Monday, August 31, 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

Student Council

Vol. 126, Issue 3

OVERHAULS RECRUITMENT

Henry Pflager Senior Writer

Student Council is restructuring its recruitment and retainment process by eliminating interviews and applications in an effort to increase inclusivity and diversity.

The previously used recruitment process, which included both an application and in-person interview, will be replaced with a quiz and review of attendance, a change which Student Council President Abraham Axler, a third-year College student, said will address issues with diversity, exclusivity and competitive culture.

The organization has come to embody a growing problem of exclusivity and competition among University

LOCAL GROUPS PURSUE STOP AND FRISK DATA PAGE 2

TRIAL DATE SET IN SWIM TEAM HAZING CASE PAGE 3

to combat exclusivity

student organizations, Axler said, a reality which is paradoxical to its goals.

Additionally, the former recruitment techniques were failing to accurately predict the performance of the small percentage of applicants allowed to join Student Council.

“Interviews and applications are, in general, poor indicators of future performance,” read a statement released by Student Council. “Furthermore, how can we claim to be working on behalf of all students if we’re rejecting nearly 90% of all those who want to help?”

Instead of being competitive, the recruitment process will become more open, letting anyone join who demonstrates interest. Anyone willing to put in the time and effort to be a part of Council can be, Axler said.

He emphasized that the quiz on stu-

WOMEN’S SOCCER REMAINS UNDEFEATED PAGE 5

dent self governance, University governance and Student Council can be taken more than once.

“As an organization we are savvy enough about structure and how to create projects that people could work on that we would just become a more productive organization,” Axler said.

“You couldn’t get into a situation where there’s too many people who are willing to do work.”

While members of Student Council expressed concern over the new process generating too many members, Axler said he doesn’t expect this to be the case. He noted the high time commitment of being an active member of-

see STUDENT COUNCIL, page 4

OPINION: ON POLITICAL CORRECTNESS PAGE 8

HOOS FOR HEIFERS WORKS AT LOCAL FARM PAGE 10

N news

Tim Petraco Senior Writer

More than 750 University students lined up at the south end of the Lawn Friday to sign the Hoos Got Your Back pledge, a personal commitment to be active in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence.

This is the second year for the pledge. Last year, 702 students participated.

Will Henagan, a member of the Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition’s executive board, said he hoped the event would help start off the year by raising awareness for the #HoosGotYourBack and Not On Our Grounds campaigns.

The timing of the event should help raise awareness about a stretch of time early in the year known to sexual violence activists nationwide as the red zone, Henagan said.

The Cavalier Daily

2

#HoosGotYourBack pledges increase More than 750 U.Va. students participate in campaign

“[The red zone] is the first six to eight weeks of the school year and it’s where 50 percent of all sexual assaults take place,” he said.

Many of the students at the rally were first-years, SVPC Internal Chair Liamarie Quinde said, helping advance SVPC’s efforts to have discussions with all incoming students.

“That is the goal — talking to first years and helping educate them about this right when they walk through the door,” the fourth-year Batten student said.

All the same, college is an important and formative time in one’s life and the SVPC does not intend to scare students with this information, Henagan said.

“We want to make sure people aren’t afraid to come to college,” Henagan said. “It’s just about being especially vigilant during this period.”

The event was an overall success, SVPC External Chair Sara Surface said, with a line extending at one point from the South Lawn to the dumpling cart. She said it is up to students

Celina Hu and Richard Dizon| The Cavalier Daily

The Friday rally came as part of an ongoing effort by the Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition to educate students during the “red zone,” which takes place during the first six to eight weeks of school.

to take the next step, though, and take action to help make the community safer.

“The pledge and the #HGYB campaign are reminders about what it means to be in a community with one another,” Surface said in an email statement. “It is up to our peers to remember this message and take action

if they see a situation that doesn't look right.”

The SVPC is working this semester to develop general body meetings between its constituent organizations, Surface said, and hopes to start a committee which would deliver recommendations on inclusivity and diversity in peer education.

The organizations making up SVPC are taking individual steps to increase community sexual assault education — particularly during the red zone — including the Dorm Norms initiative started by One Less and One in Four.

Owen Robinson contributed to reporting.

Local groups push for stop and frisk data from police Equal rights organizations bring issue to court after information request initially denied

AFRICAN-AMERICANS SUBJECTED TO WARRANTLESS STOP AND FRISKS

OVERALL, ONLY

12% OF THOSE WHO WERE STOPPED WERE ENGAGING IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY *Statistics taken over a period of 18 months Graphic by Anne Owen and Kate Motsko Data courtesy Charlottesville Police Department

Anna Houghton Senior Writer

AFRICAN-AMERICAN OTHER

= 2 PEOPLE

Two Charlottesville groups are using legal channels to attempt to make public data on the Charlottesville Police Department’s stop and frisk policy.

The Public Housing Association of Residents and the Albemarle-Charlottesville chapter of the NAACP have brought the case to court after filing a Freedom of Information Act request,

which was denied by CPD. A Charlottesville judge recently overruled a motion to dismiss a FOIA lawsuit against the city. As a result, a future hearing will determine whether or not the department will have to release the reports.

Having these records released is the only way to make the police department accountable to the community, said Charlottesville-based attorney Jeffrey Fogel, who is representing the PHAR and NAACP. “We are looking for the narratives the police in Charlottesville are required to fill out about why people are stopped,” Fogel said.

“It would give us the opportunity to demand accountability.”

The department released statistics last summer on 140 “stop and frisks” that took place over the course of 18 months.

The information showed that 70 percent of those subjected to a warrantless frisk were African-American. Overall, only 12 percent of the people who were stopped were engaging in criminal activity.

Third-year College student Aryn Frazier, the president of the Black Student Alliance at the University, said the statistics show a bias against people of color.

“The problem with our criminal justice system is stereotyping these bodies just based in their appearance especially when it doesn’t yield high success rates— it’s horrible,” Frazier said.

This stereotyping is causing a rift between law enforcement and African-American citizens, Fogel said.

“I think its pretty clear now the level of distrust between the police and the African-Americans in urban areas,” he said.

Fogel said he requested more information on the circumstances surrounding “stop and frisks” in the summer of last year and the department agreed to release anonymous information. However, Fogel fell ill and was unable to follow through, and when he requested the information again some months later his request was denied.

“This is not an uncommon problem,” Fogel said.

Fogel said that with greater openness and transparency of law enforcement practices will come reform.

“Once this gets out into the public eye… the public is in a position to demand changes,” Fogel said.

The Charlottesville Police Department did not respond to a request for comment.

