Thursday, February 18, 2016

ELECTIONS ISSUE Thursday, February 18, 2016

Vol. 126, Issue 40

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Cindy Guo and Morgan Hale | The Cavalier Daily

Morgan Hale, Cindy Guo

The Cavalier Daily

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CIOs discuss key issues for elected leaders to address

news

Diversity, community engagement cited as priorities

Hailey Ross Senior Writer

Encouraging diversity and community engagement are among the most important issues student representatives from various CIOs say they want the student leaders to tackle after being elected to office.

President of the University Democrats and third-year College student Sam Tobin said he sees issues such as how housing and residential life can be more accommodating to transgender students, increasing voter participation and bridging the gap between student government and the minority community as priority issues for student government to handle.

“A lot of people in the minority community do not feel like they are part of the U.Va. community,” Tobin said. “There is a divide there, and I am looking to student government and student leaders to take initiative to create conversations, to create places for discussion and push for policies that will make us a more inclusive, united university that is proud of our diversity.”

College Republican President and fourth-year College student Jay Boyd, said he agrees that diversity is an important issue, but said ideological diversity is an important aspect of a healthy community that is often overlooked.

“One of the most important things to me is that when we talk about the word diversity, we im-

mediately think race or ethnic background or socioeconomic background, but I think it’s really important for all of us at U.Va. to maintain an ideological diversity as well,” Boyd said.

Boyd said a college needs to

Courtesy College Republicans

foster a variety of opinions.

“There is some bias in some of the departments here as I’m constantly having my opinions challenged, and we have to make sure that everybody has their opinions challenged equally because that’s part of the notion of a college,” Boyd said.

President of the Black Student Alliance and third-year College student Aryn Frazier said she believes that student government should also be looking at diversity in terms of faculty as well as increasing the yield of black students who decide to attend the University.

Frazier also said student leaders can do a better job communicating with constituents.

“I think they should all sort

of work on communicating more clearly and consistently with their constituents,” Frazier said.

Frazier feels it is important for the student government to issue “regular updates, informing people what they’re doing but also collaborating on their own initiatives as well as the initiatives of various groups on grounds.

President of the Queer Student Union and fourth-year Commerce student Jason Jones said certain groups of students are “overrepresented” in the decision making process and the student government is responsible for reaching out to groups who may not feel as comfortable reaching out to them.

“I think that membership in certain CIO’s or specific organizations, for example, fraternal or sorority organizations might increase a student’s likelihood of participating in the voting process or participating in things like student council,” Jones said.

Jones said a student leader should be inclusive.

“I think that trying to do a little bit more outreach to groups that might not feel as comfortable participating would be something that I would expect a student leader to do,” Jones said.

John Al-Haddad, a representative of the Arab Student Organization, said he is concerned about a gap between student government and minority groups, specifically the Middle

Eastern Leadership Council.

“One of our concerns was the gap between Honor and MELC and our student body not being as educated enough about Honor initiatives and what Honor does,” Al-Haddad said. “From

Courtesy University Democrats

what I understood Honor was interacting with a lot of the other minority groups on Grounds but not as much with middle eastern leadership.”

Al-Haddad also said he wants members of the student government to highlight the importance of multicultural elements of the student body, work with the declining minority numbers at the university and to deal with issues like Islamophobia.

Claire Creighton, President of the Inter-Sorority Council, said she thinks student leaders should focus embracing and encouraging multicultural sensitivity.

“I think there are really powerful strides to be made in this arena so that all U.Va. stu-

dents feel that they are part of a community of inclusiveness,” Creighton said in an email statement.

Creighton also said groups should be recognized for their philanthropic efforts.

“Any strides that can be made for student organizations working together for collective improvement of the University through philanthropy is something the ISC has seen a lot of success with and would love to extend into all networks of the University,” Creighton said.

Fourth-year Batten student Alex Gregorio, a member of the Jefferson Society, said there are three things that student leaders should prioritize: having enough student space on grounds to accommodate all the CIOs, having enough funding to support them and making sure that the student body is engaged.

“U.Va. loves to talk about student self-governance, but at the same time it’s been difficult because a lot of people feel apathetic, voter turnout is at an alltime low,” Gregorio said.

Addressing voter apathy is an important issue, Gregorio said.

“I’m using that as a proxy to say that a lot of people don’t care about Student council, Honor, or UJC, or at least don’t care enough to vote,” he said. “So I think trying to energize voter participating and trying to get people to care about these organizations is an important thing.”

UBE updates campaign regulations New rules align with U.Va. policy, change campaign expense reporting

Caitlyn Seed Associate Editor

The University Board of Elections recently updated its rules and regulations on Feb. 3 for the 2016 student elections.

UBE Chair Sara Kropp, third-year Curry student, said the rules and regulations were last updated in 2011 - and even then, the changes were minor.

“There hasn’t been much reflection on the rules and regulations,” Kropp said. “They were very outdated.”

Three primary changes were

proposed and accepted by the UBE for 2016: changing control over social media platforms, altering existing policies to coincide with University-wide policies and changing the expenditure reporting process, and .

Social media platforms - like Facebook and student listservs - are widely used by student candidates to promote their campaigns. The use of these platforms was previously monitored by the UBE, but now falls partially to University administration, Kropp said.

Rules regarding posting on University “Class of ” pages, for example, now rest with University administration to regulate rather than the UBE. However, the UBE still has regulations for using listservs for existing organizations and University-affiliated groups.

A candidate is allowed to create their own listserv, but must personally know every student on the lists they utilize and those they contact, Kropp said.

The UBE also altered certain stipulations to reflect University regulations, including limiting

the size of flyers posted around Grounds and updating in accordance with the University Exterior Posting and Chalking Policy.

Also, in past elections, all candidates have been required to submit an expenditure report for expenses on their campaigns.

With the currently updated rules and regulations, student candidates are now required to provide an expenditure report in the interim of campaigning as well.

“We require one that will go with the ballot and one that will

be after the campaigns are over,” Kropp said.

Student voter, second-year College student Arrietta van der Voort said she doubts the updated rules on expenditure reportings have an impact on student voting, but that she supports the principle behind the idea.

“The more transparency, the better,” van der Voort said.

NEWS

Thursday, February 18, 2016

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Candidates compete for Student Council president Axler, Lodge discuss experience, platforms

Ankita Satpathy Associate Editor

Third-year College student Abraham Axler and third-year Batten student Emily Lodge are both running for Student Council president. Axler currently serves as the incumbent Student Council president, while Lodge serves on the executive board as the vice president of organizations.

Although both candidates are active members of Student Council this year and said the body has had a successful year, they see different areas for improvement.

Axler said making Student Council entirely inclusive this year was one of its biggest successes.

“I don’t believe that representative government has a right or a role to reject someone who wants to work to solve the concerns of their community,” Axler said.

Although she thinks an inclusive council is an inherently good thing, Lodge said Student Council needs restructuring.

“I think that we had a really great idea this year with making it inclusive of all students but I don’t think that it was executed effectively,” Lodge said. “I think that there were

certain committees who had way too many people than what they needed, and there was not enough for those committee members to do.”

Courtesy Abraham Axler

Third-year College student Abraham Axler is the incumbent in the race.

Lodge said her first priority as Student Council president would be working with the committee chairs to restructure Student Council internally by allowing them to have discretion over their membership while maintaining two committees regarding student concerns and stu-

dent outreach open to all students.

Organizational excellence will be the biggest challenge faced by Student Council in the future, Axler said, and he plans to address this through working with organizational experts across various schools at the University to learn how to best equip committee chairs to manage their committees.

Both candidates said they want to increase participation from students not in Student Council and be accessible leaders.

Lodge said her platform is summarized through the acronym “ICARE.” Lodge said the “I” stands for innovative solutions, such as improving the ambassador system by having ambassadors walk students home. The “C” stands for collaborative innovation, such as working with the leaders of student groups around Grounds to positively shape the University’s culture.

The “A” stands for accessibility, which Lodge said she hopes to accomplish through holding widely publicized office hours and being accessible via social media. The “R” stands for restructuring Student Council, while the “E” stands for the empowerment of students. Lodge said she wants to increase polling

of student opinion in order to ensure Student Council functions as an effective forum to resolve student concerns

Courtesy Emily Lodge

Third-year Batten student Emily Lodge currently serves as vice president of organizations.

“If our sole job is to be the voice of the student body, we need a way to know what that is,” Lodge said.

Axler’s platform focuses on increasing participation of students not in Student Council through the use of a mobile voting app.

Internally, Axler said he wants to

ensure being part of Student Council will be a collaborative experience members can use to serve the University. Externally, Axler said more visibility should be implemented through office hours and more public forums at which students can speak to the issues most important to them.

“I’d like to use those [advisory] committees as leveraging points to have difficult but necessary conversations about things like, tuition, diversity, faculty hiring and the environment,” Axler said.

