Thursday, September 10, 2020

The Cavalier Daily

Vol. 131, Issue 2

Thursday, September 10, 2020

EMMA KLEIN & ANKIT AGRAWAL | THE CAVALIER DAILY

The Cavalier Daily

2 | www.cavalierdaily.com

NEWS This week in-brief CD News Staff

U.Va. announces prevalence testing, rapid saliva test Mandatory asymptomatic prevalence testing procedures began the week of Sept. 6 for students living on Grounds and in the Charlottesville area this fall. University senior leadership also announced in the same University-wide email message plans to monitor wastewater from residence halls as well as a new saliva screening program that will start later this month.

In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through asymptomatic individuals, the University will notify anywhere from 50 to 150 students daily that they are required to provide samples. The testing will take place in the Student Activities Building and is mandatory for students living and learning on Grounds and in the Charlottesville-Albemarle area.

The tests will produce results within 24 to 48 hours.

Additionally, the University plans to implement a saliva screening program later this month for larger numbers of students to be quickly tested. The saliva screening program is not voluntary — students will be notified by the University when they are required to provide a sample, as well as when and where they will be screened.

Working with the Virginia Department of Health, the University plans to monitor wastewater from residence halls, which can detect the presence of COVID-19. If the wastewater indicates a breakout, the University plans to test all residents of the building.

9.4

9.7

U.Va.’s COVID-19 Dashboard: What it does and what metrics it lacks As colleges and universities across the country return their students to campus, many have established trackers or dashboards with the intention of being transparent about the number of COVID-19 cases in their communities. Compared to other universities in Virginia, U.Va.’s dashboard has many similar features — but also lacks some capabilities, such as not reporting the community’s COVID-19 positivity rate.

The dashboards from Virginia Tech, William and Mary, James Madison University, George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University all report the percentage of positive test results in their community. The University of Virginia does not — instead only reporting the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the community, which is currently 231. Percent positivity, a metric measuring how many tests out of the number performed are positive, can signal when virus spread in an area is out of control.

Still, the University’s dashboard, which updates around 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, does display some crucial data that other schools do not.

For instance, the University clearly displays the percentage of quarantine and isolation beds that are occupied. U.Va.’s tracker also displays the number of hospitalizations per day as well as the average time it takes to get a test result returned, both of which are metrics that none of the other schools previously mentioned display.

9.8 COURTESY U.VA. COVID TRACKER

Collab outage leaves students unable to access coursework Students were unable to access the University’s online course management and collaboration system — UVACollab — Sept. 7 due to an outage on the site.

The incident occurred as students across Grounds were attempting to access online coursework and Zoom sessions. Some students report on social media that they were unable to attend their virtual classes.

Some students speculated that the outage occurred because U.Va. Information Technology had scheduled site maintenance for Labor Day on the belief that students didn’t have classes. However, Strite said the outage was certainly not planned.

“We definitely knew there were classes today,” Strite said.

The IT department filed the incident at 10:34 a.m. Monday morning and resolved the outage at approximately 1:45 p.m. Strite believes the issues lies in the Collab site’s storage infrastructure. The IT department will resolve the problem to ensure that such an outage will not occur again.

“We’ll find the exact root cause and get a permanent fix put in place,” Strite said. “We just want to say we apologize for the inconvenience. Obviously this is not the kind of service that we strive for, and we’re going to find ways to do better.”

U.Va. reports 257 total positive cases, of which 214 are students Since Aug 17, the University’s COVID tracker has reported 257 positive cases of coronavirus in the University community — including faculty, staff, students and contracted employees. University students make up 214 of the total positive cases. Sept. 8 marked the highest number of reported cases in the week with a total of 26 positive cases in the University community.

These numbers are only reflective of students who have tested positive through the Student Health & Wellness or the UVA Health Clinic. The University COVID tracker dashboard does not include the number of positive student cases that may have been detected with pre-arrival testing. Of the 18,150 tests returned so far, 65 have been positive for coronavirus.

The dashboard also reports five percent of the student quarantine rooms to be currently occupied and 1 percent of student isolation rooms to be occupied. These numbers include students who are in post-travel quarantine.

Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 3

NEWS

President Ryan reflects on return to Grounds The University president addressed student, community concerns and how U.Va. continues to adapt Nik Popli, Jenn Brice, Ali Sullivan & Jacquelyn Kim | CD News Staff University President Jim Ryan sat down for a 20-minute Zoom interview with The Cavalier Daily Wednesday afternoon to discuss the return of students to Grounds and the start of in-person learning.

Just over two weeks into the academic year, Ryan says he is “cautiously optimistic” that the University will not have to send students home mid-semester because of the University’s increased testing capacity and additional isolation and quarantine space.

He said one of the reasons the University decided to delay in-person move-in and instruction by two weeks was to provide more time for administrators to learn from other colleges across the country, such as the University of Notre Dame, which moved online a week after students returned to campus. In conversation with other university presidents, Ryan found that a lack of isolation and quarantine space was often a reason COVID-19 spread in college communities, prompting the University to reserve additional dorms for student use.

“There are more universities, frankly, that have kept their students on campus than those who have sent them home,” Ryan said. “And they’ve done it, I think, by doing their best to try to stay one step ahead and to limit the spread of the virus as quickly as possible, and the way to do that is through making sure you have a robust testing program and isolation and quarantine space.”

Another reason the University decided to reopen with in-person instruction, Ryan said, is because 12,000 to 15,000 students were expected to return to Charlottesville regardless of whether classes were online or not. The University estimates that around 4,400 students moved into on-Grounds housing, according to the Aug. 28 announcement that solidified fall semester plans.

“Most of the challenges occur or have occurred off campus or off Grounds,” Ryan added in the Wednesday interview. “[It] didn’t make a lot of sense to not have in-person classes because that’s not where the problems are arising.”

When asked how many cases, hospitalizations or deaths would trigger the University to close dorms and end in-person instruction, Ryan said the University does not have a target number, but is rather looking at testing and hospital capacity as well as available space for isolation and quarantine.

One factor that fuels his optimism is that the University’s hospitalization rate has remained manageable – 54 people have been treated for COVID-19 at U.Va. Health since Aug. 17.

“Even with the increase in cases over the last couple of weeks, the hos-

pitalization rate has not increased as well, which tells you that those who are getting sick are not getting sufficiently sick to require hospitalization,” Ryan said.

In the event of a major outbreak at the University, he added that students would not necessarily be immediately sent home, but rather have “temporary restrictions” would be put in place to ensure students aren’t infecting their home communities — an attempt to “flatten the curve.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recently urged universities not to send students home after shutting down operations, calling it “the worst thing you could do.” Ryan agrees with the sentiment.

“Once you’ve brought all these students back to your campus from all over the country — in some instances all over the world — you want to do your very best to keep them on campus,” Ryan said. “Because if you’re sending home students who are infected, then you’re just spreading the virus.”

The University’s decision to proceed with in-person classes and onGrounds housing has faced backlash from prominent Charlottesville figures, with Mayor Nikuyah Walker calling the choice “a recipe for disaster.”

Ryan said he has been in contact with both Walker and the Charlottesville Human Rights Commission, which plans to send a letter to the University to voice its concerns with an in-person semester.

Ryan pointed out that thousands of students have already signed leases for off-Grounds housing, and many would return regardless of whether classes were in-person — a stance he “get[s] that not everyone will agree with.”

“I’ve always thought it was an incorrect premise to say we’re making a decision about whether students are going to return,” Ryan said. “Students are going to return. Students have returned.”

Operating under that premise, Ryan said that keeping Charlottesville residents safe requires welcoming students into the University community — rather than “putting up a closed sign” — to encourage a camaraderie that will motivate students to care for the health of one another.

The University allocated 1,500 beds for quarantine and isolation. Students who live on Grounds and test positive for the virus will be housed in repurposed residence halls — which currently sit at five percent capacity for quarantine housing and one percent for isolation — or at hotels the University has contracted.

Shortly after the University announced its intention to forge ahead

CHRISTINA ANTON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

With students returned to Grounds and classes underway, Ryan told The Cavalier Daily he is “cautiously optimistic” that the University will not have to halt in-person learning.

with in-person classes this fall, residents of the International Residential College, Johnson, Malone and Weedon Houses and Shea House were notified that their dormitories would be converted into quarantine and isolation areas. Hundreds of students were forced to relocate and were given just 24 hours to choose a housing reassignment or remain off-Grounds.

Although Ryan apologized for the disruption to on-Grounds residents and RAs, he maintained his stance that “it was the right thing to do to make sure that we have sufficient space [for quarantine and isolation].”

According to Ryan, the decision to increase the number of rooms available for quarantine was made in light of lessons “learned from looking at other universities.”

“I was concerned that, and others shared this concern, it wasn’t going to be sufficient if we had a serious surge,” Ryan said, “So, we looked at places with very low density and decided that we ought to move those students to open up those spaces.”

Quarantine housing will also be accessible to students who do not live in University housing as needed, Ryan added.

“If someone off Grounds really has no option to safely quarantine or isolate, we will obviously work with students to figure something out,” Ryan said. “We did not go into this thinking that we should have isolation and quarantine space for every single student whether living off Grounds or on Grounds, but we recognize that if situations arise where someone off

Grounds needs our help, we absolutely should be.”

To bring students into dorms involves other calculations.

Ryan acknowledged that the past week — marked by the arrival of firstyears to on-Grounds dormitories and start of in-person learning — has come with a learning curve. Video footage of a crowded Observatory Hill dining hall circulated over the weekend, causing some upperclassmen and community members to reiterate concerns with the University’s decision to reopen.

In this situation, Ryan noted that the solution was to make sure students knew there are other dining options available and to implement people reminding students in the area of the six-foot social distancing guidelines.

“This is everyone’s first time through a pandemic at U.Va., and as much as you can plan, new situations arise, and you have to react,” Ryan said. “And the goal is to react quickly enough and to learn from it and to resolve it.

In regards to a list of demands submitted Aug. 28 to Housing and Residence Life by resident advisors at the University, Ryan said he is aware of the demands but that the University does not plan to issue a formal response.

“My view is that we should make sure that the RAs have what they need to be successful,” Ryan said.

In their letter to HRL, the RAs express great concern for their personal safety and also that of their residents and the Charlottesville community.

They call upon HRL to treat resident

staffers as “frontline workers” and provide them with the “necessary resources to fulfill our role and protect ourselves, our residents and the community.”

Among their demands are hazard pay as frontline workers and adequate PPE, revised and clearly articulated policing and COVID-19 guidelines, provisions for food security and housing stability and revised financial aid policies for resident staff. The RAs anonymously submitted their letter and list of ten demands out of fear of retribution due to a policy that restricts resident staff from speaking to the press.

Although Ryan said that HRL and the Office of Student Affairs are “working with the RAs,” according to an RA who helped to spearhead the creation of the letter and list of demands, HRL has yet to explicitly acknowledge the receipt of the RAs’ letter and demands.

Ultimately, Ryan said these first weeks give hope that the University community will rise to the occasion.

“Not everyone is following all of the protocols, which is to be expected, but I’ve been really heartened by the degree to which students in particular are taking this seriously,” Ryan said.

“There’s nothing like seeing examples at other universities where things have gone awry, to make you realize that it takes everyone doing their very best to give us a chance of succeeding.”

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NEWS

Students share mixed experiences getting COVID-19 tests Students reported difficulty getting tested, organizational issues through Student Health Zach Rosenthal | Senior Writer

NANNA PAREDDY | THE CAVALIER DAILY

The University recently announced that it will begin to conduct random and mandatory asymptomatic testing of student in order to better track COVID-19 within the student population.

