Thursday, March 30, 2017

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

VOL. 127, ISSUE 49

TECHNOLOGY LEADERS PROGRAM FACES CHANGES

see TLP, page 2

LUCAS HALSE | THE CAVALIER DAILY

WHAT’S INSIDE DEEDS, TOSCANO HOLD TOWN HALL PAGE 3

NEW GOVERNOR’S RACE POLL PAGE 5

LEAD EDITORIAL: IMMIGRATION BAN HURTS UNIVERSITIES PAGE 8

CATCH A WHIFF OF ‘THE GREAT RELEASE’ PAGE 12

SURGEON PLANS FIRST HUMAN HEAD TRANSPLANT PAGE 15

THE CAVALIER DAILY

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Mechanical Engineering leaves TLP First-years unable to participate in interdisciplinary Technology Leaders Pprogram MAIREAD CROTTY | SENIOR WRITER First-year mechanical engineering students learned right after spring break they will no longer be able to participate in the Technology Leaders Program.

TLP began as an interdisciplinary program between the Systems, Computer and Electrical Engineering departments in 2008, with the Mechanical Engineering department joining in 2012. TLP students take interdisciplinary classes, bringing their individual technical skills to the TLP classes to earn a design integration minor.

Engineering students joined TLP by expressing interest on their major declaration forms in March of their first year. This year, 36 out of 75 mechanical engineering students expressed interest. However, first-year Engineering students received an email informing of them of the Mechanical Engineering department’s decision to leave the program after spring break.

Engineering Prof. Eric Loth, who also chairs the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, said in an email to The Cavalier Daily that the department will continue to support their students currently in the program, but current first-year students will not be able to participate.

“The Technology Leaders Program offers a good, cross-disciplinary minor to engineering students, including some students from Mechanical Engineering,” Loth said. “However, our department is constantly looking for new opportunities to provide the best possible education and experience to its students, and the MAE faculty decided to focus their energy and resources on activities that will have a broader impact on all of our undergraduates."

Reid Bailey, founder and co-director of TLP and an associate professor in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering, said he first learned the department was considering leaving the program in late January.

“Several of us … met with them to talk about it in hopes of convincing them otherwise,” Bailey said. “After that meeting there was some sense that a decision would be made later, and it was, over spring break.”

James Stapleton, a third-year Mechanical Engineering and TLP student, said TLP students first learned about the Mechanical Engineering department’s decision after it was made official in March.

“It had apparently been an ongoing conversation between the administration, between the Mechanical Engineering chair, different faculty members and our professors, but we were kept out of the line of communication until the decision was actually made,”

this opportunity to go for it if they want it. Not all of them want to, but those who want to, they shouldn’t be hindered by having the mechanical engineering department pull out.”

Jasbir Harnal, a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student, said he has talked about his experience in TLP in every interview.

“Mechanical engineering is one of the most popular majors, so we’re a dime a dozen. TLP makes us much more unique,” Harnal

drawal.

“I think the whole point of the TLP is that it’s interdisciplinary,” Reuss said. “When you’re taking out one of the key disciplines … removing one of those aspects is really detrimental not only to other students, but also the mechanical students.”

Because the program does not belong to any department in the Engineering School, each department must pay for their students to become involved in the program.

MARSHALL BRONFIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

The Technology Leaders Program includes multiple departments in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Stapleton said.

Since then, TLP students have organized meetings with members of the administration and faculty to express their concerns. Rachel Dunning, a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student, went to the first meeting last week, which was initiated by undergraduates.

“The ultimate goal is to keep mechanical engineers in the TLP, because it’s one of the four core majors that originally make it all work together and, without it, the TLP loses some of its strength,” Dunning said. “I think all mechanical engineers should have

said. “Both internships I’ve had, I’ve worked with people from different backgrounds, and working on team projects in the TLP is super important for that.”

Rosalie Reuss, a third-year Systems Engineering student, called TLP a “keystone” in her engineering education. She declared a major in Mechanical Engineering, but then changed majors after TLP helped her realize she was more interested in Systems.

As a systems engineer, Reuss said she believes TLP will be negatively impacted by the Mechanical Engineering department’s with-

Dunning said at one of the meetings organized by undergraduates, representatives from the Mechanical Engineering department said it is withdrawing from the program in order to use those financial resources to incorporate aspects of TLP into the department.

While students said they believe the department could develop a program with the hands-on aspect of TLP, they also said it would be impossible for a new program to offer the interdisciplinary aspect offered by TLP. “I think that the TLP is most valuable for mechanical engineers

because it’s so far removed from our department,” Harnal said. “It doesn’t make sense to have an interdisciplinary program within one department.”

Stapleton said he was concerned a new program would not be as organized as TLP. “For my year, the second-, third- and fourth- year classes, we’ll be able to finish the TLP, no problem, get our minor, but this first-year class, it really seems like they’re getting the short end of the stick,” Stapleton said. “Instead of having a small group of them be able to experience this great program, none of them are going to be able to experience this great program.”

Stapleton also said he hopes there will more communication between undergraduate students and the administration when developing the new program, considering the students did not play a role in the department’s decision to withdraw.

“I just want to establish those lines of communication, and then also understand the reasons why Mechanical Engineering is pulling out of the TLP, and also what kinds of long-term plans the Mechanical Engineering department has to fix the issue of not having any sort of interdisciplinary aspect of their degree,” Stapleton said.

To account for the Mechanical Engineering department leaving, Bailey said TLP is considering considering changing the application timeline to allow students to apply in the fall of their second year. He said he believes there would be more interest after students learn more about TLP. “Without Mechanical here, we have a big hole in the program, and it wasn’t filled up by other applicants, so we’re going to have a small class because of that,” Bailey said. “The only changes that might happen … would be to provide more pathways for students to become involved in the TLP, maybe later. My sense is that we’d get a lot more interest out of it.”

“It would be a great day if the TLP ended because it was taught in every department,” Bailey said.

“But it doesn’t seem like all of it can be taught within the department.”

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

www.cavalierdaily.com • NEWS

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Creigh Deeds, David Toscano hold town hall State senator, delegate yet to declare firm stance on Atlantic Coast Pipeline GEREMIA DI MARO | STAFF WRITER Virginia State Sen. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath) and Del. David Toscano (D-Charlottesville) held a joint town hall meeting Tuesday at Monticello High School to discuss outcomes of the 2017 session of the General Assembly and engage with local residents from Charlottesville, Albemarle County and surrounding areas.

For the first 30 minutes of the town hall, Deeds and Toscano delivered a presentation on the policy implications of this year’s legislative session in Richmond.

On the economy, Toscano said there have been 82 consecutive months of job growth in Virginia, attributing the trend to efforts from Gov. Terry McAuliffe and fellow Democrats.

“Democrats have been more in favor of creating new jobs in Virginia,” Toscano said.

However, Toscano also noted a continued increase of income inequality in Virginia.

“Despite an overall increase in job growth in recent years, the inequality gap has widened as the income of the top 0.01 percent has grown, while that of the bottom bracket has flatlined,” Toscano said.

Deeds discussed his work on mental health reform in Virginia, including his efforts to allocate additional funds of $32 million to the issue and institute long-term housing support for mentally ill individuals.

The controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline was a topic of conversation that several members of the public focused on when they were given the chance to ask questions.

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline is a natural gas pipeline proposed by Dominion Resources that would originate in West Virginia, span much of central and southern Virginia and terminate in southeastern North Carolina. Areas in the potential path of the ACP include nearby Buckingham and Nelson counties.

Controversy surrounding the construction of the ACP has arisen out of concerns relating to its potential environmental impact and legitimacy as a safe alternative to fossil fuels. Nonetheless, support for the pipeline on the grounds of economic advancement and energy security have also been expressed in Virginia, including by McAuliffe.

At the town hall meeting, a local citizen, who identified herself

During his response, Toscano was interrupted by her repeated demand to “answer the question.”

Deeds noted the General Assembly will not be voting on the matter.

Deeds and Toscano did not take a definitive stance on the pipeline. At the close of the meeting, both Deeds and Toscano acknowledged that having events to hear from constituents — regardless of viewpoints — is an important part of the democratic experience.

GEREMIA DI MARO | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Del. David Toscano (left) and State Sen. Creigh Deeds (right) at Monticello High School.

as Jennifer, expressed her concerns on the potential construction of the

pipeline. Deeds responded to her

and said state governmental institutions are subject to the guidelines of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and as a result, “the power of state legislature is limited in influencing the matter.”

However, Deeds also said, “there are incredible opportunities we have to take advantage of in Virginia” in

terms of renewable energy resources and their utilization.

A University student, identified as Laura, repeatedly pressed Deeds and Toscano to state their opinions on the construction of the ACP pipeline.

Toscano initially responded to the criticism with praise for the enthusiasm of her response.

“I admire your passion, [as it is] important for engagement of citizens,” Toscano said.

”We need to hear everybody's views about things,” Toscano said.

“Anytime you think we have gone over the partisan edge, you need to tell us … [to create] a more civil discussion.”

Similarly, Charlottesville City Council member Bob Fenwick, who attended the event, emphasized the significance of open dialogue with local residents in an interview with The Cavalier Daily. “[It] shows how the community really feels about issues — everyday things,” Fenwick said. “Consensus will rise out of civil discussion and alternate opinions.”

Center for Politics hosts panel on JFK, the media ‘Imagine what President Kennedy could have done with a Twitter’ ELIZA HAVERSTOCK | STAFF WRITER The University’s Center for Politics joined with the Media Studies department to host a panel about former President John F. Kennedy’s relationship with the media on Wednesday night as part of the “JFK100” series of events this year celebrating what would have been Kennedy’s 100th birthday.

