room. The sensor captures movement of fish and currents to transmit light displays throughout a dark room.

While still in a pilot stage, Thomas

said she has focused on maintaining diversity within the programming offered and experimenting with the space while observing how students and community members interact with it.

“We’re definitely still in academic pilot mode,” Thomas said. “How much do we generate in the building to let people come in versus opening up the building for folks to use the space?”

In this trial period, the Commons had prioritized sampling an array of academic classes and a handful of unique programs the building itself generates. Courses range from medical Spanish to a global development course to music, and the programs reflect an array of disciplines. According to Thomas, it is important to recognize the well-rounded goals of the University and ask how the Commons can meet those goals.

“I could say yes to everybody who wants to teach in the building, [and] it would be a classroom building from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or I could say yes to every movement-based class, and then we [would] feel like the AFC,” Thomas said. “A lot of it is the balance of trying to determine if we want to be a little bit of all of these things.”

By April’s grand opening, Thomas foresees the institution will have more insight into maintaining this balance and will be able to take on reservations from CIOs.

Thomas noted that the versatility of the building introduces both abun-

dant opportunity as well as challenges in implementation, including decisions on what programming to approve. Most of the rooms are designed to function as blank slates that can be used for a variety of event types — many are large and sometimes empty rooms, which can be adapted in any way needed.

“That’s the double-edged sword of this building — it’s incredibly cool and opens up so many doors and things we can do, but also then sort of brings in this challenge, like, how do you implement that?” Thomas said. “How do you switch from a room full of 90 chairs and tables . . . and 15 minutes later, there’s yoga or dance?”

The building currently sees an overflow of requests via email from CIOs, research groups and other organizations to host their programs in the building. According to Thomas, they are using this piloting period before the grand opening to determine the best way to go about balancing the offerings of the building and making it available as much as possible for these groups.

For the Spring 2025 semester, the Commons will host 13 academic classes and anticipates an increase in internal programmatic and research activities. Ramping up events and offerings at the Commons, however, may detract from one of Sherman’s favorite aspects of studying there.

“It’s my favorite,” Sherman said. “It’s … usually empty.”

KEN MICHAEL FABIA THE CAVALIER DAILY

The grand opening of the Commons, set for April 4-6, will celebrate and promote the growth of the space in the University and local community.

University Transit Service makes efforts to enhance transit safety

Initiatives include adding security cameras inside buses and expanding OnDemand service routes

Lauren Seeliger and Vyshnavi Tatta | Staff Writers

The University Transit Service has made recent efforts to improve bus safety and enhance accessibility for UTS OnDemand, a free van service that shuttles University community members between locations after bus hours end. Goals for this initiative include increasing the accuracy of wait times and increasing the number of buses running throughout the day. Currently, students still report some concerns with the transit system.

UTS is a transit service run by the University which provides transportation free of charge to students, faculty, staff and visitors. Six lines operate Monday through Friday at various times and locations. Three of these lines also operate at later weekday hours — from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. — and on weekends. UTS Night Pilot is an additional bus line which operates from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., and UTS services also offer UTS OnDemand — also called SafeRide — which focuses on areas not covered by the Night Pilot’s route and operates from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Because these buses serve a high volume of students and community members and cover a broad area both on- and off-Grounds, they often move between each stop slowly, meaning that estimated schedules are often inaccurate. Moreover, there is no system in place for bus drivers to verify that individuals boarding buses are University community members. SafeRide services also face high demand, with students waiting for vans to arrive for several minutes.

UTS General Manager Allison Day said in a statement to The Cavalier Daily that wait times for SafeRide services average eight to 10 minutes, depending on the time or day of the week.

Student Council representatives have attended meetings with UTS to support improved safety and effectiveness measures. One of the representatives working with UTS to make these changes is second-year College Representative Ian Travis. Travis began his work at Student Council last year through the Student Life Agency, which oversees University policies on transportation and dining. He said that a top priority is to increase bus frequency in the hopes of reducing wait times at busy street corners and improving student safety in high-traffic areas. Currently, many students rely on electric scooters for timely transportation, but injuries due to scooter-vehicle collisions have been increasing in Charlottesville in recent years. Travis said more frequent buses could encourage

safer commuting options.

“The biggest challenge we have in Charlottesville is traffic deaths,” Travis said. “That is a big issue [caused by] scooters. There’s been multiple kids hit this year… I was once in an Uber with an [Emergency Medical Service] driver and he said the number one patient using the trauma rooms are University students who are on scooters and get hit by cars or fall off.”

The most recent change to address concerns of security is the addition of cameras on buses. All UTS buses have been equipped with security cameras since December 2024, according to Travis, who met with UTS to provide Student Council input on bus routes and safety initiatives.

These cameras provide recorded footage to the University Police Department. Travis said that installed security cameras are an important change and will help protect both the bus drivers and the students as they aim to increase security, monitor performance and record any incidents that may occur.

“There are issues with public transit and people sometimes don’t perceive it being the most safe option,” Travis said. “So if we have security cameras to record any incidents … it would protect the bus drivers and it would protect the students. It’s a mutual relationship.”

Alhaji Bah, UTS bus driver and second-year College student, said he believes the current security cameras help but believes that additional measures, such as requiring student IDs upon entry, can be taken for enhanced safety. He said that while he feels safe when transporting students, he worries that issues may arise when non-University associated individuals attempt to board.

“If there’s an emergency we radio our supervisor from the bus radio and then our supervisor is the one that [calls] UPD,” Bah said. “Sometimes updating isn’t very receptive, I feel like they could take things a little bit more seriously.”

Day said that bus drivers and UPD are connected through phone and radio, and that each bus is also equipped with an emergency radio call button. While students are not required to present University IDs to ride a bus, Day said they are required for UTS OnDemand services.

An additional safety measure UTS is introducing is the E-Jest, a 22-passenger electric minibus designed for narrow roads around the University, such as Wertland Street, which currently lacks reg-

ular transportation services. The E-Jest is set to begin service Feb. 21. Travis noted that the E-Jest idea was brought up by UTS originally, and Student Council encouraged them to move ahead with the plans.

“I think the E-Jest is the biggest thing you [can expect to] see,” Travis said. “We’re thinking about adding new routes to the 14th St. area [where] a big bus wouldn’t fill, but this one would, [allowing] for smaller, more accurate service projections.”

Alongside Christopher Joseph, co-director of the Student Life Agency and fourth-year College student, Travis has also helped make changes to the UTS Silver Line to make it more efficient. Previously serving neighborhoods with few University students, the route now connects Brandon Avenue’s Gaston and Ramazani Houses to the Corner, a popular offGrounds area for students.

“The Silver Line used to be kind of a nonexistent route,” Travis said. “It stopped in neighborhoods that didn’t have U.Va. students, so [Joseph and I] took a map and drew a route that we thought was good from stopping at the new Brandon Ave., Gaston and Ramazani [Houses] and then up to the Corner.”

OnDemand operates through the TransLoc app which is used to

view bus routes and order an OnDemand van. These vans connect more than 50 designated pickup spots at “blue-buttons” around Grounds — blue lights with a button which automatically connects an emergency phone call to 911. SafeRide primarily serves areas outside of the Night Pilot bus route, including 14th Street and distant on-Grounds housing, like Faulkner and Copeley Apartments. After Night Pilot ends at 2 a.m., SafeRide extends its coverage to include the Night Pilot route as well.

During Summer 2024, SafeRide was transferred from RMC, a Virginia-based event services organization, to UTS, making it a fully University-run program. While UTS has increased the number of available drivers, students still report long wait times — often exceeding those for Uber.

Second-year College student Selivia Habib, who frequently uses SafeRide when returning from the library late at night, said the service is useful but inconsistent. She said unpredictable wait times during SafeRide hours is a key issue, sometimes leaving her waiting alone for the van for several minutes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Travis encourages students to use the “blue-buttons” — emergency phones — to ensure they feel safe. There are 475 of these emergency phones around Grounds as well as nearby off–Grounds areas.

“I think U.Va. should keep educating students on resources through emails,” Travis said. “I think 911 is typically the best way, but those blue buttons do serve a purpose … I think that’s something that’s not been used enough.”

As the University has provided security cameras and increased transportation options and accessibility for students, Travis said he hopes that Student Council can continue working with UTS to address student feedback. He shared that, in the future, he would like to introduce an option to see when buses are full — often buses fill during busy periods and become difficult for students to access.

“Our focus is on looking for routes [that could be expanded] and also ensuring that students know when the buses are full. That’s [an issue] we really want to respond to with the TransLoc app,” Travis said.

“[I wish] they [could] see where I am and pick me up, rather than me clicking on the stop and having to walk all the way to them,” Habib said. “With them being unreliable [with] time, we miss each other. It’s either me going and waiting or them waiting for me and then leaving [without me].”

OPINION

Upholding medical amnesty is a collective effort

Medical amnesty protects individuals from legal liability if they seek medical help for someone in an emergency

Greek life recruitment finished at the end of January. Over the next few weeks, new members will be initiated into organizations across Grounds. If we are honest, we know that this exciting time also comes with an increase in parties, drinking and risks of substance abuse. As such, this is the perfect time to reaffirm medical amnesty as a life-saving guarantee for students who find themselves in an emergency. Since 2015, intoxicated students can seek medical help without facing legal consequences for underage drinking. Despite the proactiveness of the state in protecting medical amnesty, a University-wide effort to publicize medical amnesty is needed. University leadership, Greek life organizations and students must recommit to the safety provided by an effective and knowledgeable use of medical amnesty.