NEWS

Monday, August 31, 2015

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Trial date set for suit against five former U.Va. swimmers Former student, swim team member accuses teammates of hazing in lawsuit to be heard in 2016 Hailey Ross Senior Writer

The lawsuit filed by a former University student and swim team member who alleges he was hazed by other members of the team has been scheduled for trial in September 2016.

This is an unusually long wait for a trial, University Law Professor John Jeffries said, but could be attributed to the judge’s

discretion.

“It seems to me unusually long,” he said. “There must be some factors that the judge thinks justifies the delay.”

The former student, Anthony Marcantonio, reported in the suit filed this summer that he and other first-year swimmers were subjected to a number of hazing activities, including false imprisonment, forced drinking of beer, liquor, milk and prune juice, verbal abuse and forced

Lauren Hornsby | The Cavalier Daily

Two of the five defendants have returned to swim with the University; the other three have not rejoined after being suspended from the team.

sexual contact all under the threat of retaliation for noncompliance.

The suit names his former teammates Kyle Dudzinski, Luke Papendick, Charles Rommel, David Ingraham and Jacob Pearce as defendants, listing their actions “outrageous and intolerable.” The five men were suspended from the swim team for the fall semester on Oct. 22 due to violations of University policy and athletic department rules.

The University addressed its investigation last fall in a statement to The Cavalier Daily, saying it looked into all claims against the defendants and subsequently created new educational programs.

“The University took prompt action to provide support services to the affected students, review the conduct, and impose discipline for violations of University policy and athletic department codes of conduct,” the statement read. “The University also implemented additional educational programming related to the issues of hazing and enhanced monitoring of team conduct to assure the effectiveness of these measures.”

The University is unable to release specifics of the individual punishments because of federal law, according to the statement.

The suit against the five students also claims that first years were told to chew live goldfish, grab one another’s genitalia and frequently asked sexually explicit questions about themselves and members of the University’s women’s swim team. One of the first-years allegedly suffered an eye injury when a glass bottle was smashed on the ground.

First-year swimmers also received threatening and derogatory emails from a joint account the defendants created under the username, “Mr. Mean,” according to the suit. It also claims that emails directed the first years to go on a scavenger hunt where they were told to steal things from another teammate, a retail store and the University.

The men’s swimming coach, Augie Busch, and Dean of Students Allen Groves were both informed of the hazing by Sept.

9, the suit says — once the defendants discovered Marcantonio went forward with his testimony, they “ostracized and threatened” him. Busch then

asked Marcantonio to swim only when the other team members were not present as he could not guarantee his physical safety.

Marcantonio later voided his contract with the team and left University. According to the suit, his swim career was “destroyed.” He has since transferred and now swims for Northwestern University.

Marcantonio is seeking punitive damages from the defendants in addition to suing them on counts of assault, battery, false imprisonment, hazing, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, tortious interference with a contract and two counts of conspiracy to commit these acts.

Pearce and Rommel continued swimming with the University after their suspensions and made career-best times at the ACC championship meet.

Dudzinski, Ingraham and Papendick did not continue swimming with University but Dudzinski and Papendick have both transferred to the University of Michigan and will swim with the team there.

Marcantonio, Busch and defendants could not be reached for comment.

Lead Iran negotiator Wendy Sherman speaks at Miller Center Key player discusses particulars, concerns regarding contentious nuclear agreement deal David Schutte Staff Writer

Wendy Sherman, U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, spoke Friday at the Miller Center about the Iran nuclear agreement.

The talk was part of the PBS program “American Forum” — which the Miller Center often hosts — and was led by Douglas Blackmon. Both Blackmon and audience members asked Sherman about the details of the deal, criticisms it has received and its overall significance.

The Iran deal, or the “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” does not rely on trust or on a foundation of previous diplomacy, Sherman said, but rather relies upon consistent American surveillance.

“This agreement isn’t based on trust,” Sherman said. “It’s based on intrusive monitoring.”

Sherman discussed some of the penalties Iran would encounter should it violate any part of the deal, specifically the “snapback” economic sanctions they have already faced.

“These agreements are legally binding,” she said. “All those ‘snapbacks’ can fall back into place.”

Though publicly contentious, the lack of ‘anytime/anywhere’ checks by the International Atomic Energy Agency is natural, Sherman said, given that the IAEA always gives at least 24 hour notice of facility inspection.

“That doesn’t exist anywhere— the IAEA must give a 24 hour notice before inspecting a facility,” Sherman said.

Should the agreement be enact-

ed and Iran declines to allow an inspection, Iran and IAEA would enter into a two week debate. If they do not reach a decision, the Joint Commission — a U.S.-based non-profit accreditation organization — will determine whether the IAEA should gain access.

If the inspection were granted, Iran would have three days to prepare for the inspection. Sherman said the total amount of time this process would take is not nearly enough time to hide traces of enriched uranium.

Asked by an audience member what will happen if Congress doesn’t approve of the agreement, Sherman said she did not know what would follow.

“I don’t know what [would] happen, but I’m confident that the agreement will be implemented,” she said.

Marshall Brofin | The Cavalier Daily

Wendy Sherman, U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, spoke with Douglas Blackmon at the University Miller Center as part of the PBS program “American Forum.”

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NEWS

The Cavalier Daily

Honor Committee discusses informed retraction changes Committee will decide on bylaw updates broadening 2013 policy in coming weeks Hannah Hall Senior Writer

Honor Committee members debated Sunday whether to make changes to the informed retraction, a 2013 policy change that gave students accused of an honor offense the choice to take a year of absence instead of going to trial and facing expulsion.

The committee is currently debating whether the informed retraction should cover multiple honor violations.

At present, students can only file an informed retraction for a single act, Vice Chair for Investigations Avery Rasmussen said.

This is defined as a single “nexus” of events, meaning “one of the alleged honor events could not occur if the other did not occur.”

The classic example, she said, is if a student cheated on a final exam and then signed a pledge

STUDENT COUNCIL Continued from page 1

ten deters people from pursuing it.

“A lot of people show interest in it but a much fewer number group of people are willing to

saying he or she did not receive aid.

The committee is now considering if this definition is too strict.

“We’ve seen cases in the past where maybe a student uses the same source to cheat on every lab assignment,” Rasmussen said. “These are extremely related things…but you can only take one IR.” One such case, cited by the vice chair for education, included a student who committed an honor offense repeatedly on lab assignments throughout the semester, but did so without realizing it. In such cases — characterized by multiple acts that are very interconnected — some committee members argue accused students should still be able to take advantage of the informed retraction.