“JFK definitely knew how to use the media to his benefit,” Glenn Crossman, director of programs at the Center for Politics said. “He did change the number of the press who could get in from 50 to 250. He really welcomed the press in.”

The panel took place in the Special Collections Library in front of a packed crowd of students and community members. It was led

by Politics Prof. Larry Sabato, and featured Media Studies Prof. Aniko Bodroghkozy, former White House Correspondent Sid Davis, and two former Kennedy White House Aides, Nancy Hogan Dutton and Sue Mortensen Vogelsinger.

“One aspect of the Kennedy legacy that has remained constant

over time was dealing with the media and crafting a public image,” Sabato said. “He was a steady, likable leader who skillfully led the nation through a series of domestic and foreign crises.”

Dutton and Vogelsinger discussed their experience with social issues of the 1960s when they worked in the White House. They agreed that Civil Rights took priority to gender equality, and often faced instances of gender discrimination.

“There was a White House mess that was open to men only, and three women...the rest of us were not invited to eat in the white house mess,” Dutton said. “There was a saying that the Kennedy’s thought women should stay in the bed, in the parlor, in the kitchen, and behind the typewriter. And I think there was truth to that.”

The panelists repeatedly emphasized Kennedy’s close relationship with the media, and his remarkable ability to promote himself to the public through a new medium —

television.

“JFK is often referred to as the ‘first television president,’” Bodroghkozy said. “He charmed both the press, but more significantly the audience that watched on television.”

One instance that was discussed to illustrate Kennedy’s masterful use of the media was the first Nixon vs. Kennedy debate of the 1960 election, in which Nixon’s refusal to wear makeup made him appear significantly weaker than his glamorous young opponent.

“Kennedy came across as…visually presidential, and looked good.

Nixon on the other hand came across as if he were at death’s door,” Bodroghkozy said. “He charmed both the press, but more significantly the audience that watched on television.”

The panel also discussed the difference between political coverage in Kennedy’s era versus today.

“To say there would be no comparison would be unfair,” Davis said. “You didn’t have the internet

with people who call themselves journalists…a lot of distractions are political that you didn’t have in the old days.”

Davis spent more than 40 years as a political journalist. He was also in the motorcade in Dallas when JFK was assassinated, and was one of the few members of the press who witnessed Johnson getting sworn in on Air Force One. Additionally, he was the only member of the press in the Oval Office when Kennedy addressed America about the Cuban Missile Crisis.

“I can’t say there weren’t planted questions, because there were, planted by [Press Secretary] Peter Salinger,” Davis said. “John Kennedy’s style was one that the country had never seen before. News conferences became Kennedy’s way of communicating with the American public.”

Dutton offered a slightly different perspective from her experience as a White House aide who was often on the receiving end of reporters’ questioning.

“One contrast with the media today was we didn’t ‘spin’,” Dutton said. “We thought if we were open and honest to the reporters, they would be open and honest to us.”

Sabato also had a response to comparisons of political coverage from the 1960s to today.

“It’s better because we have so many more sources, many of them good sources on the Internet, even printed sources,” Sabato said. “What’s worse is people have segmented into ideologies and we no longer have any more common conversations. We are living in parallel universes that never connect.”

Finally, the panelists took time to imagine Kennedy in the context of the current political media climate. According to Crossman and others, Kennedy would have been a masterful social media user.

“Imagine what President Kennedy could have done with Twitter,” Sabato said. “Probably he was smart enough not to use it.”

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THE CAVALIER DAILY

NEWS • www.cavalierdaily.com

Gov. McAuliffe proposes Medicaid expansion for Virginia Announcement comes after Obamacare repeal fails MAGGIE SNOW | STAFF WRITER Gov. Terry McAuliffe is proposing to expand Medicaid in Virginia after the U.S. House of Representatives failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act on March 24, which would have led to major decreases in federal funding of Medicaid.

McAuliffe has proposed annual changes to the state’s budget since he was elected in 2013 that have been blocked by the General Assembly.

“The ACA is the law of the land and it’s here to stay. I’m proposing a budget amdt [sic] to move forward with Medicaid expansion by Oct 1,” McAuliffe tweeted Monday.

In Virginia, an individual must make less than $15,800 per year and meet non-financial requirements, such as disability, pregnancy or other factors to qualify for Medicaid.

McAuliffe’s proposal aims to expand coverage to 400,000 Virginians.

Virginia House Minority Leader David Toscano, a longtime proponent of Medicaid expansion, said the expansion would allow for job creation and the redistribution of federal funds that are otherwise being wasted.

“It wouldn’t cost us anything because the federal government was picking up the tab,” Toscano said in an interview with The

Cavalier Daily. “It would allow us to take back some of the tax monies that Virginians are paying for the Affordable Care Act from Washington and bring them back to Virginia to help us with our budgetary challenges.”

Geoffrey Skelley, associate editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, said McAuliffe’s 2014 efforts to expand coverage seemed promising compared to previous years, but failed when State Sen. Phillip Puckett (D-Russell) resigned and power shifted to Republicans.

With maintained Republican control over the General Assembly, Skelley said it is unlikely the budget amendment will pass. In certain states, politicians have expanded Medicaid by using alternative legislative processes.

“In those states the Governor has been able to more unilaterally expand Medicaid or use a non-legislative tool to expand Medicaid,” Skelley said.

He cited Ohio, where Republican Gov. John Kasich used Ohio’s Controlling Board to expand Medicaid, instead of going through the Ohio House and Senate. However, he noted conservatives have largely blocked these strategies in Virginia and stated they will vote against the amendment in the formal legislative process.

“We rejected expansion in

COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Gov. McAuliffe is proposing to expand Medicaid in Virginia.

2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and again in 2017 because it was the wrong policy for the Commonwealth. The lack of action in Washington has not changed that,” House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) said in a statement.

Howell argues taxpayer money could be better spent in other areas.

“Every dollar spent on Medicaid is one less that can be spent on education, transportation or public safety,” Howell said. “The House will reject the Governor’s amendment when we reconvene on April 5 and ensure that Virginia does not expand Medicaid under Obamacare.”

Toscano said the money already exists in the federal government and will not be used in other fields, so he thinks it is up

to the state legislature to claim this funding for health care.

“The irony is that there are certain parts of the state budget that are being expanded by the Republicans in a way that only accesses 50 percent of the cost from the federal government, where we can access between 90 percent and 100 percent of the cost from the federal government,” Toscano said. “This is money that’s coming from the federal government, it’s not money being taken out of our budget.”

Jeff Ryer, press secretary for the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus, said with full confidence McAuliffe’s bill will not pass.

“Virginia is not going to be expanding Medicaid. Governor McAuliffe has offered a budget

amendment to do so — his 5th attempt to enact Obamacare’s optional Medicaid expansion scheme — knowing the General Assembly will reject it,” Ryer said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. “As has been the case from the outset of his administration, Governor McAuliffe’s primary focus is on Washington politics and scoring partisan points.”

Republican leaders in some other states, such as Kansas, have reacted to the recent House vote by increasing support for Medicaid. By continuing to oppose expansion in Virginia, Del. Toscano said the state is losing valuable money.

“Failing to expand Medicaid has cost Virginia about $10.4 billion that would’ve otherwise come to the state to help Virginian residents have better health care,” Toscano said.

Whether or not the budget amendment to expand Medicare will pass, Skelley and Toscano said McAuliffe’s timely announcement will affect gubernatorial candidates’ campaigns.

McAuliffe’s office did not respond to The Cavalier Daily for comment by press time. The House of Delegates will consider the proposal in early April.

‘Black Lives Matter in the Trump Era’ Princeton professor says growth of anti-Muslim organizations has tripled since presidential election ISABEL BANTA | STAFF WRITER The Power, Violence and Inequality Collective at the University welcomed Asst. African American Studies Prof. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor from Princeton University on Wednesday for a public lecture entitled “Black Lives Matter in the Trump Era.” Taylor’s book “From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation” was published in 2016 and received the Lannan Foundation’s Cultural Freedom Award for an Especially Notable Book. Like her lecture at the University, the book outlines the progression of black politics in America as well as the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I think across the country people have been very receptive to some of the things I’m talking about because I think that for millions of ordinary people, there is a desire not just to be critical but to figure out what to we

do next, where did these problems come from and how do we confront them?” Taylor said. “That’s the problem and a discussion that’s not really happening among the political parties.”

Taylor began her lecture by highlighting a Forbes article written in 2008 after former President Barack Obama’s election entitled “Racism in America is Over.” Taylor said this article could not be further from the truth in President Donald Trump’s America. “[It] has imbued the confidence of white supremacists and other racists who have [previously] had to operate on the margins of society,” Taylor said.

Taylor also said the growth of anti-Muslim organizations has tripled since Trump began his campaign and said it was important to know how

America got to this point in its history, drawing Trump’s victory as more based on who didn’t come out and vote rather than who did.

“I think she did an excellent job contextualizing the moment in which we currently reside,” Assoc.

English Prof. Lisa Woolfork said.

“Rather than blaming the political right or the political left, I think she paid very careful attention to everyone’s responsibility for the deep history and context for this problem.”

Taylor then switched her focus to police reform, which she said is a difficult problem in America because many localities turn a blind eye to brutal policing.