With regard to Axler running as an incumbent, Lodge noted she would have a learning curve as Student Council president but said she believes it is surmountable because she was able to gain a lot of institutional knowledge very quickly when she became VPO last year.

Axler said his experience and record will be an important factor in the election.

“I think the difference is, with me, you know what’s happened and you can decide whether you like it or not, but you don’t have to guess about whether I can do it,” Axler said.

Voting will take place from Feb. 19-25. Election results will be announced Feb. 26.

Five candidates compete for SYC president One of most contested student elections of 2016 Kathleen Watson Associate Editor

With five candidates, the race for Second Year Council president is one of the most contested on the ballot this spring.

First-year College students Anant Das, Galen Green, Zane Homsi and Eddie Lin, and firstyear Engineering student Ahmad Shawwal are running for the position.

Historically, these two races have always had a high volume of candidates, Shawwal, the current First Year Council president, said.

"If you look at the [University Board of Elections] votes, the first-year elections and the spring elections for the firstyears tend to be the most contested just because you’re new to the University,” Shawwal said.

“You’re coming in with a lot of energy and with a lot of passion, and I think that’s a great thing.”

Lin said the race may be contested due to the character of the the first-year class.

"We have a lot of strong leaders in our class, and I think each of us kind of have a different style of leadership that we believe would bring the most effective change to our Class Council," Lin said.

All five of the candidates for second-year president are currently serving on First Year Council. This may also be contributing to the number of candidates, Homsi said.

"Every person running for office has served on First Year Council in some capacity," Homsi said in an email statement. "I believe that all five of us have a very good understanding of both the accolades and pitfalls of First Year Council and are running to turn those pitfalls into points of growth for Second Year Council."

Das said candidates’ experiences on First Year Council may have encouraged the students to run for office.

“I think the race... is one of the most contested because the First Year Leadership Experience attracted a lot of leaders to First

Year Council,” Das said in an email statement. “And so many of us have loved our time in FYC and are very passionate about how we want to see Second Year Council run.”

Green said the competitive election is a “true testament” to the Class of 2019.

“I would be proud to have not just anyone running, but anyone in the class as a president,” she said in an email statement.

Shawwal said he would focus on diversifying the Second Year Council to reflect the whole University community if elected.

"At Commencement, [University] President Teresa Sullivan said we have 84 different countries represented in our first-year class and I want to make sure that our student body, or our Council, at least in some ways, represents that diversity," Shawwal said.

Green said she wants to provide more professional development resources.

"Second year is the year we start to decide our major and get internships — I want to help my

class with that,” Green said. “As class president, I want to make the great resources we have available to us easily accessible to all of us.”

Green also said she wants to create programs for transfer students “to not just meet other transfer students, but to meet every student.”

If elected, Homsi said he plans to focusing making the council more accessible and responsive to the students it serves.

“Students should have a right to not only see the inner workings of the [council] but be able to comment on how the [council] handles business," Homsi said. "I will… [make] sure the programming, actions and publications that Second Year Council creates reflects exactly what the class desires.”

As president, Das said his primary area of focus would be creating a wider variety of more inclusive events.

"I want SYC events to be events that welcome everyone and tailor to the needs of students and minority groups, so

that all students feel part of the 2019 community," Das said.

"Moreover, I want a greater variety of events to be organized by [S]YC, including more frequent social, athletic, and mental wellness​events as well as having several career advising events."

Lin said he hopes to connect the Second Year Council and the second-year class more closely.

"Rig ht now a lot of people in ou r class overall don’t know what’s going on with First Year Counc il and I believe we need to have more outreach in letting peopl e know what we’re doing," Lin said.

Opening the Class Council up to al l members of the class and letti ng them vote through polls and m ore avenues for suggestions may be a way to get more members of the Class of 2019 involved, Lin said.

More candidates are running for S econd Year Council president this year than in recent year. There were four candidates in 20 15 and one candidate in 2014.

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NEWS

The Cavalier Daily

Student elections use rank order preference voting UBE member, professor explain voting system

Elizabeth Parker Associate Editor

As students start voting in University-wide elections on Friday, they will cast their ballots using ranked order preference voting, or RPV. RPV is a system which allows voters to rank multiple candidates in an order of preference and is outlined by the University Board of Elections in a six-page document of the “Rules and Regulations” of election procedures.

“To ensure the election of the candidate preferred by the most voters, avoid runoff elections, promote positive campaigning and encourage greater voter turnout, the Optional Preferential Alternative Vote scheme

of Instant Runoff Voting shall be utilized for elections of offices with one open position,” the UBE document reads.

Third-year College student and UBE member Inez Lieber said instant runoff voting is useful in competitive elections.

“In elections with multiple candidates competing for positions, it becomes difficult to reach a majority for any one candidate,” Lieber said in an email statement. “By having students rank candidates, votes are distributed in order of preference and considered in rounds. So in the first round, only the voter's first preference votes are considered.”

Craig Volden, associate dean for Academic Affairs at the Batten

School, said election design is important in designing a system which will accurately reflect voter preferences.

“Getting election results that most voters agree with is actually quite tricky, especially when there are more than two serious options,” Volden said in an email statement. “Election design then becomes important.”

Volden said there are multiple factors which characterize a well-run election.

“We would like election design to feature such good things as the selection of the outcome that would beat every other outcome in a two-way contest (if one exists), limited ability for outcomes to be manipulated by strategic blocks of voters and efficiency (in not having to hold multiple

costly runoff elections over time),” he said.

Lieber said RPV can prove helpful in the event there is a shift in the candidate list or someone drops out.

“This method of vote allocation also becomes particularly useful if candidates have to be removed, or withdraw, from the ballot during voting, or for whatever reason decide not to accept their positions if they win, as the runner up for each race will be abundantly clear,” Lieber said.

In addition to being used at the University level, Volden said RPV has gained support in some countries and localities, even within the United States. However, it has not gained widespread use in American elections because of the two-party

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system.

“Because of these features, preference voting has been used at the local level in many countries, including the U.S.,” Volden said. “It is less common when less needed, such as with only two main alternatives, as we’ve had among major parties throughout much of American history.”

Volden said while RPV may not be a perfect election system, it does a good job of reflecting voters’ preferences.

“When used, voters grow more comfortable with this system with more experience, especially when they come to realize that the true expression of their preferences yields the best outcome they can achieve,” he said.

CANDIDATES AT GLANCE

Thursday, February 18, 2016

CANDIDATES AT A GLANCE

University Board of Elections 2016-17 candidates take stance on important student issues

STUDENT COUNCIL CANDIDATES CANDIDATES

Do you believe the current administration gives sufficient consideration to student self governance?

Should StudCo be highly involved in the search for a new University president?

Are you satisfied with the current level of student representation on the Board of Visitors?

Should the student activities fee be increased?

ABRAHAM AXLER

EMILY LODGE MICHAEL JOSEPH EATON-BYRD SARAH KENNY MACKENZIE HODGSON

A.J. COLLINS

ALEXANDER CINTRON BRETT CURTIS JESSICA LUKACS JOCELYN HUANG MICHAEL HORTH ERICH REIMER BRYANNA MILLER *Joshua Gritz (Architecture), Katie Yung (Nursing), Luke Soshnik-Schierling (Medicine), Nader Maharmeh (Engineering), John Polzer (Engineering), Laura Cross (College), Eddie Lin (College), Alex Cutting (College) did not fill out the survey.

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CANDIDATES AT GLANCE

The Cavalier Daily

UNIVERSITY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE CANDIDATES

CANDIDATES

What is your school?

ANTHONY DUNAVANT

CLAS

RYAN LILLEY

CLAS

MITCH WELLMAN

CLAS

PETER BAUTZ

LAW

PATRICK RASMUSSEN

COMM

CHRISTOPHER CORTNER

SARC

JEREMY JONES

BATTEN

KATHERINE HITCHCOCK

BATTEN

JACQUELINE KOURI

SEAS

NATHAN RAY

SEAS

Do you believe UJC should push for more case referrals from individual students?

Should Housing and Residence Life increase the number of cases it reports to UJC?

Should UJC be required to publish its budget and spending reports regularly?

Should students be able to have professional representation at UJC trials?

Should UJC be required to release summary statistics regularly, including percentage of cases reported by students vs. ODOS and race, gender, school and year of accused students?

Should VP for Student Affairs Pat Lampkin be permitted to review UJC decisions?

Should the chair of UJC be elected by the student body instead of appointed by the committee?

Do you intend to seek either chair or one of the vice-chair positions if elected to UJC?

Taylor Hillman (Architecture), Claire Templeman (Nursing), Camille Leech (Nursing), Carly Jenison (Nursing), Brielle Gerry (Medicine), Erica Grimes (Batten), Brandon Newman (Law), Joey Castro (Engineering), Dan Donovan (Engineering), Andrew Melchers (Engineering) and Mason Brannon (College) did not fill out the survey.

CANDIDATES AT GLANCE

Thursday, February 18, 2016

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HONOR COMMITTEE CANDIDATES

CANDIDATES

What is your school?