Medical amnesty policies work best when articulated, promoted and followed. Indeed, schools in Virginia that took these steps — such as James Madison University — were recognized in 2023 for their preventative

measures. In contrast, the University has failed to be transparent about this policy. While many other universities include medical amnesty explicitly in their student handbooks, it is noticeably missing from our own manual of student rights. The University, of course, undertakes other initiatives to publicize medical amnesty, including partnering with the Gordie Center. However, a failure to codify this commitment foreshadows what has recently been a tenuous relationship between the University and medical amnesty.

Last semester, actions by the Policy, Accountability and Critical Events unit undermined the University’s commitment to medical amnesty. These actions under the direction of Donovan Golich have eroded the amnesty that these policies meant to protect, specifically for Greek organizations. Golich worked to implement a policy by which national organizations of Greek life chapters were contacted if a member at an event sought medical help for alcohol or drug usage.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

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 editorial 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 daily online at cavalierdaily.com. It is printed on at least 40 percent recycled paper. 2025 The Cavalier Daily Inc.

HAVE AN OPINION?

The Cavalier Daily welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns. Writers must provide full name, telephone number and University affiliation, if appropriate. Letters should not exceed 250 words in length and columns should not exceed 800. The Cavalier Daily does not guarantee publication of submissions and may edit all material for content and grammar. Submit to opinion@cavalierdaily.com or P.O. Box 400703, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4703.

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS

The Cavalier Daily welcomes feedback from community members (quetions and/or comments) in addition to broader queries pertaining to journalism. Additonally, we are happy to solicit story ideas from readers but do not guarantee that we will be able to pursue them. Please visit our website for desk specific email addresses or email editor@ cavalierdaily.com directly.

While Golich has since left the University, the legacy of this retaliation hangs over the actions of Greek life organizations.

According to some Greek life leaders, Golich’s policy led some to not call ambulances for fear of facing organizational recriminations. While this fear certainly misprioritized organizational sanctity over individual well-being, this policy led to a less safe environment in these spaces. Taking last semester as a lesson, now is the time for the University to reflect on its role in developing harmful expectations around medical amnesty — and reverse them through education.

Despite the prominent role the University must play in upholding medical amnesty, the responsibility does not rest with them alone. Greek life chapters must also publicize and affirm the importance of using medical amnesty whenever needed. Undoubtedly, these chapters face numerous alcohol or drug-induced incidents weekly as a result of the way in which they have structured their spaces. This

THE CAVALIER DAILY

MANAGING BOARD

Editor-in-Chief

Naima Sawaya

Managing Editor

Hailey Chung

Executive Editor

Scarlett Sullivan

Operations Manager

Leigh Bailey

Chief Financial Officer

Will Peres

EDITORIAL BOARD

Naima Sawaya

Scarlett Sullivan

Farah Eljazzar

Wylie Brunman

Nathaniel Carter

Muhammad Ali Rashid

Paul Kurtzweil

JUNIOR BOARD

Assistant Operations Manager

Aarnav Jalan

Assistant Literary Editor

Blaine Hutchens

Assistant Managing Editor

Vera Woody

(SA) Elizabeth Adams

(SA) Annabelle Gristina

(SA) Mia Hansen

(SA) Calla Mischen

(SA) Sophia Puype

(SA) Brooke Tayman

(SA) Maddie Weinstein

News Editors

Ford McCracken

is the reality of the University, but one which can be made safer by organizational commitments to medical amnesty.

In the past, Greek life leaders have utilized chapter meetings to train members on medical amnesty. However, their work is incomplete if members fear calling an ambulance. Chapters must prioritize tangible education on the matter to better ensure action in a crisis. More broadly, the national organizations of Greek chapters should consequently not punish their chapters should an individual call an ambulance. It is only with the cooperation of local chapters and national organizations that these policies can be safely applied.

Though top-down education is a necessary prerequisite to ensuring medical amnesty, students too must not shy away from their responsibility. While studies consistently show that clear medical amnesty policies increase the proportion of students who call emergency-related services, the responsibility ultimately lies with

Cecilia Mould

(SA) Jackie Bond

Sports Editors

Michael Liebermann

Xander Tilock

(SA) Emory Huffman

(SA) Peter Kratz

Arts & Entertainment Editors

Leila Mohajer

Grace Traxler

(SA) Zach Geller

Life Editors

Dana Douglas

Kate Johnson

(SA) Malaika Rehman

(SA) Mai Hukuoka

Podcast Editor

Evelyn Lewis

Opinion Editors

Farah Eljazzar

Wylie Brunman

(SA) Nathaniel Carter

(SA) Muhammad Ali Rashid

Humor Editor

Adair Reid

(SA) Owen Andrews

Cartoon Editor

Ada Malpani

(SA) Blake Maguire

Puzzle Editors

Quinn Connor

Isabelle Tindall

Photo Editors

Kayla Moore

Cat White

(SA) Albert Tang

(SA) Benvin Lozada

students to act appropriately if an emergency arises. However, the current student understanding of medical amnesty seems imbalanced, with at least 15 students having been arrested last semester for not understanding the parameters of the policy. Creating a shared culture where medical amnesty is understood and implemented requires the buy-in of all students at the University.

Almost all of us know someone who has required medical support and relied on the goodwill of bystanders to get them help. The medical amnesty laws are designed to protect these people, but they mean nothing if they are not clearly articulated, promoted and followed. The responsibility to do this rests with everyone at our University.

THE CAVALIER DAILY EDITORIAL BOARD is composed of the Executive Editor, the Editor-in-Chief, the two Opinion Editors, the two Senior Associates and an Opinion Columnist. The board can be reached at eb@cavalierdaily.com.

Design Editors

Sarah St. John

Mariam Seshan

Noelle Valdinoto

Chinese Translation Editor

Dailin Li

Spanish Translation Editor

Madelyn Paz Castillo

Social Media Managers

Lahari Kunapaneni

Anika Loper

Video Editors

Issy Denevan

Pria Dua

Finance Manager

Ava Tolin

Advertising Manager

Spence Doherty

Website Manager

Taylor Petrofski

Kyle Song

Analytics Manager

Irene Si

Newsletter Editor

Catherine Kuryla

Archivists

Clara Franklin

Finn Trainer

DEI Chair

Malaika Rehman

Social Chair

Jackie Bond

U.Va. must protect noncitizen and international students

The Trump administration has the potential to endanger the legal statuses of both international and noncitizen students

Over winter break, universities across the country urged international students to return as soon as possible, preempting possibilities of travel bans or visa freezes under the Trump presidency. Similarly, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals applicants have returned to Grounds with renewed concerns about their legal statuses in the country. President Trump has taken drastic measures since assuming office, including threatening to deport students who criticize Israel and flaunting the prospect of sending immigration enforcement officers to schools. Thus, the fear — and need to plan around possibilities of deportation — is real for noncitizen students at the University. As difficult as the uncertainty may be, the University administration and student government must reassess their policies to protect students on Grounds.

During both of his campaigns, Donald Trump ascended to the presidency as a candidate whose biggest promises included “mass deportations” and a tightening of the country’s borders. Trump’s first term saw an attempt to rescind DACA and a proposed a limit on Optional Practical Training — a pathway for STEM graduates to work in the U.S. While the country has only been through

a few weeks of his second term, Trump’s insidious record of immigration policy has proven that noncitizen students are not safe under this administration. It is often difficult to relate to the pressures that noncitizen students face, as they make up such a small amount of the University. Less than five percent of undergraduate students from 109 different countries

to integrate into American society. Many travel thousands of miles and pay to pursue world-class schooling and find opportunities to establish themselves. It makes it that much more disappointing to see them under attack.

During the first Trump administration, the University played a successful role in supporting noncitizen students when they moved to expand

dents. We should consider expanding Student Legal Services to include assistance for noncitizens — which it currently does not. The Student Council constitution empowers them to resolve student grievances, and since SLS falls under the prerogative of the council, it is in our interest to expand it.

Beyond that, the University must challenge the federal government

Our current student and University leaders have hesitated when it comes to responding to changing legal dynamics for noncitizen students.”

are international. But the scale of their contribution to the University is enormous. 2024 saw six international students receive awards for outstanding leadership and academic excellence. Even a small fraction of the student body can shape the University’s academic landscape in meaningful ways.

While noncitizen students have positively impacted the University, the reverse is also true — the University has benefited them. DACA has positively changed the lives of young immigrants by providing them with an education and an opportunity

access to financial aid and admissions for DACA recipients despite legal challenges to the program. The University took a brave stand then, and the change in the presidential administration requires a similarly brave commitment to safeguard these students.

But students can also participate in supporting their noncitizen classmates. With Trump’s decisions to threaten and revoke legal statuses of noncitizen students, legal routes to the University are categorically under fire. Student Council must remedy the ills that befall marginalized stu-

on immigration enforcement which affects students. In 2020, Trump’s attempt to deport international students was only stopped because of a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. The University’s options to bring a suit may be limited as it enjoys a complicated system of sovereign immunity, but it must resist Trump’s actions through whatever means are available.

As for international students, the International Studies Office remains the only administrative branch completely dedicated to helping students

maintain their statuses. ISO has been tremendously helpful in informing students regarding renewing their statuses and planning return trips. However, this is not enough. Wellesley College has set a strong precedent by organizing informal discussions for international students to voice their concerns, issuing them red cards listing their rights and connecting them with immigration attorneys to discuss potential problems. ISO should meet a similar standard in proactivity.