“Black people in America cannot get free alone,” Taylor said. “Another world is possible, one free of racism, nationalism … religious bias, sexism, homophobia, but it is a world that has

DARYA TAHAN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Taylor delivering her lecture, “Black Lives Matter in the Trump Era.”

to be organized and fought for.”

The lecture ended with a halfhour for students and visitors to ask

Taylor questions, with the complexity of Taylor’s lecture providing ample room for discussion.

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

www.cavalierdaily.com • NEWS

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Perriello, Northam tied in Democratic primary, poll finds Ed Gillespie leads Republican race MEGHAN TONNER | SENIOR NEWS WRITER Democratic gubernatorial candidates Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and former Congressman Tom Perriello are tied in their party’s primary at 26 percent support, while Republican primary candidate Ed Gillespie has a clear lead at 38 percent in the GOP contest, according to a poll released

by Christopher Newport University’s Wason Center for Public Policy on Tuesday.

Geoffrey Skelley, assoc. editor for Sabato’s Crystal Ball, said in an email to The Cavalier Daily that he didn’t find the poll’s results particularly surprising since the finding largely echoes other public polls released over the past couple of months.

“An important aspect to note is that a large swath of Virginians have not made up their minds about these races,” Skelley said. “Every primary poll for both parties has shown at least 40 percent of the voters to be undecided, uncertain or wanting to support ‘someone else.’”

As a former Republican National Committee chairman, Gillespie has found success with voters favoring his political experience and “underperforms” with voters who supported

President Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary, receiving only 32 percent of their support. However, his opponents Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart and State Sen. Frank Wagner (R-Virginia Beach) hold 11 percent of support from the same group of Trump primary voters.

“We’ve been seeing Republicans unifying behind Ed because they know he’ll be a governor for all Virginians,” said Abbi Sigler, deputy communications director for the Gillespie campaign. “He’s focused on getting our economy growing again, and he’s putting forward conservative policies and that’s what you’ll continue to see from him.”

Representatives for Northam and Perriello did not return request for comment.

Skelley said he found the Democratic side of the poll most interesting because the Northam-Perriello race is not an echo of the Clinton-Sanders race for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.

“Many observers have tried to analogize the two contests, but the

CNU poll showed that Northam leads 34 percent-25 percent among Clinton primary voters and Perriello leads 32 percent-21 percent among Sanders primary voters,” Skelley said.

“So while there is a split there, it’s not overwhelming.”

The Wason Center intends to conduct another survey in May, closer to the June 13 primaries.

“In May we’ll do a stringent screen for likely-voters to try to find who the voters are actually going to be and who those voters are going to be supporting,” said Quentin Kidd, director of the Wason Center.

For this reason, Kidd predicts a possible dramatic shift in the Democratic results.

“The Democratic race is not quite a toss-up because the challenge for Perriello is that he has to get these voters who seem to be energized and excited about him right now to vote,” Kidd said. “His base of support are elements of the Obama coalition, including millennials and college students and the primary is June 13, when there aren’t a lot of college students on campuses.”

Kidd also said Northam is less de-

pendent on that vote.

“When we do that May survey and screen for likely voters it may very well be the case that a lot of Perriello’s supporters don’t make it through the screen because somehow they indicate that they’re not likely to vote,” Kidd said. “We may very well see that Northam has pulled ahead by the time we get closer to the primary.”

However, Kidd said he does not anticipate any shake-ups in the Re-

publican primaries.

“I feel pretty confident saying Gillespie is in a really good position, if Gillespie doesn’t win this thing then something big must happen between now and 10 weeks from now,” Kidd said.

Virginians will cast their votes in the respective primaries June 13, and the general election is set for Nov. 7.

HANNAH MUSSI | THE CAVALIER DAILY

COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Former Congressman Tom Perriello (left) and Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (right)

Sabato launches Sandridge Bicentennial Scholars Fund Former administrator, wife receive recognition in new scholarship for out-of-state students BRIDGET STARRS | STAFF WRITER

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Leonard Sandridge, former executive vice president and chef operating officer.

Politics Prof. Larry Sabato has donated $100,000 to launch the Leonard and Jerry Sandridge Bicentennial Scholars Fund this spring. The scholarship is in the name of Leonard Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the University from 1993 to 2011, and his wife Jerry S. Sandridge. The need-based endowment will be aimed toward assist-

ing out-of-state students.

“The Bicentennial Scholars Fund is designed to make U.Va.’s third century even more successful than its first two,” Sabato said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. “To me, the fund represents what the Sandridges have consistently stood for: excellence.”

Sandridge said he and his wife are grateful for and honored by the

establishment of the Bicentennial Scholarship. He recognized the importance of bringing out-of-state students with unique experiences and from diverse backgrounds to the University, and discussed the positive impact these individuals have on fellow students.

“I think access is what it's all about,” Sandridge said. “It’s trying to make sure that every qualified individual who is capable of doing the work at U.Va., and wants to do it here, at least isn’t prohibited from doing it because they don’t have the financial means to do it.”

Sabato said his personal experiences as an undergraduate student and teacher also taught him the importance of having out-of-state students at the University.

“I’m a native Virginian and was an in-state undergraduate here,” Sabato said. “As a student I benefited enormously from the diverse perspectives of out-of-state students.

As a teacher I’ve long seen bright out-of-state students add a great deal to the classroom, enriching the educational experience of in-state students.”

The Sandridge Bicentennial

Scholarship is not the first needbased scholarship established in the Sandridges’ names. In July 2011, the Leonard W. and Jerry S. Sandridge Scholarship was established to provide financial support for the children or grandchildren of University faculty or staff.

While working for the University for over 44 years, Sandridge was an advocate for affordability, and helped to create the AccessUVA financial aid program in 2004.

“Over many decades Leonard and Jerry have helped to build the modern University of Virginia in very significant ways,” Sabato said.

“They have always put the institution first, and done the right things to push us forward. Their positive imprint is found everywhere on Grounds.”

Because of Sabato’s donation, the fund is eligible to be part of the Bicentennial Scholars Fund matching program, which was established by the Board of Visitors in December.

Through it, the University promises a 50-cent match on every dollar for donations to certain undergraduate scholarships of $100,000 or more, and dollar for dollar match on $1

million donations paid within a year.

Sabato said he hopes other alumni will consider making donations to University scholarships.

“I hope all of our loyal alumni will think about establishing a Bicentennial scholarship so that we can continue to bring the nation’s best students to Charlottesville,” Sabato said.

Mark M. Luellen, University vice president for advancement, said in an email statement that other alumni have already shown interest in supporting the Bicentennial Scholarship Program.

Sabato deserves full credit for establishing the scholarship, Sandridge said. He expressed his respect for Sabato as a teacher and defining exemplar of the University.

“I hope that there will be some extraordinary students that will be able to attend the University and have a long fruitful career and a fulfilling life because they were able to take advantage of the scholarships that Larry Sabato has made possible,” Sandridge said.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

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Men’s tennis prepares for weekend matchups Virginia looks to avenge last year’s ACC Championship loss ALEC DOUGHERTY | SENIOR ASSOCIATE After Virginia men’s tennis coach Brian Boland shook up the program by announcing his departure at the end of the season, the team is nevertheless looking forward to continuing its strong play into the weekend and beyond. The Cavaliers head down to Winston-Salem, N.C. Friday to take on No. 1 Wake Forest (17-1, 5-0 ACC) before heading back to Charlottesville to play Clemson (8-9, 1-4 ACC).

According to the ITA, Wake Forest is the highest-ranked team in the country. Like Virginia, they are undefeated in the conference and boast a number of solid wins, including Oklahoma State, Texas and North Carolina. The Deacons’ one loss came to then-No. 3 Ohio State Feb. 19 — a team that the Cavaliers beat 4-1. Some of their biggest assets include sophomore Petros Chrysochos — the ITA No. 2 singles player in the country — and junior Skander Mansouri, ranked No. 14.

The Deacons’ match against Virginia marks the beginning of five-straight Wake Forest home matches, before they finish out the season with three road contests.

Two days later, Virginia will play another conference foe in Clemson at Snyder Tennis Courts. Clemson started the season with seven-straight wins, but the team has recently failed to produce. Following its initial seven wins, the team has gone 1-9 and is currently on a sev-

en-game skid. The team’s lone conference win comes against Miami. Traditionally, Virginia has been very dominant against the Tigers in tennis — Clemson has not beaten Virginia in over a decade.

All this is amidst a huge announcement by Boland that he will be leaving to become the head of men’s tennis for USTA Player Development. Citing family reasons and the desire for a greater challenge, Boland will leave Charlottesville with a legacy of greatness. Just a few of his innumerable achievements include a 140-game ACC winning streak — the longest conference winning streak of any sport — 11 ACC championships and four-straight NCAA finals appearances. All of these feats he accomplished in 16 seasons.

Although the matchup against Wake Forest is one of the toughest tests Virginia will encounter all season, Boland is committed to maintaining the team’s high level of play.

“It’s critical that over the course of the next 10 to 12 weeks that I have the opportunity to do everything I can, first and foremost, to support the players on our team and be focused on them and our goals that we have in front of us for the remainder of the season,” Boland said. “I want to make sure that every detail is attended to and make this program great and help it to continue at the highest level. I really believe that we can.”

Senior Thai-Son Kwiatkowski shared much of the same

COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS

Coach Brian Boland announced Wednesday that he will be leaving Virginia at the end of the season to become the head of men’s tennis for USTA Player Development.

sentiments following Virginia’s matchup against Duke last weekend.