Do you support the single sanction?

For the first Honor amendment, do you support Option 1 or Option 2?

KATIE DEAL

CLAS

UNDECIDED

OPTION 2

VENDARRYL JENKINS

CLAS

UNDECIDED

OPTION 1

MATT WEST

CLAS

OPTION 1

SARAH WYCKOFF

CLAS

OPTION 1

AUSTIN SIM

LAW

OPTION 1

KASEY GROVES

COMM

OPTION 1

ALEXANDRA ROSSI

COMM

OPTION 1

CAROLINE HERRE

SARC

OPTION 1

ALISON STICKEL

CURRY

OPTION 1

ORY STREETER

MED

OPTION 2

CAMERON KIDDY

SEAS

OPTION 1

DANIEL HOERAUF

SEAS

OPTION 2

SAMUEL KESTINGV

SEAS

OPTION 1

SARAH ROGERS

SEAS

OPTION 1

WILL RAINEY

SEAS

OPTION 1

Do you support the second Honor amendment on the ballot?

Should the Honor Committee be required to publish its budget and spending reports regularly?

Has the informed retraction policy resulted in a better functioning Honor system?

Should students be able to have professional representation at honor trials?

Should the Honor Committee Chair be elected by the student body instead of the committee?

Do you intend to seek chair or one of the vicechair positions if elected to the Honor Committee?

UNDECIDED

*Katharine Graham (Architecture), Ariana Zetlin (Education), Tamia Walker-Atwater (Nursing), Hannah Chacon (Medicine), Joseph Marchese-Smith (Batten), Jennifer Yeaton (Batten), Joey Castro (Engineering), Corinne Thomas (Commerce), Alexandra Rossi (Commerce), Kasey Groves (Commerce), Chad Hogan (College), Stefano Rumi (College) and Sarah Wyckoff (College) did not fill out the survey.

F

focus Alexis Gravely News Associate Editor

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Turnout rates low in U.Va. student elections Comparing voter turnout rates across organizations, schools, years

Average Percentage of Voter Participation for Enrollment School Council Positions

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tial race increased in turnout as well — in 2014, 25.73 percent of fourth-years voted while in 2015, 37.58 percent cast their ballots.

Voting across schools Individual schools elect officers for their respective councils in addition to Honor representatives, UJC representatives and Student Council representatives. Voting rates for each council varied widely across schools.

In 2014, the Architecture and Engineering Schools had the lowest voter turnout rates for their council presidents, at 11.96 percent and 15.01 percent, respectively. The College and the Nursing Schools had similar voter rates for their council presidents, at 19.83 percent and 20.43 percent, respectively. The Commerce School and the Batten School had the highest voting rates, with 25.03 percent of students voting for Commerce Council president and 52.94 percent of students voting for Batten Council president.

In 2015, the Education School, the Architecture School and the Nursing School had the lowest voter turnouts for their council presidents, with 12.35 percent, 16.46 percent and 17.40 percent of students voting, respectively. The voter turnouts for Engineering Council president and College Council president increased slightly to 18.56 percent and 22.92 percent, respectively. The Commerce School and the Batten School again had the highest voter turnout rates for their council presidents; 27.34 percent of Commerce students voted and 55.81 percent of Batten students voted.

The solution to low turnout In both 2014 and 2015, none of the Student Council, UJC, class council and trustee elections had a turnout of at least 50 percent of eligible voters, meaning a minority of students chose the candidates who represent the student body in these organizations on Grounds.

One school which has seen traditionally low voter rates for council-specific elections is the Engineering School.

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16.26 percent of undergraduates. The percentage was slightly higher for the same position in 2015, when 21.07 percent of undergraduates voted in a contested race.

For the Student Council vice president for administration race — which was contested in 2014 — the voter turnout was slightly higher than turnout in the presidential race, with 17.15 percent of students voting. In 2015, 18.93 percent of students voted for the same position in an uncontested election.

In 2014, voter turnout for the uncontested election of vice president for organizations was lower than both previous positions — approximately 15.67 percent of students voted. In 2015, the election for the contested position had a much higher turnout, with 18.97 percent of students voting.

The number of voters in class-specific elections varied between the two years.

In 2014, the Second-Year Council president was an uncontested race with a voter turnout of 17.55 percent. However, the 2015 second-year class had a much higher turnout in their contested presidential election, with 41.91 percent of students voting. The voter turnouts for vice president were slightly different than their presidential counterparts; 17.89 percent of students voted in 2014 and 40.61 percent voted in 2015.

The Third-Year Council elections had voter turnouts above 35 percent in both 2014 and 2015. In 2014, 42.45 percent of third-year students voted for president. This number dropped slightly in 2015, when 37.18 percent of third-year students cast their ballots. The numbers for vice president were similar, with 40.56 percent of third-year students voting in 2014 and 36.50 percent voting in 2015. The positions were contested in both years.

For Fourth-Year Trustees, the presidential race saw an increase in voter turnout between 2014 and 2015, as 24.37 percent and 38.35 percent of students voted, respectively. The vice presiden-

h Arc

News Associate At 10 a.m.

Feb. 19, students can begin casting their votes for new leaders in a host of University-wide elected positions ranging from Student Council president to Honor Committee representatives.

Despite the large number of electable positions and candidates, voting rates among University students have been consistently low over the past several years.

The voting process The University Board of Elections is an organization that runs elections for some of the University’s largest groups, including the Honor Committee, the University Judiciary Committee, Student Council and Class Council. Smaller organizations, such as the College, Engineering and Nursing School Councils, have asked UBE to run their elections as well, thirdyear Batten student Samantha Magnes, UBE vice chairman for candidate relations, said.

“We’re responsible for guaranteeing that there aren’t rule violations, running information sessions so the candidates know what’s going on, answering questions so they know how to upload their information to the uploading system and checking petition signatures,” Magnes said. “There’s a laundry list of responsibilities [to] basically maintain the elections overall.”

To run elections, UBE has worked with an advisor to set up a software system called Big Pulse. The software tracks student votes through UBE’s election website, uvavote.com. In order to vote, students receive access to a voting link, where they type in their computing ID. Any election in which a student is eligible to vote will appear on the website. Students also have the option to read candidates’ biographies to learn more about them.

Voter turnout rates In the 2014 University elections, 3,525 of 21,676 students voted in the uncontested Student Council president election.

This is the equivalent of only

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Annie Cary | The Cavalier Daily Annie Cary

“I think [low voter turnout] probably does attribute to the fact that everyone is very close with their own major,” thirdyear Engineering student Daniel Tavakol, the incumbent Engineering Council vice president, said. “I guess if you don’t have someone who’s running who you’re close with, then you’re going to be a lot less inclined to fill out that ballot and submit it.”

The lack of campaigning in the common areas of the Engineering School may lead to low voter turnout in the general, University-wide elections, Tavakol said. As a solution, many leaders in the Engineering School are changing their profile pictures to display the slogan “Engineers Vote.”

Students in other schools and organizations have similar solutions to address the problem of low voter turnout. “[UBE] is working a lot more in marketing this year,” Magnes said. “We just started our series of profile pictures, hoping that people will really start advertising via Facebook for voting in general, not just voting for specific candidates.”

UBE will also host a Candidate Town Hall Feb. 18 to encourage students to learn more about the candidates, Magnes said.

Fourth-year College student and current College Council President Henry Reynolds said the key is to get more people talking about voting.

“Last year, at least two elections were decided by one vote,” Reynolds said. “So I just think explaining that your vote actually matters can have a huge impact.”

Magnes also said reminding students how much their vote matters is important to increasing voter turnout.

“Last year, we had one election that came down to someone [winning] vice president of Third-Year Council by just one vote,” Magnes said. “That is such a close race. If only two more people had voted, the situation could’ve been much different.

[Voting as a student] is the best way to ensure student self-governance.”

S

sports

The Cavalier Daily

Stepping up to the plate Upperclassmen serve important role in rookies’ transition into college ball

Porter Dickie Feature Writer

Of the 29 Cavaliers who were part of the first national championship program in Virginia baseball history, only 18 are returning for the 2016 season. Joining them will be 17 rookie players. With six star players from his program departing for the major leagues following their big win in Omaha, coach Brian O’Connor said “year in and year out, you are relying on first-year players to make an impact, because we just lose so many players after three years to professional baseball.”

“We try to do some things every year to get those young, new players to get them to understand,” O’Connor said Monday at the team’s annual media day. “I think one of the best things you can do to have a successful program is… for it to be passed down from older players to younger players. You know, I can stand in front

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Zoe Toone | The Cavalier Daily

Senior Robbie Coman is one of 18 players returning from Virginia’s College World Series championship team. He is expected to help lead the 17 freshmen on the roster.

of them and tell them the things that need to be important or what they ought to do, but the best form of that is to come from those veteran players who have done it and have lived it.”

Senior catcher Robbie Coman is just one of three remaining fourthyears with the program. He laughed when asked about life as a first-year.