While some students have mostly positive experiences with COVID-19 testing on Grounds, others are finding the experience to be frustrating.

The amount of students testing positive for coronavirus within the U.Va. community continues to rise.

Since Aug. 17, at least 214 students have tested positive for COVID-19 at Student Health and Wellness or a U.Va. affiliated clinic.

Third-year College student Joelle Miller was not able to get a test from the University after calling into Student Health, despite the fact that her friend — who Miller had hung out with — had been in proximity with a person who had tested positive for the virus. When she called into Student Health, Miller was asked if she lived on or off Grounds and whether she was symptomatic.

“I’m just speculating, but I feel like the on Grounds or off Grounds question probably impacted whether I could get tested,” Miller said.

The University does not prioritize tests for students based on where they are housed, according to Wes Hester, deputy University spokesperson and director of media relations.

“There is no prioritization of testing of students based upon onGrounds or off-Grounds living status at the Elson Student Health building,” Hester said. “However, that information is necessary to determine if a student needs on-Grounds quarantine or isolation housing.”

The University’s student quaran-

tine and isolation spaces currently sit at five percent capacity, according to the COVID Tracker.

The University’s COVID Tracker does not differentiate test results from students who live on- or off-Grounds and does not include students who get tested at non-U.Va. affiliated clinics.

“It feels like maybe if I lived onGrounds, they would have tested me because they feel like it’s more of a immediate threat to dorm life, which kind of makes sense, but at the same time, it’s harder to regulate offGrounds students, so I don’t know why they wouldn’t be testing us as well,” Miller said.

When Miller questioned whether she could get one of the tests that the University had stated asymptomatic students could get once every 60 days, the Student Health representative stated that those tests weren’t yet available.

“He was like, ‘No, I don’t actually know when we’re going to start doing that, because we’ve had a huge surge in cases and in people who actually have symptoms and need to get tested, so we need to prioritize them,’” Miller recalled.

Second-year College student Jacob Moore took it upon himself to call Student Health and ask what the standards were to get tested.

The first time Moore called — during Student Health hours — the call went straight to voicemail. Moore eventually got a call back and was told students must be symptomatic or be

exposed to a confirmed patient.

“I know that they had supply chain issues previously in the summer, but being a university that has this amazing hospital connected to it, you know, one of the best in Virginia, to me, I just feel like I expect way more from what they’re doing in terms of testing,” Moore said.

In his email to the University community Aug. 4, University President James Ryan stated supply-chain issues for testing materials were part of the reason for the two week delay in resuming in-person classes.

“In Charlottesville and Albemarle County, we have seen an uptick in viral prevalence and transmission rates, and there has been some volatility in the supply-chain for testing materials,” Ryan wrote.

In a message sent to students July 16 about U.Va.’s COVID-19 public health plans, the University announced that students would be able to receive one asymptomatic test every 60 days.

“U.Va. students, faculty, staff and contract employees who do not exhibit symptoms but would like to be voluntarily tested will have the option to do so no more than once every 60 days, unless prior authorization is obtained from Employee Health or Student Health,” the email from Provost Liz Magill and Chief Operating Officer J. J. Davis said.

According to Hester, the LetsGetChecked pre-arrival testing currently counts as one of the asymptomatic tests provided to students.

“Students were all tested pre-arrival, so it has not yet been 60 days. We are currently using LetsGetChecked for asymptomatic voluntary testing,” Hester said.

The University recently announced that it will begin to conduct random and mandatory asymptomatic testing of students in order to better track COVID-19 within the student population. They also announced plans to begin saliva testing later in September.

Unable to get a test, Miller instead went to get tested at a CVS, which provides free testing, but doesn’t return results for three-to-five days — significantly longer than U.Va.’s wait times for results.

As of press time, U.Va.’s COVID Tracker advertises only a 17-hour wait time for test results, something second-year College student Cole Trautman acknowledged was a positive element of his experience.

“The two plus sides, I would say, were how quickly I was in and out of the [Student Health] Center, and then it came back with 18 hours later — so less than a day,” Trautman said.

Trautman, his three roommates and his girlfriend all got tested after they found out that someone who had gone into their off-Grounds apart-

ment tested positive for COVID-19.

Trautman and his roommates went onto the Hoos Healthy website to set up what they thought was a testing appointment but was instead a 30-minute consultation on their symptoms.

“I’ve had to take COVID tests over the summer a few times, and so I know that usually you need to elaborate on your symptoms in order to qualify for one, but I forgot to tell that to the rest of my roommates,” Trautman said.

After all four roommates finished their calls, only Trautman qualified for a test that day — his roommates would have to wait an additional three days for a test.

“Everybody else in my apartment, despite having come in contact with a coronavirus positive person, weren’t even given tests that day,” Trautman said.

Trautman’s personal experience getting his test wasn’t all that much better. When he was tested at the Student Health Center, Trautman described the testing process as efficient but callous. After getting into the facility, Trautman says he was led to a room, barely spoken to, and quickly given a throat swab. “[The doctor] didn’t speak to me about the symptoms I was saying that I had over the phone, follow-up steps, what to do afterwards — you have to find all this stuff online. She didn’t say anything to me,” Trautman said.

Trautman and Miller, who both took COVID-19 tests over the summer, said their advice to students would be to emphasize their symptoms to get a test.

“If you haven’t had direct contact, but you’re nervous and have had indirect contact, or you do have some symptoms, I would exaggerate a lot — that would be my advice,” Miller said.

Third-year Engineering student Kyle Thielsch had four of his five other roommates test positive for COVID-19 since arriving at his off-Grounds housing.

Thielsch had positive things to say about the turnaround time for getting tested.

“Each time that I’ve gotten tested, I’ve called, talked to a nurse and been able to go to the building and take my test in the span of like, two hours, twoand-a-half hours,” Thielsech said.

However, Thielsch and his roommates did encounter few issues.

Thielsech said that when he got his first test results back, he was called twice and was told the exact same thing by two different Student Health representatives. Additionally, one roommate’s test was seemingly lost in the system.

“One of the guys, when he got tested Thursday, he didn’t get his result back Friday. He didn’t get it Sat-

urday. He ended up calling Saturday afternoon or evening, or even maybe Sunday, because they hadn’t done back to him yet, and I think his results got kind of lost,” Thielsech said.

As previously noted, U.Va.’s dashboard currently advertises a 17-hour wait time for test results.

Since testing positive, Thielsch and his roommates have been taking the precautions extremely seriously, wearing their masks in the home when they interact and trying to stay isolated in their rooms at all other times. However, Thielsch’s issues with his Internet connection have made distancing himself from his roommates difficult.

“The biggest issue is I can’t really stay in my room because the WiFi in the house is really bad. And so the only place that I can really take Zoom calls is in the hallway, which gets the most traffic,” Thielsch said.

Thielsch, Trautman and Miller all say they’ve been following the University’s COVID-19 guidelines — not attending gatherings with more than 15 people and wearing their masks when in close contact with others. However, none of them feel optimistic about the planned return to Grounds.

In fact, none of the three thought the University would manage to hold in-person classes for the entire semester, let alone halfway through the semester.

Trautman and Miller both pointed to James Madison University’s recent shutdown.

“Well, I know that JMU just sent back all their on-Grounds housing a day after their refund period ends, so I’m assuming whenever our refund period ends, it would be very shortly after,” Trautman said.

This fall, undergraduate students will be refunded their tuition and fees in full if they withdrew within the first two weeks of classes. After the first two weeks, the University offers prorated refunds for students who withdraw within the first six weeks of classes.

Thielsch was similarly pessimistic about the University’s chances of staying open, especially as first years arrived this past week.

“I would definitely say by the end of September, they’ll send people home because that’ll give two-to-three weeks after the first years get back and you know, coronavirus can unfortunately run its course in the dorms,” Thielsch said.

Moore also thinks that in-person classes are destined to be cut short.

“You know, I think U.Va. kind of has this mindset that we’re above all of that, which comes a little bit with the culture of the school, but I really do think that we’re going to have to shut down,” Moore said.

Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 5

NEWS

First-year students discuss move-in Several first-years said they feel confident that the University’s COVID-19 policies will help prevent outbreaks Ali Sullivan | News Editor Thousands of first-year students moved into on-Grounds dormitories Sept. 3 through Sept.

6, several of whom said they came in search of one thing — the “college experience.” Or, whatever sort of college experience they could untangle from a university in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic.

First-year College students Erin Ward and Leah Boone sat outside Kent House on Sunday afternoon after moving into their dorm rooms. Ward said she doesn’t mind taking her classes through Zoom — she’s just glad to be learning online in a different environment and with a greater degree of independence. “[My parents] wanted me to come just so that I can have the college experience — even if it’s not completely normal,” Ward said.

While nearby colleges like James Madison University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have failed in their efforts to evade outbreaks, many first-year students like Ward and Boone feel confident that U.Va. — which has 257 cases as of Wednesday — can avoid a similar fate.

Boone decided to return to Grounds after growing tired of taking her online high school classes from home. A discussion with her parents about whether the University’s COVID-19 policies were sufficient to prevent

EMMA KLEIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Packed dining halls and bustling Corner restaurants over the move-in weekend leave some upperclassmen and community members fearful of the skyrocketing COVID-19 numbers that forced JMU and UNC back online.

school-wide spread of the virus solidified her decision. “[My parents] decided that the policies were probably good enough, that [the University] was trying hard enough to where I didn’t think that we were going to have a massive outbreak,” Boone

said.

Still, packed dining halls and bustling Corner restaurants over the move-in weekend leave some upperclassmen and community members fearful of the skyrocketing COVID-19 numbers that forced JMU and UNC back on-

EMMA KLEIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Many first-years, mostly masked, flocked to outdoor spaces after moving into dorms.

line.

Facing suspension for willfully shirking the University’s COVID-19 rules — which include wearing a mask while outside one’s residence, staying six-feet from others and gathering in groups fewer than 15 — many first-years, mostly masked, flocked outdoors after reaching Grounds. Some students played cornhole and SpikeBall on Observatory Hill, while others parked at picnic tables to chat with friends or complete coursework.

As with any other year, upperclassmen stationed around O’Hill attempted to entice new students into joining their CIOs, and chalk-plastered sidewalks advertised clubs and other activities.

The weekend’s flurry of activity took place two weeks later than normal, as the University delayed on-Grounds move-in from before Aug. 25 to the weekend of Sept. 4 in the face of climbing local and national cases of COVID-19. As a result, students were forced to assemble their new on-Grounds living spaces while juggling ongoing coursework.

First-year College student Quinton Monroe pored over a book outside Hancock on Sunday afternoon — far from where most students were gathered — to catch up on the coursework he missed while moving in with classes already two weeks underway.

Monroe was initially wary of living on-Grounds amid the pandemic but has grown more confident since moving in. The main driver behind his decision to come to Grounds, he said, was improved WiFi capabilities.

“Mainly I don’t have the WiFi or power stability at home, so I thought it’d be better for me to come here,” Monroe said.

Moving in amid classes posed some logistical challenges for first-year College student Jake Robey, too. Robey counts himself lucky because he only lives 20 minutes from the University, which meant he could attend his 2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. class before his 4:00 p.m. move-in time.

Even so, he missed a discussion section that occurred during his move-in slot.

“Apparently for that class you can only miss one of those for any reason, and after that it affects your grade,” Robey said. “So I already used that up in the first day on campus.”