However, Chair Faith Lyons, a fourth-year Commerce student, said committee members

have questioned whether the change would conflict with the policy’s original intent.

“The question that’s being raised by committee is, if there are multiple offenses, it’s not really in line with why the IR was created,” Lyons said.

Rasmussen, who opposes a policy change, said that a change would raise questions about a multiple sanction system.

A decision on whether or not to amend the bylaws will be made within the next few weeks, Lyons said.

Data on reporting in informed retraction cases will be presented at next Sunday’s meeting, she said.

“I think the reporting data will help fill out this conversation,” Lyons said. “After next week, we’ll see if we want to have changes now, or if this will fall into the larger conversation of a multi-sanction system.”

Ideally, Lyons said, any

changes to the informed retraction will be made in September to avoid having different cases under different rules. If the informed retraction discussion is

rolled into the multi-sanction debate, changes would be part of a proposal expected by February.

Some Honor Committee members thought the discussion of informed retraction should be paired with a larger conversation about a multi-sanction system.

put in the work,” he said.

Third-year Batten student Jahvonta Mason, co-chair of Student Council’s diversity initiatives committee and chair of the Black Male Initiative, said he applauds the effort.

“I think that’s a major initia-

tive that should be undertaken across the University, across almost all organizations,” Mason said.

Mason said he had a mixed reaction to the elimination of the interview process.

“I don’t personally believe

there’s anything wrong with the interview process, per se,” Mason said. “That being said, we know that when you meet someone face-to-face and you see them there are certain biases that all people [have].”

Michelle Wang, a third-year

Marshall Bronfin | The Cavalier Daily

Commerce student, compared the recruitment changes to the Honor Committee process, which includes a quiz in the first round.

“But I know that Honor also has an interview process afterward,” Wang said.

CD

KEITH SAYS

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S

sports Jacob Hochberger Associate Editor

On opening night in Charlottesville, the second-ranked Virginia men’s soccer team treated the raucous crowd of 4,620 fans to a show, getting on the board early and taming the potent Charlotte attack throughout a heated contest that featured an astounding 29 fouls.

Virginia (1-0-0) took down the 17th-ranked reigning Conference USA champion Charlotte 49ers (0-01) 1-0 by way of a 38th-minute flickon header by junior midfielder Nicko Corriveau. Corriveau — who was tied for second in goals scored for Virginia last season despite missing significant time — looks to build off this performance going forward.

“Huge for us to start off strong,” Corriveau said, “we have a lot of pressure on us, being the defending national champions, so we really want to keep the momentum going and show everyone that last year wasn’t a fluke and we can win again.”

The flick-on was only made possible after a tackle from Charlotte set up senior midfielder Todd Wharton

Monday, August 31, 2015

5

No. 2 men’s soccer defeats No. 17 Charlotte Cavaliers open 2015 season with win over top-25 opponent — an all-ACC selection last season — with a free kick from just outside the penalty area.

Wharton’s curling cross, which was played into a dangerous area, found Corriveau amidst the chaos.

The Potomac, MD product redirected the ball into the far post, inciting a bleacher-shaking roar from the crowd.

“Great free kick from Todd,” Corriveau said, “I just had to get a slight touch on it to keep it going…but it went in the upper corner so I was pretty happy about that.”

Although Corriveau’s goal was the only one in the first half, it surely was not the only moment of note. In the opening 15 minutes, the two teams combined for eight fouls, amassing ten more over the next 30 minutes and not letting up throughout the second half.

“It was physical, and we knew it,” coach George Gelnovatch said, “I don’t think it was out of control but the ref did a great job. A couple of their center midfielders had tactical fouls in the first half where he gave them yellow cards right away, which I thought were great.”

While this was just the first game of the season for the Cavaliers, both the team and its fans alike will be encouraged by the performance and

can be optimistic about the team’s prospects going forward.

“I think we didn’t necessarily dominate them, but we played to our advantage, which is defense,” Corriveau said, “we were working hard, taking advantage of our opportunities, and I thought overall we did really well and it’s only going to get better going forward from here.”

The offense, which struggled with finishing for much of last season, was bolstered by the appearance of freshman forward Edward Opoku. A standout in high school, the Ghanian native immediately provided a jolt of pace with an elaborate give-and-go up the left wing after his 35th-minute entrance.

“We tried to make it a little bit easier for him, he started a couple games in the preseason, and that was a little tough for him,” Gelnovatch said, “I decided to not start some of the young guys and I thought Edward was more comfortable coming in off the bench.”

In the second half, Charlotte’s offensive prowess came to the forefront, as they worked to get numerous chances in and around the box, but the Cavaliers’ notoriously stingy defense — led by sophomore goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell — was able to handle the pressure, ceding just seven

shots and a lone strike on goal.

“Jeff did really well, he’s a confident guy,” freshman defender Malcolm Dixon said, “I believe in his abilities, and he’s always communicating with the back line, which makes our job easy, and makes his job easier as well.”

As the Cavaliers look forward to the remainder of this homestand, which features two games in 10 days, they will do so with the knowledge that their second-ranked recruiting class can seamlessly work into the rotation as Opoku and freshman midfielders Derrick Etienne and

Jean-Christophe Koffi all saw significant time.

“They’re all really good players, they add a lot of depth to the team,” Corriveau said, “They’re a little inexperienced but they’re going to gain that experience. Edward is an exciting guy. You know when he’s on the field you can give him the ball and he’s going to run at players. They’re a big addition to the team, especially on offense.”

Virginia is off until Friday, when the team takes on Tulsa — a team that pushed the Cavaliers to two overtimes in Oklahoma last season.

Sarah Dodge | The Cavalier Daily

Junior midfielder Nicko Corriveau scored the Cavaliers’ lone goal of the contest, but it was enough to knock off the reigning C-USA champions.

Women’s soccer remains undefeated No. 2 Virginia overwhelmed Cal Poly and Delaware to stay flawless Grant Gossage Associate Editor

Virginia (3-0-0) bombarded Cal Poly keeper Alyssa Giannetti from the first whistle, including a series of shots from point-blank range around the 1:30 mark. Giannetti did well to pin the ball on the goal line, while Cavalier cleats jabbed at glory.

Again and again, the Mustangs allowed Virginia midfielders to link up with attackers in the final third.

Senior forward Makenzy Doniak — a frontrunner for the 2015 MAC Hermann Trophy — wove her way around defenders only to find more waiting. Some refer to Cal Poly’s scheme as “parking the bus.”