“As a first-year, you are walking

around, they don’t really know what is going on,” he said. “So the only people you have to look at are the older guys.”

Coman, who played on the 2014 College World Series runner-up team, has had the opportunity to play alongside and learn from some of the most talented Cavaliers to ever come through the program. “[I had] the tremendous opportunity to be around quite a few pretty good leaders and older guys,” Coman said. “[I remember] experiences of Jared King pulling me aside first-year, or Colin Harrington. Then that turned into Nick Howard and, you know, [Mike] Papi and [Derek] Fisher, and then last year with Kenny [Towns]. I mean, the guys who have been through this program have taught me a lot, that is for sure.”

Junior catcher Matt Thaiss said that he took plenty away from his elders by “following the lead of guys like Kenny Towns and Joe McCarthy and Thomas Woodruff” as an underclassman. “[Now] guys like me and Robbie Coman are seeing what we have to

do,” Thaiss said. “Older guys like us have to step up and show them what to do, you know, how to do it the right way, and I think that is a really big responsibility for us, but I think it is very important to our team as well.”

Coman said he understands the importance of sharing his past experiences with the younger players.

“Now I am just trying to spread the things that I’ve learned and that I know to the younger generation,” Coman said. “I try to make a conscious effort, you know, anything that I can do to help… been around it for four years, so I kinda got the gist of things.”

O’Connor described the team as “a pretty tight knit group,” and expects that “some of those young kids… are going to make some immediate impact.”

The newest Cavaliers will be put to the test at their season opener this weekend in Myrtle Beach, S.C. against Kent State. He expects three rookies to start in field positions, in addition to seeing freshman LHP Daniel Lynch take the mound Saturday.

Women’s basketball looks for statement win over Louisville Triumph over ranked Cardinals would bolster Virginia’s tournament resume

Grant Gossage Senior Associate

A week ago, after a second-straight embarrassment at John Paul Jones Arena, it appeared the Virginia women’s basketball team had thrown in the towel. Coach Joanne Boyle knew no answers and had no plan to get back on track — at least involving the players at her disposal. Boos rang out following the 57-91 blowout loss to Syracuse, woeful Cavalier fans thinking back to better Debbie Ryan days.

But there are signs of life again, signs that Boyle may even retain her job. Now, senior leader Faith Randolph is back, and the Virginia women’s basketball team enters Thursday’s contest at No. 11 Louisville riding a one-game winning streak. Perhaps the better wording there is the Cavaliers (14-12, 4-8 ACC) are no longer entrenched in their near month-long losing streak.

Virginia defeated Boston College 61-50 on the road Sunday. They had last won 78-67 at Georgia Tech Jan. 17.

“It feels good,” Boyle said. “It has been a long time coming. I am really proud of the team. They played really strong for three quarters.”

Over the last 10 minutes, the Eagles outscored Virginia 18-11. Boston

College trimmed the Cavalier’s comfortable 18-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter to just six points by the five-minute mark. Her Virginia team scuffling to avoid an Eagle comeback, sophomore point guard Mikayla Venson knocked down a huge three that extended the margin to nine.

The Cavaliers regained their composure in the final minutes and held on to victory. Numbers associated with her name did not exactly stick out in the box score — only two field goals on 12 attempts for four points — but Randolph had still impacted the game.

“I think she was great on the defensive end of the floor,” Boyle said.

“She didn’t shoot the ball well and got stagnant there for a minute but was always able to lock down on someone.”

The last time Virginia limited a team to 50 points or fewer was at Wake Forest Jan. 10, while most students were enjoying their final week or so of winter break. Sure, Boston College has accrued a record of 1-11 in conference and not impressed offensively thus far, but the Cavaliers should feel good about their defensive performance Sunday.

The Eagles finished ten points below their season average in points and shot only 36.2 percent from the

floor, including 21.1 from deep. Boston College’s averages a field-goal percentage of 43.9 in 2015-16. Randolph added intensity, and Virginia’s pressure proved to be too much.

“I thought the kids did a great job of executing the game plan on the defensive end,” Boyle said. “They took things away from them and didn’t allow them to get the easy looks they normally get.”

Thursday promises to be a much greater challenge when the Cavaliers face the Cardinals (20-6, 11-1 ACC) at the KFC Yum! Center. Louisville defeated Virginia 59-41 Jan. 14 in Charlottesville. In their second game without Randolph, the Cavaliers struggled on the offensive end. They shot only 33.3 percent, and Venson and junior guard Breyana Mason produced over half their total points, a sign of imbalance.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals shot 42 percent, and four players — freshmen forwards Mariya Moore and Myisha Hines-Allen, freshman guard Asia Durr and junior forward Cortnee Walton — recorded double figures in scoring. Hines-Allen and Moore pose the biggest problem for opposing defenses, as they average 16.5 and 15.1, respectively.

Since the Jan. 14 matchup, Louisville has won seven of eight contests, the lone loss to then-No. 3 Notre

Paul Burke | The Cavalier Daily

A broken thumb sidelined senior Faith Randolph for over a month. She returned in Sunday’s winning effort against Boston College.

Dame 61-66. Should Virginia have any shot of making the NCAA Tournament, other than an automatic bid from a miracle run in the ACC Tournament, it will, as a minimum, need a statement win Sunday. It seems far

more likely now than in prior weeks.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

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The Cavalier Daily

10

LEAD EDITORIAL

Our candidate picks for Honor

opinion

We endorse Deal, Hogan, Jenkins, West, Wyckoff, Yeaton, Groves, Keating and Rainey

Our election endorsements The editorial board has also endorsed the following candidates: Student Council President: Emily Lodge VPA: Sarah Kenny VPO: MacKenzie Hodgson UJC Mason Brannon, CLAS Rep. Mitch Wellman, CLAS Rep. Jeremy Jones, Batten Rep. For our editorials containing these endorsements, see Monday’s issue and www.cavalierdaily.com.

The editorial board endorses third-year students Katie Deal, Chad Hogan, VJ Jenkins, Matt West and Sarah Wyckoff as College representatives to the Honor Committee. Hogan, Jenkins, West and Wyckoff each expressed support for Option 1 of the upcoming amendment to the Honor Committee constitution, which would essentially preserve the single sanction. Deal was unique in her support of Option 2, which would allow for the possibility of a multi-sanction system by granting the committee the power to “impose lesser sanctions.” The endorsed candidates were able to defend their stances on the amendments that will appear on the ballot.

Each candidate discussed reforming the Informed Retraction, or IR, to address its disproportionate impact on particular student groups. Deal discussed her desire to make the Honor Committee less insular from its members. Hogan focused on the need for enhanced education about the honor system for orientees ahead of the fall semester. Jenkins, who is currently the Honor Committee’s vice chair for community relations, impressed us with his interest in making the honor system more approachable by introducing the

recent Diversity Initiative Award and the Honorable Mention.

Wyckoff noted that while Honor has diversified its support officer pool, such diversification has not extended to its leadership, which she plans to address.

We were impressed by the extensive experience the candidates offered, and pleased that, while they share similar goals, they each presented different mechanisms for achieving those goals.

We also endorse third-year Batten student Jen Yeaton as a committee representative. Yeaton intends to cultivate greater empathy toward the accused among members of the honor system. Externally, she suggested co-sponsoring events with other University organizations during support officer recruitment in order to capture a wider portion of the student population. Yeaton stated she does not see the upcoming amendments as an issue of single versus multiple sanctions and would want the student body to vote on a tangible multiple sanction system instead of what is currently on the ballot — a view Wyckoff shared.

We also endorse third-year Commerce student Kasey Groves as a committee representative. Internally, she aims to improve com-

munications between the support officer pool and the committee.

She demonstrated that she would represent her fellow students well by highlighting the unique effects of the IR on Commerce students due to the structure of their curriculum.

We also interviewed thirdyear Commerce student Corinne Thomas. Thomas does not have experience as a support officer and was unable to offer an opinion on the upcoming constitutional amendments and the single sanction since she did not know what they were.

We also endorse second-year Engineering students Samuel Kesting and Will Rainey as representatives to the committee.

Kesting proposed Honor outreach initiatives specifically for the Engineering school, which he viewed as underrepresented in the support officer pool. He also stressed the importance of Honor education for Engineering students, who collaborate more for group assignments than College students.

Rainey, though without experience as a support officer, demonstrated a strong understanding of the honor system and the upcoming ballot. He identified a need to

reform the IR by making it more fair to students disproportionately affected by missing a year of study, such as international students whose legal statuses in the United States are contingent on University enrollment. Both candidates defended their support for Option 1 and the single sanction.

Several other candidates are running in the above schools but chose not to interview with us.

This spring, students will face a difficult choice regarding the possibility of a multi-sanction system, which will have significant implications for University students. As we have previously stated, we support Option 2, which would not mandate such a system but would make it possible. All the candidates we are endorsing expressed that if the student population were to support a multi-sanction system, regardless of their personal stances they would represent their constituents and work to determine which type of multi-sanction system students would support. We are confident these candidates will be able to represent students on the issues they will face heading into the next term of committee leadership.