“Well, we know that our main goal is May, so we’re just working on all the little things to make sure that we peak in May,” Kwiatkowski said. “The season is a marathon.”

Last year, Virginia beat Wake Forest twice in the regular season before losing to them in the ACC Championship, leaving a

desire for revenge in many of the players. In light of the announcement and the matchup against one of the best teams in the land Friday, maintaining focus this week is paramount.

Boland showed no indication of letting up on the team or losing focus Wednesday.

“We have a lot of work to do and we are going to make that our number one priority,” Boland said. “We are going to

be more deliberate, attentive to detail and focused than ever on making sure that we maximize ourselves each and every day and have the best opportunity to achieve our goals.”

Senior Luca Corinteli echoed much of what his coach said, and made his intentions clear.

“There’s two ways you can look at it,” Corinteli said. “You can obviously be sad and sulk at the fact that Brian will not be around next year. But it is a pretty mature group of guys and this is just going to motivate us even more to do everything in our power to compete as hard as we possibly can and send Brian out on the right note.”

Corinteli also showed tremendous gratitude for Boland’s guidance, and highlighted the impact he will leave on countless lives.

“U.S. Tennis just made the best decision in the world,” Corinteli said. “I don’t think there is anybody in the world that could take on the job better then Brian will. Obviously he has his expertise in tennis and his leadership abilities, but there are certain characteristics that Brian preaches to us every day that we are so lucky to hear about. The positive impact that Brian has on so many people is incredible.”

The Cavaliers’ match against Clemson marks the beginning of a four-game home stand. Moving forward, the Cavaliers will play in-state rival Virginia Tech April 7.

No. 14 men’s lacrosse set to face No. 11 Richmond Virginia looking to get back on track after close loss last weekend RAHUL SHAH | SPORTS EDITOR The No. 14 Virginia men’s lacrosse team will get ready to take on No. 11 Richmond this Saturday in Richmond. Virginia (5-4, 0-2 ACC) is coming off of a tough 18-17 overtime loss to No. 13 Johns Hopkins.

The Spiders (8-1, 3-0 A-10) have had a great season thus far and are coming into this match on a four-game winning streak.

After starting the season off 4-1, the Cavaliers have lost three of their last four games. They will be heading into this match against an in-state rival, and attempt to pull out a win in order

to gain some momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

However, this Virginia team has shown it is one of the top teams in the nation. They have played some of the best teams in the nation very closely and all four of their losses have been by one goal, with the most recent two coming in overtime.

It will be an interesting clash between the two teams. Virginia is known for their high-flying, up-tempo system on offense that generates a lot of goals, while Richmond has not given

up more than nine goals in one game this season.

Virginia is 1-3 on the road this season and will be looking to better that record this weekend. The game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Saturday. Virginia will then head back to Charlottesville for a three-game home stand before heading to Durham, N.C. to take on ACC rival Duke in the regular season finale.

CALLIE COLLINS | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Freshman midfielder Dox Aitken earned four points off two goals and two assists in last weekend’s close loss to Johns Hopkims.

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

www.cavalierdaily.com • SPORTS

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No.17 women’s lacrosse downs Oregon in late push No. 17 Virginia (7-4, 2-2 ACC) picked up their fifth-straight victory with a win against Oregon Wednesday night — finding enormous second half success and ultimately outscoring the Ducks 15-6.

The Cavaliers, who struggled defensively early on to defend against three-consecutive goals by Oregon, were put back on track thanks to a free position goal by senior attacker Kelly Reese and a goal made by sophomore midfielder Maggie Jackson.

Following what looked like would be a close game early on, the Cavaliers were able to go on a 6-0 shooting

ATMAN SONI | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Sophomore attacker Avery Shoemaker earned a hat trick to help propel Virginia over Oregon Wednesday night.

run — dismantling the lead put on early by Oregon. Within this scoring run, sophomore attacker Avery Shoemaker put up a hat trick that contributed to the offensive pressure put forward by Virginia. Junior keeper Rachel Vander Kolk also had a big night — preventing the Ducks from finding the back of the net 8 times.

Virginia — who led by just one at the half — was able to find their groove defensively in the second half.

Virginia was able to dominate draw controls and ground balls and was incredibly effective in forcing turnovers. The Cavaliers allowed just two

Oregon goals in the second half.

The Cavaliers also did an excellent job in sharing the ball and keeping the Oregon defense off balance — with six separate players from Virginia being able to score.

The fundamentals of Virginia women’s lacrosse will continue to be tested as they travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass. to face off against Boston College Saturday. The game is set to start at 1 p.m.

— compiled by John Garza

No. 18 baseball sneaks past VCU on road The No. 18 Virginia baseball team (20-6, 4-5 ACC) picked up a close 4-2 win over in-state rival Virginia Commonwealth (14-11, 3-0 A-10) Wednesday night.

The game was a pitcher’s duel throughout, with each team picking up runs scantily throughout the contest. VCU came out strong against junior starter Derek Casey in the first inning, plating two runs on an RBI single and a throwing error by junior catcher Caleb Knight.

Casey would settle down after that, not allowing another run in his 6.1 innings of work striking out 10 Rams — a season high.

The junior lowered his ERA to a

team-leading 2.01 mark.

Virginia would at last get on the board after sophomore third baseman Nate Eikhoff scored junior designated hitter Charlie Cody. The Cavaliers would tie the game an inning later when junior outfielder Adam Haseley stole third base and advanced on a throwing error by the VCU catcher.

Both teams were quieted in the seventh inning, but Virginia would break through in the eighth on an RBI single by sophomore second baseman Andy Weber. From there, the back end of Virginia’s bullpen came through again, shutting down the Rams in relief of Casey.

Virginia junior closer Tommy Doyle earned his seventh save of the season as he clamped down Virginia’s 20th win of the year.

Knight led the Cavaliers with three hits in just his third start of the season, making up after his costly first-inning error.

Haseley had two hits to raise his batting average to a stellar .412.

Virginia will continue ACC play with a tough matchup against No. 2 Louisville. First pitch in the series is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at Davenport Field. ­— compiled by Alec Dougherty

CHELSEA BENGSON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Sophomore second baseman Andy Weber hit a RBI single in the eighth inning to give Virginia the lead over VCU.

THE CAVALIER DAILY CORRECTIONS In the March 27 edition of The Cavalier Daily in the article, “U.Va. hosts third annual major league hackathon,” the headline incorrectly stated it was the third annual hackathon. It was the fourth annual hackathon.

In addition, in the article, “India Student Association hosts India Day,” Priyal Gandhi was misquoted saying there was an East Asian a capella group. It is a South Asian a capella group.

LEAD EDITORIAL

Trump’s immigration ban hurts universities International students are vital for higher education

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hen President Donald Trump signed his first executive order on immigration in January, which was subsequently frozen by a Federal judge in Washington state, university officials around the country became fearful of the policy’s immediate and long-term impact on higher education. The revised order, frozen by another Federal judge in Hawaii, included a 120-day suspension of the refugee program and a temporary ban on the issuance of new visas for people from six countries. Although concerns at this point are mostly anecdotal due to the speed of legal challenges, such a policy could have widespread consequences for higher education in the United States.

The Trump administration’s stance on immigration and the policies it wishes to implement have caused distress not only for current international students, but for prospective ones as well. Setting overly demanding vetting procedures for prospective students does not build confidence in international students and their parents who are trying to make a decision about a four-year education. Additionally, the uncertainty created by the volatility of the Trump administration’s immigration policy hinders prospective international students’ ability to make reliable plans for the future.

One of the primary motivations for international students to study in the United States is career advance-

ment. Trump’s current stance on immigration, reflected by both versions of his executive order, would create stricter visa and immigration policies which may make it excessively difficult for current and future international students to find internship and job opportunities in the United States. With these restrictions in place, our country will no longer be able to offer the opportunities it once did to international students, scholars and professionals.

Along with their contributions to campus culture, international students also provide colleges with crucial revenue by often paying full tuition. A report by College Factual found that, if Trump's initial immigration ban had become permanent,

U.S. colleges could lose up to $700 million per year in revenue. The drop in international enrollment potentially caused by the ban would, therefore, have a detrimental impact on our country’s institutions of higher education.

As of 2015, almost 24,000 students who attend U.S. colleges and universities come from countries affected by the immigration ban. Our universities fundamentally depend on people’s ability to travel across borders without undue constraint or “extreme vetting.” The Trump administration and policymakers would do well to improve both international education exchanges and student mobility — not raise new barriers.

THE CAVALIER DAILY 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 Mondays and Thursdays in print and daily online at cavalierdaily.com. It is printed on at least 40 percent recycled paper. 2017 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 700.