“Coach has the phrase, ‘Use the flanks!’” senior defender Emily Sonnett said. “He wants us to move the ball outside to play inside, especially when a defense is cramming the middle of the field.”

Cavalier wings and outside backs made dangerous runs and sent balls across the box. But Giannetti and her defenders thwarted each threat, silencing the foot stomping that reverberates around Klöckner each time

Virginia is in striking distance. Still, it was only a matter of time.

At 14:57, sophomore forward Veronica Latsko connected with freshman midfielder Courtney Peterson, who buried the ball into the back of the net. Teammates flooded towards an elated Peterson, who’d just scored her first career goal at Virginia.

“The feeling after that first goal was an amazing one,” Peterson said.

“I wasn’t expecting to get the ball there or even to hit it that well. So I was surprised. Then, yeah, I was really excited.”

Less than ten minutes after the Cavaliers finally broke the tie, Peterson shook her defender near the left corner flag and broke down the end line. Her cross floated over Giannetti’s outstretched arms and found Sonnett, who headed it home.

Virginia entered the half with a 2-0 lead, though the team’s number of shots [16] and corners [10] probably could have made it a more comfortable gap. The Mustangs still had hope, so they turned up the pressure and physicality in the second half.

“Teams are going to be physical with us,” Swanson said. “We’ve got to be smart about how we respond: in-

crease our speed and use that aggressiveness against them. But credit to Cal Poly for turning up the pressure there.”

The Virginia back line, led by Sonnett kept its shape and prevented any real opportunities for Mustang forwards until the clock struck zero.

The attack sputtered – in part due to the absence of Doniak, who subbed out after an awkward stride midway through the half.

Coach Swanson could tolerate a 2-0 win, despite converting just 2 of their 31 shots into goals.

“Cal Poly is a good team. They’re hard and they are tough to break down at times. I think they will win their share of games this year, so that was a good win for us.”

The Cavaliers made up for their inefficiencies in scoring Sunday afternoon, as they ran the Blue Hens into the ground, putting up six goals and allowing just one.

At the 10:20 mark, an already fatigued Delaware defender whiffed on a clearance, which landed right at the feet of freshman midfielder Betsy Brandon. Brandon nailed the ball past the keeper and a defender who stood helplessly at the near post for

her first career goal as a Cavalier.

Less than three-minutes later, junior defender Kristen McNabb delivered a 40-yard lob to junior forward Morgan Reuther, who chipped the oncoming goalie in a creative fashion.

With Delaware unable to hold possession, the Cavalier offense continued to buzz around in the attacking third. At 25:27, senior midfielder Brittany Ratcliffe found herself in the right place at the right time. Junior midfielder Alexis Shaffer’s shot rolled to Ratcliffe’s feet, and she converted the rebound into Virginia’s third goal of the game.

“Well, I was so nervous,” Ratcliffe said. “I was like, oh my gosh, you cannot miss this. And it fortunately bounced at the end and spun a little – it was also so slow too, but it went in and that’s all that matters.”

The Cavaliers scored three more times on Sunday. At the 33rd minute, freshman forward Lorato Sargeant’s second effort with her left foot found the back of the net. Sargeant became the third freshman over the weekend to score her first goal at Virginia.

Twenty- five minutes after Sargeant’s tally, another freshman, Courtney Petersen, redirected a cross

above a defender positioned on the weak post for her second goal of the tournament. Then, senior forward Veronica Latsko – who had the tough task of filling the injured Doniak’s shoes – drilled a shot from the top of the 20-yard box, which snuck below the crossbar and above the keepers’ arms.

The Blue Hens did get a goal when junior midfielder Nikki Adams slipped a ball past the Cavalier wall to freshman forward Riley Curtin. Curtin curved a shot around defenders into the side-netting.

“Giving up that first goal was disappointing, especially because we focused on not getting scored on off set plays,” Brandon said. “And that was a quick one that we weren’t really prepared for. We need to continue to stay sharp in the minds and get better defensively on set plays.”

Overall, Virginia is pleased with where it is this early in the season. The team is back in action September 4th and 5th when it travels to the West Coast to take on nationally-ranked foes UCLA and Pepperdine. Kickofs for the games are scheduled for 10 pm and 4 pm, respectively.

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OPINION

The Cavalier Daily

Cavaliers dominate Drexel, edge Penn State The No. 9 Virginia field hockey team started its season off strong this weekend, posting victories over Drexel and 7thranked Penn State. The Cavaliers (2-0) shut out the Dragons 6-0 Friday, but needed overtime to defeat the Nittany Lions.

In its 2015 season opener, Virginia struck early to gain control of the game. Sophomore midfielder Tara Vittese scored just two minutes into the game and added an assist nine minutes later to put the Cavaliers up by two.

The Cavaliers then got insurance from sophomore Emilie van Zinnicq Bergmann. The 5’5” midfielder scored two goals late in the first half to give Virginia a 5-0 lead heading into halftime.

She completed the hattrick ten minutes into the second half to

make the final score 6-0.

Sunday’s contest proved to be more exciting with Virginia needing a last minute goal to send the game to overtime. After being up 2-0 heading into halftime, the Cavaliers gave up three unanswered goals in the second half.

Vittese continued her strong weekend by navigating through traffic and firing home the game-tying shot with 1:23 remaining in the game. She then set up the game-winning goal by taking a hard shot from the circle that was saved, but went directly to freshman striker Nikki Freeman, who ended the game.

The Cavaliers will be back in action Sept. 4 at Rutgers to kick off their first road trip of the season.

—compiled by Ryan Taylor

Marshall Bronfin | The Cavalier Daily

Freshman striker Nikki Freeman’s overtime strike against No. 7 Penn State was her first career goal as a Cavalier.

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opinion

Monday, August 31, 2015

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LEAD EDITORIAL

Why Wheaton’s health insurance decision is wrong The college’s abrupt decision to stop offering health insurance is detrimental to its students

Comment of the day “I might add too that while I am deeply opposed to cap punishment because of innocents condemned, the cited financial cost argument you use is more debatable than you allow. “Up front” costs of cap case trials and death row inmate continuance are indeed higher than life sentences, as you note- BUT several studies show long term cost of life imprisonments per prisoner without parole are about 200K higher than death penalty closure!

Basically, I should not have to pay taxes money to fund the long life maintenance of an if guilty Jesse Matthew.

You should have the option, if you wish.”

“Bruno Hob” in response to Dani Bernstein’s Aug. 27 article, “Don’t give Jesse Matthew the death penalty.”