THE CAVALIER DAILY The Cavalier Daily

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OPINION

Thursday, February 18, 2016

11

Preserve the single sanction hen the ballots open tomor- transcript, an option that would row, I will personally be be unlikely under a multiple sancvoting for Option 1 because I be- tion system. Students are given a lieve in the Conscienfresh start and a clean tious Retraction, or CR, slate. The IR has been FAITH LYONS the Informed Retracsuccessful and it is only Guest Writer tion, or IR, and the sinthree years old; in such gle sanction. This vote, a short period of time, at its core, is not about what sanc- it’s impossible to assess the longtions we want. This vote addresses term shifts in culture that the IR a much larger philosophical ques- indicates. tion about the purpose of attendIn the past term alone, we have ing a University that treats its stu- seen 24 students take the IR, or dents as peer adults. This vote calls roughly 50 percent of the cases its students to decide on the value that the current committee has reof honor and self-governance — ceived since the beginning of their both on the individual and Uni- term. In addition, 10 students have versity level. As chair of the Honor submitted a CR. By voting for a Committee, I would like to clarify multiple sanction system, you are I am not speaking on behalf of the implicitly saying the honor excommittee, but rather based on my hibited by these students does not individual beliefs. matter to you. You state that, as a The IR was created in 2013 to community, we do not value the offer students an opportunity to act of taking responsibility and intake responsibility for their ac- stead seek to punish students for tions while preserving the option wrongdoing. Honor, as it stands, is to return to the University. It was not an inherently punitive system. a thoughtful response to the per- Honor is built around the ideal of ceived unfairness in a process that student self-governance and the at that time punished honest stu- fact that we should first hold ourdents and allowed dishonest stu- selves accountable, and when we dents to remain at the University. do not, we turn that responsibility Students who choose to take the over to our peers.

IR take a leave of absence from the The IR is the only alternative University and return two semes- sanction from the committee that ters later without a mark on their fits both the practical concerns

of single sanction opponents and the philosophical underpinnings of a system that has persisted for over 175 years. The committee and current candidates have discussed multiple ways to reform the IR to address the concerns raised by both Option 1 and Option 2 supporters. We should stop debating a multiple sanction system, assess the impact of an enormous change that occurred only three years ago and fix the system we already have by voting for Option 1 and reforming the IR.

Even still, faculty members retain the discretion to assign grades; the likelihood that the committee would ever have the power to sanction a student by failing him or her on an assignment or in a class is very low, which differentiates our potential sanctioning options from other universities. Therefore, we’re operating in a world of suspensions and expulsions — a world we already operate in with the IR and the single sanction. If we keep our system philosophically intact, the IR, a two-semester leave of absence, sets a baseline for any possible sanctioning system.

With that in mind, think to yourself for a moment about what change you would actually like Our current system is not perfect — no system to see.

If you want to ever can be — but the ideal of honor, our expand the IR to be community of trust, our current system, is worth more sensitive to the issues faced by fighting for. international students and students If the above argument for the without economic means; if you IR does not move you, I ask you to envision the IR decision delayed consider what you want a multiple until after the Investigative Panel sanction to look like. I have al- has met and significant evidence ready discussed the potential base- is procured; if you would like the line for sanctioning set by the IR. IR to cover more than one act of

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Voting for Option 1 will preserve the community of trust lying, cheating or stealing; or if you wish to make the IR more of a learning process than a means of punishment, then vote for Option 1 and allow the committee to act upon what they’ve learned in the past three years and better the process for students who are honest.

Our current system offers multiple sanctions, multiple chances, for honest students willing to admit their mistakes. At the same time, our system holds dishonest students to the same standards they would be held to in a professional setting, an important distinction that holds University students in high regard with prospective employers. Our current system offers these students who take responsibility for their actions an opportunity to take two semesters off and return to our community of trust with no mark on their record. Our current system offers these students forgiveness and the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Our current system is not perfect — no system ever can be — but the ideal of honor, our community of trust, our current system, is worth fighting for.

Faith Lyons is the chair of the Honor Committee.

The single sanction is bad policy F

To fix Honor, students should vote for Option 2

or my entire time at the Uni- individuals would file reports unversity, I have been working der a multi-sanction system. So with students who are accused of rather than having a few students honor offenses. It has who committed offenstaken me a while to be reported with a ERIC MACBLANE es really develop an unlarge, disproportionate Guest Writer derstanding of what (see my third point) the process means to punishment, we should these students and how it can of- be encouraging all misconduct to ten lack the fundamental fairness be reported with a more fair punyou might expect. I speak up now ishment. This would increase rebecause we have an opportuni- porting and thus allow for more ty that we have never had before: accountability. to forgo the single sanction at the Decisions at hearings University. In order to explore this Although jurors are instructpossibility, I encourage you to vote ed not to vote based on the single for Option 2 for four key reasons. sanction, some look back and say The first two points have to do it played a role in their decision. with rights of the student popula- Should the guilt of a student be tion: those who violate the honor dependent on their punishment? code must be held accountable so Only 14 percent of students agree we can maintain a community of with the single sanction with no trust. reservations. This means that 86 Reporting rates percent of the students eligible Students at the University care to serve on a jury do not entirely a lot about the Honor code, yet agree with the punishment, and over 60 percent of students would may have a tendency (knowingly not report an offense due to a rea- or not) to vote not guilty, regardson at least somewhat relating to less of what the facts of the case the single sanction. Moreover, 79 state. The injustice of this practice percent of students believe more is those students who are expelled

bear the brunt of the inconsistency and unfairness of the harsh punishment.

These next two points have to deal with rights of the accused, and are where my personal experiences with Honor come into play.

Proportional justice This is the old belief that the punishment should fit the crime. I am a strong believer that there are different levels of honor violations that I have seen at the University in the over 20 cases I have served on. Undoubtedly, there are some students who may deserve to be expelled (and with Option 2, the committee will not lose its right to expel students.) However, I have also seen students who were firsttime offenders and did not seem to fully understand the rules here at the University. This might seem strange to you, but take different majors, like Computer Science, and things are not as cut and dry.

Moreover, international students and students from high schools without an honor code are prone to “slipping up” early on in their college career. Should one uncer-

tain mistake lead to permanent expulsion? In my opinion, that is not proportionate punishment to the harm they have done to our community.

Second Chances To me, this might be the most important point (and to be fair, it’s really an extension of my third point). When former Honor Chair Evan Behrle asked at convocation for everyone to sit down if they had ever lied, cheated or stolen, every student but one or two did.

Now this was convocation, so these students had never been to a college class yet. But I think the reaction would remain for those of us who have been at the University for a while. Sometimes people make mistakes. College students are not immune to that. I know I make a lot them. Some are worse than others, and all deserve a proportionate punishment, but the single sanction does not responsibly provide an opportunity to learn and improve. When you know fourth-years who could lose their jobs, colleagues who spend a semester worrying about something

they didn’t do only to be told what they already know ("not guilty”) or an international student who loses his student visa, you can’t help but ask if what we are doing is right. The student is not given a chance to make amends, and they suffer tremendously through the punishment. We say “honor is not punitive,” but from my perspective I would say that is false.

In closing, at least vote. I hope you see me eye-to-eye on Option 2, but please take my fourth point and realize that this policy, and thus your vote, affects real people. Not just people, but your colleagues, your students, and your friends. Read up on both policies, and make an informed decision. I wholeheartedly believe Option 2 will bring much needed fairness and reconsideration to our antiquated system.

Eric MacBlane is a fourth-year Engineering student and a senior support officer and investigative coordinator for the Honor Committee.

12

OPINION

The Cavalier Daily

The University needs an election holiday he right to vote is central to he continued to make contradicthe preservation of a demo- tory statements throughout his cratic republic. Our own country adult life. On one hand, Jefferson can be characterized backed — on a numsimultaneously as a ber of occasions — the BEN YAHNIAN praiseworthy beacon limitation of enfranOpinion Columnist for a representative chisement to landownsystem of government, ing whites in order to yet also as an imperfect struc- ensure a rural republicanism. ture in need of desperate reform. This position was influenced by As we work to forge a more per- his understanding of the potenfect union, the University should tial problems that can come with heed the words of its excessively extending suffrage to everyone, championed founder Mr. Jeffer- including those who are uneduson: “The rational and peaceable cated, misinformed and malleainstrument of reform, the suffrage ble to the whims of demagogues. of the people.” The University On the other hand, he expressed should endorse the position of a support for “extending the right third-year Law student’s recent of suffrage… to all who [have] a petition to “grant all students a permanent intention of living in full leave of absence on Federal the country.” Despite this hope to primary and presidential election expand voting rights to a larger days.” share of the population, he foreAn over-reliance on the lofty shadowed Otto Von Bismarck’s ideals of an institutional founder pragmatism while following his can be dangerous, yet I think it’s contemporary Alexander Hamilimportant to understand that in- ton in the preservation of the curdividual’s views so he can act as a rent laws. While an examination guiding map for the institution’s of Jefferson’s views does contain future direction. Jefferson himself contradictions and indeed posiis a fascinating study in pragma- tions which deny to many people tism and evolution of thought as rights which seem so fundamen-

tal to us now, his iron belief in the power of suffrage should guide the University now.