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

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MANAGING BOARD Editor-in-Chief Mike Reingold Managing Editor Tim Dodson Executive Editor Carlos Lopez Operations Manager Danielle Dacanay Chief Financial Officer Grant Parker EDITORIAL BOARD Jordan Brooks Jake Lichtenstein Carlos Lopez Mike Reingold Noah Zeidman JUNIOR BOARD Assistant Managing Editors Lillian Gaertner Ben Tobin (SA) Evan Davis (SA) Colette Marcellin (SA) Trent Lefkowitz (SA) Alix Nguyen (SA) Grant Oken

News Editors Anna Higgins Hailey Ross (SA) Alexis Gravely Sports Editors Mariel Messier Rahul Shah (SA) Alec Dougherty (SA) Jake Blank Opinion Editors Brendan Novak Lucy Siegel (SA) Carly Mulvihill Humor Editor Brennan Lee Cartoon Editor Miriam Du Plessis Focus Editor Hannah Hall (SA) Ankita Satpathy Life Editors Julie Bond Gracie Kreth Arts & Entertainment Editors Dan Goff Ben Hitchcock (SA) Sam Henson (SA) Darby Delaney (SA) Thomas Roades Health & Science Editors Jessica Chandrasekhar Kate Lewis

Production Editors Sean Cassar Disha Jain Victoria Giron (SA) Rupa Nallamothu (SA) Mark Felice Graphics Editors Sean Cassar Lucas Halse Amber Liu Photography Editors Richard Dizon Hannah Mussi (SA) Anna Hoover Video Editors Rebecca Malaret Sinta Taylor (SA) Avi Pandey Engineer Manager Leo Dominguez Social Media Managers Ashley Botkin Shaelea Carroll Business Manager Kelly Mays Marketing & Business Managers Nate Bolon Carlos Lopez

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THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

www.cavalierdaily.com • OPINION

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ECHOLS PROGRAM IS WORTH PRESERVING

The flexibility offered by the program allows those who earn the distinction to engage in more exploration, not less

O

pinion viewpoint writer Charlotte Lawson recently penned an article arguing against granting Echols scholars exemptions from the area requirements in the College. She makes the case that relieving Echols scholars of the responsibility for area requirements betrays the intent of a liberal arts education. While well intended, this argument misses the mark on the purpose of the Echols program and the benefits it delivers to students. Instead of constraining students, it gives them freedom to explore their intellectual interests from the start of their college experience.

Lawson makes a valid point about the benefits of a liberal arts education, especially when it comes to the broad knowledge base its graduates gain. As such, I agree with Lawson about the importance of a well-rounded education in helping individuals grow. However, I disagree with the contention that the Echols program denies students of these benefits. For instance, Lawson states that liberal education allows undeclared students

to cultivate their passion and explore their interests, but I fail to see how the Echols program does not do this. It’s narrow to imagine that a set list of mandatory classes can inspire students to discover their passion while giving them freedom to choose doesn’t. Rather than racing to finish basic area requirements or scouting the options for an “easy A” class so they can focus on their major, students can look for classes they might actually enjoy.

All told, the area requirements of the College add up to 27 credits, or almost a year’s worth of classes. Balancing these responsibilities in addition to the requirements of a major ultimately means that for a large part of their time here, University students are forced into a limited array of courses. While I believe it’s important students are exposed to different fields of study and viewpoints, such a schedule may also leave students without the time or ability to explore outside courses and fields of study. Forcing students to fill their schedules with required

courses prevents them from exploring other areas of interest and choosing courses which actually stimulate their curiosity.

The intent of the Echols program is to provide a select number of students with greater academic freedom and oppor-

providing the opportunity to add them from the beginning of their time at the University.

Intellectual exploration is better encouraged in these courses than large, introductory courses which are meant only to provide the basics.

Ultimately, the Echols program benefits students by providing them with unique opportunities and freedom during their time at the University. tunity, which is in part accomplished by removing area requirements. This is not meant to sequester these students in their select fields of study. There are a limited number of courses in any major, meaning eventually students will be forced to look outside their major and explore other avenues. The Echols program simply gives these students greater latitude in the timing and selection of these courses,

In any case, area requirements aren’t uniformly applied to students — many take advantage of AP or IB credits to place out of these area requirements themselves. Using Lawson’s logic, such moves also defeat the purpose of a liberal arts education, when in reality it simply allows students with previous knowledge and breadth of education to forgo redundant classes. The standards for admittance

to the Echols program are meant to ensure accepted students have proven their intellectual curiosity and responsibility and, as such, will make the most of their opportunity to take higher-level courses as soon as they arrive.

Ultimately, the Echols program benefits students by providing them with unique opportunities and freedom during their time at the University.

As members of the University community, these scholars still had the benefit of a liberal arts education, but with additional freedom in choosing the path of their education. Far from narrowing “the scope of the Echols scholars’ base of education,” it opens a broad array of classes to explore, to make the most of our limited time here.

ALEX MINK is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily.

She can be reached at opinion@ cavalierdaily.com.

LEE STATUE SHOULD BE REMOVED

No amount of contextualization can overcome the fact that the statue is a glorification of the dark legacy of slavery

T

he Cavalier Daily Editorial Board recently argued Charlottesville should not remove the statue of Robert E. Lee from Lee Park, arguing such an action would be illegal, inefficient and would fix nothing.

After acknowledging the statue’s racist symbolism, the board argued it is better to contextualize the monument by telling the stories of African Americans in the antebellum period — both enslaved and free — and being clear about the statue’s history.

But the board’s piece contradicts itself in key areas, and it ends up sounding a confused note. The statue’s glorification, the board claims, has inflicted clear harm on the Charlottesville community and, yet, its removal would fix nothing. An exploration of the Lee statue’s history reveals the insidiousness of both this monument to racism and the law which proscribes its removal and our inaction today. The Charlottesville City Council was right to vote for its removal, and it should proceed with due haste in tearing it down.

The Lee statue has a well-documented history available on the city of Charlottesville’s website.

Paul Goodloe McIntire, the venerable namesake of the McIntire School of Commerce, pur-

chased, beautified and donated several city blocks-turned-parks to the city during the early 20th century, particularly the 1920s.

Lee Park was the first of the four parks he would donate to Charlottesville, and McIntire insisted it should have at its center a towering statue of Robert E. Lee “as a memorial to his parents.”

When the statue was present-

United States, its values and its Constitution, was celebrated by a group of traitors and cadets wearing traitors’ colors. That is a vile mark on Charlottesville’s history. Every day we keep the Lee statue up in Lee Park, we send a message degrading to the black experience in this country, harmful to the eradication of that pernicious and stubborn

No amount of plaques next to the statue can explain away the glorification of racism and its extended reach into the present.

ed to the city on May 21, 1924, McIntire instructed that various Confederate veterans’ groups be fully in charge of planning the event — its unveiling featured a Confederate reunion and “one hundred cadets from the Virginia Military Institute parad[ing] through the center of Charlottesville decorated with Confederate colors.”

The erection of a statue commemorating a man who had been crucial in the fight to preserve slavery and betray the

historical revisionism known as the Lost Cause and threatening to the liberal philosophical principles of the Framers, increasingly contested by the meteoric rise of the far right and a posttruth world.

The Editorial Board implicitly acknowledges some of the consequences of the statue’s continued presence, which is why the board begins its argument by saying that “the Council’s decision to move the statue is justified,” and that the statue’s

glorification of the Confederacy “has inflicted clear harm on our community.” Yet, in the very next sentence, the board says that the statue has “historical value,” and that the effort would be too costly. It would be costly in part because Virginia state law prohibits removing “memorials for war veterans,” which entails litigation. The board is right about that. But it is worth noting the language of Title 15.2, Chapter 1812 of the Virginia Code that makes the removal of the Lee statue illegal. It refers to the Civil War as the “War Between the States” on two separate occasions. That moniker is itself a form of Lost Cause revisionism, implying that the Civil War was between two sovereign groupings of states, rather than between the United States of America and a rebellion which had hijacked the state governments of the South, which was the legal basis on which President Abraham Lincoln prosecuted the war. This version of history legitimizes secession and pushes the false narrative that the Civil War was about states’ rights and not slavery. Ignoring this sinister part of Virginia state law is a measure of civil disobedience that Charlottesville should have the cour-

age to take.

The removal of the Lee statue from the soon-to-be-renamed Lee Park is not about “hiding or ignoring remnants of the past.”

It is about rededicating ourselves to the arduous task of confronting our past and paving the way toward more inclusive public spaces and a more inclusive America. No amount of plaques next to the statue can explain away the glorification of racism and its extended reach into the present. So long as it stands, a physical and moral blight will continue to cast a pall over one of Charlottesville’s most enjoyable public spaces. Whatever the cost, the Lee statue should be removed, and a more appropriate and educational monument should take its place.

OLIVIER WEISS is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily.

He can be reached at opinion@ cavalierdaily.com.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

H HUMOR My great-grandmother (“Mom Dondero,” as we referred to her as) was a shrewd woman. It is still my belief that she willed herself to live long enough to discipline her great-grandchildren out of spite for all of her children’s spouses and, eventually, offspring. My grandmother, Tutu, was similarly harsh to her children, but never to her grandchildren — for us, she always reserved a certain sweetness and understanding.

Mom Dondero did absolutely no such thing. When my mother, Deirdre, informed her, and the rest of her family, she was pregnant with my two siblings, our beloved Mom Dondero waited just long enough so that all the clapping and jubilation settled into a reflective silence before straightforwardly saying, “Oh, Deirdre, even animals breed.” At no point was she sympathetic to the lack of develop-

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I GOTTA TELL YOU THIS ONE ment that we, as young children, had yet to undergo; in her mind, we were living to torture her existence. To be fair, young children do ruin everything; they are the epitome of inconvenience. Nevertheless, it would be aloof and cruel to really fault them for that fact. Mom Dondero was aloof and cruel. She never saw the issue with poking you with a fork in the side of the thigh if you did something rude or laughed too hard at a joke she didn’t tell.

However, for the first five years of my life, I was somehow exempted from this treatment. Even at that age, I was perfectly aware that my siblings, cousins and, really, uncles and aunts were not seen as equal human beings in the eyes of Dondero. I can really only speculate as to the reasons as to why she was so fond of me, but I have a good-faith basis to believe it was a cocktail of my politeness, my wholehearted agreeableness and my distinct lack of athleticism. She once told me that she approved of me because I caused so little trouble for my mother during my grand exit from her.