This summer, Wheaton College in Illinois announced it will stop offering health insurance plans to students as part of its effort to avoid providing birth control coverage as required by the Affordable Care Act. According to The Chicago Tribune, this decision halts coverage for roughly a quarter of the college’s 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students, though it will not affect health care insurance for faculty and staff.

We wrote last week about the importance of health insurance for college students, praising the University’s latest effort to keep students covered. Given the cost of care, health insurance is practically a necessity in our country, and the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that most Americans purchase it makes access to coverage especially important.

In this case, Wheaton allowed its religious stance — against providing birth control — to overwhelm the importance of higher education institutions providing coverage for their students.

What makes Wheaton’s deci-

sion more disheartening is that the school was not even being required to offer birth control.

Wheaton was among the dozens of Christian nonprofits that argued the ACA’s requirement for birth control coverage was an assault on religious freedom in the 2012 Burwell v. Hobby Lobby case — a case that removed the ACA’s mandate for corporations with religious objections.

A compromise plan requires officials to notify the government of their religious objections and prompts the school’s insurance carrier to provide coverage directly to students. Wheaton refuses to partake in this plan because this violates the school’s religious beliefs. In 2012, the school filed a federal lawsuit and has not yet complied with the order, made easier by a temporary stay granted by the U.S. Supreme Court.

While Wheaton waits to hear whether it will have to notify the government of its objections should it offer health coverage, it has preemptively ended coverage for nearly one thousand stu-

dents. To make matters worse, in 2010 Wheaton instituted a requirement that students enroll in or provide proof of comparable insurance every year — but now it has eliminated a resource to comply with that requirement.

While there is merit to the debate over religious exemptions to this mandate, Wheaton officials were not yet being forced to act against their religious beliefs. Moreover, they did not even attempt to grandfather students into their new policy, halting coverage immediately for students who probably expected to remain covered through their school as long as they remained enrolled.

Universities and colleges are not obligated to offer their students insurance, though it is certainly laudable for them to do so. But Wheaton has promised its students coverage — in fact, it has required it of them. Such a promise demonstrates a commitment to students’ well-being — a commitment this school has now severely compromised.

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OPINION

The Cavalier Daily

Political correctness and the culture war

hat comes to mind when own lens, conservatives understand you hear the phrase “po- their positions as being “pro-life.” litical correctness?” Do you think Liberals, however, interpret the of it as “things that are stance as an infraction okay to say” or as a way on a woman’s right of infringing on your ALEXANDER ADAMES to full bodily autonoOpinion Columnist freedom of speech? my and, accordingly, According to the Mermay describe pro-life riam-Webster Dictionconservatives as “anary, political correctness is “con- ti-women’s rights” or “anti-women.” forming to a belief that language Upon being labeled as “anti-womand practices which could offend en,” conservatives would be offendpolitical sensibilities (as in matters ed and prefer that liberals not make of sex or race) should be eliminat- such a claim because conservatives ed.” The term was popularized by do not see themselves in that light. conservative political pundits and That is, despite excoriating liberals is used against American liberals. for political correctness, conservSometimes, as we saw in last se- atives are “conforming to a belief mester’s article by Zeke Reed, liber- that language and practices which als also use it to castigate what Reed could offend [their own] political calls “self-cannibalization.” This sensibilities (as in matters of sex or immediate association of political race) should be eliminated”. correctness with modern-day liberAnother example of conservaalism is misleading. tive correctness can be observed in Many conservatives bash liber- reactionary responses to the subject als for their attempt to “infringe on of same-sex marriage. Christian one’s freedom of speech,” yet they of- conservatives claim to be “offendten neglect their own political sen- ed” by same-sex marriage by way sitivities. For example, let us look of viewing it as an assault on Chrisat the topic of reproductive rights. tianity. Because same-sex marriage Liberals perceive themselves as be- offends their political sensibilities, ing “pro-choice” and “pro-women’s many Christian conservatives berights,” but some conservatives view lieve that no legal joining between the liberal stance as “anti-Christian” people of the same sex should be or “pro-murder”, which liberals deemed “marriage.” Instead, some would likely refute. Through their believe that same-sex couples

should refer to their wedding by another name (e.g., “union”, “domestic partnership”). Ironically, notwithstanding their censuring liberals as being the “PC police,” many conservatives fail to reflect on and acknowledge their own conservative correctness.

Now, some of you may be thinking that the prevalence of conservative correctness is infinitesimal relative to liberal correctness, citing that liberals have successfully imposed their standards across the country. However, I would dis-

the ideas that it brings to the table are relatively new or nascent (e.g., using appropriate gender pronouns for trans* people). On the other hand, conservative correctness was already the socially appropriate standard and, thereby, has gone mostly unnoticed. A liberal’s usage of PC attempts to transform and coordinate the existent standard of what is socially acceptable. For instance, “marriage” was previously a word strictly reserved for the union between a man and a woman. Today, homosexuality and same-sex marriage are socially acceptable to the majority of Americans, and “marriage” has simply become a union between two people . A recent Gallup poll attests to While you can certainly label liberals as being the fact that liberal‘politically correct,’ it would be disingenuous ism’s cultural values are either winning to cast them as the sole enforcers of a form of or gaining more support amongst Amerpolitical correctness. “ icans. Beyond an increasingly agreeaagree on account of the fact that ble view of LGBTQ relationships, conservative correctness is much Gallup found that Americans have more deeply entrenched in our shifted to the left on leading morsociety than its left-wing counter- al issues, including abortion, stem part. Liberal correctness seems to cell research and the death penalbe much more prevalent because ty. Another Gallup poll revealed

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Conservative backlash against political correctness reflects a shift in the nation’s cultural values that most Americans would support the legalization of marijuana.

That being said, one could contend that it was conservatives who had been winning this culture war. Of course, now, it appears the tables have turned.

While you can certainly label liberals as being “politically correct,” it would be disingenuous to cast them as the sole enforcers of a form of political correctness. Conservatives are equal enforcers of their own socially acceptable rhetoric. The difference between the forms of correctness is the cultural values that drive them. The attempt to portray liberals as the “PC police” is simply a reaction to the fact that conservatives are now losing the culture war within America.

In essence, the conservative backlash against political correctness is a countermove rooted in their belief that liberals are expunging the “traditional” (read: “socially conservative”) culture of America and, consequently, fostering an American culture that is analogous with modern-day American liberalism.

Alexander’s columns run bi-weekly Mondays. He can be reached at a.adames@cavalierdaily. com.