Now fully moved into his room in Lile-Maupin dormitory, Robey is approaching his first semester at the University with caution and measured excitement.

“I’m not familiar with the student population here, so who knows if all of them can be trusted to follow the guidelines,” Robey said. “We’ll see what happens.”

6 | www.cavalierdaily.com

NEWS

Professors seek info on students using online services After moving to virtual examinations, professors discovered students posting questions to exams while the exam window was still open Sydney Herzog & Luke Stone | Staff Writers

EMMA HITCHCOCK | THE CAVALIER DAILY

With the switch to online exams last semester, professors discovered that students were posting exam questions and responses to Chegg during the test time frame. Since then, the online tutoring and assignment assistance service has met professor requests to release the contact information of students who interacted with these posts.

Physics Prof. Craig Dukes was first notified of his exam questions being posted to Chegg by a student in his General Physics I course. After further investigation, he realized that students were taking content from his timed, graded assessments and putting them on Chegg to get instant feedback.

In order to receive the student information from Chegg, Dukes worked with the College’s Dean of Undergraduate Studies Rachel Most. They were able to contact Chegg’s academic integrity liaison who was “sympathetic” to their request and willing to assist them.

“When a person participates in an outside resource website like Chegg, you sign a terms of service and should be aware that that terms of service will maybe not protect you if some institu-

tion comes after you to do an investigation of cheating,” Dukes said.

According to Dukes, his main reason for following up on the Chegg posts is to preserve equity among his students and eliminate unfair advantages.

“I’m not working with Chegg,” Dukes said. “I’m trying to preserve the integrity of my class for everyone that’s involved. It just so happens that Chegg was the medium that was used to cheat in Physics 1425 last semester.”

Dukes noted that using Chegg to cheat on University assignments is not a new phenomenon.

Previously, the use of sites like Chegg was limited to homework or labs, and in-person exams never lead to the same type of cheating. With exams moving to a virtual format, the online resource offered a new opportunity for students to obtain assistance for larger portions of their grade.

Still, Dukes emphasized that there is no way to know for certain if the increased use of Chegg impacted overall grades in his course last semester.

“The course grades in spring semester were unlike any other semester so it’s difficult to really report a valid comparison,”

Dukes said. “People were, rightfully so, in a pretty stressful situation, so it’s hard to tell what the baseline is that we should compare it to.”

Chemistry Prof. Alicia Frantz also addressed students in her Organic Chemistry II course about posting and responding to exam questions on Chegg. After the course’s second exam, Frantz emailed her students the following message: “It was brought to my attention that one or more students posted the exam questions to Chegg. This is obviously cheating. I have already contacted Chegg to get the name or names of students that posted and/ or accessed the answers to the questions. I am giving anyone who posted the question or used the answer until noon tomorrow (4/22) to admit to cheating or we will have to proceed through the University’s Honor Committee.”

According to Abigail Harrell, a third-year College student enrolled in Frantz’s Organic Chemistry II course last semester, Frantz changed her exam policy to open note after realizing how many students were violating the Honor Code on her virtual exams. However, even following

her updated allowances, using resources such as Chegg was never permitted.

“It’s hard to tell if students performed better last semester because they were using unfair resources like Chegg, if they were using their own notes or if they were violating the Honor Code a different way,” Harrell said. “No matter what, there was definitely an increase in the average grade on virtual exams.”

Frantz did not respond to a request for comment.

Fourth-year Batten student Ryan Keane, who chairs the Honor Committee, spoke to how Honor has been involved in these reports of cheating. Due to standards of confidentiality within the Honor System, Keane was not able to disclose any information about the specific reports filed against students by professors or how many cases Honor has seen about this issue.

According to Keane, not everyone has access to Chegg’s information. Professors have approached the Honor Committee to ask for their help in obtaining the account data regarding who posted certain questions and the timestamps of other accounts who viewed it.

“It’s kind of a chicken and egg situation where we, as Honor, don’t go out and investigate or look for things unless we already have a case in place,” Keane said.

“We’re kind of relying on the professor to come to us with a name, but at the same time professors are looking to us because Chegg wants us to reach out to them asking for information, not the professor, so that’s been a little tricky.”

Both Dukes and Keane noted that nothing new is being implemented this semester to further enforce the Honor Code in regards to virtual exams. The Honor Committee recommends that professors be as clear as possible in their syllabus with what the expectations are. “[Cheating] is particularly bad at U.Va. because if you get caught cheating you get kicked out,” Duke said. “That’s not something anybody wants to see happen — never. So, the better choice is to not cheat but to take a bad grade on something you’re not prepared for. The best choice is to work hard all the time and be prepared to do your work, and I think that’s what I’d really love my students to do all the time.”

The Cavalier Daily

Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 7

LIFE

What I have learned from the U.Va. Twitter community In the trying times of summer 2020, I’ve found inspiration through the strength of my online peers Aaron Doss | Life Columnist In the isolated world of COVID-19, where I’ve found it all too easy to feel helpless and alone, I realized that the unity of voices among the U.Va. Twitter community offered me a camaraderie unlike any other. So many people who I’ve only ever interacted with as small bubbles on a screen came to feel like friends to me — friends who, through their passionate calls for change, encourage me to find my own voice and equip myself for action.

I first began interacting with my U.Va. peers online at the end of last semester when the world was flipped on its side.

Following the murder of George Floyd by police officers May 25, it would be an understatement to say that the Black Lives Matter movement gained an unprecedented level of prominence on my Twitter feed. For the first week after George Floyd’s death, virtually all I saw were tweets inciting Americans to march and advocate for racial equality, donate to bail funds and GoFundMe pages and sign and share petitions calling for justice and the abolition of police. Tweets and retweets came from all over the world, but I noticed that I was especially moved by the passionate voices that came from my fellow students at the University.

At a time when I felt discouraged by the state of our nation, heartbroken for Americans who don’t share the same skin color as me and utterly at a loss for any course of action to show my support, I found myself clinging to the words of my classmates.

This summer, Black students spoke from their life experience and education — I’d be remiss not to mention Zyahna Bryant, Charlottesville activist and sec-

ond-year College student — and many other students of various races proved they were listening.

But student activism didn’t draw the line at racial equity. A week or so into June, @ExposedU-

words of encouragement to survivors, sharing their own experiences and highlighting the fact that from 2002-2013, the University failed to expel one perpetrator of the 205 reported sexual assaults

yone would bat an eye at the rambunctious parties decorating Mad Bowl, but Midsummers happened to fall in the middle of a global pandemic this year. My feed became a warzone as accounts like @

ANGELA CHEN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

va popped up on my feed, sharing the stories of sexual assaults caused by students and staff at the University. I remember one tweet in particular read “It’s time sexual assault on Grounds is brought to the forefront,” and U.Va. Twitter did its best to make that happen.

I noticed multiple students rallying around the account, offering

while simultaneously expelling 183 students for violating the Honor Code.

Then Midsummers rolled around — an annual event where out of town students return to Grounds to reunite with their friends for a weekend of fun around the Fourth of July. Under normal circumstances, hardly an-

misanthrogoose reposted images of students endangering the area by attending large parties and implored everyone to “be responsible — work to protect yourself, others, and your community.”

At every step of the way this summer, no matter what the call, I saw U.Va. students on Twitter rise to the occasion. As the days

FALL 2020 RECRUITMENT

go on, I see more and more people using their voices to do good work — work that is now primarily focused on making the University understand the consequences of bringing students back to Grounds and resuming in-person instruction in the middle of a pandemic.

Admittedly, my social circle at the University is really not that large, and I’ve never been one for Internet friends, but with each voice that stood up about injustices, fought to make victims heard and strove to make both Charlottesville and the University a safer place, I added another person to my following list.

When we can’t engage with each other in person, I am grateful that we have the technology allowing us to engage with each other online. I encourage anyone that has access to use social media accounts to interact with different kinds of voices, educate yourself on social topics and issues and advocate in your own way — finding other U.Va. students on Twitter is a good place to start.

I recognize that a lot of the powerful voices I have mentioned or alluded to belong to Black, LGBTQ+ or other minority communities at the University, and I appreciate their diverse perspectives immensely. This appreciation runs deep, as the multitude of voices on U.Va. Twitter engages in complicated but necessary conversations that will help shape the University, the country and the world in the days to come.

Along with many other important lessons highlighted during COVID-19, the forward-thinking minds of my peers prove that U.Va. Twitter is a powerhouse and truly a force to be reckoned with.

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LIFE

U.Va. mental health resources virtually assist students As academics and social interactions have moved online, access to mental health wellness has become increasingly important Nayeon Kim | Features Writer

KALISTA DIAMANTOPOULOS | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Mental health and wellness resources offered at the University, such as those offered at the Women’s Center, have moved online, allowing students to reach out for help even in this age of social distancing.

As the school year progresses and workloads begin to pile up, students are starting to feel the toll of virtual learning, especially that of Zoom fatigue — the impediment of information processing due to an overuse of virtual conferencing technology that diminishes non-verbal communication learning. As undergraduates and faculty alike begin to feel the effects of the declining motivation and efficacy of video learning, stress will likely start to encroach on their mental well-being.

Fortunately, the mental health and wellness resources offered at the University have made the move online, allowing students to reach out for help even in this age of social distancing. Whether it’s for immediate crisis care from the Counseling and Psychological Service, long-term extended care from the Maxine Platzer’s Lynn Women’s Center or for improving upon your personal wellness at WahooWell, the University is offering students diverse online care to help them throughout the pandemic.

CAPS, the primary mental health clinic for University students, has integrated telehealth into their counseling services where students can speak with licensed counselors through WebEx. According to CAPS Director Nicole Ruzek, CAPS has included new wellbeing groups and drop-in counseling in their move online to ensure the best possible care to students during the

pandemic.

“We’ve partnered with the contemplative sciences folks and we’re offering mindfulness groups every day of the week,” Ruzek said. “[We also have] our Let’s Talk program … a [virtual] drop-in program for students [where] they don’t need appointment[s] ahead of time … on Tuesdays.”

However, the move online has not been without its challenges, as barriers exist to implementing telehealth programming during the pandemic. The requirement to socially distance indoors while students partake in remote learning from all around the world poses a unique trial to counselors and students alike.

“I think the main challenge that we faced … was [that] a number of students who went home to another state and … we are not allowed to practice outside of the state … where we’re not licensed,” Ruzek said. “[Plus] students are worried about [not having] privacy to do their telehealth sessions.”

Despite the challenges, the future appears bright as there are talks of legislators creating an exemption for licensing laws across state lines if the care is provided via telehealth. To alleviate privacy concerns for students accessing telehealth services in spaces where they may feel uncomfortable with others listening in, CAPS now allows students living in the Charlottesville area to reserve one of six

private offices at CAPS designated spaces for participating in virtual counseling sessions. Any student who uses this space is required to follow social distancing guidelines.

The Maxine Lynn Platzer Women’s Center — which offers longterm counseling services as well as mentorship to the entire student body — has similarly integrated telehealth to facilitate continuous support for those who seek mental help and mentorship. Abby Palko, the director of the Women’s Center, highlights the new support groups added for the unique pandemic situation as well as how the Center has been circumventing state-line issues of virtual services thus far.

“We are providing all of our counseling sessions remotely through an online platform … [or] help[ing] them get set up with a provider in their state,” Palko said.

“We will [also] be starting a couple of groups [such as] wellness in the time of COVID … [and] the survivors one [will] be a new cohort.”