For example, one Easter holi-

day, we all gathered together at my grandmother’s for a massive family reunion. This one was particularly special because it was the first one where all the cousins at that point were, in our eyes, physically able enough to play outdoors. Granted, many of this population had just learned how to walk approximately the week prior, but the elders of the pack (Peter and I, each about six-years-old) deemed all of them acceptable. As we crusaded out of the house, dragging the infants by their collared shirts and floral dresses as marched, Dondero halted both of us, saying the outdoors were not suitable for our outfits or our “weak allergies.” I summoned every ounce of charm I possessed at that point and convinced her to let us play in the front yard where she could watch us. She agreed, but only before insisting that the only sport we could play was ‘Circleball.’ If you’ve never heard of it, then that’s because it was a game she made up on the spot, The rules required us to sit in a perfect circle, and we could hand the dodgeball to each other ad nauseum. It was never popular, but it was what we had. Still, I remained in good

standing.

My run did not, unfortunately, last. During another family reunion, I was having trouble garnering attention for a very intriguing article on the “Artemis Fowl” series.

Despite shooting most of the other cousins throughout the day, she sat down on the couch to hear my rambling. As I earnestly flipped through the magazine, she smiled encouragingly and asked responsive questions. At one point, she asked if I could hop off the couch to hand her glass of water, which I gladly did.

I landed directly on her bad, left foot.

She shrieked in dismay, and winced in a way that absorbed her face’s features. I hopped to face her and began apologizing profusely.

I stuttered, both in my steps and my words, as I decided what was the best course of action. My blunder revealed me to be the clumsy six-year-old that I, in fact, was. I’d seen my uncles, aunts and parents place their hands on her shoulders in similar times of distress, but did that action not relegate me to the scum I had separated myself? Was acknowledging my error self-de-

feating?

It was at this point that she raised her head, this time with a look that I previously did not deem myself privy to receiving.

Her beady eyes squinted at me, her lips tightly pursed and her brow … Oh, her brow took on a countenance of it’s own entirely. With her head cocked and her nostrils dilated to twice their volume, she murmured: “I was just starting to like you.”

Read into this story what you will. I simply wanted to recount an occurrence that, according to my mother, happened 15 years ago to yesterday’s date. Stories like these kill me, and I imagine most people are the same way. What’s most ironic is that after many, many years of reflecting negatively on Dondero, only now am I just starting to like her.

BRENNAN LEE is the Humor editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at b.lee@cavalierdaily.com.

YOU’RE MAKING IT TOO EASY This past week, the new chair of the College Republicans had a column published on The Cavalier Daily defending the Republican party’s American Health Care Act. I want to make something clear here.

I really was going to lay off. I promise. Hand to God. Hand to all of the gods! I can be pagan for this column; I really don’t care at this point. I think too much of my comedy has been skewering conservatism the University this year, and it was time for a change of pace. I had a nice piece, all written up, about what I had learned in my time at the University. It was charming, self-deprecating, and all in good fun.

Then I read the College Republican chair’s article.

I gotta say, this is simply too good to pass up. Like some 1950s Disney character, I have been drawn to the window by a cooling pie in the windowsill. This is more alluring than a mountain of comic books and Legos surrounded by supermodels serving me Italian food.

To pass up this opportunity would

be a waste. Let’s get to work.

First of all, the piece itself is ludicrous, and this is coming from a man who thinks that the Fast and Furious franchise featuring Ludacris the rapper, actor, mogul and idol is high art. Pornos have offered a more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of the American health care system than that article.

The author frets about how the Supreme Court opened the door to governments forcing us to act for the collective good. What if they forced us to drive a specific type of car or buy vegetables? What if they used our tax dollars to make a mail system that ran to every town, no matter how poor or crime ridden and deliver letters for … does that already exists? Well, what if they put some beneficial chemical like fluoride in our … Wait, we already do that, too? Well they can’t possibly plan to spend my tax dollars on some ineffective wall that stretches several thousand miles just for the collective economic good, could they?

The author spends entire paragraphs whining about how Oba-

macare is coercive. You can tell that he and the IRS are going to have a great relationship. I would hate to be the person who has to explain that governments make paternalistic institutions and decisions for the common good all the freaking time. It’s kind of why we have a government.

These are the same people who claimed I would be able to marry a turtle if gay marriage were legalized. It’s been two years since that decision, yet Yurtle and I still remain unwed and our families won’t stop asking when it will finally happen. I was promised reptile on man action, but it’s just not happening.

That’s because it’s real easy to stop yourself from sliding down the slippery slope. You just turn sideways and walk with your skis pointed horizontally; it’s what they teach the first day of children’s ski lessons.

Secondly, there is one huge point that the piece conveniently left out. Even if you ignore the refundable tax credit element, there are enormous tax cuts for the wealthy laden within the language of ACHA. Literally billions in tax

cuts. Not disclosing that detail when you’re talking about a bill is the equivalent of keeping your herpes, murder dungeon and my Little Pony figurine collection under wraps when you’re trying to take someone home from a bar. They’re going find out, because you can’t really hide something that big, and at that point it’s too late.

The way the College Republicans publicized the piece is truly the most ridiculous part about this article. When they publicized the piece on Facebook, they claimed it would help the reader “learn what's really behind the AHCA” and lauded Kimelman for having the “courage to put out an unpopular opinion to defend conservative values.”

If you want to call baby birding Paul Ryan’s stump speech into a college audience’s unwilling mouth courageous, be my guest, but that takes a special kind of silly.

I know this is a good school, but can we agree that no one here can offer a fresh, never-before-seen take on a congressional bill? We do not have the age, experience or knowledge to originally comment on a

new Chainsmokers album, much less a federal health care plan. I would love to see a single person from College Republicans explain the Congressional Budget Office report. To read the document, whose summary pages is 37 pages long, and explain to me where they think the CBO was mistaken in its assertions.

Similarly, I would love to see my 12-year-old brothers explain the 2008 banking crisis to me. Mostly because we would get to watch “The Big Short” afterwards, but also because I love watching people make mistakes. Everyone does. It’s what kept America’s Funniest Home Videos on the air for over 15 years, and it’s what got people to read the College Republican chair’s column.

No one can resist watching a man accidentally hit himself down there.

CONNOR MCLEAN is a Humor writer for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at humor@cavalierdaily. com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

WEEKLY CROSSWORD SOLUTION SAM EZERSKY | PUZZLE MASTER

EVENTS Thursday 3/30 Music Arts Board Presents: Music Entrepreneurship Q&A, 5-6pm, Nau 101 UPC Presents: the Best of Hip Hop with SHHO, 10pm12am, 1515 Yellow Journal Gala Benefiting Low-Tier Secret Societies, 9pm-12am, Crozet Shakespeare on the Lawn Presents: The Importance of Being Earnest, 8pm, SAC Greens to Grounds Presents: Cooking Class with UVA Dining, 6-7pm, O-Hill Friday 3/31 Music Arts Board Presents: History of Hip Hop Lecture with 9th Wonder, 1-2pm, Dome Room UPC Presents: Rogue One Screening, 7-9:30pm, Newcomb Theater UPC Presents: Silent Disco, 8-10pm, Open Grounds Women’s Tennis vs. Wake Forest, 3:30pm, Snyder Tennis Center Baseball vs. Louisville, 6pm, Davenport Field Shakespeare on the Lawn Presents: The Importance of Being Earnest, 8pm, SAC SYC Presents: Uke Can Play, 4-5pm, 1515 Ektaal A Cappella Presents: Skyfall, 8-10pm, McLeod Hall U Dems Present: Tom, Let’s Talk, 5-8pm, Amphitheatre RUF Tennis Tournament, 1-3pm, Snyder Tennis Center Saturday 4/1 UPC Presents: Rogue One Screening, 9-11:30pm, Newcomb Theater Kinetic Sound Presents: “Boundless”, 1:30-3pm, Amphitheatre Baseball vs. Louisville, 4pm, Davenport Field Shakespeare on the Lawn Presents: The Importance of Being Earnest, 8pm, SAC The Virginia Gentlemen 2017 Spring Classic, 8-10pm, Old Cabell ESC Presents: Pi-Miler, 11am-1:30pm, Sigma Pi Surf & Turf Benefiting The Alzheimer’s Association, 12-5pm, Sigma Pi Sunday 4/2 Baseball vs. Louisville, 1pm, Davenport Field Men’s Tennis vs. Clemson, 1pm, Snyder Tennis Center

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Catch a whiff of ‘The Great Release’ A look into independent theater at its funkiest JORDAN BEST | STAFF WRITER

In B006 — a tiny, well-insulated room located in the bowels of the Drama Department building — a musical of a different sort is stirring.

Three cast members run a song called “Dingleberry Bop” that features a high-octane rock and roll score, hiphop choreography and some of the filthiest lyrics ever uttered beneath the Culbreth Theatre. This is one of the musical numbers from “The Great Release,” an original musical written by fourth-year College student Steven Jenny. The show, which serves as Jenny’s distinguished major project, has grown from a family joke to an explosive endeavor complete with a full cast, band and artistic staff.

“The Great Release” tells the story of a modest office worker named Alex who undergoes an epic journey through his own digestive tract.

Along the way, he meets colorful characters like Diana Ria and Kevin Fecal as they try to take down the tyrannical Priscilla — the source of Alex’s constipation problems. While the show is rife with scatalogical hu-

mor, it manages to avoid the trap of all-out grossness through the use of satire and sly political commentary.