With an election day federal holiday caught in the political quagmire of Washington, the University has an opportunity to refute the threatening ideology of some states seeking to restrict voting rights for political gain.

Instead, by granting days off for primary and presidential election days, the administration would send an unambiguous signal that it truly encourages faculty and

an incumbent in contention, this year seems especially ripe for the University to enact policy changes that makes participation in our civic duty easier.

The freedom that comes from making it easier to exercise the right to vote also grants to those people the freedom not to vote as well. For that reason, those who claim election days do not warrant cancelling classes or that many people won’t take advantage fail to understand the true importance of suffrage. It gives to ordinary citizens the mechanism to enact progression or conservation, whatsoever the people choose.

Furthermore, it should not be denigrated by The University has an opportunity to refute the partisan thinking, threatening ideology of some states who seek to even when the expansion of suffrage restrict voting rights for political gain. benefits one party over the other. Instudents to participate actively stead, the opposing sides — or in the political process. Over and parties in this case — should be above the importance that seems pitted in battle to win the hearts to come from elections without and minds of these newly aspiring

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More needs to be done to promote suffrage among the student body and University employees voters with vision and commitment.

The University’s choice is clear.

If it continues to champion the life and ideals of its founder with incessant mentions in speeches, on tour guides, in admissions packets and in restoration of his beloved Rotunda, then it must have the aspiration to apply those ideals in practice. Instead of reverting to standard operating procedure by issuing statements like “U.Va. strongly encourages our students and employees to exercise their right to vote” while failing to truly do it, the University should affirm its commitment with action to make it as easy as possible for students and faculty to create the elective and representative government which its founder sought to build.

Ben’s columns run Thursdays.

He can be reached at b.yahnian@ cavalierdaily.com.

Thinking dimensionally about mental health ental health is a growing in significant problems with the issue nationwide and in way the psychiatric community our University community. In diagnoses and treats people with fact, a 2013 survey mental illness. Part found that almost a of this problem is inALEX MINK third of college stutrinsic to psychiatry Opinion Columnist dents had experienced — diagnoses and the depression so severe it definitions of meninterfered with their tal disorders have to ability to function. Looking at be formed by a broad consenthese statistics, the conclusion sus about groups of symptoms can be drawn that as a nation due to the lack of availability and particularly as a communi- of any objective measures. This ty we should seriously consider diagnosis and treatment follows whether we are doing our best a categorical approach, which to inform and treat our peers provides two possible diagnoses with mental disorders. At the — the patient has an illness, or University, given the tragic sui- he does not. cides we’ve seen in the last few This may work well for most semesters, we need to step back health issues, but for mental and reorient the ways University disorders the line that separates counseling services and our stu- someone with a disorder from dent body think about and diag- someone without is not one that nose mental illness. can be drawn objectively. What This issue is playing out at is needed is a transition to a a national level as psychiatrists dimensional approach in councontinue to alter their classifica- seling offices and in the many tions of mental illnesses. While student groups at the University the rest of the medical com- that focus on informing and asmunity has moved away from sisting students with mental dissymptom-based treatment, psy- orders. A dimensional approach chiatry has stuck by it, defining broadens the spectrum of diageach disorder and condition by a noses to allow for different debroad range of symptoms highly grees in severity of a disorder. dependent on each doctor’s in- This would also allow doctors to terpretation. This has resulted tailor their treatments for each

individual patient, determining the types and levels of care based on the causes and severity of the disorder.

Mental illness needs this new approach because of the complexity involved in its creation, and because of the fact that research has not been able to single out a defining factor for any one disorder. Sometimes there may be an obvious cause, but more often a unique variety of biological, environmental and lifestyle

on the symptoms but on what caused them. Treating someone who has an ingrained chemical imbalance in the brain with just talk therapy will not do much to help, while using medication to treat someone might be addressing a problem that isn’t there.

The push toward a new style of treatment exists at the national level, as the National Institute of Mental Health has launched a new project called the Research Domain Criteria to incorporate multiple levels of information like genetics, brain imaging and cognitive science into their classification system for menWhat is needed is a transition to a dimensional tal disorders. But this doesn’t mean approach in counseling offices and in the many action at the local student groups at the University that focus on level can’t make a informing and assisting students with mental difference. Increasing knowledge of disorders. the nature of mental health will allow students to become factors combine to produce the more aware of the root causes outcome. Because of the com- of their problems and also how plexity in cause, there also has to their everyday choices may be be complexity in diagnosis and contributing to the quality of the realization that treatment their mental health. Lifestyle really shouldn’t depend entirely habits like alcohol usage, eating

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Our current approach to psychological well-being isn’t working patterns and lack of sleep — all significant problems among college students — can be both the cause of and a symptom of mental disorders, acting in a vicious feedback cycle as each causes the other to worsen. Counseling and Psychological Services, though limited locally by financial and personnel constraints and nationally by the slow growth of research on mental health, can also make adjustments to how it provides service. For example, the current cap on the number of sessions a student can have with their doctor could be raised, giving doctors more flexibility in how they provide care. Small steps like this will not fix the larger problem, but some added flexibility can help alleviate the pressure until wider changes can be made.

Alex’s columns run Wednesdays. He can be reached at a.mink@cavalierdaily.com.

HU MOR

Thursday, February 18, 2016

13

Just for wits.

ere is the concept: sell elevator with an easily identifiyourself to employers in a able hiring manager. The eleva30-second speech. Your elevator tor doors close and she turns to pitch should be short you: “Hello, I’m a yet informative. Concomplete stranger. cise, but still inter- NANCY-WREN BRADSHAW What do you do?”

Senior Associate Editor esting. Sexy but high Being the business fashion. Old people savvy individual keep arguing the importance of you are, you take 30 seconds to this little appeal but I’m finding tell her why you would make an it difficult to write. Part of the is- ideal candidate for a job opening sue is that I’m 20 years old and that possibly does not exist.

I have no marketable skills, but Do you see what I’m getting at there is also something problem- here? This is not a realistic social atic about the format of the ele- interaction. This doesn’t happen. vator pitch.

When is the last time you spoke Let’s start with the underlying to a stranger in an elevator? metaphor here. This is the situ- More importantly, when is the ation they describe to help you last time you delivered a speech write the pitch. You are in an to a stranger in an elevator? Nevelevator with a hiring manager. er! You, like any good American, How do you know she is a hiring stare at the doors in silence until manager? Are you just guessing? you reach your floor. That’s why Who knows! She presses a button it’s hard for me to get my head to get off on the 15th floor. Why around the elevator pitch scenarare you in this tall building? Are io. Should I make eye contact? I you following her? I guess you’re would never make eye contact just hanging out in a tall building with a stranger in an elevator. and you coincidentally enter an Once you do, you’re trapped.

who might hire me? If I have to have a conversation by myself, it will sound like this: “Hey! I’m Nancy-Wren. I like your skirt.

Oh, is that a dress? Haha, I like your dress. The color is really pretty. Like an olivey… brown… so, anyway, if you need someone who is organized, I could definitely become that kind of person. Also, I’m super good with Microsoft Office. Except I don’t understand OneNote, Outlook, Project or Publisher. And I haven’t used PowerPoint in Part of the issue is that I’m 20 years old and a long time.” biggest issue I have no marketable skills, but there is also withMy the elevator something problematic about the format of the pitch is that it is not the best way for elevator pitch. employers to learn about candidates. from the situation, why would I It’s lazy! Instead of asking pointever use this contrived format to ed questions, hirers can just say, market myself? Why can’t I just “So give me your pitch.” Imagine hold a dialogue with the person if you were on a first date and a

guy said, “Alright, you have 30 seconds. Tell me why you’re second date material.” You wouldn’t even humor that guy unless he were really hot. He’d have to be a solid eight. Or a really tall seven. Ideally your date would get to know you by asking questions organically. That’s all I want from employers.

So if you have to write an elevator pitch, do it. We are in no position to neglect requests in a job interview. But write it with style and dignity. Stay cool. Open the pitch with an open-ended question like Don Draper and try not to end it with, “God, crap, you hate me. I’m nobody. Just forget it.”

Nancy-Wren Bradshaw is a Senior Associate Editor for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at n.bradshaw@cavalierdaily.com.