It is reasonable to not want the University and its institutions dragged into a lengthy fight with the federal government. But the reality is that supporting noncitizen communities helps ensure that their success trickles down throughout the rest of society. Our current student and University leaders have hesitated when it comes to responding to changing legal dynamics for noncitizen students. Now is the time to act, proving our commitment by protecting and expanding programs that keep the University open and accessible to all.

MUHAMMAD ALI RASHID is a senior associate opinion editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

U.Va. Health owes clarity to transplant patients

U.Va. Health’s opposition to the Carilion Kidney Transplant Clinic is the correct decision, but its messaging was poorly executed

The Virginia health commissioner will decide this spring whether to authorize a new kidney transplant center in Roanoke, marking the end of a year-long controversy. The transplant center, proposed by the Carilion Clinic, would be the first provider of such services in Southwest Virginia. On its face, the potential value of this proposal is immense, as it aims to increase access to lifesaving healthcare in underserved rural communities.

In spite of this, U.Va. Health has surfaced as the predominant opponent of the proposal. U.Va. Health’s opposition is logical — Carilion’s transplant clinic would compete with the University’s in Charlottesville. U.Va. Health cited a number of motivations for their opposition. In the end, U.Va. Health is correct to oppose the Carilion transplant center, but its public justification of this decision both trivializes important patient needs and undermines U.Va. Health’s embattled reputation.

In its April 2024 letter, U.Va. Health establishes a number of concerns about Carilion’s proposal. Recent health inspections revealed safety violations in Carilion’s existing Roanoke facilities, and Carilion’s proposed

charity rate suggests it will provide patients with little financial assistance. Furthermore, transplants are limited in number by organ availability, so a new clinic would be ineffective at increasing overall transplants performed. For a clinic to benefit Southwest Virginia, it must provide safe,

— it failed to address stakeholder concerns when crafting its justification. For one, the rhetorical framing of the justification contributes to the all-too-common trend of overlooking rural needs and neglecting the reality of geographic challenges in the process. The new clinic would push cov-

the University’s transplant clinic to the detriment of U.Va. Health’s staffing and research. Again, U.Va. Health is correct that maintaining patient numbers is necessary for the research that ultimately benefits all those in need of transplants. But without careful execution, this messaging — in conjunc-

U.Va. Health’s claim that geography is not a factor minimizes known challenges that Southwest Virginians face.”

financially accessible care — Carilion meets none of these prerequisites, and it should not move forward.

Despite the validity of these points, there was a substantial outcry against U.Va. Health and in Carilion’s defense. Many former transplant patients from Southwest Virginia gave emotional testimonials about the difficulty of traveling to Charlottesville on a frequent basis. Such a response genuinely inhibits U.Va. Health’s efficacy — the value of a public service is intrinsically dependent on how it is viewed by the public. Unfortunately, this negative press is fully the fault of U.Va. Health

erage above the state’s recommended threshold of 95 percent of residents living within two hours of a clinic, and would extend adequate transplant access to over 400,000 additional Virginians. And the potential for logistical difficulties should be no mystery for U.Va. Health which expects waitlist members to appear at a moment’s notice when an organ becomes available. U.Va. Health’s claim that geography is not a factor minimizes known challenges that Southwest Virginians face. Another cause for public concern is U.Va. Health’s claim that the Carilion clinic would divert patients from

tion with the misrepresentation of geographic challenges — suggests that U.Va. Health is content to prioritize its own commercial interests over patient interests.

In a December 2024 opinion article, U.Va. Health officials attempted to clarify their reasoning, but this too left substantial concerns unanswered. For one, U.Va. Health’s stance is different from that of Virginia Commonwealth University. VCU has supported the project. Such a discrepancy between two healthcare providers is sure to raise alarm — if U.Va. Health was truly acting out of concern for patients’ in-

terests, then wouldn’t VCU Health be sending the same message? University officials must understand that leaving this situation unaddressed causes harm to U.Va. Health’s status among healthcare providers in Virginia. Opposing a development that many Virginians support is acceptable, but at least, U.Va. Health must thoughtfully defend and justify such an action. Especially amid controversy regarding its integrity, U.Va. Health must understand that a simple messaging failure can have a real impact on the way it is perceived by the residents it is intended to serve. Regardless of the final decision on the Carilion transplant center, the community should be certain that U.Va. Health’s role in this debate was the correct one. U.Va. Health officials, however, should learn to tread more carefully when taking a stance on issues of such great public significance.

NATHANIEL CARTER is a senior associate opinion editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

SPORTS

McCabe Millon ‘is ready for’ the pressure

Millon is taking control of the men’s lacrosse team’s offense and attempting to fill the quarterback role of the departed Connor Shellenberger

Michael Liebermann | Sports Editor

The lacrosse net sat in the driveway. That driveway was sloped, a little tilted, so it took some configuring to get the net to rest flat. But after some tinkering it worked fine, and it became the spot where sophomore attackman McCabe Millon and his brother, Brendan, ripped shots as children.

One time, a shot ricocheted off a pipe, hurtling the wrong direction. It smashed into their father’s car, and the window broke, leaving the father angry and the kids in trouble.

That was pressure. This is not.

At least, not in Millon’s mind. Ask his offensive coordinator, or his head coach, about the pressure of taking the reins of an offense while trying to fill a generational player’s shoes, and they will readily acknowledge that the pressure is there. In buckets. They know that, after a monster freshman season, people expect the former No. 1 recruit in his class to morph into an analogue for the now-departed all-time great Connor Shellenberger, and that pressure accompanies that.

Millon, though?

“We don’t really buy into too much of the pressure-type thing,” Millon said in an interview, referring to himself and his brother, a Virginia commit ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2025. “We’ve always learned from some of our idols … if you’re in a position to have pressure, then you’re doing something right. So I don’t really worry about any of that.”

There is pressure, though, whether it fazes him or not. It was there last year, too. Millon entered as the top-ranked player in his class, the son of a Hall of Fame father in Mark Millon, an All-American attacker at UMass, and a Hall of Fame mother in Erin Brown Millon, an All-American attacker at Maryland.

Then he tallied 66 points — 41 goals and 21 assists — starting 17 of 18 games. He ranked second among all freshmen in points per game, third in goals per game and fourth in assists per game, while setting a program freshman goals record.

But for all the success, he remained partly shielded from the spotlight’s glare. He shared the field with Payton Cormier, the all-time Division I goals leader, and Connor Shellenberger, who offensive coordinator

Kevin Cassese calls “one of the very best attackmen to ever play this game.” Those guys are gone now, off to the Premier Lacrosse League.

“There’s a void,” Cassese said. Millon is expected, by fans and media and everyone else, to fill it. The gaze goes naturally, in that void, to the imposing shadow left by Shellenberger, who quarterbacked the offense for years. His is the role Millon will most directly assume.

It is not, in any way, a perfect substitute. This is not like plugging one cutout with another. It is more like taking that cutout, reshaping it, then laying something different over it. It will fill the gap, Virginia hopes, but probably not in the same way.

Shellenberger tended — and still does, for the PLL’s New York Atlas — to survey and facilitate. He would deconstruct defenses with his passing, acting as a conductor more than anything else. Millon is more of a dodger, slashing and navigating around the crease. Cassese figured Shellenberger’s scoring-to-feeding ratio as 30-70, Millon’s as 60-40.

“Give McCabe an inch, and he will take it,” Coach Lars Tiffany said in an email. “Give Connor an

inch, and he will consider it but may wait for the next opportunity when he sees two inches.”

They are different, and the coaching staff knows that. So instead of approaching Millon with a shoehorn, they are reshaping the shoe.

“[Shellenberger is] an all-time great,” Cassese said. “He did it his way. McCabe needs to do it his [own] way.”

Millon’s role will shift, falling somewhere between quarterback and lethal scorer. Where last year he might have blindly charged into that one-inch seam, as Tiffany said, this year it is his responsibility to regulate the offense’s tempo.

For that, and other things, he has Shellenberger’s wisdom to lean on. He and Millon bonded last year and have remained in touch. They even ran a camp together this summer.

“I learned a ton from him last year,” Millon said. “Just about how to operate on and off the field, whether it’s in preparation for games and the best ways to watch film, or how to watch film. How often you should be meeting with coaches, how often you should try and shoot during the season.”

The two complemented each other last season. Shellenberger operated from his outpost behind the goal, the location that made him, in Cassese’s words, “un-coverable, un-defensable.” Millon roved around the field, taking advantage of matchups where possible.

This season, Millon will draw every opponent’s top defender. As his role changes, so will the offense itself. Last year, first-year coordinator Cassese preserved most of what former coordinator Sean Kirwan, now the head coach at Dartmouth, installed. Kirwan bequeathed Cassese one of the nation’s oldest, most potent offenses. Why change much?

Cassese favors a principle-based offense, as opposed to a set-based one. He likes to think of it in basketball terms, like a motion offense. A few concepts guide the system. But everything else is liable to change based on one factor.

“Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, what is your offense?’” Cassese said, in response to a question asking exactly that. “My offense is whatever it has to be to fit the personnel.”

The most focused-upon member of that personnel, Millon,

stands at 5-foot-10 and weighs 175 pounds. He has his father’s professional jersey framed in his bedroom in Reisterstown, Md. His parents, both of them, travel to every game, wherever it is, either three hours away in Charlottesville or out in Houston.