In the face of additions to virtual programming at the center though, the center is also having to cope with the loss of in-person access to their offices. Typically, the center reserved self-reflection rooms throughout the building for students to use when needed and staff members tried to maintain open-door policies for struggling students — now, both resources have become inaccessible to the public.

“You know, I finish every interview or meeting with students saying, ‘You know where to find me.

My door is always open to you’ [but now] I have to say, ‘It’s not right now,’” Palko said. “[I’m] happy to jump on a Zoom call with you … [but] it’s not quite the same, and so that is challenging, particularly because so much of the work we do is built on human connection.”

While most of the programs have focused on counseling services, WahooWell was founded in 2019 and presently focuses on complementing therapy sessions from initiatives such as CAPS and the Women’s Center by helping students create goals to maintain both physical and mental wellbeing. Kristina Simpkins, an early intervention specialist working as a WahooWell coordinator, elaborates on how WahooWell facilitates both physical and mental wellbeing to students during the pandemic when they register to join the program.

“We have conversations about maybe … you’re eating differently because you’re in a new living environment and that has shifted your overall wellbeing,” Simpkins said.

“How you want to adjust things to get back to a picture of health and wellness with that specific topic [is what we discuss].”

The program was initially founded to focus on social health and substance use but has since expanded to be an overall wellbeing

program in accordance with the wishes and needs of the students surveyed on Grounds. As WahooWell continues to incorporate feedback from its students, Simpkins encourages people to stay up to date with the website for current projects in the work.

“We’ve been working on some health and wellbeing guides,” Simpkins said. “They’re around topic areas like taking care of yourself ... getting healthy sleep, all the various topics of well being [and there are] other resources that are on Grounds which I refer to quite a lot through WahooWell.”

As CAPS, WahooWell and the Women’s Center continue to address the challenges that telehealth and remote learning pose on mental wellbeing, each program hopes to improve upon their in-person assistance that has moved online and add new strategies to effectively aid students in need during this unprecedented time. While students are facing disruption in their regular routine, Palko gives some advice to students who are trying to find normalcy during their academic year.

“These are challenging times, so please be kind and gentle with yourself,” Palko said. ”For some people, [keeping a strict routine] is how they cope with an uncertain moment like this and for others, they need to cocoon — I just encourage everyone to do some deep reflection on what helps them.”

Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 9

LIFE

Top 10 ways to get away from your computer screen Zoom on out of your room Ben Rosenthal | Top 10 Writer

1. Take a scenic drive

This is my personal go-to for a little change of scenery after a two-and-a-half hour torture session — I mean, virtual class. After sitting on Zoom for what feels like an eternity, forcing yourself to sit upright and look presentable in case your peers are on gallery view, there is nothing more freeing than getting in the car and jamming out as you endlessly loop around Grounds. Just beware — gas isn’t free.

4. Lie on your bed and dream 7. Support a local business that it’s 2022 If you don’t want to leave the house, even a nap may do the trick for your Zoom fatigue. As you’re struggling to fall asleep while thinking of those readings you really ought to do instead of napping, you can look forward to the chance that you’ll have a vivid and realistic dream about a post-virus world, where the world is safe again and the Nau Hall Starbucks finally re-opens. It’s the little things.

5. Watch old TV shows

Comfort TV is comforting for a reason — it has a sense of familiarity that reminds us of better, simpler times. It’s the reason that — if you’re a student reading this — you’ve likely watched The Office four times through. Well, nowadays, comfort TV is special for another reason — watching an episode of a show from even just 2019 and seeing normal life can be comforting — but incredibly depressing at the same time. Choose wisely.

To my pleasant surprise, the Corner has actually been relatively mask-abundant during my trips out.

So, if you’re hungry and tired of making PB&J two times per day, take a journey out to some of your favorite places on the Corner.

8. Support a non-local business

Since time is hardly an object anymore — especially if your classes are asynchronous, in which case life is just one long blob — why not do some exploring?

Drive out to the country and see what’s out in the world — you never know where you might find a roadside pie stand.

EMMA HITCHCOCK | THE CAVALIER DAILY

2. Head to the kitchen

If you’re like me and chose to forgo a meal plan — O’Hill lunch isn’t worth dying for, let alone eating — you’ve suddenly been thrown into the world of self-sufficiency. I have found cooking to actually be mind-cleansing after a few hours in front of the screen. Plus, if you’re bad at it like I am, it can easily take a few hours to make that PB&J, resulting in lowered screen time for the day — and therefore less eye strain.

3. Take a hike

Tucked away in what Google Maps tells me is the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Charlottesville area is full of fantastic hiking trails — or so Google Maps tells me. While I cannot say I have been on one in a good two years, having the option nearby gives me great comfort. For those without a car, there are trails near Observatory Hill that are fantastic, as long as you accept the one-infive chance of stumbling upon a dead body.

EMMA HITCHCOCK | THE CAVALIER DAILY

EMMA HITCHCOCK | THE CAVALIER DAILY

6. Get some quality outdoor exercise

As your Fitbit tracker could attest to, those consistently frantic sprints to your next class actually added up last semester, and it was never hard to hit that recommended 10,000 steps. Nowadays, with all my classes taking place in my bedroom, it is an arduous task to even hit 100. Before it gets dark at 4:15 p.m. in a few months, take advantage of the daylight and go for a jog, do some parkour or try using a tree branch for pull-ups — your quarantine body will thank you.

9. Find a spot on Grounds and relax

Just because Grounds isn’t back to normal doesn’t mean you can’t visit it. The Rotunda, the Lawn and even the set of picnic tables outside Nau Hall that are never open are still there. Find a spot outside and take some time to relax. Even if it’s just studying or attending class via Zoom, there’s something better about doing it from a new location.

10. Spend time with friends

If you’re bored right now, chances are that everybody else is too. So pick up the phone and give your pals a text — while hanging out in these conditions may not be the same as it was before, it may be just what the doctor ordered. After all, friends are better six feet apart than they are through a laptop screen. And that’s a fact.

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The Cavalier Daily

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The new ‘Mulan’ is beautiful, but totally misses the point A decently executed adaptation is neither as subversive nor memorable as its animated original Max Patten | Video Editor

COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The live-action adaptation of “Mulan” was released last week directly to streaming service Disney+.

The original “Mulan” was released 22 years ago and is remembered today as an immensely charming product of the Disney ‘90s renaissance, thanks to its potent blend of multiculturalism, subversive twists on the classic Disney princess formula, memorable characters, banging musical score and simplistic yet beautiful aesthetic that complemented the story’s Eastern origins. In this latter respect Disney’s live action adaptation of “Mulan” does surprisingly well, containing inspired landscape compositions that are decorated and produced with immaculate care. As for recapturing the rest of the original’s magic, the 2020 adaptation of “Mulan” — like so many other things this year — falls short.

There are things to commend about this adaptation before getting into the purely critical. Director Niki Caro and her team have assembled an actually diverse and appropriate cast, with Mulan (Yifei Liu) and warrior-companion-turned-love-interest Honghui (Yoson An) in particular performing their roles admirably.

The action sequences in battles follow cartoonish physics and adopt a kung-fu style presented just believably enough to work.

While a live action aesthetic will always fail to stack up to the 1998 “Mulan” film’s gorgeously unique geometric animation, the vivid saturation and imaginative scenery of the 2020 “Mulan” does the trick when set to a decent original score — although it should be noted that the lack of any songs in this version leave it feeling a little devoid of personality.

It isn’t just missing songs where 2020 “Mulan” falls short of character, but frankly most of the film. While there are a few sparing jokes about gender politics during Mulan’s time pretending to be a man in the Chinese army, the character-filling banter between 1998’s Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) and her dragon companion Mushu (Eddie Murphy) has no replacement in this new adaptation.

In the 2020 “Mulan,” the only supernatural companion to be seen is a phoenix representing Fa Mulan’s family “qi” energy with no dialogue or distinguishing char-

acteristics. Without a humorous sidekick to talk to, 2020’s Mulan has a hard time making her character known to viewers despite Liu’s sincere and effective performance of the character.

Side characters like fellow trainee Cricket (Jun Yu) are given a minimum treatment of personality and are nowhere near as entertaining as their equivalents in the original. The regiment’s Commander Tung (Donnie Yen) isn’t quite a blank slate, but he’s not very recognizable either without a recitation of “I’ll Make a Man Out of You.” Even one musical sequence would have added a good bit of personality to a movie that sometimes feels similar to competent but sterile high-budget video games with their barely sketchedout characters.

The lack of personality sorely reveals itself, however, in the Emperor and villain characters.

The Emperor (Jet Li) is laughably stoic without a hint of anything to be remembered by, and the Khan villain (Jason Scott Lee) is a hollow portrayal of the leader of the Huns. Though it may be tire-

some to compare an adaptation so rigorously and repetitively to its original, when the characters fall this short a reminder of what made them work in the first place feels appropriate.

As a person of Kazakh descent, I feel particularly robbed of a memorable and great Central Asian villain a la the 1998 “Mulan’s” Shan Yu. The original Shuan Yu was a vicious man who stood out for his particular breed of arrogance and cartoonish buffoonery, whereas 2020’s Khan is a stereotypical angry warlord in kahoots with a new character, a witch named Xianniang (Gong Li).

Xianniang is supposed to be a thought-provoking parallel to Mulan as a female who undergoes a transformative arc of redemption, but the script condenses this arc into such a miniscule amount of screentime that her presence barely registers. Li’s character could have been an interesting feminist complement to what has always been a subversive plot since “Mulan’s” origins as a real folk tale. Unfortunately, a cool

costume and one battle sequence with Mulan leads her neither toward being a compelling villain nor a redeemed helper. Combined with the tragedy of this movie’s Khan, the result is that 2020’s “Mulan” has no compelling antagonist.

“Mulan” is far from a terrible movie — as some internet trolls who are upset by it on principle for being too PC with its diversity might lead you to believe. But it is a disappointingly sour take on what was originally a fresh and subversive animated feature.

Watching “Mulan” is entertaining enough, but it is not worth the $29 price Disney is charging for athome viewers who must already be subscribed to the Disney+ streaming service to view the film during what would have been a purely theatrical release window.

In a normal world with theaters, “Mulan” might at least be a spectacle worth some popcorn time, but in the current global context it’s a story not quite worth the price of admission for all but the most diehard or desperate of Disney fans.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 11

Catch a vibe in self-isolation with this playlist A collection of chill, relaxing songs to add to your self-isolation playlist Mahika Ghaisas | Staff Writer In self-isolation, the days can often feel monotonous. After all, we’ve been isolated from the world for almost six months, and it can be really easy to just let the days go by. So, if your days — and your playlists — feel repetitive, give this one a try. Featuring a selection of mellow yet positive songs, this playlist can help you catch a chill vibe during self-isolation.

“Milk and Honey” by Billie Marten Billie Marten is a seriously underrated artist. Hailing from England, Marten is known for crafting reflective and dreamy music, which she showcases on “Milk and Honey” off of her 2016 album “Writing in Blues and Yellows.”

The delicate vocals and minimal instrumentation on “Milk and Honey” will transport you to tranquility, perfect for a chill night of self-isolation. The music video for Milk and Honey is equally relaxing and is definitely worth a watch too.