Hold the (revolving) door n politics the “revolving door” ever, this argument does not take refers to the constant shift- into account all the checks and ing of people from public office balances governmental agencies to private companies are subject to. Governthat they previously mental agencies have BOBBY DOYLE oversaw. This is a wideto report to Congress Opinion Columnist spread practice, with on their activities and nearly one quarter of progress, explaining lawmakers who leave Congress why they deserve taxpayer dollars. passing through the door. The re- Regulators can’t just make rules volving door is also the subject of that favor one group too strongintense criticism. People raise the ly, they’re held accountable for it the ethical problems with a former if they do. A great recent example director of an agency pushing the of how the revolving door can be agenda of a company on their for- beneficial is with the appointment mer employees. The practice also of Thomas Wheeler as Chairman seems to undermine democracy in of the Federal Communications a fundamental way, placing a great Commission. Wheeler was a fordeal of power in the hands of pri- mer lobbyist for the cable industry vate companies. Despite all this, and many people saw his appointthe revolving door is a necessary ment as the government giving big practice in the current political cable companies a free pass. Yet system. People who rail against the just this year the FCC passed new revolving door should focus more rules that strengthen net neutrality on making the government more laws, making it harder for large casimple and transparent rather than ble companies to take advantage of criticizing public officials. their size and money.

One of the strongest criticisms There is also a focus on the obof the revolving door is that it scene amounts of money that pubmakes regulators and those they lic officials make transitioning into regulate too cozy. The formal term private companies. However, the for this is regulatory capture. How- high pay of former public officials

is not actually a significant issue.

Public officials are only payed a limited amount because all of their salary comes from taxpayer dollars. However, private businesses are willing to pay a great deal more for people who are highly skilled.

The connections and relationships lobbyists must bring to the table are hard to come by, so the public servants that do make the transition are highly valued. There’s also the fact that many highly skilled people are only attracted to government jobs because of the promise of a good

would work for the government for less money only out of patriotic duty. Taxpayers do not want to pay these high salaries but that does not mean companies cannot value skilled employees.

Not only is the revolving door not harmful, but it also has a positive duty. The government and its workings are intensely complicated. There are hearings, protocols, key members, subcommittees, staffers and political concerns people have to wade through when working with Congress. It truly takes an expert with a great deal of connections to get anything done in all the mess. This is partially the nature of checks and balances, but it’s also due to the govThe revolving door is a necessary practice in the ernment being overly complicated. Simcurrent political system.” plifying how policy is created, making government more transparent and removing money’s influence on salary after they leave their posi- the process could do more to lesstion. It is delusion to believe people en the effect of the revolving door

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The revolving door is not inherently bad than any specific legislation against it.

A government where the regulators and regulated interact so closely is not intuitively how citizens want their government to operate.

That said, that close relationship can create workable regulations and encourage skilled people to become government employees.

In many ways the relationship is needed for the complexities of the process and the number of people involved. For better or worse, this is the political system we live in, with certain lawmakers having power and people who know them having influence over that power.

The revolving door doesn’t cause the current systemic problems, it is merely the best solution that people have been able to come up with for a complex problem. So if you hate the idea of a revolving door support simplicity and transparency in government, not cutting off a working solution.

Bobby’s columns run Mondays.

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

OPINION

Monday, August 31, 2015

9

When politicians ‘evolve’ n a National Public Radio marriage. She conceded, “the way interview on June 12, 2014, that I have spoken and. . . advocated “Fresh Air” host Terry Gross in- has certainly evolved and I am hapquired of Democratpy to be educated and to ic hopeful Secretary learn as much as I can.”

TAMAR ZIFF Hillary Clinton, “Were In 2008, no canViewpoint Writer there positions you bedidate supported gay lieved in as senator but marriage — to do so felt that you couldn’t publicly sup- seemed foolish, as, in the summer port because it wasn’t the right time prior to the federal elections, only yet? That the positions would have 40 percent of Americans thought been too unpopular, that the public gay marriage should be legal. A mawasn’t ready?” jority of Americans opposed legalGross eventually focused the izing gay marriage until about 2012, question on Clinton’s shifting which is when President Obama stance on LGBT rights, specifical- came out in support, citing his own ly marriage equality. In January of “evolution” on the issue. Clinton 2000, prior to her election to the began to condone gay marriage one New York State Senate and after year after that. eight years as First Lady — during Yet how much of a ‘learning which the lamentable Defense of curve’ should we allow our poliMarriage Act was signed into law ticians? Clinton has come under by her husband — Clinton said, fire, during both her 2008 and her “Marriage has got historic, religious current campaign, for — as Obaand moral content that goes back to ma put it in 2007 — “triangulation the beginning of time and I think and poll-driven politics,” i.e., altera marriage is as a marriage has al- ing policy platforms according to ways been, between a man and a shifts in constituent opinion and woman." Six years later, Clinton’s refusing to make definitive policy view became more nuanced, and statements. Appeasing rhetoric she stated she supports state sover- and centrist compromise may seem eignty in the decision to legalize gay inevitable in campaigns within a

two-party system — especially for a Democratic candidate faced with a Republican Congress, and there is certainly merit to a healthy dose of pragmatism and negotiation in any political climate. Yet politics need not entail prevarication, and, ultimately, the public may be bet-

staunch and consistent political principle. This focus on “principle” — deliberate and unchanging — is a continuous fixture in federal elections: this past February, former Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley implicitly criticized Clinton for her reluctance to declare a firmly leftist stance on sociopolitical issues, averring, “The most fundamental power of our party and our country is the power of our moral principles.”

At times, effecYet how much of a ‘learning curve’ should we tive policy-making allow our politicians?” necessitates compromise: in 1996, many liberals lambasted President Bill Clinton’s healthcare ter served by a leader who came reform legislation as an egregious to the fore with views sufficiently concession to Republican calls for “evolved” to run. spending cuts in the welfare proIn the 2007 Democratic primary gram, an explicitly “political” move debate, then-Senator John Edwards that betrayed core liberal tenets in emphasized that “big change” can- order to appease a Republican Connot come about through “triangu- gress. Yet, a decade after the reform lation,” synonymous with “com- was passed, it became clear “the promise” and indicative of lack of predictions of doom turned out to

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Politicians should be explicit and expressive of their positions and principles be wrong,” and that, in fact, Clinton was able to pursue liberal Democratic goals through a certain tactical bipartisanship. Yet the slippery rhetoric and evasiveness often associated with traditional politicking is wearisome, perhaps to the extent that some voters are pushed to support the reactionary and ridiculous Trump candidacy simply because he “tells it like it is.”