They only broke that perfect attendance once last season, when they divided their attention so his father could jet down to Florida for a tournament with Brendan. Next year, with the two on the same team, the need for separate trips will evaporate. Brendan will enter with high expectations, like his older brother did a year ago.

There was pressure then for Millon, to live up to the hype, to justify the accolades, even though he looked like a kid in the park when he dropped five goals in his first college game. There was pressure earlier, as the son of legends, even though his parents let him meander his own way into loving the game. There is pressure now, even though he says it does not affect him.

“McCabe is ready for that,” Cassese said.

BENVIN LOZADA THE CAVALIER DAILY

Millon starred last year as a freshman. This will be different.

Softball earns unprecedented preseason honors

The 2025 season looks incredibly bright for Virginia

Cierra Lyles | Staff Writer

Established in the spring of 1980, Virginia softball is now entering its 45th season. In all 44 seasons prior, the Cavaliers have never been preseason ranked according to Virginia Athletics — but season 45 is starting off differently.

Softball America, a wellknown poll used to rank teams, released their final listing Jan. 13, placing the Cavaliers at the No. 24 spot. Established in 2021, Softball America is run by media experts and provides rankings. While other prominent polls did not rank Virginia in the Top 25, the Cavaliers are on the cusp for many — slotting in at No. 27 according to ESPN and No. 29 according to RPI and receiving votes in the D1 Softball poll.

These positive predictions are no small feat for a Virginia team which has struggled over the past 10 years. At the end of the 2015 season, the Cavaliers had a record of 16-40 overall, and 4-20 in the ACC — one of their worst records in recent program history.

At the start of the 2017 season, Coach Joanna Hardin took over the program in the hopes of turning

things around — which took some time. In Hardin’s opening season, the team went 12-41 overall and 3-21 in the ACC.

The next few years were inconsistent and involved lengthy visits to the ACC’s lower-tier doldrums. However, in the 2022 season, the Cavaliers had their first winning record after a long drought, going 28-26 overall and 13-11 in the ACC — and it has only gotten better.

The Cavaliers are now coming off of a season in which they went 34-20 overall, 15-9 in the ACC, finishing fourth in their conference. That 2024 season marked the first time that the program won 34 games in a season since 2010.

Hardin’s crew also made a historic appearance in the postseason. Virginia advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Knoxville Regional against No. 3 Tennessee — which was the first time in program history that any squad advanced to a regional championship game. At the end of their 2024 run, the Cavaliers were ranked No. 22 by Softball America.

Now on the eve of a promising

2025 campaign, Virginia’s highend talent could lead to even more success. Returning to the diamond are junior pitcher Eden Bigham and junior shortstop Jade Hylton, both of whom were selected as All-ACC First Team picks and were ranked as Top 100 Preseason players by Softball America and D1Softball.

Bigham, a threat on the mound, had a 2.44 ERA last season as well as a 16-8 record last season. On the opposite side of the ball, Hylton was a terror at the plate, batting .335 and punching in 41 runs.

On top of these two stars, there are seven other position starters who will be making a return as well — notably 2024 ACC AllFreshman selection Bella Cabral, who will join Hylton in a starstudded infield. Also essential is the sorely-needed return of fifthyear pitcher Savanah Henley, who suffered a season-ending injury last year but was a force to be reckoned with beforehand with a 1.65 ERA through 34.0 innings.

In addition to these veterans, the program added seven freshmen for 2025. Among these freshmen are some impressive talents, including

outfield/utility player Jaiden Griffith — who was ranked No. 33 in the class of 2025 by Perfect Game — and pitcher Karly Meredith, who was ranked No. 42 in the class of 2025 by Perfect Game. The other freshman recruits have a chance to contribute this season off the bench and will serve as valuable depth.

With some new and returning talent, the expectations for this team have changed. The Cavaliers are coming off an electric 2024 run, and Hardin’s foundation for success has evidently been realized heading into her ninth season. It is safe to say that Virginia’s stock this season will continue to ascend.

This preseason ranking will be put to the test — as the Cavaliers will begin the season with 10 straight games away from home. Throughout the season, Virginia will play 13 games against other Softball America Preseason Top 25 teams this year. Three of those come Mar. 7-9 against rival No. 22 Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

In the past 10 years, the Cavaliers have gone a measly 4-26 against Virginia Tech. That discrepancy in the win column

stands out — and stealing a game or two from an archnemesis is a pivotal next step for this program. It will not be easy though. At the helm for Virginia Tech is senior pitcher Emma Lemley, who tends to be the winning pitcher in most recent years against Virginia. She has posted a sparkling 2.95 ERA over three seasons. But although the All-ACC pitcher is a force, the Cavaliers’ newly fiery offense should create a good matchup this time around.

The caliber of talent and versatility that this team exudes, along with the newfound confidence that the program has gained from last season, separates this team from previous years. The Cavaliers have a serious opportunity to go deep into June, potentially making it even further than a NCAA Regional Championship game. Ultimately, Virginia has a lot to look forward to this season and Cavalier fans should expect this team to be playing summer softball.

Wrestling enters JPJ hoping for a turnaround

The Cavaliers will look to get a key win in what could be a season-changing match

Ryan Weiner | Staff Writer

Virginia wrestling typically competes at Memorial Gymnasium, a cozy gym with seating for a few hundred fans. This season, with Memorial Gym under construction, the schedule includes meets in makeshift setups at the Aquatic & Fitness Center and North Grounds Recreation Center, on the courts where students head after class to play pick-up basketball games.

The environs, though sometimes rowdy, are hardly grand. But that will change for a day Friday, when Virginia confronts Duke at 7 p.m. inside John Paul Jones Arena. It is a sequel to last season’s JPJ spectacle, in which 2,112 fans showed up to watch Virginia wrestle Virginia Tech, the first wrestling match in the arena since 2019.

It is also a big moment for the program, a chance to attract fans and drum up larger-scale excitement. Coach Steve Garland is excited to return to the arena, and he loves how it makes dual matches more of an experience.

“They do a good job of making it a really fun and cool experience with all the sounds and the lights and the action,” Garland said. “Then the wrestlers, it’s going to be an entertaining

thing, you see a gladiator sport like that … You’re going to watch and say wow.”

Virginia plans to go all out during its time at the premier venue, connecting with the community and alumni beyond just collegiate wrestling. Shortly before the dual starts, the team will host a clinic for children that is free with the purchase of an adult ticket. The clinic will be run by Jake Keating, an alumnus of the program and an All-ACC wrestler in 2021.

The program also plans on honoring two of the more notable Cavalier squads from Garland’s tenure. Both the 2010 and 2015 teams will be back in town as they are honored for their ACC titles. Garland feels it is important to have important honors at an event like this to build the program and show people what Virginia wrestling is all about.

“I want to build Virginia wrestling,” Garland said. “I want to build the fanbase, but I also want to build the brand. I want people to go and say, ‘Wow, I really like watching that team, I want to go support those guys.’”

There will be a lot on the line between the Cavaliers (4-4, 0-3 ACC)

and the Blue Devils (4-12, 0-4 ACC). Neither team has won a conference match, and Virginia has lost to three ranked opponents in a row by double digits. Out of the seven programs that wrestle in the ACC, only Virginia and Duke are not ranked in the top 20. The Blue Devils are the Cavaliers’ best chance to secure a conference win before the conference tournament starts.

“The ACC is legit,” Coach Steve Garland said. “It’s one of the top conferences in the country year in and year out.”

While the wins and losses do not favor the team, the Cavaliers have gone through a ton of adversity this season with injuries and illness. Whether it be losing senior Marlon Yarbrough II for the season or missing junior Nick Hamilton for an extended period, injuries have taken a toll on the team’s leaders and sent them into a bit of an identity crisis with all the losing. Securing a win would be huge, and it could help Virginia regain its identity.

“We’ve had a ton of guys out, so we have not had our full lineup since potentially the first weekend,” Garland said. “We’re trying to get back to where we can get guys healthy, get

them all in, shoulder to shoulder, and get back to that.”

The stars of this year’s team are Hamilton, fifth-year Dylan Cedeno and junior Keyveon Roller. Hamilton is Virginia’s most recent ACC champion, as he is the reigning winner at 165 lbs, and won Most Outstanding Wrestler at last year’s ACC Tournament.

But Cedeno has been the ace this season, losing just one match, and he has a real chance to be the next Cavalier wrestler to win an ACC title.

“At 141, with four nationally ranked wins, why can’t he win one?” Garland said. “There’s really good kids in front of him. But why not us?”

The program is also incredibly young, which should help with experience and growth moving forward. Garland is looking forward to the youth movement developing soon.

The Cavaliers have had multiple freshmen and sophomores step up in big ways already, so they will be in safe hands for the coming years.

For Garland, building for the future is inherent to his mission as a coach. He was an All-American wrestler at Virginia from 1997-2000 and is in his 19th season as head coach. The

program has won two ACC titles under Garland, in 2010 and 2015, and has had 12 All-Americans. Garland has grown the program vastly during his tenure, and he only intends to keep doing so.

“When I started, the team was struggling a bit,” Garland said. “We hadn’t had a guy score a point in the NCAA Tournament the two years prior to me getting here … To go from that to having guys compete for national championships a short time later was a cool turnaround for us.”

The program has been building fan momentum over the course of the season. Garland noted that the team sold out several matches in smaller venues, like when they played NC State and North Dakota State at the Aquatic & Fitness Center and held matches inside Memorial Gymnasium. Coming into this pivotal match against Duke, Garland has one message for the Virginia fanbase.