“The Adults Are Talking” by The Strokes After a seven year hiatus, The Strokes released their eagerly anticipated sixth album “The New Abnormal” — an apt title for an album released in an unprecedented global pandemic. The opening track of the album — “The Adults are Talking” — features subdued vocals and expert guitar riffs combined to reach an emotional end. “The Adults Are Talking” is a chill indie-rock hit that’s perfect for breaking the monotony of self-isolation with something fresh and different. “august” by Taylor Swift Out of the many things that happened during quarantine, the release of “folklore” by Taylor Swift was one of the best. Though this entire album is a delight to listen to in self-isolation, “august” stands out. “august” is a mellow, indie-folk ballad that tells the story of a fleeting summer romance, and Swift’s ethereal vocals support this tale by evoking images of changing seasons. If you need a change of mood and scenery during your self-isolation, “august” is definitely worth a listen.

“Simmer” by Hayley Williams In a time as unique as quarantine, it’s always great to have something lighthearted in your

playlist. This is exactly what Hayley Williams delivers in her song “Simmer” from her 2020 solo album “Petals for Armor.” The frontwoman of alternative-rock band Paramore, Williams deviates from Paramore’s usual style on “Simmer” and explores a new technique that is effortlessly light and playful.

is the way to go. Frontman Sameer Gadhia’s powerful vocals, soar over energetic instrumentation to create an unrelentingly positive sound with nostalgia for a time that was more simple and carefree. “Apartment” radiates positive vibes, and in the days when self-isolation has got you down, it will pick you right back up.

“Mariners Apartment Complex” by Lana Del Rey

“Someone New” by Hozier

Lana Del Rey’s album “Normal F***ing Rockwell” was a pleasant surprise from her earlier work, and “Mariners Apartment Complex” shines bright as a beautiful, introspective ballad on this record. Infused with influences from the 1970s, “Mariners Apartment Complex” evokes feelings of love and melancholy. Lana Del Rey’s delicate vocals whisper over piano melodies as she sings of a more uncomplicated time, transporting you to this rose-colored time during self-isolation. “last great american dynasty”

by Taylor Swift As a Swiftie since my teenage years, I couldn’t just have one Taylor Swift song in this playlist.

Off of her surprise album “folklore,” “last great american dynasty” is a playful narrative song that showcases Swift trying something different from her usual pop, both lyrically and musically. Swift is at the top of her game here, and “last great american dynasty” is a great song to change up your quarantine playlist.

“Golden” by Harry Styles Harry Styles took the world by storm as a solo artist after parting ways with boy band One Direction in 2015. His extremely successful self-titled album saw a lot of success with hits such as “Sign of the Times” and “Sweet Creature.” However, his newest album “Fine Line” shows Styles heading in a lighter, more indie direction. The leading track off of the album, “Golden,” embodies this change perfectly, featuring an upbeat sound and hints of 90s music. “Golden” is a wonderful way to start off a lonely self-isolated morning on a chill and upbeat note.

“Apartment” by Young The Giant If you’re looking for something to really vibe to in self-isolation, “Apartment” by Young the Giant

Simply put, this is a great song.

From Hozier’s self-titled 2014 album, “Someone New” features elements of soul and folk music, as Hozier sings of both love and it slowly falling apart. Although the content is not completely positive, it’s a mellow tune that’s lyrically meaningful and unique.

“Someone New” is perfect for your self-isolation playlist and for those times when you need to vibe to something different.

EMMA HITCHCOCK | THE CAVALIER DAILY

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The Cavalier Daily

OPINION LEAD EDITORIAL

Resident Advisors deserve better Housing and Residence Life must value the lives of its student workers above its exploitation of their labor

T

he University administration’s decision to bring thousands of students back to on-Grounds housing created an entirely new group of frontline workers during the pandemic — resident advisors. Housing and Residence Life has a history of treating RAs haphazardly. Its indifference towards this group of student workers — especially during a time when COVID-19 is likely to cause outbreaks in dorms throughout Grounds — demonstrates a systemic flaw within Housing and Residence Life and how it treats its student employees.

Members of Residence Staff recently released a list of demands for the upcoming semester in response to the University’s negligence. Now endorsed

by Student Council, six of these 10 demands relate specifically to issues regarding “COVID-19 & Safety” — highlighting just how ill-prepared the University is in protecting these students on the frontline. Students working in these roles are tasked with handling the issues brought on by

the University’s decision to bring students back to Grounds — they deserve the financial, food and housing security that the University has refused to provide.

Many resident advisors are living in first-year dorms — sharing communal bathrooms and the close-quarters living situations. Thus, the duties associated with being a member of the resident staff have only become dangerous due to the ongoing pandemic. The need to enter all bathrooms in the dorm during scheduled coverage days or having to interact with countless students only heightens the risk of contracting the virus. However, many resident staff members have noted that the lack of adequate personal protective equipment is a serious concern. The University continues to ignore the risks now associated with being a member of the resident staff in an ill-fated effort to absolve itself of ultimate culpability. When these students get sick at work, we must remember that the University allowed for it to happen.

Further, with the closure of common kitchen areas in dorms, resident staff are forced to deal with a difficult dining situation during a semester in which dining halls have become flooded with huge lines due to COVID-19 restrictions. Typically, the dining compensation includes enough swipes to have about one meal a day — as the kitchens in their place of living are closed, these students deserve access to food security outside of the use of a microwave. The University adding 20 additional meals to the dining compensation is not enough. It is ignorant for the University to assume that all students serving as resident advisors can afford to feed themselves without the use of kitchen appliances. It completely ignores the plight of low-income students and will contribute to a rise in food insecurity.

Moreover, the housing insecurity created by the University’s last-minute decision to bring students back to Grounds introduced several other concerns such as the possibility of being

forced to relocate. For instance, hundreds of RAs and residents in Shea House, the International Residence College and the Johnson, Malone and Weedon residence area had their move-in plans changed to accommodate for increased quarantine housing.

These students had just days to find an alternative living situation or move dorms.

Further complicating matters, HRL has a policy that restricts resident staff from speaking to the press — creating a barrier for resident advisors to organize and raise concerns about unfair practices. In fact, several staffers chose to sign and support the aforementioned demands anonymously out of fear of retaliation from HRL. This suppression of student voices clearly demonstrates the University’s inconsistent support for student self-governance and disregard for the well-being of the community — employing both only when convenient.

This is just a subset of the numerous issues resident advisors face as new frontline workers.

HRL has made its indifference towards resident advisors clear.

It exploits student labor without protecting their lives. The University administration’s negligence is directly putting student workers’ lives at risk by actively ignoring the demands of residence staff, and not providing adequate protective gear, food allowances or financial security. A safe reopening cannot exist if the lives of countless student workers are being ignored.

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

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MANAGING BOARD Editor-in-Chief Nik Popli Managing Editor Jenn Brice Executive Editor Victoria McKelvey Operations Manager Ankit Agrawal Chief Financial Officer Malcolm Mashig EDITORIAL BOARD Victoria McKelvey Nik Popli Zack Pasciak Hailey Yowell Neil Kothari Noah Strike JUNIOR BOARD Assistant Managing Editors Carolyn Lane Abby Sacks (SA) Hanna Preston (SA) Ellie Prober (SA) Joitree Alam (SA) Nicole Freeman (SA) Isabel Barney

News Editors Ali Sullivan Paige Waterhouse (SA) Eva Surovell Sports Editors Vignesh Mulay Akhil Rekulapelli (SA) Caroline Lund (SA) Eva Surovell Life Editors Pauline Povitsky Elise Kim Arts & Entertainment Editors Robin Schwartzkopf Caitlin Woodford (SA) Anna Miller Health & Science Editors Callie Freeman Lucie Rutherford Magazine Editor Jacquelyn Kim Opinion Editors Zack Pasciak Hailey Yowell (SA) Neil Kothari Humor Editor Eshaan Sarup Cartoon Editor Audrey Lewis

Production Editors Ethan Fingerhut Noah Holloway Flora Kim Graphics Editors Angela Chen Emma Hitchcock Photography Editors Ariana Gueranmayeh Emma Klein (SA) Tapley Borucke (SA) Khuyen Dinh (SA) Sophie Roehse Video Editor Max Patten Social Media Managers Darryle Aldridge Peyton Guthrie Translation Editors Maria Aguilar Lily Lin (SA) Aldo Barriente (SA) Xi Chen (SA) Ziqin Lin Finance Manager Victoria Li Business Manager Kelly Mays

Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 13

OPINION

Policing still functions as slave patrolling Police actions in Kenosha, Wis. expose how originations of police as slave patrols are blatantly reflective of the actions we see taken against Black people daily

A

merica recently watched as police shot unarmed Jacob Blake in the back seven times as he got into his car, leaving him paralyzed.

Not too long after that, we stared in shock as a white 17-year-old gunman stormed the streets of Kenosha, Wis. in opposition to individuals protesting the attempted murder by police — killing two and nearly blowing the arm off another. He then walked right past the police not only with his illegally wielded gun slung across his chest, but also staying hydrated with the water they gave him 15 minutes prior.

No matter how you view this situation, especially after watching all the videos, there are two things that are evident — the cops welcomed this kid, and they also allowed him to kill two people. It is also clear that the police found no threat in this young man. If it had been a Black kid shooting people at that protest, he would not have even had the chance to take his safety off. In the case of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, he was killed for playing with a toy gun in a park. So, this begs the question — why is it that police are more prone to act forcefully towards an unarmed Black man?

A piece of American history that I’m sure many people were never taught in school was the implementation of slave codes and slave patrols

and their evolution into modern-day police departments. After slavery was abolished, white southerners pushed for laws that would force Black people back to working in the fields — slave patrols were the ones to enforce this.

The mere appearance of idleness, immoral conversation, immoral behavior or immoral actions were criminalized.

Black citizens would have to face fines, prison time and even slavery for up to

known that the police have a history of working with the Ku Klux Klan, and some still do to this day.

Here is the kicker — slave patrols were not allowed to kill slaves because they were considered investments.

Slaves were property. Kyle Rittenhouse claimed that he was there to help protect property. It is ironic to think that what was once valued property in the most deplorable way is now

They sometimes even initiate conflict because the color of someone’s skin determines how dangerous they are.

What is this, if not an attempt to extinguish the unfounded discomfort felt by other people in a Black person’s presence?

Even on Grounds at this prestigious “forward-thinking” university, this behavior among police can still be seen. On the Instagram page @

“Racism is not only at the root of our current policing system — it is the root.”

a year. This is what we still see today, but instead of going back into field slavery, they are forced into the slavery of the prison industrial complex.

A quick comparison of behaviors shows many things were carried on from slave patrols to police. Slave patrols and early police would use intimidation tactics to impose control over the attitudes and beliefs of Black citizens in order to reinforce safe, less threatening behavior that would be seen as comfortable to white people.

Slave patrols would provoke fear and submissiveness among slaves. The origins of policing clearly reflect how it still works today. It is even widely

regarded as easily dispensable. The only thing that is apparently different is the switch from the term patrol to police and the fact that the slaves in question are now being killed excessively.

Black people may no longer be slaves in America in the most literal sense, but we remain slaves to the racist systems the country has in place — including policing. The police act proactively in Black neighborhoods and reactively in white neighborhoods — this is something that is so blatantly obvious. In a poor, Black neighborhood the police are already there waiting for something to happen.

blackuvaspeaksout, there are multiple anonymous stories of superfluous police interactions with Black University students. A Black student at a predominately white institution is the very definition of being “out-of-place,” especially seeing as we only make up around 6 percent of the student population.

One student was reported for carrying a weapon — which was actually a laptop stand — and looking suspicious. Another student was accosted and accused of stealing a bag of chips based on no evidence, while another was pulled over without reason. These are all experiences Black students have

had to put up with at this University based solely on the fact that the color of their skin is seen as an automatic threat in this racist police system.