“It’s a musical about poo,” firstyear College student Apollo Yong, who plays an inhabitant of Alex’s body named Kevin, said. “But it’s a lot deeper than that. It sounds like it would be really shallow, but you can tell that a lot of thought went into the story writing and definitely the music too.”

The character who supplies the musical with more profound meaning is Priscilla. Described as a “guy playing a girl who’s supposed to be a guy” by Jenny, Priscilla was originally envisioned as a parody of President Donald Trump — with names like “Ronald Rump” and “Vladimir Poopin” being floated around initially. Fourth-year College student Kolya Rabinowitch takes on the gender-bending role with a sultry strut and nasty leer as he leads his gang of “Dingleberries” through their dance number.

Second-year College student Natalie Pendie, who plays the role of Poolah Brown, created the choreog-

COURTESY GREAT RELEASE

The student-created play “The Great Release” promises to be a hliarious, if unusual time.

raphy for the show. For “Dingleberry Bop” and other numbers, Pendie drills her dancers several times throughout rehearsals, stopping to perfect certain sections and fixing any foot that steps out of place. Even with the grueling work, the cast manages to stay cheery and easy-going.

Madison Karten, a first-year College student, describes the rehearsal

process as “a little bit more fluid, a little more flexible,” which allows the cast “a lot more freedom” with their acting choices and character interpretations.

Gathering such a group of hardworking artists and cast members is an impressive feat, considering the show is run independent of any theater CIOs on Grounds. Jenny

states simply that the those who “like the songs that we put up online and the idea of doing something ridiculous” rallied around the effort.

While the show may not be headed to Broadway anytime soon, “The Great Release” will have its onenight-only premiere in Old Cabell Hall Friday, March 31 at 8 p.m.

Charlottesville Symphony shines under guest director Cheung Chau makes his case for being group’s next director MAGGIE SNOW | SENIOR WRITER The Charlottesville Symphony performed at Old Cabell Hall under the direction of Cheung Chau last Saturday. Chau was the last of three finalists in a series of guest directors who have led the orchestra in the hopes of taking over after Kate Tamarkin’s retirement this spring. After the first concert in February, second in November and third this month, the audience was asked to take a short survey. Their input on the conductor’s relationship with the artists and

audience will be used by the search committee, who will make the final decision on Tamarkin’s successor.

Chau’s experience would suit him well to be the director of the Charlottesville Symphony. He has conducted groups around the world, and currently serves as director of orchestral studies at Utah Valley University, music director of Sinfonietta Polonia in Poznań, Poland and music director of the Utah Valley Youth Symphony.

The night of the event, a sold-out

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Cheung Chau shone as guest director for the Charlottesville Symphony last Saturday.

concert hall greeted him warmly.

Chau was engaging and spirited for the duration of the program, which included works by Ravel, Schumann and Tchaikovsky.

Ravel’s “Boléro” began quite slowly, but picked up speed in the second half and made the somewhat tedious beginning worthwhile. The melodic line moved through each of the sections, finally tracking them all along in its percussive and boisterous ending. At around 15 minutes, the piece was short enough to grab the audience’s attention before they listened to a darker, longer work.

Guest cellist Cicely Parnas was the star of Schumann’s “Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129.” Parnas has performed across the U.S., produced multiple albums and has been recognized by NPR, The New York Times and The Kennedy Center for her talent.

The most shocking line in Parnas’ program biography read, “Ms. Parnas performs on a 1712 Giovanni Grancino cello.” In the concert, she commanded her centuries-old cello and the entire stage. Parnas produced the type of buttery sound that immediately draws listeners in. Chau gave signals to the group based on Parnas’ tempo, and while she was the focal point of the piece, she did not

overpower the group. Her most impressive moments were shifts from sustained piano notes to incredibly fast scales and harsh staccatos. The standing ovation she received lasted long enough for her to return to the stage twice to bow.

Chau prefaced the final piece — Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 Pathétique” — with a brief explanation. Musically, Chau said, the piece made its mark on other composers by popularizing the 5/4 waltz, instead of waltzes with a traditional 3/4 meter. In terms of meaning, the piece is incredibly mysterious. Chau said Tchaikovsky was very secretive while composing the work and gave up on certain aspirations in order to maintain this level of mysteriousness.

“There are still unanswered questions,” Chau said.

He said the ambiguity is actually positive because it means the audience’s view of the work is shaped solely by their listening, setting it free of preconceived notions. Chau did offer several popular interpretations. Some theories argue the final movement is “Tchaikovsky’s suicide note.” Others believe the piece as a whole mirrors the human life cycle, beginning with birth, moving into joyful youth, a more sombre adulthood and darker

end. Chau said the composer actually passed away a little over a week after the work’s premiere.

In either case, this introduction set the tone for the chilling end to the performance. The horns and lower strings dominate the last several minutes of the fourth movement, working as brakes that slow the motion of earlier movements. After 45 minutes of movement, the end gets gradually more dramatic. Chau let the last note finish out to roughly 10 seconds of silence.

After the eerie pause, Chau finally lowered his arms. He and the Symphony received a standing ovation from the entire house. When everyone began filing out of the Hall, Chau came upstairs and stood by the staircase — individually thanking musicians for their good work. Even though he was likely quite exhausted, Chau took this extra step to form relationships with his performers. It was refreshing to see a director’s level of engagement onstage translate to one-on-one interactions with the artists.

Based on the group’s performance and small details like these, Chau proves himself worthy to be the director for the Charlottesville Symphony in its next season.

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

www.cavalierdaily.com • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Holland Cotter shares thoughts on value of art New York Times art critic provides U.Va. audience with insight on his experience ANNA MORGAN | SENIOR WRITER Renowned New York Times art critic Holland Cotter spoke at the University March 23 about art within the context of activism, historical canons and his general experiences.

A childhood filled with diverse perspectives offered Cotter a unique opportunity to delve into the arts at an early age and ultimately acknowledge the huge range of possibilities art provides, particularly across various cultures.

Cotter stressed that multiculturalism is one of his major focuses. He grew up in an open-minded family that exposed him to numerous forms of art and culture. For example, he was introduced to Emily Dickinson’s poems at the dinner table when he was five-years-old.

Part of Cotter’s life and experience as an art critic has revolved around education. He described a college anthropology course on primitive art he took which was interactive, engaging and both thought- and action-provoking.

“That was the beginning of my adult education period,” Cotter said.

He actively pursued knowledge and allowed his curiosity to rule many of his decisions past his formal education. In Cotter’s opinion, people should learn for

the sake of learning in order to expand their minds whenever they can, he said Cotter found his passion and ran with it — not because someone forced him to, but because that was what he genuinely wanted to do. Cotter said he is still learning and pursuing art and education with an insatiable desire.

“I don’t know enough,” he said. “My most important teaching just happened to me, and I was in the right state of mind to receive it.”

Art can be a powerful tool to teach — inciting and providing a vessel for activism and empowerment. It is everywhere and can provide a voice for those who don’t have one.

“Art is where the moral voice speaks when it can speak no where else,” Cotter said.

He listed the Women’s March as an example of performance art. Events such as this — which utilize art or an artistic style — provide a venue to express opinions and demonstrate a nonconformity to certain stances and stereotypes. These events are also spaces to address serious issues many people would rather ignore or pretend are not problems at all. They show there is so much work to be done in our society and individual communities, Cotter said.

He also discussed art during the AIDS epidemic.

“Some extraordinary art emerged as a result of these realities,” Cotter said said in reference to AIDS-inspired work.

Many art pieces of that time and in most art eras serve to provoke and challenge. All art forms are not necessarily meant to please or to soothe. Art is made to elicit emotion, positive or negative — any response can be an effective response.

“Art is not intrinsically benign,” Cotter warned.

While art can be risky, Carter said it is about respecting others and learning deeply about different people and cultures. As an art critic, Cotter is intrigued by non-Western art especially, a rather underrepresented part of the art canon. This is his way of sparking his creative energy and connecting with the world, he said.

Cotter emphasized he does not collect art, though.

“There’s something in me that isn’t an object person … I accumulate many, many, many books. It’s not a collection — it’s an accumulation,” Cotter said.

Though he describes it as an object in the previous quote, Cotter also implies art can move beyond being a simple object and become more action-driven

and action-driving. For him, at least, art and art criticism have provided the means to do what

he loves — bring attention to new types of art and share his passions with others.

COURTESY GOOGLE

Famed art critic Holland Cotter shared his thoughts on the ever-changing artistic world.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

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Alleviating psychological illness through pets Emotional support animals provide relief from documented mental illnesses IRENA KESSELRING | STAFF WRITER

According to the US Service Animal & Support Animal Registry’s website, an emotional support animal (ESA) is any animal that benefits the owner by lessening the effects of a psychological illness, such as depression and bipolar disorder. ESAs provide an alternative method of treatment that alleviates symptoms without modifying body chemistry and inducing various side effects commonly associated with medications.

ESAs are not to be confused with service animals.

There are differences between ESAs and service animals. Barbara Zunders, director at the Student Disability Access Center, said in an email statement that while an emotional support animal reduces the symptoms of a person’s disability, a service animal is “covered under different laws ... and is defined under the [Americans with Disabilities Act] as a dog (or in some limited situations, a miniature horse) that has been individually trained to perform a task or work for a person with a disability.”

Zunders said that although the Fair Housing Act covers ESAs, the ADA does not. As a result, ESA own-

ers cannot bring their animal to restaurants, but they can have an ESA in their home.