Similarly, Sen. Bernie Sanders’ top strategist, Tad Devine, claims Sanders’ “brand is about the rejection of the politics of our time, not the perpetuation of it.” Sanders has managed to accrue over $15 million in campaign funds while eschewing Super PACs and maintaining a longstanding populist message.

The ‘politics of our time’ is one that unfortunately involves an over-flexibility and political maneuvering that leaves voters confused and unsatisfied and allows politicians to perpetually ‘evolve’ into suitable candidates. Tepid policy stances, be they due to uncertainty or oversensitivity to the ‘readiness’ of the public, are a mark of ineptitude, and do not portend successful stewardship of the nation.

The need for a sober socializing space on the Corner he start of the school year izing space, open to all Universiis upon us, and fresh-faced ty students, on the Corner. first years of the class of 2019 A sober socializing space have arrived. Despite would be especially a name that implies impactful for the soMARY RUSSO periphery, for thoucial life of first-year Senior Associate Editor sands of University students. For many students, the Corner first-year students, is the center of social life during social life revolves around fratertheir undergraduate years. nity parties on Rugby Road. For Like many aspects of the Uni- students who do not drink, this versity, the Corner has a prob- can mean a lot of time spent in lematic history, dotted with in- dorms. While there are activities stances of racial injustice and planned by the University Prohate crimes, both by students and grams Council throughout the

by Corner institutions. year, many if not all of these acAlcohol abuse is an issue that tivities take place in the Central affects universities across the na- Grounds area. In reality, few stution, and the University is not dents want to hang out in Newexempt. The Corner, dotted with comb on the weekends. Repurbars frequented by University posing the Corner as a space for students, is a hub for this activity. healthy and safe activities would The prevalence of bars and make the Corner welcoming drinking institutions as well as to all students, rather than just the history of exclusion and in- those engaging in drinking. stances of injustice make it clear This space could also be used that there is a need for a cultural for CIOs to hold University-wide shift on the Corner. Our first step events. With many students livin fostering this change should ing nearby, these events would be the creation of a sober social- likely be frequented by more

than the same small group of students (who are usually those with some involvement in that organization).

William Henagan, a thirdyear College student and executive member of the Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition, says, “Our social sphere revolves around an activity the majority of undergraduate students can-

socially viable alternative to students unprepared to have their first drink a week into college is imperative to improving Corner culture and social life.”

It is important to clarify that the creation of a sober socializing space on the Corner will not ameliorate issues of diversity and inclusion nor alcohol abuse completely. However, it would facilitate a new definition of ownership of this space that would in turn lead to a more diverse (racially and otherwise) group of students frequenting the Corner. This The Corner is emblematic of University life. would benefit all Ideally, this space could be a place for all University students University students to meet. . .” and help prevent the “U.Va. bubble” problem, which is that we tend to stay not legally enjoy. As a result, un- within our small social groups, healthy drinking habits emerge majors and extracurricular affilto compensate for tightening iations, rarely venturing out into regulation. Providing a healthy, the vast student body and meet-

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A new sober space on the Corner might pop the “University bubble” ing people with whom we have little in common.

The Corner is emblematic of University life. Ideally, this space could be a place for all University students to meet, watch movies, relax and socialize outside of the Grounds, Rugby Road and bars.

The legacy of the Corner is difficult, but repurposing it as a safe area for socialization would be a tangible way to pave the way for a different culture in the future.

The University has recently acquired the former Corner bookstore. This purchase is the perfect opportunity for a new student building for socializing and meeting. When potential students visit in coming years, the visibility and prominence of such a space on the Corner would send a positive and promising message about University culture.

Mary’s column runs Thursdays She can be reached at mary.russo@cavalierdaily.com.

L life

Elizabeth Cornick Feature Writer

John Hernandez grew up on a farm in southwest Virginia, where he was responsible for delivering meat to customers in his hometown. The third-year College student recalls being struck by how much of a difference his efforts made in assisting local, mostly low-income families.

“One time when I was back home, we were delivering meat to somebody, putting it in their freezer and I remember as I was putting it in there I thought, ‘This isn’t money to a kid’s college fund, this isn’t money for a new car — this is food that they’re going to eat tonight, and they’re going to feel good about themselves.”

Hernandez’s experience on the farm informed his decision to found Hoos For Heifers, a CIO which aims to provide financially struggling families with beef they could not otherwise afford.

Last spring, he launched the or-

The Cavalier Daily

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Grass-fed beef for families in need Hoos for Heifers provides quality beef to low-income community members

ganization and became its first president.

Eating well is a value shared by the University community, Hernandez said.

“Unfortunately, the reason that people are obese in this country is not because they don’t want to eat healthy, but because it’s a little more expensive, especially beef,” Hernandez said. Hoos for Heifers partners with local Charlottesville farm Quarters Farm to donate beef to Loaves and Fishes, a local food pantry.

“Central Virginia is very rural, and Virginia in general is very rural,” Hernandez said.

“Our members will be able to go to the Quarters Farm to check out where our food comes from, and also see what it’s like to run a small business.”

Third-year College student Lucas De Oliveira joined Hernandez in leading the CIO last spring, and hopes to help grow its presence on Grounds and in the Charlottesville community.

“People will see us on the Corner a lot [and] at the football games,” De Oliveira said. “We’re

trying to partner with more local businesses to continue raising money for our beef donations.

Grass-fed beef is known to be leaner and healthier, as it comes from cows which consume a grass-only diet.

Hoos For Heifers plans to make this pricy food item more available by visiting Quarters Farm, purchasing it and donating it to Loaves and Fishes once it has been processed.

“There’s a shortage that we’re attempting to correct,” De Oliveira said.

In the semesters to come, Hoos For Heifers said they hope to go beyond the “U.Va. bubble” to serve locals who don’t enjoy the same privilege — Courtesy William Bachmann namely, consistent access to healthy food — as students on Third-year College student John Hernandez founded Hoos for Heifers, a new CIO partnered with a local farm to provide beef for families in need.

Grounds.

Gazpacho in the garden Morven Kitchen Garden kicks off the school year with a gourmet feast Sarah Brotman Feature Writer

Last Thursday, while syllabus week was in full swing, Morven Kitchen Garden — a one-acre farm located off Grounds — was hard at work preparing for their fifth annual Gazpacho in the Garden event.

The Morven event featured homemade gazpacho, tours of the garden and live music from the Ragged Mountain String Band.

Emily Salle, garden and event manager, graduated from the University this past May and is staying on as the garden’s manager until the end of the growing season in November. To Salle, this event was an opportunity to showcase Morven’s mission as stated on its website: “to provide student leadership opportunities in sustainable market farming, inspire community participation in local food systems and to offer an outdoor laboratory for agricultural research.”