It is important to note that defunding the police does not mean getting rid of the concept of police completely. Taking funds away from police and dispersing it into bettering communities is a necessary action. Policing in itself is a quick solution to an everlasting problem, whereas bettering the community would attack the problem at its root. It also must be said that I am not oblivious to the fact that the police kill unarmed white people as well — though not at the same rate.

This begs another question — if white people are being killed too, why are you not upset? It would seem to me that you are angry about the wrong thing.

Racism is not only at the root of our current policing system — it is the root. Throwing more taxpayer funds into the system is not going to solve the problem. We need a redistribution of those funds into community programs that combat systemic poverty and violence in an effective — and safe — way.

ALIYAH D. WHITE is a Viewpoint Writer for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

Cease unconstitutional exemptions for religious gatherings Religious practices should remain online, where they can provide the same quality sermons, community building and worship without risking lives

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he University’s latest update to the SEC-045 policy addressing COVID-19 public health measures does not restrict attendance to places of worship. Those regulations are instead deferred to ordinances from the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Neither ordinance classifies religious ceremonies or attendance as “gatherings,” and are thus not subject to the standard 50 person limit.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a gathering of more than 50 people would be classified as a “highest risk” gathering.

Nevertheless, the irresponsible policies don’t stop there, as wedding receptions and ceremonies are exempt from gathering limits under the City and County because of their religious connotations.

Everyone is making sacrifices in the face of a global pandemic, such as staying apart from loved ones, and small business owners shutting down their livelihoods due to COVID-19. These dispensations have and will prove lethal across the country if mitigation measures continue to be ignored when religion is considered.

Religious groups must also contribute to this shared sacrifice in order to decrease the disease’s spread — it is not

too much to ask that they be regulated under standard gathering rules.

The University’s other exemptions for the 15 person limit are reasonable and in accordance with the Return to Grounds Plan, including sporting events, protests and public stores.

These are all either outdoors or essential for daily life — meaningful reasons for exemptions. While the University probably won’t have to deal with a

es and entities. However, the opposite situation is occurring in Charlottesville and in many communities across the nation. Communities of faith are being placed above public health concerns so they can practice in person, which is simply unnecessary. It is also a breach of the separation of church and state since similarly situated secular gatherings do not enjoy these exemptions. Religious practices should

a whole to provide places of worship exemptions from COVID-19 mitigation standards.

By exempting churches and their equivalents from public health regulation, the government is favoring religion over nonreligion, a wholly unconstitutional provision. Churches have already defied government orders and escalated rates of COVID-19 in many states. Communal meetings

“Religious groups must also contribute to this shared sacrifice in order to decrease the disease’s spread.” gathering of more than 50 people at the University Chapel, they should take a firm stance on mitigation criteria for all gathering limits, instead of singling out and privileging religious gatherings. And what may end up being a nonexistent issue for the University is really emblematic of a larger national issue — deterioration of the separation of church and state.

In accordance with the First Amendment, no places of worship can be forced to adhere to more rigid mandates than mandates of similar servic-

remain online, where they can provide the same quality sermons, community building and worship without risking lives. Churches and other public worship spaces already enjoy privileged treatment from the government, such as automatically granted tax exemption, virtually no oversight or limits on lobbying practices and loopholes that allowed them to receive billions of dollars in COVID-19 funds from the government. It is unconstitutional and deadly for the University, Charlottesville, Albemarle and Virginia as

are exactly that — communal — and these types of gatherings are notably more prone to spreading the disease.

The University and Virginia should alter their orders — the actions of just a few could lead to catastrophic health issues. We cannot let these rules remain in place when they actively work against safety recommendations for large groups, endangering the health of non-religious citizens too. Many congregants travel from outside the immediate area, and are potentially contributing to the spread of COV-

ID-19 to different counties. Unrestrictive regulations for churches and their peers do not impede on religious freedom because large in person religious gatherings are not necessary in freely practicing one’s religion. Further, religious expression should not trump the lives of community members in the first place. A global pandemic requires cooperation and respect for one another’s well-being, and no one should be exempt from preventative mitigation measures without reason.

Religious institutions can and should function online for the sake of others.The University community needs to emphasize safety for all, especially with the risky decision to bring back on-Grounds students and push forward with in person classes.

The only way we can continue to keep COVID-19 cases at bay is by community cooperation. Exemptions for certain gathering restrictions place undue strain on Charlottesville and undermine the responsibility that places of worship have to their community. Let us emphasize rationality, reason and science — they will save lives.

NICOLE CHEBILI is a Viewpoint Writer for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

The Cavalier Daily

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HUMOR The honor code has saved us all It turns out that a few so-called “educated” people and “public health experts” and “the Charlottesville mayor” and “doctors” and “people who passed third grade and can read a graph” seem to think that having a bunch of horny, socially starved, arrogant, 20-somethings from across the globe back on Grounds would be a complete disaster. They even suggest that UNC Chapel Hill and Notre Dame and Northeastern have shown how quickly outbreaks happen in a college setting. But what these experts conveniently ignore is the sanctity of the University’s oldest tradition — the honor code.

Every single student signs the pledge to not “lie, cheat or steal” at convocation, and it is clear that throughout their time at the University they never once break it. Bouncers outside bars rarely even question people’s IDs, since they know that we wouldn’t dare lie about our age for the privilege of getting drunk off of watered-down vodka Sprites and shouting the lyrics of Mo Bamba. Student leaders assure us that their clubs’ recruitment processes are completely fair so we don’t even QUESTION it when every single person from a prestigious CIO comes from the same

high school and friend group — we do the honorable thing and assume we are inferior and should consider ourselves lucky to even be here. When I asked a girl out, she admitted that she finds me incredibly unattractive and needy instead of making something up about “just wanting to be friends.”

Fraternity presidents assure faculty that that there is no sexual assault or binge drinking problem within their chapter, so the University hasn’t even TRIED to police them and simply trusts that the Inter-Fraternity Council — a committee made up of frat members themselves — will hold their own friends and brothers accountable.

Sororities maintain that they choose members based on “fit” — it just so HAPPENS that income level and skin color and how many ski trips you’ve been on are a part of this fit! This community of trust allows students to leave their expensive MacBooks and AirPods unattended in public spaces.

They are naive — no, honorable — enough to realize that even non-students who enter the space will abide by the honor code at risk of expulsion.

And the professors include themselves in this community too. STEM professors in particular hand out the same labs they’ve been using for the

past 20 years, knowing that students wouldn’t even think about asking their friends for past assignments. Others assure us that the participation section of our grade is based on airtight objective criteria and that they don’t just type in “95” on the last day after questioning if they really needed three degrees and 15 years of school to click through PowerPoints and make their TAs grade assignments. My accounting professor trusted our commitment to the honor code so much that he had us use a third-party surveillance service for our take-home exam — not to watch us, but so that we could ensure that the technology worked and would be fine for Virginia Tech. When classes went virtual last spring, most professors made exams open-note — NOT because cheaters would have an unfair advantage, but because they trusted that we’d learn the material for ourselves regardless.

The honor code can be seen at the highest level of the University. When I attended orientation, I learned about how this University’s proud connection to Thomas Jefferson — one of the few historical figures who has remained 100 percent uncontroversial — and how he created the University “based on the illimitable freedom of

the human mind.” At the University, you truly are unrestricted in your intellectual pursuits, being able to major in anything you WANT — except for commerce, public policy, neuroscience, global studies, media studies, PPL or PST! My orientation leaders assured me that the events of August 11 and 12 of 2017 were not representative of the broader Charlottesville community. Sometimes I’d be confused, like when I would walk past the literal Confederate cemetery outside my dorm, or hear about a Black student being harassed by the police, or hear a white student say the n-word, or learn about Vinegar Hill, when someone painted “All Lives Matter” on Beta Bridge, or when two Black professors were denied tenure. But then I’d remember the honor code and realize there’s no way anyone could tell a lie so sinister.

Dean Groves, the second-best silver fox on Grounds, demonstrated his belief in the honor code in a video where he says he trusts students can stay six feet apart, wear masks and not gather in groups of more than 15.

I know that someone in such a high position would not lie about having this trust, and if there existed several pictures of large groups on the Corner

CARTOON Some good things Audrey Lewis | Cartoon Editor

and an entire email from his colleague Jim Ryan yelling at students for partying during Midsummers, he would never have even said it. Moreover, I know the University would not have us back if social distancing wasn’t possible in EVERY situation, such as shared bathrooms in dorms, narrow hallways in every single school building or every narrow sidewalk on and off Grounds.

I am unsure about a lot of things — why men have nipples, why people pretend to hate pineapple on pizza, why anyone sane would major in chemical engineering — but if I’m certain about one thing, it’s that Dean Groves wasn’t lying about his commitment to bringing students back so that they can enjoy their time at the University. Because there is no way a multi-billion dollar corporation who pays their president a six-figure salary but didn’t give severance pay to their dining staff during a pandemic until forced to could care about ANYTHING besides the wellbeing of the community.

ESHAAN SARUP is a Humor editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at e.sarup@cavalierdaily.com

The Cavalier Daily

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PUZZLES WEEKLY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Aaron Rose | Puzzle Master * THE SOLUTION TO THIS PUZZLE CAN BE FOUND IN THE NEXT ISSUE

Across

6 Someone who saves another from danger.

7 Watches, observes with intensity; typically used when someone is viewing something spectacular.

9 Slogan or phrase that unites a group of people or identifies a group’s values; Virginia’s is “Sic semper tyrannis.”

10 The British spelling of this word indicating preference was used in the title of Yorgos Lanthimos’ Oscar-winning film depicting the court of Queen Anne.

11 Moving towards a higher place; Opposite of downwards.

13 Major British political party currently in the Opposition in Parliament and led by Keir Starmer; also, a word for performing a job.

15 To be too assured of one’s abilities.

19 Red, yellow, blue -- mind the ‘u’!

20 As the common factoid goes, you’re far more likely to be struck by lightning than win this.

23 Eating period that occurs during the middle of the day.

24 To beautify oneself by adjusting one’s hair and clothes; commonly used in conjunction with the word ‘preen.’

26 To replace the traction of a tire.

27 A root commonly used in Caribbean cooking; also known as yuca.

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1 “Is not” contraction.

2 If ‘u’ are the only one not laughing at a quality joke, someone may wonder where this sense of yours is.

3 A teacher at the university level.

4 The Latin root ‘milli-’ indicates this number of something.

5 Unit of volume used for liquids; smaller than a pint. (Two words) 6 In one of her hit songs, British singer Adele sings about one of these gossipy stories circulating about her love life.

7 A sizable group of a certain kind of animal; particularly used in reference to birds.

8 Name used in reference to a mountain range in California, by a prominent grassroots environmental “club,” and by an African nation (before ‘Leone’).

12 The distance between two crests of a wave.

14 The state of having wealth and prosperity.

16 To coarsely cut something in an unrefined way. (hyphenated) 17 Related to the eye.

18 Medical term for nearsightedness.

21 A person who is particularly adept at using a keyboard; could also be a job.

22 To discover, to stumble upon.

25 A title used by Muslim religious leaders.

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* SOLUTION FROM SEPT. 3 ISSUE

A L L S P I C O E H L E B R Y A N A C V U M I L L I G R T L O S G I B S O N E H E D E S P A I R U R E T C H O M P K E A A T A R A N T I A E N E D E S E R T

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SPORTS

The Cavalier Daily

Fall roundtable: Key questions for a unique season This fall season will not look like any previous year in the history of college sports CD Sports Staff nament exit and compete for its first national title.