Under the Fair Housing Act, ESA owners should not experience difficulties in obtaining housing. Landlords cannot charge an ESA owner for having a pet because the Fair Housing Act protects them, Zunders said.

If the owner has a “documented disability, and … An ESA is required to allow for equal access to the dwelling, then an exception to a no-pets policy should be granted,” Zunders said.

In order to obtain an ESA, “An individual must first document that they have a condition which qualifies them as a person with a disability under the ADA, and also be under the care of a licensed mental health provider,” Zunders said. “The mental health provider must certify that the animal is part of a regulated treatment program for the disabling condition.”

Third-year College student Nicky Demitry finds that her ESA has vastly improved her quality of life. She received an ESA recommendation from her therapist, whom she was seeing for assault-related Posttrau-

COURTESY NICKY DEMITRY

Third-year College student Nicky Dimitry finds that her ESA, Arya, helps her in coping with depressive thoughts and anxiety.

matic Stress Disorder. After picking up Arya — a puppy who was going to be put down — from a shelter, Dimitry went through the process of training her to be an ESA. “For Arya's certification, we had to go through AKC training, namely the Good Citizen Canine training,” Dimitry said in an email statement.

“Then we needed an endorsement from my therapist and psychiatrist to get a prescription to be an ESA, and then it was just a good bit of paperwork and certification.”

Dimitry explained that Arya helped her cope with her depressive thoughts when her mom was going through chemotherapy — motivat-

ing her to get up in the morning and live her life fully. Despite stressful events, Dimitry has been able to live a more wholesome and happy life because of the sense of security and unconditional love that Arya provides, she said.

“She's very helpful for depression, anxiety, and PTSD support. I've always loved animals but didn't think it would have that profound of an impact on me,” Dimitry said. “She helps calm down panic attacks by sitting on my chest … Even though that doesn't really happen anymore, and keeps me getting up every day.”

Dimitry said the University has been very cooperative, despite its general rule that first years must live in dorms.

“It feels weird to be that dependent on an animal to some extent, but this is my life now and I accept it,” Dimitry said. “Obviously I make arrangements for her when I'm traveling / find jobs conducive to her walking etc. but it's a very easily mitigated responsibility and she is the love of my life.”

Trump’s NIH budget cuts to affect U.Va. research Newly released plan would cut large percentage of grant funds MEGHAN OCHS | STAFF WRITER The National Institute of Health is an essential contributor to scientific progress at the University, providing a major source of funding for countless research projects across many schools, such as Nursing, Medicine and Engineering.

“In many ways, NIH grant funds are the backbone of not only U.Va's research enterprise, but all other Tier 1 research institutions,” said Michael Williams, director of the UVA Center for Health Policy. “Not only do we rely upon several of the funding mechanisms currently available from the NIH to support clinical and basic research — training grants are also essential to foster young investigators' careers.”

Over the years, Congress has allocated various amounts of money to the NIH — causing the institution to experience periods of both increased and decreased funding.

University researchers have felt the effects of these changes directly, as they struggled to continue their work when spendable research funds were diminished from 2003 to

COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The proposed budget cuts are expected to negatively affect University research.

2015, due to inflation and a process called “flat funding.” After this period of decline, Congress increased the NIH budget by 5.9 percent in 2016. This equated to the creation of about 820 research grants — some of which were apportioned to the University.

“Last year we had actually saw a little bit of light break through the clouds after that long decline in real funding,” said Jay Fox, director of Research Infrastructure for the

University Office of Research. “If you look at the School of Medicine’s funding from the NIH, we had actually gone up substantially this past year.”

However, President Donald Trump’s administration’s newly released budget proposal would severely undercut research funding to various institutions. Announced on March 16, the plan calls for a reduction in funds for many scientific agencies such as the Environmental

Protection Agency and the NIH. Despite last year’s promising budget expansion, the researchers would see a reversal of those gains if Trump’s proposal goes into effect, as his plan looks to eliminate a large portion of the money previously designated for the NIH. “The Trump budget is going to cut … Around 18 percent,” Fox said.

“It could potentially be an 18 percent cut that we would see [at the University], depending on how well we compete for what’s left.”

This truncated budget would result in a decreased amount of research grants coming to the University — making it increasingly difficult for faculty to perform research as well as hire graduate students and offer undergraduates laboratory research experience.

In addition to providing grant money, the NIH also pays indirect research costs to cover areas not supported by grants. These indirect funds help maintain and improve research center infrastructures, including the building of laboratories

and buying of new equipment.

“Depending upon the nature of the cuts — personnel, operational dollars, indirect costs, etc. — entire labs might have to shut their doors entirely,” Williams said. “The effects would in all likelihood spill forward to future generations of scientists who [would] never have the chance to start a project, let alone an entire lab.”

Further potential costs of the Trump plan could involve a reduction in intellectual property development at the University, as well as a limitation of the opportunities for patients to partake in clinical trials — which is essential to improving patient care.

“The major effort going on across the country to more rapidly translate research into improvements in the human condition would slow dramatically, if not come to a halt,” Williams said. “There is no scenario in which this is good for [the University] or American scientific prominence.”

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

www.cavalierdaily.com • HEALTH & SCIENCE

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Surgeon plans to perform first human head transplant Surgery will take place by December 2017, pending approval TINA CHAI | SENIOR WRITER If approved, the world’s first human head transplant will be performed, by Italian neuroscientist Dr. Sergio Canavero in collaboration with Chinese surgeon Dr. Xiaoping Ren in December 2017.

Valery Spiridonov — a 30-year-old Russian man who suffers from spinal atrophy and motor neuron degeneration due to Werdnig-Hoffman disease — has volunteered himself for the procedure.

Canavero has published a detailed surgical plan for the head transplant in the medical journal Surgical Neurology International.

This plan, nicknamed “head anastomosis venture” (HEAVEN), includes a blueprint for what would be a 36-hour operation involving at least $10 million and 80 other surgeons.

The transplant begins with anesthetizing Spiridonov and cooling his body to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, delaying tissue death in the brain.

Then, the surgeon would decapitate both a donor body and Spiridonov’s body and simultaneously sever both of their spinal cords.

Surgeons would then attach Spiridonov’s head to the donor’s neck, binding the two ends of the spinal cord using polyethylene glycol.

Thereafter, muscles and blood supply from the donor body would be connected to Spiridonov’s head while Spiridonov is placed in an induced coma for about a month.

Electrodes would also be implanted to promote new nerve networks and growth.

Despite being a calculated procedure, Canavero’s plan is not immune to risks, including those inherent to all transplant procedures.

“For any transplant to be successful ... You need to prevent the immune system from rejecting the

organ because the recipient’s body will always realize that the new organ doesn’t belong in his or her person,” said Dr. Jose Oberholzer, director of the Charles O. Stricker Transplant Center at the University Health System. “You also have to prevent infections from occurring on the transplant after immune system suppression.”

As an unprecedented surgery, the head transplant requires even more complex organ and vessel connections — posing greater uncertainty than common transplants like those of the liver.

“In the case of the liver, you will have a total of three blood vessels to connect and the bile duct,” Oberholzer said. “But in the case of a head ... It would not just be the blood vessels. The airways would have to be connected. You will have to connect the pharynx to the esophagus. You have to provide the cranial nerves — nerves directly from the brain that allow for certain functions and reflexes — and you will have to connect, somehow, the spine. And that’s technically not possible today.”

Additionally, modern-day surgical techniques for organ transplants have not evolved significantly in the past decade, since current methods are effective and widely successful for the organs that are common transplanted. As such, Oberholzer suggests these prevailing techniques may not be sufficient to perform at the level of difficulty that a head transplant would require.

“The first difficulty is the pure technicality of it. We have no technology to be able to fuse the spine — to make a spine that is separated regain function,” Oberholzer said.

“The second is that there are just so many connections to be joined.

HANNAH MUSSI | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Dr. Sergio Canavero hopes to perform the world’s first human head transplant by December 2017.

The complication rate is just going to be tremendous — you can have leaking airways, a leaking esophagus, or if your saliva is flowing into either of those, or vascular vessel anastomosis. So the risk of infection is going to be very high too.”

Oberholzer predicts the probability of a successful head transplant is highly unlikely, if not impossible.

“You’re going to have, essentially, a brain completely disconnected from everything else,”

Oberholzer said. “You may have a locked-in person who is kind of alive, but cannot move anything, cannot feel anything. It’s just a terrible thought.”

Beyond the anatomical and physiological analysis of the procedure, ethical issues also arise from the prospect of a head transplant.

“Access to scarce organs is a huge concern when it comes to transplants,” Asst. Bioethics Prof.

Sahar Akhtar said. “Who gets put to the top of the transplant list, who receives it and why, are their bodies otherwise in good health and shape to merit giving it to them as opposed to, say, a younger person … These are your ordinary, run-of-the-mill concerns for transplants for critical organs — things like hearts and kidneys and livers.”

Specific to a head transplant, however, is the question of identity.

“There is literature that suggests that the mind is not all in the head,” Akhtar said. “There is a strong interplay between anything in the head and the full body and how the body reacts and responds to its environment. If the surgery was successful, would this be the same person, would they reserve their identity — and that requires saying a lot more about the nature of mind and body and the relationship between mind and body.”

In considering moral and ethical problems, Oberholzer relates the head transplant to “The Modern Prometheus” — Mary Shelley’s novel that commonly goes by “Frankenstein.”

“The line between Frankenstein and science becomes very blurry,” Oberholzer said. “It’s a nightmare scenario if you think about it.”

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