Harrowing fashion must be stopped

am always right, particularly And don’t fool yourselves — when it comes to fashion. I Sperry shoes really are just slipwould not typically be addressing pers. Never before has there been the subject of this colsuch a stark real-life umn, but the fashion analogy to Hans epidemic on Grounds ROBERT SHIMSHOCK Christian AnderHumor Writer has recently risen to sen’s “The Empersuch prominence that or’s New Clothes.” my journalistic faculYou’re all behaving ties have once again been called like this children’s tale’s emperor, upon to decree and deride. And who is scammed out of exorbiI’m the perfect person for the job. tant riches by two weavers who While I certainly don’t need to, “make” him extravagant garI will briefly explain why. I con- ments. Here’s the catch: the garsistently wear graphic tees. I own ments don’t exist. They’re invisiblack skinny and blue flair jeans, ble. You know, just like the status and I sport more Nike swoosh- you think you gain by wearing es than you on any given day of furless moccasins. And you know the week (typically six to nine). what else is invisible? The $60This Christmas, I have added $350 you just forked over for a one Urban Pipeline long-sleeved pair, Mr. Emperor. If you really shirt and five pairs of socks to must don Sperry shoes to appease my collection of red-black cloth- the rest of the bros, at least do so ing. The socks say “Hyper Elite” with Nike mids. and “Dominate” on them — they Next, I really must address serve as a daily reminder of what the horrible, harrowing and just I am and what I do. However, I downright offensive trend of do not don dull, monochromatic polo shirts. Shirts should express polo shirts or pants of any nau- your likes, dislikes, affiliations or seatingly salmon hue. Most cru- various other elements of your cially, I have never worn a pair of identity. A color is not an identislippers to class. ty — and we’re not talking about

race, social justice warriors. Blue, of course, is an exception: feel free to wear this if you are feeling sad or wish to express some of that good old school spirit.

Now I know, I know, one should “dress to impress.” But I’m sure University President Teresa Sullivan will give you ample warning if your daily library-dining hall stroll will be interrupted by the Goldman Sachs CEO. And don’t worry, your girlfriend told me she

maxim: if you don’t have a job interview within the next halfhour, the polo’s a no-no.

Finally, we come to the sickening salmon shorts. Salmon remains one of the only English words I know to be doubly disgusting. Stay away from both the color and the fish. And yes, one is just as repulsive and repugnant to the eyes as the other is to the taste buds. For guys, salmon shorts are also far too revealing.

While standing, shorts should not display any part of the knees, although some leeway is permissible for those who wear aforementioned Nike mids.

Salmon remains one of the only English words Now, I know I know to be doubly disgusting; stay away from most of you have not willingly choboth the color and the fish. sen such abhorrent, abysmal and abomwas alright with it, last night. inable fashion. Thinking that Of course, a popped collar would be just downright cynical will salvage this pitiful garment. of me. No, most of you are probBut modesty is a virtue (and one ably seduced by the prospect of my finest), so here’s a general of extra frat rush points. This is

“

I

There is nowhere else to look.

You can’t opt out of eye contact to look at the door again. But hiring managers love it when you look at them.

Why does it matter that the metaphor is flawed? Well, I don’t know how to write a script for a situation that does not exist.

Even if I subtract the elevator

“

H

The elevator pitch

why I’d like to announce that Kai Alpha Rob, the University’s first anti-fraternity, is accepting applications. Requirements for admission include alpha male personality, a healthy aversion to community service, worship of the organization’s eponymous idol and an objectively accurate sense of fashion.

Less fashionably-enlightened readers may harangue me with false and insulting accusations of hypocrisy, citing my endorsement of certain clothing styles over others as evidence that I, just like other University students, have subjective tastes. But these readers are wrong. Asserting that people can prize Sperry boat shoes over Nike Prime Hype DF kicks would be like saying that some people can value an “F” over an “A.” I suppose both scenarios could be true, if your test subject is particularly self-flagellating and fond of humiliation.

But is that who you want to be?

Think carefully, and when you have made the right decision, join Kai Alpha Rob to lord it over your fashion inferiors.

PU ZZLES

Thursday, February 18, 2016

February 18, 2016

WEEKLY CROSSWORD SOLUTION

By Sam Ezersky

UPCOMING EVENTS Thursday 2/18

Saturday 2/20

Disability Across the Disciplines PreSymposium Performance, 7 p.m., McLeod Hall Jewish Studies Program: Lecture and Reading

by Israeli Poet Sami Shalom Chetrit, 2pm, New Cabell Hall 236 UBE Presents: Candidate Town Hall, 3:305:30pm, Newcomb Ballroom UVA Center for Politics Presents: How Polls Influence Public Opinion, 6:30-8pm, Minor 125

McIntire Department of Music Presents: PreConcert Lecture with Richard Will, 7:15-8pm, Minor Hall Auditorium University Programs Council and Filmmakers Society at UVA Present: Virginia Student Film Festival, 7pm, Newcomb Theater McIntire Department of Music Presents: Charlottesville Symphony, 8-10pm, Old Cabell Hall University Salsa Club Presents: University Salsa Fest, All Day, Student Activities Building UPC Presents: Chinese Lantern Festival, 6-8pm, Ern Commons UPC Presents: Gym Class Heroes, 10pm-2am, AFC Second Year Council Presents: Second Year Swing, 7-9pm, Alumni Hall TEDxUVA, 10am-3pm, Abbott Auditorium

Friday 2/19 McIntire Department of Music Presents: Professor Suzannah Clark, 3:30-5:30pm, Old Cabell Hall UPC Presents: Top Bridge, 10pm-2am, Newcomb Ballroom UPC and Filmmakers Society at UVA Present: Virginia Student Film Festival, 7pm, Newcomb Theater Disability Across the Disciplines Symposium, All Day, Newcomb Hall McCormick Observatory Public Night, 7pm, McCormick Observatory The Jefferson Literary and Debating Society Presents: Distinguished Speaker Series, 7:309pm, Hotel C, West Range

Sunday 2/21 McIntire Department of Music Presents: Charlottesville Symphony, 3:30-5:30pm, Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center at Charlottesville High School Women’s Basketball vs. Clemson, 1pm, John Paul Jones Arena

ADVERTISEMENT

ANNOUNCEMENTS LOST BINDER & COURSE MATERIAL Lost: one UVA three ring binder with course material and Manila folder with notes and papers. Alley between pavilions 6 and 8 night of Jan 25. If found please contact Randi Wielert at the Darden School at wielertr@ darden.edu or 434.924.7331

*NEXT WEEK’S PUZZLE CAN BE FOUND IN MONDAY’S ISSUE

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L life

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Behind University Board of Elections Getting involved with student government on the other side of the ballot

Joslyn Chesson Feature Writer

While most students are aware of the annual University-wide student elections, many do not know of the work done by the University Board of Elections in its effort to maintain fair and equal elections.

Established in 2003, UBE seeks to “further the aims of student self-governance within a community of trust and honor,” according to their website. The organization accomplishes this goal each year in supervising student elections.

“I don't think many people have any idea what UBE does,” Vice Chair and third-year College student Samantha Magnes said.

“We put in a ton of work behind the scenes that no one ever sees.”

UBE consists of a small group of students who supervise and manage all student-wide elections,

15

Courtesy UBE

The University Board of Elections aims to ensure fair and efficient elections for student government positions.

including elections for organizations such as Student Council, Honor Committee and the University Judiciary Committee.

“We are in charge of setting the calendar, informing students of the election process, marketing elections and making sure everything is correctly set up on the election website,” Magnes said.

The membership process to join UBE includes an online application and is open to all Universi-

ty students.

“Once you fill out the online application, the outgoing chairs of the representative bodies that we run elections for — Student Council President, UJC, Honor and [the like] — all read the applications and then you are notified if you get [the position],” UBE Chair and third-year College student Sara Kropp said.

UBE recently underwent major structural changes to the rules

and regulations in order to clarify its role in the election process.

“Our rules and regulations hadn’t been touched since around 2008 and were formed in 2003 [at UBE’s foundation], so they were really out of date,” Kropp said.

UBE has been working especially hard this semester, meeting almost every day, to improve the election process, Kropp said.

“I have been so impressed by how everyone on our board has held themselves throughout this year, working tirelessly to improve the entire election process and ensure fair and equal elections,” Magnes said. “This year we have made some significant changes to the rules and regulations so that they are clearer and we have a greater ability to enforce violations.”

In the 2015 election season only 20 percent of University students voted, a number UBE is hoping to increase this year. This

month specifically, the organization has encouraged the University community to vote in this year’s election through social media posts and flyers.

“The goal of the UBE is to ensure fair and equal elections,” Magnes said. “Our first priority is to make sure we communicate effectively and that candidates know the rules and deadlines.”

Ultimately, UBE has focused this year on not only improving the rules and regulations of the election process, but also on marketing these elections with the goal of increasing voter turnout.

“I found it odd a school that prides itself on student self-governance would be so completely removed from elections,” Magnes said. “I decided to get involved because I think we need to re-emphasize how important it is to have a say in choosing our leaders.”