AC: I also have to back the Virginia women’s soccer team. An extremely successful regular season for the Cavaliers was unfortunately cut short with a second round loss against Washington State — who ended up going to the Final Four — in the NCAA Tournament. Ordonez and Ivory are the big names returning and will have considerable weight on their shoulders to succeed. They are joined by senior midfielder Anna Sumpter, a Charlottesville native returning for her fifth and final season, and junior midfielder Alexa Spaanstra, who led the ACC in assists last season. This team has the talent, leadership and determination to compete for both the ACC title and the national championship in 2020.

COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS

All fall sports teams will be playing in front of a restricted audience for the foreseeable future, consisting of family members and the coaching staff.

The upcoming fall sports season will face unique and unprecedented challenges. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, every aspect of sports will look completely different from fan engagement to game protocols. As fall ACC competition kicks off in the coming weeks, The Cavalier Daily’s sports staff is ready to address some of the most important questions facing Virginia sports this year.

Do you believe Virginia’s sports teams will be able to play out the entire fall season?

Andrew Markwalter, Sports Columnist: Honestly, the situation depends on how rapidly the virus spreads and how many opposing players test positive for COVID-19. Director of Athletics Carla Williams and her staff have done a remarkable job at containing Virginia student athletes within a bubble, but with the start of in-person classes and competition, the bubble will be more vulnerable and large outbreaks will jeopardize chances of playing this fall. Hopefully, Virginia’s teams will compete as long as possible, but COVID-19 has proven to be a very unpredictable virus, with many factors at play.

Connor Lothrop, Sports Columnist: Until last week, no Vir-

ginia student-athletes had tested positive for the coronavirus since July. That changed Friday, as five athletes tested positive. If this is an isolated incident, the athletes are making good decisions off the field and everyone is following university protocols, fall sports may be able to survive the pandemic. However, we need every student-athlete on every ACC campus to make the right decisions too. Unfortunately, I don’t see a world where that happens and there’s a good chance at least one sport — but probably more — will have its season cut short.

Andrew Cho, Associate Writer: The University just announced that, with the move-in of hundreds of athletes in non-competitive seasons in recent weeks, only five new positive COVID-19 cases were reported. This means that since the last report, 15 more Virginia sports teams have arrived in Charlottesville and the results have been solid. Notably, Virginia football has not had any new positive cases since the July 24 report. It appears as though the athletics department is taking testing seriously for all athletes as well as staff, which leads me to believe that we will have a fall sports season. A bigger issue is what happens to Virginia’s schedule with other schools shut-

ting down.

Which fall team will be the most successful this year?

CL: The men’s soccer team is coming off a year in which it won the ACC Championship but suffered heartbreak in the national championship. The team lost four of last year’s starting underclassmen to the professional ranks, but Coach George Gelnovatch brought in a versatile 13-man recruiting class from various countries that can plug any holes in the team. The Cavaliers might not reach the College Cup again, but they’re as good a bet to be successful as any other fall team.

Max Pilloff, Associate Writer: The women’s soccer team is set to compete for a national championship this season. The Cavaliers return many key players from their successful 2019 season, including sophomore forward Diana Ordonez — the co-leading scorer from last year — and senior goalkeeper Laurel Ivory. Virginia was dominant with Ivory protecting its net — allowing just six goals in nineteen games — and posted an undefeated 15-0-3 record before her season-ending injury in the ACC Tournament final. This team is poised to avenge its disappointing 2019 second-round NCAA Tour-

Which fall athlete are you most excited to watch this season?

AM: Sophomore quarterback Brennan Armstrong should be an exciting sight as he takes over as the starter for Virginia football.

Coaches and other players rave about his knowledge of the offense, leadership and balanced attack of rushing and passing. While he will be starting for the Cavaliers for the first time in 2020, Coach Bronco Mendenhall has already compared him to the New Orleans Saints’ Taysom Hill, a gifted backup to Drew Brees in the NFL. MP: Senior goalkeeper Colin Shutler was a dominant force last season. The first-team All-American played every minute of the Cavaliers’ 2019 season, conceding 13 goals and tallying 15 shutouts.

However, six of those 13 goals came in the final three games of Virginia’s season, including three in the national championship game. Now, without former Virginia defenders Henry Kessler and Robin Afamefuna, it will be interesting to see how Shutler rebounds from a heartbreaking end to the 2019 season. Plus, being one of only three seniors with significant experience, the onus will be on Shutler to help the team navigate a volatile pandemic-stricken season.

AC: Women’s soccer’s Ordonez will be a tremendous player to watch this year. After leading the ACC in goals as a freshman, Ordonez’s upside is through the roof.

A bona fide goal scorer with an athletic 5-foot-11 build, she’s capable of leading the entire coun-

try in goals this season, and will play a huge factor in the Cavaliers’ success this year. The term “sophomore slump” may be thrown around Ordonez, but Virginia fans should fully expect her to lead the team to national prominence in 2020.

How many games do you think Virginia football will win in 2020?

AM: Virginia football will win eight games, similar to the last couple of seasons. Even though the ACC is much-improved this season, Virginia has the ability to compete with Virginia Tech and North Carolina, both teams expected to contend for an ACC title. This team is underrated — the Cavaliers have a talented defense, along with a promising quarterback and veteran offensive line to help ignite a much-needed running attack.

CL: If they play a full season, Virginia should win eight games.

Armstrong and his junior backup, Keytaon Thompson, both offer unique talents that Mendenhall can leverage, and an experienced defensive front seven will be good enough to win some games if the offense falters. The ACC is relatively weak, and only Clemson, Virginia Tech, Florida State and North Carolina can seriously threaten the Cavaliers. Expect Virginia to win at least one of these contests but possibly drop another to lesser competition.

MP: The new-look Cavaliers may only win five games in 2020.

Last season, Virginia completed one of the greatest seasons in program history — the team beat Virginia Tech, won nine games, went to the ACC Championship Game and competed in the Orange Bowl for the first time. However, this success will be difficult to emulate due to the loss of quarterback Bryce Perkins and several other key players. There are a lot of question marks on the team, starting with Armstrong. The Cavaliers should take care of Abilene Christian but may find it difficult to win more than four games in a revamped Coastal Division.

Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 17

SPORTS

Amid uncertainty, Virginia men’s soccer set for ACC play The Cavaliers hope to finish a shortened fall season with an ACC championship Joe von Storch | Associate Writer After months of uncertainty, Virginia men’s soccer can finally set their sights on a fall season. The ACC announced the layout for the abbreviated season Friday — each school will play six conference games in addition to two exhibition matches prior to a modified eight-team conference tournament.

While discussions of a possible spring NCAA tournament need more time to develop, the Cavaliers will at the very least have a chance to defend their 2019 ACC Championship — something that players will not be taking for granted.

“We’re not just happy to play games, but the games that we’re playing now actually mean something,” sophomore defender Andreas Ueland said. “We’re playing to win another ring. It gives us motivation to work even harder in my opinion.”

In contrast with the typical two games per week of a college season, ACC teams will be playing only one game a week for six consecutive weeks — an idea that several of the players and coaches agree will be beneficial to preparation and performance.

“I love the layout,” senior goal-

keeper Colin Shutler said. “That’s what college soccer has been pushing for for the last decade. We’ll have a week to prepare for games, which is kind of like what they do at the pro level.”

In conference play, Virginia will compete in the North division, playing Virginia Tech, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Syracuse. For the first time since 2014 and only the second time in program history, the Cavaliers will battle the Hokies twice during the regular season.

The top four teams from both the North and South division will advance to the ACC tournament, which will be played entirely at various locations in North Carolina, where four ACC schools reside. The final is scheduled for Nov. 22 in Cary, N.C. — the location of both Virginia’s 2019 ACC Championship win against Clemson as well as its 2019 NCAA Championship loss against Georgetown.

Despite losing a plethora of talent — including ACC Midfielder of the Year Joe Bell and leading goal scorer Daryl Dike — and not being able to play together as a team until July,

the Cavaliers feel strongly that their younger roster is prepared for a solid showing in ACC play.

“The guys are in great spirits,” Coach George Gelnovatch said.

“We’re further along in every respect than I probably thought we would be, whether it’s the soccer piece of the things or the fitness piece of things.”

Virginia will be led this year by First-Team All-American Shutler.

Shutler’s 0.53 goals against average last year led the nation, as he posted 15 shutouts — one shy of tying the school record held by Virginia legend Diego Restrepo.

In front of Shutler, Third-Team All-ACC Ueland will spearhead efforts on the backline. After losing All-American defender Henry Kessler and captain defender Robin Afamefuna to professional teams, Virginia will have significant holes to fill on defense. Furthermore, redshirt freshman defender Reed Kessler — Henry Kessler’s younger brother — could also see the field for the first time this season, looking to build off of his brother’s place in the Virginia history books.

Junior midfielder Bret Halsey is

likely to see playing time in the back after playing significant minutes there last year, and it’s possible that graduate transfer defender Louis Evans could also play a key role. Halsey started in 22 matches for Virginia last season, garnering ACC All-Tournament team honors, and will have to replace the passing prowess of Bell in the midfield.

Going towards goal, the Cavaliers will be led by senior forwards Irakoze Donasiyano and Nathaniel Crofts.

Last year the pair combined for 10 goals — seven of which were recorded as gamewinners — and nine assists.

Aside from Crofts and Donasiyano, senior forward Spencer Patton and sophomore forward Axel Gunnarsson are likely to start games after both appearing in every game last year and combining for six goals.

With the loss of Dike, it will be a true team effort for Virginia to replace his 10 goals from the 2019 campaign.

Despite adding a strong incoming class of eight freshmen and five transfers, it appears that especially the younger additions will see limited action this year.

“A few may take a little time to de-

velop, but overall we’re really pleased with the guys that we’ve spent a lot of time on to bring in to replace [last year’s departures],” Gelnovatch said.

The Cavaliers will open exhibition play Friday at 7 p.m. against Clemson at Klockner Stadium. Attendance will be limited to the families of the student-athletes and coaching staff.

EMMA KLEIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Senior forward Nathaniel Crofts will be tasked to fill former forward Daryl Dike’s big shoes in attack.

Previewing 2020 Virginia women’s soccer The Cavaliers look to rebound from an early exit in last year’s College Cup in a season full of question marks Andrew Cho | Associate Writer Virginia enters the 2020 season with considerable questions — not so much about the team itself, but the entirety of the collegiate soccer landscape. As the ACC intends to play sports this fall, the Cavaliers look to improve upon a disappointing second-round exit from last year’s College Cup. Although the NCAA has postponed the NCAA Tournament until the spring, Virginia looks forward to ACC action and competing for the conference title.

The ACC announced Friday that each team will play an eight-game conference schedule with Virginia’s schedule beginning at Klockner Stadium Sept. 12 against in-state rival Virginia Tech. Notable games this season include a clash with NCAA Championship runner-up North Carolina Oct. 8 and a home game against last year’s No. 7 ranked Florida State Oct. 18. After conference play — which concludes Nov. 1 — the Cavaliers will compete in an eight-team ACC Championship single-elimination bracket from Nov. 10 to Nov. 15 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. Looking at the new additions to

the team, this year’s recruiting class ranks second in the nation according to Top Drawer Soccer. It is headlined by No. 8 freshman defender Samar Guidry and No. 10 freshman forward Lia Godfrey, both of whom have experience on the international level as they played with U.S. national teams. In total, the class boasts nine freshmen who are expected to build a strong program at Virginia and junior transfer defender Sarah Clark from Purdue, who brings collegiate experience to a back end that has two mainstays graduating.