“We went all out to make sure this event [was] a good time for people and to show off how legitimate our organization is and how many people are involved in making it so

great,” Salle said. “We used it as a fundraiser and asked for donations to support our garden. We want this event to get us on people’s radars [so they] understand that what we’re doing is important.”

While Gazpacho in the Garden is Morven’s major event for the fall semester, there are many ways to get involved throughout the school year.

Since Morven is run completely by students, there is a constant need for volunteers to help maintain the garden. Second-year College student Allison Arnold, one of the leaders of the garden, volunteers regularly at Morven. “[Volunteering] feels right and I really like to get out of the U.Va. bubble,” Arnold said. “Whenever I come back from Morven, I feel so relaxed, content and fulfilled.”

While the garden is student-run, it provides produce to the greater Charlottesville community. In order to support this venture, the garden is managed through a framework called Community Supported Agriculture.

“We grow all of our fruits and vegetables and each week people get a box of the freshest crop that we’re growing,” Second-year College stu-

dent Erika Stadsklev said. “Usually it’s a mixture of different fruits and vegetables that are in season, and we can either deliver it or people can pick it up.”

This process not only allows University students to benefit from the produce, but also encourages the entire Charlottesville community to take part.

“Not only are you helping students, but you’re helping the greater community,” Stadsklev said. “Just being at our past event, Gazpacho in the Garden, we had tons of families come...it’s great to see that we’re helping people that are three times our age.”

While the garden currently hosts a large number of volunteers, a year ago, this was not the case. In the fall of last year, Morven Kitchen Garden had two dedicated volunteers and Salle was the only one working directly with the produce. “[Last year] was really terrifying to look at,” Salle said. “I spent all last year building up our leadership infrastructure, and now we have over 30 people involved with leadership.”

Arnold, Stadsklev and fourthyear Nursing student Audrey Baker are the three leaders who will fill

Salle’s shoes after her term is finished in November. While Salle has immersed herself in Morven during her time at the University, she feels this experience will carry into a future career.

“Every single person who has had a manager or intern role at this garden has entered a career in the environment,” Salle said. “That’s about nine people who have fully dedicated

their lives to this after being a leader in the management ... Maybe we’re not the best at growing vegetables because we’re all novices, but we’re inspiring people to really dedicate their lives to something.”

Whether you are an aspiring environmentalist or a first year thinking about volunteering, there are opportunities for a range of interest levels at Morven Kitchen Garden.

Chris MacDonnell | The Cavalier Daily

Morven Kitchen Garden, a student-run farm located off Grounds, promotes sustainability and leadership through its events hosted by student volunteers.

PU ZZLES

Monday, August 31, 2015

August 31, 2015

WEEKLY CROSSWORD

By Sam Ezersky

UPCOMING EVENTS The Cavalier Daily events calendar is updated every Thursday in print and online. Want to submit an event? Email events@cavalierdaily. com for details.

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1 6 4 7 2 9 4 2 1 3 9 4 2 6 8 3 2 6 4 8 2 6 9 2 4 7 1 2

6 3

1 5

websudoku.com *The solution to this week’s sudoku can Puzzle be found inby Thursday’s print edition.

Recycle this paper.

*The solution to this week’s crossword can be found in Thursday’s print edition.

Letʼs make a happy earth.

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LIFE

The Cavalier Daily

Fourth-year student speaks at U.N. leadership summit Annie Plotkin discusses empowerment, global citizenship alongside female leaders Megan Richards Feature Writer

This summer, the United Nations hosted the fourth annual Girl Up Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. Fourth-year College student Annie Plotkin attended the conference, which gave girls from countries all over the world an opportunity to talk about the issues women face today.

Plotkin spoke on a panel at the summit, and had the chance to meet and listen to inspiring women, including the previous editor of Seventeen magazine, Anne Shockett and the senior editor at Mic and a member of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list, Liz Plank.

Plotkin said she did not expect to meet Plank, and was shocked when she did meet her on the first day.

“And I totally [fell] to pieces. I was like, ‘Oh my god. It’s you.’ She was so nice. She was so, so nice, and we ended up hanging out the next day,” Plotkin said.

Plotkin also had the chance to hear First Lady Michelle Obama address the room of 200 young women.

“People were freaking out and she gave a really impassioned speech,” Plotkin said. “She started

talking about her daughters and started tearing up. I was maybe 40 feet away from her and she’s such an impressive person. It was amazing.”

On her own panel, Plotkin discussed the importance of learning about the diversity of the human experience and how vital it is to being an engaged, global citizen.

Her discussion was inspired by personal experience.

After her senior year in high school, Plotkin took a gap year in Brazil through a program called Global Citizen Year — the same organization Plotkin represented at the Girl Up Summit. On the panel, Plotkin talked about how vital her year in Brazil was for her own development.

“I talked about expanding your horizons and disrupting your sense of comfort and how you see the world,” Plotkin said.

While Plotkin was surrounded by famous female leaders, she said the young women attending the summit impressed her as well.

One attendee, a 15-year-old Girl Up representative from Belize described starting a debate club for girls in her community. What started out as a club in her grandmother’s basement with a group of girls turned into a community center for sports and debate funded by the United

Nations. The center gave participants the confidence to start raising their hands and speaking up in class.

“If I’ve learned anything in a lot of Women Studies classes, it’s that women often can be ignored in a meeting setting, or when they’re trying to contribute something, it can be pushed aside,” Plotkin said.

A lot of the panel conversation also revolved around empowerment — what empowerment means, what an empowered person looks like and what makes someone feel empowered. For Plotkin, the key to empowerment is education.

“Knowing your stuff and having read the literature, knowing what’s going on, being aware [and] being able to say, ‘No, I know this. I’m good at this. I can speak to it,’ is really important,” Plotkin said. “It gives you a sense of confidence that you can speak to something and have an important voice.”

On Grounds, Plotkin studies Political and Social Thought, a program she feels has greatly enriched her University experience.

Through PST, Plotkin has been able to pursue ideas and issues she is passionate about, like gender, the environment and economic and racial justice.

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Celina Hu| The Cavalier Daily

This summer, fourth-year College student Annie Plotkin spoke on a panel at the U.N. Girl Up Leadership Summit, which also featured talks by Michelle Obama and Anne Shockett.

In the future, Plotkin is thinking of pursuing a career in fundraising.

“What I like about fundraising is that, if you’re good at it, you can

work in a lot of different places,” Plotkin said, “And I’m very passionate about racial, economic, gender and environmental justice.”