‘The Life of Pablo’ is as honest as Kanye A&E allows himself to be arts & entertainment

Adam Beddawi Senior Writer

After over a year of speculation about its release date and a jumbled rollout featuring different album tracklists, names and covers, “The Life of Pablo” has graced the ears of all listeners — so long as they are Tidal subscribers. The actual release of the album was an experience in and of itself, with Kanye leaping from the floor during his SNL performance and screaming about the album’s release. About an hour later, the album was up, and fans, eager to listen, rushed to sign up for Tidal’s 30-day free trial.

Kanye has not been shy in subjecting his work to criticism, speaking ad nauseam about how good he thinks his latest effort is, going so far on Twitter as to call it “ONE of the greatest albums.” While bold, this is nothing new even to the least staunch Kanye observer. In the weeks leading up to the album’s release, Kanye blitzed social media with strange episodes of antagonism — his 17-tweet rant toward Wiz

Latest project has faults, but is beautiful effort regardless Khalifa comes to mind, as does his confounding “BILL COSBY INNOCENT” tweet — vulnerability and introspection.

The release was the full Kanye experience. Taking in “The Life of Pablo,” it becomes readily apparent how impossible it is to separate the content from this ethos.

The album kicks off with the stunning “Ultralight Beam,” a heavy and soulful track featuring R&B artist Kelly Price, gospel musician Kirk Franklin and rap standout Chance the Rapper. The song is over five minutes long, allowing each artist a turn in the proverbial spotlight. It also establishes “The Life of Pablo” as Kanye’s attempt at a gospel album.

Not in the religious sense, but, as Kelly Price described it in an interview with Billboard magazine, “It just means ‘good news’ so when you are delivering good news you are, in fact, delivering the gospel.”

This album is not particularly deep — there are no dizzying bars needing meticulous unpacking — but it is Kanye’s sincere attempt to find joy in his many frailties. The hook on the album’s second track, “Father Stretch My Hands Pt.1,” — “I just wanna feel liberated / if I ever

instigated I’m sorry” — speaks to this pursuit.

The song’s first verse, however, drops a tasteless bar about having sex with a model. This gross departure from an otherwise wholesome hook is largely the album’s, and Kanye’s, method of operation. There is always something appreciable about a Kanye song to justify any moral detours, much like how Kanye himself is just likable enough to distract from his many indiscretions. It does not make the album’s weak points any less so, but it does make internalizing the album a more palatable task.

These juxtapositions litter the album. “Famous,” for example, is a beautiful sonic experience, pitting a great performance from Rihanna and creative beat switching against a ridiculous line where Kanye references Taylor Swift’s fame. The melodramatic and minimalist beauty of songs like “FML,” “Real Friends,” “Wolves” and “30 Hours” butt against hard-hitting bangers like “Pt. 2,” “Feedback,” “Highlights” and “Freestyle Part 4.”

Kanye’s latest album is braggadocious yet tempered, ignorant yet introspective. It, much like the artist himself, cannot quite figure out what

Courtesy Def Jam

Kanye’s long-awaited album dropped last weekend amidst much drama and fanfare.

it wants to be. Whether or not this appeals to listeners depends almost entirely on the fan base’s emotional stake in the Kanye West brand. A sonic masterpiece, “The Life of Pab-

lo” delivers Kanye’s best work in half a decade, taking the listener on the same rollercoaster its anti-hero so often does.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Cavalier Daily

Abraham.In.Motion reinterprets dance Kyle Abraham, company utilize multimedia, movement to share impactful stories Anna Morgan Staff Writer

,Lights came on, painstakingly slow, emanating from the figure’s shoulders, head and torso rather than from the bulbs above. Audience members waited expectantly, anticipating the rise of music and sound as the man burst into movement, but it didn’t come right away.

One of the most poignant moments of the Abraham.In.Motion showcase this past weekend was the silent beginning of a piece called “The Quiet Dance.” The silence saturating the air and pressing against the audience complemented the choreography almost disconcertingly. Not a cough or throat-clearing broke this moment, frozen but for the dancers contorting their bodies into noiseless shapes. The gradual incorporation of piano notes further enlivened the dance. All five dancers — Kyle Abraham, Matthew Baker, Catherine Ellis Kirk, Tamisha Guy and Jeremy “Jae” Neal — participated in this first piece, though they represented only five of 12 total dancers in the company.

“The Quiet Dance” emanated hope. It highlighted ideas of interpersonal connection, helping one another and trying to break free from the confines of one’s own mind and society as blockades

purposely placed to restrain or limit people.

The second dance, an excerpt from “The Gettin,’” featuring a duet by Baker and Neal, presented tension, uncertainty and a heated display of power, conflict and struggle between good and bad, social expectations and internal desire to disregard the norms.

The subsequent excerpt from “The Watershed,” a solo by Kirk, evoked desperation and yearning to understand and cope with everything happening around her.

“Hallowed,” a piece by Guy, Kirk and Neal, presented a segment of meditative and technical movements in which each of the dancers worked together to share their struggles and triumphs.

The final piece, full-length work “Absent Matter,” was performed by all five dancers and offered a very different feel than the first half of the show. The music and design contrasted sharply with the other pieces, though the show still collaborated and worked as a unified whole. Abraham stated he “was so frustrated… [he] wanted to focus on something that was more current and make something that was a little bit angry.”

Despite the pieces and excerpts taken from various different works, everything related and seemed to be part of a single project. Videos, images and textual supplements

helped connect everything and encouraged audience members to form unique interpretations of their individual experiences.

Explicitly narrative sections interspersed with ambiguous choreography enhanced the dynamic performance. Intimate interactions created clear stories, but did not hinder the overall production.

The cumulative effect of dance and media was overwhelming at times, but the historical, political, social and personal stories were clear.

Lapses in sound and movement drove much of the storytelling. “The reason we move as fast as we do is so the stillness can be highlighted,” Abraham said.

Neal followed up, saying, “Fast moving is something I do without even really trying, but I activate my body and my mind when I’m completely still.”

Music notes jerked bodies and guided movements, dictating the motions before the dancers themselves seemed to know. The movements mimicked the music at times, while at others they diverged in spontaneous bursts of energy or stillness. Alternations between fluid motions and abrupt breaks in the continuity of the choreography helped define the dances.

The dancers made their performance seem easy and effortless — yet there were moments when

Courtesy Carrie Schneider

Kyle Abraham led last weekend’s performance with grace and style.

audience members saw calves shaking slightly and chests racing, subtle indicators of the effort and energy put into the works. These idiosyncratic hints offered a more

genuine, human experience where dedication and work clearly paid off on stage.

‘The Vagina Monologues’ prove powerful Regardless of one’s gender or relationship status, this performance was impossible to forget Anna Morgan Staff Writer

sVagina. About half of the world’s population has a vagina.

All nine performers in the Virginia Player’s Reading Series’s presentation of “The Vagina Monologues” have vaginas.

In a provocative and genuine depiction of women’s struggles and triumphs, “The Vagina Monologues” highlights stories from females that Eve Ensler interviewed in 1994. Ensler wrote the play as an impetus for dialogue and open conversation on controversial, taboo topics. Before the act began, director Arrietta van der Voort, a second-year College student, warned the audience much of what they saw could make them uncomfortable, but it was also highly likely to make people

Courtesy Arrietta Vanderdoort

The University’s annual performance took on a new, thought-provoking atmosphere with this year’s passionate cast of inspiring women.

think differently.

Humor, abuse, pride, anger and frustration all found a place in this dynamic performance. It shoved harsh topics unapologetically into audience members’ faces, sometimes literally, as actors jumped down from the stage and addressed their lines

to individuals. Topics ranged from prostitution and pubic hair to sexual abuse and transgender experiences. One actor lectured people for blaming assault on short skirts.

The performers took on new perspectives during the quick two-week rehearsal process, and

the work showed. Each actor embodied a specific character and owned what they were saying. Viewers could feel the tension, joy and pride emanating from each woman on stage. The dedication was obvious.

“The greatest advice Arrietta gave us was don’t get so caught up in the lines, but get caught up more in the feelings the lines bring you, so you’re not so much acting, but you’re getting lost in the moment,” fourth-year College student Maha Ahmed said.

Much of the rehearsal process involved conversing and gauging how each person was doing. During her initial interviews, Ensler asked every woman a few questions, like what their vaginas would wear, taste like and say, and each cast member answered these same questions during rehearsal.

Annalise Gill, a second-year

in the College, said her vagina would wear “a really fuzzy, cozy blanket… [and] it would taste like wine.”

Ahmed replied, “Mine would say, ‘Yes means yes,’ because if I want to do it, I want to do it. I’m not ashamed of it,” garnering an especially positive response from the rest of the interviewees.

Van der Voort finished, “Mine would wear body glitter, and taste like coffee, and it says, ‘Be careful.’”

Ultimately, “The Vagina Monologues” celebrated women and femininity. It refused to apologize or shy away from topics people strive to avoid, validated the universal challenges of females and emphasized the pride, power and independence that accompany womanhood.