“Trust me, you’ll be entertained,” Garland said. “If you come, even if you know absolutely nothing ... you’re going to love it.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Uncovering the depths behind celebrity look-alike contests

The craze has made its way to Charlottesville, but what has fueled its sudden prominence?

Delores Cyrus | Staff Writer

From the St. Patrick’s Day Ginger Run on Mad Bowl to the dorm-wide scream before quiet hours go into effect for finals season, Grounds has seen its fair share of unique, student-led events. In true University fashion, students will have another opportunity to partake in a similar type of unconventional school spirit, and to share a laugh, when South Lawn becomes the site of another offbeat affair — a Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan look-alike contest.

Hosted by SWAP — a Contracted Independent Organization that uses fashion to weave sustainability with self-expression through school-wide clothing exchanges and upcycling workshops — the contest is a comedic nod to Chalamet’s depiction of the singer-songwriter in the recently released film, “A Complete Unknown.”

All are invited to show up in sunglasses, oversized coats and brooding demeanors for a shot at winning the grand prize of $2.52 and a harmonica.

While the concept of the contest fits the niche of on-Grounds antics, the celebrity look-alike contest is by no means isolated to the University. The trend kicked off in October in New York with a flyer and a promise of fifty dollars for the participant who looked the most like Timothée Chalamet, and since then celebrity look-alike contests have taken over the minds and social media feeds of both casual scrollers and the chronically online for the last few months.

The way the contests work is quite simple — participants who believe they resemble the chosen celebrity show up in outfits, and occasionally with props, that accentuate their likeness. They are judged on a variety of factors along with resemblance, like mastery of mannerisms and sometimes even performance. The judging is conducted by event organizers and the sizable crowds of spectators, whose reactions and enthusiasm serve as the deciding metric for who will be crowned the winner. Since the contest that started it all — which Chalamet himself attended, adding to the spectacle — a plethora of contests have been held in major cities around the world for other celebrities, including Harry Styles, Glen Powell, Paul Mescal and Jeremy Allen White to name a few.

The impact and staying power of the contests was one of the reasons Jaden Bernard, SWAP Secretary and fourth-year College student, and Franny Hesford, SWAP Sustainability Chair and third-year College student, decided to organize one. The two said they came up with the idea over winter break while brainstorming events the club could host in the spring semester.

They said that a look-alike contest not only perfectly aligned with SWAP’s eccentricity but would also give University students a chance to be a part of the phenomenon together.

“I feel like we’re making U.Va. a part of the trend,” Hesford said. “Having it here at U.Va., it just makes sense. It brings everyone together to participate in something.”

This sentiment of togetherness that Hesford highlighted is something that Assoc. Media Studies Prof. Keara Goin believes is a part of the contests’ current appeal. Goin said that celebrity look-alike contests have been around “forever,” but this recent fascination is, in part, due to people’s newfound desire — especially in a post-pandemic world — for offline connection and experiences.

Unlike most internet trends that really only thrive within the confines of digital platforms, these contests rely on organic, in-person community engagement. Social media is used to spread the word further and, of course, memorialize the moment, but it is primarily flyers and word of mouth that initially generate buzz for each contest. This was the case for SWAP’s contest, whose flyers promoting the event have been plastered all over Grounds. Goin said the way these look alike contests are employing social media is reminiscent of the internet in the 90s and early 2000s, during which online threads and chat rooms were used as tools to promote in-person interaction.

“[People are] returning to this idea of, instead of engaging on the internet, using the internet as an intermediary to engage with people in real life — to have person to person encounters and things like that,” Goin said.

Goin also said that these contests are reacting to the disheartening state of the world right now. For Americans specifically, such contests are a result of the uncertainty felt post-presidential election according to Goin. She said that the public voting element of these contests is almost a reclamation of control, empowering those in the crowd while simultaneously giving them a moment of escapism.

“In many ways, it’s a reaction to this malaise post-election,” Goin said.

“I do think that people, kind of on a social-psychological level, feel like they want to participate in [the contests] in order to bring some levity, some lightness, into their lives.”

Bernard and Hesford were mindful of this as they were conceptualizing SWAP’s look-alike contest. They said that, because of the heaviness of current events and the dreariness of the winter months — which can compound the

weight of academic pressures many students at the University already carry — they hope to bring this same kind of carefree amusement to Grounds through the event.

“America’s in a weird place right now, it’s kind of a depressing time of year,” Bernard said. “I think we need more silliness here anyway. I think U.Va. teaches us to be serious, but I think people want to be silly.”

Bernard and Hesford said that this chance to be silly is meant for everyone, sharing that the contest is not exclusive to men but is open to anyone of any gender identity who wants to participate.

This gender element is a point of particular interest for Goin. She said that these kinds of contests have always played with the performance of gender, noting that this happens most frequently in drag — a craft in which entire careers have been built around impersonating a certain celebrity. While today’s contests are primarily known for their humorous nature, Goin thinks that they also act as a subtle confrontation of traditional conventions.

“It’s not just straight men [participating], it is queer men and it’s also women, regardless of their sexual orientation,” Goin said. “That’s something that I see as a bit of a cultural pushback against the [idea] that gender is something that is fixed, that gender is something that is biologically based, versus something about identity.”

Additionally, Goin said these con-

tests are also subverting gender norms. While there have been a couple of look alike contests for female celebrities, like Zendaya and Rachel Sennot, these contests have primarily been centered around men — something Goin sees as a reversal of traditional dynamics.

“Most of these contests seem to be for masculine or male identifying celebrities, and a lot of the judging or spectatorship is being done by heterosexual women of these contestants,” Goin said. “I think that that is an interesting reversal in terms of how women are usually kind of evaluated, whereas men are … being made a spectacle based on what they look like versus women taking that position.”

Along with the conventions of identity, Goin noted that these contests playfully undermine — rather than reinforce — the prestige and exclusivity often associated with celebrity. They showcase that fame is not always rooted in unique or irreplaceable qualities, but is instead largely about perception — who we, as a collective, choose to pay attention to.

“[The contests are] showing that celebrity is something that is a constructed thing, that anybody can be a celebrity if they have the right kind of fabrication that goes into creating [celebrity],” Goin said. “This proves that for everyone we think is so special, there are 50 people that can duplicate it.”

Goin said that while these contests are partially poking fun at the famous, the winners actually go on to experi-

ence their own brief moments of celebrity, receiving media attention after being crowned and sometimes being acknowledged by the celebrities they resemble. The look-alikes of Timothée Chalamet were even featured in promotional material ahead of the actor’s appearance on “Saturday Night Live” as the host and musical guest.

“It almost doesn’t matter who they’re imitating, it’s just [about] getting close to the constructed boundary between the world of celebrity and the world of the average person,” Goin said.

As Goin suggests, cultural undercurrents and the desire for hilarity are sure to shape the Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan look-alike contest. Along with making the trend timely and resonant, this duality has also made each iteration memorable and full of fun.

Like the contests of look-alike past, Bernard and Hesford ultimately hope their event is just as enjoyable for those that attend — whether they simply show up to watch, or show out in their Chalamet-as-Dylan best.

“We’re doing it just so that people can have a good time,” Hesford said. With new contests continuing to pop up globally — all of which are met with enthusiasm by the trend’s admirers — it is clear that as long as there are famous faces to imitate and crowds eager to join in on the joke, the celebrity look-alike contest is not going anywhere anytime soon.

NOELLE VALDINOTO THE CAVALIER DAILY

U.Va’s own Simone Marijic is a season contestant on ‘The Voice’

The Los Angeles native returned to her hometown to compete in season 27 of the reality singing competition

Ty Lolak | Staff Writer

Growing up in Los Angeles, thirdyear College student Simone Marijic had always been involved in music through choir classes and piano lessons. Last year, she was back in her hometown taking music lessons again. But this time, from some of the world’s premier vocal coaches in preparation for her debut on “The Voice.”

Although performing in front of a national television audience is new ground, Marijic is no stranger to singing in front of a crowd. Marijic is the lead vocalist of the fraternity band Last Call, and a member of the Virginia Belles a capella group. She credits the Belles as a significant factor in helping her become more confident and pushing through the process of competing on “The Voice.”

“Because of Belles, I’ve had the opportunity to kind of become more confident, and they were super encouraging and helpful for me when I was going through this process with ‘The Voice’,” Marijic said.

On air since 2011, “The Voice” consists of a panel of four celebrity coaches — this season’s include John Legend, Adam Levine, Michael Bublé

and Kelsea Ballerini — who each pick out a team of singers based on blind auditions from the contestants.

The blind auditions are the initial round of the show, where the coaches sit with their backs to the stage and only turn around if they choose to select the singer for their team. Those who advance past this round will successively compete amongst each other until the final round of the competition.

The coaches help train these aspiring singers to win the competition, and subsequently, a recording contract. Former contestants from the show, such as Morgan Wallen and Melanie Martinez, have rocketed into mainstream stardom.

The path to landing a spot on “The Voice” came out of nowhere for Marijic. In September 2023, Marijic received an email from the show about potential casting. At the time, she speculated that her sister may have signed her up for their mailing list without telling her. She emailed them a one-minute video of her covering Sara Bareilles’ “Gravity,” to which the producers reached out again, this time

asking for three full-length covers. Even up to this point, Marijic had yet to tell anyone that she was auditioning for “The Voice.”

“It was crazy that it had already gotten that far … because I never really anticipated anything to come out of it,” Marijic said.