While the 2020 class is loaded with prospects, the Cavaliers also have considerable firepower returning from last season’s ACC Tournament run, particularly in the attacking third. Sophomore forward Diana Ordonez will be a player to watch this season, having led the ACC in goals her freshman year. Junior midfielder Alexa Spaanstra, who led the ACC in assists last season, will look to contribute significantly as well.

Furthermore, Charlottesville native senior midfielder Anna Sumpter returns for her fifth and final season bringing leadership and savvy soccer IQ to the pitch. In goal, senior

Laurel Ivory looks to come back to the field strong after a serious jaw injury in the ACC championship that hindered her incredible junior season. Prior to the injury, Ivory had allowed just six goals in 19 games and posted an undefeated 15-0-3 record.

Delving into the offense, the graduation of forward Meghan McCool will be a huge loss for the front lines, but the emergence of Ordonez as a bona fide goal-scorer will soften the damage. Ordonez and Spaanstra are set to headline the offense, but key contributors such as junior forward Rebecca Jarrett will play a pivotal role in taking pressure off of Virginia’s stars. Senior midfielder Sydney Zandi and junior forward Ashlynn Serepca also hope to build upon their successful 2019 campaigns.

Defensively, the loss of defenders Phoebe McClernon and Zoe Morse will similarly have an impact on Virginia as it returns to action this fall. The two senior leaders and defensive anchors played a pivotal role in the team’s success last year. While the offense looks to remain lethal, younger defenders will have to step up to replace McClernon and Morse.

Sophomore defender Talia Staude and junior defender Claire Constant will be looked upon for help on the back end. Clark also hopes to bring collegiate experience and leadership to the defense, and Guidry may compete for starting minutes right away.

Key to the Cavaliers’ success, Ivory will be leaned on heavily in goal with a rather inexperienced defense as the senior looks to be recognized as one of the best goalies in the NCAA. Overall, the Cavaliers look to rebound from a disappointing end to the 2019 season and will rely on their high-scoring, possession-controlling, sophisticated style of play to succeed. Key matchups against Virginia Tech and North Carolina will be considered non-conference games and will not count towards the ACC standings.

Florida State is the biggest threat on the Cavalier’s conference schedule. The Seminoles presented significant challenges in Virginia’s overtime victory last season, but Virginia will have the home advantage this time around. The Cavaliers look to dominate the conference schedule as only three of eight teams — Florida State, Duke and Louisville — rank

inside the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll.

As the Sept. 12 season debut against rival Virginia Tech approaches, the Cavaliers look forward not just to competing in the ACC, but hopefully winning their first ACC title since 2012.

COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS

Sophomore All-ACC forward Diana Ordonez will be a key piece for Virginia’s ACC title run this season.

18 | www.cavalierdaily.com

HEALTH & SCIENCE

The Cavalier Daily

U.Va. trials precede FDA-authorized COVID-19 treatment Though enrollment in University convalescent plasma trials has ended, the results appear promising for safety in transfusions Amanda Talalaj | Staff Writer

EMMA HITCHCOCK | THE CAVALIER DAILY

As coronavirus cases continued to rise and nationwide rates staggered, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced convalescent plasma as an emergency-use authorization treatment for COVID-19 on Aug. 23. At that time, the FDA concluded that convalescent plasma looked to be a promising, safe and effective treatment for patients who have contracted the virus. Since May 5 of this year, trials on this method of treatment have already been conducted at the University.

Assoc. Prof. of Medicine Dr. Scott Heysell explains the reasoning behind the University’s decision to study the effects of convalescent plasma, preceding the FDA emer-

gency use authorization order.

“Our group of investigators and those caring for people with COVID-19 at U.Va. wanted to gather clinical trial level data including prospective virological, immunological and clinical responses in our own population to better understand the best use of convalescent plasma, the safety of its use in our patient population locally and to do so rigorously with the oversight that comes with clinical trials,” Heysell said in an email to The Cavalier Daily.

The idea for the Convalescent Immune Plasma Trial is to infuse purified convalescent plasma from patients who have recovered from the COVID-19 virus into hospital-

ized patients. The hope is that the injected plasma will possess the antibodies needed in order to boost an amplified immune response, fiending off the virus and treating the patient.

“Remarkably, tens of thousands of people have been treated with convalescent plasma outside of clinical trials in the U.S. and as a consequence, we still do not know if it is of superior benefit to other therapies, and if so, in what specific patient populations,” Heysell said.

“The emergency use authorization by the FDA will make acquiring this important clinical knowledge even harder.”

The study also held a specific inclusion criteria for patients,

meaning it was not a randomized study in which subjects are randomly placed into separate groups with different treatments in order to measure responses. Instead, for the study, patient enrollment was restricted to those early enough within the course of illness to not be placed in the hospital or ICU setting.

“U.Va. is in the process of determining how to use convalescent plasma in those patients that are not otherwise eligible or that decline our other ongoing clinical trials,” Heysell said.

As of mid-August, 32 patients have been enrolled in the study. Patients are continually followed up with, as the study is designed to reduce risk and admittance of COVID-19 ICU patients to 25 percent, when historically, patients who get to that certain level of severity with COVID-19 will obtain admittance into the ICU 50 percent of the time.

The data and patient follow-up documentation is under current analyses.

Prof. of Medicine Lawrence Lum details the scope of the clinical trials.

“The study was not powered statistically to do a large trial,” Lum said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. “It was designed as a single arm phase II clinical trial to determine if there might be a large change in response to convalescent immune plasma infusions and to determine if infusions of plasma would alter patient immune systems.”

Although not contacted by the FDA directly, the University will still report their findings to peer-reviewed journals and public repositories. The University was originally conducting their trial not through FDA authorization, but instead under the Expanded Access Protocol program, which allows for investigational use of a drug with the intent to diagnose, monitor or treat a specific disease.

Jeffrey Sturek, assistant professor of medicine who specializes in pulmonary and critical care, says the effectiveness of the study is to be determined, based on the limit-

ed analyses the University has.

“All the evidence so far that has been reported [from the study] really depends on how you interpret the evidence,” Sturek said. “Looking at the aggregate of the evidence from the clinical trials, so far, says that it is probably safe and it may be effective, and if it is effective, it’s probably more effective if you give plasma that has higher counts of antibodies and more neutralizing antibodies for COVID-19.”

In the treatment of 29 evaluable patients, results look encouraging, yet final analyses have yet to be determined. To the extent the FDA or other clinical domains of public health will utilize the University’s findings remains unknown.

“The FDA announcement came after we had finished enrolling our patients, so it did not affect our enrollment,” Lum said. “The U.Va. research protocol data was not submitted to the FDA for a decision, and the numbers of patients done in our trial, again, are too small to drive approval/disapproval decisions. In fact, there are no randomized phase II clinical trials that have been shown to be effective at driving an approval decision.”

Although the emergency use authorization came after the University study ended, the University continues to amass data and draw conclusions from the relatively small number of patients studied.

Final results have yet to be published, but the protocol results show it is not toxic to be treated with convalescent plasma transfusions.

“Thanks to caring, focused, supportive, enthusiastic, dedicated and compassionate leadership, and team effort and spirit … on the COVID-19 unit, blood bank staff and laboratory staff, this study was conceptualized, submitted for all of the regulatory approvals and completed in 3.5 months,” Lum said.

Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 19

HEALTH & SCIENCE

Local Panera donations support U.Va. transplant program The cafes raised $178,000, which will help numerous pediatric patients receive essential organ transplants Anika Iyer | Staff Writer

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

The University Children’s Hospital says the donation will go towards reinforcing multidisciplinary healthcare teams that can more adequately serve heart, kidney and liver pediatric transplant patients.

From January to November 2019, customers at 16 Panera Bread cafes around Virginia were given the opportunity to round up their order totals to support the University Children’s Hospital transplant program, which aims to help adolescents in need of transplant surgeries live better, more healthy lives. During this 11-month period, these donations steadily accumulated, eventually totaling over $178,000 — money expected to help dozens of children receive life-saving medical care.

Kelly Jackson — co-owner of 16 Panera Bread locations around Virginia as well as vice president of marketing and sales at Blue Ridge Bread Inc. — decided that she wanted to give back to the University Children’s Hospital as a result of numerous interactions with the staff while her daughters received treatment for severe medical conditions. In 2015, the Jacksons enrolled their franchisees in the Change 4 Children’s program as a philanthropic approach to enable their customer base to give back to their community, specifically the Uni-

versity Hospital.

“We really feel like it’s important to get back into the communities where we operate our business and then give people that live in the community a small chance to be part of something really big,” Jackson said.

The program functions by giving Panera Bread customers the option to round up their meal totals to the next dollar with the leftover change contributing to the franchise’s chosen cause.

Kyle Robinson, director of marketing, recruiting and catering for the Panera franchise, deeply resonates with the selfless cause of the program and appreciates its efficiency in accumulating donation money.

“It is something that is very clean and easy, and we have tremendous success with it because a lot of people think that, ‘If my bill is $5.98, what is two cents going to be?’ Well, two cents equals $178,000 when you actually have [a lot of] people,” Robinson said.

The University Children’s Hospital is immensely grateful for the donation, intending to use it primarily towards reinforc-

ing multidisciplinary healthcare teams that can more adequately serve heart, kidney and liver pediatric transplant patients.

Agnieszka Swiatecka-Urban, chief of pediatric nephrology at the University Children’s Hospital, explains that the multidisciplinary approach to treating transplant patients includes having dieticians, social workers and psychologists see the patients in addition to the transplant surgeons and care coordinators. The approach has the intention of utilizing the versatile expertise of each professional in order to provide increasingly well-rounded care to transplant patients.

“Frequently, when we talk about the great outcomes of transplant [treatments], we don’t emphasize enough that it is an effort of teams of around 20 to 30 people that are involved and responsible for the great success of the program,” Swaitecka-Urban said.

Since pediatric transplant patients must normally take part in a pre-transplant evaluation including extensive bloodwork and imaging, as well as stay after

their transplant for close monitoring, the procedure inevitably results in external costs associated with the extended stay in Charlottesville. According to Swiatecka-Urban, since several patients come from far-off areas for transplant treatment, the donation will serve to help families cover various external expenditures such as travel, meals, lodging and even helping patients keep up with school.

The donation is set to contribute partially towards transplanting kidneys for 51 pediatric patients — all who have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease.

In CKD, the kidneys are slowly damaged and unable to maintain normal blood filtration capability, thus causing symptoms such as swelling, chest pain, fatigue and headaches as abnormal levels of fluid and salt collect in the bloodstream. If CKD is left untreated, it eventually progresses into end-stage kidney disease, in which kidneys have lost the majority of their functionality and need either regular dialy-

sis treatments to remove wastes from the body or a kidney transplant to renew function.

Swiatecka-Urban, who specializes in kidney care for pediatric patients, remarks that a kidney transplant is often more conducive for the patient’s development and longevity than receiving dialysis.

“Dialysis is the replacement of the kidney function, but from years of experience we know that it is best to transplant patients, those pediatric patients, just before they start the need for dialysis because they can grow better and they can have a much longer life expectancy after the transplantation,” Swiatecka-Urban said.

Overall, those representing the U.Va. Children’s Hospital transplant program feel that the privilege to receive an organ transplant translates to a renewed sense of life for their patients.

“This is really a donation of life, you know, having the opportunity to have a kidney transplant,” Swiatecka-Urban said.

20 | www.cavalierdaily.com

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