Marijic’s full-length covers had impressed the producers enough to ask her for an interview and eventually selected her for a blind audition. For the show’s most recent season, the show’s blind audition episodes averaged over 5 million live viewers — the premiere was the most watched non-NFL telecast of the night.

During what would have been her fall semester, Marijic spent three and a half months staying in a Los Angeles hotel throughout the preparation and filming of the show. She noted that a majority of the process consisted of rehearsing with the celebrity vocal coaches, collaborating with the wardrobe team and working with producers to select the songs she would perform.

“Overall, it was pretty surreal. I had a hard time processing it while I

was actually there, a lot of it was retrospectively looking back and being like, ‘holy s--t’ I can’t believe that happened,” Marijic said.

Marijic was met with much support throughout the process and described her experience on the show as overwhelmingly positive. Although she came in nervous, having never performed in front of an audience of complete strangers — let alone the millions of viewers watching her on TV — everyone involved, from the coaches to her parents standing backstage, helped her build confidence when taking the stage.

“You think of reality TV, and you think of these people controlling the puppets in the back, in the backstage,” Marijic said. “But honestly, I felt very valued by the producers, and I felt like they wanted me to do my best, and they wanted all of us to succeed and sound our best.”

Perhaps what Marijic cherishes most about her time on “The Voice” is the friends she made with the other contestants. These singers, having come from all across the country, range from full-time musicians to

singers who had never released music.

“I made some amazing, amazing friends through that, like, who live all across the country,” Marijic said.

Although she says her time on “The Voice” was a surreal experience that changed her life, Marijic is still more than happy to be out of the hotel and back at the University. She says that nothing can compare to performing for the University community.

“Performing here for your friends, wherever it may be, like musty basements or on the Rotunda, it’s something that can’t be matched by anything else, so I’m very happy to be back,” Marijic said.

As for her music career outside of “The Voice” and her groups at the University, Marijic is currently in the process of mixing and mastering a collection of her own original music soon to be released on streaming.

Season 27 of “The Voice,” which Simone Marijic is featured on, premiered Feb. 3 on NBC and Peacock. Be sure to follow her on Instagram @ simonemarijic for updates on which episodes she will be appearing on.

Virginia Literary Review propels student creative arts

Creative minds at U.Va. and all around Virginia share the best of their work to be published in this bi-annual magazine

Carter

Horner | Staff Writer

The University is home to a myriad of creative writing and arts Contracted Independent Organizations that provide communities of inspiration, feedback and learning. But where do students go to present their works to larger audiences? One of the most prominent options is the Virginia Literary Review.

Founded in 1979, VLR publishes a variety of poetry, prose and visual art in both a print and online issue each semester. The organization itself is run by University undergraduate students — but submissions are open to any Virginia college students, making it an ideal way for young Commonwealth creatives to gain experience and exposure.

At VLR, thinking outside the box is strongly encouraged. When considering submitted pieces, VLR uses an entirely anonymous grading system. Works are assigned for evaluation to various editors on a spreadsheet — without name or year — meaning that background or connections will not impact the likelihood of getting published. According to Aoife Arras, editor-in-chief of VLR and fourth-year College student, creativity and quality take center stage.

“One of the questions that I ask [editors] when they’re looking at a piece of art is — ‘what about this piece of art makes the artist’s perspective unique?’” She said, “It’s less about a specific ‘thing’ that we’re looking for, more just like creative ways to show a certain perspective.”

Once selected for submission, the artists will work with VLR editors to further refine their pieces before publication. Third-year College student Will Hancock — who was published in VLR last fall — felt as though his artistic vision was always supported throughout the editing process.

“Sometimes editing can be a little bit of an abrasive experience,” he said. “I didn’t feel that at all. I never felt uncomfortable or threatened to alter any of the artistic integrity behind my poem.”

The commitment to artistic creativity and integrity manifests itself in the magazine’s diverse array of pieces — even within the main creative categories of poetry, prose and visual art. The visual art selections can range from paintings to photographed embroidery projects, and poems range from several page-long stanzas to intricately spaced out

lines that fill only half a page.

Additionally, diversity in background and experience is present within the magazine, supported by the Review’s anonymous grading system. Editors themselves are able to submit to VLR for consideration, so there is no drawback to applying. One of Arras’s poems was selected for publication in last semester’s issue, and she discussed how her creative use of form encapsulated the poem’s message about what it means to be the child of an immigrant.

“All of the words are extremely separated on the page,” Arras said. “I wanted to convey that it’s a really scattering experience to be the child of an immigrant. There are all these different ideas that are pushed on you and things that are expected of you and fragments of who you are.”

In the selection and editing process, VLR challenges writers and artists to push themselves. According to Arras, the magazine received about 150 submissions last semester and accepted 15. Third-year College student Vaidehi Bhardwaj — who published a piece of free-form prose in last fall’s issue — said that the competitiveness of the magazine pushed her to present the best work

possible.

“It was just a great feeling to be published in VLR because it’s a pretty competitive journal with submissions from all across Virginia,” she said. “It kind of felt like the culmination of about a year of work that I’ve been putting into this piece.”

Besides personal growth, the magazine presents gateways into collaboration with other creative minds, fostering a literary and artistic community. Being published alongside writers and artists from various universities can open doors for students to communicate and collaborate.

“I got to meet some of the other authors that have been published,” Bhardwaj said. “It was definitely great to form that kind of community. I think it’s a community that persisted, even after the compilation and the actual publication of the issue.”

Throughout her time with VLR, Arras treasures the community she found in the shared passion for writing and art the most.

“Everyone is really nice and super creative on the VLR and I enjoy working with all of them,” Arras said. “Being surrounded by people

who are interested in the same thing as you is a really great thing.”

First-year College student Jasmin Dockery — who had a photographed work of embroidery featured in the Fall 2024 issue — also noted the community of support she has felt during her experience with VLR.

“Everyone has been so happy for me since they watched the [embroidery] project from start to finish,” she said.

Dockery then went on to give a piece of advice for those interested in submitting to the VLR, emphasizing the importance of simply putting yourself — and your art — out there.

“My advice to anyone who would want to submit their art would be to just share it,” she said. “You never know who you may inspire or move with your piece ... Art is always worth sharing.”

The Fall 2024 issue of the Virginia Literary Review is available to view on their website, where submission applications for the Spring 2025 issue are also open until March 17.

LIFE

Students’ pets bring joy and companionship to Grounds

These “roommates” are fluffy, four-legged and full of unconditional love

Katherine Haden | Staff Writer

Many pet-loving students at the University must either cope with being separated from their beloved family pets or simply look forward to getting one after they graduate. However, with their newfound college independence, some University students decide to take care of furry friends while pursuing their studies. From owning a dog to adopting a cat, having a pet in college requires a significant commitment, but these pet owners say that it improves their mental health and helps them feel increased connection with people around them.

While most students have to leave their furry companions at home, some are lucky enough to bring their family pets with them to school. Fourth-year College student Lucie Ide brought her family’s dog Doc, an English cream golden retriever, to live with her the November of her third year. Ide eventually decided to register Doc as an Emotional Support Animal, which requires a letter from a therapist certifying that the animal helps treat the owner’s mental health condition. Doc’s ESA status allows him to live in Ide’s off-Grounds apartment without added apartment pet fees.

According to Ide, the added responsibility of taking care of Doc provides this emotional support, helping her manage her anxiety.

“Having him just helps me regulate [my emotions] — having something to do each morning, get out of bed, take him out, feed him,” Ide said.

Mikayla Hinton, Residential Advisor and fourth-year College student, also has an ESA — a dilute tortoiseshell cat named Bean, short for Garbanzo Beanold Hinton. Before Hinton adopted Bean at the beginning of her second year, she said she experienced severe depression and struggled to socialize with others. Per the advice of a friend, she adopted Bean and found that, like Ide, the added routine improved her mental health.

“I had to get up at 6 a.m. to feed her, which meant I could finally start getting up and taking care of myself,” Hinton said. “I realized, if I’m putting so much work into taking care of her, I should be able to do the same for myself.”

While full-time pet ownership can be a daunting prospect, some members of the University community care for animals by fostering through the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA.

This process allows students to temporarily take a shelter animal into their home. Two years ago, inspired by a friend with foster kittens, fourth-year College student Caroline Jareb decided to foster a gray-and-white cat named Peas from the CASPCA.

However, taking Peas home ended up being a “foster fail,” as Jareb decided to adopt her instead.

“When I fostered her … I fell in love with her,” Jareb said. “She was just so sweet and so easy to take care of, and [she] just brought a lot of light to my life.”

Even for pet owners, like Jareb, who do not have an ESA, a pet can still provide stress relief and motivate them to look after themselves in the midst of their busy college lifestyles.

“A lot of U.Va. students probably find it hard to … take care of themselves,” Jareb said. “I think, for me, taking care of a cat helps that in a way, because I’m like, ‘Oh, there’s another being that I need to take care of, so I need also take care of myself.’”

Jareb also said that she can always rely on Peas’ companionship for a mental boost. She said that no matter what kind of day she’s had at school, she knows Peas will be waiting for her at home, cuddled up on the bean bag in her room.

While there are plenty of benefits to owning a pet in college, there are also plenty of day-today challenges. For example, Ide said she often has to come home midday from Grounds to let Doc out, and Jareb said that it is difficult to feed Peas on a fixed schedule with her late-night extracurricular commitments.

Ide, Jareb and Hinton also all emphasized the many long-term commitments that come with being a pet owner. Travel can be especially difficult, as they need to either bring their pets with them or find someone else to watch them. Pet owners also need to be mentally and financially prepared to take care of another living being for years, during college and beyond.

“It’s probably the biggest responsibility in my life right now, other than school, of course,” Ide

said. “It’s a huge responsibility to take care of a pet, so you just have to really be willing to make that one of the big things in your life.”

Students often turn to those around them to help tackle this added responsibility — something that allows them to forge deeper bonds with their peers. For instance, Hinton’s residents have helped to raise Bean, handling her when she was a kitten and choosing her name. From relieving collective stress to fostering friendship among residents, Bean has brought the residential community together, according to Hinton.

“My residents love saying hi to her, because they miss their home pets,” Hinton said. “And when they tell their friends that their RA has a cat, they bring their friends over. I think [Bean] was a great way to build community in the dorm, which is something that I love doing.”

Similarly, Ide enjoys the sense of connection that comes along with taking care of Doc, both with her housemates and the University at large. Taking care of Doc has allowed her to meet new people and explore Grounds in a special way.

“All of my friends help take care of him [and] love to take him on walks,” Ide said. “It’s also really fun [to see] people get excited about asking to pet him. They’ll tell me about their dogs at home. I feel like it makes me appreciate U.Va. more, because [I’ll think to] take him to the gardens and to the Rotunda [to walk around].” Ide, Jareb and Hinton agree that having a pet has enhanced their mental health, brought them closer to the University community and added warmth and joy to their living spaces. Regardless of where these pets came from or whether they are officially there for emotional support, they have enriched their owners’ lives.

“It feels like she’s my roommate, essentially,” Hinton said. “She’s like family now.”

CAT WHITE THE CAVALIER DAILY

Fourth-year College student Caroline Jareb decided to foster a gray-and-white cat named Peas from the CASPCA.

CAT WHITE THE CAVALIER DAILY Fourth-year College student Lucie Ide brought her family’s dog Doc, an English cream golden retriever, to live with her the November of her third year.

CAT WHITE THE CAVALIER DAILY

Mikayla Hinton, Residential Advisor and fourth-year College student, has a dilute tortoiseshell cat named Bean, short for Garbanzo Beanold Hinton.

Coffee shops are undoubtedly a cornerstone of University life, humming with the buzz of students looking for a caffeine fix. When students walk in to place their orders, it is not uncommon to see friends or classmates behind the café counter. These baristas certainly have their challenges, from long shifts to hectic rush periods, but they also experience a unique workplace community and gain valuable professional skills on the job.

While it only takes a few minutes to serve a standard latte, it can take weeks to learn the ropes and become comfortable with every aspect of the operation. Learning the nuances of different drinks, managing the register and more is a process that second-year Engineering student Yussef Ali has down to a science. However, it did not start out that way when Ali joined Grit at Nau Hall the October of their first year.

“Making coffee is a specific kind of skill,” Ali said. “It’s not very complicated … but [there] are specialized machines. So in order to learn how to use them and get good at them, it takes a fair bit of practice. I didn’t become a good barista until January.”

On top of mastering technical skills, baristas must learn time management, team collaboration and customer service, all essential ingredients for a successful shift. For example, Ali explained that to efficiently handle all of the drink orders at Grit, each team member has a station they are responsible for — such as manning the register, brewing espresso or steaming milk — and everyone works in a sequential order to make a drink from start to finish.

However, the operation is not always foolproof. It’s a difficult process, and making mistakes with orders from time to time is natural, Ali said.

“I’ve messed up orders before … in our structure, one person does syrups while another person does spices at the end,” Ali said. “So if one thing doesn’t get added earlier in the process, just because of the sheer quantity of [what] we’re doing, things are bound to get missed. If people notice … that’s fine, we just put it [back] in.”

Being a student and a barista can be strenuous, staffing long shifts, managing rigorous coursework and attending extracurricular meetings all in the course a day. That is not to mention the demands of the job itself. At the Nau Hall Grit, for instance, the University’s Grubhub interface for ordering meals with U.Va. Dine makes for a stressful stream of work, as the online orders constantly come in alongside in-person orders. This rush gets especially intense dur-

Hoo’s behind the counter?

Students share their experiences working as coffee shop baristas on and around Grounds

Miriella Jiffar | Staff Writer

ing class changes — in these periods, Ali estimates they get about 40 orders in an hour, and their record is 75 orders in 30 minutes.

To manage the long hours and crazy order volume, a sense of camaraderie among everyone working a shift is critical. Graduate Arts & Sciences student Kiki McLaughlin started as a barista at Grit in Nau Hall in August, where she noticed how much it helped to have a good team surrounding her at work.

“I expected it to be a little unfeeling, because so much of it is online ordering, and so many drinks are being made at once,” McLaughlin said. “But [the] people make it a really good place to work and hang out — part of that [is] our managers, but a lot of it is the individual efforts by my coworkers … It’s fun, and sometimes you have to embrace the chaos.”

Since the team at the Grit in Nau Hall is mostly composed of students, Ali believes that their shared experiences foster the cohesion of a good work environment.

“I think a lot of us are going through the same experiences when we’re working together. We kind of bounce off each other and interact in a way [that] just feels familiar,” Ali said.

The public-facing nature of the

job also keeps the energy up during a shift, as the baristas are able to see classmates, friends and professors who come in to grab their coffee — something McLaughlin really appreciates.

“Being a grad student, I’m not on Grounds as much,” McLaughlin said. “I don’t live on Grounds anymore, which I did for quite a while. Part of the reason I’m working at this shop is because I want to see faces that I wouldn’t see otherwise … it creates pathways to connection [and] conversation.”

Some students, on the other hand, enter barista jobs to learn transferable skills in leadership and business. Saxbys at Shannon Library, which opened its doors in the newly-renovated library last year, is completely run by students as part of the café’s experiential learning platform. Everyone, from the baristas to the Chief Operating Officer, are students.

Seeking a leadership opportunity on Grounds last January, second-year College student Bailey Carver applied to work at Saxbys. She started out as a team member, making non-coffee drinks like smoothies, before advancing to brewing coffee and preparing food. Having demonstrated a diligent work ethic on the Saxbys team,

she became one of the two Student Chief Operations Officers, and now she is responsible for operating the café 20 hours a week.

Carver may have started out at Saxbys to become a student leader, but she has since found a close-knit community behind the counter, something that motivates her to keep working.

“I applied, mostly because Saxbys became a community and a family to me. We’re all really close working together, but also, the leadership opportunity,” Carver said. “I don’t think a lot of people can say in their second year that they’ve run a business.”

Having developed skills in community leadership, team development and financial management throughout the semester, Carver is glad that her managerial role has given her the opportunity to give back and support others who are starting out Saxbys.

“Not to be dramatic, but [Saxbys] saved me in a way,” Carver said. “I’m from a rural community, so coming from that to Charlottesville, the biggest city I’ve been in, it was hard to connect … I didn’t have experience in my food service before, and [now] I’m running the whole café.”

Fourth-year College student Arianna Jobst has also been able to feel

a sense of community working as a barista, staffing the Grit Coffee location on the Corner.

“With Grit, it’s not just the people that I’m working with. It’s the people who are regulars, people who are friends with the people that I’m working with and everyone [who] comes into Grit, even when they’re not working,” Jobst said. “That community is not something that I was expecting out of a job, but why I’ve really fought to keep it.”

Similar to Jobst, Ali shared that the little interactions and small gestures are what really count during long shifts. In those moments, according to Ali, the baristas behind the counter feel appreciated for the work that they do and the effort it requires.

“The 15 to 20 seconds of, ‘Hi, how are you’ really does help us out, not only in terms of making sure we stay sane behind the bar, but it also gives us time to recuperate and think about what we’re doing,” Ali said. “So, to everyone out there who enjoys coffee and sees the same people from time to time, let them know that you appreciate them, because it does go a long way.”

KAYLA MOORE THE CAVALIER DAILY

Graduate Arts & Sciences student Kiki McLaughlin started as a barista at Grit in Nau Hall in August, where she noticed how much it helped to have a good team surrounding her at work.

Refined simplicity at Café Frank

The upscale Franco-Italian restaurant shines with no-frills, honest food

Kate Johnson | Life Editor

This is one of six reviews in the Life desk’s 2025 Charlottesville Restaurant Week series. See our website for more coverage.

Tucked inside a small storefront on the Downtown Mall is Café Frank, a Franco-Italian restaurant founded by local chef José de Brito. My date and I had the pleasure of dining there during Charlottesville Restaurant Week, taking advantage of their $45 three-course meal deal. The restaurant serves dishes that have been meticulously conceived and prepared, leaving patrons to enjoy delicious food that is purposeful in its simplicity. Café Frank is well worth a visit, but the steep price of their menu makes the restaurant best suited for special occasions.

Café Frank is located halfway down the Downtown Mall on E Main Street, about a 30-minute walk or 10-minute drive from central Grounds. They are open for cocktail hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and seat patrons for dinner between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. While they are typically closed every Tuesday and Wednesday, they were open for the entirety of Restaurant Week to accommodate

more guests.

When James Beard semifinalist Brito opened Café Frank in 2021, his mission was to share approachable, authentic French food with the Charlottesville community. The restaurant has since become a staple of the downtown food scene, welcoming a steady stream of visitors yearround to enjoy simple dishes that are near-perfect in their execution.

My date and I arrived at Café Frank Friday for an early evening dinner. In the few steps to our table, we took in a full house humming with conversation. Both of us commented on the interior design, which displayed a unique blend of old and new, from an exposed brick wall lined with wooden tables and Bentwood chairs, to a long cocktail bar accentuated by charcoal-black panels. Art deco prints with Mediterranean imagery adorned the remaining wall space, evoking the southern European roots of the restaurant’s founder.

Diners ordering off of the Restaurant Week menu had their choice of two appetizers, three entrées and two desserts. For my first course, I selected the Orzo-Kale Soup, which

featured orzo pasta and a medley of vegetables steeped in a simple broth. The cubed carrots, chopped celery and orzo grains were perfectly soft. A few diced tomatoes added some sweetness, and a bit of Parmesan added some salt. The kale was nicely cooked, neither too rubbery nor too mushy. Although I appreciated the addition of the kale, as it added another textural dimension to the soup, the leaves were cut too large to eat with a spoon.

Overall, however, the soup was a great start to the meal. It was light, and yet it still managed to satiate my initial hunger. To drink up the dregs of the soup, I picked up the bowl, whose asymmetrical shape fit perfectly in my hands. Our waiter noticed this as she was walking by, and we exchanged a few friendly remarks about how much we loved the dishware. This chit-chat was characteristic of the service at Café Frank, which was cordial and attentive throughout the night.

Next, I tasted the Chicken Dijon entrée, complete with chicken, broccolini and potatoes. The boneless chicken breast was tender and juicy,

had a crispy skin and was topped with a thin Dijon cream. The chicken was laid atop a few stalks of broccolini. These had a beautiful char, which achieved a nice color contrast on the plate. The roasted potatoes were prepared well — they had a soft interior and were adequately salted — but they were otherwise plain and left much to be desired. I found myself dipping the potatoes into the Dijon cream to enhance the taste.

For dessert, I opted for the Crema Catalana, the Spanish equivalent of French crème brûlée. The Crema at Café Frank came out in a shallow ramekin, topped with an impossibly thin layer of caramelized sugar that was ever-so-slightly golden brown. The delicate snap of the burnt sugar on my spoon gave way to the custard below, which had the consistency of a light pudding — a thinner texture than I was expecting. The custard had a lovely flavor profile with an essence of bright lemon and warming cinnamon. Together with the sugar layer, the custard was subtly sweet and full-bodied. It made for a delightful finale to the meal.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed our

meal at Café Frank. The courses progressed well, and the dishes were all cooked beautifully. Although Café Frank’s Restaurant Week menu was more expensive than most of the menus at other participating restaurants, I was satisfied with the quality and quantity we received.

It’s clear that the chefs at Café Frank are not in the business of blowing you away with showy, innovative cuisine. But they will impress you with dishes that are carefully constructed and well-executed. Every ingredient on the plate seems intentional, and the cookery is first-rate. Although I can only speak to Café Frank’s Restaurant Week specials, I don’t doubt that their everyday rotation demonstrates as much attention to detail as their Restaurant Week menu.

Casual dining at Café Frank is probably not in the cards for a college student on a budget. However, I’d keep the establishment in mind for a nice dinner out with visiting parents, a date night or a birthday celebration with friends.

LILLY PEPPER THE CAVALIER DAILY

Tucked inside a small storefront on the Downtown Mall is Café Frank, an upscale yet simple restaurant founded by local chef José de Brito.

HUMOR

Chi Beta fraternity suspended following heavy tweaking

Editor’s Note: This article is a humor column.

Chi Beta was temporarily suspended Wednesday while the University’s Inter-Fraternity Council proceeds with investigations over tweaking allegations.

Defined by the North American Interfraternity Conference, “tweaking is any action that undermines the fraternal vibe.” This includes the following — messing up the dap, using the weather app around the huzz and PUBSing.

As a member of the national organization and its University subdivision, Chi Beta is subject to this statute. It is accused of running out of alcohol within the opening hour, having an awful pledges-to-huzz ratio and lacking a general sense of game.

These investigations come during a time of intense scrutiny towards “tweaking.” Under current IFC policy, tweaking that threatens the party vibe may result in sanctioning of

the offending chapter. Though more egregious instances of tweaking, such as crying in the bedroom, commonly produce investigations, any tweak is grounds for an inquiry.

A guilty verdict could spell doom for the fraternity. It would require Chi Beta to halt all activities for the to-bedefined future.

Chi Beta successfully petitioned the council for a stay on the ruling, receiving relief until the official verdict arrives. Though it is required to suspend social activities until said verdict, philanthropy efforts will be ongoing.

John Blow, IFC member, said, “the exact timelines of investigations are fluid, but the IFC’s verdict will determine whether the group faces sanctioning. In the meantime, Chi Beta is to cancel all functions — even if they are totally sick ”

Brett Grayson, Division 1 Chiller and IFC president, said in a press release that these investigations — though not cause for celebration — are

a necessary part of maintaining inter-fraternal harmony on Grounds.

“We gotta separate the squids from the bids if we want to have a great fraternity culture,” Grayson said. “At the end of the day, when you’re riding the waves of the party, you’ve gotta have a tight ship type ship.”

UJC spokesperson and third-year in the College Harold Brest confirmed the IFC investigation, making sure to rehash the solemnity of the circumstances.

“We take allegations of tweaking very seriously,” Brest said. “Never geek about a tweak. We hope this investigation gives an impartial avenue for the truth to come out without harming the innocence of the guys.”

Nevertheless, the investigations have already had immediate effects. Frequently associated with brothers of Chi Beta, sororities Delta Iota Kappa and Beta Alpha Lambda Zeta have ceased communication.

“The sisters of Delta Iota Kappa can

no longer associate with a fraternity that completely lacks motion,” President Becca Bland said in a statement. “We encourage other sororities to reconsider being connected to a brotherhood that cannot lock in on Chiller status.”

To refute these accusations, Chi Beta cited their 15 DUI charges and 1-to-5 DJ to brother ratio. Nevertheless, the sororities have remained unwavering in their decision.

Furthermore, the Office of University Chillers was informed of the inquiries this Monday and subsequently placed Chi Beta members on probation from the Sick Chiller List. Though this is a perfunctory process, it may signal culpability.

Political pundits have taken the busting of Chi Beta as an indication of a systemic issue of tweaking in young men. Developments such as refusal to comply with being ‘nonchalant’ and obeying anti-nicotine propaganda have decimated the number of college-aged

CARTOON

Gets Carded

men designated as Sick Chillers.

However, Grayson denies the existence of this investigation as an indication of tweakage in other fraternities.

“We’re crazy confident that these guys are the only sober apples of the bunch. Every other fraternity’s cooperation so far is indicative of their total Raftus status and how college they are,” Grayson said. “The IFC is also optimistic that, following this, Chi Beta can start to be full send as well.”

Per IFC policy, after the investigations are completed, Chi Beta will be able to defend their organization by “case racing” and “throwing a sick rager for the good of the public, Project-X style.”

For now, the outcome of the investigation into Chi Beta remains to be determined.

SEBASTIAN GHERSI is a humor columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at humor@cavalierdaily.com.

Bulldozing the Pav

Cupid

Blake Maguire | Cartoonist

Jasmine Xiang | Cartoonist

ACROSS

1 “Among Us” duty

5 Wander about

8 Black or Red, for example

11 Eins + zwei

12 Portuguese hellos

14 Playground game

15 Baby in “Family Guy”

18 Right hand man, in Australia

20 Archangel in Christianity

22 Feel sick

23 Vietnam village My ___

24 Donald Trump or Martha Stewart, for example

27 Joe of “Home Alone”

29 “Love Sosa” rapper

33 Treasure stash

34 Gerund suffix

35 Banned insecticide

36 The big game, in which words found in 20-, 29-, 49- and

58-Across could compete in

41 Roadside assistance org.

44 “___ we there yet?”

45 Vital artery

49 “Hot 100” magazine

53 Scrub

54 “Inferiority complex” coiner Alfred

55 “You ___ girl!”

57 Sass

CROSSWORD

Joe Stern | Puzzlist

58 Apple juice supplier?

63 Tomato sauce

65 Tel Aviv’s land

67 “Much ___ About Nothing”

68 Knitting material

69 “Woe ____!”

70 DJ’s stack

71 Code-cracking org.

72 Playoff ranking

DOWN

1 Major pts. in 36-Across

2 More creative

3 Phrase of referral in citations

4 Fuzzy fruit

5 Mongolian desert

6 Actor Guinness or Baldwin

7 “The Incredibles” son

8 Delayed

9 Have a bite

11 Get older

13 Gandalf’s weapon

16 Substituting for, with “of”

17 GPS projection

19 Philadelphia rapper Mill

21 What 19-Down raps into

22 Well-suited

25 Ref. whose 2024 word of the year was “brain rot”

26 Visual crypto purchase abbreviation

28 Walgreens rival

30 One who interviews you

31 Bach’s “Mass ___ Minor”

32 Freud subject of study

37 Kung ___ Chicken

38 Historical period

39 “Hairspray” director John

40 Close to the ground

41 Attorney assoc.

42 Help

43 Best players in the league

46 Set free

47 Roman galley

48 Yik Yak, for example

50 Utah city named after Mormon prophet

51 Male “My Little Pony” fan

52 “Lad-di-___”

56 Martial art ___ Chi

59 Indian flatbread

60 Makes a mistake

61 Punta ____ (popular Spring

Break resort destination)

62 Pinot ____

63 Pittsburgh rapper Miller

64 Put two and two together

66 Light commonly sold as a strip

Mariam Grigorian | Puzzlist

Shreyas Agnihotri | Puzzlist